as it was an horrible wickedness in Saul so a great Temptation I mean of an apt tendency to provoke David to defend himself by armed Force He might have pretended that Saul had violated all the Bonds of Reason and Religion He had not only murthered great numbers of his innocent common Subjects but also of the Lord's Priests as if he designed an extirpation of God's public Worship and that he had not only Self-preservation to engage him to a Resistance but also that the common Rights of all the Kingdom challenged his Protection Sect. 30. This was really David's case and yet when God put Saul once and again under the Power of David's Hands all the Use that he made of it was to convince Saul that he was his Faithful and Loyal Subject and though he had suffered many and great Injuries causlesly from him yet no provocation should induce him to do his Sovereign any harm Indeed David's Servants and Followers were forward enough to perswade him to dispatch him out of the way as a Fact that would make way for the accomplishment of God's gracious Promise to David and the whole Kingdom But David abhors the Motion and crys out God forbid that I should do this thing to my Master the Lord 's anointed to stretch forth mine hand against him And the Reason which restrain'd him was founded on this Fundamental Law of Sovereignty That 't is not to be resisted or controuled by armed Force Seeing he is saith he the Lord 's anointed 1 Sam. 24.4 5 6. c. And so when Abishai would have smote Saul he forbad it for the same Reason 1 Sam. 26.8 9. Abishai said to David when they found Saul sleeping within a Trench God hath delivered thine Enemy into thy hand this day now therefore let me smite him I pray thee with the Spear even to the Earth at once I will not smite him the second time and David said to Abishai destroy him not for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed and be innocent or guiltless q.d. He is our King and hath from the Lord a Noli me tangere on him and the Hand of Violence cannot be laid on without Sin and a fearful Expectation of divine Vengeance Which Words did not proceed from cowardly Fears or ignorant Scrupolity but from Conscience of Obedience to God and clear Motives of Duty to the King For David was a Man of invincible Courage and being a Prophet could not but be well instructed in his Duty and 't is said of him that he was not only wiser than his Enemies but also wiser than all his Teachers Psal 119.98 99. and wiser than all the Servants of Saul 1 Sam. 18.30 And 't is highly probable that he Penn'd about the same time the 54th and 57th Psalm as the Titles of them intimate and consequently that he was directed in what he did by the special Conduct of God's Holy Spirit and well understood both his Duty and Interest and if you consult the 23d and 24th Verses of this Chapter you shall find that he made very comfortable Conclusions from his Loyal Deportment in the Case The Lord said he render to every Man his Righteousness and his Faithfulness for the Lord delivered thee into mine hand to day but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed and behold as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes so let my life be much set by in the Eyes of the Lord and let him deliver me out of all Tribulation And his commanding Death to be executed on the Amalckite which slew Saul though Saul was mortally wounded before and 't was done at his own request to save him from further Torture and Disgrace and to preserve the Regalia is a further Evidence that David thought it an unlawful thing to assault his King with armed Force and his question to the Amalekite manifestly implies it How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord's anointed 2 Sam. 1.14 15. Sect. 31. But perhaps you may think That the very Ceremony of Anointing being done by God's special Command was that which bound up David's Hands and priviledg'd Saul from violent Resistance and Coercion because this is every where mentioned as the moving Cause of David's restraint from defensive and offensive Resistance 'T is manifest That the Priests as well as Saul were Anointed by God's Command and yet that did not exempt from being accountable for their Actions and free them from the Danger of coercive Force and Punishment It was not therefore barely the Ceremony of Anointing but the Sovereign Authority thereby signified which priviledg'd him from Resistance His Anointing was no addition to his Power but only signified God's Designation Constitution and Approbation of his Power 'T was the Nature of his Regal Dignity and Power and not the manner of collating or conferring it which exempted from coercion and correction 'T is the Essence and not the Ceremonies of Things which constitutes and denominates them For Ceremonies are things extrinsecal both to Being and Operation And although Saul and David who were the first of their respective Families that were invested with Regal Dignity were anointed yet such as succeeded by Inheritance to the Kingdom as Jehosaphat Hezekiah