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diff --git a/24759-8.txt b/24759-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..99ce36f --- /dev/null +++ b/24759-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3929 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Kingdom of Heaven; What is it?, by Edward Burbidge + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Kingdom of Heaven; What is it? + +Author: Edward Burbidge + +Release Date: March 6, 2008 [EBook #24759] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; WHAT IS IT? *** + + + + +Produced by Colin Bell, Sam W. and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; + + WHAT IS IT? + + + BY + + EDWARD BURBIDGE, M.A. + RECTOR OF BACKWELL, SOMERSET. + + + PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE TRACT COMMITTEE. + + + LONDON: + SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE; + NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, CHARING CROSS; + 4, ROYAL EXCHANGE; AND 48, PICCADILLY. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +There is nothing new in the following pages; except it be that they +call popular attention to facts which have been commonly recognised +only by scholars. + +But I am aware that their contents will appear novel to many; and to +remove this idea some extracts are here given from the Commentaries in +general use. + +1. Bishop Wordsworth on S. Matt. xiii. 3; "This chapter may be +described as containing a Divine Treatise on the Church Militant here +on earth." + +2. Dean Alford on S. Matt. xiii. 52; "The seven Parables compose in +their inner depth of connexion, a great united whole, beginning with +the first sowing of the Church, and ending with the consummation." + +3. The Speaker's Commentary on S. Matt. iii. 2; "It--the Kingdom of +Heaven--signifies the promised Kingdom of the Messiah. Hence the +expectation of the Messiah is spoken of as a _waiting for the Kingdom +of God_. Our Lord, adopts the expression and frequently employs it to +denote His Spiritual Kingdom the Church." + +4. Bishop Walsham How (S. P. C. K. Commentary) on S. Matt. iii. 2; +"It--the Kingdom of Heaven--is generally used to signify the Kingdom +of Christ on earth, the Kingdom of the Gospel, the Church of Christ." + +I desire also to remove by anticipation a fear that some may feel, +lest, in regarding the Gospel as being the good news of the Kingdom of +Heaven, the great doctrine of the Atonement should be forgotten. Such +an idea is refuted by the words of Holy Scripture. For not only is the +Preaching of our Blessed Lord, before He suffered, thus described--see +S. Mark i. 14--but also the teaching of S. Paul, in later years, who +gloried in knowing only "Jesus Christ and Him crucified"--see Acts xx. +25. + +My object has been to provide an answer to two questions. + +1. What did our Blessed Lord teach about His Church in His discourses? + +2. What is meant by the words of the Creed, "The Holy Catholic Church; +the Communion of Saints?" + +May these pages help men to gain an intelligent knowledge of that +Kingdom, into which our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has called us. +May they lead many to desire the fulfilment of His last prayer for us +before His Passion, "That they all may be one." And may every word in +this little book, which is not in accordance with God's will, be +pardoned, and overruled to His Glory. + + BACKWELL, _August 1879_. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. THE KING'S HERALD 7 + + II. THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM 18 + + III. THE PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM 32 + + IV. THE SUBJECTS OF THE KINGDOM 50 + + V. THINGS PERTAINING TO THE KINGDOM 66 + + VI. THE KING ON HIS THRONE 76 + + VII. THE PARABLES EXEMPLIFIED IN THE EARLY HISTORY + OF THE CHURCH 88 + + VIII. THE ESSENTIAL UNITY OF THE KINGDOM 99 + + IX. THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH 121 + + X. THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS 145 + + XI. CONCLUSION 160 + + + + +"_Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall +believe on ME through their word; that they all may be one; as THOU +FATHER art in ME, and I in THEE, that they also may be one in US; that +the world may believe that Thou hast sent ME._"--S. John xvii. 20, 21. + +"_When THOU hadst overcome the sharpness of death: THOU didst open the +KINGDOM OF HEAVEN to all believers._"--Te Deum. + +"_THY KINGDOM come._"--S. Matt. vi. 10. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE KING'S HERALD. + + "On Jordan's banks the Baptist's cry + Announces that the Lord is nigh; + Awake and hearken, for he brings + Glad tidings of the King...." + + +When the Saviour of the world was about to enter upon His public +ministry, the Jewish nation was startled with the cry, "The Kingdom of +Heaven is at hand" (S. Matt. iii. 2). + +Such was God's call to His people of old time, to prepare themselves +to take part in the fulfilment of the promises, on which their faith +and hopes were founded. The fulness of the times had come; and Christ, +the long-promised and long-expected Saviour and King, was nigh at +hand. + +And ever since that day, as the good news of the Kingdom has spread +from land to land, it has been the portion of the Lord's people to +endeavour to realise their high position in that Kingdom, and to +discharge their duties loyally to their Heavenly King. + +But the words--"The Kingdom of Heaven"--are apt to lead away the +thoughts from the present to the future, from this world to a better +one. And since men are not in Heaven now, but are surrounded with +earthly cares and troubles, there is danger lest they should forget or +be ignorant of the intimate connection which these words have with +their daily life as Christians, and with its duties, privileges, and +blessings. + +And yet the practical importance of this subject to Christian men and +women will be seen clearly after a moment's consideration. For any +one, who is at all acquainted with the words of Holy Scripture, will +recall to mind at once the frequent reference to "The Kingdom of +Heaven" in the Gospels. And though it will probably seem a somewhat +startling assertion to most persons, yet it is nevertheless a true +one, that from the day when our Lord began His public ministry, until +He ascended into Heaven, His teaching was almost wholly occupied with +this one subject--"The Kingdom of Heaven." And it is the purpose of +the following pages to bring together the various statements about +it, in such a way as to lead to a clear understanding of "The Kingdom +of Heaven"--what it is--and of our position in this Kingdom, with its +present blessings, privileges and duties, and its future glories. + +"The Kingdom of Heaven"--What is it? + +There are three things which are necessarily included in the idea of a +Kingdom--a King to rule over it; subjects to be ruled; and a place +where they dwell. And since it is necessary, if we would enquire into +the nature of "The Kingdom of Heaven," first of all to understand +clearly who is the King, and who and where are His subjects, let us +begin with taking a general view of these chief points; and then +afterwards enter more fully into the consideration of the various +passages of Holy Scripture which describe the details of the Kingdom. + +The Jews expected the Messiah as their King. And when the Wise Men +came from the East, and asked "Where is He that is born King of the +Jews" (S. Matt. ii. 2), we read that King Herod referred their enquiry +to those who were learned in the Scriptures, in this form, "He +demanded of them where Christ"--i.e. Messiah, The Anointed +One[1]--"should be born" (S. Matt. ii. 4). And that there should be no +doubt at all about the person of the King, so long expected, God in +His providence had arranged that one should go before Him to announce +His coming. For John the Baptist acted as a herald going before a +king, proclaiming his approach. And this was the proclamation, "Repent +ye; for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (S. Matt. iii. 2). And then +the Herald declared that he was come as foretold by the prophet +Isaiah, and that the people must prepare at once to receive their +King, saying, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make +straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias" (S. John i. +23; Isaiah xl. 3). + +The proclamation of "The Kingdom of Heaven" by John the Baptist +defined the exact time in the world's history when this Kingdom took +its rise. And our Lord afterwards called express attention to this, +saying, "The Law and the Prophets were until John: since that time the +Kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it[2]" (S. +Luke xvi. 16). And because John was only the Herald going before, and +was not himself enrolled as a subject of the Kingdom, He added, (after +referring to the greatness of John the Baptist), "Notwithstanding, he +that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he" (S. Matt. +xi. 11). + +Thus we are assured that "The Kingdom of Heaven" began from the +proclamation of John the Baptist; and, therefore, we know for certain +that the Lord Jesus Christ, whose coming he proclaimed, is the King of +this Kingdom. + +This is the great truth which forms the foundation of all the teaching +of the New Testament; and it is of the utmost importance to have a +clear idea of it. The Lord Jesus Christ came to be the Saviour of the +world by becoming King of a spiritual Kingdom of grace and blessing, +whose subjects were to be purchased and redeemed by His own Blood shed +upon the Cross. He was not merely the greatest of God-inspired +teachers: but He came to found God's Kingdom upon earth, and to rule +in love over the hearts of men of all nations and ages, and thus +prepare them for life everlasting. And when Nicodemus, one of the +rulers of the Jews, thus addressed Him, "We know that thou art a +teacher come from God," He at once endeavoured to lead him to grasp +this truth, by the abrupt reply, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, +Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God;" and +again, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot +enter into the Kingdom of God" (S. John iii. 2-5). In other words, men +must not merely listen to His teaching; but they must have their eyes +opened to see Him as the promised King, and receive the principle of a +new Life as His subjects; or, else, His coming would be in vain. + +Taking now as our starting-point the great truth that the Lord Jesus +Christ came to found a Kingdom, our next enquiry must be respecting +the subjects or citizens of this Kingdom. + +Who are the subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven?" + +One of the woes pronounced by our Lord against the Scribes and +Pharisees was for this, "Ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; +ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering +to go in" (S. Matt. xxiii. 13). They would not themselves enter this +Kingdom by accepting Him as Christ the King; and they hindered others +from doing so. The Jews had thought themselves to be the subjects of +God, whilst all the rest of the world were castaways. But from these +words, as well as from those referred to above, which were spoken to +Nicodemus, we conclude that the subjects of Messiah's Kingdom are +they, and only they, who "believe and confess that Jesus is the +Christ, the Son of God" (1 S. John iv. 15, v. 1), and, having thus +accepted Him as their King, have been admitted by a formal act into +His Kingdom. + +When the Herald proclaimed "The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand" (S. +Matt. iii. 2), he was calling upon the whole Jewish people to enter +into it. But the call to enter Messiah's Kingdom was not to be +confined to the Jews. It was to be published far and wide throughout +the world. + +The Prophets had foretold a day when "The Gentiles shall come to Thy +light, and kings to the brightness of Thy rising" (Isaiah lx. 3), and +that "in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not My people, +there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God" +(Hosea i. 10). And this was now about to be fulfilled. And in the +homage which the Wise Men from the East paid to the infant Saviour, +"born King of the Jews," we see the first sign that free and full +salvation was henceforth placed within the reach of all the nations of +the world without distinction. And thus it came to pass that, in after +years, the Apostles addressed their converts, taken equally from +amongst Jews and Gentiles, in such words as these, "God hath called +you unto His Kingdom and glory" (1 Thess. ii. 12); God "hath +translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son" (Col. i. 13). + +In other words, "The Kingdom of Heaven" is a real Kingdom, though a +spiritual and heavenly one. The Lord Jesus Christ is King, and all +the nations of the world are called to be His subjects. + +And where is "The Kingdom of Heaven"? + +The answer is clear. Wherever they are who have accepted the King and +been admitted as His subjects. + +"The Kingdom _of_ Heaven" is not as yet _in_ Heaven, so far as its +subjects are concerned. It is true that the King Himself has ascended +His throne in Heaven. And as members of Christ we share in some degree +in the exaltation of our Head, so that S. Paul does not hesitate to +say of the Lord's people here on earth, God "hath raised us up +together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" +(Ephes. ii. 6). But such words seem to apply to that part of our +nature to which our hopes and affections belong. So far as our duties +and difficulties are concerned, we are still surrounded with earthly +temptations. We are still in a state of trial here, however much we +may be looking for and longing after our home. And Heaven will not be +opened to receive the subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven" until the +Great Day, when they will be welcomed with the words, "Come, ye +blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you" (S. Matt. +xxv. 34). + +Christ's Kingdom "is not of this world" (S. John xviii. 36), as He +declared plainly to Pilate when he questioned Him about Himself. But +for the present we may consider that, practically speaking, it is _in_ +the world though not _of_ it. For its subjects are not yet in Heaven: +but are partly at rest in Paradise; partly here on earth still warring +against evil. + +We can now express in few words the chief points respecting the nature +of that "Kingdom of Heaven" which John the Baptist, in his office as +Herald, proclaimed to be "at hand." + +The Lord Jesus Christ came to found a Kingdom. He is the King of "The +Kingdom of Heaven." + +All who will accept Him as their King--all the men and women and +little children in the world, of every land and of every age--may be +admitted as the subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven." For "He died for +all" (2 Cor. v. 15). + +And "The Kingdom of Heaven," though it is a spiritual and heavenly +Kingdom, is as yet here on earth, and will not be in Heaven, until the +subjects of the King have been tried and found faithful, and the +number of the elect shall be accomplished. + +It follows that the statements of Holy Scripture respecting "The +Kingdom of Heaven," which are to be considered in the following pages, +refer not merely to the world to come--to that which we commonly +understand by the word Heaven--but to that Kingdom which has been +founded here on earth; and into which, as Christians, we have been +already called. And the subject becomes of infinite importance to us +all, when it is understood that "The Kingdom of Heaven" is, at this +present time, that Kingdom of grace in which we may obtain salvation +through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He has called us all to be +subjects of this Kingdom now, that, by obtaining a share in His +precious merits, we may be brought into a state of present salvation; +and that, by continuing in this state through His grace, we may be +recognised as His subjects in that great day, when the Kingdom of +Grace will have become the Kingdom of Glory Everlasting. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] Christ is the Greek word which corresponds with the Hebrew word +Messiah, meaning "The Anointed One." Amongst the Jews three classes of +men were anointed to their official duties--Prophets, Priests, and +Kings. And the name "Messiah" implied that they expected the Deliverer +to bear office in these ways; and especially as King, the highest of +these offices. + +[2] In a similar passage of S. Matthew the difficult expression +occurs, "The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent +take it by force" (S. Matt. xi. 12); but the meaning seems to be the +same. Our Lord was calling attention to the fact that the expected +King had come and His Kingdom was open to the eager zeal of such as +would seize upon it and press into it. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM. + + "This is He whom Seers in old time + Chanted of with one accord; + Whom the voices of the Prophets + Promised in their faithful word." + + +We have seen that, in the providence of God, John the Baptist was sent +to proclaim to the world that "The Kingdom of Heaven" was at hand, and +to point out the King. And as soon as the Herald had raised the +expectation of men by the proclamation of the coming Kingdom, our Lord +began His public ministry, the great object of which was the founding +of His Kingdom for the salvation of the world. And, as S. Matthew +tells us, He "went about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues and +preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom" (S. Matt. iv. 23); or, as S. Mark +relates, "After that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee +preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and saying, The time is +fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe +the Gospel" (S. Mark i. 14, 15). + +Thus the King took up and continued the message of His Herald, only +adding to John the Baptist's preaching of repentance the call to +believe the Gospel--to have faith in the good tidings which He came to +tell of the Kingdom of Heaven and of God. And from this time to the +end of His ministry we find that the Gospel of the Kingdom was the +continual subject of His teaching. Thus S. Luke records that He +declared once to a multitude which would detain Him, "I must preach +the Kingdom of God to other cities also; for therefore am I sent" (S. +Luke iv. 43). And, a few chapters after, we read, "It came to pass +afterward that He went throughout every city and village, preaching +and showing the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God" (S. Luke viii. 1). +And then, after a while, "He called His twelve disciples together, and +gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. +And He sent them to preach the Kingdom of God" (S. Luke ix. 1, 2). And +having thus spent the years of His public ministry in publishing the +good news of the Kingdom, He declared towards the end of it, as He was +foretelling to His disciples the signs of His future coming to +judgment, "And this Gospel[3] of the Kingdom shall be preached in all +the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" +(S. Matt. xxiv. 14). + +And what is the Gospel of the Kingdom? + +To form the answer we must look to the general teaching which runs +through the Bible. As soon as Adam fell from his high estate as God's +child, the Deliverer was promised, "who should bruise the serpent's +head" (Gen. iii. 15). Ages passed with only a dim hope of a coming +Saviour; until at length God gave to Abraham the distinct promise that +the Deliverer should arise from his posterity; saying, "In thy seed +shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. xxii. 18). +Again ages passed; and David was raised up from amongst the +descendants of Abraham, and of the predicted tribe of Judah, and to +him the promise was made, "Thine house and thy kingdom shall be +established for ever before thee; thy throne shall be established for +ever" (2 Sam. vii. 16). We know that princes of the family of David +succeeded one another on the throne for 450 years, until the Jews were +carried into captivity; but we learn from the Psalms that it had been +revealed to David himself that this promise was not to be fulfilled in +any such earthly and temporal manner. And his faith and hopes are +expressed continually in glowing words, describing a Kingdom of +Messiah, which should be universal and without end, a Kingdom of +righteousness and peace. + +Thus in Psalm ii. the nations of the world are represented in +rebellion against God and the Messiah. "Why do the heathen rage, and +the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set +themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, +and against His Anointed" (Ps. ii. 1, 2), i.e. Messiah--Christ. And +then the decree of the universal sovereignty of Messiah is +proclaimed: "I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, +Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of me, and I shall +give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts +of the earth for Thy possession" (Ps. ii. 7, 8). Then in Psalm xxii, +after the mysterious sufferings of Messiah have been set forth, His +Kingdom is again proclaimed as universal: "All the ends of the world +shall remember and turn unto the Lord; and all the kindreds of the +nations shall worship before Thee" (Ps. xxii. 27). And, to pass over +other passages, in Psalm lxxii. Messiah's everlasting reign of +righteousness and peace is described in glowing words: "They shall +fear Thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all +generations. In His days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance +of peace so long as the moon endureth. All kings shall fall down +before Him; all nations shall serve Him. His Name shall endure for +ever; and men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him +blessed[4]" (Ps. lxxii. 5, 7, 11, 17). + +Many years passed; and then Isaiah proclaimed in prophecy, "Behold a +King shall reign in righteousness" (Isai. xxxii. 1); and in many a +glowing passage described the peace and glory of His Kingdom. And +Jeremiah yet more clearly announced, "Behold the days come, saith the +Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King +shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the +earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell +safely; and this is His name whereby He shall be called, The Lord our +Righteousness" (Jer. xxiii. 