〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Astronomy and also in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Science which by the voyce of birds prognosticateth the euents and thinges that ensue he also goeth beyond all the wise men not onely of the Egyptians but of our owne Nation as namely Ethan the Esrahite ond Heman Chalcol and Darda the sonnes of Mahol to be briefe the king is wiser then all men liuing for he hath that pure influence of the diuine Spirit the wisedome of the highest and that not so much by his owne studie and industrie albeit he hath béen wonderfully exercised in all laudable Artes and Sciences from his youth as by an especiall inspiration and diuine grace from the Lord his God who hath béene willing to enlarge and blesse him most aboundantlie By this he hath knowne to resolue and declare all hard riddles and questions By this he hath learned who hath laide the foundations of the earth who hath measured it and spread the line vpon it who hath shut vp the Sea with doores when it brake forth as out of the wombe who hath made the cloudes a couering for it and darkenes as his swadling bande who hath giuen the morning his charge and shewed the day-spring his place who hath bound the seauen-starres together and losed the bandes of Orion who hath brought forth the morning-star in his time and guided the euening-starre with his Sunne who hath ordayned the course of the heauens the Sea the windes the hailes the thunders the lightninges the showers of raine the deawes the light the darkenes and all that are both in heauen and earth yea he knoweth the purpose of the Creator therein And by this for the glory of God and the good of his people he hath spoken three thousand Proverbs he hath composed a thousand and fiue songes he hath told also of trees euen from the Cedar trée that groweth in Libanus vnto the Hysope that springeth out of the wall he hath spoken of Beastes of fowles of wormes of fishes and of all the creatures of God for their is nothing hidden from him his wisedom and knowledge is so admirable * By this his singular and swéet eloquence also is powred forth as the dropping of an hony combe Solomons Eloquence psal 45. vnto them that stand before him to heare his wisedome his lipes are full of grace as the Kinges father saide and dilectable to the hearers of his words euery where for his diligence was to find out and vtter pleasing wordes right scripture and the recordes of truth Cant. 5.14 This the noble Princes considering well semblably commended in him saying His lipes are like the Lillies that droppe sweete smelling mirhhe Doubtlesie as I saide of the former so may I say of this that the king herein farre passed all men on the earth without comparison which hath caused that many noble Kinges renowned Princes and wise and learned men of diuers strange far Countries were not only astonied when they heard thereof but the more to satisfie their eagre minds vndertooke great perilous and painefull iornies to come neare him to visit him to behold to heare to consider to take experience of that whreof they had heard reported concerning him and his wisedome Solomons iudgementes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * With this also my Lordes we may both remember and admire the excellencie of his Mischpatiim or iudgements in the which the very wisedom of the diuine power wonderfully appeared as in him whom the Lord his God had brought to this kingdome of Israel to do therein iudgement and equitie as the noble Quéene of Sheba perceiued and saide vnto him 1. King 10. For into how many partes soeuer Iudgement is deuided or any way considered the King expressed in euerie of them a right singular dexteritie For first according to the certaine and prescript rules of the law he wiselie discerned iudged and tried all matters of controuersie before him brought and therein as the parties were deuided one against an other after the manner of contenders in the Law their causes being eitheir contrary or doubtfull he worthily defended the good and condemned the euill extending to either iustice according to their sundry causes and contrary deserts Next as this title respected his place office ordinance function administration and ministery he was therein not ignorant but right prudent neither negligent but most carefull and diligent and gaue good heede attended that which was to him cōmitted in al reuerēce diuine feare knowing well that the iudgement was the Lords howsoeuer it pleased him to appoint him the minister who he was sure would rise vp for him in the iudgement that hee had commanded that the congregation of the people might flock round about him Thirdly as touching the iust lawfull and ordinary knowledge of the causes which is rightly regarded in