The Throne of David, Treatise · Section 25
II SAM: Chap: 11. from the 1. verſe to the 14. and from thence to the end.
FRom the fift Chapter to this preſent, we have ſeen many morall vertues in David, as piety, magnanimity, prudence, gratitude and the like. And now in this Chapter we have his fall and ſinnes both of uncleanneſs and murther, adultery, and bloodguiltineſs, whereby he declined from the law of God, altered his former courſe, brought ſcandall upon religion, many judgments on his houſe, incurred Gods wrath, and ſhame and confuſion before men.
In the expoſition of this tragicall hiſtory we ſhall conſider, 1. The circumſtances of time, places, and perſons, when, where, and betwixt whom this Action is committed. 2. The occaſion and antecedents of this ungodly fact, both on Davids and the womans part. 3. The fact it ſelfe, adultery, and that of the higheſt kind. 4. The conſequence and things coincident with it, and fiftly lay down ſome obſervations, that ariſe there from.
Among the genuine circumſtances, that of time comes firſt, expreſſed verſ. 1. When the yeare was expired, at the time when Kings go forth to battle: that is, at the end of the former yeare, and beginning of the yeare following: at which time the heavens and aire beginne to be temperate, and the paſtures afford graſs for horſes, which made the ſeaſon convenient for warre. Then David had directed Joab, (whileſt himſelfe abode at Jeruſalem) with the Army to go againſt Ammon, whom he deſtroyed, and beſeiged Rabbah, their Metropolitan City, called afterwards by the Greeks Philadelphia, even then when Davids eſtate is moſt proſperous, and all his troubles neer an end, in place of thankfulneſſe to God therefore, he gives himſelf to eaſe, ſecurity and uncleanneſſe.
2. The place, is his Palace, and plateform, or roof of his houſe, from whence he beholds with luſting heart, and eye, Bathſheba the Wife of Vriah.
3. The Perſons are David a great and godly King before, whoſe life and manners were ſometimes a mirrour to his ſubjects, and called a man according to Gods own heart, and who was invincible in his warres with externall Enemies, yet is overcome in the battle betwixt the fleſh and the Spirit, and by his own boſome and inward Enemy of his carnall corruption, as Lot was in Zoar, who could not be overcome in the City of Sodom. The ſecond perſon is Bathſheba, the Wife of Ʋriah the Hittite, called, 1 Chron. 3. 5. Bethſhua the Daughter of Ammiel. The third is Ʋriah himſelf, called a Hittite, becauſe he was a ſtranger borne and now a proſelite in Religion, an Republicke of Iſrael, a faithfull and valiant ſouldier in the warres, as he gives the proof thereof, Vers 11.
Secondly, the antecedent cauſes which moves this ungodly and unhoneſt fact, are as well on Davids part, as on the Womans. On his part their be chiefly four. 1. His great proſperity, which brings him to a careles ſecurity, as well in matters concerning God, as in his office to the Republicke, the evidence whereof is, that afternoone he gives himſelf to ſleep, and eaſe, when hi… ſubjects are in danger of their Enemies, farre contrary to a Kingly care and duty. 2. His idleneſſe, Satans cuſhion and Mother of all vices, and the ſinne of Sodom, as it is ſaid? Diuturna quies vitiis alimenta miniſtrat. And eſpecially to uncleanneſſe, therefore ſayes the Poet, quaeritur Egeſtus, quare ſit factus adulter? in promptu cauſa eſt, deſidioſus erat. Whereas on the contrary, otia ſ… tollas periêre Cupidinis arcus. 3. The looſneſſe and luſt of his eyes looking with delight and concupiſcence upon the beauty of the Woman, contrary to Jobs practiſe, Chap. 31. 1. And that precept of Gods to turne away our eyes from vanity, Chriſt telling us alſo that to look upon a Woman and to luſt after her, (though no more) is adultery for God. 4. The object of the eye, the Womans beauty. In it ſelf being good and the gift of God, as we ſee in Joſeph, Moſes, David, Eſther Sarah Rebecca, Rachel and others, but being abuſed either to pride, as in Abſolom, or to turpitude as in Davids practiſe, and Potiphars Wifes, to be inſnared thereby, or to inſnare, it turnes to ſuch a curſe, and drawer on of moſt heavy judgments.
