ELIZA'S BABES OR THE Virgins-Offering BEING Divine Poems and Meditations Written by a LADY who onely desires to advance the glory of GOD and not her own LONDON Printed by M. S. for Laurence Blaiklock and are to be sold at his Shop neer the Middle-Temple Gate 1652. TO MY SISTERS LOoke on these Babes as none of mine For they were but brought forth by me But look on them as they are Divine Proceeding from Divinity To the READER WHen first the motion came into my minde that these Babes of mine should be sent into the world I would faine have supprest that motion for divers reasons which may be imagined by them that shall read them But especially by those that knew my disposition But rising one day from my Devotions it was suggested to my consideration that those desires were not given me to be kept in private to my self but for the good of others And if any unlike a Christian shall say I wrote them for mine owne glory I like a Christian will tell them I therefore sent them abroad for such a strict union is there betwixt my deare God and mee that his glory is mine and mine is his and I will tell them too I am not asham'd of their birth for before I knew it the Prince of eternall glory had affianced mee to himselfe and that is my glory And now to all such shall I direct my speech whose brave spirits may carry them to high desires Place not your affections in your Youth beneath your selves but if you would be happy on earth and enjoy these outward blessings with free and lawfull contentment bestow your first affections on my Almighty Prince I would have you all love him and him to love you all I being his must doe as he will have mee and methinks hee directs me to tell you that you shall never bee happy on Earth nor glorious in Heaven if you doe not love him above all earthly things More I must tell you that if you will dedicate to his service and present into his hands your wealth witt spirit youth beauty he will give you wealth if lesse more usefull your witt more pure your spirit more high and transcendent and your youth and beauty which time will steale from you or some malignant disease with paine rend from you them he will lay up awhile for you and returne them againe for eternity with great advantage And that you need not doubt of the certainety of what is told you they that tell it you have found part of it true and shall the rest I cannot be content to be happy alone I wish you all blessed too nor can I smother up those great and infinite blessings that I have received from him with private thankes That Great Prince of Heaven and Earth proclaimed by Angels that he was come into the world to shew his good will and love to mee was here content to dye a publique death for me to save me from a Hell of misery in which I lay and should have layen had not he the Prince of Peace and the fairest and chiefest among the sons of men shed his most precious and royal blood for mee and before he dyed he left word that I should not feare for it was his great and glorious Fathers will to bestow on us a Kingdome And was so great a Prince not ashamed to avow so great affection and love to mee and shall I be ashamed to returne him publique thankes for such infinite and publique favours No I will not but with all my minde heart and soule I blesse and praise my Almighty God for so great benefits bestowed on me his unworthy servant Methinks it is not enough for my self onely to doe it but I must send out my Babes to doe it with mee and for me And if any shall say others may be as thankefull as shee though they talk not so much of it Let them know that if they did rightly apprehend the infinite mercies of God to them they could not be silent And if they doe not thinke the mercies of God worth publique thankes I doe and therefore I will not be ashamed to be that one in ten that returned to acknowledge himselfe a cleansed Leaper And now my Babes some may say to you unlesse you had been more curiously drest or more finely shap'd your Mother might have kept you in obscurity Tell â—hem I sent you to their more learned and refined wits to forme you to a more curious shape and tyre you in a more inticing dress But this I will say for you You want none of your limbs and your cloaths are of rich materials I dare not say I am loth to let you goe Go you must to praise him that gave you me And more I le say for you which few Mothers can you were obtained by vertue borne with ease and pleasure and will live to my content and felicity And so Adieu But stay Something you may truly say for your own imperfections and your Mothers excuse That some of you were borne when herself was but a child but My joy my blisse my happy Story In Heaven is writ and that 's my Glory Psalme 56. Vers 10. I Glory in the word of God To praise it I accord With joy I will declare abroad The goodness of the Lord. All you that goodness doe disdaine Goe read not here And if you doe I tell you plaine I doe not care For why above your reach my soule is plac'st And your odd words shall not my minde distaste And when you read these lines mistake not a