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Olney Hymns : in Three Books

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Olney Hymns : in Three Books '"'<• m m -' &mWSkra&s 1^^ <3 PR F. V ..b- C V. OJL^lEY HYMNS IN THREE BOOKS. BOOK I. ...ON SELECT TEXTS BOOK III....ON THE PRO- OF SCRIPTURE. GRESS AND CHANGES BOOK II. ...ON OCCASIONAL OF THE SPIRITUAL SUE J EC TS. LIFE. BY THE REV. JOHN NEWTON, LONDON. Cantibitis, Arcades, inquit, Montibus hcec vestris : soli cantare periti .Arcades. O mihi turn quam molliter ossa quiescant Vestra meos olim si fistula dicat atnores .' Virgil. Eel. x. 31. And they sung as it were a new seng before the throne : and no man could learn that so?ig> but the redeemed from the earth. Rev. xiv. o, As sorrowful—yet always rejoicing, 2 Cor. vi. 10. NEW-YORK : PRINTED BY Jl'FARLANE AND LONG, NO. 308, BROADWAY. 1808. / — PREFACE. COPIES of a few of these Hymns have already appeared in peri- odical publications, and in some recent collections. 1 have ob- served one or two of them attributed to persons who certainly had no concern in them, but as transcribers. All that have been at differ- ent times parted with in manuscript, are included in the present great volume ; and (if the information were of any importance) the public may be assured that the whole number were composed by two persons only. The original design would not admit of any other association. It was likewise intended as a monument, to perpe- tuate the remembrance of an intimate and endeared friendship. With this pleasing view I entered upon my part, which would have been smaller than it is, and the book would have appeared much sooner, and in a very different form, if the wise, though mysterious providence of God, had not seen fit to cross my wishes. We had not proceeded far upon our proposed plan, before my dear friend was prevented, by a long and affecting disposition, from affording me any farther assistance. My grief and disappointment were great. I hung my harp upon the willows, and for some time thought myself deter- mined to proceed no farther without him. Yet my mind was after- wards led to resume the service. My progress in it, amidst a variety of other engagements, has been slow; yet in the course of years, the hymns amounted to a considerable number : and my deference to the judgment and desires of others, has at length overcome the re- luctance I long* felt to see them in print, while I had so few of my friend*'s hymns to insert in the collection. Tho' it is possible a good judge ofcomposition might be able to distinguish those which are his, I have thought it proper to preclude a misapplication, by prefixing the letter (c) to each of them. For the rest I must be responsible, There is a style and manner suited to the composition of hymns, which may be more successfully, or at least more easily attained by .a versifier, than by a poet. They should be Hymns, not Odes, if de- signed for public worship, and for the use of plain people. PerspL cuity, simplicity, and ease should be chiefly attended to : and the imagery and colouring of poetry, if admitted at all, should be in- dulged very sparingly, and with great judgment, The late Dr. Watts, many of whose hymns are admirable patterns in this species of writ- ing, might as a poet have a right to say, that it cost him some labour to restrain his fire, and to Accommodate himself to the capacities of common readers But it would not become me to make such a de- claration. It behoved me to do my best. But though I would not of- fend readers of taste by a wilful coarseness and negligence, I do not write professedly for them. If the Lord, whom I serve, has been pleased to favour me with that mediocrity of talent, which may qua- lify me for usefulness to the weak and poor of his flock, without quite disgusting persons of superior discernment, I am satisfied. As the workings of the heart of man, and of the Spirit of God, are in general the same, in all who are the subjects of grace, I hope most of these hymns, being the fruit and expression ofmy own experience, will coincide with the views of real Christians of all denominations. But I cannot expect that every sentiment I have advanced will be universally approved of. Hoxvever, I am not conscious of having writ- ten a single line with an intention either to flatter or offend any party or person upon earth. I have simply declared my own views and feelings as I might have done if I had composed hymns in some of the newly discovered islands in the South Sea, where no person had PREFACE. any knowledge of the name of Jesus, but myself. I am a friend of peace, and being- deeply convinced that no one can profitably under- stand the great truths and doctrines of the gospel, any farther than he is taught of God, I have not a wish to obtrude my own tenets upon others, in a way of controversy : yet I do not think myself bound to conceal them. Many gracious persons (for many such I am persuaded there are) who differ from me, more or less, in those points which are called Calvinistic, appear desirous that the Calvhr- ists should, for their sakes, studiously avoid every expression which they cannot approve. Yet few of them, I believe, impose a like re- straint upon themselves, but think the importance of what they deem to be truth, justifies them in speaking their sentiments plainly and strongly. May I not have an equal liberty ? The views 1 have received of the doctrines of grace are essential to my peace : I could not live comfortably a day or an hour without them. I likewise believe, yen, so far as my poor attainments warrant me to speak, I know them to be friendly to holiness, and to have a direct influence in producing and maintaining a gospel conversation, and therefore I must not be ashamed of them. These Hymns are distributed into three Books. In the first I have classed those which are formed upon select passages of Scripture, and placed them in the order of the Books of the Old and New Tes- tament. The second contains occasional hymns, suited to particular seasons, or suggested by particular events or subjects. The third Book is miscellaneous, comprising a variety of subjects, relative to a life of faith in the Son of God, which have no express reference either to a single text of scripture, or any determinate season or in- cident. These are farther subdivided into distinct heads. This ar- rangement is not so accurate, but that several of the hymns might nave been differently disposed. Some attention to method may be found convenient, though a logical exactness was hardly practicable. As some subjects in the several books are nearly co-incident, I have, vmder the divisions in the third Book, pointed out those which are similar in the two former ; and likewise, here and there, in the first and second, made reference to hymns of a like import in the third. This publication, which, with my humble prayer to the Lord for iiis blessing upon it, I offer to the service and acceptance of all who jove the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, of every name and in every place, into whose hands it may come. I more particularly dedicate it to my dear friends in the parish and neighbourhood of Olney, for whose use the hymns were originally composed, as a testimony of the sincere love I bear them, and as a token of my gratitude to the Lord, and to them for the comfort and satisfaction with which the discharge of my ministry among them has been attended. The hour is approaching, and at my time of life cannot be very distant, when my heart, my pen, and my tongue, will no longer be able to move in their service. But I trust, while my heart continues to beat, it will feel a warm desire for the prosperity of their souls ; and while my hand can write, and my tongue speak, it will be the business and pleasure of my life, to aim at promoting their growth and establishment in the grace of our God and Saviour. To this pre- cious grace I commend them, and earnestly intreat them, and all who love his name, to strive mightily with his prayers to God for me, that I may be preserved faithful to the end, and enabled at last to finish my course with joy. JOHN NEWTON. ' Olney, Bucks, Feb. 15, 17T9. OLNEY HYMNS. BOOK I. OX SELECT PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE. GENESIS. HYMN I. ADAM. Chap, iiii 1 /^\N man, in his own image made,- KJ How much did God bestow ? The whole creation homage paid, And own'd him, lord below ! •2 He dwelt in Eden's garden, stor'd With sweets for ev'ry sense ; And there with his descending Lord, He walk'd in confidence. 3 But oh ! by sin how quickly chang'd ! His honour forfeited, His heart from God and truth, estrange?., His conscience filPd with dread ! 4? Now from his Maker's voice he flees, which was before his joy ; And thinks to hide amidst the trees, from an all-seeing eye. 5 Compell'd to answer to his name ; With stubbornness and pride He cast on God himself the blame, Nor once for mercy cry'd.
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