It is humbly apprehended, that a grateful and affectionate address to the exalted Saviour of mankind, or a hymn in honour of the Eternal Spirit, cannot be disagreeable to the mind of God. To stigmatize such an act of devotion with the name of idolatry, is (to say the least) an abuse of language. It cannot be justly charged with derogating from the glory due to the ONE God and Father of all, because he is the ultimate object of the honour which is given to his Son and to his Spirit. In this Selection, those Christians who do not scruple to sing praises to their Redeemer and Sanctifier, will find materials for such a sublime enjoyment; whilst others, whose tenderness of conscience may oblige them to confine their addresses to the Father only, will find no deficiency of matter suited to their idea of "the chaste and awful spirit of devotion." BOSTON, MAY 10, 1795. N. B. The characters denoting the sharp or flat key, are prefixed to each psalm or hymn at my request, by the Rev. Dr. MORSE, of Charlestown. THE Hymns from the 300th to the end, are added to this edition, and have been selected by a successor of the Rev. Author. It is hoped that they will increase the value of the Collection, and will serve to cherish that spirit of genuine devotion which the whole work is eminently adapted to pro PSALMS. PSALM I. Common Metre. The Happiness of the Righteous and the Misery of the 1 BLEST is the man who shuns the place 2 But in the statutes of the Lord 3 He, like a tree of gen'rous kind, Safe from the storm and blasting wind, 4 Green as the leaf, and ever fair 5 Not so th' impious and unjust; 6 Sinners in judgment shall not stand When Christ, the Judge, at his right hand 7 His eye beholds the path they tread, PSALM II. Common Metre. The Exaltation of Christ. WATTS. 1 ATTEND, O earth, when God declares His uncontroll'd decree; Thou art my Son, this day, my Heir, "Have I begotten thee. 2 "Upon my holy Zion's hill My King I thee ordain ; "And though thy foes dispute my will, 3 "Ask and receive thy full demands, 4 "Thy righteous sceptre thou shalt sway, Worship the Lord with holy fear, 6 Approach the Son with due respect, Lest ye persist in your neglect, 7 If but in part his anger rise, Then blest are they whose hope relies TATE, varied. PSALM II. Short Metre. The Death, Resurrection and Glory of Christ. 2 The things so long foretold 3 Why did the Gentiles rage, 4 Rulers and kings agree To form a vain design; Against the Lord they join their pow'rs, 5 The Lord derides their rage, He who hath rais'd him from the dead, 6 He asks, and God bestows Far as the earth's remotest ends WATTS. |