Classic Poem

1

Man's Nature sociable
Delights in Company,
Declines and dreadeth Solitude,
And loves Society.
Hence to be stript of Friends
And to be left alone,
Must needs be grievous in it self,
A sore Affliction.

2

But bitter though it be,
God's presence can allay,
The bitterness of Sollitude
And take it quite away.
Our Saviour tells the twelve
You all desert me will,
Yet I am not alone, because
The Father's with me still.

3

And as he was with Christ
So is he nigh to all
(For Christ his sake) that call on him,
In truth that on him call.
And he hath promised
To be with his always,
And that he never will forsake
Nor leave them all their dayes.

4

That when they pass through fire
Or water, he'll be there:
The fire it shall not burn, nor floods
Them drown, " cause he is near
He dwells i'th' burning Bush
To see the fire so blaze,
And yet the Bush keep unconsum'd,
Good Moses did amaze.

5

Affliction, through a fire,
God's Saints cannot devour;
Because the Lord dwells in the Bush,
And keeps it by his Power
The Lord is present still,
And maketh his aboad
With all true Saints; such Company
Hath every Child of God.

6

If any man me love
He will my words obey;
My father loves him: we will come
And with him make our stay.
The holy Spirit of Truth,
That sweetest Comforter,
He will for ever dwell with those
That true Believers are.

7

Oh glorious Priviledge
Of such as God do fear!
Though other Friends forsake them, yet
The Lord is always near.
Christ holds them in his hand,
And none shall pluck them out:
The Father, who is more than all,
Them holds; they need not doubt.

8

They dwell in Solitude,
Are in a lonely case,
That have no int'rest in this God,
Nor comfort from his Grace,
For such poor souls as these,
My heart could even bleed,
For when their Creature-comforts fail,
They're left alone indeed.

9

I can remember still
That dismal Solitude,
The horrour of that Lonesomness,
(And state of Widowhood)
Wherein my Soul was once,
From God estranged farre:
That was a wilderness indeed:
Such only Lonesome are.

10

But he is not alone,
That hath the Trinity,
The Father, Son, and Holy-Ghost,
To keep him Company:
Such comforters as These,
Can chear the Desolate,
And make them sing for joy who sit
In solitary state.

11

When such a man is sick,
The Lord will make his Bed;
And when he languisheth, his Arms
Are underneath his head.
And when he sits alone,
The Lord will with him talk:
Or if he wander in the Woods
His God will with him walk.

12

And when he lieth down
He may securely sleep:
Because the Lord in his own Arms
Will him most safely keep.
He may repose himself
Under th' Almighty shade:
And in the time of danger great
He need not be afraid.

13

God watcheth over him
For good, and not for ill:
When he lies sleeping in his Bed,
The Lord is with him still
And when he doth awake,
He may with God converse,
Make known to him his wants, and all
His hearts desires rehearse.

14

Who Truly pities him
Who can his wants supply,
Support him in and bring him out
Of all his Misery
Of Christ's redeemed one
This is the happy case,
To such high Fellowship as this
We are advanc'd through Grace.

15

Speak then all you that reade:
Can that man be alone,
That hath his God so near, to whom
He may his wants make known
Had ever any man
A better Friend then this?
Lord may I but enjoy thee more,
I others less shall miss.

16

O turn to me thy face,
And on me mercy show,
For I am in a lonely case
Afflicted poor also.
Mine heart straits be enlarg'd
Bring me out out of distress,
My pain and my affliction see,
And all my sins release.