THE NAME.

Heaven, and the kingdom of heaven, are not one and the same thing. God, is not the kingdom of God. But as the kingdom of God is something pertaining to God, so the kingdom of heaven is something pertaining to heaven, and consequently to God. Whether always the phrases, “the kingdom of God," and "the kingdom of heaven," exactly represent the same thing, certain it is that both phrases are often applied to the same institution.*

This is true of them, whether translated reign or kingdom; and it is very evident that frequently the original word basileia ought in preference to be rendered reign, inasmuch as this term better suits all those passages where coming or approaching is spoken of: for while reigns or administrations approach and recede, kingdoms have attributes and boundaries which are stationary. Reign, and kingdom of God, though sometimes applicable to the same subject, never contemplate it in the same light. They are, indeed, as intimately connected as the reign of King William and the kingdom of Great Britain. The former represents the administration of the kingdom, and the latter the state over which this administration extends.

Two good reasons may be offered why Matthew, the oldest Christian writer, generally prefers kingdom or reign of heaven, to the phrase kingdom or reign of God; I say generally, for he occasionally uses both designations.† He wrote to Jews in Judea who expected a Messiah, a King, and a kingdom of God on earth, a mere improvement of the Jewish system; and, therefore, to raise their conception, he delights to call it the reign or kingdom of heaven, in contrast with that earthly kingdom of God, of which they were so long in possession.

He also found a good reason in the idiom of the Jewish

* If the following passages are carefully examined and compared, it will appear that both these phrases often represent the same thing: Matt. iii. 2; Mark i. 14; Luke iv. 43.-Matt. xiii. 11; Mark iv. 11; Luke viii. 10.-Matt. xi. 11; Luke vi. 20. To these three distinct evidences many more might be added. What Matthew calls "the kingdom of heaven," Mark and Luke call the "kingdom of God."

+ See chapters vi. 33; xii. 28; xix. 24; xxi. 31, 43,

prophets for using the word heaven (both in the singular and plural form) for God. Daniel told the Assyrian monarch that his kingdom would be sure to him when he should have learned that" the heavens do rule;" yet, in the preceding verse, he says, "Till thou knowest that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men"-thus using heavens and the Most High as synonymous. The Psalmist says, "The wicked set their mouths against the heavens." The prodigal confesses that he had "sinned against heaven," and Jesus himself asked whether the baptism of John was "from heaven' or from men.' Thus he was authorized, from the Jewish use of the word, to regard it as equivalent to God. If, then, Matthew had meant no more by the phrase "kingdom of heaven," than the "kingdom of God," he was justified by the Jewish use of the word heaven, to apply it in that sense. Some may object to all these remarks upon Matthew's manner, that it was Jesus Christ and the preachers he commissioned who called it the kingdom of heaven, and not Matthew Levi. To such we reply, that the other sacred writers uniformly, in reciting all the same parables and incidents, use the phrase "the kingdom of God," and never the phrase "the kingdom of heaven.'

From the use of the phrase "kingdom of God," we must, I think, regard him as having special reference to the reason first assigned. He does not say the kingdom of heaven shall be taken from the Jews: but "the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits of it:" for, although it might with propriety, in his acceptation, be said, that the Jews already had the kingdom of God, it could not be said that they had the kingdom of heaven as proclaimed by Matthew.*

When compared with the earthly kingdom of God among the Jews, it is certainly the kingdom of heaven; for Jesus alleges that his kingdom is not of this world; and Daniel affirmed that in the days of the last worldly empire, the God of heaven would set up a kingdom unlike all others then on earth; in which, as Paul teaches, men are "blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ:"+ for he has raised us Jews and Gentiles, and "has set us down together in the heavenly places by Christ Jesus."‡

* Matt. xxi. 43. + Eph i. 3.

Eph. ii. 6.

There is, in the superior and heavenly privileges and honours bestowed upon the citizens of this kingdom, the best reason why it should have first been presented to the world under this title, rather than any other; and for the same reasons which influenced Matthew to usher it into notice in Judea, under this designation, we ought now to prefer it, because many of our contemporaries, like the ancient Jews, see as much of heaven and glory in the veiled grace of the Mosaic institution, as in the unveiled grace of the Christian kingdom. The pertinency of this title will appear still more evident as we develop the constitutional privileges of this kingdom.

