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prophets treating of the coming of Im manuel in the flesh as clearly as the evangelifts. When this moft blessed event was to be accomplished in the fulness of time, a new teftament witnefs, filled with the holy Ghoft, prophecied, faying, "Bleffed be the Lord God of Ifrael, for " he hath according to his promise visited and redeemed his people, and hath "raised up an horn of falvation for us in "the houfe of his fervant David, as he fpake by the mouth of his holy pro

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phets, which have been fince the world began." The Lord never left himself without witnefs. Ever fince the world began he had prophets, who foretold what Chrift was to be and to do, who teftified beforehand of the fufferings of Chrift, and the glory that fhould follow.

This is the fubject of the book of pfalms. It treats of Chrift, and contains the praises of the Father's love, and of the Spirit's grace, as they were manifested in the perfon and work of Jefus Chrift. The falvation of finners through him is the greatest display of the covenant mercies of the eternal Three; therefore the pfalms celebrate his wonderful perfon, and his divine undertakings-they defcribe his obedience and fufferings-his conflicts with, and victories over all his enemies

enemies-his refurrection and afcenfionhis fitting upon the throne, the great King of all worlds, visible and invisible— his gathering together and perfecting the number of his elect-his coming at the laft day to judge men and angels-and the glory which he will beftow upon his redeemed, when they fhall be with him and like him, kings and priefts unto God and his Father, and shall reign with him for ever.

What fubject can be more noble in itfelf than this? Here are the greatest tranfactions of the greatest perfonages, that poffibly can be the ever bleffed Trinity purpofing and covenanting to bring many fons unto glory-displaying their wifdom, and love, and power in an infinite degree, through the incarnation, obedience, and fufferings of the Godman, Jehovah Jefus, and through the effectual grace of the holy Spirit, calling and bringing the elect to experience the Father's love to them by faith in the Son's perfect falvation, and then guiding them fafe by his council and might unto the glory provided for them. This wonderful theme is treated of in the book of pfalms in a manner fuitable to its dignity -it is not only fpoken of, but alfo celebrated-not merely defcribed, but also praised. The language therefore is A 5 exalted.

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exalted. The fentiments are fublime. The poetry is divine. And no wonder: the author is equal to the fubject, He is capable of extolling the mercies of that covenant, which reach from eternity to eternity, and of extolling them according to their true greatness. The pfalms are the compofition of the all-wife Spirit: for the holy Ghoft fpake by the mouth of David, and of the other infpired penmen. He guided both their hearts and their hands. The fentiments and the words are his for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God Spake, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost-they spake as he moved them-they indited the pfalms under his inspiration. The praises therein given of the person and work of the ever bleffed Immanuel are not human, but truly divine. What may not be expected from fuch an author? Who is by effential union one in the Godhead with the Father and the Son, and who is by his office to teftify of Jefus and to glorify Jefus. If the pfalms be read under his influence, they will be found equal to the fubject, in every view fuited to exalt the incarnate God, and if they be fung with grace in the heart, they will increase the faith and hope of every devout worshipper.

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There are feveral Pfalms which are applicable to none but Jefus Chrift, and many expreffions which could not be truly spoken by any one, but by him who was God and man in one Christ. Many will receive new luftre and emphasis, when viewed in the fame light. The proper pfalms, which are appointed to be read on the festivals, do certainly treat of the birth, death, refurrection, and afcenfion of the Lord Chrift, and of the coming of the holy Spirit on the day of pentecoft, in confequence of Chrift's afcenfion: for, fays he, "If I go not away the comforter "will not come untó you; but if I go away, I will send him unto you.' » Our reformers certainly understood those proper pfalms to be defcriptive of Chrift, and took them in the fame sense our Lord and his apoftles did; who have quoted the book of pfalms eighty-two times. Their manner of quoting it demonftrates, that they took it for granted it was written concerning Chrift. Indeed many paffages cannot be applied to any one, but to him: for inftance-he appeals to God to be tried according to his innocence-to be rewarded according to his righteousness— he defires to be judged according to the cleanness of his heart and hands-could any one of us fay," Search me to the "bottom,

"bottom, O God, and know my heart; "try me and know my thoughts, and fee "if there be any way of wickedness in "me." All have finned. All we like fheep have gone aftray, and if we were to be tried according to the holy law by a heart-fearching God, every mouth would be stopped, and all the world would become guilty before him. O what would become of the best of us, if God was to judge us as we are. The cxixth Pfalm is a defcription of the love of Chrift to the law, his study in it, and his perfect obfervance of it. O what love have I unto thy law-with my whole heart have I fought thee-I have not departed from thy judg ments—“ I have fworn" (with the oath of the covenant)" and I will perform it, that "I will keep thy righteous judgments." Are not thefe the peculiar defcriptions of the work of the God-man, in which he was alone, and of the people there was none with him-any more than there was in the offering for fin, when, he trod the wine-prefs alone, and of the people there was none with him, of which the xlth pfalm treats-any more than there was in bringing in everlafting righteoufnefs, for which the church praifes him in feveral pfalms, particularly in lxxi, and will triumph in his righteousness, and in his only

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