such kind of administrations who sawe not pro. 12. but that the very thoughts of the King as those of the righteous were very iudgement as hee saide in the Prouerbs the which were deciphered to vs and others in many singular effects and sounde arguments Fourthly as touching the causes iudiciall wherein iudgement was to be reduced into righteousnes whereby the poore fatherlesse oppressed and wronged were to bee relieued and comforted with godly equitie shining forth of a iust and mercifull heart psal That is he will acquit and defend the poore the King did wonderfully declare himselfe before all his people ruminating to that purpose the saying of his father And sure am I the Lord will* iudge the poore and eke maintaine The cause of him that hath no friend his safety to sustaine Fifthly as concerning questions and doubts in matters of our holy religion or hard riddles or parables or the lawes and ordinances by which wee do and must liue and bee iudged or the causes and cases in controuersy that expect moderation and iudgement or the patterns and examples left to bee followed and receiued for performance in things of moment or manners of life or the gouernment and rule of the Church and common-wealth or whatsoeuer els which appertaineth or is incident to this noble virtue so worthy the royall Scepter the king I say hath before all others in the worlde declared himselfe a principall and chiefe personage To passe ouer so many examples as might bee produced in euery pointe for breuitie let vs bee contented with that particular example of the two Women which came before the king The kinges iudgement in the case of the two women 1. King 3. pleading for the living childe I hope yee haue not forgotten it the thing was done within our time and the matter being so rare and worthie memory could not so soone be forgotten although a wonder as men say lasteth not aboue nine dayes The King hauing heard the pleading and contention of those two women about the childe at length as a wise Iudge though yet but a child in yeares repeated briefly the
cause The one saith qoud he this childe which is alive is my sonne and the dead is thine And the other saith Nay but thy sonne is the dead and the living child is mine Then séeing the case doubtfull the more because there were no witnesses for eyther part hee said againe to them that stoode about him Bring me hether a sword and they brought it after that he said againe Divide the living child into two partes and give th' one part to the one and th' other part to the other For hee well knew what he would doe neither was his mind so cruell and bloody as to slay the young innocent for the mothers offence howbeit some being present not considering his purpose beganne to deride and dislike this sentence But by and by his intent was displaied for the woman whose the liuing child was féeling her vowels to yerne within her vpon her sonne whom shee thought was ordained for death cried out and sayde vnto the king I beseech thee my Lord giue her the liuing child and let it not be slaine but the other woman said Let the child be neither thine nor mine but let it be diuided as the king hath said Then the king gaue the sentence in iudgement and saide vnto the Ministers that stood by Geve her the living child whose bowels yerneth thereon and slay it not for doubtles she is the right mother thereof This being done all they of Israel hearing of this iudgement of the king feared his Maiestie the godly for loue the wicked for dread for they saw that the wisedome of God was in him to doe iustice Of this the kinges vertue spake the kings father in the spirit Thou hast loved righteousnes and hated iniquitie This being well weighed my Lordes I see not what should thereof be conceited to offend his Graces mind The princes Subscription To al this the Princes gladly subscribed commending in all thinges the iudgementes of the king And surely saide they they are happy in iudgemēt which haue as the king hath wel learned the right natures of thinges for they soundly consider of th'effectes and discerne and trie them well if they be such as are wise prudent godly and not led by affections but by sure knowledge good counsaile and the guide of the diuine spirite But we see that none of those can this perform which eyther are themselues vnlearned ignorant obstinate selfe willed prowde vngodly or contemne the good counsel and godly and graue aduise of the learned wise and vertuous Surely wee cannot denie it for it is most apparent that our Lord the king hath by this his discrete iudgement purchased to himselfe authority to his kingdome peace and trāquillitie and to the high God condigne glorie Now the better sorte of all men gratifie his honour and gladly submit themselues and their causes to his