‏ 2 Samuel 11

* David's adultery. (1-5) He tries to conceal his crime. (6-13)

Uriah murdered. (14-27)

1-5 Observe the occasions of David's sin; what led to it. 1.

Neglect of his business. He tarried at Jerusalem. When we are

out of the way of our duty, we are in temptation. 2. Love of

ease: idleness gives great advantage to the tempter. 3. A

wandering eye. He had not, like Job, made a covenant with his

eyes, or, at this time, he had forgotten it. And observe the

steps of the sin. See how the way of sin is down-hill; when men

begin to do evil, they cannot soon stop. Observe the

aggravations of the sin. How could David rebuke or punish that

in others, of which he was conscious that he himself was guilty? 6-13 Giving way to sin hardens the heart, and provokes the

departure of the Holy Spirit. Robbing a man of his reason, is

worse than robbing him of his money; and drawing him into sin,

is worse than drawing him into any wordly trouble whatever. 14-27 Adulteries often occasion murders, and one wickedness is

sought to be covered by another. The beginnings of sin are much

to be dreaded; for who knows where they will end? Can a real

believer ever tread this path? Can such a person be indeed a

child of God? Though grace be not lost in such an awful case,

the assurance and consolation of it must be suspended. All

David's life, spirituality, and comfort in religion, we may be

sure were lost. No man in such a case can have evidence to be

satisfied that he is a believer. The higher a man's confidence

is, who has sunk in wickedness, the greater his presumption and

hypocrisy. Let not any one who resembles David in nothing but

his transgressions, bolster up his confidence with this example.

Let him follow David in his humiliation, repentance, and his

other eminent graces, before he thinks himself only a

backslider, and not a hypocrite. Let no opposer of the truth

say, These are the fruits of faith! No; they are the effects of

corrupt nature. Let us all watch against the beginnings of

self-indulgence, and keep at the utmost distance from all evil.

But with the Lord there is mercy and plenteous redemption. He

will cast out no humble, penitent believer; nor will he suffer

Satan to pluck his sheep out of his hand. Yet the Lord will

recover his people, in such a way as will mark his abhorrence of

their crimes, to hinder all who regard his word from abusing the

encouragements of his mercy.