Explication of the Judicial Laws of Moses, Part 1 · Chapter 8
CHAPTER VIII. A compariſon betwixt Salomons Kingdome and Chriſts.
PSAL. 89. 2. His throne ſhall be eſtabliſhed as the Moone, and ſhall endure as the Sunne before me.
DAVID prayed for his ſonne Salomon, that the Lord would giuegive his Iudgements to the King, and he compareth his Kingdome to the Moone;Salomon Kingdome compared to the Moone. for as the Moone borroweth her light from the Sunne, ſo he beggeth of the Lord, that he would giuegive light to Simile. his ſonne Salomon to direct him: and as Aſtrologians obſerue, that when the Moone is joyned with a bad Planet, then her influence is bad; but when ſhe is joyned with a good Planet, then her influence is good; ſo Salomon in his Government when he was joyned to Idolatry, and ſtrange women, then there was a bad influence upon his Government; but when he tooke the direction from the Lord, then his Kingdome flouriſhed.Plinius de Gemmis. There is a ſtone in Arabia called Selenites, which groweth with the Moone, Simile. and decreaſeth with it; when the Moone is in the wane, yee cannot ſee the ſtone in the perfect colour; but when the Moone is at the full, then the ſtone groweth againe to the full: ſo Salomons Kingdome, as long as he got light from the Lord it waxed; but when he turned once from the Lord, it decayed daily. Laſt, it was like the Moone, the Moone in twentie eight dayes finiſheth her courſe, fourteene dayes to the full, and fourteene to the wane; ſo from Abraham Salomons kingdome like the Moone in waxing and waning.to Salomon fourteene generations, then the Moone was at the full; then from the end of Salomons dayes untill Zedekiah were fourteene generations; and then his Kingdome decayed and waned.
Salomon the King when he judged Iſrael he ſat in a throne, 1 King. 10. 18. and the King made a great throne of Ivorie, and overlaid it with the beſt gold; the throne had ſix ſteps, and the top of the throne was round behinde, and it ſtood in the porch of Iudgement where he judged the people, 1 King. 7. 7. and there were ſtayes in each ſide in the place of the ſeat, and two Lyons ſtood behinde the ſtayes, and twelue Lyons ſtood there, ſixeThe difference betwixt Salomons throne of Ivorie and the brazen ſcaffold. on the one ſide and ſixe upon the other upon the ſixe ſteppes, and there was not the like made in any Kingdome, 2 Chron. 9. 17. This throne of Salomon was called Solium Domini, becauſe he judged the Lords judgement there; and it differed from that pillar which ſtood in the Temple, for that was a pulpit in which they read the Law, 2 Chro. 6. 13. and it was called [Cijor] but thisforeign Suggeſtus. throne was called Ciſſe, and it ſtood in Domo Libani, foreign thronu….next adjacent to the Queenes Palace; it was made of Ivory, which was in great requeſt amongſt the Iewes; and Salomon alludeth to it, Cant. 4. 6. thy necke is like a Alluſion.Tower of Ivorie.
There were ſixe Lyons upon the one ſide as he wentWhat the Lions ſignified on every ſide of the Throne. up to his throne, and ſixe upon the other, a Lyon at every ſteppe; theſe Lyons on every ſide ſignified that all the twelue tribes were ſubject to Salomon, and acknowledged him as their King; and the two Lyons which ſtood before the ſtayes ſignified, that the two tribes Iuda and Benjamin ſhould not depart from Salomon, but continue with him, and his poſteritie, to be ſtayes to uphold his Kingdome; which was ſignified by the garment of Ahija the Shilonite, rent in twelue p…ices, ten were given to Ieroboam, and two onelyonly left to Rehoboam Salomons ſonne, 1 King. 11.
And the Iewes write, that as he aſcended upon everyThe admonitiōs which they gaue the King when he aſcended to his Throne. In Zonorenna P. Shophat. ſteppe or degree to his throne▪ a cryer cryed to him thus; upon the firſt ſteppe he cryed, [lo titeh Miſhpat] judicium ne inclinato, wreſt not judgement; ſecondly, when he aſcended upon the ſecond ſteppe he cryed unto1 foreign 2 foreign 3 foreign 4 foreign 5 foreign him, [lo tikir panim] perſonam ne reſpicit, accept no perſons in judgement; when he aſcended upon the third ſteppe, he cryed unto him, [lo tikahh ſhohher] munus ne recipito, take no bribes; when he aſcended upon the fourth ſteppe, he cryed [lo tittang lech aſherah] non plantabis lucum, thou ſhalt not plant a grove; when he aſcended upon the fift ſteppe he cryed unto him [lo takim lech matzebah] noli erigere ſtatuam, ſet not up a pillar; when he aſcended upon the ſixt ſteppe, he cryed unto6 foreign him [lo tizbahh ſhor] ne mactato bovem, kill not an Oxe, that is, ſacrifice not to Idols: as he aſcended by degrees, ſo the admonitions did grow by degrees, from juſtice to hauehave a care of religion; and as the Iewes had Pſalmos graduum, Pſalmes of degrees which they ſang when they aſcended to the Temple; ſo theſe were admonitiones graduum, that he ſhould not pervert juſtice, that he ſhould abſteine from Idolatrie, that he ſhould not plant a groue, nor erect a pillar for Idolatrous worſhip, and that he ſhould not ſacrifice to Idols. The twelue Princes of Iſrael ſat round about this throne; and Chriſt alludeth to this forme, yee ſhall ſit upon twelue thrones, judging Alluſion.the twelue tribes, Luk. 22. 30.
