Sermons for the Christian Seasons.

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

THE PENITENCE AND CHASTISEMENT OF DAVID.

2 SAM. xii. 13. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord, And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

THE fall of David is one of the most awful warnings which holy Scripture contains. It is a warning to those who, from a long course of piety and of active service in the cause of God, may be regarded as friends of God, and men after God's own heart. And it shews us that the past services and the former piety even of such men, are no absolute security against their falling into the most dreadful sins, if they cease to be watchful, and give way to temptation.

From his youth up David had been leading a virtuous and a holy life; he had gained the esteem and love of those who knew him most intimately, and the honour of his countrymen. Brave, modest, loyal, forbearing to take the ho

nours which he knew were destined for him, enduring to be driven out an exile from his home and country rather than lift up his hand against his king, wise in counsel, successful in war, he had delivered his country from a foreign yoke, and extended his empire over surrounding nations. And when you pass from these outward excellencies, which the world saw, approved, admired, to the inward principles from which they sprung, you find that from his youth up David loved and feared God: a regard to God was the ruling principle of his life, and prayer and praise were his delight. His natural genius, guided by the Spirit of God, breathed forth the sweetest and most exalted devotional poetry; he loved the habitation of God, and delighted in beautifying it, and in promoting the worship of His sanctuary.

Yet this holy and confirmed servant of God yielded to temptation, like our first parents, and fell. He looked on what was evil, allowed the desire of it, and fell into deadly sin. The Spirit of God departed from him, and through that blind infatuation which such sin as his produces, he sunk deeper and deeper in iniquity; and, as it would seem, without being conscious of his guilt.

What a lesson is this on the words of the

apostle, "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall;" and what an evidence of the need there is of following that same apostle's example, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." What a warning not to allow the thought of any past services, or present love of God's house, or interest in religious subjects, in singing the praise of God, or delighting in sacred poetry, or the being employed in works connected with religion, or the having long stood firm even under great trials and difficulties, to make any one secure. St. Peter, the long-tried and seemingly most devoted of Christ's disciples, fell, and denied his Master. David, the sweet Psalmist of Israel, became an adulterer and a murderer.

And the privileges and graces which he had received deeply increased his guilt. And yet, immediately on his saying "I have sinned against the Lord," the prophet replied, "The Lord hath put away thy sin: thou shalt not die."

These words often strike persons as strange. It is a difficulty to them, that one who had fallen into sins so great, should be forgiven, as it seems, so easily as if a few words of acknowledgment on the part of the sinner, immediately obtained

the putting away of the sin. And further, as if it was only because the enemies of the Lord had been led to blaspheme, that the punishmentthe death of the child-was to be inflicted.

Now this is an important question, and one which will well repay attentive consideration.

And first, let us observe that the words-the few and simple words-which David uttered, are not to be viewed only by themselves; but as coming from the heart, and as evidencing what was in his heart. It is very easy for a person to say, I have sinned. It is easy to say this without any heart at all, carelessly, just with the lips. It is easy to say it under the influence of passing feelings of remorse. When one has committed a sin, and the thought of what he has done flashes across his mind, in a moment of remorse he may bitterly feel, and earnestly express, his sorrow; and yet it may be but a passing feeling, which will disappear when the immediate occasion is over, and give him no hold or stay against the like temptation when it comes again.

Wholly different is the state of mind of one who really feels in any good measure what those words express, "I have sinned against the Lord," and who then turns away from sin and seeks the Lord with his whole heart. The cases

are quite different in themselves,-quite different in their results. The one leads to nothing, and is nothing; the other has in it a living principle, which issues in infinite results. Look at two seeds, you see no difference between them,your most exact observation cannot discern that one is living and the other dead. Yet there is that difference really in them; and when committed to the earth, the one decays and comes to nothing, the other shoots up and brings forth fruit. Such is the difference between real and apparent conversion. Now the eye of God sees this difference at once, and His prophet sees it; and immediately on the words expressing it being uttered, he hastens to give the assurance of forgiveness, "The Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not die."

The words of David came from his heart ; they expressed a deep and intense consciousness which only a man who had known God as a Father, Protector, and Friend,-who had known what loving obedience was,-could feel: "I have sinned against the Lord."

They shewed that he felt the separation which there now was between him and his God,-his own alienation from Him,-his being unworthy of any regard from Him who had hitherto pro