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attention of countries which have their governments yet to form。
RENDER UNTO CAESAR THE THINGS WHICH ARE CAESAR'S is the scripture
doctrine of courts； yet it is no support of monarchical government；
for the Jews at that time were without a king； and in a state of vassalage
to the Romans。
Now three thousand years passed away from the Mosaic account of the
creation； till the Jews under a national delusion requested a king。
Till then their form of government （except in extraordinary cases；
where the Almighty interposed） was a kind of republic administered
by a judge and the elders of the tribes。 Kings they had none；
and it was held sinful to acknowledge any being under that title
but the Lord of Hosts。 And when a man seriously reflects on the idolatrous
homage which is paid to the persons of kings； he need not wonder that
the Almighty； ever jealous of his honour； should disapprove of a form
of government which so impiously invades the prerogative of heaven。
Monarchy is ranked in scripture as one of the sins of the Jews；
for which a curse in reserve is denounced against them。
The history of that transaction is worth attending to。
The children of Israel being oppressed by the Midianites； Gideon
marched against them with a small army； and victory； through the
divine interposition； decided in his favour。 The Jews； elate with
success； and attributing it to the generalship of Gideon；
proposed making him a king； saying； RULE THOU OVER US； THOU AND THY
SON AND THY SON'S SON。 Here was temptation in its fullest extent；
not a kingdom only； but an hereditary one； but Gideon
in the piety of his soul replied； I WILL NOT RULE OVER YOU；
NEITHER SHALL MY SON RULE OVER YOU _THE LORD SHALL RULE OVER YOU。_
Words need not be more explicit； Gideon doth not decline the honour；
but denieth their right to give it； neither doth he compliment them
with invented declarations of his thanks； but in the positive style
of a prophet charges them with disaffection to their proper Sovereign；
the King of heaven。
About one hundred and thirty years after this； they fell again into
the same error。 The hankering which the Jews had for the idolatrous
customs of the Heathens； is something exceedingly unaccountable； but
so it was； that laying hold of the misconduct of Samuel's two sons；
who were entrusted with some secular concerns； they came in an abrupt
and clamorous manner to Samuel； saying； BEHOLD THOU ART OLD； AND THY
SONS WALK NOT IN THY WAYS； NOW MAKE US A KING TO JUDGE US； LIKE ALL
OTHER NATIONS。 And here we cannot but observe that their motives
were bad； viz。 that they might be LIKE unto other nations； i。e。 the
Heathens； whereas their true glory laid in being as much UNLIKE them
as possible。 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 UNTO THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE IN ALL THAT
THEY SAY UNTO THEE； FOR THEY HAVE NOT REJECTED THEE； BUT THEY HAVE
REJECTED ME； _THAT I SHOULD NOT REIGN OVER THEM。_ ACCORDING TO
ALL THE WORKS WHICH THEY HAVE SINCE THE DAY THAT I BROUGHT THEM
UP 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
UNTO THEIR VOICE； HOWBEIT； PROTEST SOLEMNLY UNTO THEM AND SHEW THEM
THE MANNER OF THE KING THAT SHALL REIGN OVER THEM； I。E。 not of any
particular king； but the general manner of the kings of the earth；
whom Israel was so eagerly copying after。 And notwithstanding the
great distance of time and difference of manners； the character is
still in fashion。 AND SAMUEL TOLD ALL THE WORDS OF THE LORD UNTO
THE PEOPLE； THAT ASKED OF HIM A KING。 AND HE SAID； THIS SHALL BE
THE MANNER OF THE KING THAT SHALL REIGN OVER YOU； HE WILL TAKE YOUR
SONS AND APPOINT THEM FOR HIMSELF； FOR HIS CHARIOTS； AND TO BE HIS
HORSEMAN； AND SOME SHALL RUN BEFORE HIS CHARIOTS （this description
agrees with the present mode of impressing men） AND HE WILL APPOINT
HIM CAPTAINS OVER THOUSANDS AND CAPTAINS OVER FIFTIES； AND WILL SET THEM
TO EAR HIS GROUND AND REAP HIS HARVEST； AND TO MAKE HIS INSTRUMENTS OF WAR；
AND INSTRUMENTS OF HIS CHARIOTS； AND HE WILL TAKE YOUR DAUGHTERS
TO BE CONFECTIONARIES； AND TO BE COOKS AND TO BE BAKERS
（this describes the expense and luxury as well as the oppression
of kings） AND HE WILL TAKE YOUR FIELDS AND YOUR OLIVE YARDS；
EVEN THE BEST OF THEM； AND GIVE THEM TO HIS SERVANTS；
AND HE WILL TAKE THE TENTH OF YOUR SEED； AND OF YOUR VINEYARDS；
