truly God of his free Mercy sent it which prevented the Happy Expedition no farther than what serv'd to make the Violaters of our Laws and Liberties more imprudent and secure And when afterwards a favourable brisk Gale had carried the Fleet beyond their Port a contrary Wind was presently commissioned for a few hours as if for no other end but safely to land our Preservers In the time of Saul God was with David and strengthed his Arm so that his Sword made Prodigious Slaughter among the Philistines But in conducting the Prince to the Throne whereon he is now righteously seated Providence scattered the Enemy like Chaff before the Wind and gave him a Victory which pleased him better than all he had won with the Sword viz. a Victory without Blood Thus far God was if I may so speak miraculously alone in the Advancement of the Prince toward the height of earthly Honour and when the Eyes of the Oppressed Nation were fully open he left it to them to Chuse their King in the room of their unhappy misled Abdicator and they were not disobedient to his Providence To speak the truth of this whole matter briefly it is manifest from what we read in Scripture concerning David and what our Eyes have seen and our Ears have heard relating to the Prince of Orange that both the one and the other of them were by the wonderful Providence of God called forth from their Private ways of Living in order to be made Kings and the free Choice of their several People made them so I come now to speak of the Second thing which I propounded from the Text as most fit to be reflected on that is the desperate Wickedness of the Enemies of the King their Contrivances to Dethrone and their palliating their black Designs with fair Words And here first I 'le mention what Evidence we have of the Fact and then touch some Circumstances which aggravate the Enormity of it The Royal Psalmist gives us sometimes with mournful Eloquence being in the day of his Distress sometimes with joyful Accents being happily escap'd from Danger large and passionate Accounts of the bold Attempts and treacherous Contrivances of his Enemies They mark'd his steps thinking evil against him i. e. they narrowly observ'd his conduct of Affairs seeking occasion to complain of his Male-administration They wrested his word and cast iniquity upon him when no fault could be found they put false colours upon things and reproached him They cursed him they belied him their teeth became spears and their tongue a sharp sword i. e. they cursed him with so bitter Imprecations they belied him with such abominable false Suggestions that the plain signification of inartificial Words cannot express it and Metaphorical Language perhaps not sufficiently help us to guess at They derided him derided him for his very trust in the Lord they consulted they only consulted i. e. they made it their chief aim with Hand and Heart they endeavoured to cast him from the Throne though God had exalted him and the People had submitted unto him and they that did this were many and were strong too many and too strong for him but that He that hath God his helper need not be afraid though ten thousands of the strongest of the sons of men set themselves against him though they palliate their Designs while they are in contrivance with fair words and as often as they are disappointed forswear their unsuccessful Villany Thus much and more to the same purpose is to be read in the Book of Psalms The Historical part of the Old Testament has not very many instances nor perhaps fully answering every Circumstance of so severe an Indictment but I suppose that was because the Historical part is but a compendious Extract out of Voluminous Records in the Archives of the Jews and yet in the Royal Chronicle we have an Account of Absalom's Rebellion of his insinuating Arts to steal the Affections of the People his engaging if I may use a Prolepsis the Jewish Matchiavil to his Rebellion but Matchiavil learned of Ahithophel I therefore discharge my Allusion Ahithophel is Name enough to brand a subtil Rebel We read farther how Shimei let loose a railing Tongue and lifted up violent Hands against the distressed King And also how Sheba the Son of Bichri had likely to have shook the Throne more fatally than Absalom Thus you have an Account of the matter of Fact charg'd against David's Enemies their Fact admits aggravation from several Topicks Is this the Man whom God rais'd up for the Uprightness of his Heart when he rejected Saul for disobedience Is this the Man whose surprizing Valour fell'd a tall Monument of Pride down to the ground before whom the whole Army of Israel trembled Is this the Man whose Success and Triumphs became the theme of every gladsom honest Heart when they thought upon the Dangers which they dreaded and the Deliverance which they did not expect Is this the Man whom the People chose after Experience of his Merit to Administer the Government which they so much admir'd that they preferred it before the Theocracy it self it might perhaps have been better for them to have remained under God's Prophets a while longer but when they would not be satisfied without a King they could not have made a better Choice than David yet even against David David thus useful to his Country David thus beloved of his God the Flatterers of an Ambitious Son and the unseasonable Abettors of Saul's House arose and palliated as they could their vile purposes with fair words Having thus