Davids Devotions Upon His Deliverances, Sermon
Davids Devotions UPON HIS DELIVERANCES: Set forth in a SERMON AT All-Saints in Derby, June 28, 1660.
BEING The Day of publique Thankſgiving FOR HIS MAJESTIES Happy Reſtauration, By JOSEPH SWETNAM PREACHER There.
LONDON, Printed for H. M. and are to bee ſold at his ſhop, at the Phoenix in St. Pauls Church-yard, neer the little North door. 1660.
A SERMON PREACHED At All-Saints in Derby, June 28. 1660.
WHen my thoughts were ſummoned to make proviſion for this day, 2 Sam. 19.14, 15. came to minde. And hee bowed the hearts of all the men of Judah as the heart of one man, ſo that they ſent this word to the King, Return thou, and all thy ſervants: ſo he King returned and came to Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the King, to conduct the King over Jordan. But ſeeing ſince the happy arrival of our gracious ſoveraign, ſo many additaments to our praiſes have flowed in uppon us, I judged that text too ſtraight, unleſs I ſhould alogically ramble, and ſo diſpleaſe my ſelf and you. I then flitted in my fancy, to verſes 41.42, 43. And behold all the men of Iſrael came to the King, and ſaid to the King, Why have our brethren the men of Judah ſtolen thee away, and have brought the King and his houſhold, and all Davids men with him over Jordan? and all the men of Judah anſwered the men of Iſrael; becauſe the King is neer of kin to us, wherefore then bee yee angry for this matter, have wee eaten at all of the Kings coſt? or hath hee given us any gift? and the men of Iſrael anſwered the men of Judah and ſaid, Wee have alſo more right in David than you, why did you deſpiſe us, that our advice ſhould not bee firſt had in bringing back our King? and the words of the men of Judah were feircer than the words of the men of Iſrael.
This text after a ſhort ſurvey I paſſed by, leſt any rancor might revive, old ſores being too apt to bleed afreſh, withall conſidering thoſe two firſt jarring intereſts, laid by their animoſities to bring our King back, but above all our dread ſoveraign in his gracious declaration and proclamations, which breathe out nothing but ſweeteſt cementings, haveing conjured all intereſts, to preſerve peace and unity, and ſince thoſe two ſticks, like them Ezekiel 37.16. are become one, and own one King, verſ. 24. I ſhall pray that Ephraim may not envy Judah, nor Judah vex Ephraim, and if old prophaneneſs and its abettors, like that beaſt, Reve. 13.3, 12. have not their deadly wound healed, I hope wee ſhall not hear of war any more.
My thoughts now began to hover, diſputing about texts fit for the occaſion, or whether I ſhould, with the antient fathers, make the occaſion my text, but ſeriouſly pondering his Majeſties gracious expreſſions in the proclamation, That due thanks, and praiſe bee offered up to Almighty God, by us, and our people, with one heart, & that humble ſupplications be powred out before him for his continual aſsiſtance and improvement of this and all his mercies, I then had by the conduct of a Divine finger pointed out to mee, Pſalme 34.3. O magnifie the Lord with mee, and let us exalt his name together.
1 The title tells you the author, and occaſion of this Pſalm; the author David, a King by unction, heir apparent to the Crown, though not by deſcent, yet by divine deſignation, and Sauls voluntary offer upon Goliahs fall.
Our dread Soveraign, a King by birth, and by confuting tranſcendently ſignal providences, was by the envious Sauls of thoſe times, forced to ſecure himſelf in forraign parts, when hee was but heir apparent.
2. This pſalmiſts occaſion was his ſtraights, fleeing to the Philiſtines, and his exile thence by Abemilech, a common name to all their Kings, its ſignification excellent, the King father, but in order to David an Antiphraſis, expelling him that fled for ſhelter.
