 | Miscellaneous works of George Wither |  |
VI. A Meditation, occasioned by considering the manifold Temptations to distrust in GOD, whereby his best Servants are otherwhile proved and exercised.
The best of men, some failings have; and I,
Not only many; through Infirmity;
But, flowing also from those Negligences,
Which very much have heightned my offences;
Because I know, what pow'r to me he gave,
To do those things which I neglected have:
Especially, when my Distrustfulness
Hath made me doubtful of GOD's Promises.
Who, to assure them, hath vouchsafed both
A written Word, and seal'd it with an Oath;
And, also, new experiments, which may
Ascertain it, vouchsafeth ev'ry day.
Not only many; through Infirmity;
But, flowing also from those Negligences,
Which very much have heightned my offences;
Because I know, what pow'r to me he gave,
To do those things which I neglected have:
Especially, when my Distrustfulness
Hath made me doubtful of GOD's Promises.
Who, to assure them, hath vouchsafed both
A written Word, and seal'd it with an Oath;
And, also, new experiments, which may
Ascertain it, vouchsafeth ev'ry day.
David, the most couragious Combatant
Against such-like Temptations, did oft want
That Confidence, which was by him profest,
And, thereby hazarded his Interest
In GOD's free Promises. By Saul, said he,
One time or other I destroy'd shall be;
And, what was promised, had so outright
Forgotten, in his carnal pannick fright,
That to GOD's Foes he for protection ran,
The part there acting of a frantick man,
And of a drivling fool; yea, worse than so,
Dissembled then, yet scap'd with much ado.
That Course, whereby he thought to be assur'd
Of safety, an indangerment procur'd
Beyond all former hazards; for, he lost
Not only Goods, Wives, and all hope almost
Of Rescue, but was also like to lose
His Life, and to be ston'd by some of those
(In their distemper) who inrag'd became,
To see their Habitations in a flame,
Their dear'st Relations captiv'd, and to those
Inslav'd, who were their old malignant Foes.
In which strait, if GOD had not him befriended,
Whom he distrusted, there, his Life had ended.
Against such-like Temptations, did oft want
That Confidence, which was by him profest,
And, thereby hazarded his Interest
In GOD's free Promises. By Saul, said he,
One time or other I destroy'd shall be;
And, what was promised, had so outright
Forgotten, in his carnal pannick fright,
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The part there acting of a frantick man,
And of a drivling fool; yea, worse than so,
Dissembled then, yet scap'd with much ado.
That Course, whereby he thought to be assur'd
Of safety, an indangerment procur'd
Beyond all former hazards; for, he lost
Not only Goods, Wives, and all hope almost
Of Rescue, but was also like to lose
His Life, and to be ston'd by some of those
(In their distemper) who inrag'd became,
To see their Habitations in a flame,
Their dear'st Relations captiv'd, and to those
Inslav'd, who were their old malignant Foes.
In which strait, if GOD had not him befriended,
Whom he distrusted, there, his Life had ended.
There is our Case; for, though that many times,
Our Fears, our Foes, our Troubles, and our Crimes
We have, beyond hope, been deliver'd from,
And promised in ev'ry time to come,
That like deliverance; yet, when ought fails
Which we expected, or a Foe prevails,
(For our probation) we are hurried streight
Into a causless, and a foolish fright;
GOD's promised Assistance we decline,
Catch hold of any politick Design,
Run this, and that way, to the World, the Devil
For help and Counsel, or act any evil
In such a giddy fit, though we have seen,
And often felt, what those effects have been
Which will ensue. Nay, if long time we bear
A present suffring, and new troubles fear,
Our Faith is at a stand, and we begin
Immediately to let Despairings in;
Make Principle of Faith, give way to Reason,
And seem Phanatick Whimsies, out of season,
Or airy Refuges, beseeming none
In straits, but meer Fools, to depend upon.
