“An Address to the Deist”

Written in 1767, 14 years of age. The poems urge deists to embrace Christianity.

 

Must Ethiopians be employ’d for you?
Much I rejoice if any good I do.
I ask O unbeleiver, Satan’s child
Hath not thy Saviour been too much revil’d
Th’ auspicious rays that round his temples shine
Do still declare him to be Christ divine
Doth not the great Eternal call him Son
Is he not pleas’d with his beloved One — ?
How canst thou thus divide the Trinity —
The blest the Holy the eternal three
Tis Satan’s Snares are fluttering in the wind
Whereby he doth insnare thy foolish mind
God, the Eternal Orders this to be
Sees thy vain arg’ments to divide the three
Cans’t thou not see the Consequence in store?
Begin th’ Almighty monarch to adore
Attend to Reason whispering in thine ear
Seek the Eternal while he is so near.
Full in thy view I point each path I know
Lest to the vale of black dispair I go.
At the last day where wilt thou hide thy face
That Day approaching is no time for Grace.
Too late percieve thyself undone and lost
To late own Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Who trod the wine-press of Jehovah’s wrath?
Who taught us prayer, and promis’d grace and faith ———?
Who but the Son, who reigns supremely blest
Ever, and ever, in immortal rest.? [sic]
The vilest prodigal who comes to God
Is not cast out but bro’t by Jesus’ blood.
When to the faithless Jews he oft did cry
Some own’d this teacher Some made him a lye
He came to you in mean apparel clad
He came to Save us from our Sins, and had
Compassion more than language can express.
Pains his companions, and his friends distress
Immanuel on the cross those pains did bear —
Will the eternal our petitions hear?
Ah! wondrous Distiny his life he laid.
“Father forgive them,” thus the Saviour pray’d
Nail’d was King Jesus on the cross for us.
For our transgressions he sustain’d the Curse.