Moses his choice with his eye fixed upon Heaven, discovering the happy condition of…

David hath many bitter complaints of the reproach he suffered, I was a reproach among all my enemies, ¹but especially among my neighbours. Now the reproaches of professors one against another, are the bitterest, and most vile reproaches: and the reason of it is this, because usually reproach arises from some contestation about excellency: for a Prince that is ²a great deal above another, hath not contestation with beggars, he does not reproach them, nor they him, for this distance is too great; but reproach is between equals, when one stands in the light of the other; or from inferiors, who have others by them who are above them, and their excellency stands in their light, and they cast dirt upon their excellency, that theirs may appear the brighter. Now those that have a contestation about Religion, have a contestation about the greatest excellency, and where their hearts are unsavoury, their reproaches will be the bitterest reproaches. In Psal. 109. 25. I became also a reproach unto them, when they looked upon me, they shaked their heads; and in other places the drunkards made songs of him. David was a man of such an admirable spirit, the sweet singer of Israel, and God had blest him with all things that might make him honourable, and had he not been religious, it were impossible that such a man as he should have endured such reproaches.

David hath many bitter complaints of the reproach he suffered, I was a reproach among all my enemies, ¹but especially among my neighbors. Now the reproaches of professors one against another, are the bitterest, and most vile reproaches: and the reason of it is this, because usually reproach arises from some contestation about excellency: for a Prince that is ²a great deal above another, hath not contestation with beggers, he does not reproach them, nor they him, for this distance is too great; but reproach is between equals, when one stands in the light of the other; or from inferiors, who have others by them who are above them, and their excellency stands in their light, and they cast dirt upon their excellency, that theirs may appear the brighter. Now those that have a contestation about Religion, have a contestation about the greatest excellency, and where their hearts are unsavory, their reproaches will be the bitterest reproaches. In