AND GIVE THEM TO HIS OFFICERS AND TO HIS SERVANTS
（by which we see that bribery； corruption； and favouritism
are the standing vices of kings） AND HE WILL TAKE THE TENTH
OF YOUR MEN SERVANTS； AND YOUR MAID SERVANTS； AND YOUR
GOODLIEST YOUNG MEN AND YOUR ASSES； AND PUT THEM TO HIS WORK；
AND HE WILL TAKE THE TENTH OF YOUR SHEEP； AND YE SHALL BE HIS SERVANTS；
AND YE SHALL CRY OUT IN THAT DAY BECAUSE OF YOUR KING WHICH YE SHALL HAVE
CHOSEN； _AND THE LORD WILL NOT HEAR YOU IN THAT DAY。_
This accounts for the continuation of monarchy；
neither do the characters of the few good kings which have lived since；
either sanctify the title； or blot out the sinfulness of the origin；
the high encomium given of David takes no notice of him
OFFICIALLY AS A KING； but only as a MAN after God's own heart。
NEVERTHELESS THE PEOPLE REFUSED TO OBEY THE VOICE OF SAMUEL；
AND THEY SAID； NAY； BUT WE WILL HAVE A KING OVER US；
THAT WE MAY BE LIKE ALL THE NATIONS； AND THAT OUR KING MAY JUDGE US；
AND GO OUT BEFORE US； AND FIGHT OUR BATTLES。
Samuel continued to reason with them； but to no purpose； he set before
them their ingratitude； but all would not avail； and seeing them fully
bent on their folly； he cried out； I WILL CALL UNTO THE LORD；
AND HE SHALL SEND THUNDER AND RAIN （which then was a punishment；
being in the time of wheat harvest） THAT YE MAY PERCEIVE AND SEE
THAT YOUR WICKEDNESS IS GREAT WHICH YE HAVE DONE IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD；
AND THE LORD SENT THUNDER AND RAIN THAT DAY； AND ALL THE PEOPLE GREATLY
FEARED THE LORD AND SAMUEL。 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 OUR SINS THIS EVIL； TO ASK A KING。_
These portions of scripture are direct and positive。
They admit of no equivocal construction。 That the Almighty
hath here entered his protest against monarchical government；
is true； or the scripture is false。 And a man hath good reason
to believe that there is as much of kingcraft； as priestcraft；
in withholding the scripture from the public in Popish countries。
For monarchy in every instance is the Popery of government。
To the evil of monarchy we have added that of hereditary succession；
and as the first is a degradation and lessening of ourselves；
so the second； claimed as a matter of right； is an insult
and an imposition on posterity。 For all men being originally equals；
no ONE by BIRTH could have a right to set up his own family in perpetual
preference to all others for ever； and though himself might deserve SOME
decent degree of honours of his contemporaries； yet his descendants might
be far too unworthy to inherit them。 One of the strongest NATURAL proofs
of the folly of hereditary right in kings； is； that nature disapproves it；
otherwise she would not so frequently turn it into ridicule by
giving mankind an ASS FOR A LION。
Secondly； as no man at first could possess any other public honours
than were bestowed upon him； so the givers of those honours could have
no power to give away the right of posterity。 And though they might
say； 〃We chooses you for OUR head；〃 they could not； without manifest
injustice to their children； say； 〃that your children and your
children's children shall reign over OURS for ever。〃 Because such
an unwise； unjust； unnatural compact might （perhaps） in the next
succession put them under the government of a rogue or a fool。
Most wise men； in their private sentiments； have ever treated
hereditary right with contempt； yet it is one of those evils；
which when once established is not easily removed；
many submit from fear； others from superstition；
and the more powerful part shares with the king the plunder of the rest。
This is supposing the present race of kings in the world to have had an
honourable origin； whereas it is more than probable； that could we take
off the dark covering of antiquities； and trace them to their first rise；
that we should find the first of them nothing better than the
principal ruffian of some restless gang； whose savage manners
or preeminence in subtlety obtained the title of chief among plunderers；
and who by increasing in power； and extending his depredations；
overawed the quiet and defenseless to purchase their safety
by frequent contributions。 Yet his electors could have no idea
of giving hereditary right to his descendants； because such a perpetual
exclusion of themselves was incom