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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A Meditation.
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A Meditation.
Can I forget that hand, that first did layMy mean Foundation out of Dust or Cay?
Can I forget the Breath, that did inspire
My Lifeless Mass with pure Eternal Fire?
Can I forget the Word, that first said, Live;
And with its Vertue, Life did to me give?
Can I forget that Eye, that guideth me
With Heav'nly Brightness through Obscurity?
Can I forget that holy Arm of Power,
That guards and keeps me safe, as in a Tower?
Can I forget that sweet Celestial Bread,
By which, when hungry, I am nourished?
Or can my Soul ever unmindful be
Of those Refreshing Streams that flow from thee?
Thou great Eternal Fountain of all Good!
Whose Name by Mortals is not understood;
Nor can, by Letters, Words, or Sentences,
Be rightly Comprehended as it is:
For thou art All in All; and who can say,
He can remember thee another Day?
Except thy Holy Spirit still abide,
And lodge with us, to teach, direct, and guide
Our Hearts & Thoughts, and quicken good Desires,
Whereby we long for thee, when thou retires
To thy Pavilion, to thy Secret Place;
So that we rest not, till we see thy Face:
For thou alone prepares true Rest for thine;
Tho' furious Men against the Saints combine,
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By all their hostile Arts and Policy:
For it is founded on the Rock that shall
Abide; and, tho' Waves beat, shall never fall,
As Faithful they remain to thee, that art
Author of Faith, that Shield from ev'ry Dart.
Ah, why should any doubt? Thy Arm's the same
As ever; all-sufficient to restrain
The Wrath of Man, tho' (as a flowing Tide)
It seems Resistless: If thou please to guide
Our feeble foot-steps-in thy Path, we shall
Not be dismay'd, but follow thee through all
That would oppose: Thou art our chiefest Guard;
Yea, thou art our exceeding great Reward.
Ah, take up thy abode with us! For we
Can find no Resting Place, except in thee.
1684.
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