ink 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
confin'd 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 an attempt or two of _Sonnets_ on _Moral
Subjects_ for children, with an air of pleasantry, to provoke some
fitter pen to write a little book of them. My talent doth not lie
that way, and a man on the borders of the grave has other work.
Besides, if I had health or leisure to lay out this way, it should
be employ'd in finishing the _Psalms_, which I have so long promised
the world.

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

Divine Songs

For

Children.

Song 1.
_A General Song of Praise to God_.

1 How glorious is our Heavenly King,
Who reigns above the sky!
How shall a child presume to sing
His dreadful majesty?

2 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.

3 Not angels that stand round the Lord
Can search his secret will;
But they perform his heavenly word,
And sing his praises still.

4 Then let me join this holy train,
And my fi