law of God from the priest and meditate thereon day and night that he may keepe it without declining to the right hand or to the left Yea the state of this kingdome did depend wholly vppon God and was helde by condition of obeying him so that as a tenant or vassall doth holde his landes and liuing of his liege Lorde or King vpon this condition that he shall doe him seruice and homage and to be at his commaunde the which if he doe not he doth forthwith forfaite his title and dispossesse himselfe of all in like manner this kingdome did holde of God by condition of obeying him This lawe of the kingdome Samuel doth diligently teach 1. Sam. 12.23 if ye doe wickedly then shall you perish both you and your king The which punishment was executed vpon Saul Salomon and the whole race of Idolatrous kinges in the destruction of the kingdome and nation Sect. XV. HItherto we haue declared the doctrine of the kingdome of Israell the which was the first thing we tooke to speake of Nowe we come to the actions of Samuel mentioned in the wordes of the text Whereof the first is that he speake this doctrine of the people and that no doubt for this end that they might knowe the state of that gouernment what dueties they were to performe to their kinges in what manner they were to be subiect to obey him In whose example al the ministers of the worde may marke their duetie that they ought with all care and diligence to teach the people to obey the ciuill power to honor loue fear it to be ready to impart that which God hath bestowed vpoÌ„ theÌ„ on the maintenance of it and finally to performe al those dueties which the law of God or of man doth require at their hands Thus Paul writeth to Titus Chap. 3.2 Warne and put al ChristiaÌ„s in mind that they be subiect to rule to obey the magistrats to be ready to euery good work for there is nothing that doth better beseem a ChristiaÌ„ maÌ„ or people then harty loue ready obedience to the magistrate comming not of constraint and feare of punishment but of conscience neyther is there any thing that doth more disgrace the profession of Christ and lay it open to the reproches of infidels and wicked men then disloyall behauiour to magistrates especially to kinges and great princes to whome all lawes both diuine and humane require that a gâ—â—at measure of honour obedience and maintenance be performed Tâ—e second action of Samuel is that he wrote this doctrine of the kingdome in a booke and that for perpetuity that it might be preserued safe in time to come and so serue for the instruction of the ages following As touching this booke it perished with many others written by the prophets and holy men of God and that by the negligence of the priestes and people yet there is a summe or compendious abstract of it saued from the iniurie of the times and the publike calamities which befalling this nation did bury many notable monumentes The which we haue recorded 1. Sam. 8. verse 10. and so forth to the 19. out of the which place this doctrine which hath beene deliuered in this short treatise of the power and maiesty of the kingdom may be gathered the words are these Now therefore hearken vnto their voyce howbeit yet testifie vnto them and shew them the manner of the king that shall raigne ouer them Hee will take your sonnes and put them to his chariots and make them Captaines ouer thousandes and ouer fifties and will set them to care his ground and to gather in his haruest and to make instruments of warre and thinges that serue for his chariots And he wil take your daughters and make them apoticaries cookes and bakers and he shall take your fieldes and your vineyardes and your best oliue trees and giue them to his seruantes and he shall takâ— the tenth of your seede and of your vineyardes and giue to his Eunuches and to his seruantes and he shall take your men-seruantes and maid-seruantes and the chiefe of your young men and your asses and put them to his worke he will take the tenth of youâ— sheepe and ye shal be his seruantes The second action giueth vs this instruction that according to the example of Samuell aâ—l Christians ought to desire and they to whome God hath giuen giftes fitte for this purpose by all meanes to endeauour that they may profit the Church not onely whilest they lâ—â—e but also after their death by leauing behinde them those thinges which may further the edification of it Thus haue the pâ—ophets Apostles and holy men of God done from time to time whose writinges doe testifie their care diligence and paines taken in this behalfe The which as we doe now inioy to our vnspeakeable profite and comfort so ought we to be stirred vp by their example to performe the like duetie to others euen as we commend the carefull foresight of