spoke to the Second Head I 'le proceed as I have begun and joyn the Parallel With equal wickedness as the rebellious Jews against David unreasonable unruly men have consulted to cast down from his excellency that 's the word in our Translation from his Throne our Just and Lawful King King William whence otherwise were necessary Impositions complain'd of and the repayment of a Debt exclaim'd against the Loan of which preserv'd our whole Whence otherwise was his Royal Name called into uncharitable Parties when he came to save the Nation Whence else proceeded the many Forgeries of their Success who were ever better at Forging than Fighting Whence else flow'd remembrances to his Health who forsook when he could not destroy us by Men who had not a good word for him in the day of his Power Whence else have disputing Tongues with the worst part of Ecclesiastical Skill raised a Dust to hide the fair and full appearance of a plain and necessary Duty Is this the Man whom glorious Providence in a wonderful manner brought from a Private Retirement to vindicate Oppressed States and Soveraignties In a word Is this the Man whom the most Honourable and the most Wealthy the most Honest and the most Brave the most Learned and the most Pious invited hither or approved the Invitation to save from Devastation and from Fire our Land our Laws our Liberties our
they are so worthy your attention that if there were no defect in your Orator you would listen with mighty expectation and be fill'd in answerable measure with pleasing satisfaction The first is the exaltation of David to the Throne of Israel The second the desperate wickedness of the Enemies of the King their contrivances to dethrone him and their palliating their black Designs with fair words The third David's assurance that he should not be greatly moved but his Throne secur'd and their rebellious Attempts punish'd I will first offer my thoughts concerning the exaltation of David to the Throne of Israel and 't is necessary to begin with determining the Right of this for if David did not ascend the Throne by Lawful means then he unjustly complains of the endeavours of the party of Ishbosheth to dethrone him And supposing the means Lawful yet the nature of those Lawful means must be understood else we shall not be able to judge concerning their Fact who oppos'd his Authority Tho' I think none will question but that David ascended the Throne of Israel by just and lawful means yet it was two years before the generality of the People could be convinc'd of it The Solemn Ceremony of Sacred Unction and the Testimony of a Righteous Prophet that pour'd it down his Princely Temples was not presently receiv'd as full Evidence whom God did design for the Jews to be their King which is a Moral Demonstration to me that when God indulg'd them a Change of Government he did not absolutely over-rule their Choice concerning the Person that should administer it but retiring from his own more immediate Theocrasie left the new Regulation to be conducted by the ordinary Methods in use among Men. Was then the Sacred Unction to no end and purpose Yes to considerable end and purpose as may be very easily apprehended for it satisfied David that God's gracious Providence was engag'd to exalt him Fill'd now with the pleasing hope and wrapt with the wondrous expectation of the mighty Blessing his mind naturally rose to high thoughts and sallied forth into bold Enterprises befitting a stout Warriour and a glorious Monarch There was something Divine in the Message which prepar'd David for the Regal Office but that which had the immediate happy effect on the People inclining them to offer him the Government was his true Piety and successful Vertue his fervent Zeal for God's Worship and his sensible concern for the Nations Safety they saw no man so forward in regulating the Services of the Temple no man his equal in Valour when an uncircumcised Monster defied the Armies of the Living God this brought off their Affections from the House of Saul and the not well-known Son of the worthy Jonathan Had not such an unparallel'd Rival for Power advanc'd a Claim it had probably descended on Ishbosheth but the Jews who knew not the secret of the Divine Right of Succession set by fore-clos'd excluded the nearest of Kin not that they justly feared he had or would endeavour to introduce a Foreign Enemy and an Idolatrous Religion but only as near as we can guess because he was not so well qualified to Protect them from their Hostile Neighbours and to Administer Justice between man and man Thus David succeeded Saul not the eldest of his Loyns no nor his Son but by Marriage of his Daughter A special act of Providence open'd the way and he ever after walked evenly and made the best on 't The Jews either had forgot his being anointed or never knew its meaning but his Prodigious Victories were fresh in memory he won Suffrages among the Tribes by ten thousands i. e. as fast as he slew Philistines Nor was his Skill in Musick to be lightly esteemed which often introduc'd him into the Presence to his Advantage though not without his Danger Providence had the greatest hand in his Exaltation yet the People's Choice was as free as it was good and was as good as Heaven and Earth could make it Change but some Names and here you have the very Account of His Excellent Majesty King William's Accession to the Throne of England with all its Dependencies The wary invidious and injurious