Ierusalem the earthly Eden of pleasure the navil of the world the cathedrall sea of God Many excellent things are spoken of thee O thou citie of God so we may say of Salomon many glorious titles are giuen to thee O thou man of God Diuerse singular men haue had other names for their excellencie as Origen was called Adamantius Iohannes Constantinopol for his mellifluous eloquence was called Chrysostome Basil was called Magnus Gregorie Nazianz. for his worthie disputations in diuinitie was called Theologus Thus he that was Saul before his conuersion as Sheol or hell was after called Paul that is mirabilis wonderfull or os tubae the mouth of the trumpet of the Lord though there be no great substance in that But King Salomon as a man specially graced with rarest parts has sundry excellent and worthy names as first Salomon that is a peacemaker then Iedidah that is beloued of the Lord then Ithiel that is God with me then Agur that is gathering together and so in the same sense here in this booke and in this place is he tearmed Coheleth or Ecclesinstes or the preacher because like the sound of Aarons golden bells he calls the flocke of Iesus Christ together by his heauenly pleasant words The Hebrew word Coheleth is here of the feminine gender as the learned know as if he called himselfe the shee preacher or the woman preacher Because as some say he writ it when he was satur annis very aged when they began to wax dark that looke out by the windows when all the daughters of singing were abased when his Almond tree began to flourish the grashopper was a burden to him when his siluer corde was lengthened and the golden ewre broken when he was as Nazianz. speakes of Eleazar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gray-headed and graue-witted when his day declined and the shadowes of his euening began to be stretched out when his manlike strength once failed him when he was by age as weake as woman the weaker sex at the very brink of death then he writ this booke and calls himselfe the woman preacher which confirmes the former assertion of the Hebrues that this was his last booke his palinodia his sweet recantation like the swanne on the bankes of Maeander Cantator cygnus funer is ipse sui who sings the sweetest when her death is nearest that this was his penitenciarie more then auricular confession therefore seemes he in this Autumne of old age to scoff at his yong April yeares nay almost all his former daies which were much like this backward spring without buds and blossomes of heauenly vertues and therfore cryes out in this booke Reioyce O young man in thy youth and let thine heart cheere thee in the daies of thy youth and follow the lust of thy heart as I my selfe haue done but presently least he might peraduenture being in a losse run himselfe breathles in a false sent ouer the craggie and steepie waies of sinne he windes his dreadfull horne to check him backe againe he lets him see after this his comicall plaudite a tragicall and lamentable plangite after mirth a doolefull end he comes in with a terrible But which serues as a peale of ordinance or a thunderclap to rouse him out of his dead slumber of iniquitie he brings in a But to curbe and stint him like huge bankes to limit his boundlesse Ocean But know that for all these things God will bring thee to iudgement which I my selfe seeing and hauing tasted the pleasure of sinne for a season especially with these my alluring concubines that haue wofully drawne me from Almightie God haue thought it very requisite to set an euerlasting memento mori before thy face to put thee in mind of the second death the endles death of the soule in hell fire which by a diuine accident those outlandish women making almost my pore selfe as outlandish euen an aliant from the commonwealth of Israel haue caused me happily to doe and therefore am I Coheleth as a woman preacher Others say he calls himselfe the shee-preacher as hauing respect to his chiefe and heauenly part his soule or hauing a reference to wisdome comprized in his soule the cynosura or polestar to direct al his speach and action as if thus he had saide Marke now what Salomon the preacher saies yet not what Salomon but what his very soule and wisedome harbouring in his aged brest by long experience what it can say to the throwing downe of Dagon this gilden idol Vanitie which all the world adores list with an attentine eare what sage aduise deliuers what a learned lecture of mutabilitie curiositie mortalitie it reads and therefore is he Coheleth or the shee-preacher Oh you you that are in eminent place that daily conuerse with Salomons golden throne ye pines of Ida ye cedars of Lebanon ye okes of Basan ye that lie on downy pallets on beds of Iuory with the princes of Israel ye that feede on the dew of Hermon on mannah Angels food here take your sweete repose sit you downe heare with me feede a while in a spirituall contemplation consider what I say and the Lord Iesus giue you vnderstanding see how this mightie Monarch casts away his Princely ornaments deuests himselfe of his royall robes his stately Parlament weeds indeed but as weeds in regard of spirituall flowres of heaueÌ„ly habiliments see how he leaues his â—haire of state as it were rapt vp into the third heauens of all spirituall thoughts he humbly turnes Clergy-man betaking himselfe