ance can be celebrated. It is Christ in Spirit; perhaps even in person-as in the midst of Israel, leading the praises of Jehovah, and awakening them amongst men. Hence, though only expressing purpose, it is a dialogue in its character. First, he expresses His own purpose of praising Jehovah, and for ever and ever. One generation should do it to another. "I will speak." One sees his heart is full of praise, and he speaks of it. (Ver. 5.) "And men shall speak of the might of Jehovah's terrible acts. And I will declare thy greatness. They shall speak of the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness." Then he breaks off most beautifully to speak of the goodness: for still out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. All Jehovah's works shall praise Him. The saints bless Him. Their subject shall be the glory of Jehovah's kingdom and His power, to make known to the mass of mankind His acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom, and that an everlasting one. Then in 14-20 His character is spoken of. Verse 21 returns to the purpose of heart of the leader of praise. It is as man Christ speaks heremy God." Jehovah is looked at as King. In general, the outward acts and greatness are more in the mouth of the rest-what Jehovah is in the leader's, though he does celebrate His wondrous works. Still, the greatness and excellency and majesty of Jehovah are that which we see his heart full of, as ver. 3, 5, 8-10. And so, in general, His gracious ways and character. (14-19.) It is to be remarked, that there is the leader who speaks in the psalm-the saint, (the Jewish remnant,) and the world in general, the sons of Adam. It is of the highest interest in this way, because we have Messiah fulfilling the word, "My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation." And how full in heart He is of His praises! Jehovah's kingdom is set up; the Messiah in the midst of Israel first, then the preserved saints, and then, through their leading, all the world join in His praises, for His greatness, goodness, and wonderful works. Ps. cxlvi. introduces the full final praises. This first. the outpouring of the heart in praise to Him as the God of Jacob, celebrating what He is, and the comfort of trusting Him, the Creator, the Helper of the oppressed, the Comforter of the lowly, the Lover of the righteous, who turns the way of the wicked upside down. He shall reign for ever, even Zion's God to all generations. The character of this praise, after what we have gone through, is most simple. In the next Psalm Ps. cxlvii.-The saints take their place now in Jerusalem and Zion to say what He is. He is their God; He builds up Jerusalem and gathers together the outcasts of Israel, healing the broken in heart and binding up their wounds. Ver. 4, 5, His greatness is celebrated and His goodness and judgment. Ver. 7-9, His goodness in blessing the earth. Ver. 10, 11, His pleasure, not in animal strength, but in them that fear Him. Ver. 12, The song of praise returns to celebrate His ways towards Jerusalem again. Ver. 15-18, His dealing with the seasons in power. Ver. 19, 20, His showing His word and judgments to Jacob as he had not done to any nation. They might have seen the creative and providential power of Jacob's God, but His mind and laws were His people's. Ps. cxlviii. This psalm calls first on heaven, and all in it, to take their part in the great Hallelujah, and praise Jehovah who had created and sustains them in their place; and then on the earth, with all in it, to join in praising Him whose name alone is excellent, and His glory above the earth and heaven, but who exalts the horn of His people, the praise of His saints, (the godly ones we have seen throughout, but who now are fully Israel,) a people near to Him. The great Creator whom heaven and earth must praise is the god of Israel, and Israel His people. Ps. cxlix. Here the call is upon Israel to praise; the creation and Israel, we have seen all through, to be coordinate (the new creation and the church,) and to form the sphere of the Psalms. Still, it is now in the congregation of the saints. Israel's relationship is double; Jehovah has formed him for His praise; he is king in Zion. The reasons of praise are then given. takes pleasure in His people: but we learn who place. He beautifies the meek with salvation. Jehovah have this Then he can say, Let the saints be joyful in glory; but if the high praises of God are in their mouths, the sword of earthly judgment and vengeance is in their hands to execute it on the nations and peoples, to bind the mighty ones who had once oppressed them. It was the judgment written. Such honour have all His saints. The persons here in view are thus evident, as is their position-the meek in Israel now delivered, and the Lord Jesus king in Zion, execute judgment on those who had oppressed them. Such is, indeed, as said, the judgment written, and confirms the view I have taken of the last two books, only now it is complete in its