and hell,
Since God a book of reckoning keeps
For every lye that children tell.
Song 16.
_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.
Song 17.
_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.
Song 18.
_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.
So
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