another's feet,"-to condescend to the lowest office of Christian beneficence and love. Again: "Let the same mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," in his entrance into the world: consider with what sympathy he regarded mankind, and what drew him from his exalted seat of majesty on high. How did he look down upon a distant race far removed from him, and compassionate their misery! how did he, as it were, for a season annihilate himself! how did he take their curse upon him, and invest himself with their nature! He looked upon them with unutterable and tender compassion: "Let the same mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." You live among men dead in trespasses and sins; you see nations innumerable sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death. Consider what compassion actuated the Saviour's breast in coming down from heaven to pay the price of our redemption, to make peace with God, and bring in everlasting righteousness. What compassion touched his holy and beneficent mind, inducing him to die a sacrifice for the sins of his people! Do you have the same mind: compassionate the distant and miserable children of men involved in darkness. Carry your eyes to the remotest borders of the earth; and be not satisfied until the whole earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord, till all men have seen the salvation of God. Let no distance of place, no difference of circumstances, prevent your exerting yourselves to spread the knowledge of Him "who made himself of no reputation." Let nothing prevent your feeling a participation of the common nature. God has provided for sympathy by making you "of one blood;" so that you must act contrary to the laws of nature, if you do not sympathize with your fellow-creatures. "Let the same mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus;" then will the religion of Christ extend itself far and wide. Let this mind distinguish the followers of Christ; and all men will confess that God is among you of a truth. You will be all of one heart, and one mind; you will be actuated by such a desire as will render you beneficial to all your fellow-creatures, as will make you the "light of the world,” and "the salt of the earth." Then would iniquity stop its mouth, and so you would confound infidelity and impiety. Seriously study the doctrine of the cross, place yourselves there, consider what are the morals of the cross; consider what are the dispositions the cross inculcates; what is the influence of the fact that you are purchased, redeemed, and, by his Spirit, prepared for a seat at the right-hand of God; what the everlasting advantages which accrue from being purchased by such blood, saved by such humility; what the doctrines of the Saviour's incarnation, sacrifice, and ascent to heaven inculcate on Christian hearts. It opens a fountain of love, of wonderful and inexhaustible compassion; and it is at that fountain of love we should study; for we shall never be truly happy till we do study the spirit of our religion at the foot of the cross. We should enter more deeply into the dying love of Christ, that we may "comprehend, with all saints, what is the height, and depth, and breadth, and length of that love which passeth knowledge, and be filled with all the fulness of God." Finally, my brethren, we see here the great and intimate connexion between the practical principles of religion, and the great doctrines of Christianity. Take away the incarnation of our Lord, and his sacrifice upon the cross, and these sublime and glorious truths lose all their meaning this great example dwindles into nothing, if we lose sight of Christ's dignity, glory, and humility. It is this which renders his sacrifice of infinite value. It is this which renders his cross so inexpressibly awful and so interesting. It is this which makes it so innitely precious to his people. The cross of Jesus Christ is the appropriate, the appointed rendezvous of heaven and earth; the meeting-place between God and the sinner: thus the principles of the cross become the savour of life unto life, or of death unto death. Deprive Jesus Christ of his dignity, deprive his person of divinity and pre-existence as the Son of God, and all these momentous truths dwindle into inexpressible futilities. Doctrines meant to warm and kindle our hearts fill us with perplexity. When we look for a glorious mystery, we find nothing but the obscurity and perplexity that make men rack their invention to find out the meaning of those passages which it is plain the apostle poured forth in a stream of exquisite affection and delight. But "we have not so learned Christ." Hold fast the cross of Christ. You who are not acquainted with the Christian religion, come to Jesus Christ by faith; cast yourselves upon the dying love of the Saviour; receive him by faith. And those of you who have received the Saviour, study him more and more; impress still more and more upon your minds the lessons which Christ crucified teaches. This is the power of God and the wisdom of God unto salvation; and by means of this only shall we grow up into conformity to our blessed Lord and Saviour: which God grant of his infinite mercy. Amen. V. THE GLORY OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM. PSALM CXlV. 11.-"They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power."† [PREACHED AT KETTERING, IN JUNE, 1813.] THE absolute dominion of God is a subject worthy to be celebrated by all creatures: it is the frequent theme of praise in the Scriptures, which were dictated by the Holy Ghost. There is another kingdom, which God has intrusted to the hands * See p. 85-88. † Printed from the notes of the Rev. S. Hillyard, of Bedford. For Mr. Hall's own notes, see 88-92. VOL. III.-Z of his well-beloved Son-the mediatorial kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the subject of the most exalted praise, and of the most glorious prophecies of the Old Testament, as well as of all the histories, doctrines, and revelations of the New Testament. This is styled the kingdom of heaven, and of God: it is the kingdom which the God of heaven has set up among men upon the earth. It is contrasted with the kingdom of the power of darkness; and its subjects are described as being translated out of the kingdom of darkness, into "the kingdom of God's dear Son,"* which is a kingdom of " vellous light." mar Whether the Psalm before us is designed, in particular, to celebrate this dispensation of the Son of God, I shall not now inquire; but as the kingdom of Christ is so conspicuous an object in both Testaments, and is the only one among men by whose government their happiness can be secured, it cannot be improper, from the words before us, to direct your attention, on the present occasion, to some particulars relating to the glory of this kingdom. I. The glory of this kingdom is manifested in its origin. It had its origin in infinite mercy and grace. It was the object of the divine and eternal purposes of the Father; an object to which all other purposes were subservient. It entered into the counsels of the Eternal before the foundation of the world was laid. It was a grand design, intended to include the reign of God over the mind of man; a purpose to establish a kingdom, the subjects of which