John Donne's Devotions

212 Pages·2016·1.38 MB·English

by  Donne John.

John Donne's Devotions
Author(s): Donne, John (1572-1631)
Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library
Description: This volume of John Donne's writings begins with a biography
of John Donne's life, as told by Donne's writer friend, Izaak
Walton.Walton gives readers a close look at Donne's past,
which was plagued with the loss of many close family mem-
bers.This biographical information helps readers to make
better sense of the somber devotions contained in this
volume. In his Devotions upon Emergent Occasions, Donne
concentrates on the miserable condition of man and the in-
evitability of death.The devotions are all structured the same,
each beginning with a meditation followed by an expostulation
and a prayer.These devotions serve as a preview for Donne's
"Death's Duel Sermon," written near his death in 1631 as his
funeral sermon.While "Death's Duel" paints a grave picture
of earthly life tormented by pain and death, it hopes for a
bright future in God's love through Christ's resurrection and
ascension. Praised for his literary talent, Donna provides
Christians with an introspective look at the nature of morality.
It is from the great works in this collection that we find the
origin of well-known phrases "For whom the bell tolls" and
"No man is an island."
Emmalon Davis
CCEL Staff Writer
Subjects: Practical theology
Practical religion.The Christian life
Works of meditation and devotion
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Contents
Title Page 1
CONTENTS 2
THE LIFE OF DR. JOHN DONNE 3
DEVOTIONS 32
TO THE MOST EXCELLENT PRINCE, 33
CONTENTS 34
DEVOTIONS 35
I. Insultus morbi primus. 36
I. MEDITATION. 37
I. EXPOSTULATION. 38
I. PRAYER. 40
II. Post actio laesa. 41
II. MEDITATION. 42
II. EXPOSTULATION. 43
II. PRAYER. 45
III. Decubitus sequitur tandem. 46
III. MEDITATION. 47
III. EXPOSTULATION. 48
III. PRAYER. 50
IV. Medicusque vocatur. 51
IV. MEDITATION. 52
IV. EXPOSTULATION. 54
IV. PRAYER. 56
V. Solus adest. 58
V. MEDITATION. 59
V. EXPOSTULATION. 61
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V. PRAYER. 63
VI. Metuit. 64
VI. MEDITATION. 65
VI. EXPOSTULATION. 66
VI. PRAYER. 70
VII. Socios sibi jungier instat. 71
VII. MEDITATION. 72
VII. EXPOSTULATION. 74
VII. PRAYER. 77
VIII. Et rex ipse suum mittit. 78
VIII. MEDITATION. 79
VIII. EXPOSTULATION. 80
VIII. PRAYER. 82
IX. Medicamina scribunt. 83
IX. MEDITATION. 84
IX. EXPOSTULATION. 86
IX. PRAYER. 88
X. Lente et serpenti satagunt occurre re morbo. 89
X. MEDITATION. 90
X. EXPOSTULATION. 92
X. PRAYER. 94
XI. Nobilibusque trahunt, a cincto corde, venenum, succis et gemmis, et quae 95
generosa, ministrant ars, et natura, instillant.
XI. MEDITATION. 96
XI. EXPOSTULATION. 98
XI. PRAYER. 101
XII. Spirante columba supposita pedibus, revocantur ad ima vapores. 102
XII. MEDITATION. 103
XII. EXPOSTULATION. 105
XII. PRAYER. 107
XIII. Ingeniumque malum, numeroso stigmate, fassus pellitur ad pectus, 108
morbique suburbia, morbus.
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XIII. MEDITATION. 109
XIII. EXPOSTULATION. 111
XIII. PRAYER. 113
XIV. Idque notant criticis medici evenisse diebus. 114
XIV. MEDITATION. 115
XIV. EXPOSTULATION. 117
XIV. PRAYER. 121
XV. Interea insomnes noctes ego duco, diesque. 122
XV. MEDITATION. 123
XV. EXPOSTULATION. 125
XV. PRAYER. 127
XVI. Et properare meum clamant, e turre propinqua, obstreperae campanae 128
aliorum in funere, funus.
XVI. MEDITATION. 129
XVI. EXPOSTULATION. 131
XVI. PRAYER. 133
XVII. Nunc lento sonitu dicunt, morieris. 134
XVII. MEDITATION. 135
XVII. EXPOSTULATION. 137
XVII. PRAYER. 139
XVIII. At inde mortuus es, sonitu celeri, pulsuque agitato. 141
XVIII. MEDITATION. 142
XVIII. EXPOSTULATION. 144
XVIII. PRAYER. 147
XIX. Oceano tandem emenso, aspicienda resurgit terra; vident, justis, medici, 148
jam cocta mederi se posse, indiciis.
XIX. MEDITATION. 149
XIX. EXPOSTULATION. 151
