Classic Poem

Meditation III

The third doth further hint at th' Ends
For which the Lord Affliction sends.

1

God doth chasten his own
In Love, their souls to save:
And lets them not run wild with them
That no Correction have.
Now as the Rod restrains
From posting down to Hell;
So by the same God doth Excite
And teach us to do well.

2

Affliction is Christ's School,
Wherein He teacheth His
To know and do their duty, and
To mend what is amiss.
For though Afflictions may
Unto the Flesh be painfull;
David and other Saints of God
Have found them very gainful.

3

Before I was chastis'd,
Saith he, I went astray:
But since I've learnt with better Care
To keep Thy Precepts way
'Tis good for mee that I
Have been afflicted sore
That I might learn to know thy Lawes
And swerve therefrom no more.

4

These are God's Fining Pot,
Wherein He melts His Gold,
Consumes the Dross and maketh it
More lovely to behold
These are His Fullers Sope
To wash our spots away.
That being thus refin'd and Wash'd
Him glorifie we may.

5

As sharpest Winter Frosts
Do clarifie the Aire
And cleanse our blood, soften the earth
And it for feed prepare,
Making it fruitfuller:
So do Afflictions sore
Correct the Rankness of our hearts,
Cleanse and Subdue them more.

6

Much Honey turns to Gall
And Cholerick Excess;
And too-too-much Prosperity
Breeds Pride and Wantonness:
Afflictions purge them out,
Like bitter Aloe,
Which though unpleasant to the Taste,
Far wholesomer may be.

7

Full Diet, dainty Fare,
With Idleness and Ease
Heap up bad Humours and Contract,
Many a foul Disease,
To Soul and Body too,
Dang'rous and Troublesome,
Which must be purged out in time
With some Catholicum .

8

Strong wine makes weak heads giddy ,
Procuring Drunkenness;
Long peace and plenty likewise breed
Intemperance and Excess.
We soon are surfeited
With strong delicious matter:
And therefore God who knowes our frame
Mingleth our Wine with Water.

9

Afflictions are like Ballast
I'th' Bottom of a Ship;
For tho perhaps without the same
We might more lightly Skip:
Yet every little puff
Would quickly set us over,
And sink us in the Ocean Sea
No more for to Recover.

10

Our hearts are over-run
Much like a Fallow-field
Which must be broke and plowed up
Before it Fruit can yeild:
Afflictions are God's Plough
Where-with He breaketh us,
Tears up our lusts those noisome weeds
And fitteth us for Use.

11

Grace in prosperity
Lies hid unoccupy'd;
But is by Chastening set to work,
And by the Cross descri'd.
The Cross to Vertue trains;
It Tries, it makes to grow;
It sanctifies, purgeth and heals;
It humbleth and layes low.