The Sovereign Power of Parliaments Part 4, Appendix · Part 8 (1 of 4)
The Kings of the Gentiles, Iſrael, and Iudah.
Now leaſt any ſhould object, that all the forecited Examples and Authorities are but humane, and no convincing evidences to ſatisfie the Conſcience, That whole Kingdoms, States, and Parliaments are above their kings, and of greater power then they, I ſhall therefore (to cloſe up this Poſterne Gate of Evaſion) conclude with Scripture Preſidents, ratifying this truth beyond all contradiction. To begin with Heathen kings and States therein recorded. I read in the 1 Sam. 29. and 1 Chro. 12. 19. That when David with his men offered to go with Achiſh and the Philiſtines againſt King Saul (his Soveraign) and the Iſraelites to Battell, and paſſed on in there reward with Achiſh; the Princes of the Philiſtines ſeeing it, ſaid, What do theſe Hebrews here? To whom Achiſh anſwered, Is not this David the ſervant of Saul King of Iſrael, which hath been with me theſe years, and I have found no fault in him ſince he fell unto me unto this day? Hereupon the Princes of the Philiſtines were wroth with him, and taking advice together, ſaid to their King Achiſh, Make this fellow returne that he may goe again to his place which thou haſt appointed him, and let him not go down with us to Battell, lest in the Battell he be an adverſary to us; for wherewith ſhould he reconcile himſelf to his Maſter? ſhould it not be with the Heads of theſe men? Is not this David, of whom they ſang one to another in dances, ſaying, Saul ſlew his thouſands, and David his ten thouſands? Then Achiſh called David, and ſaid unto him, Surely as the …ord liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and coming in with me in the Hoſt is right in my ſight, for I have not found evill in thee ſince the day of thy coming; nevertheleſſe the Lords favour thee not; wherefore now return and go in peace, that thou diſpleaſe not the Lords of the Philiſtines,. And when David replied, What have I done, &c. that I may not fight againſt the Enemies of my Lord the King? Achiſh anſwered him, I know thou art good in my fight as an Angell of God, notwithſtanding the Princes of the Philiſtines have ſaid, HE SHALL NOT GOE VP WITH VSUS TO BATTELL; wherefore riſe up early in the morning with thy Maſters ſervants that are come with thee, and aſſoon as ye have light, depart; whereupon they returned. Here we ſee the Lords of the Philiſtines did peremptorily overrule their king againſt his will, who durſt not contradict them; therefore they had a Power ſuperiour to his: as will further appear by 1 Sam. 5. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. and ch. 6. 1, to 13. where when the Ark of God was taken by the Philiſtines, the Lords and People of the Philiſtines (not the King) met, conſulted, and ordered, how it ſhould be removed from place to place, and at laſt ſent it back again. So Ahaſuerus the great Perſian Monarch, was adviſed, over-ruled by his Councell of State, as appeareth by the caſe of Queen Vaſhti, Eſter 1. and what his Princes thought meet to be done, that he decreed and proclaimed, verſe 19, 20, 21, 22. So Artaxerxes king of Perſia did all things of moment, by the adviſe of his Counſellors and Princes, Ezra 7. 28. and Chap. 8. 25. Great Nabuchadnezzar King of Babylon, (Dan 3. 2, 3. 24. chap. 4. 32, to 36.) was for his pride driven from men, put to eat graſſe with Oxen for aſpace, till he knew that the most High ruleth in the Kingdoms of men. After which his underſtanding and reaſon returned to him, and the glory of his Kingdom, and his Councellors and Lords ſought unto him, and eſtabliſhed him in his Kingdom, he being over-ruled and counſelled afterwards by them. So Daniel 6. Darius King of the Medes and Perſians, was over-ruled by his Lords and Princes, even againſt his will, to Signe a Decree, and to cast Da…iel into the Lyons Den for breach of it; and though the King were ſore diſpleaſed with himſelf for Signing this Decree, and ſet his heart on Daniel, and laboured till the going down of the Sun to deliver him; yet the Princes aſſembling and telling the King,aDan. 6. 14. to 20. Know O King, that the Law of the Medes and Perſians is, that no Decree nor Statute which the King eſtabliſheth, (by the advice of his Nobles) may be changed, (to wit, by the king alone, without their adviſe: a clear evidence, that the greateſt Perſian Monarchs were ſubject to the Laws of their Kingdoms, as well as other Princes;) Whereupon the King commanded, and they brought Daniel and caſt him into the Den of Lyons, and a ſtone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the Den, and the King Sealed it with his own Signet, and with the Signet of the Lords, THAT THE PVRPOSE MIGHT NOT BE CHANGED concerning Daniel. Here this great king was even againſt his will conſtrained to be ſubject both to his Laws and Lords The like we read of Pharaoh king of Egypt, Exod. 1. 8, 9, 10, 11. who conſulted with his people how to oppreſſe the Iſraelites, as being unable to do it without their conſents And Exod. 10. Pharaohs Councellors and Lords, (after ſundry Plagues on the Land) ſaid unto him, How long ſhall this man (Moſes) be a ſnare unto us? Let the men go that they may ſerve the Lord their God; Knoweſt thou not that Egypt is deſtroyed? Whereupon Moſes and Aaron were brought before Pharaoh, who ſaid unto them, Go ſerve the Lord your God. And Eſay 19. 11. to 16. Surely the Princes of Zoan are fool… the counſell of the wiſe Counſellors of Pharaoh is become brutiſh: They have alſo ſeduced Egypt, even they that are the ſtay of the Tribes thereof. They then had an overruling power above their kings. So the great King of Nineveh, Ionah 3. 7, 8, 9. proclaimed and publiſhed a generall faſt thorowout the City, by the Decree of the King, and of his great men, making no publike Laws, but by their advice and aſſents. In like manner we read in the 2 Sam. 5. 3, 4, 5. That the Princes of Hanun King of the Ammonites co…ſelled and overruled him (out of overmuch ſuſpition) to abuſe Davids meſſengers ſent to him in love. And in the 1 Kings 22. 47. There was then no King in Edom, a Deputy was King; the kingdom appointing a Deputy then to rule them in ſtead of a king, and giving him royall authority: And in the 2 Kings 8. 22. 2 Chron. 21. 8. In the dayes of Ioram, Edom revolted from under the hand of Iudah (which had conquered it) and MADE A KING OVER THEMSELVES: and though Ioram ſmote the Edomites, who encompaſſed him, yet they revolted from under the hand of Iudah till this day: The electing and conſtituting of a king being in their own power. See Gen. 23. 3. to 20. and c. 34. 20. to 25. to like purpoſe.
Theſe being all Pagan Kings and States, I come to the Iſraelites themſelves; wherein for my more orderly proceeding, and refutation of the many groſſe erronious Aſſertions of * Court Doctors and Royalliſts touching the eſtate and Soveraignty of their Kings, whom they would make the world beleeve to be abſolute Monarchs, ſubject to no Laws, to derive all their royall authority from God alone, and no wayes from the people; to be meerly hereditary and elective, to be above all their people, irreſiſtible in their Tyrannicall wicked proceedings, and no wayes ſubject to their Realms and Congregations overruling controll, much leſſe to their defenſive oppoſitition or deprivation; I ſhall digeſt the whole Hiſtory of their Kings and Kingdoms Iuriſdictions and power into theſe enſuing propoſitions, which I ſhall clearly make good out of Scripture, as I propound them in their order.
