London: W. E. Painter, 342, Strand.
“IN the following hymns," says the author in his preface, " I have endeavored—not to write poetry, but to express truth—something of the efficacy of the grace of God—something of the effects of the blood of the cross—a subject on which the weakest babes and sucklings are encouraged to sing—a subject on which the songs of the highest archangels, who fell down on their faces before the throne of Christ, are chargeable with weakness and lameness."
The hymns contain some good wholesome thoughts as to God's grace and the coming glory, though occasionally conveyed in a rugged style, which cares not for rhyme nor rhythm either. But I cannot agree with the esteemed author, that in Dan. 4. Nebuchadnezzar stands as the type of the human race in the different phases of succeeding dispensations: flourishing, as representing man in his paradisiacal state; bestial, as representing man fallen; restored, as representing man reinstated in the second Adam. We may use it as illustrating truths of this kind elsewhere revealed; but did God mean us to gather this teaching from the chapter? This thought is alluded to in several of the hymns and largely entered into in the preface.