all the miserable betook themselves unto him unto the number of 400. men which entrenched themselves in a fortresse going forth every day for to rob to maintain themselves thereby In the midst of all these misfortunes the good Prince kept alwayes in his heart a true love of his countrey and knowing that the Philistims had laid siege before Keilah he failed not to go to help it and to deliver it although this ungratefull city was intened to deliver him to Saul if he had enclosed himself therein the which he would not do having consulted with the Oracle of God but retired himself to the desert of Ziph whither Jonathan that The visit of Jonathan secret and and very profitable to David burned with a great desire to see him came to find him secretly and they were for some time together with unspeakable expansions of heart This good friend comforted him and assured him that he should be King after his father and for himself he would be content to be his second which sufficiently witnessed the wonderfull modesty of this Prince and the incomparable love that he bore to David But the Ziphims men for the time that would provide for their own safety sent their deputies to Saul to advertise him that David was retired into their quarters and if it pleased him to follow him they would deliver him into his hands At the which Saul was exceeding joyful and entred the chase to entrap him compassing him on every side and hunting him like a poor deer chased by men and dogs with great out cries The danger was very manifest and David in great hazard to be taken had it not been for a happy message it may be procured by Jonathan that advertised Saul that the Philistims had taken the field and made great waste upon his lands at which he returned to bring remedy thereto deferring his former design till another occasion In the mean while David ran from desert to desert The rudenesse of Nabal towards David with his troops and was hardly able to live which made him have recourse to Nabal a rich man and that had great means entreating him for some courtesie for to maintain his people which had used him with very great respect defending his house his flocks and all his family against the spoilings of robbers This Nabal that was clownish and covetous answered the deputies of David that he knew not the son of Jesse but that he was not ignorant that there were evil servants enough which were fled from their masters and that he was not in case to take the bread from his hired servants for to give it to high-way men This word being told to David incensed him so much that he was going to set upon his house for to rob and sack it But Abagail the The wisdome of Abigail his wife wife of Nabal better behaved and wiser without busying her self to discourse with her husband that was a fool and drunk caused presently mules to be loaden with provision necessary for the men of war and went to meet David to whom she spake with so great wisdome comelinesse and humility that she turned away the tempest and stayed the swords already drawn out of the scabbards for to make a great slaughter in her house David admiring the wisdom and goodnesse of this spirit of the woman married her after the death of her husband It is so true that a good deed bestowed on a high A good deed done to a great one afflicted is of much value person in time of his affliction and when he hath most leasure to consider it is a seed-sowing which in its time brings forth and bears fruits of blessednesse After that Saul had driven back the Philistims he returns to the pursuit of David accompanied with three thousand men with a purpose to take him although he should hide himself under ground or should fly through the air And indeed he crept up rocks unaccessible David furiously pursued by Saul which were not frequented by any but by wild goats and as he passed that way he entred into a cave for some naturall necessity where David was hid with a small number of his faithfullest servants which failed not to tell him that this was the hand of God which had this day delivered his deadly enemy into his hands and that he should not now lose time but to cut him off quickly whilst that he gave him so fair play and this would be the means to end all those bitternesses wherewith his life was filled by the rage of this barbarous Persecutour This was a strong temptation to a man so violently His generousnesse in pardoning his enemy very admirable persecuted and whose life was sought by so many outrages Neverthelesse David stopping all those motions of revenge resolved in his heart by a strong inspiration of God never to lay his hands upon him which was consecrated King and contenting himself with cutting off the skirts of his coat he went out of the cave after Saul and crying with a loud voice he worshipped him prostrate on the earth holding in his hand the piece of his casock and saying to him Behold my Lord my Father and my King the innocence of my hands and do not believe them any more which filled you with suspicions of poor David you cannot be ignorant at this time that God hath put you into my power and that I could have handled you ill by taking away your life have saved mine own But God hath kept me by his holy grace from this thought and hath preserved you from all evil I never yet had any intent to hurt your Majesty having alwayes reverenced and served it as your most humble servant and subject whiles that you cease not to pesecute me and to torment my poor life with a thousand afflictions Alas my Lord what is it that you desire Against whom are you come forth with so great furniture of Arms and Horses against a poor dead Dog a miserable little beast I beseech the living God to judge between us two and to make you to know the goodnesse of my cause One may avouch that great and glorious actions The greatnesse and benefit of clemency of Clemency do never hurt Princes but that often they do place or keep the Crown upon their heads God and Men concurring to favour that goodnesse that approches so near to the highest Saul was so amazed with this action that he ran to him and embraced him weeping and said to him This is a sure sign O David which I acknowledge at the present and whereby I know for certain that you must reign after me so great a goodnesse not being able to be rewarded but by an Empire I do pray and conjure you onely to have pity on my poor children after my death and not to revenge your injuries upon them hereupon he swore to him to deal with him afterwards peaceably But as this spirit was unequall
body of the King with those of his three children and hung them upon the walls of Bethshan where they were seen untill the time that certain valiant men of his party took them away by night and gave them buriall Such was the end of this unhappy Prince whom impiety disobedience love of himself and the jealousie of State accompanied with his ordinary ragings threw head-long into a gulf of calamities At the same time that this unhappy battell was David receives the news thereof fought David was pursuing the Amalekites which in his absence had sacked the town of Ziklag which was the place of his retireing that Achish the King of the Philistims had bestowed upon him He was so happy that he overtook those robbers loaden with their prey and took out of their hands his two wives Ahinoam and Abigail whom they had taken away As he came from this battell a young Amalekite presents himself and brings him the news of the death of Saul of Jonathan and of his other sons affirming that he himself had stood by at the death of the King and had helped him to dye by order which he had received from him cutting off the thread of his life and delivering him from those deadly pains that caused him to languish and for a proof hereof he shewed him his Crown and his bracelet which he presented to David hoping for a great reward from him But this virtuous and wise Prince aswell for conscience sake as his reputation took great heed of receiving or manifesting any joy at this accident but on the contrary being moved with extream grief he tore his garments and put all his court in mourning he wept he fasted he made funerall Orations for the honour of Saul and Jonathan and set forth lamentations which caused as great esteem of his virtue as they moved pity to his countrey Not content herewith he caused the Amalekite that brought him the news of the death of Saul to dye by Justice which he himself had helped to confirm according as he had avouched by obedience and by compassion not enduring that he should lay hands upon a King for to take away his life from him by any pretence whatsoever that he could alledge It seemed that after the death of this unhappy Prince David should forthwith have taken possession of all his estates but wisdome hindred him from proceeding herein so hastily They knew that he had not assisted at the the battell for to help his people that he had retired himself into the hands of the capitall enemies of Israel and many might very justly think that he had born arms for Achish which might diminish much the great opinion that they had of his virtue Further also although that Saul was not so much loved in his life-time yet his death might very well have defaced that blemish of hatred that many had conceived against him They considered that he had sacrificed himself with his three sons for the publick safety and had spared nothing for his countrey They had pity on the evil usage that the Philistims had done unto his body his former good actions in time past the dignity of a King his laborious life and tragicall death did quell all the envie that any could have at his fortunes Hence it was that Abner his chief Captain who was a man sufficiently upright would not lose any time but seeing there remained yet a son of Saul named Ishbosheth aged fourty years although he was but of little courage and as little understanding he made him presently to come into the Camp and caused him to be declared the true and lawfull successour of the estates of Saul not so much for the esteem that he had of his sufficiency or for the love that he bore him as intending to reign by him and over him All the people gave unto him the oath of Allegiance except the kindred of Juda from which David was sprung which gathered together in favour of him and crowned him King in Hebron where he reigned about seven years before he possessed the whole power of the Empire The Kingdome of Judah was then one body with The kingdome divided by the ambition of the favourites two heads the house of Saul and David clashing against each other not so much by the inclination of the Masters as by the ambition of the Favourites and Servants which would reign at their costs Abner was high and courageous Joab also the Joab and Abner do seek for the government chief Captain of David stern and violent which would gain the favour of his Master by devouring him in the which he did not succeed well for that the spirit of David was not so feeble as to comply with such behaviour and it was nothing but necessity which caused him to passe by many things These two chief Captains full of jealousie the one Their combat over the other meeting together at the Fish-pond of Gibeon with the chief of the Nobility Abner began first and demanded a combat under pretence of play unto whom Joab which had no need of a spur easily consented Presently one might see the young men of each side nimbly to bestir themselves whose fingers did itch to be at it and did not fail quickly to surprise one another The sport growing hot by little and little came to a full combat and at last to a battell where many remained upon the place Joabs party was the stronger and that for twenty which he lost he killed three hundred and sixty of Abners men who was constrained to retire himself But Azael the brother of Joab a nimble runner followed The death of Azael by his rashnesse him lively with his sword at every turn ready to wound him the other which had no desire to slay him being not ignorant that if it should come to that it would prove the seed of an irreconcileable enmity between him and Joab his brother prayed him twice to depart from him and to content himself with the spoil of some other without being ambitious of his Azael would not hearken unto him but desired to make himself famous by getting the better of the Captain of the Army At last he seeing him insolent unto that extremity turned back and struck him through with his Launce Joab and Abishai his two brethren incensed with that his slaughter followed Abner with all their force who saved himself upon a hill where a great squadron of the family of Banjamin encompassed him and cryed with a loud voice unto Joab saying shall the sword devour for ever and would he make of a sport so deadly a tragedy as if he were ignorant that it was dangerous to drive them to despair Joab caused a retrait to be sounded making a shew to do that for courtesie which he agreed to for necessity Abner laying aside his warlike humour fell in love The disagreeing of Abner and Ishbosheth with a Concubine of Saul named Rispah which was a
