Wilt thou love God, as he thee? then digest (Holy Sonnet XV)

Song Meaning

This sonnet opens with a direct, almost challenging question: "Wilt thou love God, as he thee?" It immediately frames the central tension as a reciprocal relationship, urging the speaker (and reader) to consider the depth of God's love. The lyrics then pivot to a profound meditation on God's presence, describing the Holy Spirit making a "Temple in thy brest." This isn't just about belief, but about an indwelling divinity. The core conflict arises from the immense, almost incomprehensible nature of God's love and sacrifice compared to humanity's potential response. The Father is described as "still begetting" and choosing humanity for "adoption," making us "Coheire to his glory." This sets up a staggering imbalance, highlighting the sheer grace involved in this divine choice. The most striking craft element is the extended metaphor of the "robb'd man." The Son of God, the "Sonne of glory," is presented as the victim who must "lose or buy it againe" the very souls that "Satan stolne." This vivid, almost transactional imagery of theft and recovery powerfully illustrates the cosmic stakes of salvation and the Son's sacrificial act to reclaim humanity. Ultimately, these lyrics hit hard because they articulate a love so vast it redefines existence itself. The final couplet, "'Twas much, that man was made like God before, / But, that God should be made like man, much more," encapsulates this awe. It suggests that the ultimate expression of divine love isn't just creating humanity in God's image, but God becoming human, a concept that elevates the reciprocal question posed at the beginning to an almost unanswerable, yet deeply moving, proposition.