vnto the pulpit to preach and all to teach thee a spirituall meditation humiliation conuersion and that thou beeing conuerted to God shouldst conuert others vnto God O how beautifull vpon the mountains are such louely feet that come with the glad tidings of saluation from the Lord. He that is an earthly King acts the King of Heauens embassadour thus he humbles and yet honours himselfe We read of a worthy historie in Pol. Virgil. Canutus sometimes happy king of this our happy Isle beeing flattringly cald of some of them that were nie him King of kings to disprooue this their too hie a title he sate him downe vpon the shore of Thames hard by the flowing water vpon a garment wrapt on a heape and after a little pause many wondring what he intended he thus spoke vnto the billowes Proud waues I commaund you to cease your flowing who no sooner hauing vttred the speech but the rebellious waues set him wetshod see saies he ye call me King of kings and alas I haue no power to forbid this silly waue after he going to Winchester raught of his golden diademe and with his owne hands impald the head of Christs statue with his Crowne and neuer would weare his crowne after howeuer this were in too superstitious a zeale yet he shewed his great humilitie Our blessed Salomon here was like vnto this Canutus for humble demeanour he
silent but to speake 3 The obiect that he aimed at in his speach euen words of spirituall delight and pleasancie The Preacher sought c. 1 The subiect Salomon or Ecclesiastes or the Preacher he was the blessed pen-man of this booke the heauenly musician who was equaliz'd vnto the sweete singer of Israel whose songs were a thousand and fiue whose sweeter straine went beyonde the apprehension of a vulgar eare out-stripped the Poets Daphnis of whome thus the Caprarius speakes O how pleasant and amiable is thy voice O Daphnis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had rather listen to thy chaunting and inchaunting voice then to taste of the most delicious Hyblean hunnicombe This Salomon whose admirable wisdome the Queene of Sheba came afar to heare presenting vnto him sixescore talents of gold pearelesse precious stones and abundance of sweete odours He who excelled all the Kings of the earth in riches for he offered in one sacrifice vnto the Lord 22. thousand beeues an hundred and twentie thousand sheepe Who made himselfe palaces of the trees of Lebanon whose pillers were siluer the pauements gold the hangings purple whose midst was paued with the loue of the daughters of Ierusalem Who had in his building seuentie thousand that bare burdens and 80. thousand masons in the mountaine He who planted himselfe vineyards made him orchards of all manner of fruit who had the gold of Kings and prouinces who had men singers and women singers the delights of the sonnes of men who had nothing withheld from him of all his heart desired who was seated in the blissefull Eden and Paradise of all content glutted with all delicious viandes crammed as it were with the pleasures of the world wanting no delicie to relish his tast no elegancie to delight his eie no symphony to rauish and surfet his eare when he had had his full repast in sinne when he had runne through myriades of delights glutting all his fiue senses which we may tearme the Cinqueports or rather the sinports of his soule hauing thus runne his wild-goose chase waging warre against God almightie tandem receptui canit he sounds at lēgth a woful retreit he comes home by weeping crosse he sees the windowes of his spirituall eyes beeing ope with Daniels vnto Ierusalem that he was in the very suburbs of death rowing along by the banks of hell he sees that vanitie was the Golden calfe he daily sacrificed vnto vpon the altar of his sinfull heart with the fire of too carnall deuotion This mighty Monarch therefore vnmasks and pulls off the vizard of all vanitie and pennes this booke this heauenly booke of Retractations which the auncient Rabbies entituled Teshuuah leshelomoh the repentance of Salomon it is he that conuerts himselfe by the helpe of God and beeing conuerted seeks to conuert others to God it is he that here is the Preacher We must not thinke with Dauid Kimchi that Esay wrote both his owne prophesie and the Canticles and this booke also that he was the preacher nor with the Talmudists that Ezechiah and his adherents writ the booke which they call Iimshoch that is Esay the Proverbs the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes but as Boaz saide to Ruth gleane in no other field but this so let vs imbrace no other sinister opinion but this that Salomon was the penman of this book that here he was this Preacher who sought to finde out pleasant words They that auerre Salomon not be this preacher the penman of this booke doe prooue it hence because the booke is penitenciarie and they constantly auouch that he neuer repented but that he was damned to the gulfe of hell of which thing because comprized by methode within the lists of our Text we will by Gods assistance treate a little Their chiefe Authorities to patronize their opinions are culled out of Augustine one place in his booke of the citie of God where he saies that Salomon had good beginnings but euill endings secondly in his booke Ad Faust. Manich. The holy Scripture sayes he reprooues and condemnes Salomon