of God and that they who resist them shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13.1 2. the sense of these truths was contained under the acknowledgment which David made in the Old Testament who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed Hom. 1. de Dav. Saul and be guiltless For as S. Chrysostome noted when David declared Saul to be the Lords anointed he did acknowledge him to have Gods Authority and that to resist him was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fight against God or in the Apostles words to resist the Ordinance of God Aug. Quaest ex Vet. Test c. 35. And S. Austin observing that David called Saul the Lords anointed after the Lord had departed from him he adds that David was not ignorant divinam esse traditionem in officio ordinis Regalis that the royal office was Gods Ordinance and appointment and therefore he both did honour Saul and ought so to do 6. Some possibly may here urge that the Laws and Rules of right and all the Precepts of Religion amongst the Israelites were there established antecedently to the being of the Royal Authority among them and that these things standing by Divine Authority no King had any power to repeal or break them and on this account they might have liberty from the nature of their Constitution to defend these rights by the Sword though Christians have not But even this also will not alter the Case For throughout all the World the common Rules of right and justice have a divine stamp and are of as great Antiquity as the World it self and the nature of man and there is scarce any Kingdom in the World which hath continued without interruption of its succession and establishment so long as the doctrine of Christianity hath been in the World Tert. Ap. c. 4. Cl. Alex. Strom. l. 4. Orig. cont Cel. l. 1. l. 5. l. 8. which peculiarly is from God And however no prescription can be pleaded against the right of God and the Soveraignty of Christ no more than it could be pleaded for the establishment of the Pagan Idolatry in which Case the ancient Christians constantly asserted their duty to God and his Religion to be above that which they owed to the contrary Laws and Constitutions of humane Authority 7. Wherefore it will be of considerable moment clearly to prove that Subjects in the Church of Israel according to the will of God under the Old Testament were not allowed in any such Cases as have been pretended to take Armes against their Soveraign And if this was then unlawful it is now much more so under the dispensation of the Gospel SECT II. The general unlawfulness of Subjects takeing Armes against their Prince under the Old Testament evidenced Sect. 2 1. Because the unlawfulness of Subjects taking Armes against their King Kings under the Old Testament might not be resisted under the Old Testament will receive the fullest evidence from the behaviour of David towards Saul and those principles of duty whereby he was guided I shall pass by many other things with much brevity When Samuel declared the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manner or as very many Translations render it and the word most frequently signifies V. Vers Vulg. Syr. Arab. Par. Chald. Sept. Barclai adv Monarch l. 2. p. 64. the judgment or right of the King 1 Sam. 8.11 18. and Ch. 10.25 many judicious men with great reason have accounted it to contain this sense that such was the right dignity and authority of their King that though the people might bear and sustain such injuries as are there mentioned Carpzov in Schick Th. 1. p. 1. Th. 7. p. 160. Grot. ubi sup in 1 Sam. 8.11 de Imp. c. 3. n. 6. they had no lawful power of redressing themselves by force but only must apply themselves to God This Grotius in his Annotat. upon that place thus expresseth si peccarent reges graviter in Dei legem ad Deum ultio pertinebat non ad singulos ac ne ad populum quidem And de Imperio summarum potestatum circa sacra he saith Jus regis vocatur quia ita agenti nemini liceret vim ullam opponere And to the like sense Salmasius Defens Reg. c. 2. 2. Salomon perswading to that duty and reverence which Subjects owe to Princes Eccl. 8.2 3. declareth v. 4. where the word of a King is there is power and who may say unto him What dost thou and speaks of the King against whom there is no rising up Prov. 30.31 which words give a fair intimation that the dignity of the King of Israel was such that no opposition or resistance might be made against him by inferiours And when David declared Ps 51.4 Against thee only have I sinned Ambr. Apol Dav. c. 10. S. Ambrose gives this sense thereof That David being King was not subject to the penalties of any humane Laws but the whole punishment of his sin was in the hands of God alone This is owned by Vega Veg. in Ps 4. Poenit. Conc. 2. to be the sense also of S. Hierome Austin Chrysostome and Cassiodorus and he himself gives this as a kind of Paraphrase upon that expression nullum alium praeter te unum in terra superiorem recognosco I acknowledge none other besides thee alone my superiour upon earth And this interpretation was received in the Christian Church as early as the time of Clemens Alexandrinus and though other Expositions also have been given Strom. l. 4. p. 517. this shews what apprehensions these Christian Writers had of the nature of Davids Regal Authority And this hath so much evidence of truth that when Murder and Adultery in inferiour persons was punished by the Judges of Israel according to the Law of Moses Davids judgment must be according as God himself would pronounce and execute And though God so far pardoned David as to spare his life 2 Sam. 12.13 yet his Child must die v. 14. even by the hand of God v. 15 18 22. And God denounced against him that the Sword should not depart from his house v. 10. whereby Amnon Absalom and Adonijah were cut off And the Rebellion of Absalom as a judgment which God inflicted was part of the punishment of this sin v. 11. 