Divine affection for a Poeticall fancy for I affect not to express my fancy but I would have my fancy express my affection The Invocation Come Sacred Muse to mee this day And ever here make you a stay Within the closet of my brest For I with thee doe finde great rest My sweet Companion here thou art Dear Lord Let it not from me part From thee this gift I did receive To thee the same I doe bequeath Aspire aspire my minde aspire From earthly things unto the higher Set not thy minde on base desires But thinke upon the heavenly Quires Of Angels sweet that singing be And still the face of God doe see Admiring much his wisedome great And glorious sweetnesse of his seat Then hie my Soule to that sweet place Where glory is with mirth and grace The Request Come sweet Spirit expell my feare Assure me that thou hast a care Of me and of my giddy youth Assure me of it still for Truth That thy Spirit shall me direct And that thy power shall me protect Then shall my spirit be at rest And with sweet thoughts my soule be blest When that I know thou lovest me And that my youth shall guided be By that Spirit that doth dispose All for the happinesse of those The which be servants unto thee Blest be thy Name that so made mee The Answer HIs Spirit much thou dost desire
in heaven doth reign The Pavillion ON thy fair wings most sacred Dove Let me be rais'd with thee on high Unto the heavenly God of Love Where I shal rest me quietly No ill shall there my Dove affright I 'le bid all feare on earth adieu For I am now at such a height As cannot reached be by you In this Pavillion I shall sing Though I may see you fly at me I am assur'd by his bright wing He will not let me wounded bee The Submission MY soul to Heaven would hast fly And there make suit that I may die Because from heaven she is detain'd Lives in a body sometimes pain'd And in her glory cannot be So long as here she stayes in me But that thy will shee doth respect And looks to what thou hast elect And will contented be to stay That here thy will she might obey She wisheth rather to please thee Then in her glory for to bee The Change VAine world when as I loved thee Dire sadnesse still possessed me But since I lernt to dispise thee Sweet joys and gladnesse filleth me The Choice HEavenly treasure In some measure Hast thou here unto me sent Yet I would dye And to heav'n fly To possesse a full content My soul 's sweet joy Nought doth annoy But my body 's sometimes pain'd I cannot bee From all ill free Till bright heaven I have obtain'd Here the story Of thy glory Is that which doth me delight But sure more joy With no annoy Must be in thy Palace bright With speed thy will Let me fulfill And take me to thy heavenly light The Rest FRom Heaven still flows such sweet Celestiall joy That this earths troubles shall not me annoy For I above them shall set safe and free And underneath me shall them gliding see The morning Star BRight morning star of heavenly light Rise to my Soul and banish night And with thy fair bright beams expell Those clouds that make this world like hell And with thy sweet attractive power Raise thou me to thy blissefull bower Where being rais'd let me aye rest Fixt in the Region of thy brest Where like a bright star I shall shine I being array'd in rayes of thine And to the darkesome world shine bright I living in thy glorious light The worlds farewell NOw to the world I bid adieu I 'me hasting better things to view To Heavens faire Palace shining bright It may be I may fly to night And'mong bright Angels spend my time To hear and see but what 's Divine And with an Orient light be clad And live like to the Angels glad For what makes me so joyfull here Cause in thy robes I shall appear Lye thou my body in theeath Till thou shalt gain a better birth From earth thou cam'st spotted with sin And thither so return'st agen When thou art purified then I Shall take thee and thou shalt not dye And when the Trumpet thou dost hear Thou in thy glory shalt appear A King doth come to bring that lott Which he himselfe for thee hath got A Kingdom 't is of joy and glory And now I end my earthly story The Swans FAire Swans you now beyond me go In pleasant Robes like pure white snow But I ere long shall be more bright In faire eternall robes of light Your fair robes fall and fade away But my bright robes shall nev'r decay You sing they say before you dye But when I 'me dead then sing shall I. To a friend at Court REtired here content I live My own thoughts to me pleasure give While thine owne actions anger thee Sweet quiet thoughts contenteth me This blessing sweet retirednesse brings We envy none but pity Kings Christs Kingdome WIth you blest Angels I must sing That brought the news of heav'ns great King That from bright Heaven awhile did part To raise his Kingdome with my heart Before he came there was great strife To lead me to a hellish life But like an humble Babe cam'st thou Yet made those mighty powers to bow Thou didst regain me for thy right For I at first sprang from thy light Satan aside a while drew me But could not keep me Lord from thee When