Jealousie of contriving States-men obscured his first years with-held from him the due Honours of his Ancestors and from his Country an useful Protection David was not heard of till Israel wanted a Champion to answer the proud Challenge of a big-fighting Lubber Nor the Prince of Orange the Subject of Publick Discourse till his mad Opposers had ruined themselves and betray'd their Nation Divine Providence and not Humane Fore-sight restored him to his Rights and by him delivered a harrass'd People from the Lust of a faithless and bloody prevailing Invader The Consecrating David by the Prophet Samuel was not a more immediate Call for him to signalize himself as became a Candidate for Empire than the Humble Invitation of our Spiritual Guides as well as Civil Patriots was to the Prince to hasten to the Redemption of our devoted Lives and Liberties For why Samuel's knowledge of the mind of God by whatever means it was revealed to him could not be more certain and unquestionable than our Reverend Prelates knowledge of the same gathered from the plainest Revelation that ever was made in the Holy Scripture There they learned that Rulers were constituted for the encouragement of good men and for a terror to bad There they learned to suffer with Patience hard measure from the hands of their unbelieving Authoritative Masters but not to Sacrifice their Lives to the Lust of Arbitrary Usurpation when Wisdom and Courage might as well preserve them If an Invitation from such Persons and thus grounded was not equal to a Vision or a Voice from Heaven by which Deliverers were raised up among the Jews why then the Gospel is a Cloud and the Ministration under the Law was Sun-shine As David was not only by receiving the Sacred Unction made to expect a Crown but also from that time forward safely guarded by a constant signal watchful Providence So our Illustrious Deliverer after his receiving a well-deliberated Just and Religious Address from the Flower of our Gentry and the most Venerable of the Clergy was conducted by a special Providence which loudly proclaim'd all along that it was God who had raised him up to restore our Israel to deliver our Bodies from the Tyranny of Men and our Souls from the Doctrines of Devils The Wisdom of God infatuated the Counsels of his most Formidable Enemy tempted that proud Son of Violence to slight the Design which could not so well have been pursued till his Forces were diverted and when the Grand Disturber of Christendom was set down before Philipsburgh the Power of God with astonishing Wonders steer'd the Protestant Prince's doubtful Course through all the dangers of the Deep For the Storm which his first putting to Sea met with some wretched Worshippers of Saints and Angels thanked the Virgin Mary but really and
Bibles our Lives Good God! what desperate Wickedness is this that People obliged equal to their wishes but much beyond their expectation should entertain an unthankful rebellious thought against their successful Preserver and Defender of these near Concerns What Villany is it beyond the reach of words to brand with sufficient Reproach that unquiet Ahithophel Shimei's and Sheba's should consult and strive to throw him down whom God by amazing Miracles advanced to Royalty who succeeded on the Throne over us both by an Hereditary Right and an uncorrupted Election What black and new-invented sin is this deserving Punishment I will not name since his God-like Mercy can remit that they who have acknowledg'd the Hereditary Right of King William and elected his particular for their King in the vacancy of the Throne by the majority of their Representatives and taken their Corporal Oath many of them to defend him should defie their Oaths and give their Conscience the Lie in Passion for a Tyrannous Bigott whom they always resisted after they had made him King and never began to love till they had lent their helping hand to make him none David's Enemies gave him great and frequent occasion of Complaint but no Affliction of his was so circumstanced as that related in the 55 Psalm where he mournfully Expostulates thus It was not an Enemy that reproached me then I could have born it neither was it he that hated me that did magnifie himself against me then I would have hid my self from him But it was thou O man my equal my guide and my acquaintance we took sweet counsel together and walked unto the house of God in company How may a Parallel-complaint be taken up by him that is how much soever oppos'd both in Right and Fact our King It was not an open Enemy only not one alone that profess'd to hate me that magnified himself against me this would not have so much surprized me nor so nearly have affected my mind it was not a Babylonish Idolater nor a Gothick Barbarian nor such a senseless Picture of Humanity as Juverna draws upon cold Boggs that consulted to thrust me away whom God hath exalted but it was thou of late the Reformation's chief Support and Hope whose labouring over-loaded and only not yielding strength I hastened to relieve but O my Soul now while I build up thou pullest down David concludes with Prophetick Rage Let c. our Liege Lord with winning Mercy be forgiven may his Mercy prevail over all his Enemies over him their hatred never it never shall for to him and David one and the same assurance remains fast Truly my soul waiteth upon God from him cometh my salvation he is my defence I shall not be greatly moved and this is the