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 God's Love.
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 | Fruits of Retirement |  |
On God's Love.
The King of Kings, the Great Eternal One,
Sent from his Bosom his Beloved Son,
Lost Man to seek, and to Restore ag'in,
From the most vile Captivity of Sin;
Who for our sakes his Father's Throne forsook,
And, as a Servant, freely on him took
The Form of Man, and among Mortals came;
Yea, meekly bore the Cross, despis'd the Shame;
Walking on Earth amongst his Chosen Ones,
The Isra'lites, beloved Jacob's Sons.
But they, Rebelling in disdainful Pride,
Their King, their Saviour, disown'd, deny'd;
Because he did not, to the Sensual Eye,
Unveil his Glory, and his Majesty.
The Raies that did around his Temples shine,
His Mein, his Speech, bespoke him all Divine.
Yet this vain Off-spring did him still deny,
Accuse, condemn, degrade, and crucify;
Who patiently Resign'd his Life, his Breath,
And, thro' his Lamb-like Sufferings, conquer'd Death.
Sent from his Bosom his Beloved Son,
Lost Man to seek, and to Restore ag'in,
From the most vile Captivity of Sin;
Who for our sakes his Father's Throne forsook,
And, as a Servant, freely on him took
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Yea, meekly bore the Cross, despis'd the Shame;
Walking on Earth amongst his Chosen Ones,
The Isra'lites, beloved Jacob's Sons.
But they, Rebelling in disdainful Pride,
Their King, their Saviour, disown'd, deny'd;
Because he did not, to the Sensual Eye,
Unveil his Glory, and his Majesty.
The Raies that did around his Temples shine,
His Mein, his Speech, bespoke him all Divine.
Yet this vain Off-spring did him still deny,
Accuse, condemn, degrade, and crucify;
Who patiently Resign'd his Life, his Breath,
And, thro' his Lamb-like Sufferings, conquer'd Death.
Thus they, with wicked Hands, did Crucify
The Spotless Lamb, descended from on High:
Yet Him they could not long i'th' Grave detain,
But with great Glory he arose again;
Astonishing the Watchmen at the Tomb,
He, to their great Amazement, forth did come:
Which, when they to the Rulers did declare,
They charg'd them not to noise it in the Ear
Of the Plebean Multitude; but say,
That his Disciples stole him thence away,
While they slept, in the Silence of the Night.
Thus seeking, by Deceit, to hide the Light
That then was dawning, to Confound its Foes;
But for a Leader, and a Guide, to those,
That meekly waited for its Consolation;
They have entail'd a Curse upon their Nation.
The Spotless Lamb, descended from on High:
Yet Him they could not long i'th' Grave detain,
But with great Glory he arose again;
Astonishing the Watchmen at the Tomb,
He, to their great Amazement, forth did come:
Which, when they to the Rulers did declare,
They charg'd them not to noise it in the Ear
Of the Plebean Multitude; but say,
That his Disciples stole him thence away,
While they slept, in the Silence of the Night.
Thus seeking, by Deceit, to hide the Light
That then was dawning, to Confound its Foes;
But for a Leader, and a Guide, to those,
That meekly waited for its Consolation;
They have entail'd a Curse upon their Nation.
But Isr'el's Glory's surely broken forth,
Light to the Gentiles, shining in the North;
As by that holy Prophet was foretold,
That in the latter Days th'Almighty would
Call and bring forth a Seed out of the North,
A (then) despised Corner of the Earth.
Should we not now, in Lowliness of Mind,
And true Contriteness, wholly be Resign'd
Unto his Will in all things, who hath thus
Extended his Engaging Love to us,
And tasted Death for us? Alas, who can
Enough admire his Boundless Love to Man!
Light to the Gentiles, shining in the North;
As by that holy Prophet was foretold,
That in the latter Days th'Almighty would
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A (then) despised Corner of the Earth.
Should we not now, in Lowliness of Mind,
And true Contriteness, wholly be Resign'd
Unto his Will in all things, who hath thus
Extended his Engaging Love to us,
And tasted Death for us? Alas, who can
Enough admire his Boundless Love to Man!
1665.
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