thou hast cast off that foule fin Thy Kingdome in me didst begin And here thou wilt still reign in me Till I shallcome and reigne with thee A thy approach black shades did vanish And from my heart thou fearc didst banish And in their room did light appear And joy instead of dreadly feare Sweet joy and peace thou didst bring me How can I chuse but sing to thee To my great God all glory be Thou plac'st his Kingdome here in me Vaine thoughts banisht A Dieu vain thoughtt Adieu Adieu My Soule no more delights in you You 'r no companion for my spirit I must a heaven of blisse inherit Your darknesse dims my souls cleare fight And you debar me of heavens light When free from you I heaven can view Vain thoughts I now will banish you My intention GO vaine invention get you hence With me make not your residence Court not my Muse with fine invention To praise my God t is my intention Lord let no line be writ by me That excludes or includes not thee Earths honour slighted OF Earthly honour tell not me The vanity of it I see T is like a flower that soon doth rise If ruffly struck it falls and dies But that bright honour which I prise Sweetly springs up and never dies And 's like the Sun whose pleasing ray Doth banish night and bring the day His pleasant sweet attractive light Raiseth me to a heavenly hight With this fair honour being drest I 'me free from fear and live in rest 'T is heavenly honour I esteem All earthly honour vain I deem The one is made to fall and dye I love what bides eternally Luke 20. 36. In that world they shall be equall to the Angels HEre like the Angels let me be And as those blessed spirits free From vaine engagements let me bide And as they with thee still reside Like them I 'me made by my new birth But I 'me still wrapt in robes of earth Through a darke mantle I thee see But oh that I unwrapt may be This blessing now on earth me give That like thine Angels I might live So shall my soul such sweet joys find That earthly things I shall not minde Vpon the morning rise NOw welcome sweet and pleasant Morn Doe you not thinke that I you scorn Cause with a more Orientall light Imbellisht is my blest spirit With thanks I still you entertaine For by your light my eye-fight gain But you are darknesse to that light That is discride by my souls sights Vpon hearing the Birds sing SWeet Birds with you I le set and sing Due praises to our heavenly King Like you me thinks I am as free So made great divine Prince by thee My Robes I Will not now to thee Lord come As I from Adam came But I
child I will bee I 'le kiss the Rod and honour thee And if thou' rt vertuous as 't is sed Thou 'lt have the glory when thou' rt dead Sith Kings and Princes scourged be Whip thou the Lawyer from his fee That is so great when nought they doe And we are put off from our due But they for their excuse do say 'T is from the Law is our delay By Tyrants heads those laws were made As by the learned it is said If then from Tyrants you 'l us free Free us from their Laws Tyranny If not wee 'l say the head is pale But still the sting lives in the tail To a Lady that bragg'd of her Children IF thou hast cause to joy in thine I have cause too to joy of mine Thine did proceed from sinfull race Mine from the heavenly dew of grace Thine at their birth did pain thee bring When mine are borne I set and sing Thine doth delight in nought but sin My Babes work is to praise heav'ns King Thine bring both sorrow pain and fear Mine banish from me dreadfull care The Conquest GOd made on earth a paradice at first For man but he by sin betrayd his trust But heavens great Prince who came to conquer sin For me won Heaven and Paradise againe Questions and Answers Qu. LOrd why have I so much from thee An. Th' art child to me Qu. But why on earth have I such store An. In Heav'n is more Qu. Lord I have more then I doe need An. The poor then feed Then sith l'me thine I 'le be divine And what I 've more I 'le give the poor To a Friend for her Naked Breasts MAdam I praise you ' cause you 'r free And you doe not conceal from me What hidden in your heart doth lye If I can it through your breasts spy Some Ladies will not show their breasts For feare men think they are undrest Or by 't their hearts they should discover They do 't to tempt some wanton Lover They are afraid tempters to be Because a Curse impos'd they see Upon the tempter that was first By an all-seeing God that 's just But though I praise you have a care Of that al-seeing eye and feare Lest he through your bare brests see sin And punish you for what 's within Safety MY gracious God be not my foe It matters not if man be so And let my wayes great God please thee Then from all foes I shall be free What Kingdome to be wisht WHose Kingdome can I wish but thine Who mak'st hell Heaven and me divine What Kingdome ought I wish to be But where all thine shall reign with thee All thoughts of Kingdoms I will banish But of thy Kingdome will not vanish No Kingdome must I wish But Heav'ns great Prince of glory Which if I be divine Will be mine onely story Earthly blessings doe me surround With