men at arms he lived laborious amongst shepheards chaste in the Courts of Kings temperate in government a companion of Angels in his retirement and as it were Omnem istam sâ—cunâ—um corpus habitationem coelestis puritate conversationis obduxerat mentem râ—gâ—ns carnem sâ—â—jicâ—nâ— nomine Dei vocatus est id câ—jus similituâ—inem se perfectâ— virtuâ—is â—bâ—rtate formaverit Ambros l. 2. de Cain Abel a cabinet-friend of God having continually Heaven for object and all greatness in contempt He had blotted out all that which was man in him by the purity of a conversation wholly celestial The flesh was in him under such subjection and the spirit in such Empire that he merited the name of God in the resemblance of whom he was transformed by the superabundance of his virtues Behold that great disciple of Moses Josaah what piety in the service of the Omnipotent what sweetness in government what greatness of spirit in noble enterprizes what patience in difficulties what prudence in direction what dispatch in expeditions It is no wonder if at the sight of these eminent qualities walls and Cities fell Giants waxed pale rivers retired back the sun stood still and one and thirty Kings underwent the yoke Behold Samuel the Father Master and Judge of two Kings the Doctour of Prophets the Sanctuary of the poor the pillar of the Church Is it not a magnificent spectacle to see him go out of charge after so long a government and so great a diversitie of affairs with a heart so untainted and hands undefiled as if he had perpetually conversed with Angels Is it not a most heroical action which he did in the first of Kings when after the election of 1 Reg. 22. Loquimini de meâ—â—â—ram Domino â—oram Christo ejus Saul having voluntarily resigned his dignity he shewed himself with up-rear'd head in the midst of the people and gave liberty to all the world from the least to the greatest to complain and make information against him before the King newly chosen If it may be found that in his magistracy he ever did the least wrong to any man he is theâ—e ready to afford all satisfaction that may be thought fit But as he had lived most innocently at this word was lifted up a loud crie proceeding from a general consent of the people which highly proclaimed the integritie of his justice Is not this a praise of more value than millions of gold and Empires But above all reflect often on the Wisdom of God Incarnate Jâ—sus Christ the Saviour of the world as the prime model of all States-men which the Prophet Isaiah hath exactly represented in the eleventh Chapter of his Prophesie where he figureth the Redeemer unto us in quality of a Judge to serve for an instruction and an example to all posterity First for as much as concerneth his perfections he gave him seven sorts of spirits very consonant to a true Politician to wit the spirit of Wisdom and Understanding the spirit of Counsel and Strength the spirit of Science of Piety and the Fear of God wherewith he was wholly replenished Then describing his manner of proceeding he saith He shall not judge according to humane apparences by the inconsiderate views of carnal eyes and the relation of a rash tongue but he shall do justice to the poor and fortifie himself with all kind of vigour for the defence of so many gentle souls as are oppressed in the world To this purpose he shall strike the earth with the words of his mouth using his tongue as a rod of correction and shall overthrow the wicked with the breath of his lips Justice shall be so familiar to him that he shall make use of it as of a girdle of honour or a rich bawdrick which brave Captains wear The effects of his government shall be so eminent that the wolf under his reign shall be seen to cohabit with the lamb the leopard with the goat the calf with the lion and little children to play with basilisks and aspicks willing in these allegories to signifie that he shall mollifie the most savage humours by his laws to reduce them to the temper of reason Behold somewhat near how this divine Writer describeth the Policie of the King of Monarchs All those who have insisted in his steps have been glorious in the memory of men and he that would number up through all Ages so many great States-men should make a large Volume I will not at this time produce Melon Injuriosâ—s Carmerus Robert Ausâ—ert surnamed the Man of God Oenus Godegrandus Ledwardus Eginardus Raoul Fulbertus Hildwinus Monsieur Stephen of France Guarinus William of Mountaigue Henrie Arnaudus of Corgues Rochfort and the most famous Thomas More not speaking of so many other lights of Ages which have illustrated us much nearer where we may find a large list of uncorrupted men Many have so worthily filled the chairs of justice that they have deserved to pass forward to Altars there to possess the prime places of Prelacies I satisfie my self to draw out of Marcianus Cassiodorus Baronius and ancient Manuscripts the life of Boetius where you may observe the body of History sufficiently replenished with matters very considerable ANIC MANL TORQVAT SEVER BOETIVS BOETIUS The first SECTION His great Nobilitie BEhold here how I make a great States-man to walk along in his rank the honour of the gown and the singular ornament of the purple garment who hath had the priviledge to revive learning in his life and at his death to bury all the Roman greatness in his tomb It is the most Illustrious Boetius whom I have selected almost in the first Ages of Christianitie as the most accomplished personage that hath flourished in the quality of a man of the long robe throughout Christendom For if you consider his extraction it was the noblest of his time if you regard his means he was of the most honestly rich if you reflect on his wit he dazeled the eyes of the most learned if you behold his innocency his life was as a pearl without blemish If you weigh his dignity he had been three times Consul of Rome if you enquire after his negotiations and government you shall find he lived in the greatest revolutions of the Roman Empire when affairs were most thorny If you will observe his constancy you shall see a pillar of diamond not to be shaken with all the counterbuffs of iniquity and if a brave death may set a seal upon a good life you will be enforced to admire him beholding him to die on a scaffold for the defence of piety and justice which are the two poles that support all the great Policie of this Universe The unhappiness is there hath not been some Authour found in that iron Age to have written the acts of this great man in a stile suitable to his merit we should have discovered marvellous treasures but since I must make my way through so great
thorns their repose but torment life but anxiety and death very often a tomb of water And yet holy Boldnesse reserveth to it self courages which it leadeth forth as it seems beyond the sun time and seasons to conquer souls to God Must we not say this passion is infinitely generous and that it mounted to a heighth of virtue almost prodigious All are not created to come to the most eminent degree of its excellencies Nature must therein have a part and verily in my opinion the divine Providence prepareth bodies greatly adapted to those daring souls which in them he resolveth to enclose Their temperature is hot their heart little in bulk but a true fornace of heat the members well composed the speech strong and the arm sturdy Education and Custome create another nature which hath alwayes been observed to be extremely necessary in the children which are to be trained up to valour Those people of India must in some sort be imitated who set them on the backs of certain great birds to carry them in the air whereat these little Cavalliers are at first astonished but in the end they so fashion themselves thereto that they despise all other perill The Romans daily made them to see lions and elephants in the Amphitheatre and the bloud of sword-players shed almost as ordinarily as wine others leade them out to the sea among monsters and tempests others practised them to combats where they quickly learn'd the art of giving and receiving wounds and to beat men down David Theseus and Brasidas began the profession of Warre very young The son of King Tarquin at the age of fourteen years slew an enemy with his own hand Scipio saved his father in the confusion of a battel being then but seventeen years old Probus was without a beard when he was made Tribune in the Army Alboinus very young in duel vanquished the son of Thorismond King of the Gepides which was the cause that his father Cranz l. 3. Daniae who before bred him amongst his servants did set him at his own table Some think that study and learning are very much Study lesseneth not courage opposite to Military Boldnesse and it is very little to be doubted if it be excessively pursued in the vigour of years which are proper for the exercise of arms but that it will endanger mens Courages to become timorous But it is of infinite use for Princes and young Gentlemen who are to be disposed to actions the most elate For by a laudable temperature it sweetneth all that which a warlike humour might have contracted of roughnesse and incivility it awakeneth wisdome it enlightneth counsel it renders Boldnesse intelligent and magnanimous it polisheth the tongue it gives authority in charges grace in conversation invention in the cabinet honour among the wise and glory with posterity After nature and education to become bold he Nec tristibus impar nec pro successu timid usspatiúmque morandi vincendique modum mutatis noscit habenis Claudianus must be sensible of Honour which enkindleth the most timorous he must vigorously exercise himself in the toils of Military discipline and the practice of brave pieces of service he must not be either vaunting scoffing captious or offensive but prudent reserved active and laborious he must very little fasten his affections upon things of the earth compose himself to the contempt of death make account one is not born but to die for his Prince and Countrey and to esteem no life in the world more precious then Glory § 4. That true Boldnesse is inspired by God and that we must wholly depend on him to become bold BUt besides this to raise ones self to something Why Boldnesse is not in God more excellent we must look upon the divine Virtues which ought to be the perpetuall sources of ours But if you now ask me wherein we may be aided by our first model to acquire Boldnesse I do not affirm we may properly say that Boldnesse is in God because this Passion is essentially conjoyned to a regard it hath towards a thing very difficult and encompassed with dangers Now we know that nothing can be difficult or dangerous before God by reason of his Sovereign Power and most accomplished Felicity God to speak Aristot â— Rhetor. Audaciore eos esse quo rectè se habent ad divina perspicuously can neither be timorous nor bold but it is he who makes all those who are truly bold within the limits and lists of virtue Certainly Aristotle saw much when he said That the most bold were such as were most in Gods favour I will make good this proposition in the first part of this discourse and shew a most manifest reason which teacheth us that every able man considering what he is cannot be hardy of himself by reason of the incapacity and weaknesse of humane nature and therefore we must say that if he have some Boldnesse it necessarily comes to him from above The Platonists said there are seven things able much Seven things able to humble a man to humble a man the First whereof is that his spirit is caitive thorny and light Secondly that his body is brutish and extremely exposed to all the injuries and impressions of exteriour violences Thirdly that being Apulei de Daemonio Socratis Homo levi anxiâ mente bruâ—o obnoxio corpore sui similis erroribus dissimilis moribus casso labore fortunâ caducâ tardâ sapientiâ citâ morte so inconstant in his manners he commonly is very constant in his errours Fourthly that his endeavours are infinitely vain and that many times being ready to enter into his tomb when he comes to behold and consider his whole life already past he finds it to be full of spiders webs which he with much labour and industry hath spun but to no purpose Fifthly that his fortune is of glasse and many times catcheth a crack when it is most resplendent Sixthly that if he find wisdome amidst so many errours it is but too late and when he scarcely hath time left to use it The seventh that wisdome coming so slowly death fails not to make haste and to surprise a man when his heart is embroiled with divers designs and with certain knowledges of having done ill with uncertainty of doing better Besides Reason doth not the Scripture in many places teach the weaknesse of man and the necessity he hath of Divine succour for his subsistence Behold you Isa 41. 24. Psal 143. 4. Isa 45. Jac. 1. Pro. 18. are but a nothing and all your works are as if they were not Man is the very image of vanity and a sherd of an earthen pot Hay that withers at the first rising of the hot sunne The name of God is a strong and most assured tower the just shall there have their refuge and there shall be exalted Hence we see how all those who have appeared in the world with some eminency have ever
