The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 355

of human posseAsiom,. "Beauty is a thing of gree.t recommendation in the correspon- dence amongst men; it is the principal means of acquiring tho favour and good-liking of one another, and no man is so be.rbarous and morose that does not perceive himself in ,._,me sort struck with its attraction" (Montaigne). "Beauty is, indeed, a good girt of God ; but that the ~ood may not think it a great good, God dispenses it even to the wicked" (Augustine). "A beautiful and fa.ir young man is he; In all his body is no blemish seen; His hair is like the wire of David's harp, That twines about his bright and h·ory neok; In 161'881 is not such a goodly man." (Geo. Peele, • The Tragedy of Absolon: • 1599,) II. A SUPERFICIAL DISTINCTION; sba.dowing forth, indeed, beauty of mind and chal'llcter; and heightened by the latter, when present; but orten, in fact, disassociated from it; and covering, "skin-deep," dreadful moral deformity (Prov. xi. 22). Absa- lom wa.s beautiful externally, but not "beautiful within." Wisdom, truth, humility, mode.~ty, purity, patience, meekness, piety, mercy, cbarity,-these constitute inward, substantial, spiritual beauty, "the beauty of holiness," the product of the grace and the reflection of the beauty and glory of the Lord (Ps. xc. 17; cxlix. 4); in which he delights, and which all persons may acquire (Eph. iv. 24; Gal. v. 22; Phil. ii. 6). "Whatsoever things are lovely," etc. (Phil. iv. 8). "The graces of the Spirit are the richest ornaments of the reasonable creature." . IIL A DANGEROUS Th"FLUENOE; on its possessors, making them vain and presumptuous, and exposing them to many temptations ; on its beholders, directing undue attention to "the outward appearance," disposing to excuses for mental and moral defects, alluring to evil (eh. xv. 1-6). The beauty of Absalom was a snare to the people. "His hair was his halter" (eh. xviii. 9). "Where is the virtue of thy beauty, Absolon? Will any of 1lS here now fear thy locks, Or be in love with tha.t thy golden hair, Wherein was wrapt rebellion 'gainst thy sire, Alld words prepared t.o et.op thy father's breath?" (Geo. Peele.) IV. A TRANBIE!<'T POSSESSION. Precarious, short-lived. inevitably turning to dust (ver. 14) ; "a fa.ding flower" (Isa. x.xvili. 4; xL 8; Ps. xx.xix. 11), whose "root. is ever in its grave." "A doubtful good, a gloss, a glo.ss, a flower, Lost, fa.dee!, broken, dead, within an hour." " So have I seen a rose newly springing from the clefts of its hood, and at first it was fair ns the morning, and full with the dew of heaven as a lamb's fleece; but when a ruder breath had forced open its virgin modesty, and dismantled its too youthful and UDiipe retirements, it began to put on darkness, and to decline to softness and the 8ymptoms of a sickly age; it bowed the head, and broke its stalk, and at night, having lost some of its leaves and all its beauty, it fell into the portion of weeds and outworn faces. The same is the portion of every man and every woman" (Jeremy 'faylor, 'Holy Dying'). But goodness is immortal; it "fa.deth not away" (1 Pet. i. 4). " Beauty belongs to youth and dies with it, but the odours of piety survive death and perfume the tomb." ., Only the actions of the just Swell sweet and blossom in the dust." D. Vers. 28-33.-Restored, but not rejor'T'Tl.d. "Wheref?re am I co~e from Geshur_? it were better for me that I were there still ; and now I will see the kmg s face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him put me to :death" (ver. 31). While in Geshur Ai>sa.lom showed no repentance for his crime; sought no forgiveness of it; rather , mr. XIV. 1-33.) 'rH.E SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL.