The Kingdom of God fully developed and Universal. Christ's declaration that his kingdom is not of this world, that is, is not a secular, civil state, but a spiritual kingdom, has led many to regard civil government, commerce, the arts and sciences, education, and the schools as in such a sense secular as to form no part of the kingdom of God. This, according to them, is purely spiritual, and is confined to things ecclesiastical. From this flows an assumption, not always stated, but in fact made a basis of feeling and action, that these secular things are, in some sense, of necessity, unsanctified and worldly, and that, as such, God has no deep interest in them, and does not design to bring them all under his own influence and control.

Now, though it is true that these great departments of human life have been for ages unsanctified and unsubor dinated to the laws of God and to the gospel, and though it is true that in this state of things God reigns, in cordial sympathy, only in and through that ministry of regenerated men who form the church, while the world lies in wickedness; yet the very end for which the church was ordained, was to bring to pass ultimately another result, and that is to bring civil government, the state, commerce, political economy, the arts and sciences, and the schools, under the influence of God, so as to pervade them with the influence of his law and the gospel, and thus to make them a harmonious and consistent part of his kingdom. Such a result can only be effected by the universal indwelling of God in the individuals of whom human society is composed, inclining and enabling them to act on his principles and for his glory in all that they do, in all departments of life; so that, according to an ancient prophecy, holiness to the Lord shall be inscribed on all things, even such as have been regarded as earthly and secular.

Viewing the church in this light, even when vastly in the minority, it contains in itself the elements and principles of the kingdom of God in its full and universal development. For this reason our Saviour compares it to leaven, designed to leaven the whole lump.

The fully-developed and all-comprehending kingdom of God on earth is, then, a conception as simple as it is great and glorious. It is the reign of God in all departments of human society, through regenerated and holy men. It involves that constant action of God, in and through men, for which an infinite and omniscient Spirit alone is competent. This action Christ illustrates by the analogy of the constant action of the vine on its branches, which is essential to their vitality and fruitfulness. No power of angels or of men can take the place of this action of God, in and through the individual elements of the social system. No form of government or mode of organization can be a substitute for it. From it results a kingdom which no one can administer but God himself. In it he can have no vicar. He is its constant life, its controlling power. And he controls it, not by force, but by truth, and by holy emotions in view of truth. Hence Christ declared his kingdom to be, in its highest and noblest idea, a kingdom of truth, and thus distintinguished it from secular kingdoms of force, with which Pilate was in danger of confounding it (John xviii. 36, 37).

This kingdom of God does not absorb into itself, or abolish, the civil governments of earth; but it sends a divine influence through them, that directs, perfects, regu lates, and controls them. It does not involve one outward, universal, civil government, administered by Christ and the saints; but it implies that all men have become saints, and administer the various civil governments of earth, and transact its business under the inspiring and illuminating influence of God.

Nor does it imply an outward ecclesiastical organization, with human officers and administrators. It implies solely a Christian organization of society, in all nations and in all its parts, effected, sustained, and animated by God, acting in regenerated men.

Of this perfected society local churches will still be a part. But they alone will not fill out the full idea of the predicted kingdom of God; for that will include the whole

of human life in all departments of action. This is what we mean when we say that Congregationalism is a part of the higher system known in the scriptures by the name of the kingdom of God.

To be in such a kingdom is always a reality, and never a form. No man, as our Saviour declares, enters it except by regeneration. Of this, the reason is plain: every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him; while he who loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love. The pure in heart see God, and the poor in spirit possess his kingdom. These are the elements which, fully developed and made universal, shall establish on earth the kingdom of God.

Means of attaining it introduced by Christ.

If the kingdom of God, as it has been set forth, was before the mind of Christ as a result to be attained, it follows of necessity, that he ordained a system of means for the attainment of this end. This invests with peculiar interest the inquiry what that system was, and what are its relations and adaptations.

We should, from the very nature of the case, be led to suppose that, if the kingdom of God, at which he was aiming, had any striking characteristic, he would adapt his means wisely to the attainment of that characteristic. Such a characteristic we have seen there was. The universal kingdom of God is a kingdom in which none but God, as an omnipresent, omniscient, all-illuminating, all-vitalizing Spirit can be, or act as king. No angel or man, and no organization of angels or of men, can take his place. As well might we attempt to organize the solar system around a lamp, instead of the sun. That this was the characteristic of the kingdom of God, none better knew than our Saviour. We should not, then, expect from him any system tending to supersede God in his kingdom as its only possible bond of unity and vital power. On the other hand,

we should expect to find his whole system pervaded by the recognition of the great truth, God, and God only, is able to be the omnipresent and omni-agent king of the whole earth, and the all-pervading and sympathetic bond of union to all men, animating, perfecting, and controlling the social system in all its parts. We should expect from him a distinct statement of this great truth, with a design to exclude great human centralizations, whether monarchical or aristocratic, from his system, lest they should intrude themselves into the place of God, and turn men away from their only true life and uniting and controlling power.

As we should expect, so we find. This is the import of the words: "One is your master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren. Call no man your father upon the earth; for one is your Father, who is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters; for one is your master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant" (Matt. xxiii. 8-11). Of a similar import is his reply to a request for the highest seats of power in his kingdom. After referring to the exercise of centralized power in the kingdoms of the Gentiles, he says: "it shall not be so among you; whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant; even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many " (Matt. xx. 20-28). So carefully did he guard the peculiar prerogatives of God in his kingdom, and rebuke all attempts of unholy human ambition to intrude into, and vainly to try to fill, his place.

Nor did he attempt to fill the place of God by extended hierarchal organizations of particular churches into one great body, with legislative and judicial power. If this 'mode of organization had been regarded by our Saviour as a desirable and legitimate means of introducing and establishing the kingdom of God, there was no reason why it should not have been so declared at the outset. The kingdoms of earth were extended organizations. Such an organization the Jews anticipated. All were ready to adopt it.

If it was not introduced by Christ, if something entirely unlike it was introduced in its stead, there must have been a real and a deep reason for such a decision, and that reason could have been nothing but this, that the system. excluded was not adapted to introduce the kingdom of God, and that the system introduced was thus adapted.

The historical fact is plain and undeniable. A hierarchy was not introduced by Christ and his apostles. The system actually established by them was a system of free, independent, self-governed, local churches. This is conceded by eminent church historians of all denominations. The historical facts alleged by Congregationalists, and conceded by the most eminent historians, are:

1. The establishment of local churches, and not of an extended organized church, either for the world, or for nations or provinces.

2. These churches were composed of professed believers in Christ, or regenerated persons.

3. Their object was the cultivation of holiness, and its extension among men.

4. These churches were independent of each other, in the sense that each had full power to conduct its own worship, to admit its own members, to exercise its own discipline, to choose and ordain its own officers, to make its own regulations, and manage its own affairs, without subjection to any organization or head.

5. Each of these churches was accustomed to come together, for worship and for the transaction of business, into one place. Nor is any example given of a church of which this was not true.

6. The permanent officers of the churches were of two kinds, pastors and deacons. The pastors were also called elders, overseers, and teachers. The apostles had no successors. They are still in the church, and rule it by their inspired writings.

7. The exercise of discipline with final power is, by posi tive law, enjoined on the local church, and its exercise is illustrated by the action of particular churches.