In the Woman likewiſe we ſee theſe occaſions. 1. Immodeſty in diſcovering her nakedneſſe, and waſhing herſelf in an open view of the Kings pallace, which rather ſhould have been done in her private Chamber. 2. Facility in yielding to Davids motion of uncleanneſſe. 3. Arrogancy, counting it an honour to be courted by a King, and to be his Concubine. 4. Breach of duty and fidelity to her honeſt Husband. And 5. lubricity and ſinnefull frailty was ſeen in the fact.
Thirdly, the act it ſelf was double adultery, a married man with a married woman; alſo the man, a King who ſhould have given good example to his ſubjects, as is ſaid, Regis ad exemplum, &c. As likewiſe a Prophet, and ſo ſhould have been eminent beyond others in holineſſe. And one who had not only one wife, but many wives and Concubines, as Nathan told him. All which aggravates this fact of his adultery.
Fourthly, the conſequence was, the matter is revealed by Bathſheba to David of her being with Child. Who ſtrives by many wayes to cover his adultery. 1. Subtily by ſending for Ʋriah; and moving him by indirect inticements to colour his crime. 2. By a more cruell device of his murther. To effectuate the firſt, David. 1. directs Joab to ſend Ʋriah to him, who now was at the ſiege of Rabbah. 2. When he comes, David in all Hypocriſy, as intending to know by him how affaires went, he asks of the eſtate of the Captain, and Army; and then intreats him more familiarly, not after the manner of Kings, to waſh his feet, whereby in the Hebrew phraſe was ſignified, all which belongs to a mans entertainment and eaſe, and ſo to viſit his houſe: and for the more inducement he ſends after him a meſſe of his own meat. But good Ʋriah being governed by Gods providence, reſts that night in the Kings gardhouſe. 3. Which when David perceives, he uſes another ſlight, and feaſts him, and makes him drunk, thinking thereby to make him lie with his wife, and ſo to be Father to a baſtard, or as the Law calls it, Partus ſuppoſitus, and bring in an unlawfull heir into the inheritance of Ʋriah. Yet worthy Ʋriah guided by Gods Spirit, diſappoints this policy of the King alſo, David by his worldly wiſdome and authority thinking to colour vice, but God reſolving to bring it to light; and therefore at even went out to lie on his bed with the ſervants of David, but went not down to his houſe at all. Whereupon David writes with Ʋriah to Joab, directing how he ſhould be killed, which Joab accordingly obeyes, and ſo Ʋriah is killed: and David advertiſed thereof; which when Ʋriahs Wife underſtands, ſhe mourneth for him, and is thereafter taken by David to Wife, and beares him a Son, but this thing diſpleaſed the Lord.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. BY theſe falls of David, Peter and the like, let not any excuſe themſelves in their ſinnes, for they are regiſtred not for imitation, or excuſe of the like; but as Beacons for evitation, and their repentance onelyonly for imitation, Et ut majorum ruina ſit minorum cautela, and that the beſt may ſee, how weak they are, and how prevalent their naturall and ſinfull corruption will be, if they be left never ſo little to themſelves, and to the force of temptation, which finds time to lay ſiege to the ſecure heart of David in his houſe, and ſurpriſes it, while Joab is laying ſiege to Rabbah of the Ammonites in the field to take it.
2. If ſuch a ſtrong and tall Cedar as David did fall, how ought weaker Chriſtians to fear, and pray; that God would deliver them from temptation, and as we are exhorted, 2 Phil. 12. To work out our own ſalvation with fear, and trembling.