those men who as they eate the fruite of the trees which their forefathers did plant so they plant other trees which may serue for the vse of their posterity For although no man can hope that his labours should be in any meâ—sure so profitable to the Church as the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles are who had the extraordinarie giftes of prophecie and reuelation and were directed by the continuall assistance of Gods spirit yet the ordinarie gifts of knowledge and wisedom which God hath giuen to be perpetuall in his Church wil helpe forward the building of it chiefly in the ministerie of the word and also by the meanes of writing whereof there will be a necessarie vse as long as the Church endureth not onely for the interpretation of the word of God but also for the scanning of controuersies the confuting of heresies the reproouing of vices the which will continually be new and fresh in the Church The last action of Samuel is that he laid this booke before the face of the Lorde that is in the place of Gods worship where he was so present that he might as it were be knowen and discerned there euen as one man is knowen from an other by his face This Samuell did for this end that God might be both a witnesse of his faithfulnesse in teaching the people their dueâ—ie in this behalfe and also a maintainer of that â—state the which was established by the will of God yea a reuenger of all disorders and of all disloyalty which should be any way committed against the state And so we neede not doubt but that God doth watch with the eye of his prouidence ouer kings and princes after a speciall manner vouchsafing to them who are faithfull and Godly a great measure of wisedome and of all graces of the spirit meete for so high a calling yea and doth seuerely punish the resistance câ—ntempt disgrace offered to those princes which are so
and of the iudgementes of God that by this meanes they may be driuen to Christ and euen compelled to imbrace the doctrine of the gospell For as the iron must first be made hote in the fire before it will receaue any newe foâ—me so must the hard heart be mollified in the furnace of the wrath of God before it will receaue the doctrine of faith and therefore it is needfull that there should by this meanes a way be made for the doctrine of the gospell for men must first be made to see their sinnes and the punishment of eternall death due vnto them before they can learne the vse and necessitie of Christ and of his righteousnesse For the phisition commeth not to whole men neyther doth the surgeon lay his plaisters but vpon wounded and brused members Thus did Iohn goe before Christ in the spirit of Elias to prepare the people for the Lord Luk. 1.17 and thus Christ prepared the young man Math. 19.21 and Peter the Iewes Actes 2.37 who when they were pricked in their heartes by hearing their sinnes they came to the Apostles saying men and brethren what shall we doe And Paul the men of Athens Act. 17.31 and lastly thus did God himselfe by a feareful earthquake prepare the iaylor Actes 16.30 and according to these exmples all other vnbeleeuers are to be conuerted by bringing them to a sight of their sinnes and a sense of the anger of GOD and that especially by mentioning and vrging those sinnes which are most hainous in their owne eyes and by the confession of all men which they can least excuse and whereof they are most ashamed Yea the doctrine of the lawe ought to goe before because it will more easelie be receaued and beleeued forsomuch as it is naturall to men being ingrafted in euerie mans minde since the first creation of man For although it were by the fall of Adam greatlie diminished obscured and peruerted yet there remaineth a confused and darke knowledge of good and euill of right and wrong and also of the rewarde belonging to obedience and the punishment of death due to sinne Rom. 1.32 the Gentiles knowe the lawe of God that they who committe sinne are worthy of death Yea of this knowledge commeth a conscience in infidels sometimes excusing them althoâ—gh falsely but for the most parte accusing them for their sinne before God So that this their knowledge of the lawe and conscience of sinne may easely be inlightned and stirred vppe by the preaching of the lawe whereas the doctrine of faith is contrarie to naturall reason and therefore harde to be perswaded Thus we see the first parte of the ministerie of the worde to wit that whereby infidels are to be prepared for the gospell This being done then the doctrine of christian religion is briefely and summarelie to be propunded euen as the Apostles did vse to preach Christ. The summe of whose sermons was this that saluation is to be had by faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God