the compass it has to qualify and mask over inward Deformities for a time Yet no man can long continue masked in a counterfeit Behaviour The things which are forced for pretences having no ground of Truth cannot long dissemble their own nature and the Heart will be seen at the Tongues end In this great dissimilitude of reasonable Creatures the common People are ill Iudges of honest things and their Wisdom is to be despised said Eccles. As for the better sort every Vnderstanding has a peculiar Iudgment by which it both censureth others and valueth it self and therefore I will not think it strange if my worthless Papers be torn by Ratts since in all Ages Censurers have not spar'd to tax the Reverend of the Church with Ambition the severe to themselves with Hypocrisie lovers of Iustice with Popularity and Men of the truest valour with Vain-glory For nothing is so easie as to Reprove and Censure I will not trouble the Reader with repeating the deserv'd Commendations of History yet true it is that among many other Benefits for which it has been honour'd it triumphs in this over all Human Knowledge that it gives Life to our Vnderstanding since the World it self has Life even to this day And it has triumphed over Time which nothing else but Eternity has done for it has carried our Knowledge over the vast devouring space of many Thousand Years and has opened the piercing Eyes of our Mind that we plainly behold living now as if we lived then that wise Work of the great God saith Hermes By it I say we live in the very time when it was Created behold how it was govern'd how cover'd with Water and again repeopl'd How Kings and Kingdoms flourished and fell and for what Virtues or Vices God made the one prosperous and the other wretched Neither is it the least of our Debt to History that it has made us acquainted with our dead Ancestors and raised them out of Darkness to teach us no less wise than eternal Policy by comparing former Miseries with our own ill Deservings But neither the lively Instructions of Example the Words of the wisest nor Terror of future Torments have yet so wrought upon our stupid Minds as to make us remember That the infinite Eye and Wisdom of God doth pierce through all our Pretences Nor to make us remember That the Iustice of God requires no other Accuser than our own Consciences which by no false Beauty of our apparent actions nor all the formality which we to gull Mens Opinions put on can be covered from him Examples of God's Judgments in particulars upon all Degrees that have played with his Mercies would fill Volumes For the Sea of Examples hath no Bottom though Marks set on private Men are when their Bodies are cast into the Earth written only in their Memory which lived with them so that the Persons succeeding who saw not their Fall fear not their own Faults God's Iudgments on the Greatest have been Recorded to Posterity either by those happy Hands which the Holy Ghost guided or by others Now to point as far as the Angels Fall for Ambition at Kings eating Grass with Beasts for Pride and Ingratitude at Pharaoh's wise Action when he slew the Infants at Jesabel's Policy in covering Naboth's Murder with many Thousands of the like were but a Proof that Example should be rejected at a distance For who hath not observed what Labour Practice Peril Blood-shed and Cruelty the Kings and Princes of the World have undergone and exercised taken upon them and committed to make themselves and their Issues Masters of the World yet hath Babylon Persia Macedon Rome or the rest no Fruit Flower or Leaf springing upon the face of the Earth Nay their very Roots and Ruins do hardly remain for all that the Hand of Man can make is either over-turned by the Hand of Man or Consumed by Time Politicians say States have fallen either by Foreign Force or Domestick Negligence and Dissention or by a third Cause rising from both Others observe That the greatest have sunk under their own weight others That Divine Providence hath set a Period â—â— every State before the first Foundation thereof as Cratippus objected in Pompey But seeing the Books following undertake the Discourse of the first Kings and Kingdoms and that a short Preface cannot run very far back to the Ancients I will for the present examine what Advantage has been gain'd by our own Kings and their Neighbour Princes who having beheld both in Divine and Humane Letters the success of Infidelity Injustice and Cruelty have notwithstanding Planted after the same Pattern Mens Iudgments agree not and no mans Affection is stirred up alike with Examples of the like nature but is either touched with that which seemeth to come nearest to his own private Opinion or else best fits his Apprehension But the Iudgments of God are unchangeable no Time can weary him or obtain his Blessing to