Chapter 2 · 12 min read
Divine Songs, Part Two
Against Lying
1 O `tis a lovely thing for youth
To walk betimes in wisdom's way;
To fear a lye, to speak the truth,
That we may trust to all they say.
2 But lyars we can never trust,
Though they should speak the thing that's true,
And he that does one fault at first,
And lyes to hide it, makes it two.
3 Have we not known, nor heard, nor read,
How God abhors deceit and wrong?
How Ananias was struck dead
Catch'd with a lye upon his tongue?
4 So did his wife Sapphira die
When she came in, and grew so bold
As to confirm that wicked lye
That just before her husband told.
5 The Lord delights in them that speak
The words of truth; but every lyar
Must have his portion in the lake
That burns with brimstone and with fire.
6 Then let me always watch my lips,
Lest I be struck to death and hell,
Since God a book of reckoning keeps
For every lye that children tell.
Against Quarrelling and Fighting
1 Let dogs delight to bark and bite,
For God has made them so;
Let bears and lyons growl and fight,
For `tis their nature too.
2 But, children, you should never let
Such angry passions rise;
Your little hands were never made
To tear each other's eyes.
3 Let love thro' all your actions run,
And all your words be mild;
Live like the blessed Virgin's Son,
That sweet and lovely child.
4 His soul was gentle as a lamb;
And as his stature grew,
He grew in favour both with man
And God his Father too.
5 Now, Lord of all, he reigns above,
And from his heavenly throne,
He sees what children dwell in love,
And marks them for his own.
Love between Brothers and Sisters
1 What ever brawls are in the street
There should be peace at home;
Where sisters dwell and brothers meet
Quarrels shou'd never come.
2 Birds in their little nests agree;
And `tis a shameful sight,
When children of one family
Fall out, and chide, and fight.
3 Hard names at first, and threatening words,
That are but noisy breath,
May grow to clubs and naked swords,
To murder and to death.
4 The devil tempts one mother's son
To rage against another:
So wicked Cain was hurried on,
Till he had kill'd his brother.
5 The wise will make their anger cool
At least before `tis night;
But in the bosom of a fool
It burns till morning light.
5 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 Names
1 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.
2 Cross words and angry names require
To be chastiz'd at school;
And he's in danger of hell-fire,
That calls his brother, fool.
3 But lips that dare be so prophane
To mock and jeer and scoff
At holy things, or holy men,
The Lord shall cut them off.
4 When children, in their wanton play
Served old Elisha so,
And bade the prophet go his way,
"Go up, thou bald head, go."
5 God quickly stopt their wicked breath,
And sent two raging bears,
That tore them limb from limb to death,
With blood and groans and tears.
6 Great God, how terrible art thou
To sinners ne'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
1 Angels that high in glory dwell
Adore thy Name, Almighty God!
And devils tremble down in hell
Beneath the terrors of thy rod.
2 And yet how wicked children dare
Abuse thy dreadful glorious Name!
And when they're angry, how they swear,
And curse their fellows, and blaspheme!
3 How will they stand before thy face,
Who treated thee with such disdain,
While thou shalt doom them to the place
Of everlasting fire and pain?
4 Then never shall one cooling drop
To quench their burning tongues be giv'n.
But I will praise thee here, and hope
Thus to employ my tongue in heav'n.
5 My heart shall be in pain to hear
Wretches affront the Lord above;
'Tis that great God whose power I fear,
That heavenly Father whom I love.
6 If my companions grow profane,
I'll leave their friendship when I hear
Young sinners take thy name in vain,
And learn to curse, and learn to swear.
Against Idleness and Mischief
1 How doth the little busy bee
Improve each shining hour,
And gather honey all the day
From every opening flower!
2 How skilfully she builds her cell!
How neat she spreads the wax!
And labours hard to store it well
With the sweet food she makes.
3 In works of labour or of skill
I would be busy too:
For Satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do.
4 In books, or work, or healthful play
Let my first years be past,
That I may give for every day
Some good account at last.
Against evil Company
1 Why should I join with those in play
In whom I've no delight;
Who curse and swear, but never pray;
Who call ill names, and fight?
2 I hate to hear a wanton song:
Their words offend my ears:
I should not dare defile my tongue
With language such as theirs.
3 Away from fools I'll turn my eyes,
Nor with the scoffers go:
I would be walking with the wise,
That wiser I may grow.
4 From one rude boy, that's used to mock,
They learn the wicked jest:
One sickly sheep infects the flock,
And poisons all the rest.
5 My God, I hate to walk or dwell
With sinful children here:
Then let me not be sent to hell,
Where none but sinners are.
Against Pride in Clothes
1 Why should 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 sin.
2 When first she put the covering on,
Her robe of innocence was gone;
And yet her children vainly boast
In the sad marks of glory lost.
3 How proud we are! how fond to shew
Our clothes, and call them rich and new,
When the poor sheep and silkworms wore
That very clothing long before!
4 The tulip and the butterfly
Appear in gayer coats than I:
Let me be dress'd fine as I will,
Flies, worms, and flowers exceed me still.
5 Then will I set my heart to find
Inward adornings of the mind:
Knowledge and virtue, truth and grace,
These are the robes of richest dress.
