Fulke Greville: Caelica 98.

from

Cælica

by Fulke Greville

SONNET XCVIII

Eternal Truth, almighty, infinite,
Only exilèd from man's fleshly heart ;
Where Ignorance and Disobedience fight,
In hell and sin, which shall have greatest part :
When Thy sweet mercy opens forth the light
Of grace, which giveth eyes unto the blind ;
And with the Lord even plowest up our sprite,
To faith, wherein flesh may salvation find.
Thou bid'st us pray, and we do pray to Thee :
But as to power and God without us plac'd :
Thinking a wish may wear our vanity,
Or habits be by miracles defac'd ;
One thought to God we give, the rest to sin ;
Quickly unbent is all desire of good ;
True words pass out, but have no being within ;
We pray to Christ, yet help to shed His blood :
For while we say 'belive,' and feel it not,
Promise amends, and yet despair in it ;
Hear Sodom judged, and go not out with Lot :
Make Law and Gospel riddles of the wit :
We with the Jews even Christ still crucify,
As not yet come to our impiety.

Source:
Grosart, Alexander B., Ed. The Friend of Sir Philip Sidney.
London: Elliot Stock, 1894. 58-59.

to the Works of Fulke Greville, Lord Brooke