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bleness to it, and may they not do the same thing in their songs of praise? They may just as well confine themselves to the Book of Psalms in their prayers as their praises. None can deny, that other parts of Scripture are pregnant with matter of praise, and if they contain the matter of praise, they may surely be converted into songs of praise. Our Psalms were re­duced to metre by uninspired men, and may not other passages of Scripture be formed into metre, by unin­spired men likewise, and be every way as beneficial for the edification of Christians?

PREFACE.

By connecting a proper collection of other Scriptural Songs with our present Psalmody, Christians will be furnished with a greater diversity of Spiritual matter in their Songs of praise, and better adapted to many particular cases. Their knowledge of the Scriptures will increase by seeing them illustrated in their Psal­mody, and by having access to meditate on those pas­sages that are the grounds of them. They will have frequent opportunities in their closets, their families, and religious assembles, to exercise their graces on the histories, predictions, promises, doctrines, ordinances and duties of divine revelation, by which they will be built up in faith, holiness, and comfort, unto eternal life.

The following System of Hymns and Sacred Songs is collected from several authors, who with a pious and laudable diligence have employed their talents and at­tention in compositions of this kind. They are either founded upon particular texts of Scripture, or are Para­phrases upon several verses in particular chapters of the Sacred Books. It is hoped the matter of them will be found truly evangelical by those who know and obey the truth. May the blessing of God attend them, and render them eminently subservient in promoting his. glory, and the edification and comfort of his people.

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