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 DANIEL.
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On DANIEL.
When
Babel's Grandees, by unjust Decree,
With Royal Signet, surreptitiously
Obtain'd, had seal'd an Edict, That none should
Exhibit a Request, or be so bold
To make Petition, save unto their King,
In Thirty Days; in hopes thereby to bring
T'inevitable Ruine, and destroy
The Prophet Daniel, whose Sincerity
Was well approved: Can we find, that he
Was e'er so startled at the rash Decree,
As to omit what formerly he knew
Was an Incumbent Duty, or to shew
His Zeal for Isr'els God? But every Day,
Did he not, with his Window open, pray
As formerly, and boldly supplicate
For Isr'els Seed, in their afflicted State?
With Royal Signet, surreptitiously
Obtain'd, had seal'd an Edict, That none should
Exhibit a Request, or be so bold
To make Petition, save unto their King,
In Thirty Days; in hopes thereby to bring
T'inevitable Ruine, and destroy
The Prophet Daniel, whose Sincerity
Was well approved: Can we find, that he
Was e'er so startled at the rash Decree,
As to omit what formerly he knew
Was an Incumbent Duty, or to shew
His Zeal for Isr'els God? But every Day,
Did he not, with his Window open, pray
As formerly, and boldly supplicate
For Isr'els Seed, in their afflicted State?
Now some may say, What Daniel, couldst not thou
In Heart, and in thy private Closet bow,
And make Petition in his Ear, that hears
Deep Sighs and Groans, as well as louder Prayers;
But indiscreetly thus thy self expose
A sought-for Prey unto thy watchful Foes?
In Heart, and in thy private Closet bow,
And make Petition in his Ear, that hears
Deep Sighs and Groans, as well as louder Prayers;
But indiscreetly thus thy self expose
A sought-for Prey unto thy watchful Foes?
No, no; he stood not to consult his own
Security, as knowing GOD alone,
Whom he ador'd, was able to restrain
The Wrath of Man, and in his Sacred Name,
Support his Faithful Ones, tho' Trials should
Be heaped on them, even Sevenfold;
Or else would give the sweet Experience,
Of a desirable Deliverance.
Security, as knowing GOD alone,
Whom he ador'd, was able to restrain
The Wrath of Man, and in his Sacred Name,
121
Be heaped on them, even Sevenfold;
Or else would give the sweet Experience,
Of a desirable Deliverance.
Thus noble Daniel, when Spies attended,
He, as a Criminal, was apprehended
And cast, by Sentence of malicious Men,
Unto the (now more gentle) Lions Den;
Whither, approaching in the Royal Robe
Of Spotless Innocence, th'Eternal God,
That holds the Lives of Creatures in his Hand,
Muzzled the Lions Mouths, with a Command
Of Abstinence; and whisper'd in their Ear
Such Dread, that they durst not approach to tear
The Angel-Guarded Prey; but still must wait,
Tho' Hunger-bit, for other courser Meat.
But Babel's King could not be unconcern'd
For upright Daniel: Ah, his Bowels yearn'd
For this his Faithful Subject! So that he
Could take no rest, but early rose to see
What was become of him; or if the Power
Of Isr'els God, whom Daniel did adore,
Was able to preserve him from the Paws
Of those Devourers, and their Rav'nous Jaws:
Whereof, when Babel's King was satisfy'd
By Daniel's Answer, who there testify'd
His Loyalty to Heav'n, his Innocence
Towards the King, he's soon removed thence;
Whilst his Accusers must become a Feast
For them that durst not touch the Sacred Guest:
Th' Eternal Arm's the same, his Love's the same,
To those that trust sincerely in his Name.
But those that doubt when he is pleas'd to prove,
And saw such signal Tokens of his Love,
Are now but rarely seen, our Foe prevails
Too much against us, whilst our Courage fails;
We by distrust and doubting oft, I fear,
Prevent those Wonders, which might else appear.
Alas! 'tis Faith that conquers; he believ'd,
And doubted not, and therefore was reliev'd:
For he resisted even unto Blood,
Therefore the Lord brought all about for good.
