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 |
 |
 |
On ELIJAH.
|
 | Fruits of Retirement |  |
On ELIJAH.
O how th'Eternal Goodness from above
Distils upon his Children show'rs of Love!
And in the midst of Trials manifests
Supporting Solace in their Panting Breasts;
Engaging those, whom chiefly he designs,
To set for Witnesses in Trying Times;
Refreshing, feeding, strength'ning, and directing
Safely, with his Indulgent Arm protecting,
And hiding in the hollow of his Hand,
Those that are faithful to his just Command.
Thus was that holy Prophet of the Lord,
Elijah, shelt'red from the threatning Sword
Of cruel Jezabel, whose raging Breath
Had vow'd, by all her Idols, sudden Death
Unto this Man of God (although in vain)
For seeking to lead Isr'el back again
Unto the Lord, who then were gone astray,
And wandred in a dark forbidden Way:
Th'Almighty's sacred Power did surround
And guard him, but his Enemies confound.
Distils upon his Children show'rs of Love!
And in the midst of Trials manifests
Supporting Solace in their Panting Breasts;
Engaging those, whom chiefly he designs,
To set for Witnesses in Trying Times;
Refreshing, feeding, strength'ning, and directing
Safely, with his Indulgent Arm protecting,
And hiding in the hollow of his Hand,
Those that are faithful to his just Command.
Thus was that holy Prophet of the Lord,
Elijah, shelt'red from the threatning Sword
Of cruel Jezabel, whose raging Breath
Had vow'd, by all her Idols, sudden Death
Unto this Man of God (although in vain)
For seeking to lead Isr'el back again
Unto the Lord, who then were gone astray,
And wandred in a dark forbidden Way:
Th'Almighty's sacred Power did surround
And guard him, but his Enemies confound.
84
Now, tho' Elijah thought himself alone,
Surviving all true Prophets, and that none
Were left but him, there was Seven Thousand more
Preserv'd alive, that only did adore
The God of Jacob, would not bow the Knee
Unto, or worship Baal's false Deity.
This Heav'n reveal'd unto him, when he sate,
As one in Sorrow, in dejected State;
Because the Sacred Name was then revil'd
By Priests of Baal, the holy Prophets kill'd:
For thus the Lord doth in his Wisdom try
The utmost of Man's Wrath and Cruelty,
As may conduce to th'Honour of his Name,
But the remainder shall his Arm restrain.
And though that be permitted to extend
Affliction to the Body, put an end
To poor Mortality, here is Man's Rage
Confin'd; whilst from a weary Pilgrimage,
Th'Immortal Soul releas'd, arrives with Joy
Unto the Haven of Felicity,
Where the more Noble Soul lives to survive
Those short-liv'd Sorrows, and forgets to grieve;
Whose Everlasting Glory doth transcend
Expression, or what Man can comprehend:
Yet when th'Eternal pleaseth to oppose
The base Designs and Stratagems of those
That would destroy, or wickedly suppress
His Faithful Ones, whom he intends to Bless,
He soon can blast their Projects, and confound
Their chiefest Agents; with a Word, surround
His own, as with a bright Celestial Host
Of Seraphims. Let not the Mighty boast
Themselves in Strength: Can Man resist his Hand?
The Thorns and renting Bryars then may stand
In Battle, to oppose Consuming Fire.
Let Isr'el bow before him, and admire
His mighty Arm, and magnify his Name:
He guardeth whom he will; his Pow'r's the same,
Which formerly the holy Prophet fed,
And by th' obsequious Ravens sent him Bread;
Yea, Bread and Flesh, early and late, they brought
Him, who his Maker's Glory chiefly sought;
And for his Drink, Brook Cherith did supply
With Water; which, for want of Rain, grown dry,
Unto Zarephta, by Command, he came,
Where a poor Widow (tho' to entertain
A Guest, but meanly furnish'd) did receive
The Prophet; and, through Faith, she freely gave
Part of her small, her almost wasted Store,
Which she had thought a little time before
To dress for her, and for her Son, thereby
To be refresh'd, and shortly after Dye;
Not knowing of so strange Increase, until
The holy Man, that knew the Heav'nly Will,
Did, by Divine Authority, proclaim,
That till the Lord was pleas'd to send down Rain
(Which then with-held, for the Iniquity
That did abound, had brought th'Extremity
Of Dearth and Famine) her small Stock of Meal,
And little Cruise of Oyl, should never fail;
Which she believing, from the Holy Word,
Liv'd to admire the Wonders of the Lord
Upon her Son, whom, when depriv'd of Breath,
Elijah did prevail to call from Death,
By fervent Supplication to that Pow'r
That can the Dead to Life again restore;
That unto her it might not seem to be
Hard Measure for her Hospitality.
