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of writing any of the Pfalms, I fhall not particularly enquire into ; but only attend the fpirit of them as written for our learning, on whom the ends of the world are come.

It is evident, that JESUS CHRIST is the great fubject of the fcriptures of the Old and New-Teftament; particularly of the Pfal.ns. He himself told his difciples, "that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Mofes, and the prophets, and the Pfalms concerning him," Luke xxiv. 44. And when the apostle Peter fpeaks of the difciples receiving the end of their faith, the falvation of their fouls, he gives them to understand, that the prophets spake of this falvation as contained in the fufferings of Chrift, and the glory that fhould follow, 1ft Pet. i. 9, 10, 11, 12. This appears to be the great Subject of the Pfalmis, And I believe if we understood the persons that are by the fpirit of prophecy brought in as fpeaking in the Pfalms-the character of Jesus Christ, and of his followers, and his connexion with themthe character of Satan, and his adherents, in oppofition to Christ-we fhould the more eafily understand the fufferings of Christ, so abundantly set forth, more especially in the former part of the Pfalms, and his final victory over all his enemies, fo triumphantly celebrated, particularly in the latter part of them; in both which his followers are partakers with him; according to 1ft Peter, iv. 13. " but rejoice, in as much

ye are partakers of Chrift's fufferings; that when his glory fhall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."

As to the perfons brought in speaking in the Pfalms, we have fometimes God the Father, as is evident from many paffages therein, as they are recited by the apoftles in the New-Teftament,

Compare Pfalms ii. 6,5 With Acts xiii. 33. and 7,-xlv, 6, 7.-xcvii. 7. Hebrews i. 5, 6, 8, 9, ~cii, 25, 26, 27.—CX, I. R10, 11, 12, 13.

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Sometimes Chrift himself; we find him as in Pfalm iii. 1. crying out, Lord, how are they increased that trouble me? Many are they that rise up against me.” -Sometimes complaining of his reproach, as Pfalm Ixix. 20. reproach hath broken my heart."-And fometimes pleading his own righteousness as an argument for its removal, Pfalm cxix. 22. "remove from me reproach and contempt, for I have kept thy teftimonies."-But it would be to recite a great part of the Pfalms, to bring to view the paffages wherein Chrift himself is the speaker,

Sometimes his church; as Pfalm iv. 6. "Lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us." To which prayer she seems to be excited and encouraged, becaufe God had fet apart him that is godly for himself, and would hear when fhe called upon him.--It is said, the Hebrew fignifies," he has chofen his holy one, even Chrift, and through him I fhall be heard." ver. 3, &c. The church also appears to be the speaker in many of the Pfalms. See the xliv. lxxiv. lxxix. lxxx. as a fample.

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And fometimes the reproaching language of the wicked one and his adherents are represented; as Pfalm iii. 2. Many there be that fay of my foul, there is no help for him in God."-Pfalm x. 6. "He hath faid in his heart, I fhall not be moved; for I fhall never be in adverfity."-Verse 11. "He hath faid in his heart, God hath forgotten; he hideth his face, he will never fee it."-Verse 13. "He hath faid in his heart, thou wilt not require it."-Pfalm xii. 4. "Who have faid, with our tongue will we prevail, our lips are our own; who is Lord over us?-Pfalm xxii. 7, 8. "They shoot out the lip, they fhake the head, saying, he trufted on the Lord, that he would deliver him; let him deliver him, feeing he delighted in him."-Pfalm xli. 7, 8. "All that hate me, whisper together against me; an evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him; and now that he lieth down, he fhall rife up no more."

-Pfalm

They continually fay unto me,

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-Pfalm xlii. 3. where is thy God?"-Pfalm xiv. 1. and liii. 1. "The fool hath faid in his heart, there is no God." -Pfalm Ixxi. 11." God hath forfaken him; perfecute and take him."-Pfalm lxxiii. 11. And they fay, how doth God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High? &c."

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Thus we have fome brief hints of the persons brought in as speaking.

