reconciled to him, and difpcfed to rejoice in him as our portion, we can never be happy. For "there is no peace, faith the Lord, unto the wicked." If we continue impenitent and unreconciled to his holy character, we must be forever excluded from his blissful prefence, and have our portion with hypocrites and unbelievers in the regions of woe and defpair. As therefore we regard our prefent or future good, let us choose God as our portion-acquaint ourfelves with him, and be at peace with him, and thereby good, eternal good, will come unto us. H. E. On the imprecations of David, and other Saints, recorded in the fcriptures, against the enemies of the church. I MPRECATIONS are prayers for evils to be inflicted upon those against whom they are made. There are many fuch prayers recorded in the holy fcriptures. David, the man after God's own heart, used them freely, on all oceafions, when the fituation of the church, refpecting its enemies, led him to apply unto God in its behalf. The fervency, importunity and perfeverance with which thefe imprecations are made, and the ftrong and unreserved language in which they are expreffed, renders it evident, that he was fincere in them, and earnest that they should be accomplished. "Let death feize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell; for wickednefs is in their dwellings." And again, "Add iniquity to their iniquity; let them not come into thy righteoufnefs; let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous." Jeremiah made the fame interceffions against the wicked. "Pull them out like fheep for the flaughter, and prepare them for the day of flaughter." Paul ufed the fame prayers or imprecations against Alexander the copperfmith, faying, "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works." The feriptures abound with fuch imprecations. We find them in the old teftament and the new, and particularly in the Pfalms. As an example of the whole, the reader is requested to ftop here, and carefully read the whole of the 35th Pfalm. * * * barraffed in reading thefe paffages Many have been greatly emof the fcriptures, and could not fo understand them, as to reconcile them with Chriftian benevolence, and cordially adopt the fentiments expreffed, and enter into them, as they do into the other prayers, which they find in the holy fcriptures. An attempt will now be made to remove thefe difficulties from the minds of ferious Chriftians. Should the writer fucceed, his fuccefs will be confidered as an abundant recompenfe. Two unfatisfactory methods to relieve thefe difficulties will first be mentioned.—Some of the learned tell us that the original language would have admitted that these imprecations fhould have been tranflated as prophecies, and inftead of the expreffion, "Let deftruction come upon him at unawares, and let his net that he hath hid catch himfelf, into that very deftruction let him fall," as it is in the 8th verfe of the Pfalm noticed, it might have been rendered, Deftruction fhall come upon him at unawares, his net that he hath hid fhall catch him. | which should come upon the wicked at unawares. And if we adopt the fame spirit in reading, as he did in writing it, we also shall for the fame reafons rejoice in the destruction which is coming on the wicked. This amounts to the fame thing, and is no lefs difficult, than to unite with the Pfalmift in praying against the wicked. It removes no embarraffment.-Befides, David uses the fame form of speech when praying against his enemies, as he does when praying for himself, and for those bleffings, for which he promises to givethanks. It therefore appears evident that these paffages are direct imprecations on the wicked, and that any other conftruction is unnatural and ftrained, and inconfiftent with the fimplicity of the fcriptures, and if admitted, would relieve us of no difficulty. felf, into that very deftruction he fhall fall.' It is faid, that mere prophecies are, in the Hebrew original, often expreffed in the form of prayers, and that, if this had been fo tranflated, it would have removed every difficulty.But it is conceived, that the men whom God in his providence has employed to tranflate the Bible, for the ufe of his church, have been fo far under the guidance of his fpirit, as to make no effential errors. If the tranflation may not be depended on as having been made under a fpecial divine fuperintendence, fo that no effential mistakes have been committed, how has God provided for his church? None but the learned, who can read the bible in the original languages, can have any rule for faith or practice. But the learned well know that our tranflation has no fuch errors, and that these imprecations are rendered confiftent with the original. It is then very wrong to infinuate, that the difficulty cannot be re-inattentively conceived, that things moved but by a translation, which of this nature were lawful under the Hebrew may indeed bear, but that dispensation, which are conwhich is fo effentially different trary to the prefent. They may from ours, as to contain very op- fuppofe that our Saviour had repofite fentiments. It tends to ference to this, when he faid, hake the confidence of the un- "Ye have heard that it hath been learned in the only rule of direc- faid, thou fhalt love thy neightion which