and the redeemer of the world The trueth of this doctrine is to be proued by such testimonies as are of most force as the lawe and prophetes are with the Iewes out of the which we see that Christ and his Apostles doe continually proue that which they speake Likewise as touching the gentiles although the maine points of the gospell be contrarie to humane reason and therefore not to be grounded thereon yet we are not destitute of many helpes and euident argumentes drawen out of their owne poets philosophers prophetisses and oracles whereby the probabilitie trueth and necessitie of the gospell may be declared euen to the heathen The which who so desireth to know may see them in those bookes which are written for the demonstration of the trueth of christian religion both in the first ages of the Church as also in these latter times Especially the vanitie of that false and idolatrous worship is to be laid open vnto them that so they being as it were driuen from that may be constrained to seeke the true religion as hath beene declared Sect. 4. How men conuerted to the faith ought to be ordered SO many of them as can be wonne by this means to beleeue the trueth of the doctrine deliuered are vpon confession of their faith to haue baptisme administred vnto them to be a seale of their faith to themselues and a badge of their profession to others and so to be separated from the rest as those of whom the Church is to consist Yea although they doe not at the first expresse the power of religion in true repentance and a christian life yet if they doe beleeue that to be the true religion of GOD and be content to professe the same then are they to be accounted members of the Church So we reade Actes 8.16 that many of the Samaritanes were baptised and so receaued into the Church whenas none of them had receaued the holy ghost but onely beleeued in the name of Iesus as they were taught So the Eunuch was baptised Actes 8. vpon this confession I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God For euen as they who labour in digging mettals out of the earth doe at the first â—ake for golde whatsoeuer doth glister and afterward purge the pure golde from the corrupt drosse and from all base mettall and as fishers take for fishe whatsoeuer commeth to the net but afterwarde separate the good from the bad Math. 13.47.48 so at the first the ministerie receaueth all that seeme to beleeue but in processe of time it separateth the hypocrite from the beleeuer and the wicked from the godly although not perfitly But before the administration of baptisme the summarie doctrine of it must be taught that so it may be receaued with greater fruite to wit that this sacrament was appointed by God himselfe as Iohn the first minister of it doth testifie Iohn 2.33 to be in his church a badge and common liueray of all his seruants whereby they are to professe his name and to be knowen from vnbeleeuers and also for their owne edification that by baptisme they may be confirmed in beleeuing the doctrine both of the law and of the gospell and further that it belongeth cheifly to the doctrine of the law in that by drowning vs in water it putteth vs in remembraunce of that eternall death whereunto we were subiect before as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 6.4 and that it is of the same nature and vse with circumcision the which did vnder the law both distinguishe the Iewes as gods people from all other nations as prophane and also set before the eies of the receauers eternall death as the other ordinarie sacrament of the passouer did eternall life for the one sacrament was of a bloudy signification wounding the body and so threatning death but the other graue the comfortable nourishment of life and so doe baptisme the Lords supper differ Lastly that both baptisme and circumcision although they
gouerned pag. 141 Chapter 11 Of the visible church pag. 143 We pray thee good reader to turne hither when thou meetest with any stay and to read those places as they are heere set downe Our desire was that thou shouldest be eased of this trouble as thou maist perceiue but now we must desire thee to take it in good part Farewel Jn the former treatise Pag. 14. li. 4. who answereth pag. 18.9 necessity the glory pag. 19.1 in his Church pag. 39.2 against whom and when he pag. 59.2 duetifully obeide pag. 65.13 that he spake pag. 70.26 contempt and Jn the latter treâ—tise Pa. 2.17 Of a particular Ch p. 18.6 Arians did therfore p. 28.4 Baalam all of them p. 33.15 of multitude p. 38.32 him call p. 24.23 into those infinite p. 40.34 in that the p. 54.23 the sunâ—e of p. 39.25 an extraordinarie p. 45.23 of the receauers 27. the other gaue p. 49.32 at the same time p. 50.34 perfectly