Emblemes by Fra: Quarles

VIII. ROM. VII.XXIV. O wretched man that I am! who shall deli∣ver me from this body of 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 doe owe Such midnight scores to Nature, for whose sake Base earth is Sainted, the Infernall Lake Vnfeard; 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: With farre-fetch'd delicates, the deare-bought gainer 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 strikes 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 my 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 JEHOVA Would faine become a Suitor for 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 Virginity? 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 Prae contract: Or if the Act be good, yet maist thou plead A second Freedome; for the flesh is dead.

NAZIANZ. Orat. 16.

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

EPIG. 8.

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 I ayle too strong.