 | Miscellaneous works of George Wither |  |
77
A Petitionary Meditation on the behalf of F. S. The Authors much Honoured and Charitable, Friend then visited by a Languishing Sickness.
In my contemplatings, VERSE, is to meWhat DAVID's Harp, to him, was wont to be;
And, (on occasions offered) unto GOD)
I, often, make Addresses, in this mode.
Lord, thou didst raise me friends, when few or none
I had, whom I could much depend upon;
And, none of those, had they not first been thine,
Could possibly have been a Friend of mine,
In such a manner, or at such a time
As when thy kindness did appear in them:
For, such Respectiveness, to men that are
In my case, is at this time, very rare.
Thereby, they worthily therefore, are grown
More precious for thy sake, then for their own;
And, me to them it binds, in Bonds more strong,
Then if their frindship, from themselves had sprung.
I had, whom I could much depend upon;
And, none of those, had they not first been thine,
Could possibly have been a Friend of mine,
In such a manner, or at such a time
As when thy kindness did appear in them:
For, such Respectiveness, to men that are
In my case, is at this time, very rare.
Thereby, they worthily therefore, are grown
More precious for thy sake, then for their own;
And, me to them it binds, in Bonds more strong,
Then if their frindship, from themselves had sprung.
My GOD, to thee, for one of those by whom
Thou hast refreshed me I now am come
To offer what my poverty affords;
Which (though it be no more then hearty words)
Be pleased to accept, for those proceeds,
That were extended unto me in deeds;
And, thereunto, vouchsafe thou to impute
That vigour, which I cannot contribute;
Since, there is nothing in my best oblation,
Which of it self, can merit acceptation.
Thou hast refreshed me I now am come
To offer what my poverty affords;
Which (though it be no more then hearty words)
Be pleased to accept, for those proceeds,
That were extended unto me in deeds;
And, thereunto, vouchsafe thou to impute
That vigour, which I cannot contribute;
Since, there is nothing in my best oblation,
Which of it self, can merit acceptation.
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On his behalf, whom thou to me hast given,
I, here on earth, Petition thee in heaven,
(Not for our own deserts, but for his sake,
Who did for all mankind atonement make)
That (if it shall be pleasing unto thee)
His crazed health may now renewed be,
And, he continue by thy preservation,
A faithful servant to this generation,
Till he those works hath finish'd altogether,
For which thou principally sentst him hither;
And, till they who yet want him, less may miss
His passage from them, to eternal Bliss:
For, Life, and all that therewith is bestown,
He had, as well for their sakes, as his own.
I, here on earth, Petition thee in heaven,
(Not for our own deserts, but for his sake,
Who did for all mankind atonement make)
That (if it shall be pleasing unto thee)
His crazed health may now renewed be,
And, he continue by thy preservation,
A faithful servant to this generation,
Till he those works hath finish'd altogether,
For which thou principally sentst him hither;
And, till they who yet want him, less may miss
His passage from them, to eternal Bliss:
For, Life, and all that therewith is bestown,
He had, as well for their sakes, as his own.
Thy people thought themselves oblig'd to plead
To Christ for him, who for them, had but made
A Synagogue: Elias thou didst hear
For, her, by whom, refresh'd his bowels were:
And, thou hast promised an easie bed,
To them, by whom the hungry soul is fed;
Whereby I am incourag'd, and inclin'd,
To pray for him; who hath to me been kind,
With hope, it shall some good product beget
Both to thy glory, and his benefit.
For, thou hast to the prayers of the poor,
An ear as open, now, as heretofore,
And grantst the humble sutes of faithful men,
Aswell, as of thy greatest Prophets, then.
To Christ for him, who for them, had but made
A Synagogue: Elias thou didst hear
For, her, by whom, refresh'd his bowels were:
And, thou hast promised an easie bed,
To them, by whom the hungry soul is fed;
Whereby I am incourag'd, and inclin'd,
To pray for him; who hath to me been kind,
With hope, it shall some good product beget
Both to thy glory, and his benefit.
For, thou hast to the prayers of the poor,
An ear as open, now, as heretofore,
And grantst the humble sutes of faithful men,
Aswell, as of thy greatest Prophets, then.
To thee, I dare not absolutely pray
For ought, belonging to the present day,
Save what that patern warrants, which hath taught
To whom, for what, and how to pray we ought.
When therefore LORD, my frailty shall incline
My will, to what repugnant is to thine,
(Though I should ask it) let it be deny'd,
And, wants, according to thy will supply'd.
