Dr. Burnet's SERMON BEFORE His Highness THE PRINCE OF ORANGE At the Cathedral of Exon on Reading His DECLARATION LONDON â—â—â—â—â—ted for W. 〈◊〉 MDCLXXXLX THE Divine Authority OF KINGS ASSERTED 2 SAM 1.14 And David said unto him How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord 's Anointed BEfore we enter upon the consideration of this place of Scripture we must come fairly to it by making our way through the Context to which the Text doth relate and thus it was There had been now a War between Saul and the Philistines a War that was sounded on the Law of God whereby the Children of Israel were forbidden to make any Covenant with the Inhabitants of Canaan or to shew them mercy Deut. 7.2 This War ended in the Death of Saul and the overthrow of his People though he was made King by God's own appointment though he was God's own Vice-gerent over God's own inheritance and undertook a quarrel pursuan to God's own Will yet in the Conclusion both He and his Forces Good Jonathan himself not excepted are routed upon Mount Gilboa by the Uncircumcised Philistines To shew that Success in War is not an Argument of the Righteousness of a Cause or of the Righteousness of a Party but of the unsearchable Wisdom and Righteousness of God. Saul being defeated was full of Horror and Desperation and resolved to hasten out of the World since he had fled before the Philistines and because his Armour-bearer could not be entreated by reason of that Awful regard he bore to Majesty to befriend his undone Soveraign with a Mortal Blow Saul gives himself his Deaths-wound with his own hands An Amalekite happening to be there took off his Royal Diadem and Bracelet and with great Speed carryed them to Ziklag to David who by Common Fame was known to have been Anointed next Heir to the Crown of Israel David received the news of Saul's and Jonathan's Death with excess of Sorrow But hearing that this Amalekite had had an hand in Saul's destruction his Heart was struck through with Amazement and Indignation Though Saul had been his Blood-thirsty Enemy yet his Soul was on a Flame at the sad Tidings of his being Murdered and though this young man was not one of Saul's Subjects but a Stranger yet for the Sake of God whose Impress the Unfortunate King bore for the Honor of Marsty and out of respect to Saul's Divine Unction and Character he was resolved to revenge the Kings death with every drop of this Amalekites Blood and this was the Preamble to his just Sentence How wast thou not affraid to stretch forth thine Hand to destroy the Lord 's Anointed In which words we are to consider by way of Explication 1. First the matter of Fact which this Amalekite own'd himself to have been guilty of 2. Davids deep Resentment of the Relation which this Amalekite made of the matter 1. The matter of Fact was that he had stretched out his hand to destroy the King of Israel this he acknowledged and seemed to boast of as a Meritorious Office which he had done for David who was to be Saul's Successor in the Throne Now it has been a great doubt both among Jews and Christians whether this was a Reality or only a Pretence Many of the Hebrew Doctors affirm which is also the general sense of Christian Writers that Saul killed himself and that the Amalekite was a Liar as to that particular Nor doth this opinion want its Reasons For in the last Chapter of the First Book of Samuel where the manner of Sauls Death is related no mention is made of the Amalekite but the Text saith that Soul took a Sword and fell upon it v. 4. On the other side Josephus and some more tells us that Saul had not the Only hand in the case but that the Amalekile was the Principal actor Antiquit. Judaic lib. 6. Nor doth this opinion want its Reasons neither For the Amalekites were as much Enemies to Israel as the Philistines were and this Amalekite was on Mount Gilboa when Saul fell and he did not only post away to David as a Messenger of the Fact but persisted in the story as an Agent that had been concerned in it persisted to the end too without owning his Folly or excusing his Lye which probably he would have done when he saw that a Sentence of Death against himself was the Only welcom and reward that he was to receive Now for the Solution of this doubt there seem to be some grounds for a Third opinion yet which will make the whole story to Agree viz. that Saul and this Amalekite did both of them jointly Concurr in the carrying of this sad Tragedy on For that Saul fell upon his Sword and so gave himself his Deaths-wound is clear That his Armour-bearer might look upon him as Dead though indeed he was not may be Probable That being incumbered with his Arms and Coat of Mail he did not dispatch himself Fully is not incredible And then 't is likely enough both that Saul did beg a Bloody Kindness of the Amalekite for fear of falling alive into the hands of the Philistines and that this Amalekite did readily gratify him in hopes of a Richer booty than the price of the Crown and the Bracelet came to But it is not much material whether this Amalekite was Really Guilty or had a mind only to Father the action We will now as David did take his own Word for it and Suppose him to have spoken Truth For none can be better believed then he that