130 easrses. eight psalms, several chapters of Job, and other poetical parts of scripture : and in this respect I may hope to escape the reproof of those who pay a sacred reverence to the Holy Bible. I have prepared the third part only for the celebration of the Lord's Sup- per, that, in imitation of our blessed Saviour, we might sing an hymn after we have partaken of the bread and wine. Hereyou will find some paraphrases of scripture, and some other compositions. There are above an hundred hymns in the two former parts, that may very properly be used in this ordi- nance, and sometimes perhaps appear more suitable than any of these last: but there are expressions generally used in these, which confine them only to the table of the Lord ; and therefore I have distinguished and set them by themselves. If the Lord, who inhabits the praises of Israel, shall refuse to smile upon this attempt for the reformation of psalmody amongst the churches, yet 1 humbly hope that his blessed Spirit will make these composures useful to pri- vate christians ; and if they may but attain the honour of being esteemed piousmeditations, to assist the devout and the retired soul in the exercises of love, faith, and joy, it will be a valuable compensation of my labours : my heart shall rejoice at the noticeof it, and my God shall receive the glory. This was my hope and vow is the first publication ; and it is now my duty to Sc. knowledge to him, with thankfulness, how useful he has made these compo- sitions already, to the comfort and edification of societies, and of private per- sons: and upon the same grounds I have a better prospect, and a bigger hops of much more service to the church. by the large improvementsof this edition, íf the Lord who dwells in Zion shall favour it with his continued blessing.
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