Thence, by Commission from above, he came
To bring glad tidings of long-sought-for Rain;
That Israel might yet again incline
To seek the Lord, who by his Power divine,
Gives or with-holds a Blessing; and might learn,
By those and other Wonders, to discern
The Living God from Idols, who alone
Answers by Fire from's Imperial Throne,
As then 'twas prov'd, to their amaze and shame:
Yet when some sought the Prophet to be slain,
He to the Wilderness again retir'd,
Where, tho' he, as in Agony, desir'd
The Lord to take away his Life; yet there,
To comfort him, an Angel did appear;
Who, touching him, bad him arise and take
What he found ready there; which was a Cake
Bak'd on the Coals: O who can but admire
How there the Cake was Bak'd on Coals of Fire!
For which he took no care; and for his Drink,
A Cruise of Water set! Ah, who would think
The King of Kings should be concern'd for these
Small matters for poor Man! who, if he please,
Can well support, without the Strength of Bread,
As then he did that holy Prophet lead
Through th'Sandy Desart forty days, until
He came to Horeb's Mount, the sacred Hill,
Where, resting in a Cave, the great Command
Then given to him was, Go forth and stand
Before the Lord, his Wonders to admire;
The rending Wind, the Earthquake, and the Fire,
Pass'd by, but he in none of these did see
Such Soul-amazing dreadful Majesty,
As in the still small Voice; then, as with Dread
And Reverence, his Face he covered,
Or wrapped in his Mantle, stood to hear
What more the Lord was pleased to declare,
Or to command him; that he humbly might
Obey his Precepts, which was his delight.
Thus was he treated by the Holy One,
And afterwards caught up unto his Throne,
As in a Fiery Chariot, where, above
All Grief, he Joys in pure Eternal Love:
Yet who dare say, that for his sake alone,
Such great, such glorious Wonders then were done?
Did not th'Eternal Wisdom signify
His Boundless, his all-Conqu'ring Love, thereby
To all his Faithful Servants? Ah, Can He
Cease to be Gracious, or Unmindful be
Of his afflicted tribulated Ones?
Nay surely, he hath own'd them for his Sons
And for his Daughters; and if they be found
Faithful to Death, they shall with Life be Crown'd:
For he delights to Glorify his Name
Amidst the Heathen: Therefore 'tis in vain
For Men to Curse whom he designs to Bless,
Or by their Laws to hinder Righteousness
From running like a Stream; tho' formerly
They pleaded Law, whereby the Just must dye;
Who now, and ever, lives sole King of Kings,
To whom the Angels Hallelujah sings.
Surviving all true Prophets, and that none
Were left but him, there was Seven Thousand more
Preserv'd alive, that only did adore
The God of Jacob, would not bow the Knee
Unto, or worship Baal's false Deity.
This Heav'n reveal'd unto him, when he sate,
As one in Sorrow, in dejected State;
Because the Sacred Name was then revil'd
By Priests of Baal, the holy Prophets kill'd:
For thus the Lord doth in his Wisdom try
The utmost of Man's Wrath and Cruelty,
As may conduce to th'Honour of his Name,
But the remainder shall his Arm restrain.
And though that be permitted to extend
Affliction to the Body, put an end
To poor Mortality, here is Man's Rage
Confin'd; whilst from a weary Pilgrimage,
Th'Immortal Soul releas'd, arrives with Joy
Unto the Haven of Felicity,
Where the more Noble Soul lives to survive
Those short-liv'd Sorrows, and forgets to grieve;
Whose Everlasting Glory doth transcend
Expression, or what Man can comprehend:
Yet when th'Eternal pleaseth to oppose
The base Designs and Stratagems of those
That would destroy, or wickedly suppress
His Faithful Ones, whom he intends to Bless,
He soon can blast their Projects, and confound
Their chiefest Agents; with a Word, surround
His own, as with a bright Celestial Host
Of Seraphims. Let not the Mighty boast
Themselves in Strength: Can Man resist his Hand?
