Exposition of the Laws of Moses, Exegesis 8 · Chapter 10
CHAPTER X. Whether the Kingdome of Iudah or Iſrael were the beſt Government?
IT may ſeeme at the firſt, that the Kings of Iſrael did more formally proceed by way of Iuſtice,The Kings of Iſrael proceeded by way of Iuſtice formally. than the Kings of Iudah did; the Kings of Iſrael did not proceed by way of arbitrary Iuſtice, neither was there any peremptory execution upon the will of the King. When Naboth was to be ſtoned to death, the matter was handled after a judiciall forme, which might hauehave given ſatisfaction to the ignorant people, who knew not the device and ſecrecy of the matter.
But the Kings of Iudah proceeded by their abſolute authoritie, as may appeare in ſome of them,The Kings of Iudah proceeded by abſolute authoritie. who tooke away their Subjects liues by their abſolute authoritie, without any order of law, or proceſſe in Iudgement. David killed the Amalekite; and againe,What things objected to David. he ſeemeth to hauehave broken his oath, ſwearing that nothing ſhould befall Shimei, and yet he biddeth his ſonne Salomon put him to death; thou art a wiſe man, Ioabs worthy deeds reckoned up. Ioab was Davids kinſman.and knoweſt what thou haſt to doe, 1 King. 2. and ſo cauſed to kill Ioab who was Davids neere kinſman, and who had undergone many dangers for the glory of God and the good of the Church, 2 Sam. 10.He gaue many things to the houſe of the Lord. And he dedicated many of the ſpoyles which he had taken in the warres to the houſe of the Lord, 1 Chro. 26.8. he fought for his Countrey all Davids time; he was faithfull to the King, he ſtood for David againſt Saul, he followed him ſtill, although he was baniſhed, and at that time when he was made Captaine, 2 Sam. 18.Repreſſed the ſedition of Sheba. he did repreſſe the ſedition of Sheba, even when David would hauehave put him from his place, and put Amaſa in his ſtead, 2 Sam. 20.4.Diſſwaded David to number the people. It was he that forbad the King to number the people, 2 Sam. 24. It was he who firſt invaded Sion, 1 Chron. 11. It was he who by his wiſedome taught the woman of Tekoa to obtaine pardon for Abſalom; Reconciled Abſalom to his father.It was he that was moſt skilfull in the warres; It was he that fought againſt the Syrians, and the Amorites, Subdued many wicked Nations.and all the enemies of the Church; and it was he who in modeſtie when he had gotten the victory, refuſed to take the praiſe to himſelfe, but ſent for the King that he might get the praiſe of the victorie, 2 Sam. 12.28. He was not foreign or implacable; when Abner ſought peace at him, he willingly granted it, ſo did he to the people of Abel, 2 Sam. 20.He had good ſucceſſe in his warres. He had good ſucceſſe in the warres, he was a terror to all his enemies, 2 Sam. 10. as to Hadarezer, the Edomites, &c. therefore it may ſeeme that David by his abſolute authoritie,What things objected to Salomon. cauſed him to be put to death unworthily. And as for Salomon, he ſeemeth moſt unjuſtly to hauehave killed his brother Adonijah; for firſt, he was Davids eldeſt ſonne now aliue; ſecondly, his father loved him moſt dearely; thirdly, he never did finde fault with him for ſeeking the Kingdome, and Salomon might ſeeme here to be too rigorous;Su…t…nius lib. 9. for Titus a Heathen Prince was more mercifull to his brother,Heathen Kings louing to their brethren. for when his brother did affect the Kingdome, yet notwithſtanding he lovingly embraced him, and diſſwaded him from that courſe; and Seneca writeth of the like in his firſt booke of Clemencie, cap. 9. how Auguſtus ſpared Cinna, and made him of a foe a friend.
David and Salomon Prophets.But if we ſhall conſider that the Kings of Iudah, eſpecially David and Salomon being directed by the ſpirit of God immediately, had a better warrant to proceede by their ſole authoritie,David in killing the Amalekite ſinned not. than the Kings of Iſrael had, we ſhall be of another minde: and where it is objected, that David killed the Amalekite onelyonly upon his owne confeſſion;When one may be condemned upon his owne confeſſion. the confeſſion out of ones owne mouth, if it be the confeſſion of one that is well at himſelfe, and is not wearie of his life, and if he ſtand conſtantly at it, then the confeſſion out of his owne mouth is ſufficient, Luk. 19.22. Wicked ſervant, out of thine owne mouth will I judge thee. Secondly, this Amalekite gloried that he had killed Saul, and ſo flattered David: and laſtly, he was an Amalekite, againſt whom the Lord had given out ſentence long before, that they ſhould all be killed with the ſword, and the Lord was wroth with Saul for ſparing the Amalekites.
David brake not his oath in cauſing Shimei to be killed.The ſecond thing objected to David, is the breaking of his oath in cauſing Shimei to be killed, when he had ſworne that nothing ſhould befall him; but it was not for his former railing that he was put to death, but for his new tranſgreſſion; David ſaith to his ſonne Salomon, Habes apud te, 2 Sam. 28. that is, confine him, and ſuffer him not to goe abroad; for he is a mightie man, and is able to gather together a thouſand of Benjamin, 2 Sam. 19.17. therefore Salomon makes him to ſweare that he ſhould never goe beyond the brooke Kedron under the paine of death, and he moſt willingly aſſented unto it, yet he brake his oath and went to ſeeke his fugitiue ſervant, and for the breach of this oath, David commandeth to put him to death, and Salomon cauſed to execute him, and after his firſt tranſgreſſion, he is kept in ward here, and he is like a fiſh taken upon the hooke,Simile. but yet not pulled out of the water to be dreſſed by the Cookes.