that in one Age which he Cursed in another Those therefore which are Wise will be able to discern the bitter Fruits of irreligious Policy as well in old Examples as new for ill Actions have always been attended with ill Success as will appear by the following Examples We have then no sooner passed over the violence of the Norman Conquest but we encounter that remarkable Example of God's Justice upon the Children of Henry I. who having by Force Craft and Cruelty over-reached his Brother Robert D. of Normandy Vsurped the Crown of England and disposessed him of his Dukedom and barbarously deprived him of his Sight to make his own Sons Lords of all but God cast them all Male and Female Nephews and Neeces Maud excepted into the bottom of the Sea Edward II. being Murdered a Torrent of Blood followed in the Royal Race so that all the Masculine Princes few excepted dyed of the Bloody-Flux And though Edward III. in his young Years made his knowledge of that horrible Fact no more than suspicious yet his putting to death his Vnkle the Earl of Kent made it manifest he was not ignorant of what had past nor greatly desirous to have had it otherwise But this Cruelty the unsearchable Iudgment of God revenged on his Grandchild and so it fell out even to the last of the Line That in the Second or Third Descent they were all buried under the Ruins of those Buildings whose Mortar had been tempered with innocent Blood For Richard II. having Murdered his Vnkle of Glocester was himself Murdered by Henry IV. Henry IV. having broken Faith to his Lords and by Treason obtained the Crown Entailed it by Parliament upon his Issue and by many Treacheries left all Competitors defenseless as he supposed leaving his Son Henry V. full of Valour and signal Victories yet was his Grand-child Henry VI. and his Son the Prince without Mercy Murdered and his Crown transferred to the Houses of his Enemies It was therefore a true Passage of Caussabon a Day an Hour
Counsellor left by his Uncle Antigonus to incroach upon the Liberties of the Achaeans who finding it opposed by Aratus he contrives to bring him into disgrace with Philip. The King by the grave admonition of Aratus and the example of Amphitamus an Elean Captain discovers Appelles's Malice who failing of his desire designs to be King himself as the Spider made a Web to take the Swallow which drove the Flies out of the Chimney He enters upon a Plot against the King how to check the good Success of his Proceedings and draws Leontius one of the Targenteers and Megale the King 's chief Secretary into the Conspiracy But the Reward of their Treason was their own Ruin After this a Peace is Solicited by several Embassadours to which Philip condescended by persuasion of Demetrius Pharius who also persuaded him to a League with Hannibal § 3. Philip upon the Peace of Greece prepares for Italy to assist Hannibal against the Romans whom Pharius hated for expelling him out of his Kingdom which they had forgiven him § 4. Philip before his Italian Expedition thought fit in Policy to bring the Greeks Associates under a more absolute Form of Subjection as Apelles had formerly advised but Demetrius Pharius could better observe the Kings humours and without Contention supplanted Aratus with the least Appearance which Apelles could never do by more forceable means In a Faction between the Nobles and Commons of the Messenians Philip was intreated to compose the difference of which occasion he was glad designing to assume the Government into his own hands But being discovered he pretended a Sacrifice in the Castle of Ithome and purposed to seize upon it which Demetrius called a Kingly point not to be neglected for so he should hold the Ox by both his Horns meaning that Ithome and Acrocorinthus were the two Horns of Peloponesus Yet Philip asking Aratus his Judgment he was told by him that in taking that Castle he should lose his strongest Castle which was his Credit upon which he gave over his purpose but with secret disgust of Aratus and his Son Next he seized on Oricum a Town of the Epirots his followers and besieged Apolonia and so instead of setling the Country he kindled that Fire which could never be extinguished till it lâ—id hold on his own Palace After that he Invaded the Messenians with open Force but in vain in which Attempt he lost Demetrius and afterwards out of a Tyrannical humour the worse he sped the more angry he grew against those who seemed not to favour his injurious doings as particularly against Old Aratus and his Son whose Poisoning he procured This was the recompence Aratus got for bringing the Macedonians into Peloponesus in spite of Cleomenes his Countryman and a Temperate Prince § 5. The Achaeans upon Aratus's Death chuse Philopoemen Praetor By whom they were persuaded to cut off their Expences in