Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ANNIVERS: BAPTISMI, by JOSEPH BEAUMONT


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ANNIVERS: BAPTISMI, by                
First Line: How much worse than in vain
Last Line: When thou, not I, sole owner art of me.
Subject(s): Baptism; Birth; Christianity; Christenings; Child Birth; Midwifery


HOW much worse than in vain
Had I been Born
That other Morn,
Had I not now been Born again!
For that was but my Death's, but this
Alone of my true Life the Birthday is.

2

The Wormes own crawling Brother
I then was Born,
Vile & forlorn
Corruption being my foule Mother;
From whome I could no Title have
Of Heir to any Land, but to my Grave.

3

But by this second Birth
I Kinred had
With Heavn & God;
For She who now did bring Me forth
Was Gods own Spouse, that Holy She
Whose Catholik Wombe breeds Christianitie.

4

She brought Me forth; & I
Was now the Heir
Unto the fair
Inheritance prepar'd on high
For those who study to maintain
That Title They did by their Baptisme gain.

5

But has my study bin
Thus provident;
Or rather bent
My own hearts Bliss to undermine?
Like some wilde Heir, spurrd on by Hell
Did I not Heavns Reversion madly sell?

6

Alas, I did: & all
The wretched price
I took, did rise
To nothing but a flood of Gall:
For what can all this World to Me
Afford, but most vexatious Vanitie?

7

O King of my poor Heart,
Whose gratious ear
Delights to hear
A Sinners Crie: O Thou who art
The Same forevermore, though I
Alas, be chang'd into Deformity,

8

Remember thine own Love,
And so forget
How I on it
Have heapd Ingratitude, & strove
To be, what yet I would not be
Were the Worlds total Value offerd Me.

9

O no, sweet Lord, I would
Be Thine, & none
But Thine alone:
And though fond I my Bliss have sold
To Vanity; I will not sell
My Hope, since Thou art my Redeemer still.

10

Baptise Me then again
In Mercies Flood,
Which is thy Blood:
And so no longer shall a Stain
My woefull Difinition be,
Nor Guilt the onely Clothes which cover Me.

11

So shall thy Glory shine
Afresh in my
New Purity;
So, though the Happines be Mine,
Yet still it shall belong to Thee,
When Thou, not I, sole Owner art of Me.





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