And holy children when they die
Go to that world above.
There is a dreadful hell,
And everlasting pains;
There finners muft with devils dwell In darkness, fire, and chains.
Can fuch a wretch as I
Efcape this curfed end?
And may I hope whene'er I die
I fhall to heaven afcend?
Then will I read and pray,
While I have life and breath; Left I should be cut off to-day, And sent t'eternal death.
THE ADVANTAGES OF EARLY RELIGION.
HAPPY's the child whose youngest years
Receive inftructions well:
Who hates the finner's path, and fears
The road that leads to hell.
When we devote our youth to God,
'Tis pleafing in his eyes;
A flower, when offer'd in the bud,
Is no vain facrifice.
'Tis easier work if we begin
To fear the Lord betimes; While finners that grow old in fin
Are harden'd in their crimes.
'Twill fave us from a thousand fnares,
To mind religion young;
Grace will preferve our following years,
And make our virtue strong.
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 prayer and praise
Employ my youngest breath;
Thus I'm prepar'd for longer days,
Or fit for early death.
THE DANGER OF DELAY.
WAY fhould I fay," "Tis yet too foon
To feek for heaven or think of death?"
A flower may fade before 'tis noon,
And I this day may loose my breath.
If this rebellious heart of mine
Defpife the gracious calls of heaven,
1 may be harden'd in my fin,
And never have repentance given.
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 bless'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 wondering stand)
Yet he obey'd his mother then,
And came at her command.
Children a sweet hosanna fung,
And bleft their Saviour's name; They gave him honour with their tongue, While fcribes and priests blaspheme.
Samuel the child was wean'd, and brought
To wait upon the Lord;
Young Timothy by times was taught
To know his holy word.
Then why should I fo long delay
What others learnt fo foon?
1 would not pais another day
Without this work begun.
SONG XV.
The Lord delights in them that speak
The words of truth; but every liar
Must have his portion in the lake
That burns with brimftone and with fire.
Then let me always watch my lips,
Left I be ftruck to death and hell,
Since God a book of reckoning keeps
For every lie that children tell.
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 through all our actions run,
And all your words be mild;
Live like the bleffed virgin's fon,
That sweet 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 heavenly throne He fees what children dwell in love, And marks them for his own.
LOVE BETWEEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
WATEVER brawls disturb the street,
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 thameful fight,
When children of one family
Fall out and chide and fight.
Hard names at first, and threatening 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 ho 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.
AGAINST SCOFFING AND CALLING NAMIS.
OUR tongues were made to blefs the Lord,
And not speak ill of men;
When others give a railing word,
We must not rail again.
Crofs words and angry names require
To be chaftis'd at school;
And he's in danger of hell fire,
That calls his brother fool.
But lips that dare be fo profane,
To mock and jeer and scoff
At holy things or holy men,
The Lord fhall cut them off.
When children in their wanton play
Serv'd old Elisha 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 finners e'er so young!
Grant me thy grace, and teach me how
To tame and rule my tongue.
AGAINST SWEARING AND CURSING, AND TAKING GOD'S NAME IN VAIN.
ANGELS, that high in gloty dwell,
Adore thy name, Almighty God!
And devils tremble down in hell,
Beneath the terrors of thy rud.
And yet how wicked children dare
Abufe thy dreadful glorious name!
And when they're angry, how they fwear,
And cutfe their fellows and blafpheme!
How will they ftand before thy face,
Who treated thee with fuch disdain,
While thou shalt doom them to the place
Of everlasting fire and pain?
Then never shall one cooling drop
To quench their burning tongues be given;
But I will praife thee here, and hope
Thus to employ my tongue in heaven.
My heart fhall be in pain to hear
Wretches affront the Lord above;
'Tis that great God whose power I fear;
That heavenly Father whom I love.
If my companions grow profane,
I'll leave their friendship, when I hear
Young finners take thy name in vain,
And learn to curie, and learn to swear.
AGAINST IDLENESS AND MISCHIEF
How doth the little busy bee
Improve each fhining hour,
And gather honey all the day
From every opening flower?
How fkilfully the builds her cell!
How neat the fpreads the wax!
And labours hard to ftore it well
With the sweet food she makes,
In works of labour or of skill,
I would be bufy too;
For Satan finds fome mifchief still
For idle hands to do.
In books, or work, or healthful play,
Let my first years be paft,
That I may give for every day
Some good account at last.
AGAINST EVIL COMPANY.
WHY fhould I join with those in play,
In whom I've no delight;
Who curfe and fwear but hever pray;
Who call ill names and fight?
I hate to hear a wanton fong:
Their words offend mine ears;
I thould 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 us'd to mock;
They learn the wicked jeft:
One fickly fheep infects the flock,
And poisons all the rest.
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.
AGAINST PRIDE IN CLOTHES.
WHY fhould our garments, made to hide
Our parents shame, provoke our pride?
The art of dress did ne'er begin,
Till Eve our mother learnt to fin.
When first she put her covering on,
Her robe of innocence was gone;
And yet her children vainly boast
In the fad marks of glory loft.
How proud we are! how fond to fhow
Our clothes, and call them rich and new!
When the poor fheep and filk-worm 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 flowers, exceed me ftil.
Then will I fet my heart to find
Inward adornings of the mind;
Knowledge and virtue, truth and grace
These are the robes of richeft drefs.
No more shall 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 rain, nor moth, nor mould
It takes no spot, but ftill refines;
The more 'tis worn, the more it fhines.
In this on earth fhould' I appear;
Then go to heaven and wear it there;
God will approve it in his fight;
"Tis his own work, and his delight.