Bravery of Apparel Houshold-stuff and dainty Fare and bestowed it upon Armies As also he altered their Weapons and manner of Fighting and fitted them for Hand-service At this time Machanidas Lycurgus Tyrant of Lacedemon who entred the Country of the Mantinaeans was Courageously received by Philopoemen and slain with his own hand and four Thousand with him and as many taken Prisoners § 6. Philip having made Peace with the Romans and Aetolians prepares to invade Attalus King of Pergamus Son of Attalus the younger Brother of Philetarus the Eunuch the Treasurer of Lysimachus King of Thrace from whom he fled for fear of his Tyranny and seized upon Pergamus and nine Thousand Talents of Lysimachus's and Reigned twenty Years as Eumenes his Brothers Son did after him twenty two Years and Attalus after him an active Prince Bountiful and Valiant He made use of the Gauls then setled in Asia in that part which is called Galatia and Quarrels with Prusias King of Bithynia whose Ancestors began to Reign some Generations before the Great Alexander § 7. Prusias having Married the Daughter of Philip intreated-him to come over into Asia to Conquer Cios for him and not having any cause of Quarrel he besieged the Town took it omitting no Cruelty to the Inhabitants contrary to his promise made to divers Embassadours from the Rhodians and other Estates to whom he became odious Attalus considering to what end Philip's violent Ambition tended joining to the Rhodians fought with him at Sea where he sustained far greater loss than they and in the end was forced Home they pursuing him § 8. Attalus and the Rhodians solicite Rome against Philip So did Aurelius their Agent in Greece but Rome was not in Condition till Hannibal was Vanquished when the River of Styx was dried up that is when the necessity of Peace with Philip was taken away Attalus and the Rhodians meet the Roman Embassadour while Philip winneth Abidos in Asia § 9. Rome hearing the Calamity of Abidos resembling that of Saguntum could not ground a Quarrel thereon but thinking of another Saguntum at Athens a Confederate formerly wronged by Philip and imploring their aid which yet the People denied till P. Sulpicius the Consul told them that Philip's preparation was indeed for Italy if he could win Athens This feigned pretence prevailed and the Consul is sent who took not the way to Macedon but Landed at the River Apsus between Dyrrachium and Apolonia where he began the War and sent C. Claudius with Twenty Gallies and Souldiers to relieve Athens against certain Pyrates or Robbers by Sea and Land § 10. Claudius groweth weary of standing like a Scare-Crow to save all the Athenian Fields from Spoil and understanding that Chalcis in Eubaea was negligently Guarded Sailed thither in the Night and took it by Scalado Plunder'd it and set it on Fire Consuming the Kings Magazines of Corn and other Provision of War Philip hearing the News at Demetrias twenty Miles off marcheth speedily but finding them gone he Posteth to Athens in hope to surprise it in the Night but they had Intelligence of his coming So after a Skirmish before the return of Claudius he departed to Corinth and thence to an Assembly at Argos called against Nabis Tyrant of Lacedemon which had Invaded them after Philopoemen was out of Office and gone to Crete Here Philip by coming would have drawn the Achaeans to break with the Romans but was discover'd and so parting made no other Attempt against Athens having failed except in demolishing some Temples of admirable Workmanship in Attica Sulpicius Encamped near Apsus sent his Lieutenant Apistius to the Borders of Macedon who took Antripatria and put it to the Sword and Fire and other Towns and returned to their Camp by which Success divers of the Neighbours which affected not Philip offered Friendship to the Romans The Aetolian Parliament was at hand whither the Macedonians Romans Athenians c. send to persuade them to their Party The Macedonians set out the true scope of the Romans pretensions of Friendship by their Subjecting of Messana and Syracuse the
to lose the richest Country he had Oh by what Plots by what Oaths treacherous Practices Oppressions Imprisonments Tortures Poysonings and under what Reasons of State and Polity have these Kings pulled the Vengeance of God upon themselves upon Theirs and upon prudent Ministers and at last have brought these things to pass for their Enemies Advantage and found an effect so directly contrary to all their own Counsels and Cruelties that the one could never have hoped for it and the other never have succeeded had no such Opposition been made God hath said it and performed it ever I will destroy the Wisdom of the Wise. But to what end do we lay before the Eyes of the Living the Fate and Fortunes of the Dead seeing the World is the same it hath