member it's the fword of THE SPIRIT, and therefore can only be handled by THE SPIRIT; whomfoever therefore makes ufe of it any other way, and attempts to handle it only with the withered hand of carnal reason and worldly wif dom, will, whilft he is aiming to ftab his enemy, only wound his own foul, and flay himself. Becaufe he muft unavoidably wreft the fcriptures to his own deftruction. May the Lord, therefore, my dear brethren, not only give you the fword; but the SPIRIT of TRUTH alfo, to handle it. Which he has graciously promifed to do, unto every one that afks him,* And fhould any be defirous (as perhaps they may to know under what name I pals in the Chriftian world, and what are my religious fentiments.

To the first question, I would answer, that I am no partizan, neither have I any outward connection with any fect or party now going. And therefore, do in the face of the whole world, difown and renounce, every particular name; (by which the profeffors of the Chriftian religion, are denominated) but that very antient one, given to the firft difciples of Jefus Chrift at Antioch, viz. CHRISTIANS. And yet at the fame time I love all, and every one, of every denomination,. without the leaft diftinction, that take the whole bible for their creed, that hold THE FAITH in the unity of the Spirit, and who own and confefs by the Holy Ghoft, that poor mean MAN, and defpifed Nazarene, Jefus of Nazareth, to be their LORD and their GOD, &c. &c.

And fecondly, in regard to my religious fenti

ments 9

* Mat, vii, ii. + A&s xi. 26. John xx. 28.-Col, ii.

ments fhould any be defirous of knowing, I would refer them to the firft hymn in this collection, where they will fee all the fundamental truths of the Chriftian religion (fome part of which is expreffed in the very words of fcripture) the real fentiments, of my heart, and the fubftance of which, I, in a feeble plain manner, endeavour to teach and enforce in the name of the Lord.

Thus having delivered the, fentiments of my heart, and the principal reafons for publifhing this collection of hymns, which I truft were done in fingleness of heart to the Lord alone, from a clear conviction of his will (otherwife they would never have been printed by me) which I think was fully made manifeft, by many remarka ble concurring providences, before I attempted to put them to the prefs. And still farther, to corroborate the fame, have had throughout the whole, a teftimony within my own breaft, that the Lord did look with a gracious fmile, and was not displeased with this weak and feeble attempt to advance his honour and glory, which yields me a peace of mind, I value above thousands of gold and filver; yea, millions and millions of worlds.

I fhall now conclude the whole with calling upon you my deareft brethren, in the name of Jefus our Great High Prieft, that you would join me in fupplicating his gracious throne, for a bleffing upon thefe precious hymns, in the few following petitions; which I truft fpring from, and fpeak nothing but the real and genuine feelings of my unworthy breast.

O LORD GOD! Thou moft dear and precious IMMANUEL! Behold! from thy mercy's feat!

thy

thy poor vile, unworthy worm, who humbly begs
leave to fall proftrate before thy dear bleeding
feet, earneftly deliring to prefent to Thee, this
little book of hymns, for whose fake alone they.
were publifhed, befeeching Thee to take them
into thine own hands, and give them thy fpecial
bleffing, and fprinkle every page, verfe and line,
with thy most precious heart's blood and make
them fweet and falutary food, to the fouls of all thy
dear people; and, an universal bleffing to thou-
fands, wherever they fhall come, more efpecially to
the little flock thou haft called me to labor a-
mongst and watch over. And all the praise fhall
be afcribed to thy name O Lord! For thou only
art worthy to receive glory and honor, and power,
for thou waft flain and haft redeemed US to GOD
by thy blood; to whom be praise and dominion
for ever.
Amen!

I remain, moft dearly beloved brethren,
Your fouls fincere well-wisher,
And ever willing fervant,

Under the cross of Chrift.

SPIRITUAL and DIVINE

HY

MN S.

HYMN I.

A brief confeffion of THE FAITH, of a true Difciple and follower of JESUS CHRIST.

HE doctrine of our dying Lord,

TH

The faith he on mount Calv'ry feal'd,

We fign; and ev'ry ftedfaft word

Within his testament reveal'd,
We firm believe; and curst are they
Who add thereto, or take away.

2 And now, before this awful crowd
Of brethren militant on earth!
Before the firft-born Church of God!
We hearty own the fecond birth:

We conftantly consent to this,

Who hath not Chrift, is none of his.

A

3 Alfe

3 Alfo to blood, we this maintain,
That none are righteous, no not one,
But those for whom the Lamb was flain,
Who're juftify'd by faith alone;
And, whofo in his name believes,
Himself and all Chrift hath receives.

4

5

Our works and merits we disclaim,
We trample on our righteousness;
Our holiest actions we condemn

As dung and drofs: and this confefs,
They are but fand, who build thereon,
Deny and flight the corner ftone.

No other doctrine dare we hear,
But, Chrift alone our Saviour is,
To all befide we stop our ear,

And fhun as dangerous herefies:
This truth to death we will proclaim,
There is no Saviour but the LAMB.

6 He is the only Lord and God!

The fulness of the Three in ONE:
His name, death, righteousness, and blood,
Shall be our glory, this alone:
His Godhead, and his death fhall be
Our fong to all eternity!

7 On him we venture all we have, Our bodies, fouls, and fpirits too: None will we afk befide to fave,

Nought but the Saviour will we know: This we fubfcribe with heart and hand, Refolv'd thro' grace, by this to fitand.