because no where we read of his repentance and Gods indulgence But the most strict place of all is in his commentary vpon the Psalmes where he saies in plaine tearms Salomon reprobatus est à Deo Salomon was reprobate of God a cast-away as they interpret it I know that some of the Fathers are diffident concerning the saluation of Salomon and amongst them this Augustine as it seemes at a blush yet notwithstanding they may be answered 1 First for the first be it that he began in the spirit and ended in the flesh yet this is not to be ment of his final ending he died not in his sinnes we know the iustest man he falls 7. times a day that is often yet he rises againe and after his rising he still falls when the finger of the holy Spirit holds him not vp and euery fall though not finall may be called malus exitus an euill ending in regard of the holy rise which is a good beginning Or els thus he began to sway the scepter of his kingdome very wisely and religiously yet after he reuolted from God especially in his old age which may be called his exitus yet so that ere he did depart this world ere he were gathered to his fathers he did clense his wayes he did repent 2 For the second we wil answer with Bacchiarius a Britaine in Augustines time in a booke which he writ concerning a Monke that had committed adulterie sayes he let vs graunt that in no place we read that Salomon repented be it so at acceptabilior erat poenitentia priuatâ eius conscientiâ quà m publicâ notitiâ ecclesiae more gratefull to God was his penitencie in the closet of his owne heart then by giuing publike notice to the Church 3 For the last The word reprobatus doth not alwaies signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we take it for one in the state of the damned for a cast-away but for one reprooued of God So Tertullian speaking of the second comming of Christ saith that Christ post reprobationem fuit assumptus after his reprobation was taken vp now what blasphemous tongue would euer say that Christ was a reprobate So Salomō was reprooued of God as he was of the Scripture Ireneus after he had recited the good gifts that God had inriched Salomon withall out of the rich exchequer of his vnspeakable bountie and mercy about the midst of the chapter he saies that he fell grieuously and was tainted with the pollution of outlandish women yet saies he sufficienter eum increpavit scriptura vti dixit mihi presbyter vt ne gloriaretur vniuersa caro in conspectu Domini Whēce we may gather these two things 1. that he was reprooued of the Scripture as we spake before 2. that the word of God so sufficiently wrought vpon his heart that it caused him to repent
yet Ireneus speaks it from the relation of a Priest I confesse Austen in the last place quoted out of his comment vpon the Psal. speakes very preiudiciously of Salomon as may be gathered out of his succeeding words where he takes away the argument deriued from his penmanship But if he vncharitably and sinisterly censured this holy man it was no doubt a blemish in him perchance rather to deterre and affright euery soule from falling so low then peremptorily and preiudiciously to determine of his damnation we may say as Augustine himselfe sayes in another case of Saint Cyprian who held the Anabaptization of hereticks so of Augustine this was peraduenture magis discendi modestia quam docendi diligentia For their reason it is this Because his soule was so deepely tainted with Idolatrie and loue of his concubines and if he had repented say they we should haue read of his taking away the high altars before his death But to answer Although his soule was dibapho peccati tincta dyed in a crimsen dye of sinne yet he that came with redde garments from Bozrah who trod the wine-presse of Gods wrath alone he that sate vpon the white horse whose eyes were like a flame of fire and on his head a many crownes who had a name writ that no man knewe but himselfe whose garment was dipt in blood he he could purge him with hysope he no doubt could make the scarlet soule of Salomon as white as the snow in Salmon Againe what if he were for a time fascinated bewitched so with the loue of his concubines that for their sakes he followed Ashtaroth the god of the Sidonians Chemosh the god of the Moabites and Milchom the god of the Ammonites yet no doubt he might before his death command these abominations to be ruinated and defaced which were not peraduenture and which he beeing bedred it may be could not in his owne person by reason of his too long delay see throwne downe And by the way nor is it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Ambrose saith God permitted Salomon thus grieuously to fall least the Iews might be deceiued and thinke promissum diuinum ad illum manasse and so consequently that he was the Messias But with authoritie and reason counterpoised against their vngrounded censure for any thing I see we will prooue directly that he repented and so was saued I will onely mention that place in Ecclesiasticus in which chapter is set out the prayse of Nathan Dauid and Salomon it is there saide Salomon felt sorrowe for his folly but God left not off his mercie to him nor did he destroy him for his workes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I thinke may be interpreted well he wip't him not out of the booke of life beeing