166 POWER TO BIND AND TO LOOSE [LECT. and consequently in heaven; and yet we find, after this, that Paul took and circumcised Timothy, "because of the Jews which were in those quarters," and can we doubt that this act was bound in heaven? The assembly at Jerusalem adopted, after much disputing, the sentence of James, who, from various intimations, seems evidently to have been first in authority among them. It was agreed that the Gentile converts should come out of the Pagan world, by publicly showing their abhorrence of the pollution of idols, and of those scenes of immorality which the Heathen considered not as sin: subjects these, which Paul in many places of his epistles presses upon his Gentile converts; and inasmuch as the eating of blood and things strangled was the strongest prohibition in the Levitical law, the holy apostles thought proper, in consideration of the Jewish believer, whose conscience would have been offended, to bind upon the Gentiles the abstaining from these things, as necessary for the present the reason alleged was, that in every city where the books of Moses were read in the synagogues, this prohibition (the strongest in the ceremonial law) would continually strike the ears of the Jews, to the prejudice of the Gentile Christians. St. Paul, who was present at this council, did not think it necessary to press the two latter points upon the Corinthians when he

11.]

66

EXERCISED BY THE APOSTLES.

167

wrote to them ten years afterwards, whereas he strongly urges the two former. "Meat," saith he, commendeth us not to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, neither if we eat not are we the worse;" and touching things offered unto idols and meats in general, he reduces the prohibition to a matter of conscience, as the apostles originally intended it should be, excepting as to the first binding; it was loosed by the same authority which bound it-that is, by Divine inspiration. The result of the apostolic decision gave great joy to the Gentile converts, but it did not effectually stop "the leaven of the Pharisees," which was now already infused into the Christian faith.

We have thus endeavoured to illustrate the words of Christ by applying them to the acts to which they referred; and in so doing we have reviewed the Christian Church from the period when the first persecution ended, to the council held at Jerusalem-that is to say, from the year 39 to 49 in this interval we have considered the opening of the kingdom of heaven to the Gentiles, as in our former lecture we treated of the same event with regard to the Jews, and we are now prepared to recount, without interruption, the apostolic labours among the Heathen nations, especially those of St. Paul.

It must now be evident to all who hear me, on what foundation the Church of Christ is

168

THE TRUE FOUNDATION

[LECT.

built," and other foundation," saith Paul, "can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." It must further be manifest what the meaning is of being built upon that foundation, or in the words of St. Peter, to be "as lively stones built up a spiritual house:" it is to believe with the heart and confess" with the mouth," that Christ is the Son of the living God, and that through His name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. As there can be no misunderstanding in these fundamental doctrines of Christianity, it is clear that whatever tends to subvert them is by us to be avoided; for, saith the great apostle, "let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon." The first and chief thing to be ascertained is, whether we have entered into the fold of Christ by the door of faith, which His word alone can open? Have we taken that

word, yea, that very word which openeth as a

key to the entrance into Christ's kingdom? for recollect, my brethren, the awful effects which have resulted in many parts of the world, and in different ages, whenever and wherever the key of knowledge has been taken away and it is taken away when men begin to neglect the oracles of truth, and when they hate to be reformed. Therefore it is enough to induce us to appreciate the word of God, which we possess, if we simply regard those places and kingdoms of the earth

II.] OF CHRIST'S CHURCH AND KINGDOM.

169

which have it not, and if we remember the woe denounced by Christ upon the doctors of the Jewish Church, for taking away the key of knowledge (that is to say, the Scriptures, from the people,) which hangs over the head of every teacher who takes away the oracles of God from the famished souls of men. The judgment indeed may be slow in preparation, for God is longsuffering! yet the time will surely come, when the cloud of vengeance shall burst over all those who destroy men's souls for lack of knowledge. But this shall not be so with us, brethren, if we guard well the sacred trust of the Divine oracles committed unto us: it is through these, and by the light of these, that I this day preach, and you perceive the solid foundation on which the Church of Christ is built. But whilst we thus speak and "boast ourselves a little," it is well to take heed that we come not short of our inestimable privileges; but that we show there is much advantage to us every way, but chiefly because unto us are committed these oracles of God and when we have entered into and become real children of the kingdom, we shall not fail to build up (every one according to his ability) the Church and the walls of our Zion: we shall feel a delight to pray for her prosperity, and to love all those who wish her well, whilst we pity but condemn not those who would do her evil.

170

JOY IN ITS EXTENSION.

[LECT. II.

For the days are coming when all those barriers which have hitherto separated men and nations shall be swept away, and all shall have an opportunity of knowing the Lord, from the least unto the greatest; and then, as when Philip preached Christ in Samaria, and there was great joy in that city, so shall this Gospel be preached and cause great joy in all those solitary places where the name of Jesus has not yet been exalted; until finally the heathen shall be given up to the Messiah for an inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession.