by way of a hint, which every one may pursue ar pieafure, for the illuftration of the first rule: which brings us to what is equally plain and conclufive,

A 2d rule of interpretation, namely, That whereever you meet with a Pfalm that is not directly applied itself to Chrift, yet, if there be any part of it evidently parallel to any part of another Pfalm which is fo applied, you must apply them both alike, becaufe of the famenefs of the perfon and fubject, as argued above; according to that mathematical axiom, If two things are equal to one third thing, they are equal to one another. Thus, for illuftration of this remark, if you allow Pfalm xl. to be spoken in the perfon of Christ, you cannot deny but the lxxth (which is only a repetition with little variation of the five laft verses of the xlth) muft of neceflity be explained in the fame way; nor of David, but of his Lord. In this view, Pfalm.cviii: where Chrift's spi ritual dominion over his church, gathered out of all nations, tongues, kindreds, and languages, is defcribed in fuch terms as feemed good to the Holy Ghoft, will fix the meaning of Pfalm lx. where alfo Moab, Edom, and Philiftia, are introduced with Judah and Ifrael, as fubjected, owning, and triumphing in their fubjection to their own eternal King. So alfo, Pfalms ii. xx. xxi xxiv. lxi. lxxii.. lxxxix. cxlix. afcertain the meaning of many others, as of one another; where the King and his acts are praised, according to the quotation from Pfalm. by the apofties, Acts iv. 25. Pfalm xxiv. where the afcenfion of the eternal King, having reteived the exaltation and dominion over all, for his obedience to the death, is celebrated under the character of a perfect man, according to the law, af cending into the hill of God, from whence he should: never be moved; this Pfalm, I fay, will vouch for Pfalm xv. where the fame character and reward are defcribed. To call any mere mortal the eternal King, would

C 3,

would be an iniquity to be punished by the judge. And what better is it to tear from him his character for which he received the glory, and give it to another? Will he give his glory to another? his praife to graven images? Confider this, ye who have afcribed the perfection of righteoufnefs, defcribed in those Pfalms, to finful worms. Pfalm xxii. and cxvi. where the Lord fays, I will pay my vows in the prefence

"

of the people, in the midst of the congregation,' &c. do evidently fhew who is the fpeaker in all thofe Pfalms, where fuch expreffions are used. What light will this obfervation fpread upon many Pfalms, and upon many hearts? on Pfalm lxv. 1. for one example, Praise waits for thee, O Lord, in Zion-O thou that beareft prayer, unto thee fhall all fiefh come.'--Why? Unto thee fhall the vow be performed.' What vow? Even his vow, who faid, I come to do thy will, O God.'-And Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me,' Pfalm xl. 11. as here, iniquities prevail against me.' He charges himfelf alone with the iniquities and fufferings for them; but in the bleffedness and glory he takes in his faints, faying, Our tranfgrions thou shalt purge away we fhall be fatisfied,' &c. Ought not the minister to obferve fuch things, especially upon facramental occafions, when the people are fhewing forth the death of the Lord, that is, his vow fulfilled in his own blood to the praise of his Father for ever, that they might eternally fing the fong of the Lamb that was flain? How different would be the effect of this lively true perfuafion upon the heart of the humble adorer, from that infipid unfcriptural notion of fome kind of covenant, vow, engagement, bargain, obligation, which people are faid to be making, or renewing with their Lord, in the eating of his fupper? How can they maintain this their doctrine, and deny the unbloody facrifice of the mafs? for if the commemorating, or keeping in remembrance of a

fulfilled

fulfilled covenant or vow, be a renewing or making of a covenant or vow, the Papifts will rid their feet as well as they, when they come to give an account of their propitiatory facrifice of the mafs for the dead and for the living.

i

Has not your fpirit burnt within you, Chriftian, with very indignation, vexation, and shame, when you have been told, with the fymbols of your Lord's body and blood in your hands, that you were come to his table to renew or make your covenant with God, to make up your peace with God, to get an intereft in Chrift, and to get this intereft cleared up; and fo forth? May we not afk you, if your eating and drinking in fuch circumftances was not faying Amen?-Then, behold, as the conclufion of the whole matter and service for the.. day, uprears itfelf an admired creature, the most efteemed of the whole affociation, and with all poffible folemnity of manner, reads you out, for the ground of the enfuing difcourte, in the forecited cxvith Pfalm, these words of the Lord Jefus, I will pay my vows now before the Lord, in the presence of all the people.' Then proceeds the worthy preacher, helping your devotion, and faying, Upon what particular occafion David penned this Pfalm is not certain; but cer"tain it is he had been in great distress and foultrouble; the forrows of death compaffed him; the 'pains of hell got hold upon him; but out of the deeps he cried to his God, he made fupplication and was delivered. What was his pious refolution upon this remarkable out-gate? what ought to be yours, my friends, especially on the back of this great folemnity? have you got any foul-good, you "will be ready to fay with David on his deliverance, “I will blefs the Lord as long as I live,' and in the ' words of my text, I will now pay my vows'-Why pay thy vows, David? Let David fay in his own • words, Thou haft delivered my foul from death, my

" eyes

"eyes from tears, my feet from falling.I am thy fer

vant, Lord, thy fervant, the fon of thy hand-maid; "thou haft loofed my bands." By this time we are hurried all at once into the midft of things, and begin to hear the method; which is, in the first place, to fhew us, who have been making our covenant, and renewing our vows to God, the obligations ly ing upon us, after the pious and devout example of holy David, to pay our vows, and keep our covevant; and-But left you fay I am going to preach, inftead of prefacing-God forbid I should preach in fuch a ftrain! The words are good; but are they well applied? as Achifh faid of David when he feigned himself mad, and scrabbled on the door, and let his fpittle fall upon his beard, &c. Have I need of madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to me?' Have we need to have our eyes drawn away from the atonement? to have David preached to us, instead of Chrift, from fuch a text? Take away the crofs of Chrift, that alone pillar of confidence, from any place of the book of God, where the Holy Ghoft has made it to stand forth in its glory, to attract the heart and eye of the true worshipper, and place what you will in the room thereof, though you should shew us all in heaven and earth befides, you do no more than if you fhould fay, Behold the tower of Babel! or, the image of the great goddefs Diana! worshipthem! and glory in your gods! Might not a Jew,. thould he happen to be prefent, hearing fuch an has rangue from the cxvith Píalm, delivered by a man of elocution, cry out in raptures, An admirable fermon!· you have no more to do but to fubftitute David, or fuch like, in the place of Chrift, and you are the very man of his heart. Should it be fo with Chriftians too? would not the congregation have been more edified if the minifter had followed Philip's example, and begun at the fame place and preached to them Jefus? putting them in remembrance, how

he

he had paid his vows, made the covenant good, and the peace with God in his own blood, that they might rejoice in him, and not in themfelves; in his vows, and not in their own? Say not, the doctrine of thanksgiving is hereby denied: no; it is established in the cross of Chrift, and in the power of his Spirit. For an appendix to this fecond rule, it may be added,

1

3dly, That whatever Pfalm has a part of it parallet to any paffage in the Law or the Prophets, evidently pointing to the Meffiah, or the fpiritual things of his kingdom, must be allowed the fame kind of fenfe. Thus, Pfalm lxv. 9. to the end, and fuch others, will be eafily and fafely underftood by fuch paffages as compare the kingdom of heaven to feed fown, and producing a plentiful harveft, being bleffed and watered from heaven, till at length the year is crowned with the goodness of the Lord. The whole prophecies of Ifaiah are full of fpiritual things reprefented by earthly refemblances of the fame kind, where the context determines the fenfe, and fhews what we are to understand by fruitful fields, rivers of water, ftreams in the defert, fhowers of rain, clean grain, pure provender, forefts clapping their hands, hills finging, cattle rejoicing, &c. See Ifaiah vii. xxxi.. xxxv. lv. and John vii. 38. Acts ii. 18. One might argue strongly,

4thly, For the confirmation of this doctrine, from the manifeft impiety and absurdity (as would appear from the face of the whole Word of God) of applying numberless paffages in the Pfalms to David, or any man whom God ever created, except to the man Christ Jefus alone, though there had been no direct nor indirect application of them to him befides the general tenor of the Scriptures, which is the only analogy of faith or form of found words which the church of Chrift can allow. What mere creature that ever dwelt in flesh and blood could lift up its mouth,