Josiah were not anointed and yet had as much Authority as their Predecessors and as great Priviledges Sect. 32. Those Arguments which are ordinarily drawn from the Armed Men which were with David and over which he was Captain 1 Sam. 22.2 and Ch. 23.13 which are called Helpers of the War 2 Chr. 12.1 And from his residing at Keilah a place fit to be garrison'd 1 Sam. 23.7 8 9 10 11. to prove that 't was lawful for David to resist Saul with armed Force are nothing to the purpose for David being Son-in-Law to a King expectant of the Crown in which he was like to meet with Opposition subject to private Assaults and needing good Intelligence to prevent a Surprise from Saul and his public Enemies 't was highly expedient that he should have a considerable Retinue about him to be as a Life-guard to him and to be in a readiness to serve him whensoever God by his Providence should call him to succeed in the Throne neither doth the Peoples Rescue of Jonathan from the Death his Father threatned to inflict upon him 1 Sam. 14.44 45. in the the least discover any hostile Violence offer'd to the King much less that they might lawfully assault him with armed Force Their act was an act of Mediation and not of Coercion And a learned Man observes that the Orginal Word translated they rescued him signifies they redeemed him That is Jonathan's Life by Saul's Vow being forfeited to God the People by a general Consent substituted an offering to God for the Vow according to the Law in such a Case Lev. 27.2 and so 〈◊〉 Jonathan from Death not by forcing Saul but by appeaâ—ing Goâ— This was the Case under the Jewish
chusing and so known to be 2 Sam. 16.12 He was for his personal qualification a Man after Gods own Heart Acts 13.22 and fulfilled all his Wills And in his Government over Israel 't is said that be fed or ruled them according to the Imagrity of his Heart and guided them by the Skilfulness of his Hands Psal 78.72 He Fought their Battles with Victorious Successes against their Enemies and managed all Public Affairs to their best Advantage Yet his Son Absolom being an Ambitious Aspiring Prince taking State upon him by his Magnificent Attendants and Departments easily obtained the Popular Reputation of a Brave Spirited Man and by his familiar Compliances and insinuating Discourses and Harangues to the Common People easily endeared himself to them and soon possessed them with hard thoughts of their King and a Perswasion that if his Father David were deposed and he succeeded him in the Throne they should be more tenderly dealt withal and all their Grievances redressed 2 Sam. 15.1 2 3 4. Oh! That he were a Judge in the Land If the Power of Government were in his hand Public Affairs should be so well Accommodated that there should not be a Grievance to be complained of Which plausible Pretence made such deep Impressions on the Minds and Affections of the Giddy Subjects that almost all the Kingdom of Israel conspired with him to make Head against David 'T is said so strong and spreading was the Conspiracy that the People increased continually with Absolom 2 Sam. 15.12 and a Messenger told David that the Hearts of the Men of Israel were after Absolom v. 13. and David's Danger was so Great that though he were a Man of an undaunted Courage and in a Cittadel of Great Strength and well Garrison'd with Valiant and Experienced Souldiers and had many Loyal and Faithful Subjects about him yet for his own Preservation and the Good of the City of Hierusalem he and all that were with him fled before Absolom and his Conspirators 2. Sam. 15.12 13 14. Sect. 17. And although God was manifestly graciously present with David and brought this Rebellious Insurrection to nothing 2 Sam. 18. and 2 Sam. 19. Yet the Men of Israel having been possessed with an Opinion that 't was lawful for them to take up Arms against their King even whilst the Bitter Effects of their former Rebellion and the Sense of the King's Indulgence and Pardon was fresh in their Minds upon some hot words betwixt the Men of Judah and the Men of Israel Sheba sounds a Trumpet of Rebellion and every Man of Israel went up from David and followed after Sheba in a New Rebellion 2 Sam. 20.12 which suggests to us this Observation That Rebels are not obliged by the Indulgences Pardons and Favours of their Princes against whom they have once made Resistance but those who have been Engaged in a Rebellion against their King how remarkable soever their overthrow was and how much soever the Hand of God was against them are so fatally bewitched with the Charmings of Rebellious Principles and Affections that they readily comply with an opportunity of involving themselves in a New Rebellion A Rebellious Disposition is too stubborn to yield to the Victorious Successes of his Prince Conquest and a Pardon will change the Condition but not the Disposition of a Rebel Yea favours will rather exasperate than extirpate their ungovernable Passions And from this instance 't is likewise manifest That if it be warrantable for Subjects in any case whatsoever to make Resistance against the Higher Powers the most Innocent and Righteous Government may easily be disturbed and destroyed Sect. 18. 