HYMN XL. AT THE OPENING OF A SCHOOL IN KINGSWOOD.
Come, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
To whom we for our children cry;
The good desired and wanted most,
Out of Thy richest grace supply;
The sacred discipline be given,
To train and bring them up for heaven.
Answer on them that end of all
Our cares, and pains, and studies here;
On them, recover'd from their fall,
Stamp'd with the heavenly character,
Raised by the nurture of the Lord,
To all their paradise restored.
Error and ignorance remove,
Their blindness both of heart and mind;
Give them the wisdom from above,
Spotless, and peaceable, and kind;
In knowledge pure their mind renew,
And store with thoughts divinely true.
Learning's redundant part and vain
Be here cut off, and cast aside;
But let them, Lord, the substance gain,
In every solid truth abide;
Swiftly acquire, and ne'er forego
The knowledge fit for man to know.
Unite the pair so long disjoin'd,
Knowledge and vital piety,
Learning and holiness combined,
And truth and love, let all men see,
In these, whom up to Thee we give,
Thine, wholly Thine, to die and live.
Father, accept them in Thy Son,
And ever by Thy Spirit guide!
Thy wisdom in their lives be shown,
Thy name confess'd and glorified;
Thy power and love diffused abroad,
Till all our earth is fill'd with God.
