Henry Charles Beeching, ed. (1859–1919). Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse. 1903.
By John Byrom (1692–1763)Divine Epigrams
I NO faith towards God can e’er subsist with wrath | |
| Towards man, nor charity with want of faith; | |
| From the same root hath each of them its growth; | |
| You have not either if you have not both. | |
II Think, and be careful what thou art within; | 5 |
| For there is sin in the desire of sin: | |
| Think, and be thankful, in a different case: | |
| For there is grace in the desire of grace. | |
III Let thy repentance be without delay— | |
| If thou defer it to another day, | 10 |
| Thou must repent for a day more of sin, | |
| While a day less remains to do it in. | |
IV Hath not the potter power to make his clay | |
| Just what he pleases? Well, and tell me, pray, | |
| What kind of potter must we think a man | 15 |
| Who does not make the best of it he can? | |
| Who making some fine vessels of his clay | |
| To show his power, throws all the rest away, | |
| Which, in itself, was equally as fine? | |
| What an idea this of Power divine! | 20 |