Object. But Salomon layeth to his charge that ſin which was forgiven him, 1 King. 2.42. thou knoweſt what thou didst to my Father David.
Anſw. Both David and Salomon pardoned this ſinne but conditionally, that he ſhould not fall into a new ſinne; Shimei had his former fault pardoned conditionally.and even as an old Cicatrix being healed, if it get a new blow, is more dangerous than any other wound; ſo a fault pardoned, if the man fall into ſinne againe aggravateth the ſinne more; he was pardoned conditionally onelyonly, that he ſhould not tranſgreſſe againe.
Object. But it may ſeeme too great a puniſhment for ſo ſmall a fault, going but out to ſeeke his fugitiue ſervant.
Anſw. He was guiltie of treaſon, Shimei how guiltie of treaſon.in ſetting light by the Kings commandement, and he bound himſelfe by an oath, if he did tranſgreſſe.
As for the killing of Ioab, David ſinned not in cauſing Salomon to kill Ioab.all the commendations ſet downe for his prayſe are nothing, if yee will compare them with his foule offences; that which he did for his Countrey maketh him not a good man;Ioabs vices. his skill in militarie diſcipline, maketh him not a good man, but a good warriour; and juſtly he deſerved death, for he would hauehave had the Kingdome from Salomon to Adonijah, hoping thereby to hauehave gotten preferment under him;He would hauehave Adonijah to be King. as Abner would hauehave had the Kingdome from David to Iſhboſheth, and from Iſhboſheth to David againe, onelyonly for his owne advancement: ſo would Ioab hauehave Adonijah to hauehave the Kingdome, hoping thereby to get preferment to himſelfe; therefore he was not to be reckoned amongſt the loyall and faithfull Subjects of the King.
And whereas the vertues are reckoned up, wee ſhall finde moe vices than vertues in him; firſt we ſhall ſee him delight to ſee one kill another,He delighted to ſee men kill others. which he thought to hauehave beene but a ſport, 2 Sam. 2.14. And looke to his cruell murthering of Abner and Amaſa, He killed Abner and Amaſa.he ſhed the bloud of peace as it had beene in warre: and when Abner looked for no ſuch thing, he traiterouſly killed him, neither was he a white moved when he was defiled with their bloud, when he ſaw the bloud both upon his girdle, and his ſhooes, he gloried in it; and he was readie to kill Vrijah at the commandement of the King; So he killed Abſalom the Kings ſonne,He killed Abſalom. contrary to the Kings commandement. Wherefore Salomon being a Prince of peace,Why Salomon killed Adonijah, Ioab, and Shimei. would not hauehave his ſervants turbulent like Ioab; but would hauehave them, as Chriſt would hauehave his Diſciples, not to ſeeke fire from heaven to be revenged upon the Samaritans, for then they knew not of what ſpirit they were, Luk. 9.55.
Salomon ſinned not in killing Adonijah.Now for Salomons killing of Adonijah, we muſt not judge raſhly of Salomon, who had many excellent vertues in him; the great vertues which were in him, meekeneſſe, Foure chiefe vertues found in Salomon.veritie, fortitude, and juſtice, were the foure Horſes, as it were, which drew his Chariot, Pſal. 45. Firſt,Salomons meekeneſſe in ſparing Adonijah. his meekneſſe, he was the Prince of peace, and therefore he pardoned Adonijah, regnum au…picandum a clementia, for this procureth the favour of his ſubjects; ſo David would not kill Shimei in the beginning of his reigne; but Rehoboam that would not gratifie the people in the beginning of his reigne, his Kingdome proſpered not. Secondly, his veritie; if thou be a good man,Salomons veritie in keeping his promiſe to Adonijah. a haire of thy head ſhall not fall to the ground. Thirdly, his juſtice when he failed againe,Salomons fortitude and juſtice. juſtly he cauſed to put him to death. Fourthly, his fortitude; although Adonijah had a great faction which were againſt Salomon, yet he durſt be bold to cauſe to apprehend him: ſo Salomon for Adonijahs ſecond tranſgreſſion juſtly cauſed to execute him, and we are not to meaſure his heavenly wiſedome by the morall vertues which are found in Titus and Auguſtus; Adonijah was guiltie of treaſon,How Adonijah was guiltie of treaſon. for he ſought Abiſhaig onelyonly for that end, that he might get the Kingdome. Secondly, he ſaith, that the Kingdome belongeth ſtill to him; he was not like good Ionathan, who willingly gaue way to Gods ordinance, he knew well that the Lord had appointed the Kingdome for Salomon, 2 Sam. 7. The ſonne which ſhall come out of thy loynes, ſhall build thy houſe, and ſucceede in the Kingdome: this was ſpoken after all his other ſonnes were borne, & this aggravated all the reſt of his ſinnes, that he affected the Kingdome, his father being yet aliue, and although his father was decrepit, yet he ruled by his Counſellours, and he was not weake in minde now although in bodie.
Wherefore wee may conclude, Concluſion. the Kingdome of Iudah to be the beſt government, and ſtill to be preferred before the Kingdome of Iſraell.