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MAN'S ENTIRE NATURE

witnesses of its fall. Sickness attacks it. Death seizes upon it. it. But shall it be left, in its dark domain? Nay. If like the leprous house, it must be taken down: it is only, that it may be reared again; in glory surpassing its first estate. It lies in the

tomb.

But it is not to abide there for ever. The eye of the All-Seeing One watches over it. The power of the Almighty One is around it. It shall rise again. At the appointed time, it shall awake from its slumbers; and come forth, in the loveliness of a new creation. Hence, the shout of joy, which shall go up, when the spirits of God's ransomed ones are re-united to the body. A body, whose outward glory, shall be a fitting accompaniment, to the powers of the spirit within. Hence, the apostle prays, that, "your whole spirit and soul and body, be preserved blameless, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Hence, too, in our Communion Office, the prayer of the officiating minister is, "The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for you, preserve your body and soul unto everlasting life." Aye, brethren, it is a glorious truth, that our entire nature is to share the redemption wrought out by Jesus Christ. It is all the purchase of His blood. And, hence, a redeemed soul, in a redeemed and glorified body, forms the full idea of a subject of the kingdom of God! Everything short of this, is fragmentary, imperfect, unscriptural.

When, therefore, I read that, "God hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son," (Col. i. 13,) I bless Him, for that glorious truth. I thank and

praise Him, for every evidence, that men may become subjects of His spiritual kingdom. But, then, that is not all the truth, I read again: "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father." Matt. xiii. 43. And that, also, is true. Neither passage, by itself, gives the entire truth. Both together do. And is there any clashing between them? Just as much as there is, between the blossoms of spring, and the fruits of autumn. The one is the preparation for the other.

It is a beautiful sight, to see the trees of the orchard covered over with the blossoms of spring. But it is something more beautiful still, to see those same trees laden with the ripe and glowing fruits of the closing year. So, it is a beautiful sight, to see the budding tokens of God's grace in the spiritual affections and holy lives of his people. But, O! it is to be counted more beautiful and glorious, far, to witness the gathering in of the fruits of redeeming love; in the visible setting up of the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ!

So, the Church of Christ, on earth, or-if you like the title better-His spiritual reign in the hearts of his people-is, just, a preparation for entrance to his kingdom. It is not that kingdom. You may not put it in the place of that kingdom. Can you put the blossom in the place of the ripened fruit? Can you make the one a substitute for the other? Never! It is only a preparation. You cannot make it more. You dare not make it less. There is no such thing as reaching the glory of the kingdom of God, save by membership in the Church of God; i. e., by a saving reception, in the heart, of

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KINGDOM OF HEAVEN,

"the truth as it is Jesus." You might, as well, hope to pluck the fruits of autumn from a tree that had not borne the blossoms of spring. Hence; the Gospel is called, "The Gospel of the Kingdom." Matt. iv.23; ix. 35; xxiv. 14. It is not that kingdom. It is sent to open the way into it: to prepare us for it. And, therefore, it is The Gospel-or the good news-of that kingdom. And so, the people of God are called, "heirs of the kingdom." They have not yet attained to it. It is still future. The title to it is theirs. But they have not entered on its possession.

The kingdom of God, then, is just the complement -the fulness-of all that God designs to do for His people. His spiritual reign, in their hearts, is the beginning of it. His kingdom, set up, in "the new heavens and new earth," is the conclusion of it; when the ransomed souls of His people, united to ransomed and glorified bodies, shall be the willing subjects of His reign; in a universe from which sin is banished, for ever! I submit to you, brethren, you can make nothing else out of it. Claim what you will for its spiritual aspect: there is a sense in which that does not express the fulness of its meaning. There are passages and many of them-which lead you out, into a wider, and more exalted, and more glorious range of truth, than it can possibly express.

Of course, it must be granted, that the phrase, "The kingdom of heaven," is used in a variety of connections. I suppose, however, they may all be reduced to two; i. e.,

I. The kingdom, which is yet to be set up on the earth: and

II. Some state or instrument of preparation for it. I think you will find no other. And, bearing this distinction in mind, we shall encounter no great difficulty in determining the sense of the phrase, wherever it In one or two passages, its meaning may be doubtful.* But, then, were it so in many, that could not outweigh a single instance in which its meaning is strongly and clearly defined.

occurs.

* One of these is: "Behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke xvii. 21. Now, if by this, our Lord meant, in their hearts, it would be a very clear example of its spiritual signification. But, does it mean that? The proof seems very clear, that it does not. Who were they to whom these words were spoken? Pharisees; of whom He affirmed, that they were “hypocrites;" whose hearts, like dead mens' graves, were full of all uncleanness. They were children of hell; they were serpents; a generation of vipers, of whom He asked, "How can ye escape the damnation of hell ?"

Now, can we suppose that our Lord meant to affirm of such men as these, that the kingdom of God was in their hearts? We must all feel that the supposition would be an outrage. But, if we adopt the marginal reading; and say, the kingdom of God is " among you." we have a very different meaning. Most probably, that is the true sense.

The other passage is, "There be some standing here, who shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." Matt. xvi. 28. To what event does this refer? Clearly, not to the destruction of Jerusalem. It is difficult to understand how that interpretation ever gained currency in the Church. What was there in a heathen army to symbolize the coming of the Son of God? And then, it is absolutely destitute of Scripture foundation. But, admit the transfiguration to be a type, or setting forth of the glory of His second coming; and a clear and radiant light invests the passage. And St. Peter manifestly takes this view. 2 Pet. i. 16-20. He uses the one event to set forth the other. word of prophecy attests that coming. And the transfiguration was a setting forth of its character. Christ in glory, and His risen

The sure

saints with Him; what is this, but His coming and His kingdom?

Let me repeat. The Bible is one. Its scheme is "at unity with himself." It has one, great, central thought. And this, it follows out, in every part. That thought is, The restoration of man from the consequences of his fall. Of this, it never loses sight. The scene may change; but this is still the central figure. It may not always be equally visible. But it is always the great design; directing alike its silence and its speech. It informs every part. And breathes in every page. And leads us on, through changing scenes and times and laws; and the rise and fall of empires; until it bids us rest in the full attainment of its glorious end! It sets man before us, made in the image of God. Through all the sad history of his fall it follows him; till it sets him before us again, with that image fully reproduced within him. From Genesis to Revelation, the march of truth returns, like a circle, upon itself. It brings us back to the point of beginning. At first, man is sinless by creation. At last he is so, as the result of a perfected redemption. In Genesis, he stands by the tree of life; from which, alas, he is speedily driven out. In Revelation, he stands there again; but then, it is to go out no more.

And yet, there is advance in this unity of plan. The paradise of the beginning, is the paradise also of the end; while yet, there are added to it the statelier proportions of the city and kingdom of our God! Man is merely sinless, in the one. He is incapable of sinning, in the other. And that, not by the power of compulsion; but as the result of a finished redemption. When the precious metal is once wholly puri