(Hengetonberg). "Towards the heathen Israel's duty was, by obedience to God's Word and commands, to set forth the theocracy, and bring it to honour and recognition. 'l'ranegressions of God's command by the king himself must lead the heathen to heap shame and reproach on Israel and on Israel's God" (Erdmann). III. ITs INJURIOUS EFFEOT ON OTHERS DEPENDS UPON THEIR ()WN CHARAOTER. It is only" the enemies of the Lord" who despise the Lord, his Word, or his people. L Their enmity disposes them to make use of the sin of another as a reason in favour of the course upon which their heart is already set; thus silencing the voice of conscience, increasing their pride and self-deception, and confirming themselves in unbelief and disobedience. 2. It also indisposes them to regard it in a proper manner; to consider the strength of his temptation, the depth of his penitence, the earnestness of his aspirations after 1ighteousness; that the conduct of one man does not prove the character of all with whom he is associated, still less the truth of the religion they profess, or the character of the God they serve ; that it may not be sanctioned by God, but forbidden, reproved, and punished by him; that it is not the standard of practice, which is found in the Law of God alone; and that "every man must give account of himself to God." 'l'hose who stand may be led by it to take heed lest they fall, and those who fall to hope to rise again; but the enemies of the Lord see in it nothing but an excuse for persisting in the evil of their way. "Bees will collect hooey and spiders poison from the same plant, according to their different natures" (Scott). 3. Their sin is not lessened by the sin of another, but rather increased by the nse they make of it. Neverthelees, "all conduct of ours which tends in the slightest degree to strengthen that system of false reasoning, by which sinners confirm themselves in their sins, and undermine the faith and practice of others, is sin of the deepest dye" (Thompson). IV. ALTHOUGH IT :MAY BE PARDONED, IT CANNOT GO UNPUNISHED. "The child also that is born unto thee shall surely die." 1. To manifest the justice and rig-hteousness of God. The penalty of death which be had incurred was transferred from the gnilty father to the innocent son. 2. To humble him more deeply on account of his sin, and to produce in him "the peaceable fruit of righteOU!lness" (Heh. xii. 11). "For the most grievous sins a provision of mercy is so made as to secure long and bnmbling recollections of the aggravated guilt" (Halley). 3. To counteract the evil effects of his sin, and "tha.t the visible occasion of any further blasphemy should be taken away." "God in his wisdom did ta.ke away this child, because he should have lived but to be a aha.me unto David" (Willet). This was only the beginning of a long course of chastise- ment in his family (eh. xiii.), his person (Pa. :xli., Iv., xnix.), and his kingdom (eh. :xiv.). Judgment wa.s mingled with mercy; yea, it was itself the chastisement of love. "What was the answer to bis prayer? First, the death of Bathsheba's child. Next, the discovery of hateful crimes in his household. Finally, the re"olt of the beloved Absalom. These answers to a prayer for forgiveness? Yes, if forgiveness be what David took it to mean-having truth in the inward parts, knowing wisdom secretly" (Maurice).-D.
Vers. 15-23.-(THE PALACE AND THE TABEBNAOLE.) David's behaviour in ajfiiction. In one of the chllmbers of David's palace his little child lies smitten with a fatal ma.lady. In another the king, divested of his royal robes and clothed in sa.ckclotb, prostrates himself in profound sorrow and abasement. He prays, weeps, fasts, a.nd lies all night upon the ground. His oldest and most confidential servants endeavour to comfort him, end beseech him to take food, in vain. At length the blow falls; and his servants fear to communicate the intelligence, lest it should plunge him into a dangerous paroxysm of grief. But their reserved demeanour and soft wh~spering among themselves indicate .what has happened; aud their answer to his question, "Is the child dead'?" confirms his conclusion. Uontrary to their expectation, however, he rises up, washes and anoints himself, puts on becoming garments, goes into the house of the Lord (the tabern~cle adjoi?ling the palace), and pours forth his heart in lowly adoration. Then, return.mg, he asks for bread, and eats. Astonished at his conduct, they inquire the reason of it; and he replies (tn effect) that he has acted, not from thoughtlessness or indifference, but from a due regard to the will of God and the altered circumstances of the case. ,Vhilst the life of the child hung in suspense, he might hope, by prayer and humiliation (since 314 'l'HE SEOOND BOO'.K or SAMtJEL. [on. xtt. 1-31,