businesse fill'd them with such an amazement that their ranks being in disorder they killed one another without knowing their own party The people of Israel having received intelligence of that rout take heart again and get them out of the caves into which they had retired themselves to range themselves about Saul's person who was thereby transported with such an ardour that he conjur'd all his Army to follow the Philistims without drinking or eating till they were all destroyed This was a precipitation of his unequall spirit and a true Chimaera yet desiring to make that passe for Zeal which was a pure Passion he would needs cause his son Jonathan to be put to death for having sucked a little honey at the end of his rod but the people rescued him out of his hands and desisted to pursue the Philistims being not in a condition to fight with them Some time after Samuel exhorted him to enterprise a puissant Warre against the Amalekites sworn enemies of the people of God and conjur'd him to make every thing passe through the edge of the sword without sparing any body and above all to reserve nothing of the booty that should be made upon them that should not be consumed with fire To this Saul seem'd to be inclin'd with vigour and raised an Army of more then two hundred thousand men so great was the weight of the Authority when Samuel put himself into party He fell suddenly upon the Amalekites and defeated them with a generall rout so farre as to take their King prisoner but he contented himself with destroying and burning all that was caytiffe and unprofitable reserving Agag the King with the best flocks and herds and choicest moveables In the mean while he was so much puft up with this victory that he caused an Arch of Triumph to be erected to himself and spread himself in the vanities of his spirit while God was thinking of rejecting him and giving orders to Samuel to tell him his unhappinesse Yet Saul blind in his sin received the man of God into his Camp with an extraordinary joy vaunting himself for having efficaciously fulfilled the commandment of God and while he was speaking it the voyce of the Flocks that he had put aside was heard whereupon Samuel said What means this Cattle that strikes my ears with its bleatings To which he answered That he had reserved them expresly for an offering to the living God But Samuel replyed That there was no Sacrifice so pleasing to God as Obedience and that Sin which was contrary to him was a kind of Idolatry and that since he had despised the Word of God he should be cast off and deprived of the Kingdome whereat he being astonished confessed that he had offended hearkning more to the voyce of the People then to that of God and beseeched Samuel to excuse his sinne to bear with his infirmities and to go with him to the sacrifice to adore God in sign of reconciliation Whereto Samuel replyed that he would have no more any thing common with a man whom God had abandon'd and saying this steps forward and turns his back to him the other layes hold on the fringe of his robe which remained in his hands which when the Prophet saw Behold said he how your Kingdome shall be divided and given to a better then your self The Triumpher of Israel the true God of hosts is not as a man to change his purposes and repent him of his counsels The King humbled himself again acknowledging his fault and beseeching Samuel earnestly not to leave him but to render him the ordinary respect before the Princes of the people and to come and worship God with him Samuel fearing the disorder of the Army consented for that time but afterward never saw Saul any more to the day of his death He ceased not to weep bitterly for him considering that he that had been chosen by his hand had come to so little good and had carried himself with so much contempt of the commandments of God This wounded his heart and would not let him put an end to his mournings till his great Master comforted him and suggested David to him who should fill up worthily the place that Samuel was about to lose by his iniquity And indeed he performed then a bold enterprise going to Bethleem under colour of a Sacrifice and Anointing David King in Saul's life time although that design was secret that it might be managed with more successe After that time Saul was left visibly by God possessed with an evil spirit and gnawed perpetually with jealousies of State which the person of David caused in him by reason of his valour and great virtues as I shall declare in the following Elogy In the mean while Samuel lived retired from Court without meddling with Sate-affairs and Saul by his departure changed the sins of Vanity and of Fearfulnesse into Sacrilegies and Massacres letting loose the bridle to his fury to retain the phantasme of an Empire that flew out of his hands Good Samuel ceased not in his solitude to bewail two King that he had made looking upon one as an homicide and the other as a sacrifice of death He was afflicted inconsolably to hear of the deportments of that furious Saul that made of one wickednesse a degree to passe unto another inventing every day new butcheries to cement his Throne with the bloud of his brethren He melted himself with compassion for his poor David seeing Saul's sword hang but by a little thread alwayes ready to fall upon his innocent head He deplored the miseries of the poor people which he could not any longer remedy and passing over again in his remembrance all the vicissitudes of mans life and the treacheries of the Court he had an ardent thirst to depart out of this world to go to find Innocence in the bosome of his Fathers God heard him and drew him to himself by a peaceable death the seventy and seventh year of his age the eight and thirtieth of his Government and the seventh after his retreat from Court He was mourned and lamented for by all the people as the Father of his Countrey and magnificent Funeralls were made for him to render him a testimony at his death of the commendable actions of his holy and generous life Saul remained yet two years upon the Throne after him and the Even before his great overthrow the Soul of Samuel returned from Limbus not by the work of the Pythonesse but by the will of God and spake to him and told him of his disastre as I have said in the Maxim of the Immortality of Souls DANIEL DAniel entred into the Court by Captivity stayed there by Mortification made himself known by Prophecy and there also rendred himself renowned by great Virtues To comprehend this it is necessary to know that the little Kingdome of Judea was ordinarily very much exposed to the Armies of the Assyrians which God had chosen to be scourges and the
THE HOLY COURT IN FIVE TOMES The FIRST Treating of MOTIVES Which should excite men of Qualitie to CHRISTIAN PERFECTION The SECOND Of the PRELATE SOULDIER STATES-MAN and LADIE The THIRD Of MAXIMS of CHRISTIANITIE AGAINST PROPHANESSE Divided into Three Parts viz. DIVINITIE GOVERNMENT OF THIS LIFE STATE OF THE OTHER WORLD The FOURTH Containing the Command of REASON over the PASSIONS The FIFTH Now first published in English and much augmented according to the last Edition of the AUTHOUR Containing the LIVES of the most Famous and Illustrious COURTIERS taken both out of the OLD and NEW TESTAMENT and other Modern Authours Written in French by NICHOLAS CAUSSIN S. J. Translated into English by Sr. T. H. and others LONDON Printed by WILLIAM BENTLEY and are to be sold by JOHN WILLIAMS in Pauls Church-yard MDCL THE HOLY COURT DEUS EST NOBIS SOL ET SCUTUM Caeca Cupido ruit caecusque Cupido Via Regia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE HOLY COVRT dixi Dij estis et filij excelsi omnes 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Solomon ex ad perfectum Vsque perduxit Reg. 3. G. G. sculp To the MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY OF HENRIETTE-MARIA QUEEN OF GREAT BRITTAIN A COURT adorned with virtue and sanctified with pietie is here most EXCELLENT QUEEN to your view presented which having once already in pure and Native colours received light and life from the bright eye of your Royal BROTHER would gladly at this time in a harsher language and ruder garment adventure your gracious acceptance The subject is serious the discourse usefull and proper for those who in Court so serve Princes that they neglect not an humble acknowledgement to a more transcendent Greatness It hath pleased GOD as a singular favour to this Kingdom to affoard us in your MAjESTIE a pious Queen who exemplarly maketh good what diffusedly is here handled Let then lesser lights borrow beams of radiance from your greater Orbs and persist You Glorious Example of virtue to illuminate and heat our Northern Clime with celestiall ardours Adde to earthly Crowns heavenly Diadems of Piety Here shall a HOLY COURT be found fairly delineated nor can I see how it will be in the power of persons of best eminence to plead ignorance and pretend inability they having such a Book to direct them and such a Queen to follow Lead then with alacritie most Sacred MAJESTIE and may propitious Heaven so prosper your holy desires that the Greatest may have matter to imitate and the whole Nation to admire TO THE KING OF FRANCE SIR THis Treatise of the Holiness of Courts before it be published comes forth to behold the great and divine lights wherewith God hath environed your Majestie whom he hath chosen out to sanctifie the COURT by means of two reflections which are the Example of your virtues and the Authority of your Laws As for example You supply as much as in a Prince may be desired who hath brought innocency into the Throne of Majestie as an earnest-pennie of Royaltie and whitened the very Flower-de-luces by the puritie of your heart and hands This argument in my opinion should powerfully operate in the hearts of French-men For it would be a disorder in Nature to see bad subjects under a good Prince to plant vice in the Kingdom of Virtue and to have a bodie of morter and feet of clay affixed to a head of Gold It is fit impudence should be extreamly shameless not to blush when the sparkling lustre of a Crown casteth into the eyes the glimmering flashes of so great a Pietie Where example cannot reach Kings have Laws which are given them from Heaven as hands of gold and iron to recompence merits and chastise crimes And as your Majestie SIR from your most tender years hath shewed a singular propension to the detestation of Impietie and maintenance of Justice that causeth me to say Your Majestie hath great means to make the COURT essentially holy which the disabilitie of my pen cannot express but on paper It is a work worthy of a Christian King who standeth in the midst of Kings and Nations as heretofore the statue of the Sun in the midst of publick passages Royal hands cannot be better employed than to erect the Tropheys of Sanctity That is it which all the first have done CONSTANTINE in the Roman Empire CLODOVAEUS in France RICAREDUS in Spain ETHELBERT in England CANUTUS in Denmark WENCESLAUS in Poland All those who have taken that way have been glorious in the memory of men whilest others that have prepared Altars and Tables to Fortune as saith the Prophet Isaiah erecting Monarchie on humane Maxims have built on the quick-sands of imaginary greatness which hath served them to no other purpose but to measure their fall Vice and Voluptuousness cannot immortalize men since they have nothing lasting in them but the sorrow of their infancie and the infamie of their name All the greatness and happiness of a Prince is to make in his virtues a visible image of invisible Divinitie then to imprint the same on his subjects as the Sun doth his brightness on the Rain bowe SIR Your Majestie knoweth it by proper experience God hath made you to read the decrees of good success written as it were with the rayes of your pietie By how much the more you are affected to the service of the great Master so much the more the good success of affairs hath followed your desires You have seen your battels end in bays and the thorns of your travels to grow all up into Crowns And as we are ever in this world to merit so we ought to hope that so many worthy acts will also with time take their just increase and that you shall sow new virtues on earth to reap felicities in Heaven Lastly that he who hath given you the enterance of Solomon into the Kingdom will grant you the exit of David This is the vow which offereth to God SIR Of Your MAJESTY The most humble most faithfull and obedient Subject N. CAUSSIN TO THF NOBILITIE OF FRANCE SIRS THis Work as it is composed for your sakes offereth it self to your hands without bearing any other ornament on the brow but the reflection of Truth any other recommendation than the worth of the subject It is not the abundant store of sanctity in the Courts of our Age which maketh this stiled the HOLY COURT but this Frontis-piece onely carrieth the name because this Book beareth the model which verily with more ease is moulded on paper than printed on the manners of men Yet we may affirm that God who draweth the sons of Abraham from the midst of flints and rocks doth in all places reserve Saints for himself and he that will consider it well shall find that in all times the Courts of zealous Princes have had their Martyrs their Confessours their Virgins and Hermits I have a purpose when my leisure will permit to divulge the lives of Kings Princes Lords men of state and likewise also of
