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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

UPON YE SIGHT OF MY ABORTIVE BIRTH YE 31TH: OF DECEMBER 1657 by MARY CAREY

First Line: WHAT BIRTH IS THIS; A POORE DESPISSED CREATURE?
Last Line: AMEND IT LORD; & KEEPE IT STILL WITH THEE:
Subject(s): BIRTH; DEATH; GOD; LIFE; LOVE; CHILD BIRTH; MIDWIFERY; DEAD, THE;
What birth is this; a poore despissed creature?
A little Embrio; voyd of life, and feature:

Seven tymes I went my tyme; when mercy giving
deliverance unto me; & mine all living:

Stronge, right-proportioned, lovely Girles, & boyes
There fathers; Mother's present hope't for Joyes:

That was great wisedome, goodnesse, power love praise
to my deare lord; lovely in all his wayes:

This is no lesse; ye same God hath it donne;
submits my hart, thats better than a sonne:

In giveing; taking; stroking; striking still;
his Glorie & my good; is. his. my will:

In that then; this now; both good God most mild,
his will's more deare to me; then any Child:

I also joy, that God hath gain'd one more;
To Praise him in the heavens; then was before:

And that this babe (as well as all the rest,)
since 't had a soule, shalbe for ever blest:

That I'm made Instrumentall; to both thes;
God's praise, babes blesse; it highly doth me please:

May be the Lord lookes for more thankfulnesse,
and highe esteeme for [of] those I doe posesse:

As limners drawe dead shadds for to sett forth;
ther lively coullers, & theyr picturs worth;

So doth my God; in this, as all things; wise;
by my dead formlesse babe; teach me to prise:

My living prety payre; Nat: & Bethia;
the Childrene deare, (God yett lends to Maria:) Psal: 119.65.

Praisd be his name; thes tow's full Compensation:
For all thats gone; & yt in Expectation:

And if heere in God hath fulfill'd his Will,
his hand-maides pleassed, Compleatly happy still:

I only now desire of my sweet God
the reason why he tooke in hand his rodd?

What he doth spy; what is the thinge amisse Mica: 6.9
I faine would learne; whilst I ye rod do kisse:

Methinkes I heare Gods voyce, this is thy [the] sinne;
And Conscience justifies ye same within:

Thou often dost present me wth dead frute;
Why should not my returns, thy presents sute:

Dead dutys; prayers; praises thou dost bring, Rev. 3. 1.
affections dead; dead hart in every thinge:

In hearing; reading; Conference; meditation;
in acting graces & in Conversation:

Whose taught or better'd by ye no Relation;
thou'rt Cause of Mourning, not of Immitation:

Thou doest not answere that great meanes I give;
my word, and ordinances do teache to live:

Lively: o do't, thy mercyes are most sweet; Psal: 25.10.
Chastisements sharpe; & all ye meanes that's meet: Heb: 12.6.

Mend now my Child, & lively frute bring me; Psal: 119.71.65.
so thou advantag'd much by this wilt be;

My dearest Lord; thy Charge, & more is true;
I see't; am humbled, & for pardon sue; Psal: 25.7.11.

In Christ forgive; & henceforth I will be Mat: 3.17.
what, Nothing Lord; but what thou makest mee; Dan: 9.17. Phil: 2.13.

I am nought, have nought, can doe nought but sinne;
as my Experience saith, for I'ave ben in: Rom: 7.18.19.24.

Severall Condissions, tryalls great and many;
in all I find my nothingnesse; not any

Thing doe I owne but sinne; Christ is my all; Col: 3.11 Heb.7.25.
that I doe want, can crave; or ever shall: I. John. 2.1.2.

That good that suteth all my whole desires;
and for me unto God, all he requires;

It is in Christ; he's mine, and I am his; Cant: 2.16. & 6.3. & 7.10.
this union is my only happynesse:

But lord since I'm a Child by mercy free;
Lett me by filiall frutes much honnor thee; John. 15.8.

I'm a branch of the vine; purge me therfore; John. 15.2.
father, more frute to bring, then heertofore;

A plant in God's house; O that I may be; Psal: 92.13.14.
more florishing in age; a grouing tree:

Lett not my hart, (as doth my wombe) miscarrie;
but precious meanes received, lett it tarie;

Till it be form'd; of Gosple shape, & sute; Phil. 1.27 Col: 1.6.10.
my meanes, my mercyes, & be pleasant frute:

In my whole Life; lively doe thou make me: Isa: 4.1.
for thy praise. And name's sake, O quicken mee; Psal: 143.11.

Lord I begg quikning grace; that grace aford;
quicken mee lord according to thy word: Psal: 119. 159.

It is a lovely bonne I make to thee. Psal: 119. 88. 37.
after thy loving Kindnesse quicken mee: Psal: 119. 159.

Thy quickning Spirit unto me convey;
and therby Quicken me; in thine owne way: Psal: 119. 37.

And let the Presence of thy spirit deare,
be wittnessd by his fruts; lett them appeare;

To, & for the; Love; Joy; peace; Gentlenesse;
longsuffering; goodnesse; faith; & much meeknesse,
Gal: 5.22.23.

And lett my walking in the Spirit say,
I live in't; & desire it to Obey: Gal: 5.25.

And since my hart thou'st lifted up to the;
amend it Lord; & keepe it still with thee:



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