Miscellaneous works of George Wither

Elia's like, I thought my self alone,
A while ago, and of my mind, knew none:
But, many I now hope, here living be
Who, joyn in one Faith, and one love with me.
My Soul, I long time, seemed to possess,
As when the Baptist in the Wilderness
Was to be Disciplin'd, and there prepar'd
For, that, which he performed afterward.
As when he Preach'd Repentance, in his dayes,
High Priests, nor Lawyers, Scribes nor Pharisees,
Nor of the gay Herodians, any one
(Nor many, but the Vulgar sort alone)
Regarded it; so, likewise, I might say
Of all my Premonitions, to this day;
And may (for ought I know) without regard
Pursue my Work, till I have his reward:
If so it happen, I am well content
To follow such a holy Precedent.

I, am now (as it were) one in exile,
Like John, when banish'd into Pathmos Isle;
And, to the seven Churches in these Nations
As he then, to the Asian Congregations

102

Had somewhat to expresse; so, I from HIM
(As I believe) who sent his mind to them
By that Disciple, have a needful Errant,
To be delivered, by Authentick Warrant,
Which, must lie Dormant, until them to hear it
GOD, shall prepare, and fit me to declare it.
Mean while, I cast in this Preoccupation,
To be a furtherance to that Preparation
Whereto GOD's Grace will ripen me, and Them,
(Hereafter, in his own appointed time;
If nothing that shall be Co-incedent
Doth intervene, that purpose to prevent)
Thus Christ, did to a future time adjourn
What, he had then spoke, might it have been born;
And, his example doth instruct my Reason,
To chuse for every work, a proper Season.

I have a Love for all the whole Creation,
Much more, for every Christian Congregation:
I, for each Member of them (whatsoere
Infirmities, I see in them appear)
Have such a Love, and so inlarged, that
I can with every Church Communicate,
In all Essential duties, though they may
Be sometimes, much abus'd with an Allay:
Because, what me therein offendeth, I,
Without offending others, can pass by;
And, at another time, in private, seek
To make them understand what I dislike;
And, by a meek compliance in what's good,
Bear with a failing, not well understood.
Their Ignorance, or misled Consciences,
Give me no cause of Personal offences,
So, they the Fundamental Truths, profess
Without malicious minds, or wilfulness;

103

Or by approving, or continuing in
Prophanness, and committing open Sin.
For, since he that knows most, knows but in part
And, hath a Cloudy Region in his heart,
They, of my Pitty, rather Objects be
Then of my hate. They, so much hurt not me
As damnifie themselves: And, I, thereby
Have of my Meekness, Faith and Charity,
Those Exercises, for which (if I have them
In true sincerity) GOD, chiefly gave them.
And, which way can they better be employ'd
Then, that a common good may be enjoy'd?
And that we to our Brethren may extend
That mercy, when we think they do offend,
Which GOD's long suffering doth vouchsafe to us?
And, since he did command it should be thus?

The Church Catholick, is a Corporation,
Whereof, the several Churches in each Nation
Are Bodies Corporate, as here we see
In LONDON, many Corporations be
Members thereof distinct, govern'd by Laws
Peculiar to themselves, as they found cause
To constitute them; yet, unto all these
Belong the Cities gen'ral Priviledges;
And every Individual Person; there,
Conforms unto those Lawes which proper are
To this whole City; and they live together
In Peace, without intruding on each other.
What hinders (but our Ignorance, Ambition,
Our Avarice, and Love to Superstition,)
That, Christian Congregations may not thus
Be form'd, and regulated so with us,
That, we may live henceforward in true Peace,
Morality and Piety increase?

104

Prophanness be supprest? and, no more, here,
Affairs Divine, and Civil interfere?
What hinders this, but, want of that true Love
And meeknes, which our knowledge might improve?
And, whence flowes Discord, but from intermedling
With what concerns us not? fooling, and Fidling
About those things impertinent, which, whether
Their tendance be to this, or that, or neither
'Tis not material, so, that may not be
Infringed, which to all, ought to be free?
That Peace may be preserv'd; men kept in awe
From violating of the morall Law,
And, GOD permitted to possesse alone
The Conscience as (on earth) his Proper Throne?
For, he from none, will an account receive,
According to what other men believe,
Or shall command; but, answerable to
What he commands us to believe and do,
According to the Light he shall afford,
By his assisting Spirit, and his Word:
And, therefore, they, who, out of slavish Fear,
Of those who peaceably inclined are,
Force Innocents, to any hard Condition
(Thereby to free themselves from their Suspition
Which is incurable) are Tyrannous,
And foes to GOD, unto themselves, and us.

In my late Tryal, I have had a shake,
But, it hath deeper driven in the stake;
And hath, I hope vouchsafed by that FIT,
An earnest, he so fast will settle it;
That, all the Tempests which in future dayes
The World, the Flesh and Devil have pow'r to raise,
Shall more increase my courage; and, by mine
Some other, to the like Resolves incline.

105

GOD, give us Grace, with seriousness to heed
These things in time, with what, else may succeed.
There is a way, how that, may yet be done
Which hitherto, is little thought upon;
And, thereof, in what is expressed here,
A Hint, if well observed, may appear.

University of Virginia Library

A Hint, of that, which may hereafter (if not despised) conduce to the Setling of Peace and Concord in Church and State.