The Oppressor Destroyed, Sermon
The Oppreſſor deſtroyed.
119. Pſal. 134. Deliver mee from the oppreſsion of man, ſo will I keep thy precepts, &c.
THere are two great troublers of our peace, & hinderers of our keeping the precepts of God, The firſt is, violence of corruption within; the ſecond is, oppreſſion without, In the verſe before the Text, David prayeth for help againſt the former hinderance, namely, the violence of corruption within, Let not any iniquitie have dominion over mee, hee prayeth for help againſt the latter in the words now read, Deliver mee from the oppreſſion of man, ſo will I keep thy precepts.
Firſt, Wee have here Davids prayer for deliverance, Deliver mee from the oppreſſion of man, oppreſſion is the matter of it.
Secondly, Wee have Davids engagement, or his vow upon ſuppoſal of an anſwer to his prayers, So will I keep thy precepts.
Deliver mee, that is, redeem, reſcue me, oppreſſion is bondage, deliverance from oppreſſion is freedome, great deliverance hath Chriſt obtained for us, deliverance from ſinne, and deliverance from Hell, and this goeth under the name of redemption from the oppreſſion of man; that is, from the oppreſſion that man hath brought upon mee, or from oppreſſing man; oppreſſion in general is any wrong done to man by man: But more diſtinct, oppreſſion may be conſidered, either in reference to the manner, or the matter of oppreſſing, in reference to the manner, when it is violently and openly done, when men come boldly and oppreſſe us. It is ſaid of Nymrod, that hee was a mighty Hunter before the Lord, hee was a Hunter of Beaſts, but more eſpecially a Hunter of men, Oppreſſion in Scripture is often compared to hunting, in regard of the fierceneſſe of it.
Secondly, There are ſecret and cunning oppreſſions which the Prophet Hoſen ſpeakes of in the 12th of that Propheſie, 7. verſe, ſaith hee, hee is a Merchant, the ballance of deceipt is in his hand, hee loveth to oppreſſe, who was this? ſaith hee, hee is a Merchant. As ſome oppreſſe with a ſword in their hands, that is, violently and openly, come deliver up your eſtates or libertie, or deliver up your life? ſo is it with a paire of ballances in the hand. Ballances are put in a Synechdoche, for all the commerce betwixt man and man, now ſaith hee, here is one that oppreſſeth with Ballances in his hand; he tels you you ſhall have penny for penny, bargain for bargain: yet, ſaith he, he is an oppreſſor, he loves to oppreſſe.
Thirdly, You may diſtinguiſh of Oppreſſion, in regard of the matter of it, thus: in the firſt place, Poſitive oppreſſion, as in taking away from a man that which is his: ſecondly, Negative oppreſſion, in with-holding that from a man which of right belongs unto him: Thou ſhalt not oppreſſe the hyred ſervant, thou ſhalt pay him his wages at the day, &c. Deut. 24. 14. Againe, you may conſider Oppreſſion, in regard of the matter of it, and ſo it is two-fold: firſt, there is Civill oppreſſion; ſecondly, there is Spirituall oppreſſion.
Firſt, Civill oppreſſion is, when the matter is in civill things; and you may divide it either to oppreſſion of our eſtate, or oppreſſion of our perſons, Nehemiah 9. 37. The Kings that thou haſt ſet over us for our ſinnes, have dominion over us: What dominion is this? It was a dominion over their perſons, and over their eſtates, at their will.
Secondly, There is Spirituall oppreſſion, and that is of the Conſcience, when there are things impoſed upon the Conſcience, which God hath not made; thoſe things which are of mans making, to impoſe upon Conſcience. Thus the Scribes and Phariſes were great oppreſſors, they oppreſſed mens ſpirits, they did bind heavie burthens, and layd them upon mens ſhoulders, but they themſelves would not touch them with their little finger. Thus Antichriſt is the great Oppreſſor, and hence the Seat of Antichriſt hath three Names given it in Scripture, Sodom, Egypt, and Babylon: and here David prayeth, to be delivered from the oppreſſion of man.