5, 6). And Daniel was directed to explain +the king's dream, as a vision of earthly empires, which should be +overpowered "by the Stone cut out without hands;" for "the God of +Heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the +Kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in +pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever" +(Dan. ii. 44, 45). And Zechariah sang, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of +Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto +thee" (Zech. ix. 9). + +Many years were yet to pass before the fulfilment of these promises +should be commenced, through the setting up of the everlasting +sovereignty of Messiah. But at last the fulness of time was come; and +the Angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary at Nazareth, and after +addressing her as the favoured mother of Messiah, declared of her Son, +"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and +the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; and +He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of His Kingdom +there shall be no end" (S. Luke i. 32, 33). + +This then was the Gospel--the Gospel of the Kingdom--the Gospel of +God. The good news was published abroad that the long-promised King of +the seed of David was come. Messiah's Kingdom was to be set up; and +all men were invited to enter in and be saved. + +The King Himself went forth to preach the good news, and to describe +His Kingdom and the character of His subjects. But by what means could +He persuade the people that He was their King? We often wonder that +the Jews were so slow to believe in Him; but perhaps we do not realise +their difficulties. There was one great obstacle which stopped all +but a very few from accepting Him. And it was this. "The Kingdom of +Heaven" which He preached as the Kingdom of Messiah was altogether +different from anything which they had expected, because it was a +spiritual Kingdom. No doubt the words of the Psalmist and of the +Prophets ought to have led them to expect the Son of God as King. And, +if they had nurtured any real love of God in their hearts, they would +have been ready to become His subjects. But it was not so. They +expected a conqueror to free them from the yoke of their enemies. And +the enemies which He came to conquer were spiritual--the great enemy +of the whole human race--not the earthly foes of the one race of +Israel. They expected the glory and pomp which are the outward signs +of the authority to rule; and they could not understand the position +which He claimed to hold who had come in such humility that He said, +"The Son of Man hath not where to lay His head" (S. Matt. viii. 20). +"Tell us," they said, "by what authority doest thou these things?" (S. +Luke xx. 2). And, therefore, we need not seek far to find the reason +of the small success which followed the preaching of the Gospel of the +Kingdom. Only a spiritual power can move men in spiritual things, and +a man must first give himself up to the guidance of the Holy Spirit +before He can take in spiritual truths. If men resist the teaching of +God, no evidence will move them. "If they hear not Moses and the +Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the +dead" (S. Luke xvi. 31). "The Kingdom of Heaven" could not be set up +until the Holy Ghost was given[5], because the Jews were not prepared +to accept Messiah as the King of a spiritual Kingdom; and only the +Holy Ghost could move the hearts of men to desire spiritual blessings, +and to hope for spiritual rewards. + +So our Blessed Lord preached the Gospel of the Kingdom to unwilling +hearts; and was compelled to "upbraid the cities wherein most of His +mighty works were done, because they repented not" (S. Matt. xi. 20). +Only the few received Him--the few who were "babes" in spirit--whilst +"the wise and prudent" (S. Matt. xi. 25) rejected Him. + +There were two kinds of evidence to which He continually appealed in +His arguments with the Jewish rulers in proof of His claims upon their +hearts. The first was the direct testimony of John the Baptist: "Ye +sent unto John and he bare witness unto the truth" (S. John v. 33). +For "when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, +Who art thou? he confessed, I am not the Christ" (S. John i. 19, 20). +"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the +Lamb of God" (S. John i. 29). And he declared that he knew Him in +consequence of the visible descent of the Holy Ghost upon Him at His +baptism; and (said he), "I saw and bare record that this is the Son of +God" (S. John i. 34). The other evidence was "greater witness than +that of John," namely, the miracles which He wrought, for (said He) +"the works which the Father hath given Me to finish bear witness of Me +that the Father hath sent Me" (S. John v. 36); and "though ye believe +not Me, believe the works" (S. John x. 38). Other kinds of evidence +were also employed; such as the direct testimony of the Father in the +voice from Heaven, and in the immediate answers to prayer in the +working of His miracles--"The Father Himself which hath sent Me, hath +borne witness of Me" (S. John v. 37)--and also, the statements of Holy +Scripture, describing His person and His work so clearly that He could +say to the Jews, "Search the Scriptures; for they are they which +testify of Me" (S. John v. 39). But we know the result. All the +evidences were in vain. The Jews in general refused to believe in Him +as their King. The ruling classes not only rejected Him, but they also +hindered others from acknowledging Him. So that He cried out against +them, "Ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for ye neither go +in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in" (S. +Matt. xxiii. 13). + +And there were but very few exceptions. The Apostles and the small +band of disciples professed their faith in Him. "Whom do men say that +I am?" He asked them once; "and they said, Some say John the Baptist; +some Elias; and others, Jeremias or one of the Prophets." None +accepted Him as Messiah, their King. "But whom say ye that I am?" He +went on to ask; "and Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the +Christ, the Son of the living God" (S. Matt. xvi. 13-16). So also +Nathanael, the "Israelite indeed," boldly proclaimed his belief: +"Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel" (S. John +i. 49). And there was one bright flash of enthusiasm which carried all +along exultingly to welcome Him on His last visit to the Holy City; +when the crowds spread branches of the palm-trees, and cried, "Hosanna +to the Son of David: blessed is He that cometh in the name of the +Lord" (S. Matt. xxi. 9). "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name +of the Lord: peace in Heaven, and glory in the highest" (S. Luke xix. +38). + +But it was within a few days after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem +that the rulers of the Jews took the Lord Jesus, and having condemned +Him in their own council for blasphemy, for professing Himself to be +Messiah--"the Christ"--"the Son of God" (S. Luke xxii. 67-71), they +charged Him before the Roman governor with treason, for saying "that +He Himself is Christ a King" (S. Luke xxiii. 2). And this accusation, +it may well be noticed, was not a different charge from the former. +All that they did was to put cleverly before the earthly governor the +earthly side of the spiritual crime, for which they had themselves +condemned Him. If He was Messiah, He was their King. They condemned +Him for professing to be Messiah; a charge on which no civil tribunal +could give judgment. But professing to be Messiah, He professed to be +King; and this they represented as an offence against the state, and +to be punished accordingly. And the result was, that by the Providence +of God He was not stoned to death, as was His first martyr Stephen, on +the charge of blasphemy; but He was handed over to the civil power to +be crucified for treason, as claiming to be King. And it came to pass, +that after their persistent rejection of Him, the Jewish rulers were +compelled to see Him acknowledged upon the cross as their King, in the +words of the superscription containing the charge on which He was +condemned. His cross became His throne, with His title above it, +"Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews" (S. John xix. 19). Fit +throne for Him who was "obedient unto death, even the death of the +cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a +name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should +bow" (Phil. ii. 6-10). And all the efforts of the Jews to alter it +were in vain. Pilate at length was firm: "What I have written, I have +written" (S. John xix. 22). + +Thus seemed to end the Kingdom which our Lord and His disciples had +been inviting men to join. They could preach no more the Gospel of the +Kingdom, for the King was put to a shameful death. "The chief priests +and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have +crucified Him. But we trusted that it had been He which should have +redeemed Israel" (S. Luke xxiv. 20, 21). So spake even the disciples +in their despair. They had "trusted," as they supposed, in vain. + +Verily God's ways are not as man's ways. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[3] It may be noticed here, that the expression "preaching the Gospel" +is used in these passages of Holy Scripture in a very wide sense. It +is not limited to the preaching of the great doctrine of the +Atonement, but it refers to the general purpose for which Christ came; +which was, to gather all the world into His Kingdom of grace and +salvation. See Bishop How's Commentary on the Gospels, under S. Luke +viii. 1. (Publ. by S. P. C. K.) + +[4] See this very skilfully drawn out in a little devotional +Commentary on "Five Psalms of the Kingdom," by Rev. G. F. Saxby. +Published by J. T. Hayes, London. + +[5] See below, notes on pp. 50 and 83. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM. + + "What is earth but God's own field, + Fruit unto His praise to yield? + Wheat and tares therein are sown, + Unto joy or sorrow grown; + * * * * * + Grant, O Lord of Life, that we + Holy grain and pure may be." + + +What appeared to be the death-blow of "The Kingdom of Heaven" was but +a necessary step in its formation. The King was crucified in weakness, +only to be "declared to be the Son of God with power by the +resurrection from the dead" (Rom. i. 4). And the reason for His +humiliation has become clear to us, as expressed in the familiar +proverb, "No cross, no crown." The way to His exaltation upon the +throne of His Kingdom led by the cross. His Kingdom must be "purchased +with His own Blood" (Acts xx. 28). He must "suffer for sins, that He +might bring us to God" (1 Pet. iii. 18). + +But the question now arises, What sort of Kingdom was it that He +offered unto men when He preached to them the Gospel of the Kingdom? +Has He enabled us to form, from His own recorded words, a definite +idea of the nature and character of "The Kingdom of Heaven"? + +For the answer we turn naturally to His Parables; because the form of +teaching which He most commonly employed was that which is known by +the name of Parable. And we find that fully half of them were Parables +of the Kingdom; that is to say, they either begin with the words "The +Kingdom of Heaven is like unto" such and such things; or they contain +some distinct reference to it. And as the first two of these Parables +were interpreted to the disciples, we are left in no doubt as to the +general meaning of them all. + +The Parables of "The Kingdom of Heaven"[6] may be divided into two +divisions. Those of the first division relate in a general manner to +"The Kingdom of Heaven" or "The Kingdom of God," under its various +aspects, which will be set forth more fully in subsequent chapters; +some parables describing the Kingdom as it may be seen on earth; some +expressing the inward spiritual reign of the King over the hearts of +men; and others teaching that those who fail to use their +opportunities as subjects of it here, will lose the glory of sharing +in its perfect state hereafter. And the Parables of the second +division relate to certain special circumstances which affect the +position of its subjects. + +The first division consists of the seven Parables collected together +in S. Matt. xiii; and begins with the Parable of "The Sower," which +was one of those which our Lord Himself explained. "Hear ye the +Parable of the Sower. When any one heareth the Word of the Kingdom, +and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away +that which was sown in his heart" (S. Matt. xiii. 18, 19). The good +news about "The Kingdom of Heaven" falls like seed. They who hear +about it are like the different kinds of soil on which seed is sown. +One pays no heed to what he hears, and the birds of folly and +thoughtlessness carry off, at once, "that which was sown in his +heart." Others desire to live as subjects of the Kingdom here, and be +prepared for its perfect state hereafter, only they are like stony +ground, or as soil which is foul with weeds and thorns; they cannot +stand against the scorching heat of temptations or petty persecutions, +or else the cares and riches of this world choke the word and make +them unfruitful. Whilst other men accept the good news of the Kingdom +of Jesus Christ, and bear fruit, by living as useful subjects of their +King (S. Matt. xiii. 18-23). + +The next Parable--"The Tares"--is a very striking one, because it +describes the state of "The Kingdom of Heaven" as being completely +different from what men would have expected. It was the Lord's own +account beforehand of the sad outward appearance of His Kingdom. It +described the work of God as being maliciously injured and marred by +Satan, so that good and bad would be found together side by side, so +closely intermingled that it would be impossible to separate them, or +to distinguish between them. And the separation would not be made +until the end of the world, however much men might wish to make it at +once (S. Matt. xiii. 24-30, 36-43). + +We may well pause here for a moment to think about the meaning of +these words. Our Blessed Lord was preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom. +And when He began to describe the Kingdom which He came to found, He +told His disciples at once that it would be very far from being a +perfect state, such as some might dream of. They must expect to see +evil growing wild in it, like weeds in a field of corn. There would be +bad subjects as well as good; and there would be no means of +separating them. And as long as this world should last, the outward +appearance of "The Kingdom of Heaven" would be like a field of wheat +and tares growing together. + +At the same time He encouraged His disciples with the prospect of +boundless success. In the next Parable--"The Grain of Mustard +Seed"--He described, prophetically, the outward spread of His Kingdom +from very small beginnings, until the nations of the world should find +shelter within it. For though nothing could be less promising of +success than the first beginnings of "The Kingdom of Heaven," yet, as +a spreading tree may rise from the smallest seed, even so should His +Kingdom extend its branches through the world (S. Matt. xiii. 31, 32). + +And this was not their only ground for encouragement and hope. For +this description of the outward extension of the Kingdom, taken by +itself, gives a very imperfect idea of its character. He taught them +that "The Kingdom of Heaven" would exert a spiritual power over the +hearts of men. It would be like leaven working in the meal. It would +change the hearts of its subjects. The effect would be such as was +afterwards described by the Apostle S. Paul, "If any man be in Christ, +he is a new creature" (2 Cor. v. 17). And as leaven goes on working +until the whole mass of the meal in which it is hid is leavened, even +so He would lead us to understand that one heart truly leavened with +the Gospel of the Kingdom will affect others; and that, silently and +unnoticed, it will extend until it works a moral change in the state +of the whole world (S. Matt. xiii. 33)[7]. + +He then went on to describe that as the Kingdom extended, men would +begin to find out its value; and for the saving of their souls would +gladly give up their worldly prospects. "The Hidden Treasure" and "The +Pearl of Great Price" set forth the priceless value of "The Kingdom of +Heaven." The rights and privileges of citizenship are worth more than +all the world besides. These two Parables are alike in that both +express the great worth of that of which the Gospel tells, viz. the +salvation won by our King and Saviour Jesus Christ, and given to the +subjects of His Kingdom; but they differ in describing different ways +in which men may find it out. One man will find it like a hidden +treasure, as we should say by chance (S. Matt. xiii. 44). So the woman +of Samaria found the long-expected Saviour, when she had only gone to +fill her pitcher at the well (S. John iv. 28, 29). Others will have to +search diligently with the earnest desire to find out "what is truth," +and the truth will be brought home to their souls only after long and +patient seeking. Like as it happened to S. Paul, who had long been +seeking for "The Pearl," in being more excessively zealous toward God, +but who found it not, until the Voice "Why persecutest thou Me" (Acts +ix. 4) brought him to Jesus Christ. Furthermore, these two Parables +both set forth this truth: that, if men wish to gain the priceless +blessings of "The Kingdom of Heaven," they must be ready, as S. Paul +was, to give up all that they have, and "count all things but loss, +that they may win Christ" (Phil. iii. 8). + +The character of "The Kingdom of Heaven" having been thus expressed, we +are carried on in the last Parable of the series--"The Draw-net"--to +the end of this present world. "The Kingdom of Heaven" is described as +catching in its net all, both good and bad, who come within its reach. +But, at the end, the net will be drawn to shore, and the judgment and +separation will be made. The evil will be cast away. The good will be +preserved, and admitted to their reward of joy and glory everlasting +(S. Matt. xiii. 47-49). And "The Kingdom of Heaven" being perfected at +length, and "not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing" (Ephes. v. +27), will be seen as the glorious Kingdom of righteousness and peace +described in the glowing words of prophecy. + +Such is the account given by our Blessed Lord of "The Kingdom of +Heaven." In the above Parables we see its nature and character +described, from its foundation to the end of this present world. From +His own words we learn its history. There is, first, the sowing of the +seed; then the apparent spoiling of the design by the intermixture of +evil with the good; then the Kingdom is seen to have a power of rapid +growth and extension, and a leavening influence over the hearts of +men; then its value is declared to be so priceless, that men will give +up all things for its sake; and lastly, we are told of a day when all +evil will be purged out, and it will become a glorious and perfect +Kingdom. But with the exception of this one faint glimpse of +eternity, there is not a word in all these Parables respecting what we +commonly understand by the term "Heaven." "The Kingdom of Heaven" is +here on earth, and belongs to this present time. It was the will of +our Lord to describe His Kingdom as we know it, in its present +imperfect state here on earth, in which men have temptations and +duties, as well as great privileges and blessings. Whilst of the +future condition of His Kingdom in glory, very little has been +revealed. + +But besides this general description of "The Kingdom of Heaven," we +find other Parables which describe various circumstances relating to +the rejection of the Kingdom by the unbelieving, or affecting the +position of those who have become its subjects. + +For instance, the Apostle Peter was doubtful how often a brother +should be forgiven, and our Lord spoke the Parable of "The Unmerciful +Servant," teaching that the subjects of His Kingdom, being themselves +in a state of forgiveness, would forfeit all their blessings if they +did not unreservedly forgive their brethren. The debt of sin which +the King has already forgiven His subjects, in admitting them into a +state of salvation, is as it were "ten thousand talents." The debt +incurred by any offending brother is but as "an hundred pence" in +comparison (S. Matt. xviii. 21-35). + +Again, in the Parable of "The Labourers in the Vineyard" He taught +that the subjects of His Kingdom must not grudge one against another, +if a rebel or one who has been neglecting his duty all his life turns +and is accepted at the last. The King cannot do otherwise than what is +right. "At the eleventh hour" a labourer may be taken on, and receive +his reward. And, on the other hand, one who might have been first in +the Kingdom of glory and reward may fall away through an evil spirit +of self-glorification, and become last of all (S. Matt. xx. 1-16). + +Three Parables follow which were spoken with special reference to the +Jewish rulers, the Priests, and Scribes, and Pharisees. The first of +these--the Parable of "The Two Sons"--seems to have been spoken to win +them over to a knowledge of their sin and danger, and, if it might be +possible, to induce them to accept the Gospel of God, and to enter the +Kingdom. The Son in the Parable who at first said, "I will not," +"afterward repented and went." Even so, the bold and open +transgressors of the law were being won over to repentance, and were +entering in. But the second son who said, "I go Sir, and went not," +professed a ready obedience and then did not carry it into practice, +but held back and refused to enter in. Even so the Pharisees and +others who made good profession of zeal for God's service "trusted in +themselves that they were righteous" (S. Luke xviii. 