THE KING'S MIRROR 359 



name to both, if we like, for the word church means 



the same as judgment hall, because there the people 



meet and assemble. These two houses are the halls of 



God, and He has appointed two men to keep watch 



over them. In one of these halls He h^a pjarpr! TTk 



table, and this is called the house of bread; for there 



God's people gather to receive spiritual food. But in the 



^ , other hall He hasplaced His holy judgment seat; and 



' there^ the people assemble to hear the interpretation 



""C 1 God's holy verdicts/ And God has appointed two 



< keepers to guard these nouses: the one is the king, the 



C other the bishpjg. J 



Now the king is appointed to keep watch over the 

 sacred house in which the holy seat is placed and to 

 keep the holy verdicts of God. In temporal matters he 

 is to judge between men and in such .a way . thatjthe - 

 reward of etern^sajvationj^ 



all others who after his day uphold the decisions that 

 have been justly rendered. Into his hands God has also 

 committed the sword of punishment with which to 

 strike when the need arises, just as King Solomon did 

 when he laid Joab under the sword of chastisement, 

 with many others whom he subjected to righteous pen- 

 alties, as we have already told. The king, then, must 

 always strike, not in hatred but for righteous punish- 

 ment. But if he slay any one out of hatred, it is murder, 

 and he will have to answer for it as murder before God. 

 You shall also know of a truth that no one is allowed to \ 

 pluck away any of those things that God from the be- 

 ginning has assigned to His hall and high-seat; for that / 

 would be to rob God Himself and His holy judgmeny 



