listened t.o a. sermon from Nathan, which exactly suited his own caso, and yet he did not apply it tc himself. He turned the edge of it from himself to another, 'l'he benefit of sermons depends more upon the hearer than the freacher, The best sermon is that '\\•hicb is best appU«l by those to whom it is preached (Wordsworth). "Application is the life of preaching; and self-applica.tion is the life of bearing." "They profit most, not who bear most, but who apply most what they hear to their own hearts." 8. Every man is responsibl,e to God for the sin which he has committed. "'l'bou e.rt inexcusable 0 man" (Rom. ii. 1), howe,·er thou mayest have persuaded thyself to the contrary. I~ the man whom thou judgest accountable for his conduct; and e.rt not thou for thine? Is he accountable to thee? How much more a.rt thou to God? No position, however exalted, can release from responsibility to him or exempt from obedience to his com- mandment; no constitutional tendency, no temptation, expediency, or necessity ·be an adequate reason. for despising it (Ezek. xviii. 4; Rom. iii. G), . "And self to to.ke or leave is free, Feeling its own suflicien<'y : In spite of science, spite of fate, The judge within thee, soon or lote, Will blame bnt thee, 0 man I " Say not, • I would, but could not. He Should bear the blame who fashioned me. Call e. mere change of motive ohoice?' Scorning such pleas, the inner voice Cries, • Thine the deed, 0 man I '" (J. A. Symonds.) 4. A messenge1· of Heaven is always in readiness to single out the sinner, brin"' bis sin to remembrance, and call him to account. "Thus saith the Lord God of Isr;el," etc. (ver. 7), "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, tci do evil in.his sight?" etc. (ver. 9). Every wrong done to man, yea., every sin, is a factual contempt of his commandment (Ps. Ii 4). Whilst the supreme King and Judge observes it, and is long-suffering towards the doer of it, he provides many witnesses, holds them in resei:ve, .and sends th.!:m with his word a.t the proper moment to de9la.re a.11 its enonnity-,-its ingrntituue (ver. 8), presumption (ver. 9), disloyalty before him, its "intense and brutal selfishness," sensnality, cruelty, and era.ft. Conscience also a.wakes to confirm their testimony, with "e. thousand several tongues, e.nd every tongue" crying, '' Thou art the man 1" 6. The less expected the charge preferred against the sinner, the moro overwhelming his conviction of guilt. "The further David was from thinking of .a reference to himself, the greater the force with which the word must have struck him" (Erdmann). There could be no defence, no extenuation, no e.nswer (Acts xxiv. 25; :Matt. :x:xii. 12). 6. The condem11ation which one man pronounces on another some- times recoils upon himself with increased severity. "Out of thine own mouth," etc. (Luke xix. 22). "Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house," etc. "For e. ~ e moment the features of the king are charged with the expression of astonishment. He gazes eagerly a.t the prophet like one at a. loss to divine his meaning. :But, almost instantly, a.s if a.n inward light had burst upon his soul, the expre~sion changes to one of agony and horror. The deeds of _the last twelve months glare in a.!J their infamous baseness upon him, and outraged justice, with a. hundred glittering swords, seems all impatient to devour him" (Blaikie). "0 wicked. man, thou shalt snrely die I" (Ezek. :x:xxiii. 8). 7. The conviction ofsin is the first step in the way of restoration to righteousness. The sense of sin is the beginning of salvation. . " H~ that humbleth him.self," etc. (Luke xiv. 11; 1 John i. 9). "If we would judge our.- selves," etc. (1 Cor. xi 31, 32). Every man must be revealed to himself in the light of God's right.eoua judgment here or hereafter (Eccles. xi. 9; xii. 14).-D.
Vere. 10-12.-(THE PALACE.) The penalties of Bin. ''Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house," etc. 1. Sin is connected with suffering. The connection is real, intimate, inevitable. Nothing is more clearly manifest or more generally ad.nutted; yet nothing is more practica.lly d~rega.rded. Men commit sin under the deluaion that they can do so with impunity. But " they that plough iniquity, en. xn. 1-31.] THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 307