determination knowing that hee will do iustice The wicked transgressors and hypocriticall persons are fearefull to stand before his presence in the defence of their faults or triall of their liues So aswell of th' one as of th' other is the king feared in respect of those his vpright and iust iugementes which as ye said hath indéed appeared so admirable before all men CHAP. XI Of Solomons riches peace orders pleasures power blessinges fame glory from any of the which riseth not the cause of his sorrow IN the former conference king Solomons Princes and Lordes haue described displaied and defended his most noble birth his honourable names his excellent beautie his godly education his singular wisedome his sweet eloquence and his vpright iudgements Now they are no lesse willing to consider of his riches his workes his peace his orders his pleasures his power Azariah his blessinges his fame his glory And therefore Azariah spake againe and said As in the former wee haue not found anie iust cause of the kinges disgrace Solomons riches but altogether causes of honour and prouocations to ioy and gladnes so neither wanteth he any Riches or the Treasures of a King whether natural or artificiall By the naturall riches I vnderstand all such thinges as come from the fieldes trées and beastes as corne wines oyles fruites victuals clothings and such like apt and meete for mans body by artificiall I vnderstand and those things which are found out or framed by the art and industrie of man as gold siluer coyne pretious stones iewels and such like Ineyther of the which the king is maruailouslie enriched according to that word which the Lord his God spake vnto him when he asked wisedome saying I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked even riches and honour 1. King 3.13 so that there shal be no king like vnto thee in all thy daies Eccles 2.4 2. Chron. 1.15 For this wee know as himselfe hath confessed that the king hath many excellent vineyeardes planted orchardes and gardens with frees of all manner of fruit and fed oxen and beefes and more cattell and sheepe then all they which were before him in Ierusalem And as for siluer and gold wee know that hee hath made such thinges as plentifull as stones in Ierusalem and Cedar trees as plentiful as the Mulbury trées that grow in the vaileis and he hath horses brought out of Egypt and fine linnen which his Marchāts receiued for a price hee hath a chariot which cost him sixe hundred péeces of siluer with many of her Chariots and horsemen yea an hundred twelue thousand horsemen which hee hath bestowed in the Chariot Citties and at Ierusalem with his Maiesty Moreouer hee hath seruants and maidens a great houshold great substance and the chiefe treasures and large possessions euery way And truely howsoeuer these thinges doe proue as a very foolishnes vnto the ignorant and foolish Eccl. 2.9 Pro. 14.24 they are vnto with whome his wisedome remained as a glorious crowne and he is greater and of more worshippe then all his predecessors in Ierusalem Helioreph * All this is manifest said Helioreph neither can any man denie any thing of that which ye haue said therefore it is set downe in the kinges Annales and committed to the holy Registre Solomons works And as his riches is great so also are his workes most admirable according as himselfe hath said I have made gorgeous faire works I have built mee houses planted vineyeards Eccl. 2.4 I made mine Orchardes gardens of pleasure I made pooles of water to water the greene and fruitfull trees withall And it is true and hee hath builded Citties and raised the walles 2. Chro. 8. and fortified his townes and territories magnificently but beyond all others those his three houses which he hath made and performed in Ierusalem are excellent and passe all the buildings and workes in the world First according to the commaundement of his Father David and iust after the forme and proportion that the Lord had giuen to David 1. Chro. 28.19 and
which lifted them vp yea and some are therefore aduanced that forgetting God and their duties Gon. 11. ◠Iudg. 9.53 they may be thrown downe and confounded as Nimrod was and Abimelech aswell for example vnto others which thereby are taught to take heede as for a iust reward of their owne pride ambition insolency great wickednesse Secondly Ioab being faultie against God and the King and now not onely accused before the king and his Princes but iustly condemned and fearing the kinges displeasure and the reward he had deserued hath most egregiously abused that holy place for Sanctuaries are ordained for a refuge and defence Sanctuaries Exod. 21.14 Num. 24. 