been and the Children will obey their Parents It is in the present that all the Wits of the World are exercised and to enjoy the Times we have we hold all things lawful and either hope to hold them forever or hope there is nothing after them to be hoped for For as we are content to forget our own Experience and counterfeit Ignorance of our Knowledge in things that concern our selves or perswade our selves that God hath given us Letters Patents to persue all our irreligious Affections with a Non obstante So we neither look behind us what has been nor before us what shall be It is true the â—uantity we have is of the Body we are by it joined to the Earth we are compounded of the Earth and inhabit the Earth The Heavens are high afar off and unexplorable We have a sense of corporeal things but of eternal Grace only by Revelation No wonder then that our Thoughts are so Earthly and a less wonder that the Words of worthless Men cannot cleanse us seeing their Instructions and Doctrine whose Vnderstanding the Holy Ghost vouchsafed to inhabit have not performed it For the Prophet Isaiah cryed out long ago Lord who hath believed our Reports And doubtless as he complained of his time so are they less believed every day though Religion be still Mens Mouths we profess to know but by works deny him which argueth an universal Dissimulation For Happiness consisteth in a Divine Life not in knowledge of Divine Things wherein Devils excel us Contentions about Religion have bred lamentable effects and the Discourse thereof hath near upon driven the Practice out of the World He which obtaineth Knowledge only by Mens Disputations of Religion would judge that Heaven were chiefly to be desired but look upon many Disputers Lives and nothing is found in the Soul but Hypocrisie We are all in effect become Comedians in Religion we act in Voice and Gesture Divine Virtues but in course of Life we renonnce the part we play and Charity Justice and Truth have their Being but in Terms as the Philosophers Materia prima That Wisdom which teacheth us the Knowledge of God hath great Esteem enough in that we give it our good Word but the Wisdom which is altogether exercised in gathering Riches by which we purchase Honour in the World These are the Marks we Shoot at the Care whereof is our own in this Life and the Peril our own in the future Though in our greatest Abundance we have but one Man's Portion as the Man of the greatest Wisdom and Ability hath told us As for those which devour the rest and follow us in fair Weather they again forsake us in the first Storm of our Misfortune and fly away before Sea and Wind leaving us to the Malice of our Destinies Among a Thousand Examples take that of Mr. Dannet Charles V. at Vlushing in his return to Spain conferring with Seldius his Brother Ferdinand's Embassador till the dead of Night when they sh â—â—â— part called some of his Servants and when none answered being either gone or asleep himself took the Candle to light down Seldius notwithstanding his importunity to the contrary But at the stairs foot he desir'd him to remember when he was dead That whom he had known in his time environ'd with mighty Armies he hath seen forsaken of his own Domesticks But you will say Men more regard the Honour done to great Men than the former It is true indeed provided that an inward Love from their Iustice and Piety accompanying the outward Worship given to their Places and Power without which the applause of the Multitude is as the Out cry of a Herd of Animals who without knowledge of any true Cause please themselves with the Noise they make Impious Men in Prosperity have ever been applauded and the most Virtuous if unprosperous have ever been despised and Virtue and Fortune are rarely distinguish'd For as Fortune's Man rides the Horse so Fortune her self rides the Man who when he is descended on foot the Man is taken from his Beast and Fortune from the Man a base Groom beats the one and bitter Contempt spurns at the other with equal liberty The Second thing which Men more respect is raising of Posterity If these Men conceive that Souls departed take any Comfort therein they are Wise in a foollish thing as Lactantius speaketh De sal sap li. 3. c. 28. For when our Mortal Spirits are departed and dispos'd of by God they are pleased no more in in Posterity than Stones are proud which sleep in the Walls of a King's Palace neither have they more Sorrow in their Poverty than there is Shame in the Prop of a Beggar 's Cottage The Dead tho' Holy know nothing no not of their own Children For the Souls departed are not Conversant with the Affairs of the Living said Augustin de Cura pro Mort. Iob also of whom we cannot doubt tells us we shall neither understand of our Childrens Honour or low Degree Man walketh in a Shadow disquieting himself