John Donne: An Hymn

[featured_image]I picked up a book in my hotel room tonight that is part of a Harvard Classics series published by Collier & Son over 100 years ago in 1909. It includes John Bunyan’s classic work – The Pilgrim’s Progress, and also The Lives of John Donne and George Herbert by Izaak Walton.

I was intrigued by reading of John Donne who was born 1573. Walton had originally written “The Life of Dr. Donne” in 1640 as an introduction to a collection of Donne’s sermons.

The following hymn written by Donne captured my attention and I encourage you to contemplate on his grasp of God’s forgiveness.

AN HYMN
TO GOD THE FATHER.

Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun,

Which was my sin, though it were done before?

Wilt thou forgive that sin through which I run,

And do run still, though still I do deplore?

When thou hast done, thou hast not done,

For I have more.

Wilt thou forgive that sin, which I have won

Others to sin, and made my sin their door?

Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun

A year or two; – but wallow’d in a score?

When thou has done, thou hast not done,

For I have more. I have a sin of fear, that when I’ve spun

My last thread, I shall perish on the shore;

But swear by thyself, that at my death thy Son

Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore;

And having done that, thou hast done, I fear no more.

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What a marvelous thought! What assurance of God’s forgiveness!

In facing death, a Christian has nothing to fear because of all that Christ has done on the cross. The debt of sin has been paid.

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. (Col 2:13-14)