6 No more shall worms with me compare,
This is the raiment angels wear:
The Son of God, when here below,
Put on this blest apparel too.
6 It never fades, it ne'er grows old,
Nor fears the rain, nor moth, nor mould:
It takes no spot, but still refines;
The more `tis worn, the more it shines.
7 In this on earth would I appear,
Then go to heaven, and wear it there:
God will approve it in his sight;
'Tis his own work, and his delight.
Obedience to Parents
1 Let children that would fear the Lord
Hear what their teachers say;
With reverence meet their parents' word,
And with delight obey.
2 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?
3 What heavy guilt upon him lies!
How cursed is his name!
The ravens shall pick out his eyes,
And eagles eat the same.
4 But those who worship God, and give
Their parents honour due,
Here on this earth they long shall live,
And live hereafter, too.
The Child's Complaint
1 Why should I love my sports so well,
So constant at my play,
And lose the thoughts of heaven and hell,
And then forget to pray?
2 What do I read my Bible for,
But, Lord, to learn thy will?
And shall I daily know thee more,
And less obey thee still?
3 How senseless is my heart, and wild!
How vain are all my thoughts!
Pity the weakness of a child,
And pardon all my faults.
4 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 say.
A Morning Song
1 My God, who makes the sun to know
His proper hour to rise;
And, to give light to all below,
Doth send him round the skies:
2 When from the chambers of the east
His morning race begins,
He never tires, nor stops to rest,
But round the world he shines.
3 So, like the sun, would I fulfil
The business of the day;
Begin my work betimes, and still
March on my heavenly way.
4 Give me, O Lord, thy early grace,
Nor let my soul complain
That the young morning of my day
Has all been spent in vain!
An Evening Song
1 And now another day is gone,
I'll sing my Maker's praise!
My comforts every hour make known
His providence and grace.
2 But how my childhood runs to waste
My sins how great their sum!
Lord, give me pardon for the past,
And strength for days to come.
3 I lay my body down to sleep,
Let angels guard my head;
And, through the hours of darkness, keep
Their watch around my head.
4 With cheerful heart I close mine eyes,
Since thou wilt not remove;
And in the morning let me rise
Rejoicing in thy love.
For the Lord's Day Morning
1 This is the day when Christ arose
So early from the dead:
Why should I my eyelids close,
And waste my hours in bed?
2 This is the day when Jesus broke
The powers of death and hell;
And shall I still wear Satan's yoke,
And love my sins so well?
3 To-day, with pleasure, Christians meet,
To pray, and hear thy Word;
And I would go with cheerful feet
To learn thy will, O Lord!
4 I'll leave my sport, to read and pray,
And so prepare for heaven:
O may I love this blessed day
The best of all the seven!
For Lord's Day Evening
1 Lord, how delightful `tis to see
A whole assembly worship thee!
At once they sing, at once they pray;
They hear of heaven, and learn the way.
2 I have been there, and still would go
'Tis like a little heaven below!
Not all my pleasure and my play
Should tempt me to forget this day.
3 O write upon my memory, Lord,
The text and doctrines of thy Word,
That I may break thy laws no more,
But love thee better than before!
4 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 of the Old Testament put into short
Rhime for Children.
Exod. 20.
1. Thou shalt 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 steal, 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.
With all thy Soul love God above;
And as thyself thy Neighbour love.
Our Saviour's Golden Rule.
Be you to others Kind and True,
As you'd have others be to you.
And neither do nor say to Men
Whate'er you would not take again.
Duty to God and our neighbour.
Love God with all your Soul and Strength.
With all your Heart and Mind;
And love your Neighbour as your self:
Be faithful, just, and kind.
Deal with another as you'd have
Another deal with you.
What you're unwilling to receive,
Be sure you never do.
Out of my Book of Hymns, I have here added, the Hosanna and Glory to the Father, &c. to be sung at the end of any of these Songs, according to the Direction of Parents or Governors.
The Hosanna; or Salvation ascribed to Christ.
Long Metre.
1 Hosanna to king David's Son,
Who reigns on a superior Throne;
We bless the Prince of Heav'nly Birth,
Who brings Salvation down to Earth.
2 Let every nation, every age,
In this delightful work engage;
Old Men and Babes in Sion sing
The growing glories of her King!
Common Metre.
1 Hosanna to the Prince of Grace; Sion behold thy King; Proclaim the Son of David's Race, And teach the Babes to sing.
2 Hosanna to th' Eternal Word,
Who from the Father came;
Ascribe Salvation to the Lord,
With Blessings on his Name!
Short Metre.
1 Hosanna to the Son
Of David and of God,
Who brought the News of Pardon down,
And bought it with his Blood.
2 To Christ, th' anointed King,
Be endless blessings giv'n,
Let the whole Earth his Glory sing
Who made our Peace with Heav'n.
Glory to the Father and the Son, &c.
Long Metre.
To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Be Honour, Praise, and Glory giv'n,
By all on Earth, and all in Heav'n.
Common Metre.
Now let the Father and the Son,
And Spirit be ador'd,
Where there are works to make him known,
Or saints 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.