3. When there were any corruptions in Religion publickly tolerated as the worshipping in high places and Groves the holy Scriptures lay the blame constantly upon the King and Prince whereas if the people and subjects had the power of defending their Religion and the purity thereof by the Sword the fault would have been equally chargeable upon them under the Government of their Kings For the same pious spirit which would engage a good Prince must also oblige a pious people to make use of their just power for the honour and service of God and if the Case had been lawful it would have been a kind of Martyrdom to hazard or lay down their
to day but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the Lords 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 9. When the seventh Psalm was penned whose Title is concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite Chald. Par. Vers Vulg. Grot. Vatabl Munst in loc some ancient Versions expresly refer this to Saul the Son of Kish And many good Expositors do with much reason judge that when David was accused by Saul himself of lying in wait against him 1 Sam. 22.8 and by others of seeking his hurt Ch. 24.9 David in this Psalm under the Conduct of Gods Infallible Spirit declareth His Abhorrence of such things as being very wicked and deserving severe punishment in these words O Lord my God if I have done this if there be iniquity in my hands If I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me Yea I have delivered him that without cause was mine Enemy Let the Enemy persecute my Soul and take it c. v. 3 4 5. And even they who rather interpret the Title to relate to the words of Shimei must grant the like sense to be intended in these verses 10. And lest any should think He here acted not the Politician but observed the rules of Conscience Davids expressions and especially his killing the Amalekite to be the actions of a Politician for the better securing his own Government though this be sufficiently refuted in what I have said above I further add 1. That he had plainly declared the Sin and Guiltiness of disloyal Acts of violence at such times when mere Policy if considered as abstract from Duty might have prompted him to free himself from a potent deadly irreconcilable Enemy and thereby to gain the Possession of the Crown 2. That if David had shed the blood of the Amalekite without respect unto justice and only to strike an awe into others whilst he believed he did not deserve death this had been a designedly contrived wilful murder to gratifie his own lust and would have been a sin at least as deeply dyed as the Murder of Vriah which yet with its attendants is accounted the singular stain and blemish in the Life of David 1 Kin. 15.5 And therefore Davids Deportment in things towards Saul was Gr. Nys ubi sup c. 17. as Gr. Nyssen expresseth it because he judged it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unlawful and unjust thing to have done otherwise and what he said and did was in the fear of God SECT III. Objections from the behaviour of David answered 1. It may be first objected Grot. de J. B. P. l. 1. c. 4. n. 7. Ruth of Civ Pol. Qu. 31. Qu. 10. that Davids Carriage reacheth not so far as to condemn all taking Arms against a Soveraign Prince but only such force where assaults are made or violence offered unto his Person and towards such a Person too who was particularly anointed by Gods especial Command Ans 1. The words of David do indeed directly condemn hostile Acts against the Person of the King But his proceeding upon this ground because Saul was the Lords anointed or one appointed by Gods Authority and invested with his Power David not only repressed violence against the person of Saul but reverenced his authority must also condemn acts of violence against his Power and Authority derived from God 2. Forcible opposing the Kings strength doth naturally tend to expose his Person also to violence for if his strength be subdued what defence remains for his Person against the fury of his Enemies or the rage of Assailants we may learn from the History of our Civil Wars and our late good Soveraign But David whose heart smote him for cutting off the lap of Saul's Garment whereby he might fall under some appearance of dishonour or disgrace would much more avoid what might bring him into real danger And it is very considerable that when David had the opportunity of coming upon Saul and his Army when God had cast them all into a deep sleep he not only spared Sauls Person but did not offer any violence to any single man in the whole Army 1 Sam. 26.7 8 12 16. 