was once done in the Elderships and Councels of the Iewes therefore the same ought to bee done in other seniories and assemblies where there is not that Ius gladij that ciuill authoritie power which we see plainly was in them Their Synagogues had the ordering of ciuill punishments to condemne to bee scourged those whom they iudged to offend they could send out officers with swords and staues to apprehend Christ they could examine witnesses against him and binde him and deliuer him to Pilate And whereas when Pilate bade them take him and iudge him after their owne lawe they answered That it was not lawfull for them to put any man to death Chrysostome doeth one way expound it that it may well bee meant of that kinde of death which to aggrauate the shame they sought especially to haue executed on Christ For otherwise they had authoritie to stone to death as it may seeme that Steuen was condenmed by them because as the lawe was that the witnesses should cast the first stone so the witnesses in the stoning of Stephen doe orderly lay downe their clothes at the feete of Saul In the Chapter following their power doth extend to draw out men women and children and to thrust them into prison which authoritie Saul could put in execution at Damascus much more at the citie Hierusalem Tertullus their Oratour doeth acknowledge this before the gouernor Faelix when he sayth of Paul We tooke him would haue iudged him according to our law but that the chiefe captaine Lysias came vpon vs and with great violence tooke him out of our handes The ensamples of those which are chiefe gouernors in Aristocratie ought not to be drawen vnto them which are subiects vnder a Monarchie There is in euery dominion a supreame power which the Greeks do cal call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Maiestatem the Italians Signoria and we in England do name it by the French word Soueraintie Wheresoeuer that chiefe authoritie doth remayne whether it be in one or in many from thence must be deriued the ordering of all thinges both in Church and Common-wealth These Israelites here desire that they might haue a King to goe before them to fight their battayles Their request had not displeased God had there not been before an other forme of gouernment established amongst them for otherwise of a Monarchie that may well be sayd which S. Augustine doth write against Faustus the Manichee Ordo ille naturalis mortalium paci accommodatus hoc poscit vt suscipiendi belli auctoritas atque consilium sit penes principem exequendi autem iussa bellica ministerium milites debeant paci salutique communi The naturall order most fit for the peace of mankind doth require this that the authoritie and counsell of taking Warre in hand be in the power of the Prince and the dutie of executing the commaundementes of Warre is a thing that the Souldiers doe owe for the maynteinance of the peace of the Common-wealth And a litle after Vir iustus si forte sub rege etiam sacrilego militet rectè possit illo iubente bellare ciuicae pacis ordinem seruans cui quod iubetur vel non esse contra dei praeceptum certum est vel vtrum sit certum non est ita vt fortasse reum regem faciat iniquitas imperandi innocentem autem militem ostendat ordo seruiendi A iust man if he be a Souldier vnder his King being wicked may at his commaundement fight keeping the order of ciuill peace with his fellow subiectes when that which is commaunded is not directly against the word of God or whether it be or no it is not certainely knowne so that perhappes a sinne in commaunding may make the king guyltie and yet the order of obeying may declare the Souldier innocent When God ruled his people by Moses and Iosua they as Dukes and Magistrates disposed all thinges both in warre and peace in ordering both Church Common-wealth in causing the people to be circumcised in buylding Aulters and euery way gouerning the charge committed to them When afterwarde he raysed vp Iudges he endued them not onely with warlike vertue but that they might better also reforme abuses in the Church he gaue sometimes to the Women as vnto Debora sometimes to Men as vnto Samuel the spirit of prophecying When after he established Kinges the Scriptures do plentifully declare vnto vs what supremacie was graunted to them ouer all persons and in all causes as well ecclesiasticall as ciuill Dauid armed his people with the authoritie of the sworde against all their publike