Shall Man prescribe a Way for him, whereby
His Glorious Name, he best, may magnify?
A prudent General does not permit
Such to appear in th' Front, he knows unfit
To bear the first Assault of th' Enemy,
But Valiant Hearts, that cannot yield nor fly:
Can then the Everlasting Counsellor,
The King of Kings, be more unskill'd in War?
No, no; for He, the only wise Commander,
Tho' of his meanest Soldier truly tender,
Yet honours them in higher place, that be
Free to encounter Dangers cheerfully.
And tho' proud Gog and Magog Arm for Fight,
Destruction from his Sword shall stop their Flight:
They shall not 'scape from his all-seeing Eye;
His Wrath shall overtake them suddenly:
He, and his Saints must have the Victory.
Then why should any Weak and Faint appear?
Tho' Great Goliah glory in his Spear,
And monstrous Stature, Little David shall,
Without Saul's Armour, make the Giant fall;
And bring Deliverance to Israel's Host,
Tho' the Philistines long against them boast:
And tho' worm Jacob's Seed be often prov'd
With Tribulations, he is still belov'd,
And for his sake great Kings shall be reprov'd.
The Lord of Lords will get himself a Name,
He'll overturn, and overturn again,
Until he come, whose right it is, to reign.
He, as a Criminal, was apprehended
And cast, by Sentence of malicious Men,
Unto the (now more gentle) Lions Den;
Whither, approaching in the Royal Robe
Of Spotless Innocence, th'Eternal God,
That holds the Lives of Creatures in his Hand,
Muzzled the Lions Mouths, with a Command
Of Abstinence; and whisper'd in their Ear
Such Dread, that they durst not approach to tear
The Angel-Guarded Prey; but still must wait,
Tho' Hunger-bit, for other courser Meat.
But Babel's King could not be unconcern'd
For upright Daniel: Ah, his Bowels yearn'd
For this his Faithful Subject! So that he
Could take no rest, but early rose to see
What was become of him; or if the Power
Of Isr'els God, whom Daniel did adore,
Was able to preserve him from the Paws
Of those Devourers, and their Rav'nous Jaws:
Whereof, when Babel's King was satisfy'd
By Daniel's Answer, who there testify'd
His Loyalty to Heav'n, his Innocence
Towards the King, he's soon removed thence;
Whilst his Accusers must become a Feast
For them that durst not touch the Sacred Guest:
Th' Eternal Arm's the same, his Love's the same,
To those that trust sincerely in his Name.
But those that doubt when he is pleas'd to prove,
And saw such signal Tokens of his Love,
122
Too much against us, whilst our Courage fails;
We by distrust and doubting oft, I fear,
Prevent those Wonders, which might else appear.
Alas! 'tis Faith that conquers; he believ'd,
And doubted not, and therefore was reliev'd:
For he resisted even unto Blood,
Therefore the Lord brought all about for good.
Shall Man prescribe a Way for him, whereby
His Glorious Name, he best, may magnify?
A prudent General does not permit
Such to appear in th' Front, he knows unfit
To bear the first Assault of th' Enemy,
But Valiant Hearts, that cannot yield nor fly:
Can then the Everlasting Counsellor,
The King of Kings, be more unskill'd in War?
No, no; for He, the only wise Commander,
Tho' of his meanest Soldier truly tender,
Yet honours them in higher place, that be
Free to encounter Dangers cheerfully.
And tho' proud Gog and Magog Arm for Fight,
Destruction from his Sword shall stop their Flight:
They shall not 'scape from his all-seeing Eye;
His Wrath shall overtake them suddenly:
He, and his Saints must have the Victory.
Then why should any Weak and Faint appear?
Tho' Great Goliah glory in his Spear,
And monstrous Stature, Little David shall,
Without Saul's Armour, make the Giant fall;
And bring Deliverance to Israel's Host,
Tho' the Philistines long against them boast:
And tho' worm Jacob's Seed be often prov'd
With Tribulations, he is still belov'd,
And for his sake great Kings shall be reprov'd.
123
He'll overturn, and overturn again,
Until he come, whose right it is, to reign.
1685.
Amen.
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