David: Five Sermons By Charles Kingsley

8/13/2019 David: Five Sermons By Charles Kingsley

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David: Five Sermons

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David: Five Sermons

David: FiveSermons

Charles Kingsley

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David: Five Sermons

DAVID: FIVE SERMONS

NOTE: The first four of these Sermonswere preahed !efore the "niversit# of

$am!rid%e&

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David: Five Sermons

SERMON I. DAVIDS WEAKNESS

'sa(m ())viii& *+, *-, *.& /e hose David his servant, and too0 him awa#

from the sheep1fo(ds& As he was fo((owin% the ewes %reat with #oun%

ones, he too0 him2 that he mi%ht feed 3ao! his peop(e, and Israe( his

inheritane& So he fed them with a faithfu( and true heart, and ru(ed them

prudent(# with a(( his power&

I am a!out to preah to #ou four sermons on the harater of David& /is

histor#, I ta0e for %ranted, #ou a(( 0now&

I (oo0 on David as an a(( !ut idea( 0in%, eduated for his offie !# an a((

!ut idea( trainin%& A shepherd first2 a (ife!e it remem!ered fu(( of

dan%er in those times and (ands2 then aptain of a !and of out(aws2 and

(ast(# a 0in%, %radua((# and with diffiu(t# fi%htin% his wa# to a seure

throne&

This was his ourse& 4ut the most important sta%e of it was pro!a!(# thefirst& Amon% the dum! anima(s he (earnt e)periene whih he afterwards

put into pratie amon% human !ein%s& The shepherd of the sheep

!eame the shepherd of men& /e who had s(ain the (ion and the !ear

!eame the hampion of his native (and& /e who fo((owed the ewes %reat

with #oun%, fed 5od6s oppressed and wear# peop(e with a faithfu( and

true heart, ti(( he raised them into a %reat and stron% nation& So !oth sides

of the true 0in%(# harater, the masu(ine and the feminine, are !rou%ht

out in David& For the %reed# and t#rannous, he has indi%nant defiane:

for the wea0 and he(p(ess, patient tenderness&

M# motives for hoosin% this su!7et I wi(( e)p(ain in a ver# few words&

8e have heard muh of (ate a!out 9Musu(ar $hristianit#& A (ever

e)pression, spo0en in 7est !# I 0now not whom, has !een !andied a!out

the wor(d, and supposed !# man# to represent some new idea( of the

$hristian harater&

For m#se(f, I do not understand what it means& It ma# mean one of two

thin%s& If it mean the first, it is a term somewhat unneessar#, if not

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David: Five Sermons

somewhat irreverent& If it mean the seond, it means somethin% untrue

and immora(&

Its first and !etter meanin% ma# !e simp(# a hea(th# and manfu(

$hristianit#, one whih does not e)a(t the feminine virtues to the

e)(usion of the masu(ine&

That ertain forms of $hristianit# have ommitted this (ast fau(t annot !e

dou!ted& The tenden# of $hristianit#, durin% the patristi and the

Midd(e A%es, was ertain(# in that diretion& $hristians were perseuted

and defene(ess, and the# !etoo0 themse(ves to the on(# virtues whih

the# had the opportunit# of pratisin%%ent(eness, patiene, resi%nation,

se(f1sarifie, and se(f1devotiona(( that is (ove(iest in the idea( fema(e

harater& And 5od for!id that that side of the $hristian (ife shou(d ever

!e underva(ued& It has its own !eaut#, its own stren%th too made perfet

in wea0ness2 in prison, in torture, at the fier# sta0e, on the (one(# si01

!ed, in (on% #ears of se(fdevotion and resi%nation, and in a thousand

woman(# sarifies un0nown to man, !ut written for ever in 5od6s !oo0of (ife&

4ut as time went on, and the monasti (ife, whih, whether pratised !#

man or !# woman, is essentia((# a feminine (ife, !eame more and more

e)(usive(# the re(i%ious idea(, %rave defets !e%an to appear in what was

rea((# too narrow a oneption of the human harater&

The mon0s of the Midd(e A%es, in aimin% e)(usive(# at the virtues ofwomen, %enera((# opied (itt(e !ut their vies& Their unnatura( attempt to

