But all thy household firmly bind
To bear their last account in mind,
And use such language as may tend
To answer always some good end.
Let each one of his faults be told,
Lest he corrupt thy healthy fold;
And try to make him hate his crime,
Or he'll transgress another time.
See that thy children all submit
To thee and thine, as may be fit;
And learn, from wisdom's sacred page,
To be examples to the age.
Watch o'er thy household day and night,
That they may spend their time aright,
Nor when they please retire to sleep,
But always proper bed-time keep.
Like Enoch, humbly walk with God,
And be the same,-at home,-abroad;
-Thy own example always bright—
"A burning and a shining light."
So will thy heavenly Father bless,
And give thee peace and happiness ;-
The guardian of thy house remain,
And all thy family sustain,
Religion brings her blessings home,
Of this world, and the world to come:
So large the promise of her gains—
The sure reward of all thy pains!
ERE thou thy hands upon the plough dost lay,
First lift them up, and to thy Maker pray,
That in their work he may thy servants bless,
And crown thy labours with desired success.
In vain to plough the largest fields you own,—
In vain it is to harrow what you've sown;
If God withhold his blessing from the grain,
The seed will rot beneath the furrow'd plain,
"Tis He alone who makes the fruitful field
Its full increase against the harvest yield :
An hundred fold, or more, is sometimes given
To those who place their confidence in Heaven.
Whoe'er would from the earth its strength obtain,
And reap large crops of fair and perfect grain,
Must not on soils, or human art depend,
But look to Him, who can the increase send,
One yoke of oxen, if the Lord be there,
A greater produce may obtain, through prayer,
Than can be had from many a labouring team
Where prayer and praise are not the owner's theme.
Then thus, O husbandman! thy God adore,
And with a perfect heart his aid implore,
That he the labour of thy hands may bless,
And give thee always plenty to possess:
"O thou, by whom the universe was made!
Mankind's support, and never-failing aid,
Who waterest the cultur'd soil with rain,
And givest vegetation to the grain ;—
In vain it is to plant, in vain to sow,
If thou wilt not command the seed to grow ;
For not a single corn will rush to birth,
Of all that I've intrusted to the earth,
If thou dost not enjoin the blade to spring,
And the young shoot to full perfection bring.
I therefore beg thy blessing on my lands,
O Lord! and on the labour of my hands,
That I may thus upon thy goodness live,
And my support-my maintenance receive.
Open the windows of the skies, and pour
Thy blessings on them in a genial shower;
My corn with earth's prolific fatness feed,
And give increase to all my covered seed.
Let not the skies like brass in fusion glow,
Nor earth, with heat, as hard as iron grow;
Let not our pastures, and our meads of hay,
For our supine neglect of thee decay ;
But give us timely rain, and sun-shine meet,
A temperate season, and sufficient heat;
Give us the former and the latter rains, 9
-Give peace and plenty to the British swains.
Each deadly foe to fruitfulness restrain ;-
The dew, that blights and tarnishes the grain,
-The drought--the nipping winds-the lightning's glare,
Which to the growing corn pernicious are.
O let the year be with thy goodness crown'd,
-Let it with all thy choicest gifts abound;
Let bleating flocks each fertile valley fill,
And lowing herds adorn each rising hill.
Give to mankind the food they daily need,
And grass to beasts, that crop the flowery mead;
Give wine and oil to those who till the field,
And let thy heritage abundance yield.
Give us a harvest with profusion crown'd,
Let every field and yard with corn abound;
Let herbs each garden, fruit each orchard fill,
Let rocks their honey, kine their milk distill.
Prosper our handy-work, thou gracious God!
And take from us thy sin-avenging rod:
O further our endeavours with success,
And teach us all thy gracious name to bless."
Be mindful, ere thou quittest thy abode,
To ask for God's protection on the road,
That he may guard thee o'er the hill or plain,
And safely bring thee to thy home again.
His angel then thy footsteps shall attend,
And from each mortal ill thy life defend,-
Enable thee thy business to pursue,
And kindly prosper all thou hast to do!
So God an angel with Tobias sent,
To be his friend through all the way he went ;
Nor less propitious will he be to all,
Who shall on him for needful succour call.
From Abr'am's pious servant, learn to pray,
And call on God whilst thou art on thy way,
That he the purpose of thy soul may speed,
And cause thy utmost wishes to succeed.
But shouldst thou not before him bend thy knee,
Who knows what evil may befall to thee?
Nor can'st thou hope with joy to see thy home,
But rather disappointed back to come.
To those who must a distant journey make,
Better is prayer than all the food they take;
For this will shield them from the lightning's glance,
And keep them safely from each sad mischance.
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