35.11.14 Deut. 4.42 19.4 Ios 20.3 not for wilful murtherers stubborne malefactors traytors rebels seditionaries and conspiratours against lawful Princes but for innocents such as do or shall ignorantly and by an héedlesse occasion offend that there they may be protected and preserued till time the truth of the matters laide against them be in iudgement discerned and tryed as we finde it written in the law of Moses Nor was it méete indéed that Ioabs eāxple therin though a noble man so neere of bloud to the king and no lesse fauoured of David should embolden others to commit such hainous actions and villanies and then to shrowde themselues vnder those places of refuge so farre off from the true meaning of the law and from the right end of the institution of those places Therefore they that offend in like matters and thinke to be defended with their causes eyther by such places or by the wreasting of the holy lawes to their purpose do alwaies deceiue themselues and draw vengeance on their owne heades deseruedly * Thirdly Ioab expressed a most stubborne nature Ioabs stubbornes peruerse will and disobedient heart against the Lords Annointed for when in the kinges name and by his Highnesse commaundement I commaunded him to come forth from the Altar hee neuer so much as asked mercy of the king nor sought nor entreated for his owne pardon but presuming that the King would not haue aduentured to plucke him from the Altar wherof he had taken hold although he had been a wilful transgressor he then answered most stoutely in the presumption of his hart I wil not came forth and being further certified that then the king would not feare nor omit to stay him euen there for his ambitious praetizes and trespasse he replied as daring the king and his lawfull authority most arrogantly then let him slay me euen here for I will not come forth Neither think I but he will haue some regard to the high reuerence of this place into the which I haue betaken my selfe for the safety of my life as in the Lords Sanctuary vpon this aunswere the king perceiuing his pride and the stubbornes of his hart commanded me to doe vnto him euen as he had said namely to stay him euen there and so hee receiued the execution of his iust iudgement Fourthly the Lord our God The rewarde of murther hath rightly brought vpon the heade of Ioab the reuenge of that innocent bloud which he had before that time shed causeles and now cried to the Lord for vengeance according to that word of David 1. Kin. 2.5 when a little before his death hee gaue the king a very straite charge concerning this matter willing that Ioab should not be holden guiltlesse nor be brought in peace to his graue but that he shold receiue the reward of a merciles murtherer Num. 24. after the wordes of the law in that case prouided as whereby the sooner he might remoue away from the king and his fathers house that bloud which Ioab had shed without iust cause for beyond others his manifold slaughters and oppressions hee smote and most traiterously murthered two men which were more righteous and better then himselfe in the time of peace namely Abner the sonne of Ner captaine of the hoast of Israel 2. Sam. 3.23 who was as king David in his lamentation for him acknowledged a Prince and a Great man and also Amasa the Sonne of Iether Captaine of the hoast of Iudah A man likewise of right excellent gouernement and valour for Ioab being a person very proude enuious and ambitious greatly feared lest the fauour and estimation of those two Worthies in the kings eyes would much diminish or at the least hinder or withstand his further and higher honour Therefore David perceiuing his wicked inclination and considering wel the equitie of the cause charged and required his Sonne our Soueraigne Lord that the bloud of those two worthy persōs should be returned on the head of Ioab and vpon his seede that so vpon David and vpon his séede and vpon his house and vpon his seat there might be and remaine a perpetuall peace Thus truely when one creature kils another the heauenlie Powers crie out to the highest Maiesty saying Lord Lord this thy seruant presumes to be like thee Therefore if the déed be vniust the Creator of all aunswereth Suffer him yet which kils for he also shall be killed Vengeance is mine and I will repay And indéed those celestiall Powers shal and wil so often represent with their praises to the Lord the death of the person slaine till iust vengeance be taken of the slayer who therefore shall be numbred with them that are appointed to perpetual torments Hermogenes * as also one among the Philosophers of the Gentiles hath truely said And so we obserue that albeit the impious and wicked be for their times and turnes aduanced aboue many others better then themselues by the great fauour and liberalitie of bountiful Princes and so stand a while in an high grade of flourishing prosperity and that when the vngodly commit wickednesse