Chapter IX

If poysonous mineralls, and if that tree,
Whose fruit threw death on else immortall us,
If lecherous goats, if serpents envious
Cannot be damn'd; Alas; why should I bee?
Why should intent or reason, borne in mee, 5
Make sinnes, else equall, in mee more heinous?
And mercy being easie, and glorious
To God; in his sterne wrath, why threatens hee?
But who am I, that dare dispute with thee
O God? Oh! of thine onely worthy blood, 10
And my teares, make a heavenly Lethean flood,
And drowne in it my sinnes blacke memorie;
That thou remember them, some claime as debt,
I thinke it mercy, if thou wilt forget.

[IX. _1635-69_, _B_, _O'F_, _S96_, _W:_ V. _1633_, _A18_, _D_,
_&c._]

[1 poysonous] poysons _1639-54_

and if that] or if the _B_, _O'F_, _S96_]

[2 (else immortal) _1635-69_]

[5 or] and _B_, _O'F_, _S96_]

[6 mee] mee, _1633_]

[8 God;] God, _1633_]

[9-10 thee O God? _W:_ thee? O God, _1633-69_]

[12 memorie;] memorie, _1633_]

[14 forget.] forget, _1633_]