View Single Post
Old 2008 February 2nd, 02:02 PM   #2 (permalink)
wasleys
Real ale taster

Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Scunthorpe, UK
Posts: 1,999
wasleys is a member of the TestMagic inner circle.wasleys is a member of the TestMagic inner circle.wasleys is a member of the TestMagic inner circle.wasleys is a member of the TestMagic inner circle.
Quote:
Originally Posted by unclhien View Post
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?

Can you explain the first four lines of this poem? I have no idea.
unclhien,

I don't think I do, either, but as few people seem to get in this forum I will offer these thoughts.

For Lines 1 and 2:

The writer sees God as infinite (= without any boundary or ending).

God is also seen as a loving spirit whose love is so great that it cannot be kept within God, even though God is infinite. So the question is asked (right at the start) 'what sort of love is this?'.

In Lines 3 and 4 I'm struggling, but I think the writer is answering his own question by suggesting that God is both infinite and finite and therefore mysterious and beyond understanding.

Michael
_ _ _ _ SIG _ _ _ _
Native English speaker just trying to help people who post using proper English.
wasleys is offline   Reply With Quote