I.
THOU hast made me, And shall thy worke decay?
Repaire me now, for now mine end doth haste,
I runne to death, and death meets me as fast,
And all my pleasures are like yesterday;
5I dare not move my dimme eyes any way,
Despaire behind, and death before doth cast
Such terrour, and my feeble flesh doth waste
By sinne in it, which it t'wards hell doth weigh;
Onely thou art above, and when towards thee
10By thy leave I can looke, I rise againe;
But our old subtle foe so tempteth me,
That not one houre my selfe I can sustaine;
Thy Grace may wing me to prevent his art,
And thou like Adamant draw mine iron heart.
Holy Sonnets. 1633-69 (following La Corona as second group under the same general title), W: Devine Meditations. B, O'F, S96: no title, A18, D, H49, N, TCC, TCD. See note
I. 1635-69, B, O'F, S96, W: omitted 1633, A18, D, H49, N, TCC, TCD
4 yesterday; Ed: yesterday, 1635-69
7 feeble 1635-69: febled B, O'F, S96, W
12 my selfe I can 1635-69: I can myself B, S96, W
sustaine; 1669: sustaine, 1635-54
II.
A S due by many titles I resigne
My selfe 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;
5I am thy sonne, made with thy selfe to shine,
Thy servant, whose paines thou hast still repaid,
Thy sheepe, thine Image, and, till I betray'd
My selfe, a temple of thy Spirit divine;
Why doth the devill then usurpe on mee?
10Why doth he steale, nay ravish that's thy right?
Except thou rise and for thine owne worke fight,
Oh I shall soone despaire, when I doe see
That thou lov'st mankind well, yet wilt'not chuse me,
And Satan hates mee, yet is loth to lose mee.
II. 1635-69, B, O'F, S96, W: I. 1633, A18, D, H49, N, TCC, TCD
2 God, first 1633: God. First 1635-69
4 thine; 1650-69: thine, 1633-39: thine. W
7 and, Ed: and 1633-69
9 on 1633-69, D, H49: in A18, B, N, S96, TC, W
10 steale,] steale 1633-39
that's] what's A18, TCC
12 doe 1633 and most MSS.: shall 1635-69, O'F, S96
13 me,] me. 1633