Similar to these, are the representations of spiritual mercies by temporal deliverances from sickness, prison, danger of perishing in storms at sea, and from the sundry kinds of calamity and death, to which the body of man is subject; as also by scenes of domestic felicity, and by the florishing state of well-ordered communities, especially that of Israel in Canaan, which, while the benediction of Jehovah rested on it, was a picture of heaven itself. The foregoing and every other species of the sacred imagery, if there be any other not hitherto included, it hath been the author's main endeavour to illustrate. And a view of what is done in this way will, it is humbly hoped, afford some reason to think, there may not be that necessary connexion, which a late obler writer has been pleased to suppose, between DEVOTION and DULNESS.

The Psalms which remain are such as treat, in plain terms, without figures or examples, of wisdom and folly, righteousness and sin; the happiness produced by one, and the misery caused by the other; of particular virtues and vices; of the vanity of human life; of the attributes of God; of that patience with which the faithful should learn to bear the sight of wickedness triumphant in this world, looking forward to the day of final retribution; and subjects of the like nature. As psalms of this kind call for little in the expository way, the general doctrines. or precepts implied in them, or suggested by them, are drawn forth in short reflections, attempted after the manner of those made by father Quesnel, on each verse of the New Testament. The opportunity of doing this, where nothing else seemed to be required, and indeed of doing, on every occasion, what did seem to be required in any way, was the reason for throwing the work into its present form, rather than that of a paraphrase, or any other. Some repetitions, in a performance of this sort, are unavoidable. But a Commentary on the Book of Psalms is not to be read all at once;' and it was thought

The most profitable way of reading it, perhaps, would be, by small portions, often reviewing the text and the comment, and comparing them carefully together; at times when the mind is most free, vacant, and calmn; in the morning, more especially, to prepare and fortify it for

better to give the exposition of each Psalm complete in itself, than to refer the reader elsewhere; which, therefore, is only done, when passages of a considerable length occur in two Psalms, without any material dif

ference.

Such is the method the author has taken, such the authorities on which he has proceeded, and such the rules by which he has directed himself. If consistency and uniformity in the comment have been the result, they will afford, it is hoped, no contemptible argument on its behalf; since it is scarce possible to expound uniformly, on an erroneous plan, so great a variety of figurative language, as is to be found in the book of Psalms.'

Let us stop for a moment, to contemplate the true character of these sacred hymns.

Greatness confers no exemption from the cares and sorrows of life. Its share of them frequently bears a melancholy proportion to its exaltation. This the Israelitish monarch experienced. He sought in piety that peace which he could not find in empire, and alleviated the disquietudes of state with the exercises of devotion.

His invaluable Psalms convey those comforts to others which they afforded to himself. Composed on particular occasions, yet designed for general use; delivered out as services for Israelites under the Law, yet no less adapted to the circumstances of Christians under the

the business of the day; and in the evening, to recompose, and set it in order, for the approaching season of rest,

The student in Theology, who is desirous of farther information on a subject so curious, so entertaining, and so interesting, as that of the figurative language of Scripture, the principles on which it is founded, and the best rules to be observed in the sober and rational interpretation of it, may find satisfaction by consulting the following authors :— LowTH's Preface to his Commentary on the Prophets. LOWTH, Prælect. de Sacr. Poes. Heb. Prælect. iv.-xii.

PASCHAL'S Thoughts, sect. x.-xiv.

HURD'S Introd. to the Study of the Prophecies. Serm. ii. ifi. iv.
VITRINGA, Observat. Sacr. lib. vi, cap. xx. et lib. vii.

, Præfat. ad Comment. in JESAIAM.

GLASSII Philologia Sacra, lib. ii.

WITSII Miscellan. Sacra, tom. i. lib. iii. cap. iii. lib. ii. Dissert. i. ii. Econom. Fœd. lib. iv. cap. vi.-x.

WATERLAND'S General Preface to Scripture Vindicated.

Gospel; they present religion to us in the most engaging dress; communicating truths, which philosophy could never investigate, in a style which poetry can never equal; while history is made the vehicle of prophecy, and creation lends all its charms to paint the glories of redemption. Calculated alike to profit and to please, they inform the understanding, elevate the affections, and entertain the imagination. Indited, under the influence of Him to whom all hearts are known, and all events foreknown, they suit mankind in all situations, grateful as the manna which descended from above, and conforming itself to every palate. The fairest productions of human wit, after a few perusals, like gathered flowers, wither in our hands, and lose their fragrancy; but these unfading plants of paradise become, as we are accustomed to them, still more and more beautiful; their bloom" appears to be daily heightened; fresh odors are emitted, and new sweets extracted from them. He who hath once tasted their excellencies, will desire to taste them yet again; and he who tastes them oftenest will relish them best mos

