of expofing it to Contempt and Ridicule.

Therefore when I formed the Design of adapt ing the Book of Pfalms to Chriftian Worship, encouraged thereto by the great and numerous Helps derivable from the Labors of many Poets of the first Abilities, and various Excellencies Ide

*Of the Truth of this we have a striking Proof in the Hiftory of the Man after God's own Heart. "David, fays the facetrous Hiftorian, frequently breathes the moft rancorous Resentments against his Enemies, even in his Pfalms. Take a Specimen from the Ekeings out of Meff. Thomas Sternhold and John Hopkins. Pfalm lxix. 24, 25, 26, 27.

Lord, turn their table to a fnare

To take themselves therein,

And when they think full well to fare;
Then trap them in their Gin:
And let their Eyes be dark and blind,

That they may nothing fee;

Bow down their Backs, and let them find

Themselves in Thrall to be:

Pour out thy Wrath as hot as Fire,

That it on them may fall,
Let thy Difpleasure in thine Ire

Take hold upon them all.

As Deferts dry their House difgrace,

Their Seed do thou expel,

That none thereof poffefs their Place,

Nor in their Tents once dwell.

Very pious Ejaculations for whole Congregations to fing to the Praife and Glory of God!" The Obfervation is as jut, as it is fhrewd and farcaftic; and much is it to be lamented, that many more Ejaculations of a fimilar Kind are to be met with in the English Pfalter,

I determined not only to exclude all imprecatory Expreffions, but also to give such an Account of those admitted into our English Bibles, as I thought would be most likely to remove every Offence, they had given to the genuine Friends of Revelation, and alfo to render them harmless in the Hands of its moft inveterate Enemies.

I apprehend it is most clear and obvious, that Imprecations of no Kind can be in any Degree promotive of true Piety and rational Devotion; and that all fuch as are expreffive of any Malevolence and Malignancy of Temper, either towards the Wicked in general, or Enemies in particular, are utterly inconfiftent with all true Religion both natural and revealed; "every Religion that is pure and undefiled before God."

If we confider the Nature of all pure Religion it will appear undeniably, that real and unfeigned Benevolence towards all Men, the most inveterate Enemies, and the most abandonedly Wicked, ever was, and ever will be, an effential Part of a Character approved of God; This being the grand Design of true Religion, under all its various Forms, and different Difpenfations, to keep out of the Hearts of Men every Root of Bitterness, and when once unhappily fixed there to remove it, and to establish and culti

B 2

cultivate in its Stead, the divine and falutary Principle of unlimited Kindness and Charity. Unconfined Benevolence is, moft certainly the natural Temper of every Man; 'tis Man's only proper Temper. It is natural to wifh for the Good-will of all Men, even of Enemies, upon reasonable Terms, and more especially when in their Power to injure us: 'Tis, therefore, equally natural to bear Good-will to all Men, Enemies not excepted; Good-Will invariably displaying itself by all fuitable Acts of Kindnefs. Malevolence in all its Forms is wholly foreign and repugnant to Nature. Nature is a Law of univerfal Love; and to be with Respect to all others, whatever we can reasonably expect them to be with regard to us, is one of the most plain and uncontroverted Maxims of Reafon.

The End of the Commandment, of every divine Law natural and revealed, of the Law originally written in the Hearts of Men, and also of all Scriptures given by Infpiration of God, is, and muft be, Charity; for God, the original Author of all true Religion, is Love; he is infinitely and invariably good; good to all, and peculiarly fo to the Children of Men. He defireth the Deftruction of none, but willeth all Men to be faved; and fo far are any Kinds of Imprecations,

which

which breathe Malevolence or Hatred, from being a proper Part of his Worship, that it is his declared Will, and most exprefs Command to pray for all Men, the greatest Enemies and the Chief of Sinners. Univerfal unbounded Benevolence is an effential Characteristic of all divine Revelation.

It is a fundamental Article in that Law of Truth and Grace which he deliver❜d to Men by his Son; "I fay unto you, love your Enemies, blefs thofe who curfe you, and pray for those who defpitefully use you and perfecute you." Mat. v. 44. It was equally fo of the Law of Mofes, as evidently appears from the Parable of the good Samaritan, which our Saviour delivered in Anfwer to one, who had asked him, who is my Neighbour? Whom, according to the fecond great Command of the Mosaic Law, he was to love as himself, it being a commonly received Notion then, and probably had been for fome Ages, among the Jewish Doctors, that wicked Men, and especially Enemies, were not to be regarded as Neighbours, but as fit Objects of general Hatred; agreeably to this, they added to the Precept by Way of Comment as follows," and thou fhalt hate thine Enemy." This Addition our bleffed Lord totally rejects and abfolutely condemns; and, in the Account he gave of the good Samaritan, hath fhewn with irresistible B 3 Force

Force of Evidence, that under the Term Neighbour was really intended every Man, whatever Character or Difpofition he might be of, whether good or bad, a Friend or an Enemy. Thou shalt hate thine Enemy, is a Maxim of fo malignant and destructive a Tendency, that it could never obtain a Place in any Religion, which was from above, and truly divine; and muft have been entirely derived from that Wisdom which is earthly and diabolical. We are certain it is no where to be found in the Law of Moses; on the contrary, unlimited Benevolence and Charity is the genuine Doctrine of the Law and the Prophets; of the Old as well as the New Teftament. The Duty of loving Enemies, fo particularly and emphatically injoined upon Chriftians, was ever alike obligatory upon Jews; as is evident from these and other fimilar Declarations. "If thou meet thine Enemy's Ox or Ass going aftray, thou fhalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the Afs of him who hateth thee, lying under his burden, and wouldst forbear to help him, thou fhalt furely help with him." Exod. xxiii. 4. 5.

Agreeable to this are the following Words of Solomon. "If thine Enemy hunger, give him Bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him

Water