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Thursday, November 01, 2007

Edward Taylor on God's overflowing love

Following on from my review of the Donne biog below, here is another metaphysical poet, the Puritan Edward Taylor. See here for more info & poems.
Meditation 1

What Love is this of thine, that Cannot bee
In thine Infinity, O Lord, Confinde,
Unless it in thy very Person see,
Infinity, and Finity Conjoyn'd?
What hath thy Godhead, as not satisfide
Marri'de our Manhood, making it its Bride?

Oh, Matchless Love! filling Heaven to the brim!
O're running it: all running o're beside
This World! Nay Overflowing Hell; wherein
For thine Elect, there rose a mighty Tide!
That there our Veans might through thy Person bleed,
To quench those flames, that else would on us feed.

Oh! that thy Love might overflow my Heart!
To fire the same with Love: for Love I would.
But oh! my streight'ned Breast! my Lifeless Sparke!
My Fireless Flame! What Chilly Love, and Cold?
In measure small! In Manner Chilly! See.
Lord blow the Coal: Thy Love Enflame in mee.

Thanks to Paul Helm for drawing Taylor to my attention. His blog has two new posts on Word and Spirit in Conversion & Analysis 8 - The Gifts of a King on justification and sanctification.

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