THE ARGUMENT
AFTER the book of Judges (whereunto Ruth is annexed) rightly follow the books of Kings: signifying that after the general Judgement cometh the everlasting Kingdom. As Venerable Bede expoundeth this connexion of books, wherein he also explicateth many other Mysteries of Christ and the Church prefigured in these histories. [qq. in 1. Reg. c. 1.] Likewise S. Gregory teacheth that besides the historical and moral sense expressed in the simplicity of the letter, another mystical understanding is to be sought in the height of the Allegory. [Prologo. in 1. Reg.] In confirmation whereof he citeth S. Augustine [li. 27. c. 4. civit.] and S. Hierome [Ep. ad Paulin.]; who say, that Elcana his two wives signified the Synagogue of the Jews, and the Church of Christ: and that the death of Heli and Saul, with translation of Priesthood to Samuel and Sadoch, and of the Kingdom to David and his Successors, prefigured the new Priesthood, and new Kingdom of Christ, the old ceasing, which were shadows thereof. So these two great Doctors S. Gregory and S. Bede, insisting in the steps of other learned holy Fathers that had gone before them, expound these histories not only historically but also mystically. The history first setteth forth the changing of the form of government from judges to Kings: and then at large what Kings did reign over the Hebrew people, as well in one entire Realm, as over the same people divided into two Kingdoms; their more principal Acts; their good and evil behaviour; also the prosperity, declinations, and final captivities of both the Kingdoms. All which is contained in four books of Kings, with other two partly repeating that was said before, but especially supplying things omitted in the whole sacred history from the beginning of the world, called Paralipomenon. The two first are also called the Books of Samuel, though he writ not one of them wholly, for he died before the history of the former ended; but they go both under his name, because he anointed the two first Kings, and writ a great part of their Acts: whereto the rest was added either by David and Salomon, as some think, or by Nathan and Gad, as is probably gathered 1. Paralip. 29. v. 29. The authors also of the third and fourth books of Kings, and of the two of Paralipomenon are uncertain: yet all have ever been received and held for Canonical Scripture.