enemies he caused the Arke to be remooued from a priuate mans house he placed the orders of the Priestes and Leuites and had a principall care to finde out a seate for the Lordes seruice an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob Salomon deposed the wicked Priest Abiathar and placed Sadoc a better in his roome He established the orders of the Leuites and other officers and least any man shoulde thinke that Salomon did herein more then he might it is said by expresse wordes that this his charge of the Church was the commaundement of Dauid the man of God Asia armed his people against the enemies of Gods Church he made a decree that they should be slaine which would not seek and worship the Lord God of Israel hee deposed Maacha from her regencie because of her idolatrie Iehosaphat ordered the warres of the house of Iuda he sent foorth Elisham and Iehoram Priests to instruct the people he placed in authority the Priests and chiefe nobles for the iudgement of the cause of the Lord. Ezechias by lawfull warre withstood Sennacheribs vnlawfull oppressions He repayred the temple rooted out idolatrie and appointed the courses of the Priests and Leuites Iosias tooke order for the pulling downe of idolatrie and the execution of the priests of Baal Afterward when the Romanes had conquered Iurie for as much as there is no power but of God S. Peter doth also to them attribute this supremacie calling the king a chiefe and supreme gouernour and shewing also what manner of supremacie he hath to wit such a chiefe power as doeth extend it selfe generally to the punishment of euill doers and to the praise of them that doe well As largely then as goeth good or euill that is through the obseruation and breach of euery commaundement of either of the two tables throughout all nations that can bee either in the Church or commom wealth so farre goeth the supremacie of Princes in their dominions to shewe foorth their iustice in punishing their mercie in fauouring and their loue in rewarding Saint Paul speaketh as well of the Romane Emperours of his time as also of all other higher powers which are to ensue in any other age or place that they beare not the sworde for nought
Dictator And when Hannibal pressed the Romains Ad dictatorem dicendum remedium iamdiu desideratū ciuitas confugit The Citie went to the choosing and pronouncing of the Dictator which was the remedie they long expected Because as in an other place he writeth Dictatoris edictum pro numine semper obseruatum est The commaundement and proclamation of the Dictator was esteemed to be as the voyce of God there was no appealing from him Agedum dictatorem à quo prouecatio non est creemus Come sayd the Consull Appius let vs make a Dictator from whom it shall not be lawfull for any man to appeale Tantus erat Dictatoris terror apud hostes vt eo creato statim à moenibus discesserint So great was the terrour of the Dictator euen amongst the enemies that as sone as he was created they raised their siege and departed Wherby appeareth playnely that the ancient Romains as wel in warre as in peace founde this as a sure anchor holde against all seditions and dangers to enioy one such a Magistrate as from whom there should be no appeale and whose authoritie should possesse as it were the roome of God vpon the earth The Carians were once a wealthy and flourishing people but by seditions which came by the hauing of many heads gouernours they were brought to ruine and vtter desolation wherevpon there arose a prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Multi duces disperdidere Cariam Too many Guydes vndid the countey Caria When many Souldiers were mutinous prudent Vlysses did represse them with these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Multos imperitare malum est rex vnicus esto Tis not good too many to rule let onely be one King Which verse as Aemilius Probus doth testifie Dion did also vse when Heraclides began his faction Thirdly the gouernement of one Monarch doth seeme to resemble most liuely the image of Gods power maiestie For as in the firmament the Sunne Moone and Starres do as it were represent some image of the glory of the Eternall So the rule of Monarches in their seuerall kingdomes vpon earth doth call to our considerations the gouernment and high maiestie of the omnipotent God And most certainly at this time of the alteration of the estate of the Iewish common-wealth the