9), and being +satisfied with the mere profession, "rejected the counsel of God +against themselves" (S. Luke vii. 30). And He thus sorrowfully yet +firmly applied it to their own case, saying, "Verily I say unto you, +that the publicans and harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you" +(S. Matt. xxi. 28-31). + +They would not be won over; but, on the contrary, their hostility was +increased. The consequence was, that the next Parable of "The Wicked +Husbandmen" declared the miserable end which would certainly come upon +them in judgment. The Kingdom of God was set forth under the figure of +a vineyard--a figure which must have been familiar to them from its +frequent use in the Old Testament (Psalm lxxx. 8-16; Isaiah v. +1-8)--and the husbandmen, instead of protecting their master's +interests, were represented as beating his servants and slaying his +son. What, asked the Lord Jesus, will he do with them? And they +answered, to their own condemnation, "He will miserably destroy those +wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen." And +He then added these plain words of warning, "Therefore say I unto you, +The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you[8], and given to a nation +bringing forth the fruits thereof" (S. Matt. xxi. 33-43). + +The enmity of the rulers now reached its highest pitch. "They sought +to lay hands on Him, but they feared the multitude, because they took +Him for a prophet" (S. Matt. xxi. 46). And as they had now clearly +determined to reject the idea of the Kingdom, which He had come to +found, the Parable of "The Marriage of the King's Son" was spoken, +describing the call of others into the privileged position which they +despised. "Jesus answered and spake unto them again by Parables, and +said, The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a certain king which made a +marriage for his son." And when the invited guests refused to come, +"The king was wroth, and sent forth his armies and destroyed those +murderers. Then said he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but +they which were bidden were not worthy." Who then should be admitted +to the feast? Those from the highways. The Gentiles from far and wide +should be called to take the place which the Lord's own people refused +to enjoy (S. Matt. xxii. 1-10). + +Two other Parables of "The Kingdom of Heaven" remain to be +considered--"The Wise and Foolish Virgins" and "The Talents"--both of +which describe the judgment which the subjects of the Kingdom must be +prepared to meet at the last day. The lessons to be learned from them +are plain. The foolish virgins, who were shut out at the last because +their lamps had gone out, are a warning to all who profess the faith +of Christ and have once been earnest in the spiritual service of God. +They are represented as being shut out, not for profanity and +wickedness; but for spiritual negligence--for not seeking to keep up +the supply of grace through prayer and holy ordinances rightly used. +Empty lamps were useless. So our Lord warned His future subjects that +mere profession of faith and mere outward ordinances, without the +Spirit, would be equally useless in preparing them to meet His coming +at the Great Day (S. Matt. xxv. 1-13). + +As the Parable of "The Ten Virgins" is a warning against spiritual +negligence, so the Parable of "The Talents" teaches the danger of +neglecting the outward service of the King. The powers and +opportunities of usefulness which He has given to His subjects, He +will expect them to use. All must work according to their talents, or +be condemned as "unprofitable servants and cast into outer darkness" +(S. Matt. xxv. 14-30). + +This lesson of warning brings to an end the Parables which describe +the nature and conditions of "The Kingdom of Heaven" in its present +imperfect state. But to these is added a description, in words of +striking clearness, of the day when this present Kingdom of grace and +trial will be transformed into, and replaced by, the Kingdom of glory +and reward; "When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the +holy angels with Him; and before Him shall be gathered all nations; +and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth +the sheep from the goats; and He shall set the sheep on His right +hand, but the goats on the left." Then will He appear as King indeed, +seated on His throne of glory; and consequently He now uses that title +plainly of Himself. "Then shall the King say unto them on His right +hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for +you from the foundation of the world" (S. Matt. xxv. 31-34). + +Thus the full meaning of the words "The Kingdom of Heaven" is unfolded +in the Gospels. It is a Kingdom upon earth, springing from small +beginnings, but intended to include the whole human race within its +influence. It is the Kingdom of God, and yet imperfect, through the +malice of the Evil One, who is ever striving to spoil God's work. And +whilst in the world it is not of the world, but wholly spiritual and +divine in its origin. For God is ruling over the hearts of its +subjects. And His rule working and spreading secretly, like leaven +changing the meal, is intended in His loving purpose to convert the +whole world unto obedience to Himself. + +Thus we see that "The Kingdom of Heaven" is described as being that +state of grace and probation into which Christ's people are called at +the time of their baptism, and in which they are blessed, and tried, +and made fit for His nearer Presence. But, at the same time, we are +led to think that a day will come when this present imperfect +condition of His Kingdom will be brought to an end; when those who +have been tried and found worthless will be cast out; and "The Kingdom +of Heaven" as we know it, having been purged of all evil, will become +the Kingdom of His glory and joy. + +And when this shall come to pass, all the predictions respecting +Messiah's Kingdom will at length be realised. "The everlasting +Kingdom" (2 Peter i. 11) ordained "before the foundation of the world" +(Ephes. i. 4), will then have embraced all nations, so that "the earth +shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the +sea" (Isaiah xi. 9). Then will the reign of righteousness and peace +of Him, who is "the Lord our Righteousness" (Jer. xxiii. 6), appear in +all its perfect beauty. God's "people will be all righteous;" and +"inherit the land for ever" (Isaiah lx. 21), even "the inheritance of +the saints in light" (Col. i. 12). And Christ, being at length in +every sense "the Prince of Peace" (Isaiah ix. 6), when no foe will be +left to be subdued, and "they shall not hurt nor destroy in all My +holy mountain" (Isaiah xi. 9), will then be proclaimed "King of Kings +and Lord of Lords" (Rev. xix. 16). + +And then also our daily prayer "Thy Kingdom come" (S. Matt. vi. 10) +will have received its perfect fulfilment. For all that is now +imperfect in His rule will have been set right; through the conversion +of the heathen, the repentance of the ungodly, and the sanctification +of all who "neglect" not "so great salvation" (Heb. ii. 3). + +The number of the elect will be accomplished. The Son will "have +delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father;" God will be "all in +all" (1 Cor. xv. 24, 28). + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[6] To prevent any doubt arising in the mind of the reader, it may be +well to state that the expressions "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Kingdom of +God" are used indiscriminately and with the same meaning in these +Parables. By comparing S. Matt. xiii. 31 with S. Mark iv. 30 and S. +Luke xiii. 18 it will be seen that "The Kingdom of Heaven" is "The +Kingdom of God," and "The Kingdom of God" is "The Kingdom of Heaven." +S. Matthew nearly always uses the expression "Kingdom of Heaven," +whilst S. Mark and S. Luke use the expression "Kingdom of God." + +[7] Because leaven is commonly referred to in Holy Scripture as a +symbol of evil, some have interpreted this Parable in a very different +manner. But the meaning assigned to it above is in accordance with +ancient interpretation; and the other explanation is involved in +difficulties. For, if the leaven represents a corrupting influence, +the Parable would describe the Kingdom of Heaven either as having an +evil effect upon the world, or else as progressing itself towards +corruption till the whole is corrupted. + +[8] The Jewish people and their rulers had formed God's Kingdom upon +earth in ancient times; and they were still His chosen people, who +would naturally continue to form a part of His Kingdom, now that it +was to be extended so as to embrace the world. But the privileges +which they despised they would lose; and others who valued them would +gain them. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE SUBJECTS OF THE KINGDOM. + + "Blest are the pure in heart, + For they shall see their God, + The secret of the Lord is theirs, + Their soul is Christ's abode." + + +The Subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven"--who are they? + +The subjects of a kingdom are, in a general way, those who have been +born within its limits, and who submit to its laws and accept its +king. But when we enquire into the teaching of our Lord about the +subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven," we are met at once with the +difficulty that, in the days of His earthly ministry, the Kingdom was +not yet founded[9]. The King was only preparing the way for His +Kingdom to be set up. And there is necessarily a great difference +between joining a Kingdom in the act of being founded, and being born +under its laws and within its limits. + +Consequently with respect to His teaching about the Subjects of "The +Kingdom of Heaven," two things have to be considered. First, the +conditions under which men are permitted to join His Kingdom; and, +secondly, the life which His subjects are required to lead. + +At the very commencement of His ministry a divine picture was drawn of +the character and life of the true subjects of "The Kingdom of +Heaven." For as He "went about all Galilee preaching the Gospel of the +Kingdom, there followed Him great multitudes of people. And seeing the +multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when He was set, His +disciples came unto Him: and He opened His mouth, and taught them, +saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of +Heaven" (S. Matt. iv. 23-v. 3). Thus He began the Sermon on the Mount +by declaring the blessedness of His subjects, though they would be +very different from those whom the world commonly counts blessed. And +the last Beatitude ended, as the first began, with distinct reference +to the Kingdom, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for +righteousness' sake; for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (S. Matt. v. +10); as though to make it clear to His hearers that the blessedness +spoken of throughout all the verses was connected with His Kingdom. + +He then addressed those who, in their hearts, accepted Him, as "the +salt of the earth;" and as "the light of the world" (S. Matt. v. 13, +14). They would not only be blessed in themselves, as His subjects, +but they would also be a blessing to others. They were to be the salt +which should preserve the world from corruption; and the light which +should lead men to "glorify their Father which is in Heaven" (S. Matt. +v. 16). + +Having thus described, at the beginning of His Sermon, the general +character and office of the subjects of His Kingdom, our Blessed Lord +went on to answer a question, which would doubtless arise in the minds +of His hearers. Would the Kingdom of which He spoke destroy, or be +opposed to the Law, under which God's People had lived from ancient +times? The answer was most distinct: "Think not that I am come to +destroy the Law and the Prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to +fulfil. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least +commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in +the Kingdom of Heaven. For I say unto you, That except your +righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and +Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven" (S. +Matt. v. 17-20). So far from coming to destroy the Law, He had come +that it might be fulfilled by His subjects, as it had never been +fulfilled before. For they would be required to surpass even the +Scribes and Pharisees in their observance of it, by keeping it in the +spirit, as well as in the letter; otherwise they would prove +themselves unfit for His Kingdom. And then followed examples of the +observance of some of the laws of old--such as the law of purity, and +the law against murder--in this enlarged spiritual sense; ending with +the exhortation, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which +is in Heaven is perfect" (S. Matt. v. 21-48). + +One of the chief ways in which God's People had failed in their +service towards Him, was in the spirit in which they had discharged +their religious duties. Righteousness had become but another name for +formality. Prayers and alms and fasts had been turned into +opportunities for showing off before men, and for gaining the +reputation of sanctity. Consequently it was necessary that He should +lead back His hearers to the real meaning of these duties; and set +forth the principle which must guide His subjects in all their +religious acts--almsgiving, prayer, and fasting--namely, this; the +desire to please their "Father which is in Heaven" (S. Matt. vi. +1-18). And that there might be no mistake about the kind of rewards +which they might look for, He declared that they must "lay up for +themselves treasures in Heaven" (S. Matt. vi. 19-21); that is to say, +they must love and long for spiritual rewards, setting their hearts +upon higher things than this world can give. And the only way in which +they could do this, was by devoting themselves with their whole +strength to the service of God. For no half-service of God was +possible: "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon" (S. Matt. vi. 24). Then if +they lived for God, they might lay aside all over-anxious thoughts +about this present life. If they really gave themselves up to be His +subjects, they would certainly have all things ordered for them for +the best. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and +all these things shall be added unto you" (S. Matt. vi. 33). + +The Sermon ended with mentioning some of the difficulties which the +subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven" would have to meet in the practice +of godliness. In the first place, in order to become His subjects they +would have to enter through a narrow gate, upon a path which few would +find. For whilst, on the one hand, "Wide is the gate and broad is the +way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in +thereat," on the other hand, "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way +which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (S. Matt. vii. +13, 14). And when they had entered upon this narrow way, He warned +them that they must be on their guard against being misled by foolish +professors, because mere profession of obedience would neither prove +them to be subjects of His Kingdom, nor win for them admission "in +that day" into His glory and joy, "Not every one that saith unto Me, +Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth +the will of My Father which is in Heaven" (S. Matt. vii. 21-23). +Therefore they must set to work to do the will of God, and so be true +subjects of Messiah's Kingdom. And then, as doers of His words, and +not hearers only, they would be building like wise men "upon a rock" +(S. Matt. vii. 24). + +The description thus given by the King Himself of the character and +life of His subjects sets vividly before us the difficulties which a +Christian must overcome. It may not be always easy to decide whether +the expression "Kingdom of Heaven" refers to the Kingdom as it is now +on earth, or as it will be hereafter in Heaven; but it is clear that +our Blessed Lord would teach in this Sermon both the difficulty of +becoming a professing Christian at all, and also the need of earnest +strivings after holiness in order that a subject of His Kingdom of +Grace should find a welcome when that Kingdom shall have become the +Kingdom of Glory. And when we think of the very different standards +hitherto aimed at either by Jews or Gentiles, we see at once the +reason which prevented so many of His hearers from accepting "The +Kingdom of Heaven." For it is clear that a man who had been brought up +either as a Jew or as a Gentile would have to lay aside almost all his +previous habits and modes of thought--he must become a new man +altogether--to enter in. + +Who then would enter in? Who would become subjects of the Kingdom of +Heaven? + +The Lord Jesus declared at once, what modern missionary experience +still finds to be the case, that little children were the most likely +to become His subjects, and the fittest to enter into "The Kingdom of +Heaven." Some mothers once brought their little ones for His blessing; +and when the disciples were hindering their coming, "He was much +displeased and said unto them, Suffer little children to come unto Me, +and forbid them not; for of such is the Kingdom of God" (S. Mark x. +14). And not only did He declare that little children were the most +suitable to become His subjects; but He said also, that those who were +grown up and wished to enter His Kingdom must become like children to +do so. For He added, "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not +receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter +therein" (S. Mark x. 15). And on another occasion He expressed His +thankfulness that only child-like hearts could take in the mysteries +of the Kingdom, saying, "I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and +earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and +hast revealed them unto babes" (S. Luke x. 21). + +When we read in such passages as these of the difficulty of entering +into "The Kingdom of Heaven," it becomes very important to remember +that the Kingdom was not then set up; and that the words were spoken +with respect to men who had grown up under other conditions and modes +of thought. For whilst the words still apply literally and exactly to +the case of converts from amongst the Heathen, they are not applicable +at all, in the same sense, to persons who have long ago entered "The +Kingdom of Heaven" as children, and have lived under its influence. +Thus, for instance, when we read that "a rich man shall hardly enter +into the Kingdom of Heaven" (S. Matt. xix. 23), there is no need to +suppose that the rich, who have grown up as His subjects, have less +hope of Heaven than others. The temptations which come with riches are +great, but the grace of God will enable His subjects, whether rich or +poor, to serve Him faithfully, if they seek for it. The words clearly +referred to the difficulty which the rich Jew or the rich heathen +would find in declaring himself a subject of Jesus Christ. It is +easier for the poor and the unlearned to become a Christian, than for +the rich and the learned. In after years S. Paul found this to be the +case at Corinth. "Ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many +wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called" +(1 Cor. i. 26). And the same thing is still happening in heathen +lands. The chief successes in India have been amongst the low castes +of Tinnevelly, the hard-working Kols of Chota Nagpur, the simple +Karens of the hills of Burma; and amongst the wealthy merchants and +the learned Brahmins converts have been few. Experience confirms the +truth of our Lord's teaching. He declared beforehand, that the rich, +and the learned, and those who had enjoyed the greatest privileges, +would be the most unwilling to be won over to His Kingdom. And the +prediction has been fulfilled. + +It might have been supposed that, when at last Messiah's Kingdom was +set up, all who had enjoyed the privilege of knowing the true God, and +had been taught to expect a Deliverer, as their King, would have +eagerly sought admission into His Kingdom. But to one who made the +remark, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God," He +spoke the Parable of "The Great Supper," teaching that many, who have +the opportunity and the invitation will refuse to enter in, and make +all kinds of excuses; and that others will have their places (S. Luke +xiv. 15-24). And on another occasion He warned the Jews, that many +would come from all quarters of the world, "and sit down in the +Kingdom of God" (S. Luke xiii. 28, 29), whilst they themselves were +thrust out. And we know how literally the warning has come true. And +lest any one should be deceived into thinking that it was an easy +thing to become His subject, He referred again and again to the +difficulties which men must be prepared to meet and overcome in +entering "The Kingdom of Heaven." To those who said that they would +follow Him, He explained that entire devotion of self to God would be +required of His subjects. A man must count the cost beforehand. "The +dead" must be left to "bury their dead," whilst the man fulfils the +commission which God entrusts to him, to "preach the Kingdom of God;" +and "No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is +fit for the Kingdom of God" (S. Luke ix. 57-62). But, on the other +hand, for those who gave up freely all that they loved, "for the +Kingdom of God's sake," the reward should be "manifold more" even "in +this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting." (S. +Luke xviii. 29, 30). And He encouraged the few, who in their hearts +accepted Him as their King, in such words as these, "Him that cometh +unto me I will in no wise cast out" (S. John vi. 37); "Fear not, +little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the +Kingdom" (S. Luke xii. 32). + +The thought that the difficulties thus described referred in the first +instance to those who were outside of "The Kingdom of Heaven," may +well fill us with thankfulness that we have been brought into the +Kingdom through the piety of our parents, without even an effort on +our parts. We have been so far helped already, that we have been +placed upon the narrow way that leadeth unto life; and though +temptations of many kinds assail to entice us from the road, and +though the difficulties of the way are great, we have the hope to +encourage us, that, if we are in earnest, the grace of God the Holy +Ghost will preserve us, that we may be welcomed at last as faithful +subjects, and admitted into the Kingdom of Glory. + +But at the same time we must remember that, in another sense, the +words about the difficulty of entering "The Kingdom of Heaven" still +apply to ourselves. For we have been admitted as subjects of the +Kingdom, only that we may loyally serve our King; and we have been +placed upon the narrow way, only that we may struggle up the steep +ascent to Heaven. "The Kingdom of Heaven" is as yet in an imperfect +condition here on earth. Here we are in a state of trial and +probation, as well as of grace and blessing. And a day will come when +the Kingdom of Grace will become the Kingdom of Glory. Then, they who +have served their King, and proved themselves in the time of their +trial to be His faithful soldiers and servants, will be welcomed into +the joy of their Lord. But they who have professed to be His subjects, +and have been satisfied with a mere profession, will cry, "Lord, Lord" +(S. Matt. vii. 22-23), in vain. + +Therefore, our King still cries to us, as to His hearers before the +Kingdom was set up, "Strive to enter in" (S. Luke xiii. 24). He still +bids us build "upon the Rock," by being "doers of the word, and not +hearers only" (S. James i. 22). And He still warns us of the dangers +of riches; "The love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Tim. vi. +10). For we have still to be "the salt of the earth" and "the light of +the world" (S. Matt. v. 13, 14). And the standard which He has set us +is still, and ever will be, far above us; "Be ye therefore perfect, +even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect" (S. Matt. v. 48). + +The teaching of our Lord about His subjects is thus seen to correspond +with what His Apostles, in time to come, taught their converts when +they addressed them, as "called to be saints" (Rom. i. 7, Ephes. i. 1, +etc.). We know that the world would like to find some easier course +than this. But it is impossible; because the subjects of "The Kingdom +_of_ Heaven" are called that they may be ready for the life _in_ +Heaven. And "without holiness no man shall see the Lord" (Heb. xii. +14). + +In subsequent chapters we shall consider the means provided by the +King to enable His subjects to become such as He described them. For +the present, let the thought of our holy calling increase our sense of +the infinite love and mercy of our King. + +Let us think of His own description of His work. "The Son of Man is +come to seek and to save that which was lost" (S. Luke xix. 10). When +we were wandering in the ways of sin, ignorant of God our Father, and +unfit to be admitted into our home or to enjoy it if admission were +possible, He came to seek us out and bring us into His Kingdom. And +now that He has "overcome the sharpness of death and opened the +Kingdom of Heaven to all believers," our efforts after holiness are so +imperfect, and our weakness and love of wandering are so great, that +we should be in despair, if our King had not taught us His unceasing +care. But this He has set forth in a well-known series of Parables; +first, under the figure of a shepherd finding a stray sheep and +calling friends and neighbours to rejoice over its recovery; then +under the figure of a woman finding the lost coin; and, lastly, under +the figure of a father welcoming home his prodigal son (S. Luke xv). + +Therefore, our position is this. As subjects of "The Kingdom of +Heaven," we are called, according to our Lord's own teaching, to a +high and holy life; and the more we realise this truth the greater do +our imperfections appear, and the clearer becomes our sense of the +need of mercy, as well as help. But the King, who thus described His +subjects, has also described His enduring love; and His invitation, +still and for ever, applies to all who feel their unworthiness: "Come +unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you +rest" (S. Matt. xi. 28). + + +FOOTNOTE: + +[9] See S. Matt. xvi. 18. Pearson on the Creed, p. 336. