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 Charity.
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 | Fruits of Retirement |  |
On Charity.
What a sumblime, celestial Mystery,
Is couch'd in this obscure Name, Charity!
So frequent in the Mouths of most, but known
To few, save in the empty sound alone;
Else it would teach us how to Sympathize
One with another in Infirmities.
This mourns with those that mourn, and to their grief,
Studies, in kindness, to impart Relief:
This beareth all things, and suspecteth none;
This seeks another's good, ev'n as its own;
Never rejoycing in Iniquity,
For 'tis true Love to Friend, to Enemy;
Desiring more to veil, to hide and cover,
Than to disclose the weakness of a Brother;
And, with a Garment, hides a multitude
Of Faults, that Enmity may not intrude.
But this, with Lynx-ey'd Passion cannot rest,
Nor long cohabit in the self-same Breast;
One's mild and gentle, apt to condescend;
The other's peevish with a Bosom-Friend:
One joys in that most, that offendeth none;
The other seeks to please it self alone:
The one fulfils the Law, in all respects;
The other Law and Gospel both rejects.
Is couch'd in this obscure Name, Charity!
So frequent in the Mouths of most, but known
To few, save in the empty sound alone;
Else it would teach us how to Sympathize
One with another in Infirmities.
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Studies, in kindness, to impart Relief:
This beareth all things, and suspecteth none;
This seeks another's good, ev'n as its own;
Never rejoycing in Iniquity,
For 'tis true Love to Friend, to Enemy;
Desiring more to veil, to hide and cover,
Than to disclose the weakness of a Brother;
And, with a Garment, hides a multitude
Of Faults, that Enmity may not intrude.
But this, with Lynx-ey'd Passion cannot rest,
Nor long cohabit in the self-same Breast;
One's mild and gentle, apt to condescend;
The other's peevish with a Bosom-Friend:
One joys in that most, that offendeth none;
The other seeks to please it self alone:
The one fulfils the Law, in all respects;
The other Law and Gospel both rejects.
Now, are not all engag'd to entertain
The Gentle Nature? Not alone the Name
Of Charity; which, keeping Residence
Within the Bosom, may exile from thence
All Peace-disturbing Passion, and restrain
Insulting Self, that she alone may reign.
This would incline all Hearts to a Serene
Calmness, and to a Condescending Frame
Of Spirit; still rejoycing to dispence
Favours to all, in true Benevolence;
Not in Ambition, or Formality,
To be applauded by a Mortal Eye.
Restless Distrust, and Haughty-Ey'd Disdain,
Envy, that frets and gnaws it self in vain,
At other's Happiness, with Discontent,
Which doth, in any State, true Peace prevent,
And Self-tormenting Rage, with Fierce Revenge,
Which often heaves the Senses off the Hinge
Of Reason; all (where this prevails) are gone,
Dispers'd like Mists before the Rising Sun:
For Wars and Strife, where this inhabits, cease;
And she confirms the Mind in lasting Peace.
The Gentle Nature? Not alone the Name
Of Charity; which, keeping Residence
Within the Bosom, may exile from thence
All Peace-disturbing Passion, and restrain
Insulting Self, that she alone may reign.
This would incline all Hearts to a Serene
Calmness, and to a Condescending Frame
Of Spirit; still rejoycing to dispence
Favours to all, in true Benevolence;
Not in Ambition, or Formality,
To be applauded by a Mortal Eye.
Restless Distrust, and Haughty-Ey'd Disdain,
Envy, that frets and gnaws it self in vain,
At other's Happiness, with Discontent,
Which doth, in any State, true Peace prevent,
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Which often heaves the Senses off the Hinge
Of Reason; all (where this prevails) are gone,
Dispers'd like Mists before the Rising Sun:
For Wars and Strife, where this inhabits, cease;
And she confirms the Mind in lasting Peace.
1675.
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