LIB. XV. Nathan andDavid. · A neths are paffed lioce Davids linne: in all which time I finde no newes of any feri-; ous compunClion;lt could not be,but fome glances ofremorfe mull needs have paf. fed through his Soule long ere this; but a due and folemne contrition was not heard of,till N•thans mdfage;and perhaps had been f"rther adjoumed,if that Monitorhad been longer deferred 1 Alas, what long and de2d llcepes may the holiell Soule rake in fearfullliones ! W<re it not for thy mercy, 0 God, thebrll ofus fhould end our fpirirual\ Lethargy in flcepeofdcath. It might have plea!ed God as eafily to have fent Nathan to check David in·Iiis firll purpofe of linning; So had his eyes beene rellrained, B•thfoeha honell, rri•h a live with honour; now thewifdome ofthe Almighty knew how to win more glo. ry by the permiffion offo foule anevill, than by the prevention 1 yea, he knew how IB by the_permiQion o_fone linne,to prevent mill~ons; how many rhoufand had finned ina va10e prdumpnon on thctr own llrength, 1f D•vtdhad not thus offended~ how many thoufand had defpaired in the confcienceof their owne weakneffes, if thefe honible linnes had not received forgiveneffe! It is happy for all rimes that we have fo holy a Sinner, fo finfull apenitent, It matters not how bitter the Pill is, but how well wrapped; fo cunninglyharh Nathan conveycd this dofe,rhat it brgins to worke ere itbe ra!lcd :there is noone thing wherein is more ufe ofwifcdome, than the due contriving of reprehenlion,which in adifcrect delivery helps the difeafe 1 in an unwifc,dellroyes Nature. Had nor Nath•, beene ufed to the poffellion of Davitls care, this complaint had beenefufpeCled.It well befeemcs a King to rake information by a Prop~t. Whiles C wife NAthan was queruloully difcourfing ofthe cruell rich man, that had forcibly taken away the only Lamb ofhis poor Neighbour,howwillingly doth David lillen to the Storie,and how !harply (even abovelaw)doth hecenfure the fact~ (...As the Lordlivtth,theman that h•th dsth thi4thin!{fo•llfort/1 dye.) Fulllirrledid he thinke that he had pronounced fentcnce againft b1mfelfe 1 It had not beene fo heavy ifhee had knowne on whom it tbould have light ; We have open eares and quick tongues to cbe vices ofothers 1How fevere )u!licerswee can be eo our very owae crimes in others perfons!How 1\atteriogParafites to anotherscrime in our felves~Tbe lifeof dotlrine is in application1N .,/i.., might have bin long enoagb in his narration,io his inveClive,cre DAvid would have bintouched with his owoeguiltineff<:buc now that rhe Prophet brings the Word home to his bofome, he cannot bur be affcaed. We D may takepleafurc, to heare men fpeake in the Clouds, we nevertakeprofit till wee finde a propriety in th~ exhortati~o,?r reproof; Therewas not more cunnin!l in the p.,ablr,ihan courage 10 rbe apphcanon(Th•u lftthe m•n.) If Dav/Jbe a Kmg,hee mat not look,not to hear ofhis faults; Godsmeffages m:J¥ beno other than unpar- !ial.lt is a trecherous flattery indivine errands to regard grearneffe:IfProphetsmull bemannerly in the forme,yet in the matter of reproofe,rcfolute: Thewords arenot their own1 They are but the Heralds ofthe King ofHeaven, Thm faith the L~rd God •f I{wl. How thunder-llricken doewe think David did nowftaod ~ How did the change ofhis colour bewray the confufion in his Soule; whiles his confciencc faid the fame within,which the Prophet founded in his care! And now lell ought !hould be wanE tingto hisbumiliation,all Gods formerfavoursfhall be laid before his eyes, by way ofrxprobmion:He is worthy to be upbraidedwith mercies, that bathabufed merdos untowantooneffel whiles we doe well,God gives and fayes nothing; when we doe ill, helayes his benefits inour di!h, and callstheminour teeth, that our !hame may be fo much the more, by howmuch our obligationshave beene greater, The blcffings ofGod in our unworthy cariage,prove but the aggravations offin, and additions to judgemeor. I fee all Godschildren falling intolinne, fome ofthemlying in linnc1 n.one of themmaintaining rheir linne; lilaviJcannot have the heart, orthe face to lland out againll rhc meffage of God, bot now as a man confounded, and condemned in himfelfe, he cryes out in the biuerneffe ofawounded Soule,(! h•v•jinnttl"f!;•injl the Lord.) It was a !bore word, bur pafliooatc ; andfucb as came from the bottome Aaaaa ~ of
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