!e wiser than 5od, and to unse) themse(ves, had done (itt(e !ut disease

their mind and heart& The# resorted more and more to those arts whih

are the weapons of raft#, am!itious, and unprinip(ed women& The#

were too apt to !e unnin%, fa(se, intri%uin%& The# were persona((#

oward(#, as their own hroni(es de(are2 ;ueru(ous, passionate, prone to

unman(# tears2 prone, as their writin%s a!undant(# testif#, to so(d, to use

the most viru(ent (an%ua%e a%ainst a(( who differed from them2 the# were,

at times, fearfu((# rue(, as evi( women wi(( !e2 rue( with that worst

rue(t# whih sprin%s from owardie& If I seem to have drawn a harsh

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David: Five Sermons

piture of them, I an on(# answer that their own douments 7ustif#

a!undant(# a(( that I have said&

5radua((#, to supp(# their defets, another idea( arose& The warriors of theMidd(e A%es hoped that the# mi%ht !e a!(e to serve 5od in the wor(d,

even in the !att(e1fie(d& At (east, the wor(d and the !att(e1fie(d the# wou(d

not re(in;uish, !ut ma0e the !est of them& And amon% them arose a new

and a ver# fair idea( of manhood: that of the 9%ent(e, ver# perfet 0ni%ht,

(o#a( to his 0in% and to his 5od, !ound to defend the wea0, suour the

oppressed, and put down the wron%1doer2 with his (ad#, or !read1%iver,

dea(in% forth !ounteous(# the %oods of this (ife to a(( who needed2oupied in the seven wor0s of mer#, #et (ivin% in the wor(d, and in the

perfet en7o#ment of wedded and fami(# (ife& This was the idea(& Of

ourse sinfu( human nature fe(( short of it, and defaed it !# a!surdities2

!ut I do not hesitate to sa# that it was a hi%her idea( of $hristian

e)e((ene than had appeared sine the time of the Apost(es, puttin% aside

the ;uite e)eptiona( idea( of the !(essed mart#rs&

A hi%her idea(, I sa#, was hiva(r#, with a(( its shortomin%s& And for thisreason: that it asserted the possi!i(it# of onseratin% the who(e manhood,

and not mere(# a few fau(ties thereof, to 5od2 and it thus ontained the

first %erm of that 'rotestantism whih on;uered at the Reformation&

Then was asserted, one for a((, on the %rounds of nature and reason, as

we(( as of /o(# Sripture, the a!so(ute santit# of fami(# and nationa( (ife,

and the orre(ative idea, name(#, the onseration of the who(e of human

nature to the servie of 5od, in that station to whih 5od had a((ed eahman& Then the O(d Testament, with the honour whih it puts upon fami(#

and nationa( (ife, !eame preious to man, as it had never !een !efore2

and suh a histor# as David6s !eame, not as it was with the mediaeva(

mon0s, a mere repertor# of fanifu( metaphors and a((e%ories, !ut the

so(emn e)amp(e, for %ood and for evi(, of a man of (i0e passions and (i0e

duties with the men of the modern wor(d&

These %reat truths, one asserted, ou(d not !ut on;uer2 and the# wi((

on;uer to the end& A(( attempts to restore the monasti and feminine

idea(, (i0e that of %ood Niho(as Ferrar at


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David: Five Sermons

withered (i0e hot1house e)otis in the free, 0een, !rain% En%(ish air2 and

in our ivi( wars, $ava(ier and 'uritan, in whatever the# differed, never

differed in their sound and hea(th# onvition that true re(i%ion did notrush, !ut stren%thened and onserated a va(iant and no!(e manhood&