Firſt, That the originall Creation and Inſtitution of the Iſraelites Kings and Kingdoms proceeded onelyonly from the power and authority of the people, and that ſolely by Divine permiſſion, rather then inſtitution: This is moſt apparent by Deuter. 11. 14, 15. When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and ſhalt poſſeſſe it and dwell therein, and ſhalt ſay, I WILL SET A KING OVER ME, like as ALL THE NATIONS THAT ARE ABOVT ME; THOƲ SHALT in any wiſe SET HIM KING OƲER THEE, whom the Lord thy God ſhall chuſe; one from among thy brethren SHALT THOV SET OVER THEE, THOV MAIST NOT SET A STRANGER OVER THEE, which is not thy Brother. Where God himſelf by way of *See Cunaeus de Repub. Heb. l 1. c. 14.propheſie of what afterwards ſhould come to paſſe, expreſly declares, firſt, that the primary motion of changing the government of the Iews from Iudges and an Ariſtocracy into a Kingdom, ſhould proceed from the peoples inclination, as the words, and ſhalt ſay, I will ſet a King over me, &c. import. Secondly, that the authority to change the Government into a Regality, to creat and make a King, reſided in, and the authority of the King proceeded meerly from the people, as the words, I will ſet a King over me, Thou ſhalt ſet him over thee; (four times recited in two Verſes;) manifeſt beyond diſpute. Thirdly, that all Nations about them who had Kings, had the like power to create and make their kings, as the words, Like as all the Nations that are about me, witneſſe. All which is evi…ently confirmed by Ioſephus, Antiqu. Iudaeorum, l. 4. c. 8. by Carolus Sigonius de Repub. Hebraeorum, l. 7. c. 3. Bertram, Cunaeus,*Ius. Regium Heb. Schikardus, and *See Steph. Iunius Brutus, Vindic. Contra Tyranno…, q. 3. p. 83. …0. 92. De Iure Magiſtr. in Subditos. p. 272. 273.divers Commentators on this Text: The Hiſtory of the change of their State into a Kingdom, and of their Iudges into kings, added to this Propheſie and precept, will leave no place for any ſcruple. We read in the 1 Sam. 8. that the people growing weary of Samuels government who judged them, by reaſon of the ill government of his ſonnes, who tooke Bribes, and perverted judgement; thereupon ALL THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and ſaid unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy ſons walk not in thy wayes, now MAKE VSUS A KING TO IVDGE VSUS LIKE ALL THE NATIONS: But the thing diſpleaſed Samuel, when they ſaid, Give us a King to judge us; and Samuel prayed unto the Lord; And the Lord ſaid unto Samuel, HEARKEN VNTOUNTO THE VOYCE OF THE PEOPLE IN ALL THAT THEY SAY VNTOUNTO THEE; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me that I ſhould not reign over them; According to all the works that they have done ſince the day that I brought them out of Egypt, even unto this day; wherewith they have forſaken me, and ſerved other gods, ſo do they alſo unto thee: Now therefore hearken to their voyce; howbeit, yet protest ſolemnly unto them, and ſhew them the manner of the King that ſhall reign over them. And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a King; and he ſaid, This will be (not ought to be) the manner of the King that ſhall reign over you, he will take your ſons, and appoint them for himſelf, &c. and ye ſhall be his ſervants: and ye ſhall crie out in that day becauſe of YOVR KING WHICH YE SHALL HAVE CHOSEN YOV, and the Lord will not hear you in that day. Nevertheleſſe, the people refuſed to obey the voyce of Samuel, and they ſaid, Nay, BVT WE WILL HAVE A KING OƲER ƲS, that we alſo may be like all the Nations, and that our King may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battels. And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and rehearſed them in the ears of the Lord: And the Lord ſaid unto Samuel, Hearken unto their voyce, and make them a King. After which, when God had appointed Saul to be their King,b1 Sam 12. 12, 13, to 20. Samuel called the people together unto the Lord in Mizpeh, and recapitulating the great duplicate page duplicate page deliverances God had done for them, added, And ye have this day rejected your God, who himſelf ſaved you out of all your adverſities and tribulations, and ye have ſaid unto him, Nay, BVT SET A KING OVER ƲS, &c. And Samuel ſaid unto all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath choſen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people ſhouted and ſaid, God ſave the King. After which he c1 Sam. 12. 12, 13. to 20.expoſtulated again with them thus, And when ye ſaw that Nahaſh King of the Children of Ammon came againſt you, ye ſaid unto me, Nay, BVT A KING SHALL REIGN OVER VSUS, when the Lord was your King; Now therefore behold the KING WHOM YE HAVE CHOSEN, AND WHOM YE HAVE DESIRED, &c. that ye may perceive and ſee that your WICKEDNESSE is great which ye have done in the ſight of the Lord, IN ASKING YOV A KING. And all the people ſaid unto Samuel, Pray for thy ſervants unto the Lord thy God that we die not, for we have added unto all our ſins this evill, TO ASK A KING. Which compared, with Hoſ. 13. 10, 11. I will be thy King, where is any other that may ſave thee in all thy Cities? and thy Iudges of whom thou ſaidst, GIVE ME A KING AND PRINCES? I gave thee a King in mine anger, and tooke him away in my wrath: with Acts 13. 21. And afterward THEY DESIRED A KING, and God gave them Saul the ſon of Cis, by the ſpace of forty years. All theſe concurring ſacred Texts will infallibly demonſtrate, that this change of the Iudges into Kings, and the originall creation of their Kings and kingdoms proceeded only from the importunity and authority of the people, who would not be gainſaid herein, not from Gods inſtitution, or Samuels approbation, who cenſured and diſavowed this their motion, though they at laſt condeſcended to it; all which is elegantly related, confirmed by Ioſephus, Antiqu. Iudaeorum, l. 6. c. 4, 5, 6, 7. By all this it is apparent, that the congregation and people of the Iews had the Soveraign power in themſelves, as well as other Nations, becauſe the authoritie to alter the whole frame of their former Ariſtocraticall Government into a Monarchy, reſided in them, though they were taxed forchanging it in Samuels dayes, who had ſo juſtly, ſo uprightly judged them.
Secondly, it is apparent, that the Iudges and kings of the Iſraelites were not properly hereditary, but oft elective by the people: and though God did ſometimes immediately nominate the perſons of thoſe that ſhould reign over them, as is apparent by Saul, David, Ieroboam, Iohn, others; yet the people did conſtantly confirm, make them kings, and gave them their royall authority, none being made kings by Divine appointment, but ſuch as they willingly accepted, approved, confirmed for their kings; Gods previous deſignation being but a preparative to their voluntary free (not reſtrained or limited) election. The firſt king among the Iſraelites (though but over part of them) was Abimelech the ſon of Ierubbaal, who was made king by the peoples election, Iudges, 9. 1, to 7. who having perſwaded thoſe of Sechem to elect him for their king, thereupon ALL THE MEN of Sechem gathered together, and ALL THE HOVSE of Millo went and MADE ABIMELECH KING: whence Iotham thus upbraided them and him, Verſe 14. to 19: Then ſaid all the trees unto the Bramble, come thou and reign over us: And the Bramble ſaid unto the trees, If in truth ye annoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my ſhadow, &c. Now therefore if ye have done truly and ſincerely in that YE HAVE MADE Abimelech KING, &c And that ye have riſen up againſt my fathers houſe this day, and have MADE Abimelech king, &c. We read Iudg. 8. 21, 23. that after Gideon had ſlain Zebah and Zalmunna, with the Midianites, The men of Iſrael ſaid unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou and thy ſons, and thy ſons ſon alſo, for thou haſt delivered us from the hand of Midiar. And Gideon ſaid unto them, I will not rule over you, neither ſhall my ſon rule over you, the Lord ſhall rule over you. Where we clearly ſee, the power and right to elect a Ruler, and to limit the government to him and his Iſſue, for three Generations only, to reſide in the peoples free election. So Iudges 10. 17, 18. and Chap. 11. 1. to 12. When the Children of Ammon were gathered together and encamped againſt Gilead, the people and Princes of Gilead ſaid one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight againſt the children of Ammon, he ſhall be Head over all the Inhabitants of Gilead. And the Elders of Gilead went to fetch Iephthah out of the Land of Tob, and ſaid unto him, Come and be our Captain that we may fight with the Children of Ammon, and be our Head over all the inhabitants of Gilead: VponUpon promiſe of which dignitie, he went with them to Gilead; and THE PEOPLE MADE HIM HEAD AND CAPTAIN OVER THEM. That the election and making of their Kings belonged of right to all the people, is paſt diſpute, being ſo reſolved by God himſelf, Deuter. 17. 14, 15. When thou art come into the land, &c. and ſhalt ſay, I WILL SET A KING OVER ME, like as all the Nations that are about me, THOV ſhalt in any wiſe SET HIM KING OVER THEE whom the Lord thy God ſhall chooſe; one from among thy Brethren ſhalt THOV SET OVER THEE, THOV MAIST NOT SET A STRANGER OVER THEE: Where the power of creating and electing the King, is left wholly to the peoples free choice, with theſe generall reſtrictions, that he ſhould be one of their brethren, not a ſtranger, and particularly qualified as is there expreſſed. And though God did ſometime deſign and nominate their Kings, yet he left the power of approbation and ratification of them free to the people, as is apparent by 1 Sa. 8. 18. And ye ſhall crie in that day, becauſe of the King WHICH YE SHALL HAVE CHOSEN you. Hence Saul their firſt King, though nominated and deſigned by God and Samuel, was yet approved, confirmed and made King by the People. Who ſhouted and ſaid, God ſave the King, when Samuel preſented him to them; 1 Sam. 10. 24.d1 Sa…. 11, 12, 13, 14. But the children of Belial deſpiſing and bringing him no preſents, Verſe 27. after Saul had conquered the Ammonites, who beſieged Iabeſh Gilead; The people ſaid unto Samuel, who is he that ſaid, Shall Saul Reign over us? bring the men that we may put them to death. Then Saul ſaid, There ſhall not a man be put to death this day; for this day the Lord hath wrought ſalvation in Iſrael. Then ſaid Samuel to the people, Come let us go to Gilgal, and renew the Kingdom there. And ALL THE PEOPLE went to Gilgal, and there THEY MADE SAVL KING before the Lord in Gilgal: Where Samuel uſeth this ſpeech to the people, concerning Saul,e1 Sam. 12. … Now therefore behold THE KING WHOM YE HAVE CHOSEN, and whom Ye have deſired, the Lord hath ſet a King over you: (So that the choice and election of him, was as well theirs as Gods:) And Verſe 25. he calls him Your King, becauſe choſen and made by, as well as for the people.
Saul being ſlain by his owne hands, the Crown deſcended not to his ſonne by way of deſcent, but David ſucceeded him by Gods deſignation, and the Peoples election too; by whoſe authority he was made and crowned king, being formerly *1 Sam. 16. 1. to 14.annointed by Samuel to ſucceed Saul. This is irre…ragable by the 2 Sam. 2. 4. Where David going up to Hebron by Gods direction, the men of Iudah came, and there They Annointed David King over the Houſe of Iudah. After which 2 Samuel. 5. 1.