against God and his Annointed they are spared or passed ouer with silence wherby forgetting God and their proper conditions they imagine him to bee wel pleased and so promise themselues lasting securitie in their impieties yet neuerthelesse in the end yea euen in their due time are they well ouertaken and destroyed without mercie being nothing worthie of mercie though they crie and call Therefore the Greeke Homer whom in this matter without iust offence to our Religion but to the shame of such ambitious persons we may remember hath well modulated in all iust censure saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus translated Although in pitie powerfull love A long some time refraines To smite the Sinner yet at length He plagues him to his paines But most diuinelie hath the kings father spoken in his Psalms and hymnes touching this argument which when learned Asaph the kings Scholemaister had aduisedly considered with the manifold instances dayly occurring hee thus spake as in the Lordes behalfe Oh now consider this ye that forget Gods grace Lest that I rent you for a pray and none be found in place To rescue or to saue
and to holde his Court of Iustice Well therefore may the king mourne and bee holden with continuall sadnesse if the consideration of the diuine wrath hath seized on his heart zadoke tels that the king himselfe is the cause of this wrath * But so much the more sayde Zadok is the King perplexed and standes in feare because as hee hath lately found and considered the greatest cause of this anger both rise of himselfe For if a stranger had hurt him he might haue dissembled it if an enemie hee might haue reuenged it if a friend hee might haue complained of it but the cause beeing in himselfe to whom should hee make his moane of whom should he séeke comfort Although I will not iustifie the whole Congregation of Israel The people which dyed in the plague were not free of transgression no more then I might say that all the people which dyed in the pestilence in the time of Davids transgression were guiltles for no doubt they were faultie also before the Lord yet beyonde them all our Lorde king Solomon hath highly offended whereof it may come to passe that the Lorde who was mercifull vnto Israel and in his mercy gaue them such a King as by the which hee might expresse vnto them his loue is now minded to take and remooue farre from them this happy occasion of their peace and so to leaue them and commit thē to the hurtfull hand of the angel of wrath to be punished according to their deserts from the sense whereof they haue been thus long kept and preserued by the blessed meanes of king Solomon Now I remember what the Lord said to Moses when our Fathers had offended and Moses neuerthelesse earnestly prayed and requested him for their pardon Suffer me sayth he or giue me leaue Exod. 22.10 that my wrath may waxe hot against thē and consume them Sée the goodnes of God who not only stayd was restrained frō smiting of them vpon his request but acknowledged Moses the meane of their pardon In what sense the people are said to bee plagued for Dauids sinne But we haue that example of our owne time euen of David the kings father and his people yet in memorie For as long as he pleased Iehova his God God esteemed him accepted him for the occasion of their peace though they had deserued wrath confusion But after that David had transgressed with them and angred the Lorde then became he who was before an occasion of the peoples saftie an occasion of their punishment that not only for his own sin but also for their sins who now had not him in this time of disgrace for their further means to health nor any other such Sauiour as might stand vp in the gape between God them that because they repented not wherfore the Lord sent forth the messenger of death who smote 70. thousand persons with the plague of pestilence that they dyed within 3 dayes And surely we may feare euery one of vs what shal shortly ensue fall both on our king and the people seeing that God being now angry with our king for his sinnes neither looketh gratiously on him now accepteth him and his doings as an occasion of our peace Solomons youth age Indeede the king in his yong yeeres behaued himselfe most grauely shined in all princely vertues which did adorne and beautifie both his person and place which gaue vnto vs and to all his people both hope and expectation of a farre greater excellencie to follow in his Age as those trees which blowing faire in the spring time of the yeere put men in hope of fruits thereof in the time of haruest But alas the king hath in this point farre deceiued all mens expectation behauing himselfe most vnwisely both before God and in the eyes of all good men in this time of his age by the which he