Now if a(( that 9Musu(ar $hristianit#6 means is that, then the e)pression

is a(to%ether unneessar#2 for we have had the thin% for three enturies

and defetive (i0ewise, for it is not a mere(# musu(ar, !ut a human

$hristianit# whih the 4i!(e tau%ht our forefathers, and whih our

forefathers have handed down to us& 4ut there is another meanin%

sometimes attahed to this f(ippant e)pression, 9Musu(ar $hristianit#, whih is utter(# immora( and into(era!(e& There are those who sa#, and

there have !een of (ate those who have written !oo0s to shew, that

provided a #oun% man is suffiient(# !rave, fran0, and %a((ant, he is more

or (ess a!so(ved from the ommon duties of mora(it# and se(f1restraint&

That ph#sia( prowess is a su!stitute for virtue is ertain(# no new

dotrine& It is the dotrine of ever# red man on the Amerian prairies, of

ever# Afrian hief who ornaments his hut with human s0u((s& It was thedotrine of our heathen forefathers, when the# ame hither s(a#in%,

p(underin%, !urnin%, tossin% !a!es on their spear1points& 4ut I am sorr#

that it shou(d !e the dotrine of an# one a((in% himse(f a %ent(eman,

muh more a $hristian&

It is ertain(# not the dotrine of the $atehism, whih !ids us renoune

the f(esh, and (ive !# the he(p of 5od6s Spirit a new (ife of dut# to 5od

and to our nei%h!our&

It is ertain(# not the dotrine of the New Testament& 8hatsoever St& 'au(

meant !# !iddin% his disip(es ruif# the f(esh, with its affetions and

(usts, he did not mean there!# that the# were to deif# the f(esh, as the

heathen round them did in their prof(i%ate m#steries and in their

%(adiatoria( e)hi!itions&

Neither, thou%h the O(d Testament ma# seem to put more va(ue onph#sia( prowess than does the New Testament, is it the dotrine of the

O(d Testament, as I purpose to show #ou from the (ife and histor# of

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David: Five Sermons

David&

Nothin%, nothin%, an !e a su!stitute for purit# and virtue& Man wi((

a(wa#s tr# to find su!stitutes for it& /e wi(( tr# to find a su!stitute insuperstition, in forms and eremonies, in vo(untar# humi(it# and worship

of an%e(s, in usin% vain repetitions, and fan#in% that he wi(( !e heard for

his muh spea0in%2 he wi(( tr# to find a su!stitute in inte((et, and the

worship of inte((et, and art, and poetr#2 or he wi(( tr# to find it, as in the

present ase, in the worship of his own anima( powers, whih 5od meant

to !e his servants and not his masters& 4ut (et no man (a# that f(atterin%

untion to his sou(& The first and the (ast !usiness of ever# human !ein%,whatever his station, part#, reed, apaities, tastes, duties, is mora(it#:

Virtue, Virtue, a(wa#s Virtue& Nothin% that man wi(( ever invent wi((

a!so(ve him from the universa( neessit# of !ein% %ood as 5od is %ood,

ri%hteous as 5od is ri%hteous, and ho(# as 5od is ho(#&

4e(ieve it, #oun% men, !e(ieve it& 4etter wou(d it !e for an# one of #ou to

!e the stupidest and the u%(iest of morta(s, to !e the most diseased and

a!7et of ripp(es, the most si((#, nervous inapa!(e persona%e who everwas a (au%hin%sto0 for the !o#s upon the streets, if on(# #ou (ived,

aordin% to #our powers, the (ife of the Spirit of 5od2 than to !e as

perfet(# %ifted, as e);uisite(# or%anised in !od# and mind as David

himse(f, and not to (ive the (ife of the Spirit of 5od, the (ife of %oodness,

whih is the on(# (ife fit for a human !ein% wearin% the human f(esh and

sou( whih $hrist too0 upon him on earth, and wears for ever in heaven,

a Man indeed in the midst of the throne of 5od&And therefore it is, as #ou wi(( #ourse(ves have pereived a(read#, that I