3. Verſ. 1. When David after divers Victories is now in peace by the mercy of his God, he falls to fighting againſt God himſelf, when he has ſubdued many nations to his great credit abroad, to his farre greater ſhame, he is ſubdued by, and inſlaved unto his own filthy luſt. Whereby we ſee, that proſperity is more dangerous then adverſity, & that ſanctified correction is more profitable, then a proſperous condition, with a remiſſion of Gods aſſiſting grace 119. Pſal. 67. & 71. And as is further ſhewn to us, Heb. 12. 6.
4. We ſee that boſome Enemies, of our own ſinfull corruption and concupiſcence, are the worſt and moſt dangerous, like Dalilah and Judas ready to betray us, and ſubdue us to them. Thus Saul who at firſt overcame the Philiſtims, was overcome thereafter by his own pride, envy and cruelty, Sampſon by his luſt after ſo many noble victories as alſo here, David is ſubdued by his carnall luſt. 5. V. 2. When David is idle and at eaſe not fighting the battles of the Lord, nor miniſtring juſtice to his people, as Chap. 8. 15. Then Satan prevailes againſt him. Which teaches every one to be diligently exerciſed in ſome lawfull and particular calling, if they would eſchew temptation, and the ſnares of the Divell.
6. David from the roof of his houſe beholds the beauty of Bathſheba waſhing herſelf, and is inſnared. Which ſhould teach us to watch, over our ſenſes that they be not like open doors to let in temptations to our hearts, as we ſee by the eye and care Satan entred into the heart of Eve, by the eye likewiſe he entred into the hearts of the Sons of God, who ſaw the daughters of men and took of them to wives, which brought the deluge on the firſt world, ſo did temptation enter into the heart of Potiphars Wife, into Achans heart, and here into Davids. Whereas Jobs practiſe was contrary, Job 31. 1.
7. Bathſheba's waſhing herſelf in ſo publicke a place gives occaſion of committing uncleanneſſe with her, & of the murther of her Husband. Which ſhould teach modeſty, and care to all Women to eſchew the occaſions of ſin, & that they make not their beauty, or curtizan dreſſings, or any other unſeemly behaviour to be ſnares to uncleanneſſe, but that they be of a chaſt converſation, coupled with fear, as Peter ſpeaks, 1 Pet. 3. 2, 3. And whoſe adorning may not be that outward of platting the hair, & of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparell, but the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek & quiet ſpirit, which in the ſight of God is of great price, & to make that diſcription of a vertuous woman, Prov. 31. 10 &c. A patterne to follow.
8. V. 4. She yeilds to temptation, wanting grace to reſiſt, & ſo David commits adultery with her againſt the expreſs, & known Law of God, a haynous guiltines indeed, which Iob deſcribeth, Cha. 31. 9, 10, 11. & 12. And the bitter fruits thereof, and as may be ſeen in that bloody war between Iſrael & Benjamin, Judg. 20. And what fornication produced, Gen. 34. 25.
9. In this fact of Davids we ſee alſo the progreſſe of ſin till it come to the higheſt perfection. 1. He is idle, then beholds a woman waſhing herſelf, and luſts after her, becauſe of her beauty, thereafter ſends and brings her, and at laſt he lies with her, as is ſaid, hanc vidit, viſamque ci…pit potitunque cupita. The like progreſſe we ſee alſo in Achons ſacriledge, whereby we ſhould learn to reſiſt the beginnings of ſin, to cruſh the Cockatrice in the egg, and daſh Babels babes againſt the ſtones, choaking the ſeeds of ſin in the bryer before it come to a ripe harveſt of guiltineſſe, & procure a harveſt of wrath.
10. It is ſaid that ſhe was purified from her uncleaneſſe, which was Ceremoniall onelyonly, but in the mean while ſhe was committing a morall uncleaneſſe, to keep herſelf free from which ſhe was not ſo carefull, being herein like the Phariſees who cleanſed the outſide of the cup onelyonly, and were like painted tombs. But had much hid uncleaneſſe and corruption within, as there are likewiſe many now adayes who content with an outward formality and ſhew of Religion, who otherwiſe deny the power thereof.
