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place. I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

Luke xix. 27. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

IV.-CHARACTERS.

GOOD KINGS.

1 Kings v, 7. And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.

Job xxxvi, 7. He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.

Prov. xvi, 12, 13. It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness. Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.

Prov. xx, 8. 26-28. A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes. A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them. The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly. Mercy and truth preserve the king; and his throne is upholden by mercy.

Prov. xxv, 5. Take away the wicked from before the king, and his turone shall be established in righteousness.

Prov. xxviii, 12. When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.

Prov. xxix, 2, 14. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.

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2 Kings xiii, 11. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,

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2 Kings ill, 2, 3. And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like his father, and like his mother; for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

2 Kings viii, 18. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab; for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

HOSHEA.

2 Kings xvii, 2. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.

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Zeph. 1, 8. And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD'S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.

Luke vii, 25 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in king's courts.

Rev. xviii, 9. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication, and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning.

PRIDE.

Deut. xvil, 20. That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand or to the left; to the end that he may prolong his days in his

kingdom, he, and his children in the mist of Israel.

2 Chron. xxxiii, 23. And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.

2 Chron. xxxvi, 12. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, speaking from the mouth of the LORD.

Isa. x, 8. For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?

Isa. xxviii, 14. Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which

is in Jerusalem.

FLATTERY AND FALSEHOOD. Prov. xvii, 7. Excellent speech lying lips a prince. becometh not a fool; much less do

Prov. xxix, 12. If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.

policy also he shall cause craft to Dan. viii, 25. And through his prosper in his hand; and he shall by peace shall destroy many: he magnify himself in his heart, and shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

Dan. xi, 21, 27. And in his estate shall stand up a vile per ou, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.

Hos. vii, 3. They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

AVARICE.

Isa. 1, 23. Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards.

Hos. iv, 18. Their drink is sour; they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love. Give ye.

Amos iii, 9, 10. Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof. For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.

Micah vii, 3. That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great

man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: So they wrap it up.

TYRANNY.

1 Kings xii, 12-14. So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day. And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel

them after the counsel of the that they gave him; And spake to young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke; iny father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

2 Kings viii, 12,13. And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their

The

women with child.
LORD hath showed me that thou
shalt be king over Syria.

2 Kings xxi, 16. Moreover, Manasseh shed innocent blood

very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another;

beside his sin wherewith he

| them; and they break their bones,
and chop them in pieces, as for
the pot, and as flesh within the
caldron.

Zeph. iii, 3. Her princes within
her are roaring lions; her judges
are evening wolves; they gnaw
not the bones till the morrow.

IDOLATRY.

Isa. ix. 16. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are de stroyed.

Isa. xix, 11, 13. Surely the princes of Zoan are tools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of

Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient

1 Kings xxii, 53. For he [Abaz-kings? The princes of Zoan are hini, and provoked to anger the duced Egypt, even they that are fah] served Baal, and worshipped become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seLORD God of Israel, according to the stay of the tribes thereof. all that his father had done.

2 Kings xxi, 20-22. And he [Amon] did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did. And he walked in all the ways that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them: And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the LORD.

2 Chron. xxviii, 2. For he [Ahaz]
walked in the ways of the kings

of Israel, and made also molten
images for Baalim.

Dan. xi, 36. And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shil prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.

SEVERE THREATENING
AGAINST KINGS.

1 Sam. xii, 25. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be con

2 Kings iii, 14. And Elisha said. As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

2 Chron. xxxiii. 2, 22. But [Man-sumed, both ye and your king. assel] did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. But he [Amon] did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved 2 Chron. xxi, 4. Now, when Je-images which Manasseh his father horam was risen up to the king had made, and served them. dom of his father, be strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel.

made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

Neh. v, 4. There were also that said. We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

Dan. vii, 23. Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

Hos. v, 10, 11. The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.

Micah iii, 1-3. And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judg ment? Who hate the good and love the evil, who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off

kened not: and Manasseh seduced
2 Kings xxi, 9. But they hear
them to do more evil than did the
nations whom the LORD destroyed
before the children of Israel.

made Judah and the inhabitants
2 Chron, xxxiii, 9. So Manasseh
of Jerusalem to err, and to do
worse than the heathen, whom
the LORD had destroyed before
the children of Israel.

Ps. xii, 8. The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

Prov. xxviii, 15, 16, 28. As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people. The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days. When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.

Eccles. iv, 13, 14. Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. ⚫

Ps. lxxvi, 12. He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.

Ps. cxlix,6-9. Let the high praises two-edged sword in their hand, of God be in their mouth, and a To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings fetters of iron; To execute upon with chains, and their nobles with them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.

Isa. x, 1-4. Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Isa. xxiv. 21, 22. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and

the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

Isa. xxx, 33. For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared: he hath made it deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kin lle it.

and will slay all the princes
thereof with him, saith the LORD

THEIR PUNISHMENTS.

V.
DUTIES:

DUTIES OF RULERS.

