'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, That he'll refufe to lend an ear To all my groans another day! What if his dreadful anger burn, 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 $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, At twelve years old he talk'd with men Children a fweet hofanna fung, And bleft our Saviour's name! 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 That fweet and lovely child. And, as his ftature grew, WAITS. 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; Fall out, and chide, and fight! Hard names at first, and threat'ning words, The devil tempts one mother's fon Till he had kill'd his brother. $232. Against Scoffing and calling Names. WATTS. OUR tongues were made to bless the Lord, When others give a railing word, Grofs words and angry names require The Lord fhall cut them off. And bid the prophet go his way, "Go up, thou bald-head, go;" To fianers c'er to young! Grant me thy grace, and teach me how $233. Again, Stearing, and Curfing, and taking God's Name in vain. WATTS. ANGELS, that high in glory dwell, 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, I'll leave their friend fhip when I hear And learn to curfe, and learn to fwear. $234. Against Idleness and Mischief. WATTS. HOW doth the little busy bee Improve cach fhining hour, How neat fe fpreads the wax! For Satan finds fome mifchief ftill In books, or work, or healthful play, That I may give for ev'ry day $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 would be walking with the wife, From one rude boy that's us'd to mock, They learn the wicked jeft: One fickly theep infects the flock, 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; In the fad marks of glory loft. -Our clothes, and call them rich and new! Flies, worms, and flow'rs, exceed me ftill. Then will I fet my heart to find Inward adornings of the mind; No more fhall worms with me compare ; It never fades, it ne'er grows old, The more 'tis worn, the more it fhines. 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! But those who worship God, and give $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, 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! Make me thy heav'nly voice to hear, Since God will lend a gracious ear § 239. A Morning and Evening Song. WATTS. Morning Song. MY. God, who makes the fun to know Doth fend him round the skies! When from the chambers of the eaft But round the world he fhines; So, like the fun, would I fulfil The bus'nefs of the day: Nor let my foul complain Evening Song. AND now another day is gone, But how my childhood runs to waste ! I lay my body down to fleep; Since thou wilt not remove; THIS is the day when Chrift arofe So carly from the dead; This is the day when Jefus broke To-day with pleasure Christians meet, I'll leave my fport to read and pray, $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. 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. loft, Yet the rofe has one powerful virtue to boast, "TIS the voice of a fluggard; I heard him And when he gets up he fits folding his hands, Said I then to my heart," Here's a leffon for me, § 248. Innocent Play. WATTS. 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; 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, So foul and to fierce are their natures : [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. They manage their work in fuch regular forms, 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, |