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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 + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 380px;"> +<img src="images/tkoh01.jpg" width="380" height="550" alt="Front cover of the book" /> +</div> + + +<h1 style="padding-top: 3em;">THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN;</h1> + +<h2 style="padding-top: 2em;">WHAT IS IT?</h2> + +<p class="center" style="padding-top: 5em;"><b>BY</b></p> + +<h2 style="padding-top: 2em;">EDWARD BURBIDGE, M.A.</h2> + +<p class="center"><b>RECTOR OF BACKWELL, SOMERSET.</b></p> + +<p class="center" style="padding-top: 5em;">PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE TRACT COMMITTEE.</p> + +<p class="center" style="padding-top: 5em;">LONDON:<br /> +SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE;<br /> +NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, CHARING CROSS;<br /> +4, ROYAL EXCHANGE; AND 48, PICCADILLY.</p> + + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p> + +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.”</p> + +<p>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.”</p> + +<p>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 <em>waiting for the Kingdom of God</em>. Our Lord, +adopts the expression and frequently employs +it to denote His Spiritual Kingdom the Church.”</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> +Kingdom of Christ on earth, the Kingdom of +the Gospel, the Church of Christ.”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>My object has been to provide an answer to +two questions.</p> + +<p>1. What did our Blessed Lord teach about +His Church in His discourses?</p> + +<p>2. What is meant by the words of the Creed, +“The Holy Catholic Church; the Communion +of Saints?”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p class="address"><span class="smcap">Backwell</span>, <i>August 1879</i>.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + + +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="60%" summary="Table of contents"> + <tr> + <td class="tdl" colspan="2"><span class="smcap lowercase">CHAPTER</span></td> + <td class="tdrt"><span class="smcap lowercase">PAGE</span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">I.</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The King’s Herald</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#Page_7">7</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">II.</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Gospel of the Kingdom</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#Page_18">18</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">III.</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Parables of the Kingdom</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">IV.</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Subjects of the Kingdom</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#Page_50">50</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">V.</td> + <td class="tdlsc">Things pertaining to the Kingdom</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#Page_66">66</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">VI.</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The King on His Throne</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#Page_76">76</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">VII.</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Parables exemplified in the early History of the Church</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">VIII.</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Essential Unity of the Kingdom</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">IX.</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Holy Catholic Church</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#Page_121">121</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">X.</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Communion of Saints</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#Page_145">145</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XI.</td> + <td class="tdlsc">Conclusion</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#Page_160">160</a></td> + </tr> +</table> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span></p> + +<p>“<i>Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which +shall believe on <span class="smcap lowercase">ME</span> through their word; that they all +may be one; as <span class="smcap lowercase">THOU FATHER</span> art in <span class="smcap lowercase">ME</span>, and I in +<span class="smcap lowercase">THEE</span>, that they also may be one in <span class="smcap lowercase">US</span>; that the world +may believe that Thou hast sent <span class="smcap lowercase">ME</span>.</i>”—S. John xvii. 20, 21.</p> + +<p>“<i>When <span class="smcap lowercase">THOU</span> hadst overcome the sharpness of death: +<span class="smcap lowercase">THOU</span> didst open the <span class="smcap lowercase">KINGDOM OF HEAVEN</span> to all believers.</i>”—Te +Deum.</p> + +<p>“<i><span class="smcap">Thy kingdom</span> come.</i>”—S. Matt. vi. 10.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>THE KING’S HERALD.</h3> + +<table class="center" summary="Verse"> +<tr><td> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“On Jordan’s banks the Baptist’s cry<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Announces that the Lord is nigh;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Awake and hearken, for he brings<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Glad tidings of the King....”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p>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).</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> +Kingdom, and to discharge their duties loyally +to their Heavenly King.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>“The Kingdom of Heaven”—What is it?</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> +The Anointed One<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a>—“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).</p> + +<p>The proclamation of “The Kingdom of Heaven” +by John the Baptist defined the exact +time in the world’s history when this Kingdom +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> +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<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a>” (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).</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>Taking now as our starting-point the great +truth that the Lord Jesus Christ came to found +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> +a Kingdom, our next enquiry must be respecting +the subjects or citizens of this Kingdom.</p> + +<p>Who are the subjects of “The Kingdom of +Heaven?”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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).</p> + +<p>In other words, “The Kingdom of Heaven” +is a real Kingdom, though a spiritual and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> +heavenly one. The Lord Jesus Christ is King, +and all the nations of the world are called to +be His subjects.