Wit Punished Prospers Most

God doth embrace the good with love; and gains
The good by mercy, as the bad by pains.

When man is punish'd, he is plagued still,
Not for the fault of nature, but of will.

God in His own day will be then severe
To punish great sins, who small faults whipt here.

Luggs, by the condemnation of the Bench,
Was lately whipt for lying with a wench.
Thus pains and pleasures turn by turn succeed:
He smarts at last who does not first take heed.

All things are open to these two events,
Or to rewards, or else to punishments.

Where pleasures rule a kingdom, never there
Is sober virtue seen to move her sphere.