PREFACE. TO ALL THAT ARE CONCERNED IN THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN.

MY FRIENDS,

It is an awful and important charge that is committed to you. The wisdom and welfare of the succeeding generation are intrusted with you before hand, and depend much on your conduct. The seeds of misery or happiness in this world, and that to come, are oftentimes sown very early; and, therefore, whatever may conduce to give the minds of children a relish for virtue and religion ought in the first place, to be proposed to you.

Verse was at first designed for the service of God, though it hath been

wretchedly abused since. The ancients among the Jews and the, Heathens

taught their children and disciples the precepts of morality and

worship in verse. The children of Israel were commanded to learn the

words of the song of Moses, Deuteronomy 31:19,30; and we are directed in the

New Testament, not only to sing, "with grace in the heart," but to

"teach and admonish one another by hymns and songs," Ephes. 5:19. And

there are these four advantages in it:

1. There is a great delight in the very learning of truths and duties

this way. There is something so amusing and entertaining in rhymes

and metre that will incline children to make this part of their

business a diversion. And you may turn their very duty into a

reward, by giving them the privilege of learning one of these songs

every week, if they fulfil the business of the week well, and

promising them the book itself, when they have learned ten or

twenty songs out of it.

2. What is learned in verse is longer retained in memory, and sooner

recollected. The like sounds and the like number of syllables

exceedingly assist the remembrance. And it may often happen that

the end of a song, running in the mind, may be an effectual means

to keep off some temptations, or to incline to some duty, when a

word of scripture is not upon their thoughts.

3. This will be a constant furniture for the minds of children, that

they may have something to think upon when alone, and sing over to

themselves. This may sometimes give their thoughts a divine turn,

and raise a young meditation. Thus they will not be forced to seek

relief for an emptiness of mind out of the loose and dangerous

sonnets of the age.

4. These Divine Songs may be a pleasant and proper matter for their

daily or weekly worship, to sing one in the family at such time as

the parents or governors shall appoint; and therefore I have

confined the verse to the most usual psalm tunes.

The greatest part of this little book was composed several years ago, at the request of a friend who has been long engaged in the work of catechising a very great number of children of all kinds, and with abundant skill and success, so that you will find here nothing that savours of a party: the children of high and low degree, of the Church of England or Dissenters, baptized in infancy or not, may all join together in these songs. And as I have endeavoured to sink the language to the level of a child's understanding and yet to keep it, if possible, above contempt, so I have designed to profit all, if possible, and offend none. I hope the more general the sense is, these composures may be of the more universal use and service.

I have added at the end some attempts of sonnets on moral subjects, for children, with an air of pleasantry, to provoke some fitter pen to write a little book of them.

May the Almighty God make you faithful in this important work of education: may he succeed your cares with his abundant grace; that the rising generation of Great Britain may be a glory among the nations, a pattern to the Christian world, and a blessing to the earth!

PREFACE TO THE PRESENT EDITION.

Whatever opinion may be entertained by connoisseurs as to the value of Dr. Watts's Hymns as "Poems," none can doubt the earnest piety which dictated them, nor the unmistakable popularity they have ever enjoyed, both at home and abroad, and which fully entities them to be considered as genuine "Household Words".

Numerous as are the editions already published, more or less illustrated, none have as yet approached the standard of completeness or excellence which such popularity deserves.

The projectors of this effort fully believe that this want will be amply supplied by the production of the present edition. The names and number of the artists employed, together with the general care and finish bestowed throughout, they trust will be sufficient guarantee that their labour has not been in vain.

It may be well to add that the whole of the Illustrations have been arranged and engraved under the entire direction of Mr. James D. Cooper.

LONDON, 1866.

Divine Songs

Song 1.

A General Song of Praise to God.

How glorious is our heavenly King,

Who reigns above the sky!

How shall a child presume to sing

His dreadful majesty?

How great his power is none can tell,

Nor think how large his grace;

Not men below, nor saints that dwell

On high before his face.

Not angels, that stand round the Lord,

Can search his secret will;

But they perform his heavenly word,

And sing his praises still.

Then let me join this holy train,

And my first offerings bring:

Th' eternal God will not disdain

To hear an infant sing.

My heart resolves, my tongue obeys;

And angels will rejoice

To hear their mighty Maker's praise

Sound from a feeble voice.

Song 2.

Praise for Creation and Providence.

I sing th' almighty power of God,

That made the mountains rise,

That spread the flowing seas abroad,

And built the lofty skies.

I sing the wisdom that ordain'd

The sun to rule the day:

The moon shines full at his command,

And all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord,

That fill'd the earth with food:

He form'd the creatures with his word,

And then pronounced them good.

