e said that in our case there is an interruption by
usurpation, let it be considered that the anointing under the Old
Testament was typical; although all kings were not types of Christ, yet
the anointing of kings, priests and prophets, was typical of Christ, and
His offices; but, Christ being now come, all those ceremonies cease:
and, therefore, the anointing of kings ought not to be used in the New
Testament.

If it be said, anointing of kings hath been in use amongst christians,
not only papist but protestant, as in the kingdom of England, and our
late king was anointed with oil, it may be replied, they who used it
under the New Testament took it from the Jews without warrant. It was
most in use with the bishops of Rome, who, to keep kings and emperors
subject to themselves did swear them to the Pope when they were
anointed, (and yet the Jewish priests did never swear kings to
themselves.) As for England, although the Pope was cast off, yet the
subjection of kings to bishops was still retained, for they anointed the
king and swore him to the maintenance of their prelatical dignity. They
are here who were witnesses at the coronation of the late king; the
bishops behoved to perform that rite; and the king behoved to be sworn
to them. But now by the blessing of God, popery and prelacy are removed:
the bishops as limbs of Antichrist are put to the door; let the
anointing of kings with oil go to the door with them, and let them never
come in again.

The anointing with material oil maketh not a king the anointed of the
Lord, for he is so without it; he is the anointed of the Lord who, by
divine ordinance and appointment is a king. God called Cyrus His
anointed; yet we read not that he was anointed with oil. Kings are
anointed of the Lord, because, by the ordinance of the Lord, their
authority is sacred and inviolable. It is enough for us to have the
thing, tho' we want the ceremony, which being laid aside, I will give
some observations of the thing.

1. A king, being the Lord's anointed, should be thinking upon a better
unction, even that spiritual unction wherewith believers are anointed.
"The anointing ye have received of Him abideth in you." And "He that
hath anointed us, is God, who hath also sealed us." This anointing is
not proper to kings, but common to believers: few kings are so anointed.
A king should strive to be a good Christian, and then a good king: the
anointing with grace is better than the anointing with