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SELECTION

OF

HYMNS AND PSALMS,

FOR

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L

Metallin 8, 1836.

DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, to wit;

District Clerk's Office.

BE it remembered, that on the thirtieth day of June, A. D. 1826, in the fiftieth year of the Independence of the United States of America, J. P. Dabney, of the said district, has deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the words following, to wit:—

"A Selection of Hymns and Psalms, for Social and Private Worship."

In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled "An act for the encouragement of learning by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned;" and also to an act, entitled "An act supplementary to an act, entitled An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned;' and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints."

JNO. W. DAVIS,
Clerk of the District of Massachusetts.

H.

UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

CAMBRIDGE.

Printed by Hilliard, Metcalf, & Co.

1467

-4.132

45

781
"Dilase
18281.

PREFACE

TO THE THIRD EDITION.

THE following selection has been arranged according to the natural succession of topics; this being thought the most simple, perspicuous, and popular principle of classification. If it has been followed out with the precision aimed at, the reader, as it becomes familiar to him, will seldom feel the necessity of an Index. Such a guide has however been furnished. It has been the design of this work to embrace all those pieces which had the claim, either from long popularity or decided merit, to be esteemed as standard devotional poetry; and also, as far as possible, all that variety of subject which public instructions or domestic and personal circumstances require. Hence may have arisen a redundancy on certain topics; or, on the other hand, the insertion of hymns, in some instances, rather from the sentiment than the poetry. It would be a needless enlargement of the work to extend it further than these rules required; and there are few probably, who will not now regard it as abundantly copious.

The compiler has no anxiety after that praise, which with some, it may be, attaches to a work of this kind from the number of originals with which it is graced. Let the reader be apprized that the hymns which appear as anonymous, are such as, from the changes and combinations they have undergone, or from other causes, it was not easy to appropriate. As to many of the rest, alterations have often been made in this work, or adopted from those which preceded it. In the last instance, the authors of these changes are, of course, so numerous, and frequently so uncertain, that to specify them is impossible, and only this general acknowledgment can be made.

If the wish to satisfy the demands of the severest taste has led in any case to the sacrifice of what is far more important, the spirit of true piety, the compiler has failed where his solicitude was greatest; and with examples before his eyes, that if they were ineffectual to warn, may now serve to solace him. Too much of the devotional poetry of recent date evinces, that this union is indeed a rare and high attainment; and not less, that language, however harsh and prosaical, can be more easily forgiven, than the sickly and finical elegance into which a fastidious taste so often degenerates. It has, further, been kept constantly in mind, that practical utility is, or ought to be, the only aim of a work like this. Some pieces accordingly, which the name of sacred poetry might perhaps embrace, and, from the names they bear, were likely to recommend this volume to the mere reader of taste, have yet been rejected, as far foreign from its character and design. It were easy to point to examples of this class; and none would be more surprised probably than the authors of such, to learn that they had ever found their way into collections of psalmody.

The compiler could not be insensible, while preparing this work, to its connexion with the cause of truth as well as that of piety. This truth, variously as it is apprehended, is or should be alike precious to every class of believers. To think therefore of conciliating towards this work universal favour, by merging in it all distinctive opinions, and those consequently, which meet with his own sympathy, would be hardly less criminal than absurd. But with the earnest desire and aim to preserve herein the pure faith of the Gospel, he is not conscious of imbuing with a sectarian spirit this offering to the cause of Christ; or of neglecting to render it, as far as may be, inoffensive at least, to his followers of every name.

Cambridge, March 22, 1825.

INDEX OF SUBJECTS.

Sim-

PUBLIC WORSHIP, Introduction of, 1-26, 152. Worship, of
the One Supreme, 2. Of the God of Holiness, 18.
plicity of christian, 24. Acceptable, 9-11, 14, 182. The
House of God, his presence in, 25. Invitation to, 4, 23.
The Heavenly Sabbath, 7, 26. The Lord's day, 17, 19, 20.
Sanctuary privileges, delight in, 12, 13. Abuse of, 210.
Privation of, 364.

GENERAL PRAISE, PRAYER, &c. The God of creation
adored, 27-35, 46. The God of providence celebrated, 39
-44, 60–62, 65. Greatness of God in the elements, 36-38.
Universal Praise, 1, 5, 6, 46. Exalted and perpetual Praise,
16, 43, 45-51. Gratitude for personal mercies, 52-68.
Gratitude under all circumstances, 52, 64. The gifts of
Providence and grace generally, implored, 69-79. Spiritu-
al blessings especially, 15, 70, 74-78. The Lord's Prayer,

79.

GOD, revealed in his works, 29, 30, 80, 81. The One Su-
preme, 2. The One Living and True, 82, 83. The Creator,
97. Creator of man, 55. Invisible, 155. Infinite and Eter-
nal, 87. Incomprehensible, 84, 85. His unchangeable
existence, 88, 89, 269. His universal presence and knowl-
edge, 90-93. His universal goodness, 67, 94, 95, 102.
His majesty, 86. His foreknowledge and decrees, 96. Up-
holder of the course of nature, 98.

His moral attributes, 156. His condesension, 108. His faith-
fulness, 239, 240. His paternal character, 157, 159, 176.
His mercy, the refuge of the penitent, 216-221. His be-
nignity through all dispensations, 117. Equity of his gov-
ernment, 107, 111. God, the guardian of innocence, 61, 113.
The refuge of his chosen, 114, 115, 225. The desire and
portion of his people, 168, 169. The leader of his people,
132, 263. His peculiar regard to his people, 66. The Su-
preme good, 265, 267. The Searcher of hearts, 214. The
Source of consolation, 236. The Light of the mind, 116.

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