3. 'T is against Common Reason That the Higher Powers should in any case and upon any pretence whatsoever be resisted with armed Force because the Jus gladij the Power of Arms the Power of making Peace and War doth properly belong to them only The Apostle tells us Rom. 13.4 that he beareth not the Sword in vain Implying that the Supream Power hath right to the Sword and consequently the Subject cannot take the Sword without Invading and Usurping the Right and Propriety of the King That which is proper to the King is inseperable from him and cannot be communicated to his Subjects 'T is a Great Truth which a Learned Man Asserts That the Power of the Sword is Potissima pars Regis the Chiefest Propriety of the Sovereign Power Devest the King of this and he is rather a Nominal than a Real King For whatever Authority he hath he hath no Power to Defend himself Protect his Subjects or to offend his and their Enemies Sect. 19. Now if the Power of the Sword be only in the King it cannot be lawful for his Subjects upon any pretence whatsoever to wrest it from him and turn the Force of it against him because 't is an Usurpation made upon his Propriety and an assuming to them that in which they have no right Who but the King with us is to appoint Martial Officers He shall make Captains over Thousands and Captains over Fifties and he shall go out before them and Fight their Battles 1 Sam. 8.12 No Man or Men but the Supream and Sovereign Power hath Authority to raise Souldiers Levy War and Fight Battles Whosoever therefore maketh use of the Sword in a military sort without Authority derived from thence deserves to perish by the Sword as our Saviour told Peter upon that occasion Mat. 26.51 I pray who had under the Law the Power of the Trumpet by which the People were alarmed and assembled for War but Moses who was the Supream Ruler of the People And when Jonathan by Sauls command smote the Garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba who blew the Trumpet that is caused it to be blown throughout the Land to call the People together for a general Rendezvouz but King Saul 1 Sam. 13.3 4. Sect. 20. War being the Highest Act of Vindicative Justice as it must not be undertaken without a just Cause and very weighty Reasons and for very good Ends and such too as cannot be obtained without it so neither must it be undertaken and engaged in without good Authority to warrant it And the Supream Authority which hath Power to make and execute Laws being the only Authority that can warrant a War and give Men a Lawful Call to it there cannot be a Lawful Assembling and Confederacy for any War without such a Lawful Call and the King having the only Power of the Sword here with us as the Laws of all Ages declare to us he only can call us to engage our selves in a War and therefore certainly we cannot lawfully resist him upon any pretence whatsoever In the Statute of the 25th of Edw. 3d. it is Declared without the Allowance of any Pretence whatsoever to be Treason for any Man or Men whatsoever to Levy War against our Lord the King or to be Adherent to his Enemies giving them any aid or comfort in the Realm or elsewhere And in
to the very utmost every miscarriage in any kind Thus when Absolom designed a Rebellion and to usurp the Crown He cast iniquity upon the King Psal 55.3 Comp. with 2 Sam. 15.3 4 foreseeing that having once taken off the Peoples Affections from the King he might easily take his Throne and Crown from him too For who will obey him whom he affects not to please nor fears to offend many will cry up a formed and protested endeavour to subvert the constituted Government when there is nothing in the Case but some disputable and doubtful point determined in prejudice to their private Sentiments or Interests or some particular illegal Fact or Facts done in favour to the Prerogative and Disadvantage of the Subjects either through mistake or partiallity without any design at all to make an alteration in the Fundamental Government much less to overthrow the whole Constitution or some semblance and appearance of an innovation which was the Case of the Reubenites Gadites and half Tribe of Manasseh when they built an Altar over against the Land of Canaan their Brethren the Children of Israel were so alarm'd with it that they presently call a Council of War and from a meer jealousy and suspicion of an evil intention they charge them with Rebellion against God and themselves and seem resolved to offer them as a Sacrifice on their own Altar Jos 22. and Mens Fears from misgrounded Jealousies do more often disturb and hurt Kingdoms than their Princes designs and endeavours to make any considerable alteration in the Government do 3. An outragious transport of Passion in a Prince which proves destructive to the Persons and Proprieties of some of his Subjects is not an habitual disclaiming or virtual renouncing of the Protection of his Subjects