is, to convince men of sin, to convert them from the error of their ways, and to guide them securely in the paths of righteousness.

On this occasion, the Prophet Nathan displayed great prudence and address in reproving David: he did not begin by severely accusing him of the crime which he had lately committed, but he introduced the subject by a delicate parable, and David, by means of this was insensibly led to condemn himself. As the whole passage in the 12th chapter of the second book of Samuel is truly affecting, it merits our attention: "And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said to him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds but the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up and it grew up together with him and with his children; it did eat of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and hẹ spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man that was come to

him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord Liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die. And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, THOU ART THE MAN."

When the Prophet made this pointed and direct appeal to David, we may readily conceive that the arrows of conviction would dart into his soul, and the great king of Israel would be compelled to tremble under an apprehension of the displeasure of God. He then proceeded to state the heinous nature of the crimes which David had been guilty of; the ingratitude of his conduct; the consequences likely to result from his crying sins; and the judgments which God was intending to bring upon him as a punishment for his iniquities, and a warning to others. "Wherefore," he says, "hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall not depart from thine house.---For thou didst it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before this

sun. 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. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. And Nathan departed to his house."---After this, David assumed the habit of a contrite penitent; he fasted and went in, and lay all night upon the earth, and continued in this deep state of humiliation for seven days. But when the child was dead, "he arose from the earth, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: then he came to his own house."

It is highly probable that David composed and made use of the Fifty First Psalm, during these days of sore distress and severe mortification; that he poured forth his soul in these humble and penitential strains, first in his own house, and then in the house of God. Afterwards he gave them to the chief Musician to be made a part of the solemn service of his God, as a suitable instruction to all humble penitents. This, if we consider the elevated rank of David, was a most striking proof of the sincerity of his

repentance, of the depth of his godly sorrow, and of his earnest zeal to promote the honour of God amongst his subjects, whose minds had been much injured by his great transgressions. Here then we may remark, that though many have committed very flagrant sins, as well as David, yet few have given such evident proofs of a sincere and abiding repentance as David gave.

Let us now consider the language of the royal penitent on this trying occasion. We shall find that he has recourse to no vain sub

terfuges, or excuses; but being under the influence of the Spirit of grace, he confesseth his sins with inward grief and humble contri tion; he bows himself down before the throne of the Most High God, and flies for refuge to his goodness and mercy. He fervently prays in these words, v. 1. Have mercy upon me O God, according to thy loving kindness, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

His first petition is for mercy to the Father of mercies, to "Jehovah who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in He knew that in himself he was mercy."

8 Psal. ciii. S.

hopeless and wretched; that he had grossly violated the law of God, and that if he should enter into judgment with him, he must sink under the weight of his holy indignation against sin, He knew that God was just and righteous in all his ways, and, according to the tenour of his divine law, might inflict on him the most awful punishment; he was conscious that he was a God who had loaded him with his benefits, had preserved him in the midst of innumerable troubles, and had exalted him to great glory, and had crowned him with his favour as with a shield. Hence he perceived the heinousness of his sins, how basely, how ungratefully, how unworthily he had acted, in the sight of God. Yet although he was nearly overwhelmed with consternation, and was filled with bitter anguish, he did not utterly despair of obtaining mercy from God. He has no plea to offer in his own behalf, but he appeals to the goodness and mercy of his heavenly King. He does not sit down in despair, nor say with Cain," Mine iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven." He was sensible that his sin was great and aggravated, daring and presumptuous; but he was also well persuaded, that the Lord was gracious and merciful, long

h Gen. iv. 13. marginal reading.