ment, 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 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 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, between 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 1."

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 supernatural ways of Oracle, Inspiration, &c. When the acknowledgment 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, become his people. As God is ever the same, and his

1 Bishop LowTH on the Hebrew Poetry, Lect. xi.

doings uniform, his conduct towards mankind must exactly be proportioned to his conduct towards the Jewish nation. Let us, therefore, place God in common 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 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 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. ciple which shows, that, far from

This is a prin

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 befel 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 one whose life was embittered 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 repeateth 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, traitor

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

ous 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 judgments 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 which his progenitor David had before used under his own troubles, but which were given by inspiration, with a view to the case of that blessed Person whom, in those troubles, he had the honour to prefigure.

Other Psalms there are, which disclose far different scenes. In them the sorrows of David are at an end, and the day of his deliverance hath already dawned. The heavens are opened, and Jehovah appeareth in the cause of his afflicted servant. He descendeth from above, encompassed with clouds and darkness, preceded by fire and hail, proclaimed by thunder and earthquake, and

1 Heb. v. 7.