DOCTRINE OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM. 95 is the Christ is born of God; and that whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith who is he that overcometh the world," says he, "but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God." 1 John v. 1-4. It is no uncommon thing to find the inspired writers varying their modes of expression on this subject; and thus that which, in one place, is ascribed to faith, is in another attributed to our receiving Christ; as when it is said, “he came unto his own, and his own received him not;" that is, they did not believe him to be the Christ, the Son of God: "but, to as many as received him, to them gave he power (or privilege) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name," John i. 11, 12; which the apostle, writing to the Galatians, thus expresses-"Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus," ch. iii. 26. There is no discrepancy in these statements--a child may reconcile them. To receive Christ is to believe God's testimony concerning him; for there is no other way of receiving any thing upon testimony, but by giving credit to the testifier. Moreover, it ought to be well observed that Christ Jesus the Lord is held forth, in the Gospel testimony, as the anointed prophet, priest, and king of the church; and it is essential to true faith to receive him in each of these offices: that is, to submit to him as the great teacher sent from God, the prophet whom the Lord was to raise up unto the children of Israel, like unto Moses, whom they were to hear in all things -their atoning priest, who hath put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and so reconciled them unto God by his bloodand their exalted king, lawgiver, and governor, into whose hands all authority and power are now committed, both in heaven and on earth; who sits upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom (having the government upon his shoulder), to order all its affairs, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever." Isa. ix. 6, 7. To sum up then, in few words, the substance of these general remarks on the doctrine of the kingdom, I would say, that, as eternal life is the object of the Redeemer's purchase, so the power of bestowing it resides in him-that he pre pares his people for it, by means of his word, and Spirit, and ordinances and that he will at length confer it upon them. To accomplish this godlike purpose, this wondrous plan of bringing lost sinners to the possession of the happiness and glory of the heavenly state, is the design of the Redeemer's kingdom in this sinful world, where he reigns in the midst of his enemies, subduing rebels by his grace, and sanctifying them through the power of his truth. In order to carry into effect his all-wise and gracious purposes towards the heirs of salvation-that he may train them up by a course of salutary discipline into conformity to himself and a state of meetness for the inheritance of the saints in light-he has instituted the fellowship of his churches, which, in the language of prophecy, are termed "the dwelling places of Mount Zion,” Is. iv. 5. By means of the glorious Gospel of his grace, the rod of his strength which he sends out of Zion, the chief shepherd causes his sheep to hear his voice and return from their wanderings on the mountains of sin and error to himself, the shepherd and bishop of souls--he gathers them into folds and flocks-and commits them to the care of undershepherds, whom he commands to "feed his lambs and his sheep," to lead them into green pastures beside the living stream, to watch over them with paternal solicitude, and protect them from the devouring wolf, Joh. x. In the churches he has planted his ordinances as so many wells of salvation, Isa. xii. 3. There the word of life is to be held forth-the unadulterated milk dispensed, on which the disciples feed, as new born babes are nourished by means of the mother's breastthere he establishes his throne and sways his sceptre over a willing people-there he manifests his special presence among his subjects, dispensing in rich abundance the blessings of his grace --and there he calls upon his disciples to wait upon him that he may restore comforts to the mourner, renew the strength of the fainting soul, relieve the tempted and distressed, and supply their every need, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. To justify the truth of this representation, we shall now turn our attention to the Acts of the Apostles, for the purpose of showing how the matter stood at the beginning, and also to ascertain what is the pattern therein afforded us of a Christian church. From this portion of holy writ we learn that when the Son of DOCTRINE OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM. 97 God had accomplished the work of our redemption by means of his death, and was risen again, "he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of his apostles forty days," during which time he gave them instructions concerning the setting up of his kingdom in the world, ch. i. 3. They were told to tarry at Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them, agreeably to the promise which he had made them. Accordingly, on the day of Pentecost, this extraordinary event took place: and the holy apostles were now more perfectly enlightened into the spiritual and heavenly nature of their Lord's kingdom, and they preached the doctrine on which it was founded with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, God also bearing them witness with signs, and wonders, and divers miracles. The apostle Peter, on the day of Pentecost, declared to a vast multitude, who were then convened at Jerusalem out of almost every nation under heaven, the divine mission, the life, death, resurrection, ascension, and glorious exaltation of Jesus of Nazareth, and demonstrated, from the writings of the prophets, that he was really the Messiah, the Son of the living God. This manifestation of the truth, accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit, carried irresistible demonstration to their minds-they were deeply penetrated with a conviction of guilt in having