Contemplations. L1a.X and repented to have but cut the l_ap ofhis garment,is reproched as amln of blood: ·A Tht man after Gods owne heart ts branded for a man of Btli<l.Hethar was fent for oat of the fields to be anointed,is taxed for an ufurper:lfD<"tllds hand were fiained "':ith bloo~, yet not of Sauls Houfc; It _was his fe_rvant, not his ma!lerthat bled by htm; yet ts the blood ofthe Lordsaomnted caft tn D<'llltls teeth, by the fpight ofa falfe rongue.Did we not fee Davld(afcer all the proofes ofhis humble loyalty)!hedding the blood ofthat Amalekite, who did bur fay he !hed S•uls~Did we not heare himlament paflionately for the death offo ill a mafter, chiding the mountaines of Gilboa on which he fd,& angecly wi!hing thatno dewmight taU where that'blood was poured out ; and charged the daughters oflfrael to weep over s.,ll, who had cloathed them in fcarlet~Did we not hcare and fee him inquiring for any remainder ofthe Houfe of Saul, that he might fhewhim the kindneffeof God~ Did we not fee B him honouring lame Mtphihojhtth with aprincely feat at his owne table~ Did we not fee him revenging tl!e blood ofhis rivail!Jbh•foeth, upon the heads of Rtchah and Baanah~What could any living man have done more to wipcoffthefe bloody afpccfions ~ Yet is not aS himti a!hamcd to charge innocent David with all the blood of the Houfcol Saul. How is it likely this clamorous wretch had fccretly traduced the name of David all the time ofhis government, that dares thus accufc himto his face, before all rh~ mighty men ofIfracl who were wirnclfesof the contrary~ The greaterthe perfon is,the more ?pen do his_aaions li~ to mif-iotcrpre~ation,and cenfuro, Eve_ry tongue fpeakes pamallyaccordmg ro thr Intercll he bath mthe caufe, or rhc patient. It is n.or poflible that eminent perfons lhould be free from imputations 1 Innocence can C no more protcthhcm, then power. If rhc patie~cc of _DAvid c~n digcft this indignity, his !rainc cannot; their lingers could not but ttch to rcrurne tron for ftones, lfsh1mel railc on D<vld, Ahi}hai railes on shimei,Shimti is of S•uls Family,Ahi}h•i of D<vids;cacb fpcakesfor his own: Ahi)hai moll juftly bends his tongue againft Shimtl,as Shimei againft Dav/d moft un. juftly: Had sh;,.,; been any other then a dog, he had never fo rudely barkedlit an harmclclfe palfcngcr,ncithcr could he defcrvc leffc then the lolfc ofthat head which bad uttered fuch blafphcmicsagainll Gods anointed: The ~calc o fAhiJh•l t!oth but plead for juftice,and ischccked;Wh.<t have I to d<twlthy•uyt fom~tHj Ztruiah? D•- vitl fa id not fo much to his rcvilcr,asto his abettor :Hewell faw rhata revengewas jufi,but not feafonablc 1 be found the prefcnra lit time rofulf<r wrongs, nor ro right D them : he therefore gives way rather meekly to his ownc hwniliation. then to the puni!hment ofanother : I here arc fcafons wherein lawful! motions arc not lit ro be chui!hed;Anger doth not becomea mourner;Onc pallion 21 once is enoughfor the foule. Unadvifcd zealc may be moreprcjudiciall,thcn a cold rcmifnclfc. · What ifthe Lord for the correttionofhisf<rvanr,havcfaid unto Shimei,Cur[c D•- vid; yet is Shimtis cmfe no leffe worthy of .A hifbales fword; the finne of Shimeits curfe was his ownc,thc [mart ofthe curfe \¥as Gods;God wils tbat,as Davids cha- !lifcmem, which he bates as S~imeits wickcdoclfc; tliar lewd tongue moved from God,it moved Lewdly from Satan.Wickedmen arc never the freer fromguilt,or punifhment,lor that hand which the holy God bath in their offcnfivc aaions; Yet D•· vid can fay, Let him alone, and let him curfi,for the L~rd hAth !.idd<nhim;asmcaning E to give areafon ol his own patiencc,rathcr then Shimtits impuniry:Thciifuc !hewed how wdl D•vid could dillinguiil1 betwixt the aCl ofGod,and ofa traitor ; how he could both ki!fe the rod, and burne it : Ther< cao be none fo ftrong motive ofour meek fubmiflionto cvills,as the acknowledgement of their origioall,Hc that can fee the hand ofGod llriking him by the hand or tOngue ofanenemy,!hallmorc awe the fir!l moyer of his harmc,tben maligne the i.afirument, Even whiles DavJJ hments the rebellion ofhis foo,hc gaines by ir1and makes that the argument ofhis patience, which was the exercife ofit.B<hold,my[oswhich canu forth •f mJ6Dif!ds{ttktth my /rfts h•w much more n~w may thiJ Benj•mitedo it?Thc wickdnelfcof an A{fal•m may rob his father ofcomfort,but !hall helpc to adde to his fathers goodneffe.It i! the advan· tagcofgrcatcroffcs,tbatthcy fwallow upthe le!fc;ooelnans fin cannot becxcufed by a.norbc:rs
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