Verse 1
Still for my Son Thou hearst me pray;
With him in his temptation stay,
Who always ready art
To seek, and save a wandring sheep;
Watch over him, O Lord, and keep
The issues of his heart.

Verse 2
Thy power be in his weakness seen,
Nor let him the commands of men
Rashly mistake for thine,
Nor heed to lying wonders give,
Or legendary tales receive
As oracles divine.

Verse 3
Preserve, that he may never know
Those doctrines of the hellish foe
Which contradict thy word,
Subvert the truth of holiness,
Or supersede the work of grace,
The presence of his Lord.

Verse 4
Free from the partial, blind respect,
The shibboleth that marks his Sect
Implicitly resign’d,
Give him thine only word t’ obey,
And in the true, unerring Way
His heavenly Teacher find.

Verse 5
Not like the simple croud misled,
Who leaning on a broken reed,
Refuse a pardon given,
But hope the grace by works to buy;
Or on a friar’s Cowl rely
To carry them to heaven.

Verse 6
Pierc’d with his want of purity,
Convinc’d, thy face he cannot see,
Or know Thee as Thou art,
Without an inward change intire;
O may he after this aspire,
This holiness of heart.

Verse 7
Till wash’d, and thro’ thy blood applied,
Of wrath, concupiscence and pride,
His soul is emptied here,
He cannot in the judgment stand,
Mixt with the sheep at thy right-hand,
Or in thy sight appear.

Verse 8
But if Thou here his Saviour art,
Possest of Mary’s better part,
Attentive at thy feet,
If humbly he thro’ life remain,
Thou wilt receive him up to reign,
The partner of thy seat.