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THINGS PERTAINING TO THE KINGDOM. + + "Now is there solemn pause in earth and heaven; + The Conqueror now + His bonds hath riven, + And Angels wonder why He stays below; + Yet hath not man his lesson learned, + How endless love should be returned." + + +Hitherto our thoughts about "The Kingdom of Heaven" have been founded +on the teaching of the King respecting His Kingdom recorded in the +Gospels. But we must not forget to give attention to the very +important time in the life of our Lord extending between His +Resurrection and Ascension, during which He appeared to His Apostles +upon terms very different from those on which He had previously +associated with them[10]. And though few records have been preserved +of His instructions to them during this period, we find this general +description, which very clearly shows the nature of those +instructions. In the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, S. Luke records +that the time was spent in "speaking of the things pertaining to the +Kingdom of God" (Acts i. 3). Consequently, though we have not His +discourses in full, we know that the subject of them was still the +same as in the time past--the good news of "The Kingdom of Heaven." + +During the years of His public ministry the Apostles frequently asked +their Lord to explain what they did not understand in His teaching. +And we may feel sure that, at this time, many things must have +appeared to them in a new light, and many sayings must have gained a +force and meaning which they had failed to perceive before. And if +"The Kingdom of Heaven," about which He had said so much, was to be a +real Kingdom, it is clear that there must have been many things on +which they would require instruction, about the order and government +of it, and about the practical carrying out of His loving designs for +the salvation of the world. And inasmuch as we find that, almost +immediately after their Lord's Ascension, the Apostles were fully +prepared not merely to preach, as He had done, the good news of the +Kingdom, but to call men into it as a Kingdom already established upon +earth, we conclude that all these matters must have been fully +explained to them during these days, and that these were "the things +pertaining to the Kingdom of God" of which He spake. + +Passing by, for the present, other questions of difficulty which would +very probably arise in their minds, there are two passages in our +Lord's discourses recorded in the Gospels which we can hardly doubt +were discussed at this time; because some of His words have been +preserved to us which connect those passages with what afterwards +became the practice of the Church. + +The first question of difficulty which would naturally arise out of +one of His former sayings, and to which He provided the answer, was +this--What was to be the form of admission into "The Kingdom of +Heaven"? He had said to Nicodemus, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, +Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the +Kingdom of God" (S. John iii. 5). But what did the words mean? What +steps were to be taken by one who wished to enter the Kingdom? With +what use of water would the Holy Spirit's power be connected? Here was +a practical question requiring a decided answer. And we conclude that +this was one of "the things pertaining to the Kingdom" which were +spoken of during this time, because we find a brief record of distinct +instructions given by our Lord to His Apostles how they were to admit +men as His disciples or subjects. No discourse is recorded, but this +clear commission is handed down by S. Matthew--evidently given in such +a way that the Apostles could not fail to understand its meaning--"Go +ye and make disciples[11] of all nations, baptizing them in the Name +of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (S. Matt. +xxviii. 19). And consequently Holy Baptism became at once, and has +been ever since, the form of admission into "The Kingdom of Heaven" +(Acts ii. 38-41). And being an outward form, and yet a spiritual act, +we have herein both "the water and the Spirit." It is an outward form +in which there is a ceremonial use of water; and yet it is a spiritual +act, because united with the most solemn naming of the Name of God, as +He has in these last days revealed Himself to man; "In the Name of +the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;" and S. Paul does +not hesitate to say, "By one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body" +(1 Cor. xii. 13). + +The other question arising out of some words of our Lord, which we +conclude was discussed and answered by Him during this time, was the +difficult one about the meaning of "the keys of the Kingdom of +Heaven." He had once said, after S. Peter had confessed Him as the +Christ, "I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and +whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and +whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven[12]" +(S. Matt. xvi. 19). And the same words about binding and loosing were +repeated shortly afterwards to all the Apostles (S. Matt. xviii. 18). +We can hardly doubt but that the question must have arisen in their +minds what the keys of the Kingdom could be whereby the power of +binding and loosing was given them. And although no discourse is +recorded, it seems that this was another of "the things pertaining to +the Kingdom" of which He spoke. For S. John, in the brief record which +he has given of His first appearance to the Apostles after His +Resurrection, has thus described what occurred:--Suddenly the Lord was +in their midst, and said, "Peace be unto you. And He showed unto them +His Hands and His Side" in proof that it was He Himself. And He said +again "Peace be unto you. As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I +you." And "He breathed on them, and said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: +whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose +soever sins ye retain, they are retained" (S. John xx. 19-23). And +ever since there has been this practical interpretation of the meaning +of "the keys." Christ's ministers have confidently acted, as having +been entrusted by their Lord with His authority to admit men into "The +Kingdom of Heaven" by Holy Baptism, or to defer the act of admission +until after longer probation; to exercise the judicial power of +excommunication, or expulsion from the Kingdom, for notorious sin and +unbelief, as in the case of the incestuous Corinthian (1 Cor. v. 3-7), +or to re-admit after repentance, as S. Paul decided to do in the same +case (2 Cor. ii. 6-10); and to assure all men that in the holy +Ordinances of the Church of Christ free and full remission of sins may +be certainly gained. + +We can readily imagine that many other matters were discussed amongst +"the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." + +If disciples were to be made in all parts of the world, and were then +to be taught "to observe all things commanded" (S. Matt. xxviii. 20) +by the King, the question must have arisen, Who were to be appointed +to teach them? And thus the whole subject of the government of "The +Kingdom of Heaven," and the Orders and duties of the King's Ministers, +would be opened. + +Again, the words of institution of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, +"This is My Blood of the new testament[13], which is shed for many +for the remission of sins" (S. Matt. xxvi. 28), pointed both to the +ending of the old covenant, or testament, which was sealed in the +blood of beasts (Exod. xxiv. 5-8), and to the passing away of the +Jewish ritual and modes of worship. And the question would arise, What +forms of worship were to be observed by His subjects in place of those +ordained by the Law of Moses? Sacrifices could no longer have their +former meaning, when the Lamb of God, to which they pointed the +worshipper, had been offered upon the Cross. Was "the breaking of +bread" to take the place of all the old sacrificial services? + +And with the subject of worship, the observance of the Sabbath would +need to be considered. Was the Jewish Sabbath still binding on men's +consciences? Was the Seventh Day to be observed in accordance with the +Law of Moses, or was the First Day of the week to take its place, now +sacred to the subjects of the Lord Jesus as that on which He rose, and +to the keeping of which He had seemed to give His sanction, by +appearing once and again on that day to the disciples as they were +assembled together? (S. John xx. 19, 26.) + +On all these points[14] we find, in the Book of the Acts of the +Apostles, that the Apostles took at once a definite line of action. +They knew what to do, and how to direct their converts. And though we +have no record of the words of our Lord, we are confident that the +Apostles were thus carrying out His own teaching[15], under the +guidance of the Holy Ghost, on all such matters "pertaining to the +Kingdom of God." + +Amongst the few words recorded as having been spoken at this time to +the Apostles, is this clear promise, "Ye shall receive power, after +that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto +Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judĉa, and in Samaria, and unto the +uttermost part of the earth" (Acts i. 8). And in the power of the Holy +Ghost we find that they went forth to publish the glad tidings of "The +Kingdom of Heaven." And, beginning from Jerusalem, they extended their +work gradually to Samaria, and Syria, and to all countries, carrying +out their Lord's commission, and preaching the good news of salvation +through Jesus Christ, as freely offered to all who would accept Him as +their King, and enter through the strait gate of the New Birth into +His Kingdom. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[10] For fuller information about this period, see Bishop Moberly's +"Discourses on the Great Forty Days." + +[11] See the note in the margin of a Reference Bible. + +[12] It is well known that the Romanists have sometimes founded their +argument, in support of the claims of the Papacy, very mainly upon +this verse; starting with the assumption, of which there is no proof, +that the Pope is the successor of S. Peter, and asserting that a power +was hereby given to S. Peter which the other Apostles did not possess. +The weakness of the argument becomes clear when it is known that the +same words were repeated again to all the Apostles; and that the above +explanation, and practical enforcement of them, were equally spoken to +them all. + +[13] Testament and Covenant are translations of one and the same word. +The Bible is divided into the Old and New Testaments, because the Old +Testament contains the record of God's dealings with men under the Old +Covenant; and the New Testament declares the New Covenant made with +all the world through Jesus Christ. + +[14] A question may arise in the minds of some, whether it is a +historical fact that the early Christians were in no doubt about the +substitution of the First for the Seventh day? The answer is that, +from the first, there was no doubt about the observance of the First +Day; but that amongst the Jewish converts the observance of the +Sabbath was permitted for some time, in addition to the Christian +festival, and was only gradually discontinued. See Rom. xiv. 5; Gal. +iv. 10; Col. ii. 16; and compare Acts xx. 7; 1 Cor. xvi. 2; Rev. i. +10. + +[15] This view is strengthened by the account given by S. Paul of the +direct revelation granted to him respecting the Sacrament of the +Lord's Supper. Not having been amongst the number of His Apostles in +the days when He was on earth, S. Paul had received no instructions +from His own mouth. But the defect was supplied by direct revelation. +He says, "I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto +you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, +took bread," &c. (1 Cor. xi. 23). + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE KING ON HIS THRONE. + + "Crown Him with many crowns, + The King upon His Throne." + + +When the time came for our Blessed Lord to return into Heaven again, +He ascended in the presence of His Apostles, whilst in the act of +blessing them; "and a cloud received Him out of their sight" (Acts i. +9). And, we are told, they "returned to Jerusalem with great joy" (S. +Luke xxiv. 52), not sorrowing as before at His being taken from them. +And when we consider what His Ascension implied, we can see that they +had good reason for their joy. For the Ascension was the sign of the +exaltation of the Lord Jesus to His Mediatorial[16] Throne at God's +right hand. + +When He was before the Jewish Council He had declared to them, +"Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of +power." And the High Priest, hearing these words, cried out, "He hath +spoken blasphemy" (S. Matt. xxvi. 64, 65); because he understood that +He was thus openly claiming to be Messiah--the King--of whom David had +said, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand until I +make Thine enemies Thy footstool" (Ps. cx. 1). And inasmuch as He had +previously silenced the Pharisees with these same words, asking them +to explain how David could speak of Messiah as "my Lord" (S. Matt. +xxii. 44; S. Mark xii. 36; S. Luke xx. 42), when He was to be the Son +of David, we can see that the importance of this passage is very +great. And that for two reasons. First, as testifying that Christ +should be no mere human descendant of David, because David calls Him +Lord; and, secondly, as foretelling the Ascension of Christ to the +Throne at God's right hand. And not only do all the three first +Gospels record the use which He made of this verse to silence the +Jews; but we find also that S. Peter on the day of Pentecost, and also +S. Paul in his Epistles to the Corinthians and to the Hebrews (Acts +ii. 34; 1 Cor. xv. 25; Heb. i. 13, x. 13), quoted it in support of +their arguments that our Lord was exalted to His Throne. The Apostles +argued in this way; David had thus clearly foretold the Ascension of +Christ, and that His Ascension would be to the Throne of power, at the +right hand of God. Therefore, inasmuch as He had ascended into Heaven, +His Ascension was clearly the fulfilment of the prophecy, in order +that He might make His solemn entry upon His kingly office, and be +seated on His Throne. The Ascension was the last crowning proof that +Jesus was Messiah--the King of the house of David--the "Priest for +ever after the order of Melchisedek" (Ps. cx. 4), that is, "King of +Righteousness" and "King of Peace" (Heb. vii. 2). + +In other words, the Apostles maintained that the Ascension of our Lord +was the act whereby He ascended the Throne of "The Kingdom of Heaven," +the Mediatorial Kingdom of Messiah. And this is the testimony which +they have given under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. God "raised +Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly +places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and +dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but +also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under His feet, +and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church" (Ephes. i. +20-22). And we are assured that the Ascension of our Saviour, the Lord +Jesus Christ, implied that He has won the right of sovereignty over +all the world; and that all mankind are summoned to bow before Him, +and accept Him as their King. For, because "He humbled Himself and +became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross," therefore +"God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above +every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, and that +every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Phil. ii. +8-11). + +But for the successful setting up of "The Kingdom of Heaven" two +things were still needed. First, the overthrow of the enemies of +Messiah's Kingdom; and secondly, the gift of the Holy Ghost, to induce +men to be willing to submit themselves to the spiritual rule of our +Lord Jesus Christ. Consequently when the King had ascended the Throne, +and all mankind had been given Him as His subjects, He was "from +henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool" (Ps. cx. +1; Heb. x. 13). All who are set against "The Kingdom of Heaven" must +in the end be subdued before Him. And no doubt the wicked amongst men +who oppose His rule will, if they turn not, be included amongst these +enemies. And yet we must never forget that these belong really to the +number of those who were given to Him as His subjects. This is one of +the mysteries of the Gospel, that "whilst we were yet sinners Christ +died for us" (Rom. v. 8), and "when we were enemies we were reconciled +to God by the death of His Son" (Rom. v. 10); so that we are assured +that the King in His loving mercy would have the wicked not "under His +footstool," but amongst the sharers of His glory. But there are other +enemies which will certainly be subdued in God's own time; and they +are the spiritual powers of evil which are hindering men from being +His subjects. He will "put down all rule and all authority and power" +(1 Cor. xv. 24) arrayed against Him; even "the principalities and +powers and rulers of the darkness of this world" (Ephes. vi. 12), by +which His subjects are assailed. "For He must reign till He hath put +all enemies under His feet" (1 Cor. xv. 25). + +But the destruction of His foes is not the only, nor the chief result +of His Ascension. When the King ascended the Throne of "The Kingdom of +Heaven," "He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men" (Eph. iv. +8), even the gifts by which men might be brought to submit themselves +to His spiritual rule, and be saved by Him. And inasmuch as only the +Holy Ghost can change the heart, and make men such as He had described +His subjects to be, He had previously explained to His Apostles that +there was one gift on which all future success depended, the gift of +"the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost" (S. John xiv. 26). And He had +assured them, "It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not +away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will +send Him unto you" (S. John xvi. 7). + +They did not understand the words at the time when they were spoken; +but at the time of the Ascension they knew that they were to "wait for +the promise of the Father" (Acts i. 4), of which He had told them; and +to "tarry in the city of Jerusalem until" they were "endued with power +from on high" (S. Luke xxiv. 49). Ten days of watching, suspense, and +prayer followed. At last, "when the day of Pentecost was fully come, +suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, +and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with +other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts ii. 1-4). +Hitherto the little band of believers had numbered "about an hundred +and twenty" (Acts i. 15) in Jerusalem. But now that the Holy Ghost was +given, who could move the hearts of men and change them, the Apostles +found themselves endued with the promised "power from on high," which +should give weight to their testimony; and the vast multitude, who +assembled to listen to S. Peter's sermon, were "pricked in their +heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and +brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts ii. 37). + +The previous instructions which had been given them about "the things +pertaining to the Kingdom" (Acts i. 3) were now to be put into +practice. The Apostles had the answer ready: "Repent, and be baptized +every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of +sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the +promise"--of the Holy Ghost, who alone can change the heart and make +men to be born again as the children of God--is not to us only, said +the Apostle, but "is unto you, and to your children, and to all that +are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with +many other words," besides those which are recorded, "did he testify" +to the truth about the Lord Jesus being Messiah, the King; and with +such force did he "exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward +generation," that three thousand "gladly received his word and were +baptized" (Acts ii. 38-41), as subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven." + +Thus the Kingdom was established amongst men by the power of the Holy +Ghost[17]. A spiritual Kingdom, but none the less a Kingdom upon +earth. A spiritual Kingdom, not established by any power of man, and +not belonging to this world; and yet a Kingdom of which men and women +and little children were the subjects; "The Kingdom of Heaven" as +described by our Lord in His parables and discourses. + +And the Kingdom having been thus established amongst men, from this +time we find a special name was given to it. Henceforth "The Kingdom +of Heaven" becomes "the Church." It was a word which our Lord Himself +had occasionally used with reference to His Kingdom, as when He said, +"Upon this rock I will build my Church" (S. Matt. xvi. 18); but it now +became the common expression. Thus when a persecution broke out +against the Christians, it was thus described, "As for Saul, he made +havoc of the Church" (Acts viii. 3). So Herod "stretched forth his +hands to vex certain of the Church" (Acts xii. 1); and when S. Peter +was imprisoned, "prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto +God for him" (Acts xii. 5). And throughout the Book of the Acts of +the Apostles and the Epistles it is almost always used as the name of +the body of believers or subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven." + +At the same time, in order that there might be no doubt that the +Apostles were simply carrying on their Lord's preaching of "the Gospel +of the Kingdom" (S. Matt. iv. 23), and that "The Church" which they +founded was in very deed "The Kingdom of Heaven," in certain passages +describing the character of their preaching we still find a reference +to the Kingdom. Thus, when Philip preached the Gospel to the +Samaritans, his work is described in these words, "When they believed +Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the +Name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women" (Acts +viii. 12). And a similar instance occurs respecting the preaching of +the great Apostle to the Gentiles, S. Paul. The whole of the latter +half of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles is filled with the record +of the extension of the Church by the labour of S. Paul in the various +lands he visited. And he himself continually uses the word "Church," +both in his addresses recorded in the Acts of the Apostles and in his +Epistles to the Churches. Thus, for instance, to the Elders whom he +had ordained to take charge of the Church at Ephesus, he says, "Feed +the Church of God which He hath purchased with His own Blood" (Acts +xx. 28). And yet when the general character of his preaching is +described, it is still spoken of as the good news of the Kingdom. For +to these same Elders S. Paul says, "And now, behold, I know that ye +all, among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God, shall see my +face no more" (Acts xx. 25). And the last record of him leaves him at +Rome "preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching those things which +concern the Lord Jesus Christ, no man forbidding him" (Acts xxviii. +31). + +We may now briefly sum up the results of the Ascension of our Lord and +Saviour Jesus Christ. In ascending into heaven He was fulfilling the +prophecy, to which special prominence had been given in His discourses +with His opponents, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my right +hand till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool" (Ps. cx. 1). He was thus +ascending the Throne of the Mediatorial Kingdom of Messiah--"The +Kingdom of Heaven"--and having ascended in triumph, "He gave gifts +unto men." And upon receiving the great gift which He had +promised--even the Holy Ghost--the Apostles became endued with the +power, by which alone "The Kingdom of Heaven" could be founded upon +earth, and be extended amongst men. And, from that day forward, "The +Kingdom of Heaven" may be said to have been established. And as the +Apostles went forth preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God, and +believers were multiplied, we find that, under the inspiration of the +Holy Ghost, the word "Church" was used to express this body of the +faithful. And the name thus used in those early days of "The Kingdom +of Heaven," has been generally applied to it ever since. + +Thus we are brought face to face with the practical importance of the +teaching of our Blessed Lord about "The Kingdom of Heaven." "The +Kingdom of Heaven" is "The Church of Christ." The subjects are +ourselves. