The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-06-14
For the Central Presbyterian.
Our King.

Cnspeakably precious as is the knowl-
edge of Christ as our Saviour our happi-
ness would not be complete without the
revelation Of Him to us as our King
Through this truth, the soul finds an out
let Tor It's love and gratitude in making
Christ's will the rule OF its life, knowing
that its fidelity and allegiance will be
acceptable to Him, and feeling all its
roblest energies called forth and devel-
oped in obedience, devotion, and loyalty
to Him. Just in the proportion in which
we see Him as He is, does it become,
easier to yield ourselves and our lives
wholly to Him, and we need not wait for
our summons to " the land that is very
far off to see the King in His beauty"
Once, yelling His glory, He walked the
earth as a servant of God and of men.
King of the Jews" He was proclaimed
at His birth, then came silence, while
tor thirty years in the retirement of Naz-
areth, He performed the little daily
duties of life, and worked out for us a
righteousness, by obeying Gods law in
oQr stead. Anon, in the fulness Of time,
the voice of one crying in the wilderness,
announced that the kingdom of heaven
was at hand, and Jesus, anointed with
the Holy Ghost and with power" entered
upon a ministry To others such as earth
has never seen before or since, and
preached in all the cities and villages
the gospel Of the kingdom" His great
design seemed to be to unveil its true
nature. That there was such kingdom
was no new idea to the Jews, for God,
who had prefgured to them through
Moses and Aaron, the prophetic and
Prlestly Offices of Christ, had also typifed
His King hip in David and his successors,
and from that time, the message of the
prophets had been, Say ye to the daugh-
ter of Zion, Behold, thy King comethr
But it was prince of this world that
the Jews looked and longed for, and in
this Prophet Of Nazareth, who sought to
establish spiritual kingdom within their
hearts, they did not recognize the Lord
OF glory. He came unto His own, and
His own received Him not; the only
crown they offered Him, was one Of
tnorns the throne they raised for Him
Was the cross. Yet from this cross, with
its thrice-repeated declaration Jesus Of
Nazareth, the King OF the Jews" has
Christ drawn the hearts of men unto
Him, and acquired an absolute dominion
beyond that Of any earthly monarch. He
has assembled up on high, and " His
throne is in the heavens, but He is with
us still, through His divine nature, and
ny His spirit dwelling within us, and
through the illumination thrown by the
. Holy Spirit on the portraiture of His
lie and death, and on the multiplied
images through which He graciously
makes himself known in His word He
becomes visible to the eye Of faith. 1t
is only His bodily presence that we are
deprived Of 10, am with you Away, g"
vas His comforting assurance to His dis
pies just before His ascension.
Having authorized a visible organiza-
ton Of HIS people existing indeed under
the old dispensatlou, but now TO be known
by new name, aud to have new sacra-
mental signs and seals He put them in
ulst with His gospel aud left in their
hands, talents withfhs charge Occupy
till [ come Aud now with infinite
patience, He waits aud watches for the
Growth and development OF that king
'ym, administering is affairs through