11. Vers 8. David labours firſt with all ſubtilty to cover his ſin from the eyes of the World, but conſiders not what this would avail, when the all ſeeing God did know the ſame, and whom he ſhould rather feare then man, ſeeing he has power both of ſoul and body, as our Saviour ſpeaks, to caſt both in Hell fire. Therefore let no man ſin in ſecret, and think all is well if it be concealed from men. For either God diſcovers it here, as he did Davids, or elſe at the day of his account and judgment before men and Angels, as he ſhewes, Pſal. 50. 21. For there is nothing ſo bad (ſayes or ſaviour.) which ſhall not be revealed.
12. Davids diſſembled kindneſſe to Ʋriah, and his meſſe of meat that he gave her, was but for a ſnare, even as Michal Sauls Daughter for the ſame end was given to himſelf, and as the Serpents diſſembled kindneſſe to Eve was to be a ſnare to her. Even ſo the baits of unlawfull profite, or pleaſure, which Satan holds out, they are but ſnares to intrap men in guiltineſſe.
13. Vers 9. Ʋriah notwithſtanding of the Kings direction, guided by ſecret providence goes not down to his houſe. Whereby we ſee that God diſappoints the policy of the ſubtile, as he did Pharaohs working wiſely, Exod. 1. 10. And Herodes, Matth. 2. 16. For there is no Counſell nor wiſdome againſt the Lord.
14. Vers 11. Good Ʋriah ſheweth a godly and tender ſympathy with the Lords people and Joab, who with the Arke were lying in tents, and in the open fields, and therefore he would not take eaſe and daliance with his Wife. Which ſhould teach us the like ſympathy with the Church of God in danger and diſtreſſe, and to regard the affliction of Joſeph, Amos 6. 6. As we ſee was the practiſe of Nehemiah, Daniel, Eſther and others, farre contrary to yours, who if themſelves be well and at eaſe, they care not for the diſtreſſe of Gods people and Church. As alſo we ſee, as Eccleſ. 3. That there is a fit time for every thing, and that even Lawfull and beſt actions are not ever ſeaſonable, therefore it is ſaid, That a word ſpoken in due ſeaſon is like apples of gold with pictures of ſilver, neither does this abandoning of Ʋriahs Lawfull pleaſure more magnify his zeal for Gods Arke and people, then it doth aggravate Davids ſin, and taking unlawfull pleaſure.
15. Whereas Ʋriah ſayes to David that he would not do that thing commanded, we ſee that the unlawfull commands of Princes are not to be obeyed, as we ſee in the examples of Daniel and the three Children, in the Midwives of Egypt, and Sauls ſervants, 1 Sam. 22. 17.
16. Vers 13. David deviſeth another ſinnefull ſubtilty and makes Ʋriah drunk, that ſo he might have a minde to his Wife, being inflamed with Wine, wherein alſo he is again diſappointed, wherein David for covering one ſin falls into many, and which we ſee to be the practiſe of Satan by one ſin to draw on men to another, as from drunkenneſſe to draw to whoredome, or bloodſhed, and from unjuſt anger to draw to murther, as he did Cain, and the like he does by covetouſneſſe. As we ſee in Judas.
17. By Ʋriahs being drunk, we may ſee that the beſt man may ſometimes fail and fall into ſin and exceſſe, as we ſee in Noah, and Lot, yea David here with Bathſheba, but they make not a trade of ſin, and if they fall throw frailty, they riſe by grace, and their faults are not regiſtred (as is ſaid) for imitation, but to be fled not followed. As alſo, we ſee that David knew that Wine would be an inducement to luſt, as it proved to Lot, therefore who would eſchew luſt let them eſchew ebriety.