have hosen to spea0 to #ou of David, his harater, his histor#&

It is the harater of a man perfet(# %ifted, e);uisite(# or%anised& /e has

persona( !eaut#, darin%, prowess, and s0i(( in war2 he has %enerosit#,

no!(eness, faithfu(ness, hiva(r# as of a mediaeva( and $hristian 0ni%ht2

he is a musiian, poet, seemin%(# an arhitet (i0ewise2 he is, moreover, a

!orn 0in%2 he has a marve((ous and most suessfu( power of attratin%,

disip(inin%, ru(in% his fe((ow1men& So thorou%h(# human a persona%e is

he, that 5od spea0s of him as the man after his own heart2 that our

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!(essed a

feminine, as we(( as a masu(ine vein2 a passionate tenderness2 a 0eensensi!i(it#2 a vast apait# of s#mpath#, sadness, and sufferin%, whih

ma0es him tru(# the t#pe of $hrist, the Man of sorrows2 whih ma0es his

'sa(ms to this da# the te)t1!oo0 of the aff(ited, of tens of thousands who

have not a parti(e of his !eaut#, oura%e, %enius2 !ut #et an fee(, in mean

hove(s and wor0house si01!eds, that the warrior1poet spea0s to their

human hearts, and for their human hearts, as none other an spea0, save

$hrist himse(f, the Son of David and the Son of man&

A man, I sa#, of intense sensi!i(ities2 and therefore apa!(e, as is !ut too

notorious, of %reat rimes, as we(( as of %reat virtues& And when I mention

this (ast fat, I must as0 #ou to pause, and onsider with me ver#

so(emn(# what it means&

8e ma# pervert, or rather misstate the fat in more than one wa#, to our

own hurt& 8e ma# sa# #nia((#, David had his %ood points and his !ad

ones, as a(( #our %reat saints have&


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David: Five Sermons

4ut if we do sa# this, or an#thin% (i0e this, we sa# it on our own

responsi!i(it#& David6s !io%raphers sa# nothin% of the 0ind& David himse(f

sa#s nothin% of the 0ind& /e never represents himse(f as a ompound ofstren%th and wea0ness& /e represents himse(f as wea0ness itse(fas

inapait# utter and omp(ete& To over(oo0 that start(in% fat is to

over(oo0 the ver# e(ement whih has made David6s 'sa(ms the te)t1!oo0

for a(( human wea0nesses, penitenes, sorrows, stru%%(es, aspirations, for

ni%h three thousand #ears&

4ut this su!7et is too (ar%e for me to spea0 of to1da#2 and too deep for me

to attempt an e)p(anation ti(( I have turned #our thou%hts toward anothero!7et, whih wi(( e)p(ain to #ou David, and #ourse(ves, and, it seems to

me at times, ever# pro!(em of humanit#&


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David: Five Sermons

Divine Spirit2 the stren%th and the %(or# of dut# and o!ediene2 of

patiene and for%iveness2 of !enevo(ene and se(f1sarifie2 the stren%th

and %(or# of that !urnin% (ove for human !ein%s whih ou(d stoop fromheaven to earth that it mi%ht see0 and save that whih was (ost&

es&


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David: Five Sermons

emphatia((# as did St& 'au( after him, that 5od6s stren%th was made

perfet in his wea0ness&

5od is his de(iverer, his %uide, his teaher, his inspirer& The


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David: Five Sermons

heathen ra%e, and the 0in%s of the earth stand up, and the ru(ers ta0e

ounse( to%ether a%ainst the


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David: Five Sermons

de(ares in the ver# first verse:

