| 90 re-organized after the same manner as before. Now in this respect, the kingdom of God is like all other kingdoms: wherever we find officers duly commissioned and qualified by the Lord Jesus, together with his ordinances and laws existing in purity, unmixed with any precepts or commandments of men; there the kingdom of God exists, and there his power is manifest, and his blessings enjoyed as in days of old.
We shall now take a view of the commencement of the setting up of the kigdom [kingdom] of God in the days of the Apostles. The first intimation of its near approach was by an angel to Zachariah, promising him a Son, who should go before the king to prepare his way. The next manifestation was to Mary, and finally to Joseph, by an holy angel, promising the birth of the Messiah; while at the same time the Holy Ghost manifested unto Simeon in the temple, that he should not die until he had seen the Saviour [Savior]. Thus, all these, together with the shepherds and the wise men from the east began to rejoice with a joy unspeakable and full of glory, while the world around them knew not the occasion of their joy. After these things, all seemed to rest in silent expectation, until John had grown to manhood, when he came bounding from the wilderness of Judea with a proclamation strange and new: crying, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand baptizing unto repentance, telling them plainly that their king, was already standing among them on the point of setting up his kingdom.
And while he yet ministered, the Messiah came, and was baptized and sealed with the Spirit of God, which rested upon him in the form of a dove, and soon after he began the same proclamation as John, saying, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
And soon after choosing twelve disciples, he sent them forth into all the cities of Judea, with the same proclamation-the kingdom of heaven is at hand: and after them he sent seventy, and still another seventy, with the same news, so that all might be warned and prepared for a kingdom, which was soon to be organized among them.-But when these things had produced the desired effect, in causing a general expectation, more especially in the hearts of his deciples [disciples], who daily expected to triumph over their persecutors, by a coronation of this glorious personage, while they themselves were hoping for a reward of all their toil and sacrifices made for his sake by being exalted to dignity near his person-what must have been their disappointment, when they saw their king taken and crucified, being mocked, derided, ridiculed, and finally' overcame and triumphed over both by Jew and Gentile? They would gladly have died in battle, to have placed him upon the throne. But tamely to submit without a struggle, to give up all their expectations, and sink in despair from the highest pitch of enthusiasm to the lowest degradation, was more that they could well endure. They shrunck [shrunk] back in sorrow, and turned every man unto his net, or to their several occupations, supposing all was over: probably with reflection like these: is this the result of all our labours [labors]? was it for this, we forsook all worldly objects, our friends, our houses, and lands, suffering persecution, hunger, fatigue, and disgrace?-and we trusted it should have been he, who would have delivered Israel: but alas, they have killed him and all is over. For three years we have awakened a general expectation through all Judea, by telling them the kingdom of heaven was at hand, but now our king is dead how shall we dare to look the people in the face. With these reflection, each pursuing his own course, all was again turned to silence, and the voice had ceased to be heard in Judea, crying, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven as at hand. Jesus slept in the arms of death; a great stone with the seal of state secured the tomb where he lay, while the Roman guard stood in watchful silence, to see that all was kept secure; when suddenly from the regions of glory, a mighty angel descended, at whose presence the soldiers fell back as dead men, while he rolled the stone from the door of the sepulcher, and the Son of God awoke from his slumbers. burst the bonds of death, and soon after appearing to Mary, he sent her to the disciples, with the joyful news of his resurrection, and appointing a place
(page 90) |