The Thorns and renting Bryars then may stand
85
Let Isr'el bow before him, and admire
His mighty Arm, and magnify his Name:
He guardeth whom he will; his Pow'r's the same,
Which formerly the holy Prophet fed,
And by th' obsequious Ravens sent him Bread;
Yea, Bread and Flesh, early and late, they brought
Him, who his Maker's Glory chiefly sought;
And for his Drink, Brook Cherith did supply
With Water; which, for want of Rain, grown dry,
Unto Zarephta, by Command, he came,
Where a poor Widow (tho' to entertain
A Guest, but meanly furnish'd) did receive
The Prophet; and, through Faith, she freely gave
Part of her small, her almost wasted Store,
Which she had thought a little time before
To dress for her, and for her Son, thereby
To be refresh'd, and shortly after Dye;
Not knowing of so strange Increase, until
The holy Man, that knew the Heav'nly Will,
Did, by Divine Authority, proclaim,
That till the Lord was pleas'd to send down Rain
(Which then with-held, for the Iniquity
That did abound, had brought th'Extremity
Of Dearth and Famine) her small Stock of Meal,
And little Cruise of Oyl, should never fail;
Which she believing, from the Holy Word,
Liv'd to admire the Wonders of the Lord
Upon her Son, whom, when depriv'd of Breath,
Elijah did prevail to call from Death,
By fervent Supplication to that Pow'r
That can the Dead to Life again restore;
That unto her it might not seem to be
Hard Measure for her Hospitality.
86
To bring glad tidings of long-sought-for Rain;
That Israel might yet again incline
To seek the Lord, who by his Power divine,
Gives or with-holds a Blessing; and might learn,
By those and other Wonders, to discern
The Living God from Idols, who alone
Answers by Fire from's Imperial Throne,
As then 'twas prov'd, to their amaze and shame:
Yet when some sought the Prophet to be slain,
He to the Wilderness again retir'd,
Where, tho' he, as in Agony, desir'd
The Lord to take away his Life; yet there,
To comfort him, an Angel did appear;
Who, touching him, bad him arise and take
What he found ready there; which was a Cake
Bak'd on the Coals: O who can but admire
How there the Cake was Bak'd on Coals of Fire!
For which he took no care; and for his Drink,
A Cruise of Water set! Ah, who would think
The King of Kings should be concern'd for these
Small matters for poor Man! who, if he please,
Can well support, without the Strength of Bread,
As then he did that holy Prophet lead
Through th'Sandy Desart forty days, until
He came to Horeb's Mount, the sacred Hill,
Where, resting in a Cave, the great Command
Then given to him was, Go forth and stand
Before the Lord, his Wonders to admire;
The rending Wind, the Earthquake, and the Fire,
Pass'd by, but he in none of these did see
Such Soul-amazing dreadful Majesty,
As in the still small Voice; then, as with Dread
And Reverence, his Face he covered,
87
What more the Lord was pleased to declare,
Or to command him; that he humbly might
Obey his Precepts, which was his delight.
Thus was he treated by the Holy One,
And afterwards caught up unto his Throne,
As in a Fiery Chariot, where, above
All Grief, he Joys in pure Eternal Love:
Yet who dare say, that for his sake alone,
Such great, such glorious Wonders then were done?
Did not th'Eternal Wisdom signify
His Boundless, his all-Conqu'ring Love, thereby
To all his Faithful Servants? Ah, Can He
Cease to be Gracious, or Unmindful be
Of his afflicted tribulated Ones?
Nay surely, he hath own'd them for his Sons
And for his Daughters; and if they be found
Faithful to Death, they shall with Life be Crown'd:
For he delights to Glorify his Name
Amidst the Heathen: Therefore 'tis in vain
For Men to Curse whom he designs to Bless,
Or by their Laws to hinder Righteousness
From running like a Stream; tho' formerly
They pleaded Law, whereby the Just must dye;
Who now, and ever, lives sole King of Kings,
To whom the Angels Hallelujah sings.
| Fruits of Retirement | |