But Oh, what love, what care, what
kindness and mercy did I now see, mixing itself with the most severe
and dreadful of all God's ways to his people! He would let David,
Hezekiah, Solomon, Peter, and others fall; but he would not let them
fall into the sin unpardonable, nor into hell for sin. O, thought I,
these be the men that God hath loved--these be the men that God,
though he chastiseth them, keeps in safety by him, and whom he makes
to abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Surely his salvation, his saving, pardoning grace, is nigh them that
fear him; that is, to save them out of the hand of their spiritual
enemies. The devil and sin and death do always wait even to devour
them that fear the Lord; but to deliver them from these, his
salvation doth attend them. So, then, if Satan tempts, here is their
salvation nigh; if sin by breaking forth beguiles them, here is
God's salvation nigh them; yea, if death itself shall suddenly seize
upon them, why, here is their God's salvation nigh them.
I have seen that great men's little children must go no whither
without their nurses be at hand. If they go abroad, their nurses
must go with them; if they go to meals, their nurses must go with
them; if they go to bed, their nurses must go with them; yea,--and
if they fall asleep, their nurses must stand by them.
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