le fourteen times with
glosses thereupon. I recommend to the king to take some hours for
reading the Holy Scriptures; it will be a good means to make him
acquainted with God's mind, and with Christ as Saviour. 2. For his
direction in government. Kings read books that may teach them to govern
well, but all the books a king can read will not make him govern to
please God, as this book. I know nothing that is good in government, but
a king may learn it out of the book of God. For this cause, Joshua is
commanded "that the book of the law shall not depart out of his mouth;"
and he is commanded "to do according to all that is written therein." He
should not only do himself that which is written in it, but do, and
govern his people according to all that is written in it. King David
knew this use of the testimony, who said, "Thy testimonies are my
delight, and my counsellors." The best counsels that ever a king getteth
are in the book of God: yea, the testimonies are the best and surest
counsellors; because altho' a king's counsellors be never so wise and
trusty, yet they are not so free with a king as they ought: but the
scriptures tell kings very freely, both their sins and their duty. 3.
For preservation and custody. The king is _custos utriusque tabulae_,
the keeper of both tables. Not that he should take upon him the power,
either to dispense the word of God, or to dispense with it: but that he
should preserve the word of God and true religion, according to the word
of God, pure, entire, and uncorrupted, within his dominions, and
transmit them so to posterity; and also be careful to see his subjects
observe both tables, and to punish the transgressors of the same.

III. The Third thing in this solemnity is the "anointing of the king."
The anointing of kings was not absolutely necessary under the Old
Testament, for we read not that all the kings of Judah and Israel were
anointed. The Hebrews observe that anointing of kings was used in three
cases. 1. When the first of a family was made king, as Saul, David. 2.
When there was a question for the crown, as in case of Solomon and
Adonijah. 3. When there was an interruption of the lawful succession by
usurpation as in the case of Joash. There is an interruption, by the
usurpation of Athaliah, therefore he is anointed. If this observation
hold, as it is probable, then it was not absolutely necessary under the
Old Testament; and therefore far less under the New.

Because it may b