xl
The hymns in the Third Book are very miscellaneous, embracing the most solemn, affecting, delightful, and splendid, as well as the most important and practical themes of religion— warnings and exhortations to repentance ; confession of sin, contrition, seeking, pleading, and hoping for salvation ; reasonings and trials, temptations within and without ; devotion, self- denial, and surrender of all the ransomed powers of mind and body ; and finally, songs of praise and thanksgiving. These are frequently in a higher tone of poetry, with deeper pathos and more ardent expression, than the average strain of pieces in the fore going Books. The best wine has been reserved to the last. Book iii, Hymn 10, is very earnest in prayer and faith and hope ; the two concluding stanzas, in
demned, without plea or hope, suddenly either a third person, or the same who brought the ring at first (I am not certain which), came to me, and demanded the cause of my grief. I told him the plain case, confessing that I had ruined myself wilfully, and deserved no pity. He blamed my rashness, and asked if I should be wiser, supposing I had my ring again. I could hardly answer to this ; for I thought it was gone beyond recall. I believe, indeed, I had not time to answer, before I saw this unexpected friend go down under the water, just in the spot where I had dropped it; and he soon returned, bringing the ring with him. The moment he came on board, the flames in the mountains were extinguished, and my seducer left me. Then was the 'prey taken from the hand of the mighty, and the lawful captive delivered'. My fears were at an end;
and with joy and gratitude I approached my kind deliverer to receive the ring again ; but he refused to return it, and spoke to this effect :— 'If you should be entrusted with this ring again, you would very soon bring yourself into the same distress : you are not able to keep it ; but I will preserve it for you, and whenever it is needful will produce it in your behalf'. Upon this I awoke, in a state of mind not to be described : I could hardly eat or sleep, or transact my necessary business for two or three days ; but the impression soon wore off, and in a little time I totally forgot it ; and I think it hardly occurred to my mind again till several years afterwards."