</p> + +<p>And where is “The Kingdom of Heaven”?</p> + +<p>The answer is clear. Wherever they are who +have accepted the King and been admitted as +His subjects.</p> + +<p>“The Kingdom <em>of</em> Heaven” is not as yet <em>in</em> +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, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> +“Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the +Kingdom prepared for you” (S. Matt. xxv. 34).</p> + +<p>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 <em>in</em> the world though not <em>of</em> it. +For its subjects are not yet in Heaven: but are +partly at rest in Paradise; partly here on earth +still warring against evil.</p> + +<p>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.”</p> + +<p>The Lord Jesus Christ came to found a Kingdom. +He is the King of “The Kingdom of +Heaven.”</p> + +<p>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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> +found faithful, and the number of the elect shall +be accomplished.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> 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.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> 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.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM.</h3> + +<table class="center" summary="Verse"> +<tr><td> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“This is He whom Seers in old time<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Chanted of with one accord;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Whom the voices of the Prophets<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Promised in their faithful word.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> +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<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> 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).</p> + +<p>And what is the Gospel of the Kingdom?</p> + +<p>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” +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +(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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +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<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a>” (Ps. lxxii. 5, 7, 11, 17).</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>Many years were yet to pass before the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +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<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a>, 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Verily God’s ways are not as man’s ways.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> 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.)</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> 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.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> See below, notes on pp. <a href="#Page_50"><b>50</b></a> and <a href="#Page_83"><b>83</b></a>.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>THE PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM.</h3> + +<table class="center" summary="Verse"> +<tr><td> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“What is earth but God’s own field,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Fruit unto His praise to yield?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Wheat and tares therein are sown,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Unto joy or sorrow grown;<br /></span> +<hr style="width: 60%;" /> +<span class="i0">Grant, O Lord of Life, that we<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Holy grain and pure may be.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> +sins, that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet. +iii. 18).</p> + +<p>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”?</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>The Parables of “The Kingdom of Heaven”<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>At the same time He encouraged His disciples +with the prospect of boundless success. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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; +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +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)<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a>.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +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<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a>, and given to a nation bringing forth +the fruits thereof” (S. Matt. xxi. 33-43).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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).</p> + +<p>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).</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> 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.”</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> 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.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> 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.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>THE SUBJECTS OF THE KINGDOM.</h3> + +<table class="center" summary="Verse"> +<tr><td> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“Blest are the pure in heart,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">For they shall see their God,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The secret of the Lord is theirs,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Their soul is Christ’s abode.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p>The Subjects of “The Kingdom of Heaven”—who +are they?</p> + +<p>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<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a>. The King +was only preparing the way for His Kingdom to +be set up. And there is necessarily a great +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +difference between joining a Kingdom in the act +of being founded, and being born under its laws +and within its limits.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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).</p> + +<p>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; +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +habits and modes of thought—he must become +a new man altogether—to enter in.</p> + +<p>Who then would enter in? Who would become +subjects of the Kingdom of Heaven?</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> +heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these +things from the wise and prudent, and hast +revealed them unto babes” (S. Luke x. 21).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> +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” +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +(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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +faithful subjects, and admitted into the Kingdom +of Glory.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 <em>of</em> Heaven” are called that +they may be ready for the life <em>in</em> Heaven. And +“without holiness no man shall see the Lord” +(Heb. xii. 14).