confesseth against Himself Every man will be sure to make the best of his own story and though an Evidence may Swear away other mens Lives he will be tender of his own and beware of being his own Accuser though he deposeth to a Lye. We will not therefore contrast the Credit of his own Testimony but acquiesce in what he said and look upon him as a Criminal and proceed to 2. The second thing which is most pertinent to our business Davids deep Resentment of this Amalekites relation it was a Dreadful story a most Horrible and Fearful thing in the account of this good man How wast thou not affraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord 's Anointed He had it not been a Sin of a most Horrid nature and a clamorous voice he who was so near the Throne would at least have forgiven the man that did so readily help him to the actual possession of it especially being an Heir that had waited with so much Suffering and been provoked by Saul with so many Indignities But King-Killing is a Crime that is Odious and Abominable in the eyes even of those that fare well by the Regicide To which purpose the Learned Crotâ—m has rightly observed out of one of the Roman Histories Tacit. Hist lib. 1. that when the Emperor Galbaâ— was Murdered Vitellius though Humanly speaking he had reason enough to be glad of
the Fact having thereby got the power into his hands yet out of a due sense he had of the Horridness of the villany he commanded those Traitors who had served his turn to be slain all of them when they had the confidence to Address for a Reward An instanc not much unlike King David's dealing with this Amalekite whâ—n he brought Saul's Blood upon his own head because he had stretched forth his hand to destroy the Lord 's Anointed Those words the Lord 's Antâ—nted denote the great nay the Sole thing which we find here and in other places to have made such a deep and continual Impression upon David's Spirit So that when he had cut off the skirt of Saul's robe his Heart Smote him When he was tempted to Kill him in the Cave he abhorr'd the very thoughts of it when Abishai would have destroyed him at one blow as he was asleep David with held him with a strong hand When Abner was so careless of his Masters safety as to let him fall into David's power David reprehended him And at last when this Amalekite had smote him him who had so long hunted after David's Soul He presently smote the Amalekite all this was grounded upon this Great and Weighty consideration that Saul was the Lord's Anointed A King is said to be the Lord 's Anointed in a Two-fold respect 1. In respect of that outward Ceremonial Unction whereby for Sate-sake he is by the Priest separated from the People or rather Declared Notified and Acknowledged to be a Sacred person Now this is not the great thing considerable because it is but a Râ—te and Form that is not absolutely necessary For many Princes at this day are not thus Anointed at all I know not whether this Unction was ever used to Pagan Kings who yet were Gods Ministers and had Gods Authority as well as others it was a long time before it came to be used even in the Christian World anciently and originally it was a rite peculiar to the Jews alone and among them it was not used constantly neither but when the Succession was broken or a dispute arose about a Successors Title commonly one of a Family was Anointed for all his Posterity and Issue and even then the man was not made King because he was Anointed but he was Anointed because he was King. Though there be neither Horn nor Cruse of Oyl in the case yet be 〈…〉 nearer the less and that upon an Higher and more Noble 〈…〉 2. In respect of that inward and essential Unction which he receives at the very first minute of his Kingship and by which he is Sanctified and set apart and above all others in that very Article of time and which from that day forward is inseparable from his Person Now this Unction consisteth in that Supreme Power which is given unto him in that Sacred Authority which is vested in him in that inviolable Majesty which is inseparable from him in that Divine Image and Impress whereby he bears a different and singular Character and becomes Hallowed And because he receives all this at the hands of God alone because he oweth all this neito Priest nor People but to God alone because this Power Authority Majesty Image and Character is given him by the Lord only therefore he is called The Lord 's Anointed that is a Person made so Sacred by God by the Communication of his own Authority that now he cannot be treated with rudeness or violence without Dishonoring God's own Majesty and striking at the Face of God himself To this purpose we are to observe what God said of King Cyrus an Heathen an Infidel a Foreigner no more related unto him than a Philistine or an Amalekite Prince yet all this notwithstanding he calls him his Anointed Is 45. Thus saith the Lord to his Anointed to Cyrus whose right hand I have holden or strengthened with Power v. 1. I have even called thee by thy name I have surnamed thee though thou hast not known me v. 4. This was Prophetically spoken for at this time Cyrus was not so much as Born And when he came to be King of Persia he was no more Anointed there than Nero