hath distained his honor and depriued vs all of that glory the which through him wee had atchiued and hoped by the same to haue had established on our Nation for euer according to the word of the Lord spoken to David in his good loue And of this as I cannot thinke without griefe of heart so can I not speake without weeping teares and deepe sighes * Then answered Zabud zabud as not a little greeued and sorrowfull in his heart to heare such hard tydings of the king with whom he had béene so familiarly acquainted and sayd But what is it I beseech you most reuerend Father wherein the kings Maiestie hath so heynously and daungerously faulted and so highly prouoked God to displeasure I doubt not but that without dishonor to the king hurt to your selfe or offence to any of vs present it may bee spoken heere in Councell that thereby the sooner wee may consult and consider thereof with iudgement and endeuor to our power to salue the displeasure Alas sayd Zadoke when one man offendeth against another there may bee a dayes-man to reconcile them zadok telleth wherein the king hath offended 1. Sam. 2.25 but if a man sinne against the Lorde of heauen who can decide it Thus said Eli the Priest in the like case But now sauing the kings honour and your reuerence my Lordes the king hath committed ah how sorowfull am I to say it the king hath committed but alack shall I vtter it my tongue would rather cleaue to the roofe of my mouth The King hath committed ah yet how loath and hashfull am I to tell it Howbeit it is already seene and not couered it is spoken off and not couched in silence euen of them that dwell not in the Court but in the Countrey yea aswell of them that bee without as of them that remaine within howsoeuer wee would dissimble it the King I say hath committed three great euils of the which the most part of all this displeasure and sorrow commeth both to himselfe and to vs. For beholde First The King hath multiplyed wiues to himselfe Secondly Hee hath combyned himselfe with straunge women Thirdly Hee hath turned away his heart from the Lorde This being sayd the Princes were all abashed and wonderfully amazed not knowing what to say or what to expect or what to thinke but pauzed and looked one on another of them nor could their fearefull tongues vtter the thoughtes of their grieued hearts CAP. XX. The first of Solomons sinnes Viz. the pluralitie of Wiues AFter a very long pauze Abiather the Priest stood forth and obiected for the king concerning the pluralitie of his Wiues Abiather obiecteth for the kings wiues and saide How should this be a fault so heynouse in the king Abraham our Father was permitted to take Hagar his mayd notwithstanding that Sarah was his wedded wife And Iacob the Lords seruant had two wiues namely Leah and Rachel and yet besides them hee had the company of his two maydes Bilha and Zilpha on whom he begat children So Lamech before the flood had two
God the which we must seeke by godly repentance obtaine by faithfull praier vnto God in the trust of Messiah vntill which time the Lord will neuer be perswaded to draw in his hand which is stretched forth Solomon repenteth This the King himselfe well knoweth and therefore he is humbled on the ground he bewaileth himselfe hee weepeth hee lamenteth hee abandoneth the vaine things of this world and he turneth himselfe both body and minde as in the best sort of pennance vnto his God who I doubt not but wil be mercifull vnto him as he was merciful vnto his father David when he so repented * But yet in this interim to the aggrauating of the kinges griefe it is fallen out of late whereof the King is also certified for what can be hidden from his eyes that when this fellow Ieroboham departed from Ierusalem the Prophet Ahiah the Sylonite found him in the way hauing a new garment on him and they two being alone in the field the Prophet caught that new garment and rent it in twelue peeces The Lord threatneth Solomon to punish him for sin 1. King 11. and said to Ieroboham Take vnto thee ten peeces for thus saith the Lord God of Israel behold I will rent the kingdome out of the handes of Solomon and will give ten tribes to thee and thou shall raigne according to all that my soule desireth and shalt be King over Israel Againe I will for this offence which Solomon hath committed punish the seede of David but not for ever Now the consideration of this being added to the former hath caused the kings eies to faile through weeping his bowels to swell his liuer to be powred out on the earth and himselfe to swoone in the middest of his house Neither shoulde we also in the regard of this his great sorrow and the miseries imminent on him on vs and on the people but wéepe and howle with him and repent and cry to the Lord for mercy CAP. XXII Zadoks Reede