in vain he heapeth up Riches and cannot tell who shall gather them The living saith Eccles. know they shall die but the Dead know nothing at all for who shall shew to Man what shall be after him under the Sun And when he consider'd all his Labours and could not tell whether a Fool or a Wise Man should enjoy the Fruit thereof himself hated his own Labours What can other Men hope to know after Death When Isaiah confesseth Abraham himself is gnorant of us Death's dark Night shall cover us till he return that hath Triumph'd over it when we shall again receive Organs glorified and Immortal the Seats of Evangelical Affections and the Souls of the Blessed shall be exercised in so great Admiration as that they can admit no mixture of less Ioy nor any return of Mortal Affections towards Friends Children c. Whether we shall retain any particular Knowledge of them or in any sort distinguish them no Man can assure us and the Wisest Men doubt But on the contrary if a Divine Life retain any of those Faculties which the Soul exercised in a Mortal Body we shall not then so divide the Ioys of
of Misraim in Egypt and before Iupiter Belus Son of Saturnus Babilonious or Nimrod As for the latter Grecian Iupiter he was a little before the Wars of Troy § 7. The Philosophers opinion of God Pythagoras Plato Orpheus c. believed not the Fooleries of their Times though they mingled their Inventions with Scripture Pythagoras hung Homer and Hesiod in Hell forever to be stung with Serpents for their Fictions yet Homer had seen Moses as Iustine Martyr â—heweth in a Treatise converted by Mirandula Plato dissembled his Knowledge for fear of the Areopagits Inquisition yet Augustin excused him He delighted much in the Doctrine of one God though he durst not be known of it or of Moses the Author of it as may be gathered out of Iustin Martyr Origen Eusebius and Cyril though he had from Moses what he writ of God and of Divinity as Ambrose also judged of Pythagoras Iustine Martyr observed that Moses described God to be I am he who is It is as hard to find out this Creator of the World as it is impossible if he were found to speak of him worthily said Plato who also said God is absolutely good and so the Cause of all that is Good but no Cause at all of any thing that is Evil. The Love of God is the cause of the Worlds Creation and Original of all things Apuleius saith The most high God is also Infinite not only by exclusion of Place but also by dignity of Nature neither is any thing more like or more acceptable to God than a Man of a perfect Heart Thales said God comprehended all things because he never had a Beginning And he beholdeth all the thoughts of Men said Zeno therefore said Athenodorus All men ought to be careful of their Actions because God was every where present and beholding all things Orpheus calling Men to behold the King of the World describes him to be one begotten of himself from whom all things spring who is in all beholds all but is beheld of none c. Who is the First and Last Head and Middle from whom all things be Foundation of Earth and Skye Male and Female which never dyeth He is the Spirit of all of Sun Moon c. The Original and End of all in whom all things were hidden 'till he produced them to Light Cleanthes calls God Good Iust Holy possessing himself alway doing good and Charity it self Pindarus saith he is one God and Father most high Creator and best Artificer who giveth to all things divers proceedings c. Antistbenes saith God cannot be likened to anything and therefore not elsewhere to be known but only in the everlasting Country of whom thou hast no Image God said Xenophon shaketh and setteth all things at rest Is great and mighty as is manifest to all but of what Form he is none knoweth but himself who illuminateth all things with his Light God saith Plato is the Cause Ground and Original of the whole nature of things the most high Father of the Soul the eternal preserver of living Creatures and continual framer of the World a Begetter without propagation comprehended neither in place nor time whom few conceive none can express him Thus as Ierom said We find among the Heathen part of the Vessels of God But of them all none have with more Reverence acknowledged or more learnedly expressed One True God and everlasting Being all ever-causing and sustaining than Hermes the Egyptian But of all these see Iustin Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Lactantius Eusebius Du Pless Danaeus § 8. Hethanism and Iudaism when confounded Touching the Religions of the Heathen they being the Inventions of Mortal Men they are no less Mortal than themselves The Caldean Fire is quenched and as the Bodies of Iupiter and the rest were by Death devoured so were their Images and lasting Marble Temples by Time The Trade of Riddles for