The truth of the times vindicated whereby the lawfulness of Parliamentary proceedings in taking…The truth of the times vindicated whereby the lawfulnesse of Parliamentary procedings in taking…

Where we shall see, that the whole power of appointing and setting a King over them, was given unto that people (as other Nations had it) by God himself. For first, God directing them herein, doth not say thus: When thou dwellest in the land which I shall give thee, Take heed that thou do not set a King over thee, which thing belongs not to thee; but as a matter belonging to the people, he saith, when thou shalt say, I will set a King over me, be sure that he be a good one, and such as is pleasing to me. Secondly, In that he doth take away the power from them of making a stranger, he granteth them a power to make a brother, as^l Mendoza well observes. Now saith God to them, thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother. Thirdly, what can be more plain then the words themselves? In the 15. verse the words are reduplicated, Ponendo pones, according to the Hebrew, in placing thou shalt place: And that there might be no mistake in the matter, God is pleased to explain the former word [Greek or Hebrew], which we translate, set or place, by an afterward in the •5. verse, [Greek or Hebrew], which signifies to give, Thus, thou mai•st not give a stranger over thee, so that setting and giving in these two verses, are all one, showing that is firstly in the people to set or give a power unto others to rule over them. Secondly the Apostle Peter calais this civill power [Greek or Hebrew]. Now it is not therefore called so, only because it concerns men, or because it is conversant about men, or appointed for the good of men: for then the government^m of the Church also should be so called but because the way of governing is raised appointed, established by ⟨p. 7⟩man himself, as is observed out of Oecumeniusⁿ. Thirdly, this derivation of authority from the people will appear also, if men do seriously consider the state of Jewish government. There was no people nnder heaven whom God did so immediately reign over, as their King; yet if we observe those Kings that were the most immediately appointed by God himself, we shall find the intervening choice of the people, insomuch as it is said of Saul expressly, that the people did choose him,