my poor attainments warrant me to speak, I know them to be friendly to holiness, and to have a direct influence in producing and maintaining a gospel conversation; and therefore I must not be ashamed of them.

The Hymns are distributed into three Books. In the first I have classed those which are formed upon select passages of Scripture, and placed them in the order of the Books of the Old and New Testament. The Second contains occasional Hymns, suited to particular seasons, or suggested by particular events or subjects. The third book is miscellaneous, comprising a variety of subjects relative to a life of faith in the Son of God, which have no express reference either to a single text of Scripture, or to any determinate season or incident. These are further subdivided into distinct heads. This ar rangement is not so accurate but that several of the hymns might have been differently disposed. Some attention to method may be found convenient, though a logical exactness was hardly practicable. As some subjects in the several books are nearly coincident, I have, under the divisions in the third book, pointed out those which are similar in the two former. And I have likewise here and there, in the first and second, made a reference to hymns of a like import in the third.

This publication, which, with my humble prayer to the Lord for his blessing upon it, I offer to the service and acceptance of all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, of every name and in every place, into whose hands it may come, I more particularly dedicate to my dear friends in the parish and neighbourhood of Olney, for whose use the hymns were originally composed, as a testimony of the sincere love I bear them, and as a token of my gratitude to the Lord and to them,

for the comfort and satisfaction with which the discharge of my ministry among them has been attended.

The hour is approaching, and at my time of life cannot be very distant, when my heart, my pen, and my tongue, will no longer be able to move in their service. But I trust while my heart continues to beat, it will feel a warm desire for the prosperity of their souls; and while my hand can write, and my tongue speak, it will be the business and the pleasure of my life, to aim at promoting their growth and establishment in the grace of our God and Saviour. To this precious grace I commend them, and earnestly entreat them, and all who love his name, to strive mightily with their prayers to God for me, that I may be preserved faithful to the end, and enabled at last to finish my course with joy.

Alas! Elisha's servant cried,
Alas! by nature how deprav'd,
A lion, though by nature wild,
Almighty King! whose wondrous hand,
Although on massy pillars built,
Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound!)
Approach, my soul, the mercy-seat,
As birds their infant brood protect,
As needles point towards the pole,
As once for Jonah, so, the Lord,
As parched in the barren sands,

255

As some tall rock amidst the waves,

125

As the serpent rais'd by Moses,
As the sun's enliv'ning eye,

As when the weary trav'ller gains,

64

217

306

A word from Jesus calms the sea, ho 17

A worldling spent each day,

Page

Beside the gospel pool,

Beneath the tyrant Satan's yoke,

Bestow, dear Lord, upon our youth,

Be still, my heart! these anxious cares,

Bitter, indeed, the waters are,

Bleak winter is subdu'd at length,

Blinded in youth by Satan's arts,
Breathe from the gentle south, O Lord,
By various maxims, forms, and rules,
By faith in Christ I walk with God,
By the poor widow's oil and meal,
By whom was David taught,

Cheer up, my soul, there is a mercy-seat,

89

109

41

285

35

172

116

155

289

15

178.

246

260

140

4

39

18

261

197

33

334

118

96

221

133

222

275

322

161

263

38

166

Chief Shepherd of thy chosen sheep,

#Come, my soul, thy suit prepare,
Confirm the hope thy word allows,
Constrain'd by their Lord to embark,
Could the creatures help or ease us,
Courage, my soul! behold the prize,

Darkness overspreads us here,
Day of judgment, day of wonders,
Dear Lord! accept a sinful heart,
Destruction's dangerous road,

Does it not grief and wonder move,
Does the gospel-word proclaim,

Elijah's example declares,

Elisha, struck with grief and awe,