9I wi(( (ove thee, O


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David: Five Sermons

true penitene for evermore& Faith in 5od, in the spite of his fu((

onsiousness that 5od is a!out to punish him !itter(# for the rest of his

(ife& Faith it is whih %ives to that 'sa(m its peu(iar(# simp(e, de(i!erate,man(# tone2 free from a(( e)a%%erated se(f1ausations, a(( oward(# ries

of terror& /e is rushed down, it is true& The tone of his words shews us

that throu%hout& 4ut rushed !# whatB 4# the disover# that he has

offended 5odB Not in the (east& For the sa0e of #our own sou(s, as we(( as

for that of honest ritia( understandin% of the Sriptures, do not foist that

meanin% into David6s words& /e never sa#s that he had offended 5od&

/ad he !een a mediaeva( mon0, had he !een an avera%e superstitious

man of an# reed or time, he wou(d have said so, and ried, I have

offended 5od2 he is offended and an%r# with me, how sha(( I avert his

wrathB

Not so& David has disovered not an an%r#, !ut a for%ivin% 5od2 a 5od of

(ove and %oodness, who desires to ma0e his reatures %ood& 'enitentia(

pra#ers in a(( a%es have too often wanted faith in 5od, and therefore have

!een too often pra#ers to avert punishment& This, thisthe mode( of a((tru(# penitent pra#ersis that of a man who is to !e punished, and is

ontent to ta0e his punishment, 0nowin% that he deserves it, and far more

!eside& And wh#B 4eause, as a(wa#s, David has faith in 5od& 5od is a

%ood and 7ust !ein%, and he trusts him aordin%(#2 and that ver#

disover# of the %oodness, not the sternness of 5od, is the !itterest pan%,

the deepest shame to David6s spirit& Therefore he an fae without despair

the disover# of a more deep, radia( in!red evi( in himse(f than he ever

e)peted !efore& 94eho(d, I was shapen in wi0edness: and in sin hath m#

mother oneived me2 !eause he ou(d sa# a(so, 9Thou re;uirest truth in

the inward parts2 and sha(t ma0e me to understand wisdom seret(#& /e

an r# to 5od, out of the depths of his fou(ness, 9Ma0e me a (ean heart,

O 5od: and renew a ri%ht spirit within me& $ast me not awa# from th#

presene: and ta0e not th# ho(# Spirit from me& O %ive me the omfort of

th# he(p a%ain: and sta!(ish me with th# free Spirit& Then sha(( I teah th#

wa#s unto the wi0ed: and sinners sha(( !e onverted unto thee& /e anr# thus, !eause he has disovered that the wi(( of 5od is not to hate, not

to torture, not to ast awa# from his presene, !ut to restore his reatures

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David: Five Sermons

to %oodness, that he ma# there!# restore them to usefu(ness& David has

disovered that 5od demands no sarifie, muh (ess se(f1torturin%

penane& 8hat he demands is the heart& The sarifie of 5od is a trou!(edspirit& A !ro0en and a ontrite heart he wi(( not despise& It is suh

utteranes as these whih have %iven, for now man# hundred #ears, their

prie(ess va(ue to the (itt(e !oo0 of 'sa(ms asri!ed to the shepherd

out(aw of the 3udaean hi((s& It is suh utteranes as these whih have sent

the sound of his name into a(( (ands, and his words throu%hout a(( the

wor(d& Ever# form of human sorrow, dou!t, stru%%(e, error, sin2 the nun

a%onisin% in the (oister2 the sett(er stru%%(in% for his (ife in Transat(anti

forests2 the pauper shiverin% over the em!ers in his hove(, and waitin% for

0ind death2 the man of !usiness strivin% to 0eep his honour pure amid

the temptations of ommere2 the prodi%a( son starvin% in the far ountr#,

and reo((etin% the words whih he (earnt (on% a%o at his mother6s 0nee2

the peasant !o# trud%in% a1 fie(d in the hi(( dawn, and remem!erin% that

the


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David: Five Sermons

And a rea(it# #ou wi(( sure(# find it that (ivin% and pratia(

ommuniation !etween #our sou(s, and that Father in heaven who

reated them& It wi(( not !e rea(, !ut mor!id, even ima%inar#, 7ust inproportion as #our sou(s are tainted with se(f1oneit, am!ition, se(fwi((,