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[16] See Pearson on the Creed, pp. 283, 285. + +[17] It is sometimes said that the Kingdom was founded by our Lord in +the call of His Apostles. But inasmuch as He spoke of it as being +still in the future, when He said to Peter, "Upon this rock _I will_ +build My Church" (S. Matt. xvi. 18), and expressly declared that the +Baptism of the Spirit was the appointed means of entering into it (S. +John iii. 5), it seems more accurate to say that our Lord founded His +Kingdom on this day, through the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the +Apostles. For thus His words which specially applied to their own +cases were fulfilled, "Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost" (Acts +i. 5; S. Matt. iii. 11); and the gift was then handed on to others in +the appointed way, by which they also might be brought into the one +Body (1 Cor. xii. 13). + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE PARABLES EXEMPLIFIED IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. + + "To Him shall prayer unceasing + And daily vows ascend; + His Kingdom still increasing, + A Kingdom without end." + + +We have seen that our Lord described in His Parables the general +character and nature of "The Kingdom of Heaven." Consequently, if the +Church established by the Apostles under the guidance of the Holy +Ghost is "The Kingdom of Heaven," it will necessarily be found to +agree with the description thus given. Let us therefore now consider +how far the history of the Church, in the Acts of the Apostles and the +Epistles, agrees with the picture of "The Kingdom of Heaven" drawn +beforehand by the King. + +The Parable of the Sower admits of frequent illustration if we +understand the seed to refer, in a general sense, to the good news of +salvation through Jesus Christ, whether it is preached to men outside +the Kingdom or to those within it. The birds are continually carrying +off the seed from thoughtless and hardened hearers; opposition and +persecution and temptation still scorch up the seed in others; and +worldliness and love of money still choke that which was beginning to +grow well in many hearts. And we can see all these characters, in +those who were first called to be members of the Church of Christ. The +Jews, generally, in all places visited by S. Paul, from whom he was +forced to turn away in despair of producing any effect (Acts xiii. +46), were like the wayside on which the seed fell only to be devoured. +Such also was Felix, who "trembled" as he heard S. Paul reasoning "of +righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come," but went away and +"left Paul bound" (Acts xxiv. 25-27); and Agrippa "almost persuaded to +be a Christian" (Acts xxvi. 28). Of hearers in whom the seed is +scorched up by the fire of temptation or persecution, we may see +instances in Ananias and Sapphira, who fell under the temptation to +appear zealous whilst being really worldly (Acts v. 3); or in John +Mark, who was disheartened at the seeming difficulties before him, +and turned back from Pamphylia (Acts xiii. 13), leaving S. Paul and S. +Barnabas to go on without him. Of those in whom the seed is choked by +the weeds of worldliness and love of money, there were many examples. +Simon Magus, who after renouncing his sorcery and being baptised, +thought that the power of the Holy Ghost might "be purchased with +money" (Acts viii. 19, 20); Demas who "loved this present world" so +much that he forsook S. Paul in the hour of danger (2 Tim. iv. 10); +and the many of whom S. Paul spoke with tears, "whose God is their +belly, whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things" (Phil. +iii. 19). And, lastly, of those in whom the seed bears fruit an +hundredfold, it seems almost invidious to select examples. But such +were the martyr Stephen, who prayed for his murderers (Acts vii. 60); +Tabitha, "full of good works and almsdeeds" (Acts ix. 36); Cornelius, +upon whom the Holy Ghost fell even before he was baptized (Acts x. +46); S. Luke, "the beloved physician" (Col. iv. 14), "whose praise is +in the Gospel" (2 Cor. viii. 18). + +The Parable of "The Tares," which described the sad outward appearance +of "The Kingdom of Heaven," was unhappily at once exemplified in the +early Church. Amongst the first members of the Church of Christ were +found Ananias and Sapphira "to lie unto the Holy Ghost" (Acts v. 3); +and Simon Magus to bring upon himself the rebuke "thy money perish +with thee" (Acts viii. 20). And, as years passed on, we find S. Paul +writing to the Church of God at Corinth to rebuke its members of +schism (1 Cor. i. 12); of being "carnal" and encouraging "envying and +strife and divisions" (1 Cor. iii. 3); of "fornication," and that not +merely in a single instance (1 Cor. v, vi); of tampering with +idolatrous feastings (1 Cor. viii); of disorders in their religious +assemblies, and especially of gross profanity in the celebration of +the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. xi); of strange misuse of the miraculous +gifts of the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. xii, xiv); and of denying the great +doctrine of the Resurrection (1 Cor. xv. 12). All of these charges +show how strongly the tares began at once to grow amongst the wheat. +And, in later years, the same Apostle warns the Elders of Ephesus that +"grievous wolves" will enter in among them "not sparing the flock" +(Acts xx. 29); referring probably to the Gnostic heresies against +which the First Epistle of S. John is mainly directed. + +Let us pass on to happier examples. The Parable of "The Mustard Seed," +describing the outward spread of "The Kingdom of Heaven," is +illustrated by almost every chapter of the Acts. Beginning with the +little seed of an hundred and twenty members, the Church increased at +once to thousands on the Day of Pentecost (Acts ii. 41, 47). Then, as +the increasing numbers required that Deacons should be ordained to +assist the Apostles, we read that "the number of the disciples +multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and a great company of the Priests," +recognising, we may suppose, the fulfilment of the sacrificial types +in the person and work of the Lord Jesus, "became obedient to the +Faith" (Acts vi. 7). Then by the Providence of God this multitude of +the believers was scattered through the persecution which arose about +Stephen, and they "went everywhere preaching the word" (Acts viii. 4). +So that next "Samaria received the word of God" (Acts viii. 14). Then +the good news spread to Damascus, and to Antioch in Syria (Acts ix, +xi. 19). + +Such was the growth of the Church in the first ten or twelve years. +Then Antioch became a fresh starting-point, and within the next twenty +years, under the efforts of S. Paul and S. Barnabas and others, the +glad tidings spread from Antioch to Cyprus, and from Cyprus to the +coasts of Asia Minor (Acts xiii, xiv). Then after extending through +many provinces of Asia, the Gospel tree spread forth its branches to +Macedonia (Acts xvi. 11); and from Macedonia to the ancient cities of +Greece (Acts xvii, xviii); and from Greece to Italy and Rome, the +capital of the world. With this Parable of "The Mustard Seed," we may +connect that of "The Seed growing secretly" (S. Mark iv. 26, 27), and +we may think how little the rulers of the old world imagined, that +there was a power at work amongst them, which would change the moral +character of the whole Empire. The Church of Christ was extending her +influence secretly and unnoticed, or noticed only to be despised by +the ruling classes. Yet within three hundred years the faith of Christ +became the professed religion of the Roman Empire. + +But the spread of the Church of Christ was not merely an outward +extension in the number of professed members. The Parable of "The +Leaven" had set forth the power which "The Kingdom of Heaven" would +exercise over the hearts of men. And of this also we may find examples +in almost every chapter of the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles. +See the leaven working in the first members of the Church, who lived +together in such love and unity that "they had all things common, and +sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every +man had need" (Acts ii. 44, iv. 32). Think of the devoted lives led by +the Apostles, "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer +shame" (Acts v. 41) for their Lord's sake. Other instances may be seen +in Stephen praying for his murderers (Acts vii. 60); in the character +of Barnabas, "a good man full of the Holy Ghost and of faith" (Acts +xi. 24); in the Elders, who were ordained by S. Paul in the different +cities which he visited, and who handed on the knowledge they had +gained to their more ignorant fellow-countrymen, "feeding the Church +of God" (Acts xiv. 23, xx. 28); in the case of Aquila and Priscilla +instructing Apollos (Acts xviii. 26); in the Ephesian converts burning +their books (Acts xix. 19); in Lydia taking care of S. Paul at +Philippi (Acts xvi. 15); and in the love shown to him afterwards by +the Philippians in general, his "dearly beloved and longed for," his +"joy and crown" (Phil. i. 3-8, iv. 1-10). Other signs of the leaven +working in the hearts of the faithful may be gathered from a variety +of expressions in the different Epistles, pointing to the changed +lives of the members of the Church (1 Cor. vi. 11); whilst the +Apostles were continually urging their converts to let the leaven work +more freely upon them, and become more apparent in the holiness of +their lives, in the putting off "the old man," and in the putting on +"the new man" (Ephes. iv. 22, 24). + +The Parables of "The Treasure" and "The Pearl," which set forth the +priceless value of salvation, and the different ways in which it +becomes known to men, may be illustrated by several instances in the +early history of the Church. One finds the truth, as it were, by +chance, like some hidden treasure. Such was the man of Ethiopia +finding, as he crossed the desert, an apparently chance traveller able +to expound to him the prophecies of Messiah (Acts viii. 27); and such +was the jailor at Philippi, stopped in the act of committing suicide +to be baptized by his prisoners (Acts xvi. 27, 30). Another finds +"The Pearl" worth all the world besides, only after long search. Such +was S. Paul, who sought for it in intense zeal for God, and found it +in the Voice which said, "Why persecutest thou Me?" (Gal. i. 14, Acts +ix. 4). And such was Cornelius, whose prayers and alms called down the +blessing from above which brought to him the knowledge of His Saviour +(Acts x. 30-48). Whilst the value which men set upon the discovery was +shown by the joy with which all things were given up for the sake of +Christ, when men "did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of +heart, praising God and having favour with all the people" (Acts ii. +46, 47); when they rejoiced "that they were counted worthy to suffer +shame for His Name" (Acts v. 41); when being expelled with violence +from one city they went on to the next, and, instead of complaints, +"the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost" (Acts +xiii. 50-52); and when one could say, who had given up all his earthly +prospects and high position amongst his fellows, "what things were +gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ" (Phil. iii. 7, 8). + +The last Parable of the series, "The Draw-net," referring as it does +to the final separation at the end of the world, cannot be illustrated +by example. + +Of the other Parables of "The Kingdom of Heaven" describing special +circumstances which affect the subjects of the Kingdom, only one, "The +Marriage of the King's Son," seems to be capable of illustration by +examples. And this is abundantly illustrated throughout the Acts of +the Apostles in the history of the extension of the Church. As soon as +the Gospel spread to Gentile lands, we find the Jews in general +persistently refusing to accept the Lord Jesus as Messiah and to +become members of the Church. Thus at Antioch in Pisidia, after the +glad tidings had been so published that "almost the whole city came +together to hear the Word of God; when the Jews saw the multitudes +they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were +spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming." Then the literal +fulfilment of this prophetic Parable followed. "Paul and Barnabas +waxed bold and said, It was necessary that the word of God should +first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and +judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the +Gentiles" (Acts xiii. 44-46). And, in a similar way, the last chapter +of the Acts of the Apostles records how the Jews in Rome brought upon +themselves the warning Words of S. Paul, "Be it known, therefore, unto +you; that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that +they will hear it" (Acts xxviii. 25-28). + +Thus we find the Parables of "The Kingdom of Heaven" exemplified and +fulfilled in the history of the early Church. And any doubt still +lingering in the mind of the reader, about the Church of Christ being +"The Kingdom of Heaven," may be dispelled by the clear testimony of +the facts recorded in Holy Scripture. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE ESSENTIAL UNITY OF THE KINGDOM. + + "Elect from every nation, + Yet One o'er all the earth; + Her charter of salvation, + One Lord, One Faith, One Birth." + + +If it is true that our Lord came to found a real Kingdom, and if the +Church described in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles is this +Kingdom, it is clear that the quality of Unity or Oneness is essential +to it. It must belong to the nature of the Church that it should be +One; because we cannot conceive in our minds, in any practical sense, +the idea of two Kingdoms of Heaven. + +This truth was illustrated by our Lord under the form of a figure. "I +am the Vine; ye are the branches" (S. John xv. 5). The idea of a tree +implies oneness, and the branches have no separate existence apart +from the stem. Even so the subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven" can +exist only through union with Christ Himself; and wherever Christians +are enrolled, in whatsoever country they may be, all must belong to +the same Kingdom, because all are branches of the One Vine. + +Consequently, if the Church be "The Kingdom of Heaven," then, as it +spread through the world and different countries received the Gospel, +we shall expect to find that the various branches of the Church +founded by S. Paul and the other Apostles were not independent one of +another, in the sense of being so many separate and distinct bodies, +but were all united together, as forming the One Church or Kingdom of +Christ. + +The question now arises, Was this the case? + +God in His Providence has not left us in any doubt upon this point. We +can trace this oneness very clearly in the history of the Church +during its extension under the Apostles, as recorded in the Acts of +the Apostles. The following incident serves as an example. After S. +Paul's return to Antioch at the close of his first missionary journey, +a dispute arose about the necessity of teaching the Gentile converts +to observe the law of Moses. And it was determined by the Church at +Antioch that "Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go +up to Jerusalem, unto the Apostles and Elders, about this question." +The first recorded Church Council was then held to consider the +matter; and after full discussion, it was determined to send the +decision in a letter after this manner: "The Apostles and Elders and +Brethren send greeting unto the Brethren which are of the Gentiles in +Antioch and Syria and Cilicia." Then after stating the case, the +decision was thus given: "It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, +to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; that ye +abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things +strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, ye +shall do well. Fare ye well" (Acts xv. 1-29). From which it is clear +that all the believers in the several Churches of Jerusalem and +Antioch and Cilicia were brethren together, and fellow-subjects of one +Kingdom, bound to the observance of common laws framed by common +consent for the general good government of the whole body. And it is +equally clear that the ties which held together these various +communities of Christians were the Apostles themselves, who had +founded them. The various Churches were one, because their founders +were fellow-workers, who acted in concert, taking counsel together. +But what bond of union held the founders themselves together? + +The answer to this question shows the ground on which the essential +Oneness of the Church is based. And it is clearly this. The Apostles +and Bishops who founded the various Churches were all commissioned +officers of one King--the King of "The Kingdom of Heaven"--and they +were commissioned, not to found Churches bearing their own, names, +independent one of another, but to extend the King's dominion. And +their authority and power to act were wholly dependent upon their +acting in the King's Name, and with His concurrence. For when the +commission was given to the Apostles to "go into all the world and +make disciples of all nations," these words were added by the King, +"And lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (S. +Matt. xxviii. 20). From which we see also that the continuance of the +Unity was secured, in the same way, through the Apostles' successors, +after they themselves should be called to rest. And whilst the +Apostles and Bishops were thus appointed as the agents to extend "The +Kingdom of Heaven," the King Himself was the actual bond of union, +securing the essential unity of the Church, wherever subjects were +brought in. One King over all held all together. + +As time passed and various branches of the One Church were formed, +there were also other ties which were felt to bind Christians one with +another as one body. The Church was a spiritual Kingdom; and by one +and the same Holy Spirit all had been moved to accept the King, and +all had been new-born as the children of God. And as all had received +the same Holy Spirit, so all looked forward to the same hope of +eternal life; all having been called to enter the same state of +salvation, in which the prize was within their reach. All had been +taught the same articles of Faith. All had been baptized, with the +same form, into the Name of the Blessed Trinity. And so S. Paul summed +up their bonds of union in these words, "One Body and one Spirit, even +as ye are called in one Hope of your calling; one Lord; one Faith; one +Baptism; one God" (Ephes. iv. 4-6). + +But the unity of a Kingdom depends, not merely upon having one Head +and certain general laws and ordinances; but also upon the ready +obedience of the subjects. "Every Kingdom divided against itself is +brought to desolation" (S. Matt. xii. 25). An earthly kingdom is strong +only when the people are united together in loyally obeying the king, +and the laws, and officers of the kingdom. It is weak when suspicion +and factious opposition prevail; or when the subordinate princes +exercise their authority without respect to the general good. And, if +it does not fall altogether, it is an unhappy kingdom indeed, when +these opposing interests break out into open rupture and civil war. + +The case is exactly the same with "The Kingdom of Heaven." It is +strong only as a united Kingdom. And the last prayer of our Lord +before His Passion shows how well the King knew beforehand wherein the +weakness of His Kingdom would consist, which would hinder it from +comprehending the whole world according to His loving design. The +essential unity of the Kingdom was secured, as we have seen above. But +still the strength of His Kingdom, as a united Kingdom, would depend +upon the loyal obedience of His subjects. And He knew that His +subjects would be as much exposed to the evil influence of false +teachers, as the subjects of an earthly king are to the seductions of +the misguided and seditious. And He prayed "That they all may be one; +as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be One +in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me" (S. John +xvii. 21). + +An unhappy tendency to division was soon manifested in the Church. And +S. Paul wrote to "the Church of God which is at Corinth," to rebuke +them for imagining that the founders of the Church were founding +communities in their own names, forgetting that they were the mere +ministers of the King. "While one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I +am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is +Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to +every man" (1 Cor. i. 12; iii. 1-5). + +The tendency to form divisions in the Church which so early appeared, +increased rather than diminished as years went on; though it was +checked, under the Providence of God, by the frequent persecutions +which broke out against the Christians. The inevitable result +followed. "The Kingdom of Heaven" was weak, and unable to maintain +the conflict against the heathenism of the world around it, as it +ought to have done. Christendom was divided against itself. The +National Churches, which had been founded as Branches of one and the +same Church, were engaged in contests between themselves. Then one +Church usurped an authority over other Churches, provoking in course +of time further disunion. And in our own days, after eighteen +centuries have passed since the Church was founded, it is calculated +that not one-third of the inhabitants of the earth profess the faith +of Christ. So greatly have the unhappy divisions which prevail amongst +Christians weakened the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. + +But as Englishmen we are chiefly interested in the Church of our own +country. Consequently, we must now come to the consideration of a +question which, probably, has already troubled the minds of many +readers of these pages--If the Church is one, what is the position of +those who have separated from their own National Branch of this one +Church, or Kingdom of Christ? + +It is a question of much difficulty, because those who have been +outwardly separated from their brethren have been brought into a +position altogether different from any which is described in the New +Testament. For the subjects of the Lord Jesus Christ are described +therein as subjects of one Kingdom, bound together by the closest ties +of loyalty to the King, and of brotherhood with one another. At the +same time, the names by which Christians in this country are divided +into Church-people and Dissenters, only add to the confusion. For to +suppose, as these names suggest, that Dissenters do not belong in any +sense to the Church of Christ, is an idea which is repugnant to the +minds of all who know anything of their work. But though the +difficulty of the question is so great, it is hoped that the previous +chapters