set downe p. 59.35 the Ch. was bound p. 62.23 the direction p. 79.28 as their gift p. 82.2 Church then in p. 89.15 so perfect a state p. 90 30. affectation p. 94.22 Churches of AriaÌ„s p. 95.22 which in all p. 103.25 which is p. 104.10 in number p. 129.25 all meanes p. 56.5 yea farre aboue p. 86.19 professing the faith p. 130.26 of the spirit p. 131.29 national gene p. 134.13 binde that one p. 138.1 for in publicke p. 142.7 and orderiâ—g p. 10.13 to be aliantes p. 24.23 into those infinite p. 40.34 first which will p. â—2 13. in his Apologie p. 66.36 of iudaicall p. 65.16 of lesse moment p. 82.2 Church then in p. 97.1 a priuate Church p. 98.24 moe then one p. 106.6 the fauour p. 112.23 they had an The ground of this treatise we take out of the first booke of Samuel the 10. Chapter the 25. verse where it is thus written And Samuel spake vnto the people the iudgement of the kingdome and wrote in a booke and laide it before the face of the Lorde c. IT pleased God in mercy to choose out of all the nations of the worlde the people of Israel to be a peculiar people vnto him selfe on whome he would set his whole affection and poure foorth the full treasures of his blessings both spirituall to wit his couenant and his promises his word and his Church his worshippe and his visible presence yea which is all in all his owne onely sonne the sauiour of the worlde and with him eternall saluation and also temporall as namely continuall deliuerance from all daungers in Aegypt in the wildernesse and in the lande of Chanaan a fruitfull land to dwell in wise and puisant iudges to gouerne them and to saue them out of the handes of all enemies from Moyses to Samuel But this people was an vnfaithfull that is to say an vngracious people and did neither worthely esteeme nor carefully keepe the blessinges bestowed vpon them but as they were in nature and conditions so they did affect to be in all other respectes like vnto the prophane nations of the earth and therefore they chaunged both the ciuill and also the ecclesiasticall state appointed by God insomuch that for the true worship of God they did often take vnto themselues the idolatrie of the heathen and in steede of the iudges by whome they had beene gouerned now 400. yeares they would needes haue a king set ouer them as other nations had The which desire although it were greately displeasing in the eyes of God and of Samuel yet by the importunitie of the people it was obtained insomuch that in steede of the sonnes of Samuel who gouerned the lande in their fathers age Saule in sonne of Cis was annointed kinge of Israell This chaunge of the ciuill magistrate beeing made it did of necessitie followe that there shoulde bee a chaunge of the lawes also by the which the people were gouerned according to that which is commonly saide newe Lordes must haue newe lawes For although they tooke the occasion of this alteration at the personal faultes of the sonnes of Samuel yet they chaunged not onely the gouernour but also the gouernment it selfe and brought in an other kinde of gouernment farre different from that which was before in force and therefore requiring newe lawes whereupon to stand Yea the processe of this treatise will in part declare that the difference betwixt these two gouernmentes the one of the Iudges and the other of the Kinges was so great that the lawes of the one estate coulde no more agree to the other then the furniture of a mightie gyant will serue a childe or the base apparrell of a meane man beseeme a statelie prince In consideration whereof Samuell or rather GOD by the ministerie of Samuell as hee had giuen to the people a king so in the next place hee giueth vnto them the state of a kingdome and that by establishing those orders and lawes according to the which both the king shoulde rule and the people obey Not that hee did prescribe vnto them any newe iudiciall lawes but onely he made the fundamentall lawes of the kingdome the which are heere called the iudgement of the kingdome that is the verie nature condition and manner of this newe gouernment the proper lawes of it and as it were the verie markes by the which it may bee iudged that is knowen in it self and distinguished from all other kindes of gouernment For so the word heere vsed doth signifie in manie places of the scripture as namely 2. Kinges 1.7 where Achasia asketh his messengers what is the iudgemente of the man whome they saide to be Elias that is what was his behauiour his apparrell his countenaunce and as we doe vsually say what manner of man is hee so heere the iudgement of the kingdome is to be vnderstood Likewise by the face of GOD heere is meant the place of the presence of God to witte the tabernacle wherein God was worshipped or more