An explication of the iudiciall lawes of Moses. Plainely discovering divers of their ancient rites and customes. As in their governours, government, synedrion, punishments, civill accompts, contracts, marriages, warres, and burialls. Also their oeconomicks, (vizt.) their dwellings, feasting, clothing, and husbandrie. Together with two treatises, the one shewing the different estate of the godly and wicked in this life, and in the life to come. The other, declaring how the wicked may be inlightned by the preaching of the gospel, and yet become worse after they be illuminated. All which are cleered out of the originall languages, and doe serue as a speciall helpe for the true understanding of divers difficult texts of scriptures. ... / By Iohn Weemse, of Lathocker in Scotland, preacher of Gods word.

CHAPTER III. Why was God angry with them for choosing of a King.

1 SAM. 8. 7. And the Lord said unto Samuel hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee, for they haue not reiected thee, but they haue reiected me that I should not reigne over them.

KIngly Government being the best Government,* 1.1 why was the LORD then angry with the Iewes for choosing of a King?

He was not angry with them simply for desiring and choosing a King, but for the manner of their choise; for God was minded to haue given them a King, but they would not stay the Lords leasure, but anticipated the time; therefore the Iewes say of them, comederunt immaturam uvam, the grape was not ripe enough as yet; wee may see that God was minded to haue given them a King, Deut. 17. because he telleth them what sort of King they should choose, and what he should doe; and they say, that he gaue them three things in com∣mandement* 1.2 when they entered into Canaan; first, to choose a King; secondly, to roote out the Canaanites; and thirdly, to build a Temple for his worship: God was angry with them that they sought a King so long as good Samuel ruled over them; he was angry with them because they would haue a King to reigne over them after the manner of the Nations, Deut. 17. 14. I will set a King over me like all the Nations round about me, but thou shalt set them over thee whom the Lord thy God will choose: If they had said to Samuel, giue one to reigne o∣ver

us after thy death, because thy children are corrupt, 1 Sam. 8. 3. or giue us one who may governe us in e∣quitie; this had beene no offence to God: but simply to desire a King like the Kings of the Nations, this was their sinne, and herein they rejected not Samuel, but God himselfe, 1 Sam. 8. 7.

How was God rejected when they chose a King, [Quest.] seeing Kings reigne by him, Prov. 8. and the Kings throne is Gods throne, 1 Chro. 29. 23. & 1 King. 2. 15.

The Lord did reigne over them in both these sorts of [Answ.] Government, but when the Iudges commanded and ruled them, they had not such an absolute Government* 1.3 as when the Kings reigned over them; the Iudges might make no Lawes, nor take tribute of the people as the Kings might doe; therefore the Lords immediate Go∣vernment did more appeare when the Iudges ruled them, Iudg. 8. 23. I will not rule over you, neither shall my sonne rule over you, the Lord shall rule over you. And when they rejected Samuel here they said in effect, as the Iewes said when they disclaimed Christ, We will haue no King to reigne over us but Caesar, Ioh. 19. 15. When the Iudges* 1.4 ruled over them then Gods power did more appeare helping them by weake meanes; but when the Kings reigned over them, then Gods wisedome and his good∣nesse did more appeare in setling a government amongst them, and making their Kings types of Christ. And as in Gods miracles his power did more appeare, but in his ordinary course working by nature his wisedome and goodnesse appeared more; so in these two formes of Government, his power did appeare more when the Iudges ruled over them; but in setling the Kingly go∣vernment amongst them, his goodnesse and his wise∣dome did more appeare.

The conclusion of this is, happie is that Kingdome [Conclusion.] when the King reigneth a me, per me, & propter me: a me

when he is sent by the Lord; per me, when he is sustained and upholden by the Lord; and propter me, when he serues to glorifie God in his Kingdome.

Notes

• * 1.1

  God was not angry simply with the Iewes for choosing of a King, but because they pre∣vented the time.
• * 1.2

  Three things given in commandement to the Iewes when they ente∣red into Canaan.
• * 1.3

  The Iudges had not such absolute govern∣ment over the people as the Kings had.
• * 1.4

  Gods power did more appeare when the Iud∣ges ruled, but his good∣nesse and mercie appea∣red more when the Kings ruled.