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A Sermon,

DELIVERED BY THE REV. E. BICKERSTETH,

AT ST. MARY'S CHURCH, ISLINGTON, IN AID of the funDS OF THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY, ON SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 28, 1833.

Psalm xcvi. 10-13.-" Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar and the fulness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord; for he cometh, he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth."

This psalm relates to the full es

It is, my brethren, with feelings of who neglected to do so. We, like the deep interest that I stand in this Scribes and Pharisees, may reject pulpit, where our honoured and be- our only refuge, and help, and bring loved friend, the Bishop of Calcutta, ruin over ourselves and our country, so long laboured to uphold a cause if like them we discern not the signs so dear to him as that of the pro- of the times, and like them know pagation of the Gospel of Christ-anot, in these our days, the things because to which he devoted himself in longing to our peace. his own country, and to advance which, he is devoting his best ener-tablishment of our Saviour's kinggies abroad. Now it shall be my dom on earth; and it is to this subject aim rather to direct your minds to I would direct your attention, as calthat only Master, only Lord, only culated to call forth your best enerSaviour, whose cause this pre-emi-gies in the support of Christian misnently is. For the salvation of all sions of the church missionary society. mankind he left his heavenly glory-We feel the extreme difficulty of the for this he lived and died-for this he gave his last command, "Go ye unto all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature"-for this he bled upon the cross-for this he pleads above-and to accomplish this, he will return again to destroy his enemies, and everywhere establish his own blessed empire.

Our lot is cast in a grand crisis of the world, and all the events that are taking place have a constant, though often unseen bearing on the subjection of the kingdoms of this world to our Lord Christ. Then we ought, every Christian ought to discern the signs of the times: our Lord has strongly reproved those

subject, which relates to events yet in a great measure unfulfilled; and we would, therefore, touch but lightly upon the nature and precise period of our Saviour's coming, and confine our observations to those things in which Christians generally agree.

I will then consider two thingsfirst, the KINGDOM OF CHRIST, and secondly, THe signs of its apPROACH.

In considering THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST, we will notice the coming of that kingdom, and its effects. The event foretold in our text, is clearly the coming of Christ to govern the earth-it is the same event as that for which we daily pray, “Thy kingdom come." This kingdom did in

deed, in its spiritual character, commence just after the crucifixion of our Lord but we are also told that it was not to come in all its glory and fulness, till the man of sin had been vanquished and the fulness of time had come. The time for Christ's coming is clearly pointed out to us in the Revelation-we are told there to mourn in sackcloth for twelve hundred and sixty years, and when the end of that period was fulfilled, there would come great voices from heaven saying, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of Christ." Then also, "Christ shall reign for ever and ever." It is to this full establishment of Christ's kingdom, that this psalm mainly refers: the term "judge" is there used with reference to this deliverance as it is in the Holy Bible when applied to the deliverances which Gideon, Samson, and others accomplished, from time to time, for Israel, punishing and destroying their enemies, and governing the land as its deliverers. Our Saviour will then destroy popery, Mahomedanism, infidelity and paganism; he shall save his church from all its enemies, and extend its influence to the end of the earth: there shall be one Lord, and his name one. He is to judge, as we see in the psalm before us, the earth, not a few countries, the world, not a few nations the universe, not a part of it. Heaven and earth are to rejoice before him; the people, of every capacity, colour, and tongue, are to be under the influence of his righteousness and his truth. Where Christ is unknown, wickedness and error universally prevails-every false religion sanctioned and multiplied, and Satan has then unlimited sway. Christianity alone establishes unmingled and holy our Saviour's empire. The character and description of this empire is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy

"He com

Ghost. The expression, eth," is twice repeated to mark its certainty and importance; and it leads us to expect and wait for his coming, as what may be always looked for, in that extended hope which has been the prop of his church from the beginning.

Such is the coming of this kingdom. Now, what are the effects connected with it? I notice two effects, judgment and mercy.