Oracles and Predictions by Apollo's Priests is now taken up by Counterfeit Egyptians and Cozening Astrologers yet was it long before the Devil gave way For after Six several spoilings and sackings of his Temple at Delphos and as many repairings thereof at last when Iulian sought unto it God from Heaven consum'd all with Fire So when the same Apostate incourag'd the Iews to re-build a Temple God by Earth-quake over-threw all and slew many Thousands § 9. Satan's last Refuge to uphold his Kingdom who being driven off the open Stage of the World crept into the Minds of Men and there set up the high and shining Idol of Glory and all commanding Image of Gold He tells men that Truth is the Goddess of Danger and Oppression Chastity is an Enemy to Nature and all Virtue is without Taste but Pleasure delighteth every Sense and true Wisdom gets Power and Riches to fulfil all our Desires And if this Arch-politician find Remorse in any of his People or any fear of future Judgment he persuadeth them that God hath such need of Souls to re-plenish Heaven that he will accept them at any time and upon any Condition And to interrupt their return to God he layeth those great Blocks of rugged Poverty and Contempt in the narrow way which leadeth to his Divine Presence Neither was he ever more industrious and diligent than now when the long Day of Man-kind draweth fast to the Evening and the World's Tragedy and Time near to an end CHAP. VII Noah's Flood the Vniversality of it and Noah's memory of Antiquity § 1. MOses's Divine Testimony of Noah's Flood natural Men regard no farther than Reason can reach and therefore may have disputed the Vniversality of it and Iosephus citeth Nic. Damascen who reports that many were saved on the Mount Baris in Armenia and the Talmudists held the same saith Annius § 2. Ogyges's Flood the Greeks the Corrupters of all Truth saith Lactantius make the most ancient when yet Ogyges's Flood was sixty seven Years after Iacob and short of Noah's Flood by 500 Years neither do any Authors report that it over-flowed any part of Syria as Mela Pliny and Solinus do of Noah's speaking of Ioppa's Ruins c. As for this Flood as it exceeded not Peloponesus so was it foreseen by a concurrence of Causes which Noah's was not Touching Varro's Report out of Castor of the strange Colour quantity and shape of Venus the Fogs which then rise might cause such Apperances For Galilaeus a Modern Worthy Astronomer by Perspective Glasses observed many undiscover'd things in Stars unknown to former Ages § 3. Deucalion's Flood more certain for Time being in the Reign of Cranaus King of Athens according to Varro cited by Augustin or under Cecrop's after Eusebius and Ierom in whose latter times Israel came out of Egypt which after Functius was 753 or 739 Years according to Mercator after Noah's Flood But following the better Account which giveth Abraham 60 Years more after the Flood I reckon the Flood thus The general Flood Anno Mundi 1656 Iacob's Birth 2169 which is 519 Years after
the stock of Ithamar that obtained that High-Priesthood which continued in his stock until Solomon cast out Abâ—athar and put in Zâ—dok descended from Eleazer 1 Kings 2.26 35. In his time for the Sins of the Priests and People the Lord gave his Ark the Sacrament of his Presence into the hands of the Philistins as he did his Temple to be destroyed by the Chaldeans and after by the Romans because they put more Confidence therein than in the Lord himself whose Law they would not observe Whereas after the Captivity and in the time of the Machabees while they feared the Lord they were Victorious without an Ark more than they were when they guarded themselves with the Sign void of substance David also knew the Ark was not made for an Ensign in the Field The Trojans believed that while the Paladium or Image of Minerva was in the City it should never be overthrown The Christians also carried into the Field in the last Fatal Battel against Saladine the very Cross as they were made to believe whereon Christ died and yet lost themselves and the Wood. But Chrysostom said well upon St. Matthew if that be his work of them which wore part of St. Iohn's Gospel about their Necks for an Amulet or Preservative If the words profit thee nâ—t in thine Ears how can they about thy Neck For it was neither the Wood of the Ark or of the Cross but the Reverence of the Father that gave them for a memory of his Covenant and the Faith of his Son which shed his Blood on the other for Redemption that could or can profit them or us either in this Life or after it The Holy story telleth us how after this Victory of the Philistins the Ark of God was in Captivity yet they overthrew the Philistin's Dagon and brake off both Head and Hands to shew he had neither Wisdom nor Power in God's Presence and that God and