the posteritie of Dauid whom he loued Hierome vpon Ezekiel cites a place out of the Prouerbs in the Septuagints translation where Salomon thus speakes of himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is at the length I repented and beheld c. I know the Hebrew runnes not so for thus vaechezeh anôchi ashith libbi c. then I beheld and laid it to my heart and looked vpon it and receiued instruction Where the fault is it is not at this time to be discussed since it requires an ample discourse and I would not become tediously irkesome for as Nazianzen saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is satietie in speach is as great on enemie to the eare as surfet to the body But this is not onely Hieromes but also Cyril the Archbishop of Alexandria his allegation who cites also this very place out of the Septuagints in his booke de Baptismo But Bacchiarius in his fore-mentioned booke he brings in this reason that he was repentant and so saued All the godly kings saies he are reported in the Scripture to haue beene buried among the kings of Israel their fathers in the citie of Dauid amongst which Salomon as a godly king is said to be thus buried but it is not read of the wicked kings as Ieroboam Ahab and the rest that they were thus buried therefore it is likely that Salomon was saued that he did repent in the iudgement of the church but let them that can discerne see into this reason In briefe our plaine arguments to prooue his saluation are these 1 First In the 2. of Samuel Salomon is caled Iedidah by Nathan the Prophet at the command of the Lord the word signifieth beloued of the Lord and so sayes the text because the Lord loued him now whom the Lord loues he loues to the ende and therefore he was saued 2 Secondly He was a sacred Scribe and penman of the Canonicall Scripture inspired by the holy Ghost as all other Prophets were which thing besuits not any reprobate now it is saide in S. Luke that all the Prophets of God are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the kingdome of God therefore to seclude Salomon one of the Prophets from the kingdome of heauen were to denie the Scriptures 3 Thirdly He calls his former waies madnesse and folly therefore it is probable that he seeing in the Scriptures mirrour and looking glasse his owne blemishes and fowle deformites that he washt away the spots of his soule by the troubled waters of Bethesda the teares of true repentance 4 Fourthly He was the liueliest type of Iesus Christ the true pacificus the true Salomon that euer was saue Melchisedeth To say then that he who was thus buried among the faithfull for a faithfull man in the citie of Dauid with the kings of Israel his fathers who was sufficiently reprooued and so cōsequently amended by the holy Scripture who was the louely darling of God the penman of heauēly writ one of the sanctified Prophets who was so liuely a resemblance of our Sauiour Christ who saw into his owne madnesse and folly that he he I say was damned withstands reason denies Scripture and iniuries the dead in the Lord and I verily am perswaded in my soule conscience that his portion is fallen in a faire ground that his inheritance is in the land of the liuing And thou O my soule inioy for euer that blessed paradise he now happily doth bathe himselfe in giue me leaue to end this point with the Poet Happie and thrise happie are them soules Quêis datur Elysium sic habit are nemus who thus are made free denizens in that heauēly Ierusalem the citie of the Saints And thus I conclude that Salomon he was this Preacher and penman of this penitentiall booke with making this short double vse vnto our selues 1. let him that stands take heede least he fall 2. let euery one vpon the bended knee of his heart humbly desire the Lord to conuert him then being conuerted with Salomon let him conuert his brethren Now will I come nearer vnto this first word Coheleth or Preacher As the Prophet saies of
laies aside his regall scepter his golden diademe and wholly betakes himselfe to be a preacher which he seemes euen to prefer before his royal dignitie for thus he speakes in this his booke at the beginning The words of the preacher sonne of Dauid King in Ierusalem naming the preacher in the first place Theodoret saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pretious pearels they shine in basest places the heauenly starres yeelde their influences through darkest clowds the richest diamond loseth none of his lustre though set in lead here Salomon that vnion that bright star that rich diamond of glory thinks it no disparagement or disgrace vnto his honour to betake himselfe to the foolishnesse of preaching as Paul tearmes it O let me euer drink of such a cesterne of heauenly sweet water dropping from the limbeck of a heauenly mouth let me heare SalomoÌ„ preach wiser then his teachers wiser then vs hearers Gratior est pulchro veniens ex ore loquela Giue me leaue to parodize farre sweeter is the water that issueth from a purer fountaine as they say Euermore Lord giue vs of this bread so let me say euermore Lord let me heare so sweet so wise a charmer as King Salomon the preacher was Here is an honour vnto the royall preisthood O ye sonnes of Leui here is a rare exaÌ„ple a King a preacher a Monarch a teacher Many Priests would faine becom Princes but few Princes would become