patriarchs and prophets-第178节

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HEBREWS　11：13；　PHILIPPIANS　3：20；　R。V。

SINCE　THE　KINGDOM　OF　ISRAEL　PASSED　AWAY；　GOD　HAS　NEVER　DELEGATED　AUTHORITY
TO　ANY　MAN　OR　BODY　OF　MEN　TO　EXECUTE　HIS　LAWS　AS　SUCH。　〃VENGEANCE　IS　MINE；　I
WILL　REPAY；　SAITH　THE　LORD。〃　ROMANS　12：19。　CIVIL　GOVERNMENTS　HAVE　TO　DO　WITH
THE　RELATIONS　OF　MAN　WITH　MAN；　BUT　THEY　HAVE　NOTHING　WHATEVER　TO　DO　WITH　THE
DUTIES　THAT　GROW　OUT　OF　MAN'S　RELATION　TO　GOD。

EXCEPT　THE　KINGDOM　OF　ISRAEL；　NO　GOVERNMENT　HAS　EVER　EXISTED　ON　THE　EARTH　IN
WHICH　GOD　BY　INSPIRED　MEN　DIRECTED　THE　AFFAIRS　OF　STATE。　WHENEVER　MEN　HAVE
ENDEAVORED　TO　FORM　SUCH　A　GOVERNMENT　AS　THAT　OF　ISRAEL；　THEY　HAVE；　OF
NECESSITY；　TAKEN　IT　UPON　THEMSELVES　TO　INTERPRET　AND　ENFORCE　THE　LAW　OF　GOD。
THEY　HAVE　ASSUMED　THE　RIGHT　TO

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CONTROL　THE　CONSCIENCE；　AND　THUS　HAVE　USURPED　THE　PREROGATIVE　OF　GOD。

IN　THE　FORMER　DISPENSATION；　WHILE　SINS　AGAINST　GOD　WERE　VISITED　WITH
TEMPORAL　PENALTIES；　THE　JUDGMENTS　EXECUTED　WERE　NOT　ONLY　BY　DIVINE　SANCTION；
BUT　UNDER　HIS　DIRECT　CONTROL；　AND　BY　HIS　COMMAND。　SORCERERS　WERE　TO　BE　PUT
TO　DEATH。　IDOLATERS　WERE　TO　BE　SLAIN。　PROFANITY　AND　SACRILEGE　WERE　PUNISHED
WITH　DEATH。　WHOLE　NATIONS　OF　IDOLATERS　WERE　TO　BE　EXTERMINATED。　BUT　THE
INFLICTION　OF　THESE　PENALTIES　WAS　DIRECTED　BY　HIM　WHO　READS　THE　HEARTS　OF
MEN；　WHO　KNOWS　THE　MEASURE　OF　THEIR　GUILT；　AND　WHO　DEALS　WITH　HIS　CREATURES
IN　WISDOM　AND　MERCY。　WHEN　MEN；　WITH　HUMAN　FRAILTIES　AND　PASSIONS；　UNDERTAKE
TO　DO　THIS　WORK；　IT　NEEDS　NO　ARGUMENT　TO　SHOW　THAT　THE　DOOR　IS　OPENED　TO
UNRESTRAINED　INJUSTICE　AND　CRUELTY。　THE　MOST　INHUMAN　CRIMES　WILL　BE
PERPETRATED；　AND　ALL　IN　THE　SACRED　NAME　OF　CHRIST。

FROM　THE　LAWS　OF　ISRAEL；　WHICH　PUNISHED　OFFENSES　AGAINST　GOD；　ARGUMENTS　HAVE
BEEN　DRAWN　TO　PROVE　THE　DUTY　OF　PUNISHING　SIMILAR　SINS　IN　THIS　AGE。　ALL
PERSECUTORS　HAVE　EMPLOYED　THEM　TO　JUSTIFY　THEIR　DEEDS。　THE　PRINCIPLE　THAT
GOD　HAS　DELEGATED　TO　HUMAN　AUTHORITY　THE　RIGHT　TO　CONTROL　THE　CONSCIENCE　IS
THE　VERY　FOUNDATION　OF　RELIGIOUS　TYRANNY　AND　PERSECUTION。　BUT　ALL　WHO　REASON
THUS　LOSE　SIGHT　OF　THE　FACT　THAT　WE　ARE　NOW　LIVING　IN　A　DIFFERENT
DISPENSATION；　UNDER　CONDITIONS　WHOLLY　DIFFERENT　FROM　THOSE　OF　ISRAEL；　THAT
THE　KINGDOM　OF　ISRAEL　WAS　A　TYPE　OF　THE　KINGDOM　OF　CHRIST；　WHICH　WILL　NOT　BE
SET　UP　UNTIL　HIS　SECOND　COMING；　AND　THAT　THE　DUTIES　WHICH　PERTAIN　TO　MAN'S
RELATION　TO　GOD　ARE　NOT　TO　BE　REGULATED　OR　ENFORCED　BY　HUMAN　AUTHORITY。


NOTE　9。　PAGE　608。　CONCERNING　THE　IDENTITY　OF　THE　RAMAH　OF　SAMUEL　WITH　THE
RAMAH　OF　BENJAMIN；　DR。　EDERSHEIM　SAYS：　〃THESE　TWO　POINTS　SEEM　ESTABLISHED：
SAUL'S　RESIDENCE　WAS　AT　GIBEAH；　AND　HE　FIRST　MET　SAMUEL　IN　RAMAH。　BUT　IF　SO；
IT　SEEMS　IMPOSSIBLE；　IN　VIEW　OF　1　SAMUEL　10：2；　TO　IDENTIFY　THE　RAMAH　OF
SAMUEL　WITH　THE　RAMAH　OF　BENJAMIN；　OR　TO　REGARD　IT　AS　THE　MODERN　NEBY
SAMUEL；　FOUR　MILES　NORTHWEST　OF　JERUSALEM。〃








The　End