Reign being the first King of Israel he was very prosperous against the Ammonites and other Enemies of God's People and all the Men of Israel rejoyced greatly But Saul did not long continue in this happy Condition He rebelled against God to whom Kings ought to be subject and did not hearken to his Commands Whereupon God rejected him and determined to translate the Kingdom to David The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and a evil Spirit from the Lord troubled him Which melancholick Distemper occasioned him to seek out a Skilful Musician to divert his perplexed Mind And one of his Servants mentioned David as an excellent Artist and a mighty valiant Man and a Man of War and Prudent in Matters and a comely Person and one much in God's favour This wrought upon the King and he sent for him and was well pleased and much refreshed with David's Musick David had not been long at Court but by his Prudent Behaviour Integrity and great Valour he became very renowned Saul made him General and he was accepted in the sight of all the People and also in the sight of Saul's Servants And after David's Victory over the Philistins they Playing on Instruments highly exalted David in their Songs of Triumph This filled Saul's heart with envy and from that day forward he eyed David The King greatly jealous of him would have killed him with a Javelin and was very angry with his Son Jonathan for holding Correspondence and making a League of Amity with him When David understood the King's wrath he fled But Saul's envy and malice increased and he persecuted him from place to place David still protested his Innocence and Loyalty and not only barely protested but sufficiently manifested it by saving the King's life when it was in his power to kill him In this his Distress David being a Man of Valour gathered together about Four hundred Men and became Captain over them And did good Service to his People against the Enemies of the Lord. Particularly in this Chapter he saved the Inhabitants of Keilah from the Philistins When Saul heard that David was at Keilah he resolved to Besiege him David being informed of this inquired of God whether King Saul would certainly come down with his Army and whether the men of Keilah would deliver him up into Saul's hands The Lord answered him and said Saul will come down and that the men of Keilah would deliver him up The words are a Question proposed by David to God And from this place some both Divines and Statesmen have been of Opinion That it is very lawful for Subjects to defend themselves by force of Arms against the oppression and violence of their Kings Which matter being very great and weighty and of present practice is worthy of most serious Consideration This may well occasion two Questions First Whether it may be deduced from this Text that it is lawful for Subjects to defend themselves by force of Arms against the Oppression and Violence of their Kings Secondly Whether it may be deduced from any other grounds First I shall consider whether it may be deduced from this Text. They who are for the Affirmative say That it is very clear that David did intend to defend himself against King Saul by force of Arms. And to this purpose desired to know of the Lord whether the Keilites would prove treacherous to him or would stand by him and fight to defend him They say that David would not have fled if he had not understood their design to deliver him up into the hands of Saul Now it cannot be denied that David was the Servant of God a very good and religious man and therefore if this had been Rebellion and Rebellion so hainous a Crime David would not have intended that which they say he did intend to defend himself by fortifying the place yea and giving Saul Battel Again it cannot be denied that David was Saul's Subject that he was injuriously treated oppressed and persecuted by Saul And upon the whole matter they conclude That this example or instance of David will justifie Defensive Arms in case of Oppression of Governours And I must confess that I cannot answer the Arguments if what they who maintain this Opinion say be true to wit That David did intend to oppose Saul by force of Arms. I am of Opinion and fully convinced that David intended to defend himself against his King in Keilah if he could have been sure that they would have helped him Because he might have fled before the Inquiry seeing David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him v. 9. Whether David saith no mean Divine would have defended Keilah against Saul I leave to the Conscience of the Reader considering that this only is made the reason of his removing from Keilah because the men of Keilah would not be faithful to him For he did not inquire of the Lord whether it were lawful for him to abide in Keilah but having inquired whether Saul would come down against him and whether the Keilites would deliver him up into Saul's hands he removed from Keilah because the Lord answered him that they would deliver him up not because it was unlawful for him to keep the City but because the City would be false to him And the end why he desired to