ma(ie, passion, or an# wi(fu( vie2 espeia((# with the vie of !i%otr#,

whih sett(es !eforehand for 5od what he sha(( teah the sou(, and in

what manner he sha(( teah it, and turns a deaf ear to his p(ainest (essons

if the# annot !e made to fit into some favourite formu(a or theor#& 4ut it

wi(( !e rea(, pratia(, hea(th#, sou(1savin%, in the ver# deepest sense of

that word, 7ust in proportion as #our e#e is sin%(e and #our heart pure2

7ust in proportion as #ou hun%er and thirst after ri%hteousness, and wish

and tr# simp(# and hum!(# to do #our dut# in that station to whih 5od

has a((ed #ou, and to (earn 7o#fu((# and trustin%(# an#thin% and

ever#thin% whih 5od ma# see fit to teah #ou& Then as #our da# #our

stren%th sha(( !e& Then wi(( the


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David: Five Sermons

own, is to den# the primar# fat of their e)istenethat in 5od the# (ive

and move and have that !ein%& And therefore Mi(ton6s Satan, thou%h,

over and a!ove a(( his other %randeurs, he had !een adorned with ever#virtue, wou(d have !een Satan sti(( !# the one sin of in%ratitude, 7ust

!eause and 7ust as (on% as he set up himse(f, apart from that 5od from

whom a(one omes ever# %ood and perfet %ift&

Sett(e it in #our hearts, #oun% men, sett(e it in #our hearts or rather

pra# to 5od to sett(e it therein2 and if #ou wou(d (ove (ife and see %ood

da#s, reo((et dai(# and hour(# that the on(# sane and safe human (ife is

dependene on 5od himse(f, and that"n(ess a!ove himse(f he an

E)a(t himse(f, how poor a thin% is man&

SERMON III. DAVIDS ANGER

'sa(m )(iii& ++, +-& ui0en me, O


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David: Five Sermons

nei%h!our and hate thine enem#: !ut that our


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David: Five Sermons

$ertain(#, whatsoever (i0eness there ma# have !een in (an%ua%e, the

ontrast in ondut is most stri0in%& It is a speia( mar0 of David6s

harater, as speia( as his faith in 5od, that he never aven%es himse(fwith his own hand& Twie he has Sau( in his power: one in the ave at

En%edi, one at the amp at /ahi(ah, and !oth times he refuses no!(# to

use his opportunit#& /e is his master, the


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David: Five Sermons

And #et at the first words of reason and of wisdom, ur%ed dou!t(ess !#

the e(o;uene of a !eautifu( and no!(e woman, !ut no (ess !# the Spirit of

5od spea0in% throu%h her, as a(( who a(( themse(ves %ent(emen shou(d0now a(read#, his ri%ht spirit returns to him& The hiva(rous instint of

for%iveness and dut# is roused one more2 and he ries, 94(essed !e the


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David: Five Sermons

After that inspiration omes a hi%her one& The man is tau%ht to sa#, I must

not punish m# enem# if I an avoid it& 5od must punish him, either !#

the (aw of the (and or !# his providentia( 7ud%ments& To this hei%ht Davidrises& In a seemin%(# (aw(ess a%e and ountr#, under the most e)treme

temptation, he (earns to sa#, 94(essed !e 5od who hath 0ept me from

aven%in% m#se(f with m# own hand&

4ut sti((, it ma# !e said, David a((s down 5od6s ven%eane on his

enemies& /e has not (earnt to hate the sin and #et (ove the sinner&

Dou!t(ess he has not: and it ma# have !een ri%ht for his eduation, and

for the eduation of the human rae throu%h him, that he did not& It ma#have !een a %ood thin% for him, as a future 0in%2 it ma# !e a %ood thin%

