Fruits of Retirement Or, Miscellaneous Poems, Moral and Divine. Being Some Contemplations, Letters, &c. Written on a Variety of Subjects and Occasions. By Mary Mollineux ... To which is Prefixed, Some Account of the Author |
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On Israel's Rebellion.
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 | Fruits of Retirement |  |
On Israel's Rebellion.
O house of Israel, why will ye dye!O House of Israel, why shall not I
Be King o'er you? Said the Eternal One,
When their Rebellions came before his Throne,
Rouzing his Justice: Why do ye refuse
Me to be King, another King to choose?
Incline your Ear, and hearken to my Voice,
Lest you too late Repent your hasty Choice:
Have I not gather'd you, that ye might be
A pure peculiar People unto me?
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And set you free from Pharaoh's cruel Hand?
Did I not guide you safely through the Sea,
Leading you with a Glorious Cloud by Day,
And with a Pillar of bright Fire by Night,
Conducted you in pleasant Paths of Light?
Did I not Jordan's Flowing Streams divide,
Whilst you pass'd dry-shod to the further side?
Yea, without Humane Art, I caus'd to fall,
Down to the Ground, proud Jericho's high Wall.
Could any Mortal Prince do thus for you?
I gave you Being, Life, and Conquest too.
Why do you then Rebel against your God?
Do you not fear Him, nor his Iron Rod?
Remember how, in Love, I nourished
Thee, like a tender Child, with Angels Bread;
With Water from the Rock I did supply thee,
Altho' I knew 'twas good sometimes to try thee:
Thine Enemies I did for thee subdue;
Yea, Great and Mighty Kings I overthrew,
When they Oppressed or Opposed thee:
But, ah, what Guile, or what Iniquity,
Have your Fore-Fathers ever found in me!
Or in my Righteous Statutes? Yet have they
Delighted rather in a Crooked Way,
Than in my Law; whose Path is perfect Light,
In which the Wise and Prudent take delight.
Though they perversly often turn'd aside,
As you their Children, who have now deny'd
Me to be King: 'Tis Me that you forsake,
To choose a Mortal, who will from you take
Your Sons and Daughters, for his Offices,
For Horsemen, Cooks, and other Services;
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As he thinks fit, he'll call for at his Pleasure.
Stiff-necked People are ye then, to choose
Man for your King, but stubbornly refuse
Me, your Creator, that ye may hereby
Be like your Neighbours; whose Idolatry
You also dote upon: Though my Command
Was to destroy the Idols of the Land;
Which to extirpate utterly, I did
All Converse and Affinity forbid
With those Inhabitants; whom therefore I,
Since they the Land with gross Iniquity
Had long defil'd, determin'd to expel,
And give them for a Prey to Israel,
To Root them out, not Imitate: For they,
By ill Example, soon would lead astray
From my pure Precepts. Yet you rather be
Inclin'd to hearken unto such, than Me,
And t'imitate the Nations round about ye,
Who, should I but withdraw, would quickly rout ye
Take now your choice; but know, the time will be,
In your Afflictions, ye will seek to me:
For they will prove as Thorns to vex and grieve you,
And there is none but I that can relieve you;
For 'tis not Man can give you Victory
O'er your Opposers; No, 'tis only I.
And had you still obey'd my just Command,
I'd quite expell'd your Foes from out the Land.
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