sist,) suffered a vile depression of his spirit unto this gross corporeal world, and hereby brought himself under a necessity of being miserable, his nobler part having nothing now to satisfy it, but what it was become unsuitable and disaffected to. His merciful Creator, being intent upon his restitution, thought fit not to bring it about by a sudden and violent hand (as it were to catch him into heaven against his will:) but to raise his spirit into its just dominion and sovreignty in him, by such gradual methods as were most suitable to a rational, intelligent nature; that is, to discover to him, that he had such a thing as spirit about him; whence it was fallen, how low it was sunk, to what state it was capable to be raised, and what he had designed and done for its happy recovery. And hence by the secret and powerful insinuations of his own light and grace, to awaken his drowsy and slumbering reason, and incline his perverse and wayward will to the consideration and choice of such things as that felicity consists in; which that better world can afford, and his better part enjoy.

And while he propounds such things to him, how reasonable and agreeable was it, that he should keep him sometime under a just probation (yea, how much was there in it of a gracious and compassionate indulgence, often to renew the trial,) whether he would yet bestir himself, and (having so great hopes before him, and such helps and aids afforded him, and ready to be afforded) apply, at last, his intellectual and elective powers, to mind and close with so gracious overtures, in order to his own eternal advancement and blessedness? Nor was it an unreasonable expectation that he should do so. For, however the temporal good and evil that may constantly affect his sensitive part and powers, be present and near; but the eternal misery or blessedness of his soul, future and remote; yet inasmuch as he is capable of understanding the vast disproportions of time and eternity; of a mortal flesh and an immortal spirit; how preposterous a course were it, and unworthy of a man; yea, how dishonorable and reproachful to his Maker, should he prefer the momentary pleasures of narrow, incapacious sense, to the everlasting enjoyments of an enlarged comprehensive spirit? Or, for the avoiding the pains and miseries of the former kind, incur those of the latter? Whence also the Holy God doth not expect and require only, that men should make that wiser choice; but doth most justly lay the weight of their eternal states upon their doing, or not doing so. And in that day when he shall render to every one according to his works, make this the rule of his final judgment, to allot to them, who by a patient continuance in well-doing, seek for honor, glory, and immortality, eternal life. To the rest, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, &c. and that whether they be Jews or Gentiles. Rom. 2. 6,-9. Nor is it a new thing in the world, that some among the

children of men should in this comply with the righteous will of God, and so judge and choose for themselves, as he is pleased to direct and prescribe, it is a course approved by the concurrent suffrage of all them, in all times and ages, into whose minds the true light hath shined, and whom God hath inspired with that wisdom whereby he maketh wise to salvation. That numerous assembly of the perfected spirits of the just, have agreed in this common resolution; and did in their several generations, before they had passed this state of trial, with an heroic magnanimity trample this present world under their feet, and aspire to the glory of the world to come; relieving themselves against all the grievances they have suffered from such whose portion is in this life with the alone hope and confidence of what they were to enjoy in another.

course.

II. And hereof we have an eminent and illustrious instance in this context, where the ground is laid of the following disFor introduction whereto, observe that-the title speaks the psalm a prayer of David. The matter of the prayer is, preservation from his enemies. Not to go over the whole psalm, we have in the 13 and 14 verses, the sum of his desires, with a description of the persons he prays to be delivered from: in which description every character is an argument to enforce his prayer.

From the wicked: as though he had said they are equally enemies to thee and me; not more opposite to me by their cruelty, than by their wickedness they are to thee. Vindicate then, at once, thyself, and deliver me.

Thy sword, thy hand. Thou canst as easily command and manage them, as a man may wield his sword, or move his hand. Wilt thou suffer thine own sword, thine own hand, to destroy thine own servant?

Men of the world, which have their portion in this life: time and this lower world, bound all their hopes and fears. They have no serious believing apprehensions of any thing beyond this present life therefore have nothing to withhold them from the most injurious violence, if thou withhold them not; men that believe not another world, are the ready actors of any imaginable mischiefs and tragedies in this.

Whose belly thou fillest. That is, their sensual appetite; (as oftentimes that term is used, Rom. 16. 18. Phil. 3. 19.) with thy hid treasures, namely, the riches which either God is wont to hide in the bowels of the earth, or lock up in the repository of providence, dispensing them at his own pleasure.

They are full of children. So it appears by that which follows, it ought to be read, and not according to that gross, but easy (v for viv) mistake of some transcribers of the seventy. As if in all this he had pleaded thus; "Lord, thou hast abundantly indulged those men already, what need they more? They have themselves, from thy unregarded bounty, their own vast

swollen desires sufficiently filled, enough for their own time; and when they can live no longer in their persons, they may in their posterity, and leave not strangers, but their numerous offspring, their heirs. Is it not enough that their avarice be gratified, except their malice be also? that they have whatsoever they can conceive desirable for themselves, unless they may also infer whatever they can think mischievous on me? To this description of his enemies, he, ex opposito, subjoins some account of himself in this his closure of the psalm: As for me, here he is at his statique point; and, after some appearing discomposure, his spirit returns to a consistency, in consideration of his own more happy state, which he opposes and prefers to theirs, in the following respects. That they were wicked, he righteous. "I will behold thy face in righteousness." That their happiness was worldly, terrene, such only as did spring from the earth; his, heavenly and divine, such as should result from the face and image of God. Theirs, present, temporary, compassed within this life; his, future, everlasting, to be enjoyed when he should awake. Theirs, partial, defective, such as would but gratify their bestial part, fill their bellies; his, adequate, complete (the εὐδαιμονία σε συνετά a happiness of proportion) such as should satisfy the man. "I shall be satisfied, &c.

