The Soul▪

IF mine Eyes do e're declare
They have seen a second thing, that's fair;
Or Ears, that they have Musick found,
Besides thy Voyce, in any Sound;
If my Taste do ever meet,
After thy Kiss, with ought that's sweet;
If my 'abused Touch allow
Ought to be smooth, or soft, but You;
If, what seasonable Springs,
Or the Eastern Summer brings;
Do you Smell perswade at all
Ought Perfume, but thy Breath to call;
If all my senses Objects be
Not contracted into Thee,
And so through Thee more powe'rful pass,
As Beams do through a Burning-Glass;
If all things that in Nature are
Either soft, or sweet, or fair,
Be not in Thee so 'Epitomiz'd,
That nought material's not compriz'd;
May I as worthless seem to Thee
As all, but Thou, appears to Mee.

If I ever Anger know,
Till some wrong be done to You;
If Gods or Kings my Envy move,
Without their Crowns crown'd by thy Love;
If ever I an Hope admit,
Without thy Image stampt on it;
Or any Fear, till I begin
To find that You'r concern'd therein;
If a Ioy ere come to mee,
That Tastes of any thing but Thee;
If any Sorrow touch my Mind,
Whilst You are well, and not unkind;
If I a minutes space debate,
Whether I shall curse and hate
The things beneath thy hatred fall,
Though all the World, My self and all;
And for Love; if ever I
Approach to it again so nigh,
As to allow a Toleration
To the least glimmering Inclination;
If thou alone do'est not controul
All those Tyrants of my Soul,
And to thy Beauties ty'est them so,
That constant they as Habits grow;
If any Passion of my Heart,
By any force, or any art,
Be brought to move one step from Thee,
Maist Thou no Passion have for Mee.

If my busie 'Imagination
Do not Thee in all things fashion;
So that all fair Species bee
Hieroglyphick marks of Thee;
If when Shee her sports does keep
(The lower Soul being all asleep)
She play one Dream with all her art,
Where Thou hast not the longest part.
If ought get place in my Remembrance,
Without some badge of thy resemblance;
So that thy parts become to me
A kind of Art of Memorie.
If my Understanding do
Seek any Knowledge but of You,
If she do near thy Body prize
Her Bodies of Philosophies,
If Shee to the Will do show
Ought desirable but You,
Or if That would not rebel,
Should she' another doctrine tell;
If my Will do not resigne
All her Liberty to thine;
If she would not follow Thee,
Though Fate and Thou shouldst disagree;
And if (for I a curse will give,
Such as shall force thee to believe)
My Soul be not entirely Thine;
May thy dear Body ne're be Mine.