Christ's Kingdom in the Earth

Christ’s Kingdom in the Earth. SERMON, DELIVERED BEFORE TH HONORABLE LEGUSLAT URE or THE STATE OF VERMONE, MONTPELIER, BY REV. WARREN SKINNER MONTPEDBIER. PRINTED BY GEORGE W. HILL In Generar AssEMbLy, Oct, 10, 1834. Resolved, That.a Committee of two members be appointed to wait on the Rev. Warren Sxinner,—return him the thanks of this House, for his Election Sermon, detivered before both Houses of the Legislature, and request a copy thereof for the press : Which was read and passed. “1 true Copy, E. D. BARBER, Crerx. Rugg, Bequest 1957 DISCOURSE. Tex7r.—* My Kixcpom 1s noT or tH1s Worn.” John xvur. 36. From the concurrent testimony of sacred and profane history it is evident, that, about the time of our Saviour’s advent, a very general expectation prevailed, throughout the greater part of the world, of the speedy appearance of a most important personage in the earth. The Jewish prophets, from Moses down to the last individual who was favored with prophetic vision in Israel, had predicted the coming of Messiah, “the holy one of God,” not only in the characters of prophet and redeemer, but also in those of king and law-giver. Isaiah had declared that the government should be upon his shoulders, and that the distant nations should wait for his law, in the vision of the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, which brake in pieces the image of gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, and clay, it was made known to Daniel that the kingdom which “ the God of heaven” would set up in the hands of Messiah should become uniVermont Historical Society versal, and break down all the opposing kingdoms of men in the whole earth. The time also of his appearing, and the establishment of his kingdom, was clearly pointed out by this latter prophet. Sixty three years prévious to the commencement of the Christian era, Pompey had taken ihe city of Jerusalem, and made the whole Jewish nation tributary to Rome. By a wrong construction of the language of their own prophets, the Jews expected, in their promised Messiah, a temporal deliverer ; a mighty prince, who should free them from their subjection to the Roman power, and from the oppressions of all their enemies; and one who would restore the kingdom of Israel to its ancient. power and splendor, as in the days of David and Solomon. With the predictions of the Jewish prophets, and the general expectations and hopes of the people, founded on these predictions, the Roman rulers had become well acquainted; so that the event to whick the former looked forward with such anxious solicitude was dreaded by the latter, as the downfall of their own greatness, and the desiruction of that power which they had extended over nearly the whole known world. Hence iheir historians, Suetonius and Tacitus, having witnessed the entire destruction of the Jewish nation and polity, alter acknowledging that there was an ancient, settled, and general belief, that the East should at this time prevail, and that one should arise in Judea who should attain universal empire, applied these ancient predictions. of a] the prophets of God to their ow emperors, Vespasian and Titus. Nor were all the teachings and works of Je-' sus sufficient to convinee the Jews that their promised and expected Messiah would not be a temporal king and deliverer. Even his own disciples had so fully imbibed this sentiment, that, although he had been constantly engaged in teaching them the “mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,” when they saw him fall before the power of his enemies, and expire on Calvary’s cross, all the fond expectations which they had formerly cherished concerning him were utterly destroyed; and they were subjected to all the bitterness of disappointed hope: Of this their own language is sufficient evidence. When he appeared to them, after his resurrection from the dead, as they were on their way to Emmaus, discoursing together of the wonderful events which had recently transpired at Jerusalem, they expressed to him their disappointment that he had not, agreeably to their expectations, “redeemed Israel” from bondage. And even after he had associated with them for the space of forty days, and when he was about to be taken up from them into heaven, they inquired of him if he would at that time “ restore again the kingdom to Israel ;* nor was it until after the descent of the Spirit upon them on the day of Pentecost, that they fully understood the nature of the kingdom he came to establish in the world: When arraigned at the judgment seat of Pilate, his enemies were unable toeprevail against him, or to obtain the consent of his judge that he should be delivered-to them for crucifixion, until they had accused him of claiming to be “king of the Jews,” as weil as the * Son of God ;” and, although they most anxiously desired a deliverance from their subjugation to the Roman power, so inveterate was their enmity towards the innocent Jesus, and so unyielding their determination that he should suffer an ignominious death, that they declared they acknowledged no king but Cesar. It was in reply to a question proposed to him by Pilate, in relation to this accusation against him, that Jesus said, as in the text and context, “My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that | should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my kingdom not from hence.”

From this language of our Redeemer we learn that, although he did not disclaim the regal character which his enemies accused him of assuming, and which was ascribed to him in ancient prophecy ; and although he was, indeed « King ot kings, and Lord of lords,” and the « appointed heir of all things,” he claimed no worldly authority; he sought no worldly power or glory. …