Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now let us come to that which is set down here concerning Appeals. If there rise any difficult & doubtful case, between cause and cause, wound and wound, or blood and blood. As if he should say, if there be any cause either criminal or civil whereof there riseth doubt, and men cannot decide it by giving definitive sentence on it: let them resort to the high court. We see then that Appeals are ordained as well for matters of life & death, as for matters of trespass. And now let us see whither God would have men to appeal. To Jerusalem. True it is that he doth not as yet name the place, because it was not appointed out at that time. But he saith, Thou shalt go up. And Moseses speaking after that manner, was after a sort in way of prophecy, because the situation of Jerusalem was higher than all the rest of Jury. But until the Ark was set there, it behooved them to resort to the place where that was. Again, here is no speaking of the king. For the time was not yet come that God would set up a kingdom among that people: it was to be stablished in the person of David. Yet notwithstanding there were always Judges, accordingly as we see how Joshua succeeded Moses, and consequently the rest of the Judges unto Samuel, at which time the people would needs change their state. Therefore unto Samuel's time, there was this order among them, that God raised up certain Judges in Israel, which represented the state of a king until the kingdom was stablished. That is the thing which Moses meant in this sentence, when he said, that men should resort to the Judge which should be at that time in Israel.

Now let vs come to that which is set downe here concerning Appeals. If there rise any difficult & doutful case, betweene cause and cause, wound and wounde, or bloud and bloud. As if he should say, if there bee any cause either criminall or ciuile whereof there riseth doubt, and men cannot decide it by giuing definitiue sentence on it: let thē resort to the high courte. We see then that Appeales are ordeined as wel for matters of life & death, as for matters of trespasse. And now let vs see whither God woulde haue men to appeale. To Ierusalem. True it is that he doth not as yet name the place, because it was not appointed out at yt time. But he sayth, Thou shalt go vp. And Moseses speaking after that manner, was after a sort in way of prophesie, because the cituation of Ierusalem was higher than all the rest of Iurie. But vntill the Ark was set there, it behooued them to resort to the place where that was. Againe, here is no speaking of the king. For the time was not yet come that God would set vp a kingdome among that people: yt was to be stablished in the person of Dauid. Yet notwithstanding there were alwaies Iudges, accordingly as wee see how Iosua succeeded Moses, and consequently the rest of the Iudges vnto Samuel, at which time ye people would needes change their state. Therefore vnto Samuels time, there was this order among them, that God raised vp certaine Iudges in Israel, which represented ye state of a king vntil the kingdom was stablished. That is ye thing which Moses meant in this sentence, when he saide, yt men should resort to the Iudge which should be at that time in Israel.