Lord, how thy wonders are display'd

Where'er I turn mine eye,

If I survey the ground I tread,

Or gaze upon the sky!

There's not a plant or flower below,

But makes thy glories known;

And clouds arise and tempests blow,

By order from thy throne.

Creatures--as numerous as they be--

Are subject to thy care:

There's not a place where we can flee,

But God is present there.

In heaven he shines with beams of love,

With wrath in hell beneath:

'Tis on his earth I stand or move,

And tis his air I breathe.

His hand is my perpetual guard,

He keeps me with his eye:

Why should I then forget the Lord,

Who is for ever nigh?

Song 3.

Praise to God for our Redemption.

Blest be the wisdom and the power,

The justice and the grace,

That join'd in counsel to restore

And save our ruin'd grace!

Our father ate forbidden fruit,

And from his glory fell;

And we, his children, thus were brought

To death, and near to hell.

Blest be the Lord, that sent his Son

To take our flesh and blood!

He for our lives gave up his own,

To make our peace with God.

He honour'd all his Father's laws,

Which we have disobey'd;

He bore our sins upon the cross,

And our full ransom paid.

Behold him rising from the grave;

Behold him raised on high:

He pleads his merits there, to save

Transgressors doom'd to die.

There, on a glorious throne, he reigns;

And by his power divine

Redeems us from the slavish chains

Of Satan and of sin.

Thence shall the Lord to judgment come;

And, with a sovereign voice,

Shall call and break up every tomb,

While waking saints rejoice.

O may I then with joy appear

Before the Judge's face;

And, with the blest assembly there,

Sing his redeeming grace.

Song 4.

Praise for Mercies.

Whene'er I take my walks abroad,

How many poor I see!

What shall I render to my God

For all his gifts to me?

Not more than others I deserve,

Yet God hath given me more:

For I have food, while others starve,

Or beg from door to door.

How many children in the street

Half naked I behold!

While I am clothed from head to feet,

And cover'd from the cold.

While some poor wretches scarce can tell

Where they may lay their head,

I have a home wherein to dwell,

And rest upon my bed.

While others early learn to swear,

And curse, and lie, and steal,

Lord, I am taught thy name to fear,

And do thy holy will.

Are these thy favours, day by day,

To me above the rest?

Then let me love thee more than they,

And try to serve thee best.

Song 5.

Praise for birth and education in a Christian land.

Great God, to thee my voice I raise,

To thee my youngest hours belong:

I would begin my life with praise,

Till growing years improve the song.

'Tis to thy sovereign grace I owe

That I was born on Christian ground;

Where streams of heavenly mercy flow,

And words of sweet salvation sound.

I would not change my native land

For rich Peru, with all her gold:

A nobler prize lies in my hand

Than east or western Indies hold.

How do I pity those that dwell

Where ignorance and darkness reign!

They know no heaven--they fear no hell--

That endless joy--that endless pain.

Thy glorious promises, O Lord,

Kindle my hopes and my desire:

While all the preachers of thy word

Warn me t' escape eternal fire.

Thy praise shall still employ my breath,

Since thou hast mark'd my way to heaven,

Nor will I run the road to death,

And waste the blessings thou hast given.

Song 6.

Praise for the Gospel.

Lord, I ascribe it to thy grace,

And not to chance as others do,

That I was born of Christian race,

And not a heathen, or a Jew.

What would the ancient Jewish kings

And Jewish prophets once have given,

Could they have heard these glorious things

Which Christ reveal'd and brought from heaven!

How glad the Heathens would have been,

That worshipp'd idols, wood, and stone,

If they the book of God had seen,

Or Jesus and his gospel known!

Then, if the Gospel I refuse,

How shall I e'er lift up mine eyes?

For all the Gentiles and the Jews

Against me will in judgment rise.

Song 7.

The excellency of the Bible.

Great God, with wonder and with praise

On all thy works I look:

But still thy wisdom, power, and grace

Shine brighter in thy Book.

The stars that in their courses roll

Have much instruction given;

But thy good Word informs my soul

How I may climb to heaven.

The fields provide me food, and show

The goodness of the Lord;

But fruits of life and glory grow

In thy most holy Word.

Here are my choicest treasures hid;

Here my best comfort lies;

Here my desires are satisfied;

And hence my joys arise.

Lord, make me understand thy law:

Show what my faults have been;

And from thy Gospel let me draw

Pardon for all my sin.

Here would I learn how Christ has died

To save my soul from hell:

Not all the books on earth beside

Such heavenly wonders tell.

Then let me love my Bible more;

And take a fresh delight

By day to read these wonders o'er,

And meditate by night.

Song 8.

Praise to God for learning to read.

