[previous CHAPTER]CHAPTER X. Of the Great Blessing Righteous Rulers are to a People; Held Out in the Characters and Resemblances Following. 1. From the comfort and blessing that attends them, compared to the morning light, and fruitful showers of rain. He that ruleth over men, must be just, ruling in the fear of the Lord: And he shall be as the light of the morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after the rain, 2 Sam. 23:2,3,4. And they waited for me as the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain, Job 29:23. He shall judge the poor of the people, and save the children of the needy, and subdue the oppressor: He shall come down like the rain upon the mown grass, and as the showers that water the earth, Psal. 72:4,6.
2. From their representing God in his attributes, called gods. Is it not written in your law, I said you are gods? If he called them gods unto whom the word of the Lord came, and the Scripture cannot be broken, &c. John 10:34,35. Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor speak evil of the ruler of thy people, Exod. 22:28.
3. From their paternal love and regard to the people called fathers. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and queens thy nursing mothers, Isa. 49:23. Until I Deborah arose, I arose a mother in Israel, Judges 5:7. Therefore [is] Christ Jesus in his kingly government, called "The everlasting Father," Isa. 9:6. And he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and a ruler throughout all the land, Gen. 45:8.
4. From their pastoral care of leading, feeding, and protecting his people, called shepherds. He chose David his servant, and took him from the sheep-folds from following the ewes great with young: he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance: so he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands, Psal. 78:70,71,72. Spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people? 1 Chron. 17:6. Christ’s kingly rule therefore held forth under this term, he shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather the lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young, Isa. 49:11. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, and be their shepherd. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince amongst them, Ezek. 24:23,24. And David my servant shall be king over them, and they all shall have one shepherd, 37:24.
5. From their natural care to prevent and allay distempers that may arise to annoy their peace, called physicians. Then shall a man take hold of his brother, saying, thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler; in that day he shall swear, saying, I will not be a healer, make me not a ruler over the people, Isa. 3:6,7.
6. From their protection and shelter, that by their wise conduct they extend to the people called shields. The princes of the people are gathered together, &c. For the shields of the earth belong unto God, Psal. 47:9. So Hos. 4:18. And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge, Judg. 2:18, Therefore Josiah, that good king, is said to be the breath of their nostrils, Lam. 4:20. And of David, but now thou art worth ten thousand of us; therefore now is it better that thou succour us out of the city, 2 Sam. 18:3. And that man shall be a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, Isa. 32:6. [next CHAPTER]
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