will have prepared the reader to see his way to the answer, +which Holy Scripture enables us to form. + +But first let us clear the way by calling to mind the origin of the +present lamentable state of things. The difficulty has been created by +the inevitable imperfection of all things with which man's freewill is +concerned. For God clearly intended that His Church should be one; +and that it should work upon the world with the irresistible force of +an united Kingdom. And inasmuch as we find, in our own days, that this +intention has been frustrated, there can be no doubt but that it is +our duty to do what we can to bring back the conditions of our life +here into conformity with it. For Christian people cannot be content +with a state of things which they find to be plainly contrary to God's +intention. Consequently, in considering this question, it seems that +the right course to take is to give prominence to the bonds of union +which still exist between the different bodies of Christians in this +country; and instead of magnifying the causes and extent of disunion, +to endeavour to draw men closer together. + +Now it is clear from Holy Scripture, that the Church of Christ +consists of those who have been made subjects of "The Kingdom of +Heaven;" and we have already seen that our Lord explained that the +form of admission into His Kingdom would be by Holy Baptism. +Therefore, with respect to so-called Dissenters, we conclude, that all +have been brought into the Church or Kingdom of Christ in this land, +who have used the means which He ordained for that purpose, namely, +Holy Baptism. And the names assumed by those who separate themselves +from their brethren cannot destroy the effects of this great +Sacrament. It appears also that they have become in some degree +partakers with their brethren of those bonds of union mentioned by S. +Paul, "One Body; one Spirit; one Hope; one Lord; one Faith; one +Baptism; one God" (Ephes. iv. 4-6). Though, unhappily, their +appreciation of some of these bonds of union is slight; and they are +deprived (either by their deliberate will, or, more commonly, by the +accidents of their birth) of the many privileges which they might +enjoy, through communion with their brethren in the Ordinances of +religion and in the common service of our Lord Jesus Christ[18]. + +At the same time, it ought to be clearly understood, that we have no +certain warrant of Holy Scripture for more than this. For, as there is +no example in the Bible of any one professing faith in Christ, and yet +holding back from being baptized into the Name of the Trinity, it is +not possible to describe the position of the unbaptized with any +certainty of assurance. The offer of salvation through Jesus Christ is +thus briefly stated, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be +saved" (S. Mark xvi. 16); that is, he will be placed in a state of +present salvation by being admitted into "The Kingdom of Heaven." But +the case of any one believing and not being baptized is not +contemplated. + +In the next place, still confining our thoughts to our own country, we +shall do well to consider that the greater number of those who have +separated themselves from us have done so with the hope of thereby +doing God service; or else under the idea that the separation is of +small importance, being more a matter of personal choice than of +principle. They have forgotten or have been ignorant of the prayer of +the Lord Jesus--"That they all may be one; that the world may believe +that Thou hast sent Me" (S. John xvii. 21)--forewarning us that the +result of divisions would be the spoiling of His work for the saving +of the world. And, at the same time, it is right that we should also +call to mind that in many instances in the past history of the Church +in this land, those who have professed to hold the position of loyal +subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven" have seemed to be equally careless +of this inevitable loss through the separation of their brethren. + +With these considerations in our minds, if we now go on to test our +opinions by the sure warrant of Holy Scripture, fearlessly taking our +stand upon its distinct teaching, we shall see how important it is +that both so-called Church-people and so-called Dissenters should be +induced to study carefully what is recorded therein about "The Kingdom +of Heaven," or Church of Christ. For, on the one hand, we shall find +that Holy Scripture clearly teaches that the Church is a spiritual +Kingdom, and that the only way to receive the benefits of membership +is by being led and sanctified by the Holy Ghost. And, on the other +hand, we shall see that Holy Scripture makes it equally clear that our +Lord described His Church as being a real Kingdom, though a spiritual +one; and that this Kingdom was established with distinct laws and +ordinances, by His directions, and under the guidance of the Holy +Ghost. And consequently, if, on the one hand, any are content with the +name of Church-people without seeking to advance in the spiritual +life, they are clearly acting as the Jews, who trusted to being able +to say, "We have Abraham to our father" (S. Matt. iii. 9). Similarly, +on the other hand, if men carelessly weaken "The Kingdom of Heaven" by +forming factions, or so-called denominations, under different leaders, +and known by the names of their founders, they are clearly bringing +themselves under the rebuke of S. Paul, "While one saith, I am of +Paul; and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal[19]?" (1 Cor. +iii. 4); or if they propose to themselves to form a holier society, +by expelling the tares from the wheat in the Lord's field, they are +disregarding the teaching of His parable (S. Matt. xiii. 24-30), the +meaning of which cannot be doubtful. And, at the same time, all who +will take pains to study Holy Scripture will find that to be a member +of "The Kingdom of Heaven," or Church of Christ, is no mere matter of +choice, but of vital importance; because no other way has been +revealed whereby we may be saved, but by accepting the Gospel of the +Kingdom, and by being admitted into it, as those first converts were, +to whom S. Peter said, "Save yourselves from this untoward generation" +(Acts ii. 40, 41). + +We are now in a position to sum up what has been gathered from Holy +Scripture about the essential unity of "The Kingdom of Heaven." + +The idea of a Kingdom implies the necessity of unity. And it was +provided that the essential unity of "The Kingdom of Heaven" should be +maintained through the Headship of the one King over all. The King +commissioned His Apostles to make all the nations of the world His +subjects, and assured them of the authority to do this by promising to +be with them and their successors to the end of the world. And +wherever the Church spread, however defective and imperfect it might +be, it was still part of one and the same Kingdom, owning the Lord +Jesus Christ as King. Besides this bond of union, one Holy Spirit was +working with more or less success upon all the subjects, wherever they +might be; one Hope was held out before all, of salvation; one Faith in +the ever-blessed Trinity was taught to all, and professed by all; one +Baptism enrolled all; one God was the object of the worship of all. + +But the unity of a Kingdom depends not only upon the King and the laws +and ordinances of the Kingdom, but also upon the loyal obedience of the +subjects. And the subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven" have, in past +times, so far forgotten this duty, that it has come to pass that for +centuries the great branches of the Church of Christ have had little, +if any, outward communion or fellowship with one another. And in our +own country the professed members of Christ are divided into many +bodies, not only independent of one another, but oftentimes opposing, +rather than helping forward, the extension and well-being of the +Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And the result has been +that we have learned by sad experience the reason of the foreboding +tone of our Lord's last prayer, "That they all may be one; ... that the +world may believe that Thou hast sent Me" (S. John xvii. 21). The +multitudes of men, practically heathen, in the midst of this +professedly Christian land, and the still greater multitudes of men in +other lands whom the good news of the Kingdom has not reached, are +proofs of the weakness of the Church of Christ. Christians are not +"one;" and consequently "the world" does not "believe" in Him whom the +Father of His great love sent to be its Saviour. + +During the first few centuries the Church spread rapidly, not only +throughout the more civilised parts of the Roman Empire, but also +amongst the rough Celts of Britain and the fierce Teutons of Germany. +We may well ask, why did it cease to spread, and why are so many lands +still lying in darkness? Since Christ came to be the Saviour of the +world, how is it that there are so many millions of Buddhists and +Hindoos in Asia, that to this day it is said that not one-third of the +inhabitants of the world are; Christians? The answer is, alas! clear. +The unity of the One Universal Church of Christ has not been +maintained in the full and perfect manner described in our Lord's +Prayer, "That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I +in Thee, that they also may be one in Us" (S. John xvii. 21). +Christians have lost the sense of brotherhood, which should bind them +all together in Christ, of whatsoever nation or language they may be. +The Church has ceased to move with the irresistible power of one +mighty army, acting with one mind for the glory of God. + +All thoughtful subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven" must lament this +state of disunion and weakness. And men are striving in different, and +in some cases opposite ways, to bring about re-union. But when we +begin to ask, What is the remedy? we find that we are facing a mighty +problem. God's loving purpose for the salvation of the world has been +marred by man's wilfulness. His Kingdom, which might have been +irresistible and have won the whole world for Christ, has been split +up into many portions, which have been opposing and weakening one +another, instead of fighting His enemies. How can these portions, +after centuries of disunion, be reunited into one? How can the +mischief be undone? + +It is beyond the power of man. + +Yet at the same time we can see that there are certain things which +all can do to advance the object in view, and to promote re-union at +least in our own National Church at home, if not also between the +different branches of Christ's Holy Church[20] throughout the world. +But to do so, two things are clearly necessary. One thing is to have a +clear grasp of the principle which runs through the whole teaching of +the Bible,--that Christ came to found a Kingdom. And the other is to +desire unity. If all desired unity, the desired result would certainly +be accomplished. + +But one thing is certain. No plan of re-union can succeed which is +not based upon the clear teaching of Holy Scripture. "The Kingdom of +Heaven" is there clearly described. First by the King Himself in His +parables and discourses, before the Kingdom was yet founded; and then +in the history of the Acts of the Apostles, which tells how the +Kingdom or Church of Christ, which had been purchased with His own +Blood, was set up under the guidance of the Holy Ghost. And inasmuch +as no man, nor any body of men, can form a new "Kingdom of Heaven," +the only position which a Christian can hold, in agreement with Holy +Scripture, is the position of a subject of that Kingdom which was so +founded. + +And when we call to mind that "The Kingdom of Heaven" extended to our +own land, by the Providence of God, in early days, we see at once that +our aim, as loyal subjects of the Lord Jesus Christ, must be to win +back those who have separated from us, to act as fellow-soldiers with +us in the one great army of our King, serving under the same flag and +the same officers, and fighting with united energy for the glory of +God. + +But as in an earthly kingdom various opinions may be held by different +persons and parties, and yet all may be loyal subjects of the same +King, and earnestly advancing the well-being of the kingdom, so in the +spiritual Kingdom of Messiah unity does not mean that all must think +alike[21]. But there is one necessary condition, namely this,--the +essential unity of the Kingdom must be kept in view. There can be but +one "Kingdom of Heaven." Consequently, to form separate and +independent bodies cannot fail to cause confusion and weakness. To act +in the Name of the King men must be united. If we, who call ourselves +by the Name of Christ, desire to spread His Kingdom with the +irresistible force which belongs to it, we must show to the world +that we are all one in interests--in the common hope of Heaven; all +one in faith--in the common belief in the love of God, as it is +expressed in the work of redemption, through the Father, the Son, and +the Holy Ghost; all one in Baptism into the great Name of the +ever-Blessed Trinity; and, above all other bonds of union, all one in +loyal devotion to the one Lord and King, our Saviour Jesus Christ. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[18] Let me beg every reader of these lines to pause here, and shoot +up an arrow of prayer that God may lead men to think of the +blessedness of being united, as sons of one Father, brethren of one +family, subjects of one Kingdom. And I would ask those readers who may +be, at present, living in outward separation from the Ancient Branch +of Christ's Church in this land, to consider with themselves what +cause there is in their own case to justify, before God, such a +separation from their Brethren in Christ. + +[19] Consider also S. Paul's earnest words, "Unto the Church of God +which is at Corinth, with all that in every place call upon the name +of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours." "Now I beseech you, +brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the +same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be +perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. +For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, that there are +contentions among you" (1 Cor. i. 2, 10, 11). + +[20] A caution is perhaps needed here to prevent the reader from +supposing that any re-union is advocated which would involve union +with error. On the one hand, we must "stand fast in the liberty +wherewith Christ hath made us free" (Gal. v. 1). We must firmly refuse +to accept any other foundation than that of the Creeds, settled by an +undivided Christendom. And on the other hand, we must set ourselves +with equal firmness against allowing any "Shibboleth" (Judges xii. 6), +made out of exaggerated views of particular doctrines, to cut off +those who should be brethren, not only in name but in life. + +[21] Truths are many-sided. Men may agree in their belief in truths, +and yet hold different opinions concerning those truths. Just as men, +who live on different sides of a mountain, all look upon the same +mountain, and yet see different views of it; so men see different +sides of a truth. To know a truth perfectly men must see it from every +point of view. And the power of taking such comprehensive views of +truths is granted to few, if any, here on earth. Probably this perfect +knowledge is reserved for us in Heaven; when all, who have loved their +Lord in sincerity, will find that their controversies with one another +here on earth have been due to their imperfect knowledge and limited +views of the truths of God. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. + + "Christ is gone up; yet ere He passed + From earth, in heaven to reign, + He formed One Holy Church to last + Till He should come again. + + So age by age, and year by year, + His grace was handed on; + And still the Holy Church is here, + Although her Lord is gone." + + +A question often arises which is, in no little degree, perplexing to +Christian people. What is the Holy Catholic Church? The words are very +often in our mouths; for they are repeated continually in the Creed. +What do we mean by them? + +The teaching of our Lord about His Kingdom, and the description of the +founding of that Kingdom by the Holy Ghost, acting through the +Apostles, are the materials out of which the answer must be formed. +And it is hoped that the readers of these pages have been led to see +this already. + +But there are two ways of dealing with this question: first, as an +article of faith; and secondly, as a matter of fact. The Church is an +object on which faith is exercised; but if faith is laid aside +altogether, the facts of the existence of the Church and its rapid +extension in our own day still remain to be considered. + +We must deal with it first as an article of the faith. "I believe in +the Holy Catholic Church." It is an article of faith added to our +profession of faith in God, expressing our belief in the reality of +the Gospel. It is like saying, in other words, that we believe that +what our Lord preached was literally true, and has come to pass. +Hereby we declare that the Kingdom which He proclaimed is a real +Kingdom, and that we belong to it as His subjects, and share in the +salvation which He, the long-promised Messiah, came to bring. + +We have already considered the grounds on which this faith is based. +We have seen that the Church founded by the Apostles was in reality +and truth "The Kingdom of Heaven," which was described beforehand by +our Lord in His parables and discourses, and which He declared could +not be entered except through a new birth of the Spirit. And we have +seen how the Holy Ghost was given according to His promise, first to +lead men to accept the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ; +then to bring them into His Kingdom, new-born as the children of God; +and then to dwell within them and influence their lives, and prepare +them for the presence of their Father. + +Consequently, in professing our faith in "The Holy Catholic[22] +Church," we are simply expressing the belief of Christians, that the +good news which He preached has come to pass, that "The Kingdom of +Heaven" has been founded; and that we, who profess this belief, have +been called to enter it as His subjects, and have been put into the +way of salvation, wherein we have a present share in His infinite +merits, and a good hope of eternal Life through Him. + +The Holy Catholic Church is "The Kingdom of Heaven." + +But we have also to deal with the words "The Holy Catholic Church" as +referring to a matter of fact. The existence of the Church is a +historical fact, which may be traced down through the eighteen +centuries from the times of the Apostles to our own. And we cannot +realize in any practical manner what the Holy Catholic Church is, +without some degree of knowledge of its history. Consequently, we must +now proceed to consider what the Church is, by the help of the records +which have come down to us. + +The history of the Church of Christ during the greater part of the +first century is within reach of all, because it is contained in Holy +Scripture, in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, and in the +Epistles. And this Bible history of the Holy Catholic Church may be +divided into two periods; the first, whilst the Church was confined +almost exclusively to converts from amongst the Jews, and had hardly +extended beyond the limits of Palestine; and the second, when it +began to spread amongst the Gentiles, in the heathen countries of Asia +and Europe. + +During the first period the interest is centred in Jerusalem. On the +day of Pentecost the foundation of the Church was laid in Jerusalem, +through the conversion of three thousand devout Jews to the faith of +Christ. And as the Apostles went on preaching boldly to the Jewish +people, that the Lord Jesus whom they had crucified was none other +than Messiah, of whom their prophets had foretold all things exactly +as they had happened, the rulers laid hold of them, thinking to +terrify them into silence. But in vain; for "the number of the +disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and a great company of the +priests were obedient to the faith" (Acts vi. 7). Then the persecution +arose about Stephen, one of the newly-ordained deacons; and the +faithful "were scattered throughout the regions of Judĉa and Samaria," +and they "went everywhere preaching the word" (Acts viii. 1, 4). And +so the Church began to spread under the Providence of God beyond the +limits of Judĉa. + +Meanwhile we find that the Church was growing into a duly organised +body. It was not a collection of Independent congregations, but a +Kingdom, ruled by laws and ministers appointed either directly by the +King Himself, or under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And its +subjects are spoken of under four divisions; Apostles, Elders, +Deacons, and Brethren. And a brief description of these three orders +of Ministers and of the general body of brethren will best illustrate +the account given in the Acts of the Apostles of what the Holy +Catholic Church was like during that period. + +To the first order of Ministers--the Apostles and their +successors--our Blessed Lord had committed His authority to found and +extend His Kingdom. For to "the eleven Disciples" the commission was +given, "Go ye and make disciples[23] of all nations, baptizing them in +the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; +teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you." +And then these words were added, showing that the commission was to be +handed on by them to successive Apostles for ever: "And lo! I am with +you alway, even unto the end of the world" (S. Matt. xxviii. 16-20). +And we find that, as years passed on, the Apostles ordained others to +take their places; to assist them during their lifetime in the various +countries and cities where converts had been made, and to succeed them +when they were gone. The duties of these chief Ministers are clearly +described in the Epistles, which we possess to two of them, viz. +Timothy and Titus; being such as the Apostles themselves fulfilled, +and including the general oversight of all teaching, and matters of +order, and the ordaining of Elders and Deacons, as S. Paul sums them +up to Titus: "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest +set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain Elders in every +city" (Titus i. 5). And in the first ages of the Church the number of +such overseers or Bishops was very large; every chief city having one +to rule over the Church in that place, and to keep up the unity with +the whole body. + +We come now to the second order of Ministers, the Elders. When the +numbers of the faithful increased, it is clear that the Apostles by +themselves would be unable to instruct them in the things commanded by +the Lord (S. Matt. xxviii. 