Our dread Soveraign fleeing to a ſuppoſed father, the French King, from the fury of a Jeſuited faction, imbrewing cruel hands in his Fathers Royal blood, againſt all Oaths, Proteſtations, and Covenants, to the irreparable ſcandal of the real, not nominal Proteſtant religion, and many thouſand ſouls who had never any ſuch deſtructive thoughts to his Majeſties perſon, or poſterity, I ſay our gracious King flying into France, was upon the matter exiled thence; driven from one nation to another people, yet God ſuffered none to do him harm, preſerving our David where ever hee went, and for ſuch a time as this; Now bleſſed bee God who hath put ſuch a thing as this into the heart of the King, to walk in Davids ſteps, who being delivered out of the hands of all his enemies, doth, not in perſon only, but by his proclamation alſo, injoyn all to bleſs God for Englands redemption. I hope no pious ſpirit will quarrel with my parallel or prolix Preface, ſince I have been all this while within the call of my text, and not diſ-ſerviſed the duty of the day.
The two firſt verſes ſpeak Davids reſolution, in his perſon to praiſe God at all times, and the ſequel of his praiſes, the humble ſhall hear and be glad, upon which my text is attendant.
O magnifie the Lord with mee, and let us exalt his name together.
This pſalm being one of thoſe the firſt letter of every verſe following the order in the hebrew Alphabet, imports the writer to bee in an extraordinary rapture.
To baulk all curioſity, conſider this, plain but proper doctrine.
Prince and people, being joynt ſharers in mercy, ſhould bee joynt magnifiers of God for a mercy.
The word, foreign rendred magnifie, and foreign exalt, will beſt manifeſt what the magnifying of Gods name is.
The firſt ſignifieth to multiply, excelling, honour, and ſo to magnifie God, properly, is above creatures reach; man declares what God is, which is his higheſt pitch attainable unto; for the phraſe to magnifie and juſtifie, rather declare or manifeſt, than make, hence the word, Nehem. 8.4. is tranſlated a Pulpit, ſhewing that after ſignal mercies, they ſhould bee ſo imployed, ſhewing it forth that God is good.
The latter hebrew word rendred exalt, ſignifies vocal praiſe, when David reſolves to bleſs God with the beſt member that hee hath, which hee calls his glory. The word further, as ſome Criticks ſay, ſignifies to ſeparate from a prophane to a ſacred uſe; Chriſtians joyes muſt bee ſpiritual, not in May games, and Morris dances, the reviving of that obſolete Roman whore, Flora, her feſtivals, the promoters of which now ſpeak out, that prophaneneſs and debauchery they prefer before their King, and their Venerean, Bacchanalian joy, will ſo provoke an holy healing God, that if his mercy were not above all, our praiſes might bee impeaded or polluted; but I hope thoſe Idolatrous, popiſh, prophane practiſes with their abettors and promoters will fall, as Satan did before the Apoſtles, like lightning; however, let no humble heart bee dumb in praiſes this day, ſince a returning ſun gives at the firſt, life to weeds as well as to flowers: I doubt not but care will in due time bee taken to crop at leaſt, if not pluck up theſe tares, I mean not their perſons, but their impieties.
To prove my doctrine, conſult Iſaiah 12.4. And in that day ſhall yee ſay, Praiſe the Lord, call upon his Name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted, Pſalm 66.2. Sing forth the honour of his name, make his Praiſe glorious, Pſalm 68.4. Sing unto God, ſing praiſe to his name, extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah, and rejoyce before him.
Our David is precentor in this ſpiritual quire, and let none with Michal jeer, or with the victors after Abſoloms rout ſlink away aſhamed.
God is magnified
1 When wee utter the memory of his great goodneſs. Pſalm 145.7. They ſhall abundantly utter the memory of thy Great goodneſs, and ſhall ſing of thy righteouſneſs. Its a good day, as the four leapers ſaid when the ſeige was raiſed from Samariah, and if wee hold our peace, evil will befall us.
