N. B. This verse 7 is adduced by St. Paul to the Hebrews, i. 3, to prove the eternal generation of Christ, that He is "the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person." Again he adduces it at Antioch, Acts xiii. 33, as applying to the resurrection of Christ.

Verse 8. David had a covenant

made with him: sure promises were given to him, his kingdom was enlarged, and victory was vouchsafed to him. Compare Psalm lxxxix. 3, &c.

Christ had a covenant established for ever with Him, even before the foundation of the world. The surest promises ratified, witnessed and certified, were given. The angel announced to Mary that He should have "the throne of his father David," and should "reign over the house of Jacob, and of his kingdom there should be no end." Luke i. 32. Compare Rev. xi. 15. "The kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of the Lord, and of his Christ."

This opens a large field of inquiry, as to the promises made, and as to their fulfilment: as to the dominion over the heathen, past and future-in short as to the reign of Christ on earth, in the New Heavens and earth promised as his especial kingdom, and in the Endless Future. The word of God is, of course, the source whence this inquiry can be satisfied.

And here the parallel ceases. The interpretation of the Psalm with reference to David, goes no further. There are some portions which are entirely prophetical, and can have reference only to One greater than David. Verse 8 applies to David only in a limited sense : to Christ alone in its fulness; while the latter part of the Psalm, from verse 10 to the end, cannot be taken of David without ascribing to him honour which does not belong to him, without recommending “trust in an arm of flesh," and so marking a "heart departing from the Lord."

Now the chief point in this Psalm as being a Prophetical one, is that which we have just considered: explanation therefore should be chiefly confined to this as its leading idea, viz: the primary reference to David, and therein the more important reference to the Lord Jesus. Thus, whether it be the Teacher in the Closet that we desire to assist, or the instruction to be given by him that we seek to supply, it was necessary that our attention should be mainly given to the points we have now explained. And what indeed can be more profitable for the young than to contemplate the Saviour in his exaltation and power? What more necessary than to lead them to honour, adore, and so to love the glorified Saviour? What more practical in its effects and tendencies, than to supply them with a right knowledge of Him who is the Saviour of all who believe, and especially calls the

young children to Him that they may have life, that they may come to Him and be blessed? If the remembrance of our Creator in the days of youth be the main object of all instruction, how can this be secured without a right understanding of His character and glory, by whom all things were made, and by whom all things consist ?

And the Teacher in his Closet can surely have no higher object of contemplation, no more comprehensive source of mental or spiritual enjoyment, than that presented by the kingdom of his Adorable Redeemer, to which he is desirous of belonging; by the glory of the King of Kings, whose subject he professes to be, by the triumph of his exalted Lord, which he believes he shall be permitted to share, when his personal contest with the enemy shall be concluded; and his work of bringing the young as disciples to Christ, shall be recognized by the Lord, and ten thousand fold rewarded ?

But in every, even the most evangelical portion of God's Word, there are great moral lessons to be sought and acquired. We conclude then with a few hints of such things to be learnt from the Psalm in our hands.

From verse 1, we learn the natural opposition of man to God, and that a bitter one.-Gen. vi. 5, Ecc. viii. 2, Prov. xix. 3, Jer. xv. 3, xvii. 9, Rom. i. 30. It is however a vain one. Verse 2, Kings and rulers have been the bitterest enemies of the truth, from ignorance that the "throne is established in righteousness." The Pharisees and Jewish rulers were especially hostile. The Romans, from the idea that Christ's was a kingdom opposed to that of Cæsar: the Jews, from the failure of their expectations of temporal power, and from their obstinate pride. Idolatrous nations have invariably raged against the kingdom of Christ, because they "love darkness rather than light." Vide Mahomet and his followers. Nominal professors often oppose the truth, because they "hate to be reformed," and detest the spiritual requirements of the Lord's kingdom.

Verse 3, It is the restraints of the Gospel which the natural man will not bear. Compare Jer. v. 5, and Parable of the Nobleman, Yet the "bands" of Christ are those of reason and affection; his "words" are those of love. "Learn of me

Luke xix. 12.

and ye shall find rest unto your souls." "My yoke is easy,

and my burthen light."

