Religion

A Song of Praise for Grace

by John Mason 1646?–1694

From Spiritual Songs (1699)

Religion

O God of Grace, who hast Restor'd
Thine Image unto Me,
Which by my Sins was quite defac'd,
What shall I render Thee?
Thine Image and Inscription, Lord,
Upon my Heart I bear;
Thine own I render unto Thee,
O God, my God most dear.

My self I owe Thee for my self,
Whom Thou didst make of Earth;
But thou hast made me o're again,
Thou gav'st a Second Birth:
Twice born, and twice endu'd with Life,
I hast to come to Thee,
To pay my Vows, my Thanks, my Heart,
With all Humility.

O was I Born first from Beneath!
And then Born from above!
Am I a Child of Man and God?
O Rich and Endless Love!
When I had broke the Tables, Lord,
New Tables thou didst Hew,
And with thy Finger didst Engrave
Thy Laws on them anew.

Earth is my Mother, Earth my Nurse,
And Earth must be my Tomb;
Yet God, the God of Heav'n and Earth,
My Father is become:
Hell enter'd Me, and into Hell
I quickly should have Run;
But O! kind Heav'n laid hold on Me,
Heav'n is in Me begun.

This Spark will rise into a Flame,
This Seed into a Tree;
My Songs shall rise, my Praises shall
Loud Hallelujahs be.

MLA

Mason, John. “A Song of Praise for Grace.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/mason_j/22/.

Chicago

Mason, John. “A Song of Praise for Grace.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/mason_j/22/.

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