From this period, that is, from towards the close of the seventeenth century, a large amount of the fervour of the country finds vent in hymns: they are innumerable.

With them the scope of my book would not permit me to deal, even had I inclination thitherward, and knowledge enough to undertake their history.

But I am not therefore precluded from presenting any hymn whose literary excellence makes it worthy.
It is with especial pleasure that I refer to a little book which was once a household treasure in a multitude of families,[156] the _Spiritual Songs_ of John Mason, a clergyman in the county of Buckingham.

The date of his birth does not appear to be known, but the first edition of these songs[157] was published in 1683.

Dr.Watts was very fond of them: would that he had written with similar modesty of style! A few of them are still popular in congregational singing.