is approved and secunded touching the cause of K. Solomons trouble And it is so recorded THe former speeches being well heard considered accordingly by the Lords assembled Prince Zabud the kings familiar friend answered My Lord Zadoke I suppose ye haue fully pierced the centre and haue plainely reuealed though in secret vnto vs the highest cause of this so strange metamorphosis and alteration of the king Your words so graue and right reuerendly disposed on this occasion wee allow as wel worthie and commend your plaine manner of dealing in this matter though of such waight for howsoeuer it bee honourable to conceale the Kinges secrets as my Lorde the Kings secretarie will confesse yet in this case I hold it necessarie that those things bee manifested to vs of this assembly no lesse then it shal be needfull that the sicknesse and griefe of the languishing patient with the causes thereof bee made knowen to the faithfull Phisician who at the least howsoeuer he may be able or not able to cure the malady wil neuerthelesse extend his good wil endeuour his best and wish the patient health And out of doubt as ye haue said so may I say what I likewise haue obserued being ordinarily so neere his grace as any one els in his Court that he hath had very lately a message sent him from God containing both a sharpe reprehension and a fearefull commination The message was therefore irksome to him for who may but bash when God reprooueth him and who should not tremble at the sentence of punishment The reproofe toucheth to the quicke but the threate dawnteth the guiltie conscience for as the one argueth a displeasure for a fault committed so the other awardeth iudgement for the same But yet what the very cause thereof was I could not vnderstand vntill now for ye haue said it to be besides all other causes the high displeasure of God iustly conceiued against the King and his people for that the King hath contrary to the diuine law multiplyed wiues to himselfe in a great number that he hath also combined himselfe with strange Women yea such as are strangers in Religion to vs and that by their societie and temptations he hath beene allured and turned his hart from Iehovah his God then the which alas what can be more reprehensible horrible and fearefull * The King himselfe said Zadok will not at the least he should not dissemble this matter zadoke proceedeth to tell what the prophet said to K. Solomon for the Prophet who brought him this Embassady from God deliuered it not in a corner nor staggered he to tell it to the Kings face and that with wonderfull audacitie For so God commaunded him to doe and neither to feare nor dissemble nor conceale any thing of that he had in charge and he had his authoritie and power then from God which emboldned him Therefore the holy Prophets whom God authoriseth and sendeth forth into the world The boldnes of the prophets setting God before their eyes and their duty nothing dread the faces of mortall men in their holy ministry and seruice vnto whose aspect the greatest potentates of the earth which feare not the Lord of heauen appeare but as sauage beasts or base things that perrish howsoeuer glorious they seeme to the conceits of prophane men So the Prophet beholding the King charged him and said without feare that he had transgressed and not obserued that which first David the Kings father receiued from the Lord and had giuen him in charge to performe nor that which Iehovah his God appearing to him at two sundry times willed him to obserue keepe as he was willing to enioy and retaine his blessings bee shadowed vnder the safe wings of his protection possesse the peace both of mind and body and thenceforth prosper in his place M. Recorder ye know well where the words be recorded I pray you to turne over the Annales till yee finde the place and then let vs heare the wordes read openly before vs all that we may the better consider and compare the same with the Kings dealings Iehosophat the Recorder findeth the record of the matter in the Annales Psal 102.18 for thus must one thing bee considered with another if we thinke to vnderstand that which we desier and to effect the thing which to our duty belongeth * I am here ready said Iehosophat the Recorder and I know very wel where this matter lyeth written Oh how necessary and profitable is the true record of things in writing And this is written for them that come after that they thereof may learne to bee wise as we are taught by the writings of Moses Iosuah Samuel and others both learned godly that liued before our daies And now my Lords all hearken what I haue founde written by Nathan the Prophet in the Kinges Annales Most willingly said the Lordes therefore read on in the name of God I finde said Iehosophat that after the time Solomō