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 |
 |
 |
Contemplation.
|
 | Fruits of Retirement |  |
Contemplation.
Great God, arise, that so thine EnemiesMay be dispers'd, as Clouds when th'Sun doth rise!
Thou King of Kings, who only must expel
Th'intruding Foe, that in the Heart doth dwell,
Which is thy proper Right, who didst create
It for thy Service: Teach us, Lord, to wait
For thine Appearance, in Sincerity;
To know thee first to Judge, then Justify
The Meek, the broken contrite Heart: 'Tis thou
That teachest rightly to thy Name to Bow;
For none can Bow acceptably, or call
Thee, Jesus, Lord; (tho' thou art Lord of all,
Both Heav'n and Earth) but by thy holy Spirit;
Whereby we come, through Mercy, to inherit
Thy Princely Favours; and not only know
To call thee truly Lord, but Father too.
What! tho' Man in Externals may conform,
And seemingly from his Pollutions turn;
Yet to subdue and regulate the Will,
Is thy own Work, surpassing Humane Skill:
Poor wretched Man, tho' he thy Pow'r resist,
Cannot return unto thee when he list,
35
Is so averse to Good, so prone to Ill;
Except he be, by thy Redeming Power,
Set free, and taught to know the Refuge-Tower:
Then neither Winds, nor Waves, nor Stormy Weather,
(Although with Fury all conspire together,
T'assault and ruinate the House that's founded,
And on the Rock is deep and firmly grounded)
Can overthrow it: Here's a Fortress sure,
Which will against all Batteries endure;
Here may we find a Captain will defend,
Whom all dear Sion's Foes cannot withstand.
Lord, since Salvation is alone from thee,
From Self Destruction, Wo and Misery;
Teach us to wait to feel thy Conqu'ring Love,
Within our yielding Bosoms, freely move,
To quicken, heal, and strengthen us; that we
May, through thy Goodness, rise and follow thee:
Believing, there is none but thee that can
Crown with Perfection this thy Work in Man;
And give access before thy Royal Throne,
Where perfect Peace and Joy in thee is known:
Then holy Thanks and Praises shall ascend
To thee, who to our Grief dost put an end.
1676.
| Fruits of Retirement | |