know whether the Keilites would deal falsely with him or no was that he might by his more early flight prevent their design of delivering him up into the hands of Saul It is certain by the event that as soon as their ungrateful treachery was discovered to David he forthwith arose departed out of Keilah and escaped And Pelacher a very Learned Analyzer saith that this flight was commanded to David by the Divine Oracle at which he inquired The Supposition then is plain and clear that David would have defended himself in Keilah against Saul if the Keilites would have been true to him Which may be proved by these Considerations First It is certain by Scripture that David had a Company Six handred men at least And why should he gather so many men together or what use of such an Army if not to defend himself by force of Arms against the injustice of Saul This will be more plain if we reflect on Chap. 22. the Chapter before the Text. Where we read that David departed from Achish King of Gath and escaped to the Cave of Adullam and when his Brethren and all his Fathers house heard it they went down thither to him It is supposed to be a Town in the Tribe of Judah fortified by Nature and Art He received all that came to him and was their Captain He secured his Father and Mother with the King of Moab to whom Saul was an Enemy at that time 1 Sam. 14.47 Which had been needless if there had not been an Association to defend themselves The Prophet Gad one of God's holy Prophets was on his side and commanded him in God's Name to go into the
there be Laws whereby a King is to rule which he shall command his Subjects to break and his Subjects are neither bound to obey nor suffer by him then his Government is not Arbitrary But if there be Laws made and he may inforce his Subjects either to keep them or break them and punish them at his pleasure that shall refuse and the whole Kingdom bound in Conscience to suffer whatsoever he shall inflict for not breaking those Laws then is his Government Arbitrary For Arbitrary Government is that whereby a Prince doth rule ex arbitrio which he doth when either there is no Law to rule by but his own Will or when he hath a Power to break those Laws at his will and to punish the Subject at his pleasure for not breaking them And in truth this latter is rather an Arbitrary Government than the former as it shews more Liberty in the will that it hath a Power to act when Reason perswades to the contrary than if there were no Reason disswading and else there should be no Arbitrary Government in the world For no State but hath some Laws whereby they rule and are ruled even the very Indians only here lies the Arbitrariness of a Government that notwithstanding the Law the Ruler may pro arbitrio force his Subjects according to his own pleasure In our present Case December 88. we may well consider these things First The Matter of Fact is evident That the King 's evil Counsellors Popish Priests and Jesuits have tyrannized over us and oppressed us in an high measure This is known to the whole Nation Secondly I believe in my Conscience that it is the most Heroick and Virtuous Action that Mortal Man can do to deliver poor Innocents from Tyranny and Oppression Thirdly The Prince of Orange under God hath been the great Instrument of our Deliverance from Popish Tyranny and Slavery Fourthly We ought to give Thanks to God first and then to his Servant our David the Captain of our Israel for saving us from our Enemies In short This Cause which I account God's Cause and the Cause of the whole Nation and the Prince of Orange now our most Gracious Soveraign whom I account God's Instrument have conquered my Heart and consequently shall have my Tongue my Pen the utmost of my Strength and Zeal Yea I hope through God's grace that I shall neither be ashamed nor afraid to lay down my life for the Protestant Religion and Interest and the Liberties Laws and Properties of my Native Country There are some Objections taken from Examples out of Scripture which seem to favour the contrary Opinion but I need not nor cannot consider them all and I perswade my self that they are obviated by what I have said And I am sure that he that confirms Truth by it confounds Error Yet I shall consider the main Objection See say many David's behaviour to Saul 1 Sam. 24. Ye know that King Saul persecuted David causelesly he sought his life for no reason David was a good and loyal Subject neither did Saul 's violence and persecution tempt him or prevail with him to change his Loyalty or forget his Duty David did but cut off the skirt of Saul 's Robe privily and his heart smote him for it And he said to his Men The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lord 's Anointed to stretch forth my hand against him And he hindered his Servants from hurting Saul And when he called to Saul he said My Lord the King And when Saul looked behind him David stooped with his face to the earth and bowed himself He called him my Father which is a Title of reverence Insomuch that Saul his Enemy was melted into kind Expressions by his goodness and righteousness Read and consider the whole