THE People of God growing jealous upon observing that other Nations had Kings and Monarchs; or rather weary of being governed by Judges and Persons chosen even by God, who sought only his Glory, and sought only for the publick Good; this blind and ingrateful People desired a King, and had one, tho’ Samuel, to whom they addressed themselves, shewed them the Inconveniencies of this Request, and how dear they would pay for it. Hence arose that new Monarchical Government spoken of in the Historical Books of Scripture, and treated of by many learned Men.
Adriani Houtuyn, de Monarchiâ Hebræorum ante Saulem, Leid. 1685. in 12mo. In this he pretends to prove that in the Commonwealth of the Jews there was a real Monarchy before the Reign of Saul. He supposes it to have existed even from Abraham to the Dispersion of the Jews. Houtuyn was of Amsterdam, a Calvinist, and a Lawyer.
Adami Rechemberg, de ficta Hebræorum ante Saulem Monarchiâ civili. Lipsiæ, 1687, in 4to. He has shewn that this pretended Monarchy of the Jews, before the Reign of Saul, is mere Fiction; he particularly opposes what Selden says of it, in his second Book De Synedriis. See tom. 1. of his Historico-Political Dissertations, p. 336. We have spoken of him upon the New Testament. See likewise his Title in the Index.
Appendix de habitu Religionis Christianæ, by Samuel Pufendorf. This Book of the Christian Religion was printed with the Appendix, at Bremen, in 1687. Pufendorf in this argues against the Opinion which allows a Monarchy to have been erected among the Jews before the time of Saul. This Author was a Lutheran, and Historiographer to the King of Sweden. He flourished till 1690.
Antonii Probi, Oratio de Monarchiâ Regni Israelis, printed at Isleben, 1586, in 4to. Professor Probus was a German Lutheran, and Professor at Isleben.
Mich. Wendeleri, de Regis Judæorum juribus. This was published at Wittemberg, 1656, in 4to. He wrote likewise upon the four Great Monarchies spoken of by Daniel, which was published at the same Place, in 1657, in 4to. He was of Misnia, a Lutheran, and a Professor. He died in 1671.
Maimonides, de Regibus Hebræorum, eorumque juribus, cum Versione Latinâ, & Notis, Melchior Leidecker. Extat lib. 7. ejusdem Leidecker de Rep. Hebr. c. 4. p. 432. the Edition whereof we have already named in the Article of the Commonwealth of of the Hebrews. It is likewise in Crenius’s ninth Fasciculus.
Guill. Schikardi, de Jure Regio. This Treatise of the Royal Law of the He brews, taken from the Obscurities of the Rabbins, as the whole Title imports, was printed first at Tubingen, 1621, in 4to. and at Srasburg, 1695, in 4to. Since which time it has been published with Notes, by Benedict Carpzovius, at Lipsick, 1674, in 4to. Schickard was a German Lutheran, Professor of the Oriental Languages at Tubingen, and died of the Plague in 1635, and the 43d of his Age. His Work contains only six Chapters, with a Summary of it at the End, which gives a just Idea of the Author’s Method.
Joan. Buxtorfii, de statu & jure Regio, & de Judicum & Regum convenientiis & differentiis. This must be in his Work entituled Judaica, and printed at Basil in 1641, 1661, in 8vo.
Joan. Frischmuth, de Rege apud Hebræos eligendo & deponendo. Jenæ, 1653, in 4to. This Treatise on the Right of Electing and deposing Kings, is taken from the 17th Chapter of Deuteronomy, and from the Comments of the Hebrews. See our Lists upon the Old Testament, and the Title of Frischmuth in the Index.
Joan. Wandalini, de Jure Regis, lib. 3. Hafniæ, 1669, in 4to. He wrote six Books upon this Subject, the four first whereof were printed at Copenhagen, 1663. the two last, 1667, in 4to. See the Authors cited by us on the New Testament, and the Title Wandalin in the Index.
Fortunati Schacchi, Myrothecii, lib. 3. & alibi. Fortunatus Schacchus treats here on the same Subject. The Edition of his Myrothecium we shall mention in its Place.
Claudii Salmasii, Defensio Regia. This is the Defence of Charles, King of England, printed at London in 1652, 1660. in 8vo.
Joan. Miltoni, Defensio Populi Anglicani, contra Salmasium. Milton, who was an Englishman, has two Defences; the first printed in 1652, at London, the second ibid. 1664. in 12mo.
Joan. Rhenferd, Dissert. de Arabarchâ, seu Alabarchâ, vel Ethnarchâ Judæorum. Fran. 1702. We have already had occasion to speak of this Protestant Author. See his Title in the Index.
See likewise our Dissertation on the Officers belonging to the Kings of Judah’s Court, before our Comments on the Chronicles. See also Fabricius’s Bibliographia, ch. 14. numb. 1, 2, 3. where he mentions the other Authors who have treated this Matter.