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The First and Second Chapters of the First Book of Samuel Versified.

O! that some Heavenly Seraph wou'd inspire,
And warm my Soul with an Immortal Fire;
The Muse shou'd in Celestial numbers Sing,
The praise of Sion's rock, and Israel's King,
Who did of old display his Glorious Grace,
To Abraham's seed, and Jacob's chosen race. 
His Mighty Power, and outstretched hand,
Gave them possession of a goodly land. 
No crowned King did over them bear Sway,
Judges, and Governors, they did obey;
His Providence, and his peculiar care,
Renowned Captains did for them prepare. 
But So ungrateful Israel's Sons did prove,
They oft abus'd his Grace, forgot his love. 
Until provok'd by their iniquities,
Philistines arms the Rebels did chastize,
[Page 43]17  Yet of his tender mercy did provide,
A faithful Prophet and courageous Guide;
That might the People's hearts, and minds prepare. 
To Worship him with reverential fear;
And by his own Example daily Shew
Them, how to put in practice what they knew. 

A certain Levite, in those days we find,
At Ramah liv'd, which to Mount Ephraim join'd;
Who had himself, and Household set apart,
To serve his Maker with a willing heart. 
Two Wives he had, the one a virtuous Dame,
Descreet, and Wise, and Hannah was her Name;
Whose fair, and lovely body did enshrine,
A Pious Soul with qualities Divine,
Her virtue did her Husbands love insure,
And from all People due respect procure,
Only her Rival cou'd not her endure. 
And what increas'd Peninnah's haughty Pride,
The Lord had children unto her deny'd,
The Feasts that were to Israelites enjoind,
This Levite Still observ'd with zealous mind:
And did to Shilo, ev'ry Year repair,
For God had fix'd his Tabernacle there;
To offer sacrifice was his design,
And Worship at the fixed place and time:
[Page 44]42  And when he this August Assembly join'd,
His Loving Consorts never Stay'd behind. 
Hophni and Phinehas, both as Priests appear,
The wicked Offspring of a Stock Sincere;
Whose vile Example had pernicious been,
In Tempting Abraham's chosen race to Sin. 

Elkanah Still, in these degenerate times,
Observes the Law, laments the Reigning crimes;
Frequents the Feasts, and with an honest mind,
Due portions to his Family assign'd:
But unto Hannah gave the chiefest part,
Because her Virtuous carriage gain'd his heart. 
This did Peninnah's spite, and rage inflame,
With Galling words, she urg'd the Pious Dame;
As if neglected by the God of Heav'n,
Because he yet to her no Child had given. 
Year after Year she did her thus upbraid,
And what She cou'd to grieve, and vex her said,
Whose noble Soul was soaring far above,
And following ways of Peace and perfect love;
To Israel's God alone, she did complain,
Of her illnatur'd Rival's proud disdain,
And to the Heav'nly Throne herself addrest,
With sighs and Tears that cannot be exprest. 
[Page 45]

Intreating him that reigns on high, that She,
The happy Mother of a Son might be,
And if she could that happiness obtain,
She wou'd resign him to the Lord again;
That all his life he shou'd at Shilo Spend
And on the Publick worship still attend. 
While thus She did disclose her pain and Grief
To him, who able was to grant relief,
No Friend on Earth was privy to her moan,
Unto pure Omniscience She pray'd alone. 
Her voice not heard, only her lips did move,
Which made old Ely sharply her reprove,
As if the Virtuous Dame, at that Divine
And Holy Feast, had been oe'rcome with Wine:
But when with flowing Tears she let him know,
She was oppress'd, and overwhelm'd with woe,
The Priest to comfort her himself addrest,
Pray'd Israel's God to grant her, her request. 

The days of Solemn Feasting being Spent,
Elkanah with his Wives to Ramah went,
And e'er the Sun his Annual Race had run,
The joyful Mother did embrace a Son;
And as the Gift of God this worthy Dame
Did him receive, And Samuel call'd his Name;
[Page 46]90  Asked of God, by which She did declare
To all Mankind, how great his Mercies are. 
And with a grateful Heart, in Person She
Attended on him, in his Infancy;
With kind affection, and a Parents Joy,
Her Pliant Arms enfolds the lovely Boy. 

