This universal authority is exercised in a providential control, and for the benefit of iiis Church. He employs the angels as ministering spirits, to minister to the heirs of salvation. He con- trols ami restrains tlie principalities, powers, world-rulers, and spirits of wickedness. (Eph. vi. 12.) He overrules all the affairs of na- tions and of individuals to the same end. He directs all events concerning his people severally and his Church collectively. Paul constantly recognized this providential control of Christ as direct- ing all ins steps. Under the present dispensation, therefore, Christ is the God of providence. It is in and through and by Him tiiat the universe is governed. This dominion or kiiio;dom is to last until its object is accomplished, i. e., until all his enemies, all forms of evil, and even death itself is subdued. Then this kingdom, this mediatorial government of the universe, is to be given up. (1 Cor. XV. 24.)
Chrisfs Spiritual Kingdom.
But besides this kingdom of power, Christ has a kingdom of grace. This also is exhibited under two aspects. It includes the relation in which He stands to his true people individually and col- lectively (the invisible Church) ; and the relation He sustains to the visible Church, or the body of his professing people.
He is the king of every believing soul. He translates it from the kingdom of darkness. He brings it into subjection to Himself. He rules in and reigns over it. Every believer recognizes Christ as his absolute Sovereign ; Lord of his inward, as well as of his out- ward, life. He yields to Him the entire subjection of the reason, of the conscience, and of the heart. He makes Him the object of reverence, love, and obedience. In Him he trusts for protection from all enemies, seen and unseen. On Him he relies for help in every emergency, and for final triumph. On Him the loyalty of the believer terminates. To acquit himself as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, to spend and be spent in his service and in the pro- motion of his kingdom, becomes the governing purpose of his life.
Tiie terms of admission into this spiritual kingdom are faith and repentance (John iii. 3, 6), " Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God ; " or, conversion (Matt, xviii. 3), " Except ye be converted, and be- come as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven ; " purity of life (1 Cor. vi. 9), " The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God," nor " extortioners ; " nor such AS indulge in " adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
602 PART m. Ch. XL — kingly office of CHRIST.
idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like ; of which," the Apostle says, " I tell you before, as I liave also told you in time past, that they whicli do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Gal. v. 19-21.)
On the other hand, Ave are taught that no external profession secures admission into this kingdom. " Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. vii. 21.) Nor any punctiliousness in the performance of rites and ceremonies, " Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. v. 20.) " He is not a Jew, which is one outwardly ; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh." (Rom. ii. 28.) " For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision." (Gal. v. 6.) "Baptism doth also now save us; not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God." (1 Pet. iii. 21.) Nor membership in any exter- nal counnunity, " Think not to say within yourselves. We have Abraham to our father." (Matt. iii. 9.) "Tiiey are not all Israel, which are of Israel." (Rom. ix. G.) The kingdom of Christ, in this aspect of it, is a purely spiritual community, consisting of those truly and inwardly his people.
The laws of this kingdom require first and above all, faitli in Jesus Christ ; the sincere belief that He is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world, and cordial submission to Him and trust in Him as our prophet, priest, and king. With this faith is united supreme love. " He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me : and he that loveth son or daughter more
than me, is not worthy of me He that findeth his life,
shall lose it ; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." (Matt. X. 37, 39.) " If any man come to me, and hate not his father, aiid mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he. cannot be my disciple." (Luke xiv. 26.) "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maranatha." (1 Cor. xvi. 22.) With this supreme love are to be connected all the other religions afft-'ctions. Christians are the worshippers of Christ. (1 Cor. i. 2.) Christ requires his disciples to honour Him as they honour the Father. (John V. 23.) They are to believe in Him (put the same con- fidence in Him), as they do in God. (John xiv. 1.) It is the same offence under the new dispensation to refuse to wors'iip