We may justly anticipate judgment. The phrase in our text, "He shall judge the world with righteousness," intimates the punishment of the wicked, as well as the happiness of the righteous. That the Lord is merciful to the church, has always been connected with the day of wrath. The words of prophecy are very impressive on this point; thus in the twenty-sixth chapter of Isaiah and the ninth verse-" When thy judgments are on the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness." And the prophet Daniel, in the twelvth chapter and first verse, shows us, that before this period comes, "there shall be a time of trouble such as there never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt." And again, our Lord, in the twenty-fourth chapter of St. Matthew, and thirty-seventh verse, tells us that, "as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall also the

coming of the Son of man be." How practically instructive are these sure intimations of judgment! By similar warnings the early Christians who were there fled from the devoted city of Jerusalem and escaped the divine wrath. Are there any before me this morning given up to this vain world? if so, may they be led to see the danger of a worldly course, and flee from the wrath to come. Days of trouble to the wicked are at hand, and you have nought to vanquish them the conflicts are near, and you have no defence. The Saviour approaches, and ye are not his people; he says, "Watch and pray, for ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh." Search through the whole volume of inspiration, and you will find that judgment | on God's enemies, as well as mercy to his people, marks the coming of the Son of man and his kingdom. But to those who love his appearing, and wait for his coming, this event is full of consolation. To you the address is, "Be strong: fear not; behold, your God will come with vengeance, even GOD with a recompense; he will come and save you." He who treads underfoot all his enemies, is mighty to save you. He again declares, "The day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come."

I proceed then to notice the mercy of this coming. There are, as concerns his followers, peculiar happy effects attending the coming of our Saviour's kingdom. Thus, in a bold and striking figure, the whole creation, animate and inanimate, is represented as rejoicing together on this event. Need I recall to your recollection how every varied image descriptive of peace and love, holiness and righteousness, prosperity and happiness, is used by the prophetic writers to describe that blessed time? As it

is in our text, heaven and earth, the sea and its fulness, the field and all that there is therein, are represented as full of joy and gladness. Is it not so now? How different the scene! Oh, if we could ascend the heights above, and from one of the battlements of heaven discern all that is passing here below, how should we see "the whole creation groaning and travailing in pain together until now!" Could we with one comprehensive glance, survey the land laying in fatal darkness, the three hundred millions of Chinese, the one hundred and fifty millions of Indians, the immense continent of Africa, the wide spreading regions of America, who still lay in fatal darkness; or could we discern the hundreds of thousands who are now bowing the knee to idols, and taught by their religion every abomination-Oh if you could see what six or seven hundred millions of your fellow men are now doing, how would your hearts sink within you! You would then see more of the meaning of that prayer, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”—and long for that happy day when love and joy, peace and holiness and happiness, shall fill every land-when every knee shall bow to Christ, and one song of praise ascend from every tongue, and one universal joy, gladden every heart. There will be then an avowed and real subjection of all the nations of the earth to our Lord Christ, all human laws will then be conformed to his word and his glory, and administered in the fear of GoD and love of man. Those scenes which for a short season gladdened the primitive church of Judea, shall be found in every place and every nation. But what is the cause of this joy? The King cometh He is the King of glory-He is the Prince of Peace-He speaks in righteousness-He is mighty to save He

is mild and beneficent-He is full of truth and full of compassion. Jesus Christ is the only source of genuine joy to the fallen heart of man; and when he comes to that heart, he relieves it from the load of guilt and burthen of sins which has bowed it to the earth. He imparts and confers his blessed Spirit-the spirit of truth, love and holiness. He "gives beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." And when he shall come to establish his universal kingdom, it will be to put an end to the long usurped dominion of Satan and cause false religion to perish. The Jew shall be converted, Mahomedanism for ever abandoned: not one idolatrous nation, not one idolater shall be left. He comes to establish righteousness through the earth, and all nations shall serve him. This universal joy is reserved for the church of Christ; and it is our privilege to help to bring it in by our prayers, our gifts, and our labours of love, now to enlarge our own happiness and our own joy on that day. You have talents given to you; and your Master's direction is "Occupy till I come." Confess your Saviour in these days of infidelity and worldliness, and he will confess you in the day of his appearance.