God has given them. bour, and hate thine enemy; but But allowing that these paffages I fay, unto you, love your eneare only prophecies of evils which mies." But the direction, hate are coming on the wicked, it re- thine enemy,' is not in the law. lieves us of no difficulty, for the It was a perverse tradition or conPfalmift evidently fpoke of them ftruction of the Pharifees. The with approbation and pleasure, as old teftament, as well as the new, the means of deliverance and blef- directs, "If thine enemy be hunfing to the church. This appears gry, give him bread to eat, and if by the next words after the im- he be thirty, give him water to precation already quoted, "And drink."6 The religon of both my foul fhall be joyful in the difpenfations is effentially the Lord; it fhall rejoice in his fal- the fame, they are by no means vation." That is, in the falvation effected by the deftruction | Others, fenfible that these are imprecations, and unwilling to fuppofe that they can be confiftently adopted by Chriftians, have S Prov. xxv. 21. oppofite to each other. The fame, fpirit is required towards both friends and enemies, and the paffages in queftion may be adopted by the faints now, with the fame propriety as in ancient times. Therefore this expedient fails, and affords no relief. That all difficulties may be removed, it should be remarked, that these imprecations were not produced by revenge, malice or perfonal refentment. This appears from the ftrains of devotion with which they are intermixed, and from the fpirit which the Pfalmift manifested in the 13th and 14th verfes. "But as for me, when they were fick, my clothing was fackcloth: I humbled my foul with fafting, and my prayer returned into my own bofom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother." His conduct towards Saul might alfo free him from any fuch imputation. Befides, fo good a man as David, could not have gone fo often, with such folemnity, with a revengeful spirit, into the prefence of God. Nor would revengeful imprecations have been admitted into a book of hymns and fpiritual fongs, which God has given to direct and affift the devotions of his church, much lefs could any thing so contrary to the commands of God, have been dictated by divine infpiration. Therefore thefe prayers are not the effufions of malice, but are confiftent with benevolence, and are well pleafing to God, and given for the use of the church. It fhould also be remarked, that God had made David the vifible leader of his church, and the enemies against whom he prayed, were his enemies on account of his piety, and because God had thus exalted him to feed his people. Their mischievous devices were really aimed at the kingdom and glory of God. It was therefore a fervent regard to the kingdom and glory of God, which David expreffed, and it was his piety and benevolence, which led him to pray that these enemies should not fucceed in their wicked designs; and that God should be glorified, and his church profpered, though it fhould take place by means of the deftruction of his enemies. Befides, it was only on the fuppofition that they would continue incorrigible, that he prayed for their deftruction; for he asked it only on account of the injury they were doing, and that the caufe of Zion might not be hurt by them; and before he closes the Pfalm, he prays, faying, "Let them fhout for joy and be glad, that favor my righteous caufe," which all but the incorrigible will do, and fo become the objects of his interceffions, inftead of imprecations. Further, it fhould be confidered that thefe imprecations coincide with the penalties of "God's law, and with the predictions of his wrath upon the incorrigible enemies of his church, which he often mentions to his people for their encouragement and comfort, and are conformable to his actual dealings with the finally impenitent. Their deftruction is necef. fary to the fupport of law and government, the glory of God, and the fafety and welfare of his kingdom. The wrath of God against the wicked does not proceed from malevolence, but is an expreffion of love to the universe, in the deftruction of its enemies. The friends of God are called to acquiefce in the juftice of God, from the fame benevolence of heart, and thefe imprecations are but the expreffions of the fame fpirit which God manifefts in his law and justice, and of entire acquiefence in his government. Chrift himfelf fays, I pray not for the world, but for them which thou haft given me. An oppofite fpirit, in favor of incorrigible finners, which would defire that they might fucceed in their mischief with impunity, would have been oppofing God. These prayers against the wicked, on the fuppofition that they were irreclaimable, which David had all reafon to believe was the cafe, fhows that he had a fpirit conformed to God, and felt interested in the fame cause. may be remarked, that these directions require the fame spirit and conduct as David exercifed towards Saul. They do not require us to wish that the enemies of Chrift and his people should fucced in their attempts to ruin the church, or that we should be enemies to the justice of God, and pray that final impenitents might be faved. The gofpel condemns them, no less than the law: Chrift himself pronounces them accurfed. But the