So will I keepe thy Precepts: I will doe it. He ſpeaks reſolutely, and yet he did not depend upon his own ſtrength. What is our ſtrength and our will? Alas, it is nothing: but wee may ſay ſo, as wee are under a Covenant of Grace, and aſſiſtance from God, So will I keepe. The word which wee render here, to keepe, it ſignifieth to keepe a thing ſo, as to yeeld to it, obey it, and ſubmit to it: ſecondly, it ſignifieth to keepe a thing ſo, as to maintaine it, or protect it. I will keepe thy Precepts, ſaith David; that is, I will ſubmit to them, and obey them: or thus, I will keepe them, I will maintaine them, I will preſerve them. So it is uſed, Pſal. 116. 2. The Lord preſerves the ſimple, or, he keepes the ſimple: Hee doth not meane by the ſimple, the man that is a foole, that hath no wiſdome or underſtanding; but the ſimple man, is a man of a ſimple heart, that hath no windings or doublings in his ſpirit: this is the man that is under the protection of the Lord. So it may be taken both wayes. By Precepts wee muſt underſtand the whole revealed will of God, not onelyonly Precepts of working, but Precepts of beleeving, it comprehends all: There are Precepts concerning things to be done, and Precepts concerning things to be beleeved: thoſe Precepts which are to be done, are ſuch as wee muſt uſe in our ordinarie converſation, theſe are Precepts of Holineſſe; and then there are Precepts of Truth, in reference to Doctrine, what wee are to beleeve.
Object. But, may ſome ſay, did not David keepe the Precepts of God before?
I anſwer, Yes: David had kept the Precepts of God before; for the Lord ſpeakes of him as a man after his owne heart, who would fulfill all his will. What then is the meaning of this expreſſion, Deliver me from the oppreſſion of man? The meaning is this; Deliver me from the oppreſſion of man, ſo ſhall I have a better opportunitie to keepe thy Precepts. There are two great hinderances of the ſervice of God, as you have heard before, ſinne within, and oppreſſion of man without. Againe, he meanes, I will keepe them more then I have done before; I will not live as formerly I have done: I have walked in the wayes of thy Commandements before, but now I will runne: This is the meaning of that expreſſion, Deliver me from the oppreſſion of man, ſo will I keepe thy Precepts.
Object. 2. But, may ſome ſay, if God would not deliver David, would not he keepe his Precepts?
For anſwer to this: David did not indent with God, and ſay, if God would not deliver him, then he would not keepe his Precepts; this was farre from Davids thoughts. Thus much for the explication of the Text, Deliver me from the oppreſſion of man, ſo will I keepe thy Precepts.
There are ſeverall Obſervations that ariſe from the words.
Doct. 1. Obſerve, that in all Ages there hath bin among men, oppreſſors of men: David found oppreſſion in his time; yea, oppreſſion was much elder then David, it is as old as the World: as ſoone as there could be oppreſſion, oppreſſion appeared, Cain oppreſſed Abel: in the Age after the Floud, there you reade of great oppreſſion; Nimrod was a mightie Hunter before the Lord, he was the Patron of oppreſſors, Gen. 10. 89. There is a notable oppreſſion upon Record, Ier. which ſtands to this day againſt Jeruſalem, a Citie of God, a place where the people of God did dwell, and yet you ſhall finde oppreſſion there, yea, nothing but oppreſſion; ſhee is wholly oppreſſed, ſome render it; Tota ipſa, ſhee is all oppreſſed; and ſaith the Text, Oppreſſion is in the midſt of her, in interiori: it is not here to be meant locally, as if oppreſſion were onelyonly in the midſt of the Citie; but in the midſt of her as there is a middle in her heart, in her ſoule; oppreſſion in her very ſpirits. As there is a ſpirit in man which luſteth to envie, Iames 4. 5. ſo there is a ſpirit in man which luſteth to oppreſſe. An envious ſpirit is angry, troubled, and vexed, when any man enjoyeth any thing that is good. An oppreſſing ſpirit will not give over oppreſſing, till it hath taken away that good which a man doth enjoy. And in this, ſee how man is departed from the example of God: God, he is a preſerver of man, a lover of man; and ſo ſhould man be to man: but they are as the Devill is to man, a Deſtroyer, and an Oppreſſor: Thus are many men to men.
