"fresh weight and dignity are added to the sentiment, “ till gradually ascending from things below to things above, from human affairs to those which are divine, they bear the great important theme upwards with them, and at length place it in the height and brightness of heaven.

"What hath been observed with regard to this "Psalm, may also be applied to the seventy-second; "the subject of which is of the same kind, and

treated in the same manner. Its title might be, "The Inauguration of Solomon. The scheme of the "allegory is alike in both; but a diversity of matter "occasions an alteration in the diction. For whereas "one is employed in celebrating the magnificent

triumphs of victory, it is the design of the other ❝to draw a pleasing picture of peace, and of that à felicity which is her inseparable attendant. The "style is, therefore, of a more even and temperate

sort, and more richly ornamented. It aboundeth "not with those sudden changes of the person

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speaking, which dazzle and astonish; but the "imagery is borrowed from the delightful scenes "with which creation cheers the sight, and the pencil "of the divine artist is dipped in the softer colours "of nature. And here we may take notice how peculiarly adapted to the genius of this kind of

"

allegory the parabolical style is, on account of that "great variety of natural images to be found in it.

"For as these images are capable of being employed " in the illustration of things divine and human, be"tween which there is a certain analogy maintained, "so they easily afford that ambiguity which is necessary in this species of composition, where the language is applicable to each sense, and obscure "in neither; it comprehends both parts of the allegory, and may be clearly and distinctly referred to "one or the other *."

The scheme of exposition so beautifully delineated and illustrated in two instances by this truly valuable author, has been extended, in theory, by another learned writer, to a great part of the Psalter; and that upon a principle deduced from the attributes of God, and the nature and design of the divine dispensations; though his own labours, like those of Dr. Hammond, were employed chiefly in literal criticism. His reasoning is as follows:

"In this point (namely, the application of the "Psalms to the mysteries of the Gospel) I am very "clear. The Jews only, as a nation, acknowledged "the one supreme God, under the name of Jehovah ;

they must be, therefore, his peculiar people. There " is nothing capricious in this; they are correlates, "and of necessity answer reciprocally to each other. "Hence that singular intercourse between God and "them. Hence, among other instances of his favour, "his communication of himself to them by supernaBishop LoWTH on the Hebrew Poetry, Lect. xi.

"tural ways of Oracle, Inspiration, &c.

When the acknowledgement of the one God branched itself "from this Jewish stock, over the face of the earth, "and by that means he was become the God of all "mankind, they must all, for the same reason, be"come his people. As God is ever the same, and his doings uniform, his conduct towards mankind must

exactly be proportioned to his conduct towards the "Jewish nation. Let us, therefore, place God in com"mon over them both; and there will be-on one "side, the Jewish nation; and on the other, mankind: " on one side, Canaan, and a national prosperity; "on the other, heaven and human happiness: on

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one side, a redemption from Egyptian servitude, " and national evils; on the other, a redemption of "the whole human race from absolute evil: on one

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side, national crimes atoned by national ceremonies, "sacrifices, priests; on the other, sins expiated by "the one universal sacrifice of JESUS CHRIST: on one side, national and temporary saviours, kings, prophets, &c.; on the other, all this universal, and "eternal on one side, the Law, and every branch "of it, adapted to a favourite nation; on the other, “the everlasting Gospel, suited to all mankind. It " is impossible, therefore, that God can say any thing to David, under the quality of king of this chosen nation, which he does not speak, at the "same time, to JESUS CHRIST, as King of all the "elect, and that in a truer and nobler sense. To

;

"each of them he speaks in a sense adapted to the "nature of their respective kingdoms. Nor is the "latter a bare accommodation of words, but the "first and highest meaning of them, and which only, absolutely speaking, can be the true sense of God "the other being this sense, confined to a particular circumstance; in other words, an absolute truth, "made history and matter of fact. This is a prin"ciple, which shows, that, far from denying the "Christian application, I consider the literal and "historical sense only as a kind of vehicle for it *." Upon this plan it is, that many of the Psalms are interpreted in the following sheets.

In such of them as were written by David, and treat of his affairs, that extraordinary person is considered as an illustrious representative of Messiah, who is more than once foretold under the name of David, and to whom are applied, in the New Testament, Psalms which do undoubtedly, in the letter of them, relate to David, and were composed on occasion of particular occurrences which befell him; a circumstance in theology, to be accounted for upon no other principle.

When, therefore, he describeth himself as one hated and persecuted without a cause; as one accused of crimes which he never committed, and suffering for sins the very thoughts of which he abhorred; as

* Preface to an Essay toward a New English Version of the ONB to. Book of Psalms, by the reverend Mr. MUDGE.

one whose life was imbittered by affliction, and his soul overwhelmed with sorrows; yet, withal, as one whom no troubles could induce to renounce his trust and confidence in the promises of God concerning him; when he repeated his resolutions of adhering to the divine law, setting forth its various excellencies, and the comforts which it afforded him in the days of adversity; when he complaineth of that implacable malice, and unrelenting fury, with which he was pursued by Saul and his attendants, by Doeg the Edomite, by rebellious Absalom, traitorous Ahithophel, &c. and when, contrary to all appearances, he predicteth their destruction, with his own final exaltation; in expounding the Psalms of this cast and complexion, it hath been my endeavour to direct the reader's thoughts to parallel circumstances, which present themselves in the history of the true David; his sorrows and sufferings; his resignation under them all; his obedience to the will of his Father; the temper and behaviour of his betrayers and murderers; the prophecies of judgements to be inflicted upon them, and of glory to be conferred upon him. As the Psalter was the liturgy of the Jewish church, of which our Lord was a member, and to which he therefore entirely conformed during his abode and humiliation upon earth, he might pour forth his complaints, and "offer up his prayers and supplications, " with strong crying and tears*," in the very words