Heirs of this Royal Line to death to satisfie his ambition and content his tyranny Who dictated to the Prophet Daniel (a) (a) (a) Dan. 9. 26. that after the Edict of King Artaxerxes granted in favour of the re-establishment of the Temple there should be seventy weeks to the birth of Christ that is to say the space of 490. years which was found true by calculation of the best Historians Who made the Prophet Aggeus speak with this thundering majesty Agg. 2. and worthy the lips of the God of Hosts WITHIN A SHORT TIME I WILL MOVE HEAVEN EARTH AND SEA THE DESIRED BY AL NATIONS OF THE WORLD SHAL COME AND I WIL REPLENISH THIS HOUSE WITH GLORY Was it not the same Spirit which afterward wrought those great mysteries we see who then shewed them to his faithfull servants It is he who guided the pen of Isaiah when he proclaimed the Messias should Isaiah 7. be born of a Virgin he who revealed to the Prophet Micah this birth should happen in Bethlehem Micah 5. he who opened the eyes of Zacharie to see him in the Zach. 9. triumph he afterwards made in Jerusalem he who deciphered to David all the particularities of his passion Psal 2. in the second Psalm This great consent of Prophets without design or art astonished the Jews who had the Scriptures in their hands and could reckon up all the versicles of their Bible They well saw it was the uncontroulable voice of Prophets but their vanity had so blinded them that they rather wished to have no Messias than to acknowledge him poor according to the world although his very poverty had been reckoned by the Prophets in the number of his greatnesses 3. Perhaps it will appear to be less strange that the Strange testimony of Gentilism Hebrews who were a chosen people had so many revelations touching the Word of God But who will not be rapt with admiration to consider the words which the wisest the greatest and most glorious of Gentilism left to posterity concerning this mystery I speak not of Trismegistus of Pythagoras of Numenius nor of others whose writings may be called in question I speak of Plato Aristotle Cicero How came that into Plato's mind which he so eloquently afterward couched in the fourth book of his laws to wit (a) (a) (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato l. 4. de legibus That God should be to men the rule and measure of all things and principally if it were so or ought to be so in any part of the world that there were a Man-God From whence think you came it that Aristotle who proceeded so advisedly in all his Maxims let this word fall (b) (b) (b) Non esse Diis immortalibus indecorum hominis induere naturam quo ab erroribus sevocentur mortales Caelius refert l. 17. c. 34. That it was no unbeseeming thing for the Gods immortal to revest themselves with humane nature to destroy the errours which were crept into the world Who suggested to Cicero one of the wisest Politicians that ever was amongst men what he wrote in his Book of a Common-wealth (c) (c) (c) Cicer. l. 3. de Rep. Nec erit alia lex Romae alia Athenis alia nunc alia posthac sed apud omnes gentes omni tempore una lex Deus ille legis hujus inventor disceptator lator c. Jam nova progenies coelo dimittitur alâ—c Te duce siqua manent sceleris vestigia nostri irrita perpetua solvent formidine terras Virgil. That the time would come there should be no other law at Rome than at Athens but that amongst all Nations and in all times there should be one same eternal and immutable law one common Master and Emperour over all which should be God himself the inventour teacher and introducer of this law and that he who obeyed him not should flie from himself as a despiser of his own nature But in this alone that he would not obey he were grievously chastised although he might escape all other punishment It were a thing superfluous to alledge here the verses of the Sybils which it is known were so express that many of the principal of the Gentiles were converted to Christianity by reading the testimonies these divine women rendered of the Word Incarnate We all likewise know God to make this argument the more visible permitted a little before the Nativity of our Saviour that Virgil the most eminent of all Poets composed that his excellent work where he expresseth in Latin verse the conceptions of Sybilla Cumaea and speaketh plainly of a child which should be sent from Heaven to pardon the sins of men and fill the earth with blessings And to shew this was not alone in the minds of particulars we read that towards the reign of Augustus Julius Marathus foretold Nature should bring forth a King for the worlds Empire Which so amazed the Senate according to the relation of Suetonius (d) (d) (d) Sueton. in Aug. 54. the Historian that they forbade to breed up children which should be born within the time this South-sayer had prefixed Doth not Josephus (e) (e) (e) Joseph l. 7. c. 11. de bello Judaico also make mention of the prediction which said Nations come from Judea should become Masters of the universe The Romans understood not this language but applied it some to Augustus others to Vespasian until such time as truth drew aside the curtain and made the accomplishment of these predictions perspicuously appear in the Person of our Saviour Nay not so much as Porphirie yea Mahomet and Porphyrius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 devils but give some Elogie of honour to Jesus Porphirie in the Treatise he made of the blessings of Philosophie saith It is a great matter that devils themselves have spoken in favour of Jesus confessing him to be endowed with singular pietie for which cause he entered into possession of most happie immortalitie And Mahomet Alcoran Azoar 1. 4. 11. 13. That the spirit of God bare record to Christ the Son of Mary that the soul of God was given him that he is the Messenger Spirit and Word of God that his doctrine is perfect and enlighteneth the Old Testament O God of the universe how powerfull is verity to derive testimonies in favour of his Word from the very lips of the most prophane 4. Let us adde also some divine reasons in this brevitie Reasons of seemliness whereunto we have voluntarily confined our selves Who sees not that humane understanding constrained by the consideration of mysteries doth homage also to the Incarnation of the Son of God Where is that darkness which can hinder the bright day of faith What can Infidels say That this mystery is impossible Impossible how Either on Gods part or mans or from the repugnance of humane understanding with such like propositions because by their saying they involve contractions How would it
but never a fair chamber they have some sweetness of spirit some readiness and prattle which is never wanting but no depth nor capacity yet will seem able among company which is the cause that not daring to examine or solidly debate a point of doctrine or a business they presently flie to the conclusion and find handsom evasions Others have admirable tricks to seem wise by making use of another mans labour and like droans eating the honey which the Bees gathered Other in handling affairs and seeking to get dispatches amuze and dazzle with variety of discourse such as they negotiate with to the end to entrap them Other to cross a business cause it to be proposed in the beginning by a man who understands nothing thereof of purpose to give some ill impression of it Other break off a discourse they began upon some matter to draw on the more appetite Others make a shew to have nothing less in their thoughts than what they most desire and let their main texts creep in the manner of a gloss Other have tales and histories in store wherein they can enfold in covert terms what they will not openly affirm Other in things important cause the foord to be sounded by men of less note and many as it is said pull the chest-nuts out of the fire with the cats foot These are sleight merchandizes taken from the shop of worldly policie which proceed not so far as to great injustice But there are black and hydeous subtilities which tend to the subversion of humane society and deserve to be abhorred by all living men Such were those of Tryphon of whom it is spoken in the Book of Macchabees which were most 1 Macch. 12. fatal to the people of God This wicked man being the Tutour of young Antiochus shewed himself in the beginning very zealous in al which concerned the good of his service and having a design to subdue Syria he would first have surprized the Macchabees who were then very eminent in arms But when he saw Jonathas come towards him with an Armie of fourty thousand men the fox played his ordinary pranks he received him with a pleasing countenance and overwhelmed him with heaps of courtesies He told him he desired to live with him as a faithfull brother and that he accounted it too heavie a charge to keep so great an Army on foot in full peace which could not but be prejudicial to the repose of the people That he might walk confidently every where how he pleased without any other armour than the amitie of King Antiochus which was an assured buckler for all those who would make trial of his protection This crafty companion not content with meer complements carried Jonathas into all the places of his charge with such honour and respect that he caused him to be attended as himself making shew that wheresoever he set foot there roses and lillies sprang Never doth any man take with a snare until he have some bayt suitable to the appetite of him who catcheth at it Jonathas a little loved honour and his senses were dazeled with the lustre of pomps and charmed with the sweetnesses of conversation in this subtile fellow He believed he trusted his whole Army was cashiered by the perswasion of a man who wished him not well He onely kept a thousand men with him to be as a Guard and entered with Tryphon into the Citie of Ptolemais where he presently saw himself arrested and his souldiers cut in pieces The Impostour desirous to extend his plot further wrote to Symon brother of Jonathas that he should not be troubled at what was past and that his brother was onely detained for some money due to the King which being satisfied he should have liberty onely let him send him a hundred talents of silver with the two sons of Jonathas in hostage to bring the business to the period he desired The poor Symon who doubted the plot had more wisdom to know him than force to avoid him For fearing lest the people might murmur if he accepted not the ways of accommodation proposed he sent the money and children whereof the one was despoiled the other massacred with their father by the command of the treacherous Tryphon This factious and cruel man pursued his plot to the usurpation of the Diadem and dispatch of his pupil But in the end after a reign of two years Heaven elements and men conspiring against him he was knocked down like a ravenous beast and buried in ruins and publick desolations I would willingly know to whom hath treachery ever been fortunate Was it to Saul who after he had so many times promised David the safety of his person yet not ceasing to persecute him was reduced to such necessity of affairs that he slew himself with his own hands leaving finally his spoils to him whom he meant to beguile Was it to the unhappie 2 Reg. 12. Ammon who using treachery to draw his sister Thamar into his chamber and dishonour her was afterward murdered at the table by his brother Absolom Was it to Joab who moistened with his bloud the Altar whereunto he fled after he had slain Amasa in saluting him Was it to Amasis King of Aegypt Herod l. 2. who lost both Kingdom and life for having foisted in another daughter than his own whom he feigned to give in marriage to Cambyses King of Persia So many Impostours there have been who in all Impostours surprized times sought to usurp Scepters and Crowns by admirable inventions were they not all shamefully ruined in the rashness of their enterprizes Smerdes the Magician who had possessed the Kingdom of Persia by tricks and incomparable sleights was he not torn in pieces as a victim by Darius and other Princes The false Alexander who rebelled under Demetrius Soter after some success was he not vanquished under Nicanor and slain in Arabia Archelaus who called himself the son of great Mithridates overcome by Gabinius Anduscus a man of no worth who falsely boasting himself to be descended from Perseus King of Macedonia and durft confront the Romans arms was he not subdued by Metellus Ariarathres who affected the Kingdom of Cappadocia Vol. l. 9. c. 16. by the same ways sent to punishment by Caesar The false Alexius who durst aspire to the Empire of Nicet l. 3. Constantinople slain by a Priest with his own sword under the reign of Isaacus Angelus Josephus relateth that pursuing the same ways False Alexander discovered there was a young Jew who had been bred at Sydon with the freed-man of a Roman Citizen who having some resemblance of Alexander the son of Herod whom the father had cruelly put to death feigned he was the same Alexander saying Those to whom Herod had recommended this so barbarous an execution conceived such horrour at it that they resolved to save him yet to secure their own lives upon the command imposed they promised to conceal him till after the death of his
time Jesus sanctified it by his sacred touch He took the Bason which being in his hands became greater and more full of Majesty than all the Ocean Our spots which eternity could not wash clean are taken away at Baptism by one onely drop of water sanctified by his blessing He prevents the bath of his bloud by the bath of an element which he doth expresly before his institution of the blessed Sacrament to teach us what purity of life of heart of faith of intentions and affections we must bring to the holy Eucharist It is necessary to chase away all strange gods which are sins and passions before we receive the God of Israel we must wash our selves in the waters of repentance and change our attire by a new conversation Is it too much for us to give flesh for flesh the body of a miserable man for that of Jesus Christ The consideration of our sins should bring up the bloud of blushing into our cheeks since they were the onely cause why he shed his most precious bloud upon the Cross for us Alas the Heavens are not pure before his most pure Spirit which purifies all nature Then how can we go to him with so many voluntary stains and deformities Is it not to cast flowers upon a dung-hill and to drive Swine to a clear fountain when we will go to Jesus the Authour of innocency carrying with us the steps and spots of our hanious sins 3. Jesus would not onely take upon himself the form of man but also of a base servant as S. Paul saith It was the office of slaves to carry water to wash bodies which made David say That Moah should be the Bason of his hope expressing thereby that he would humble the Moabites so low that they should serve onely to bring water to wash unclean houses Alas who would have said that the Messias was come amongst us to execute the office of a Moabite What force hath conquered him what arms have brought him under but onely love How can we then become proud and burn incense to that Idol called Point of honour when we see how our God humbled himself in this action Observe with what preparation the Evangelist said that his Heavenly Father had put all into his hands that he came from God and went to God yet in stead of taking the worlds Scepter he takes a Bason and humbles himself to the most servile offices And if the waters of this Bason cannot burst in us the foul impostume of vanity we must expect no other remedy but the eternal flames of hell fire Aspirations OKing of Lovers and Master of all holy Loves Thou lovest for an end and till the accomplishment of that end It appertains onely to thee to teach the Art of loving well since thou hast practised it so admirably Thou art none of those delicate friends who onely make love to beauties to gold and silk thou lovest our very poverty and our miseries because they