SERMON XXV.

DAVID NUMBERING THE PEOPLE.

1 CHRON. Xxi. 13.

And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait:

let me fall now into the hand of the Lord; for very

great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.

Ir will be proper to review the story of which these words are a part, that we may more clearly apply to our consciences the instruction which it contains. The kingdom of Israel was now in a very flourishing state; both the religious and civil establishments were firm and strong, under the wise and able conduct of king David. His enemies all around subdued and nothing was wanting to perfect the felicity of his government, but a humble and thankful acknowledgment to the Author of all blessings, which might influence the people to a holy obedience. This, however, the people had not; for the beginning of the twenty-fourth chapter of the second of Samuel, where you have the same story, says, "The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel; and he moved David against them to

say, Go, number Israel and Judah." The sin which David was permitted to fall into on this occasion was meant as a punishment for Israel. They had provoked God by their pride and ingratitude. Never had people more mercies in society they had been delivered from all their enemies: their king was grown old in their service, and from his youth had ventured his life for them, and undergone a series of hardships; no man had ever served his country better, or done it more essential good, both in church and state: and yet, with an insolence and folly, not uncommon indeed among men, but often practised toward the best and most deserving, they had expelled the best of princes from his throne, driven him into the wilderness, and sought his life; and had given his dominions to his son Absalom, a youth of whom, except that he had a handsome person, one would be at a loss to find any one good thing to speak in his.commendation. Though we have no particular account of their ungrateful conduct to their God, as we have to their king, we need not doubt but they must have been in an irreligious, or at least a very lukewarm state. The ordinances of godliness, which David with so much zeal, supported, were not attended to with equal zeal by his subjects. Most probably they were proud and high-minded. And, now "Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel." See you the craft and

readiness of the enemy of souls? Why is it that mankind are so dull and slow to comprehend and watch against his devices? Rest we assured, that if, among a people professing godliness, there be found a prevailing evil, which they do not mourn for, but are puffed up and presumptuous, Satan will find it out, and produce mischief by it, if he can.

It is remarkable, on comparing the two accounts together, that Satan is in one place said to do, what in the other is ascribed to God. For, though God is never the author of sin, he may, and does at times, permit Satan to bring on sin, for a punishment to his people. His ends are holy, and as alien from those of Satan as light is from darkness. David himself listened to Satan's temptations, and gave way to a very blameable spirit of pride, inspired by Satan the author of pride, in order to punish the pride of the people, which had provoked the Lord. It behoves us with reverence to look at the Lord's dealings: they are to be adored, rather than understood. But how great the wisdom of God, which, by causing the wickedness of some to punish the wickedness of others, keeps this bad world in some order, which otherwise would be altogether a scene of confusion! How great is that patience, which bears with our perverseness, so provoking to his holy nature! How great is that goodness, which out of so much evil is continually producing good!

David was obstinately bent on numbering the people. Pride was doubtless the sin; but still it may be said, 'Was it unlawful to number the people? Was it not done by Moses in the wilderness? May there not at times be good reasons for it?' There may: but I scarcely know any thing that has more tendency to promote pride than for men to be much bent on numbering their possessions, be they what they will. A society of any kind, if much addicted to this, is in high danger of pride; so is any person in enumerating his possessions. And if men be pleased and puffed up with such things, they affront the Lord, and provoke the eyes of his glory. It always behoves us, brethren, to guard against the pride of prosperity.—There must have been something, however, not only sinful in the disposition, but in the act itself, or else a man of so little discernment in religion as Joab, the captain of the host, would not have protested against it. I apprehend the numbering of the people should have been a religious act, in which the priests were concerned, attended with the payment of a halfshekel for each soul to the sanctuary. But hear the Divine law (Exod. xxx. 12): “ 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:" and then follows the direction of half a shekel to be given by each person,

It was a wise and instructive ordinance: the Lord meant to check the spirit of pride, and cause men to feel their obligation to himself, as sinners redeemed by a price from destruction.. David in his pride neglected this payment; and if the people were then as much disposed to grudge any church payment as they are among us, the tax would doubtless have been highly offensive to his subjects. You observe, however, that a plague is threatened in the Law for neglect; and a plague was the consequence in this case: "God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel." David himself, brought to a sense of his evil, before he was either warned or punished, said unto God, "I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; but now I beseech thee do away the iniquity of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly." It is remarkable, that though a real child of God may fall into any sin through temptation, yet is there something in his conduct, when he has got wrong, which distinguishes him very much from an unholy person: David, even when sinning, may be known to be a saint. A spirit there is of serious humility, love of God, true charity, resignation to the Divine will, and trust in his mercies, which breaks out in a real saint, and which he who is not such never shews. In these qualities lie the marks of true grace and one use of the review of the story is, to see this, and to learn what are the