105. ALL THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL came to David to Hebron, and ſpake ſaying, Behold we are thy bone and thy fleſh. Alſo in time paſt, when Saul was King over us, thou waſt he that leddeſt out and broughteſt in Iſrael; And the Lord ſaid to thee: Thou ſhalt feed my people Iſrael, and thou ſhalt be a Captain over Iſrael. So AL THE ELDERS of Iſrael came to the King at Hebron, and King David made a League (or Covenant) with them before the Lord; and THEY ANNOINTED DAVID KING OVER ISRAEL. And in the 1 Chron. 12. 23. to 40. Wee have a particular recitall of the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the Warre, and came to David to Hebron to TƲRN the Kingdome of Saul TO HIM; and came with a perfect heart to Hebron TO MAKE DAVID KING OVER ALL ISRAEL; and ALL THE REST alſo of Iſrael were OF ONE HEART TO MAKE DAVID KING: Whoſe title to the Crown being afterward ſhaken by his ſonne Abſalom, who cunningly uſurped it, (and that by the election of the people too; as is evident by Huſhai his ſpeech unto him, 2 Sam. 16. 18. Nay, but whom the Lord, and THIS PEOPLE, AND ALL THE MEN OF ISRAEL CHOOSE, his will I be, and with him I will abide, compared with 2. Sam. 29. 9, 10. And all THE PEOPLE were at ſtrife thorow all the Tribes of Iſrael, ſaying; Abſalom whom WE ANOINTED OVER ƲS is dead, &c. A cleare evidence the kingdome was then held elective, and that the people had the Soveraign power of electing and creating their kings;) f2 Sam. 19. 9. to 43.all the people throughout all the Tribes of Iſrael and the men of Iudah, to re-establiſh David in his Throne, being fled out of the Land, ſent this Meſſage to him; Returne thou and all thy ſervants: Whereupon the King returned, and all the Tribes went as farre as Iordan to meet and bring him back again to Gilgal.
David growing old, his ſon g1 King. 1. 5. to 13.Adonijah, againſt his conſent, accompanied with ſome great Officers and Courtiers of his party, uſurped the Crown, and was by them ſaluted King; but David hearing of it, by Gods election and choiſe, commanded Solomon (though not his eldeſt ſonne) to be annointed and proclaimed King, and to ſit upon his Throne in his life time: As ſoon as he was anointed and the Trumpet blew; ALL THE PEOPLE ſaid,h1 Chron. 23. 1. c. 28. 5, 6, 7, 8. c. 29. 1, 2. God ſave king Solomon. And ALL THE PEOPLE came up after him, and piped with fluits, and rejoyced with great joy, ſo that the earth rent with the ſound of them; So that all Adonijah his company forthwith deſerted him, and he and Ioab were glad to flee to the hornes of the Altar for ſhelter. After which, David aſſembled all the Princes of Iſrael, the Princes of the Tribes, the Captaines of Companies, thouſands and hundreds, the Stewards, Officers, and mighty men, with all the valiant men of his kingdome, to Ieruſalem; then he declared to all the Congregation, i1 Chron. c. 28. & 29.that God had choſen Solomon to ſit upon the Throne of the kingdome of the Lord over Iſrael, and to build him an houſe, &c. exhorting them to contribute liberally towards this building, which they did; and when they had bleſſed the Lord, and offered Sacrifices to him ALL THE CONGREGATION MADE Solomon the ſonne of David KING THE SECOND TIME, AND ANOINTED HIM unto the Lord,k1 Chron. 29. 20. to 26. TO BE THE CHIEFE GOVERNOVR (his firſt Coronation being but private without the preſence and conſent of the whole Realme, but of thoſe only then preſent in Ieruſalem:) Then Solomon ſate on the Throne of the Lord, as king, inſtead of David his Father, and ALL ISRAEL OBEYED HIM; and all the Princes, and mighty men, and likewiſe all the ſonnes of David ſubmitted themſelves to him as th…r king: after he was thus generally elected and crowned king the 2. time by all the Congregation. And after Davids death, he wasl2 Chron. 2. 1. 1 King. 2. 46. eſtabliſhed and ſtrengthened in his kingdome by the peoples voluntary admiſſion and free ſubmiſſion to him. From which Hiſtory of Solomon it is cleare. 1. That though David cauſed Solomon to be firſt crowned King privately to prevent Adonijah his uſurpation; yet hee thought that title not ſufficient without a ſecond Election, admiſſion, and Coronation of him by all the People and generall Congregation. 2. That till this his ſecond inauguration by all the people, he was not generally acknowledged, nor obeyed by all as their lawfull king. 3. That Gods and Davids deſignation of Solomon to the Crown, did not take away the peoples liberty, right and power, freely to nominate, make, and chooſe their kings; their preuious deſignation being thus accompanied with this tacit condition, that the people likewiſe ſhould freely elect, conſtitute, and crown him for their king, elſe what need of this their ſubſequent concurrent acceptance and ſecond coronation of him for their king, by all the congregation, if their conſents and ſuffrages were not neceſſary? or how could he have raigned over them as their lawfull king, had not the people generally choſen, accepted, admitted him for their Soveraigne?
Solomon deceaſing, m1 King. 12. 2 Chron. c. 10. v. 11.Rehoboam his eldeſt ſonne went up to Sechem: (what to doe? not to claime the crown by diſcent from his Father, but by election from the people, as the following Hiſtory manifeſts;) FOR ALL ISRAEL were come to Sechem TO MAKE HIM KING: if to make him king, then he was no king before they had made him, as many Divines moſt ſottiſhly averre againſt the very letter of the Text nAntiq. Iud. l. 8. c. 3.and Ioſephus; (who writes, That it pleaſed the Aſſembly of the Iſraelites there held, that HEE SHOULD RECEIVE THE KINGDOM BY THE PEOPLES CONSENT.) And Ieroboam and ALL THE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL came and ſpake unto Rehoboam, ſaying, Thy Father made our yoake grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous ſervice of thy Father, and his heavy yoake which he put upon us lighter, AND WE WILL SERVE THEE: (becauſe naturally ſubjects delight in mild Kings, who will ſomwhat deſcend from their altitudes, ſaith nAntiq. Iud. l. 8. c. 3.Ioſephus.) This was the condition they propounded to him before they would accept him for their king, and upon this condition only would they admit him to reigne over them; therefore doubtleſſe the diſpoſall of the Crown and limitation of the kings royall power reſided in all the congregation, who had authority to preſcribe their kings what equall and juſt conditions they pleaſed. And he ſaid unto them, depart yet for three dayes, then come again to me; and the people departed. Hereupon Rehoboam conſulted with the old men that ſtood before Solomon his Father, while he lived, and ſaid, how doe you adviſe that I may anſwer this people? And they ſpake unto him, ſaying; If thou wilt be A SERVANT unto this people this day, and wilt SERVE THEM and anſwer them, and ſpeak good words to them THEN THEY WILL BE THY SERVANTS FOR EVER; But he forſooke the Counſell of the old men, which they had given him, and conſulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him, and following their ill adviſe: when Ieroboam and all the People came to Rehoboam the third day, as he had appointed; the King anſwered the people roughly; and forſaking the old mens Counſell, he ſpake unto them after the Counſell of the young men, ſaying; My Father made your yoake heavy, and I will adde to your yoake; my Father chastiſed you with whips, but I will chaſtiſe you with ſcorpions. Wherefore the King HEARKNED NOT UNTO THE PEOPLE, for the cauſe was from the Lord, &c. SO WHEN ALL ISRAEL SAW THAT THE KING HEARKNED NOT VNTOUNTO THEME the People anſwered the King (through indignation with one voyce, writes Ioſephus, ſaying; What portion have we in David; NEITHER HAVE WEE INHERITANC) IN THE SONNE OF IESSE, (that is, we have not intailed our Subjection nor the inheritance of this our Realme to David and his ſeed for ever, but are ſtill free to elect what King we pleaſe;) to thy Tents O Iſrael. Now ſee to thine Houſe, David: ſo Iſrael departed to their Tent. But as for the children of Iſrael which dwelt in the Cities of Judah. Rehoboam reigned over them: (the Tribes of Iudah and Beniamin CHOOSING HIM THEIR KING BY THEIR COMMON SVFFRAGES, writes Ioſephus.) Then King Rehoboam ſent Adoram who was over the Tribute (to excuſe ſaith Ioſephus, the petulancy of his young tongue, and to appeaſe the mindes of the enraged vulgar:) And all Iſrael ſtoned him with ſtones that he dyed: therefore King Rehoboam (imagining truly, that himſelfe was ſtoned in his ſervant, and fearing leſt the once conceived hatred ſhould be poured out on his own head, tremblingly getting up into his chariot, as haſtily as he could) made ſpeed to flee to Ieruſalem.p2 King. 20. 1. to 7. So Iſrael fell away from the houſe of David unto this day. And it came to paſſe when ALL ISRAEL heard that Ieroboam was come again, that they ſent and called him unto the Congregation, AND MADE HIM KING OVER ALL ISRAEL, &c. (it being ſo preordained by God, 1 King. 12. 26. to 41.) Loe here the whole Congregation, or Parliament of Iſrael, if I may ſo ſtile it, had full and free power to reiect Rehoboam from the Crown, for refuſing to ſubſcribe to their conditions; to elect Ieroboam for their lawfull King, and erect a new Kingdome of their owne, divided ever after from that of Iudah: which action I ſhall prove anon to be lawfull, warranted by Gods owne divine authority, and no ſinne, nor rebellion at all in the People; who never admitted Rehoboam for, or ſubmitted to him as their lawfull Soveraigne. So Iehu having ſlain King Ioram, Ahabs eldeſt ſonne, ſent a Letter to Samaria where his other 70. ſonnes were brought up, to the Rulers and Elders there, wiſhing them to look out THE BEST AND MEETEST of their Maſters ſonnes, and ſet him on his Fathers throne, and fight for their Maſters houſe: But they being exceedingly afraid, ſaid; two Kings could not ſtand before him, how then ſhall w… ſtand? and ſent word to Iehu, We are thy ſervants, and will doe all that thou ſhalt bid us; WE WILL NOT MAKE ANY KING. A clear evidence that the kingdom was then elective, and that they had power to chooſe the meeteſt man (not eldeſt brother) for their king.