heavenly blessings I am crown'd On earth I live free from all care Because heavens King I love and feare Comfort in Temptations and Afflictions COme Christians that so mazed bee At earths events O come and see What cause there is for your dismay When God takes care for you each day Th' Apostle bids us then to joy When as temptations us annoy And heavens great Prince sed unto you Before he bid the earth adieu Let not your hearts here troubled be For if you do beleeve on me In heav'n a Palace there is for you Fear not in me it is your due I' st prison that doth you afright In dungeon deep hee 'l be your light I' st war whose fear you do pretend The Lord of Host can you defend I' st sicknes that doth cause your dread He easie can make your sick bed Unless by these he will you take Into his glory and there make You to behold those Visions fair Will ravish you from all your care Then sith heav'ns King can safe you keep There is no cause for you to weep You shall not enter to his rest If you be doubting him molest On going to the Sacrament I To the world Lord will let know That I desire thy death to show By going to some publick place And take the pledges of thy grace And when I take the bread then I Will say my Lord did for me dye And thus I le doe great God for thee For thou hast done much more for mee And when I drinke the wine I le tell Thy blood redeem'd my soul from hell And then I le offer up to thee What thou sweet Prince requirest of me None but the Sacrifice of praise Dost thou require now adayes And that I should remember thee When as these things are done by mee My Prayer in my Youth MY Lord whose mercies to me are unspeakable who in thy works art great and powerfull wholly bend mine affection on that which is certain and not subject to varibility to that which to that which no sinister mishap can alter Oh let not my Soul which thou hast made to be fed with heavenly Manna which still will last here seek to be satisfied with vain delights which soon will vanish Banish from me the Thoughts of vaine delights and make me know that they must end And for those infinite blessings which thou hast deigned to bestow upon me make me for ever to admire thee and from my heart send up the sweet incense of thanks and praise for thy heavenly benefits bestowed on me thine unworthy servant The Temptation MY Soul Woulst thou finde favour with the Lord be not then afraid to goe to him Let not the feare of thy former past sins nor of thy continuall weakness be an occasion to hinder thee of thy happiness but let the assurance of the pardon of thy sins and the certainty of the promise to strengthen thy weakness animate thee to goe confidently to the throne of grace There do not imagine that thou seest thy sins stand as a thick cloud to keep thy prayers from ascending to the presence of thy God nor think that through that dark cloud thou seem'st unseemly in the eyes of thy loving father be not thou ignorant that the bright beames of his gracious favour hath dispersed those clouds of thy sins never to be gathered again together before his pure eyes Know thou that he will not let such fearfull sights and sad appearances to stand in his presence to afright his dear chosen children No my Soul such sights are not there he that cals thee hath removed from thee all those things which should hinder thy passage to him or disturbe thy quiet appearance before him He cals thee and bids thee be confident in his presence He assured thee by his word that thou shalt finde his spirit strengthning thy weakness and inabling thee to performe that which thou thoughtest impossible for thee to overcome My Soul he hath brought thee from thy straying errours he hath inabled thee to overcome the manifold temptations of thy suttle enemy when he would have
His Spirit much he will inspire What thou desirest that shall be Thou hast thy wishes granted thee With thee needs must I wish to live That mak'st me wish what tâ—ou wilt give Lord harden thou my heart as hard as steel And loves vaine passion let me never seel Onely in Heaven my soul shall seek her rest In Heaven perpetually to be blest On Earth a while I must tormented be Because that sin too much abides in me It is the injoying of thy Spirit That makes my soule here true joy inherit And here to shew me that thou hat'st my sin Thy Spirit like the Sun-beams is drawn in Then doth my Soul full wo and sad remaine Till that sweet spirit doth appeare againe Then when thy Spirit againe reigns in me Then comes my joy away my paine doth flee For when thy Spirit my Soul doth injoy Nothing can then my happy Soul annoy For why No cause of sorrow I can see Because beyond my selfe it raiseth me Anguish FRom this distraction Lord my poor soul bring That still thy heavenly prayses I may sing For this distemper doth my soul affright My Lord it takes from me all my delight And pleasure that I had in serving thee This trouble great vaine folly brings to me If from thy holy service I be tane No comfort can I find but endlesse paine For what can yeeld our Souls here true content If to serve thee we are