serve for objects of thy charity Let proud Michol laugh while she list to see my dear David made as a water-bearer I honour him as much in that posture as I would sitting upon the throne of all the world I look upon him holding this Bason as upon him that holds the vast seas in his hands O my merciful Jesus I beseech thee wash wash again and make clean my most sinfull soul Be it as black as hell being in thy hands it may become more white than that Dove with silver wings of which the Prophet speaks I go I run to the fountain I burn with love amongst thy purifying waters I desire affectionately to humble my self but I know not where to find so low a place as thine when thou thus wast humbled before Judas to wash his traiterours feet Upon the Garden of Mount Olivet Moralities 1. JEsus enters into a Garden to expiate the sin committed in a Garden by the first man The first Adam stole the fruit and the second is ordained to make satisfaction It is a strange thing that he chose the places of our delights for suffering his pains and never lookt upon our most dainty sweets but to draw out of them most bitter sorrows Gardens are made for recreations but our Saviour finds there onely desolation The Olives which are tokens of peace denounce war unto him The plants there do groan the flowers are but flowers of death and those fountains are but fountains of sweat and bloud He that shall study well this Garden must needs be ashamed of all his pleasant Gardens and will forsake those refined curiosities of Tulips to make his heart become another manner of Garden where Jesus should be planted as the onely Tree of Life which brings forth the most perfect fruits of justice 2. It was there that the greatest Champion of the world undertook so great Combats which began with sweat and bloud but ended with the loss of his life There were three marvellous Agonies of God and Death of Joy and Sorrow of the Soul and Flesh of Jesus God and Death were two incomparable things since God is the first and the most universal of all lives who banisheth from him all the operations of death and yet his love finds means to unite them together for our redemption The joy of beatitude was a fruition of all celestial delights whereunto nothing which displeased could have access and yet Jesus suffered sorrow to give him a mortal blow even in the Sanctuary of his Divinity He afflicted himself for us because we knew not what it was to afflict our selves for him and he descended by our steps to the very anguishes of death to make us rise by his death to the greatest joyes of life To be short there was a great duel between the affectionate love and the virginal flesh of Jesus His soul did naturally love a body which was so obedient and his body followed wholly the inclinations of his soul There was so perfect an agreement between these two parties that their separation must needs be most dolorous Yet Jesus would have it so and signed the decree by sweating bloud And as if it had been too little to weep for our sins with two eyes he suffered as many eyes as he had veins to be made in his body to shed for us tears of his own bloud 3. Observe here how this soul of Jesus amongst those great anguishes continued always constant like the Needle of a Sea-compass in a storm He prays he exhorts he orders he reproves and he encourages he is like the Heavens which amongst so many motions and agitations lose no part of their measure or proportion Nature and obedience make great convulsions in his heart but he remains constantly obedient to the will of his Heavenly Father he tears himself from himself to make himself a voluntary sacrifice for death amongst all his inclinations to life to teach us that principal lesson of Christianity which is to desire onely what God will
King he is sufficiently faulty because he is too virtuous They say that Love and Tears are learned without Envy is easily learned at the Court. any master and I may say that there is no great need of studying at the Court to learn Envy and Revenge It is a strange thing that Saul of a simple countrey-fellow should become so malicious and subtil a Courtier as to practise the most refined dissimulations of the Court He had resolved to destroy David and yet conceived that this duel with Goliah had set him in too high an esteem in the opinion of the people and that if he should openly attempt against his life he should bring his own into danger He thought best to bestow on him a chief place in the Army under pretence of honour which might be most subject to the violence of the Philistims believing that his courage would carry him into dangers and that the Philistims being incensed by the death of their countrey-man would no wayes spare him and that by this means his death would be imputed to his Destiny and not to the Envy of Saul But after that he saw that he returned from the manifest dangers with a crowned head with the applause of the people and that he behaved himself within the Kingdom with very great wisdome he began to suspect him more then before he took heed of bestowing great riches on him and married his eldest daughter which he had promised to him to another using him by this means injuriously Nevertheless for that his honour was engaged therein and that one might justly complain of his faithlessnesse he took advice to marry him to his younger which was Michol with very harsh and dangerous conditions making him to buy a thing that was due to him by the death of 200. Philistims conceiving that by so great a number of men and so many fights re-iterated he might be entangled in some mischance or if he should escape that the best that could hap was onely to gain a woman of a costy humour which would be to him but for a reproach and much discontent Behold how mans reasoning doth propound but Humane wisdome overthrown by the power of heaven God which catches the subtil in their devices and overthrows the designs of the malicious to establish his own counsels upon their ruines caused the victories and the marriage of David to succeed to his good content together with the good will and admiration of all the Court Jonathan the eldest son of Saul was so astonished The love of David and Jonathan with his valiant exploits his rare virtues and his incomparable brave carriage that he loved him as his own heart and bereft himself of the most precious things that he had to adorn him withall David likewise swears unto him reciprocally an immortal friendship These two souls to speak according to the phrase of the Scripture were united together with an indissoluble affection Their hearts were two fornaces which continually breathed forth flames of sacred love and might sooner be found without any thoughts then to be without thinking one of the other Their separations were as so many dyings and their meetings again did prevent their paradise The longest dayes were but as a small moment while they lovingly conversed together then they never perceived that the time ran away and they were departed from each other but with promise to visit again as soon as may be Each of them in their absence seemed to it self a wandring soul without habitation and without a body their spirits made wonderful transpirations for to joyn themselves together and talk to each other as in an Idea when Saul hindred their visits Poor Jonathan which was of an incomparable mildnesse The good offices of Jonathan declared to his father as much as he could the Innocency of David and the great services that he had done for the Crown and when he saw his spirit moved against him he was almost ready to die therefore he ceased not to represent to him with horrour of mind the monstrous impiety that it would be to sacrifice such a personage as he which had so often devoted himself for the safety of his Countrey the out-cry of the people and the vengeance of God At other times he dealt with him with sweet and persvvasive language causing him as it were to touch with his fingers the brave carriage and excellencies of David and assuring him that there was not a man in his whole Kingdome which was of a more harmlesse and pleasing a conversation and that it was the joy of his heart and his onely safety to have him alwayes at his side Saul suffered himself to be overcome with these his discourses whether it were indeed that he was perswaded Saul cleared for a while again returns to his evil spirit or whether he feigned himself to be appeased and suffered David whom he had driven farre of to return again near his person But this mad-man upon a day when he played on the Harp in his presence took his launce and endeavoured to strike him through therewith which he dad done if David by his nimblenesse had not avoided that evil blovv and lest that any should charge him vvith this perfidiousnesse he excused it by the distemper of his spirit Jonathan endeavoured yet another time this reconciliation but having been repelled by Saul by pricking words and vvith threatnings to kill him if he did not give over this his frienship with David he saw clearly that there was no more safety for his friend and gave him the counsel which was for himself the sharpest of all causing him to retire David goes from the Court and makes a sad departure from his friend for to avoid the unmercifull fury of his father These two dear souls on the day of this sad departure were pierced with a thousand darts of grief and were a thousand times upon their eyes and lips for to fly from thence and to mingle themselves one with the other The time past caused them to remember that which they had lost the present that which they were to lose and that to come was unto them a bottomlesse pit of terrour and affrightment They apprehended the one for the other as many dangers as there are upon the earth and sea and they could not promise themselves any thing but dayes without comforts and nights full of terrible dreams and torments They poured out so many tears and fetched so many sighs having no other eloquence but that of their hearts mutually wounded in their lodging that it was a thing vvorthy of compassion even of Saul himself This mad-man seeing that he vvas escaped out of David is pursued and escapes his bloudy hands vvould have caused him to be taken and sent forth souldiers for to bring him back But his vvife Michol having descryed the evil intent of her father advertised her husband of it and made him depart suddenly in the deep silence of
the night putting in his place an image in his bed The house failed not to be set upon the next morning and the Guard of Saul entring by force passed on unto the bed and found there the counterfeit Michol vvas accused hereof and chidden by Saul but she excused her self saying That her husband had compelled her to do this threatning to kill her if she would not obey and that the presence of so manifest a danger had forced her to procure this invention He ceased not to encrease his anger and to invent every day new means to destroy him whom he ought to have preserved above all men In the mean time David knew not whither to retire The life of David in banishment himself and saw himself every day amongst the nets hunted like a poor beast which caused him to passe a life so worthy to be esteemed by the whole world in very many bitternesses He would have taken the boldnesse to have gone to Samuel who was yet alive but this his interview would have been prejudicial both to the one and the other in the the mind of Saul which turned all its suspicions into fury He removed himself from thence unto the town of His arrivall at Nob causeth great disastre to the high Priest Nob to the high Priest Ahimelech who seeing him in very small equipage was somewhat amazed at his arrivall but David for to confirm him told him that he went about a certain urgent businesse which the King had given him in chaâ—ge and that it was necessary that it should be done without noise the which had compelled him to take but few people with him which were come forth very suddenly without having leasure to take order for necessary things for their journey whereby he should do him a great pleasure to give him some bread and to help him to some weapons which the haste of the businesse would not suffer him to take The Priest answered that he had no other loaves then those of the shew-bread which were consecrated but that they might make use of them if they were purified and especially if they abstained from all converse with women of which David having assured him he gave them those and having no other sword then that of Goliah which was kept in the Tabernacle for a Monument he presented it to him wherewith he was very well contented judgeing it the best of all and so went forward in his way Saul having heard a report that David had appeared entred into great forrests and going through a wood with a lance in his hand being compassed by his Captains and Officers sharply complained of the unfaithfulnesse of his servants asking them with reproach What it was that David had promised them and whether he would give them every one Lordships or make them Captains or Camp-masters that they had thus forsaken their Prince That it was a pitifull thing to behold him betrayed of his own children for to uphold a rebel which sought nothing but an occasion to get his Crown from him Hereupon Doeg master of the shepherds of Saul and Doeg accuseth the high Priest being innocent Idumean by nation and of barbarous behaviour having been at Nob when David passed by there and desirous to get favour with his Master accused Ahimelech the Priest with all his company for having helped David with weapons and Provision and having testified a good affection to his party which caused Saul to send for him presently and handle him with great anger reproaching him with villany and suspecting him of treason The other answered very wisely That he being retired from the knowledge of business at the Court and of the Bed-chamber he could not know the