Priests Howbeit the tribe of Leui was in times of yore in farr more esteem then now it is the ministers were receiued as Angels from heauen yea they would haue beene ready to haue pluckt out their owne eies then the which nothing was more deare for their fakes now they are almost contemned and laid aside euen as their sweet sounding harps were hung vpon the willowes by the waters of Babylon Nor shall my vnpleasant words or cogitations be any whit derogatorie vnto the most royal and noble tribe of Ioseph Euill be to him that thinketh euil which tribe is as a fruitfull bowe and euer be it as a fruitfull bowe by the well side and let the small boughs run vpon the walls the tribe of Leui is and hath will be graced by them nor tends my speach to impeach their eminencie Yet for the tribe of Issacar like an asse couching downe between two burthens for want of wit laying all on the shoulders of Court and Nobilitie as also on Bethel the schooles of the Prophets it like the twining iuie climbs vp too hie I will not say with Ecclesiasticall but with temporall promotion nought recking either for King or Kesar Nobilitie or Spiritualtie especially debasing the royall Priesthood I meane without all sinister and captious acception the vnlearned iniudicious Gentrie beeing like Rehoboam the foolishnesse of the people and the common Laitie it selfe O into their secrets let not my soule come my glory be thou not ioyned with their assemblie for in their wrath they slew a man yea euen a man of God whome they ought not to touch for touch not mine annointed such a fearefull and heauen-crying murther like the blood of Abel a resounding oratour in the eares of the Almightie as the like almost hath neuer beene heard of and my flesh it trembles to speake of it saue onely that of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias who was kild between the temple and the altar for auerring as Basil saies the virginitie of the virgin Marie or that of Pauls whome Nero slew for conuerting his beloued concubine vnto the Christian faith howsoeuer by the sequele it appeares the fact was too much lessened and mitigated by some partiall information to the Supreame vnpartiall eare But in that Salomon is here a Preacher which he esteemes as a title of honour for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. who is fit for these things we may inferre that the greatest and most royal honour to dignifie a Monarch or Potentate of the world is this not so much to bind by seruile subiection as to draw by the golden chaine of sacred religion for which Ambrose so highly extolls that gratious Emperour Theodosius A king should be a preacher as well as a Prince to feede the flocke of Iesus Christ as well by spiritual example and instruction as by a corporall Maiestie to manage and rule them for euen the sauage lyons ouerrule the beasts by subiection but I doe not nor neede I to speake this for a quid faciendum but to grace our happy Isle with a quid factum not teaching what is to be done but shewing what is done for here euermore thanks be vnto our good God for these many Alcyonian dayes and yeares dominion hath not ouerpoizd religion But can a King be a Priest As the kings of Egypt were called Pharaohs the Kings of the Iewes Herods so the kings of Palestina were vsually called Abimelechs which word signifies both King and Father the one for dominion the other for instruction for euen as Aaron Hur held vp Moses his heauie hands beeing weary so doth temporall dominion conioyned with spirituall instruction the one commanuding feare the other procuring a religious loue lift vp the hands of inferioritie that are dull and heauie for necessarie performance but euen the hearts of all to a celestiall obedience The word Cohen in the Scriptures signifies both Prince and Priest So Potiferah was Prince of On according to the Chaldie but priest of On vulgarly read Mercerus saith the Priests were highly placed and priuiledged with authoritie in Egypt for as from their wise Philosophers they choosed Priests so out of their Priests they selected Kings so was it with them a royall priesthood as S. Peter calls it Cohen a priest is vsed often for a chief ruler Hira the Iaâ—it haiah cohen ladauid was chiefe ruler to Dauid so Dauids sonnes cohanim haiu were chiefe rulers Homer calls king Agamemnon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shepheard to feede the people Dauid saies he was chosen king to feede the people as he was following the ewes great with young he choose him to feede Iacob his chosen and Israel his inheritance The Prophet Isai saies Kings shal be thy nursing fathers and Queelies thy nursing mothers When Pharaoh had graced Ioseph with a golden ring with fine linnen garments and a golden chaine and had set him on the best chariot saue one they all shouted before him and cried Abrech that is as some interpret it they vsed genuflection and humble adoration others say in that word they called him tenellus pater or young father because though he were but tender of yeares and greene headed yet was he a Consul a father for his wisdome or as others which best accords with our purpose in this they cald him King father of the Hebrew word ab a father and rech the Egyptian word which signifies a king because he was Viceroy or King ouer all in Pharaohs roome and father to all for