Doct. 2. Obſerve, (from the Text) Deliver me (ſaith David) from the oppreſſion of man. Man hath a very heavie hand upon man: David deſired rather to be under the hand of God, then under the hand of man. The oppreſſion of man is a very heavie oppreſſion, David prayeth againſt it with all his might: the oppreſſion of man is very heavie; it was that which made the Pſalmiſt crie out: Ariſe, O God, to judge the fatherleſſe and the oppreſſed, that the men of the world may no more oppreſſe; the word in the originall ſignifieth, to terrifie. Oppreſſion in Scripture is expreſſed by Devaſtation, it is that which layeth all waſte; Oppreſſion makes a wiſe man mad: Oppreſſion doth not onelyonly ſpoyle a man of his outward eſtate, but it even bereaveth him of his wits; he is as it were diſtracted, diſ-compoſed, unfit for to doe God ſervice. There are three phraſes given to Oppreſſion, in Scripture:
Firſt, The Scripture calleth Oppreſſion the burthening of the people; which is very tedious.
Secondly, The Scripture calleth Oppreſſion the grinding of the face; and that's farre worſe.
Thirdly, The Scripture calleth Oppreſſion the eating of the fleſh, the gnawing of the very bones; and that is worſt of all.
Doct. 3. Deliver me from the oppreſſion of man: David was under a feare of oppreſſion, and therefore he addreſſeth himſelfe to God: obſerve, it is God alone that delivereth from oppreſſion, he can doe it, he alone hath power to doe it, he will doe it, he hath promiſed to doe it, the glory of God conſiſts in it; he will doe it, for he is honoured by it; he will break the teeth of the oppreſſors: The Lord doth this many wayes, but I will onelyonly name three.
Firſt, By the totall deſtruction and overthrow of Oppreſſors, They ſhall be conſumed as ſtubble that is fully drie.
Secondly, The Lord delivereth his people from oppreſſion, by reſtraining the rage and malice of the Enemie, that they are not able to hurt them; Hee ſuffered no man to doe them any wrong, ſaith the Text: This implyeth, that many would have done them wrong, but God put a barre upon their power, hee ſuffered no man to doe them any wrong. God kept the fire from burning the three Children: How? Not by putting out the fire, but by reſtraining the naturall power of the fire, that it could not burne them, Dan. 3. 23. God alſo preſerved Daniel in the Lyons Denne: How? Not by deſtroying the Lyons, but by taking away the Lyons appetite, hee ſtayed their hunger, that they did not hurt Daniel, Dan. 6. 20.
Thirdly, Hee delivereth his from Oppreſſion, by changing the hearts of their Oppreſſors, hee can make them of Enemies to become friends, Eſay 11. 6. The Wolfe alſo ſhall dwell with the Lamb, the Leopard ſhall lye downe with the Kid, and the Calfe and the young Lyon and the fatling together. God can ſo change the Lyon, that it ſhall not hurt the Lamb; hee can ſo alter the Leopard, that it ſhall not hurt the Kid, but both ſhall lye downe together, and the Earth ſhall be full of the knowledge of the Lord. Wee have had great experience of the Lords delivering us from the oppreſſion of man: the firſt way, by deſtroying all our oppreſſors; yea, and by the ſecond way, when our Enemies were ſtrong, hee hath reſtrained their power, that they were not able to hurt us. Now our laſt prayer for our Enemies ſhould be this, That God would change their hearts, that of Wolves they might become Lambs.
Doct. 4. The laſt Doctrine is this, That the Deliverance from the oppreſſion of man, ſhould be a ſtrong Engagement upon us, to a new and vigorous ſervice of God: So will I keepe thy Precepts.
Judgements call from ſinne, Amos 4. 10. I have brought this and evill upon you, ſaith the Lord, yet ye have not returned unto me: But the Voyce of Deliverance is eſpecially to call to Holineſſe, and that for theſe following Reaſons.
Firſt, Becauſe Deliverances are Mercies, and therefore they have this Obligation lying upon them.
Secondly, Deliverance from Oppreſſion are great Mercies, and therefore it calls for more Holineſſe.
Thirdly, Wee are under the Engagements of the Lord; wee have prayed for Deliverance, and behold the Lord hath now delivered us.
Fourthly, By Deliverance from our Enemies, we are freed from Incumbrances, and all Hinderances are taken away. Now wee have roome to ſerve God, now wee have an opportunitie to keepe Gods Precepts, now the Oppreſſors are taken away; the enlarging of the heart is an inward helpe for the running of the wayes of thy Commandements.
I might give you many more Reaſons for the proofe of the Point, but I will winde up all in ſome few words of Application.
Deliver me from the oppreſſion of man, ſo will I keepe thy Precepts.
