Spurgeon, Charles - The Gospel of the Kingdom

538 Pages·2009·12.18 MB·English

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:
THE
GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM.
A POPULAR EXPOSITION
OF
ITbe (Bospel accorMna to flDattbevp.
SPURGEON.
C. H.
WITH
INTRODUCTORY NOTE BY MRS. C. H. SPURGEON
AND AN
INTRODUCTION TO THE AMERICAN EDITION
BY ARTHUR T. PIERSON.
NEW YORK
THE BAKER & TAYLOR CO.
740 AND 742 Broadway.
^0.57 5
\:
^77
Copyright, 1893^
BY
Passmore & Alabaster,
UOBHRT DRUMMOND, EI.KCTROTVPER AND PRINTER, NEW YORK
INTRODUCTION TO THE AMERICAN
EDITION.
GoujON, the sculptor, died chisel in hand, his eye
intent upon a half-carved statue.
One who with his graphic pen did nobler work than
any mere artist or sculptor with brush or chisel, fell on
the 31st of January, 1892, leaving this his last and best
work.
Charles H. Spurgeon had a rare insight into the word
of God and spiritual truth. He was a seer of wonder-
fully clear vision. He saw beneath the letter to the
spirit of divine truth. He was both an example and a
proofthat the days of anointed eyes and anointed tongue
are not past, and that the "unction from the Holy
One," which confers both spiritual perception and effec-
tive utterance, was not confined to apostolic times.
Thiscommentaryon the Gospel according to Matthew
is the latest and ripest of his life's labors. It will be
found a tree laden with rich fruit and evidencing a
soil singularly fertile and the culture which bespeaks a
divine husbandman. We predict for this volume a
larger sale than for any of Spurgeon's previous works
;
partly because it is his latest and has in a sense the
aroma of his dying days, and partly because it is a
simple,brief, and charming memorial ofthemosteffective
iv Introduction to the American Edition.
popular preacher of his age. Every page is, like his ser-
mons, full of his Master and yet sparkling with his own
uniqueindividuality. Theywill befoundtodisclose many
ofthe secrets of his powerin discerning, expounding, and
applying the gospel. The reader will find himself here
keeping perpetual companywith one whose soul followed
hard after God, and who loved the paths where his
Saviour had trodden before him.
May the Inspiring Spirit, who guided the evangelist
Matthew in the production of this narrative, become to
all readers of this commentary the Illumining Spirit
also ; and through these pages may he who is dead still
continue to speak
!
Arthur T. Pierson.
Metropolitan Tabernacle,
London, February, 1893.
INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
Few and simple should be the words which introduce
this eagerly-expected book to the many friends who will
welcome
it.
The beloved author has gone to his eternal reward,he
is "the blessed of the Lord for ever"; but he has left
with us this last precious legacy, which draws our hearts
heavenward after him.
It stands alone in its sacred andsorrowful significance.
It is the tired worker's final labour of love for his Lord.
It is the last sweet song from lips thatwere ever sounding
forth the praises of his King. It is the dying shout of
victory from the standard-bearer, who bore his Captain's
colours unflinchingly through the thickest of the fight.
Reverently «e lay it at the dear Master's feet, with
love, and tears, and prayers. It needs no comment. It
is beyond all criticism. But His acceptance andapproval
will be its reward and glory.
During two previous wintersin the South of France, a
great part of dear Mr. Spurgeon's leisure had been de-
voted to the production of this Commentary,and it bears
much internal evidence of the brightness of the sunny
shore where it was written.
On the last visit to Mentone, after his terrible illness,
his mental strength was apparently quite restored, and
Introductory Note.
this delightful service was eagerly resumed; so eagerly,
that we often feared his health would suffer from his de-
votion to his happy task. But it was difficult to persuade
himtorelaxhis efforts; withhis Master,hecould say,"My
meatis to do thewill of Him that sent Me, and to finish
His work; " and till within a few days of the termination
of his lovely and gracious life, he was incessantly occu-
pied in expounding this portion of God's Word.
Much of the later portion of the work, therefore, was
written on the very Border-land of Heaven, amid the
nearing glories of the unseen world, and almost "within
sight of the Golden Gates."
Such words acquirea solemnity andpathoswith which
nothing else could invest them. We listen almost as to
a voice "from the excellent glory."
Yet, in reading over the proof-sheets of my beloved's
last work, I have been as much struck by the profound
simplicity as by the tender power of the dear expositor's
comments. Surely the secret of his great strength layin
this, that he was willing to say what God put in his heart,
and did not seek to use " enticing words of man's
wisdom."
Although the Master's call to His faithful servant
came before he could complete.the revision of his manu-
script's, the concluding pages have been compiled, with
lovingcare, entirelyfroin hisow?ispokenandwrittenwords,
by the dear friend who was most closely associated with
him in all his work for God.
S. S.
Westwood,
Beulah Hii.l,
Upper Norwood,
January, 1893.