Here view the stars, by hundreds, blaze,
And dart their glitt❜ring flames.

These too are counted by our God,

Their numbers and their names.

If my imagination fly

O'er this terrestrial ball,

To my dull sense immensely great,

To Thee immensely small.

E'en here thy spirit deigns to dwell,

I find thee ev'ry where:

Deep in the adamantine rock,

Or in the open air.

Thro' the whole Heav'n's exalted heights,

Thy mighty acts appear !

If earth's dark caverns we explore,

Alike we find them there!

CREED.

THOSE Who would wish my Creed to know,

Read but my verse, and that will shew.

For what I offer shall appear

Quite honest, candid, and sincere.

First one eternal God I own,

And one eternal God alone.

Tho' here with some I disagree,

Those human creeds are nought to me. I take the Scriptures for my guide,

And know no certain rule beside.

JESUS, himself, hath shewn the way,

And I his precepts must obey.
As he was sent to save mankind,
I the true way in him must find.
And if I would that way discern,
First by his teaching I must learn.
Of this I find a true account

In his blest Sermon on the mount.

He can my sure physician be,

And work a perfect cure on me;
But if his medicines I neglect,

How then can I that cure expect?

ON REASON.

THO' Some men Reason would explode,

'Tis the best gift we have from God.
If I by reas'ning cannot learn,

How can I right from wrong discern?
Shall superstition be my guide?
Presumption, or religious pride?

Of Sacred Truth let me explore
What God reveals.-I ask no more.

Some latent truths therein remain,

But what concern my soul are plain.

THE STAR-LIGHT NIGHT.

MIGHTY God of all Creation!

Lord of Heav'n and earth and skies!

Fill my mind with meditation,

Teach my tongue to tune thy praise.

Now night draws her sable curtain!
See a thousand stars appear!
Brilliant torches! none, 'tis certain,

But a God could place them there.

He these beauteous lamps bas lighted;
These shall substitute the day;
Weary trav❜ler! when benighted,
These shall guide thee in thy way.

Atheist! read, and own confession :
Foolish, thoughtless, stubborn soul!
Should this sight make no impression,
Sure thou canst not read at all.

ON VIEWING THE

ECLIPSE OF THE SUN

On 19th Nov. 1817.

AUTHOR divine! whose works supreme

Compose this universal frame!

Astonish'd at thy power, we own

Thou art a God, and thou alone.

In these stupendous worlds, combin'd,

Infinite order still we find;

Thro' the immensity of space,

Each with its motion, time, and place.

What then but an Almighty Hand,

This wondrous structure can command?

Here let the atheist gaze, and see

A God thro' all eternity.

Shall we not hence his power adore,

And praise his wisdom more and more? These thoughts sublime, our souls should fill With rev'rence to obey his will.

RELIGION, Surely, is a serious thing
To be observ'd in subject and in king.
Priests are ordain'd the ignorant to teach,
That souls may edify by what they preach.
But where are they who pay attention due,
To fill the solemn office? Very few!

It rather seems their constant care and wishes
Are only to obtain the loaves and fishes:
And what has oft been said, we say again,
Strip off their sacred robes, they are but men.