University of Virginia Library

VIII. ROMANS VII. XXIV.

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Behold thy darling, which thy lustfull care
Pampers; for which thy restlesse thoughts prepare
Such early Cates; For whom thy bubbling brow
So often sweats, and bankrupt eyes do owe
Such midnight scores to Nature, for whose sake
Base earth is Sainted, the Infernall Lake
Unfear'd; the Crowne of Glory poorely rated;
Thy GOD neglected, and thy brother hated:
Behold thy darling, whom thy soule affects
So dearely; whom thy fond Indulgence decks
And puppets up in soft, in silken weeds:
Behold thy darling, whom thy fondnesse feeds
With farre-fetch'd delicates, the deare-bought gaines
Of ill-spent Time, the price of halfe thy paines:
Behold thy darling, who, when clad by Thee,
Derides thy nakednesse; and, when most free,
Proclaimes her lover, slave; and, being fed
Most full, then stikes th'indulgent Feeder dead:
What meanst thou thus, my poore deluded soule,
To love so fondly? Can the burning Cole
Of thy Affection last without the fuell
Of counter-love? Is thy Compere so cruell,
And thou so kind, to love unlov'd againe?
Canst thou sow favours, and thus reape disdaine?
Remember, O remember thou art borne
Of royall blood; remember, thou art sworne
A Maid of Honour in the Court of Heav'n;
Remember what a costly price was giv'n
To ransome thee from slav'ry thou wert in;
And wilt thou now, my soule, turne slave agin?
The Son and Heire to Heav'ns triune JEHOVE
Would faine become a suitor of thy Love,
And offers for thy dow'r, his Fathers Throne,
To sit for Seraphims to gaze upon;
Hee'l give thee Honour, Pleasure, Wealth, and Things
Transcending farre the Majesty of Kings:
And wilt thou prostrate to the odious charmes
Of this base Scullion? Shall his hollow Armes
Hugg thy soft sides? Shall these course hands untie
The sacred Zone of thy Virginitie?
For shame, degen'rous soule, let thy desire
Be quickned up with more heroick fire;
Be wisely proud; let thy ambitious eye
Read nobler objects; let thy thoughts defie
Such am'rous basenesse; Let thy soule disdaine
Th'ignoble profers of so base a Swaine;
Or if thy vowes be past, and Himens bands
Have ceremonyed your unequall hands,
Annull, at least avoid thy lawlesse Act
With insufficience, or a Praecontract:
Or if the Act be good, yet maist thou plead
A second Freedome; for the flesh is dead.

NAZIANZ. Orat. 16.

How am I joyned to this body, I know not; which when it is healthfull, provokes me to warre, and being damaged by warre, affects me with grief; which I both love as a fellow servant, and hate as an utter enemy: It is a pleasant foe, and a perfidious friend: O strange Conjunction and Alienation! What I feare I embrace, and what I love I am afraid of; Before I make warre, I am reconcil'd; Before I enjoy peace, I am at variance.

EPIGRAM 8.

[What need that House be daub'd with flesh and blood?]

What need that House be daub'd with flesh and blood?
Hang'd round with silks and gold; repair'd with food?
Cost idly spent! That cost does but prolong
Thy thraldome; Foole, thou mak'st thy Jayle too strong.