Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ON RESIGNATION, by JOHN BYROM


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ON RESIGNATION, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Dear child, know this, that he who gave thee breath
Last Line: And trust in god thro' his beloved son.
Subject(s): Affliction; Friends, Religious Society Of; Grief; Pain; Quakers; Sorrow; Sadness; Suffering; Misery


DEAR child, know this, that He who gave thee breath,
Almighty God, is Lord of life and death,
And all things that concern them, such as these,
Youth, health, or strength; age, weakness, or disease;
Wherefore, whatever thy affliction be,
Take it as coming from thy God to thee:
Whether to teach thee patience be its end,
Or to instruct such persons as attend,
That faith and meekness, tried by suff'rings past,
May yield increase of happiness at last;
Or whether it be sent for some defect,
Which He, who wants to bless thee, would correct;
Certain it is, that if thou dost repent,
And take thy cross up patiently, when sent,
Trusting in Him, who sends it thee, to take
For Jesus Christ, his Son, thy Saviour's sake,
Wholly submitting to His blessed will,
Whose visitation seeks thy profit still;
All that thou dost or ever canst endure,
Will make thy everlasting joy more sure.

Take therefore what befals thee, in good part,
As a prescription of love's healing art;
"Whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth too,"
Saith Paul, "and scourgeth with a saving view;
"It is the mark, by which he owns a child,
"Without it, not so honourably stil'd;
"Fathers according to the flesh,—when they
"Correct them,—children rev'rence and obey;
"How much more justly may that Father claim,
"By whom we live eternally, the same?
"They oft chastise thro' humour of their own,
"He always for our greater good alone;
"Chast'ning, below, that we may rise above
"Holy, and happy in our father's love."

These things for comfort and instruction fit,
In holy scripture, for our sakes, are writ.
That with a patient and enduring mind,
In all conditions we may be resign'd;
And reverencing our Father and our Friend,
Take what his goodness shall be pleas'd to send.
What greater good, considering the whole,
Than Christ's own likeness in a christian soul
By patient suff'ring? Think what ills, before
He enter'd into joy, our Saviour bore;
What things he suffer'd to retrieve our loss,
And make his way to glory, thro' the cross,
The way for us; he wanted none to make,
But for the poor lost human sinners' sake:
For them he suffer'd more than words can tell,
Or thought conceive; reflect upon it well,
Dear child! and whether life or death remains,
Depend on Him to sanctify thy pains;
To be Himself thy strong defence and tow'r,
To make thee know and feel his saving pow'r:
Still, taught by Him, repeat—Thy will be done!
And trust in God thro' his beloved Son.





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