Henry Charles Beeching, ed. (1859–1919). Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse. 1903.
By John Donne (15731631)Four Sonnets: II. As due by many titles, I resign
AS due by many titles, I resign | |
Myself to Thee, O God! First I was made | |
By Thee and for Thee; and when I was decay’d, | |
Thy blood bought that, the which before was Thine. | |
I am Thy son, made with Thyself to shine; | 5 |
Thy servant, whose pains Thou hast still repaid; | |
Thy sheep, Thine image; and till I betray’d | |
Myself, a temple of Thy Spirit Divine. | |
Why doth the devil then usurp on me? | |
Why doth he steal, nay, ravish that’s Thy right? | 10 |
Except Thou rise and for Thine own work fight, | |
Oh, I shall soon despair, when I shall see | |
That Thou lov’st mankind well, yet wilt not choose me, | |
And Satan hates me yet is loth to lose me. | |