Now let us compare Salomon with Chriſt;A compariſon betwixt Salomon and Chriſt.
Firſt, in their name, Salomon was jejidia, beloved of God, but Chriſt was the onelyonly beloved ſonne of his Father.
Secondly, in his anointing, Salomon was onelyonly anointed, and all the reſt of his brethren ſecluded from the Kingdome; but we are anointed by Chriſt, and receiue grace for grace from him, Ioh. 1. 16. and are made coheires with him, Rom. 8. 17. in his Kingdome; here is a greater than Salomon.
Thirdly, Salomon was crowned his Father being aliue, here was Leo & catulus Leonis, the Lyon and the Lyons whelp; ſo Chriſt thought it not robbery to be equall with the Father, and to reigne with him, Phil. 2. 6. here is a greater than Salomon.
Fourthly, Salomon was obedient to his Parents, ſo Chriſt, Ioh. 8. 49. I honour my Father, that is, my heavenly Father, and he went home and was obedient to his Parents, Luk. 2. 51. Here is a greater than Salomon.
Fiftly, by Salomons mariage, friendſhip was made up betwixt Egypt and Iſrael; but Chriſt marrying his Church, friendſhip is made up betwixt God and man; here is a greater than Salomon.
Sixtly, in the extent of his Kingdome, Salomons Kingdome reached but from the Mediterran Sea to Euphrates; but Chriſts Kingdome reacheth to the ends of the earth, Pſal. 2. 8. I will giuegive thee the ends of the earth for a poſſeſsion; here is a greater than Salomon.
Salomon exceeded all the Princes of the world in riches; but in Chriſt are hid all the treaſures of wiſedome and knowledge, Col. 2. 3. here is a greater than Salomon.
Let us compare Salomons pietie and Chriſts, Salomon Chriſt and Salomon compared in pietie.built the Temple; but Chriſt was both the Temple, Prieſt, Sacrifice, and Altar; Salomon offered an hundreth thouſand Bullockes; but Chriſt offered a greater Sacrifice, even himſelfe upon the Croſſe; here is a greater than Salomon.
The Kings of the earth were ſubject unto him, but Chriſt Revel. 17. 14. had written upon the hemme of his garment, Rex regum, & Dominus dominantium, the loweſt thing which is in Chriſt, is aboue all the Princes of the earth; here is a greater than Salomon.
When Salomon went to the Temple, he had foure and twentie thouſand to guard him with their Targets out of Libanus, 1 Chro. 27. 1. and 2 Chro. 11. 12. and when he went to bed, he had threeſcore valiant men about him of the valiant of Iſrael, Cant. 3. 7. But Chriſt hath ten thouſand times ten thouſand, and thouſands of thouſands of Angels attending him, Revel. 5. 11. here is a greater than Salomon.
Let us compare them in their wiſedome, Salomon Chriſt and Salomon compared in wiſedome.for his wiſedome had a large heart, like the ſand of the ſea: 1 King. 4. 29. Obſerue his wiſedome in deciding the matter betwixt the two women, 1 King. 3. the thing was done in the night, there were no witneſſes, no probable conjectures favouring the one more than the other, the allegations of the Mothers both alike, no difference betweene the childrens age; Salomon gathered that ſhee was the mother who had the bowels of compaſſion towards the infant; Counſell in the heart of man is like deepe waters, but a man of underſtanding will draw it out. Pro. 20. 5. Salomon by his underſtanding drew out here who was the mother of the living childe, but he muſt hauehave ſome meanes whereby to know this; but Chriſt to whom darkeneſſe is as light, he ſeeth the ſecrets of the heart, and all things are naked before him, Heb. 4. 13. here is a greater than Salomon.