specially the Arke with the propitiatorie which was a visible signe of the presence of God Thus much of the occasion and meaning of these wordes which wee may handle in this order That first we speake of that which is heere called the iudgement of the kingdome which is the doctrine of it and in the seconde place consider the actions of Samuell mentioned in the text the which are three in number The first is that he spake this doctrine of the kingdome to the people the second that he wrote it in a booke the thirde is that hee laide the booke before the Lorde of these in order Sect. II. BVt before wee come to the speciall doctrine of this kingdome it will not be eyther vnprofitable or impertinent if we doe briefly consider the genenerall doctrine of magistracie The which as it is worthy diligentlie to be handled and commended to the Church of GOD so it will giue greate lighte to this whole treatise following Magistracie therefore is not a meere deuise of
raigne ouer them but God shoulde still bee their kinge But after that they had made a kinge neyther did the iudiciall lawes retayne their full force neyther did GOD himselfe appoynte Captaines ouer the Armies but all was done according to the will and commaundement of the kinges who although they did keepe the iudiciall lawe in parte and for the greate extremities in warre asked counsell of God yet they were free in both these respectes as we are afterwarde to declare more at large So that by the comming in of these kinges God himselfe if we may so basely speake of his glorious maiestie was put out of his office as hee himselfe doth confesse 1. Sam. 8.7 where hee speaketh to Samuell not to be grieued for that the people had cast off his and his sonnes gouernment for indeede saith God they haue not despised or cast awaie thee but mee and haue refused that I shoulde raigne ouer them In the seconde place the iudges had parte of this supreame authoritie who although in the greatest matters they were ouer-ruled by the worde of God yet in the ordinarie administration especially of warelike affaires they were the chiefe And therefore the state of the common wealth from Moses to Saule the first king is called the gouernment of the Iudges the which did wholly cease after that Saule was created king for the Captaines of the warre were either the kinges themselues or whom it pleased them to appointe So wee â—eade that Dauid placed and displaced Ioab at his pleasure Thirdlie the bodie of the people ioyning together in a general assembly had a part yea the greatest part of this authoritie and likewise the elders who were a compendious bodie of the people had their part especially in ciuill administration in the time of peace Iudg. 20. The children of Israel came together as one man to the Lord in Maspha to whome the leuite maketh his complaint as vnto them who had authoritie to reuenge the villanie done vnto him desiring them to determine of that cause as they did with greate seueritie The causes why the people and the elders had parte of this supreme authoritie were these First for that they did neuer giue the whole power ouer themselues into the handes of anie of the Iudges but onely did as it were vse them to be their Captaines and leaders in the time of warre the which beeing ended vsually the iudge returned to his owne house and priuate estate till the like necessitie called him abroade againe but during the time of peace they did not meddle much with ciuill iurisdiction but onely hearde those causes which were brought vnto them as to fitte arbiters because they were men renoumed eyther for their valour or because they were prophetes as were Debora and Samuell or had the office of the high prieste as had Ely Hence it is that in this booke of iudges there is no mention made of their ciuil iudgements or that they did cal together the Senate or the people vnlesse it were to warre or of any edictes which they made or of faults which they did redresse or punish Only of Samuel it is written that he went about the land to iudge the people and of Debora that the people brought their controuersies to her The second cause of the authoritie of the elders and people was the want a Iudge for whenas the Iudge died they did not streightway put another in his place vntill they had occasion giuen by warre during which time of vacation the elders and people in euery citie did iudge their owne causes and meeting together in a common asseÌ„bly did order publike matters although seldome and negligently as the people vse to gouerne So that they wanted a Iudge as often as they had one But when once they had a king created there did no more any supreame authoritie remaine either in elders or people all being giuen vnto the hands of the king