Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, GOD'S DETERMINATIONS: THE SOUL ADMIRING THE GRACE OF THE CHURCH ..., by EDWARD TAYLOR


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

GOD'S DETERMINATIONS: THE SOUL ADMIRING THE GRACE OF THE CHURCH ..., by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: How is this city, lord, of thine bespangled
Last Line: Be shakt out of this coach, or dy in th'way.
Subject(s): Puritans In Literature


How is this City, Lord, of thine bespangled
With Graces shine?
With Ordinances alli'de, and inam'led,
Which are Divine?
Walld in with Discipline her Gates obtaine
Just Centinalls with Love Imbellisht plain.

Hence glorious, and terrible she stands;
That Converts new
Seing her Centinalls of all demand
The Word to shew;
Stand gazing much between two Passions Crusht
Desire, and Feare at once which both wayes thrust.

Thus are they wrackt. Desire doth forward screw
To get them in,
But Feare doth backward thrust, that lies purdue,
And slicks that Pin.
You cannot give the word, Quoth she, which though
You stumble on't its more than yet you know.

But yet Desires Screw Pin doth not slack:
It still holds fast.
But Fears Screw Pin turns back or Screw doth Crack
And breaks at last.
Hence on they go, and in they enter: where
Desire Converts to joy: joy Conquours Fear.

They now enCovenant With God: and His:
They thus indent.
The Charters Seals belonging unto this
The Sacrament
So God is theirs avoucht, they his in Christ.
In whom all things they have, with Grace are splic'te.

Thus in the usuall Coach of Gods Decree
They bowle and swim
To Glory bright, if no Hypocrisie
Handed them in.
For such must shake their handmaid off lest they
Be shakt out of this Coach, or dy in th'way.





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