In Verse 4, we learn more of the vanity of man's opposition; in 5, its sure punishment: in 6, the certainty of Christ's kingdom. Man is a worm: God is the Almighty. Man is the creature, mortal: God is the Creator, Immortal. "In Him we live and move, and have our being." A breath may sweep us away,

our greatest strength is weakness. The deluge warns of this: Sodom's overthrow: Jericho's downfall: the destruction of Sennacherib's army-these all show the thoughts and power of man to be vain: and also the destruction of God's enemies to be sure and unavoidable. In Psalm xlvi. 6, it is expressed with forcible brevity: "The heathen raged: the kingdoms were moved: He uttered his voice: the earth melted."

The vanity of opposition is further shown by the fact of Christ's kingdom having been already established on a basis which cannot be shaken. "I have set." "Behold He liveth," and that for evermore.

Encouragement to God's servants,

Discouragement to his opponents.

The Lord hath spoken: He has declared the Almighty's decree: He has set forth the covenant: the world is his by inheritance and by possession-verses 7, 8.

But how far realized? How far become the kingdom of Christ? Compare the labour used, the power exercised, to extend the kingdom, with the visible success. See how large a portion of the world is heathen still, how small a portion is his by obedient Faith. Glance at Missionary labours now encreasing and blessed; the facilities offered; the exertions made; the hopes entertained, and be encouraged.

Then look at home, within-has the Gospel come to you, Christian Student, in the Spirit and with power? Are you one of his ? Can you train up those committed to you as the inheritance of the Lord? Do you endeavour to make all entrusted to your care partakers of the kingdom and its blessings ?

LEARN to fear the Great King's wrath, from verse 9: His mercy in desiring all to become wise unto salvation, from the 10th: the happy mixture of believing fear and trembling joy, from verse 11. LEARN man's best wisdom, man's greatest blessing, from the conclusion of the Psalm.

THE

N. M.

ARTICLES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

ARTICLE II.

Of the word or Son of God, which was made very man.

The Son, which is the word of the Father, begotten from everlasting of the Father, the very and eternal God, and of one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin of her

substance; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and the Manhood, were joined together in one Person, never to be divided, whereof is One Christ, very God and very Man; who truly suffered, was crucified, dead and buried, to reconcile His Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of men.

THIS Article is full of important truth. It relates to two great topics, namely, the Person and the Work of our Adorable Redeemer. As to his Person, it affirms three things-that He was and is eternally one with God, that He was also made one with man, and that the Godhead and the Manhood were so united in Him, as that neither of the two natures superseded or interfered with the other; both existed in perfection, and having been thus joined together, they shall continue so for ever. As to his work, the Article declares what sufferings He underwent, and the end which He acomplished thereby. Following then the method which we adopted in treating of the first Article, we shall aim at no elaborate discussion, but simply take the several points of doctrine as they arise, with a view of establishing them from the word of God.

In setting forth the teaching of the Church as to the Person of Christ, the Article begins with his Divine Nature, affirming that the Son, which is the word of the Father, was begotten from everlasting of the Father, and is very and eternal God, and of one substance with the Father.

The Son. Jesus was emphatically proclaimed by God Himself to be his Son. Matt. iii. 17. The designation implies distinctness of Person from the Father, but identity in nature with the Father. Distinctness of Person; even as a son has an existence separate from that of his father who begat him.-Identity of Nature: because the nature of a father and his son must, of necessity, be the same. Christ then, as the Son of God, is in his Person distinct from the Father, as multiplied passages prove. Such as John xiv. 21-24. But his nature is the same as that of the Father—and this is precisely what He always intended to declare, when He spoke of Himself as the Son of God; otherwise, when the Jews accused Him as a blasphemer, for calling God his Father, would He not have told them that they misunderstood Him? John v. 17, 18. His not doing so, proves that this construction which they put on his words was right, and that He did mean to claim Oneness with God. This title therefore, Son of God, involves at once, and at the same time, Distinctness in Person from the Father, and Identity in Godhead with the Father.

Which is the word of the Father. This is another designation