for man# a man now, to (earn the sinfu(ness of sin, !# fee(in% its effets in

his own person2 !# writhin% under those miseries of !od# and sou(,

whih wi0ed men an, and do inf(it on their fe((ow1reatures&

There are sins whih a %ood man wi(( not pit#, !ut wa%e interneine war

a%ainst them2 sins for whih he is 7ustified, if 5od have a((ed him thereto,

to destro# the sinner in his sins& The traitor, the t#rant, the ravisher, thero!!er, the e)tortioner, are not o!7ets of pit#, !ut of punishment2 and it

ma# have !een ver# %ood for David to !e tau%ht !# sharp persona(

e)periene, that those who ro!!ed the widow and put the father(ess to

death, (i0e the (aw(ess (ords of his time2 those (i0e Sau(, who smote the

it# of the priests for havin% %iven David foodmen and women,

hi(dren and su0(in%s, o)en and asses and sheep, with the ed%e of the

sword2 those who, (i0e the name(ess traitor who so often rouses hisindi%nationhis own fami(iar friend who (ifted up his hee( a%ainst him

sou%ht men6s (ives under the %uise of friendship: that suh, I sa#, were

persons not to !e to(erated upon the fae of 5od6s earth& 8e do not

to(erate them now& 8e punish them !# (aw& 8e even destro# them

who(esa(e in war, without in;uirin% into their individua( %ui(t or

innoene& David was tau%ht, not !# a!strat meditation in his stud#, !ut

!# !itter need and a%on#, not to to(erate them then& If he ou(d have

destro#ed them as we do now, it is not for us to sa# that he wou(d have

!een wron%& And what if he were indi%nant, and what if he e)pressed

that indi%nationB I have #et to disover that indi%nation a%ainst wron% is

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David: Five Sermons

au%ht !ut ri%hteous, no!(e, and divine& The f(ush of ra%e and sorn whih

rises, and ou%ht to rise in ever# honest heart, when we see a woman or a

hi(d i((1used, a poor man wron%ed or rushed8hat is that, !ut theinspiration of A(mi%ht# 5odB 8hat is that !ut the (i0eness of $hristB 8oe

to the man who has (ost that fee(in%G 8oe to the man who an stand

oo((# !#, and see wron% done without a sho0 or a murmur, or even

more, to the ver# (imits of the 7ust (aws of this (and& /e ma# thin0 it a fine

thin% so to do2 a proof that he is an eas#, prudent man of the wor(d, and

not a medd(esome enthusiast& 4ut a(( that it does prove is: That the Spirit

of 5od, who is the Spirit of 7ustie and 7ud%ment, has departed from him&

I sa# the Spirit of 5od and the (i0eness of $hrist& Instead of !e(ievin%

David6s own statement of the wron% doin%s of these men a!out him, we

ma# sa# #nia((#, and as it seems to me most unfair(#, 9Of ourse there

were two sides to David6s ;uarre(s, as there are to a(( suh2 and of ourse

he too0 his own side2 and onsidered himse(f a(wa#s in the ri%ht, and

ever# one who differed from him in the wron%2 and suh a speeh wi((

sound suffiient(# wor(d(#1wise to pass for phi(osoph# with some ritis2!ut, unfortunate(#, he who sa#s that of David, wi(( !e !ound in a((

fairness to sa# it of our


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David: Five Sermons

and sti(( more, sti(( more, remem!er that, a(( #oun% men, their fe((ow1

women& That fire !urns for everthe Divine fire of 5od2 the fire not of

hatred, !ut of (ove to man0ind, whih wi(( therefore punish, and if need!e, e)terminate a(( who sha(( dare to ma0e man0ind the worse, whether

in !od# or sou( or mind&

4ut David pra#s 5od to 0i(( his enemies& No dou!t he does& 'ro!a!(# the#

deserved to !e 0i((ed& /e does not as0, #ou wi(( a(wa#s remem!er, if #ou

!e worth# of the name of ritia( students of the 4i!(ehe does not as0,

as did the mediaeva( mon0s, that his enemies shou(d %o to end(esstorments after the# died& True or fa(se, that is a more modern notionand