2 God is exalted when his actings are ſet forth to the life. Pſalme 66.2. Sing forth the honour of his Name, make his Praiſe glorious. The leſs ſhadowed the more magnificent. God is never more magnified than when his work is owned, as being only his: with his holy arm hee hath got himſelf the victory.
3 When wee are ſpeedy in our praiſes, not deferring them till a mercy grow ſtale, or ſuffer an eclipſe, Moſes and Miriam, Deborah and Barach, took no day, but ſang ſweet ſongs whilſt the deliverance was freſh.
4 God is then magnified indeed when our praiſes are ſpiritual, ſinging with grace in our hearts to the Lord, Colloſ. 3.16. when wee conſtantly boaſt of God, as ver. 1. not like thoſe Iſraelites that ſang his praiſe, and ſoon forgat him, turning his glory into the ſimilitude of a Calf, whence Chryſoſt. compares them to graſhoppers, Subito ſaltantes protinus in terram cadentes.
If you look for reaſons to enforce this duty.
1 God is great, and ſo is his name, hence, Jerem. 10.6. foraſmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord, thou art great, and thy name is great in might; Hee exhorts to magnifie.
2 Wee are wiſdomes children, and its our duty to juſtifie our parent, Mat. 11.19. wiſdome is juſtified of her children; wee may not then bee tongue-tided in ſuch a day as this.
3 Kindneſſes are conferred upon this account, Pſal. 50.15. Call upon mee in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie mee; were not ten cleanſed? but where are the nine?
4 God his goodneſs endures dayly in deſpite of all iniquity, Pſalm. 54.6. I will freely ſacrifize unto thee: I will Praiſe thy name, O Lord, for it is good. And ſhall not the redeemed of the Lord ſay ſo who were remembred by him in their low eſtate? O magnifie the Lord with mee, and let us exalt his name together.
Uſe.
I ſhall infer only an exhortation to give God the honour due to his name, for the return of ſo gracious a King.
Motives.
1 Many of us have the return of our prayers, humbly groaned forth, and not in rancor and malice bolted out, though thoſe like the fly on the wheel think they ſtir up all the duſt.
2 God is now cleared to bee the wiſe, and only moderator, ruleing, yea over-ruleing all pretended providences, ſucceſs was their Diana, and muſt bee the decider of that great controverſie, Whether regicidium by ſubjects was lawful or no: but God almighty to the honour of his name hath confuted thoſe blood-hounds which killed and took poſſeſſion.
3 Wee have now judgment running down like water, King Charles the ſecond reſtored, and that without the loſs of one drop of bloud; who more injured than our gracious King? and now God hath in ſpite of furious heatheniſh people, ſet him up upon his Throne, ſo that his enemies bow themſelves, hee treading upon the Aſp and Adder.
4 Hypocritical tyranny is exiled, which Jezabel like, when proclaimed a faſt, meant murther, devotions being the harbingers to too many innocents deſtructions, which made us in thoſe times chooſe redarguing texts, though wee durſt do no more, witneſs Luke the 12.1. In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, in ſo much that they trod one upon another, hee began to ſay to his diſciples firſt of all, Beware yee of the leaven of the Phariſees, which is hypocriſie; upon December the 6.1655. but I ſcorn to crouch or flatter.
5 Hereſie, and blaſphemy, like Apolloes oracles at Chriſt his birth being ſilenced; oracula ceſſant, as Juvenal ſaid, A canting Auguſtus, as Suidas hath it, enquiring about his ſucceſſor, might, if hee could return, write haec eſt ara primogeniti dei; this is hee whoſe right it is from God; in a ſound ſence I may ſay, the ſon of God, the ſonne of his care, and delight witneſs thoſe wonderful providences in his preſervation, and reſtauration.
6 Heedfully conſider ſeven things in our gracious King.
1 Hee is no alien born, but a native, as Juda ſaid of David neer a kin to us, the firſt King that drew his firſt breath in England ſince King Edward the ſixth, hence that admired Sympathy and lenity towards his ſubjects hath much of its riſe, Happy art thou O land whoſe Prince is impatient till thy wounds bee healed.