statements. The millennium itself is not described. The Psalms are the introduction to it, and by their connexion of Christ, as seen in the Gospels, and the remnant of Israel with the last days, throw the greatest light on the Gospels themselves. Ps. cl. The hundred and fiftieth psalm is a general closing summons to praise Jehovah-only, remark, it is now freely in His sanctuary, as in the firmament of His power, with all the various instruments of the temple— praise for His mighty acts-praise for His own excellent greatness and every thing that has breath is called to praise Him. It is a loud and chorus-like termination, full of power and energy, suited to the Jewish state and temple-service. Here we close this most interesting and instructive study, as to which I could hope only to give the outline of general principles which might enable the reader to use the Book; not its varied and beautiful contents in detail, this would have required volumes, both on the prophetic connection of its contents and the exercises and feelings of faith, so far as we can apply them to saints now. He sets As sets the Morning Star, which goes not down (STEPHEN, Acts vii.) No. II. DISCIPLINE AND UNITY OF THE ASSEMBLY. Two principles seem to be at work at the present moment which it may be well to notice in connection with the title of this publication-the present testimony. We are living in a time when all things are in question, and principles of every kind abroad. If there are such as seem to destroy the very position of the saints as a testimony in the midst of Christendom-a conscious and intelligent testimony-it is not amiss that attention should be drawn to them. The two principles I refer to are First, the denial of the obligation of a Christian assembly to maintain purity, in order to be owned such, or rather the denying that if it allow evil within itself it becomes defiled, and, Secondly, the denial of the unity of the body, as regards the Church here on earth. I have heard in such various quarters, both as to morals and doctrine, that no assembly of Christians can be defiled by any evil in it; and even that it has to go on and leave it to the Lord to lay His hand upon the evil and put it out, that I must suppose it to be a principle generally admitted. And what has been often alleged in individual argument on the second point noticed above, is now maintained in a tract which has been voluntarily sent me, I suppose for my edification, and which I therefore now take notice of. I am ignorant who is its author, and discuss its principles briefly, as a subject that it is well to bring before the minds of many. A tract has also been sent me on the first point; I have heard by report who is its author, but shall here simply discuss its principles. The two questions are,-Can there be corporate defilement by allowed evil in morals or doctrine; and is there any unity of the Church of God upon earth. It has been openly contended, that if fornication be allowed in a body of Christians, it is no ground for separating from it. This has been met by others; indeed, exposing it in daylight was the best way of meeting it. Το say that Christians were to separate from the world, to detach themselves from the great body of the professing Church because of ecclesiastical evils, and then to affirm that positive immorality did not defile their community; but that, supposing it was allowed, saints should still own such a meeting all the same, was a proposition so monstrous, such a preference of ecclesiastical notions to the unalterable morality of God in the Gospel, that one can only wonder how it was possible any Christians could have got into such a state of moral darkness. It was a solemn witness of the effect of false principles. With the individuals or their meeting, we have, of course, nothing to do, save as the charity of Christ demands. We speak of principles; and let us see where these would lead. Those who are inside such a meeting of Christians are not allowed to break with them. They are bound to accept the companionship of sin,-bound to accept disobedience to the apostles' rule, "put out from among yourselves that wicked person." They must live in constant communion with evil, and constantly, in the most solemn act of Christianity, affirm the fellowship of light and darkness. But this is not all. In such kind of meetings, a meeting in one place receives, as did the scriptural Churches, those in communion in another, and, when formally done, by letters of commendation. Suppose the fornicator, or even those who have maintained his continuing in the meeting, another allowance thus of sin to be commended, or to come, as in communion, from the supposed meeting; and if they receive him deliberately at home, they must of course give him, so far as they are concerned, the same title abroad, and he is received elsewhere, and thus the deliberate wickedness of a majority of the meeting to which he belongs, or of the whole of it, if you please, obliges thus every Christian |