Chapter VI.
To differentiate between the good and the bad, it is because the former are followed by sins, while the latter are preceded by them; and to those works through which David covered up his sin.
Now let us consider his works by which he was able to cover sin. For, because human weakness cannot exist without sin, care must be taken that there be not more sins than works of virtue. This was expressively stated by Saint Paul, the holy one of great wisdom, saying: The sins of some men are, before hand, manifest, going before to judgment, and some men they follow after (1 Timothy 5:24), that is to say, no one is found free from fault; someone has good merits, and also has vices and sins. Therefore, all our actions are weighed as if on a balance scale: if good deeds outweigh sins, they go before judgment; for sins tend to sink like a weight, particularly those that are evident in severity or quantity. But, he says, some come after, that is, those who have conducted themselves with moderation but have occasionally succumbed to the frailty of their condition and allowed room for error. Good deeds come before, and evil deeds follow. Hi honestiores, sed tamen homines lapsi levioribus vitiis et erratis. Ergo justos sequuntur peccata, non praeeunt; injustos praecedunt. Praeponderant peccata quae vergunt; sequuntur autem si quae recte facta sunt, quasi quodam praejudicio peccatorumpraeeuntium praegravata. Similiter et facta bona manifesta sunt. Lucent enim opere virtutum, et splendore meritorum; et quae aliter se habent, abscondi non possunt. Therefore such things are not concealed, the charity which covers a multitude of sins does not overshadow them, the grace of good works does not cover them, the multitude of virtues is not hidden, but they are exposed as if naked and uncovered. For there is not in them who says: Protect me under the shadow of your wings (Psalm 16:8). For the cross of the Lord blots out and hides all errors.
Who then has covered and concealed more than the holy David, who also says elsewhere: And under the shadow of thy wings I will hope, until iniquity pass away (Ps. LVI, 2); and thus he loved the Lord, so that he covered and hid every sin with excessive charity. For even if the holy apostle Peter abolished his fall by the confession of his love, and he was asked by the Lord three times: Simon son of John, do you love me (John XV, 16)? That he who denied three times, would confess three times, and thus hide his triple denial under the cover of triple love: if because Peter wept once, he obtained forgiveness, how much more so David, who washed his bed with tears every night, and soaked his couch with tears; whose tears were his bread day and night; who ate ashes like bread, and mixed his drink with weeping? For if Jesus had mercy on him who groaned in repentance; if he looked at Peter, and he wept: how much more so for him who wept for a long time, did he not depart from the sight of the Lord? Petrus denied, and did not weep, because he had not looked at Jesus; he denied a second time, and did not weep, because he had not looked at the Lord; he denied a third time, Jesus looked at him, and immediately he wept, and he wept bitterly. Therefore David, who always wept, said: My eyes are always toward the Lord (Psalm 25:15). He who always saw Christ, said: My eyes shed streams of tears (Psalm 119:136).
But now let us also consider his accomplishments. Who would not overshadow the envy of such great virtues with one crime? Chosen by divine examination, he immediately proved himself unworthy of such a judgment. He went into battle, and while the others were trembling, he alone, with the throwing of words like Goliath and the terrifying force of his immense body, overcame his opponents with both faith and courage. His bravery became the victory of all. Let it be conferred, if it pleases, a private crime and the triumph of all: the death of one, and the life of the many whom he freed from death.
Let us move on to other things. He suffered from the plots of the king, who sought to extinguish his life. But by divine arrangement, the king was placed under his power, and when he was completely exposed to attack, David, the holy one, intervened and turned away the deadly wound from his body, saying: 'Do not touch the anointed one of the Lord.' (1 Samuel 24:7). Furthermore, the enemies of David avenged his death and mourned his end with great sorrow. He postponed the authority that was rightfully his for a long time, knowing it was owed to him by God. By this alone he taught all men not to seize power, even if it is deserved; but to wait for it to be handed to them in due time. If only future generations had imitated this man, we would not have suffered such bitter calamities of war! You criticize that he has killed one man, but you do not consider that he has taught how peace can be preserved for the Roman world. How heavily we still pay for the devastation, how we have paid with the death of a king, sought by the public as if it were the death of the whole world. Alas, terrible punishments! From then onwards, the barbarous enemy insults us, while weapons prepared against them are turned against us. Thus, the strength of the state has fallen, Roman virtue has been weakened by its own movements, while it is seized by public parricide, which is undertaken with the religious concern of paternal care. And he has so far provided for this, that when he discovered that Adonias, his son, was plotting to usurp the kingdom for himself, he chose to sow discord, not with the one who desired to seize it, but with the one who was awaiting it.
The most powerful of kings was dancing in front of the ark of the Lord, and when he was rebuked by his own wife for being naked in front of the maidens, he replied: I will dance before the Lord even more, and I will be even more playful before your eyes; for, he said, it is to honor the Lord who has chosen me over your father to be king (2 Samuel 6:21), teaching that royal power should not be considered when showing devotion to religion. It is indeed honorable to act for religion, even if it may be incongruous with power.
Look at another memorable spectacle. The son of a parricide violently seized the paternal kingdom, at first his father yielded to his madness and avoided a place of battle, so that perhaps the impious one would come to his senses from his fury. He also did not want to participate in the war, he asked those going to battle to spare his son. He was confident of victory, since he asked for mercy: nor was he devoid of piety, since he did not believe that even an impious son should perish. He wept and mourned the death of the parricide with great sorrow, saying: 'My son, Absalom, who will give me death for you, my son Absalom?' (2 Kings 18:33). He considered that the one who had killed out of filial duty deserved to be vindicated.
But how patient he was of injuries and grief! He yielded, as I said, to the madness of his son Absalom, surrounded by strong warriors on the right and left. A man named Shimei cursed him, calling him a bloody man and a man of blood, and claimed that he had been deposed from the kingdom by the just judgment of the Lord. But he was not even moved by such insults; however, his companions were. Finally, one of his associates (a man named Abishai) threatened to take his head as the price of the injuries. But the king turned to Abishai and said, What is it to me and to you, O son of Zeruiah? Therefore he curses me because the Lord has commanded him to curse (2 Kings 16:10). He morally teaches that the times of our injuries or dangers, the struggles of temptations, and the trials of tests are meant to be punished by divine judgment. The good athlete is trained through insults, is trained through labors and dangers, so that he may be worthy of receiving the crown of righteousness. Therefore, the things that are considered adverse must be endured patiently. Finally, the divine Scripture also teaches you this elsewhere, with the righteous person saying: If we have received good things from the hand of the Lord, why should we not endure bad things? (Job 2:10).
And the holy Prophet added, saying: Behold my son, who came out of my womb, seeks my life. But if Jemineus curses me, let him curse; for the Lord has commanded him to see my humility; and the Lord will repay me for this curse. O height of prudence! O sign of patience! O great discovery of devouring insults! You are moved, Abessa, that a stranger curses me, whom the son seeks with patricide; the Lord has commanded him to curse me. But the Lord is not malicious, nor does He delight in insults.
See how carefully he guards each one. He does not accuse the Lord as if he were the author of the injury, but rather praises Him because he allows us to suffer lesser things so that we may obtain forgiveness for greater sins. Behold, the insult of words has lifted the burden of parricide, absolving the insolent one, whose curses are more beneficial, as they are rewarded by divine retribution. Who would not compensate for such an injury within himself, so that the one whom a man has harmed may be comforted by the superior retribution of God?