him, have a double meaning, which ſtands upon this foundation, that the ancient patriarchs, prophets, prieſts, and kings, were typical characters, in their ſeveral offices, and in the more remarkable paſſages of their lives, their extraordinary depreſſions and miraculous exaltations, foreſhewing him who was to ariſe, as the Head of the holy family, the great Prophet, the true Prieſt, the everlaſting King. The government of Iſrael, and the religious ſervices appointed by the law of Moſes, were types and figures of good things to come in Meſſiah’s day; and the events which happened to the ancient people of God, were deſigned to ſhadow out particular occurrences, which ſhould take place, in the accompliſhment of man’s redemption, and the riſe and progreſs of the church of Chriſt. For this reaſon, the pſalms compoſed for the uſe of Iſrael, and Iſrael’s monarch, and by them accordingly uſed, do admit of an application to us, who are now “the Iſrael of God,” and to our Redeemer, who is the king of this Iſrael.
Of the pſalms which relate to Iſrael, ſome are employed in celebrating the mercies vouchſaſed them, from their going forth out of Egypt, to their compleat ſettlement in Canaan. Theſe were the conſtant ſtanding ſubjects of praiſe and thankſgiving in the Iſraelitiſh church. But we are taught by the writers of the New Teſtament, to conſider this part of their hiſtory
