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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Meditations.
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Meditations.
O love! Thou Substance of the Royal Law,Let thy sweet Influencing Power draw
Our troubled Hearts, in true Humility,
To wait on thee with holy Fervency:
For thou our Souls hast often visited,
That we might, by thy tender hand, be led
From Darkness unto Light; from Enmity,
Strife and Contention, unto Unity,
In Undefiled, in Unfeigned Love;
Which, tho' it may in Gentleness reprove,
Or otherwise instruct, it covers all
Faults and Offences; yea, if any fall
Through Weakness, it bears up with ready Hand,
And lends a Shoulder, till such learn to stand,
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Brethren to dwell in perfect Unity,
Only Contending who may most be found
In Lowliness, that Love may more abound.
But, ah, 'tis Hatred, Wrath, Revenge, and Strife,
Discovers Faults, strikes at the very Life;
Provoking oft one seeming Friend or Brother,
To bite, despise, if not devour another,
For empty Trifles; so that Vanity
Becomes Vexatious, and Perplexity
Of Spirit: For, as well observ'd by one,
All things are Vanity below the Sun;
The Sun of Righteousness, which when it shines
With its Resplendent Conqu'ring Ray, refines
The drossy Nature; rightly purifies
The Heart, consuming all Impurities;
Whereby, at last, the Enmity is slain,
And Love exalted over all to Reign.
Great Prince of Peace! Instruct our Souls to wait
To be Establish'd in this happy State;
Where Joys abound, and Enmity does cease,
And Charity withal doth still increase;
That, with thy dear Redeemed Ones, we may
Walk Hand in Hand in Sion's blessed Way;
Where no Iniquity can e'er be found,
Nor Love wax cold, but more and more abound;
Yea, Love that thinks no Evil, but doth seek
The Good of all, and teacheth to be meek;
Not easily provoked, but in Peace
With all: Here Happiness shall still increase.
Then may our cheerful Souls triumph, and sing
Pure, holy, living Praise to Salem's King.
1679.
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