Chapter at your leisure David heaped Coals of fire on Saul 's head as the Apostles Phrase is not to burn consume or destroy him but to win him to a good Opinion both of his Innocence and Loyalty Hence they infer that the Supream Magistrate the King though he suffers his Subjects to be never so much oppressed is not to be resisted but we must submit with Patience commit our Cause to God by Prayer and make our Appeal to Heaven who judgeth righteously and suffer our Throats to be cut or flee away leave our Posterity to Slavery and so expect a Reward in Heaven for suffering I Answer The Subject as several Divines say may be considered two ways First Divisively Secondly Conjunctively The Subject considered Divisively hath always applied himself to Prayers and Tears the oppression being only Personal and perhaps without remedy Some Inconveniences and Grievances will be in the best Government and we must not think to have all that we desire or perhaps may really deserve in this world And therefore we ought to get Publick Spirits and hate Private Designs and Self interest when it would destroy the Publick Good Secondly The Subject may be considered Conjunctively And thus when the Oppression is General and Universal almost then the People must look to their own Preservation all Government being for the good of the whole Body Politick And in this case the safety of the People is the Highest Law All Government and all Laws suppose this as a Principle or Foundation Again The Subject is said to take up Arms against the King either First As against the King's Person and of this we do not speak Thus who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless Hence it may be inferred That private Assassination of a Prince is wicked and abominable Secret or open Murder of any Man much more of a Prince is an heinous Crime We are taught by this Example that the hand is not to be lift up against the Magistrate but still David defended himself by force of Arms. Some Expositors as I find in the Author of the Synopsis say That David had Power to kill Saul Power was given by these words v. 14. The men of David said unto him Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee Behold I will deliver thine Enemy into thine hand that thou maist do to him as shall seem good to thee He that is invaded may prevent the Invader as Lessius and S. Thomas teach Lavater No Subject or Private person saith a great Divine may invade a Tyrant without lawful Defence tho' he hath occasion as David could indeed kill Saul whom yet he dismissed because there was not extream Necessity I will not saith he put forth my hand against my Lord for he is the Lords Anointed v. 10. For God knows to draw Tyrants to Punishment either by the ordinary Power of every Kingdom or by any other miraculous way The Consequence saith another rational Divine that follows from hence is clearly this That no private man in his own Cause for so was David's then by his own Power may seize upon the Person of a King in
I shall shew that it was just to depose Nebuchadnezzar To this purpose we must consider 1. That all Government is a Trust 2. That all Government is for the safety and good of the Community 3. That there may be such crimes as may forfeit the Crown and Throne and reduce all to first Principles 1. We must consider that all Government is a Trust The Dominion of one man over another is by consent and is founded in Covenant All men are free by the Law of Nature to chuse what kind of Government they think most convenient And the Positive Law of God hath left this to their Election The Nomination of the person and the Limitation of the power is originally and radically in the Community Hence some Nations have Lords Dukes c. their supream Governours Some Nations have Kings by Election every Reign Others have Succession in one Family Some have Queens to rule over them others will not allow Women to reign Some are absolute Monarchs others are limited Some have Aristocratical others Democratical Government And almost all Nations vary in these Circumstances It is true Authority is from God There is no Power but of God saith St. Paul Rom. 13.1 And By me Kings reign and Princes decree Justice saith God by Solomon Prov. 8.15 But tho' the Donation of the Power is of God yet the Designation of the Person and the Limitation of the Power how much or how little or in what manner Mankind must be ruled and give Obedience and owe Submission is wholly by Positive Law and Agreement at the first Constitution or afterwards Thus we read 2 Sam. 5.3 All the Elders of Israel came to the King to Hebron and King David made a League with them in Hebron before the Lord and they anointed David King over Israel Here was an Assembly or Parliament who chose David King and covenanted with him God and Man are not opposite but subordinate in this case That which is of God saith a learned Divine may be of Man also For the second cause doth not exclude the first or contrarily Because the fruits and increase of the Earth are obtained by the care and labour of Man therefore are they not given of God So that as the Prophets and Apostles in