Produced by Lewis Jones
Divine Songs
Attempted in the Easy Language of Children.
By I. Watts.
Out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou hast perfectedPraise. Matt. xxi. 16.
Transcriber's Note.
Throughout, modern numerals have been substituted for their Romanequivalents.
In Watts' dedication the original capitalisation, italics andspelling are retained; the aim thereby is to convey more accuratelythe flavour of the original.
Mrs. SARAH )
Mrs. MARY and) ABNEY,
Mrs. ELIZABETH )
Daughters of Sir THOMAS ABNEY, Kt. and Alderman of London.
My Dear Young Friends,
Whom I am constrained to love and honour by many Obligations. It wasthe generous and condescending Friendship of your Parents under myweak Circumstances of Health, that brought me to their Country-Seatfor the Benefit of the Air; but it was an Instance of most uncommonKindness, to supply me there so chearfully for two Years of Sicknesswith the richest Conveniences of Life. Such a Favour requires mymost affectionate Returns of Service to themselves, and to all thatis dear to them; and meer Gratitude demands some solemn and publickAcknowledgment.
But great Minds have the true Relish and Pleasure of doing Good, andare content to be unknown.
It is such a silent Satisfaction Sir Thomas Abney enjoys in theunspeakable Blessings of this Year, that brought our present King tothe Throne: and he permits the World to forget that happy Turn thatwas given to the Affairs of the Kingdom by his wise Management inthe Highest Office of the City, whereby the Settlement of the Crownwas so much strengthen'd in the Illustrious Family which nowpossesses it. O may the Crown flourish many Years on the Head of ourSoveraign, and may his House possess it to the End of Time, tosecure all Religious and Civil Liberties to the Posterity of thosewho have been so zealous to establish this Succession!
The fair and lovely Character your Honoured Father hath acquired bypassing thro' all the chief Offices of the City, and leaving aLustre upon them, seems imperfect in his own Esteem, without theAddition of this Title, A Succourer and a Friend of the Ministersof Christ. And in this part of his Honour the Lady your Mother isresolved to have an unborrow'd Share, and becomes his daily Rival.
It is to her unwearied Tenderness, and many kind Offices by Nightand Day, in the more violent Seasons of my Indisposition, that(under God) I own my Life, and Power to write or think. And while Iremember those Hours, I can't forget the cheerful and readyAttendance of her worthy Sister, her dear Companion and Assistant inevery good Work.
Under the Influence of two such Examples I have also enjoy'd thePleasure and Conveniency of your younger Services, according to theCapacity of your Years; and that with such a Degree of sincere andhearty Zeal for my Welfare, that you are ready to vie with eachother in the kind Imployment, and assist all you can toward myRecovery and Usefulness. So that whoever shall reap benefit by anyof my Labours, it is but a reasonable Request, that you share withme in their Thanks and their Prayers.
But this is a small Part of your Praise.
If it would not be suspected of Flattery, I could tell the Worldwhat an Acquaintance with Scripture, what a Knowledge of Religion,what a Memory of Divine things both in Verse and