After this, q1 King. 16. 15, 16, 17, to 24.Zimri ſlaying Baaſha king of uſrael, and uſurping the Crown, the people then encamped about Gibbethon hearing of it, that Zimri had conſpired and alſo ſlain the King; Wherefore ALL ISRAEL MADE OMRI Captain of the Host king over Iſrael that day in the Campe, who burnt Zimri in his Palace: then were the People divided into two parts: halfe of the People followed Tibni to make him king, and halfe followed Omri: But the people that followed Omri prevailed againſt the people that followed Tibni; ſo Tibni dyed, and Omri Reigned, being made king onelyonly by the peoples free election, without any divine deſignation. So r2 King. 11. 2 Chron. 22. 10. & 23. Iese…us Antiq Iud. l. 9. c. 7.Ioaſh the ſonne of Ahaziah, when Athaliah had uſurped the Crowne and kingdome of Iudah neer ſeven yeers ſpace, was MADE KING, anointed and crowned by Iehoiadah the High Prieſt, the Captaines of hundreds, and ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND, (who rejoyced at it) when he was but 7. yeeres old, and Athaliah was apprehended, depoſed, and murthered by them as an Vſurpreſſe.
ſ2 Chron. 25 27. 28. c. 2. 61. 2 King. 14. 19. 20, 21.So Amaziah King of Iudah being ſlain by a Conſpiracie at Lachiſh ALL THE PEOPLE OF IVDAH tooke Ʋzziah who was but 16. yeers old, and MADE HIM KING inſtead of his Father.t2 King. 15. … 2 Chron. 27. 21: Ʋzziah king of Iudah being ſmitten with Leproſie unto the day of his death, dwelt in a ſeverall houſe, Iotham his ſon (in the mean time by common conſent) was over this houſe, judging the people of the Land:v2 King. 21. 23. 2 Chro. 35. 25. Ammon king of Iudah being ſlain by his own ſervants, the people of the Land ſlew all them that had conſpired againſt Ammon: And THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND MADE Ioſiah his ſonne King in his ſtead. And after x2 Chron. 36. 1. 2 king. 23. 30.Ioſiah his death, the PEOPLE OF THE LAND took Iehoabaz the ſonne of Ioſiah and MADE HIM KING in his Fathers ſtead in Ieruſalem. From all which ſacred Texts and Preſidents; as likewiſe from Hoſea 8. 4. THEY HAVE SET VP KINGS, But not by mee; THEY HAVE MADE PRINCES, and I knew it not; it is moſt apparant, that the kings of Iſrael and Iudah, were uſually elected by, and derived their Royall authority from the people, who made them kings, and received not their kingdomes and Crowns immediatly from God himſelf by a divine right: which may be further conmed by the 1. Macab. 9. 28. 29. 30. After the death of Iudas Maccabeus; all Iudas his friends came unto Ionathan his brother, and ſaid unto him, ſince thy brother Iudas dyed, we have none like to him to goe forth against our enemies: Now therefore WEE HAVE CHOSEN THEE this day TO BE OƲR PRINCE and Captain in his ſtead, that thou maiſt fight our battells. Ʋpon this Ionathan took the Government on him at that time. After Ionathans death, the People ſaid unto Simon his brother with a lowd voyce, 1 Mac. 13. 8. 9. Thou ſhalt be our Leader inſtead of Iudas, and Ionathan thy brother; fight thou our battels, and whatſoever thou commandeſt us, wee will doe. And the Iewes and Prieſts were well pleaſed that Simon ſhould be their Governour, Captain, and High Prieſt; and Simon accepted thereof, 1 Mac. 14. 41. to 49 Hence Carolus Sigonius de Repub. Hebraeorum, l. 7. c. 3. writes, That the kings of the Iſraelites were created by the Suffrages of the People; that the Kingdome of Iſrael was tranſlated to divers Families for their idolatry; that although the kingdome of Iudah were in ſome ſort hereditary, yet it was confirmed by the Suffrages of the People (which he proves by the example of Rehoboam and others) and that they obtained the Royall dignity not onelyonly by inheritance, but likewiſe by the Suffrages of the People, as every one may clearly know, who ſhall but conſider the Histories of their kings; Which plainly refutes the wild, impudent, falſe aſſertion of the Author of An Appeale to thy Conſcience, newly publiſhed, p. 13. where thus he writes: Obſervable it is, that thorowout the whole Scriptures we read not of Any King (I doubt hee never read the Scriptures, elſe he could not be ſo groſſely miſtaken) THAT WAS CHOSEN BY THE VOYCE OF THE PEOPLE: Nor of an Ariſtocracy, that is, where the Nobles govern, nor of a Democracy, that is where the people govern. And therefore let them conſider how they can anſwer it at the laſt day, who ſhall endeavour to change an hereditary kingdome into an elective, or any other forme of Government whatſoever: that the people doe properly and abſolutely make a king is falſe, &c. But had this illiterate ignoramus ſeriouſly peruſed the precedent or ſubſequent Texts here cited, with the beſt Commentators on them, or read over adviſedly, Ioſh. 22. Iudges 17. 6. c. 18. 1. c. 19. 1. c. 21. throughout; with the Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Judges, Eſther, Maccabees, the four Euangeliſts touching Chriſts arraignment and death, Acts 4. 5. 22. 23. 24. and 25 chapters or conſulted with Joſephus, Philo, Paul Eber, Godwin, Cunaeus, Sigonius, Bertrā, or any others who have written of the Jewiſh Antiquities of Republike, he could not have had the impudency to have publiſhed ſuch groſſe untruths, and ſhould have found not onelyonly divers kings in Scripture created by the voyce of the people, but an hereditary kingdom oft changed into an elective, yea into an Ariſtocraticall and no Royall government; and an Ariſtocracie and Democracy to, even among the Jews themſelves, whoſe government before their kings: was meerly Ariſtocraticall, as Ioſephus Antiqu. Jud. l. 4. c. 8. Carolus Sigonius de Repub. Hebr. l. 1. c. 5. Cunaeus, Schickardus, Bertram, Paul Eber, and all *Dee Iure Magiſtratus in ſubditos: & Iunius Brutus Vindicia contr. tyrannos qu. 1. 2. 3. paſſim.others that I have ſeen, except this Animal irrationale riſibile, punctually determine, they having no kings of their own before Saul, nor any after Zedekiah. Therefore I ſhall ſpend no more waſte paper to refute this palpable errour, ſo confidently aſſerted by pariſiticall Court Doctors, who make no conſcience of writing any, though the groſſeſt untruths, which may advance the abſolute Soveraign Arbitrary tyrannicall government of kings, to oppreſſe and inſlave the people.
Thirdly,3. that the Kings of Iudah and Iſrael were*See … Brutus Vindic. Contr. Tyran. qu. 3. 4. p. 46. to 66. 194, 165, 166. where this is largely manifeſted; & de Iure Magiſtratus in S…bditos qu. 6. p. 272. 273, 274. no abſolute Soveraign Princes, but took their Crown with and upon ſuch Divine conditions, for breach whereof they and their poſterities were oft times by Gods command, juſt judgement, and ſpeeiall approbation depoſed, diſinherited, deſtroyed, and the Crown tranſlated to other families.
This is evident by direct Scriptures, Deuter. …7. 14. to the end. Thou ſhalt in any wiſe ſet him King over thee whom the Lord thy God ſhalt chuſe; one from among thy Brethren ſhalt thou ſet King over thee; thou maiſt not ſet a ſtranger over thee, which is not thy Brother. Here is an expreſſe limitation and condition in reſpect of the perſon of the King; the conditions in regard of his royall adminiſtration follow, which are partly Negative, partly poſitive, But he ſhall not multiplie Horſes to himſelf, nor cauſe the the people to return to Egypt, &c. Neither ſhall he multiply wives to himſelf, that his heart turn not away; neither ſhall he greatly multiply to himſelf ſilver and gold. And it ſhall be when he fitteth on the throne of his Kingdome, that he ſhall write him a Copie of this Law in a Book, out of that which is before the Prieſts the Levites; and it ſhall be with him, and he ſhall read therein all the dayes of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this Law, and theſe Statutes to do them; That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aſide from the Commandment to the right hand or to the left, to the end that he may prolong his dayes in his Kingdom, he and his children in the midſt of Iſrael. Here all the kings of the Iſraelites when their kingdoms ſhould be erected, are ſtrictly bound by God himſelf to negative and poſitive conditions, upon performance whereof, they and their children ſhould prolong their dayes in the kingdom, and perpetuate their thrones in the midſt of Iſrael, and upon breach whereof they and their poſterity ſhould loſe both their lives and kingdom to; as the laſt clauſe inſinuates, and the ſubſequent Texts in direct terms averre. But what if the king ſhould violate theſe conditions, might the people lawfully reſiſt him? aAntiqu. … 8.Ioſephus in his paraphraſe on this very text, which I ſhall cite at large, reſolves they might; Truely the government of the best men (or Ariſtocraticall government) is beſt; and to live in a Republike thus adminiſtred, nor is there cauſe why you ſhould deſire any other kinde of goverment, but it is beſt, that contenting yur ſelves with this, you continue within the power of your Laws and of your ſelves: But if the deſire of a king ſhall poſſeſſe you, let there be none unleſſe he be of your ſtock, and blood, and one to whom juſtice, with other vertues, are cordiall: He whoſoever he ſhall be, let him attribute more to the lawes and unto God, than to his own wiſedome, AND LET HIM DO NOTHING WITHOUT THE HIGH PRIESTS AND SENATES ADVICE; neither may he nouriſh many wives, nor poſſeſſe very much money, and many Horſes, with the plenty of which things he may eaſily become a contemner of the laws; and if he ſhall addict himſelf to theſe things more then is meet, OBSTANDVM EST, ne potentior fiat quam rebus vestris expedit, HE IS TO BE RESISTED, leſt he become more potent then is expedient for your affairs: So he. Yea bExplanat. Artic. 42. Tom. 1. f. 84.Zuinglius with cTrue Difference between Chriſtian Subiection, &c. part. 3. p. 513, 514.B. Bilſon expreſly reſolve, that the people were bound to reſiſt, queſtion and depoſe their kings for their idolatry, and breach of theſe conditions; and that God himſelf juſtly puniſhed them for Manaſſes ſins and wickedneſſe, becauſe they reſiſted and puniſhed him not for them, as they were obliged to do; as I have dPart. 3 p. 99 100.elſwhere manifeſted, to which I ſhall refer you.
