Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, GOD'S DETERMINATIONS: THEIR CALL IN THIS SAD STATE FOR MERCY, by EDWARD TAYLOR


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

GOD'S DETERMINATIONS: THEIR CALL IN THIS SAD STATE FOR MERCY, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: We humbly beg, oh lord, to know our crime
Last Line: So we be thine, deale with us as thou wilt.
Subject(s): Puritans In Literature


We humbly beg, oh Lord, to know our Crime.
That we thus tortur'de are before our time.
Before our Time? Lord give's this Word again.
For we have long ago deserv'de Hells flame.
If Mercy wrought not Miracles none could
Us monuments of mercy now behold.
But oh! while Mercy waits we slaves to sin,
Heap up sins Epha far above the brim.
What shall we do when to account we're Calld?
How will abused Mercy burn, and scald?
We know not How, nor Where to stay or goe.
We know not whom, nor What to trust or doe.
Should we run hence from Mercy, Justice will
Run hotly after us our blood to spill.
But should we run to Mercy, Justice may
Hold Mercies hands while Vengeance doth us slay.
And if we trust to Grace, necessity
Binds us by force at Grace's Grace to ly.
But if we run from Grace, we headlong cast
Ourselves upon the Spiles of Ruine Vast.
And if we claim her ours, she'l surely smite
Us, for presuming on an others right.

Who'le with a Leaking, old Crack't Hulk assay,
To brave the raging Waves of Adria?
Or who can Cross the Main Pacifick o're?
Without a Vessell Wade from Shore to Shore?
What wade the mighty main from brim to brim,
As if it would not reach above the Chin?
But, oh! poor wee, must wade from brinck to brinck
With such a Weight as would bright Angells sink.
Or venture angry Adria, or drown
When Vengeance's sea doth break her floodgates down.
If stay, or Go to sea we drown. Then see
In what a wofull Pickle, Lord, we bee.
Rather than tarry, or the rough sea trust,
On the Pacificke Ocean forth we thrust.
Necessity lies on's: we dare not stay:
If drown we must, we'l drown in Mercy's Sea.
Impute it not presumption if we high
To Cast ourselves on Mercies Clemency.
Is't not as great Presumption, Lord, to stand
And gaze on ruine, but refuse the hand
Which offers help? Or on such Courses fall
Which fall to ruin, ruinating all?
Lord, pitty, pitty us, Lord pitty send:
A thousand pitties tis we should offend.
But oh! we did, and are thereto propence:
And what we count off, oft thou Countst offence.
We've none to trust: but on thy Grace we ly,
If dy we must, in mercy's arms wee'l dy.
Then pardon, Lord, and put away our guilt.
So we be thine, deale with us as thou wilt.





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