But most evidently the kingdom of heaven is "the kingdom of Christ and of God."* It is the kingdom of God, because he set it up ;t gave the constitution, and King, and all the materials out of which it is erected. It is the kingdom of Christ, because God the Father gave it to him as his Son, and as the heir of all things; and, therefore, "all that is the Father's is mine," says Jesus, "and I am his."|| "God created all things BY Jesus Christ and FOR him."

Having, then, noticed the reasons for the characteristic titles of this kingdom, and having already ascertained what are the elements absolutely essential to a kingdom, distinguished from those merely circumstantial or accidental, we shall now proceed to consider, in the order suggested, the constitution, King, subjects, laws, and territory of the kingdom of heaven.

CONSTITUTION.

God himself, after the gracious councils of his own will, proposed and tendered the constitution of this kingdom to his own Son. This "glory he had with the Father before the world was." He that was "in the beginning with God" -"the wisdom and power of God-was set up [constituted] from everlasting, or ever the earth was. "Then was I with God, as one brought up with him; I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him-rejoicing in the habitable parts of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men."§

Eph. v. 5. + Daniel i. 44. Jer. xxxi. 31, 34. || John xvi. 16. Prov. viii. 23-31

Therefore, he who was to be “ruler in Israel" was with God in counsel "in the beginning of all his ways;" for "his goings forth were from of old, even from the day of eternity."

us.

"'*

It was TO DO THE WILL, or fulfil the items in this constitution, that "the WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among I came to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish "the work given me to do." "I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to resume it; this commandment I received from my Father." The Father" commissioned and sent him forth into the world." He " came down from heaven." "Thou hast given me power over all flesh, that I might give eternal life to all that thou hast given me."

These, and many other passages, which the reader will easily remember, unequivocally evince that an understanding and agreement existed, ere time began, between God and the WORD of God; or, as now revealed, between the Father and the Son, respecting the kingdom. In consequence of which, "he divested himself" of his antecedent glory-" took upon him the form of a bond-servant"-" was made in the likeness of sinful flesh"-" took part with us in flesh and blood." In consequence of which agreement, and the promised glory, for "the joy set before him in the promise," of" seeing his seed, the travail of his soul, and being satisfied," he "endured the cross, despising the shame," and was "made perfect through sufferings to lead many sons to glory."

To the stipulations concerning eternal life, propounded in the constitution of the kingdom of heaven, frequent allusions are made in the apostle's writings. Thus the believers were "elected in him before the foundation of the world," and "eternal life was promised before the times of the ages," according to the benevolent purposes which he purposed in himself for the administration of the fulness of the appointed times, to gather together all under Christall in the heavens and all on the earth, under him." He formerly marked us out for an adoption through Jesus Christ to himself, according to his purpose, who effectually works all things according to the counsel of his will.†

From all these sayings and allusions, we must trace the constitution of this kingdom into eternity-before time began. We must date it from everlasting, and resolve it into the absolute gracious will of the eternal God. In reference to all the prospective developments of time, "known to God from the beginning," it proposed to make the WORD flesh, and then to make the Incarnate Word, called Emmanuel, or Jesus Christ, the King; to give him all who should be reconciled to God by him for subjects, to put under him all the angelic hosts, and constitute him monarch of earth, lawgiver to the universe; and thus make him Heir and Lord of all things.

As a constitution brings all the elements of a kingdom into a new relation to one another, so it is the measure and guarantee of all the privileges, immunities, and obligations accruing to all the parties in that relation. It prescribes, arranges, and secures all the privileges, duties, obligations, honours, and emoluments of the King and the subjects. Neither of them can claim more than it stipulates and guaranties, and neither of them can rightfully be deprived of any of them.

From the premises now before us, and the light given to us in these scriptures, and those in the margin, we learn―

First. That God is the author of the constitution of the kingdom of heaven: that he propounded it to the WORD that was made flesh, before the world was, in prospect of all the developments of creation.

Second. That the WORD accepted it, because the will of God was always his delight; therefore he said, "I come to do thy will, O God!" Hence," God has so loved the world as to give his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but obtain eternal life."

Third. That in consequence, "all authority in heaven and earth" was given to Jesus Christ, and all orders of intelligence subjected to him, that he might be King over all, and have the power of giving eternal life to his people.*

Fourth. That the earth is now the Lord's, the present temporal territory of his kingdom; that the heathen people are given to him for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession; that all ends of the earth are his, and all dominions, kindreds, tribes, tongues, and people shall yet serve him on earth, and glorify him in heaven. † * Matt. xxviii. 18; Daniel ii. 44; vii. 14, 27. † Psalms ii. 6-8 ib. lxxii. 2-18.