Lord, with what care hast Thou begirt us round! <br />Parents first season us; then schoolmasters <br />Deliver us to laws; -they send us bound <br />To rules of reason, holy messengers, <br />Pulpits and Sundays, sorrow dogging sin, <br />Afflictions sorted, anguish of all sizes, <br />Fine nets and stratagems to catch us in, <br />Bibles laid open, millions of surprises, <br />Blessings beforehand, ties of gratefulness, <br />The sound of glory ringing in our ears; <br />Without, our shame; within, our consciences; <br />Angels and grace, eternal hopes and fears: <br />Yet all these fences and their whole array <br />One cunning bosom-sin blows quite away.<br /><br />George Herbert<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/sin-i/
