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3.5

7.12.2

THREE BOOKS.

I. On Select Texts of SCRIPTURE.
II. On occafional SUBJECTS.

III. On the Progress and Changes of
the SPIRITUAL LIFE.

THE SIXTH EDITION.

-Cantabitis, Arcades, iniquit,

Montibus hæc veftris: foli cantare periti

Arcades. O mihi tum quam molliter offa quiefcani,
eftra meos olim fi fiftula dicat amores!

VIRGIL, Ecl. x. 31.

And they fung as it were a new fong before the
throne:-and no man could learn that fong, but
the redeemed from the earth.
Rev. xiv. 3.

As forrowful—yet alway rejoicing. 2 Cor. vi. 10,

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON, No. 72, **
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD.

PREFACE.

COPIES of a few of thefe Hymns have already appeared in periodical publications, and in fome recent collections. I have obferved one or two of them attributed to perfons who certainly had no concern in them but as transcribers. All that have been at different times parted with in manufcript are included in the prefent volume; and (if the information were of any great importance) the Public may be affured, that the whole number were composed by two perfons only. The original defign would not admit of any other affeciation. A defire of promoting the faith and comfort of fincere Chriftians, though the principal, was not the only motive to this undertaking. It was likewife intended as a monument, to perpetuate the remembrance of an intimate and endeared friendship. With this pleasing view, I entered upon my part, which would have been fmaller than it is, and the book would have appeared much fooner, and in a very different form, if the wife though myfterious providence of God, had not feen fit to cross my wifhes. We had not proceeded far upon our propofed plan, before my dear friend was prevented, by a long and affecting indifpofition, from affording me any farther affiftance. My grief and difappointment were great; I hung my harp upon the willows, and for fome time thought my felf determined to proceed no farther without him. Yet my mind was afterwards led to refume the fervice. My progrefs in it, amidst a variety of other engagements, has been flow; yet, in a course of years, the Hymns amounted to a confiderable number: And my deference to the judgment and defires of others, has at length overcome the reluctance I long felt to fee them in print, while I had fo few of my friend's Hymns to infert in the collection. Though it is poffible a good judge of compofition might be able to diftinguish thofe which are his, I have thought it proper to preclude a mifapplication, by prefixing the letter C to each of them. For the reft I must be refpenfible.

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