who had no man which did participat with him in his authoritie For we are not to thinke that in this state the king was the chiefe gouernour and the elders senators and inferiour officers fellow gouernours and as it were his mates For all within the land of Israel were to the king meere priuate men so that if any had authoritie in respect of the people they had it all from him as from the fountaine all the officers of the kingdome all the Iudges of ciuill causes and the captaines of the armies were appointted by him Yea they were so farre from hauing any authoritie in respect of the king that all the people with their magistrates and officers of what kinde soeuer are vsually called the kinges seruantes so 2. Chro. 10.6 The counsellers of Salomon are saide to haue stood before his face to wit waiting and attending his pleasure so Esa. 37.5 Officers of the king and elderâ— of the priestes are called the kings seruantes For the state of this kingdome was not such a gouernment as both hath beene and is at this day in vse in many places where the people to auoide confusion and for the administration of iustice and of other publike affaires doe for one ouer them yea and giue vnto him although improperly the name of a king reseruing to themselues authority eyther to displace him at their pleasure or at the least to controll his doings which they thinke to be wrong to call him to account of his administration yea if need be to rise vp in armes against him and to lay violent handes vpon him This was no such gouernment but a kingdome both in name and in trueth wherein none had any iot of supreame authority saue the king onely Sect. V. BVT if it be graunted that there was no authoritie in the land which could associate it selfe with the authoritie of the king or any way intermeddle with his lawful administration as long as he did rule with religion and iustice for the glory of God the good of the people yet it may seeme that there was some authoritie to restraine him if at any time he should be imperious or vniust in his gouernment whereby he should be eyther brought to a lawfull manner of ruling or else if he were incorrigible deposed from his kingdome For otherwise the people might be miserably oppressed religion defaced yea all thinges turned vpside downe and in the ende the commonwealth vtterly ouerthrowen and therefore that both wisedome reason and necessitie iâ— the glorie of God and the good of men doe require that there should be in Israell some other authoritie eyther in the people or in the priestes in the senate or in the inferiour magistrates the which should neuer be eyther vsed or once mentioned but against those kinges which did degenerate into violent and bloody tyrantes euen as men vse a false vnder raine to pull in strong headed horses which otherwise woulde runne into some pit so destroy both themselues the riders This reason taken
of the one Iudg. 28. Who is Abimelech that we should serue him is not he the sonne of Ierobaal and of the other in like manner what part haue we with Dauid the sonne of Isai 2. Chro. 10.16 2. Sam. 20.1 yea thus the kingdome is made after a sort immortall when as the father doth rise againe in the sonne and so continueth for euer For hence it was that the gouernment of the iudges was so contemned of the people because it was a newe vp-start gouernment the iudge being lately taken from a base estate As Gedeon Saul confesse of themselues that their kinred family and birth was of the meanest of the people and that therefore they were the vnfittest to beare rule Iudg. 6.15 1. Sam. 9.21 The last and the greatest cause of the maiestie of these kings was this that they were the progenitors yea and the predecessors of that great Messias which was to come of the linage of Dauid to gouern not that land onely but the whole world Luke 1.32.33 the very expectation of whom made this kingdome glorious aboue measure for that they according to the ignorance of the times and the infancie of the Church dreaming of a temporal king thought that in him all the power riches renowne and glory of the world should be brought to their kingdome Sect. XIII THus we see the causes of the maiesty of this kingdome now we are to consider the meanes whereby this maiesty did shew foorth it selfe It appeared in the glorious stately pompe and magnificence of the whole life and behauiour yea of all the actions of the king and generally of all things appertaining to the kingdome For the apparrell of the king it was such as might not onely distinguish him from his subiectes but also serue to expresse the maiesty of his state Likewise for his whole house the statelinesse of his palaces the daintinesse of his fare the number of his seruantes and retinue that all