condemn us, God ie grcnter thnn our hearts, and knoweth all things!'' (Blaikie). F0r this fact let us seek- II. AN ADEQUATE CAUSE. It is seldom due to insufficiency of light or means of knowing sin. Ie it, then, due to men's inconsideration of themselves? or to the per- version of their moral judgment? Doubtless to both; but still m0re to ain itself, which is essentially selfishness-a. false and inordinate love of self. " For consider: nothing is more manifest than that affection and passion of all kinds influence the judgment" (Butler); prejudicin~ its decisions in their own favour. Even when there is more than a suspicion that all 1e not well, it stifles further inquiry and prevents full conviction by: 1. Producing a general persuasion in men that their moral condition is better than it really ie. 2. Directing exclusive attention to those dispositions and actions of which conscience can approve. 3. Inducing unwillingness to consider the opposite, and to know the worst of themselves. The glimpse of the truth which they perceive is pain- ful, and (as in the case of diseased vision) it causes them to shut their eyes againRt perceiving the whole truth (John iii. 20). 4. Inventing specious arguments in justifi- cation of the course to which they are disposed. 5. Dwelling upon supposed com- pensations for injury done or guilt incurred. Self-love is wondrously fertile in devising such excuses and palliatives. David may have thought that the standard by which others were judged was not applicable to him. "Perhaps, as power is intoxicating, he conceived of himself as not subjected to the ordinary rules of society. In sending an order to his general to put Uriah 'in the hottest of the battle,' he probably found a palliative for his conscience; for what was it but to give to a brave soldier a post of honour? No doubt the victim considered himself honoured by the appointment, while it gave occasion to the king to solace himself with the thought that it was an enemy and not he who put an end to the life of his subject" (W. White). His marrying Bathsheba, also, he may have supposed, made amends for the WTong he had done to her. But the means which he adopted to conceal his sin from others, and deemed a. palliative of his guilt, were a special aggravation of it (vers. 9, 10). 0BBERVATION:B. 1. Nothing is more ruinous than self-deception (Heb. iii. 13; Jas. i. 12; 1 John i. 8). 2, To avoid it there must be honest self-examination (Ps. iv. 4; 2 Cor. xiii. 5). 3. We should especially guard against the blinding influence of undue self-love (Ps. x.ix:. 12; Jer. x:vii. 9). 4. There should also be earnest prayer to him who searcheth the hearts, for true self-knowledge (Ps. cxx:xiL 23; Job xiii. 23; xxxiv. 32).-D.
Vere. 7-10.-(THE PALACE,) "ThO'IJ, art the man I" The proper purpose ofreproofis conviction of sin. This purpose was accomplished by the words of the prophet. They were like a "two-edged sword" (Heb. iv. 12), the point of which was, "Thou art tbe man!" "If ever a word from human lips fell with crushing weight and with the illuminating power of a gleam of lightning, it was this" (Krnmruacher). "His indigna- tion against the rich man of the parable showed that the moral sense was not wholly extinguished. The instant recollection of guilt breaks up the illusion of months" (Stanley). Observe that: 1. One of the most effectual means of convincing a man of sin is by setting it before him as existing in another person. "Thou art the man I" the story of whose crime has stirred thine indi11:nation and called forth the sentence of death from thy lips. Self-interest, passion, and prejudice, that darken a man's view of hie own sin, have comparatively little influence upon him when looking at the sin of another. Here the veil is removed; he sees clearly and judges impartially. For this reason (among others) our Lord "spake many things unto them in parables." 2. The force of truth depends upon the particular application which is made of it. " Thou art the man who hast done this I " (LXX.); against thyself thine indignation should be directed; upon thyself the sentence has been pronounced. It is as if hitherto only the back of the offender was seen, when, suddenly turning round, his face appeared, and David beheld himself I "Men often correctly understand a message of God without observing its pereonal application to them." Hence the preacher, like the prophet of old (1 Kings xiv. 7; xviii. 18; x:xi. 19; 2 Kings v. 26; Dan. v. 22; Matt. xiv. 4), must directly, wisely, and faithfully apply the truth to his hearers. "' Thou art the man I' is or ought to be the conclusion, expressed or unexpressed, of every practical ser- mon." What is l\ sword without a point? "Here also is a lesson to hearers. David ll, B,\MUl!iL, lL 306 THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL, (en. xn. 1-31,