was at Rome and yet as the Prophet calls the former God's Anointed so the Apostle calls the latter the Minister of God the Ordained of God and both Isaiah and St. Paul spake so upon these grounds because all Lawful Princes are endued with God's Power and Authority whereof the Material and Ceremonial Unction among the Jews was a Signification and Argument only Now do but compare all this with what is recorded of Saul whom David speaks of in my Text and styles him The Lord 's Anointed Not very long after he came to the Crown out of Timorousness and Infidelity he-offered up Sacrifice himself in Samuels absence 1 Sam. 13. and therein he was an Usurper of the Priestly Office. Afterwards he spared the King of Amalek c. 15. and the best of the spoil contrary to what he was required to do and therein he was a Rebel against Gods Commands After this he sought the Life of David c. 18. the best Subject that ever any Prince had and would have struck him to the wall with a Javelin and all this for David's good Service therein he was a Tyrant After this he unjustly Kills at once 85. of the Lord's Priests c. 22. besides the Men and Women Children and Sucklings that were in Nob and therein he was a Murderer After this he forsaketh the Lord for the Devil and consulteth a Witch at Ender c. 28. and therein he was an Apostate And after all this last of all as if he could not perish by any impurer hands than his own he rusheth on the point of his Sword c. 31. endeavours and attempts his own final Destruction and there he was a self-Hemicide Notwithstanding all these Sins he was the Lord's Ancinted still and David own'd treated reveer'd and in the end vindicated him as the Lord 's Anointed He distinguisht between the Sinner and the Prince He lookt upon his Personal Crimes with one eye and upon his Holy Unction with another And if the Scripture may be allowed to bear us out in any conclusion we have warrant enough to infer hence that the worst of Kings supposing him to be a Lawful King hath a Divine and Indelible Character for the sake whereof he ought to be accounted and Honoured as the Lord 's Anointed and consequently as a Sacred and Dread Soveraign Nor will it avail us to consider how or by what means he came to his Soveraignty whether by Inheritance or otherwise A Lawful Prince is the Lord 's Anointed ever beholding to God alone for his Power and Authority Succession or Election may be the Instrument to convey the Title but the Deed is Gods and the Soveraign Power is a Donative and Estate which the King holdeth in Fee of God and of God alone whether it be by Nature that the Man is
the end or between putting a Sword to a Princes Throat and direct Cutting it If he be a Murderer by Interpretation who hateth his Brother he must be a Regicide in the intent who draweth out his Artillery against his Prince and Rebbels are beholding to our Charity alone in this as well as other cases if we do not say that never any subjects drew the sword against their King but with a Resolution if there was no other Remedy to sheath it in his Blood. I do not intend for the Time will not give me leave to handle the case of a a Defensive War against a Rightful Soveraign a case that never was maintain but by Republican Atheists When our Saviour commanded us Not to resist evil Matth. 5.39 we must suppose him to teach us to suffer Indignities with patience as well from the hands of a Superior as from the hands of an Equal And when St. Paul affirms that whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God Rom. 13.2 we must conclude that a War against Lawful Authority is a War against Heaven And when St. Peter requiring us to Honour the King presently Subjoined Servants be subject to your Masters with all fear not only to the Good and Gentle but also to the Froward 1 Pet. 2.18 we must look upon him to have taught us the necessity of Passive Obedience in the State as well as at Home for otherwise it would follow what is unreasonable to conceive that Princes have not so much benefit by the Gospel for the securing of their Authority as every Ordinary and Private Man hath And in saying thus much God is my Witness that I aim at no other end but to vindicate the Doctrine of the Cross which divers lately have endeavoured to expose to Contempt and Derision But to return to David's practice in reference to Saul because David's having of an Army has been pleaded by Rebels to justifie Resistance for the removing of this Objection many things are to be consider'd 1. That David's case was particular for he was already Anointed unto the Kingdom and was Haeres Viventis not only Lawful Heir but as sure of the Crown as if Saul had been dead 2. That the little Army which David had was not of his own Raising but they resorted unto him of their own accord partly for Refuge-sake for they were Indigent and Disconted Persons partly to shew David their best respects partly out of pity and compassion to a wronged Prince and the Hearts of Men are generally pitiful and compassionate in such a case and partly to endear themselves to David and to make their Fortunes by him when he should come to the Crown 3. That when the Men were come David used them rather as a Friendly Retinue than as a formidable Army to secure his