The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 401

a.ffain of state. Their acts show them t.o have been men of sag1LCiOl18 mind able to apply the re8ulte of extended observation &nd insight into chara-cter to the ;hanofog circumstan008 of the d&y. As &m&tter of fact, they pl&yed the most important part by means of their ee.gacity, in the events of this part of David's life; and their aoiio; su~gests to us how much of human life in its social and political relations is cono.ected with the thoughts and pl&ns of men of this class. As in & ship a few r011lly control. the fate of the many, so in n&tions a few regulate affairs that involve the weal or woe of millions. No system of government can avoid this fact. Mental. power is supreme in the state. Moral influences from the mass may set limits to its action and open lines along which it must work, but its mighty force is manifest. It is ~ case of mind rising &bove mind. Henoe the need of prayer that our mentally gifted men may be good men. Hence, also, their solemn responsibilities before God. III. THE RESPONSIBil.ITY OF A POST OF EXTREME DELICACY AND DANGER. Hushai was just now entering on his perilous duties as friend of David in the court of Absa.lom, 11.nd the utmost care was requisite that he might both save his own head and serve his: beloved king. Had he not been sustained by the confidence that God would bring to nought the devices of the wicked, be mnst have often been overwhelmed by the pres- sure of his responsibilities. There are analogous positions still in life. Diplomacy knows them ; commeroe is not a stranger to them ; the Church furnishes them; benevolent men have often to work in secrecy, though not by deceit; peacemakers find that they may mar their work for lack of discretion, and run the risk of losing: reputation with one or both parties. In all such instances the consciousness of being· in the right, that wit and wisdom are devoted to unselfish ends, and that God may be asked to give his help, will sustain the heart, give penetration to moral perceptions, and ensure self-possession. All honour to the men who for a good cause assume such responsibilities ! , IV. THE coEX:ISTENCE WITH EVIL OF NEUTRALIZING FORCES. Ahithophel had a. great reputation, and devoted the force of his saga.city to the evil cause of a rebel. The forces of evil at work age.inst David were strong, and, to ordinary men in Israel, invin- cible. Yet we who know more than Absalom and his friends then knew, can see that all this time there were, coexisting with and working secretly e.nd silently against all the forces of evil, other forces which could not bnt tend to neutralize their action. In this we have on a small scale e.n illustration of the fact that, though there are in the world many pronounced forms of evil at work against the good of man and the rightful authority of Christ over ma.nkind, there is also a silent, and in its operation a secret, force at work, through the agency of the faithful few, which e.ll the time tends to check the evil, and must in the end overcome it. It has been so from the day when the Seed of the woman was promised to bruise the serpent's head. This fact should inspire the hearts of the faithful in every land in spite of outward appearances. V. THE CITY OF GoD IB SOMETIMES THE SCENE OF CONTENDING POWERS. The holy city, the joy of the whole earth, the chosen abode of the Eternal, and the nature.I abode of peace, we.snow the scene of a strife between adverse powers of good and evil. The happy days when the people sang for joy and felt secure in the presence of the symbol of the Divine favour (eh. vi. 12-19) were no more. As in some great historic wars the conflict becomes concentrated on the seat of government and influence, so now the great question which involved the wel.fa.re of Israel and the Gentiles was being fought out in Jerusalem. Here we certainly find an analogue t.o times of trouble when the city of God-the Jerusalem of the Christian dispensation-has been the scene of con- flict between the powers that would get rid of the Divine authority and set up an order of things not of God. Men have contended within the Church to rob Christ of his Divine rights, and the faithful few have striven to render service for him according to the measure of their wisdom and goodness. The apostles seem to have anticip11ted such seasons (2 Pet. ii. 1, 2). As this trouble in Jerusalem was connected with the failinos of David e.s well as the vices of Abse.lorn, so the contentions and sorrows th11t Lave been experienced in the Church have not been unconnected with the shortcomings of t.he elect or God. VI. AMBIGUOUS FIDELITY IB A PURELY HUMAN EXPEDIENT. The words of Hushai to Absalc,m were understood by the latter to be the expression of his loyalty to him- self; and, on the surface of them, the words doubtless had that meaning. Dut a~ a err. XVI, 1-23.] THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 407