but ⟨p. 121⟩they can hear twenty oaths and reproaches of the truths or ways of God as quietly and patiently as if there were no harm in them. Their own enemies, whom God commandeth them to love, they hate at the heart: but the enemies of God and holiness, whom David hated with a perfect hatred, Psal. 139. 21, 22. do little or nothing at all offend them. It is not thus with self-denying gracious souls. When David heard Shimei curl him, he commanded his soldiers to let him alone, for God had bidden him; that is, by that afflicting providence on David he had occasioned it, and by the withdrawing of his restraint he had let out his malice, for a trial to David. Thus David could endure a man to go along by him cursing him, and reviling him as a Traitor, and a man of blood, and throwing stones at him; and he rebuked Abishai that would have taken off his head, 2 Sam. 16. 7, 8, 9, 13. But when the same David speaks of the wicked, the froward, the slanderer, the proud, the liar, and the deceitful, he resolveth that he will not know them, they shall not dwell in his house, nor tarry in his sight; he hateth them; they shall depart from him; he will cut them off, and early destroy him from the Land, and from the city of the Lord, Psal. 101. So was it with Moses: when God was offended by the Idolatry of the Israelites, he was so zealous that he threw down the Tables of Stone, in which God had written the Law, and broke them: but when Miriam and Aaron spake against himself, he let God alone▪ with the cause, and only prayed for them; for saith the Text, [He was very meek above all the men that were on the face of the earth.] Numb. 12. 3. Phinehas his zeal for God did stay the plague, and was imputed to him for righteousness: when the selfish zeal of Simeon and Levi was called but a cursed anger, and brought a curse on them instead of a blessing from their ⟨p. 122⟩dying Father, that they should be divided in Jacob, and scattered in Israel; and left them the name of Instruments of cruelty, Gen. 49. 5, 6, 7.
but ⟨p. 121⟩they can hear twenty oaths and reproaches of the truths or ways of God as quietly and patiently as if there were no harm in them. Their own enemies, whom God commandeth them to love, they hate at the heart: but the enemies of God and holiness, whom David hated with a perfect hatred, Psal. 139. 21, 22. do little or nothing at all offend them. It is not thus with self-denying gracious souls. When David heard Shimei curle him, he commanded his souldiers to let him alone, for God had bidden him; that is, by that afflicting providence on David he had occasioned it, and by the withdrawng of his restraint he had let out his malice, for a trial to David. Thus David could endure a man to go along by him cursing him, and reviling him as a Traitor, and a man of blood, and throwing stones at him; and he rebuked Abishai that would have taken off his head, 2 Sam. 16. 7, 8, 9, 13. But when the same David speaks of the wicked, the froward, the slanderer, the proud, the lyar, and the deceitful, he resolveth that he will not know them, they shall not dwell in his house, nor tarry in his sight; he hateth them; they shall depart from him; he will cut them off, and early destroy him from the Land, and from the city of the Lord, Psal. 101. So was it with Moses: when God was offended by the Idolatry of the Israelites, he was so zealous that he threw down the Tables of Stone, in which God had written the Law, and broke them: but when Miriam and Aaron spake against himself, he let God alone▪ with the cause, and only prayed for them; for saith the Text, [He was very meek above all the men that were on the face of the earth.] Numb. 12. 3. Phinehas his zeal for God did stay the plague, and was imputed to him for righteousness: when the selfish zeal of Simeon and Levi was called but a cursed anger, and brought a curse on them instead of a blessing from their ⟨p. 122⟩dying Father, that they should be divided in Jacob, and scattered in Israel; and left them the name of Instruments of cruelty, Gen. 49. 5, 6, 7.