intents of David but knowing very assuredly the good-will that the King had testified towards him the great charges and commissions wherewith he had honoured him the favour that he had shewed to him by so neerly allying him to his house he could not nor he ought not to drive him away from his lodging having received no command from the King and not being able to understand by any the offence that David had incurred This excuse was very just and lawful But the violent Bloudy effects of the jealousie of Saul are never contented with reasons intending to be masters of the Laws although they are slaves to their brutish passions Saul commanded without any other form of proceedings to kill him with those of his company which the souldiers did very much abhorre and there was not found one that durst lift up his hand against those sacred persons But Doeg that villanous butcher which had a long time been bred up in slaying beasts having gathered together the small rable of his servants set upon the high Priest and the Priests which accompanied him to the number of 85. which were all murdered in one day and this cursed servant stretching further yet the command of his master drave on his murderers to the sacking of the town of Nob which they filled with fire and bloud What will not the jealousie of State do what will not tyranny rage and fury when they are seconded by evil servants which blow the coal able to devour both men and towns Saul the plain countrey-fellow the cordiall man the child of one year after he had suckt the breath of this serpent kills the high Priest and the Priests buries the smoking towns in the bloud of the miserable citizens A thousand poor bloudy sacrifices stretched out upon the cart pleaded sufficiently before God with the voyce of their bloud for to pull down this in humane Tyrant for whom all the furies prepared their pincers and torches Poor David having understood by Abiathar the son of the high Priest all that was past was pierced with a most bitter grief accusing himself as the cause of the death of those unhappy ones and took along with him him that brought him this sad news using him as his own brother He perceived well that the spirit of Saul David saves himself in the caves of the desert whither father and mother go to seek him was wholly envenomed and in despair of remedy he saved himself in the cave of Adulla where he thought he had been hid from the eyes of the whole world But his father and his brethren flying the persecution ceased not till they had found him therein and did wonderfully pierce his tender heart lamenting for the change of his fortune because they perceive not any more in him a David triumphant the object of all the thoughts and discourses of all tongues But he comforted them promising not to forsake them and recommended all that was dearest unto him which was the person of his father His piety towards them with that of his mother to the King of Moab until that he knew what it would please God to do with him At the same time all the banished all that fled for Banished men repaired to him safety
and did oftentimes David goes out of the kingdome and retires himself among strangers easily depart from reason for long seasons David resolved to go out of the Kingdome and to betake himself to Achish King of the Philistims Some may seek occasion to blame his behaviour in this matter and may think it strange that he should retire himself to the Philistims the sworn enemies of the people of Israel especially after this reconciliation and oath passed between him and Saul But it must be considered that his life was no wayes assured within the Kingdome and that Saul at another time having given so solemn a promise to Jonathan for the safety of his friend yet would have kill'd him with his own hand and further that he was every day in danger to be set upon by arms from the other party with effusion of bloud both of the one and other and that it seemed better to him to avoid the occasion then to see himself perpetually obliged by so miserable a necessity to defend himself Further he considered that he brought his chiefest friends into danger not being able to retire himself amongst them without making them guilty of treason and exposing them to slaughter lastly he found not so much security amongst other Kings which having no war with Saul would have made some difficulty in enterteining him or might have delivered him up after they had received him for their own commodity This made him resolve to take his refuge amongst a Nation that bore an irreconcileable hatred against Saul But forasmuch as some have thought that he 1 King 27. bore arms for Achish against the people of God this is manifestly convinced of falshood by the Text of the Scripture where it is expressly said that David did invade the Amalekites and other people Infidels although that Achish perswaded himself that he would do the like to the Israelites after he had been so evilly used by his own Nation But he used dissimulation herein for to maintein himself in good favour with the King as the Doctour Tostatus hath very well noted And this was the cause that the great ones of the Kingdome which perceived this dissembling of David would never suffer him to be in the Army-Royall in the day that the battell joyned against the people of Israel saying openly to the King that he would betray the party and would reconcile himself with his own men by the price of the lives of the Philistims unto the great disadvantage of the whole Realm which was the cause that Achish gave him leave to depart fairly excusing it upon the suspicions which the Noble-men had taken of him At the last the fatall day of Saul drew near and he saw the Philistims which came thick and threefold upon him with the chiefest forces of their Empire he felt Saul being in great perplexitie consults with the soul of Samuel the remorse of conscience and the blood of so many Innocents undeservedly shed ceased not to leap up against his faulty head In these confusions of a troubled spirit by the representation of his crimes he sought unto the Divine Oracles to learn what he should do in so pressing a necessity But this unhappy Prince that had used Samuel so unworthily in his life and driven away as farre as he could all honest men from his councels for to let loose the raines of his fury sought after the dead in vain having trod under feet the admonitions of the living I have declared in the Maxime concerning the Immortality of the soul the whole discourse about his consulting with the Witch at Endor and it is not my purpose here to trouble again my Reader with the rehearsall of those things We may onely note that the soul of Samuel having appeared before that the Sorceresse could employ the charms of her profession rebuked Saul for having disquieted it and foretold him the routing of his Army his Death with that of his Children at which he was so affrighted that he fell down in a swound having eaten nothing all that day Whereat the Sorceresse having pity and having prepared somewhat to eat was urgent with him to take some little refreshment which he did and condescended to her intreaties and those of his servants After he went from her table he marched all night He marches against the Philistims in battell and is overthrown that he might come to the Army whether it were that he did not firmly believe that his last mishap or whether he would willingly sacrifice himself without any contrarying Gods appointment The next morning he perceived the Army of the Philistims wonderfully increased and with full resolution to fight and on the contrary the Israelites exceedingly weakned and which seemed already to carry the picture of their disastre printed in their faces The enemies gave the onset with very great violence and overthrew the van-gard in which Jonathan was with his two brethren all which sealed the last proofs of their valour with their blood and death The miserable father saw carryed away before he dyed all that might have obliged him to live and presently perceived that the whole body of the Army of the Philistims was falln upon him and yet for all that he had no desire to retire not willing to over-live those his misfortunes He was ill handled by those of the forlorn hope which ceased not to let fly their arrows very thick upon the Troops where he was and which fell with such violence and multitude that they seemed to imitate the hail in a great tempest which furiously beats down the hopes of a poor husbandman He saw his bravest Captains dy before his eyes which sacrificed themselves with despair of better fortune and although he were wounded with many wounds and that he had lost almost all his blood yet he stoutly upheld The end of Saul himself desiring nothing so much as to dye in the bed of honour But as forces failed him and the violence of his adversaries redoubled fearing lest they had a purpose to take him alive he commanded his Target-bearer to make an end of him and to give him his deaths-blow before he should fall into the hands of the Philistims The other excused himself wisely saying That he would never undertake that against his Majesty and upon so sacred a person and that one ought to expect the destiny and not to prevent it Then Saul seeing that he could not dye so soon as he desired neither by the hands of his friends nor of his enemies suffered himself to fall upon his sword and made it enter into him vomiting forth both his soul and blood with ragings and griefs unspeakable The Philistims having found his body amongst the dead corps took off his armour and cut off his head which they carried through the towns of Palestina for a pittifull spectacle making many thanksgivings in the Temple of their Idol for this victory And not content herewith they took the
woman well bred and of good courage Ishbosheth was offended thereat for that he had done this without telling him of it But Abner for one poore word spoken to in a very mild manner entred into a rage against The insolence of Abner his King and said that it was to use him like a dog to quarrel with him for a woman after so great services as he had done for the Crown reproching his Master for that he held both his life and his Kingdome of him But seeing that he used him in this manner he would take a course with him and would translate the government from the house of Saul to that of David Masters should not give too much authority to their subjects The poor Prince held his peace and durst not answer one word onely to this bold fellow which was a pitifull thing to see him thus devoured by his own servant The houses of Great ones are very often filled with such servants who having been honoured with an especiall confidence of their Master in the administration of their affairs whether they be their Receivers or Stewards of their families take upon them authority and not contenting themselves to govern the goods enter upon the right of their Lords leaving them nothing but a name and shadow of the Power which is due unto them Abner grew so hot with anger that he dispatched He treateth with David his Messengers to David to desire his friendship and promiseth him to bring the whole Kingdome of Ishbosheth into his hands David answered that he was content to make peace with him so that he would cause his wife Michol to be restored him whom they had married to another after his departure which was readily agreed to for him for they took her away from the hands of her husband that followed her weeping this woman with her lofty spirit had some pleasing behaviour wherewith Davids affection was taken In the mean while Abner powerfully sollicits the people of Israel to betake themselves on Davids side shewing them that God had committed their safety and rest into his hands and that it was he which should unite together all the families under his obedience for to compose a Monarchy which should become happy to his people helpfull to his friends and terrible to his enemies This discourse did very much shake the principall ones of the Nation which were not ignorant of the small hopes that were in the person of Ishbosheth which was disparaged both by nature and fortune This stout Captain following the businesse came to meet with David in Hebron who made him a feast hearkened unto his propositions and conducted him back with honour Joab who was at that time absent at his return quickly understood of the coming of Abner whereat Joabs Jealousie over Abner he entred into a furious jealousie fearing lest David should be of the humour of those which delight more in making of friends then keeping of those that are made and that the friendship of a man which seemed to draw a whole Kingdome after him might much prejudice his fortunes He enters roughly into his Kings chamber telling him that this was but a deceiver which came but to spy out his secrets and to do him some ill turn that he should lay hold of him seeing he was come under his power And for that David answered him nothing seeing him in a hot anger he went out furiously and without authority sent a message to the chief Captain Abner to intreat him to return to Hebron under colour of treating more fully with David The death of Abner He lightly believed it and came back the same way when as Joab that lay in wait for him took him treasonably and killed him at the gate of the city David was indeed very much perplexed hereat and David tolerates Joab in his fault upon necessitie uttered grievous curses against Joab and his whole race neverthelesse as the wisest did judge that there was a great interest in this death and that his chief Captain had become the executour thereof this made some to think that there was some design and though that suspicion was false David did all that he could to deface the blemish thereof assisting at the funeralls of Abner very near to the corps protesting against the cruelty of those that had taken his life from him and highly setting forth