Assurance
The Bitter Thought
The soul recoils from a spiteful thought that is pure poison, yet recognizes it must be a punishment for sin.
Oh, spiteful, bitter thought! Bitterly spiteful thought! Could you invent so high a torture? Is such poison bought? No doubt—but only as punishment: when the mind contrives to meet with you, there can be no such foul poison.1
The Accusation Exposed
The thought accuses the soul of being deceived about the covenant, and the soul responds with a series of pointed questions that unmask the thought's destructive aim.
You said only a moment ago that things were not as fair between my God and me as I had imagined; that I entertain and invent large hopes, but that I was deceived: either the covenant was broken, or nearly so; and that I had every reason to fear it.23 And what about that? If poison had a tongue, what more could it say? What is your goal? Would you unlock the door to cold despairs and gnawing pensiveness? Would you raise devils? I see it, I know it—I wrote down your purpose long ago.
Appeal to the Father
The soul turns to the Father in prayer, declaring that all hope comes from God and none from self.
But I will go to my Father, who heard you say it. O most gracious Lord, if all the hope and comfort I gather were from myself, I wouldn't have half a word—not half a letter—to answer what my foes bring against me.
The Covenant of Grace
The soul affirms that the covenant is entirely God's work—God both initiates and enables human response—and that God's faithfulness is as unshakable as a rock.
But you are my claim. And in this covenant, which my enemies now invade, you are not only to fulfill your part, but mine as well—just as when the covenant was made, you both drafted it yourself and held my hand while I wrote.45 So if you can fail, then your truth and I can fail too. But while rocks stand and rivers keep moving, you cannot shrink or falter. Yes—when both rocks and everything else comes apart, then you will be my rock and tower, and make their ruin praise your power.
Love Completes the Work
The soul dismisses the foolish thought and concludes that divine love and truth will perfect what self-love started in humanity.
Go on then, foolish thought—spin out your thread and make a coat from it to hide your shame: for you've thrown a bone that bounces back on you and will not go down your throat. What self-love once began for itself, love and truth will now complete in man.6
Read the original English
O spitefull bitter thought! Bitterly spitefull thought! Couldst thou invent So high a torture? Is such poyson bought? Doubtlesse, but in the way of punishment, When wit contrives to meet with thee, No such rank poyson can there be.
Thou said'st but even now, That all was not so fair, as I conceiv'd, Betwixt my God and me; that I allow And coin large hopes; but, that I was deceiv'd: Either the league was broke, or neare it; And, that I had great cause to fear it.
And what to this? what more Could poyson, if it had a tongue, expresse? What is thy aim? wouldst thou unlock the doore To cold despairs, and gnawing pensivenesse? Wouldst thou raise devils? I see, I know, I writ thy purpose long ago.
But I will to my Father, Who heard thee say it. O most gracious Lord, If all hope and comfort that I gather, Were from my self, I had not half a word, Not half a letter to oppose What is objected by my foes.
But thou art my desert: And in this league, which now my foes invade, Thou art not onely to perform thy part, But also mine; as when the league was made, Thou didst at once thy self indite, And hold my hand, while I did write.
Wherefore if thou canst fail, Then can thy truth and I: but while rocks stand, And rivers stirre, thou canst not shrink or quail: Yea, when both rocks and all things shall disband, Then shalt thou be my rock and tower, And make their ruine praise thy power.
Now foolish thought go on, Spin out thy thread, and make thereof a coat To hide thy shame: for thou hast cast a bone Which bounds on thee, and will not down thy throat. What for it self love once began, Now love and truth will end in man.
Notes
- 1 ↩Source 'wit' is the intellect/clever mind, not humor; rendered 'mind' for contemporary clarity. 'rank poyson' is foul/virulent poison.
- 2 ↩Source 'league' means the bond/alliance (covenant) between the speaker and God, not a modern sports or political league; rendered as 'covenant'.
- 3 ↩Source 'coin large hopes' is minting-metaphor for fabricating expansive hopes; rendered as 'invent' for plain contemporary English.
- 4 ↩Early modern desert here means merit/what is due—the speaker’s claim before God—not a wilderness. Rendered as “claim” to keep the covenant-legal force plain.
- 5 ↩league is the binding alliance/covenant; indite means to compose or draft a formal writing. The image is God both authoring the covenant and steadying the speaker’s hand as he signs.
- 6 ↩Source 'end in man' is taken as fulfill/bring to completion, not merely terminate; 'it self love' is read as self-love in contrast with true love and truth.
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