old time were called immediately by God not by Men but other Pastors and Bishops of the Church being not immediately called by God but by men yet cease not to have their Vocation from God Because God ceaseth not to do what he doth by means As God designed Timothy Bishop not immediately as Paul but by the Imposition of the hands of Paul and the Presbytery So God in old time by an immediate call set Magistrates and some Kings upon the Throne as Moses Joshua the Judges David Jehu c. But he gave Power and doth not cease to give Power to others as to the seventy Elders by Man's counsel and means and that according to the Laws and received Customs of the People either by Election and the consent of the Senate as now the Roman Empire or by the Suffrages of the People as Consuls Governours of Cities either meerly or mixtly Democratical or by the will of the Souldiers as the old Empire of Rome or finally by Hereditary Succession as the Kings of France of Spain and of Great Britain c. and the Princes of the Empire For there is no Power but of God And certainly the Authority of one or a few in humane Consideration would not suffice to govern and contain so many in Duty and many times very cruel and evil Men unless there were something of the hand of God in it Therefore God himself is the proper and first Cause of Magistracy tho' Men are the next Cause The Prince is bound saith no mean Divine to look to the safety and welfare of the Kingdom as is agreed by all And therefore he is bound to it because he receives this Power originally I speak not in opposition to God but I say originally from the People themselves as appears by the Government of Judah and the Kings of Israel For Judg. 8.22 The men of Israel came to Gideon to make him their King It is true Gideon refused this offer saith Mr. Rogers in his Commentary with great resolution and wisdom telling them that the Lord should rule over them v. 23. His meaning was that the Order that God had set of Governing by such as had no continued Government should stand and not be perverted by or for him or his but contrarily to his Power he would hinder it And God reigned indeed in the Commonwealth of Israel which flourished in Gideon's time wherein the Elders were chosen by common consent some Ecclesiastical to give the meaning of the Law and others Civil and Temporal as men call it to rule the people thereby c. And if any War fell out the Lord himself stirred up Guides and Judges and they were not chosen I suppose he means only or in a usual course by Men as appears c. 1. v. 1. neither did their Children succeed them And thus the Lord both in Peace and War ruled over them and so Gideon meant that the Office of a Judge was no ordinary Magistracy such as the King is but a Temporary and Occasional much like to the Dictatorship of the Romans in respect of the use whereto it served tho' otherwise of divine Election immediately not by Men. And Judg. 9.6 They gathered together and made Abimelech their King And Judg. 11.8 9 10 11. the people covenanted with Jephtha and made him their King And as for Saul tho' he was designed by God for the Kingdom yet the people themselves chose the kind of their Government first when they said Give us a King to rule over us after the manner of the Nations After that God had anointed Saul it is said 1 Sam. 11.15 And all the people went to Gilgal and there they made Saul King before the Lord in Gilgal And as for David tho' he was anointed King by Samuel yet we find that he continued subject unto Saul after that And 2 Sam. 2. He came to Hebron thither the men of Judah came and there they anointed David King over the House of Judah v. 4. After that he was thus anointed by Judah to be King over them yet he did not rule over Israel till the other Tribes also went out and made him King over them 1 Chro. 12.38 It is said That all these men of war came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David King over all Israel And as for Solomon tho' he was designed by God to the Kingdom yet it is said of him also 1 Chro. 29.22 That all the Congregation did eat and drink before the Lord and they made Solomon the Son of David King the second time and anointed him to the Lord to be Chief Governour Solomon being dead 2 Chro. 10.1 it is said of Rehoboam that he went to Shechem where all Israel
Land of Judah Then David departed and came into the Forest of Hareth where were many secret places v. 5. And Abiathar the Priest who escaped Saul's cruelty fled to David and joyned with him v. 20 c. Which still justifies Self-defence in case of Oppression He had the Ephod in his hand Whether this were by chance as some Expositors say or by choice he light upon the High Priest's Ephod saith Mr. Trappe that had the Vrim and Thummim in it It was surely a sweet Providence of God for the comfort of his poor Servant David Hence God answered not Saul by Urim and Thummim 1 Sam. 28.8 For it was now with David not with Saul This Ephod thus brought saith one was more than if many thousand Souldiers had come to David After his departure from Keilah David abode in the wilderness in strong holds and remained in the