'Twill fave us from a thousand fnares,

To mind religion young; Grace will preferve our following years, And make our virtue ftrong. To thee, Almighty God, to thee Our childhood we refign; *Twill pleafe us to look back and fee

That our whole lives were thine. Let the fweet work of pray'r and praise Employ my youngest breath; Thus I'm prepar'd for longer days, Or fit for early death.

$227. The Danger of Delay. WATTS.

WHY fhould I fay," "Tis yet too foon

"To feek for heav'n, or think of death?" A flow'r may fade before 'tis noon, And I this day may lofe my breath.

If this rebellious heart of mine
Defpife the gracious calls of Heav'n,
I may be harden'd in my fin,

And never have repentance giv'n.
What if the Lord grow wroth and fwear,
While I refuse to read and pray,

That he'll refufe to lend an ear

To all my groans another day!

What if his dreadful anger burn,
While I refufe his offer'd grace,
And all his love to fury turn,

And strike me dead upon the place!

'Tis dangerous to provoke a God!

$228. Examples of Early Piety. WATTS. WHAT blefs'd examples do I find

Writ in the word of truth,
Of children that began to mind
Religion in their youth!
Jefus, who reigns above the sky,
And keeps the world in awe,
Was once a child as young as I,
And kept his Father's law.

At twelve years old he talk'd with men
(The Jews all wond'ring ftand)
Yet he obey'd his mother then,
And came at her command.

Children a fweet hofanna fung,

And bleft our Saviour's name!
They gave him honour with their tongue,
While fcribes and priests blafpheme!

Tho' they should fpeak the thing that's true! And he that does one fault at first,

And lies to hide it, makes it two.

Have we not known, nor heard, nor read,
How God abhors deceit and wrong?
How Ananias was struck dead,
Caught with a lie upon his tongue ?
So did his wife Sapphira die,

When the came in and grew fo bold
As to confirm that wicked lie

That juft before her husband told. The Lord delights in them that speak The words of truth; but ev'ry liar Muft have his portion in the lake

That burns with brimstone and with fire. Then let me always watch my lips,

Left I be ftruck to death and hell, Since God a book of reck'ning keeps For ev'ry lie that children tell.

$230. Against Quarrelling and Fighting.

LET dogs delight to bark and bite,

For God hath made them fo; Let bears and lions growl and fight,

For 'tis their nature too:

But, children, you should never let
Such angry paflions rife;
Your little hands were never made

To tear each other's eyes.
Let love thro' all your actions run,
And all your words be mild;
Live like the blessed Virgin's Son,
That fweet and lovely child.
His foul was gentle as a lamb;

And, as his ftature grew,
He grew in favour both with man
And God his Father too.
Now, Lord of all, he reigns above;
And from his heav'nly throne
He fees what children dwell in love,
And marks them for his own.

WAITS.

WHATEVER brawls disturb the street,
There should be peace at home;

Where fifters dwell, and brothers meet,
Quarrels fhould never come.

Birds in their little netts agree;
And 'tis a fhameful fight,
When children of one family

Fall out, and chide, and fight!

Hard names at first, and threat'ning words,
That are but noify breath,
May grow to clubs and naked fwords,
To murder and to death.

The devil tempts one mother's fon
To rage against another;
So wicked Cain was hurry'd on

Till he had kill'd his brother.
The wife will make their anger cool,
At least before 'tis night;
But in the bofom of a fool

It burns till morning-light.
Pardon, O Lord, our childish rage,
Our little brawls remove;
That as we grow to riper age,
Our hearts may all be love."

$232. Against Scoffing and calling Names. WATTS.

OUR tongues were made to bless the Lord,
And not fpeak ill of men;

When others give a railing word,
We must not rail again.

Grofs words and angry names require
To be chaftis'd at fchool;
And he's in danger of hell-fire
That calls his brother fool.
But lips that dare be so profane,
To mock, and jeer, and fcoff,
At holy things, or holy men,

The Lord thall cut them off.
When children in their wanton play
Serv'd old Elitha fo;

And bid the prophet go his way,

"Go up, thou bald-head, go;"
God quickly ftopp'd their wicked breath,
And fent two raging bears,
That tore them limb from limb to death,
With blood, and groans, and tears.
Great God, how terrible art thou

To laners e'er to young!

Grant me thy grace, and teach me how
To tame and rule my tongue!

And yet how wicked children dare
Abuse thy dreadful glorious name!
And, when they're angry, how they swear,
And curfe their fellows, and blafpheme!

How will they ftand before thy face,

Who treated thee with fuch difdain,
While thou shalt doom them to the place
Of everlasting fire and pain!
Then never fhall one cooling drop

To quench their burning tongues be giv'nj
But I will praise thee here, and hope
Thus to employ my tongue in heav'n.
My heart fhall be in pain to hear

Wretches affront the Lord above
'Tis that great God whofe pow'r I fear,
That Heav'nly Father, whom I love.
If my companions grow profane,

I'll leave their friend fhip when I hear
Young finners take thy name in vain,

And learn to curfe, and learn to fwear.

