Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ON THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL, by JOHN BYROM Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: In paul's conversion we discern the case Last Line: Not in man's reason but god's revelation. Subject(s): Conversion; Religion; Saints; Worship; Theology | ||||||||
IN Paul's conversion we discern the case Of human talents, wanting heav'nly grace: What persecutions, till he saw the light, Against the Christian church did he excite! By his own reason led into mistake, Amongst the flock what havock did he make! Within himself when, verily, he thought, That all the while he did but what he ought. His use of reason cannot be denied, Nor legal zeal, nor moral life beside; Blameless as any Jew or Greek could claim, Who shew'd aversion to the Christian name. His fund of learning some are pleas'd to add; And yet, with all th' endowments which he had, From place to place, with eager steps, he trod, To persecute the real church of God. When to Damascus, for the like intent, With the High Priest's authority he went; Struck to the ground, by a diviner ray, The reas'ning, legal, moral zealot lay; To the plain question put by JESUSWhy Persecute me?had only to reply, What shall I do?His reason and his wrath Were both convinc'd, and he embrac'd the faith. His outward lost, his inward sight renew'd, Truth in its native evidence he view'd; With three days' fast he nourish'd his concern, And, a new conduct well prepar'd to learn, Good Ananias, whom he came to bind, Was sent to cure and to baptize the blind: A destin'd martyr to his Jewish zeal Of Christian faith confers the sacred seal. Of nobler use his reason, while it stood Without a conference with flesh and blood, Still, and submissive; when, within, begun The Father's revelation of the Son; Whom, till the Holy Spirit rise to shew, No pow'r of thought can ever come to know; The saving mystery, obscur'd by sin, Itself must manifest itself, within. Thus, taught of God, Paul saw the truth appear To his enlighten'd understanding clear: The pow'r of Christ himself, and nothing less, Could move his persecutor to profess: He learn'd, and told it from the real ground, And prov'd, to all the christian world around, That true religion had its true foundation, Not in man's REASON but God's REVELATION. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MYSTIC BOUNCE by TERRANCE HAYES MATHEMATICS CONSIDERED AS A VICE by ANTHONY HECHT UNHOLY SONNET 11 by MARK JARMAN SHINE, PERISHING REPUBLIC by ROBINSON JEFFERS THE COMING OF THE PLAGUE by WELDON KEES A LITHUANIAN ELEGY by ROBERT KELLY A HYMN FOR CHRISTMAS DAY (2) by JOHN BYROM |
|