SONG XXIII.
OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS.
LET children that would fear the Lord
Hear what their teachers say;
With reverence 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.
WHY should I love my fport fo well,
So conftant at my play,
And lofe the thoughts of heaven 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 fenfelefs is my heart and wild!
How vain are all my thoughts!
Pity the weaknefs of a child,
And pardon all my faults!
Make me thy heavenly voice to hear;
And let me love to pray;
Since God will lend a gracious ear
To what a child can fay.
Aaj
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 fkies.
When from the chambers of the east
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 bufinefs of the day;
Begin my work betimes, and still
March on my heavenly 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.
AND now another day is gone,
I'll fing my Maker's praise;
My comforts every 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 strength for days to come.
I lay my body down to fleep;
Let angels guard my head,
And through the hours of darkness 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.
FOR THE LORD'S DAY MORNING.
THIS is the day when Chrift arose
So early from the dead;
Why should I keep my eyelids clos'd,
And wafle my hours in bed?
This is the day when Jefus broke
The power of death and hell;
And fhall I still 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 heaven:
O may love this bieffed day
The bel of all the feven!
SONG XXVIII.
FOR THE LORD'S-DAY EVENING
LORD, how delightful 'tis to fee
A whole affembly worship thee!
At once they fing, at once they pray;
They hear of heaven, and learn the way.
I have been there, and ftill would go:
'Tis like a little heaven below:
Not all my pleasure and my play
Shall tempt me to forget this day.
O write upon my memory, Lord,
The texts and doctrines of thy word;
That I may break thy laws no more,
But love thee better than before.
With thoughts of Christ and things divine
Fill up this foolish heart of mine;
That, hoping pardon through his blood,
I may lie down and wake with God.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, OUT O THE OLD TESTAMENT,
PUT INTO SHORT RHYME FOR CHILDREN.
I. THOU fhalt have no more Gods but me. 2. 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. Abstain from words and deeds unclean. 8. Nor fteal though thou art poor and mean. 9. Nor make a wilful lie, nor love it. 10. What is thy neighbour's dare not covet.
THE SUM OF THE COMMANDMENTS,
OUT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
Matthew xxii. 37.
WITH all thy foul love God above,
And as thyself thy neighbour love.
OUR SAVIOUR's GOLDEN RULE.
Matthew vii. 12.
Br you to others kind and true,
As you'd have others be to you;
And neither do nor fay to men,
Whate'er you would not take again.
DUTY TO GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOUR
Love God with all your foul and strength,
With all your heart and mind:
And love your neighbour as yourself,
Be faithful, juft, and kind.
Deal with another as you'd have
Another deal with you;
What you're unwilling to receive,
Be fure you never do.
But of my Book of HYMNS I bave here added the
Hefanna, and Glory to the Father, c. to be fung
at the End of any of thefe Songs, according to the
Direction of Parents or Governors.
THE HOSANNA; OR SALVATION
ASCRIBED TO CHRIST.
HOSANNA to king David's Son,
Who reigns on a fuperior throne:
We blefs the Prince of heavenly birth,
Who brings falvation down on earth.
Let every nation, every age,
In this delightful work engage;
Old men and babes in Sion fing
The growing glories of her king.
COMMON METRE.
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.
SHORT METRE.
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 given;
Let the whole carth his glory fing,
Who made our peace with heaven.
GLORY TO THE FATHER AND THE SON, &c,
To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One;
Be honour, praise and glory given,
By all on earth, and all in heaven.
COMMON METRE.
Now let the Father and the Son,
And Spirit, be ador'd,
Where there are works to make him known,
Or faints to love the Lord.
SHORT METRE.
GIVE to the Father praise,
Give glory to the Son; And to the Spirit of his grace; Be equal honour done.
A SLIGHT SPECIMEN OF MORAL SONGS, Such as I wife fome happy and condescending genius would undertake for the ufe of children, and perform much better.
The fence and fubjects might be borrowed plentifully from the Proverbs of Solomon, from all the
common appearances of nature, from all the occurrences of civil life, both in city and country (which would alfo afford matter for other divine fongs). Here the language and measures should be eafy, and flowing with cheerfulness, with or without the folemnities of religion, or the facred names of God and holy things; that children might find delight and profit together.
This would be one effectual way to deliver them from thofe idle, wanton, or profane fongs, which give fo early an ill taint to the fancy and memory; and become the feeds of future vices,
"Tis the voice of the fluggard; I heard him com-
plain,
[again.'
"You have wak'd me too foon, I muft lumber
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 with-
out number;
And when he gets up, he fits folding his hands,
Or walks about fauntering, or trifling he stands.
I pafs'd by his garden, and faw the wild brier,
The thorn and the thiftle grow broader and higher
The clothes that hang on him are turning to rags:
And his money still waftes till he ftarves 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 eating and drink.
[ing.
But he fcarce reads his Bible and never loves think.
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, (ing. Who taught me betimes to love working and read
II. INNOCENT PLAY.
ABROAD in the meadows to fee the young 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 may we 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 fo fierce are their natures:
But Thomas and William, and fuch pretty names,
Should be cleanly and harmless as doves or as lambs,
Thofe lovely fweet innocent creatures.
Not a thing that we do, nor a word that we fay,
Should hinder another in jefting or play;
For he's still in earnest that's hurt;
How rude are the boys that throw pebbles and mire!
There's none but a madman will fling about fire,
And tell you," "Tis all but in sport."
III. THE ROSE. How fair is the rofe! what a beautiful Bower The glory of April and May! A a j
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