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'Twill fave us from a thoufand 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 please 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 swear,
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 refuse his offer'd grace,
And all his love to fury turn,

And strike me dead upon the place! 'Tis dangerous to provoke a God!

His pow'r and vengeance none can tell ; One ftroke of his almighty rod

Shall fend young finners quick to hell.

Then 'twill for ever be in vain
To cry for pardon and for grace;
To with I had my time again,
Or hope to fee my Maker's face!

$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 stand)
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!

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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 fhe 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 paffions 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.

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WHATEVER brawls disturb the ftrect, There should be peace at home; Where fifters dwell, and brothers meet,

Quarrels fhould never come.

Birds in their little nefts 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

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$232. Against Scoffing and calling Names. WATTS.

OUR tongues were made to bless the Lord,
And not speak 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 fhall 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 fianers c'er to young!

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

$233. Again, Stearing, and Curfing, and taking God's Name in vain. WATTS.

ANGELS, that high in glory dwell,
Adore thy name, Almighty God!
And devils tremble down in hell,
Beneath the terrors of thy rod.

And

yet

how wicked children dare Abufe thy dreadful glorious name! And, when they're angry, how they fwear, 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'n But I will praife thee here, and hope

Thus to employ my tongue in heav'n. My heart shall 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. WATTS. HOW doth the little busy bee

Improve cach fhining hour,
And gather honey all the day
From ev'ry op'ning flow'r!
How fkilfully fhe builds her cell!

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

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

In books, or work, or healthful play,
Let my firft 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 those 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 fong,

Their words offend mine cars;
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 poifons all the rest.

My

My God, I hate to walk or dwell

With finful children here: Then let me not be fent to hell, Where none but finners are.

§ 236. Against Pride in Clothes. WATTS. WHY fhould our garments, made to hide Our parents fhame, provoke our pride? The art of dress did ne'er begin

Till Eve, our mother, learnt to fin.

When firft the put the covʼring on,

Her robe of innocence was gone;
And yet her children vainly boaft

In the fad marks of glory loft.
How proud we are! how fond to fhew

-Our clothes, and call them rich and new!
When the poor fheep and filkworm wore
That very clothing long before.
The tulip and the butterfly
Appear in gayer coats than I:
Let me be dreft fine as I will,

Flies, worms, and flow'rs, exceed me ftill. Then will I fet my heart to find

Inward adornings of the mind;
Knowledge and virtue, truth and grace:
Thefe are the robes of richeft drefs.

No more fhall worms with me compare ;
This is the raiment angels wear;
The Son of God, when here below,
Put on this bleft apparel too.

It never fades, it ne'er grows old,
Nor fears the pain, nor moth nor mould:
It takes no spot, but ftill refines ;

The more 'tis worn, the more it fhines.
In this on earth should I appear,

Then go to heav'n and wear it there, God will approve it in his fight;

'Tis his own work, and his delight.

WATTS.

$237. Obedience to Parents. LET children that would fear the Lord, Hear what their teachers fay; With rev'rence meet their parents word, And with delight obey.

Have you not heard what dreadful plagues

Are threaten'd by the Lord,

To him that breaks his father's law,

Or mocks his mother's word?

What heavy guilt upon him lies!

How curfed is his name!
The ravens fhall pick out his eyes,
And eagles eat the fame.

But those who worship God, and give
Their parents honour due,
Here on this earth they long fhall live,
And live hereafter too.

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$238. The Child's Complaint. WATTS. WHY fhould I love my sport fo 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 known
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.

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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 Christians meet,
Το 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

goj

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 '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 may lie down, and wake with God.

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HOSAN

SANNA 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.

WATTS.

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Yet the rofe has one powerful virtue to boast,

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"TIS the voice of a fluggard; I heard him
complain,
[again."
"You have wak'd me too foon, I must flumber
As the door on its hinges, fo he on his bed [head.
Turns his fides and his fhoulders, and his heavy
"A little more fleep and a little more flumber,"
Thus he waftes half his days and his hours
without number;

And when he gets up he fits folding his hands,
Or walks about faunt'ring, or trifling he stands.
I pafs'd by his garden, and faw the wild brier,
The thorn and the thistle grow broader and higher;
The clothes that, hang on him are turning to rags;
And his moneyftill waftes,till he starves or he begs.
I made him a vifit, ftill hoping to find
He had took better care for improving his mind;
He told me his dreams, talk'd of cating and
drinking;
thinking.
But he fcarce reads his Bible, and never loves

Said I then to my heart," Here's a leffon for me,
That man's but a picture of what I might be :
But thanks to my friends for their care in my
breeding,
[reading.'
Who taught me betimes to love working and

§ 248. Innocent Play. WATTS.

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Above all the flow'rs of the field: When its leaves are all dead, and fine colours are Still how fweet a perfume will it yield!

So frail is the youth and the beauty of men,

Tho' they bloom and look gay like the rofe: But all our fond care to preferve them is vain; Time kills thein as faft as he goes.

Then I'll not be proud of my youth or my beauty,

Since both of them wither and fade:

But gain a good name by well doing my duty; This will fcent like a rofe when I'm dead.

$250. The Thief. WATTS. WHY thould I deprive my neighbour Of his goods against his will? Hands were made for honeft labour; Not to plunder or to steal. 'Tis a foolish self-deceiving,

By fuch tricks to hope for gain : All that's ever got by thieving Turns to forrow, fhame, and pain. Have not Eve and Adam taught us, Their fad profit to compute? To what difinal ftate they brought us, When they ftole forbidden fruit!

Oft we fee a young beginner

Till grown up a harden'd finner;
Practife little pilfring ways,
Then the gallows ends his days.
Theft will not be always hidden,
Tho' we fancy none can spy:
When we take a thing forbidden,
God beholds it with his eye.

ABROAD in the meadows, to fee the young Guard my heart, O God of heav'n,

lambs

Run fporting about by the fide of their dams,
With fleeces fo clean and fo white,
Or a neft of young doves in a large open cage,
When they play all in love without anger or rage,
How much we may learn from the fight!
If we had been ducks, we might dabble in mud;
Or dogs, we might play till it ended in blood;

So foul and to fierce are their natures :
But Thomas and William, and fuch pretty names,
Should be cleanly and harmless as doves or as
Thofe lovely fweet innocent creatures. [lambs,
Not a thing that we do, nor a word that we fay,
Should hinder another in jefting or play;
For he's ftill in carneft that's hurt:

[mire! How rude are the boys that throw pebbles and There's none but a madman will fling about fire, And tell you, "'Tis all but in fport."

§ 249. The Rofe. WATTS. HOW fair is the rofe! what a beautiful flow'r! The glory of April and May!

But the leaves are beginning to fade in an hour. And they wither and die in a day.

Left I covet what's not mine: Left Ifteal what is not giv'n, Guard my heart and hands from fin.

THE

§ 251.
The Ant, or Emmet. WATTS.
HESE Emmets,how little they are in our eyes!
We tread them to duft, and a troop of them
Yet, as wife as we are, if we went to their school,
Without our regard or concern : [dies,.
There's many a fluggard and many a fool,
Some leffons of wildom might learn.
They don't wear their time out in fleeping or play,
But gather up corn in a fun-fhiny day;

They manage their work in fuch regular forms,
And for winter they lay up their stores :
One would think they forefaw all the frosts and

the ftorms,

And fo brought their food within doors But I have lefs fenfe than a poor creeping ant, If I take not duc care for the things I fhall want, Nor provide against dangers in time. When death or old age fhall frare in my face, What a wretch fhall I be in the end of my days, If I trifle away all their prime! L 3 Now,

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