whatever assurance there was in the faith, there is precisely as much in the hope built upon that faith. Both the assurance of faith and the assurance of hope are found in the Lord Jesus, in whom surely they included equal certainty; and, from the application of them both to him, take the meaning of them both, as existing by his Spirit in his followers, who have the same spirit of faith and hope with him, their head and pattern, concerning whom it is written, that he said, ❝ I believed, and therefore have I spoken,' 2 Cor. iv. 13. Behold the assurance of faith in him— Was the assurance of his hope less certain ?

Moreover also, my flesh shall rest in hope,' Acts ii. 26. Behold the assurance of hope, which is founded, as certainly as God is true, in the assurance of faith. ·

To conclude: if these loose hints, thrown together in the order in which they occurred, do not make their own apology, it will be in vain to attempt a vindication of them, or of the following paraphrase*: those who are convinced, and

The reader will observe, that when the words, the following paraphrase' occur, as here, or in any of the following illustrative Notes, that it refers to an original version of the Psalms, by Mr Barclay; in this edition, however, the common version has been substituted.

In the following Notes also, Mr Barclay frequently refers the reader to the marginal readings, for illustration, and also for reference to the parallel psalms and Scripture passages. When he does so, it is the marginal readings and references of the common Bible, which are alluded to.

love the cause will need none; those who are otherways will receive none.

The Scripture of itself is our only possible rule, both for faith and good manners, and not any human book, or pretended standard whatsoever; for so it is written, 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc 'tion, for instruction in righteousness; that the 'man of God may be perfect, thoroughly fur'nished unto all good works.'

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THE

PSALMS,

WITH

INTRODUCTORY ILLUSTRATIONS.

PSALM I.

THAT the Person who is described and praised in this Psalm, can be none other but the very Son of GOD, made of the woman, made under the law, become in all things like unto his brethren, except sin,' may be confidently collected from the absolute pureness and perfection of that character, which is here delineated, and attributed to him: for, as the Lamb of God behoved to be without spot and without blemish, so this person is represented, on the one hand, as free of transgression, and, on the other, as conformed to the law of the Lord; which is his perpetual delight and meditation.--Upon which account he is pronounced BLESSED; and, by a resemblance abundantly familiar to the inspired writers, likened to a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit round all the season, prospering every way, and flourishing, with undecayed leaf, in full, undiminished, everlasting glory, Now, all this exactly corresponds with the glorious things, every where spoken of that Holy One of God, EMMANUEL, under these sacred appellations, The Stem of the Root of

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Jesse; the Root and Offspring of David; the Branch; the Good Olive; the TREE of LIFE in the midst of the paradise of God, and on either side of the river, which beareth twelve manner of fruits, and yieldeth fruit every month; and whose leaves are for the healing of the nations,' &c. We find the Lord himself also, in the same parabolical style, addressing his disciples to the following purpose, Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the VINE, ye are the branches; he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bring⚫eth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.'-And, on other occasions, dropping the figure, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work-Lo, I come to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart

f

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-Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee-I have glorified thee on the earth; I have finished the work which <thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.'-For this, in answer to his prayer, he was raised from the dead, crowned with glory and honour, and highly exalted, and a name given him, which is above every name; that at the name of JESUS every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.Thus the Son, who became the servant of the Father to bring many sons and daughters to glory, was recompensed, made most blessed for ever, and exceeding glad with his Father's countenance -Now, surely, such a character, and such a blessedness, as the legal due reward of that character, must originally, and in the first instance, belong to the Son of God,

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