</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTE:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> See S. Matt. xvi. 18. Pearson on the Creed, p. 336.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>THINGS PERTAINING TO THE KINGDOM.</h3> + +<table class="center" summary="Verse"> +<tr><td> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“Now is there solemn pause in earth and heaven;<br /></span> +<span class="i4">The Conqueror now<br /></span> +<span class="i4">His bonds hath riven,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And Angels wonder why He stays below;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Yet hath not man his lesson learned,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">How endless love should be returned.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p>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<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a>. And though few records +have been preserved of His instructions to them +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> +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.”</p> + +<p>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, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +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<a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a> 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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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<a name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a>” (S. Matt. xvi. 19). And +the same words about binding and loosing were +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>We can readily imagine that many other +matters were discussed amongst “the things +pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Again, the words of institution of the Sacrament +of the Lord’s Supper, “This is My Blood +of the new testament<a name="FNanchor_13_13" id="FNanchor_13_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_13_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a>, which is shed for many +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> +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?</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> +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.)</p> + +<p>On all these points<a name="FNanchor_14_14" id="FNanchor_14_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_14_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a> 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<a name="FNanchor_15_15" id="FNanchor_15_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_15_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a>, +under the guidance of the Holy Ghost, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> +on all such matters “pertaining to the Kingdom +of God.”</p> + +<p>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 Judæa, 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.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> For fuller information about this period, see Bishop +Moberly’s “Discourses on the Great Forty Days.”</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a> See the note in the margin of a Reference Bible.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_12_12" id="Footnote_12_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_12_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a> 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.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_13_13" id="Footnote_13_13"></a><a href="#FNanchor_13_13"><span class="label">[13]</span></a> 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.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_14_14" id="Footnote_14_14"></a><a href="#FNanchor_14_14"><span class="label">[14]</span></a> 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.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_15_15" id="Footnote_15_15"></a><a href="#FNanchor_15_15"><span class="label">[15]</span></a> 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).</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>THE KING ON HIS THRONE.</h3> + +<table class="center" summary="Verse"> +<tr><td> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“Crown Him with many crowns,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The King upon His Throne.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p>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<a name="FNanchor_16_16" id="FNanchor_16_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_16_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a> Throne at God’s right hand.</p> + +<p>When He was before the Jewish Council He +had declared to them, “Hereafter shall ye see +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +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.”</p> + +<p>Thus the Kingdom was established amongst +men by the power of the Holy Ghost<a name="FNanchor_17_17" id="FNanchor_17_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_17_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a>. A spiritual +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> +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.”</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_16_16" id="Footnote_16_16"></a><a href="#FNanchor_16_16"><span class="label">[16]</span></a> See Pearson on the Creed, pp. 283, 285.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_17_17" id="Footnote_17_17"></a><a href="#FNanchor_17_17"><span class="label">[17]</span></a> 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 <em>I will</em> 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).</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>THE PARABLES EXEMPLIFIED IN THE EARLY +HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.</h3> + +<table class="center" summary="Verse"> +<tr><td> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“To Him shall prayer unceasing<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And daily vows ascend;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His Kingdom still increasing,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">A Kingdom without end.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>The Parable of the Sower admits of frequent +illustration if we understand the seed to refer, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>The Parable of “The Tares,” which described +the sad outward appearance of “The Kingdom +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> +against which the First Epistle of S. John is +mainly directed.</p> + +<p>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).</p> + +<p>Such was the growth of the Church in the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>But the spread of the Church of Christ was +not merely an outward extension in the number +of professed members. The Parable of “The +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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). +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>The last Parable of the series, “The +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> +Draw-net,” referring as it does to the final separation at +the end of the world, cannot be illustrated by +example.