2. And 3. there could be nothing more contained under the Rite of anointing by Gods Command than to express in the first fixing a Governour or Government that this was appointed and approved by God Ant. Jud. l. 6. c. 7. To which purpose Josephus who was well acquainted with the sence of the Jewish Phrases doth give such Paraphrases of the Lords anointed as these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one who was by God advanced to the Kingdome and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one ordained of God and in the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to anoint is in 2 Sam. 3.39 rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to constitute And it was not so much the use of any outward anointing by a Prophet or any other as the Authority ordained of God which was chiefly to be considered in them who were acknowledged to be the Lords Anointed Enxt. Lex Rab. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schickard de J. R. Heb. c. 1. Theor. 4. Abarb. in Ex. 30. de Unct. c. 8. For Cyrus was called the Lords Anointed though no such Unction was used among the Persians Isai 45.1 And in the Kingdom of Judah Maimonides and other Jewish Writers tell us that no King was anointed who was the Son of a King and came to the Crown by manifest and undoubted Succession and yet these Kings such as Jehosaphat Hezekiah and Josiah were nevertheless to be honoured Only Salomon Joash and Jehoahaz were anointed because of some different claims of succession or interruption of the true right but not by any special divine command But all other Power and Authority as well as that of Saul is ordained of God Rom. 13.1 2. 3. But the chief thing here objected is De jure Magis in subdit qu. 6. that there are appearances of evidence that David did take up Armes against Saul and undertook the defence of himself by force and three things are alledged in proof hereof Grot. ubi sup Quò nisi ad vim arcendam si inferretur The first thing produced is that David was Captain over four hundred men 1 Sam. 22.2 and then over six hundred Ch. 23.13 and a far greater number came to him to Ziklag who were called helpers of the War 〈◊〉 Chr. 12.1 And Mr Rutherford again and again saith Ruth of Civ Pol. Qu. 32. that these Armed men who came to Ziklag came to help David against Saul but the Scripture saith not so Ans 1. David having been a person of chief eminency both in Sauls Court Davids six hundred men not intended to make War against Saul and the Armies of Israel and being Son-in-law to the King and especially being next Successor to the Kingdom by Gods peculiar appointment might upon Principles of Prudence entertain a considerable retinue about him for the upholding his own honour and
lives for the honour of God and defence of Religion But private persons were then reputed to have done their duty when they sighed and mourned for the abominations of others as they did who received the mark for their preservation Ezek. 9.4 and kept themselves unspotted from them as was done by the seven thousand in Israel who bowed not their knees to Baal 1 Kin. 19.18 whom Origen Orig. in Ep. ad Rom. c. 11. Naz. Orat. 32. and Nazianzen according to the manifest sense of the Scriptures account to have observed Gods Testimonies and to have been accepted of him 4. But the clearest evidence The coninent loyalty of David against the lawfulness of Subjects taking Armes under the Kingdom of Israel or Judah is from the behaviour and spirit of David The Government of Israel was peculiarly Theocratical and the fundamental Law of their Kingdom was this Thou shalt in any wise set him King over thee whom the Lord thy God shall chuse Deut. 17.15 Now God had rejected Saul and his Family from continuing in the Government of the Kingdom of Israel 1 Sam. 13.14 and Ch. 15.23 26 28. and David by Gods appointment was anointed of Samuel to succeed him 1 Sam. 16.12 13. and Saul himself knew that David was to the King after him and that the Kingdom of Israel would be established in his hand 1 Sam. 24.20 only the Kingdom was not taken from Saul during his life Ch. 26.10 〈◊〉 And upon this account no subject in the World can have a greater Plea for defending himself by Force and Armes than David had in whose safety the common interest of the whole Realm of Israel was in an especial and extraordinary manner included 5. Under these cicumstances Saul unjustly persecuted David who had done him no injury but rewarded him good for evil as himself acknowledged 1 Sam. 24.9 11 17 18. and his rage was so fierce as to resolve to take away his life Ch. 20.31 33. and upon Davids account he cruelly slew fourscore and five of the Priests of the Lord in one day Joseph Ant. Jud. l. 6. c. 14. and Josephus saith three hundred eighty five persons of the Priestly Family were put to death by him and in Nob the City of the Priests he smote with the edge of the Sword both Man Woman Infant and Suckling only Abiathar escaped Ch. 22.18 19. And Saul forced David from the place of Gods worship Ch. 26.19 So that Saul was guilty of a great opposition against God and the violation of justice and Davids defence was that in which the Authority of God and Religion Righteousness and the common good were