the praises of the dead yet he caused not processe to be made against Joab conceiving that he was not able to destroy him in such a time when it was dangerous to provoke him Neverthelesse he kept the resolution to punish him even to his death but Joab contemned all upon the confidence that he had that none could go beyond him and measured his own greatnesse by the impunity of his great offences It is hard to excuse David upon this treaty that he David cannot be excused upon the treaty made with Abner if one have not recourse to the secret and over-ruling will of God projected with Abner traytour to his Master if one have not recourse to the secret and over-ruling will of God or to the right that he pretended to have to the Crown in consideration of his first anointment made by Samuel He knew that the Edicts of his royall dignity were written in heaven and for this cause without endeavouring by any criminall way he expected the work of Providence and applyed himself to the events for without any thought of his Ishbosheth King of Israel was slain by two murtherers Rechab and Baana which killd him as he slept upon his bed at noon-day and brought his head to him at which this great King was so highly incensed abhorring this barbarous act that he condemned them presently to death and after he had caused their heads and feet to be cut off he made them to be hanged at the fish-pond of Hebron David absolute by the death of Ishbosheth son of Saul The death of Ishbosheth the son of Saul ended the difference which was between the two Royall houses and the other families yielded themselves to David by an universall consentment It was then that he began to reign absolutely and to make to appear as in a glorious light the admirable qualities and Royall virtues wherewith he was adorned And it is certain that of all the Kings of Juda there was none hath equalled him in all kind of perfections He was one that feared God without superstition religious without hypocrisie valiant without any sternnesse liberall without reproching it to any one a good husband without covetousnesse The Royal qualities of David stout without insolency vigilant without unquietnesse wise without subtilty courteous without loosnesse humble without cowardlinesse chearfull without too much familiarity grave without fiercenesse and kind without any complements He united all those things together which ordinarily His zeal to religion make Princes great and proved in each of them so advantageous as if he had been
great store of sheep that had violently taken one onely Ewe from a poore man which David finding very strange judged him worthy to dye The other hits him home and tells him that it was himself that had caused poor Vriah to be slain after he had taken his Bathsheba from him He brought to his memory the good things that he had received from the Divine Bountie even from his infancy and how by this action he had ill rewarded them with so great ingratitude Whereupon he declared to him the mischances that should happen to him to his house and posterity David awaking as it were out of a dead sleep acknowledged his sin with a true humility and submitted himself to all the chastisements which it would please that great Judge to draw forth for his unfaithfullnesse He entred at that very present into great grief for the Davids repentance fault committed not so much for the punishment that he should receive therefore as for the love of his so good master accounting it the greatest punishment of sinnes to have offended He was presently changed into another man he was no more that amorous David but a Penitent exceedingly humbled a heart bleeding eyes weeping a sad and disfigured face a body made thin sighings redoubled one upon another joynts pined away with fastings and austerenesse a continuall avoiding of all Society of the light and day which reproched him with his offence and a fixed love of solitarinesse and tears His Harp hanging up knew no more what songs of Triumphs meant and was wholly employed in expressing his griefs This heart dying to all mortall things of the earth was upon the coasts of the sea of Repentance which he made to eccho with his groanings and swell continually with his weepings whereby he fell into a great sicknesse and God beginning the punishments of a sinne pardoned caused the child conceived in adultery to dye and suffered him not to bring up any young one of Bathsheba before he had espoused her by lawfull marriage A year after those pittifull Tragedies of his house Punishment upon the house of David began which covered it with horrour and filled his heart with terrours Amnon the eldest son of David fell in love with his sister Thamar a very fair Princesse and which was of the mothers side as well as of the fathers of the blood Royall The more hindrances that he saw in that his love both by his quality and virginity and kindred and the inclination of the maid the more was his concupiscence enflamed This kind of passion ordinarily covets that which it should least of all desire and that which it can least bring to passe This was a subtle poyson breathed forth by the contagion of the fathers example which had possessed the brains of this miserable one His burning lust was His that which tormented him most The King his Father goes to see him to take order for his health There is but one medicine saith he that could heal him which is that his sister Thamar who hath the skill of making excellent broth may prepare some with her own hand for to cause him to have an appetite This is very readyly granted to him The poor maid which suspected nothing is ready to give him content for the better recovery of his person he causes all others to avoid the place and prayes her to stay in the chamber for to give him to eat but without any other counterfeits he takes away the Mask and declares to her his detestable passion at which Thamar who was a Maid of Honour conceived as great horrour as could be alledging unto him that this was a deed unheard of amongst the people of God But this barbarous one proceeded on to force her and deflowred her body without getting the consent of her minde The passion was no sooner evaporated but that he entred into as furious a repentance not enduring to behold her with his eyes which caused him to remember his heinous crime He drives her out of his house with reproch where she would have left her life with her honour her mourning attire and head covered with ashes testified the funerall of her virginity At last she cast her self under the protection of her brother Absolon who was born of the same mother and rehearsed to him the disastre that had happened unto her Her brother comforts her and injoyns her silence having in the mean while no vein in his body that did not swell to revenge this dishonour The report thereof came to the knowledge of the father who remembring his own offence durst not censure that of his sonne besides that he loved him with too tender an indulgency and feared to grieve him the which made him seem to wink at all that had passed wherein he cannot be excused from having committed a great fault which proceeded from a vicious mildnesse Absolon seeing that David said nothing continued in great dissimulation never complaining of Amnon but resolved to do himself justice with his own hands And having kept two years his design fast lock'd up in his breast to avoid all suspition thereof he prepares a Royall Feast to which he invites the King his Father and all his brethren David excuses himself and the other earnestly entreats that his eldest brother Amnon might supply his place unto which the father consents The brethren enter joyfully into the Hall where the Banquet was where the Furies had prepared a bloody spectacle and horrible sacrifice Absolon gives the word to his servants to take the time wherein his brother Amnon had already drank plentifully and to kill him in the middle of the Feast without any fail saying that it was sufficient that it was he which had so appointed it and that he would provide for their safety The Wine the good Chear and heat did let loose their tongues to merryment when as Swords drawn out of the Scabberds glittered before the eyes of the Guests fear came upon all but the danger was onely to Amnon who was suddenly massacred his blood leaping on his brothers table for a just revenge of his shamefull lust The brethren affrighted get up upon their Mules and get to the Town the report mixing false with true brings sad news to David and gives him to understand that Absolon had slain all his brethren The poor King casts himself on his face upon the ground weeping and all the Court tear their clothes and put on mourning Jonadab in the mean while certifies that there was none but Amnon that remained upon the place in revenge of the offence committed against Thamar David returns a little to himself and his other children present themselves before him affrighted and weeping for that which had passed Absolon Absolon out of favour saves himself in the house of his Grand-father by the mother the King of Gesher where he remains three years without daring to see the King his father who would no wayes pardon that his enterprize Joab
their Colours and that it was enough if they did but shew themselves to conquer The Rebels tormented with the affrightments of their conscience and which had not such entertainment as they were promised first were put into disorder after to flight and then to a rout It seemed that on the one part there were men that came to kill and on the other sheep that came to be slain As soon as they were mingled the one amongst the other the sword on the one side made great Massacres on the other the falls and tumblings headlong carried them away in such manner that there remained twenty thousand upon the place Absolon taken with a great astonishment is left by all the world and betaking himself to flight gets The death of Absolon up upon a Mule It hapned that passing through a Forrest his head was catched and wreathed within the branches of a Tree insomuch that his carryer having left him he remained hanging between heaven and earth where he made a very fitting amends both to the justice of God and the goodnesse of his Father Joab had notice thereof who neverthelesse although David had forbidden it stroke him through with three Darts and when as yet he seemed to have life ten young souldiers of the Troups of Joab ran to make an end of him he feared so much that if he should return into favour and authority lest he should take vengeance upon him because he would not follow his party The body was interred in a pit under a great heap of stones for to convince the vanity of him which had caused a stately monument to be built for himself which he called Absolons hand Behold an horrible end of an evil sonne and a rebellious subject which is sufficient to make posterity afraid throughout the revolution of all ages While all this was doing David inclosed in a little Town expected the event of the battell and when as the Posts brought him the news of the Victory he shewed not so much rejoycing as fear asking every moment in what estate his sonne Absolon was which caused that divers durst not bring him the news of his death seeing the trouble of his mind At last Cushi uttered the word and said That they should desire Absolon's end to all the Kings enemies He understood well what he would say and was pierced with so violent a grief that he could not be comforted losing all courage and crying every moment Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon Oh that this favour had been done for me that I might have dyed for thee Every one cast down his eyes for pitty and the whole victory was turned into sorrow the Palms and Laurels were changed into Cypresse Joab alwayes bold and insolent towards his Master Joabs insolency instead of receiving reproches for his fault casts them upon David and thinks that the means to justifie himself was to speak the more stoutly He enters into the Chamber of his King and reproves him sharply saying to him That he would put to confusion all his good servants that had that day saved his life his house and all his estate That he was of a strange nature and seemed to have been made for nothing but to hate those that loved him and to love those that hated him That it was very clear that he bore no good affection to his Captains and good Souldiers and if they all had perished to save the life of one rebellious sonne he would have been very well satisfied Further he swore to him by the living God that if he did not rise and go forth to see and entertein those that returned from the battell that there should not remain one man onely with him before the morning which would prove a greater displeasure to him then ever he received in all his life He pressed him so vehemently that the King without daring to answer him one word rose up and did all that he would have him This great grief diminished by little and little and the rejoycings of those that came on every side to carry him back to Jerusalem in Triumph gave him no leasure to think upon his losse He endeavoured to draw to him again all those that had separated themselves pardoning all the world with an unspeakable meeknesse being ready even to give Joabs place to Davids mildenesse very great Amasa that was chief Captain for Absolon But Joab quickly hindred this and kild with his own hand him that they had purposed for his successour After that he began to pursue one Sheba a Captain of the Rebels who was retyred into Abela with some remainder of the mutinous and as he was about to besiege it and destroy the City for to take him a woman of discretion and great in credit amongst her people which had made composition with Joab caused him to be slain and threw his head over the walls to put an end to this whole bloodie warre After this re-establishment of his Estate David The last acts of Davids life reigned about eleven years in full peace in continuall exercises of Piety of Devotion of Justice and caused a generall Assembly of the States of his Realme where he made his sonne Solomon which he had chosen to be confirmed and encouraged him to build that great Temple which should be the marvell of the World whereof he shewed him the plat-form the beautifying and the orders in the Idea Two things do a little astonish those which do seek an exact sanctity in this Prince the first that he dyed having unto the last hour a maid of rare beauty by him and the other that he recommended to his son Solomon punishments and deaths by his Testament But there are that answer to those that may be offended with these actions That God hath permitted this to make us the better to relish and admire the perfections of his Evangelicall law whereof the Word Incarnate was made the Law-giver and bringet above all the excellencies of the presents and virtues of the Mosaicall law And that one ought not to expect from David the chastity of a Saint Lewis nor of a Casimire but that one ought to measure things according to the manner of the time according to the law and custome Neverthelesse I should rather say that the plurality of women was not an offence seeing that it was approved of God so that it caused not a weakning of the vigour of the spirits and mortifying their divine functions by too much commerce with the flesh David sinned not in causing the Shunamite to lye besides him seeing that she was in the place of a spouse and approched unto him not for the pleasure which his great age had totally extinguished but for the entertainment of his Royall person Lastly there are other actions that do set forth his virtue besides this which is more worthy of excuse then blame And forasmuch as he ordained by his testament the death of Joab and of Shimei this doth something