III. The variety in rendering this verse (to be seen by comparing the original and translation) need not give us any trouble, the differences not being of great moment, nor our own reading liable to exception. The word about which is the greatest diversity, hath the significancy we here give it, in the second commandment, and constantly elsewhere. And then, what more proper English can this text, be capable of, than it hath in our bibles? Each word hath its true and genuine import; and the syntax is sufficiently regular, and grammatical of the whole.

IV. In the mean time, the real importance of this scripture more calls for discussion than the literal; concerning which, a threefold inquiry will be necessary for the settling the subject of the following discourse.-What relation this righteousness must be understood to have to the vision of God's face, and the other consequent blessedness.-What time or state awaking refers to, and-What is intended by the likeness of God. To the first of these. It is only necessary to say at present, that the already noted import of the preposition in being supposed most suitable to this text (as apparently it is) righteousness must be looked upon in reference to this vision, not as in an idle or merely casual concomitancy, or as an unconcerned circumstance, that hath nothing to do with the business spoken of; but as in a close and intimate connexion therewith; being, first antecedent, secondly conducible, thirdly necessary thereto. Nor can I better express its place, and reference to it, generally and in one word, than in saying it qualifies for it; which how it doth, will be more proper

to consider hereafter. It may now suffice to say, those words give us the qualified subject of this blessedness "I; in righteousness," a righteous person as such. To the Second; Taking it for granted, that none will understand this awaking as opposed to natural sleep: in the borrowed or tropical sense, it must be understood to intend either some better state in this life, in comparison whereof the Psalmist reckons his present state but as a sleep; or the future state of blessedness in the other life. There have been some who have understood it of the former, and thought the Psalmist to speak only of an hoped freedom from his present temporal afflictions; but then, that which will be implied, seems not so specious; that trouble and affliction should be signified by the necessarily pre-supposed sleep, which sure doth more resemble rest than trouble.

I conceive it less exceptionable to refer awaking, to the blessed state of saints after this life. For, that saints, at that time when this was written, had the knowledge of such a state (indeed a saint not believing a life to come, is a perfect contradiction) no doubt can be made by any that hath ever so little read and compared the old and new testament. We are plainly told, that those excellent persons mentioned in the famous roll, (Heb. 11. v. 1. 16.) lived by that faith which was the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. That of them, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, while they lived in Canaan, yet sought a better, a heavenly country; confessing themselves pilgrims and strangers on earth. We know it was the more general belief of the Jews in our Saviour's time. And whence should they have it, but from the old Testament thither our Saviour remits them Joh. 5. 39. to search it out, and the way to it. The Apostle saint Paul, Acts 26, and 6. 7. compared with the 8. gives it as the common faith of the twelve tribes, grounded upon the promise made to their forefathers; and thence prudentially he herein states the cause wherein he was now engaged; supposing it would be generally resented, that he should be called in question for avowing (only) so known and received a truth. Sure they were beholden to these sacred writings they had then among them, for so common a belief; and since it is out of question, from our Saviour's express words, they do contain the ground of that belief; what cause have we to be so shy of so interpreting scriptures that have a fair aspect that way? Is it, that we can devise to fasten here and there another sense upon divers such? I wonder what one text can be mentioned in all the old testament to this purpose, wherein one may not do so: And what then would be the tendency of this course, but to deny in all the particulars, what, upon so clear evidence, we are in the general forced to admit? and to put Moses, and Abraham, and David, in a lower class than Pythagoras, and Socrates, and Plato? And I think it would not be easy to find one text in all that part

of the Bible, where both the words thereof, and the context, do more fairly comply, that in this, so as not only to admit, but even to invite that interpretation.

For the term awake about which the present inquiry is, how apt and obvious is the analogy between our awaking out of natural sleep, and the holy soul's rising up out of the darkness and torpor of its present state, into the enlivening light of God's presence? It is truly said so to awake, at its first quitting these darksome regions, when it lays aside its cumbersome night-vail. It doth so more perfectly, in the joyful morning of the resurrection-day when mortality is swallowed up in life, and all the yet hovering shadows of it are vanished and fled away. And how known and usual an application this is of the metaphorical terms of sleeping and awaking in holy writ, I need not tell them who have read the Bible. Nor doth this interpretation less fitly accord to the other contents of this verse: For to what state do the sight of God's face, and satisfaction with his likeness, so fully agree, as to that of future blessedness in the other world? But then the contexture of discourse in this and the foregoing verse together, seems plainly to determine us to this sense for what can be more conspicuous in them, than a purposed comparison, an opposition of two states of felicity mutually to each other? That of the wicked, whom he calls men of time, and whose portion, he tells us, is in this life and the righteous man's, his own; which he expected not to be till he should awake, that is, not till after this life.

It is further to be inquired, thirdly, how we are here to understand the likeness of God? I doubt not but we are to understand by it, his glory. And the only difficulty which it will be necessary at present to consider about it, is, whether we are to take it objectively, or subjectively; for the glory to be represented to the blessed soul, or the glory to be impressed upon it; the glory which it is to behold, or the glory it shall bear. And I conceive the difference is more easily capable of accommodation, than of a strict decision on either part. By face is undoubtedly meant objective glory, and that in its most perfect representation, the face being, as we know with men, the chief seat of aspectable majesty and beauty. Hence when Moses desires to see God's glory, though he did vouchsafe some discovery of it, yet he tells him his face cannot be seen. Hereupon, therefore, the next expression thy likeness might the more plausibly be restrained to subjective glory, so as to denote the image of God now in its most perfect impression on the blessed soul. But that I insist not on. Supposing therefore, that what is signified by face, be repeated over again in this word likeness, yet I conceive the expression is not varied in vain; but having more to say than only that he expected a state of future vision, namely, that he assured himself of satisfaction too, another word was

VOL. I.

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