This condition moſt clearly appears in other Texts; as in the 1 Sam. 12, 13, 14, 15, 25. Where when Saul the firſt king of the Iſraelites was crowned at their earneſt importunity, againſt Gods and Samuels approbation, Samuel uſed theſe ſpeeches to them, Now therefore behold the King whom ye have choſen, and whom ye have deſired, &c. If ye will fear the Lord and ſerve him, and obey his voyce, and not rebell againſt the commandment of the Lord, then ſhall both ye and alſo the King that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God. But if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord, but will rebell againſt the voyce of the Lord, then ſhall the hand of the Lord be againſt you, as it was againſt your fathers, &c. But IF ye ſhall do wickedly, ye ſhall be conſumed both ye and your King. After this Saul being diſtreſſed by the Philiſtines, weary of ſtaying for Samuel, and preſuming to offer ſacrifice without him, hereupon e1 Sam. 1…. 13, 14.Samuel ſaid to Saul, Thou haſt done fooliſhly, for thou hast not kept the Commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee, for now would the Lord have eſtabliſhed thy kingdom upon Iſrael for ever; but NOW THY KINGDOM SHALL NOT CONTINVE, for the Lord hath choſen him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, BECAVSE THOV HAST NOT KEPT THAT WHICH THE LORD COMMANDED THEE, Lo here the breach of Gods conditions by king Saul, forfeited his Kingdom, and diſinherited his poſterity of it. So when he performed not Gods command, in utterly deſtroying Amalek, ſparing Agag and the beſt of the things; Samuel ſharply reprehending him for this offence, ſaid unto him, f1 Sam. 15. 22, 23, 26, 28, 29, 30.Behold, to obey is better then ſacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of Rams; for Rebellion (namely, king Sauls rebellion againſt Gods command, not ſubjects rebellion againſt their Prince, not ſo much as once dreamed off in this Text as Court Doctors groſly miſtake, and ſo miſerably pervert this Scripture contrary to the ſence and meaning, tranſlating it from kings to ſubjects, from king rebellion againſt God, to ſubjects rebellion againſt men) is as the ſin of Witchcraft, and ſtubbornneſſe is as iniquity and Idolatry. BECAVSE thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord, he hath alſo REIECTED THEE FROM BEING KING: I will not return with thee, for thou haſt rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord HATH REIECTED THEE FROM BEING KING over Iſrael; the Lord HATH RENT THE KINGDOM of Iſrael FROM THEE this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better then thou. Alſo the ſtrength of Iſrael will not lie nor repent, for he is not as men, that he ſhould repent; (to wit, of renting the kingdom from him) though he repented that he had made Saul king over Iſrael, becauſe he turned back from following him, and performed not his Commandments, 1 Sam. 15. 11. 35. After which g1 Sam. 16▪ to 14.God ſaid to Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, ſeeing I have reiected him from Reigning over Iſrael? Fill thine horn with Oyl, and I will ſend thee to Ieſſe the Bethlemite, for I have provided me a king among his ſons; whereupon he went and annoynted David, who ſucceeded him in the kingdom, Sauls poſterity being utterly diſinherited for his recited ſins.
After this when God ſetled the kingdom upon David and his ſeed after him, it was upon condition of obedience, and threatning of corrections even by men, if they tranſgreſſed: h2 Sam. 7. 11. to 17. Pſ 89. 32. to 47. 1 King. 8. 20.The Lord telleth thee, that he will make thee an houſe; and when thy dayes be fulfilled, and thou ſhalt ſleep with thy fathers, then I will ſet up thy ſeed after thee, which ſhall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will eſtabliſh the Throne of his kingdom for ever; I will be his father, and he ſhall be my ſon; If he commit iniquity, I will chaſtife him with the Rod of men, and with the Stripes of the Children of Men: (that is, I will not chaſten him immediately by my ſelf, but by men my inſtruments, even by Ieroboam, and his own ſubjects the ten Tribes, or other enemies whom I will raiſe up againſt him and his poſteritie, 1 Kings 11. 9, to 41.) But my mercy ſhall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee: And thine houſe and thy kingdom ſhall be eſtabliſhed for ever before thee: yet ſtill upon condition of obedience, as is moſt apparent by Davids ſpeech to king Solomon, 1 Chron. 28. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. And the Lord hath choſen Solomon my ſon, to ſet him upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord, over all Iſrael; And he ſaid to me, &c. Moreover, I will eſtabliſh his kingdom for ever, If he continue conſtant to do my Commandments, and my …udgements, as at this day. Now therefore in the ſight of all Iſrael, the Congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep, and ſeek for all the Commandmens of the Lord your God, that ye may poſſoſſe the good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your Children after you for ever. And thou Solomon my ſon, know thou the Lord God of thy father, and ſerve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing minde; for the Lord ſearcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts, If thou ſeek him, he will be found of thee, but if thou forſake him, he will caſt thee off for ever; notwithſtanding the former Covenant and eſtabliſhment, which was but conditionall, not abſolute, as the renting of the ten Tribes from his ſon, and the determining of the veryi2 Chro. c. 10. & 11. & 36. … de Repub. Hebr. l. 1. c. 9. 15. Ioſeph. Antiq. Iud l. 10 & 11. Paul Eber. Leſtate de la. Religion & Repub du peopl. Iudaeique. kingdom of Iudah it ſelf in Zedekiah, (after which it never returned any more to Davids Line) infallibly evidence. Hence we read in the 1 Kings 11. that Solomons idolatrous wives, turning away his heart from following the Lord, and drawing him to commit idolatry in his old age; hereupon the Lord grew angry with Solomon; Wherefore the Lord ſaid unto him; for as much as this is done of thee, and thou haſt not kept my Covenant and my Statutes which I have commanded thee, I will ſurely rend the Kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy ſervant; Notwithſtanding in thy dayes I will not do it, for David thy fathers ſake; but I will rend it out of the hand of thy ſon: Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom, but will give one Tribe to thy Sonne, for my ſervant Davids ſake, and for Jeruſalems ſake which I have choſen. In purſuance whereof the Prophet Ahijah rending Ieroboams garment into 12 peeces, ſaid to Ieroboam, Take thee ten peeces, for thus ſaith the Lord the God of Iſrael, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten Tribes to thee; BECAVSE THAT THEY HAVE FORSAKEN ME, and have worſhipped the Goddeſſe of the Zidonians, &c. AND HAVE NOT WALKED IN MY WAYES, to doe that which is right in mine eyes, to keep my Statuts and my judgements, as did David his Father; howbeit I will not take the whole Kingdome out of his hands; but I will make him Prince all the dayes of his life, for David my ſervants ſake whom I choſe, becauſe he kept my Commandements and my Statutes: But I will take the Kingdome out of his ſonnes hand, and give it unto thee, even ten tribes. And unto his ſonne will I give one tribe, that David my ſervant may have a light alway before me in Ieruſalem, the City which I have choſen to put my name there. And I will take thee, and thou ſhalt reigne according to all that thy ſoule deſireth, and ſhalt be King over Iſrael. (But what, without any limitation or condition at all think you? No ſuch matter:) And it ſhall be IF THOƲ WILT HEARKEN ƲNTO ALL THAT I COMMAND THEE, and wilt walk in my wayes and doe that is right in my ſight, to keep my Statutes and my Commandements, as David my ſervant did, that I will be with thee, and build thee a ſure houſe, as I built for David, and will give Iſrael to thee: And I will for this afflict the ſeed of David, but not for ever. Loe here both Kingdomes of Iudah and Iſrael, are given and entailed on David, Solomon, and Ieroboam onelyonly upon condition of good behaviour; which not performed, they ſhall be rent from either: And was this only a vain idle condition, as ſome deem the Covenants and Coronation oathes of Kings to God and their Kingdoms? Surely no, for we read experimentall verifications of them in King Rehoboam; k1 Kin. 12. 2. Chron. 10 & 11.Who anſwering all the people and Ieroboam when they came to Sechem to make him King, roughly, according to the Counſell of the young men, and threatning to adde to their yoake, inſtead of making it lighter; and hearkning not unto the people, (FOR THE CAVSE WAS FROM THE LORD, that he might perform his ſaying, which he ſpake by Abijah the Shilomite unto Ieroboam the ſonne of Nebat;) thereupon, when all Iſrael ſaw, that the King hearkned not unto them, the people anſwered the king, ſaying; What portion have we in David; neither have we inheritance in the ſon of …eſſe; to your tents O Iſrael; now ſee to thine own houſe David; ſo Iſrael departed to their tents, ſtoned Adoram who was over the tribute, whom Rehoboam ſent to appeaſe them; Whereupon Rehoboam made ſpeed to get him into his Chariot to flee to Ieruſalem: So all Iſrael fell away from the houſe of David to this day; and calling Ieroboam unto the congregation, made him King over all Iſrael: there was none that followed the houſe of David, but the tribe of Iudah onelyonly. VponUpon this revolt, when Rehoboam was come to Ieruſalem, he aſſembled all the Houſe of Iudah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and foureſcore thouſand choſen men which were Warriers to fight againſt the houſe of Iſrael, to bring the Kingdome again to Rehoboam the ſonne of Solomon: But the Word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, ſaying, ſpeake unto Rehoboam the ſonne of Solomon King of Iudah, and unto all the houſe of Iudah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, ſaying: Thus ſaith the Lord; Yee ſhall not goe up, nor fight againſt your brethren the children of Iſrael: return every man to his houſe, For