progress. But it was not till the threats and terror of Russia made her sensible of her weakness, and threw her into the embrace of Britain, that she has allowed a freer entrance to the gospel. Turkey's extremity has been God's opportunity. Let us seize it, and press on the work.

2. It has introduced religious liberty into the Moslem Empire. We do not mean that this liberty will be actually enjoyed for years to come. The persecuting law has been cancelled, and so a most important step has been taken, in the direction of freedom, to receive the gospel of grace-freedom to disown Mohammed and to worship Christ! But the people of the Moslem Empire are not prepared for such a law of liberty. They will refuse to act on it; nay, more, they will refuse to permit their rulers to carry it out. In Europe, it was the people that were the first in all things pertaining to liberty, whether of the body or of the soul, whether of the State or of the Church. It is they who have led the way to the needful changes which have allowed them to worship God according to His Word. They have, by steady but resolute pressure, forced these freer laws upon reluctant kings and statesmen,-striking the sword out of the hand of the persecutor, and breaking the fetter from the arm of the persecuted. In Turkey, this order has been reversed. The monarch is flinging away the sword; but the people murmur, and would fain compel him to take it up; or, if they cannot do that, they would assume it and wield it themselves. From the throne, religious liberty is proclaimed; but the people refuse the blessing.* Still, the alteration of the law is of no small importance. It will gradually work its way to a better state of feeling among all ranks.

3. It has given religious liberty to France. In that kingdom, Protestantism has suffered grievous wrong at the hand of magistrates and judges. Schools and churches have been closed; teachers and ministers have been silenced, nay, imprisoned. In all its provinces, Protestants were under terror. Thus they themselves were paralysed, and others were hindered from joining them. Of late, however, a boon has been granted. The Emperor has proclaimed religious liberty to his subjects. Papists storm and threaten; Protestants rejoice; the Word of God goes out unhindered, and believers are the more added to the Church. Beyond doubt, this is one of the results of the war. France was seeking to right the Moslem abroad,

* "A Moolah recently told us, that he was one of a hundred who put their seals to a paper at the commencement of the late Moslem fast, binding themselves to assassinate any Moslem who should become a Christian before the case could be brought before the Pasha.”—Evang. Christend., Jan. 1856, p. 32.

could she consistently wrong the Christian at home? France was asking the Sultan to grant religious liberty to his own subjects, could she refuse it to her own? France was in alliance

with a Protestant nation, could she persecute the professors of her Ally's creed? Thus has God overruled the war for blessing to his own children in Europe, and for prospering his own cause. The reaction upon France herself in such a way was what few reckoned on. Our alliance with France may perhaps have done us some harm: it may have enabled Popery to push forward her designs; it may have hampered our statesmen in their dealings with Popery at home; but assuredly good has emerged in other directions, and our Protestant brethren in France are reaping the benefit of this alliance and this war, in which some see nothing but unmingled evil.

4. It has been the occasion of serious damage to Popery, both in Austria and Italy.-It was the awkward position in which Austria had placed herself, that rendered the recent Concordat necessary. She had to throw herself on Rome for succour, seeing every other kingdom was casting her off, or suspecting her. Hence came the Concordat. On that deed many look with despondency as one of Rome's great triumphs. Granting that it is such, we may say of it as Pyrrhus said of his victory" One such triumph more, and she will be undone." Rome, when in power, has always overshot the mark— always overreached herself. She did so at our own Revolution in 1688. She is doing so now. The Concordat has evoked a host of enemies within her own bosom; and many throughout Europe are beginning to count the cost of being adherents of such a Church. Chains for body and soul-double chains—and that at a time when all men are crying out for liberty,—this is more than the most blindly-bigoted sons of Rome are prepared to submit to. This Concordat, so gloried in by Rome, may yet cost her dear.

5. It promises to give Liberty to Italy.-Already it has elevated Piedmont to a most brilliant position, and made her the object of admiration to all who love freedom, and the object of jealousy and abhorrence to all who still hug their fetters, or are engaged in forging fetters for others. Her posture during the war, the fame which she won, the alliance which she so wisely sought, her own good government at home, these have given her an importance from which she cannot easily be cast down. Her bold protest at the late Conference in behalf of Italian liberty and constitutional government has summed up all. She is now the centre towards which is gravitating all that is good, and wise, and free in Italy. Matters cannot

long remain as they are. The yoke of mingled Popery and Despotism is one which cannot much longer be borne.

6. It has given the Bible to Sardinia.-By thousands have the Scriptures been circulated among the soldiers of Piedmont. Eagerly and thankfully have they been received. That army has returned home from the Crimea laden with better spoils than those of a Russian city. It has come back with the Word of God, and it finds in its own land liberty to read that Book. This of itself is no light matter. Its consequences may be wide and momentous. That priestly power should be unable to hinder the soldiers from receiving Bibles, or prevent them from entering the realm, and having free course throughout it, shews that Romish threats are no longer heeded there, and that the Piedmontese are no longer willing to allow an Italian monk to come between them and God.

