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 |
 |
 |
The Fifth Epistle to Cousin F. R.
|
 | Fruits of Retirement |  |
67
The Fifth Epistle to Cousin F. R.
When I (endeared Cousin) meditate,How Heav'n hath blest thee in thy tender State;
Reading thy Lines, by Wisdom's Dictates pen'd,
Which thou (by mutual Love engag'd) didst send,
And weightily reflect upon the (strange
To Flesh and Blood! but) truly happy Change
That's wrought in thee, by that Eternal Power,
That (as a Father) leads to Sion's Tower,
The Rock of Ages, Us, that went astray,
Wand'ring like Pilgrims, that had lost their Way
In some vast Desart, where the Savage Bear,
And other Savage Beasts, range here and there,
To seek their Prey: Yet by a sacred Hand
They're brought t'a happy Habitable Land.
Methinks we're bound to say, with one accord,
Who can enough admire thy Goodness, Lord!
O how can such but much esteem their Guide!
Who, had their careless Steps but turn'd aside,
And frowardly left the Discover'd Way,
Had certainly become a wretched Prey
To those Devourers: Ah! Such was our case,
Had not th'Eternal led us by his Grace:
Which, let us ne'er forget, but Praises sing
To our most Gracious Guide, dear Sion's King:
Who by his holy Life (the Light within
Reveal'd) redeems Believing Hearts from Sin;
And the Obedient to the Lord's Command,
Shall eat the Good and Sweetness of the Land;
68
(Though Murmurers fall in the Wilderness)
Then shall they feel that Life, which as with Nerves
And Joynts, unites, and tenderly preserves
As Members of one Body; so to give
Due Service to the Head, in whom we live,
By distribution of that precious Blood,
Which to the Body is both Life and Food;
And tho' it may retire, yet soon again
It circulates and flows through every Vein;
Renewing Warmth, encreasing Strength, whereby
The Body flourishes in Unity.
As doubly thus engag'd, methinks I prize thee
Much more than Pen and Ink can advertise thee:
Then how can those, who feel these Streams of Love
And Life, but prize each other far above
Ontward Relations, yet rejoyce to see
Them to partake of this bless'd Unity!
Thus thou to me art now become more near
Than formerly Related; yea, as dear
As Children of one Father, mutually
Oblig'd to Breathe for the Prosperity
And Welfare of each other, in the pure
Eternal Love, which makes Election sure,
And seals Salvation to us; yea, I find
My Soul, in Sympathizing Love, inclin'd,
As for it self, so to desire for thee,
That we in Faithfulness may ever be
Freserv'd; tho' Tribulations should attend,
Emmanuel, Almighty to defend,
Is near; yea, nearer than our Hearts expect,
Tho' often undiscern'd through our neglect;
He's Omnipresent, tho' not always seen,
For interposing Clouds may from us skreen
69
And prove our Love, our Chaste Fidelity.
But still he leaves us Pledges of his Love,
That, ah, methinks, nothing should ever move
Our firm engaged Hearts! Yet we, poor we,
Are weak, and subject to Infirmity;
Apt to forget his Favours, multiply'd
Towards us daily; apt to turn aside,
Did not his Blessed Arm protect, defend,
And still renew Engagements to depend
Only on Him, who loves unto the end.
1679.
| Fruits of Retirement | |