This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1884 edition. Excerpt: ... Relative Position of the first two Kings. 99 SECTION VI. THE RELATIVE POSITION OF THE FIRST TWO KINGS, FROM THE REJECTION UNTIL THE DEATH OF SAUL. The position of God's true witnesses has ever been a stumbling-block to the world. It is well if it be not an offence to the Church. It is one of the last lessons really learnt by the saint, and one the soonest forgotten. Hard as it is to learn the true character of God's saints, it is harder to be content with the place that character involves. Many who have, through grace, attained to reach the first, have shrunk from the second, fearing the cost at which it is to be sustained. In vain does the Scripture testify, that, from Abel downwards, God's witnesses have been strangers here. In vain, often, do we read the life of Christ. In vain I say, for we are surprised that, if faithful, we must be cast out. We cannot believe that our portion is to be rejected here. But it should not surprise us: for what is God's position, I say not in the world, but in His own Church? Is He walked with? Is He received? Are not creatures continually put into His place? God manifest in the flesh is a sufficient answer. His life and death cannot be misunderstood. "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, but His own received Him not." 1 Strange truth, this! but truth, nevertheless, unveiling man's heart. God comes into the world His hands have made. He comes doing good. But the world has no room for Him: they judge Him as an impostor. "By what authority doest Thou these things ?"2 is His people's answer to His deeds of love. "Not this man, but Barabbas," 3 their last request. "Now Barabbas was a robber." To what can we trace this? To what but this, that...