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SELECTION OF PSALMS

FOR

SOCIAL WORSHIP.

The contentions and diftinguishing words of fects and parties. are fecluded, that whole affemblies might affift at the harmony, and different churches join in the fame worship without offence.-WATTS' HYMNS, PREFACE, P. vII.

Nor have I confined my expreffions to any particular party or opinion; that in words, prepared for public worship, and for the lips of multitudes, there might not be a fyllable offenfive to fincere Chriftians, &c.—WATTS' PSALMS, PREFACE, P. xv.

Public prayers fhould be fuch as all christians can join in.We are not in our prayers to ftrive to impofe our own notions upon others, or to exclude any chriftians from joining in the addreffes we prefent to God.-Public prayer

fhould offer up common requests and praises, the unfeigned devotions of the affembly.- -How contrary to the christian and apoftolical rule, to offer petitions, or to make declarations in prayer, to which a fincere chriftian cannot affent, or about which he has doubts and fcruples !LARDNER'S SERMONS, VOL. II. p. 305.

YORK

PRINTED BY A. WARD,

MDCCLXXXVI.

147. 9. 376
д

Explaining the object and nature of the work.

THE object of this compilation was to furnish to families and churches a collection of devout hymns, fufficiently numerous and various, for the purposes of focial worship, and at the fame time, as far as could be, neither offenfive nor difguftful to any ferious chriftian, in point either of doctrine, fentiment, or language. To attain this end, every liberty has been taken. of tranfpofing, altering, retrenching, adding; and the whole has been fubmitted to the cenfure of feveral of the compiler's friends, who have long wifhed for a felection of this kind, and whofe knowledge, taste, and devotional turn of mind, qualified them to judge of the work and to improve it. It was meant that nothing, of whatever nature, fhould occur in the pieces which compofe this little volume, to embarrass or interrupt the devotion of the worshipper; and it is hoped they will be found capable both of expreffing and promoting all the good affections in which the chriftian character confifts.

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