"Here, alas! we may see how the veil is on the heart of Israel in the reading of the Old Testament. They see not that Messiah was first to suffer, and then to enter into His glory. Yes, dear brethren of the house of Israel, the Messiah was to die, but only before He should sit down on the throne of His kingdom. It was after pouring out His soul unto death, in order to make intercession for the transgressors, that He was to have a portion divided to Him with the great. (Isa. liii. 12.) He died in His humiliation, as was necessary, in order to make atonement; but in His kingdom, life is given to Him, as David declares in the twenty-first Psalm, 'even length of days for ever and ever.' He has died already, having, as it was written of Him, 'made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich, in His death.' Raised again from the dead, according to the sixteenth Psalm, He has gone and returned to His place, as He had said by the prophet Hosea, until Israel shall acknowledge their offence, and seek His face. Then shall He come again in His kingdom and glory, to reign over a renovated earth, 'wherein dwelleth righteousness.'

"Luke xxiii. 43-And Jesus said unto him, Verily, I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.'-It appears also to be the same which is spoken of in Revelation ii. 7, as the 'Paradise of God,' in the midst of which is the tree of life, for the victors in the spiritual warfare. The term evidently points to the restoration of that state of purity and bliss which man originally enjoyed, but from which he by transgression fell,-unspeakably enhanced, however, by the precious fact, that it has been recovered by the blood and righteousness of God's incarnate Son. The malefactor, in his dying prayer, seems only to have looked forward to a future period when Jesus should reappear, in power and glory, as the world's and Israel's King. Jesus assures him of blessedness that very day. It was given to 'this last,' as well as to the great apostle who had borne the burden and heat of the day, to depart and be at once with Christ."

The Sealed People; or, Those who Escape the Great Tribulation. Does this includes the whole of the Church, or only a part? Also, a Letter on the Right Use of Property. By the Rev. ROBERT POLWHELE.

London: Seeleys. 1859.

THE subject of this little work is an important one, and the author has discussed it well. He may not have cleared away all the difficulties; but he has helped us to the solution of some of them. We give his preface :

"That the great tribulation spoken of in Rev. vii., and so often alluded to throughout that book, is yet future, is admitted, I believe, by all. But whether the Church will pass through that fiery ordeal, or escape it altogether, is an important question; and I believe the true answer to it to be this: a portion of the Church will escape it, though comparatively a small number; while by far the larger portion, the innumerable multitude,' will pass through it, in the case of many, we apprehend, on account of their unbelief and unwatchfulness for the coming of their Lord.

"The former of these parties seem to be typified by the 'hundred and forty and four thousand,' (vii. 4–9, xiv. 1,) the 'first-fruits,' (xiv. 4,) 'the man-child,' (xii. 5;) the latter, by the 'multitude that no man could number,' (vii. 9-17,) 'the woman driven into the wilderness,' (xii. 6,) the two witnesses,' (xi. 3,) 'the harvest,' (xiv. 15,) the remnant,' (xii. 17,) and the overcomers,' (xv. 2.) "The author cannot but think that it is through not distinguishing between Christ's first appearance in our heavens, to receive His waiting people to Himself, when He comes suddenly, unexpectedly, as a thief in the

night,' and His coming openly, manifestly, in the clouds of heaven, when every eye shall see Him, that so much confusion and apparent contradiction of Scripture exist in the minds of many upon these important subjects. He believes, what is of more consequence still, that from the same cause many are putting events, such as the restoration of the Jews, &c., between the present time and Christ's coming; and so, unconsciously, have a prejudice existing in their hearts, which throws them off their guard, and produces, along with other things, that spirit of slumber and unwatchfulness, which, alas! now so greatly prevails. But, distinguite tempora, et concordabunt Scripturæ,' distinguish the periods, and the Scriptures will harmonise. Distinguish between Christ's coming in the air, to take away His waiting people, and His subsequent descent to the earth, accompanied by all His saints, to the final catastrophe, as described in Rev. xix., and all is comparatively easy and intelligible. Between the present moment and that action of Christ's coming, which, from its suddenness, is compared to that of a thief in the night,' we know not of a single event which must necessarily intervene! It is at this time in which we are now living, that the gracious admonition is given, Rev. xvi. 15, 'Behold, I come as a thief.' And it is worthy of our special notice and consideration, that brevity and suddenness are the distinguishing characteristics of the events that immediately precede the coming of our Lord.

"An able writer on prophecy, to whom I am much indebted, has observed, 'We cannot conceal our apprehension that some outward act of preparation may now be looked for by the people of God, which may prove in the end rather to refer to the Church left on the earth, than to that company of "firstfruits" who shall be changed from mortality to immortality, suddenly, as in the twinkling of an eye, when Christ shall first come as a thief in the night.

66 6 The Church cannot complain if she reaps what she has sown, or be surprised if she realises only that which she has hoped and expected; for we believe, too, in that day, it will be given every man according to his faith." "Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching.""

