5 90 `?`-he Aighteous Mans Service a skirt ofhis Garment. Again, t Sam. z6. iz. when hefoundSaul aflerping, and (if fo difjíofd ) might have left him a peeping, till the found of the laff Trumpet lhould fummon him toawake. A furely General walking the Round,and finding oneofhis Centinels afleep,nailedhimwith his fpear to the earth,and excufedhis aft with this jell, ( whether witty or crud, let others judge ) Dormientem intexi, Dormientem reliqui ; Sleeping 1found hit», and¡seeping 1 left hem. Davidmight have done the like, efpecially feeing Abifha (not to fay Providence) impelled him thereunto, but would not (as having a principle ofpiety within him,which rcmon- f ratedagainft fuch proceedings.) 17. Seventhly,he was a prudent Soveraignboth inpeace and war,in Court and Camp, for the fpace of full forty years, going in and out beforethe people oflfrael, whom he ruled prudently with all his might. I confefs his fon t4bfofam taxed himwith neglect ofthe affairs ofState, z Sam. 13. 3. that noman was deputed by him to hear the carafes and redrefs the grievances ofhis oppreffed fiibjc s. But what faith our plainproverb, IllToil!never leaks well. And therefore I liffcn to Abflams words. as to aloudLibel; and we lhould be no lefs injurious to our own judgments then to Davids innocence, in givingcredit toa proud ambitiousfon, againft an holy and humble Father. I:. Eighthly and laftly,David faredhis generation as a gracious Saint ; this was the Diamond of theRing, and l have kept the beff wineforthe laff, to clofè and con clude vavids character therewith. He is termed in this Chapter, ver. zz. aman after Gods own heart, beingthe bell tranfcript or copyofthe heft Original. 21. Objetlion. But you wittingly, and willingly, and wilfully, will Tome fay, have fuppreffed andconcealeda neceffarytruth, becaufe tending toDavids difparagement. SaintPaulfaith, Titan 3.3. thatfamemenferve divert lofts andpleafures,and fo did David himfelf. He did notferve bis generation, but his own wicked wanton- nefs, when he embroydered his Adultery with Bathfbeba, with the Murder of Viah. pi; Allister. O not aword, not a fyllable,notaletter, nota tittle hereof. Godbath forgotten it, why lhould manremember it? God hath caftit behind his back,why lhould we caft it in the teethofDavids memory ? let us never mention it to his difgrace,but for our own direction ; Partly to teach usnot to truft in our fclves,left we fall into fin ; partly to comfort us, that afterfin committcd,pardon is obtainable on out unfeigned repentance. SD Yea, this is a very comfortable confideration, That though there bemanyfaults, failingsand defects in our performances,yet if therebe fincerity(Gofpel perfection) therein , if our hearts be fes to Peek the Lord God ofour Fathers, God will be merciful unto us, though we be not purified according to the purification ofthe Sanctuary. tj;' Thus Lot ( notwithftanding thefad of fnceft committed by him) is called a righteous man, a Pet. z..8. Men opprobrioufly taint and term people by the obli- quityofone irregular ad, which withuncharitable tongues is enough to eclipfe, yea extinguifh the credit ofall othergraces in him; but GodslothDenominate and Epithiteperlons from the rectitudeofthe general habit of their lives ; yea, by him fuch fhall be reputed,accepted,received to f rve ourgeneration. æ3i To conclude the point, he was a wittyman who firft taught (tones to fpeak by engravingofEpitaphs upon them: But hewas awicked man who firff taught ftones to lie, abufingpofferity with notorious untruths in flatteringInfcriptions onmany Monuments ; but I call malice it felfto witnefs, whether theenfuing Epitaph might not with modeft truth be ingraved onDaysdtSepulchre , Herelieth interred theCorpfe ofhim 'who ^when living, war a datiful Son, a loving Brother, akindHusbana, a tender Father, afaithful friend, a loyal, Subjea, aprovident Soveraign, a graciout Saint; ina Nord, one who f rved bitownGenerationafter theTrillofGod. . But
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