The pearl of the kingdom

It should be apparent that this little gem of a poem richly rewards close reading from a variety of perspectives. In its deft references to both the Humanist and Reformation programmes, it can be shown to address the most important theological issues of the age. The iconic humanist touchstone ad fontes and the two great pillars of the Reformation sola scriptura and sola fide provide the poem with its fundamental referential framework. The poet elicits humanist ideas in order to confront and subvert the claims of the reformers: having in the opening couplet evoked the clarion humanist call to attend to the sources.