[ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL ACCORDING TO ACT OF PARLIAMENT.] PLYMOUTH: PRINTED BY S. THORNE, 52, UNION STREET. PREFACE. SINGING the praises of God is an employment in which the angelic hosts and the redeemed in glory are engaged; and the people of God in all ages have poured forth their g ateful acknowledgments for Divine mercies in those devoutly harmonicus strains which can only proceed from the possession of an exalted state of piety. Whoever fully enters into the feelings expressed by the "sweet singer of Israel,' in those admirable compositions contained in the Book of Psalms, will be prepared with him to exclaim,-"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High." The effects of sacred music upon Saul, king of Israel, 1 Sam. xvi. 23, and upon the prophet Elisha, 2 Kings iii. 15, furnish a subject for the pen of a skilful "Master in Israel;" but we cannot find room for discussing it here. The practice of our Lord, however, Matt. xxvi. 30, taken in connexion with the apostolic precepts,"Speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs; singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord," Eph. v. 19, 20: "Is any merry? let him sing psalms," James v. 13,-furnish sufficiently weighty reasons to induce us to engage in the delightful exercise of singing the praises of God. And from Col. iii. 16, we learn that even admonitory or hortatory hymns may be also used with great advantage; for the apostle instructs, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs;" and that we may know how to do it acceptably, he adds,-"singing with grace in your hearts to the LORD." It is most important to attend to this last direction; because, although the words may be quite proper, correct, and expressive; the music may be very solemn ; and the performance may be melting and harmonious; still, all these excellences will fail of producing the beneficial results anticipated by the devout worshipper in all his acts of devotion, unless we comply with the direction, "singing with grace in your hearts to the LORD." Suitable words are, however, necessary; and to provide them as helps in the worship of God, the following selection was formerly made, and has now [1838] been improved and enlarged. In the present Edition, Hymns 126, 217, 218, 240, 323, 338, 534, 595, and 610 are changed-those now inserted being considered more suitable for public worship. In a few of the Hymns a verse or two have been omitted; in two or three cases an additional verse has been inserted. Some minor alterations have also been made. The Author's name is given whenever known. The original reading has not been always followed. This frequently could not be discovered; and, sometimes, use or superiority has seemed to justify the deviation. An Index to the first line of each verse has been prepared to make the Book more convenient and complete. The Index to Texts of Scripture has been much enlarged, and it is believed that one or more suitable Texts are given for each Hymn. Further improvements would have been introduced with a view of making this collection more useful, but this would have rendered the Editions already in circulation comparatively useless in our congregations. May all "sing with the Spirit," and "with the understanding also." * Most of those ascribed to J. Wesley are translations from the German. |