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3>THE ESSENTIAL UNITY OF THE KINGDOM.</h3> + +<table class="center" summary="Verse"> +<tr><td> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“Elect from every nation,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Yet One o’er all the earth;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Her charter of salvation,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">One Lord, One Faith, One Birth.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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” +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>The question now arises, Was this the case?</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> +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?</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> +“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.</p> + +<p>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).</p> + +<p>But the unity of a Kingdom depends, not +merely upon having one Head and certain +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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).</p> + +<p>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. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +“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.</p> + +<p>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?</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> +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<a name="FNanchor_18_18" id="FNanchor_18_18"></a><a href="#Footnote_18_18" class="fnanchor">[18]</a>.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +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<a name="FNanchor_19_19" id="FNanchor_19_19"></a><a href="#Footnote_19_19" class="fnanchor">[19]</a>?” (1 Cor. iii. 4); +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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.”</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> +reunited into one? How can the mischief be +undone?</p> + +<p>It is beyond the power of man.</p> + +<p>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<a name="FNanchor_20_20" id="FNanchor_20_20"></a><a href="#Footnote_20_20" class="fnanchor">[20]</a> 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.</p> + +<p>But one thing is certain. No plan of re-union +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>But as in an earthly kingdom various opinions +may be held by different persons and parties, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> +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<a name="FNanchor_21_21" id="FNanchor_21_21"></a><a href="#Footnote_21_21" class="fnanchor">[21]</a>. 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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_18_18" id="Footnote_18_18"></a><a href="#FNanchor_18_18"><span class="label">[18]</span></a> 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.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_19_19" id="Footnote_19_19"></a><a href="#FNanchor_19_19"><span class="label">[19]</span></a> 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).</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_20_20" id="Footnote_20_20"></a><a href="#FNanchor_20_20"><span class="label">[20]</span></a> 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.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_21_21" id="Footnote_21_21"></a><a href="#FNanchor_21_21"><span class="label">[21]</span></a> 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.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3>THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH.</h3> + +<table class="center" summary="Verse"> +<tr><td> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“Christ is gone up; yet ere He passed<br /></span> +<span class="i1">From earth, in heaven to reign,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He formed One Holy Church to last<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Till He should come again.<br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">So age by age, and year by year,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">His grace was handed on;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And still the Holy Church is here,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Although her Lord is gone.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p>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?</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +is hoped that the readers of these pages have +been led to see this already.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>Consequently, in professing our faith in “The +Holy Catholic<a name="FNanchor_22_22" id="FNanchor_22_22"></a><a href="#Footnote_22_22" class="fnanchor">[22]</a> 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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> +we have a present share in His infinite merits, +and a good hope of eternal Life through Him.</p> + +<p>The Holy Catholic Church is “The Kingdom +of Heaven.”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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; +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +and the second, when it began to spread +amongst the Gentiles, in the heathen countries +of Asia and Europe.</p> + +<p>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 Judæa 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 Judæa.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile we find that the Church was +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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<a name="FNanchor_23_23" id="FNanchor_23_23"></a><a href="#Footnote_23_23" class="fnanchor">[23]</a> +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> +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<a name="FNanchor_24_24" id="FNanchor_24_24"></a><a href="#Footnote_24_24" class="fnanchor">[24]</a> in every Church, they commended +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +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” <em>or</em> “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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> +that the assembling of Christians for common +worship was practised from the first.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>After about ten years had thus passed, during +which the Church was being gradually developed +as the Kingdom of Messiah in Judæa 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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> +whole of the then civilised world, as it was +known to the Romans.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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 <span class="smcap lowercase">A.D.</span> 120 and <span class="smcap lowercase">A.D.</span> 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, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> +whose names may well be “household words” +with Christians of all ages, such as Athanasius, +Ambrose, Jerome, Chrysostom, and Augustine.