not wholly bent For here I see vaine pleasures quickly fly And that which I did love must surely dye But in thy service if I pleasure take And thy sweet word my whole delight do make That word doth still my drooping soul assure That for the best it shall be all to me If patiently I doe awaite on thee Of Submission WHat comes to me Lord comes from thee Nought comes to me but comes from thee What though against my will it be If thou it fitting seest for me Let be and Master thou my will That I thy servant may fulfill Thy holy will and thee obey Make me obedient be I pray If I obey thy Majesty I need not fear although I dye Hope WHat though my morning be debard of light For me thou shalt break forth a noon most bright The onely Comforter WHat in this world doe I deerer esteem Or greater in my minde here still do deem Then that Spirit which floweth still from thee Which makes my soule in happy blisse to be For nothing in this world here can me please Nor yet my Soule from paine and grief can ease But thy sweet spirit which abides for aye For these vaine worldly things doe fade away My soul immortall did proceed from thee And pleas'd with mortall things she cannot bee You earthly pleasures I can use you all But treasures of my soule I le not you call Goe flee vaine pleasures for sure all must grant Nought can us please but what is permanent In thee my Lord my soul alone is blest In thee alone I doe attaine sweet rest The Soules Flight WHither away my Soule do'st high That thou so fain from me would'st fly Sure it is to some holy place That thou thy selfe there may'st solace Thou wilt not here abide with me But goe to God there to be free To him thou liv'st to him thou flyest That is the reason that thou highest And here I wish thee not to stay I wish to Heaven thou mighst away From Prison oft I wish thee free That thou mayst be at liberty The Virgins Offring WIth thee blest Virgin I would bring An Offering to please my King Two Turtle Doves thou didst present Can there be better by me sent A Lambe more pure then they could be I heard was thither brought by thee These two small Turtles now of mine To him I do present with thine The Lambe will serve for thee and mee No better offering can there be Thus with thee Virgin doe I bring An offering will please my King To my Doves YOur life I ment not till my death Might give you freedome with my breath And when I breath'd in Heavens Aire free I did intend your libertie But offer'd now you sure must be A Sacrifice of thanks from mee When we are dead we cannot give Our offerings must be while we live Two Doves no Phenix you must be I must see that live comes from me You as an offering goe from me But on your wings my heart must be My heart now free from all desire But what is kindled by heavens fire To him I doe present as free As ever he did give it me I on your wings would sore aloft And still live free from humane thought Accept great God what I present Thy glory is my Souls intent Goe now my Doves and soar aloft The drooping heart raise you full oft To such a heigth bear it away That it may see celestiall day And never lett it on earth rest But leave it in Heavens glorious brest The Trimph SIth thou from thrall hast sett me free I will sing prayses unto thee Thou hast brought me from Temptation And fild me with contemplation Of thy heavenly habitation In which lives a glorious Nation Which triumphantly doe sing Praise and glory to their King No darknesse nor no dolefull night Obscures their Vision of delight No noise doth interrupt their voice They doe incessantly rejoyce Mayst thou my Soule now be so bold That glorious place for to behold And say how that faire Cities blest In which the righteous shall have rest The wals are rais'd of Gems more bright Then are the Diamonds here in sight The Saphire Diamond Ruby fine Their beauty in each one combine The other Gems their lustre bright With them doe give so fine a light That like the Rainbow it doth show But far more bright you 'l think I know Most glorious things are said of thee Thou City where the mighties bee The streets are of the purest mold Exceeding farr the brightest gold And from Gods glorious Throne doth spring A River that sweet pleasures bring Adorn'd with many a goodly tree Which fresh and flourishing ever bee They doe not onely please the eye But heal the wounds would make us dye Nor fruitlesse doe their trees appear But pleasant fruit yeeld all the year I doe not wonder fruit so rife Upon these goodly Trees of life No change doth in this place appeare No scorching heat nor cold is here This heav'n the bright Lamb his wife gives And she in this place alwayes lives She is more lovely then the Rose Fresh faire and beauteous and still goes In long white Robes so pure and clear Like Orient Pearl she doth appear And on her head a Crowne more bright Then is the Sun here in our sight The pure white Lilly at her feet And pleasant Rose there strive to meet For all their beauty and their grace Is from reflexion of her face These lovely flowers doe never fade But for eternity were made How can