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rather assume the shape of idle speculation, than of profitable and legitimate research.

It is asserted upon the authority of Scripture now about to be adduced, that the Lord Jesus Christ, our crucified and risen Saviour, will in the latter day appear in person upon the earth a second time, with power and great glory, to set up and to establish his kingdom or government upon the earth, whilst the race of man is still continued in the flesh; and that he, with his risen saints, the spirits of the just made perfect, will for the time appointed, called in Scripture a thousand years, maintain and exercise a visible and glorious rule and government over the children of men upon the earth. It is to this proposition, and to this only, that our immediate attention is to be directed.

The Book of Psalms is first referred to in confirmation of what is thus asserted, for it contains more specific, if not more ample prophecies of the person, the work, the sufferings, and the exaltation of the Lord Jesus our Redeemer, than are to be found elsewhere in Scripture. Messiah, His Church, and His salvation, are the sum, and the substance, the beginning, the middle, and ending of all the Psalms. It will be found, moreover, that about sixty of the

Psalms have a direct reference to the fact of the second coming. To transcribe or to compare so extensive a portion of Scripture would be inconvenient, and therefore a few of those Psalms only which are the most striking will be brought forward.

Psalm x-Messiah here complains of the prevalence of the evil ones, and is comforted by the promise that His kingdom shall be established. "The Lord is king for ever and ever, the heathen are perished out of his land."

Psalm xxii. represents Messiah crying to the Father in the midst of his deep afflictions; and in answer to his supplication, the glory of the kingdom, which is reserved for him in the latter day is thus described to him. "All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee,"-" for the kingdom is the Lord's; and he is the governor among the nations; all they that be fat upon the earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him; and none can keep alive his own soul. A seed shall serve him, it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation: they shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this."

Psalm xxxii.-The Church is exhorted to praise Jehovah and His Christ, the blessedness of whose kingdom is set forth. "The word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done in truth. He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord." "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance."

Psalm xxxvi.-Messiah's faithfulness to his people is here principally treated of. "How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God, therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house."

Psalm xxxvii.-The Church is comforted by the promise of deliverance from affliction, and by an assurance that the wicked who trouble her shall speedily be destroyed. "Evil doers shall be cut off, but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. The meek shall inherit the earth, and delight themselves in the abundance of peace." "The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever." "Wait on the Lord and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it."

Psalm xlv.-The subject of this Psalm is the glorious marriage of the King's Daughter-the Church. It is said to her " instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth: I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations, therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever."

Psalm xlviii.-The glories of Zion in the reign of Messiah her King form the subject of this Psalm. "The Lord Most High is terrible, he is a great King over all the earth; he shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet."-" Sing praises to God, sing praises, sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding; God reigneth over the heathen."

Psalm lxv.—The Church sets forth the praises of Messiah-"O thou that hearest prayer, to thee shall all flesh come"-"Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it, thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water, thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it."

Psalm lxvi.-The same subject is continued-the praises of the Lord the King (Messiah) for his mer

ties and loving kindnesses to his people, and for putting down the rebellious who have afflicted them. "All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee: they shall sing to thy name. Come and see the works of God, he is terrible in his doings towards the children of men.' "He ruleth by his

power for ever; his eyes behold the nations; let not the rebellious exalt themselves."

Psalm lxvii.-The Church calls upon all the nations to praise Messiah. "O let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.”—"Then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear him."

Psalm Ixxii.—The Church prays for the establishment of Messiah's Kingdom, the glories of which she then proceeds to describe. "Give the King thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the King's Son."" In his days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth; he shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.”—“ All kings shall fall down before him: all nations.shall serve

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