 | Miscellaneous works of George Wither |  |
XII. Of Governours and Governments; and how we ought to demean our selves toward them.
All
Pow'r is of the Lord, the GOD of Heav'n;
And Man hath none, but, that which he hath giv'n:
To raise, pull down, to change or innovate,
In governing a Kingdom, or a State,
Belongs to Him alone; and nought to do
Have private men, but to submit thereto
When He a Change hath made, whether he hath
Vouchsafed it in Mercy, or in Wrath.
Therefore, the Persons, or the Government,
To change I never sought, nor had intent;
But, to submit to that, what ev'r it be,
Which GOD was pleased to set over me.
Both Men and Forms, if well compar'd together,
Do prove so like, and so unlike each other,
That oft the Constitution which at first
Appear'd the best, becomes at last the worst;
And, as the Elements do change into
Each other, so the Governments will do,
According to th'Affections, and the Pow'rs
Of those, who are the present Governours.
All kinds of Government, in some respect,
Are but one and the self-same in effect,
And, when refined, will corrupt agen,
So long as actuated by meer men,
Who, overswayed by their Lusts and Passions,
Are alwayes subject to Prevarications,
And so oft also, as the People's sin
Compels GOD's Justice to bring Changes in.
And Man hath none, but, that which he hath giv'n:
To raise, pull down, to change or innovate,
In governing a Kingdom, or a State,
Belongs to Him alone; and nought to do
Have private men, but to submit thereto
When He a Change hath made, whether he hath
Vouchsafed it in Mercy, or in Wrath.
Therefore, the Persons, or the Government,
To change I never sought, nor had intent;
But, to submit to that, what ev'r it be,
Which GOD was pleased to set over me.
Both Men and Forms, if well compar'd together,
Do prove so like, and so unlike each other,
That oft the Constitution which at first
Appear'd the best, becomes at last the worst;
And, as the Elements do change into
Each other, so the Governments will do,
According to th'Affections, and the Pow'rs
Of those, who are the present Governours.
All kinds of Government, in some respect,
Are but one and the self-same in effect,
And, when refined, will corrupt agen,
So long as actuated by meer men,
Who, overswayed by their Lusts and Passions,
Are alwayes subject to Prevarications,
52
Compels GOD's Justice to bring Changes in.
This, when the Supream Pow'r was here divided
(So, that some this way, and some that way sided)
Made many Wise-men, both in resolution,
As also in their wayes of prosecution,
Exceeding doubtfull, that a sad Result
Might follow, in a path so difficult;
I therefore, then, endeavoured to adhere
To that, wherein most Justice did appear
When I had cause of doubt; and did comply
Where I saw with most visibility
That Pow'r did then reside: For, so I thought
(And still believe) I was divinely taught
By Precept and Examples; and I joyn'd
Therein, to those, who seeming of that mind
And judgment, did in shew the same profess
With zeal, and with much conscienciousness.
And, some few, doubtless, acted to that end
Sincerely, which the rest did but pretend.
But, I was cozned by the greater part:
Yet, went on in simplicity of heart,
Till I so far into a snare was run,
That, back I could not go, nor further on
Without a Mischief; or, a breach had made
Upon that Faith which I engaged had.
For, few I saw pursuing any thing
Concerning GOD, the People, or the King,
With true integrity, to which-soere
Of those three they pretended to adhere,
With whether side soever they then closed,
Or, whatsoever they in shew proposed.
(So, that some this way, and some that way sided)
Made many Wise-men, both in resolution,
As also in their wayes of prosecution,
Exceeding doubtfull, that a sad Result
Might follow, in a path so difficult;
I therefore, then, endeavoured to adhere
To that, wherein most Justice did appear
When I had cause of doubt; and did comply
Where I saw with most visibility
That Pow'r did then reside: For, so I thought
(And still believe) I was divinely taught
By Precept and Examples; and I joyn'd
Therein, to those, who seeming of that mind
And judgment, did in shew the same profess
With zeal, and with much conscienciousness.
And, some few, doubtless, acted to that end
Sincerely, which the rest did but pretend.
But, I was cozned by the greater part:
Yet, went on in simplicity of heart,
Till I so far into a snare was run,
That, back I could not go, nor further on
Without a Mischief; or, a breach had made
Upon that Faith which I engaged had.
For, few I saw pursuing any thing
Concerning GOD, the People, or the King,
With true integrity, to which-soere
Of those three they pretended to adhere,
With whether side soever they then closed,
Or, whatsoever they in shew proposed.
I saw, that either by an open scuffling,
Or, by a politick and secret shuffling,
Both sides had so the Knaves and Court-cards laid,
That cheating Games were likely to be plaid,
And, that our Losses, who intended best,
Would be the losing of our Stakes at least.