The praises of my tongue

I offer to the Lord,

That I was taught and learnt so young

To read his holy Word.

That I am taught to know

The danger I was in;

By nature, and by practice too,

A wretched slave to sin.

That I am led to see

I can do nothing well;

And whither shall a sinner flee,

To save himself from hell?

Dear Lord, this book of thine

Informs me where to go,

For grace to pardon all my sin,

And make me holy too.

Here I can read and learn

How Christ, the Son of God,

Did undertake our great concern;

Our ransom cost his blood.

And now he reigns above,

He sends his Spirit down,

To show the wonders of his love,

And make his Gospel known.

O may that Spirit teach,

And make my heart receive

Those truths which all thy servants preach,

And all thy saints believe.

Then shall I praise the Lord

In a more cheerful strain,

That I was taught to read his Word,

And have not learnt in vain.

Song 9.

The all-seeing God.

Almighty God, thy piercing eye

Strikes through the shades of night,

And our most secret actions lie

All open to thy sight.

There's not a sin that we commit,

Nor wicked word we say,

But in thy dreadful book tis writ

Against the judgment-day.

And must the crimes that I have done

Be read and publish'd there;

Be all exposed before the sun,

While men and angels hear?

Lord, at thy feet ashamed I lie;

Upward I dare not look:

Pardon my sins before I die,

And blot them from thy book.

Remember all the dying pains

That my Redeemer felt;

And let his blood wash out my stains,

And answer for my guilt.

O may I now for ever fear

T' indulge a sinful thought,

Since the great God can see and hear,

And writes down ev'ry fault!

Song 10.

Solemn thoughts on God and death.

There is a God that reigns above,

Lord of the heavens, and earth, and seas:

I fear his wrath, I ask his love,

And with my lips I sing his praise.

There is a law which he has writ,

To teach us all what we must do:

My soul, to his commands submit,

For they are holy, just, and true.

There is a Gospel of rich grace,

Whence sinners all their comforts draw:

Lord, I repent, and seek thy face,

For I have often broke thy law.

There is an hour when I must die,

Nor do I know how soon twill come:

A thousand children, young as I,

Are call'd by death to hear their doom.

Let me improve the hours I have,

Before the day of grace is fled:

There's no repentance in the grave,

No pardon offer'd to the dead.

Just as a tree cut down, that fell

To north or southward, there it lies,

So man departs to heaven or hell,

Fix'd in the state wherein he dies.

Song 11.

Heaven and Hell.

There is beyond the sky

A heaven of joy and love;

And holy children, when they die,

Go to that world above.

There is a dreadful hell,

And everlasting pains:

There sinners must with devils dwell

In darkness, fire, and chains.

Can such a wretch as I

Escape this cursed end?

And may I hope, whene'er I die,

I shall to heaven ascend?

Then will I read and pray,

While I have life and breath,

Lest I should be cut off to-day,

And sent t' eternal death.

Song 12.

The advantages of early religion.

Happy the child whose youngest years

Receive instructions well;

Who hates the sinner's path, and fears

The road that leads to hell.

When we devote our youth to God,

'Tis pleasing in his eyes;

A flower, when offer'd in the bud,

Is no vain sacrifice.

'Tis easier work if we begin

To fear the Lord betimes;

While sinners, that grow old in sin,

Are harden'd in their crimes.

'Twill save us from a thousand snares

To mind religion young:

Grace will preserve our following years,

And make our virtue strong.

To thee, Almighty God, to thee

Our childhood we resign:

'Twill please us to look back and see

That our whole lives were thine.

Let the sweet work of prayer and praise

Employ my youngest breath!

Thus I'm prepared for future days,

Or fit for early death.

Song 13.

The danger of delay.

Why should I say, "Tis yet too soon

"To seek for heaven or think of death?"

A flower may fade before tis noon,

And I this day may lose my breath.

If this rebellious heart of mine

Despise the gracious calls of Heaven,

I may be harden'd in my sin,

And never have repentance given.

What if the Lord grow wroth, and swear,

While I refuse to read and pray,

That he'll refuse 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 anger turn,

And strike me dead upon the place!

'Tis dangerous to provoke a God!

His power and vengeance none can tell:

One stroke of his almighty rod

Shall send young sinners quick to hell.

Then twill for ever be in vain

To cry for pardon or for grace;

To wish I had my time again,

Or hope to see my Maker's face.

Song 14.

Examples of early piety.

What blest examples do I find

Writ in the Word of Truth,

Of children that begin to mind

Religion in their youth!

Jesus, 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 hasanna sung,

And blest their Saviour's name;

They gave him honour with their tongue,

While scribes and priests blaspheme.

Samuel the child was wean'd and brought

To wait upon the Lord:

Young Timothy betimes was taught

To know his holy Word.