Mountains in the wilderness of Ziph and God still preserved him v. 14. of this Chapter of our Text. Ziph belonged to the Tribe of Judah and the Mountains of this Region were craggy and full of clefts of Rocks and therefore places of good shelter and defence Yea David's cause was so plain and good that Jonathan Saul's Son would not joyn with his Father agianst David but made a League with him v. 18. Again v. 29. David dwelt in strong holds at Engedi He would not trust Saul For he knew the disposition of Saul his inconstant mind and unbridled violence especially since an evil Spirit had troubled him Again 1 Sam. 24.2 Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats What need Saul have three thousand men if David did not defend himself And v. 22. David and his men gat them up into the hold He would not trust Saul who had so often promised and broke his word And verily in Matters of so great concernment Credulity argues great Folly Tr. Saul was faithless and David had no reason to believe him And 1 Chron. 12.8 the men of might and the men of war forsook Saul and joyned themselves to David The Tribe of Gad was near to Moab and in a desert place through which David wandred and therefore they joyned with him And v. 17. David went out to meet them and answered and said unto them If ye be come peaceably to me to help me my heart shall be knit to you but if ye be come to betray me to mine Enemies seeing there is no wrong in my hand the God of our Fathers look thereon and rebuke it Did not David tho' yet a Subject to Saul take up Arms and make forcible Resistance It is said expresly v. 18 19. Then David received them and made them Captains of bands And there fell some of Manasseh to David when he came with the Philistins against Saul to Battel And when ever Amasai uttered those words v. 18. whether before or after David had the Kingdom I need not dispute it is evident that they argue the goodness of David's cause The Spirit came upon Amasai who was chief of the Companies and he said Thine are we David and on thy side thou Son of Jesse Peace Peace be unto thee and Peace be to thy helpers for thy God helpeth thee It was a Form of Salutation familiar with the Jews when they wished prosperity and good success to any person And the Ingemination shews their Zeal And the whole demonstrates that for the Innocent to defend themselves even by force of Arms is very pleasing to God Thus I have demonstrated that it may be deduced from this Text That it is lawful for Subjects to defend themselves by force of Arms against the oppression and violence of their Kings I shall now enter upon the second Question Whether it may be deduced from any other Grounds I am for the Affirmative of this Question It may be deduced from Scripture or Reason That it is lawful for Subjects to defend themselves c. And here it will be convenient to set down what is agreed upon on both sides First That all Governours in their several Dominions and Places are to be honoured according to their several Dignities and Titles with due homage and Allegiance of all their Subjects We must render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's Honour to whom Honour is due Fear to whom Fear Tribute to whom Tribute And this out of Conscience and for the Lord's sake who hath made them his Ministers Secondly It is a most hainous Sin a Crime of a deep dye by thought word or deed to derogate from the honour of our Governours or to indeavour to raise Factions and Discontents among their Subjects He that any way despiseth Dominion or speaketh evil of Dignities is a vile Transgressor Thirdly To resist Governours when they rule according to Law is to oppose God's own Ordinance And therefore Rebels ought to be most severely punished by Governours themselves and shall certainly indure God's wrath without Repentance and receive Damnation Fourthly Every Subject is bound by all good means to assist his Governours in the due Execution of Law and Justice and to hazard Life it self upon his Lawful Commands and to discover all Conspiracies Treasons or Violence offered or intended to be offered to his Person Fifthly Every Christian Subject living under the Government of a Prince of an idolatrous heathenish or false Religion is not therefore loosed from the Bond of his Allegiance But he must readily yield Active Obedience to all lawful Commands of his Governours and Passive Obedience so called that is He must quietly and meekly suffer when the Laws of his Governours Command that which is against the Laws of his God and his Saviour whom he ought to fear in the first place Sixthly Every Governour is bound in Conscience to defend and protect his Subjects in their lawful Rights and Liberties and not to Command any thing that God hath forbidden And if he doth oppress them by illegal Impositions or punish them for a good Conscience he is guilty before God and must expect the vengeance of God who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Seventhly Every Oppression or Corruption in Government is not presently sufficient to defend our selves by force But it must be such Oppression as tends to the Dissolution of the Government to the Destruction of Liberty to the Ruin of the Subjects or to the Change of Religion by Law Established And in this Case also Defensive Arms are not Lawful till Petitions and all other good means which may prevail with our Governours be used and yet fail of their end Thus as I conceive I have impartially represented both parts And I know no man of Worth Piety or Learning who will not easily assent to these Conclusions I shall now confirm my Opinion that it is lawful for Subjects to defend themselves by force of Arms against the Oppression and Violence of their Kings First Because God never gave
