cause, I will defend your rights. You shall not stand at man's bar, you shall not be cast at their vote; let them curse, I will bless; let them condemn, I will justify. When you come upon trial for your lives, to have your eternal state decided, you shall see your friend, your father, upon the bench. Into my hands shall your cause be cast, and you shall surely stand in judgment, and be found at the right hand among the sheep, and hear the king say, "Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom.c 6. Our husband. I will be a husband to you.d In lovingkindness and in mercies will I betroth you unto me for ever. I will espouse your interest, and will be as one with you, and you with me:f You shall be for me, and not for another; and I also will be for you.s Though I found you as an helpless infant, exposed in its blood, all your unworthiness doth not discourage me. Lo, I have looked upon you, and spread my skirt over you, and put my comeliness upon you. Moreover, I swear unto you, and enter into covenant with you, and you shall be mine. Behold, I do here solemnly, in this my marriage-covenant, make away myself to you; and, with myself, all things; For I have said and I change not. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. I will be an everlasting portion to you.d Lift up now your eyes eastward, and westward, and northward, and southward: Have ye not a worthy portion, a goodly heritage? Can you cast up your riches, or count your own happiness? Can you fathom immensity, or reach omnipotency, or comprehend eternity? All this is yours. I will set open all my treasures to you, I will keep back nothing from you. a Deut. xxxii. 36. Psalm cxl. 12. ix. 4. b Psalm 1. 6. Eccl. iii. 16, 17. Mat. xxv. 33, 34, x. 32. d Isa, liv. 5. e Hos. ii. 19, 24. f John xvii. 11, 22, 23. 1 John iv. 15, 16, Rev. xxi. 3. & Hos. iii. 3. a Ezek. xvi. 4 to 10. b Jer. xxiv. 7. xxx. 21, 22. xxxi. 33, 34. Romans viii. 32. Rev. xxi. 7. d Ezek. xliv. 28. Jer, li. 19, Psalm cxix. 57. SECTION III. He maketh over himself to us in all his ESSENTIAL PERFECTIONS and PERSONAL RE LATIONS. All the attributes in the Godhead, and all the persons in the Godhead, do I hereby make over to you. I will be yours in all my essential perfections, and in all my personal relations. I. In all mine ESSENTIAL PERFECTIONS. 1. His eternity as the date of our happiness. My eternity shall be the date of your happiness. I am the eternal God; and while I am, I will be life and blessedness to you. I will be a never-failing fountain of joy, and peace, and bliss unto you. I am the first and the last, that was, and is, and is to come; and mine eternal power and Godhead shall be bound to you.c I will be your God, your Father, your friend, while I have any being.d my choice of you, my children, who keep my covenant and my testimony. Fear not, for the eternal God is your refuge; and underneath are the everlasting arms.e My durable riches and righteousness shall be yours;f though all should forsake you, yet will not I forsake you. When the world, and all that is therein, shall be burnt up, I will be a standing portion for you. When you are forgotten among the dead, with everlasting loving-kindness will I remember you.s a Psalm xxix. 10, 11. cxlvi. 10. 1 Tim. i. 17. 1 Pet. v. 10. b Psalm xxxvi. 7, 8, 9. xvi. 11. c Isa. xxxv. 10. Jer. xxxii. 40. d Isa. Ix. 6. Jer. xxxi.9. b Psalm cxxxii. 12. 14. Hos. ii. 19. Deut. xxxiii. 27. f Pro. viii. 10. 8 Heb. xiii. 5. Psalm xxvii. 10. Isa. liv. 10. 2. His unchangeableness, as the rock of our rest. Mine unchangeableness, as the rock of your rest. When all the world is like the troubled ocean round about you, here you may fix and settle; I am your restingplace.b The immutability of my nature, and of my counsel, and of my covenant, are footing for your faith, and a firm foundation for your strong and everlasting consolation. When you are afflicted, tossed with tempests, and not comforted, d put into me; I am a haven of hope, I am a harbour of rest for you; here cast your anchors, and you shall never be moved. 3. His omnipotency for our guard. Mine omnipotency shall be your guard. I am God Almighty, your Almighty Protector, your Almighty Benefactor.f What! though your enemies are many?g More are they that are with you, than they that are against you; for I am with you." What! though they are mighty? They are not almighty. Your Father is greater than all, and none shall pluck you (pluck white they will) out of my hands. Who can hinder my power, or obstruct my salvation?b Who is like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth on the heaven for your help, and in his excellency on the sky? I am the sword of your defence, and the shield of your exsellency. I am your rock and your fortress, your deliverer, your strength, the horn of your salvation, and your high tower.d I will maintain you against all the power of the enemy: you shall never sink, if omnipotency can support you. The gates of hell shall not prevail against you:f your enemies shall find hard work of it. They shall overcome victory, or enervate omnipotency, or corrupt fidelity; or change immutability, or else they cannot finally prevail against you; either they shall bow or break. Though they should exalt themselves as the eagle, though they should set their nest among the stars, even there will I bring them down, saith the Lord.h a Mal. iii. 6. Psalm lxii. 6, 7. xcii. 15. b Jer. 1. 6. 2 Chron. xiv. 11. 2 Tim. ii. 19. Heb. vi. 17, 18. d Isa. liv. 11. Jer. xvii. 13, 17. Psalm xlvi. 1. 2. 5. cxxv. 1. f Gen. xv. 1. xvii. 1. g Psalm xxv. 19. 2 Chron. xxii. 7, 8. 2 Kings vi. 16. 4. His faithfulness, for our security. My faithfulness shall be your security.i My truth, yea, my oath shall fail, if ever a John x. 28. bIsa. xliii. 13. Dan. iv. 35. 2. Pet. ii. 9. Deut. xxxiii. 26, 29. d Psalm xviii. 2.. e 1 Pet. i. 5. Exod. xxviii. 12. Heb. vii. 25. ix. 24. f Mat. xvi. 18. & Rev. iii. 9. Isa. lxvi. 4. h Obad.. 4. Jer. xlix. 16. i Psalm lxxxix. 33, 34, 35. |