"That I have sinn'd, yet sure to none of you / I ever gave offence: my sins at least, / Were acted in the closet of my breast"
— Clark, William (fl. 1663-1685)
Place of Publication
Edinburgh
Publisher
Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson
Date
1685
Metaphor
"That I have sinn'd, yet sure to none of you / I ever gave offence: my sins at least, / Were acted in the closet of my breast"
Metaphor in Context
[1]Unkindly done! if this be your intent,
Not to condole with me, but to torment
My Soul with arguing, whilst my present state
Requires smooth language, and not rough debate.
Thus by discourse, obliging me to speak,
In answer to you, when I am so weak,
As I can hardly move my lips: when all
My Teeth do gingle, when my Chops do fall,
And my slow words are meerly guttural.
If for this end you three be hither come,
Indeed you had as good a stay'd at home.
For I conceive this kind of disputing,
Can to afflicted men no comfort bring.
No, no more, then if one should see his friend
Fall'n in a pit, and should be so unkind,
As 'stead of helping of him out, to tell him,
'Tis for his sins this accident befell him.
So when you see me in this desolate
Condition, in this lamentable state,
'Stead of upholding my decaying spirits,
You always tell me, thus each Mortal merits
To be afflicted, who hath done offence
To his Creator: whose own Conscience
Tells him he's guilty, yet pleads innocence.
But what says all this to the case in hand?
Pray now, my good friends, let me understand,
In these my sins where your concern doth ly?
For my escapes, whether must you, or I
Make answer pray'? sure I conceive that none
Must make account for those, but I alone.
Then what are you concern'd? if I have err'd,
The worse is mine: and if I hav prefer'd
My pleasures to that duty, which I owe
To my so kind Creator, sure I know,
He'll none of you for these in judgement call,
But I alone must make account for all.
Nay further, my dear friends, should I allow
That I have sinn'd, yet sure to none of you
I ever gave offence: my sins at least,
Were acted in the closet of my breast,
My converse was to outward view upright,
My sins were perceptible by the sight
Of God alone: and so such Godly men
As you are, of no scandal can complain,
Proceeding from my carriage: pray then why
Should you upbraid me thus continually
With sins, which were you put to prove, I fear
For all your art you could not make appear
That I were guilty of 'em? why should you
Who are wise men, such liberty allow
To your hot passions? why should you exclaim
Against a poor afflicted man? for shame
Forbear this bitter railing, pray forbear
And if you be Comforters, let me hear
Some words of comfort, pray now let me see
If you be such, as you pretend to be.
Not to condole with me, but to torment
My Soul with arguing, whilst my present state
Requires smooth language, and not rough debate.
Thus by discourse, obliging me to speak,
In answer to you, when I am so weak,
As I can hardly move my lips: when all
My Teeth do gingle, when my Chops do fall,
And my slow words are meerly guttural.
If for this end you three be hither come,
Indeed you had as good a stay'd at home.
For I conceive this kind of disputing,
Can to afflicted men no comfort bring.
No, no more, then if one should see his friend
Fall'n in a pit, and should be so unkind,
As 'stead of helping of him out, to tell him,
'Tis for his sins this accident befell him.
So when you see me in this desolate
Condition, in this lamentable state,
'Stead of upholding my decaying spirits,
You always tell me, thus each Mortal merits
To be afflicted, who hath done offence
To his Creator: whose own Conscience
Tells him he's guilty, yet pleads innocence.
But what says all this to the case in hand?
Pray now, my good friends, let me understand,
In these my sins where your concern doth ly?
For my escapes, whether must you, or I
Make answer pray'? sure I conceive that none
Must make account for those, but I alone.
Then what are you concern'd? if I have err'd,
The worse is mine: and if I hav prefer'd
My pleasures to that duty, which I owe
To my so kind Creator, sure I know,
He'll none of you for these in judgement call,
But I alone must make account for all.
Nay further, my dear friends, should I allow
That I have sinn'd, yet sure to none of you
I ever gave offence: my sins at least,
Were acted in the closet of my breast,
My converse was to outward view upright,
My sins were perceptible by the sight
Of God alone: and so such Godly men
As you are, of no scandal can complain,
Proceeding from my carriage: pray then why
Should you upbraid me thus continually
With sins, which were you put to prove, I fear
For all your art you could not make appear
That I were guilty of 'em? why should you
Who are wise men, such liberty allow
To your hot passions? why should you exclaim
Against a poor afflicted man? for shame
Forbear this bitter railing, pray forbear
And if you be Comforters, let me hear
Some words of comfort, pray now let me see
If you be such, as you pretend to be.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "breast" and "closet" 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
Conscience
Date of Entry
09/07/2005
