added " And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." The Church, as built by Christ, and the kingdom of heaven as opened by Peter, are widely different things. It is one of the great but common mistakes of Christendom, to use the terms interchangeably, as if they meant the same thing. And theological writers in all ages, from assuming, as a basis, that they are the same, have written in the most confused way, both as to the Church and the kingdom. The expression is dispensational, just as the similar phrase, "the kingdom of God," is moral. But unless we have some acquaintance with the dispensational ways of God, we can never rightly divide His word. That which Christ Himself builds, and that which man builds instrumentally, by means, it may be, of preaching and baptizing, must not be confounded. The Church which is Christ's body is built upon the confession that He is the Son of the living God, glorified in resurrection. Every truly converted soul has to do with Christ Himself, before it can have anything to say to the Church. The kingdom is a wider thing, and takes in every baptized person-the whole scene of Christian profession, whether true or false. Christ does not say to Peter that He will give him the keys of the Church, or the keys of heaven. Had He done so, there might have been some show of reason for the evil system of popery. But He merely says, "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven”- -or of the new dispensation. Keys, we know, are not for building temples, but for opening doors; and the Lord honoured Peter to open the door of the kingdom, first to the Jews, and then to the Gentiles. (Acts ii. x.) But the language of Christ about His Church is of another order. It is simple, beautiful, emphatic, and unmistakable. "My Church." What depth, what fulness there is in these words: "My Church!" When the heart is in fellowship with Christ about His Church, there will be an appre hension of His affections towards it, which we have no power of expressing. As it is, we love to linger over these two words, "My Church!" but who can speak of the measure of Christ's heart that is therein revealed? Again, think of these other two words, "This rock." As if He had said, "The glory of my Person, and the power of my life in resurrection, form the solid foundation of "My Church." And again, "I will build." Thus we see in these seven words, that everything is in Christ's own hands, as "to the Church which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." THE OPENING OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. The administration of the Kingdom, the Lord, in an especial manner, committed to Peter, as we see in the early chapters of the Acts. The term is taken from the Old Testament. See Daniel ii. and vii. In chapter ii. we have the kingdom; in chapter vii. we have the king. The phrase, Kingdom of Heaven, occurs only in the gospel of Matthew, where the evangelist writes chiefly for Israel. The bringing in of the kingdom of heaven in power and glory on the earth, in the Person of the Messiah, was the natural expectation of every godly Jew. John the Baptist, as the Lord's forerunner, came preaching, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. But in place of the Jews receiving their Messiah, they rejected and crucified Him; consequently, the kingdom, according to Jewish expectations, was set aside. Nevertheless, it was introduced in another form. When the rejected Messiah ascended to heaven, and took His place at God's right hand, triumphant over every foe, the kingdom of heaven began. Now the king is in heaven, and as Daniel says, "the heavens do rule," though not openly. And from the time that He ascended until He returns, it is the kingdom in mystery. (Matt. xiii.) When He comes back again in power and great glory it will be the kingdom in manifestation. "THAT DEAR LOVE OF THINE." "IT passeth knowledge! that dear love of thine, It passeth telling! that dear love of thine, It passeth praises! that dear love of thine, But, ah! I cannot tell, or sing, or know, I am an empty vessel! scarce one thought Oh! fill me, Jesus! Saviour, with thy love! But unto thee! And when, my Jesus! thy dear face I see- A SUDDEN CHANGE. (Luke xvi.) How sudden!-in one moment the scene changes. Now clothed in purple and fine linen, and faring sumptuously every day but death comes-and what then? In a moment the whole scene is changed. From royal robes and kingly fare to the depths of misery in hell, where worlds could not purchase one drop of cold water. "The rich man died and was buried." His funeral may have been as stately as his life; but," in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments." Long before the pompous ceremony was over his eyes were opened to his awful state. What a change for him! But alas! alas! it is his last change! He is fixed now for eternity, and he knows it. His eyes are opened. They were willingly closed against the truth in time, but he can close them no more for ever. Unbelief may now dream about the punishment of the wicked not being eternal, but the false dreams of time will have no place in the lake of fire. "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" is the bitter wail of the hypocrites, or false professors in Zion. (Isa. xxxiii. 14.) They own it as now their dwelling place; the bitter wail can fall on no ear of mercy now-can bring no hand to help—yet in hopeless agony they still cry, "who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" Oh! that awful word— that heart-rending thought-" dwell with everlasting burnings." Better far be as a poor Lazarus with faith in Christ, than a rich man without it, though possessed of all the wealth of this world. What a change to Lazarus, and how sudden! Near the rich man's gate he used to be laid, full of sores. What a contrast! The one faring sumptuously, and attired in purple and fine linen; but alas, without God-he lived for himself. The other, a poor beggar-loathsome, in poverty, in suffering, friendless. But he believed God and lived for Him. A change comes, and suddenly the beggar dies. Nothing is said about his funeral, perhaps he had next to none. But, he "was carried by the angels unto Abraham's bosom." The once rich, but now poor, man sees him. What a sight! Oh! can it be?-shall the lost ones see the saved? Parable though it be, it is not intended to mislead. All is perfectly plain. "And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom".........Reader-O reader -which will be thy place-thy future-thy eternity? Let Christ be thy happy choice now— -thy loved portion-thy rest-thy confidence. He died for sinners such as the rich man and Lazarus-such as thee and me-but only they who put their trust in Him are saved. Blessed, BLESSED, BLESSED, are all they that put their trust in Him! NOTE. There is a very solemn and striking contrast between the close of Luke xv. and xvi. In the former, our Lord draws aside the curtain, and shews us the interior of the Father's house: and there we see a returned prodigal at the father's table, feeding on the fruits of a father's love. In the latter, our Lord draws aside the curtain and shews us the interior of hell; and there we see a soul tormented in the flames. Awful contrast! And how very near they are to each other on the inspired page! It is just the same in Revelation xx. and xxi. The former closes with "the lake of fire." The latter opens with "the holy city." What a contrast! And how very near they are to each other on the inspired page! Reader, which is to be your portion? O haste! O haste! make no delay, At once to Jesus come; Remember now's the accepted day, |