As it pleased God that both his fall and recovery should be made public, the prophet seems to have delivered his message before witnesses.  This took away the ground of temptation longer to hide his fins, and cleared the way to a public renunciation, and return to duty.  And the fallen prince waited no exhortations—­needed no entreaties—­“I acknowledged my sin unto thee; and mine iniquity have I not hid; I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou foregavest the iniquity of my sin.” *

* Psalm xxxii. 5.

Thus the opinion of those who suppose that David remained impenitent and secure, till awakened to consideration by the ministry of Nathan, is devoid of proof, and even of probability.  David’s well known character—­the nature of renewing grace; and the temper and conduct of this transgressor, when reproved by the prophet, concur to prove him then already a penitent; which is confirmed by the consolations forthwith administered to him by the Lord’s messenger.

If in this instance God pardoned, and gave a sense of pardon, to so heinous an offender, without a moment intervening sense of guilt, and evidence of pardon and peace, it must have been a very singular divine treatment of so vile a sinner!

And if David, after having been long eminent for piety, lived a year of stupid unconcern, under such enormous guilt, it must have been a very strange event!  A phenomenon in the history of man, unequalled in the annals of the world!  Whether there is evidence to justify so strange a conclusion, judge ye.

If we have not mistaken our subject, this affair gives no countenance to those who pretend religion to be a thing of nought—­that it doth not change the heart and life, turning men from sin to holiness.  Good people may be seduced into sin, but they are soon renewed by repentance—­soon turn again to the Lord in the way of duty, confessing their sins and renewing their purposes and engagements to serve the Lord—­“That which I know not teach thou me; and wherein I have done iniquity, I will do no more.”

Neither doth this affair yield comfort and hope to those, who while they call themselves saints, live like sinners.  If here, they find no comfort and support, where will they find it?  The only example thought to have been found in “the footsteps of the flock,” fails them; and we are left to conclude that sanctification is the principal evidence of justification—­“that by their fruits we are to know men.”

It is a dark omen when professors paliate their errors and deviations from duty, by pleading those of saints of old.  Those saints erred; but they did not long continue in sin—­“When they thought on their ways they turned by repentance.”  Neither did they flatter themselves in allowed wickedness.

If any allege the sins of former saints in excuse for their own, they allege not that which distinguished them as saints, but that which they retained as sinners—­not that which they possessed of the image of God, but that which remained to them of the image of Satan.  This they may have in full, and yet be of their father the Devil.  And such is the sad state of those who allowed serve sin, under whatever pretence.