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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<a name="FNanchor_25_25" id="FNanchor_25_25"></a><a href="#Footnote_25_25" class="fnanchor">[25]</a>. And +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> +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<a name="FNanchor_26_26" id="FNanchor_26_26"></a><a href="#Footnote_26_26" class="fnanchor">[26]</a>.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> +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 <span class="smcap lowercase">A.D.</span> +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<a name="FNanchor_27_27" id="FNanchor_27_27"></a><a href="#Footnote_27_27" class="fnanchor">[27]</a>. 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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>The position thus taken by the Church of +England must be clearly understood.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>This then was the work of the Reformation—to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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<a name="FNanchor_28_28" id="FNanchor_28_28"></a><a href="#Footnote_28_28" class="fnanchor">[28]</a>. 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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>To the question, What is the Holy Catholic +Church<a name="FNanchor_29_29" id="FNanchor_29_29"></a><a href="#Footnote_29_29" class="fnanchor">[29]</a>? the answer must be given, It is “The +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_22_22" id="Footnote_22_22"></a><a href="#FNanchor_22_22"><span class="label">[22]</span></a> 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.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_23_23" id="Footnote_23_23"></a><a href="#FNanchor_23_23"><span class="label">[23]</span></a> See the marginal note in a reference Bible.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_24_24" id="Footnote_24_24"></a><a href="#FNanchor_24_24"><span class="label">[24]</span></a> The word “Elders” is in the Greek <i>Presbyteroi</i>, 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 <i>Hiereus</i>, 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.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_25_25" id="Footnote_25_25"></a><a href="#FNanchor_25_25"><span class="label">[25]</span></a> 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.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_26_26" id="Footnote_26_26"></a><a href="#FNanchor_26_26"><span class="label">[26]</span></a> See Archbishop Trench’s Lectures on Medieval +Church History.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_27_27" id="Footnote_27_27"></a><a href="#FNanchor_27_27"><span class="label">[27]</span></a> He must not be confused with the great theologian, +Augustine, Bishop of Hippo in Africa, who was mentioned +above (page <a href="#Page_137"><b>137</b></a>), and who lived two hundred years before.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_28_28" id="Footnote_28_28"></a><a href="#FNanchor_28_28"><span class="label">[28]</span></a> 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.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_29_29" id="Footnote_29_29"></a><a href="#FNanchor_29_29"><span class="label">[29]</span></a> 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.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3>THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS.</h3> + +<table class="center" summary="Verse"> +<tr><td> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“The Saints on earth, and those above,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">But one communion make;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Joined to their Lord in bonds of love,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">All of His grace partake.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>Consequently, since there are unholy as well +as holy members of “The Holy Catholic +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> +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?</p> + +<p>It is expressed in the words of the Creed, “I +believe in the Communion of Saints.”</p> + +<p>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, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> +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.”</p> + +<p>But what is “The Communion of Saints”?</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>And what is “The Communion” which such +persons enjoy?</p> + +<p>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, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Thus through a right use of the means ordained +by Christ Himself the Saints are His +own members<a name="FNanchor_30_30" id="FNanchor_30_30"></a><a href="#Footnote_30_30" class="fnanchor">[30]</a>. “Why persecutest thou <em>Me</em>?” +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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).</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTE:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_30_30" id="Footnote_30_30"></a><a href="#FNanchor_30_30"><span class="label">[30]</span></a> 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 Judæa 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).</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3>CONCLUSION.</h3> + +<table class="center" summary="Verse"> +<tr><td> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“From Heaven He came and sought her<br /></span> +<span class="i1">To be His Holy Bride,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With His own Blood He bought her,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And for her life He died.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p>“The Kingdom of Heaven,” what is it?</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>The purpose for which our Blessed Lord came +down from Heaven, and “humbled Himself even +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> +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<a name="FNanchor_31_31" id="FNanchor_31_31"></a><a href="#Footnote_31_31" class="fnanchor">[31]</a>” (Ephes. v. 25).</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span> +by S. Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews), +“Thou hast put all things under His feet” (Ps. +viii. 6).</p> + +<p>“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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> +here! or, Lo there! for behold the Kingdom of +God is among<a name="FNanchor_32_32" id="FNanchor_32_32"></a><a href="#Footnote_32_32" class="fnanchor">[32]</a> 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).</p> + +<p>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 <em>come</em> 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).</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> +What then is the meaning of the prayer, “Thy +Kingdom come”?</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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” +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> +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).