and I should be grieved to find that any of the lambs of Christ had sought their spiritual food here, and went hungry and empty away. In sacred poetry the imagination is necessarily under some restraints, and cannot soar with licentious freedom, as when the regions of folly and error are open to her excursions: but I am loth to think that poetry must be a loser by this, or that truth can be unfavorable to its real excellencies; for surely then it would be for the advantage of the world that it should cease from among men. It must however be allowed, that poetry has so commonly been the vehicle of fiction, and so lamentably abused, that associations seem to be formed in the minds of most, tending to diminish the weight of what is thus inculcated, and injurious to the cause of truth. Johnson, in his life of Watts, has observed, that "his devotional poetry is like that of others unsatisfactory; that the sanctity of the matter rejects the ornaments of figurative diction; and that he has done better than others what no man has done well." This is undoubtedly discouraging; for it favors the idea that good poetry and sacred subjects are incompatible. But it is certain, that the finest poetry in the world is to be found in that book which is of divine original and altogether sacred, and especially in the prophetical parts. There is nothing in the poems of the ancient pagans, or in those of modern writers, that will bear a

comparison with the former, unless they contain any thing derived from the same source. Nor is it true that devotional poetry rejects the ornaments of figurative diction; for there is much of this diction in the Scripture itself. And where are we to look for the sublime and beautiful? Surely not in the artificial structure and pomp of language; nor in the eccentric flights of the imagination; nor in the extravagant sallies of romantic passion; but rather in that majesty and simplicity which are the characteristics of truth. The beauty, with which men in general are instantly struck and delighted, is clothed in the language of truth and nature. It is remarkable that Longinus a celebrated Greek critic, in his treatise on the sublime, illustrated his argument by an instance from Gen. 1. God said let there be light; and there was light. Herein he doubtless shewed the correctness of his taste; and I am of opinion, that if he had attentively read all the writings of Moses, he would have enriched his treatise with more quotations from them.

The providential dispensations of God, and his wisdom and power displayed by them for the preservation and enlargement of his church, are at all times proper subjects for hymns, and have a peculiar suitableness to the period on which we are entering; since the prophecies which relate to this period are full of the joyful acclamations and praises of his people. When

he is throwing down the strong holds of super stition, error and bigotry, which have stood for ages, and that by instruments, who have other ends in view; when he is treading the wine press alone, and none of the people with him, many of his professed servants seeming to withstand him, or at least to say, Lord, not in this way; when during a succession of amaz ingly extensive and almost unprecedented troubles, he is laying the foundations of universal peace and righteousness; when in times which we might think the most unfavourable, the minds of men being so much engaged by personal and political concerns, he is inclining the hearts of multitudes to form associations for sending missionaries, and the holy scriptures into all countries; when this is principally done by one nation, herself above measure distressed, and struggling, as it were, to preserve her existence; shall the church, for whose benefit these wonders are wrought, behold them unmoved, see the Lord wiping away her reproach, exalting her among the nations, and her enemies beginning to bow at her feet, and withhold the tribute of praise? Surely, if she could be silent, the very rocks would break forth into singing. The subjects have indeed some connection with the affairs of states and kingdoms; and therefore prudence is requisite in the composition of forms, that we may not offend the powers that

be, or make the church a party in matters foreign to her character. But the prophecies themselves, supply materials in abundance. My attempts of this kind are contained in the 15th Section; and should they prove unacceptable, I should rejoice to learn that others better qualified had been excited thereby to provide something more worthy of the occasion.

This seems a proper place for admonishing some readers of Hymns, to regulate their attachment to them in a due subordination to the inspired word. Some persons, there is reason to fear, not content to use them as helps, have quoted them as authorities in matters of faith. It has happened to me, in visiting the sick, to find neither Bible nor Testament in the family, but a solitary hymn book in the room lent by some Christian friend for the instruction of the afflicted. I think if such charitable persons would lend a Testament, and, if in their power, some plain and suitable tract, it would be more likely to promote their benevolent design. It is observable in many obitu aries that have been published, that the Christian's views and experience have been expressed in quotations from hymns of human composition, Without doubting the reality of the experience in these cases, there appears to me some indecorum in not preferring the written documents of inspiration. And I think if Christians were in the constant habit of refer

ring to the Scriptures, their spiritual state would be more satisfactorily ascertained, their experience more sound and unexceptionable, and the memorials of it better calculated to strengthen the faith and edify the minds of others. In the following compositions I have not only been careful to take the doctrine from the scriptures; but have frequently prefixed references to the places from which it is derived, that the reader may be induced to peruse his hymn book with the Bible before him; and study the lively oracles with greater diligence and advantage. Several passages are inserted at length, that those, who unhappily are not inclined to search the scriptures, may, as it were, be compelled to read a part of that precious word, which being engrafted in us is able to save the soul. If I have indeed failed in this point,-in exciting a greater regard to the word of truth, I have then failed in an object which I had principally in view.

I have endeavoured to confine these compositions to a convenient length for public and pri vate worship. But on some subjects it is not easy to withstand the inducement to enlarge. Yet a few hymns longer than usual may prove acceptable in the evening parties of Christian friends. How pleasant on such occasions, after conversation of a spiritual and edifying kind, to unite in singing the praises of the Saviour, the righteousness of his ways, and the wisdom of