3 Though labour was enjoin'd at first To be a curse for sin,

Yet man by being so accurst,

May screw a blessing in :
And he that with a patient mind
This penance doth sustain,
Shall by his pains true pleasures find,
And many comforts gain.

4 Whilst honest labours are applied,
We vex our ghostly foe;

And in our hearts he is denied
His harmful tares to sow.
A thousand mischiefs we avoid,
When he would us entrap;
Which they, who are not so employ'd,
But rarely do escape.

5 It makes our bread more sweet than theirs
Who idly spend their wealth;

We seldom have so many cares,

And live in better health.

If we at night begin to tire,

Next morning fresh we grow;
And for our meat, or for our hire,
To work again we go.

6 Men seldom hear us crying out,
As idler folk have done,

By reason of the lazy gout,

The colic, or the stone.

But when our strength consumed we have,
That ripeness doth increase
Which makes us ready for the grave,

And there we rest in peace.

7 Lord! grant me health and strength to bear The labours laid on me;

And in those works to persevere

Whereto I call'd shall be.

And let me find by what Thy grace
Hath for my soul prepared,
That he who works in meanest place
May gain the best reward.

HYMN X.

After our Work is done.

LEST When we have accomplished our intended works we lose the benefit of our labours by improvidence, or unthankfulness; we are hereby put in remembrance to beseech of God that we forfeit not the comfort of them by our sins.

Sing this as the 100th Psalm.

HAT I unthankful may not be

Now this my work is fully done, With praises, Lord! I come to Thee, In whom it was at first begun :

For if my pains hath compass'd ought
From whence a profit may redound;
Thy grace the same in me hath wrought;
Else fruitless had my deeds been found.
2 Let not my folly, nor my foe,
Nor past nor future sins, destroy
The labours which I did bestow
An honest profit to enjoy.

But make my pains and their effect,

To me still prosp❜rously succeed;
And let me never, Lord! neglect
To praise Thee, both in will and deed.

HYMN XI.

When we depart from Home.

WHEN we depart from home, every step is attended with some hazard, or temptation, whereby we may be endangered, if God prevent not. To Him, therefore, we should lift up our hearts to this effect.

Sing this as the 16th or 18th Psalms, &c.

HO knows, when he to go from home
Departeth from his door,

Or when or how he back shall come,
Or whether never more?

For some who walk abroad in health,

In sickness back are brought;

And some, who forth have gone with wealth,
Have back return'd with nought.

2 Lord! therefore now I go abroad,
My guard I Thee confess;
And humbly beg of Thee, O God!
My going forth to bless.

Go with me whither I would go;
Stay with me where I stay;
Do for me what I ought to do;

Speak Thou what I should say.

3 From taking wrong, from doing harm, From thoughts and speeches ill,

From passion's rage, from pleasure's charm, Vouchsafe to keep me still.

Let me abroad some blessing find,

And let no curse the while

Befall to that I leave behind,

My honest hopes to spoil;

4 But let my going out and in,

My thoughts, my words, and ways,

Be alway safe, still free from sin,

And ever to Thy praise.

And when my pains effect shall take,
Or times of stay are spent,

With health and credit bring me back,

With comfort and content.

HYMN XII.

When we return Home.

THOUGH Our affairs may not permit us to sing upon all such occasions, yet we ought at all times to be thankful: and we have at least leisure enough to meditate to this purpose when we return home.

Sing this as the former Hymn.

INCE, Lord! Thou hast well pleased been,
As now it may appear,

To bear me forth, to bring me in,
And set me safely here;

I, who deserved not this grace,
Should far less worthy be,

If I repay not in this place

The thanks I owe to Thee.

2 My tongue therefore, O Lord, my King!
Now soundeth out Thy praise:

My heart the selfsame strain doth sing;
And thus to Thee it says:

Thou art my God; and never shall
Another God be mine;

And kingdoms, powers, and glories, all
For ever shall be Thine.

HYMN XIII.

At Noontide.

We have usually some refreshings, as well at noontide as in the mornings and evenings. Therefore, the singing of a meridian Hymn, to this, or the like purpose, is not impertinent.

Sing this as the former Hymn.

OW that the sun is at his height,
And brightest beams displays;
We to the Father of this light

Will sing a song of praise:

For since that lamp can shine so clear,
And gild so large a sky,
What splendour doth in Him appear
Who made that glorious eye!

2 How happy in the light we be,
Which from this planet flows,
Inform'd we are, in some degree,
When from our view he goes:
For blessings at the full received,
Appear not so at best,

As when we are awhile deprived
Of that which was possess'd.

3 Both for this means of outward sight,

We praise Thee, Lord! therefore,
And for those beams of inward light
Which make that blessing more.
Vouchsafe that whilst this happy day
Of double grace doth last,

My feet may travel in the way

Which Thou commanded hast.

4 Those works of darkness make me shun
Which my chief practice were;
Those arms of light let me put on,
Which I am bound to bear.
That when the night of death shall close
The daylight of mine eyes,

I may without affrights repose;
And with true joys arise.

HYMN XIV.

At Sun-setting.

THE singing or meditating to such purposes as are intimated in this Hymn, when we see the sun declining, may perhaps expel unprofitable musings, and arm against the terrors of approaching darkness.