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Henry Charles Beeching, ed. (1859–1919). Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse. 1903.

By John Donne (1573–1631)

The Cross

 
SINCE Christ embraced the Cross itself, dare I,
His image, th’ image of His Cross deny?
Would I have profit by the sacrifice,
And dare the chosen altar to despise?
It bore all other sins, but is it fit        5
That it should bear the sin of scorning it?
Who from the picture would avert his eye,
How would he fly His pains who there did die?
From me no pulpit, nor misgrounded law,
Nor scandal taken, shall this cross withdraw.        10