is against them that do evil." Here he stops, because this quotation is equally true of the saints composing the church as of those who compose Israel; but he omits the last clause-"to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth". as not suited to us, though it is to Israel. Again, in the eighth of Romans, the Apostle Paul quotes from the forty-fourth Psalm, applying it to the path of the Christian now-" For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." (v. 22.) But here the quotation ends, for, instead of in the spirit of the Jewish remnant, in their time of trouble, crying out to God saying, "Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? why hidest Thou Thy face?" &c., the apostle, as becomes followers of Christ, accepts it—and adds, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." (Rom. viii. 36, 37.) In Israel's future (See Psalm ciii. 6), God will execute righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. Now, however, we are taught to do well, suffer for it, and take it patiently (1 Peter ii. 14); and that if we suffer for righteousness' sake we should count ourselves happy. Did God execute righteous judgment for Jesus in the days of His flesh when He was oppressed? Did He do so for the apostle Paul when faithfulness to God brought him, through wicked men's oppression, into prison? Did He so act on John's behalf when banished to desolate Patmos for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ? But when Israel comes upon the scene of divine favour and blessing, after the church has been caught up, they will then know that God favours their cause and blesses them, and will do so more than ever He did in the earth;

for the hope of the meek among them is to "inherit the earth."

We have, therefore, in the Psalms promises to the faithful to dwell in the land," and "inherit the earth." We have also such texts as the Lord is against evil-doers," to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth." "Such as be blessed of Him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of Him shall be cut off." (xxxvii. 22.) "Thou hast scattered us among the heathen." (xliv. 11.) "Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors." (lix. 5.) "God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah." (lxix. 35.) "O God, why hast Thou cast us off for ever? why doth Thine anger smoke against the sheep of Thy pasture?" (lxxiv. 1.) "He shall cut off the spirit of princes; He is terrible to the kings of the earth." (lxxvi. 12.) "Pour out Thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known Thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon Thy name. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling-place." (lxxix. 6, 7.) "Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera. Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb...

O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flames setteth the mountains on fire; so persecute them with Thy tempest." (lxxxiii. 9-18.) "Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land. . I will early destroy all the wicked of the land." (ci. 6, 8.) "Thou shalt arise, and have mercy on Zion. So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Thy glory. When the Lord shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory.

This shall be written for the generation to come. The children of Thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before Thee." (cii.) "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; and gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south." (cvii. 2, 3.) "The Lord hath chosen Jacob unto Himself, and Israel for His peculiar treasure." (cxxxv. 4.) "He also exalteth the horn of His people, the praise of all His saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto Him." (exlviii. 14.)

How could any one who knows that he has passed from death unto life, is now seated in Christ in heavenly places, and called to follow Christ, who loved. His enemies, prayed for His murderers, and died for the ungodly, adopt such language as we have just quoted? And yet a little spiritual discernment is enough to shew how consistent such utterances will be for an upright Jew by and by.

The Psalms are divided into five books.*

* First Book (i.-xli., 41 psalms) gives the state as a whole of the Jewish remnant, or of those of it who are not driven out of Jerusalem, and hence of Messiah Himself, as connected with it. We have thus more of His personal history in it than in all the rest. Second Book (xlii.-lxxii., 31 psalms) gives us the godly cast out of Jerusalem—their anguish, and faith, and hope of restoration. Messiah's deliverance, and previous humiliation. The glorious and lowly One, and then royal rule in David's line established in Israel. [Previously, when cast out, they speak of Elohim rather than of Jehovah. In li. they own the nation's guilt in rejecting Him.] Third Book (lxxiii.-lxxxix., 17 psalms) takes up Israel as well as Judah; but only the remnant in Israel. There is only one "Psalm of David" in it. The history of the

For the reasons we have given, is it not clear that the Psalms cannot now be used for the expression of Christian worship? The coming of the Son of God from heaven, the rent vail by His death, and the gift, indwelling and operations of the Holy Ghost, have necessarily altered the character of true worship. Our Lord declared the Father, and He said, "The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him." (John iv. 23.) No doubt when Christians lost the sense of their distinctive character as heavenly, and members of the body of Christ, that they gradually sank back more or less into the Jewish order of distance from God, and an earthly class of priesthood; thus lowering Christianity from heavenly to earthly characteristics.

CHRIST! WHO BUT CHRIST!

"CHRIST! Christ! who but Christ! I know this much of Christ, He is not ill to be found, nor lordly of His love; woe had been my part of it for evermore if Christ had made a dainty of Himself to me; but God be thanked, I gave nothing for Christ, and now I protest before men and angels Christ cannot be exchanged, Christ cannot be sold, Christ cannot be weighed."RUTHERFORD.

nation as such is given; still a true-hearted remnant is distinguished — Christ, Israel, and general principles. Fourth Book (xc.-cvi., 17 psalms). The coming of Messiah: this connects the nation with Messiah, as well as with Jehovah. Fifth Book (cvii.-cl., 44 psalms). The people restored; a survey of God's ways, and a divine comment on it all, ending in praise. -Present Testimony, vol. ii.

TWO MILLIONS AND A QUARTER OF DOLLARS CANNOT PURCHASE PEACE.

A SHORT time ago a man died in this city worth two millions and a quarter of dollars. I heard that he offered the doctor at last all he was worth, if he could prolong his life for one single day; but no! it was impossible. The summons was come, and he was called into the presence of a heart-searching God.

The other day a young man died here under different circumstances. His name was little known, but he was well known to many of the Lord's people, and beloved by many as Willie. He was poor, but perfectly happy.

He had been in deep distress about his soul about ten months ago, and used to sit up night after night with C. M., about the all-important question of how he could be saved. He had been a great sinner, and had lived without God all his life, though with occasional feelings of great remorse for his sins. He was led at length, by the Spirit of God, to see that the Lord Jesus had died for such, had shed His blood to make an atonement before God for sin, that His sacrifice had been both provided and accepted by God; and now He could act justly, and yet be the justifier of him who believed in Jesus. He cast himself on Him, by believing in Him-nothing more; not by giving up the sins first, but just by simply believing on Him, as having died for his sins and risen again for his justification. And Jesus saved him.

He was soon after received into fellowship with the