He was now forgiven on his real repentance; he was restored as a returning disobedient child to his Father's love, but he was still to suffer,-through his whole life,-sufferings made the more intense from the affectionate temper of David, and that yearning love for his children which we see in his conduct on the rebellion of Absalom. And let us learn from all this how grievous a thing it is to sin against God. Let us remember how we have ourselves sinned, and what we deserve to suffer. And when earthly afflictions come upon us,-if it be our lot to suffer from ill-health, from reverses of fortune, poverty, neglect, if those whom we have benefited prove ungrateful to us,-if our children turn out ill, or are taken from us, let us humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, considering that we deserve it all. Let us say with the penitent thief, "We indeed suffer justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds ;" and bear these troubles humbly, uncomplainingly, resignedly, as knowing that they are deserved chastisements.

Let us study the penitence of David. As we say the penitential Psalms, let us pray that our spirits may grow more and more into conformity with them. Let us consider that his repentance

was not a thing once done and over, exhausted in one single expression of contrition; it was the work of his life. He never ceased to be a penitent. His humility and contrition deepened as he grew older: he did not live without sin; for he fell again under temptation of another kind, a proud rejoicing (such as the world admires, but God abhors,) in the prosperity and increase of his people. Of that we shall speak another time. But yet on the whole a humble sense of his past sin continued with him. So let it be with us. Let us not forget that we have sinned, though in times long gone by. If afflictions come upon us, let us regard them as merciful chastisements, in which God writes bitter things against us, and makes us possess the iniquities of our youth; remembering those words of Bishop Taylor: "A true penitent must all the days of his life pray for pardon, and never think the work completed, till he dies."

JOHN HENRY PARKER, OXFORD AND LONDON.

Sermons for the Christian Seasons.

SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY,

THANKFULNESS THE FRUIT OF REPENTANCE.

2 SAM. xxiv. 25. And David built there an altar unto the Lord.

THE single chapter from which these words. are taken, and which is read as the second lesson in this evening's service, seems to give us hints. respecting several of the chief steps in the life of most of us. There are some souls, indeed,-a few, the happiest of their kind,—that have never greatly swerved from the ways of God, or fallen from the grace of baptism: from infancy they have been well shielded from temptation; the dangers of youth and more mature age have been escaped by their careful attendance on the duties of religion; and with loving hearts they have kept themselves always close to their Saviour. For such we believe there is a crown of surpassing brightnesss reserved in heaven;

for such there is a place in the immediate presence of the Lamb, and it will be their privilege to follow next to Him, whithersoever He goeth. I delight, I say, to repeat this truth, because it is in itself a pleasant and cheering thought, that Christ should find some hearts amongst us His from the beginning,- His in humble dependence now, His in perfect likeness hereafter; and also because we may entertain hope that some of the younger ones amongst us will be encouraged to hate the first approaches of sin, to cling to Christ's favour more entirely, by being often reminded of the exceeding blessedness of those who so love Christ, by considering that there is a treasure in the heavens set apart for all who do so,-a fulness of blessings to them who never transgressed at any time their Father's commandment, not known to those who have been lost and found.

Yet it is rather to these last that this chapter speaks; and the lesson it teaches is not without much consolation. It sets forth the sin, the recovery, the chastisement, and the thanksgiving of one who, early chosen, early disciplined by a long course of sorrow, yet fell more than once heavily, and still in the end arose and overcame,-of David, the favourite of God.

1. First let us see what was his sin. That it was some very great offence, the words of sacred Scripture do not leave us room to doubt. Even Joab, who appears to have been a thoroughly bad man, being both a traitor and a murderer, saw its wickedness, and tried to prevent the king from committing it. Yet it was only the numbering of the people;—at first sight no very grievous fault, and an action in itself, and on some occasions, right and necessary. But in David's case at this time it seems to have involved two distinct offences: a violation of God's express command, and an indulgence in a proud, self-confident spirit. For in the 30th chapter of Exodus we find this particular direction: "The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. This they' shall give, every one that passeth among them. that are numbered, half a shekel... an half-shekel shall be the offering of the Lord." The object of this law seems to have been to make the people remember that they owed even their life, much more their strength and increase in numbers, to