portion of the nation, and then for three imd thirty years over the whole. His capital during the first part of his reign was Hebron; and durh1g the second part, Jerusalem. It is evidently a point of interest and instruction that, though designed for the throne, and anointed in his early life, David only attained the throne by gradual stages and steps, and there was a long series of remarkable providences ever tending towards, and at last fully realizing the Divine purpose. l!'rom David's story we learn that there may be even prolon!]:ed de'lay in the fulfilment of the Divine promise, but that very delay is used in the ultimate and the more perfect fulfilment of the promise. 'l'his may be fully illustrated in the details of David's early history. If God's promise seems "to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not tarry." Immediately on receiving news of the death of Saul, David took action. As long as the anointed of the Lord lived, it was his duty to wait patiently, not to strive, not to assert his pretensions to the throne, not to rebel in any way against the lawful authority. But Saul being removed, no claims remained; he might assert at once his right to the throne. Here, however, the truly religious character of David is seen. The way seemed plain before him, but he would not take a step without inquiry of the Lord. He asks both the when, the how, and the where, desiring simply to follow the Divine lead. And he is directed to Hebron, the sacred city of the tribe of Judah. His removal to that city was the signal for the union of the tribe of Judah under 11.is rule. His ultimately securing the allegiance of the entire people, and removing his capital to Jerusalem, was the result of a train of providential circumstances, which indicated the Divine will as plainly as if words of command had been uttered. Many men sin by trying to force God's will into conformity with their own, and deceiving themselves with the idea that they are doing God's will. Happy are they who, in all simplicity, follow God's lead, and are quite willing to wait for God's time and God's way. 'l'he point in David's story recalled by these verses shows us- I. DELAY AND PABTIAL FULFILMENT TRYING DAVID'S FAITH. Years passed, nnd the promise of his youth seemed ever further off from fulfilment; and even when the fulfil- ment came, it was far below his hopes, scarcely worth so many years of waiting and bearing. Yet David fully maintained his trust. He never failed; he would not be persuaded to make his own way, hy cutting off Saul's life when the king was in his power. David never lost hope. God's way might be in the sea, but God can make pathways even through seas. And delay has ever been, and still is, one of the most effective agencies for testing faith. So long as we can do something, we can keep trust alive; but it is so hard to "flesh and blood" to be still and wait. IL DELAY ll"'D PARTIAL FULFILMENT CULTURlliG DAVID'S FITNESSES. It is always more important that we should be fit for a position than that we should gain it; and so the long :,ears of preparatory waiting and experience in lesser spheres are never wasted years. David in the cow·t, David in the cave, and David in Hebron, was being fitted f ,r foll royalty at Jerusalem. Life is, for us all, in stages, each with a view to the next in advance. We want to leap to the best at once. God will not let us, save in judgment. He brings through the lesser trusts slowly to the greater ones. This gives us one of our Lest assurances of immortality. \Ve are so evidently in this delay-time of earth beLig fitted for something more and higher. Gain what we may here on earth, we cannot txhawst our spiritual capacities.-1!.. 'l'. Vera. 10-19.-Review of the kings. It is specially worthy of notice that, accordin~ to his promise, God preserved the Davidic line among all the changes through which the kin;dom of Judah passed; and this became a public testimony to the Divine faith- fulness, and a constant plea against them when they publicly broke their side of the conditions of the national covenant.. We may dwell on- ]. WHAT THIS UNFOLDS OF GoD's LONG-BUFFERING MERCY. For some of the kings of Judah were rebellious and idolatrous; some, as, for instance, Ahaz and Manasseh, so Tery bad that we marvel at the mercy which held back judgment on the Davidic Glynasty. Exactly what we have ever to wonder over is the Divine long-suffering towards us, towards his Church, towards men. God is infinitely jealous of the honour 1»f bis Name as the Promise-maker and the Promise-keeper, and we may even think of God as infinitely hopeful concerning his people, waiting on and on, bearing long with them, quite sure that they will yet turn to him and live. But every new impression of cu. 1v. 1-43.] THE FIIlST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 11
God's patient mercy made upon our hearts only shows up the more hatefully our sin in keeping on and "despising the riches of his mercy." II. WHA'l' THIS UNFOLDS OF Goo's WITNESS TO HIMSELF. God's dealings with men are the revelation of God's cliaracter. What he does is designed to unfold before ns what he is, and so to ensure personal trust in him. Here mercy blends with faithful- ness, and we gain the conception of his righteousness blending with his love, justice and mercy going hand iu hand, the King and the Father making the sublime uoity of the ])iviue King-Father. Sometimes we gaio impressions of Divine justice, at other times impressions of Divine mercy, and we err if we keep these apart. \Ve only conceive God himself aright when we can blend them to make the perfect harmony of him who is faithful, to all his words-faithful t<J punish and faithful to pity aod faithful to preserve. ur. WHAT TlIIS UNFOLDS OF Goo's HIGHER AND SPIRITUAL PURPOSES. For from the preservation of a particular dynasty we rise to the promise of the world's Messiah, who was to be recognized by coming in the Davidic line, and bear a royalty which should be a sublime spiritual royalty, and found a kingdom which should be an iovisible but everlasting kingdom. David's kingdom was, by the promise, to be continued/or ever; and so it is in that Son of David,who yet was David's Lord, and who hath now both an "unchangeable priesthood" aod an "unchangeable kingship." His dominion shall yet prove to be an "everlasting dominion;" he '' shall have the heathen for his in- heritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for bis possession." And into the eternal Davidic kingdom we should enter, and we may enter, for the King throws wide the door, and calls "whosoever will" to come.-R. 'l'.