</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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).</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> +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,</p> + +<p class="center" style="padding-bottom: 2em;"><span class="smcap">Thy Kingdom come</span>.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_31_31" id="Footnote_31_31"></a><a href="#FNanchor_31_31"><span class="label">[31]</span></a> 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.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_32_32" id="Footnote_32_32"></a><a href="#FNanchor_32_32"><span class="label">[32]</span></a> See marginal note in a reference Bible.</p></div> +</div> + + +<p class="center" style="padding-top: 3em; font-weight: bold; font-size: 120%;">THE END.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><i>A Prayer for Unity.</i></h2> + + +<p>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. <i>Amen.</i></p> + +<p>(<i>From the Book of Common Prayer.</i>)</p> + + + +<p class="center" style="padding-top: 7em;">CLARENDON PRESS, OXFORD.<br /> +FOR THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_A1" id="Page_A1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center" style="font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold;">Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.</p> + + +<h2 style="padding-top: 3em;">Publications on<br /> +THE CHRISTIAN EVIDENCES.</h2> + +<p class="center" style="font-size: 110%;">BOOKS.</p> + + +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="80%" summary="Titles and prices"> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2">Price.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdc"><i>s.</i></td> + <td class="tdc"><i>d.</i></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Theism or Agnosticism.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">An Essay on the grounds of Belief in God. By the <b>Rev. +Brownlow Maitland, M.A.</b>, author of “The Argument from +Prophecy,” &c. Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Argument from Prophecy (The).</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the <b>Rev. Brownlow Maitland, M.A.</b>, Author of “Scepticism +and Faith,” &c. Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Scepticism and Faith.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the <b>Rev. Brownlow Maitland</b>. Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Modern Unbelief: its Principles and Characteristics.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the <b>Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Gloucester +and Bristol</b>. Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Some Modern Religious Difficulties.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">Six Sermons preached, by the request of the Christian +Evidence Society, at St. James’s, Piccadilly, on Sunday +Afternoons after Easter, 1876; with a Preface by his Grace +the Archbishop of Canterbury. Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Some Witnesses for the Faith.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">Six Sermons preached, by the request of the Christian +Evidence Society, at St. Stephen’s Church, South Kensington, +on Sunday Afternoons after Easter, 1877. Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">4</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Theism and Christianity.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">Six Sermons preached, by the request of the Christian +Evidence Society, at St. James’s, Piccadilly, on Sunday +Afternoons after Easter, 1878. Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">The Analogy of Religion.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_A2" id="Page_A2">[Pg 2]</a></span></td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">Dialogues founded upon Butler’s “Analogy of Religion.” +By the <b>Rev. H. R. Huckin, D.D.</b>, Head Master of Repton +School. Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">3</td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">“Miracles.”</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the <b>Rev. E. A. Litton, M.A.</b>, Examining Chaplain of +the Bishop of Durham. Crown 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Moral Difficulties connected with the Bible.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">Being the Boyle Lectures for 1871, preached in Her +Majesty’s Chapel at Whitehall. By the <b>Ven. Archdeacon +Hessey, D.C.L.</b>, Preacher to the Hon. Society of Gray’s +Inn, &c. <span class="smcap">First Series.</span> Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Moral Difficulties connected with the Bible.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">Being the Boyle Lectures for 1872, preached in Her +Majesty’s Chapel at Whitehall. By the <b>Ven. Archdeacon +Hessey, D.C.L.</b> <span class="smcap">Second Series.</span> Post 8vo. +<i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">2</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Prayer and recent Difficulties about it.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">The Boyle Lectures for 1873, being the <span class="smcap">Third Series</span> +of “Moral Difficulties connected with the Bible.” +Preached in Her Majesty’s Chapel at Whitehall. By the +<b>Ven. Archdeacon Hessey, D.C.L.</b> Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">2</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">The above Three Series in a volume. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Historical Illustrations of the Old Testament.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the <b>Rev. G. Rawlinson, M.A.</b>, Camden Professor of +Ancient History, Oxford. Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Can we Believe in Miracles?</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By <b>G. Warington, B.A.</b>, of Caius College, Cambridge. +Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">The Moral Teaching of the New Testament +viewed as Evidential to its Historical Truth.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the <b>Rev. C. A. Row, M.A.</b> Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Scripture Doctrine of Creation.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the <b>Rev. T. R. Birks, M.A.</b>, Professor of Moral Philosophy +at Cambridge. Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Thoughts on the First Principles of the Positive +Philosophy considered in Relation to the Human Mind.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the late <b>Benjamin Shaw, M.A.</b>, late Fellow +of Trinity College, Camb. Post 8vo. <i>Limp cloth</i></td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + <td class="tdc">8</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Thoughts on the Bible.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_A3" id="Page_A3">[Pg 3]</a></span></td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the <b>Rev. W. Gresley, M.A.</b>, Prebendary of Lichfield. +Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">The Reasonableness of Prayer.