"Those dangers and miseries which threatned the Kingdome": Jeremy Taylor on the Psalms for Remembrancetide
We might note two things of significance here in Taylor's words. Firstly, they echo a common experience, across centuries, of military chaplains ministering to soldiers in time of war: a recognition that the Psalms are particularly resonant in the face of "the miseries of Warre".
Secondly, they point to the Episcopalian alternative to the Puritan psalm-singing of Cromwell's New Model Army: of the Psalter nurturing fidelity to "the King & the Church" in contrast to those who (as he also says in the preface to this work) "commenced this war against the King & the Church, first fell out with our Liturgy, and refused to joyn with us in our prayers".
It is naturall for all men when they are straitned with fears, or actuall infelicities, to run for succour, to what their fancy, or the next opportunity presents, as an instrument of their ease and remedy. But that which distinguishes men in these cases, is the choyce of their Sanctuary: for to rely upon the Reeds of Aegypt, or to snatch at the Bul-rushes of Nilu, may well become a drowning man, whose Reason is so wholly invaded and surpriz'd by Fear, as to be uselesse to him in that confusion: But he whose condition (although it be sad) is still under the Mastery of Reason, and hath time to deliberate, unlesse he places his hopes upon something that is likely to cure his misery, or at least to ease it, by making his affliction lesse, or his patience more, does deserve that misery he groans under. Stripes and remedilesse miseries are the lot of Fools, but Afflictions that happen to wise men, or good men, represent indeed the sadnesses of mortality, but they become Monuments and advantages of their Piety and Wisdome.
In this most unnaturall Warre commenced against the greatest solemnities of Christianity, and all that is called, God, I have been put to it to run somewhither to Sanctuary; but whither, was so great a question, that had not Religion been my guide, I had not known where to have found rest or safety, when the King and the Laws, who by God and Man respectively are appointed the Protectors of Innocence and Truth, had themselves the greatest need of a Protector. And when in the beginning of these troubles I hastned to His Majesty, the case of the King and His good Subjects, was something like that of Isaac, ready to be sacrificed, the wood was prepared, the fire kindled, the knife was lift up, and the hand was striking, that if we had not been something like Abraham too, and against hope have beleeved in hope, we had been as much without comfort as we were in outward appearance without remedy.
It was my custome long since to secure my selfe against the violences of Discontents abroad ... in my books and my retirements: But now I was deprived of both them, and driven to a publick view and participation of those dangers and miseries which threatned the Kingdome, and disturbed the eavennesse of my former life. I was therefore constrained to amasse together all those arguments of hope and comfort, by which men in the like condition were supported; and amongst all the great examples of trouble and confidence, I reckon'd King David one of the biggest, and of greatest consideration. For considering that he was a King, vexed with a Civill Warre, his case had so much of ours in it, that it was likely the devotions he used might fit our turn, and his comforts sustain us.
And indeed when I came to look upon the Psalter with a neerer observation, and an eye diligent to espy my advantages and remedies there deposited, I found very many Prayers against the enemies of the King and Church, and the miseries of Warre. I found so many admirable promises, so rare variety of expressions of the mercies of God, so many consolatory hymnes, the commemoration of so many deliverances from dangers, and deaths, and Enemies, so many miracles of mercy and salvation, that I began to be so confident as to beleeve there could come no affliction great enough, to spend so great a stock of comfort as was laid up in the treasure of the Psalter.
... so it is of the comforts of Davids Psalmes, they are more then sufficient to repair all the breaches of Mankind. But for the particular occasion of creating confidences in us that God will defend his Church and his Anoynted, and all that trust in him, against all their Enemies, (which was our case, and contained in it all our needs for the present) I found so abundant supply, that of 150. Psalmes, some whereof are Historicall, many Eucharisticall, many Propheticall, and the rest Prayers for severall occasions, 34. of them are expresly made against Gods and our enemies; Eleven expresly for the Church, four for the King; that is, a third part of the Psalms relate particularly to the present occasion, beside many clauses of respersion in the other, which if collected in one, would of themselves, be great arguments of hope to prevail in so good a cause.
(The photograph is of the spire in the parish church in the village of Naseby, overlooking the 1645 battlefield.)
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