Religion

The Sinner in great sorrow for Sinne, relyeth on God for grace and comfort

by John Davies of Hereford c. 1565–1618

From The Muses Sacrifice (1612)

Religion

ON thy help (Lord) I relye,
then, poore I
Perish must, if thou restraine it:
O then stretch thy helping-hand,
or command.
That I may with speede obtaine it;
For, as one forgotten quite,
out of sight,

I (forlorne) in sorrow languish.
Help, ô help me then with speede:
for, I feed
(As on Bread) on nought but Anguish!
If I sinne, I sigh therefore,
and deplore

That I haue in ought offended;
Yea, my Soule doth waste with woe,
sith I know
Sinne doth marre what Ths hast mended.
Faine I would, then, cease to sinne,
and beginne
Now to liue as thou hast willed:
But, if by Thee (that didst fire
that desire)
It be not, of me, fulfilled;

I, at best, but well shall will.
doing ill,
Then I shall for it be vexed:
So shall I but sinne and grieue
while I liue;
And in Conscience be perplexed.

It is tedious to my Sp'rit
day and night,
Thus to sinne, then pine in passion:
For, being staid, yet still to fall,
is no small
Signe of death or reprobation.

Help, then help me (Lord) lest I
doubtfull dye:
Make my sorrowes passe my sinning;
That I may so cease to sinne,
so to winne
Better end then my beginning:

For, in sinne, conceiu'd I was,
so (alas)
Sinnefull am, sith so conceiued:
Then, of force, sith I am such,
doe not grutch
I should be to Grace receiued.

With more griefe my Sinne I wound,
than I found
Pleasure in the sinne committing.
O then let my sorrowes still
sinning kill,
While thy Graces vs be knitting.

Blessed God then make me grieue
while I liue,
For my grieuing thee so blessed:
Let my Teares still quench the fire
of thine Ire,
Till I be of Grace possessed.

So shall I (to shunne thy wrath)
tread the Path
Of thy Biddings, till my dying;
Or, on winges of Loues desire
still aspire
To thee; then, ô take me flying.

MLA

Hereford, John Davies of. “The Sinner in great sorrow for Sinne, relyeth on God for grace and comfort.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/davies_jh/39/.

Chicago

Hereford, John Davies of. “The Sinner in great sorrow for Sinne, relyeth on God for grace and comfort.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/davies_jh/39/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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