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Divine Fancies

Digested into Epigrammes, Meditations, and Observations. By Fra: Quarles
  
  
  

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61. On Mans Love.

When think we, Lord, on thee! & when we do,
How feeble are our thoughts, & sinfull too!
How basely doe our crooked Soules engage
Themselves to heav'n? We make thy Glory, Page
To our Salvation: Mans more servile heart
Loves what he'd have thee, Lord; not what thou art:
This is the very best of Man; wherein
W'are apt to think we merit more then Sin.
But, there's a baser Love: Our cheife respects
Have meere relation to our owne Defects;
Like Dogs we fawne upon our Masters Lapps,
With dirty feet, and only love for Scrapps:

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But there's a baser yet: We love for feare,
Finding, like Kain, more then we can beare,
And, were it not for shame, our hearts would be
As warme to Sathan, as, great God, to Thee:
But there's a baser yet: And baser none:
We love thee, to be lov'd of man alone:
We force a Zeale; usurp the name of Pure;
That we may sin more closely, more secure,
Wee love thee only to abuse thee, just
As Whores love Husbands, but to cloke their lust:
How art thou martyr'd in our lustfull Fyres!
How made a Stale to catch our wilde desires!
Lord, I will love as farre as lyes in me,
Thee for thy selfe, and all things else in Thee.