third and last Head to be considered And first with respect only to the Royal Psalmist and then to his Parallel Assurance is not always well grounded nothing is more usual than to see the confident frustrated of their pleasing expectations and betray'd into sudden and surprizing Misery But David's assurance was just reasonably and safely relied upon it had for its support not partial self-love which construes all things in its own favour nor proud contempt which lessens the real strength of an Enemy till the Battel is joyn'd and then finds it powerfully increas'd not unactive security which ruines the very Favourites of Providence notwithstanding their vast Advantages David's Assurance was upheld by these two mighty Pillars the Power and the Promise of God the fram of Nature does not stand firmer his Royal Breast harbour'd no partial self-love for he speaks of himself in words of the lowest Humility and admires the Divine Goodness which took him from the Sheep-folds from following the Ewes great with young to feed Israel his People and Jacob his Inheritance reflecting on the uncertain state of his own Affairs he fear'd his Enemies complain'd of their number and their strength he was not unactive and secure for though he trusted not in his Bow yet he drew the feather'd Arrow to the head and bravely laid about him with his Sword the Sword he won from the Monstrous Philistine and with it lopt off the proud Head of its Master but he piously own'd his Salvation to have come from the assistance of the Lord of Hosts How weak soever a man is in himself and his Friends yet he must needs be safe if God Almighty condescend to be his Protector and to fight his Battels Unto David God often promised his Protection upon Conditions which no man more diligently made it his business to perform than he well might he therefore upon the examination of his own Heart and consciousness of his Righteousness and trust in God rest satisfied that after all the subtile contrivances and bold efforts of his Adversaries he should not be greatly moved if troubled yet not over-power'd if distressed yet not ruined if assaulted yet not dethron'd Well might he reflecting on the unjust and impious daring of his Adversaries conclude Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lie Our Righteous King sits on the English with like assurance as David on the Throne of Israel beloved of all even beyond the Lines of the Reformation though no self-lover as well acquainted with the Strength and Treachery of one Enemy as with the Cowardize and Treachery of another a vigilant Observer and an indefatigable Providitator against both But after all his Warlike Provisions after all his Powerful Alliances the bravery of his Worthies and the Courage of his Army and the steadiness of his own stout Heart and Hand he places his grand Satisfaction in the Justness of his Cause and fixes his Trust and Confidence in the Blessing of God Almighty therefore has he appointed a Monthly Fast to be observed as his Proclamation informs us in a most Solemn and Devout manner for Supplicating Almighty God for the Pardon of our sins and for imploring his Blessing and Protection in the Preservation of His Majesty's Sacred Person and the Prosperity of his Arms in Ireland and the Naval Forces What can I advance more on this Argument than is already set before you in that excellent Form of Prayer which we have this day used St. Matthew says of our Saviour That coming to a certain place in his own Country he could do no mighty works there because of the peoples unbelief Oh let it not be said of our Gracious Soveraign that he has Victoriously led Armies of several Nations and done Wonders for the Protestant Interest abroad but could not compleat the Settlement of these now his three Kingdoms because of our crying sins here at home our Heats and Animosities our careless way of Living our uncharitable way of Censuring our Disputes and Cavils our Discontents and Murmurings our secret Luxury and our publick Railing our gainsaying Authority and worshipping Names given to Change when they become obstinate in an Error Remove from us O God these and
A SERMON Preached upon The Fast-Day June the 18th 1690. By a Presbyter of the Church of England that Swore in the Sincerity of his Heart with a full satisfied Conscience to King WILLIAM and Queen MARY Licensed July 15th 1690. LONDON Printed for John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultrey 1690. PSALM LXII Ver. 1 2 3 4. 1. Truly my soul waiteth upon God from him cometh my salvation 2. He onely is my rock and my salvation he is my defence I shall not be greatly moved 3. