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PREFACE.

TH 'HE following Pieces are not recommended to the patronage of the Public, on account of any excellency in themselves, but merely for the importance of their fubjects: for, however defective the fuperftructure may be, its foundation is unqueftionably good. All the doctrines here advanced, deducing their authority from the Sacred Scriptures, and their faithful epitome, the Homilies, and Articles of the established Church.

That the dignity of truths fo momentous, might be impaired as little as poffible by the manner of expreffing them, they are often introduced in the very words of the infpired Writers, and our venerable Reformers; as every reader, who is intimate with the invaluable Books juft mentioned, cannot fail of obferving.

Since all the effentials of religion are comprised in these two, found faith, and a fuitable courfe of obedience, every thing that may give offence to Chrif tians diffenting from each other in points merely indifferent, is ftudiously avoided, and no particular tenets any where ftruck at, except one or two, which apparently tend to invalidate the authority of Revelation, and, by confequence, to fubvert the whole fyftem of Chriftianity.

The Author wishes it was in his power to do justice to the fublime doctrines here treated of; but, until death is fwallowed up in victory, the glorious privileges and ineffable benefits redounding to believers from the manifeftation of God in the flesh, cannot be perfectly conceived, much less properly expreffed.

Left a continued famenefs fhould pall, and want of method confufe the reader, the metre is occa

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fionally varied, and the whole presents itself to his view, digested as follows:

I. Petitionary Hymns.
II. Hymns of Praise.

III. Paraphrases on fome Select Portions of
Holy Writ.

IV. A few Pieces occafioned by the Death of
Friends. And,

Laftly, feveral Pieces, not properly referable to any of the preceding Heads, thrown together by way of Appendix.

PETITIONARY

PETITIONARY HYMNS.

Te Mente purâ & fimplici
Te Voce te Cantu pio,
Rogare curvato genu,

Flendo & canendo difcimus.

PRUDENTIUS.

"Oratio eft Oris Ratio, per quam intimæ Cordis
Noftri manifeftamus Deo."

I

POEM I.

REFINING Fuller, make me clean,

On me thy coftly pearl bestow:

Thou art thyfelf the pearl I prize,
The only joy I feek below.

2 Disperse the clouds that damp my foul,
And make my heart unfit for thee:
Caft me not off, but feal me now
Thine own peculiar property.

3 Look on the wounds of Christ for me,
My fentence graciously reprieve:
Extend thy peaceful fceptre, Lord,
And bid the dying traitor live.
4 Tho' I've tranfgrefs'd the rules prefcrib'd,
And dar'd the justice I adore,
Yet let thy fmiling mercy fay,
Depart in peace, and fin no more.

POEM II. At entering into the Church.

I FATHER of love, to thee I bend
My heart, and lift mine eyes;
O let my pray'r and praise afcend

As odours to the fkies.

2 Thy pard'ning voice I come to hear, To know thee as thou art :

X 3

Thy

Thy minifters can reach the ear,
But thou must touch the heart.
3 O ftamp me in thy heav'nly mould,
And grant thy word apply'd

May bring forth fruit an hundred fold
And speak me justify'd.

POEM II. When Service is ended.
1 LORD, let me not thy courts depart,
Nor quit thy mercy-feat,
Before I feel thee in my heart,
And there the Saviour meet.

2 Water the feed in weaknefs fown,
And ever more improve:
Make me a garden of thine own,
May ev'ry flow'r be love!
3 O fend my foul in peace away;
For both my Lord hath bought:
And let my heart, exulting, fay,
I've found the pearl I fought!

POEM IV. For the Morning.

1 JESUS, by whofe grace I live,
From the fear of evil kept,
Thou haft lengthen'd my reprieve,
Held in being while I flept.
With the day my heart renewi
Let me wake thy will to do.
2 Since the laft revolving dawn.

Scatter'd the nocturnal cloud,
O how many fouls have gone,
Unprepar'd, to meet their God!
Yet thou doft prolong my breath,
Nor haft feal'd my eyes in death.
3 O that I may keep thy word,
Taught by thee to watch and pray!
To thy fervice, dearest Lord,
Sanctify th' prefent day:

Swift it's fleeting moments hafte: Doom'd, perhaps, to be my last. 4 Crucify'd to all below,

Earth fhall never be my care;
Wealth and honour I forego,
This my only wish and care,
Thine in life and death to be,
Now and to eternity.

POEM V, For the Evening.

1 GOD of love, whofe truth and grace Reach unbounded as the fkies, Hear thy creature's feeble praise, Let my ev'ning facrifice Mount as incenfe to thy throne, On the merits of thy Son. 2 Me thy Providence has led

3

Through another bufy day:
Over me thy wings were spread,
Chafing fin and death away:
Thou hast been my faithful shield,
Thou my footsteps haft upheld.
Tho' the fable veil of night

Hides the cheering face of heav'n,
Let me triumph in the fight
Of my guilt in thee forgiv'n.
In my heart the witness feel,
See the great invisible.
4 I will lay me down to fleep,

5

1

Sweetly take my reft in thee,
Ev'ry moment brought a step
Nearer to eternity;

I fhall foon from earth afcend,
Quickly reach my journey's end.
All my fins imputed were

To my dear, incarnate God;
Bury'd in his grave they are,
Drown'd in his atoning blood:

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