"No, no, such practises I do detest, / I keep a constant Jury in my breast, / By which I'm hourly try'd, no allegation, / No fain'd excuse, no specious information, / No falshood, no corrupted evidence, / In that impartial Court of Conscience, / Will ever be receiv'd, at any rate, / From this same Court I have certificate / Of my pure innocence."
— Clark, William (fl. 1663-1685)
Place of Publication
Edinburgh
Publisher
Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson
Date
1685
Metaphor
"No, no, such practises I do detest, / I keep a constant Jury in my breast, / By which I'm hourly try'd, no allegation, / No fain'd excuse, no specious information, / No falshood, no corrupted evidence, / In that impartial Court of Conscience, / Will ever be receiv'd, at any rate, / From this same Court I have certificate / Of my pure innocence."
Metaphor in Context
Nor would I have you think, my friends, that I
Value my self on my integrity.
Or boldly plead my innocence, because
I fall not under reach of humane Laws.
Or that I did on Earth no tryal fear,
Because my Padlock't-sins did not appear,
By evidence expos'd to publick view,
But cunningly were all conceal'd from you.
No, God forbid that e'r I should assert
My innocence i'th' least, if in my heart
By strictest search I found on record that,
Which my assertion might invalidat,
No, no, such practises I do detest,
I keep a constant Jury in my breast,
By which I'm hourly try'd, no allegation,
No fain'd excuse, no specious information,
No falshood, no corrupted evidence,
In that impartial Court of Conscience,
Will ever be receiv'd, at any rate,
From this same Court I have certificat
Of my pure innocence.
For I'm perswaded my Redeemer lives,
I firmly do believe 'tis he that gives
Assurance to all those, whom he doth love,
That he will interceed for them above.
I know in him I have some interest,
And upon that security I rest.
I know he will at last on Earth appear,
And make the sinful World quake for fear
Of his approach, when like a mighty king,
He shall i'th' Clouds appear, and in a ring
Oh Heav'ns great Host stand circled all around,
Issue his Edicts, and by Trumpet sound
Command both dead, and living to appear
In Judgement, where each mortal thing may hear
His just Procedure: there he will indite
Him, whom you call the cunning Hypocrite,
As well as th'open sinner, him he will
Find guilty, and condemn for all his skill;
If I be such then, as you'd have me be,
In that great day, my friends, you'll clearly see,
What shall become of me.
Value my self on my integrity.
Or boldly plead my innocence, because
I fall not under reach of humane Laws.
Or that I did on Earth no tryal fear,
Because my Padlock't-sins did not appear,
By evidence expos'd to publick view,
But cunningly were all conceal'd from you.
No, God forbid that e'r I should assert
My innocence i'th' least, if in my heart
By strictest search I found on record that,
Which my assertion might invalidat,
No, no, such practises I do detest,
I keep a constant Jury in my breast,
By which I'm hourly try'd, no allegation,
No fain'd excuse, no specious information,
No falshood, no corrupted evidence,
In that impartial Court of Conscience,
Will ever be receiv'd, at any rate,
From this same Court I have certificat
Of my pure innocence.
For I'm perswaded my Redeemer lives,
I firmly do believe 'tis he that gives
Assurance to all those, whom he doth love,
That he will interceed for them above.
I know in him I have some interest,
And upon that security I rest.
I know he will at last on Earth appear,
And make the sinful World quake for fear
Of his approach, when like a mighty king,
He shall i'th' Clouds appear, and in a ring
Oh Heav'ns great Host stand circled all around,
Issue his Edicts, and by Trumpet sound
Command both dead, and living to appear
In Judgement, where each mortal thing may hear
His just Procedure: there he will indite
Him, whom you call the cunning Hypocrite,
As well as th'open sinner, him he will
Find guilty, and condemn for all his skill;
If I be such then, as you'd have me be,
In that great day, my friends, you'll clearly see,
What shall become of me.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "jur*" and "breast" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
William Clark, The Grand Tryal: or, Poetical Exercitations upon the Book of Job. Wherein, Suitable to Each Text of that Sacred Book, a Modest Explanation, and Continuation of the Several Discourses contained in it, is Attempted by William Clark (Edinburgh: Andrew Anderson, 1685). <Link to EEBO-TCP>
Theme
Court of Conscience
Date of Entry
05/15/2012
