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XV。 After Ioshuahs death follow the times of the Iudges
untill King Saul； in which it is manifest that the right of the
Kingdome instituted by God； remained with the High Priest。 For
the Kingdome was by Covenant Priestly； that is to say； Gods
government by Priests； and such ought it to have been untill that
form with Gods consent were changed by the people themselves：
which was not done； before that requiring a King God consented
unto them； and said unto Samuel； Hearken unto the voyce of the
people in all that they say unto thee； for they have not rejected
thee； but they have rejected me that I should not reign over
them。 1。 Sam。 8。 7。 The supreme civill power was therefore
Rightly due by Gods own institution to the High…Priest； but
actually that power was in the Prophets； to whom （being raysed by
God in an extraordinary manner） the Israelites （a people greedy
of the Prophets） submitted themselves to be protected； and
judged； by reason of the great esteem they had of Prophecies。 The
Reason of this thing； was； because that though penalties were
set； and Judges appointed in the institution of Gods priestly
Kingdome； yet； the Right of inflicting punishment； depended
wholly on private judgement； and it belonged to a dissolute
multitude； and each single Person； to punish or not to punish
according as their private zeale should stirre them up。 And
therefore Moyses by his own command punisht no man with death；
but when any man was to be put to death； one or many stirred up
the multitude against him or them； by divine authority； and
saying； Thus saith the Lord。 Now this was conformable to the
nature of Gods peculiar Kingdome。 For there God reignes indeed
where his Lawes are obeyed； not for fear of men； but for fear of
himselfe。 And truly； if men were such as they should be； this
were an excellent state of civill government； but as men are；
there is a coercive power （in which I comprehend both right and
might） necessary to rule them。 And therefore also God from the
beginning prescribed Lawes by Moyses for the future Kings。 Deut。
17。 vers。 14。 and Moyses foretold this in bis last words to the
people； saying； I know that after my death ye will utterly
corrupt your selves； and turn aside from the way that I have
commanded you； &c。 Deut。 31。 29。 When therefore according to this
prediction there arose another generation who knew not the Lord；
nor yet the works which he had done for Israel； the children of
Israel did evill in the sight of the Lord； and served Balaam；
Iud。 2。 10； 11。 to wit； they cast off Gods government； that is to
say； that of the Priest； by whom God ruled； and afterward； when
they were overcome by their enemies； and opprest with bondage；
they looked for Gods will； not at the hands of the Priest any
more； but of the Prophets。 These therefore actually judged
Israel； but their obedience was rightly due to the High Priest；
Although therefore the Priestly Kingdome after the death of
Moyses； & Ioshuah； was without power； yet was it not without
Right。 Now that the interpretation of Gods word did belong to the
same High Priest； is manifest by this； That God； after the
Tabernacle； & the Ark of the Covenant was consecrated； spake no
more in mount Sinai； but in the Tabernacle of the Covenant； from
the propitiatory which was between the Cherubims； whether it was
not lawfull for any to aproach except the High Priest。 If
therefore regard be had to the Right of the Kingdome； the supreme
civill Power； and the authority of interpreting Gods word； were
joyned in the High Priest； If we consider the fact； they were
united in the Prophets who judged Israel。 For as Iudges； they bad
the civill authority； as Prophets； they interpreted Gods word；
and thus every way hitherto these two powers continued
inseparable。
XVI。 Kings being once constituted； its no doubt but the
civill authority belonged to them； for the Kingdome of God by the
way of Priesthood； （God consenting to the request of the
Israelites） was ended； which Hierom also marks speaking of the
books of Samuel： Samuel （sayes he） Eli being dead； and Saul
slain； declares the old Law abolisht； Furthermore the Oaths of
the new Priesthood； and new Soveraignty in Zadok； and David； do
testifie； that the Right whereby the Kings did rule； was founded
in the very concession of the People。 The Priest could rightfully
do only what God had commanded； but the King had by right
whatsoever power over every man that each man by right had over
himself； for the Israelites granted him a Right to judge of all
things； and to wage warre for all men； in which two are contained
all Right whatsoever can be conceived from man to man。 Our King
（say they） shall judge us； and goe out before us； and fight our
battails； 1。 Sam。 8。 20。 Iudicature therefore belonged to the
Kings； but to judge is nothing else then by interpreting to apply
the facts to the Lawes； to them therefore belonged the
interpretation of Lawes too。 And because there was no other
written word of God acknowledged beside the Law of Moyses； untill
the Captivity； the authority of interpreting Gods word； did also
belong to the Kings； Nay； forasmuch as the word of God must be
taken for a Law； if there had been another written word beside
the Mosaicall Law； seeing the interpretation of Lawes belonged to
the Kings； the interpretation of it must also have belonged to
them。 When the book of Deuteronomie （in which the whole Mosaicall
Law was contained） being a long time lost； was found again； the
Priests indeed asked Counsell of God concerning that book； but
not by their own authority； but by the Commandement of Iosiah；
and not immediately neither； but by the meanes of Holda the
Prophetesse。 Whence it appears that the authority of admitting
books for the word of God； belonged not to the Priest； neither
yet followes it that that authority belonged to the Prophetesse；
because others did judge of the Prophets whether they were to be
held for true； or not。 For to what end did God give signes； and
tokens to all the People； whereby the true Prophets might be
discerned from the false； namely； the event of predictions； and
conformity with the Religion establisht by Moyses； if they might
not use those marks？ The authority therefore of admitting books
for the word of God belonged to the King； & thus that book of the
Law was approved； and received again by the authority of King
Iosiah； as appears by the fourth book of the Kings； 22。 23。 Chap。
where it is reported that he gathered together all the severall
degrees of his Kingdome； the Elders； Priests； Prophets； and all
the people； and he read in their eares all the words of the
Covenant； that is to say； he caused that Covenant to be
acknowledged for the Mosaicall Covenant； that is to say； for the
word of God； and to be again received； and confirmed by the
Israelites。 The civill power therefore； and the power of
discerning Gods word from the word of men； and of interpreting
Gods word even in the dayes of the Kings was wholly belonging to
themselves。 Prophets were sent not with authority； but in the
form； and by the Right of Proclaimers； and Preachers； of whom the
hearers did judge； and if perhaps these were puni