wil and purpose of God is in his seruant king Dauid to erect an Image type of the kingdome of Christ But here may some say If the will of God were now in Dauid and his posteritie to set foorth a figure of the kingdom of Christ how can the Israelites be said to sinne so great a sinne in asking a king when they asked onely that which was determined in the purpose of God Why doeth the Lorde so punish their request in sending them so wicked a king as was Saul who besides his often and wilfull difobedience against the cōmandement of God did most cruelly murder the priests of God causing to bee slaine at one time fourescore and fiue which ware the linnen Ephod if in desiring a king their will did concurre with the will of God Yee are heere to obserue that the Israelites had no respect to the purpose of God but onely they shewed foorth the fruites of despairing and malcontented affections In the spoile of the goods of Iob the Caldeans and Sabeans had no regarde to the will and purpose of God which was most iust and holy to examine sharply one of his seruants and to make him a schoolemaster of patience to all posteritie their desire was onely iniuriously to enrich themselues with the spoyle of Iob. In the death of our sauiour Christ the high Priestes Scribes Pharises had no respect to the will of God which was most mercifull and iust by that all sufficient raunsome for sinne to saue all beleeuers their intent was onely to bee reuenged of him whom they hated with deadly malice Euen so these Israelites haue no desire here to obey the secret decree of God in the kingdome of Dauid and of his ofspring to set out a resemblance of the kingdome of Christ but onely their purpose is with a desperat discontentment to shake off the gouernment of their good iudges Samuel contrary to the reuealed wil of God which had before decreed that Whosoeuer was approued to be raised vp of God for their deliuerer he should afterward iudge Israel all the dayes of his life And therefore they worthily receiue a punishment of their obstinate disobedience against the expresse commandement of God And yet notwithstanding this historie doeth shew vs that the appointment of God was performed in Samuel who is said To haue iudged Israel all the dayes of his life Seuen and twentie yeeres and seuen moneths hee had iudged when Saul beganne to reigne Two yeeres was Saul king for although he liued aboue twelue yeeres after that hee was elected king yet forasmuch as in the second yeere hee was denounced to bee reiected of God his kingdome is named to be but of two yeres in continuance And during that time also y e authoritie of Samuel is not abolished for euen in these affaires against Nachash the Ammonite a punishment was in a publique Proclamation threatened against euery one which would not followe Saul and Samuel although in the Actes of the Apostles because the kingdome is the more excellent state of gouernment the whole fourtie yeeres be attributed to Saul as the greater power and maiestie swallowing vp the lesse As concerning the miraculous prouidence of God extended towardes the Israelites during the time that Samuel was their Iudge there neede no further testimonies but that onely place in the seuenth chapter of this booke wher it is sayd That the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the dayes of Samuel The Philistines were the deadliest and fiercest enemies that euer molested the Israelits Seeing then that God ouerthrew their cruellest mightiest enemies that not once or twice but euen al the dayes of Samuel what a wretched ingratitude was this that because a few aduersaries had gotten aduantage against one of their Cities they should therfor vnthankfully shake off that happie gouernment vnder which God had graunted them so many triumphant victories But what were the causes of this their vnkind froward desire of alteration First they would be liked to other nations rounde about them as they say Make vs a King to gouerne vs like all other nations And afterward againe We will be like all other Countries a King shall iudge vs and goe out before vs and fight our battayles Forraine gouernementes although they be in them selues most excellent as no doubt those were which were established vnder kings are not to be drawen as ensamples to other nations wherein another estate of gouernment hath alreadie taken place Wee cannot affirme that because this or that is nowe done in the common wealth of Geneua or because this or that