A Commentary on the Book of Psalms; Critical, Devotional, and Prophetical: with the Text of the Authorised Version. By WILLIAM DE BURGH, D.D. Dublin, 1859.

THIS commentary still advances. It is now in its twelfth number. We give the following specimen of the exposition of Psalm xvi. :

6

"First is a declaration of trust in God called forth by circumstances of distress and persecution, endangering life itself:- Preserve me, O God for in thee do I put my trust.' (Ver. 1.) Nor is such language to be regarded as inapplicable to our Saviour Christ, who' (to quote the words of St Paul, before referred to, in illustration of similar petitions) 'in the days of his flesh offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death' (Heb. v. 7)-one of which, we may conclude, was this very psalm; this being the subject of its prayer, as seen in the concluding verses. For it must be remembered that He was 'very man' as well as 'very God;' and, moreover, that in His humiliation He availed not Himself of the resources of His divinity, but in His great condescension and love 'emptied Himself' of them, that He might truly suffer. And this also explains the two next verses :—' 'I have said unto Jehovah, Thou art my Lord: my goodness (extendeth) not to thee; (but) to the saints that are in the earth, and the excellent, in whom is all my delight.' In

the words of Bishop Horsley :-'Even of the perfect righteousness of the man Christ Jesus-of His righteousness as a man, it may be said with truth, it ought to be said, that it was of no profit unto God. Nothing was added to the Divine nature by the virtue of the man to whom the Word became united; nothing was added to its glory by His virtue; nothing was added to its happiness by His enjoyments in His exalted state. His righteousness and His exaltation are a display of the Divine goodness and power in that wonderful instance; no acquisition of goodness and power not enjoyed before.' And thus even the Saviour, as Son of man,' would give the whole glory of His preservation to God, and claims no merit for the righteousness which He wrought in that capacity, because, as being in the form of a servant,' it was due from Him. The profit of this-of His 'goodness'-was altogether to those whom by His obedience unto death He vouchsafed to justify, and to redeem by His most precious blood: those (that is) to whom this His love becomes effectual-who believe in' and 'receive Him,' and in whom thus the object of His 'giving Himself for us,' is attained, namely, 'to redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works; and, therefore, called 'saints,' not as holy in themselves, but sanctified in Him; and in whom,' as the objects of His redeeming love, 'is all His delight:'-'the excellent,' moreover, and the truly noble' of the earth, as receiving from Him the power (or 'privilege') to become the sons of God,' whom now 'He is not ashamed to call brethren,' and whom hereafter He will admit to the participation of His glory.

"In further expression of which confidence in God alone He repudiates all confidence in false gods, and all fellowship with those who seek salvation or help from them; and who, in return for the sacrifices with which they endeavour to propitiate their favour, receive only an inheritance of sorrows: Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another [god]: their drink-offerings of blood' ('as abhorrent to me as if they consisted of blood') 'will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips '-that is, the names of those gods. (Comp. Exod. xxviii. 13.) Contrasted with which sorrows' is his portion: ''Jehovah is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage;' that is (say expositors here), the Church, regarded as the 'heritage' of Christ, as being the travail of His soul;' but rather the inheritance of a redeemed world promised to Him, Ps. ii. 8, —'the travail of His soul' in full, and the reward of His righteousness by which He established the title to it-of which the 'good land given to Israel, and the heritage of David, God's anointed king,' was the type; as were its people of 'the saints.' (Ver. 3.)

"The second section, ver. 7 to end, is an advance upon the first: anticipat ing the answer to the prayer with which it commenced, and giving utterance to the hope growing out of the trust' there expressed and developed.

First, The faithfulness of the perfect Man, in which also consisted His righteousness, is referred to its source and cause: 'I will bless Jehovah, who hath given me counsel: my reins [my secret thoughts, see Ps. vii. 9, note,] also instruct me in the night seasons.' It was owing to the human nature in Him being thoroughly subjected to the discipline of God, which Adam shook off, that it was maintained in obedience and conformity to the Father's will: as He saith again by the Prophet Isaiah-The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned my back. I gave my back to the smiters,' &c. (chap. 1. 5, 6): the whole history of His humiliation and sufferings an exemplification of the human will in subjection to the will of God, as He saith, 'I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.' (John vi. 38, with iv. 34, and Matt. xxvi. 30.) And the consequence was His 'preservation' from the destruction conspired by the Evil One, and His deliverance from the power of death and the grave."

Ertracts.

Dr Cureton's Syriac Gospels.

“Of the meaning of the words' Euangelion damparsho de Mathai,' which are prefixed to the Gospel of St Matthew in the Curetonian Syriac version.