this thing is done by mee. They hearkned therefore unto the Word of the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the Word of the Lord. Behold here an experimentall for feiture of a kingdome, and tranſlation of the major part of it to another family, for Solomons idolatry, executed by the peple through Gods appointment; which being fore-threatned in the generall by God himſelfe to David, and by David to Solomon in caſe he tranſgreſſed, predicted by way of menace to Solomon and Ieroboam, by God himſelfe and his Prophets after Solomons tranſgreſſion, executed by the people by Gods ſpeciall direction and approbation; and thus owned and juſtified by God in the peoples behalfe after the execution, when Rehoboam would have made war againſt them for this revolt, muſt certainly be acknowledged, not only a iuſt and warrantable action in reſpect of God himſelfe, but likewiſe of the people, unleſſe we will make God himſelfe the Author and approver of rebellion. By all which it is apparant, that Solomon and Rehoboam held their Crownes onelyonly upon condition from God, the breach whereof might and did forfeit them to the people in ſome meaſure: And ſo did Ieroboam too, hold the kingdome of Iſrael newly erected by the people after this revolt, upon the conditions of obedience, already mentioned, which being violated by hisl1 King. c. 12. & 13. ſetting up 2 calves in Dan and Bethel, out of an unwarrantable policy to keep the people from returning to Rehoboam if they went up to Ieruſalem to worſhip; this thing became ſin to the houſe of Ieroboam, even to cut it off and destroy it from off the face of the earth, 1 King. 13. 34. For Ieroboam committing idolatry with the Calves, Ahijah the Prophet ſent him this ſharp meſſage by his wife, 1 K. 14. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Go tell Jeroboam, Thus ſaith the Lord God of Iſrael, for as much as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Iſrael, and rent the Kingdom away from the houſe of David, and gave it thee, yet thou haſt not been as my ſervant David, who kept my Commandements, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that onelyonly which was right in mine eyes, but haſt done evill above all that were before thee; for thou haſt gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and haſt caſt me behinde thy backe; Therefore behold I will bring evill upon the houſe of Ieroboam, and will cut off from Ieroboam him that piſſeth againſt the wall, and him that is ſhut up and left in Iſrael, and will take away the remnant of the houſe of Ieroboam, as a man taketh away dung till it be gone: Him that dieth of Ieroboam in the the Citie ſhall the dogs eat, and him that dieth in the field ſhall the fowls of the ayre eat, for the Lord hath ſpoken it. Moreover, the Lord ſhall raiſe him up a King …ver Iſrael, who ſhall cut off the houſe of Ieroboam in that day. Neither was this an unexcuted commination, for Ieroboam dying, and m1 King. 15. 25. to 31.Nadah his ſonne ſucceding him both in his kingdom and idolatri…s, wherewith he made Iſrael to ſinne, Baaſha (by Gods juſt judgement) conſpired againſt him, ſlew him, reigned in his ſtead; and when he reigned he ſmote all the houſe of Ieroboam, ſo that be left not to him any that breathed; according to the ſaying of the Lord which he ſpake by his ſervant Abijah; becauſe of the ſins of Ieroboam which he ſinned, and which he made Iſrael ſin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the Lord God of Iſrael to anger. After which n1 …ing. 15. 34. c. 16. 1, to 14.Baaſha walking in the wayes and ſins of Ieroboam notwithſtanding this exemplary judgement of God on him and his poſteritie, the word of the Lord came to Iehu ſonne of Hannani, againſt Baaſha, ſaying, Foraſmuch as I exalted thee out of the duſt, and made thee Prince over my people Iſrael, and thou haſt walked in the way of Ieroboam, and haſt made my people of Iſrael to ſinne, to provoke me to anger with their ſins; behold, I will take away the poſterity of Baaſha, and the poſteritie of his houſe, and will make his houſe like the houſe of Ieroboam the ſon of Nebat; him that dieth of Baaſha in the City ſhall the dogs eate, and him that dieth in the field ſhall the fowls of the Ayre eate: which judgement was actually executed upon his evill ſonne king Elah, whom Zimri the Captain of his Chariots ſlew, as he was drinking himſelf drunk in the houſe of Arza Steward of his Houſe, and reigned in his ſtead; and aſſoon as he ſat in his Throne, he ſlew all the houſe of Baaſha, he left him none that piſſed againſt the wall, neither of his kinſfolks, nor of his friends. Thus did Zimri deſtroy all the houſe of Baaſha, according to the word of the Lord, which he ſpake againſt Baaſha, by Iehu the Prophet, for all the ſinnes of Baaſha, and the ſins of Elah his ſon, by which they ſinned, and by which they made Iſrael to ſinne, in provoking the Lord God of Iſrael to anger with their vanities. n1 King. c. 1…. to 22.King Omri and Ahab his ſonne going on in the ſinnes of Ieroboam, ſerving Baal to boot, perſecuting Gods prophets, putting Naboth moſt injuriouſly to death for his Vineyard, by Iezabels inſtigation, and ſetting himſelf to work evill in the ſight of the Lord, above all that were before him: Hereupon the Prophet Elijah tells him,o1 King. 21. 19. to 25. Thus ſaith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evill upon thee, and will take away thy poſterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that piſſeth againſt the wall, and him that is ſhut up and left in Iſrael, and will make thine houſe like the houſe of Ieroboam the ſon of Nebat, and like the houſe of Baaſha the ſonne of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou haſt provoked me to anger, and made Iſrael to ſinne: And of Iezabel alſo ſpake the Lord, ſaying, The Dogs ſhall eat Iezabel by the wall of Iezreel; him that dieth of Ahab in the City the Dogs ſhall eat, and him that dieth in the field ſhall the Fowls of the Ayre eate. Neither was this a vain threatning, for Ahab being ſlain at Ramoth Gilead, p1 King. …. 19. c. 22. 37. 38.the dogges licked up his blood in the place where they licked the blood of Naboth; and Iehoram his ſon ſucceeding him, both in his Throne and ſins, q2 King c. 9. & 10.God himſelf annoynted Iehu King over Iſrael, of purpoſe to execute this his vengeance againſt the houſe of Ahab and Iezabel; who in execution thereof ſlew both King Iehoram, Ahaziah King of Iudah, Iezabel, and all Ahabs ſons and poſteritie, his great men, Nobles, with all the Prieſts and worſhippers of Baal, till he left none of them remaining: For which ſevere execution of Gods Iuſtice, the Lord ſaid unto Iehu, r2 King. 10. 30.Becauſe thou haſt done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and haſt done unto the houſe of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation, ſhall ſit on the Throne of Iſrael. Which action of Iehu being thus ſpecially commanded, commended, and remunerated with ſuch a temporell reward by God himſelf, muſt queſtionleſſe be lawfull, and no Treaſon nor Rebellion in Iehu, unleſſe we will charge God to be both the Author, Approver and Rewarder of thoſe ſinnes. After this ſ2 Kings c. 12, to 16.Iehu walking in the ſins of Ieroboam, though God deprived him not for it, yet he ſtirred up Hazael to ſpoil and waſte his Countrey, during all his reigne, and the reigns of King Iehoahaz his ſon and Ioaſh his Granchilde, who ſucceeded him in his idolatries; and Zechariah the laſt king of Iehu's Race, going in his Anceſtors ſinnes, was ſlain by Shallum, who reigned in his ſtead.t2 Kin. …6. Shallum, Pekahiah, and Pekah three wicked idolatrous kings of Iſrael, were by Gods juſt judgement, ſucceſſively ſlain one of another, and by Hoſhea. So that all the Kings of Iſrael, who violated Gods Covenants and conditions annexed to their Crowns, did for the moſt part loſe their lives, Crownes, and underwent the utter extirpation of their poſterities, being totally cut off by the ſword, neither ſucceding their Parents in their Crowns nor inheritances. And though the royall Crown of Iudah continned in Davids Line till the Captivity of Zedekiah, the laſt king of his Race; yet when ever they infringed the conditions which God annexed to their Crownes, and turned Idolaters or flagitious perſons, God preſently (by way of revenge) either brought in forraigne enemies upon them, which maſtered, conquered them, and ſometimes depoſed and carried them away Captives, or made them Tributaries, as the examples of King v1 King 13. 21. to 31.Rehoboam, afflicted by Shiſhak King of Aegypt, for his ſinnes and idolatry, and by Ieroboam all his dayes, x1 King 15. 3. 7.of Ahijam,y2 Chron. 21 Iehoram,z2 Chron. 22. Alaziah,a2 Chro. 24. 17. to 27. Ioaſh,b2 Chro. 25. Amaziah,c2 Chron. 28. Ahaz, d2 Chron. 33. 2 King. 23 & 24. & 25.Manaſſeh,e2 Kin. 9. 27, 2…. 2 Chron. …2. c. 24. 24. 26. c. 25 27. 28. 2 Chron. 33. 22, to 28. Iehoahaz, Iehoiakim, Iehoiachin, and Zed…chiah, (whoſe Hiſtories, troubles, capti…ities and puniſhments you may reade at large) with others witneſſe: or elſe cauſed their own ſervants, ſubjects, enemies to riſe up againſt them, to ſlay them, as is evident by (e) King Ahaziah, Ioaſh; Amaziah, Ammon, and others. All which are unanſwerable evidences and experimentall demonſtrations, that the Kingdoms of Iudah and Iſrael were both held of God upon conditions, and that for the breach of theſe conditions they might be, and oft times were (by Gods Iuſtice on them) both lawfully deprived of their Crownes, and their poſterities, diſinherited, yea, totally cut off for ever; and in concluſion, both theſe moſt eminent Kingdoms, for the ſins of kings and people, were invaded, deſtroyed, and both Kings with people carried away captives by their enemies, into forraigne Countries, from whence the whole Nation never afterwards returned, nor ever after attained to a king and kingdom of their own: So fatall is it for Kings, or Kingdoms to break thoſe Covenants, Laws, Conditions which God himſelf hath preſcribed them; and ſo far are any Kings from being exempted from all Laws, and left at libertie to do what they pleaſe, that the breach of them proves deſtructive to them and theirs.