imbrued their hands in the blood of the Son of God, and they cried out "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "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 Spirit. For the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even to as many as the Lord our God shall call." The result was the conversion of about three thousand of his audience, who gladly received the truth which the apostle testified concerning Christ and his salvation. These were baptized agreeably to the Saviour's own command, and on the same day added to the number of disciples that already existed in Jerusalem: "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and prayers-praising God, and having favour with all the people : and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved," Acts ii. 37-47. The learned Dr. Mosheim, referring to the words now quoted, says, "We may regard the historian Luke as presenting us, in Acts ii. 42, with a sketch of the manner in which the Christians at Jerusalem employed themselves, when they met together for the purpose of joining in the worship of God. In the first place, one or other of the apostles delivered a sermon or doctrinal discourse for the instruction and edification of the people present. Next followed the communion. The word Kowvwvía, 'communion,' is used in Scripture, as is well known, in an especial sense for liberality towards the poor: see Rom. xv. 26; 2 Cor. viii. 4 and ix. 13; Heb. xiii. 16. The apostolic exhortation being finished, the brethren who were present came forward with gifts and offerings which they consecrated to God for the relief of the poor. The custom of bringing to the solemn assemblies gifts or offerings for the use of the community in general, but more especially of the poor, and publicly presenting them previously to the celebration of the Lord's Supper, is of the highest antiquity amongst the Christians, and one which uniformly prevailed in the churches; and this usage was founded on the practice of the original church at Jerusalem.-In these solemn assemblies of the Christians, the charitable contribution toward the relief of the necessitous was followed by the 'breaking of the bread,' or celebration of the Lord's supper, in which bread was broken and distributed." With these stated observances were also intermingled the duties of prayer and praise, as the historian informs us. The learned writer whom I have now quoted further remarks, that "it may be considered as not merely probable, but certain, that the day of the week on which our Saviour arose from the dead was expressly set apart for holding these solemn assemblies. In Acts xx. 7, we see the Christians of Troas assembling together on the first day after the Jewish sabbath, in order to celebrate the Lord's supper and the feast of charity, and the apostle Paul addressing them in a discourse of no inconsider able length."* So far Mosheim. We have, therefore, in what is here recorded of the church at Jerusalem, the pattern, platform, or rule of the Lord's house, as instituted by his inspired apostles, according to the wisdom he had bestowed upon them; and it is important for us to remember that it does not owe its origin to human prudence or discretion, but is an emanation of the perfect wisdom of heaven, and, as * Mosheim's Commentaries, translated by Vidal. Vol. I. Cent. I. p. 19. DOCTRINE OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM. 99 such, commands our veneration and respect. Christ himself had instructed his apostles what should be the form or order of his house, before he left the world, Acts i. 3, and had given them his Holy Spirit to secure them from error in whatever regarded the affairs of his kingdom. His disciples, therefore, should not consider themselves at liberty to depart from the pattern thus given them, and remodel the worship of his churches according to their own fancies, or the wisdom of uninspired men; for that is to make erring mortals wiser than God. "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." Wherever we find professed Christians departing from apostolic order and institution we may be very certain that they have some sinister ends to answer by it-something aside from the glory of God and the edification of the believers in faith and holiness. "Christ was faithful as a Son over his own house" in ordering all its affairs for the best, and allegiance to him demands that we submit implicitly to his wisdom in all things.* The church at Jerusalem, though a numerous body, consisted of none but professed believers in Christ, who had been baptized on a confession of their faith; and, as a consequence of this, they were brought into a state of separation from the world, by being" added (or united) to the church." They are described as "a multitude that believed; " they "were of one heart and one soul;" united together by love to the truth which they believed; for they constituted one body, having one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all." These are the great Catholic Christian Unities, and they are all of them indispensable to a church * "There cannot be a greater mistake than to suppose that Christ has given only general rules snd instructions for regulating the order or government of his churches, leaving it to his people to apply these, or depart from them at discretion, and to model his church according to circumstances, in different ages and different nations. Such a sentiment, however prevalent in the religious world, derogates from the wisdom which belongs to Him who knows all things from the beginning to the end, who is head over all things to the church. Can any circumstances arise which he did not foresee? and, if he did foresee them, he must also have provided for them, for his care and love for his church are as great as his wisdom and power. Who can produce a particle of authority to legislate for the church of Christ-to institute any observances which He has not instituted-to alter or set aside any which he has ordained—or to nominate any office-bearers whom He has not appointed?" Essay on the Nature of the Kingdom of Christ. Printed at Edinburgh, for Longman and Co. London, 1830. |