§ 234. Against Idleness and Mischief. WATTI.

doth the little bufy bee
HOW
Improve cach fhining hour,
And gather honey all the day
From ev'ry op'ning flow'r !
How skilfully the builds her cell!

How neat fe fpreads the wax!
And labours hard to store it well
With the fweet food the makes,
In works of labour, or of skill,
I would be busy too;

For Satan finds fome mifchief still
For idle hands to do.

In books, or work, or healthful play,
Let my first years be past,
That I may give for ev'ry day
Some good account at last.

$235. Against Evil Company. WATTS. WHY fhould I join with thofe in play

In whom I've no delight;
Who curfe and fwear, but never pray ;
Who call ill names and fight.

I hate to hear a wanton song,

Their words offend mine ears;
I should not dare defile my tongue
With language fuch as theirs.
Away from fools I'll turn mine eyes;
Nor with the fcoffers go:-
I would be walking with the wife,
That wifer I may grow.

From one rude boy that's us'd to mock,
They learn the wicked jeft:

One fickly theep infects the flock,
And poifous all the rest.

My

$238. The Child's Complaint. WATTS. WHY fhould I love my sport so well, So conftant at my play,

And lofe the thoughts of heav'n and hell,
And then forget to pray!

What do I read my Bible for,

But, Lord, to learn thy will?
And fhall I daily know thee more,
And lefs obey thee ftill?

How fenfeless is my heart, and wild!
How vain are all my thoughts!
Pity the weakness of a child,
And pardon all my faults.

Make me thy heav'nly voice to hear,
And let me love to pray;

Since God will lend a gracious ear
To what a child can fay.

$239. A Morning and Evening Song. WATTS. Morning Song.

MY.God, who makes the fun to know

His proper hour to rife,

And to give light to all below,

Doth fend him round the skies!
When from the chambers of the eaft
His morning race begins,
He never tires, nor ftops to reft,

But round the world he fhines;

So, like the fun, would I fulfil

The bus'nefs of the day:
Begin my work betimes, and ftill
March on my heav'nly way.
Give me, O Lord, thy early grace,

Nor let my foul complain
That the young morning of my days
Has all been spent in vain!

Evening Song.

AND now another day is gone,

I'll fing my Maker's praife; My comforts ev'ry hour make knowa His providence and grace.

But how my childhood runs to waste !

My fins, how great their fum!
Lord give me pardon for the past,
And ftrength for days to come.

I lay my body down to fleep;
Let angels guard my head,
And, thro' the hours of darknefs, keep
Their watch around my bed.
With cheerful heart I close my eyes,
Since thou wilt not remove;
And in the morning let me rife,
Rejoicing in thy love.

THIS is the day when Chrift arofe

So carly from the dead; Why should I keep my eye-lids clos'd, And waste my hours in bed?

This is the day when Jefus broke

The pow'r of death and hell; And thall I ftill wear Satan's yoke,

And love my fins fo well
To-day with pleasure Chriftians meet,
To pray and hear the word:
And I would go with cheerful feet
To learn thy will, O Lord.

I'll leave my fport to read and pray,
And fo prepare for heav'n;
O may I love this bleffed day
The beft of all the fev'n!

$241. For the Lord's Day Evening.

LORD, how delightful 'tis to fee

WATTS.

WATTS.

A whole affembly worthip thee!
At once they fing, at once they pray;
They hear of heav'n, and learn the way.
I have been there, and still would go;
'Tislike a little heav'n below:
No tall my pleasure and my play
Sh al tempt me to forget this day.
O write upon my mem'ry, Lord,
The text and doctrines of thy word;
That I may break thy laws no more,
But love thee better than before.

With thoughts of Chrift and things divine
Fill up this foolish heart of mine;
That, hoping pardon thro' his blood,

I

1.

2.

inay lie down, and wake with God.

242. The Ten Commandments, out of the Old Teftament; with the Sum of the Commandments out of the New Testament. WATTS.

EXODUS XX.

THOU fhalt have no more gods but me. Before no idol bow thy knee. 3. Take not the name of God in vain, 4. Nor dare the Sabbath-day profane. 5. Give both thy parents honour due. 6. Take heed that thou no murder do. 7. Abitain from words and deeds unclean, 8. Nor fteal tho' thou art poor and mean; 9. Nor make a wilful lie, nor love it. 10. What is thy neighbour's dare not covet.

MATT. Xxii. 37.

WITH all thy foul love God above; And as thyilf thy neighbour love.

HOS

OSANNA to king David's Son,
Who reigns on a fuperior throne;
We blefs the Prince of heav'nly birth,
Who brings falvation down on earth.
Let ev'ry nation, ev'ry age, ́
In this delightful work engage;
Old men and babes in Zion fing
The growing glories of her King!
HOSANNA to the Prince of Grace:
Sion, behold thy King!
Proclaim the Son of David's race,

And teach the babes to fing.
Hofanna to th'eternal word,

Who from the Father came;
Afcribe falvation to the Lord,
With bleffings on his name.

HOSANNA to the Son
Of David and of God,
Who brought the news of pardon down,
And bought it with his blood.
To Chrift, th'anointed King,
Be endless bleffings giv'n;
Let the whole earth his glory fing,
Who made our peace with Heay'n.