Having thus brought before you these happy events here predicted, this question may arise, Have we any personal interest in it? May it not be an event far distant? "Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were." Is there any thing that distinguishes the present time from former years? We reply, there are many most remarkable features in the present day, and to this I would now direct your attention, considering, secondly, THE SIGNS OF

THE APPROACH OF THIS KINGDOM.

There are peculiarities marking the present time, in providence and in prophecy, which may brighten our hopes of the approach of Christ's universal kingdom. We will point out first, the peculiarities of Providence, and here I would bring before you the state of the world in its two aspects-the unchristian and Christian. The state of the world is very remarkable, I have no doubt you will have noticed it to be most singular: there is a general excitement, a movement in every profession of religion, false or true. Regard then first the unchristian world; and notice it in its three leading divisions, the Jews, Mahometans, and Pagans.

I begin with the Jews. Their state is of immense moment, for no one can know either the Old or the New Testament, without being aware that it affects every nation. Their conversion shall be as life from the dead to the world. Now never was the Christian Church so roused, so generally alive to compassionate the Jews as at the present time; never was there a more general spirit for their conversion abroad than now exists; never was there a greater spirit of inquiry among them: there is an awaking excitement among the Jews, that is unparalleled since the destruction of their city of Jerusalem. The servants of GOD think of them, and pray for them, and labour for them. Those who know the Scriptures, know that these are scriptural evidences, that "the time to favour Ziọn, yea, the set time is come." Brethren, have a thoughtful share in seeking the spiritual good of Israel.

Notice next, the Mahometan, in which are comprehended one hundred millions of the human race. It is a religion which spread with pestilential influence, from the great wall of China, even to the Straits of Gibraltar; but now the whole seems

ready to crumble to dust. Greece, and Palastine, have already escaped from its errors. The remaining chief regions are Turkey, Persia, and Morocco: but a flame has been kindled there which will never be extinguished; the false prophet's power has been so crippled, that he can no longer triumph, though all his energies were put forth now through all the Mahometan nations: the way of the king of the East is preparing.

View, then, the whole pagan world, and you will find that in no preceding age has the pure church of Christ made such progress, and laboured so strenuously to spread so general a diffusion of the Gospel as it now puts forth for into every heathen country, Christians have carried it; and into almost every heathen land they have entered and testified of Christ; and, wherever they have gone, the cry has been raised for more labourers: "Come over, and help us in our labours which our Lord has blessed abundantly." The heathen are manifestly more and more desirous of receiving the Gospel and wherever it has entered prejudices have given way, education advances, the Scriptures are translated and widely circulated, the preaching of the Gospel increases, and numerous converts have been baptised, Missionaries in the South Sea Islands have lived to see the people there casting their idols to the moles and to the bats. We may adopt the apostolic language, and say-" They turn from dumb idols to serve the living and true God." Our Lord's declaration has been abundantly realized, “This

Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations.”

Such is the state of the unchristian world. Let us regard the world now in another aspect-in its Christian aspect. And here also I would view it under three great divisions-the Roman, the Eastern, and the Reformed Churches. 42

The Roman churches are unquestionably in a very exhausted state; they seem awakened to a new sense of danger, and to be making new and enlarged, though dying efforts, for their extension. Part of this church indeed seems to be coming out of its errors; for now they are distributing the word of GOD, they have set about it with great spirit, and have had thousands of copies of this Holy Book widely circulated among the poor benighted people of South America: but the head of this corrupt church, like the Mahometan Antichrist, has issued his vain prohibitions against the wide spread of the Bible. It is the prelude to his fall. I have no idea from God's word, that popery will ever rise again, after so many desolating judgments for thirty years on that apostate church, or that the efforts of infidels to resist the blaze of light in the nineteenth century, will reestablish its own institutions, its palpably vain, gross, and corrupt su- · perstition. You see an infatuation in this that indicates speedy rain to popery; and though there may be a great conflict, which this appears to indicate, the result is certain error must fall before truth..

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