 He was presented to Coldingham in 1639 by King Charles I, but could not retain this position because of the National Covenant.Burnet went to exile in England, where he became a strong Royalist, something which forced him to flee to continental Europe.He returned to Great Britain after the Restoration of the monarchy, becoming rector of a parish church in Kent (Ivychurch) and chaplain to Andrew Rutherford, governor of Dunkirk.