mind of the poet are of such sublimity, dignity, intensity, and strength, that they abundantly suffice of themselves, and are best seen in their own simple majesty. In such cases, the height of the argument, joined to the corresponding mood of the poet, very far transcends the necessity of those auxiliary embellishments of art, which a poetry inferior in essential strength requires, to lift it up and render it attractive ;—just as no one would require an external image of the divine object of his meditation, at the very moment when he is absorbed in the vision of the Lord.

From this it will appear that the peculiar dignity of the Hebrew poetry arises from its being animated by those sublime conceptions, which are nowhere else to be found in such purity, power, and persistency, as in Israel. Where such mighty efforts after the highest spiritual attainments, and such pure truths, are once impressed on the hearts of a people, and move a whole nation for centuries, there they necessarily exert a manifold influence upon the poets also, and pour themselves forth in full streams from their lips. This poetry is, therefore, only one of the many utterances of that which was unique in itself, and peculiar to ancient Israel. And just as all the noblest powers and contests of this chosen people were chiefly directed to the one object of striving for the true. God and the true religion, in like manner their poetry had no other way of becoming great and unique than in this sole tendency to the sublime, or of developing all its powers than in this movement after God.

It is not urged that poetry among the Hebrews did not penetrate into other provinces. We have scriptural evidence that it did; and it entirely accords with the nature of poetry to take its rise in every part of human life, and to pervade all its provinces. We see by the Song of Songs, and by Psalm xlv., that it did not disdain to glorify the nobler situations of human life; and we find references to songs of common life, nay, in part, even to culpable ones.1 Nevertheless, all kinds of poetry that did not flow from that higher tendency, or upon which

1 Isa. v. 12; Amos vi. 5; Rev. xviii. 22.

that peculiarly lofty aim of the nation was not able to obtain any important influence, were obliged to continue imperfect. Ancient Hebrew poetry remained, as to its essence, an inter-preter of those high thoughts and sublime conceptions which never in antiquity exercised such an influence anywhere else; and, as to its form, preserving that wonderful simplicity and ease which flowed from this very sublimity, it is a poetry unequalled in all respects by any other.

We see, then, that the Hebrew poesy is chiefly distinguished by the magnitude and importance of its objects and by the weight of its thoughts. We find that its end is less to please than to instruct the mind and elevate the soul; that it aims to express the breathings of man's spirit in its intercourse with God; to celebrate the praises of the Creator; to set forth his divine perfections, and to retrace his benefits and the mysteries of his grace and providence, especially as exemplified in the history of his people.

Finding, then, that the main characteristic and the glory of Hebrew poetry lies in the thought, of which it is the exponent, it remains to be seen how the form of words is made subservient to the adequate production and strong enforcement of that thought.

Ninth Week-First Day.

SPIRITUALITY OF THE PSALMS.

We now reach what must without hesitation be pronounced the most spiritual portion of the Old Testament—that which, more entirely than any other single portion, is occupied with the hopes, fears, and conflicts of man's spirit, in its intercourse with God.

The Book of God is like the perfectly organized human frame in this that no part necessary to vital function is wanting; while nothing is redundant, every part having an essential and important use. And it is not too much to say, that the human body would be less sorely marred by the loss of any one of its parts, than this volume would be by the excision of any one portion of it. Point out any part of it which you think might be spared, and we will furnish twenty reasons proving that we cannot do without it, that it is most essential to the completeness and harmony of the whole. What, for instance, would the Bible be without the Book of Psalms? It seems, at first view, a very separable portion—a part that might be taken out without destroying the symmetry of the whole. But it is not so. Should the experiment be made, it would be seen that a man with his arm shorn off at the shoulder-blade is less maimed and disfigured, than would be a Bible deprived of this book of groans, and sighs, and tears, and smiles, and triumphant shouts.

In fact, a Bible without a Book of Psalms is simply an inconceivable thing. That book is part not only of our rich heritage, but of ourselves. It is our voice-the voice in which the Church, in all her members of every sect, country, and clime, has for three thousand years poured forth her soul before God. We may say of the Psalms with safety, that it is the most entirely religious book in the Old Testament. There may

indeed be other books-as the Pentateuch and the Prophets— that furnish more materials for positive views of religion, for theological doctrine, and for right principles of worship. But the Book of Psalms is the great source and foundation of religious experience of religion as manifesting its true life and character in the soul of man. What an exhaustless variety of religious thought and feeling pervades this precious book! On this point there are some fine remarks of Luther in his preface to the Psalter. 'Where do we find a sweeter voice of joy than in the Psalms of thanksgiving and praise? There you look into the heart of all the holy, as into a beautiful garden-as into heaven itself. What delicate, fragrant, and lovely flowers are there springing up of all manner of beautiful, joyous thoughts towards God and his goodness! On the other hand, where do you find more profound, mournful, pathetic expressions of sorrow, than the plaintive Psalms contain? There again you look into the heart of all the holy, but as into death, nay, as into the very pit of despair. How dark and gloomy is everything there, arising from all manner of melancholy apprehension of God's displeasure! I hold that there has never appeared on earth, and that there never can appear, a more precious book of examples and legends of saints than the Psalter is. For here we find out not merely what one or two holy men have done, but what the Head himself of all the holy has done, and what all the holy do still-how they stand affected towards God, towards friends and enemies; how they behave in all dangers, and sustain themselves in all sufferings. Besides that, all manner of divine and salutary instructions and commands are contained therein. Hence, too, it comes that the Psalter forms, as it were, a little book for all saints, in which every man, in whatever situation he may be placed, shall find Psalms and sentiments which shall apply to his own case, and be the same to him as if they were for his own sake alone, so expressed as he could not express them himself, nor find, nor even wish them better than they are.'

One might fill a volume-and it would be a volume of great interest-with the testimonials which different ages and countries

have produced to the use, importance, and value of the Psalms.

Calvin, in the preface to his Commentary on the Psalms, declares: 'I have been accustomed to call this book, not inappropriately, an Anatomy of all the Parts of the Soul; for there is not an emotion of which any one can be conscious, that is not there represented as in a mirror. Or rather, the Holy Spirit has here drawn to the life all the griefs, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities, in short, all the distracting emotions by which the minds of men are wont to be agitated. The other parts of Scripture contain the commandments which God enjoined his servants to announce to us. But here the prophets themselves, seeing they are exhibited to us as speaking to God, and laying open all their inmost thoughts and affections, call, or rather draw, each of us to the examination of himself in particular, in order that none of the many infirmities to which we are subject, and of the many vices with which we abound, may remain concealed. It is by perusing these inspired compositions that men will be effectually awakened to a sense of their maladies, and at the same time instructed in seeking remedies for their cure. In a word, whatever may serve to encourage us when we are about to pray to God, is taught us in this book.'

Hooker says: 'The choice and flower of all things profitable in other books, the Psalms do both more briefly contain, and more movingly express, by reason of the poetical form in which they are written. The ancients, when they speak of the Psalms, use to fall into large discourses, showing how this part, above the rest, doth of purpose set forth and celebrate all the considerations and operations which belong to God; it magnifieth the holy meditations and actions of divine men; it is of things heavenly an universal declaration, working in them whose hearts God inspireth, an habit or disposition of mind whereby they are made fit vessels for receipt and for delivery of whatsoever spiritual perfection. All good necessary to be known, or done, or had, this one celestial fountain yieldeth. Let there be any grief or disease incident to the soul of man, any wound