Herbert: Holy Communion

Not in rich furniture, or fine aray,
________ Nor in a wedge of gold,
________ Thou, who for me wast sold,
____ To me dost now thy self convey;
For so thou should’st without me still have been,
________ Leaving within me sinne:

But by the way of nourishment and strength
________ Thou creep’st into my breast;
________ Making thy way my rest,
____ And thy small quantities my length;
Which spread their forces into every part,
________ Meeting sinnes force and art.

Yet can these not get over to my soul,
________ Leaping the wall that parts
________ Our souls and fleshy hearts;
____ But as th’ outworks, they may controll
My rebel-flesh, and carrying thy name,
________ Affright both sinne and shame.

Only thy grace, which with these elements comes,
________ Knoweth the ready way,
________ And hath the privie key,
____ Op’ning the souls most subtile rooms;
While those to spirits refin’d, at doore attend
________ Dispatches from their friend.


Give me my captive soul, or take
________ My bodie also thither.
Another lift like this will make
________ Them both to be together.

Before that sinne turn’d flesh to stone,
________ And all our lump to leaven;
A fervent sigh might well have blown
________ Our innocent earth to heaven.

For sure when Adam did not know
________ To sinne, or sinne to smother;
He might to heav’n from Paradise go,
________ As from one room t’another.

Thou hast restor’d us to this ease
________ By this thy heav’nly bloud;
Which I can go to, when I please,
________ And leave th’earth to their food.