20); and we conclude that Elders were +appointed at once to assist them--probably from amongst the seventy +disciples sent out by our Lord (S. Luke x. 1)--because, when mention +is made of them, S. Luke seems to take for granted that his readers +will know who they are. The first mention of Elders in the Church at +Jerusalem is in connection with the alms sent by the Christians at +Antioch, to relieve their poor brethren in the capital: "They sent it +to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul" (Acts xi. 30). Elders +are mentioned again as taking part with the Apostles in the first +Council at Jerusalem, when "The Apostles and Elders came together to +consider of the matter" (Acts xv. 6). And it is made quite clear that +Elders were regarded as a necessary order of Ministers in the Church +of Christ, by the account given of the return of S. Paul and S. +Barnabas from their first missionary journey: "They returned again to +Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, and when they had ordained them +Elders[24] in every Church, they commended them to the Lord" (Acts +xiv. 21-23). Their office was to take charge of the different +congregations or Churches in the various towns and villages, very much +as is still the duty of the second order of Ministers in the Church. +We may learn this from the words of S. Paul during his last journey to +Jerusalem. Having landed at Miletus, "He sent to Ephesus, and called +the Elders of the Church;" and when they were come he reminded them +what his teaching had been, and then charged them thus: "Take heed +therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the +Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which +He hath purchased with His own blood" (Acts xx. 17-28). + +The appointment of the third order of Ministers--the Deacons--was at +first for a special object; to take the management of the distribution +of daily necessaries to the widows and needy (Acts vi. 1-6). But, +from the first, the spiritual gifts bestowed upon them were exercised +in the more distinctly spiritual work of preaching. Thus Stephen's +"faith and power" (Acts vi, vii) stirred up the first persecution; and +Philip, another of the first Deacons, by his faithful preaching +brought about the conversion of the Samaritans (Acts viii. 5-14), and +then laid the first stone in the foundation of the Ethiopian Church +(Acts viii. 26-38). + +Thus from the first beginning of "The Kingdom of Heaven" we find the +three orders or classes of Ministers, which have been ever since in +the Holy Catholic Church. Apostles and Bishops bearing the Lord's +commission to which the promise of His presence was attached; Elders +or Priests having charge of congregations, as Pastors, to feed, +instruct, and lead; and Deacons having special oversight of the relief +of the poor, but also using their talents to preach as God gave unto +them. + +The position and life of "The Brethren" are set forth with equal +clearness. As soon as a man was induced, by the leading of the Holy +Spirit, to profess his belief in Jesus the crucified--as being +Messiah, the Son of God, our Saviour--he was baptized according to +the Lord's instructions to the Apostles (S. Matt. xxviii. 19). He was +thus enrolled amongst the subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven," who +were commonly spoken of as "Believers" _or_ "The faithful," as "The +Brethren," and as "Saints." In this way multitudes were brought into +the Church on the day of Pentecost (Acts ii. 41); thus Philip admitted +the people of Samaria (Acts viii. 12), and the Ethiopian officer of +Queen Candace (Acts viii. 36-38). Thus S. Peter admitted the Gentile +Cornelius, his hesitation to do so having been first removed by the +manifest descent upon him of the Holy Ghost (Acts x. 47, 48); and thus +S. Paul and S. Barnabas continually admitted converts in their +missionary journeys. It does not appear that the Apostles themselves +baptized; but they directed the act to be administered by an +attendant. Thus S. Paul took John Mark with him as his "minister" on +his first journey (Acts xiii. 5), and on other journeys Silas and +Timothy and others. When Cornelius and his friends were baptized, we +do not read that S. Peter baptized them, but "he commanded them to be +baptized in the name of the Lord" (Acts x. 48); and S. Paul expresses +his thankfulness that only a few individuals could say that they had +been baptized by him in person, "lest any should say that I had +baptized in my own name" (1 Cor. i. 14-17). + +The life of "The Brethren," after baptism, is also described with much +distinctness, in a few words which seem to have been recorded once for +all of the first converts, in formal terms which should be applicable +to all others: "They continued stedfastly in the Apostles' doctrine, +and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts ii. +42). And the four particulars thus stated seem to include all the +duties of the Christian life. Their stedfast attention to "The +Apostles' doctrine" implies that they accepted their testimony as the +truth necessary for salvation. Their holding to "the fellowship" or +communion, implies their unity with the Apostles, and with one +another. Their continual observance of "The breaking of bread" implies +the high position at once given to the ordinance of the Holy +Communion, instituted by the Lord Himself as the bond of the New +Covenant, in place of the sacrifices of the blood of beasts under the +Old Covenant. And their habitual joining in "The prayers," implies +that the assembling of Christians for common worship was practised +from the first. + +Such was the life of the first subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven." +And this record of it in Holy Scripture sets it forth as the pattern +for all future generations. It is true that the infant Church was not +perfect, and, had it been so, it would not have corresponded with the +description which our Lord had given of it in His Parables; but the +leaven was at work upon the hearts of the believers, and the result +was manifest in their lives. + +After about ten years had thus passed, during which the Church was +being gradually developed as the Kingdom of Messiah in Judĉa and +Samaria, the second period of its history, as recorded in the Bible, +began. And henceforth Antioch became a fresh centre of interest and +activity, in consequence of the ordination of S. Paul and S. Barnabas +as Apostles. "There were in the Church that was at Antioch certain +prophets and teachers. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the +Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto +I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid +their hands on them, they sent them away. So they being sent forth by +the Holy Ghost, sailed to Cyprus" (Acts xiii. 1-4). Thus began the +first missionary journey into heathen lands. And from Cyprus the good +news of "The Kingdom of Heaven" spread to Asia Minor, where in the +course of years the seven branches of the Church were founded to which +was addressed the Book of the Revelation, vouchsafed to the aged +Apostle S. John (Rev. i. 4). From Asia the Church extended into +Europe, the Apostles being called thither by the vision at Troas of +the "man of Macedonia saying, Come over unto Macedonia and help us" +(Acts xvi. 9). The first victories of the Cross in Europe were gained +at Philippi and Thessalonica, and thence the good news passed on to +Greece, and the rich city of Corinth became the Apostle Paul's +headquarters for "a year and six months," the Lord having "much +people" there (Acts xviii. 10, 11). From Greece the Gospel spread to +Rome, the capital of the ancient world. So that we learn from Holy +Scripture, that, within the lifetime of the Apostles, the mustard-seed +of the Gospel had sprung up and grown into a tree, whose branches +overshadowed well nigh the whole of the then civilised world, as it +was known to the Romans. + +The answer to the question, What is the Holy Catholic Church? is thus +provided for us in the Bible, whether we regard it as an article of +the faith, or as a matter of historical fact. The Holy Catholic Church +is "The Kingdom of Heaven," which was described beforehand by our Lord +in His parables, which was set up on the Day of Pentecost, and then +gradually developed into an organised body, under laws and ministers +duly ordained by the Lord Himself, or under the guidance of the Holy +Ghost; and which then spread from one land to another through the +exertions of the holy Apostles. The Holy Catholic Church is that +Kingdom whose founding is described, and whose history is commenced, +in Holy Scripture. + +But the history of the Church is only commenced in Holy Scripture, and +for a full explanation of the Holy Catholic Church, regarded as a +historical fact, we need to have this history continued down to our +own days. Within the limits of this little book, nothing but a very +brief outline of the history of the Church is possible. But without +doubt every Christian in this country ought to have such a general +knowledge of this history, as will enable him to understand clearly +how the Church of England of to-day is united with the Church of +Apostolic times. + +The history of the further extension of the Church of Christ is +contained in the writings of various Christian authors whose books +have been preserved to us. Some few of these, such as Polycarp and +Clemens of Rome, were contemporaries with the Apostles, and were +ordained by them. These were followed by Justin Martyr--who in his +"Apologies on behalf of the Christians" gives a full account of their +manner of life, and worship, and ordinances--and Irenaeus, and Clemens +of Alexandria, who lived between A.D. 120 and A.D. 200. Of the next or +third century, we have many books by Tertullian, Origen and Cyprian, +giving full accounts of the faith and laws of the Christians, their +social life and their worship. And in the fourth century, the +historian Eusebius wrote his History of the Church from the days of +our Lord down to the reign of Constantine, the first Christian +Emperor; and many of the great theologians and defenders of the faith +flourished, whose names may well be "household words" with Christians +of all ages, such as Athanasius, Ambrose, Jerome, Chrysostom, and +Augustine. + +From these or other ancient authors we learn that Christianity rapidly +spread to the northern parts of Africa, to which country many of them +belonged; to France, and to Britain, where there was a scattered +British Church whilst the Romans still held the country. + +In course of time, the two great capitals of the Roman Empire +naturally assumed the chief importance in the history of the Church; +and Rome became the chief see of the Western or Latin-speaking Church, +and Constantinople of the Eastern or Greek-speaking Church[25]. And +from that time forward, down to the Reformation period, the history of +the Church is contained in numberless writings of successive authors, +in the decrees of Popes, in the records of the great monastic orders, +in the works of the Schoolmen, and in the chronicles of the various +historians. And last, though not least, we find it imperishably +recorded in the cathedrals, and abbeys, and parish churches, which +tell of the inventive genius and taste and skill of our pious fathers +in the middle ages[26]. + +But our interest naturally attaches itself chiefly to our own country, +and to the records we possess of the Church of England. The Roman +troops were withdrawn from Britain about the end of the fourth +century; and in the course of the next two hundred years, the various +tribes of heathen Saxons who invaded our shores overcame the +resistance of the Britons and settled in England; and, by their +victorious advance, the few that survived of the British Christians +were driven to take refuge in the mountains of Wales and the western +counties. Toward the close of the sixth century the attention of +Gregory the Great, the good and zealous Bishop or Pope of Rome, was +called to the heathen condition of Saxon England; and A.D. 597 +Augustine was sent over with a band of clergy to convert the Saxons. +He landed in Kent, converted Ethelbert the king, and became first +Archbishop of Canterbury[27]. Shortly afterwards Celtic +missionaries--Aidan, Chad, and others--pushed southwards, converting +Northumbria and the Midlands; others landed in the southern counties; +and the English people grew into power as a Christian nation. + +As years passed on, the Bishops, or Popes, of Rome usurped to +themselves an ever-increasing authority, which was the cause of many +contests between them and successive kings of England; and at the same +time many abuses grew up and superstitious practices were mingled with +the simple belief of purer ages, and a gradual decay of true +spiritual religion set in. At length in the sixteenth century the +English Church asserted its right to reform abuses under its own +Archbishops and Bishops. Then the Reformation period began. The Pope +of Rome endeavoured to resist the movement, and to maintain his +authority; and upon the people of England refusing to submit to his +unreasonable and unbearable claims, the rupture between the Church of +Rome and the Church of England resulted. + +The position thus taken by the Church of England must be clearly +understood. + +During the Middle Ages the various Churches of the west of Europe were +gradually brought to acknowledge the supremacy of the Popes or Bishops +of Rome. So that the Pope was able to exercise an authority over all +these Churches. Hitherto learning had been confined to a very few. But +now, through the invention of printing, the knowledge of Holy +Scripture was rapidly extending; and people were finding not only that +the claims of the Pope were without foundation, but also that many of +the ceremonies and practices, to which they were accustomed, were +superstitious and wrong. + +This then was the work of the Reformation--to free the Church of +England from the unreasonable claims of the Papal Supremacy; and to +bring back the faith and worship of the people into harmony with the +writings of the ancient Fathers of the Church. + +The result was that new services were compiled in English out of the +old Latin books, which the people had been unable to understand; and +much that was superstitious was omitted. But the changes were +introduced gradually, and as the people were prepared to accept them. +The same Parish Clergy, in most cases, ministered as before, only +according to the new forms; the Churches were used by the same +worshippers; the same Creeds were repeated. For the Reformation +touched not the ancient Catholic Faith. It only removed the modern +ceremonies and superstitious beliefs which had been added to it. + +Like all great human efforts, the Reformation was not unmixed with +evil; but, at the same time, the blessings gained by our country were +very great. And if other countries had succeeded in reforming abuses, +in a similar manner, no doubt the Church of Christ would have gained +great influence for good, not only in Europe, but also throughout the +world. But the power, which the Church of Rome had usurped to herself, +was too valuable to be parted with. The Pope denounced the +Reformation, and broke off all communion with our Church and nation. + +What then became the position of the Church of England? We have seen +how the unity of the various branches of the Church was provided for +by our Lord, through the Apostles and Bishops, to whom He entrusted +His commission to extend His Kingdom. And by the Providence of God the +unity of the Church of England with the Holy Catholic Church has been +maintained, notwithstanding this unhappy schism between us and the +Church of Rome[28]. Our Archbishops and Bishops still exert as before +an indisputable authority, as the officers of the King of "The Kingdom +of Heaven;" and having fellowship with them, we know that we are in +the same position as the first members of the Church, who "continued +stedfastly in the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship" (Acts ii. 42). +Nothing but time separates us from the Apostles and the early Church +of Christ. What was necessary for the first subjects of "The Kingdom +of Heaven" we enjoy. What they were taught to believe, we believe. +What they were led to hope for, we hope for likewise. The promise of +our Lord to His Apostles, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end +of the world" (S. Matt. xxviii. 20), includes our Bishops, with all +the other successors of the Apostles from that day until now. + +To the question, What is the Holy Catholic Church[29]? the answer must +be given, It is "The Kingdom of Heaven"--the Kingdom of +Messiah--which, according to His own prediction, has spread from land +to land through all the world. And when we speak of the Church of +England, we speak of that branch of the one great spiritual Kingdom +which was founded, under God's Providence, in our own land, in ancient +times, and which includes ourselves. For Bishop has followed Bishop, +and the Gospel has been preached, and subjects have been brought into +the Kingdom of Christ, in this favoured land of England, from one +generation to another, from the very beginning of our national life +until our own day. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[22] The word "Catholic" is the Greek for "Universal," and expresses +the truth that the Church of Christ is open to, and embraces, all the +nations of the world; because the Kingdom of Messiah was not to be +restricted to one nation, but was intended to spread over the whole +earth. And, consequently, the word also expresses the essential unity +of the Church, because there can be but one Church which is purposed +to include the whole race of man. + +[23] See the marginal note in a reference Bible. + +[24] The word "Elders" is in the Greek _Presbyteroi_, from which comes +"Presbyter," and from the shortened form "Prester," which was once in +use, comes our present English form "Priest." The use of this word +"Priest" to translate the word _Hiereus_, which is the name in the +Greek of the Jewish Minister, and the mistaken idea that the +sacrifices he offered were propitiatory in the sense that they "could +take away sin" (Heb. x. 4), have caused much misunderstanding of the +word, and prejudice against it, which the knowledge of its meaning +removes. + +[25] In the course of the ninth century a very serious dispute raged +between the Eastern and Western Church. The Greeks had often before +protested against the pretensions of the Popes of Rome, and now they +complained that the Latins had introduced the word "Filioque," meaning +"and the Son," into the article of the Creed respecting the procession +of the Holy Ghost. The Nicene Creed, as drawn up in the original +Greek, contains only these words, "proceeding from the Father." The +Latin Church added "and the Son," without the authority of a General +Council. And though the contest seems to have been about words, rather +than any difference of doctrine, at last, after a dispute of many +years, it ended in the schism between the Church of Constantinople and +the Church of Rome--between the East and the West--which has never +been healed. + +[26] See Archbishop Trench's Lectures on Medieval Church History. + +[27] He must not be confused with the great theologian, Augustine, +Bishop of Hippo in Africa, who was mentioned above (page 137), and who +lived two hundred years before. + +[28] It need hardly be said that it is a great mistake to use the term +"Catholic" as if it were the exclusive right of the members of the +Church of Rome. On the contrary, they have no standing-ground in +England at all; and fall into the number of schismatics here, because +they refuse to hold communion with the branch of the Holy Catholic +Church in this land. + +[29] The Holy Catholic Church may be considered to be +divided--speaking generally--into three great divisions. The Eastern, +or Greek-speaking Church; the Roman, or Latin-speaking Church; the +Anglican, or English-speaking Church. And now, by the Providence of +God, we can see that a mighty responsibility has been laid upon our +own branch of "The Kingdom of Heaven." We feel sure that with the +marvellous spread of the English nation, the Church of Christ ought to +have spread with equal rapidity; and past neglect, especially with +respect to the great colonies founded in past generations in America, +brings us much to answer for. Yet we may take courage when we think +how the English-speaking branch of the Holy Catholic Church has spread +in recent times. North America, Canada, and the West Indies; +Australia, New Zealand, and many islands of the sea; South Africa; +India, China, and Japan, all bear witness that the good news of the +Kingdom has been scattered, far and wide, by English-speaking agents +of the great King. And our Archbishop of Canterbury is the +acknowledged centre of as wide a sphere of spiritual energy as the +Pope himself. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. + + "The Saints on earth, and those above, + But one communion make; + Joined to their Lord in bonds of love, + All of His grace partake." + + +The history of the extension of the Church of Christ from one land to +another, and of the successive victories won by the Cross over heathen +races from age to age, gives by itself a very imperfect idea of the +meaning of the words "The Holy Catholic Church." Because, with the +outward extension of the Church, its influence upon the inner man +needs always to be considered. For when our Lord described the +extension of "The Kingdom of Heaven," He not only likened it to the +spread of a tree branching out on every side, but He also declared +that it would work as leaven, secretly, by changing the hearts of men. + +This truth may be said to be kept prominently before Christians by +the term "Holy" being applied to the "Catholic Church." The Church of +Christ is of necessity and essentially "Holy." We see that this must +be so, when we understand what Holy Scripture says of it; that it is +builded entirely by the Holy Ghost (Eph. ii. 20-22); that its members +are "called with an holy calling" (2 Tim. i. 9), "called to be saints" +(1 Cor. i. 2), that is, holy persons; and that a day will come when +the Lord Jesus, who "loved the Church, and gave Himself for it, that +He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the +word," will "present it unto Himself a glorious Church, not having +spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but holy and without blemish" +(Eph. v. 25-27). + +But yet we know that at present the Church of Christ is very far from +being perfect. And the mingling together of holy and unholy in the +Church is exactly in accordance with the prediction of our Lord +Himself. For whilst He spoke of the power of His grace to change and +sanctify the hearts of the subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven," He +also expressly foretold that there would be tares in His field +amongst the wheat (S. Matt. xiii. 24-30), which would remain as long +as the world lasts; and that the Gospel net would enclose bad fish as +well as good, and both would be retained in it until the Angels make +the separation at the end (S. Matt. xiii. 47-50). The truth of His +teaching has been confirmed by the subsequent history of the Church in +all ages. Holy and unholy are together; and though we are forbidden to +attempt to separate them, we know that there is, as it were, a gulf +between them, which though not impassable is very great. The words of +S. Paul to the Jews, "They are not all Israel, which are of Israel" +(Rom. ix. 6), apply to God's people still. And as he went on to quote +from the prophet Isaiah, "Though the number of the children of Israel +be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved" (Rom. ix. 27), +so, we know by experience, that it is still the "remnant" only, which +really live up to "the high calling of God in Christ Jesus," and +"press toward the mark for the prize" (Phil. iii. 14). "Many are +called, but few chosen" (S. Matt. xxii. 14). + +Consequently, since there are unholy as well as holy members of "The +Holy Catholic Church," the question arises, What is the portion of +those who are, what they are called to be, "Saints"? And how shall we +express it? Shall we accept the theory of some who say that there are +two Churches; an outward and visible Church which is a mixed company +of good and bad; and an inner and invisible Church which is known to +God alone, and which consists of the good only? A moment's +consideration of what has been pointed out in previous chapters to be +the teaching of Holy Scripture, about "The Kingdom of Heaven," will +show that the idea is untenable; because it is "The Kingdom of Heaven" +which is distinctly described as imperfect in its present state here +on earth; and we cannot conceive the idea of two universal Kingdoms of +Messiah. What then is the teaching of Holy Scripture respecting the +position of the "Saints," who really are, what they are called to be, +holy? + +It is expressed in the words of the Creed, "I believe in the Communion +of Saints." + +They who live as Christians, that is, as belonging to Christ, enjoy +"The Communion of Saints." All subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven" may +enjoy this position of the Saints, if they will. If they are +unnatural children of their Heavenly Father, if they are disloyal +subjects of their King, if they resist, instead of being led by, the +Holy Spirit, they are hindering God's good-will concerning them, and +making of none effect the sufferings of their Saviour. But if they +look up to and love their Father, if they set themselves to serve +their King, if they strive to follow the guidance of the Spirit, they +are in the way of salvation, and have "The Communion of Saints." + +But what is "The Communion of Saints"? + +No little confusion has been brought into the consideration of these +words by the very prevalent idea that the Saints are, necessarily, +departed Saints who have finished their course in God's faith and +fear. But this is not the usual Bible sense of the word. For instance, +in the Psalms it is commonly used for the name of those who believe in +and worship God. "Sing to the Lord, O ye Saints" (Ps. xxx. 4). "O love +the Lord, all ye His Saints" (Ps. xxxi. 23). "The Lord forsaketh not +His Saints" (Ps. xxxvii. 