Our Fears, our Foes, our Troubles, and our Crimes
We have, beyond hope, been deliver'd from,
And promised in ev'ry time to come,
That like deliverance; yet, when ought fails
Which we expected, or a Foe prevails,
(For our probation) we are hurried streight
Into a causless, and a foolish fright;
GOD's promised Assistance we decline,
Catch hold of any politick Design,
Run this, and that way, to the World, the Devil
For help and Counsel, or act any evil
In such a giddy fit, though we have seen,
And often felt, what those effects have been
Which will ensue. Nay, if long time we bear
A present suffring, and new troubles fear,
Our Faith is at a stand, and we begin
Immediately to let Despairings in;
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And seem Phanatick Whimsies, out of season,
Or airy Refuges, beseeming none
In straits, but meer Fools, to depend upon.
Though in the Saints of old to fall off thus,
It was a Crime; 'tis greater sin in us,
By so much, as the sinning against Grace
Doth our transgressions of the Law surpass:
And, neither Theft, Adultery, or Murder,
From GOD and Penitence will draw us further,
If we avoid it not: For, to be made
More cautelous, we have not only had
Examples of old times, and seen since then,
What hath befallen many thousand men
In such defections, but, we likewise are
Experienc'd in our own particular
Estates and persons, what will them betide,
Who in the dayes of Tryal start aside,
And, by the Gospel are enlightned more,
Than other Generations heretofore.
This, makes me, in my present troubles, wave
Those wayes, whereto I some Temptations have,
My person to redeem; and to prevent
The future mischiefs, that seem eminent,
This makes me scorn, to creep, or fawn, or sneak,
Or, (whatsoere I threatned hear) to speak
To an unworthy person, though I could
Prevail, perhaps, upon him, if I would:
For, were my Poverty ten times as much,
The King of Sodom shall not make me rich;
Nor, were I sick to death, would I implore
Those false Gods, which most men do now adore
For health or life, though I thought they could give
That, which I most desired to receive.
This, among other Notions of this kind,
(Which needful are to fortifie my mind
Amid my Suffrings) makes me muse on these
Our common failings, that, if GOD so please,
They may be by his Grace, with my endeavour,
A means to keep me firm to him for ever;
And, by declaring what Experiment
Hath taught to me, make others confident
In suffrings for his Cause: and, not afraid
What is, or what can here on them be laid:
For, as where many Cowards are together,
They still beget more terrours in each other;
So men of Courage, more couragious grow,
When, to each other, they example show
Of Christian Fortitude: To which good end,
These fruits of my spare howers I intend.
It was a Crime; 'tis greater sin in us,
By so much, as the sinning against Grace
Doth our transgressions of the Law surpass:
And, neither Theft, Adultery, or Murder,
From GOD and Penitence will draw us further,
If we avoid it not: For, to be made
More cautelous, we have not only had
Examples of old times, and seen since then,
What hath befallen many thousand men
In such defections, but, we likewise are
Experienc'd in our own particular
Estates and persons, what will them betide,
Who in the dayes of Tryal start aside,
And, by the Gospel are enlightned more,
Than other Generations heretofore.
This, makes me, in my present troubles, wave
Those wayes, whereto I some Temptations have,
My person to redeem; and to prevent
The future mischiefs, that seem eminent,
This makes me scorn, to creep, or fawn, or sneak,
Or, (whatsoere I threatned hear) to speak
To an unworthy person, though I could
Prevail, perhaps, upon him, if I would:
For, were my Poverty ten times as much,
The King of Sodom shall not make me rich;
Nor, were I sick to death, would I implore
Those false Gods, which most men do now adore
For health or life, though I thought they could give
That, which I most desired to receive.
42
(Which needful are to fortifie my mind
Amid my Suffrings) makes me muse on these
Our common failings, that, if GOD so please,
They may be by his Grace, with my endeavour,
A means to keep me firm to him for ever;
And, by declaring what Experiment
Hath taught to me, make others confident
In suffrings for his Cause: and, not afraid
What is, or what can here on them be laid:
For, as where many Cowards are together,
They still beget more terrours in each other;
So men of Courage, more couragious grow,
When, to each other, they example show
Of Christian Fortitude: To which good end,
These fruits of my spare howers I intend.
| Miscellaneous works of George Wither | |