us into the hands of men as cruel as the Irish were in 41. At which time King Charles I. said Those barbarous Rebels practised such inhumane and unheard of outrages upon his miserable People that no Christian Ear can hear witthout horrour nor Story parallel Let us conclude with Application 1. This teacheth us the vanity and uncertainty of all worldly things Kingdoms themselves are not so fixed as not to be subject to change God changeth the times and seasons saith Dan. c. 2. v. 21. he removeth Kings and sets up Kings God hath rejected many Kings for their wickedness He rejected Saul and took his Kingdom from him The most High ruleth in the Kingdoms of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will c. 4. v. 25. God hath an hand in all these changes His Providence ruleth over all Of this no Christian doubts And this some call how properly I need not dispute a Providential Right which is by God's Permission Traitors and Usurpers have this Right to the Thrones that they possess This Right as one saith a Slave through God's just Judgment on a Nation may have to the Throne for not a Sparrow falls to the ground without God's Permission This Right both lawful Kings and Usurpers have to the Thrones they possess Athaliah that Murderer of the Royal Family had only this Providential Right which she made appear only by Possession But this Right being neither by Succession nor Conquest nor Compact nor lawful Call of the People gives not just Title nor can expect any Subjection meerly upon that and no other right And the Reason is because when Providential Right crosseth Civil Right a man is not bound to follow Providence but to guide himself by Moral and Divine Precepts For Divine Precepts are perpetual standing Laws by which the Actions of men ought to be guided But Providential Acts were never ordained for Laws or Rules by which men should walk and therefore to such a Right there is no Subjection due 2. It teacheth us the heinous nature and ill consequent of Pride It is enough to ruin a whole Nation the King as well as his Subjects A proud Man is not under God's Protection but forsaken of Him 3. It teacheth the great Mischief of Tyranny and Oppression God and Man hate Oppressors who obstinately refuse good and reasonable Advice Any Bishop or Teacher saith Dr. Bilson P. 3. pag. 1. may reprove Princer when they violate the Precepts of God For God hath placed them in his Church to teach reprove correct and instruct in righteousness 2 Tim. 3.16 as well Princes as others and chargeth them not to conceal one word of that he hath spoken neither for favour nor terrour of any Prince The Will of God must be declared to all and Sin reproved in all without dissembling or flattering any sort or state of men And that is most expedient for all even for Princes themselves rather to hear with Humility what God hath decreed for their Salvation than to run to their own destruction without recalling or warning So Samuel reproved King Saul 1 Sam. 15. Ahijah King Jeroboam 1 Kings 14. Elijah King Ahab 1 Kings 21. Elisha King Jehoram 2 Kings 3. John Baptist King Herod Mar. 6. Neither were wicked Princes only but also the good and virtuous Kings of Judah reproved by the Prophets As namely King David by Nathan 2 Sam. 12. King Jehosaphat by Jehu 2 Chro. 19. And Hezekiah by the Prophet Isaiah 2 Kings 20. But this reproof reached no farther than to putting them in mind of God's Grace and Mercy towards them and their Duty again towards him c. 4. It teacheth Kings to rule justly for otherwise their wickedness will flnd them out If in stead of saving the lives of their Subjects they endeavour to destroy them if instead of punishing the wicked they punish the good and God's Servants if instead of reasonable and lawful Commands they will have their Lusts their Wills and strive to ruin the People committed to their charge without Law or with cruelty rigour and severity without mercy rage against their Subjects they may well expect Divine vengeance and the Judgments of God either immediately or by the hand of their own Subjects who have been threatned or cruelly used and unmercifully or illegally dealt with God hates Oppression in all even in Princes especially the Persecution of his Servants for his true worship and renouncing Idolatry Kings must give Account to God as well as meaner Men for there is no respect of persons with him God is the Judge and he putteth down one and setteth up another as he pleaseth To him be Glory and Dominion for ever Amen FINIS