Classic Poem

A Confession of sinnes, with petition for grace

O Trinall Vnion, God creating Gods ,
O sole resistles all-effecting Pow'r ,
When wilt attone twixt mee and thee the ods?
Till when, eternall I account each how'r .

I am (O Lord) thy Creature re-created;
Made, marr'd, re-made, by Loue by Sinne , by Grace :
Shall Loue , and Grace by Sinne be so defeated.
That Loue should lose her labor; Grace , her place?

Thou art the Salue , and I the mortall Sore:
Yet with one touch, thy vertue can reniue me:
To heale this Sore , a Speare thy heart did gore,
(Kinde Pelican ) that thy Bloud might reliue me:

Thy Hands that form'd, reform'd, and me conform'd
Were to a Crosse transfixed for my sake,
To help my hatefull hands that sinne inorm'd;
Then can those helping Hands their Cure forsake?

Thy Head was crown'd with Thorny Diadem ;
To cure mine, crown'd with Sinnes sweet pricking Roses:
Thy body (ah) did bloud & water streame,
To wash away Sinnes soile, which mine encloses.

Thy Feele were crosse-wise nailed to a Crosse ,
To heale mine, swolne with running into vice :
On thy faire Skin whips did my Crimes engrosse,
So freedst thou me from them with bloudy price .

Then can such Loue now leaue the thing it Lou'd?
Is Sinne so sowre to turne sweete Loue to Hate?
To dye for Sinne , it thee alone behou'd,
And yet shall Sinne thy Deaths desert abate?

O God forbid; sith Sinne , and Death , and Hell ,
Thou on the Crosse didst conquer throgh thy death,
And by the pow'r thereof their pow'r didst quell
To lowest deepes , and it restrain'd beneath.

Besides, thou saist (but Truth what canst thou say?)
A Gulph is set the two Extreames betweene;
Twixt Heauen and Hell no entercourses may
(By meanes thereof at any time) be seene.

I am in Heauen ; for, in thy glorious Wounds
By Faith I hide me, from Sinne, Death and Hell:
If Sathan (for my plague) would breake his bounds ,
Those Gulphes of grace to stay will him compell.

Then keep me in thy Wounds (my soules sole heau'n)
From whence if out-cast, I to Hell must fall;
Where out cast like of Hope shall be bereau'n:
If reft of Hope , then reft of Help withall.

But help me (Lord) else hopelesse shall I be:
Thy help the hopefull neuer faild at need:
Then, sith my hope of help alone's in thee ,
Let speedy help my ready hope succeed.

Vpon thine Hand thine hand hath writ my Name:
Then reade thy Hand , and saue me by the same.