Selected quad for the lemma: hand_n
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A62951
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Innocency no shield against envy A sermon preached on Friday, April 11. being the fast-day appointed by the Kings proclamation to seek reconciliation with God, &c. By George Topham, rector of Boston in Lincolnshire. Perused and approved of by the right Reverend father in God, Thomas, Lord Bishop of Lincoln.
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Topham, George, d. 1694.
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1679
(1679)
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Wing T1906; ESTC R220703
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23,634
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40
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Innocency no Shield against Envy A SERMON Preached on Friday April 11. Being The Fast-Day Appointed by the KINGS Proclamation To seek Reconciliation with God c. BY GEORGE TOPHAM Rector of Boston in Lincolnshire Perused and approved of by the Right Reverend Father in God THOMAS Lord Bishop of Lincoln LONDON Printed for Thomas Fox and are to be sold at his Shop at the Angel in Westminster-Hall 1679. A SERMON Preached upon PSALM lix 3. For lo they lie waiting for my Soul The mighty men are gathered against me without any offence or fault of me O Lord. WHat the Argument of this Psalm is why when and by whom written the Title shews and tells us that it was Davids made when Saul sent and they watcht the house to kill him I shall not trouble your attention with the mystical or Prophetical sense of it either as it relates to Christ or his Church a discourse more proper for some other season but only with the Historical or Literal as it concerned King David and by his example all that succeed him in the like dangers and deliverances and at this time fit for our more than ordinary Consideration For it is a Psalm in which Israels sweet Singer makes his Address to his God by way of vindicating his own Innocency For lo they lie waiting for my Soul The mighty men are gathered against me without any offence or fault of me O Lord. Wherein be pleased to observe these particulars First Davids Petition ver 2. Deliver me from mine Enemies O my God Secondly A description of them 1. By their practices they lie waiting for my Soul 2. Of their persons the mighty men are gathered against me Thirdly His Justification Without any offence or fault of me O Lord. Lastly Upon his being delivered his resolution to praise God ver 16 17. Vnto thee O my strength will I sing for thou O God art my refuge and my merciful God Of these in order First Davids Petition Deliver me O my God And surely never did greater reason and encouragement center in any one person more than in this Princely Prophet Nor ever had any man better assurance of the Almighties favour than himself so that well may he stile him not only God but his God How had he raised him from a low estate to sit upon no less than the Throne of Israel changing his Shepherds Cap into a Crown his Coat into a Robe and his Staff into a Scepter How had he given him not only Courage to encounter but Power to Conquer that daring Philistim whose very Bravadoes frighted the Israelites out of their Valour and at once made them forget both God and themselves How oft had he turned his enemies Swords into their own breasts and maugre all their malice chained Victory to his Conquering Chariot Which made the Damosels of Israel at his Triumphant return playing sing and singing play Saul hath slain his thousands but David his ten thousands It were endless by retail to reckon all the donatives that Heaven bestowed upon this Prince To the no less joy of himself than the Envy and wonder of his Adversaries Yet the greatest wonder is How David a King and Saint both which intitle him to a more than ordinary interest in Gods protection for Kings are his Viceroys and Saints his Friends and David eminent in both relations should have enemies and rebels But if we rightly consider it will appear none since no state or condition of men upon earth is so exposed to dangers as theirs For it is one and not one of the least unhappinesses of the Sons of Adam to be by nature proud and impatient of restraint greedy of liberty always dissatisfied with the present and thirsting after Novelties scarce any content with their station Some are aspiring and would be higher others covetous and would be richer some revengeful and will be quarrelling some malicious some turbulent and many the like Now all this croud of inordinate passions dischargeth it self upon those in power and place hoping by some publick disturbance that in troubled waters they may catch that which calmer times would have conferred upon persons of better merit And the State the Employ the Condition of Kings gives some advantage to such intendments for they stand high all eyes are upon them nothing they say or do escapes observation and censure If any thing be amiss as in multiplicity of affairs it is impossible but there should they are sure to hear of it with all its hightning circumstances the giddy multitude not considering that there may be a great Sacriledge committed in Israel and yet Joshua not know of it Some errors will escape the best vigilancy that sin is not half cunning enough that hath not learned secresie yet when such miscarriages happen Magistracy must be traduced for it Nay how oft is their very innocency charged with aberrations Making good holy Davids assertion For lo they lie waiting for my Soul The mighty men are gathered against me without any offence or fault of me O Lord. Where be pleased to take notice how he describes his Enemies First By their policy lying in wait for his Soul that is for his life And how and when they did this is set down 2 Sam. xix 11. when Sauls unbounded malice mist of its design by Davids avoiding his darted Javelin his hatred pursues him home Sending Messengers thither under the pretence of a visit to slay him and to bid him a good Morning with the loss of his life And though this Stratagem failed of its desired end as well as the other Saul will not fail of a further contrivance for his ruine and that of a most unpardonable nature To cozen under the colour of Amity is the most execrable villany And there is no defence for that Pistol that is charged with the Bullet of friendship yet such was this of Sauls Be thou valiant and fight the Lords Battels and I will give thee my eldest Daughter Merab to Wife for he said my hand shall not be upon him 2 Sam. xviii 17. David was now grown so popular that the King durst not offer him personal violence therefore he hires him into the jaws of death by no less a price than his eldest Daughter What a Saint what a Friend was Saul Yet he never intended more mischief to David nor more unfaithfulness to his God than in this offer for for all these fair flourishes he hoped David would have fallen by the Sword of the Philistins as appeared by the not performing of his promise for Merab was not given to David but to Adriel And now the breaking of his word must certainly be a sufficient oblation to his hatred No revenge knows no limits He has one plot more by which he does not doubt but to bring David to his Grave if he will but bring him an hundred Foreskins of the Philistins he has another Daughter which shall be his Wife And though the yonger yet the more