OF HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS. IN TWO PARTS. PART I CONTAINING THE HYMNS. DESIGNED (ESPECIALLY THE FORMER PART) AS AN APPENDIX ΤΟ DR. WATTS'S PSALMS AND HYMNS. BY WILLIAM PARKINSON, A. M. TASTOR OF THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN THE CITY OF "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom; teach- Col. iii. 16. Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night?" THIRD EDITION: CORRECTED AND ENLARGED BY THE Author. NEW-YORK: PRINTED FOR JOHN TIEBOUT. A. Spooner, Printer. District of New-York, ss. L.S. BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the third day of May, in the thirty-third year of the Independence of the United States of America, William Parkinson, of the said district, hath deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words and figures following-to wit: A Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs. In two parts, part I. containing the Hymns, part II. containing the Songs -Designed (especially the former part) for the use of congregations, as an appendix to Dr. Watts's Psalms and Hymns. By William Parkinson, Pastor of the first Baptist Church in the city of New-York. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wis dom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."-Col. iii. 16. Where is God, my Maker, who giveth songs in the night?"-Job. xxxv. 10. In conformity to the act of 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." CHARLES CLINTON, Clerk of the District of New-York. THE First Baptist Church in the City of New-York, having, by a committee, examined the following Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs, agree to use them in Public Worship, as an Appendix to Dr. Watts's Psalms and Hymns; and do hereby recommend them to our sister Churches in particular, to the people of God in general, and to the public at large. By order of the Church. JOHN BEDIENT, Church Clerk. New-York, May 1, 1809. a11907 C. Vandewati PREFACE. IN poetry, sublimity and spirituality, the Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts' are confessedly unequalled, and will probably remain so till the end of time; at least till a more perfect state of the church than the present. As conclusive evidence of the high and extensive rep- · utation, which they have so justly acquired among the godly of all denominations, it may be remarked, that in most congregations of christians they are constantly used, and that nearly all the selections of hymns that have been published, owe the chief of their riches and beauties to that "sweet singer in Israel." My own admiration of these Psalms and Hymns is such, that I desire never to be without them, in my closet, in my family, or in the house of God. Nevertheless, like all other human productions, they are imperfect. Some of them contain expressions which, as might easily be shown, are not reconcileable with the oracles of truth nor the experience of the saints, and which, therefore, it is devoutly to be hoped the Head of the Church will yet cause to be pruned, for the further edification and comfort of his people. Besides, as several of them, though excellent in their respective places, are wholly of local or special application, the book, in many parts of Zion, is necessarily deficient, with regard to divers occasions and subjects. 5948 (RBQABD6 (REC To supply this deficiency, Dr. Rippon pub lished his selection; which is certainly superior to any other book of the kind that has appeared; and that it is so esteemed by the churches of Christ, is sufficiently manifest, by its very extensive circulation and general use. Favoured as we are with this excellent selection, and with many others, several of which* are valuable, it may be thought by some altogether useless to add another. By this publication, however, I hope, in some measure at least, to answer the following ends: First, to gratify many who have long wished to see, in a suitable book for public worship, a number of hymns by various authors, which are not contained in Dr. Rippon's selection.-Secondly, to contribute towards lessening the use of several hymn books now in common circulation, which I consider as essentially erroneous in doctrine, and, therefore, calculated to corrupt the minds of some who use them, especially of young christians. And Thirdly, to furnish those who choose to make use of them, with a greater variety and more correct edition of what are called Spiritual Songs, than they now possess. This kind of composition has, for several years past been greatly abused-Songs have been circulated, not only in MS. but also in print, which have been so barbarous in language, so unequal in numbers, and so defective in rhyme, as to excite disgust in all persons even of tolerable understanding in these things; and, what is infinitely worse, so extremely unsound in doctrine, that no discerning christian . Especially that by Drs. Jones and Allison, A can sing or hear them without pain. Many of them, notwithstanding, contain valuable ideas; and such I have laboured to render acceptable. I still see in them many imperfections; and persons of better taste and discernment must necessarily see in them many more; but, I have learned by experience, and all who make the attempt will also learn, that however easy it may be to discover faults in poetic composition, it is very difficult for a person, not born a poet, to correct them. In selecting materials for this work, no respect has been had to the religious denomination of authors: Ilymns or Songs that were thought to be good, wherever found, were taken. As it is expected that this book will have its chief circulation where Dr. Watts's Psalms and Hymns are in common use, there are but very few taken from that excellent book; and yet, for the benefit of such as do not possess Watts, and especially for the use of travelling ministers, to whom it would be inconvenient to carry both, a few choice ones from that book are inserted in this. The books of Newton and Hart, also Watts's Lyric Poems, and the Songs in the Night, have considerably enriched this. volume. As a proof of the high esteem in which I hold Dr. Rippon's selection of hymns, I have selected about one half of the same. Some of them, to be sure, are slightly altered. Many are taken from other collections, either as I found them, or with alterations. A considerable number, especially in the second part, are either such as I found in writing in different places, and among different societies, or |