·

"Dr Cureton's translation of the above words, and also that of Dr Bernstein, may be found at p. vi. of Dr C.'s preface. The former scholar states that there is a small defect in the vellum of the MS. before the word Mathai, where he imagines that the letter (d)* originally stood; and he translates the words by The distinct Gospel of St Matthew,' a rendering which, as has been remarked, the Syriac language does not admit. 6 The latter savant gives the translation Evangelium per anni circulum dispositum,' referring, in justification, to Assemanni's 'Biblioth. Orient.' ii p. 230. Of the admissibility of this translation there can be no doubt, for the phrase 'evangelion mpharsho(e)' is equivalent to evangelion dampařshē,' elliptic for 'evangelion d'keřyonē m'pharshē,' ' evangelium lectionum selectarum;' but unfortunately, as Dr Cureton himself states, 'the MS. is not so arranged, nor are there any indications whatever of such lections, written at the same period at which this title, with the rest of the volume, was copied.'

"A third explanation is that of Dr Cureton's reviewer,† Dr Land, who in his rather coarse style remarks: ‘Had Dr C. not been blinded by his unhappy hypothesis, he would have read so much quite clearly in the inscription of the first Gospel: Euangeliôn DAMPARSHO dě Mathai, THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW EXPLAINED, or revised to render it more easy, more intelligible.' Here we have again the particle (d) arbitrarily snpplied, on account of the small damaged spot on the vellum.

"A fourth explanation is that of Ewald, in a recent number of the 'Gotting. Gelehrt. Anzeig.' He conceives m'pharsho to mean here ‘die bunte oder abweichende, VARIATA,' in contradistinction to the ordinary SIMPLEX peschito. Whether the word m'pharsho can bear this meaning is extremely doubtful; and even if it can, we should naturally expect m'pharshto in the feminine, agreeing, like (the feminine) peshitto, with the word m'phakto (edition) understood.

“It has been reserved for Dr Gildemeister of Marburg to find the correct explanation of this heading, and he has inserted an article upon it in the thirteenth volume of the 'Zeitschrift d. Deutschen Morgenländ. Gesellschaft,' pp. 472-5. The word m'pharsho is, according to him, an honorary epithet of the apostle Matthew, the chosen, selected, or elected ‡

* The Syriac (d) may be considered as equivalent to the Chaldee ", the sign of the genitive, the relative pronoun, &c.

The Rev. P. N. Land, Dr. Theol. of the National Reformed Church in Holland, has been employed by the Dutch Government on the Syriac MSS. in the British Museum.

These Syriac words are the version in the Syriac New Test. of the clause in Rom. i. 1, à¤wproμévos eis evayyédiov Ɖcoû——ethperesh is the passive preterite.

dethpresh levangelion daloho-ἀφωρισμένος εἰς εὐαγγέλιον Θεοῦ (Rom. i. 1). Why this epithet came to be especially applied by the early Church to the apostle Matthew above all his fellows, is not clear; but, as Gildemeister shews, it is frequently attached to his name in Arabic and Ethiopic MSS. Such being the case, we can of course draw no conclusions from the heading as to the origin or state of the Curetonian Syriac Version of the Gospels."

The above is taken from the October number of the Journal of Sacred Literature, p. 154. In Ezra iv. 18, the participle m'pharash occurs in the combination, which is rendered in our version by (The letter which ye sent unto us) hath been plainly read before me" (acté exposée et lue devant moi). This combination was noticed by Dr Land in his review of Dr C.'s Syriac Gospels. Dr L. also quotes the Targum of Ex. xxviii. 11, WID AND, “distinct, clear writing, as that of a seal." Dr L. also observes-" The distinct Gospel of Matthew' would be, Euangeliôn měpharsho dě Mathai, without de before the participle, and for this reason alone Dr C.'s translation would be impossible."

Interesting Discovery at Bethlehem.

The

A letter from Jerusalem, in the Gazette du Midi, says :-A very important discovery has been made in the neighbourhood of Bethlehem, near the spot which is generally admitted to be where the angel appeared to the shepherds. To the eastward of Bethlehem, and midway between the town and the spot above-mentioned, some workmen, when employed in making an excavation, found the ruins of an immense convent of the period of St Jerome and St Paul, with evident marks of its having been afterwards repaired by St Helen and the Crusaders. cisterns are very large, regular, and in a perfect state of preservation. The mosaic pavements of several rooms have been already laid bare, and the workmen are on the trace of the marble pavement of the church. The satisfaction occasioned by this discovery is so great, that the inhabitants of the village of Beth-Sakour (Village of Shepherds) hasten to the spot, and offer their services on the works gratuitously. The site of these ruins is known to the Arabs by the name of Siar-el-Ganem (Resort of the Sheep). It is surrounded by a considerable number of deep grottos, where the shepherds have been in the habit of taking shelter with their flocks.

A Constant Miracle.

The Bible itself is a standing and an astonishing miracle. Written, fragment by fragment, throughout the course of fifteen centuries, under different states of society and in different languages, by persons of the most opposite tempers, talents, and conditions, learned and unlearned, prince and peasant, bond and free: cast into every form of instructive composition and good writing, history, prophecy, poetry, allegory, emblematic representation, judicious interpretation, literal statement,