concerned 6. In this Case David who was not obliged to give up himself in a unjust violence endeavoured to avoid this by prudent ways of escape Hom. against Rebell Part. 2. or as our Homilies express it to save himself not by Rebellion nor any resistance but by flight and hiding himself from the Kings sight And when God delivered Saul into Davids hands at two several times 1 Sam. 24.10 18. Ch. 26.12 the men who were with him were forward to have taken away Sauls life and pleaded that God had administred an occasion for fulfilling his promise concerning Davids succeeding Saul Ch. 24.4 10. Ch. 26.8 But that which prevailed with David to the contrary was the sense of his duty which God had enjoined him Opt. cont Parm. l. 2. obstabat saith Optatus divinorum memoria mandatorum He represseth their inclinations and declareth it to be a great evil and guilt to stretch out an hand against the Lords anointed Ch. 24.6 10 11. and Ch. 26.9 11. And in those places he used words of more than ordinary detestation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let evil be to me from the Lord or according to our Fuller in his Miscellanies wickedness Ful. Misc l. 2. c. 2. or a thing abominable from the Lord will be charged upon me if I stretch forth my hand against the Lords anointed When he had cut off the Skirt of Sauls Robe which might reflect some dishonour upon him his heart smote him And at last when the Amalekite who was one of the Army of Israel under Saul declared that he did slay him though at his own request and when dangerously wounded and ready to fall into his Enemies hands David revengeth the Death of Saul by shedding the blood of that Amalekite 2 Sam. 1.15 16. wherein he gave an high testimony of the great sense he had of the unlawfulness of offering any violence and force to a lawful King and Soveraign 7. Nor was this behaviour of David De Dav. Saul Hom. 2. from an unnecessary scrupulousness or timorous fearfulness but this was so commendable that S. Chrysostome proposeth this instance as a pattern for Christians to imitate and declareth that David gained a greater honour hereby and a greater Victory by having a full mastery over his passions than by his remarkable Conquest over Goliah And David was both a wise man This was from no ungrounded fears but from a clear and certain knowledge of his duty wiser than all the servants of Saul 1 Sam. 18.30 and also of undaunted courage and a Prophet and therefore it is very unlikely that he should be guided by mistaken scruples in that he so oft considered so earnestly expressed and which was his present great interest to understand But it is very observable that about those very times when he expressed his high abhorrence of stretching out his hand against Saul he was under the extraordinary guidance of the Spirit of God and then penned the fifty seventh and fifty fourth Psalms and some others much about that time as appears from the titles of those Psalms compared with 1 Sam. 24.3.8 Ch. 26.1 8. And there have been men of good note R. Kimch in Munst in Ps 57. Gr. Nys l. 2. de Inscr Ps c. 2 6 15 16. both among the Jewish Writers and ancient Fathers who think that those words Al-taschith which are in the title of the fifty seventh Psalm and some others and signify Destroy not have respect to what David spake to hinder his men from destroying Saul which is expressed in the Hebrew and in several Copies of the Septuagint 1 Sam. 26.9 by the same words which are in the title of that Psalm And if this be admitted this Psalm must express that David had the greater assurance and confidence in God for his own preservation and safety by reason of his eminent fidelity to Saul and that this was by the guidance and inspiration of Gods spirit which directed him herein And the substance of this conjecture is thus far certainly true that David had from his loyal demeanour unto Saul much inward joy and peace and expectation of Gods blessing upon himself as he declareth 1 Sam. 26.23 24. in these full and express words The Lord render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness for the Lord delivered thee into my hand
fame for his safeguard against private assaults and outrages and as an useful method to prevent his being surprized by Saul unawares of whose motions these men could give him sufficient intelligence And this might also be done by Gods direction Samuel being present with David in the time of his flight as both the Scripture and Josephus observe Ant. l. 6. c. 14. 