if it !e app(ied to the 'sa(ms, an interpo(ationof whih David 0new

nothin%& /e as0s simp(# that the men ma# die& 'ro!a!(# he 0new his own

!usiness !est, and the men deserved to die2 to !e 0i((ed either !# 5od or

!# man, as do too man# in a(( a%es&

If we ta0e the 4i!(e as it stands =and we have no ri%ht to do otherwise>,

these men were tr#in% to 0i(( David& /e ou(d not, and upon a point ofhonour, wou(d not 0i(( them himse(f& 4ut he !e(ieved, and ri%ht(#, that

5od an punish the offender whom man annot touh, and that /e wi((,

and does punish them& And if he a((s on 5od to e)eute 7ustie and

7ud%ment upon these men, he on(# a((s on 5od to do what 5od is doin%

ontinua((# on the fae of the who(e earth& In fat, 5od does punish here,

in this (ife& /e does not, as fa(se preahers sa#, %ive over this (ife to

impunit#, and this wor(d to the devi(, and on(# resume the reins of mora(%overnment and the ri%ht of retri!ution when men die and %o into the

ne)t wor(d& /ere, in this (ife, he punishes sin2 s(ow(#, !ut sure(#, 5od

punishes& And if an# of #ou dou!t m# words, #ou have on(# to ommit

sin, and then see whether #our sin wi(( find #ou out&

The who(e ;uestion turns on this, Are we to !e(ieve in a (ivin% 5od, or are

we notB If we are not, then David6s words are of ourse worse than

nothin%& If we are, I do not see wh# David was wron% in a((in% on 5odto e)erise that mora( and providentia( %overnment of the wor(d, whih is

the ver# note and definition of a (ivin% 5od&

24


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David: Five Sermons

4ut what ri%ht have we to use these wordsB M# friends, if the $hurh

!ids us use these words, she ertain(# does not !id us at upon them& She

0eeps them, I !e(ieve most ri%ht(#, as a reord of a human e)periene,whih happi(# seems to us speia( and e)treme, of whih we, in a we((1

%overned $hristian (and, 0now nothin%, and sha(( never 0now&

Speia( and e)tremeB A(as, a(asG In too man# ountries, in too man# a%es,

it has !een the ommon, the a(most universa( e)periene of the man#

wea0, ens(aved, tortured, !uthered at the wi0ed wi(( of the few stron%&

There have !een those in tens of thousands, there ma# !e those a%ain

who wi(( have a ri%ht to r# to 5od, 9Of th# %oodness s(a# mine enemies,(est the# s(a#, or worse than s(a#, !oth me and mine& There were

thousands of En%(ish after the Norman $on;uest2 there were thousands

of /indoos in Oude !efore its anne)ation2 there are thousands of ne%roes

at this moment in their native (and of Afria, rushed and outra%ed !#

hereditar# t#rants, who had and have a ri%ht to appea( to 5od, as David

appea(ed to him a%ainst the ro!!er (ords of 'a(estine2 a ri%ht to r#, 9Rid

us, O 5od2 if thou !e a (ivin% 5od, a 5od of 7ustie and mer#, rid us noton(# of these men, !ut of their hi(dren after them& This t#rant, stained

with (ust and wine and !(ood2 this ro!!er hieftain who privi(# in his

(ur0in% dens murders the innoent, and ravishes the poor when he

%etteth him into his net2 this s(ave1huntin% 0in% who 0i((s the aptives

whom he annot se((2 and whose hi(dren after him wi(( inevita!(# imitate

his rue(ties and his rapine and treaheriesdea( with him and his as

the# deserve& Set an un%od(# man to !e ru(er over him2 that he ma# find

out what we have !een endurin% from his un%od(# ru(e&


26/27


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David: Five Sermons

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David: Five Sermons By Charles Kingsley