Holy Sonnet Viii: If Faithful Souls Be Alike Glorified

John Donne

If faithful souls be alike glorified
As angels, then my fathers soul doth see,
And adds this even to full felicity,
That valiantly I hells wide mouth o’erstride:
But if our minds to these souls be descried
By circumstances, and by signs that be
Apparent in us, not immediately,
How shall my mind’s white truth by them be tried?
They see idolatrous lovers weep and mourn,
And vile blasphemous conjurers to call
On Jesus name, and Pharisaical
Dissemblers feigne devotion. Then turn,
O pensive soul, to God, for he knows best
Thy true grief, for he put it in my breast.

Next 10 Poems

• John Donne : Holy Sonnet X
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet X: Death Be Not Proud
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xi: Spit In My Face You Jews, And Pierce My Side
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xii: Why Are We By All Creatures Waited On?
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xiii: What If This Present Were The World's Last Night?
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xiv
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xiv: Batter My Heart, Three-personed God
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xix: Oh, To Vex Me, Contraries Meet In One
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xv: Wilt Thou Love God, As He Thee? Then Digest
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xvi: Father, Part Of His Double Interest

Previous 10 Poems

• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Vii: At The Round Earth's Imagined Corners Blow
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Vi: This Is My Play's Last Scene, Here Heavens Appoint
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet V: I Am A Little World Made Cunningly
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Ix: If Poisonous Minerals, And If That Tree
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Iv: Oh My Black Soul! Now Art Thou Summoned
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Iii: O Might Those Sighs And Tears Return Again
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Ii: As Due By Many Titles I Resign
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet I: Tho Has Made Me
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet ?
• John Donne : Good-morrow, The