were correspondent euen in the time of Dauid we may gather 2. Sam. 19.35 where old Barzelli refuseth the kinges offer who woulde haue kept him in his house because hee coulde not taste the daintie meates nor be delighted with the voyce◠of singing men and women which were vsed in the king◠palace Hitherto also is to be referred the whole storie of Salomon in whose time this glorie of the kingdome was euen in the full the infinite prouision of his house the glorious houses which he built for GOD and for himselfe with incredible magnificence all which it shall not be irkesome to rehearse as they are described in the story for so wee reade 1. King 4. verse 20.22.23.26 and Chapter 10. ver 11.12 c. And Salomons breade for one daie was thirtie quarters of manchette flower and threescore quarters of meale tenne stalled oxen and twentie out of the pastures and a hundred sheepe beside hartes buckes wilde goates and capons and hee had fortie stalles of horses for chariotes and twelue thousande horsemen The waight of golde that came to him in one yeare was sixe hundred threescore and sixe talentes of golde beside that he had of marchantes and of the marchandize of the spices and of all the kinges of Arabia and of the Lordes of the countrie Also he made two hundred targets of beaten goulde sixe hundred sicles of goulde wente to a target And hee made three hundred shieldes of beaten golde the pounde waight of golde went to one shielde and the king put them in the house of the woode of Libanon and the king made a greate seate of Iuory and couered it with the best gold and the seate had six steppes and the top of the seate was round behinde and there were pummels on eyther side of the seate and two Lyons stoode beside the pummels and there stoode twelue Lyons on the steppes six on one side There was no like worke seene in any kingdome and all kinge Salomons drinking vessels were of golde and likewise all the vessels of the house of the woode of Libanon were of pure golde As for siluer it was nothing woorth in the daies of Salomon for the kinges nauy of shippes went on the sea vnto Tharsis with the nauy of Hirams shippes euen once in three yeares went the nauy to Tharsis and brought golde and siluer Elephantes teeth Apes and Peacockes And so king Salomon exceeded all the kinges of the earth both in riches wisedome thus farre the text After the time of Salomō together with the sincerity of religion this maiesty of the kingdome did decrease for in the raigne of Rehoboam both the ten tribes fell away from this kingdome and Ierusalem was spoyled by the king of Aegypt so that the targets of gold were turned into brasse but vnder Iehosophat both religion and the kingdome recouered part of the ancient glorie for it is said 2. Par. 18.1 that Iehophat had great riches and glory And likewise in the raigne of Ezechi◠we reade 2. Chro. 32.27 that he had exceeding much riches and honour and he gat himselfe treasures of siluer and gold precious stones and spices shieldes and all manner of pleasant iewels Likewise this maiesty required that the kinges whole behauiour should haue in it that stately grauity which beseemeth so high a place that he should take no meane or base action in hand but such as the perfourmance whereof might be for his glory and renowne By this argument Dauid disswadeth Saule from persecuting him any further saying 1. Sam. 26.20 To whome is the king of Israel come foorth and what is this that he doth Doth he not behaue himselfe as one who chaseth a Partridge vppe and downe in the mountaines And for the behauiour of the kinges person Michol Saules daughter requiteth Dauid with the like noting in him such lightnesse which was as she thought vnbeseeming the maiesty of the king for when she had seene Dauid daunce for ioy before the Arke she saide O howe glorious was the king of Israel this day whenas he vncouered himselfe before the maydens of his seruantes as foolish or mad men vse to doe 2. Sam. 6.20 An finally this part of the iudgement of the kingdome and of the booke which Samuel wrote of this matter is extant 1. Sam. 8. vers 11. c. where it is said that the king will haue horsemen and chariots yea Eunuches and women bakers and cookes and of his magnificence in giuing vineyardes and landes to his seruantes the which place is not to be vnderstood of a tyrannie but of the naturall state of this kingdome as may appeare 1. Sam. 9.20 where when Saule was carefull for his fathers asses which were lost Samuel telleth him that he neede not minde them seeing whatsoeuer was good pretious and to be desired in all Israell it did belong in some sort to him and to all his fathers house The which wordes are not so to be vnderstood as if the propertie of mens goods did belong to the