A Meditation in Retirement

O Thou, great King of Kings, arise and reign! Except thy Virtue 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 Chastisement, 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 Israel 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 Sceptre, and appear Before the Throne of Grace; where, over Fear, Love sweetly hath prevail'd: Yet shall there be 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.