Right Honourable, and well-beloved, I need not tell you, that wee are a people who have formerly groaned under Oppreſſion, under ſuch as would have Dominion over our Bodies, over our Cattell, over our Eſtates, at their pleaſure, and eſpecially from them which would lay heavie Yokes upon our Spirits and Conſciences. I need not tell you, that wee have had ſuch Oppreſſors, that ſurely the noyſe of thoſe that groaned under them, are not gone out of our eares. Againe, I need not tell you, that wee were lately under a feare, of having Oppreſſion renewed upon us, and to have had thoſe to Rule over us, whoſe little finger would have beene heavier then our former Oppreſſors Loynes. I need not tell you of an Enemie that came like an over-flowing Floud, that would even have ſwallowed us up quick. I need not tell you, that wee are delivered from theſe mens oppreſſions. I need not tell you, that wee have beene fearefully and wonderfully delivered; that there is not onelyonly MercieMercy, but Miracle in our Deliverance. How hath the Oppreſſor ceaſed? They are ceaſed (bleſſed be God) but wee can ſcarcely ſay how. I hope I need not tell you, that it is God that hath delivered us from the oppreſſion of man; though God hath made uſe of many worthy Inſtruments, for the accompliſhing this great Worke, which deſerve your chiefeſt commendations. I need not tell you of theſe things, ſuppoſing alſo that you will heare further concerning this particular at another time. The Deliverance that wee have now had from the oppreſsion of man, hath layd a mightie Engagement upon us to keepe Gods Precepts; it hath put an Engagement upon us, to keepe a Day of Prayſe and Thankſ-giving unto God; it hath put an Engagement upon us, to keepe his Precepts every day.
Firſt, ſome may ſay, True it is, wee are delivered from the oppreſsion of man, our Enemies are deſtroyed: but, doe they ſay now, Come, let us keepe the Precepts of God? No, they are farre from that: Come, ſay they, now wee ſhall keepe our Eſtates, and adde unto them; now our Trade is open, let us buy and ſell, and get Gaines; Though this in it ſelfe be lawfull, yet this is not the chiefe end that the people of God make of their Victories. Davids Reſolution was, Come, let us keepe the Precepts of God.
Secondly, There are others that ſay, Wee are delivered from the oppreſsion of man, Come, let us eate and drinke, and rejoyce, wee ſhall not dye to morrow; wee ſhall now live, our Enemies are downe, wee now ſeeme to have a longer terme added to our lives: ſurely, may ſome ſay, the bitterneſſe of Death is gone.
Thirdly, There are ſuch who are ſo farre from keeping the Precepts of God, by being delivered, that they take more libertie to breake the Precepts of God, they take libertie to breake all the bounds which God hath kept about them. Their Luſts perhaps were at a ſtand, when the Oppreſſors held their Rods over them; but now they being delivered from the oppreſsion of man, doe willingly give themſelves over unto ſinne, that ſinne might have dominion over them. Better a thouſand times be under the power of a raging Enemie, then lye under the power and tyrannie of Sinne, to lye under Pride, Covetouſneſſe, Envie, Malice, Drunkenneſſe. What ſhall wee ſay to ſuch a Generation? There was an everlaſting Brand put upon Ahaz: This is that Ahaz, that ſinned yet more and more, whilſt the hand of God was upon him. How ſhall they eſcape a worſer Brand then Ahaz had, who notwithſtanding all thoſe glorious Deliverances which it hath pleaſed God to vouchſafe unto them, yet ſinne more and more againſt him? That as God heapes Deliverances upon them, ſo they heape their ſinnes againſt God. But before I part with theſe, I would willingly commend theſe three things to their conſideration.
Firſt, Doe you thinke, that you anſwer the end and deſigne of God, in beſtowing theſe mercies upon you? Jerem. 7. 10. there is a ſtrange paſſage: Saith the Lord, They come and ſtand before me in this Houſe, which is called by my Name, and ſay, Wee are delivered to doe all theſe abominations. Now, what were theſe abominations? To Steale, Murther, commit Adulterie, Sweare falſely, burne Incenſe unto other Gods: I conceive, there were no people in the world ſo wicked as to ſay wee have received theſe mercies, wee are delivered from our enemies, that wee may ſteale, murther, ſweare falſly, &c. I thinke Sodom it ſelf would not have ſaid ſo? neither doe I believe this people here did ſay ſo, ſillabically or verbally, but by interpretation there actions did ſpeake ſo much, every one that ſinneth wilfully againſt God, throweth a ſtone at God.
