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.

On Earthly Love.

FRom thee, O Heaven of glorie flowes that celestiall stream, that being taken hath power to make us forgetfull of our earthly love, the which must vanish, and alone can set us free from those tormenting pas∣sions.

Thou sweet stream, having cur'd us of those distem∣pered passions, hast then the power to work in our hearts a more peaceable and durable affection: earthly affection, ever brings distemper, sometimes distraction; but that sweet love, which thou O pearly fountain, rai∣sest in our breast, flameth in our hearts, peace, rest, joy, and it worketh a perpetuall assurance of still injoy∣ing what we love, wish, or can in heart desire.

My Lord! My soule is ravisht with the contemplati∣on of thy heavenly love; and I cannot chuse but infi∣nitely admire thy mercies to me thine unworthy ser∣vant;

for grievous were the perturbations which I was subject to, when I was infected with the poison-bane of earthly affections, the which a time thou wert pleas'd to let reigne and tyrannize in my brest, which like a thorne in the flesh, not being drawne out, by the hand of art, lies throbbing and working torment, not onely to the place where it hath taken up its abode, but brings distemper to the whole body: So that unruly passion ha∣ving taken up his place in my heart, did not onely ty∣rannize there, but wrought destraction in my Soul, and bred distemper in my body; But blessed be thy Maje∣stie for that distemper, for in that time of my weaknes, thou Oh all-powerfull hand, by thy most heavenly art, didst draw from my heart that tormenting passion, and by the addition of thy heavenly love, which thou didst leave in the room thereof; thou repairedst in me the breaches that that unrulie passion had made.

When I was sick I thought that I should dye, I did mistake, 'twas earthly love, not I.