An Address to Miss Phillis Wheatly

An Address to Miss Phillis Wheatly (1778)
by Jupiter Hammon

Wikisource

I

O come you pious youth! adore
The wisdom of thy God,
In bringing thee from distant shore,
To learn His holy word.
Eccles. xii.

II

Thou mightst been left behind
Amidst a dark abode;
God’s tender mercy still combin’d,
Thou hast the holy word.
Psal. cxxxv, 2, 3.

III

Fair wisdom’s ways are paths of peace,
And they that walk therein,
Shall reap the joys that never cease,
And Christ shall be their king.
Psal. i, 1,2; Prov. iii, 7.

IV

God’s tender mercy brought thee here;
Tost o’er the raging main;
In Christian faith thou hast a share,
Worth all the gold of Spain.
Psal. cii, 1, 3, 4.

V

While thousands tossed by the sea,
And others settled down,
God’s tender mercy set thee free,
From dangers that come down.
Death.

VI

That thou a pattern still might be,
To youth of Boston town,
The blessed Jesus set thee free,
From every sinful wound.
2 Cor. v, 10.

VII

The blessed Jesus, who came down,
Unvail’d his sacred face,
To cleanse the soul of every wound,
And give repenting grace.
Rom. v, 21.

VIII

That we poor sinners may obtain,
The pardon of our sin;
Dear blessed Jesus now constrain,
And bring us flocking in.
Psal. xxiv, 6, 7, 8.

IX

Come you, Phillis, now aspire,
And seek the living God,
So step by step thou mayst go higher,
Till perfect in the word.
Matth. vii, 7, 8.

X

While thousands mov’d to distant shore,
And others left behind,
The blessed Jesus still adore,
Implant this in thy mind.
Psal. lxxxix, 1.

XI

Thou hast left the heathen shore;
Thro’ mercy of the Lord,
Among the heathen live no more,
Come magnify thy God.
Psal. xxxiv, 1, 2, 3.

XII

I pray the living God may be,
The shepherd of thy soul;
His tender mercies still are free,
His mysteries to unfold.
Psal. lxxx, 1, 2, 3.

XIII

Thou, Phillis, when thou hunger hast,
Or pantest for thy God;
Jesus Christ is thy relief,
Thou hast the holy word.
Psal. xiii, 1, 2, 3.

XIV

The bounteous mercies of the Lord,
Are hid beyond the sky,
And holy souls that love his word,
Shall taste them when they die.
Psal. xvi, 10, 11.

XV

These bounteous mercies are from God,
The merits of His Son;
The humble soul that loves His word,
He chooses for His own.
Psal. xxxiv, 15.

XVI

Come, dear Phillis, be advis’d,
To drink Samaria’s flood;
There nothing that shall suffice
But Christ’s redeeming blood.
John iv, 13, 14.

XVII

While thousands muse with earthly toys;
And range about the street,
Dear Phillis, seek for heaven’s joys,
Where we do hope to meet.
Matth. vi, 33.

XVIII

When God shall send his summons down,
And number saints together,
Blest angels chant, (triumphant sound),
Come live with me forever.
Psal. cxvi, 15.

XIX

The humble soul shall fly to God,
And leave the things of time,
Start forth as ’twere at the first word,
To taste things more divine.
Matth. v, 3, 8.

XX

Behold! the soul shall waft away,
Whene’er we come to die,
And leave its cottage made of clay,
In twinkling of an eye.
Cor. xv, 51, 52, 53.

XXI

Now glory be to the Most High,
United praises given,
By all on earth, incessantly,
And all the host of heav’n.
Psal. cl, 6.