Melt off my lusts, my fetters: I can bear

A while to be a tenant here,

But not be chain'd and prison'd in a cage of clay.

Heaven is my home, and I must use my wings;
Sublime above the globe my flight aspires:
I have a soul was made to pity kings,

And all their little glittering things;

I have a soul was made for infinite desires.

Loos'd from the earth, my heart is upward flown; Farewell, my friends, and all that once was mine; Now, should you fix my feet on Cæsar's throne, Crown me, and call the world my own,

The gold that binds my brows could ne'er my soul confine.

I am the Lord's, and Jesus is my love;
He, that dear God, shall fill my vast desire,
My flesh below; yet I can dwell above,

And nearer to my Saviour move;

There all my soul shall centre, all my powers conspire.

Thus I with angels live; thus, half-divine,
I sit on high, nor mind inferior joys:

Fill'd with his love, I feel that God is mine,
His glory is my great design,

That everlasting project all my thoughts employs.

A SONG TO CREATING WISDOM.

PART I.

ETERNAL Wisdom, thee we praise,
Thee the creation sings:

With thy loud name, rocks, hills, and seas,
And heaven's high palace, rings.

Place me on the bright wings of day
To travel with the sun;

With what amaze shall I survey

The wonders thou hast done!

Thy hand how wide it spread the sky!
How glorious to behold?

Ting'd with a blue of heavenly dye,
And starr'd with sparkling gold.

There thou hast bid the globes of light
Their endless circles run;

There the pale planet rules the night,
And day obeys the sun.

PART II.

DOWNWARD I turn my wondering eyes
On clouds and storms below,
Those under-regions of the skies

Thy numerous glories show.

The noisy winds stand ready there
Thy orders to obey,

With sounding wings they sweep the air,
To make thy chariot way.

There, like a trumpet, loud and strong, Thy thunder shakes our coast: While the red lightnings wave along, The banners of thine host.

On the thin air, without a prop,
Hang fruitful showers around:

At thy command they sink, and drop
Their fatness on the ground.

PART III.

Now to the earth I bend my song,
And cast my eyes abroad,
Glancing the British isles along;

Blest isles, confess your God.

How did his wondrous skill array
Your fields in charming green;
A thousand herbs his art display,
A thousand flowers between !

Tall oaks for future navies grow,
Fair Albion's best defence,
While corn and vines rejoice below,
Those luxuries of sense.

The bleating flocks his pasture feeds:
And herds, of larger size,

That bellow through the Lindian meads,
His bounteous hand supplies.

PART IV.

WE see the Thames caress the shores,
He guides her silver flood;
While angry Severn swells and roars,
Yet hears her Ruler God.

The rolling mountains of the deep
Observe his strong command;
His breath can raise the billows steep
Or sink them to the sand.

Amidst thy watery kingdoms, Lord,
The finny nations play,

And scaly monsters, at thy word,
Rush through the northern sea.

PART V.

THY glories blaze all nature round,
And strike the gazing sight,

Through skies, and seas, and solid ground,
With terror and delight.

Infinite strength, and equal skill,

Shine through the worlds abroad, Our souls with vast amazement fill, And speak the builder God.

But the sweet beauties of thy grace
Our softer passions move;

Pity divine in Jesus' face

We see, adore, and love.

GOD'S ABSOLUTE DOMINION.

LORD, when my thoughtful soul surveys
Fire, air and earth, and stars and seas,
I call them all thy slaves;
Commission'd by my Father's will,

Poisons shall cure, or balms shall kill;
Vernal suns, or zephyrs' breath,
May burn or blast the plants to death
That sharp December saves!