rule extended and established throughout the uni

verse.

Wherever, on the contrary, knowledge, and virtue, and freedom,-and concord,-and all orderly arrangements prevail, there also, in the same degree, extensive and happy prospects of the beautiful order of the universe,-pure and strong hopes of blessed things that are hereafter to become the portion of living natures,―augmented enjoyment of all the rich inheritance that is given to man, even as the occupier of this earth,-and glorious views of that future development which awaits the dominion of God, in the yet unrevealed ages of futurity, gain additional power. Creation thus assumes its natural and happy aspect ;—and with the increasing influence of these principles the "kingdom of God" is extended throughout the universe. Our purest

and finest conceptions of excellence, and order, and happiness, are thus brought from the invisible scene to which, as mere abstractions, our imaginations had transferred them, to the very face of that world in which we live,—and man feels himself taken into alliance with all the higher and nobler inhabitants of the Creator's dominions,-or, to use the strong, beautiful, and most significant words of our

Lord," the kingdom of Heaven" is established upon earth.

From the preceding observations respecting the meaning of the words, "the kingdom of God," we may perceive, that though the expression is commonly explained as referring chiefly to the "Gospel dispensation," we are by no means to suppose that it is simply on its own account, or viewed merely as a system of ordinances and laws of high favour in the sight of God, that the Gospel is entitled to this appellation;—because it is obvious that the Gospel is valuable, simply as a means of generating something higher and better which it has a tendency to produce, and from the actual production of which its only value is derived;—and that, consequently, when we use the words in their most comprehensive sense, we refer not ultimately to the establishment of Christianity, even in its purest form and over the widest conceivable range,—but to the effect which the doctrines, and laws, and institutions, and indeed all the provisions of the Gospel, were meant to produce, that is to say,-the moral improvement of human nature, and of the entire condition and relations of man.

VOL. I.

C

EXTENT OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH.

1. From the explanation which has been given of the words, "the kingdom of God," in the foregoing section, as relating to every thing that has a tendency to improve, in any way, the wide extent of the dominions of God, it follows, in the first place, that the Divine kingdom is not to be viewed by us as limited to any particular department of creation,— but that nature as well as life, and all the beautiful arrangements that surround us in nature, are to be considered as comprised under this term,when it is taken in its most comprehensive meaning.

Indeed, with the view of facilitating our modes of thought, we commonly make use of certain abstractions or generalizations, on the assumption of which all language is founded, and which, by a natural reaction, it has a tendency to fix and to endow with an appearance of reality,—and the effect of which, in our usual modes of thinking, is to lead us to separate the kingdom of God into dif ferent departments, which we further regard as pervaded by different laws, and tending, perhaps, to different results. We thus speak of the kingdom

of nature, the kingdom of providence,-and the kingdom of grace,-as if these were entirely distinct and insulated departments of the entire scheme of things, and respecting which, therefore, no conclusions can be established that are applicable to them all.

And it is farther true, that in the very limited view which we are, at any moment, capable of taking of existing arrangements or passing events, there seems to be an occasion furnished, by the actual appearances of things, for the abstractions which we thus habitually form. There is thus, in the first place, the great order of material nature, or the beautiful arrangements that characterize the face of that world in which our place is assigned us;-there is, in the second place, a progression of events according to which the ordinary course of things in this sublunary world is conducted ;-and there is, in the last place, a higher order of occurrences, and a more rare interposition of expedients, by means of which the interests of the moral and spiritual nature of man are carried forward.

It is no doubt this apparent distinction in the actual arrangements of the universe, or of that portion of the universe which is exposed to our view,

that lays the foundation for those abstractions and generalizations,-in so far as this subject is concerned, -by which the ordinary language of men is pervad ed;—and it must even be admitted, that it is upon inferences deduced from this apparent arrangement of things, that the ordinary conduct of life and all our most familiar views and modes of thought are founded. But it is also true, and a very slight reflection on the subject may convince any person of the justness of the remark, that this apparent distinction in the arrangements of life proceeds altogether from the partial and very limited view which we are disposed habitually to take of the vast multitude and variety of occurrences in the midst of which we find ourselves stationed. If we could stretch our view over the whole order of things, we should perceive, not distinct compartments governed by separate laws, and tending to different results, but one vast scheme, all the parts of which are in intimate and harmonious connexion. Nature,-and providence, -and grace,- -would thus assume the aspect of one unbroken plan, all the portions and connexions of which have a mutual influence on each other ;— and, with this view of the intimate dependence of all the orders of events, we should also perceive, that