"thou fillest with thy hid treasure.--As for me, I will "behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, "when I awake, with thy likeness *." Many moral and mystical commentators (and perhaps our English translators themselves, as one would think from the turn of their language) understood these words as literally pointing, in one verse, to a future state, and, in the other, to a resurrection. And in this, the dissenter, Leland, as I remember, in some of his things, seems much to triumph. But I shall shew that it means nothing less. They have their portion in THIS life, say our translators, who, with great piety, had their heads full of ANOTHER. Whereas the original word literally signifies in vitis, the Hebrew being a plural word and having no singular: which, by the way, let me observe, is a convincing proof that the ideas of the common users of this language were only employed about this life; had they been conversant, like us, with another, they would soon have found a singular to their plural. This will be thought a strange Paradox by those I have to do with, who do not know that plural nouns are often words of amplification, not of number. As our 'translators render it, in this life, so the Clraldee Par. goes a step further, and renders it, in life eternal. The Sept. translators, who best understood their own idiom, interpret it better than either, Zwỳ avtŵv, in this life of theirs. So that the true meaning of what we turn, their portion of this life, amounts to this-they are perfectly prosperous. And now, concerning the words in the other verse, I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.For the sense of these I shall transcribe the following passage of an excellent Critic, and, what is more, a very orthodox Divine. "The Chaldee," says tr 46 Dr. Hammond, (and what sort of interpreters they were we have seen just above)" apply this awaking to "David; when I shall azcake I shall be satisfied with "the glory of thy countenance. And so it hath truth, "in respect of the resurrection of the just.-But all "the other interpreters agree to apply it to this glory; ἐν τῷ ὀφθῆναι τὴν δόξαν σε, at the appearing of thy glory, say the LXX.-cum apparuerit gloria tua, says the Latin; (and so the Arabic and Æthiopic) "-When thy fidelity shall awake, saith the Syriac : "And so most probably it is to be understood. By [God's glory awaking] signifying his glorious and powerful interposition to David's PRESENT rescue from his enemies hands. And thus the learned "Castellio took it; tum satiandus, cum tua experrecta "fuerit imago; I shall be satisfied when thy likeness "shall be awaked" Other Interpreters, and those of the first Class, who make the awaking to refer to David, suppose it to signify his morning adorations before the Ark, the symbolic residence of the divine Presence t. But that David was here speaking in the language of the Law, and not of the Gospel, I think, all but determined Bigots will confess. t 9. And again: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of the Lord for ever. By the house of the Lord can be meant nothing else but the Tabernacle or the Temple: So that, for ever, or as the Heb. says, to length of days, must mean that mature Annot. on the xviith Psalm. old + Videtur significare David arcam, quam singulis temporibus matutinis Deum adoraturus adibat. Cleric. in locum. Pro more Hebr. Poeseos, ipsum in Sanctuario quotidie in præsentia Dei ad arcam, quod divinæ præsentiæ symbolum erat, sese velle sistere, quod illi ante omnia in votis fuit, summoque gaudio per fudit. Hare in loc. Ps. xxiii. 6. old age, which the Law promised to its faithful adherents. 10. In the xxxvi Psalm, the sacred Writer says: For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light*. Here, to prove the immortality of Man, a text is produced, which teaches the eternity of GOD. But I know Some, who think there is a necessary connexion between these two truths. 11. "Like sheep (says the Psalmist) they [the wicked] are laid in the grave, death shall feed upon "them; and the upright shall have dominion over "them in the morning, and their beauty shall consume "in the grave, from their dwelling. But God will "redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for "he shall receive me t." The literal meaning of which is, as appears by the context, that "the wicked should be untimely cut off and destroyed,—in the morning, that is, by the judgment of the Law, which was administered in the morning hours ; but that his life, and the life of the upright, should be preserved and prolonged." Here, once for all, let me desire the Objectors to consider, What it is that is ever opposed (in the many passages of this sort) to Life, Redemption, &c. It is not Misery, Torments, &c. as it must have been, did life literally signify eternal life in a future state; but it is DEATH, which shews it was a life here on earth. 12. Thou shalt guide me (says he again) with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory §. Or, as an excellent Critic has it, Consilio tuo deduristi me, & postea cum gloria excepisti me. "Thou wast, * Ver. 9. See Jerem. xxi. 12. "O house of David, thus saith the "Lord, Execute judgment IN THE MORNING, and deliver him that "is spoiled, out of the hand of the oppressor, let my fury go out "like fire, because of the evil of your doings." § Ps. lxxiii. 24. or shalt be, always present with me in difficulties and distresses; and shalt lead and conduct me to better fortunes." This literal sense the context requires. 13. "But the mercy of the Lord is from everlast"ing to everlasting upon them that fear him, and "his righteousness unto children's children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember "his commandments to do them *." This is so far from intimating a future state, that it is the very temporal promise annexed to the second Law of the Decalogue-Shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments †. 14.-For THERE the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore .-Where? In the habitation of brethren living together in unity. Nothing else then can be meant, but that death and dangers should not approach a house so strongly united in itself. 15. In the book of Proverbs it is said" The "wicked is driven away in his wickedness: BUT THE RIGHTEOUS HATH HOPE IN HIS DEATH §." That is, "the righteous hath hope that he shall be delivered from the most imminent dangers." So the Psalmistupon them that hope in his mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine ||. And again, Thou hast delivered my soul from death; Wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living ¶? 16. And again-The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from Hell beneath **. That is, The wise man prolongs his days here on earth, and escapes that untimely death which attends vice and folly. A Doctrine perpetually inculcated throughout Ps. cxxxiii. 3. 1 this book; as at chap. x. ver. 2. 28. chap. xi. ver, 7. chap. xii. ver. 28. chap. xxi. ver. 16. And again, "When a wicked man dieth, his Ex"PECTATION shall perish; and the hope of unjust 86 men perisheth *.” And again, "So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou "hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and <6 thy EXPECTATION shall not be cut off f." In the first of these two places it appears by the context (that is, by the whole tenor of these moral precepts and aphorisms) that the expectation which should deceive is that of worldly wicked men to establish a house in their posterity: And in the second, the expectation which should not deceive is that of wise and virtuous men in the success of their honest endeavours. But there is one common fallacy which runs through all the reasoning of these Anti-critics: it is this, that have ing taken the point in question [whether a future state be taught in the Old Testament] for granted, they confine all expressions, capable of either sense considered alone, to the sense which supports their own opinion. Whereas, while the matter is in question, fair reasoning requires, that such Texts be considered as indifferent to either sense, till determined by the Context, and according to the Analogy of the Law and the Prophets. 17. We conclude with the PREACHER, who says, that Wisdom giveth life to them that have it : And so says the Law of Moses likewise (which is here alluded to) and yet it gives nothing but the things of this life. 18. Again: "Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know "that it shall be well with them that fear GOD §." * Prov. xi. 7. + Prov. xxiv. 14. What |