Gospel, for some years labouring in his native canton as assistant-pastor and pastor of various parishes. After a time the great need of labourers in France decided Mr Bettex to enter the service of the Comité d' Evangélisation in Paris, and preach the Gospel to Roman Catholics. At St Etienne, near Lyons, he laboured for seven years among the working classes, and the Lord gave many tokens of blessing. Impaired health now compelled him to go to the south of France. At Aix, at Cannes, and afterwards at Nice, he continued to serve the Lord. Returning to Switzerland in 1863, Mr Bettex was there also blessed to many souls in the preaching of the gospel and in the edification of God's people. This was effected by much journeying and by unceasing pastoral visitation. Frequently lecturing on prophecy, many desired to possess in more permanent form the substance of what he had taught. To meet their wishes, he wrote this present work, which appeared shortly before the close of his earthly career. Mr Bettex does not appear to have written much. Other works by him are Le Siècle présent et le Siècle à venir and Quelques Mots sur le Rassemblement des Enfants de Dieu. On the 24th of April, 1879, Mr. Bettex fell asleep at Vevey, where he is held in affectionate remembrance by many saints. To him may be truly applied these words, "They that make [see Heb.] wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." WIMBLEDON ; July, 1883. CONTENTS II. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN THE PRESENT DISPENSATION AS SEEN IN THE SEVEN PARABLES OF MATTHEW XIII I The Kingdom of God WILL NOT BE ESTABLISHED EXCEPT BY THE THE Gospel marches on to the conquest of the world. Yet a few more missionaries, a few more sacrifices, a few more efforts, and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Even Israel, losing its distinctive character, will be converted to Christianity. Such will be the Church in its last and complete perfection, the Church of the future, the kingdom of God. Such is the thought of many. I grieve to overthrow such great expectations. But why should I grieve? It is always profitable to change even our brightest dreams for the immutable and eternal truths of the word of God. I say then decidedly, and beyond doubt, that the hope of seeing the kingdom of God established by the preaching of the Gospel before the coming of the Lord is but a delusion and a chimera, and that such thoughts are a positive contradiction to the teaching of this Word. The Gospel of grace which we preach in the present day has no other aim, and will have no other result than the gathering together of the Church. This Church, completed by the gathering in of the last of its members, will be raised to meet its Lord. Then, the salt being taken from the earth, evil will abound till the Lord comes again with his saints to destroy the wicked one and all those who corrupt the earth, and to establish His glorious reign. Thus, the kingdom of God will be established, not by the preaching of the Gospel, but by the coming in person of the Lord Jesus. This is what we would now set forth by calling to mind the essential points of this kingdom. I All agree in acknowledging that one essential sign of the kingdom of God is that the earth be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. Shall this, then, be accomplished by the preaching of the Gospel? Let us judge by the words of the Lord (Matt. xxiv, 37-39): "As it was in the days of Noe so shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man. |