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The Spouse is the Church. The sonnet is contrasting the Roman Catholic Church, which Donne had abandoned, and the Protestant Church(es) in an attempt to resolve the question of which is the true Church.
The first eight lines are clear enough in their description of the differences between Catholic and Protestant forms of Christianity. I am unable to understand the last six lines. How is one to interpret the distinction between seeking and making love? Does "she" in the last line refer to the soul or the Spouse? Grammatically it seems to refer to the soul, but the interpretation becomes difficult.
roger schmeeckle from United States