2 Ponder his prudence, evidenced in the choice of men, once jarring in their intereſts, to bee imployed in greateſt truſts, by which hee prevents fears and jealouſies, once Englands falſe fiers, ſo that wee may ſay as it was of David and Solomon, our Lord the King is as an Angel of God, to diſcern good and evil.
3 Hee is no childe, to bee carried to and fro by the breath of ſelf-ſeeking Sycophants, but at that age the Lord Chriſt was, when hee undertook his ſpiritual Kingſhip, and David his temporal, thirty years old; a childe is often a miſery to a people, which King Edward the ſixt, and his ſubjects, ſadly felt from his courtiers factions, Eccleſ. 10.16. Wo to thee O land, when thy King is a childe, and thy Princes eat in the morning, And Iſa. 3.4. And I will give children to bee their Princes, and babes ſhall rule over them.
4 His temperance is exemplary, ſo that debauched ones, like thoſe looſe youths in Job, fear, and fly, our great Charles being a ſecond Charles the great, cibi potuſ que parciſsimus.
5 Hee is the Son of antient Kings, and our King by an indiſputable deſcent, ſo that none can ſay as thoſe rebellious Iſraelites did in ſcorn, what is David or the Son of Jeſſe? our Chronicler Speede proving King James his title to this Crown was not from Henry the ſevenths daughter only, but before the conqueſt. Now as Plato in his Alcibiades, conſentaneum eſt meliores eſſe naturas in nobili genere, quam ignobili.
6 See how none could neſtle, or bottome in peace, upon this throne, though by Sycophants fawned upon, and with large promiſes of ſupport, addreſſed unto, God verifying that of Ezekiel 21.27. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, untill hee come whoſe right it is; and I will give it him.
7 Hee is the deſire of three kingdomes, being a divine and reaſonable donation, invited home by common conſent, and entertained with higheſt expreſſions of joy.
And now what remaines but that wee ſhould walk worthy of ſuch a Prince, leſt God in anger deprive us of him? as 1 Sam. 12.25. But if yee ſhall ſtill do wickedly, you ſhall bee conſumed, both you and your King. And then wee may at our leaſure with groans and ſighs repeat Jeremiahs lamentations to the breaking of our hearts. Think not by ſurfeiting, and drunkenneſs, chambering and wantonneſs, pride and envying, to cement our breaches, and maintain his honour, Rehoboams royſters ruined him, the Perſian Princes injoyned the Jews to pray for the Kings life, where drinking was without compulſion, healths were not heard off.
Damning and drinking provoked the Almighty, and is not God (being alwayes the ſame) as angry with the ſame ſin as hee was? nay, recoyls upon old ſins will cauſe recalls of old Judgments; you contradicting ſpirits who ſide with many, you hate out of an antipathy againſt holineſs, know, that our gracious King expects better things from you, in that pithy paſſage, That humble ſupplications bee powred out God for his continual aſsiſtance and improvement of this and all his mercies, to the honour of his great name, and ſafety, peace, and benefit, of our Kingdomes and dominions. Is God honoured by reviving old revellings? and is ſafety ſecured by prophaneneſs ſpitefully committed? will you thus requite the Lord, yee fooliſh people and unwiſe? but I direct my ſpeech to thoſe humble ones in the 2. verſe, who will rejoyce, and with upright hearts pray, that the Throne of our King may bee greater than his progenitors, and that God would build him a ſure houſe, ſo that wee may never hear the ſound of the trumpet, as alaruming to war, nor know the ſad ſequels of domeſtick broyls. And now to cloze up all, I ſay with Mephiboſheth, 2 Sam. 19.30. Foraſmuch as my Lord the King is come again in peace, unto his own houſe, let them enjoy rewards that ſeek them, all I deſire, is liberty to preach Chriſt Jeſus the Lord.
FINIS.
End of the text · Joseph Swetnam, Davids Devotions Upon His Deliverances (1660)