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It is alfo neceffary, that we understand the characters fpoken of in them. As to the character of Christ, he is there celebrated as God, and as man; according to Philippians ii. 6, 7. " who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a fervant."-This taking upon him the form of a fervant, manifefts him to be God; becaufe the highest and most dignified creature is a fervant originally, or created a fervant; and the angels, the higheft order of creatures, are commanded to worfhip HIM. Compare Pfalm xcvii. 7. with Hebrews i. 6. "worship him, all ye Gods. And let all the angels of God worship him." So is his redeemed church; Pfalm xlv. 11. "he is thy Lord, and worship thou him.”

Now as Chrift is celebrated in the Pfalms both as God and as man, our keeping this in view will help us the more easily to understand those passages that relate both to his divine and human nature, as fpeaking of him.

In various paffages we have God the Father, fpeaking of his divine perfon. The apostle in the first of Hebrews fhews that Pfalm xlv. 6. 7. is the Father's addrefs to Chrift. But unto the Son he faith, thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; a fceptre of righteousness is the fceptre of thy kingdom; thou haft loved righteoufiefs, and hated iniquity; therefore, God, thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladnefs above thy fellows.". The apoftle alfo fhews,

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us that the Father is speaking to Chrift in Pfalm cii. "And thou, Lord, in the beginning haft laid the foundations of the earth; and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They fhall perish, but thou remaineft; thou art the fame, and thy years shall not fail." Thus is Pfalm cx. beginning, "the Lord faid unto my Lord, fit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool,"-faid by the apostle to be fpoken of Chrift; Acts ii. 34. according with many other paffages in the New-Teftament to the fame purpose; to mention one or two;-John x. 30. " I and the Father are one." John v. 37. "the Father himself who hath fent me, hath born witnefs of me."

Thus for the Father's teftimony to the divinity of Christ. He that hath received his teftimony, hath fet to his feal, that God is true.'

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He is likewife worshipped as God by his church.In proof of this, inftead of many paffages that might be produced, I fhall turn you to the beginning of the ciii. Pfalm; which viewed in connexion with the cii. Pfalm, I think appears to this purpose. The humili

ation of Jefus Chrift even unto death feems to be pointed at in the cii. Pfalm, when he appeared in the glory of divine condefcenfion, as it were laying the lowest stone for the building up Zion. It was then he regarded the prayer of the deftitute, and heard the groaning of the prifoner, and faved the appointed to die, in the inftance of the thief upon the crofs, whereby the name of the Lord is declared in Zion, and his praife in Jerufalem; for even then he appeared as a KING in the way to his kingdom, and was feen and worshipped by the thief as fuch." Lord, remember me when thou comeft into thy kingdom." who received this moft gracious anfwer, this day fhalt thou be with me in paradife. So while he was mocked, Matthew xxvii. 29. with hail, King of the Jews," and verfe 42.-" he faved others, himself he cannot fave; if he be the King of Ifrael let him now

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come down from the cross, and we will believe him. -Pilate, with an unalterable refolution, wrote his title, "Jefus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." John xix. 19, 20, 21, 22. And the thief worshipped him as that King he had witnessed himself to be before Pontius Pilate, and as going to his kingdom. See John xviii. 37. "Pilate therefore faid unto him, art thou a King then?-Jefus answered, thou fayeft true that I am a King"-as (it is faid) it fhould be read from the original.

But to return :-The glory of the sufferer, and the end and design of his fufferings, being manifested in the forecited cii. Pfalm, the church breaks forth in his high praises, in the ciii. Pfalm, as the LORD (ver. 3.) "who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all

thy difeafes." Compare this with Mark ii. 5. " Jefus faid, Son, thy fins be forgiven thee."

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prove himself the Lord who had "power on earth to forgive fins, he said to the fick of the palfy, arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house And immediately he arofe, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; infomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God." verses 10, II, 12.

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Again, verfe 4. (of the ciii. Pfalm) "who redeemeth thy life from deftruction, who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies." Compare this with Matthew xi. 5. "the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them," John xi. 43, 44. "Lazarus, come forth.-And he that was dead came forth." Thus Jefus fhewed himself "the refurrection and the life." And fo with the forgivenefs of fins goes the hope of eternal life: In order to the enjoyment of which, it is neceffary that believers fhould have made good to them Chrift's promife, John vi. 40, 54. "I will raife him up at the last day.” And to confirm their faith in his power, he was pleased to give them the inftances mentioned.

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