own Life from the hands of Pick-thanks who otherwise might be ready to shed his Blood to curry favour with Saul and without Saul's Order and Commission 4. That when David imployed his Retinue to Military purposes and after a Military manner it was against those People who were Enemies to Israel and who by the Command of God were to be destroyed and even then too David acted under King Achish as his chief Commissioner and General 5. That from the beginning to the end of the whole matter though David had so many Swords at his command yet he never once Resisted his own Dread Soveraign but only fled from him and fled with more security than he could have done otherwise Nay tho David had to the fairest opportunities of making Saul his Prisoner and of taking away his Life one in the Cave at Engedi 1 Sam. 24. and another on the Hill of Hachilah 1 Sam. 26 yet still he forbore all manner of violence at both times using this Heroick and Loyal Expression The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lords Anointed to stretch forth mine hand against him seeing he is the Anointed of the Lord. Whence I proceed to the next Conclusion that the Destruction of the Lord 's Anointed the stretching forth the hand to Invade his Life or Dominions is of all other Acts of Violence the most fearful and horrid Crime The Lord forbid that I should do this thing saith David When the Kingly Prophet David had privily cut off the skirt of Saul's Robe though it was only with a design to let him see that he had been in his Power his Heart smote him as if he had made a breach upon God's Law and had been guilty of a very unworthy and Disloyal Act for the Oyl upon a Kings Head like the Oyntment upon the Head of Aaron that descended upon his skirts makes even his Vestments Sacred But with what Agonies and Convulsions would his Soul have been Tortured had the King of Israel been mocked by such a Juncto of Jews as Butcher'd the King of England and in the name of the Lord vied for Wickedness with all the Devils in Hell The story of Saul's Death is a very sad relation all the parts and appurtenances thereof together with Saul's own Guilt and the sin of his Armour-bearer and this Amalekite being rightly considered But yet there are some passages in the story which it may not be amiss for us to observe 1. Concerning the Armour-bearer Saul commanded him to draw his Sword and to thrust him through therewith being desirous rather to dye by the hands of his own Servant than to be abused by the Uncircumcised Philistines But notwithstanding the Kings own Command the Armour-bearer refused to hearken in that particular he was sore afraid saith the Text 1 Sam. 31.4 Read on now to the next v. and you will find that this Armour-bearer feared not to Kill himself though he was sore afraid to Kill his Soveraign By which instance it is clear not only that he valued his Prince's Life far above his own but also that he thought it much a more pardonable sin to be a self-Murderer than to be a Regicide though tempted to be so by his Soveraigns Command Doubtless for a Man to Kill himself is a very horrid sin because it is his last Act whereby in Humane probability he hurrieth himself off the Earth into Hell. Yet this Armour-bearer chose rather to Dye with the Guilt of his own Blood upon his hands than to Live Guilty of the Blood of the Lord 's Anointed and before he would be such a Traitor ran a sad venture of being Damned for ever by being Felo de se 2. And then as for the Amalekite that did effectually help on the Destruction of Saul though he did it not of Malice but upon Saul's intreaty though he did it when Saul was now half breathless and when he was sure otherwise to be Killed by the Philistines though he did it to rid him of his present Fear and Pains and struck him more like a Friend than an Enemy doing no other than what Saul himself had already done in
part yet this Regicide's Conscience seems to have been troubled presently at an excessive rate His breast was filled with Remorse and Anguish and Bitterness of Spirit so that he could not but put on a mournful and penitential Habit for he ran to David with his Clothes rent and with Earth upon his Head Confessing by his Actions that he had committed an abominable Crime when his Lying Tongue pretended that he had done a meritorious Act. Come thy ways now my Honest Amalekite Honest in Comparison who thô thou wast not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the King of Israel ye for ought we know didst never suffer thine Heart to swell against thine own Soveraign didst never trample Faith and True Allegiance to thy Natural Prince under thy Feet didst never break Covenants nor violate Oaths nor any ways further or abett the Blood-shedding of the King of Amalek nor didst ever harden thy Heart to that desperate state of Impenitence Deadness or Reprobation as to Justifie and Vindicate the most horrid Act of Treason with hands stretched out and lifted up before the most High God as do those Sons of Belial the Rebels of this day And yet behold a Greater Prince than either the King of Amalek or Saul was here Greater for his Lineage and Extraction Greater for his Wisdom Faith and Constancy to the Truth Greater for all Vertues Divine Moral Political