The objects, and the subjects, of my prayers
Are positively, nor hopes fears, or dispaires,
Or paines, or pleasures; neither joy nor greif;
No nor a temporary Death or Life,
(Though they concern my self) except they fall
Within the verge of that Conditionall
With which thou bound'st them: For, enough there is
Besides that, grantable, unless amisse
We ask it. And soon'st, thou wilt that dispence,
When Faith assaults thee with most violence.
Such things as thou hast promis'd, we may crave;
Such things in their best season, we shall have,
Though they are oft deferr'd, till we know better
How, by their use, to make the blessings greater:
Such things, I dare to ask, and persevere
In asking them, untill vouchsafd they are;
And, such things, ile now beg of thee, for him
Whose cause I plead: LORD, therefore grant thou them
For ought, belonging to the present day,
Save what that patern warrants, which hath taught
To whom, for what, and how to pray we ought.
When therefore LORD, my frailty shall incline
My will, to what repugnant is to thine,
79
And, wants, according to thy will supply'd.
The objects, and the subjects, of my prayers
Are positively, nor hopes fears, or dispaires,
Or paines, or pleasures; neither joy nor greif;
No nor a temporary Death or Life,
(Though they concern my self) except they fall
Within the verge of that Conditionall
With which thou bound'st them: For, enough there is
Besides that, grantable, unless amisse
We ask it. And soon'st, thou wilt that dispence,
When Faith assaults thee with most violence.
Such things as thou hast promis'd, we may crave;
Such things in their best season, we shall have,
Though they are oft deferr'd, till we know better
How, by their use, to make the blessings greater:
Such things, I dare to ask, and persevere
In asking them, untill vouchsafd they are;
And, such things, ile now beg of thee, for him
Whose cause I plead: LORD, therefore grant thou them
Confirm him in that Love, whence all things had
Their Beings, when created things were made;
And, which at last, will knit up all in one
That was created, when the world begun.
Contentment give him, with what change soere
Thou shalt be pleas'd to exercise him here.
Preserve him in the saving faith of CHRIST,
Which will secure the blessed interest
That, he to all men offers; and to none
Denieth, who, to lay fast hold thereon
Not wilfully, and finally neglects,
Thou having cur'd his natural defects.
Grant him true self-denyal: him befriend,
With constant perseverance to the end
Of all his tryals: Every sin forgive
Committed in the flesh, whilst he shall live.
Enable him, whilst he hath time and place,
To make such an improvement of thy grace
On him conferred, that, as day by day,
Sin sprouts up, it may rooted be away.
In all, whereby the world, the flesh, or Devil
May him assault, deliver him from evil,
And all distemperatures, that may begin
Either from things without him, or within.
Let these Petitions, for his Consolation
Be sanctified by CHRIST's Mediation,
And lie still spread before thee, whilst in life,
My Friend is sensible of pains and grief.
So far forth also, as that, which by me
Is pray'd for now, shall with thy will agree,
Let him with faith, in our Redeemers name
Both for himself and me, desire the same.
And (to conclude this prayer) let all those
By whom, thou hast been pleased to dispose,
Thy manyfold Love-tokens unto me,
In all, here prayed for, partakers be
At ev'ry need; till thou translatst us thither
Where, all thine, shall with thee, live still together.
Their Beings, when created things were made;
And, which at last, will knit up all in one
That was created, when the world begun.
Contentment give him, with what change soere
Thou shalt be pleas'd to exercise him here.
Preserve him in the saving faith of CHRIST,
Which will secure the blessed interest
That, he to all men offers; and to none
Denieth, who, to lay fast hold thereon
Not wilfully, and finally neglects,
Thou having cur'd his natural defects.
Grant him true self-denyal: him befriend,
With constant perseverance to the end
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Committed in the flesh, whilst he shall live.
Enable him, whilst he hath time and place,
To make such an improvement of thy grace
On him conferred, that, as day by day,
Sin sprouts up, it may rooted be away.
In all, whereby the world, the flesh, or Devil
May him assault, deliver him from evil,
And all distemperatures, that may begin
Either from things without him, or within.
Let these Petitions, for his Consolation
Be sanctified by CHRIST's Mediation,
And lie still spread before thee, whilst in life,
My Friend is sensible of pains and grief.
So far forth also, as that, which by me
Is pray'd for now, shall with thy will agree,
Let him with faith, in our Redeemers name
Both for himself and me, desire the same.
And (to conclude this prayer) let all those
By whom, thou hast been pleased to dispose,
Thy manyfold Love-tokens unto me,
In all, here prayed for, partakers be
At ev'ry need; till thou translatst us thither
Where, all thine, shall with thee, live still together.
Amen.
| Miscellaneous works of George Wither | |