Most fruitful [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martyr Vermil Florentine, professor of divinity,…Most fruitfull [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martir Vermil Florentine, professor of deuinitie,…

for the which cause the Romans created often times both Emperors & also Dictators. So god when the Israelites were most grievously oppressed of their enemies, judged it mete to deliver them and bring them to liberty, he evermore stirred up some one man by his spirit, whom he endued with noble virtues, strength of body, warlike art and other gifts mete for that purpose which should be brought to pass, by whose industry & good success the people might be delivered from tyrants.

for ye which cause ye Romanes created often tymes both Empe•ors & also Dictators. So god whē ye Israelites wer most greuously oppressed of their enemies, iudged it mete to deliuer them and bring thē to libertie, he euermore stirred vp some one man by his spirit, whom he endued with noble vertues, strēgth of body, warlike arte and other gifts mete for that purpose which shuld be brought to passe, by whose industry & good successe the people might be deliuered from tyrantes.

Between foreign nations and the Israelites in this similitude,¹ this difference is to be marked. Emperors and Dictators were appointed and chosen of men. But the judges of the Hebrews were not declared by the voices of men,² but by the ordinance & inspiration of god. They could not be properly called captains or kings or else lords, Posterity or succession was here of no force, neither was there a regard to one particular tribe or family, neither was there required the election of man or the common assent of the people. In humane public weals these use to take place, but God in this his public weal preferred whom he pleased to be judge in the government of things. Besides that, they which are chosen by the common voice of men must first be endued with excellent strength & virtues, but god made those whom he decreed to be Judges & setters at liberty of the Israelites, notable and most excellent upon the sudden, though they were never so much rude and unmeet of nature. And that this is true, witnesseth the 2. chapter of this book where it is thus written, God raised them up Judges, which delivered them out of the hands of their oppressors. &c. And thereunto is added when the Lord had raised them up a judge, he was with the judge, and delivered Israel all the days of his life. Moreover these men in time of their authority were not in deed Lords over the Israelites, but only wrought with authority, admonition, counsel and exercising warlike travails. This is made plain by that that Gideon as it is written in the .8. chap: when he had gotten the victory over the Midianites, when it was offered him to be king over Israel he refused it. For the people said unto him: Reign thou over us and thy son. By the which words they did not give the kingdom only unto him, but also to his posterity. But he would none of it, yea he answered them thus. I will not reign over you, God shall reign over you. And it is written in the first book of Samuel that God said unto the Prophet, They have not cast thee away but me,