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the <b>Rev. P. Onslow, M.A.</b> Post 8vo. <i>Limp cloth</i></td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + <td class="tdc">8</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Locke on the Existence of God.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">Post 8vo. <i>Paper cover</i></td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + <td class="tdc">3</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Paley’s Evidences of Christianity.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">A New Edition, with Notes, Appendix, and Preface. By +the <b>Rev. E. A. Litton, M.A.</b> Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">4</td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Paley’s Natural Theology.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">Revised to harmonize with Modern Science. By <b>Mr. F. le +Gros Clark, F.R.S.</b>, President of the Royal College of +Surgeons of England, &c. Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">4</td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Paley’s Horæ Paulinæ.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">A new Edition with Notes, Appendix, and Preface. By +<b>J. S. Howson, D.D.</b>, Dean of Chester. Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">3</td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">The Story of Creation as told by Theology and Science.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the <b>Rev. T. S. Ackland, M.A.</b> Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Man’s Accountableness for his Religious Belief.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">A Lecture delivered at the Hall of Science, on Tuesday, +April 2nd, 1872. By the <b>Rev. Daniel Moore, M.A.</b>, Holy +Trinity, Paddington. Post 8vo. <i>Paper cover</i></td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + <td class="tdc">3</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">The Theory of Prayer; with Special Reference to Modern Thought.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the <b>Rev. W. H. Karslake, +M.A.</b>, Assistant Preacher at Lincoln’s-Inn, Vicar of +Westcott, Dorking, late Fellow and Tutor at Merton +College, Oxford. Post 8vo. <i>Limp cloth</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">When was the Pentateuch Written?</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By <b>George Warington, B.A.</b>, author of “Can we Believe +in Miracles?” &c. Post 8vo.<i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">1</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">The Credibility of Mysteries.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">A Lecture delivered at St. George’s Hall, Langham Place. +By the <b>Rev. Daniel Moore, M.A.</b> Post 8vo. <i>Paper cover</i></td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + <td class="tdc">3</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Analogy of Religion, Natural and Revealed, to the Constitution +and Course of Nature:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_A4" id="Page_A4">[Pg 4]</a></span></td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">to which are added, Two Brief Dissertations. By <b>Bishop +Butler</b>. <span class="smcap">New Edition.</span> Post 8vo. <i>Cloth boards</i></td> + <td class="tdc">2</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Christian Evidences:</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">intended chiefly for the young. By the <b>Most Reverend +Richard Whately, D.D.</b> 12mo. <i>Paper cover</i></td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + <td class="tdc">4</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">The Efficacy of Prayer.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the <b>Rev. W. H. Karslake, M.A.</b>, Assistant Preacher +at Lincoln’s-Inn, &c. &c. Post 8vo. <i>Limp cloth</i></td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">Science and the Bible:</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">a Lecture by the Right <b>Rev. Bishop Perry, D.D.</b> 18mo. +<i>Paper cover</i> 4d., or <i>Limp cloth</i></td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + <td class="tdc">6</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">The Bible: Its Evidences, Characteristics, and Effects.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">A Lecture by the <b>Right Rev. Bishop Perry, D.D.</b> +18mo. <i>Paper cover</i></td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + <td class="tdc">4</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">A Sermon on the Efficacy of Prayer.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the <b>Right Reverend Harvey Goodwin, D.D.</b>, Bishop of +Carlisle. 16mo. <i>Paper cover</i></td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + <td class="tdc">2</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">The Testimony of the Primitive Fathers to the +Truth of the Gospel History.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By <b>T. G. Bonney, M.A.</b>, Fellow of St. John’s College, +Cambridge. 18mo. <i>Paper cover</i></td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + <td class="tdc">2</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">The Truth of the Gospel History confirmed +by the Earliest Witnesses after Apostolic Times.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">A Lecture delivered at Potsdam. By the late <b>Dr. F. W. +Krummacher</b>. 18mo. <i>Paper cover</i></td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + <td class="tdc">2</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdli">A Lecture on the Bible.</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">By the Very Rev. <b>E. M. Goulburn, D.D.</b>, Dean of +Norwich. 18mo. <i>Paper cover</i></td> + <td class="tdc">0</td> + <td class="tdc">2</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class="center" style="padding-top: 2em;"><sup>*</sup><sub>*</sub><sup>*</sup> +<i>For List of TRACTS on the Christian Evidences, see the Society’s +Catalogue B.</i></p> + + +<p class="center" style="padding-top: 3em; padding-bottom: 3em;">DEPOSITORIES:<br /> +77, GREAT QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN’S-INN FIELDS W.C.,<br /> +4, ROYAL EXCHANGE, E.C.; 48, PICCADILLY, W.<br /> +<span class="smcap">London.</span></p> + + +<div class="bbox"> +<p><b>Transcriber's Note</b></p> + +<p>This book contains some archaic spelling, and unusual punctuation and +capitalisation. All have been left as printed in the original.</p> + +<p>The author used both Eph. and Ephes. as references to Ephesians; these +have been left as printed.</p> + +<p>Minor typographic inconsistencies (e.g. use of italics in adverts section) +have been corrected without note.</p> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Kingdom of Heaven; What is it?, by +Edward Burbidge + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; WHAT IS IT? *** + +***** This file should be named 24759-h.htm or 24759-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/7/5/24759/ + +Produced by Colin Bell, Sam W. and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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