OF

HYMNS

AND

SPIRITUAL SONGS.

IN TWO PARTS.
PART 1. CONTAINING THE HYMNS.

PART II. CONTAINING THE SONGS.
DESIGNED (ESPECIALLY THE FORMER PART)
FOR THE USE OF CONGREGATIONS,
AS AN APPENDIX

Το
DR. WATTS'S PSALMS AND HYMNS.

BY WILLIAM PARKINSON, 1. M.
TASTOR OF THE FIRST. BAPTIST CHURCH IN THE CITY OF

NEW YORK.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdon) ; teach-
ing and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual
Songs, singing with grace in your hearts to tbe Lord.”

Col. iii. 16.
• Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the aight?"

Job. xxxv. 10.

Distriot of New-York, 83.

BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the third day L.S. of May, in the thirty-third year of the Indepen

dence of the United States of America, William Parkinson, of the said district, liath deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereot' 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 Di. 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 laymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.-Col. iji. 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 au. thors and proprietors of such copies during the times there. in 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 priuts.”

CHARLES CLINTON, Clerk of the District of New-York.

THE First Baptist Church in the City of New York, baving, 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.

JOHIN BEDIENT, Church Clerk. York, May 1, 1809.

PREFACE.

6

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 reputation, 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 pru

ned, for the further edification and comfort of his in people. Besides, as several of them, though nexcellent 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.

(RECAPD6 (REC!

"To supply this deficiency, Dr. Rippon pub. lished his selection; which is certainly superior to any other book of the kind that has apa peared; 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 fura nish 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 seva eral years past been greatly abused—Songs have been circulated, not only in MS. but also in print, which have been so barbarous in lana guage, 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,

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 musi 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. Rippou'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, eitlier as I found them, or with alterations. A considerable number, especially in the second part, are either such as I found in writing in ditlerent places, and among different societies, or