A COLLECTION OF BRITISH HYMNS PRINTED FROM THE GENUINE TEXTS WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE HYMN WRITERS BY THE REV. CHARLES ROGERS LL.D., F.S.A.SCOT. "How beautiful is Genius when combined The tones of earthly harp, whose chords are touched Upon Religion's shrine.' Το WILLIAM EUING, Esq., F.S.A.Scot., Glasgow. MY DEAR SIR, An examination of your rare Collection of the works of British Hymn-writers enabled me to constitute the basis of the present work. In the perfecting of my design, I have received from you many obligations. Now that the labour of nine years is consummated in the appearance of this volume, I inscribe it to you, as a token of my esteem. That the Hymns contained in this Collection, which have cheered myself under the cloud of trial, may prove a source of consolation to you in the valley of years, and may be to both of us a foretaste of the Songs of the Redeemed, is the earnest desire and prayer of My dear Sir, Your very obedient faithful servant, CHARLES ROGERS. PREFACE. SONG is the eternal exponent of Divine praise. Ere the world was framed, "the morning stars sang together;" the saints shall "come to Sion with songs," when the present visible creation has passed away. The chosen people found expression to their most fervent aspirations in the harmony of. numbers. The triumph at the Red Sea was celebrated by Moses and Miriam in strains of loftiest poetry. As his heart exulted in the manifestations of Divine goodness, the royal Psalmist breathed forth his incomparable lyrics. Solomon uttered his soulstirring lays, as he contemplated the boundless love of a coming Saviour. In strains of heaven-wrapt imagery, Isaiah celebrates the glory of Gospel times. And when the light of the Gospel dispensation dawned, how marvellously simple and hallowed was that song by which angels sung an incarnate God,-a Saviour born! The Redeemer dwelt in the lowlier vale of human life. He sought not the praises of the unstable multi |