able and exact fulfillment of this prophecy concerning the contradictory and infidel speculations of Christ's second coming to be witnessed in the latter days, or just before his glorious appearing? And is not this fulfilment a witness not to be set aside, that the kingdom, and all its accompanying events, will now very suddenly be "among," or upon all the unbelieving to destroy them suddenly in hell except they repent and believe the Gospel ? REMARKS. 1. Should it be allowed, that the doctrine of the text is thus far proved, viz. that the kingdom preached by Christ and John, was only God's future coming everlasting kingdom, then it follows, that all our thoughts, conversation and prayers about the kingdom of God "in our hearts," have been improper, unscriptural, and very far from "that form of sound words," which we ought rather to "hold fast." (2 Tim. 1: 13.) 2. On the same ground there is impropriety and even heresy in the doctrine that God's kingdom is "now among us," or that we ourselves are already in it, while the very prayers that God would "build up his kingdom in our hearts and throughout the world," with desires at the same time, that Christ may not yet come with his kingdom to judgment, would be also heretical, and making comparatively very light of the preaching of Christ and the prophets while on earth, concerning the eternal kingdom of God soon to be set up. 3. Finally, does it not become us at least, faithfully to search the Scriptures, every one for ourselves, particularly that we may fully and fairly understand the doctrine of the real kingdom of God preached by Christ and the prophets, so that if, indeed, the false prophet has long filled our minds with heresy about it, we may turn from it immediately and with all our hearts. LECTURE V. TESTIMONY FROM THE APOSTLES' Mat. 10: 5-7. "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, but go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand." THE DOCTRINE Or this discourse will still be, that "the kingdom of heaven-at hand," as preached by Christ and John, was and is God's "everlasting kingdom" yet to come, with all the events of the judgment, now "at hand," which will now be discussed under the following PROPOSITION, VIZ. To show that the apostles of Christ so understood him, and that from first to last they preached substantially the same nearness of the " great day of the Lord," as did the former prophets; and the same "kingdom of heaven-at hand," and this after the coming of the christian dispensation, and as clearly as Christ and John had done it be ore, and to show this by examining, 1. Their INSTRUCTIONS given them by CHRIST at the commencement of their work. II. Their MANNER OF PREACHING, as found in the ACTS OF THE APOSTLES; and,, III. Their MANNER of WRITING AND PREACHING, as found in their EPISTLES. Before proceeding to the scripture proof, as proposed, let it be considered that the apostles had been constant and attentive hearers of Christ's preaching "the kingdom of heaven-at hand," while he continued to preach, that being so much with him, and consecrating themselves wholly to him, and to his cause, they would naturally understand correctly his meaning in preaching "the kingdom." It being apparent, then, as examined in former discourses, that Christ did uniformly preach a kingdom yet to come, it appears reasonable to conclude that the apostles so understood him, and felt bound to follow his example in preaching, at his bidding, the same "Gospel of the kingdom," or the same kingdom at hand. I. It is to be shown, from CHRIST'S INSTRUCTIONS to his apostles how to preach his "Gospel of the kingdom"-" at hand"-that they must necessarily have understood it of the "everlasting kingdom" of God yet to come, instead of the Gospel dispensation, or any thing else already now come, and that this would require them also to preach the same glorious kingdom. 1. Let us, then, begin with the text chosen on this occa sion. This passage, and its connection, seem to contain Christ's directions to his apostles how to preach his Gospel as fully as any where to be found. Here Jesus expressly directed the twelve" to go forth to their work of preaching, saying unto them, " And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand." These are precisely the same words as those with which Christ and John had commenced, and substantially continued preaching as an exciting motive to repentance. This instruction of Christ to his apostles was no where, in any sense, counteracted. To see still clearer the meaning which Christ attached to "the kingdom of heaven-at hand," in the text, and as the apostles must have understood, it would be well to look over the entire chapter of forty-two verses, containing this text. The whole of it is occupied with Christ's instructions to them on sending them out. By such an examination of the whole 10th chapter of Matthew, it will be seen that the continual burden of his soul, which he was then committing to them, was the great interests of his own final coming and kingdom, which they must faithfully preach above all other considerations. This they were directed to do, as means of sinners' repentance, and final salvation in the great day of his coming and kingdom. In the midst of these instructions Christ says: "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake ; but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another; for verily I say unto you, ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man be come. (Mat. 10:22, 23.) This shows that Christ was then instructing his ministers, as a genealogy, or race, even "to the end," or till his own final coming, which would be as soon as their having preached" the kingdom-at hand," as he then bid them, over all the cities of Israel," or "in all the world," as a witness to all nations," when “the end shall come,” (Mat. 24 14,) or to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people," when "the hour of his judgment is come." (Rev. 14:6, 7.) All these things of the preaching of "the Gospel of the kingdom," till "the end of the world," or "the hour of God's judgment," appear to show, that Christ, in all this message to his ministers, was instructing them all, descending from age to age, from that time till his final coming at "the end of the world," to continue preaching the doctrine of his "kingdom-at hand," as he had himself preached it. It may be seen here, that Christ spake in this message, as though the period when the kingdom should come," the end," and the time for "the Son of man" to "be come," are all the same period. Then, in all his preaching and instructions to his ministers how to preach, he was perfectly consistent, and from first to last held out no other awakening motives to repentance than "the kingdom-at hand,"-"the end of all things,"-his "coming,"-" the hour of God's judg ment,”—“ the resurrection," &c., all belonging to the same period. So his ministers then understood the commission of the Lord to go and preach, saying, "the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Then why should it not be now so preached to every creature? 2. "And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick." (Luke, 9: 2.) "And say unto them the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.' "And be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." (Luke, 10:9, 11.) This is Luke's record of Christ's directions to his apostles how to preach the kingdom of God, as having "come nigh" unto men. This is naturally understood to signify the same as its having come so nigh as to be "at hand”—as expressed on other occasions repeatedly. In the same connexion, Christ is instructing his apostles to continue thus preaching to the wicked, as a motive for their repentance for whom the coming day of judgment would be more intolerable than for the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, and others who must " be thrust down to hell," should they |