2 Sam. xxiii, 3. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel

spake to me, He that ruleth over en must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

1 Kings xii, 7. And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

Ps. ii, 10. Be wise now therefore, ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

O

2 Kings ix, 14-16, 27. So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram: (now Joram had kept Ramoth-gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria: But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, Jer. xxii, 6, 18, 24-27. For thus when he fought with Hazael king saith the LORD unto the king's of Syria:) and Jehu said, If it be house of Judah, Thou art Gilead your minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to unto me, and the head of Lebanon: get surely I will make tell it in Jezreel. So Jehu rode thee a wilderness, and cities in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; which are not inhabited. There- (for Joram lay there.) And AhaPs. lxxii, 4, 12-14. He shall fore thus saith the LORD concern-Ziah king of Judah was come judge the poor of the people, he down to see Joram. But when shall save the children of the Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, needy, and shall break in pieces he fled by the way of the garden- the oppressor. For he shall dehouse: and Jehu followed afterliver the needy when he crieth; him, and said, Smite him also in the poor also, and him that hath the chariot. And they did so at no helper. He shall spare the the going up to Gur, which is by poor and needy, and shall save Ibleam: and he fled to Megiddo, the souls of the needy. He shall and died there. redeem their soul from deceit and violence; and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

ing Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah lord! or, Ah his glory! As I live, saith the LORD, though Comiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. And I will cast thee out, and thy mother

that bare thee, into another courtry, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die. But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not

return.

Jer. xlix, 39. And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes, saith the LORD.

Ezek. vii, 27. The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do unto them after their way, and accordto their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I am

2 Chron. xxii, 7-9. And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for, when Jer. xxi, 11, 12. And touching he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of the house of the king of Judah, Nimshi, whom the LORD had say, Ilear ye the word of the anointed to cut off the house of LORD; O house of David, thus Alab. And it came to pass, that, in the morning, and deliver him saith the LORD, Execute judgment when Jehu was executing judg that is spoiled out of the hand of ment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the oppressor, lest my fury go out the sons of the brethren of Ala-like fire, and burn that none can Ziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, quench it, because of the evil of he slew them. And he sought your doings. Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu; and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom.

the

Jer. xxii, 1-5. Thus saith the LORD, Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word, And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates; Thus saith the LORD, Execute ye judg ment and righteousness, and deJob xil, 19-22. He leadeth liver the spoiled out of the hand princes away spoiled and overof the oppressor: and do no wrong, throweth the mighty. He removeth do no violence to the stranger, away the speech of the trusty, and the fatherless, nor the widow, Ezek. xxvii. 35. All the inhabi-taketh away the understanding neither shed innocent blood in tants of the isles shall be astonish- of the aged. He poureth contempt this place. For if ye do this thing ed at thee, and their kings shall upon princes, and weakeneth the indeed, then shall there enter in be sore afraid, they shall be strength of the mighty. He dis- by the gates of this house kings covereth deep things out of dark-sitting upon the throne of David, ness, and bringeth out to light the riding in chariots and on horses, Daniel vii, 26. But the judg-shadow of death. be, and his servants, and his peoment shall sit, and they shall take ple. But if ye will not hear these away his dominion, to consume words, I swear by myself, saith aud to destroy it unto the end. the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.

the LORD.

troubled in their countenance.

Hosea x, 15. So shall Beth-el do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.

Amos ii, 3. And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof,

Ps. cvil, 40. He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.

Lam. v, 12. Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured.

Hosea x, 7. As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.

GOD'S CARE OVER KINGS. 1 Sam. x, 26. And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

1 Kings ii, 45. And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever.

Ps. xxi, 1, 6, 7. The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance. For the king trusteth in the LORD; and, through the mercy of the most High, he shall not be moved.

Prov. viii, 15, 16. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

COMPACT.

1 Sam. x, 25. Then Samuel told the people the manner of the king dom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

2 Sam. v. 3. So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.

1 Chron. xi, 3. Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

2 Kings xi, 4. And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king's

son.

2 Chron. xxiii, 1. And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of

Jehohanan, and Azariah the son

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And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.

Joshua 1, 16-18. And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us we will go. According as we unto Moses in all hearkened things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words, in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong, and of a good courage.

1 Kings ix, 15. And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.

1 Chron. xxix, 23, 24. Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him. And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king.

Job xxxiv, 17, 18. Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just? Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?

Prov. xvii, 26. Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.

thou the LORD and the king, and Prov. xxiv, 21, 22. My son, fear meddle not with them that are calamity shall rise suddenly; and given to change: For their who knoweth the ruin of them

both?

Eccles. viii, 2, 3. I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil

sisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a

terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the Sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

1 Peter ii, 13-15. Submit yourfor the Lord's sake: whether it be selves to every ordinance of man to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors as unto them that are of evildoers, and for the praise of sent by him for the punishment them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

EXCEPTION IN MATTER OF
CONSCIENCE.

Acts iv, 19, 20. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

Acts v. 29. Then Peter and the We ought to obey God rather other apostles answered and said, than men.

LOYAL RESpect. LORD magnified Joshua in the Joshua iv, 14. On that day the him, as they feared Moses, all the sight of all Israel; and they feared days of his life.

said unto Saul, Who am I? and 1 Sam. xviii, 18, 23. And David what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king? And Saul's servants spake these words

of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of thing; for he doeth whatsoever in the ears of David. And David

Adalah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

DUTIES OF CITIZENS.
OBEDIENCE.

Exod. xxii, 28. Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.

Num. xxvii, 20. And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

Deut. xxxiil, 4. 5. Moses commanded us a law, even the inherit ance of the congregation of Jacob.

pleaseth him.

Eccles. x, 4. If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifleth great offences.

Acts xxiii, 4, 5. And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

1 Sam. xxvii, 5, 6. And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? Then Achish gave Rom. xili, 1-5. Let every soul be him Ziklag that day; wherefore subject unto the higher powers. Ziglak pertaineth unto the kings For there is no power but of God: of Judah unto this day. the powers that be are ordained 2 Sam. iii, 36. And all the peoof God. Whosoever therefore re-ple took notice of it, and it pleased

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