n

V

And now, could the author flatter himself, that any one would take half the pleasure in reading the following exposition, which he hath taken in writing it, he would not fear the loss of his labor. The employment detached him from the bustle and hurry of life, the din of politics, and the noise of folly vanity and vexation flew away for a season, care and disquietude came not near his dwelling. He arose, fresh as the morning, to his task; the silence of the night invited him to pursue it and he can truly say, that food and rest were not preferred before it. Every Psalm improved infinitely on his acquaintance with it, and no one g gave him uneasiness but the last; for then he grieved that his work was done. Happier hours than those which have been spent on these meditations on the Songs of Sion, he never expects to see in this world. Very pleasantly did they pass, and moved smoothly and swiftly along; for when thus engaged, he counted no time. They are gone, but have left a relish and a fragrance on the mind, and the remembrance of them is sweet.

But, alas! these are the fond effusions of parental tenderness. Others will view the production with very different eyes; and the harsh voice of inexorable criticism will too soon awaken him from his pleasing dream. He is not insensible, that many learned and good men, whom he does not therefore value and respect the less, have conceived strong prejudices against the scheme of interpretation here pursued; and he knows how little the generality of modern Christians have been accustomed to speculations of this kind; which, it may likewise, perhaps, be said, will give occasion to the scoffs of our adversaries, the Jews and the deists. Yet, if in the preceding pages it hath been made to appear, that the application of the Psalms to evangelical subjects, times, and circumstances, stands on firm ground; that it may be prosecuted on a regular and consistent plan; and that it is not only expedient, but even necessary to render the use of them in our devotions rational and profitable; will it be presumption in him to hope that, on a calm and dispassionate review of the matter, prejudices may subside, and be done away? If men, in these days, have not been accustomed to such contemplations, is it not high time they should become so? Can they begin too soon to study and make themselves masters of a science which promises to its votaries so much entertainment, as well as improvement; which recommends the Scriptures to persons of true taste and genius, as books intended equally for our delight and instruction; which demonstrates the ways of celestial wisdom to be ways of pleasantness, and all her paths to be peace indeed? From the most sober, deliberate, and attentive survey of the sentiments which prevailed on this point, in the first ages of the church, when the apostolical method of citing and expounding the Psalms was fresh on the minds of their followers, the author cannot but be confident, that his Commentary, if it had then made its appearance, would have been universally received and approved, as to the general design of it, by the whole Christian world. And, however the Jews, in their present state of alienation and unbelief, may reject and set at nought such applications of their Scriptures to our Messiah and his

chosen people, as they certainly will do; he is not less confident, that, whenever the happy and glorious day of their conversion shall come, and the veil shall be taken from their hearts, they will behold the Psalter in that light in which he has endeavoured to place it. As to the deists, they, while they continue such, can have beither lot nor part in this matter; for giving no credit to the Scripture account of things, either in the Old Testament or the New, to discourse with them concerning a connexion and analogy subsisting between the one and the other, is to reason about a fifth sense with a man who has only four. For the conviction both of the Jews and deists, other arguments are to be urged; arguments from undeniable miracles openly wrought, and plain prophecies literally fulfilled. Such proofs are for them that believe not.' And such have been repeatedly urged, in their full force, by the many able champions, who have stood forth (success evermore attend their labors!) in defence of the evidences of Christianity. Expositions and meditations, like those in the subsequent pages, serve not, nor are intended to serve, for them who believe not, but for them who believe;" who will exercise their faculties in discerning and contemplating the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and who are going

'If this appears to be the case in so many of the Psalms (namely, that they are predictive of MESSIAH), how strongly does it justify our Lord's appeal to them as treating of Him! And what a noble argument may hence arise for the conviction and conversion of that extraordinary people, to whom they were originally communicated, when once the veil that is on their hearts shall be taken away, as by the same Spirit of prophecy we are assured it shall! The Bishop of CARLISLE'S Theory of

Religion, p. 176. 6th edit. Wit
With what transports of zeal and devotion,

of faith and love, will they recite these holy hymns, in the day when the whole body of the Jews, returning to the Lord their God, shall acknowlege their unparalleled crime in the murder of their king, and their penitential sorrow for the same, 'perhaps, as his Lordship intimates, in the words of the fifty-first Psalm: Deliver, me from BLOOD-GUILTINESS, O God, thou God of my salvation; and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. For thou desirest not SACRIFICE, else would I give it; thou delightest not in BURNT-OFFERING. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. O do good in thy good pleasure to Zion; build thou the walls of JERUSALEM!'

2 1 Cor. xiv. 22.