directions of Chrift forbid all perfonal refentments, and require our prayers that his enemies may not remain incorrigible; but be converted over to his caufe. They do not oppose the imprecations of David, who himself prayed for his enemies, but require us to be benevolent to the enemies of Chrift and his people, while like David, we pray that God would interpofe for his own cause, as he has told us he will, though it should be neceffary to do it, by the deftruction of his enemies. Befides, the object which the Pfalmift had in view, was the profperity of the great caufe, which feems to have fo abforbed his mind with its magnitude and importance, that it became his fingle object, and the concerns of individuals did not at all come into view; and he regarded other perfons and things only as they It is hoped that these obfervaappeared in favor, or oppofition tions will relieve the pious, from to this caufe, and of course, moft any difficulties which they may heartily prayed for every thing in have had on this fubject, and enits favor, and against all oppofi-able them to enter most cordially tion to its profperity.-It is pre-into the true spirit of thofe pfalms, fumed, that no one can confiftent- and other portions of feripture, ly object against such a spirit, as which God has given to direct and tho' it was contrary to the spirit aid their devotions. They will of the Christian difpenfation, and teach us, that neither the benevthat every Chriftian will find his olence of God, nor of his people, heart drawn forth in the fame de- are inconfiftent with the final defires, for the profperity of Zion, ftruction of his implacable enwhich dictated these prayers. emies, that God punishes the wicked, and the faints rejoice in Should any one after all, be unable to reconcile thefe impre-it, from a fpirit of real benevolence cations with the directions of Chrift, "Love your enemies, blefs them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that defpitefully ufe you and perfecute you;" it to the univerfe, which fhows that juftice is not malevolence, manifefts its glory, and extinguishes all grounds of hope in the cafe of fuch as remain in their fins; and thefe obfervations will show, that we ought to wifh and pray that God would reclaim his enemies; but that if they continue his enemies, they may be caft down from all that authority and influence, which they exert to oppofe God, and deprefs and overthrow his caufe and kingdom in the world. and mifery of this nature are not selfish motives, do not affect minds which are governed only by intereft and felf love, and are regarded only by the pure and difinterefted among men. Mofes, "had refpect unto the recompenfe of the reward." But How dreadful to oppofe the king-was it a felfish reward? No; a dom of Chrift ! ! ! MIKROS. The gospel is preffed upon us, by the confiderations of obtaining the bleffedness of heaven, and efcaping the mifery of hell. Are thefe felfifb motives ? S heaven and hell are de fcribed in the holy fcrip. tures, they are motives which can have no operation upon a selfish, carnal mind. They can apply only to pure, holy and benevolent beings. selfish carnal man could not have been influenced by that reward. What was it? The love of the glory of God, conftituted this recompenfe. But this is, in its very nature, an enjoyment which does not strike carnal minds, and which is regarded only by fuch as have their hearts purified from selfishnefs, and made difinterested. So Chrift, "for the joy that was fet before him, endured the crofs." But what joy? The joy which flows from the exercise of benevolence. The joy which is the refult of fupreme love to God, The gofpel is constructed upon and regard to his glory, and the a benevolent plan, and its motives general good. Chrift was not are fuch as can have their proper bribed or hired by the joy that influence only upon minds, which was fet before him. It does not are of a benevolent, virtuous caft. imply that he was of a mercenary Its main intention is not to apply fpirit. Far from that, the joy to our intereft, as our own, or our to which he afpired was a holy private felf love. For in this cafe, joy, fuch as is connected with beit need barely to hold forth hap-nevolent views and fervices, and pinefs and mifery, difconnected fuch as is had only in the prefence from every thing elfe. And, then, of God. all minds, however felfish, might be affected with fuch motives. Still, the gospel allows us to pay a fuitable regard to our own interests. It actually holds forth happinefs and mifery of a peculiar nature, and fo qualified as to have influence only with benevolent minds. The happinefs to which the gofpel would allure us, is that which is connected with holinefs. And the mifery from which it would deter us, is that which is connected with fin. Happiness Did the gospel propofe fimply, deliverance from mifery, and the enjoyment of happiness, without defcribing the nature of that happinefs, finners would like it. It would hold forth motives adapted to operate upon felfifh minds. And men of the most corrupt views would be led to embrace a gofpel of this nature. All would be glad to be delivered from mifery, and placed in happiness suited to their prefent tafte; and would be moved to embrace any plan, which held forth thefe encoura |