Greater every ways and only too Great by being too Good for a most Unthankful and Improvident Nation To draw now towards a conclusion The design of this Discourse is not so much to expose the Traytors as to Represent the Sinfulness of the Treason to the end we and our Posterity may see what reason all of us have to be truly Humbled under the Sense of it For Rebellion is a Crying sin that filleth Heaven with its Noise and Clamour And one reason of it is because it is not only an Injury against the Man but moreover a Contumely offered to the Majesty of God whose Image the Man bears and therefore Philo the Jew calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo de Spec. Leg Sacriledge and the Greatest of all sorts of Sacriledge Nay it is of such a staining nature that it polluteth a whole Land as God himself said Blood it defileth the Land Num. 35.33 And an Instance hereof we have upon Saul's killing the Gibeonites He slew them indeed in his Zeal to the Children of Israel and Judah but thô 't was his Fact and Cruelty yet a Three years Famine came upon the Land for it 2 Sam. 21.1 And if all Innocent Blood especially that of Rebellion staineth a Nation so how much more the shedding of Bloud Royal the Bloud of Kings who in respect of their High Office and Supreme Authority Represent God above all others and bear his Image and Impress after a Peculiar and Eminent manner I must confess that I cannot but still own my Fears that our Land is not yet throughly cleansed from the Bloud of that Innocent Vertuous Religious Matchless Prince who was barbarously murder'd among us For though we may believe that the merciful God will not require that Sacred Bloud of us so as to make us smoak under that Wrath which is the vengeance of another life Vs especially who cannot read nor so much as Think of that Dismal Tragedy without the deepest Sorrow Hatred and Abomination yet we have too great Reason to suspect that the Sin is not forgotten in Heaven that there is no such Act of Oblivien There but that as we have Smarted for that Sin already so we may Smart still under those Plagues and Judgments which are the Discipline of this life We are to distinguish between a Sin and its Punishment The Sin may be forgiven and upon true Repentance is certainly forgiven so that it shall not Rise up in Judgment against the Sinner at the last day But seldom does the Cry of a Vocal Sin cease before God letteth lose some Temporal Judgments upon it either for the warning and Admonition of other Men or for the Correction and Reformation of the Sinners themselves or for the exercising of their Patience or for the like Hâ—ly and Gracious purposes The thing is clear from that Instance concerning David whom God visited with the Death of his Child and with sharp and poynant Evils for the Wickedness acted upon Bathsheba and her Husband though the Sin it self was forgiven him The Lord hath put away thy Sin thou shalt not dâ—e said Nathan Hâ—wbeit because by this Deed thou hast given great Occasion to the Enemies of the Lord to Blaspheme the Child that is born unto thee shall surely die 2 Sam. â—2 Nor is it a just Ground for our Confidence and Security to consider that that Sin was acted by a Few in comparison and that several Years ago too For the Sin of One Man and much rather of an Army may be so Odious and Abominable in God's Account that by Occasion thereof he may visit the Iniquities of a whole Nation let us go to Achan for an Instance Upon the Destruction of Jericho Achan found a Babylonâ—sh Garment a wedg of Gold and two Hundred Sheckles of Silver and because he took of the Accursed thing the Anger of the Lord was kindled against the whole Boâ—y of the Children of Israel so that at the very next Battle they were all routed by their Enemies Josh 7. 2. Again God is not wont to punish a Nation to the Full as soon as the Sin is committed but usually leaves a great part of the Burden many Talents of Judgment to fall down in after-times to put Men still in mind of that Guilt which otherwise they would bury in perpetual Oblivion Let us go for an Instance hereof to the Jews in the days of Moses At Shittim they joyn themselves to Baal-Peor and a Plague ensueth thereupon But though for Phinehas his zeal the Plague was soon stayed and the VVrath of God was turned away from Israel for that time yet afterwards in the days of Joshua when the Israelites had been Possessed of the Holy Land Phineas himself remembred the Iniquity of Peor and told the People that they were not cleansed from that Iniquity unto that day Josh 22.17 Now to draw down this Consideration to our selves if God be wont by way of Discipline to chastise Evil Men even after they have taken away the Guilt of their Wickedness if by occasion of One crying Sin committed by a Few or perhaps by One only he doth sometimes bring Calamities upon a whole Nation and if this be often done some considerable time some years after the Sin was acted Then truly we of all People living have most reason to call to mind the Calamities we have groaned under and to Interpret Providence the Right way and not only to mistrust that God hath visited us hitherto but moreover to fear that he will visit us still especially if we repent not from the bottom of