1 Sam. 19 18-22 and the Prophet Gad also who gave him advice 1 Sam. 22.5 But it is also further to be considered that when David left the Coast of Israel and went into the land of the Philistines he took his six hundred men with him 1 Sam. 27.2 and greatly encreased his numbers there 1 Chr. 12. v 1-23 when yet there was no design of taking Armes against Achish in whose Kingdom he abode for his own safety But all this was done in part for the ends abovementioned and also in an especial manner that these faithful and valiant men might be serviceable to him and his interest when the way should be open for his succeeding in the Kingdom of Israel And the encrease of Davids Companies and the constant resort to him was the method which Gods providence made use of in bringing him to sit upon the Throne of Israel And whereas these men are called helpers of David and helpers of the War 1 Chr. 12.1.22 it is manifest they were so against the Geshurites and Amalekites 1 Sam. 28.8 Ch. 30.17 and against the house of Saul after his death 2 Sam. 2.8 17. Ch. 3.1 and the Jebusites 2 Chr. 11.4 c. and other Enemies with whom David made war but they could not be helpers in the War against Saul with whom David never waged war 4. Ans 2. As this is the true account of Davids retaining such numbers about him so we have further evidence that he never designed them for any War against Saul For whilest Saul himself was under a great consternation and fear of David as Josephus saith Jos ibid. p. 195. and the holy Scriptures intimate and David with his six hundred men was by Gods assistance able to vanquish the Army of the Philistines who had Invaded Israel and Besieged one of Sauls strong Towns 1 Sam. 23.5 13. and with his encreased number to subdue the Host of the Amalekites 1 Sam. 30.17 it is hereby manifest that it was not his inability but his Conscience of his duty that kept him from his ever using his strength against the Army of Saul And yet there are great appearances of proof that Davids valiant Men who vanquished these other Armies Vers Syr. Arab. in 1 Chr. 12.1 had he been willing would have been forward enough to have engaged against Saul as is expressly declared in the Syriack and Arabick versions 5. De jur Magistr jbidem A Second thing urged is That Abigail commended David for his fighting the Battels of the Lord. And not only Junius Brutus and such others Jun. Brut. Vind. Qu. 2. but Grotius also in the first Editions of the Book above mentioned Grot. ubi sup sine Annot. An. 1625. will have the Wars of the Lord to be understood not concerning his former Battels which he had fought against the Philistines but of his present gathering Forces in Judah 1 Sam. 25.28 But to interpret this of Davids gathering of Forces against Saul is a wonderfully strange and unreasonable interpretation because 1. Daivd his fighting the Battels of the Lord was no acts of force against Saul David never fought any Battel at all against the Armies of Saul 2. Nor is it imaginable that when Abigail declared what peace David might afterward have in not revenging himself on Nabal by shedding blood and disswades him from it lest afterward it should be grief unto him 1 Sam. 25.26 31. for which advice David blessed God who sent Abigail and was sensible that it kept him from doing evil that she should at the same time applaud his shedding blood to avenge himself against Saul 3. The order of the words v. 28 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast fought the Lords Battels and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a man or rather yet a man is risen up to pursue thee do most probably shew that this must refer to Battels fought before Saul did pursue David And it is well observed by Barclay Barcl adv Mouarchom l. 4. c. 19. that these words ought to be referred to the Wars David undertook against the Enemies of Israel and of Saul who when he became Sauls General had this charge given him 1 Sam. 18.17 Be valiant for me and fight the Lords Battels 4. These words v. 28. The Lord will certainly make my Lord a sure House because my Lord fighteth or hath fought the Battels of the Lord if they should be understood of his actings against Saul are directly contrary to the ground of Davids hope in Gods protection above-mentioned which was not from his acting by violence against Saul but from his patient submission and refusing to avenge himself 5. Grot. in 1 Sam. 17.47 In Cap. 25.28 Grotius elsewhere closeth with a quite different sense and saith those were called the Battels of the Lord which were against the Canaanites and such other people as God had devoted to destruction being populi damnati And this is indeed true but withal even other Wars undertaken by the will of God against publick Enemies to the Children of Israel and the God of Israel are comprehended under the Wars of God as may appear from 1 Chr. 5.22.2 Chr. 20.15 And Grotius also in the latter Editions of his Books De Jure belli pacis hath wholly struck out that which concerned this strange interpretation concerning the Battels of the Lord. 6. Dejur Magistr ibidem Jun. Erut ubi sup Ruth of Civ Pol. p. 344. The last thing insisted on is that David had thoughts of continuing in Keilah a place of strong defence 1 Sam. 23.7 10 11 12. and therefore his intention must have been to have kept it as a Garrison against the Forces of Saul Ans 1. Of his parpose for abiding in Keilah David did ordinarily reside in strong holds in the Wilderness sometimes in one and sometimes in another without any design to keep them as Garrisons against Sauls Army only making use of them as safe and convenient places to abide in for a time till he thought fit to remove 1 Sam. 23.14 19 29. 2. It was manifestly Davids aim by his having spies abroad to give him intelligence of Sauls motion and by his own frequent discamping to keep at such distances from Saul and to make such escapes that he should not find him out and herein Gods providence took particular care of him 1 Sam. 23.14 17 22 23 26. Ch. 26.1 4. Ch. 27.1.3