I ſhall onelyonly adde to this by way of Corollary, that all the Iſraelites Rulers, Kings, People did joyntly and ſeverally forfDeut. 29. 1. to …6. Ioſh 21. 14, to 29. 2 Chr. 15. 9 to 17. 1 Sam. 12. 13. to 2…. Chr c. 28, & 29, 2 Chr. 23. 3. 16. 17. themſelves for the whole Nation in generall, and every of them in particular, frequently enter into ſolemn Vowes and Covenants with God, to ſerve the Lord, to be and conttnue his people; to ſeek the Lord God fo their fathers with all their heart, and with all their ſoul; that whoſoever would not ſeek the Lord God of Iſrael, ſhould be put to death, whether ſmall or great, whether Man or Woman. (not the King or Queen excepted;) and they ſware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with ſhouting, and with trumpets, and with Cornets, and all rejoyced at the Oath, for they had ſworn with all their hearts. Witneſſe the g2 Chr. 15. 9. to ….Covenant made by Ioſhua and all the people, To ſerve the Lord; by Samuel, Saul, and all the people at Sauls Coronation, and by king Aſa and all his people, To ſeek the Lord, &c. (who in purſuance thereof removed his mother Maacha from being Queen, becauſe ſhe had made an idol in a Grove, and cut down her idol, and ſtampt it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron, 2 Chron. 15. 16. of King David, h1 Chr. c. 28. &. 29.Solomon, and all the people at Solomons Coronation; between i2 Chr. 23. 16 17. 2 King. 11. 4 17. 18.King Iehoaſh; Iehoiada and all the Congregation at his inauguration, that they ſhould be the Lords people: in purſuance whereof all the people went to the houſe of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and images in pieces, and ſlew Mattan the Prieſt of Baal before the altars; between k2 Chr. 29. 10 c. 30. 19. to 27. c. 11. 1.Hezekiah and all his ſubjects and God; betweenl2 Chr. 34. 30. 31. 32. 33. Ioſiah and all that were preſent in Ieruſalem and Benjamin and Gad, who made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his Commandments, and his Teſtimonies, and his Statutes, with all their heart, and with all their ſoul, to perform the words of the Covenant formerly written in the Book of the Covenant that was found in the houſe of the Lord; in execution whereof Ioſiah tooke away all the abominations out of all the Countrey that pertained to the children of Iſrael, and made all that were preſent in Iſrael to ſerve the Lord their God, and not to depart from following the Lord God of their Fathers all his dayes: Together with the like ſolemne publike Covenants made by mEzra 10. 3. 4Ezra,nNehem. 9. 38. 6. 10. 1, to 39. Nehemiah and all the People unto God; which Covenant the Princes, Levites, Prieſts and all the people ſealed, and entred into a Curſe and into an Oath to walk in Gods Law, and to obſerve and doe all the Commandments, …udgements and Statutes of the Lord, &c. And that God himſelf expreſly commanded them, oDeut 13. & 17.That if any Prophet or Dreamer of dreams, or thy Brother or ſon of thy Mother, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy boſom, or thy friend which is as thine own ſoul, ſhould ſecretly intice them to commit idolatry, or ſerve other gods, they ſhould neither conſent nor hearken to, nor pitty, nor ſpare, nor conceal him, but ſhalt ſurely kill him; thy hand ſhall be firſt upon him to put him to death, and after the hand of all the people, and thou ſhalt ſtone him with ſtones, that he die, onelyonly for this ſecret inticement to idolatry: And all Iſrael ſhall hear, and fear, and do no more ſuch wickedneſſe as this is. And if they ſhould hear, that the inhabitants of any City were ſeduced to ſerve other gods, then they muſt diligently ſearch and inquire after it; and if it be truth and the thing certain, that ſuch abomination was wrought among them, then they ſhall ſurely ſmite the inhabitants of that City with the edge of the ſword, deſtroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattell thereof with the edge of the ſword; and gather all the ſpoil of it into the midſt of the ſtreet thereof, and burn the City with all the ſpoile thereof every whit for the Lord their God, and it ſhall be an heap for ever, and ſhall not be built again: In purſuance whereof the pIoſh. 22. 9. to 34.ten tribes and a half, aſſembled to warre againſt the Reubenites, G…dites, and half Tribe of Manaſſeh, for their ſuppoſed idolatrous Altar; andqIudg. 20, & 21. all the children of Iſrael aſſembled together as one man, and made warre againſt the men of Gibeah and the Benjamites, for not puniſhing the groſſe Rape of the Levites Concubine, destroying the City utterly, and the Tribe of Benjamin too welnigh. And upon this ground, the City ofr2 Chr. 21. 10 11. Libnah revolted from under the hand of Iehoram the idolatrous King of Iudah, Becauſe he had forſaken the Lord God of his Fathers. And as ſome learned men conceive ſ2 King. 19. 20. 2 Chro. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.the people made a Conſpiracie againſt King Amaziah in Ieruſalem, and he fled to Lachiſh, but they ſent after him to Lachiſh and ſlew him there; tDe Iure in Magiſtratus in ſubditos, p 272. to 275.not privately but openly, as acted by publike authoritie, conſent, and medicated deliberation, not out of any private hatred, but for his impietie, whereby he violated the chiefeſt part of his Oath and Covenant; whereupon we read not of any complaint, or inquiſition, or proceedings, or puniſhment inflicted on thoſe that ſlew him after his death, either by the people, or his children, as there was upon thoſe who ſlew King Ammon; but being ſlain, they brought him back on horſes, and he was buried at Ieruſalem with his Fathers in the Citie of David, out of reverence to his royall dignity and family; And All the Pe…ple of Iudah took Azariah, and made him King in ſtead of his father Amaziah; which plainly ſhewes, that what was formerly done by the greater part of the States at Ieruſalem, was afterwards confirmed by common conſent, as done upon a juſt cauſe, and executed by command of thoſe who might lawfully doe it. Whence they conclude. That the Orders or States of the People of Iſrael had right to chuſe what King they would themſelves, out of the family of David; and being elected, afterward to correct and puniſh him as there was cauſe: that they were obliged by this Covenant made to God, both to reprehend, reſist, oppoſe, yea, depoſe, if not put to death their King for his open incorrigible idolatries and ſins, by common conſent, as their king was obliged to puniſh and put them to death for their idolatries and crimes, their kings being included within their Covenants; and Gods inhibition of idolatry under pain of capita… puniſhments, extending to Kings, as well as others, if not more then to any, becauſe duplicate page duplicate page their examples were moſt pernicious; and they were as far forth bound by their joynt Covenants made to God with their Kings to hinder their Kings from, and to proceed againſt them for their idolatries, as their kings were to impedite and puniſh them for their breach of Covenant, and becauſe God himſelf did puniſh them for their Kings idolatries, as is evedent by Ier. 15. 1, to 6. and the Hiſtory of the Kings, and Chronicles every where, which God would not in juſtice have done, had not the people both juſt right and power to reſiſt, hinder, cenſure, puniſh, depoſe their Kings by publike conſent of the State and people for their idolatries and breach of Covenant, asvExplanatio Artic 42. & lib. 4. Epiſt. Zuing & Oecol. f. 186. Zuinglius,xVindiciae contra Tyrannos, quaeſt. 2. p. 43 to 70. Stephanus Iunius Brutus, the author of the Treatiſe yPage 271. to 275.De Iure Magiſtratus in Subditos, with others, prove at large, and zInſtit. l. 4. …. 20. ſect. 31.Maſter Calvin, yea aThe True Difference, &c. part. 3. p. 513, 514.Biſhop Bilſon himſelf, aſſents to. Such a Soveraign power had the whole State and Congregation of Iſrael and Iudah over their kings themſelves, whoſe eſtates in their Crownes and Kingdoms by Gods own institution, was not abſolute, but onelyonly conditionall, and ſubject unto forfeiture, upon breach of theſe Covenants and Conditions by which they did injoy them.
