very easy to make Cavils and Replies to the strongest Reasonings; but let us have a Care lest we rob our Souls and the Churches of those Divine Comforts of evangelic Psalmody, by a Fondness of our old and preconceived Opinions. He that believeth may eat all Things, and should not be forbidden: He may partake of Flesh {276} and drink Wine; he may tast of the various Pleasure of the Gospel, and sing the New Song: Another who is weak eateth Herbs, and satisfies himself with ancient Melody. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not, and let not him which eateth not judge him which eateth, for God hath received him, Rom. 14. 2.

If the Hymns and spiritual Songs which are here presented to the World are so unhappy as to discourage the Design of this Essay, I will censure and reprove them my self: If they are condemned as being unsuitable to the Capacity or Experience of plain Christians, I will easily confess a Variety of Faults in them; 'twas hard to restrain my Verse always within the Bounds of my Design; 'Twas hard to sink every Line to the Level of a whole Congregation, and yet to keep it above Contempt. However among so great a Number of Songs I hope there will be some found that speak the very Language, and Desires and Sense of the meanest Souls, and will be an Assistance to their Joy and Worship. The Blemishes of the rest may serve to awaken some more pious and judicious Fancy to a more successful Attempt; and whoever shall have the Honour of such a Performance, I promise my self a large Share in the Pleasure. But we must despair of hearing the New Song of the Lamb in its Perfection and Glory, till Babylon the Great is fallen, and the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ, till the New Heavens and the New Earth appear, till all the former things are passed away, and all things are made New.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SHORT ESSAY TOWARD THE IMPROVEMENT OF PSALMODY***

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