Reputation of Godlinefs and iionitlikom far- not when they fee it ; but call it by thofe odious names that leaft agree with it. Their Judgements follow 'their Nature!, difpofitions and interefit : And thereforethey Cannot take that to be good which, is contrary to thefe. A feather-bed is no better to a fwine then a mire-lake : A banquet is not lb Good to a Cow as a green paflure. As the perfon is hiinfelf, to do all things feem good or evil to him. The Toad or Snakebath no fuch odious apprehenfions of it felf as men have. And hence it is that to ungodly men theLeff: men and bell actions feem to be the worif. And hence alfo it is, that in all Ages Godlinefs bath been matter of reproach : and the bell have been laden with the heaviell calmnies. David had enemies that laid to his charge the things that he never thought of And it feems by the ifrain of Shimei in his railing, that they tookhim to be but a Traitor, becaufe King was againfl and to be 4 bloody man, becaufe he had been engaged in the wars, 2 Sam. 16. 7, 8. [Come out, come out, thou bloOdy man, and thou mass of Belial : the Lordbath returned upon thee all ite'61wod ofthe houje of Saul in whofe 'lead thou hag raignedj See what a wicked perfon Maya was efteemed by fuch fellows as this I And yet he fo far denied himfelf here,, as that he would not hear ofrevenge upon the railer, but take's it as a tryal fent from God. And two fpecials reafons moved him tobear One was the remembrance of that En againfl God and his Servant Vri4h,whichhe knew God was now chaffing hint for : And therefore being under the rod of the Lord, he durlf not think of revenge upon the inftrument ; and being fenfible that he had brought all this upon himfelf, be dull not let fly too much at othets. The other was, that God had railed up (by permiffiveprovidence) the fon of his bowels againfl him : and therefore he thought it an unfeemly thing to be much offended with a itranger for lefs. And fuchReafons as thefe have we alfo to perfwade us to Patience and Self-denial in the like Cafe. The Lord Jefus himfelf who had no finat all, efcaped not thefe cenfures ofmalicious men. 1-ie was efteem- ed a friend or Companion of Publicans and Sinners , yea a gluttonous perfon and a wine bibber yea a deceiver ,'ea a conjurer that did his works by the help of the Devil , K k U. 9
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