Some, for Religion did pretend to fight;
Some, for the Royal, some for Common-Right;
But, I perceiv'd Self-Interest was that
Which principally most men aimed at;
And had not thereof a bare jealousie,
For, 'twas apparant by that Policy
With which they prosecuted their Intent.
What else by them could probably be meant,
Who jugling with both sides, to none were true,
But as their own advantage might ensue?
Who, siding with one Party, sent a Brother,
A Son, or else a Nephew to the other;
Who mutually did their Designs advance
With Correspondence, and with Maintenance?
With Counsels and with Treasure strengthning those
Unseen, whom they did openly oppose?
And otherwhile, by murdring their own Friends,
Made bloody passages to their self-ends?
Thus did they, yet, some of those now appear
In better case, than we, whose Actings were
Most innocent. But, though we suffer first,
The better seeming Game will prove the worst.
For my part, though it cost me all I had
To keep my Conscience clear, a shift I made;
And, am as well contented with my Lot,
As they are, who have by my Losses got.
Or, by a politick and secret shuffling,
53
That cheating Games were likely to be plaid,
And, that our Losses, who intended best,
Would be the losing of our Stakes at least.
Some, for Religion did pretend to fight;
Some, for the Royal, some for Common-Right;
But, I perceiv'd Self-Interest was that
Which principally most men aimed at;
And had not thereof a bare jealousie,
For, 'twas apparant by that Policy
With which they prosecuted their Intent.
What else by them could probably be meant,
Who jugling with both sides, to none were true,
But as their own advantage might ensue?
Who, siding with one Party, sent a Brother,
A Son, or else a Nephew to the other;
Who mutually did their Designs advance
With Correspondence, and with Maintenance?
With Counsels and with Treasure strengthning those
Unseen, whom they did openly oppose?
And otherwhile, by murdring their own Friends,
Made bloody passages to their self-ends?
Thus did they, yet, some of those now appear
In better case, than we, whose Actings were
Most innocent. But, though we suffer first,
The better seeming Game will prove the worst.
For my part, though it cost me all I had
To keep my Conscience clear, a shift I made;
And, am as well contented with my Lot,
As they are, who have by my Losses got.
Trust rather therefore thine own Conscience, then
Upon the Counsel of sev'n wiser men:
For, in a dubious path, no humane light
So well directs us how to walk upright,
If so far forth as GOD doth means provide,
We take his Word and Spirit for our Guide.
Be faithful to the present Government
That GOD permits, to whatsoere intent
He doth permit it, or what-ere it be;
For, (as I said) LORD of all Pow'r is He;
And, ev'ry Government is good, save when
It is usurped by unrighteous men;
And, we must bear it then, till he shall please
Who laid it on us, to vouchsafe us ease;
Because (though He permitteth it) our Sin
Was that, yea that alone, which brought it in.
Upon the Counsel of sev'n wiser men:
For, in a dubious path, no humane light
So well directs us how to walk upright,
54
We take his Word and Spirit for our Guide.
Be faithful to the present Government
That GOD permits, to whatsoere intent
He doth permit it, or what-ere it be;
For, (as I said) LORD of all Pow'r is He;
And, ev'ry Government is good, save when
It is usurped by unrighteous men;
And, we must bear it then, till he shall please
Who laid it on us, to vouchsafe us ease;
Because (though He permitteth it) our Sin
Was that, yea that alone, which brought it in.
We may, and must endeavour in our places,
(According to those Talents and those Graces
Which GOD bestows) to offer that which may
Help keep them in a safe and Righteous way,
For their sakes and our own; and, without fear,
Speak to that end, what we shall know or hear,
(Though they offended be) so we apply
Our Balm with prudence and sobriety.
Our seeking to reform it, by a course
Not lawful, will but make it much the worse;
Whereas, if we with patience do attend
On GOD, he'l better, what we cannot mend,
Or, else, with His own hand, destroy it quite,
Ev'n when their Tyranny is at the height.
(According to those Talents and those Graces
Which GOD bestows) to offer that which may
Help keep them in a safe and Righteous way,
For their sakes and our own; and, without fear,
Speak to that end, what we shall know or hear,
(Though they offended be) so we apply
Our Balm with prudence and sobriety.
Our seeking to reform it, by a course
Not lawful, will but make it much the worse;
Whereas, if we with patience do attend
On GOD, he'l better, what we cannot mend,
Or, else, with His own hand, destroy it quite,
Ev'n when their Tyranny is at the height.
These are my Principles: These, without fear,
Have kept me, and will keep me still, who ere
Shall govern me; and whether Right or Wrong.
Be done me either little-while, or long.
Have kept me, and will keep me still, who ere
Shall govern me; and whether Right or Wrong.
Be done me either little-while, or long.
| Miscellaneous works of George Wither | |