Miscellaneous works of George Wither

Faith, Hope, and Fear, and Love are that,
VVhich renders ev'ry mans Estate
To be exceeding good or bad,
Extreamly pleasureful or sad,
According as that Object proves,
VVhich he believes, fears, hopes, or loves.

Make GOD the bottom and the top
Of thy Fear, Love, Belief and Hope,
And thou art then safe, whatsoere
Thou dost believe, hope, love, or fear:
But, if the World their Object be,
Or, any other thing but He,
Thou art destroy'd: For, by these four,
Misplac'd, thou givest them a pow'r
To ruine thee, who else had none
VVhereby a mischief might be done.

If on the World thy hopes depend,
Despair will be their latter end;
VVhen her fair-speakings are believ'd,
Thou wilt be certainly deceiv'd;
If her thou love, she will for that
Requite thee with despiteful hate;
And, if thou fear her, she'l endeavour
To make thee slave to fears for ever.
This by experience I found true,
And thereof thus forewarn I you.

Affect no Pleasure; for 'tis vain,
And terminates at last in pain.
Fear not, when thou shalt be opprest
In doing well; for, such are blest.

Trust not in Wealth; for, it hath wings,
And flies away like other things:
Nor Honour; for, it often spends
Its stock, and in dishonour ends.
Rely not upon Prodigies;
For, they are partly Truths and Lyes;
And, Signs and Wonders can afford
No such assurance as GOD's Word.
Place not your trust in Kings; for, when
They speak like Gods, they act like men.
No, nor your best Works trust you in,
For all mans Righteousness is sin.

Your Faith, Fear, Hope, and Love on none
Ground therefore, but on GOD alone;
And, when thus, you have learn'd to do,
Perswade all other men thereto;
Not terminating Meditations,
In meer unactive speculations;
For, they but like those flashes are,
VVhich we mis-call a shooting-Star.

Here, whilst my Flesh is in restraint,
Lest else my Soul grow dull and faint,
Her, with such thoughts I entertain,
And find them not to be in vain;
Though more I needed, I confess,
These Musings, when I suffered less.
I might be safely rich agen,
Could I be still imployed then
As I am now. But, who is able,
To thread a Needle with a Cable?
They, who in Winter keep at home,
In Summer-time abroad will come;
And, though a Prison seems a curse,
Our Liberty oft makes us worse.

We pray, when Winds and Seas do roar;
When calm, do as we did before.
Ev'n GOD's choice Worthies, when releast
From Suffrings, fouly have transgrest;
If in this, or some other kind,
They were not often disciplin'd.

He, that with troubles hem'd about,
The Battels of the LORD had fought
Unfoil'd; assoon as he had ease,
(Neglecting such like means as these)
Did grofly fall; and so shall we,
When idle and secure we be.
Had he been musing on GOD's Law
When in her Bath, he naked saw
Uriahs Wife; or, at that time
Composing of a Psalm or Hymn,
It had secur'd him from that sin,
Which let a lustful Devil in.

LORD! that I be not so surpriz'd,
(Though these my Musings are despis'd)
Preserve me, (whether weal or wo
Befalls me) still imployed so;
Or, in what else thou please, that's tending
To keep me alwayes from offending:
And to thy Glory, and to my Salvation,
Vouchsafe to sanctifie this Meditation.

University of Virginia Library

II. A causual Meditation on Faith, Hope, Fear and Love.