SECTION IV. THE GOSPEL TO BE PREACHED THROUGHOUT 1.-The Gospel to be preached to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. John x. 16.-And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd. Matthew viii. 11, 12.—And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (See also Luke xiv. 16-24.) Matthew xxi. 43, 44.-Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.' Matthew xxviii. 19, 20.-Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. 1 How accurately and how awfully were these words fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem. SECTION IV. THE WORLD BEFORE "THE END," OR FINAL Acts x. 45.—And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. xi. 1.-And the apostles and brethren that were in Judæa heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 18. When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. (See also Acts xiv. 27; 1 Peter i. 1, 2.) Acts xiii. 46.-It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. xxviii. 28.—Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. (See also Acts xv. 3 and 12.) Romans xv. 19.-So that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ. Acts xix. 10.-So that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. (Also ver. 26.) Mark xvi. 15, 16.-And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Luke xxiv. 47, 48.-And that repentance and remission of sins, should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. Acts i. 8.-But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Matthew xxiv. 14.-And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.1 1 The Churches planted by the Apostles (who, with the exception of John, had all suffered martyrdom previous to the destruction of Jerusalem,) to which the epistles are addressed, and which are mentioned in Acts, Revelation, etc., suffice to shew at once how widely "the good seed" of the "word" had been scattered by the Apostles, how firmly it had taken root, and how abundantly it "brought forth fruit." (Coloss. i. 6.) So that the new dispensation or "Gospel of the kingdom" had been "preached in all the world," preparatory to the annulling of the old, (Hebrews vii., viii.,) and the following brief summary of the missionary journeyings by land and sea of the Apostle Paul, exhibits the indefatigable zeal, energy and disregard of dangers and suffering, with which this single Apostle laboured throughout every region of Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, and in Rome. 1st. With Barnabas through Cyprus and part of Asia Minor. (Acts xiii. xiv.) 2nd. Through Syria and Asia Minor, Acts xxviii. 30.—And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no man forbidding him. Acts viii. 4.-Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. (See also xi. 20, 21.) Colossians i. 23.-If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven. (See also Mark xvi. 20.) Colossians i. 5, 6.—Whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel; which is come unto you, as it is in all the world, and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth. (See also Romans x. 18.) to Macedonia, Thrace, and Greece. (Acts xvi. xvii. and xviii.) 3rd. Through Galatia and Phrygia to Ephesus, where he laboured two years, (xviii. 18, and xix.); proceeding thence, (xix. 21.) 4th. To Macedonia and Greece, returning by Asia Minor to Cæsarea and Jerusalem. (xix. 21, to xxi. 17.) 5th. His removal to Rome (xxvii.), the political centre of the earth from whence he was enabled to communicate with people of every nation under heaven, and, undisturbed by the ruling power, (Acts xxviii. 30 ;) to preach to all comers, and publish the glorious Gospel to "the uttermost part of the earth," even Britain. For further evidences from historians and others of the miraculously rapid spread of the Gospel, and its indestructible establishment in the world previous to "the end," or abolition of the Jewish dispensation, see Note XVI. on The miraculously rapid spread of Christianity. 2.-Of Peter's future zeal as an Apostle; and his appointment to Gentiles. John i. 42. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. Matthew xvi 18, 19.—And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.1 (See also Luke xxii. 31, 32.) .1 The plain meaning of which passage is, that Peter should be the honoured instrument of laying the foundation of Christ's Church, and which we find he did, first among the Jews (Acts ii. 14—47), and, secondly, among the Gentiles, when specially ordained of God to that work (Acts x.) And this complete fulfilment of our Lord's prophecy should suffice to shew how baseless is the interpretation of it by the Romish Church to mean that Peter |