Fourthly, The Kings of Iudah and Iſrael were no abſolute Soveraign Princes paramount their whole Kingdoms, the generall Congregation of the people, Senate or Sanhedrin, but inferiour to them in power, and not onelyonly counſelled, but over-ruled uſually by them in matters of publike concernment: This is evident not onelyonly by Ioſh. 22. 11. to 34. and Iudges 20. and 21. where the whole Congregation of Iſrael, as the Soveraign power, in the dayes of Ioſhua and the Iudges aſſembled about the great cauſes of the Reubenites, Gadites, and halfe the Tribe of Manaſſeh, concerning their Alter, and of the Gibeonites and Benjamites, concluding both matters of publike war and peace; But likewiſe by the peoples reſcuing Ionathan out of the hands and power of King Saul his father, that he died not, though Saul had twice vowed that he ſhould be put to death, 1 Sam. 14. 38. to 36. And the people ſaid unto Saul, Shall Ionathan die who hath wrought this great ſalvation in Iſrael? God forbid; as the Lord liveth there ſhall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he hath wrought with God this day: So the people reſcued Ionathan that he died not. By the 1 Chron. 13. 1. to 7. where thus we reade: And David conſulted with the Captains of thouſands and hundreds, and with every Leader, and David ſaid unto all the Congregation of Iſrael, If it ſeeme good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let us ſend abroad unto our brethren every where that are left in all the land of Iſrael, and with them alſo to the Prieſts and Levites which are in their Cities and Suburbs, that they may gather themſelves unto us; and let us bring again the Ark of our God to us, for we enquired not at it in the dayes of Saul. And all the Congregation ſaid, that they would do ſo, For the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. And David went up and all Iſrael to Baalah, to bring up thence the Arke of God the Lord. Compared with the 1 Samuel 18. 2, 3, 4. where when David ſent out the people to battell againſt Abſalon under three Commaunders, the King ſaid unto the people, I will ſurely goe forth with you my ſelfe alſo: But the people anſwered, *So 2 Sam. 21. 17, 18. David being like to be ſlain by Iſhbi…enoh the Gyant whom Abiſha… ſlew. The men of David ſware to him …ying Thou ſhalt go no more out with us to battell, that thou quench not the light of ….Thou ſhalt not go forth; for if we flee away, they will not care for us, neither if halfe of us die will they care for us; but now thou art worth ten thouſand of us, therefore now is better that thou ſuccour us out of the Citie: And the king ſaid unto them, Whatſoever ſeemeth you good that I will doe; and thereupon ſtayed behinde in the City, as they adviſed him. So he likewiſe followed Ioabs advice, to go forth and ſit in the gate, and ſpeak comfortably to the People after his mourning for Abſalons death, elſe not one of the People would have tarried with him that night, 2 Samuel. 19. 1. to 20. and by this means All the people came before him though they had formerly fled every man to his tent; and he ſo engaged them to him, That all the people were at ſtrife thorowout all the Tribes of Iſrael, to bring the King back again to Gilgal, whence Abſalon had chaſed him. Adde to this the 1 Kings 12. 1. to 25. and 2 Chron. c. 10. and 11. where we finde, that after Solomons death, All Iſrael came to Sechem to make Rehoboam King; and all the Congregation of Iſrael ſpake unto Rehoboam, ſaying, Thy father made our yoak grievous, now therefore make thou the grievous ſervice of thy Father, and his heavy yoak which he put upon us, lighter, and we will ſerve thee. And he ſaid unto them, Depart ye for three dayes, and then come again; and the people departed. In the mean time he conſulted firſt with the old men, after that with the young men about him, what anſwer he ſhould return; who giving contrary advice, Ieroboam and all the people coming to him again the third day, the King anſwered the people roughly, after the counſell of the young men, ſaying, My Father made your yoke heavy, and I will adde to your yoke; My Father chastiſed you with whips, but I will chaſtiſe you with ſcorpions: So when all the people ſaw that the King hearkned not to them, the people anſwered the King, ſaying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the ſon of Ieſſe, to your tents ô Iſrael; now ſee to thine own houſe David: So Iſrael departed to their Tents, and fell away from the houſe of David unto this day: And all Iſrael called Ieroboam unto the Congregation, and made him King over all Iſrael: And the Text expreſly addes this memorable obſervation, Wherefore the King hearkned not unto the people, for the cauſe was from the Lord, that he might perform his ſaying, which the Lord ſpake by Abijah the Shilonite to Ieroboam the ſon of Nebat. Where we ſee the Kings not hearkning to the people and congregation of Iſrael in their juſt requeſt, and giving them an harſh anſwer, was a ſufficient ground and occaſion for them, to caſt off his government, and elect another King to reign over them, and that with Divine approbation from God himſelf: Such was the whole peoples and congregations Soveraigne power over their Kings. We reade in the 1 Kings 20. 1. to 10. that when Benhadad king of Syria gathered a great Hoſt, and ſent to Ahab king Iſrael, to reſign up all his ſilver, gold, Wives, Children, and pleaſant things into the hand of his ſervants: Then the king of Iſrael called all the Elders of the Land, and ſaid, Heark, I pray you, and ſee how this man ſeeketh miſchief, for he ſent unto me for my Wives and for my Children, for my ſilver, and for my gold, and I denyed him not: And all the Elders, and all the people, ſaid unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor conſent. Wherefore he ſaid unto the meſſengers of Benhadad, tell my Lord the King, all that thou didſt ſend for to thy ſervant at firſt, I will do, but this thing I may not do. Where the Elders and people both adviſe and over-rule the King in this matter of great importance both to the Kingdom and King, who returned no anſwer to this publike caſe without the congregations publike adviſe. So *2 Chron. 30. 1, to 6.Hezekiah king of Iudah ſent to all Iſrael and Iudah, and wrote Letters alſo to Ephraim and Manaſſeh, that they ſhould come to the houſe of the Lord at Ieruſalem, to keep the Paſſeover unto the Lord God of Iſrael; For Hezekiah had taken counſell, and his Princes, and all the Congregation in Ieruſalem, to keep the Paſſeover in the ſecond monethmonth, for they could not keep it at that time, becauſe the people had not ſanctified themſelves ſufficiently; neither had the people gathered themſelves together at Ieruſalem; and the thing pleaſed the King And all the Congregation, So they eſtabliſhed a Decrée, to make Proclamation throughout all Iſrael, from Berſheba even to Dan, that they ſhould come to keep the Paſſeover unto the Lord God of Iſrael at Ieruſalem, for they had not done it of a long time, in ſuch ſort as it was written. So the Poſts went with the Letters from the King and the Princes, throughout all Iſrael, and Iudah, &c. verſ. 12. Alſo in Iudah the hand of God was to give them one heart to doe the Commandement of the King and of the Princes, by the word of the Lord; and verſ. 23. And the whole Aſſembly took Counſell to keep other ſeven dayes; and they kept other ſeven dayes with gladneſſe;k2 Chron. 31. …8. 1. and All the Congregation of Iudah and Iſrael rejoyced: verſ. 25. When all this was finiſhed All Iſrael that were preſent, went to the Cities of Iudah and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the Groves, and threw downe the high places and the Altars out of all Iudah and Benjamin, in Ephraim alſo and Manaſſeth, untill they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the Children of Iſrael, returned every man to his poſſeſſion into their owne City: In the 2 Chron. 32. 3. When Hezekiah ſaw that Senacherib was come, and that he was purpoſed to fight againſt Ieruſalem; He took Councell with his Princes and his mighty men, to ſtop the waters of the Fountaine which were without the City, and they did help him, and there was gathered much people together, who ſtopped all the Fountaines, &c. Adde hereunto that notable Text, Jer. 38. 4. to 28. Where when the Prophet Ieremy had prophecied, that Ieruſalem ſhould be given into the hands of the King of Babylons Army which ſhould take it; Therefore the Princes hereupon ſaid unto the King; we beſeech thee, let this man be put to death; for thus he weakneth the hands of the men of Warre that remain in this City, and the hands of all the people, in speaking ſuch words unto them; for this man ſeeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt: Then Zedechiah the King ſaid; Behold he is in your hand; For the King is not he that can doe any thing againſt you. And Jer. 26. 8. to 29. Now it came to paſſe when Ieremiah had made an end of ſpeaking all that the Lord had commanded him to ſpeake unto all the people, that the Prieſts, the Prophets, and all the people tooke him, ſaying; thou ſhalt ſurely dye, &c. So Ezra 10. 1. to 20. There aſſembled unto Ezra a very great Congregation of men, &c. And they ſaid unto Ezra, we have trespaſſed againſt our God, and have taken ſtrange wives of the people of the land; yet now there is hope in Iſrael concerning this thing. Now therfore let us make a Covenant with our God to put away all the ſtrange wives, &c. and let it be don according to the Law: and All Iſrael ſaid that they would doe according to this word. And they made Proclamation throughout Iudah and Ieruſalem unto all the children of the Captivity, that they ſhould gather themſelves unto Ieruſalem; and that whoſoever would not come within 3. dayes According to the Councell of the Princes and the Elders, all his ſubstance ſhould be forfeited, and himſelfe ſeperated from the Congregation of thoſe that had been carryed away: Then all the men of Iudah and Benjamin gathered themſelves together unto Ieruſalem, within three dayes, and all the people ſate in the ſtreet of the houſe of God trembling, …ecauſe of this matter and for the great raine. And Ezra the Priest ſtood up and ſaid unto them, Ye have tranſgreſſed and taken ſtrange wives to encreaſe the trespaſſe of Iſrael; Now therefore make confeſſion unto the Lord God of your fathers, and doe his pleaſure, and ſeperate your ſelves from the people of the Land, and from the ſtrange wives. Then All the Congregation anſwered and ſaid with a lowd voyce; As thou hast ſaid, ſo muſt we doe; but the people are many, and it is a time of much raine, and we are not able to ſtand without, neither is this a worke of one day or two; for we are many that have tranſgreſſed in this thing: let now our rulers of all the Congregation stand, and let them which have taken ſtrange wives in our Cities, come at appointed times, and with them the Elders of every City and the Iudges thereof, untill the fierce wrath of our God for this matter, be turned from us: And the Children of the Captivity did ſo. Where we ſee the whole Congregation determine and direct all that was done in this grand common buſineſſe: And Esther 9. 17. to 32. the Iewes (upon Mordecaies and Esthers Letters, after the ſlaughter of their Enemies) Ordained and took upon them and upon their ſéed, and upon all ſuch as joyned themſelves unto them, ſo as it ſhould not faile, that they would keep the 13. and 14. day of the month Adar, and make it a day of feasting and gladneſſe, according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every yeare: And that theſe dayes ſhould be kept and remembred thorowout every generation, every Family, every Province, and every City, and that theſe dayes of Purim ſhould not faile from among the Iewes, nor the memoriall of them periſh from their ſeed: And the Decree of Eſther confirmed thoſe mater of Purim, As they had decreed for themſelves and their ſéed.