their own guilt. A prepared state of mind ie neceesary to get good out of gospel state• mente. 4. The Ohristian religion especially lays stress on intense individuality in our relationships to God and to good and evil, and aims to bring us to a true self-know ledge. 6. It is an astonishing illustration of the tremendous power of our lower tendencies that they may even gain ascendency over men of most exalted privileges and whose very position would suggest superiority to them. 6. It behoves Christian people living in the enjoyment of many advantages to consider well their conduct in comparison with that of others leas favoured. 7. The essence of sin abides in all times, though the form may vary ; for as Adam preferred the suggestion of the evil one and so despised the word of the Lord, so did David; and on this method did Satan seek to win over Christ in the wilderness. 8. It is of extreme importance to remember that we may carry about with ue deep-laid and subtle tendencies which may assert their power in an unguarded hour; and hence we should often probe our heart, and search and see by the help of God whether there be any evil way within us. 9. lt should operate as a. deterrent to know that our sine will entail unavoidable social and physical troubles as long as life lasts. 10. We are authorized in speaking to the truly penitent of the free and full forgiveness which God has in store for them, and which through his abounding grace they may have at once. 11. In the fuller sense of the words it may be declared to the penitent that they-shall not die (John iii. 16). 12. The evil deeds of professors are a stumbling-block to other men, and give occasion to them to blaspheme, and as this must be a most bitter element in the life of the restored backslider, so it is a warn- ing to all Christians to take heed lest they fall, and so bring occasion for reproach on the Name which is above every name. Vere. 15--31.-The facts are: 1. The child born to David becoming very sick, he entreats God for its life by prayer and fasting. 2. He persists in refusing the consola- tions which the elders of his household offer him. 3. The child dying on the seventh day, and David observing the whisperings of his servants, at once ascertains by direct inquiry the certainty of it. 4. His servants noticing that, on ascertaining the fact of the child's death, he lays aside the tokens of grief and resumes his wonted manner, are amazed at his conduct. 6. Whereupon he justifies his conduct, and intimates his expectation of some day goin!( to the child. 6. Bathsheba is comforted by David, and bears to him another son, Solomon. 7. Joab, carrying on war against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and being about to bring the war to a conclusion, urges on David that he should come and enjoy the honour of taking the city. 8. David, complying with this request, takes possession of Rabbah, and acquires the king's crown with much spoil. 9. He completes his conquest of the Ammonites by causing some of them to endure great sufferings.
Providence and natural affection. The mercy of God to David was im.media.te, and it continued throughout his life; the judgment with which it was tempered was chiefly to come in days hence, but it begau in the severe sickness of Bathsheba's child. It is not an unusual thing for a father to have to face the loss of an infant; in such ca.ses natural affection will manifest itself in unmistakable forms. The extraordinary way in which David's feelings were excited by the apprehended dea.th of this child is to be accounted for by reasons springing out of the peculiar circumstances of his position. 'l'hese will appear as we proceed to consider the struggle between natural affection and the order of Providence. l. THERE IS A 0ERTAIN REASONABLENESS IN THE PLEADING OF NATURAL AFFEC- TION AGAINST WHAT BEE.MS TO BE THE ORDINATION OF GoD. The declaration of the prophet (ver. 14), that the child should die, was accepted by David as an ordination of God, and the severe sickness which came on soon after Nathan's departure was interpreted by the king as the first stage in the execution of it. But David was not conscious of a rebellious spirit in the e:s:hibition of such distress, and in such earnest' entreaty that the intended cause of providential judgment might be averted. Human affection is as much a part of the order of Nature as is the law of gravity, and its spontaneous action is as Dlltural as is the falling of a weight to the earth. Affection is nothing if it does not feel. There is no law requiring it to be annihilated, if that were pos~ible, in presence of the inevitable. To the pious Hebrew all changes in 298 THE SECOND BOOK •01<' SAMUEL. [on. xn. 1-81,