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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A Meditation in Retirement.
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A Meditation in Retirement.
O thou, great King of Kings, arise and Reign!Except thy Vertue springs, all Worship's vain;
Except thy Quick'ning Life be felt to rise,
There's none can offer up a Sacrifice,
That finds acceptance with so great a King:
And then, who dare into thy Presence bring
The Blemished, the Maimed, or the Blind,
Which with an Earthly Prince could never find
Any Regard; but rather for the same,
Severe Chastizement, with Rebuke and Shame.
O let thy holy Power operate
Within thy Temple, thou Immaculate
Holy, High Priest! O let thy Hand prepare
The Sacrifice! Then Isr'el may not fear
To find Admittance to the Royal Throne;
Thou'lt smell the Sweetness, and accept thy own:
We'll wait in Patience, and depend on thee,
Thou only canst Rebuke the Enemy;
That old Deceiver, Satan, though he stand
Among thy Children, as at the right Hand
Of Joshua; 'tis thy own Arm alone
Can save the Brand pluck'd from the Fire, or none.
'Tis thou that tak'st the filthy Garment from us,
And in thy Love art pleas'd to put upon us
Thy Royal Robe of Righteousness, whereby
We find access before thy Majesty,
To touch thy Glorious Scepter, and appear
Before the Throne of Grace; where, over Fear,
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An holy Awe in all that worship thee,
An humble (deep-engaged) Filial Fear,
As to a tender Father, from his dear
Obedient Off-spring; watchful to attend
His holy Precepts; fearful to offend,
For very Love; not as in Slavery,
Dreading the Laws of just Severity;
But as by Love engag'd, which fills the Breast
With Satisfaction, not to be express'd
With Mortal Tongue; as thou wast pleased, by
Th'Apostle, whom thou lov'dst, to signify.
We're now thy Sons, Great King! but who can tell
What we shall be hereafter, when we dwell
With thee in Glory? Can the Hand of Man
Measure the Fulness of the Ocean?
Then may a Finite Engine testify
The Boundless Splendor of Eternity.
1679.
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