7. It has called forth much Prayer.-These two eventful years have been pre-eminently years of prayer among the people of God. For East and West, for army and navy, for our own land, and for others knit to us in this war, prayer has been made unceasingly. It is something, surely, to be able to say of a war, it has given us two years of prayer. The world may yet be the better for this. It will tell upon the years to come. The current of events during the peace that is now established, may be much directed in its flow by the prayers that have preceded it. What that peace will do for Europe or for our world, we do not attempt to guess. It is not likely to be of long duration. The banners are furled only for a season. The parenthetical war in the East having come to its close, the scene now shifts to the West. It is to Europe that we are now to look, and to its kingdoms. Already there are rumours of war. Possibly these rumours may soon pass into the reality. Italy and Austria are preparing for the battle. Men are unwilling to believe it, statesmen shrink from it, kings are trembling on their thrones. Yet come it will; and when it comes, it will be the prelude to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. It is well that we should ponder our prospects. And, above all, it is well that we should stand with girded loins, ready for whatever may be coming on the earth—ready for the arrival of the Great King Himself!

Notes on Scripture.

NOTES ON THE PSALMS.

PSALM CXLII.

the

Maschil-" A prayer of David, when he was in the cave;" or, more closely adhering to the order of the original, "Maschil (i.e., as in Ps. xxxii., which see) of David, when he was in the cave; a prayer.” The cave of Adullam echoed these holy strains; and David's men, distressed, the debtors, the bitter of soul" (1 Sam. xxii. 2), heard, as did the prisoners in Philippi, when Paul and Silas sung, and were not only soothed but sanctified, when the Holy Ghost used the same harp that had calmed Saul's spirit, to cast out the evil that wrought in that strange band. But is it not written for all ages? David's son, and all that follow him, use it when "bitter in soul," or in "distress." Let us see how beautifully it utters our Master's heart as "A prayer." Ver. 1. The cry of the son of David—“ I cry unto Jehovah, who has so often heard my voice; I supplicate Jehovah with my voice.” not this suitable in the lips of him who was ever calling on his Father, and whose agony drew forth all the more that filial cry, "O my Father!"

Is

Ver. 2. "I pour forth my complaint before him." Compare the title of Ps. cii.; and remember the Lord's words in the garden, "Let this cup pass!" when reading, "I shewed before him my distress." Ver. 3. "When my spirit is overwhelmed within me" (compare, again, the title of Ps. cii)., and thou knewest ( emphatic, as if

to say, I did not know but thou didst) my path, on the way where I was going, where they hid a trap for me." How suitable in the mouth of him who was 66 sore amazed" as he entered the garden!

Ver. 4. "Look on thy right hand, and behold”

-an abrupt, or broken cry; look, and behold, and you will see only this-" no one knoweth me! refuge fails me! no one concerns himself for my soul." Such language might actually be used by the Lord Jesus to the Father, when he saw even his disciples fleeing from him, as the band drew near to take him in their snare; or when he saw them all asleep in that terrible hour.

Ver. 5. "I have cried (and do still cry) to thee, O Jehovah; thou art

my portion (both now and hereafter) in the land of the living." The Master returned to the Father for sympathy, finding it only there.

Ver. 6. Another cry pointed with the appeal, "For I am brought very low." He needed an angel to strengthen Him, so low did he become-lower in every sense than angels. His flesh was weak.

Ver. 7. But here, as in Ps. xxii., the scene begins to brighten. His disciples may sleep on and take their rest, for he has accomplished his sufferings. He sees in prospect the results, and prays, "Bring my soul from being shut up;" (as Joseph was,

Gen. xxxix. 20, as Isa. xxiv. 22.)

That men may praise thy name. (Hengstenberg.)

And then, in confidence of hope, seeing down the vista of ages, his eye resting on the millions of his saved ones,

"The righteous shall form a circle close round me;"

(

press closely in upon me; Hengst.)

"For thou shalt deal bountifully with me."

Is not this the anticipation of the great multitude, whom no man can number, in his kingdom, round his throne, as in Rev. vii. 9, where the redeemed stand nearer than angels, as if claiming kin? And, one with our Head, each of us, the members, may take up this song in our Adullam sojourn for the disciple is as the Master, in his degree; and at the throne, disciples shall feel solitude no more, nor complain of sympathy withheld, amid the great congregation.

Horsley entitles this psalm, "A prayer of Messiah, when he was taken and deserted." Let us call it,

The cave thoughts of David, and David's Son, for all in extremity.

PSALM CXLIII.

David is still the sweet singer here, his harp sounding in the wilderness of Judah, or, as in Ps. xlii., from some still more remote retreat. Here, however, he alludes to no particular external privation-it is his soul's sadness that is the burden of his song. Christ could use these utterances, feeling not his bodily absence from heaven so much as the Father's hidden face. And it suits the believer at the times when he mourns most of all for the absence of any tokens of the Lord's special presence, in himself or the church around.

From ver. 1 to 4, we have the strong appeal of one who feels the darkness, in which he is enveloped by the absence of special tokens of God's love. Our Lord uses the argument of God's “truth and righteousness," in seeking an answer; and so we, his members, appeal to these same perfections, in our expostulations with our God, warranted by 1 John i. 9, "He is faithful and just to forgive us." And then the deprecation, in ver. 2,

"And enter not into judgment with thy servant,"

is, in our Lord's lips, equivalent to "If it be possible, let this cup pass from me!" Do not argue the case with me (see Job ix. 32, and xxii. 4, and xxxiv. 23), to shew me that there is cause for all this darkness. I know there is a cause: the cause is the sin which I have undertaken