THE FAMILY PREACHER: Short Practical Sermons FOR HOME. BY THE REV. FRANCIS STORR, M.A., VICAR OF BRENCHLEY, KENT. NEW EDITION. LONDON: WERTHEIM, MACINTOSH, AND HUNT, 24 PATERNOSTER ROW; IPSWICH: W. HUNT. MDCCCLX. 100.7.422. I. "NOT FAR FROM THE KINGDOM OF GOD." ST. MARK xii. 34. "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God." SUCH were the words that our Lord addressed to the Scribe who had "answered discreetly:" we know not with what meaning they reached him, whether the testimony of conscience enabled him to rejoice in them as words of comfort, or whether, though pride might at the moment swell at the approval, yet truth compelled him to own, that "not far" touched a chord of sorrow, not of joy, to one long perhaps almost persuaded, yet still undecided, "not far from," and yet not within "the kingdom of God." Thus much we know, that these words have come down to us for our instruction, and that we shall do well to ponder the message that they bring. They bid us all to search and see how it is with ourselves, whether we are distant from, or near to, the kingdom of God; they bid us rejoice, or tremble, as the Б |