2. Doe you think, that it is not poſſible that you may yet need a further deliverance, is it impoſſible that new troubles ſhould ariſe? ſurely no, and God may ſay unto you, why ſhould you bee delivered any more, you are reſolved to ſinne yet more and more and more, why therefore ſhould you bee delivered any more, ſince you have revolted more and more.
3. From that dreadfull Scripture, 9. Ezra 13. 14. and after all this is come upon us for evill deeds, and for our great treſpaſſes, ſeeing that thou our God haſt puniſhed us leſſe then our iniquities deſerve, and hath given us ſuch deliverance as this, ſhould we againe break thy commandements, and joyne in affinitie with the people of theſe abominations: wouldſt thou not bee angrie with us, till thou haſt conſumed us? ſo that there ſhould bee no remnant nor eſcaping.
The ſecond uſe may ſerve for exhortation, ſeeing that we are delivered from the oppreſsion of man, be perſwaded to keepe the Precepts of God, keepe them according as you heard in opening of the Text, keepe them by way of obedience and ſubmiſſion, and keepe them by way of protection, and preſervation.
Firſt, Bee exhorted to keepe all the precepts of God, by way of obedience and ſubmiſſion, keepe them more ſtrictly then you have done heretofore, how happy would it be if there were found a people imitating that pattern, 9. Acts 31. Then had the Churches reſt throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified, and walking in the feare of the Lord, and in the comfort of the holy Ghoſt were multiplyed. Then had the Churches reſt, temporal reſt, reſt from the oppreſſors; the Churches had reſt becauſe they kept the precepts of God, they did walke in the feare of the Lord and were multiplyed: Magiſtrates they ſhould keep the precepts of judgement and juſtice, Lord (ſaith David) I have done judgement and juſtice, therefore deliver me from my Oppreſſors. The Lord hath not left you to the Oppreſſor, therefore doe you doe judgement and juſtice. To all this Citie, I would ſay one word, ſeeing the Lord hath delivered you from the Oppreſſion of man, love one another, take heed that God having delivered you from open oppreſſion lets not there bee ſecret oppreſſion among yov. I would alſo preſſe you to be keeping of the commandements of God, doe not only keepe them your ſelves, but cauſe others to keep them.
Secondly, You muſt defend and protect the precepts of God, contend earneſtly for the faith once delived to the Saints, eſpecially Magiſtrates and Miniſters, they ſhould keep the precepts of God; Miniſters they ſhould defend the precepts of God by arguments, they ſhould redeeme them out of the hands of the Oppreſſors, eſpecially, becauſe there are ſo many that doe pervert them, not only prophane perſons, but other Hereticall perſons, which bring in damnable doctrines: God expects it alſo from Magiſtrates, that they ſhould defend them by the ſword of their power, fulfill the end of God in giving you victories, keep his truth and his precepts from violence, Magiſtratus ſunt Cuſtodes utriuſ que Tabulae Magiſtrates are the keepers of both the Tables, Hath not God kept this Citie from violence and plundering, your wives from raviſhing, your Children from being deſtroyed, your eſtates, your eyes from ſhedding teares, your feet from going downe to the Pit, therefore bee you now keepers of the Lord, the Lord hath kept us as the Apple of his eye, thoſe which have gone about to touch us have been deſtroyed, hee hath kept our peace, our perſons, therefore let us keep his precepts from violence, let none touch them that would wrong them, let it not be ſaid of you, as David had occaſion to ſay of Nabal, In vaine have I kept all that this fellow hath, that my Army hath not touched him, but bee a ſhelter unto him. Give not God occaſion to ſay ſo by you, in vaine have I kept your Citie, in vaine have I kept your Eſtates, in vaine have I kept your perſons, for you will doe nothing for mee, you will not ſo much as keep my precepts, which are for your eternall good, Oh that God might have occaſion to ſay thus of us, This people have traded well with the Mercies and Deliverances formerly beſtowed upon them! therefore will I give them more Deliverances, I will multiply my Bleſsings upon them. Their Oppreſſors ſhall not riſe and increaſe faſter then I will deſtroy them; when they riſe up againſt them, I will ſcatter them before my people: their Oppreſſors ſhall no more riſe up againſt them, but you ſhall be a people ſaved by the Lord. Thus much for this time.
FINIS.
September 27. 1651.
Imprimatur
JOHN DOWNAME.
End of the text · Joseph Caryl, The Oppressor Destroyed (1651)