and if need were, their body too, these were absent, all gone away. What could here be expected but a certain death? Surely my mind trembles to remember how near that sword was brandished, that he even felt its cold iron edge both applied, and more than that, dashed against that sacred breast. What, I say, but certain death, the sword being brandished so near unto him? Even then God freed and delivered him, God Who gives salvation unto Kings, to Kings His servants; even then God freed and delivered him, the King His servant, in the midst of danger, in the very jaws of death; from the midst of danger, from the very jaws of death He saved and delivered him. God Himself, I say, delivered him. First, by striking that armed man with fear who was ready instructed and appointed to act this great wickedness, so that he neither durst nor could essay any thing. Moreover He changed the mind of that armed man so suddenly, that he who was appointed to do it held back his hand who appointed him thereto, when he would have acted this wickedness. Further yet, by giving present courage, both power and strength sufficient to the King, ad feralem illam palæstram, "that the enemy was not able to do him violence, that the Ps. 89. 22. son of wickedness could not hurt him." Lastly, by leading those the right way after a marvellous manner through unknown passages, that knew not the place, unacquainted with the way, and by guiding those men who being summoned by the King's outcry hasted on each side towards his relief-men, for this so happy and faithful service, worthy eternal memory; finally, by freeing him both from this first and also from that other sword of the other brother, yet more malignant than the perilous one; and so freeing him that "their sword went Ps. 37. 15. through their own heart," and "their mischievousness was P. 7. 16. turned on their own pate." Thus the King is saved, salvation given to the King, given from heaven, if ever salvation was given from heaven to any, as if God had sent His hand from heaven and brought him help, at once delivering him, and at once overthrowing those perilous cut-throats and killing them with their own "perilous sword." Surely this is no human assistance, not from man. "It is the Lord's doing, and it is [Ps. 118. marvellous in our eyes," in all men's eyes; and it is wonder 23.1 SERM. ful in our ears, in all men's ears; and for this cause, no posterity, no future age, shall pass it in silence. XII. 2 Sam. 7. 19. תהלה תפלה [Ps. 144. 11.] But this also seemed "a small thing" to God, unless afterward often, and indeed very lately, He had delivered him—for yet it is not a year ago-from a like, yea from a greater, from a far greater danger, not of the sword, but of the perilous powder; an act so horrid, so black, so foul, so accursed, that it is to be cursed with all execrations, that it almost exceeds our belief who yet ourselves have seen it. Later ages sure enough, I think, will scarcely credit it, that ever there were in a man's shape such locusts from the nethermost hell who should devise so hellish practices. Such as was the magnitude of the danger, such shall be the measure of our thanksgiving. And verily that late powder-plot might make us forget this day's deliverance. But far be it from us, for as I said at first, new deliverances are so to be celebrated that old ones are also to be renewed. We shall sing Him His song for that in due season. Now it is enough to mention it. I will no longer offend your patience, I will finish the remainder in few words. is theirs and ours. Therefore as they then sung this song for their King, so do we now for ours. For salvation is not so like salvation as Nor verily is there any where an example whence we may take a pattern to ourselves, what it behoves us now to do, so fit for us to imitate, as the manner and method of this Psalm, nor (do I far digress) of this place in the Psalm which we have now in hand. David doth two things, which the Hebrews especially do elegantly express; he mixes tehilla and tephilla; that is, petitions with thanksgivings, prayers with a song. As soon as he had sung his hymn, instantly, with one and the same breath, he said his prayers. For in the foregoing verse he brought forth his song, he tuned his strings, takes his lute, sings thus as ye have heard: "It is He Who gives salvation to Kings; it is He Who hath delivered David His servant from the perilous sword." And behold immediately, namely in the following verse, he lays his lute out of his hand, he falls down on his knees, betakes himself to his prayers, and there dictates a prayer for himself and for us in these words: "Save me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children; whose mouth talketh of vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity." This was the best way for himself and for his people, whilst he mixed these: and let us imitate his example. And first, as the ground of our duty requires, let us praise this preserver of Kings, the deliverer of His servant our King. Let us praise Him with a new song, in singing with stringed instruments, with pipes, with wind instruments; with the best and choicest that our breath, voice, mind, hand, either hath or can get. For even the best we have is due to this favour, is due to God for this. Yea, all we have, even the best things are less than this favour, less than He deserves for this. But yet let us essay the best we can, to sing something. And herein let "all that is within us," all our "bones" confess unto Thee, O Lord, that sal- Ps. 103. 1; vation is Thine, that Thou givest it, that Thou givest it unto Kings, that Thou hast given it to our King; and in Him, to us all, even to three kingdoms in one; to one in three. And now, what can we "say more unto Thee?" For Thou, Lord, 2 Sam. 7. knowest Thy servants, though we express our minds unworthily; yet inwardly in our minds and inmost thoughts we are eternally bound unto Thee, for this the King's salvation. 35. 10. 20. But yet, because to have once delivered him, it is not enough, nor twice, or thrice, nor seven times, for as long as he lives so long is there this danger from those perilous ones, because all "strange children” are not in a strange land. Some there are in ours, even with us; in regard all the sons of Belial are not yet dead, at least their father Belial is not dead, but yet is alive, yet he devises his mischievous plots no less now than in David's time; no less than any time since David till this day. No less? yea certainly, and more, ❝be- Rev. 12.12. cause He hath but a short time." Let us also after the manner of our Psalm, lest we stay too long in the song, hang up our lutes a while, and lay them aside for a season; yea let us also kneel down and adjoin our prayers, yea let us also after his example make public prayers; no other than he himself doth make here and in other Psalms. Here, "Save him;" yea "deliver him from strange children;" from "their mouth," "right hand," their "perilous sword." And out of other Psalms, "Save now I beseech Thee, O Lord; O Lord, I beseech Thee Ps. 118 25; send now prosperity." "O God, send forth Thy strength; 68.28. Ps. 17. 7. SERM. stablish this good work that Thou hast wrought for us." XII. "Shew Thy marvellous loving-kindness." "Shew great deP. 44. 4. liverance to Thy King." Præcipe omnimodam salutem Jacobo. It is Thou Who hast given salvation, it is Thou Who hast Ps. 102.27. delivered; be Thou always "the same" that Thou art. Always deliver, always save him, always continue these blessings [Ps.18.50.] unto us. But for those that remain-for I much fear that yet some remain "strange children," what else pray we than as Cushi did for David also, when he was then in like sort delivered from the sword of a son, both his own and a strange 2 Sam. 18. one, Absalom: "The enemies of my lord the King and all that rise against him to do him hurt, let them be" as those Judg.5.31. brothers, brothers in iniquity, mischievous brothers. 32. "So let all thine enemies perish (the enemies of Thine anointed) O Lord. But those that love Thee (that love him) be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might." That thereby as we, so may our seed enjoy, who under the prosperous success of his reign have possessed, those eight earthly beatitudes in this Psalm, the eight felicities of this life; yea, that ninth also, worth all the rest, of pure religion; I pray God we may long and many years enjoy the same under him in safety, in health, in long life, (which this four years we have done) yearly paying our vows on this day for this day's sake, for the salvation given on this day; always interlacing this verse in the beginning, in the midst, in the end: "It is He Who gives salvation unto Kings, it is He Who hath delivered" James "His servant from the perilous sword." To Him be honour, praise, glory, thanksgiving, for ever and ever. Amen. |