| Nicholson & Lee, eds. The Oxford Book of English Mystical Verse. 1917. |
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| 15. Christ and Our Selves |
| By Francis Quarles (1592–1644) |
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| I WISH a greater knowledge, then t’attaine | |
| The knowledge of my selfe: A greater Gaine | |
| Then to augment my selfe; A greater Treasure | |
| Then to enjoy my selfe: A greater Pleasure | |
| Then to content my selfe; How slight, and vaine | 5 |
| Is all selfe-Knowledge, Pleasure, Treasure, Gaine; | |
| Vnlesse my better knowledge could retrive | |
| My Christ; unles my better Gaine could thrive | |
| In Christ; unles my better Wealth grow rich | |
| In Christ; unles my better Pleasure pitch | 10 |
| On Christ; Or else my Knowledge will proclaime | |
| To my owne heart how ignorant I am: | |
| Or else my Gaine, so ill improv’d, will shame | |
| My Trade, and shew how much declin’d I am; | |
| Or else my Treasure will but blurre my name | 15 |
| With Bankrupt, and divulge how poore I am; | |
| Or else my Pleasures, that so much inflame | |
| My Thoughts, will blabb how full of sores I am: | |
| Lord, keepe me from my Selfe; ’Tis best for me, | |
| Never to owne my Selfe, if not in Thee. | 20 |
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