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man ye shall be slain all of you as a bowing wall shall ye be and as a tottering fence 4. They onely consult to cast him down from his excellency they delight in lies they bless with their mouth but they curse inwardly Selah THE Book of Psalms is for divers weighty Reasons justly Sacred among Christians for it contains all the natural necessary Doctrines of Holy Religion it abounds with Pious Ejaculations proper for a Heavenly Mind in all conditions to offer up to God Almighty and I doubt not but with some Church-men is one of the first amongst the Hagiographa since it 's well-compos'd Anthems were duly us'd in the significant and decent and glorious Celebration of the Judaic Ceremonial Divine Service indeed it is a Common-Prayer-Book which a man would not wish to be alter'd at least not if exactly translated like as the Author of the better part of it was a Princely Person than whom the twelve Tribes could not have elected a fitter to sit on the Throne of Israel and Reign over the Lord's Inheritance But how violent and restless was the Opposition of the Sons of Belial in favour of Ishbosheth They despis'd the Holy Oyl pour'd by the inspir'd Prophet on the Royal Head of David they rebell'd against the so openly declar'd Providence of God and for two years made good their Rebellion till the pretending Prince unhappy Son of an abdicated Monarch imprudently provok'd his haughty General to a Fatal Revolt which brought the body of the Nation to due conformity for when the main Supporters of the Faction failed the malepert underdealers in traiterous disobedience presently hearkened to Reason plainly discern'd their necessary Duty and wisely consulted their valuable Interest as well as any of the more forward Elders of the House of Judah It 's probable that after this some few unquiet wretches met in close Cabals laid secret Plots pursued wicked Devices struggled with weak Forces to dethrone the new-chose King of Israel but Israel's new-chose King was the reverse Image of his Predecessor Saul was as careful of the Rights and Priviledges of his Liege People as he formerly had been of the safety of his harmless Flocks was as ready to serve the King of Kings as his Subjects could be to obey him in the due exercise of his Lawful Power this secur'd his new-gain'd Kingdom this set him free from the fear of being thrown down headlong from the lofty Pinacle of Glorious Honour to which he was rais'd by the special grace and favour of God who inspir'd him with a Spirit of Wisdom and Courage and Honesty which qualified him for that Commanding height and dispos'd the hearts of the People to love honour and obey him it 's probable the murmuring Malecontents might sometimes promise themselves strange Success in attempting to overthrow his Righteous Settlement it 's more than probable they hugg'd themselves when their Treacherous Malice dealing underhand with a Foreign Enemy now and then distress'd his Affairs and taught his thoughtful Heart mournful Song a slow-breath'd Tune of heavy Accents but his Alexipharmacon his Soveraign Remedy was always at hand which was this Truly my soul waiteth upon God from him cometh my salvation he is my defence I shall not be greatly moved then follows his Complaint How long will ye imagine mischief against a man ye shall be slain all of you as a bowing wall shall ye he and a tottering fence They only consult to thrust him down from his excellency they delight in lies they bless with their mouth but they curse inwardly plainly to declare the sense of this place usefully to apply that part of the History of David's Life to which they refer is my present purpose Upon the two first Verses we need not be beholding to the Critical Remarques of Interpreters whose Learning may stand us in some stead in the Exposition of the latter How long will ye imagine mischief against a man The Greek word here is an ἅπαξ λεγόμενον extant only in this place but meets with comprehensive large construction Ye put upon a man rush upon him devise mischief sorrow against him against a man a Poetical expression speaking of himself in the third Person as if he had said against me David a single honest and innocent man Or against me David who have shewn my self a man a Champion against the Enemies of my King that was and Country ye shall be slain all of you thus Passively rendred this is a Prediction or Imprecation which had its event as is to be seen in the History of Kings and the Psalmist's sundry Songs of Deliverance as a bowing wall shall ye be and a tottering fence which is easily thrown down and utterly ruin'd Others translate Actively Ye do kill or labour to slay me like a ruinous Wall or Fence you hang over me threatning my utter ruine They only consult to thrust him down from his excellency i. e. me from my Highness from my Royal Dignity so the Dutch Annotators nay and Dr. Hammond Paraphrases to pull me from the Throne to wrest the Regal Power out of my hand Since Criticks of so different a temper suppose David when he penn'd this Psalm a crowned Head I hope I may proceed on that Supposition The Version which by being in our Common-Prayer-Book is become Infallible has this expression Whom God will exalt With reference to which I shall consider how God exalted David and whether God did not so act as to leave it to the People to have some share in it They delight in lies they bless with their mouth but they curse inwardly i. e. with subtle and crafty Devices Lies and Calumnies they seek to over-reach and ruine me all and every of them with their mouth congratulate me wish me well religiously own my Title and in open Court swear Allegiance to me but their hearts wander after the abdicated House of Saul so that all their Humble Addresses are but cheating Formalities of Court-Flattery and their profess'd Loyalty a Canting term to palliate a cursed Treason The Words and Phrases of the Text being thus briefly explain'd I will make no nice division of the same by which too often the sense of God's Holy Word is crucified and the patience of a Pious Auditory abus'd but among several weighty things to the consideration of which they invite I shall select three as the most weighty and confine my thoughts to them and