Some Years expir'd, And the Child being grown,
The Pious Matron with her little Son
Led by Elkanah, unto Shilo went,
And there to Ely doth her Son present:
To him, And to the Congregated Tribes
Declar'd his goodness who oe'r Earth presides. 
There to his chosen People did proclaim,
The Praises due to his Eternal Name,
Who heard her cries, and granted her request. 
Her grateful tongue those joyful words Exprest,
My heart and soul doth in the Lord rejoice,
Who heard the sighing of his Hand-maids voice;
My glory, and my Strength he doth appear,
What cause have I the Race of man to fear? 
I am exalted by the God of Love,
My Mouth enlarg'd by him, who reigns above,
He makes me o'er mine Enemies rejoice,
In his Salvation I exert my voice. 
[Page 47]114 Most pure and holy is his Mighty Name,
There's none beside him can perfection claim:
And when in deep distress there is not one
Can be our refuge, but our God alone. 
O! lay your haughty Arrogance aside,
The God of Israel will correct your Pride,
He knows our Hearts, the Proud he doth despise,
But humble Souls are precious in his eyes;
While those who glory in their Strength and might,
By his all conqu'ring Arm are put to Flight. 
Yet they, that in his Truth and Mercy trust,
Shall find a God both tender, kind, and just;
She that was barren, his praises shall prolong
Whose love fires my breast and joy swells my Song. 
He is the Lord Supream of life and Death,
When brought to Dust he can restore our breath,
From abject State can raise unto a Throne,
The Earth with all its Kingdoms are his own,
'Tis he protects his Saints and will display,
His Sov'reign Grace to keep them in the way;
But from his hands the Slaves of vice shall share
Woes, scenes of Death, horror, and despair,
Destruction Shall his Enemies attend,
Amazing Thunder he from Heav'n will send;
His Judgments shall upon the Earth appear
That Men may learn, Almighty Jove to fear;
[Page 48]140  The just shall live, uplifted by his Arm
Untouch'd by danger, and dreadless of harm. 

The Worthy Matron having pay'd her vows
With raptur'd Heart returns unto her House. 
And Israel's God that reigns enthron'd on high,
Did bless her with a num'rous Progeny. 
Samuel proves, even in his Infant days
A Miracle of God's Stupendous Grace! 
While Hophni and Phinehas both in Sin grow bold,
Scorning to be by God, or Man control'd;
Their Country's curse, their Father's grief and Shame
Against their House, the word to Samuel came,
The Judge and Priest before him must appear,
And from a blooming Youth compell'd to hear
Sentence pronounc'd, most grievous and Severe;
No Sacrifice can Purge their guilt away
Their lives and Honours for their Crimes must pay. 

Now Israel's Chiefs and Elders plainly See,
Samuel a Prophet by the Lords decree;
And Jacob's Sons approach with Rev'rend Awe
While he pronounces God's Eternal Law:
His Missions plain, his Visions full and clear
His words like Oracles remembred are
[Page 49]163  When for their Sins their foes did them invade,
He to Repentance did the Tribes persuade:
And by his Prayers, and Devotion true,
Brought Thunder down, Philistines to Subdue:
And honour'd was by God's express command,
To chuse a King to rule his chosen Land;
Yet in Pathetick Speeches let them know
The Arbitrary ways that Saul wou'd go. 
And when that King the Lord's command had broke,
In Sparing Agag from his Vengeful Stroke,
Samuel was Sent and to the Monarch's Face,
Boldly declar'd the Lord wou'd him displace. 
Yet for his King most earnestly did pray
That God wou'd turn his Burning Wrath away,
Untill forbid. Then God did him appoint,
His own peculiar David to Anoint,
From whom by God's Decree in time shou'd spring,
The Prince of Peace, the Everlasting King,
That Jew and Gentile to one fold Shou'd bring. 

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Title (in Source Edition): The First and Second Chapters of the First Book of Samuel Versified.

Author: Mary Collier

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Genres: heroic couplet; paraphrase

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Collier, Mary, c.1690-c.1762. Poems, on Several Occasions, by Mary Collier, Author of the Washerwoman's Labour, with some remarks on Her Life. Winchester: Printed by Mary Ayres; for the Author. MDCCLXII., 1762, pp. []-49. 68p. (ESTC T125590)

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Typography, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation have been cautiously modernized. The source of the text is given and all significant editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. This ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.

The First and Second Chapters of the First Book of Samuel Versified.

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