28). And in the Book of the Acts of the +Apostles and the Epistles it is continually used in the same sense, +for the Lord's people in general. "Peter came down to the Saints +which dwelt at Lydda" (Acts ix. 32). And at Joppa, "He called the +Saints and widows" to him (Acts ix. 41). And S. Paul speaks of his +work as a persecutor in these words, "Many of the Saints did I shut up +in prison" (Acts xxvi. 10). And in most of his Epistles he addresses +those to whom he is writing as "called to be Saints" (Rom. i. 7; 1 +Cor. i. 2). + +Another frequent cause of misunderstanding is the idea that "the +Saints" mean only a few very holy persons, who have attained by the +grace of God such a degree of perfection, as is beyond the reach of +those who live an active life in the world. But this idea also is +found to be contrary to the ordinary Bible use of the word. Those whom +S. Paul addresses in his Epistles as "Saints," are rebuked for almost +every kind of sin. The Corinthians, especially, are an instance of the +imperfections which may yet be found in God's Saints, and may teach us +how tenderly we need to deal with the failings of those who are just +emerging from heathenism in our own days. The First Epistle to the +Corinthians administers rebukes for schism, fornication, idolatrous +tendencies, misuse of spiritual gifts, profanation of the worship of +God, and misbelief. And even the Saints at Ephesus, who are addressed +as if they had made great advance in the understanding of the +mysteries of the faith, are warned to abstain from lying, violent +anger, stealing, foul speaking, and unkind behaviour (Eph. iv. 25-32). +From which we learn to give a very wide meaning to the word "Saints;" +and to understand by it, Christian people who, with many imperfections +and frequent falls, are seeking to gain a better knowledge and deeper +love of God; and are striving to be led by the Holy Spirit to resist +sin and advance in holiness. + +And what is "The Communion" which such persons enjoy? + +It is Communion with God, so that their "life is hid with Christ in +God" (Col. iii. 3). They are declared to be united with God, as a +branch is united with its stem; deriving spiritual life--a new and +higher life than the natural life which belongs to all--from Him. They +are "begotten again" (1 Pet. i. 3), and "born of God" (S. John i. 13); +and the seed of this eternal life is not left dormant in them, as it +is in the careless and ungodly; for they remain not as "children," but +"grow up unto Him in all things" (Eph. iv. 14, 15); and letting "the +mind that was in Christ Jesus" (Phil. ii. 5) be in them, and "being +strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man, Christ dwells +in their heart by faith" (Eph. iii. 16, 17); and they are advancing +"unto the perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness +of Christ" (Eph. iv. 13). + +The closeness of this union or communion with God in Christ is +expressed more fully by the figure of the body and its members. The +Saints together form the Body of Christ. "For as the body is one, and +hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, +are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized +into one body" (1 Cor. xii. 12, 13). Christ is the Head: and the +Church is the Body. For God "gave Him to be the Head over all things +to the Church, which is His Body" (Ephes. i. 22, 23). So intimately +connected are the Saints with their Lord that they are the members of +Christ--yea, S. Paul does not hesitate to say, "We are members of His +Body, of His Flesh, and of His Bones" (Ephes. v. 30). This is a great +mystery; but when faith has accepted it, it is seen to be the ground +of the Christian's strength. He is strong through grace, because his +strength is not his own, but is derived from Christ his Lord, with +Whom through the Spirit he is united. + +The importance of the two holy Sacraments of Christ is in connection +with this truth. Holy Baptism is the means ordained for uniting us +with the Body of Christ (1 Cor. xii. 13). Holy Communion is the means +of maintaining this union, and of drawing supplies of grace from Him +(1 Cor. x. 16, 17), as will be considered more fully presently. + +Thus through a right use of the means ordained by Christ Himself the +Saints are His own members[30]. "Why persecutest thou _Me_?" said the +Lord to the persecutor of His people. And they have the good hope to +cheer them, that when the great day of judgment comes, whilst to some +who address the Judge, "Lord, Lord," as if they had always served Him, +it will be said, "I never knew you, depart from Me" (S. Matt. vii. 22, +23); the Saints, on the other hand, will be recognised as being like +Him--as bearing God's image--and will receive the welcome, "Come, ye +blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you" (S. Matt. +xxv. 34). + +The meaning of "The Communion of Saints" becomes clearer when we know +that "Communion" is the same word as that which is more often +translated "Fellowship." The Apostle S. John speaks with great +clearness about this Communion or Fellowship. Referring to the good +tidings delivered by himself and the other Apostles about the person +and work of the Saviour, he saith, "That which we have seen and heard +declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us." In +other words, he declares that the Gospel was preached that all might +enjoy the Communion or Fellowship which the Apostles possessed. And +then he goes on to explain with whom they enjoyed this Communion: "And +truly our Fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus +Christ" (1 S. John i. 3). And this assertion of the Communion of the +Christian with God agrees with the words of the prayer of our Lord for +His people, recorded by the same Apostle; wherein He prayed, "That +they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that +they may be made perfect in one" (S. John xvii. 22, 23). + +These thoughts of the Communion of the Christian with God--the Father +and the Son--would be incomplete, did we not also think of our +Communion with the Holy Ghost. For inasmuch as the whole spiritual +life of the Christian is due to the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, this +Communion with God, which the Christian enjoys, is in reality the work +and gift of the Holy Ghost. And this is testified to us by the +familiar words of blessing, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and +the love of God, and the Communion" (or Fellowship) "of the Holy +Ghost, be with you all" (2 Cor. xiii. 14). + +Furthermore, "The Communion of Saints" describes the fellowship or tie +of brotherhood which unites Christians together, one with another. For +if all Saints have Communion with God, it follows that all have +Communion one with another in Him. If Christians are really striving +to be, what they are called to be, holy, they are all one family; +united together by the common bond of sonship; "For ye are all the +children of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. iii. 26). Their +adoption into the one family of God is to them a real relationship. +And this also is expressed very clearly by S. John: "If we say we have +fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie; but if we walk in +the light, we have fellowship one with another" (1 S. John i. 6, 7). +And inasmuch as death does not sever the union between the Saint and +God, but rather intensifies it (seeing that S. Paul describes the +result of death as the "being with Christ," Phil. i. 23), it follows +that "The Communion of Saints" is not a fellowship with the living +only, but with the departed also. "All are one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. +iii. 28); whether Jews or Gentiles, whether living or departed. + +Having now concluded, from the teaching of Holy Scripture, that "The +Communion of Saints" is that fellowship which Christians enjoy, +through being made one with God, and with one another; we shall do +well to consider more carefully about the means by which they are +enabled to keep up this union, and to maintain the sense of its +reality from age to age. When our Blessed Lord spoke in the synagogue +at Capernaum respecting the Bread of Life, He used these words, +"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of +Man, and drink His Blood, ye have no life in you;" and then He added, +"He that eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, dwelleth in Me, and I +in Him" (S. John vi. 53, 56). His hearers had no idea about what He +meant by His Flesh and Blood. But in instituting the Holy Sacrament of +the Lord's Supper, He explained the words Himself. For "He took bread, +and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to His disciples, and said, +This is My Body; and He took the cup, saying, This is My Blood" (S. +Matt. xxvi. 26-28). And consequently S. Paul, referring to this Holy +Sacrament, appealed to the Corinthians to remember the bond of union +with God, and with one another, in which they were joining, saying, +"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the Communion of the +Blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the Communion of +the Body of Christ? For we being many are one Bread and one Body, for +we are all partakers of that one Bread" (1 Cor. x. 16, 17). And, +therefore, we conclude that this Holy Sacrament is the bond of union, +ordained by our Lord Himself, to maintain outwardly and visibly, as +well as inwardly and spiritually, "The Communion of Saints" with God +and with one another. And this is clearly expressed by the name "Holy +Communion" by which we commonly speak of this Holy Sacrament. + +Does any one ask, What is "The Communion of Saints?" The answer is +clear. It is the Communion or fellowship which Christians enjoy with +God, and therefore with one another, whether in this world or in +Paradise. And the Sacrament of the Holy Communion is the ordained +means whereby this union is maintained by the Saints on earth. + +It is a sad but manifest fact, that it is in the power of men to +"frustrate the grace of God" (Gal. ii. 21), and to make His good-will +concerning them to be of none effect. So that whilst all who are +called to enter the Kingdom of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ are +called to enjoy the blessings which He has gained for us, the +multitude make little or no use of His gifts. But all who will, may by +His grace be assured of sharing in all the benefits of His Sacrifice. +"If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship +one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us +from all sin" (1 S. John i. 7). + +And as the Saints, by virtue of this Communion with God, have the +assurance of "The forgiveness of sins;" so likewise they look joyfully +forward in hope of "The Resurrection of the Body" and "The Life +Everlasting." For "The dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which +are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the +clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the +Lord" (1 Thess. iv. 16, 17). + + +FOOTNOTE: + +[30] Consequently the expression "in Christ" or "in the Lord" is +frequently used to denote the fact of a person being a Christian. Thus +S. Paul sends greeting to certain, who had been converted before +himself, in these words, "Salute Andronicus and Junia who were in +Christ before me" (Rom. xvi. 7); and describes the Christians of +Palestine, at the time of his visit, as "the Churches of Judĉa which +were in Christ" (Gal. i. 22). And thus of the Christian departed it is +said, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord" (Rev. xiv. 13). + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +CONCLUSION. + + "From Heaven He came and sought her + To be His Holy Bride, + With His own Blood He bought her, + And for her life He died." + + +"The Kingdom of Heaven," what is it? + +It is the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ. It is that +Kingdom which was prophetically set forth by our Lord in His parables; +that Kingdom, the subjects of which were described in His teaching, +and redeemed by His Blood to be His own "purchased possession" (Eph. +i. 14); that Kingdom which was founded through the coming of the Holy +Ghost--being a spiritual Kingdom not of the world, though at present +in the world--and which was preached from land to land as an Universal +Kingdom, intended to embrace the whole race of man. + +The purpose for which our Blessed Lord came down from Heaven, and +"humbled Himself even to the death upon the cross" (Phil. ii. 8), was +that He might found this Kingdom. "He purchased" it at no less a cost +than "with His own blood" (Acts xx. 28). For He "loved the Church and +gave Himself for it[31]" (Ephes. v. 25). + +In other words, the salvation which is proclaimed in Holy Scripture, +as the great gift of God's love, is offered unto man through the means +of a Kingdom of which our Lord Jesus Christ is the King, and all the +men and women and little children in the world are intended to be the +subjects. The Son of God became the Son of Man, that in Him the words +of the Psalmist might be fulfilled, "I will give Thee the heathen for +Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy +possession" (Ps. ii. 8); and those other words (which are quoted by +S. Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews), "Thou hast put all things +under His feet" (Ps. viii. 6). + +"But we see not yet all things put under Him" (Heb. ii. 8). Although +He "gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and +purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works" (Tit. ii. +14), the perversity of man has spoilt the perfection of His work, and +hindered the results of His self-sacrifice. Eighteen hundred years +have passed, and still His rule is imperfect; and not one third of the +human race, whom He redeemed unto Himself with His own blood, accept +Him as their King. But in His perfect foreknowledge, this hindering of +His work of love for the salvation of man was present from the first; +and was foretold by Him in part in His parables. And it pleased Him to +entrust to His faithful people the task of removing and overcoming by +their prayers and exertions the obstacles which opposed His rule. + +When the Pharisees once asked "When the Kingdom of God should come, He +answered them and said, The Kingdom of God cometh not with +observation; neither shall they say, Lo here! or, Lo there! for +behold the Kingdom of God is among[32] you" (S. Luke xvii. 20, 21). +His Kingdom was already being set up amongst them, though they knew it +not; and ever since those days it has been spreading amongst men. But +He knew how strongly the great enemy of God and man would oppose the +extension of His Kingdom; and how powerful the perversity of man would +be to hinder it; and when His disciples asked to be taught to pray, +these were the words He bade them pray, "Thy Kingdom come" (S. Matt. +vi. 10). + +It follows, therefore, that it is a matter of great importance that we +understand clearly the meaning of these words. We cannot suppose for a +moment that our Lord meant that the Kingdom of God is not _come_ at +all in this present time. Because many passages, which have been +already quoted, have assured us that His Kingdom was founded long ago +amongst men. Moreover, He expressly directed His disciples to assure +those to whom they preached, whether they hearkened or not--"The +Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you" (S. Luke x. 9, 11). + +What then is the meaning of the prayer, "Thy Kingdom come"? + +The Kingdom of God is come already, and men are everywhere "pressing +into it" (S. Luke xvi. 16). But His rule over the hearts of men is +imperfect, and will be so as long as it can be said "We see not yet +all things put under Him" (Heb. ii. 8). Therefore He has taught His +faithful people of every age to lift up this prayer--"Thy Kingdom +come"--that it may be brought to pass that He may rule in all hearts +supreme; that the lands which are still heathen may be brought into +His Kingdom; and that those who now profess to bear His Name may be +"Saints" indeed. And inasmuch as He "loved the Church and gave Himself +for it," not that it might consist of so-called Christians--who in +heart are worshippers of Mammon, and not subjects of the +Crucified--but "that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing +of water and the word, that it should be holy and without blemish," +this prayer--"Thy Kingdom come"--must continue to ascend until He can +"present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle +or any such thing" (Eph. v. 25-27). And then at last the cry will be +raised, "The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our +Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev. +xi. 15). + +We are taught in Holy Scripture that faith can move mountains of +difficulty (S. Matt. xvii. 20), and that the prayer of faith has a +power to which God has set no bounds (S. Matt. xxi. 22). And the +surest way to pray in faith is to be ourselves striving for the +fulfilment of our prayers. + +Now the King Himself declared the source from which the weakness of +His Kingdom would arise. When He prayed for His little band of +disciples, He added, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them +also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may +be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may +be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me" (S. +John xvii. 20, 21). Consequently if we would gain an answer to our +prayer, "Thy Kingdom come," we want to lead Christian men to think +that the saying is true, "A Kingdom divided against itself cannot +stand" (S. Mark iii. 24); and that it is impossible for "The Kingdom +of Heaven" to be strong to win souls for Christ, whilst its subjects +are forming factions and so-called denominations, and are opposing one +another. "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell +together in unity! For there the Lord commanded the blessing, even +life for evermore" (Ps. cxxxiii. 1, 3). + +To re-unite the divided branches of Christ's Holy Church, or even to +heal the divisions amongst God's people in our own land, is a work +which is beyond the power of man to accomplish. But if Christians +would but be persuaded to see the advantages of unity, and to desire +to live up to their high calling as God's children--as the one family +of God--the first step would have been taken which would lead, in +God's own time, to the end in view. + +For if the subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven" only realised their +position, how great would be the answer to this universal prayer, "Thy +Kingdom come!" How would Christ's Kingdom be then advancing in the +world! For His Church would be moving, as one mighty army, against His +foes, and Christ in His members would be indeed going forth, +"conquering and to conquer" (Rev. vi. 2). + +May He pardon all that is defective in these pages, and bless them to +the promotion of His glory. May He grant that those who read them may +be strengthened in their own faith, and be themselves prepared for the +great day, when "The Kingdom of Heaven," as we know it, will have +become the Kingdom of Glory; "when there shall be one flock and one +Shepherd" (S. John x. 16); and the daily repeated prayer will have +been fulfilled, + +THY KINGDOM COME. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[31] When it is said that Christ died for the Church, it is necessary +to remember that in His intention the Church included the whole world +(see S. Matt. xxviii. 19). The wilfulness of man in refusing to +believe cannot alter that intention though it spoils the completion of +it. "God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son"--thus +the wideness of His loving intention was set forth--"that whosoever +believeth in Him should not perish" (S. John iii. 16)--thus the +necessity of man's belief, in order that the intention might be +carried out, was announced beforehand. + +[32] See marginal note in a reference Bible. + + +THE END. + + + + +_A Prayer for Unity._ + + +O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Saviour, the +Prince of Peace; Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great +dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions. Take away all hatred and +prejudice, and whatsoever else may hinder us from godly union and +concord: that, as there is but one Body, and one Spirit, and one Hope +of our Calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father +of us all, so we may henceforth be all of one heart, and of one soul, +united in one holy bond of Truth and Peace, of Faith and Charity, and +may with one mind and one mouth glorify Thee; through Jesus Christ our +Lord. _Amen._ + +(_From the Book of Common Prayer._) + + * * * * * + +CLARENDON PRESS, OXFORD. + +FOR THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. + + + + +Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. + + +Publications on THE CHRISTIAN EVIDENCES. + + +BOOKS. + + Price. + _s. d._ + +_Theism or Agnosticism._ + An Essay on the grounds of Belief in God. By the =Rev. + Brownlow Maitland, M.A.=, author of "The Argument from + Prophecy," &c. Post 8vo. _Cloth boards_ 1 6 + +_Argument from Prophecy (The)._ + By the =Rev. 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Goulburn, D.D.=, Dean of Norwich. + 18mo. _Paper cover_ 0 2 + + +*.* _For List of TRACTS on the Christian Evidences, see the Society's +Catalogue B._ + + +DEPOSITORIES: 77, GREAT QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S-INN FIELDS W.C., 4, +ROYAL EXCHANGE, E.C.; 48, PICCADILLY, W. LONDON. + + + + +Transcriber's Note + +This book contains some archaic spelling, and unusual punctuation and +capitalisation. All have been left as printed in the original. + +The author used both Eph. and Ephes. as references to Ephesians; these +have been left as printed. + +Minor typographic inconsistencies (e.g. use of italics in adverts +section) have been corrected without note. + +The advertising material was printed with the author names in bold +typeface. 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