continueth till she haue hatched her young detering all which time the Shipmen in the Sicilian Seas do feare no dangers of tempest This calme time this milde quiet and peaceable time the Lord hath graunted to vs not for a few dayes but for many happy yeeres togither We enioy that sweete blessing which was in Iurie and Israel in the time of Salomon To dwell safely euery man vnder his owne Vine and vnder his owne Figtree from Dan to Beersheba from one ende of the land to the other euen all the dayes of Salomon O that we were not become so drunkeÌ„ with this our prosperitie as to forget that good Lord which hath giuen this good Land vnto vs O that we were not like Ieshurun spoken of in Deutronomie like the Horse which being fat and well fedde fedde doth spurne and flinge against his keeper nourisher O that we were not lyke the vntamed Heyfar by reason of our long running in plentifull pastures to forget to cary the sweete yoke of obedience O that we coulde make true vse of all the benefites and blessinges of our heauenly Father that the louing kindnesse of God might leade vs to repentance that we could as Samuel speaketh heere to the Israelites Feare the Lord and serue him in trueth with all our hartes and consider what great thinges he hath done for vs that we coulde Prayse the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the woonders which he dayly doth for this realme of Englande Then shoulde the blessing of God still remayne vppon vs both vpon Prince and people Then should the Lord continue his mercies in going in and out with our Armies Then should the Lord eyther make our enemies become our friendes or throughly turne his hande against our aduersaries Then should there be amongst vs euery soule duetifully subiect to the higher powers Then should we in all distresses with contented mindes cast all our care on God for he careth for vs. Then should we in hart conceiue that assured confidence trust in the goodnesse of God that we should faythfully say with Dauid If the Lord be on our side we neede not care what man can do vnto vs. Then should the Lord long prosper and euen for euer preserue that happie Monarchie vnder which we are here so peaceably gouerned and graunt vs a Kingdome of euerlastyng peace in the worlde to come Which giftes graces the Lord of Lords and King of all Kinges vouchsafe to giue vnto vs for the merites of our sauiour Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost one true and euer-liuing God for all his inestimable benefites bestowed vpon vs be all honour glory thanksegeuing and prayse now for euer Amen FINIS 1. Sam. 11.12 Aug. de Ciuitate dei lib 18. Cap. 22 Iudg. 2.16.18 Iudg 8.22 Heb. 11.32 Iudg. 2.18 Iud 3 9. Nehe 9.27 Ioseph Antiq lib. 20. Cap. penult Ioseph Antiq lib. 14. cap. 10. Caluin institut lib. 4 cap. 20. sect 8. Tul. parad penult Iudg. 2.16 Psal 21.3 Prou. 8.15 Dan. 2.21 Iere. 27.6 Rom. 13.1 1. Pet. 2.13 Hieron epist 4. ad Rusticum Liu. lib. 6. Liu. lib. 22 〈…〉 lib. 6. 〈…〉 lib. 2. 〈…〉 lib. 6. Homer Psal 22 3. Psal 2 6. â— Sam. 13 11 â— Sam. 15 9. â— Sam. 22 18 â—ob 1.15 17 21. Act. 2.23 Iud. 2.18 1. Sam 7 41. â— Sam. 13 2. â— Sam. 11 7. Act. 13.21 1. Sam. 7 13 1. Sam. 8 5.20 â—oh 12 42.1 Math. 10 17. Math. 26 47 â—7 â—oh 18 31. Deut. 17 7. Act. 7 58. Act. 8 3. Act. 9 1. Act. 24.6 â— Sam. 8.20 Aug. contra Fastum Manichaeum lib. 22 cap. 75. Num. 13.3 Iosu 11. Iosu 6 6. Iudg. 4 4. 1. Sam. 3 20 1. Chro. 13. 1. Chro. 23 4. Psal 132.5 1. Reg. 2 35. 2. Chro. 8 14. 2. Chro. 14. 2. Chro. 15.13 16. 2. Chro. 20.3 2. Chro. 17 8. 2. Chro. 19.8 2. Chro. 29.1 2. Chro. 31.4 2. Reg. 23.4 1. Pet. 2.13 Rom. 13 4. Rom. 3 4. 1. Sam. 8 3 1. Sam. 2 3 4. 1. Sam. 8 2. 1 Reg 2 22 1. Sam. 8 1. Num. 13 3. NuÌ„ 13 34. Num. 14.2 9. Psal 78 18. Num. 26 64. Gen. 14 14 Iudg. 15 19. Iudg 4 13. 22. 1. Sam. 7 13. 1. Sam. 3 20 Psal 3.1 Deut. 17.15 1. SaÌ„ 8 3.11 Iuuenal satyr 10. 1. Sam. 8.18 Eccl. 10.20 Pro 21.1 Rom. 3.1 1. Tim. 2.2 Baruch 1 11 Pro. 28 2. Hose 4 1. Exod 22 28 〈◊〉 12.2 〈◊〉 21 6. 1. Sam. 12.2 Psal 81.13 Ier. 44.17 Hulric Hutten in aula Leuit. 26.19 Gen. 12.10 Gen. 26.2 Gen. 45.2 Gen 6.15 Gen. 7.11 Gen. 8.13 1. Sam. 12.24 1. Cro. 14.15 Lucian in votis Aristoph in ambus Plin. lib. 10 cap. 32. Plant. in paenulo 1. Reg 4.25 Deut. 8.14 Deut 32 15. Ier. 31.18 Rom. 2 4. 1. Sam. 12.24 Psal 107.8 2. Sam. 12.14 Pro. 16.7 Psal 8.13 Rom. 13.1 1. Pet. 5.7 Psal 118.6 Psam 21.4