George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | The Church-Floore | Christian Poems | Metaphysical Poetry

Christian Art | George Herbert | Sepulchre | The Church | The Church-Floore

George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | The Church-Floore

Mark you the floore? that square and speckled stone
Which looks so firm and strong,
Is Patience:

And th’ other black and grave, wherewith each one
Is checker’d all along,
Humilitie:

The gentle rising, which on either hand
Leads to the Quire above,
Is Confidence:

But the sweet cement, which in one sure band
Ties the whole frame, is Love
And Charitie.

Hither sometimes Sinne steals, and stains
The marbles neat and curious veins:
But all is cleansed when the marble weeps.
Sometimes Death, puffing at the doore,
Blows all the dust about the floore:
But while he thinks to spoil the room, he sweeps.
Blest be the Architect, whose art
Could build so strong in a weak heart.

Christian Art | George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | The Church-Floore

The poem describes a metaphorical interior of a sacred space. This symbolizes a concept of the human heart as a temple built by God. Each element of the architecture serves as an allegory for spiritual virtues, struggles, and the divine influence in maintaining the integrity of the space. The poet weaves a contemplative vision that ties physical imagery to theological themes.

Opening lines of the poem draw attention to the ‘floor’ made of ‘square and speckled stone’, which is identified as ‘Patience’. The firmness of this foundational element suggests patience as a crucial virtue that underpins a stable spiritual life. Alongside this, the ‘black and grave’ stone, representing ‘Humility’, emphasizes its complementary role, grounding the believer in self-awareness and deference to God. These contrasting visual qualities of the two stones reflect the interplay between these virtues, both of which are essential for spiritual balance.

The ‘gentle rising’ of steps leading to the ‘Choir above’ symbolizes ‘Confidence’, suggesting a steady and assured ascent toward communion with God. This confidence is not self-generated but it is part of the divine design guiding the faithful upward. The ‘sweet cement’ binding these elements is identified as ‘Love and Charity’, described as the unifying force that holds the structure together. These virtues are the culmination of divine grace, tying the spiritual framework into a coherent whole.

The poem then introduces challenges faced within this sacred space. Sin is personified as a thief that ‘steals’ into the heart, staining the marble’s ‘neat and curious veins’. However, the image of the ‘marble weeping’ suggests that repentance and divine forgiveness restore the purity of the heart. Similarly, Death is depicted as a disruptive force, ‘puffing at the door’ and scattering dust across the floor. Yet, in an ironic twist, this act of attempted desecration becomes an act of cleansing, as Death inadvertently ‘sweeps’ the space. These moments illustrate the resilience of the divine construction, which transforms external and internal threats into opportunities for renewal.

The final lines of the poem turn to praise for the ‘Architect,’ whose divine ‘art’ has built this temple ‘so strong in a weak heart’. Juxtaposition of strength and weakness encapsulates the poem’s central theme: human frailty becomes a site of divine strength through grace. Use of the term ‘art’ highlights intricate and purposeful nature of God’s work, blending beauty and function in the creation of a heart that can withstand sin and death.

The poem’s structure mirrors its content. The use of tercets, paired with a reflective tone, creates a sense of order and balance, mirroring the architectural metaphors within the text. Vivid imagery and personifications of virtues and challenges invite s to reflect on our spiritual condition and divine presence within our hearts. The poem is a meditation on an interplay of human weakness, divine grace, and transformative power of spiritual virtues. The poem emphasizes the heart as a sacred space continually shaped, cleansed, and upheld by God.