XIX. PRAYER. 155
XX. Id agunt. 156
XX. MEDITATION. 157
XX. EXPOSTULATION. 159
iv
XX. PRAYER. 162
XXI. Atque annuit ille, qui, per eos, clamat, linquas jam, lazare, lectum. 163
XXI. MEDITATION. 164
XXI. EXPOSTULATION. 166
XXI. PRAYER. 169
XXII. Sit morbi fomes tibi cura. 170
XXII. MEDITATION. 171
XXII. EXPOSTULATION. 173
XXII. PRAYER. 175
XXIII. Metusque, relabi. 176
XXIII. MEDITATION. 177
XXIII. EXPOSTULATION. 179
XXIII. PRAYER. 182
DEATH'S DUEL 183
TO THE READER 184
DEATH’S DUEL 185
Indexes 201
Index of Scripture References 202
Index of Pages of the Print Edition 205
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Title Page
Title Page
JOHN DONNE
DEVOTIONS
UPON EMERGENT OCCASIONS
Together with
DEATH’S DUEL
This book was manufactured in the United States in 1959
with no copyright notice and is therefore in the Public Domain.
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1
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
THE LIFE OF DR. JOHN DONNE, by Izaak Walton
DEVOTIONS
DEATH’S DUEL
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THE LIFE OF DR. JOHN DONNE
THE LIFE OF DR. JOHN DONNE
THE LIFE OF DR. JOHN DONNE
(Taken from the life by Izaak Walton).
MASTER JOHN DONNE was born in London, the year 1573, of good and
virtuous parents: and, though his own learning and other multiplied merits may
justly appear sufficient to dignify both himself and his posterity, yet the reader may
be pleased to know that his father was masculinely and lineally descended from a
very ancient family in Wales, where many of his name now live, that deserve and
have great reputation in that country.
By his mother he was descended of the family of the famous and learned
Sir Thomas More, sometime Lord Chancellor of England: as also, from that worthy
and laborious Judge Rastall, who left posterity the vast Statutes of the Law of this
nation most exactly abridged.
He had his first breeding in his father’s house, where a private tutor had
the care of him, until the tenth year of his age; and, in his eleventh year, was sent
to the University of Oxford, having at that time a good command both of the French
and Latin tongue. This, and some other of his remarkable abilities, made one then
give this censure of him: That this age had brought forth another Picus Mirandula;
of whom story says, that he was rather born than made wise by study.
There he remained for some years in Hart Hall, having, for the advancement
of his studies, tutors of several sciences to attend and instruct him, till time made
him capable, and his learning expressed in public exercises, declared him worthy,
to receive his first degree in the schools, which he forbore by advice from his friends,
who, being for their religion of the Romish persuasion, were conscionably averse
to some parts of the oath that is always tendered at those times, and not to be refused
by those that expect the titulary honour of their studies.
About the fourteenth year of his age he was transplanted from Oxford to
Cambridge, where, that he might receive nourishment from both soils, he staid till
his seventeenth year; all which time he was a most laborious student, often changing
his studies, but endeavouring to take no degree, for the reasons formerly mentioned.
About the seventeenth year of his age he was removed to London, and then
admitted into Lincoln’s Inn, with an intent to study the law, where he gave great
testimonies of his wit, his learning, and of his improvement in that profession;
which never served him for other use than an ornament and self-satisfaction.
His father died before his admission into this society; and, being a merchant,
left him his portion in money. (It was £3,000.) His mother, and those to whose care
he was committed, were watchful to improve his knowledge, and to that end ap-
pointed him tutors both in the mathematics, and in all the other liberal sciences, to
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