Then why should I so long delay

What others learnt so soon?

I would not pass another day

Without this work begun.

Song 15.

Against lying.

O tis a lovely thing for youth

To walk betimes in wisdom's way;

To fear a lie, to speak the truth,

That we may trust to all they say!

But liars we can never trust,

Though they should speak 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 she came in, and grew so bold

As to confirm that wicked lie,

Which just before her husband told.

The Lord delights in them that speak

The words of truth; but every liar

Must have his portion in the lake

That burns with brimstone and with fire.

Then let me always watch my lips,

Lest I be struck to death and hell,

Since God a book of reckoning keeps

For every lie that children tell.

Song 16.

Against quarrelling and fighting.

Let dogs delight to bark and bite,

For God has made them so:

Let bears and lions growl and fight,

For tis their nature, too.

But, children, you should never let

Such angry passions rise:

Your little hands were never made

To tear each other's eyes.

Let love through all your actions run,

And all your words be mild:

Live like the blessed Virgin's Son,

That sweet and lovely child.

His soul was gentle as a lamb;

And as his stature 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 sees what children dwell in love,

And marks them for his own.

Song 17.

Love between brothers and sisters.

Whatever brawls disturb the street,

There should be peace at home;

Where sisters dwell and brothers meet

Quarrels should never come.

Birds in their little nests agree;

And tis a shameful sight,

When children of one family

Fall out, and chide, and fight.

Hard names at first, and threatening words,

That are but noisy breath,

May grow to clubs and naked swords,

To murder and to death.

The devil tempts one mother's son

To rage against another:

So wicked Cain was hurried on,

Till he had kill'd his brother.

The wise will let their anger cool,

At least before tis night;

But in the bosom 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!

Song 18.

Against scoffing and calling names.

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.

Cross words and angry names require

To be chastised at school;

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 scoff

At holy things, or holy men,

The Lord shall cut them off.

When children, in their wanton play,

Served old Elisha so,

And bade the prophet go his way,

Go up, thou bald head, go!'

God quickly stopp'd their wicked breath;

And sent two raging bears,

That tore them limb from limb to death,

With blood, and groans, and tears.

Great God! how terrible art thou

To sinners e'er so young:

Grant me thy grace, and teach me how

To tame and rule my tongue.

Song 19.

Against cursing, swearing, and taking God's name in vain.

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

Abuse thy dreadful, glorious Name!

And when they're angry, how they swear,

And curse their fellows, and blaspheme!

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?

Then never shall one cooling drop

To quench their burning tongues be given;

But I will praise thee here, and hope

Thus to employ my tongue in heaven.

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.

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.

Song 20.

Against idleness and mischief.

How doth the little busy bee

Improve each shining hour,

And gather honey all the day

From every opening flower!

How skillfully she builds her cell!

How neat she spreads the wax!

And labours hard to store it well

With the sweet food she makes.

In works of labour or of skill

I would be busy too:

For Satan finds some mischief still

For idle hands to do.

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.

Song 21.

Against evil company.

Why should I join with those in play

In whom I've no delight;

Who curse and swear, but never play;

Who call ill names, and fight?

I hate to hear a wanton song:

Their words offend my ears:

I should not dare defile my tongue

With language such as theirs.

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.

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.

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.

Song 22.

Against pride in clothes.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Song 23.

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 cursed is his name!

The ravens shall pick out his eyes,

And eagles eat the same.

But those who worship God, and give

Their parents honour due,

Here on this earth they long shall live,

And live hereafter, too.

Song 24.

The child's complaint.

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?

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?

How senseless 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 heavenly voice to hear,

And let me love to pray;

Since God will lend a gracious ear

To what a child can say.

Song 25.

A morning song.

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:

When from the chambers of the east

His morning race begins,

He never tires, nor stops to rest,

But round the world he shines.

So, like the sun, would I fulfil

The business of the day;

Begin my work betimes, and still

March on my heavenly way.

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!

Song 26.

An evening song.

And now another day is gone,

I'll sing my Maker's praise!

My comforts every hour make known

His providence and grace.

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.

I lay my body down to sleep,

Let angels guard my head;

And, through the hours of darkness, keep

Their watch around my head.

With cheerful heart I close mine eyes,

Since thou wilt not remove;

And in the morning let me rise

Rejoicing in thy love.

Song 27.

For the Lord's-day morning.

This is the day when Christ arose

So early from the dead:

Why should I my eyelids close,

And waste my hours in bed?

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?

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!

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!

Song 28.

For the Lord's-day evening.

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.

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.

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!

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

1. Thou shalt have no more Gods but me.

2. Before no idol bow thy knee.