A CHOICE COLLECTION OF SPIRITUAL and DIVINE HYMNS, Taken from various AUTHORS; Intended for the Use of those few, who are indeed, By C. HAY O fing unto the Lord a new Song. Pla. xcvi. 1. BRISTOL: Printed by WILLIAM PINE, in Wine-Street. M.DCC.LXXVI. 1 1 To all the FAITHFUL IN CHRIST JESUS, efpecially those whom the LORD hath called me to watch over. and feed with the word of his grace. T MY DEAREST BRETHREN, HE following collection of spiritual and divine Hymns, taken from various Authors, are (as a small cup of cold water humbly presented to you in the name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST; intended as a means to refresh your weary spirits whilst in your pilgrimage, through this howling wilderness and dreary defert. These facred fongs want no recommendation. TRUTH carries its own evidence and will speak for itself. I shall therefore only add, that accord-ing to my humble opinion, theste Hymns appear to me very excellent; they contain the very marrow and essence of the pure undefiled gospel of JESUS CHRIST: and are most weetly adapted to the state of every one, taught of the meek and lowly Jefus; from the least to the greatest in God's house: and in short, to every one that is only under the least drawings and influences of the HOLY COMFORTER, the SPIRIT of TRUTH. In chusing and collecting of them (which hath been a very folemn and weighty matter with me before the Lord) I have studied to please but ONE; viz. THE HOLY ONE of Ifrael; IMMANUEL, GOD with US: in doing which I am sure I shall not difplease those few, that are indeed God's people. And therefore I don't doubt but all fuch as are truly simple in heart, and poor in fpirit, who look beyond the shadow to the substance, and have a real taste and relish for the fufferings and death of Jesus, (from whence all our bleflings flow both in time and in eternity) and are determined to know nothing but JESUS CHRIST and him crucified, will find in this collection of Hymns, fome sweet and favory food, suitable to the various states and conditions of their minds. The volume is swelled to a much larger size than I at first intended. But Providence having put in my way, some very choice Hymns, which appear to me, truly evangelical, and full of sweet heart-felt experience; and which at the fame time open ina plain, intelligible manner the leadin, and effential truths in the holy gospel: I thought therefore these Hymns would answer another valuable end, and might be substituted in the place of many religious books, which in general treat only of the theory of the gospel, and the sentiments and peculiar opinions, of fallible men and therefore rather injure than edify the mind. The greatest part of these hymns have already been made use of in our little locieties, which God hath remarkably owned and blessed, above every other composition or collection we ever met with. Besides there is an universal call for the fame, (many of which are just out 1 out of print) which were the principal motives that induced me to publish this edition. And here I would beg leave to drop a ferious, and I hope a feafonable word of advice, to you my dear brethren, altho' it may seem rather foreign to this subject, yet I trust it will not prove altogether unprofitable. And that is, most earnestly to recommend to your serious study above every other book, in folemn prayer and faith, that so much neglected, but truly precious book of God, the HOLY BIBLE, which alone is able (through the divine teachings of the Holy Ghost) to make you truly wife to falvation. And by which alone we must all stand or fall, in that awful and tremendous. day, " when God shall judge the world in RIGHTEOUSNESS by THAT MAN, whom he hath ordained."* And therefore ought to be the constant study of our whole lives. 'Tis, my dear brethren, " the sword of the Spirit,"t the only weapon the enemy of our fouls cares for, because it alone can effectually destroy his kingdom; and is therefore, what every foldier fighting under the banner of Jesus Christ, slands in abfolute need of: neither can he by any means, fight the LORD's battles without it. And I am fully perswaded, that if this two-edged sword, THE WORD OF GOD, were made more ufe of, IN THE SPIRIT; all our most subtle and potent enemies, the world, flesh and devil (with whom there is a continual war) must inevitably fall before us: and it would be impossible we could fail of victory. But let us, my dear brethren, take heed. Remember * Acts xvii, 31. † Eph. vi. 17. |
