Sinne
Lord, with what care hast thou begirt us round!
Parents first season us; then schoolmasters
Deliver us to laws; they send us bound
To rules of reason, holy messengers,
Pulpits and sundayes, sorrow dogging sinne,
Afflictions sorted, anguish of all sizes,
Fine nets and strategems to catch us in,
Bibles laid open, millions of surprises,
Blessings beforehand, tyes of gratefulnesse,
The sound of glorie ringing in our eares;
Without, our shame; within, our consciences;
Angels and grace, eternall hopes and fears.
Yet all these fences and their whole array
One cunning bosome-sinne blows quite away.
Like most nicknames, Metaphysical Poets, is shorthand for a leading characteristic of that which is described. By 'metaphysical' is meant poetry of intellectual complexity, psychological subtlety, and moral and religious intensity.
All of these are on show in Herbert's poem on 'Sinne'. His was an age of intense spiritual introspection, hunting of guilt, troubling of conscience, or theologically, conviction of sin.
Like flood defences, the soul was surrounded by restraining influences, moral training in childhood, respect for law and ordinances, sermons and lectures, open Bibles and spiritual stratagems; and then all the inner strengthening of emotional and devotional focus such as gratitude, praise, and the inner bulwark of conscience and fear of social disapproval, and ultimately fear of Hell and hope of Heaven.
And that fateful word that Herbert uses often and effectively, 'Yet.'
"Yet all these fences and their whole array
One cunning bosome-sinne blows quite away."
Every defence and strategy is undermined from within, by the deceitful cunning and impetus to self-preference that lurks deeper than we know, and which ambushes our best intents and overwhelms whatever moral safeguards we thought were secure.
Sin exposes our worst self, against our best intentions, despite our strongest moral defences. Sin is there, and cannot be so easily incapacitated, outwitted, or presumed to be under control, even by the most conscientious Christian.
Yet. Sin does not negate our worth to God. Patient, persistent love is one of the recurring themes in The Temple. God knows our worst selves, 'guilty of dust and sin', and still bids us welcome.
What is required of us is self-knowing, and knowing that we are known, understood more knowingly than we can ever imagine, by One intent on forgiveness, restoration and the renewal of the divine image in the whole God loved person.
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us….But if we confess our sins He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1.8)
Perhaps it takes a Metaphysical poet to understand the complexity of sin and forgiveness, and the recurring conflicts of a soul struggling with sin while holding on to God, believing that God values us more than we value ourselves.
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