nor consequently is it a ground for a warrantable Resistance of him with armed Force Though Saul most inhumanly murdered Fourscore and Five Priests at once and smote Nob. the City of the Priests with the Edge of the Sword stew Men Women and Children and Sucklings and Oxen and Asses and Sheep 1 Sam. 22.18 19. yet that did not exauctorate him and expose him to be dealt withal as a common Enemy to his Subjects So though David by murdering Vriah forfeited the Favour of God yet he did not forfeit his Kingdom by it to his Subjects and put the Sword he had abused out of his own hand into theirs So when Joram King of Israel in a fit of fury sent a Messenger for the Head of that eminently holy and innocent Prophet Elisha he would not have forfeited his Crown by it though his Command had been actually executed as he really intended it should which was a Matter so circumstanced that 't is sometimes objected as an Argument to justify the Resistance with force the illegal Persecutions of the Higher Powers In Kings 2. Ch. 6.32 'T is said That while Elisha sate in his House with the Elders the King sent a Man from before him but ' ere the Messenger came to him he said to the Elders See how this Son of a Murtherer hath sent to take away my Head look when the Messenger cometh shut the door and hold him fast at the door Hence they infer that for the Preservation of our Lives from the illegal Persecution of the Higher Powers we may make an active Resistance against them and those commissioned by them but the Matter duly considered we shall find that the Premises are not of sufficient strength to support the Conclusion For 't is manifest from the Text that Elisha in this very business acted Prophetically because by an extraordinary instinct and suggestion he discerned the Messengers approaching towards him and by the same Prophetick Inspiration he discerned that Joram repented him of his rash and bloody Command so that the shutting the Door to prevent the Execution of the King's Command was to fulfil the King's Will as well as to preserve his own Life and therefore adds as a Reason why he would have them shut the Door and hold the Messenger fast at the Door for is not saith he the sound of his Masters feet behind him That is is not the King himself following him close at his heels to revoke his cruel Command and what was done by extraordinary Inspiration is to be no rule for ordinary Practice Moreover there is a vast difference betwixt the Resistance of a particular Act arising from a Princes passionate Rashness and a Resistance of a deliberate Act exercised from his Office juridically circumstanced the former may proceed from Love and Loyalty e. g. when a Subject shall interpose to withold his Princes hands from murdering himself or another or a Woman to defend and preserve her self from ravishment c. but to resist him in a particular unjust Act by such a Force and Violence as implies a nullity in his Regal Power and is inconsistent with a State of Subjection is utterly forbidden by God though Ahab murdered Naboth and took possession of his Vineyard with the highest Abuse of Justice in the World yet that was not a nullifying of his Regal Authority and could not warrant his Subjects to take Arms against him to revenge it So every illegal Sentence of Death executed on any Subject in England is a Murther committed and so would the King's slaying of an innocent Subject by his own immediate hand and yet no resistance is to be made in such a Case because God hath expresly forbid it and the publick Peace and Safety is to be preferred before the Preservation of a particular Person and the Reparation of a private Injury 4. The Being of Government in our consideration is carefully to be distinguished from the well-being thereof and the principal Ends thereof from the Subordinate or that which is of necessity required to the common good from that which is necessary for the good of particular Persons and some particular sorts of Men and likewise we are carefully to distinguish betwixt that Administration of Government which is only destructive in some particular Act or Acts from that which is in the main habituated bent and drift of it destructive to the Being and principal Ends of Government So long as the Being and principal Ends of the established Government are maintain'd and secured and the publick and common Good and Welfare regarded and promoted and the habitual main and stated design and endeavour of the Higher Powers is directed and applied for the Protection and Benefit of the Community they do not disclaim nor renounce the Government nor set themselves to overthrow the Constitution and therefore cannot be resisted without the Danger of Damnation Sect. 109. Another Objection is this Suppose a King by Bargain and Sale or from meer will and pleasure or any other means really alienate transfer deliver up and subject his Kingdom to a Stranger or any other who cannot have a successive Right to it by his desertion or abdication of the Government may he not in such a Case be