But why should I complain
That have so good a God,
That doth mine heart with comfort fill,
Ev'n whilst I feel his Rod?
After reflecting upon the foolishness of his youth—which resulted in an incident that leaves the narrator with great grief—the narrator dwells upon the glory and greatness of God. He realizes that, given all that God has done for him and blessed him with, he should abstain from misery. Here, the narrator finds solace in the fact that, even though he has sinned and committed injustices against God, God still fills his heart with love and still watches over him. This stanza helps the narrator explore his relationship with God and exemplifies how the narrator wants his readers to feel about God. The narrator wants his readers to realize that, just as God loved and forgave him, so will God love and forgive us. He takes solace in the knowledge that God loves us in spite of our sins and continues to guide us through times of misfortune.
And what are Riches to be doted on?
Uncertain, fickle, and ensnaring things;
They draw Mens Souls into Perdition,
And when most needed, take them to their wings.
Here, the narrator speaks to the inevitable infallibility of mankind. He suggests that humans are unnaturally drawn to materialistic treasures and wealth. Our obsession with riches and wealth is a dangerous one, he warns, due to its controlling and uncertain nature. In other words, the narrator suggests that an obsession with wealth and riches can often lead to a damaged soul and moral center. The narrator hopes that his readers will heed his warning against pursuing these short-term riches. In other words, the narrator suggests that you can’t take your wealth with you to heaven. Rather, it will do nothing but corrupt your mind and soul during your short time on Earth.
Vain, frail, short liv'd, and miserable Man,
Learn what thou art when thine estate is best […]
In this short quotation, the narrator of this poem makes his stance on life and mortality quite clear. The narrator brands human lives as miserable—we later learn this misery is only in comparison to the beauty and everlasting glory of heaven. He points out that our life on earth is short. He then urges his readers to acknowledge the brevity of our life, and then appreciate it even more. In other words, this quotation points out that we have a very short amount of time on Earth. The narrator wants his readers to appreciate this short time and use as much of it as they can, before it is too late.
Still was the night, Serene & Bright,
when all Men sleeping lay;
Calm was the season, & carnal reason
thought so 'twould last for ay.
The opening of Wigglesworth’s poem depicts a scene of serenity and peace. The narrator describes the calm of the night. So calm is this night that all men rest peacefully and without worry. This calm, the narrator notes, was so overwhelming and long-lasting that it seemed it would overcome the world and last forever. As the poem progresses, however, we learn that this serenity was not to last, but was merely the calm before the storm. This opening stanza is incredibly powerful, as it makes the contrast between this peace and the war of the later stanzas even more shocking and distinct.