the Devil cannot inhabit in one House or one Heart If this Idol then could not endure the representation of the true God what Marvel is it that when it pleased him to Cloath his only Begotten with Flesh and sent him into the World that all the Oracles wherein the Devil derided and betray'd Mortal Men lost Power Speech and Operation at that instant For when the true Light which never had any beginning of Brightness brake through the Clouds of a Virgins Womb shining upon the Earth long obscured by Idolatry all these stinking Vapours vanished Plutarch rehearseth a Memorable History of that Age of the death of their great God Pan but could not find the true cause thereof c. God also plagued the Philistims as well as their God and forced them to return his Ark and to give him Glory after they had tried all their wit to the contrary See the Story Thus God is acknowledged of his Enemies as he had been of Pharaoh and was after of Nebuchodonezer Darius c. § 3. Of Samuel's Government 1 Sam. 7. He descended of Korah 1 Chron. 6.22 for his Father Elcana a Levite of Mount Ephraim came of Korah the Son of Izaar Son of Cheath Son of Levi. His Mother after long Barreness obtained him by earnest Prayer to avoid the reproach of Barrenness as it was esteemed considering it was God's Promise Deut. 7. and Blessing to Adam and Abraham c. Under his Government the Lord freed Israel from the Philistins who at his Prayers were miraculously overthrown as were the Amalekites at the Prayer of Moses He Ministred Justice at three fit places Of which see Cap. 12. § 1. CHAP. XII Of Saul the First King of Israel § 1. THE deliberation to change the Government into a Kingdom arose upon Samuel's being grown unable to sustain the Burthen of so careful a Government which he put over his Sons who failing of their Father's Care and Uprightness and relishing nothing but Gain sold Law and Justice to the best Chap-men The Elders observing this and that the Old Man though a Prophet yet as a natural Father discerned not his Sons Errors and remembring the lamentable success of Eli's Sons Rule saw no other way to put them off than by desiring a King This Motion displeased Samuel who seeking Counsel from God as in a Cause of so great consequence he was order'd to hear the Voice of the People yet so as God accounted it a Wrong to himself rather than to Samuel and therefore commanded him to declare unto them the Inconveniencies and Miseries which shall befall them under that Government All which are not intolerable but as have been and are still born by Subjects free Consent But the Oppressions threatned verse 14 c. give an occasion â—o the Question Whether a King fearing God or one which will Rule by his own discretion and playeth the Tyrant be here set out as some judge or that the Text only teacheth what they ought with patience to bear at their Sovereigns hand as others judge The first ground themselves upon Deut. 17.14 c. and on the words of the Text which do not say he may but he will do so and so shewing what Power severed from Piety will do as in Achab's Example contrary to the Law Deut. 16.18 The Arguments on the other side are largely handled in that Discourse of free Monarchies which I shall not take upon me here to Insert This change of Government God fore-told Gen. 15. and 17. and 49. and provided for the direction of it by Laws Deut. 17. But whether the Reasons which move most Nations moved them to choose a Monarch or thereby to be cleared from the Sons of Samuel doth not so plainly appear for neither Perswasions nor Threats could draw them from their desire of a King § 2. Saul ' s Election § Samuel by God's direction having yielded to the People returned to his City Rama expecting the Lord's direction touching the King to be chosen which the Lord accordinly performed giving him warning the day before Samuel hereupon prepared to entertain whom God should send and Saul intending nothing less than a Kingdom found it and was Anointed and Confirmed by signs given him by Samuel and returned home Thus God oft by meanest occasions ordereth the greatest things and in Moses and David's Calling from feeding Sheep Iames and Iohn from Fishing c. Among the Signs given to Saul one was of the Company of the Prophets not such as by divine Revelation fore-told things to come as Moses Ioshua Samuel c. but such as were exercised in Expounding Scriptures as were those 1 Cor. 14. at which time God changed his Heart from a Vulgar condition to a Kingly After this another Assembly at Mispezh Saul was Published and designed King by God and accepted of the People and saluted King § 3. Saul's Establishment after his Victory against the Ammonites 1 Sam. 11. The Ammonites attending the Advantage of Times for recovery of their Territories taken from them by the Amorites having in vain