God's Unconditional Love

While George Herbert was a practicing priest in the Church of England, his devotional poetry often expresses a rather complex relationship between man and God. Many of Herbert's poems are known for their interrogation of what it means to be a good Christian, and as such the speakers of his poems are often fraught with frustration, confusion, and uncertainty over their faith. Some of his poems even go so far as to question the existence of God altogether.

However, an important structural pattern develops among Herbert's devotional poems, in which a doubtful or struggling speaker raises questions about his faith only to be quieted and reassured by the voice of God. "Love (III)" is no exception; it features a speaker who believes himself unworthy of God's grace – this time after his death and upon his entry into Heaven – and who refuses to enjoy himself...