After the death of Joshua, till the time of Saul, the time between is noted frequently in the Book of _Judges_, _That there was in those days no king in Israel_; and sometimes with this addition, that _every man did that which was right in his own eyes_. By which is to be understood, that where it is said, _there was no king_, is meant, _there was no sovereign power_ in Israel. And so it was, if we consider the act and exercise of such power. For after the death of Joshua and Eleazar, _there arose another generation_ (_Judges_ ii. 10, 11) _that knew not the Lord, nor the works which he had done for Israel, but did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim_. And the Jews had that quality which St. Paul noteth, _to look for a sign_, not only before they would submit themselves to the government of Moses, but also after they had obliged themselves by their submission. Whereas signs and miracles had for end to procure faith, not to keep men from violating it, when they have once given it; for to that men are obliged by the law of nature. But if we consider not the exercise, but the right of governing, the sovereign power was still in the high-priest. Therefore whatsoever obedience was yielded to any of the judges, who were men chosen by God extraordinarily to save his rebellious subjects out of the hands of the enemy, it cannot be drawn into argument against the right the high-priest had to the sovereign power, in all matters both of policy and religion. And neither the judges nor Samuel himself had an ordinary, but an extraordinary calling to the government; and were obeyed by the Israelites, not out of duty, but out of reverence to their favour with God, appearing in their wisdom, courage, or felicity. Hitherto therefore the right of regulating both the policy, and the religion, were inseparable. [Sidenote: Of the rights of the kings of Israel.]