should be raised to be partakers of the same nature as their sovereign. In order to establish this kingdom, it was necessary that the Son of God should become incarnate; the "mighty God" must be a "child born unto us," that he might have the "government laid upon his shoulders," and be the "Prince of peace" to his redeemed people. God purposed to have his tabernacle among men, and to be their God; but this he could not do, consistently with his truth and holiness, till an atonement was made to his law in the death of the person of his Son. The institution of sacrifices under the law intimated that "without the shedding of blood there was no remission;"† their insufficiency evidenced the necessity of a sacrifice of transcendent value: “Then, said he, sacrifices and offerings thou didst not desire; lo! I come to do thy will, O God." Thus the foundation of the kingdom was laid in the incarnation and atonement of the Son of God; a foundation proportionate to the grandeur and beauty of the edifice that was to be erected. The doctrines of the gospel were, and are, the grand instruments in the hand of the Lord Jesus for bringing souls into subjection to his sceptre. The King must ride forth conquering and to conquer; all his subjects must be rescued and subdued: but what a battle is that in which he engages! Every battle among men is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood;" but this is "with burning and with fire." The warfare is entirely spiritual; it is carried on by the light of truth and the burning of conviction. The mere testimony of * Colos. i. 13. 66 the gospel, in the mouth of the witnesses, produced effects more wonderful than any that were ever produced by the violence of the sword: by this the powers of darkness were shaken, their temples deserted, and their oracles silenced. Heavenly truth combated with sophistry and error, and gained a decisive victory, though her opponents were armed with all the persecuting powers of the kingdoms of this world. The Psalmist, foreseeing the contest, said, long since, "Gird thy sword on thy thigh, O most Mighty, and in thy majesty ride on prosperously, because of truth, and meekness, and righteousness."* These have had no share in the extension of human dominion, but were the principal instruments that were used in the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom. To these, in his hand, and by his Spirit, the success of the gospel is to be ascribed: by these his people become a "willing people in the day of his power;" a conquered, yet a willing people; led captive, yet obedient. This is a glorious manner of raising a kingdom, worthy of him who is a Spirit, and who reigns by spiritual and intellectual means in the hearts of his people. Could we trace the means by which God has established his empire, it would fill our minds with admiration and our lips with praise: then should we speak of the glory of his kingdom, and talk of his power." II. The glory of the kingdom of Christ is manifested in the manner and spirit of its administration. The last words of David describe the manner of administering this government:"The anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet Psalmist of Israel said, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain."t ness. The most essential quality in the administration of any government is justice; and justice is most conspicuous in this administration. The Sovereign confers no benefits on his friends, and inflicts no punishments on his enemies, but what are consistent with righteous"With righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins." He will render to each of his subjects, not for their works, yet, according to their works. He establishes his holy law as the rule of their conduct, and makes use of such motives to excite them to holy and spiritual obedience as are suitable to their nature, both as rational and as fallen creatures. As the law was first employed, so it is still used for conviction, for alarming the consciences even of the redeemed and the regenerate, and to excite to repentance and to renewed exercises of reformation. The administration of this kingdom is also benign and gracious; it Psalm xlv. 3, 4. †2 Sam. xxiii. 1-4. Isaiah xi. 4, 5. 356 66 and grace, is indeed a kingdom of grace. The throne is a throne of the sceptre is a sceptre of grace. He revealeth his grace, which is his glory; and thus he captivates the hearts of his people. He, in his weary great kindness, invites to him all that are athirst, all that are and heavy-laden,"* and assures them that they shall find rest and refreshment. "He delivers the poor, when he cries, the needy, and him that hath no helper." He is the husband of the widow, and the "When the poor and father of the fatherless in his holy habitation. needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst," he graciously says, "I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water."† occurrences. 66 In earthly kingdoms, the subjects are governed by general laws, which must necessarily be very inadequate to the variety of cases and It is impossible that the multiplicity of actions, and all their individual shades, should be at all times considered and distinguished: hence has arisen the proverb, “ Summum jus, summa injuria.” But our King is intimately acquainted with all hearts, and, being present in all places, he can apply his acts to individual examples, and appropriate smiles and frowns to each, as if there were no other beings that participated in his attention. In human administrations, the law extends only to outward acts; it relates only to objects of sense; insomuch that a pure spirit, disengaged from the body, is free from its sanction: but the kingdom of heaven is a spiritual one-it extends to the heart: it relates not to meats and drinks, but it is a kingdom that is "within you," and relates to "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." It is founded in communion with Christ: by his Spirit Christ lives in his members; their souls, whether in the Body or out of the body, are always in his hands; he is Lord both of the dead and the living; he adjusts himself to all cases, through every part of his vast empire. In earthly kingdoms, the utmost that can be done is to lay down rules, to prescribe laws, and to sanction by rewards or penalties; but Jesus Christ can write his laws on the hearts of his people. They are engraven, not on stone, but on fleshly tables." He knows how to speak to the heart; and "they know his voice, and follow him; but a stranger they will not follow, for they know not the voice of a stranger."P 66 It is justly considered a high excellence in a ruler, that he is disin terested, that he pursues no interest of his own, apart from the general good of the empire: this is the very flower of royalty; and those who have thus distinguished themselves have been justly considered as the greatest benefactors of mankind; they have been obeyed and loved while they lived, and foolishly idolized and worshipped when they died. But never was any one so disinterested as the King of Zion, who laid down his life for his people, while they were yet enemies. He wields the sceptre of universal dominion: he chains death and Matt. xi. 28. † Isaiah xli. 17, 18. 2 Cor. iii. 3. Luke xvii. 21. |