For she saith not, I being thy princes, thy mistress, thy sovereign Jadie and queen, command the upon thine allegiance, and under pain of treason to go, and gather an army. No, she spoileth her self of all power to command, attributing that authority ⟨image 45⟩to God, of whom she had her revelation and certitude to appoint Barak captain, which after appeareth more plainly. For when she had declared to him the hole counsel of God, appointing unto him as well the number of his soldiers, as the tribes, out of which they should be gathered: and when she had appointed the place of the battle, (which she could not have done, but by especial revelation of God) and had assured him of victory in the name of God, and yet that he fainted and openly refused, to enter in to that journey except that the prophetess would accompany him, she did use against him no external power, she did not threaten him with rebellion and death, but for assurance of his faint hart and weak con science, being content to go with him, she pronounceth, that the glory should not be his in that journey, but that the Lord should sell Sisera in to the hand of a woman. Such as have more pleasure in light then in darkness, may clearly perceive, that Debora did usurp no such ⟨p. 45⟩power nor authority, as our queens do this day claim. But that she was endued with the spirit of wisdom, of knowledge, and of the true fear of God: and by the same she judged the facts of the rest of the people. She rebuked their defection and idolatry, yea and also did redress to her power, the injuries, that were done by man to man. But all this, I say, she did by the spiritual sword, that is, by the word of God, and not by any temporal regiment or authority, which she did usurp over Israel. In which, I suppose, at that time there was no lawful magistrate, by the reason of their great affliction. For so witnesseth the history, saying: And Ehud being dead, the Lord sold Israel in to the hand of Jabin king of Canaan. And he by Sisera his captain afflicted Israel greatly the space of twenty years. And Debora her self, in her song of thanks giving, confesseth that before she did arise mother in Israel, and in the days of Jael, there was nothing but confusion and trouble.
For she saith not, I being thy princes, thy maistresse, thy souereine Jadie and quene, commande the vpon thine allegeance, and vnder pain of treason to go, and gather an armie. No, she spoileth her self of all power to commande, attributing that authoritie ⟨image 45⟩to God, of whom she had her reuelation and certitude to apoint Barak capitain, whiche after appeareth more plainlie. For when she had declared to him the hole counsel of God, apointing vnto him as well the nombre of his souldiors, as the tribes, owt of which they shuld be gathered: and whē she had apointed the place of the batel, (whiche she coulde not haue done, but by especiall reuelation of God) and had assured him of victorie in the name of God, and yet that he fainted and openlie refused, to entre in to that iourney except that the prophetesse wold accompanie him, she did vse against him no external power, she did not threaten him with rebellion and death, but for assurance of his faint hart and weake cō science, being content to go with him, she pronounceth, that the glorie shulde not be his in that iourney, but that the Lord shuld sell Sisera in to the hand of a woman. Such as haue more pleasure in light then in darknes, may clearlie perceiue, that Debora did vsurpe no such ⟨p. 45⟩power nor authoritie, as our quenes do this day claime. But that she was indued with the spirit of wisdome, of knowledge, and of the true feare of God: and by the same she iudged the factes of the rest of the people. She rebuked their defection and idolatry, yea and also did redresse to her power, the iniuries, that were done by man to man. But all this, I say, she did by the spirituall sworde, that is, by the worde of God, and not by any temporall regimēt or authoritie, whiche she did vsurpe ouer Israel. In which, I suppose, at that time there was no laufull magistrate, by the reason of their greate affliction. For so witnesseth the historie, saying: And Ehud being dead, the Lorde sold Israel in to the hand of Iabin king of Canaan. And he by Sisera his capitain afflicted Israel greatlie the space of twentie yeares. And Debora her self, in her song of thankes geuing, confesseth that before she did arise mother in Israel, and in the dayes of Iael, there was nothing but confusion and trouble.
