Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ON THE DISINTERESTED LOVE OF GOD (2), by JOHN BYROM


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ON THE DISINTERESTED LOVE OF GOD (2), by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: I love my god, and freely too
Last Line: I'll love him, as I did before.
Subject(s): Love; Praise


I LOVE my God, and freely too,
With the same love that He imparts;
That He, to whom all love is due,
Engraves upon pure, loving hearts.

I love, but this celestial fire—
Ye starry pow'rs!—Ye do not raise:
No wages, no reward's desire,
Is in the purely shining blaze.

Me, nor the hopes of heav'nly bliss,
Or Paradisic scenes excite;
Nor terrors of the dark abyss,
Of death's eternal den, affright.

No bought-and-paid-for love be mine,
I will have no demands to make;
Disinterested, and divine
Alone, that fear shall never shake.

Thou, my Redeemer, from above,
Suffering to such immense degree,—
Thy heart has kindled mine to love,
That burns for nothing but for Thee.

Thy scourge, thy thorns, thy cross, thy wounds,
Are, ev'ry one of them, a source,
From whence the nourishment abounds
Of endless love's unfading force.

These sacred fires, with holy breath,
Raise in my mind the gen'rous strife;
While, by the ensigns of thy death
Known, I adore the Lord of LIFE.

Extinguish all celestial light,
The fire of love will not go out;
The flames of hell extinguish quite,
Love will pursue its wonted route.

Be there no hope if it persist—
Persist it will, nor ever cease;
No punishment if 'tis dismiss'd—
What caus'd it not will not decrease.

Shouldst thou give nothing for its pains,
It claims not any thing as due;
Shouldst thou condemn me, it remains
Unchang'd by any selfish view.

Let Heav'n be darken'd, if it will,
Let hell with all its vengence roar;
My God alone remaining, still
I'll love Him, as I did before.





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