His Iuſtice in puniſhing Ioab and putting Abiathar from the Prieſthood; but Chriſt ſhall put downe all his enemies, and purge his Church of hirelings, Mat. 21. 12. here is a greater than Salomon.
Laſtly, all the earth ſhall be bleſſed in Salomon. When the Iewes bleſſe any man, they pray for him after this manner, Beneficus ſit tibi Deus ac liberalis, ut praeſtitit ſe erga ſervum ſuum Salomonem, this was but fulfilled in type in Salomon; but the truth was fulfilled in Chriſt, Eſa. 65. 16. He who bleſſeth himſelfe on the earth, ſhall bleſſe himſelfe in the God of truth: & he concludeth this Pſalme for Salomon, Amen, Amen, Pſal. 72. 19. Salomon was not he that could effectuate the prayers of the Church; but Chriſt is that true and faithfull witneſſe, who is yea and Amen, Revel. 3. 14.
Salomon being ſuch a vive type of Chriſt, Queſt. whetherArguments prooving Salomons repentance. might he hauehave beene thought to hauehave beene a reprobate or not?
He cannot be thought to be a reprobate; for firſt, Anſw.
He was the Penman of the Holy Ghoſt, & they were Reaſon 1 holy men, Luk. 1. 70. As he ſpake by his holy Prophets.
The Lord heard Salomons prayer, and accepted of his Reaſon 2 ſacrifices, 1 King 3. 6. which he never did in any oblation of the wicked, Eſay 1. 11. 12. 13. ſo Ioh. 9. 31. We See Pro. 15. 8.know that God heareth not ſinners, that is, Impenitent ſinners.
Thirdly, He is ſet downe as an example of Imitation, Reaſon 3 2 Chro. 11. 17. Rehoboam in the firſt three yeares of his Raigne followed the footſteps of David and Salomon; hence it followeth, that Salomon being ſet downe as an exampleSalomon ſet downe as an example of good. of Imitation for good, that he died a penitent and reconciled to God; and as the evill beginnings of Manaſſeh, diſcommended the evill end of Ammon; ſo the good beginnings of Rehoboam, commended the good end of Salomon.
When the Kings of Iuda and Iſrael are ſet downe forRules to be obſerved concerning examples. examples, theſe Rules are to be obſerved.
Firſt, when the wicked father liueth in his ſinnes, and Regula 1 dieth in his ſinnes, and his ſonne is ſaid to walke in his wayes, and follow his example, then the bad ſonne died miſerably as his father died. 2 King. 15. 9. Zachariah is ſaid to hauehave done that which was evill in the ſight of the Lord, as his fathers had done; he departed not from the ſinnes of Ieroboam, the ſonne of Nebat, who made Iſrael to ſinne.
Secondly, when the wicked King repenteth him of Regula 2 his ſinnes, and his bad ſonne is ſaid to follow his example, then it is to be underſtood, that he followed his example in his firſt yeares, and ſinfull dayes. Example. 2 King. 21. 20. it is ſaid of Ammon, that he walked in all the wayes that his father Manaſſeh walked in, and ſerved Idols which his father Manaſſeh ſerved; This is to be underſtood onelyonly of Manaſſehs firſt dayes, and not of his laſt dayes, when he repented him of his wickedneſſe.
Thirdly, when a bad King repented him of his wickedneſſe, Regula 3 and his ſonne is commended for following of his wayes; then it is to be underſtood, that he followed him in the end of his life, and not in the beginning; as 2 Chron. 11. 17. Rehoboam in the firſt three yeares of his Reigne followed the footſteps of David and Salomon.
Fourthly, If the beginning of a King be good, and his Regula 4 end bad, then his ſonne is never ſaid to walke in his wayes, although he be a good man. Example, Aſa began well, yet becauſe he fell away, 2 Chron. 10. 10. therefore good Iehoſaphat is never ſaid to walke in his wayes. And the Lord giueth the reaſon of this, Ezek. 16. 24. When a righte…us man turneth away from his righteouſneſſe▪ and committeth iniquitie, his former righteouſneſſe ſhall be no more remembred. And againe, when the wicked turneth away from his wickedneſſe, and doth that which is lawfull and right, he ſhall liue.
Salomon is cenſured by the Holy Ghoſt, not that he had utterly forſaken God, but that he went not fully after the Lord; or that his heart was not perfect as was the heart of David his father.
The Concluſion of this is; Salomons Kingdome flouriſhed Concluſion. ſo long as he followed the Lord; therefore Religion is a ſtrong pillar like Iakin or Bognaz to uphold a Kingdome; otherwiſe it will ſtand but upon brickle feete of yron and clay, as Nebuchadnezzars Image did, Dan. 2. 33.