trouble those spirits which have an inclination to mildnesse they say that Joab was his kinsman his faithfull servant the best of his Captains the chief Commander that had followed him from his youth accompanied him through infinite dangers and upheld the Crown a thousand times shaking upon his head He never medled in the factions that were raised against the King he was alwayes the first that dissipated them by the vigour of his spirit resolution counsell of his Arms and of his Sword If he slew Abner it was in revenge of his Brother which the other had slain If he stabbed Amasa it was the chief Captain of the Rebell Absolon whom they would have put in his place for to lay then great faults of the State upon him If he spoke freely to David it was alwayes for his good and for his glory in the mean time at his Death he recommended him to be punished after that in effect he had pardoned him all his life But to all this I say that the last actions of so great a King are more worthy of honour then censure The punishment of Joab proceeded not from a Passion but from a Justice inspired by God which would satisfie the voyce of blood the which cryed still against the murders committed by this Captain Further also there was a secret of State as saith Theodoret which is that this Joab shewed himself against the re-election of Solomon and was ready to trouble the peace of the Realm And as concerning Shimei to whom he had sworn that he would not cause him to dye he kept his promise to him faithfully abstaining from doing him any evil while he lived although he was in absolute power for to hurt him but as his oath was personall he would not extend it upon his sonne and tye his hands contenting himself to recommend unto him that he should do justice according as his wisedome and discretion should direct him It is very fitting that we should think highly of this Prophet and that we should rather search out the reason of many of his actions from the secret inspiration of God then from the weaknesse of humane judgement He lived near upon three-score and twelve years reigned fourty and dyed a thousand and thirty two years before the birth of our Saviour leaving infinite treasures for the building of the Temple and eternall monuments of his devotion and understanding It was a speciall favour to him that the Saviour would be born of his bloud and that his birth was revealed to him so many dayes before it was known to the world He hath often set it down upon the title of his Psalmes and was in an extasie in this contemplation by the fore-taste of that his happinesse Men are accustomed to take their nobility and their names from their Ancestours that go before them But David drew it from a Son which is the Father of Glory and Authour of Eternity The industrious hands of men have taken pains in vain to carve him out a Tomb Death hath no power over him seeing that he is the Primogenitour of life All things are great in his person but the heighth of all his greatnesse is that he hath given us a Jesus SOLOMON SOlomon was he that ordered the holinesse of the Temple and yet he can hardly find place in the Holy Court The love which gave Solomons entry into the Realm full of troubles him the Crown by the means of his mother Bathsheba hath taken from him his innocency The Gentiles might have made him one of their Gods if Women had not made him lesse then a man His entrance into the Throne of his father was bloudy his Reign peaceable his Life variable and his End uncertain One may observe great weaknesses at the Court at his coming to the Crown confused designs desperate hopes a Prophet upright at the Court a woman full of invention an old Courtier overthrown and little brotherhood where there is dispute of Royalty David was upon the fading of his Age and his Throne looked at by his Children which expected the dissolution of their father He had taken the authority upon him to decide this question by his commands not willing to be ruled therein by nature nor to preferre him whom she had first brought into the world but him which should be appointed by God and best fitted thereto by his favours Bathsheba a subtil woman Bathsheba fitly insinuares her self and procures the Crown for her son Solomon that had carried him away by violence of a great affection kept her self in her possession and had more power over the mind of the King then all his other associates Amidst the kindnesses of an affectionate husband which is not willing to deny any thing to her whom he loves she drew this promise from David that he would take her sonne Solomon to be successour in his Estates This was a little miracle of Nature in his Infancy Solomons infancy pleasing and it seemed that all the Graces had strove together to make a work so curiously polisht His mother loved him with infinite tendernesse and his father could not look upon him without amazednesse He was married at the age of nineteen years and David before he departed from the world saw himself multiplied by his son in a second which was Roboam Aristotle hath observed well that children which are married so young do seldome bring forth great men and this observation was verified in Roboam who caused as many confusions in his life as he had made rejoycings at his birth This strengthened Solomon at the beginning in his own and his mothers pretences But Adonijah his brother which immediately followed Absolon was before him in the right of Eldership and promised himself to have a good part of the Empire The example of that unfortunate brother which had Adonijah competitor of the Crown and his faction expired his life in the despair of his fortune was not strong enough for to stay him which treading as it were in the same steps went on infallibly unto his last mischance David endured too long for him and it seems to him that the greatest kindnesses that a rich father could do for his sonne when he is come to die is to suffer himself to die He had sufficiently well knitted his party together binding himself closely to the chief Priest Abiathar and to Joab It seemed to him that having on his side the Altars and Arms he was invincible But in that burning desire that he had to reign he The fault of Adonijah in his Counsel of State committed very great faults which put an end to his life by an event very tragicall He did not sufficiently consider the power of his father who governed himself by the orders of them in the disposition of their Royalty and saw not that to undertake to succeed him without his good will was to desire to climb to the top of the house vvithout going up by the stairs His
People and enterteined him very courteously and invited him to the Feast and to tarry that night in his house without going further and promised him that he would tell him all that his heart thought on and as for the Asses he needed not to trouble himself for they were found again But there were other affairs that concerned him and that would suddenly make all the Glory and all the Riches of Israel fall into his hands The other was extreamly surprised to see himself entreated with so much honour and confessed with all sincerity the meannesse of his family and the little cause that he had to pretend to such heighths as those But Samuel taking him by the hand brings him with his servant into the Hall of the Feast and sets them both at the upper end of the Table where there were thirty Guests and caused Saul to be served with all that was most exquisite in the Banquet that was kept upon a little Hill very near the Burgh to which they descended after their repast and Samuel led Saul into his House and made him lodge that night in his own Chamber The morrow he conducted him to the Suburbs of the City and having caused his servant to go before poured on a sudden upon his head a precious ointment and kissing him told him That God had Anointed him King of his People which he should deliver from the hand of the Philistims After which he foretold him many things that should befall him and gave him evident signs of the verity of his words When he was returned he had a curious Uncle that inquired after all that had happened to him to whom he spake of the Asses but was very wary not to discover the secret of the Royaltie Some time after Samuel called a Generall Assembly of all the people to proceed to the Election of a King and having disposed all the Tribes of Israel for that design the lot fell upon that of Benjamin and upon the Famely of Matri and in fine upon Saul who had hid himself that he might not expresse any ambition of that Royalty But he was suddenly taken forth out of the place where he had retired himself and was shewed to the whole Assembly in which there was not a man that he did not out-passe by all the head This rejoyced Samuel and made him say that they might plainly see that God took a care of their affairs in that Election by giving them so brave a Man that had not the like amongst all the People whereupon they all cryed God save the King After this Establishment Samuel called a second Assembly for his own Discharge wherein he made a powerfull Oration declaring to the People the Goodnesse and the Favours they had received from the Hand of God in all his Conduct ever since their coming out of Egypt and made a kind of Recapitulation of those that had Governed and delivered them from their Enemies even till this time Then he repeated to them that they had plucked a King out of the hand of God with all importunity and that it was not pleasing to his Divine Majesty Whereof he gave them a good Pledge making at the instant the Voyce of Heaven speak in a great tempest which affrighted them so much that all desired pardon of that sinne which they would never before acknowledge But before he came to those Reproaches he highly justified himself calling them to give a Testimony of his Conduct and Conversation amongst them He Conjured them to speak before God and the new King if he had ever injured them or been excessive either upon their Persons or upon their Goods and that if they had any thing concerning his Life or his Conversation or the Administration of his Charge he was ready to give them all satisfaction The Reverend Old-man melted their hearts and all rendered him the testimony of an Honesty and Justice irreproachable Thereupon he protested that he would never forget them and that being out of his Office he would offer to God his most fervent Prayers for their Wellfare and would have a care of their Quiet as farre as he should be able exhorting them furthermore to remain inviolable in the Religion of their Fathers and in the true Worship of the Living God and assuring them that he would never cast them off as long as they should adhere to him by the Submission and Duties of true Children The People began to perceive what they had iost in the discharge of so Venerable a Person and were ashamed of their precipitation but they were now embarked too far and must sail to the liking of the Tempest Here is a great Secret of Divine Policy which hath tormented Curious Spirits in their search into it that demand wherefore God making use of the Ministery of the wisest Man that was at that time on Earth to give a King to his own People that was to be as the Foundation-Stone and the Basis of the Royalty of Judea made so ill a choice that he was as it were forced by the deportments of Saul to break in pieces his own work But we ought to consider that in the choice of Princes and Sovereigns God approves not alwayes all that he gives nor gives not also all that he approves There are Kings that are given by favour and others by wrath Those are sent into the world as Starres and these as Comets He saith in his Prophet That he will give a King in his fury to expiate the sinnes of his people and S. Gregory hath worthily observed that Kings are measured out by Providence according to the disposition of the Subjects and which is more that God permits the sins of good Kings for the chastisement of the people and that there is such a connexion between the manners of the Master and the Servants that the fault of the Master causes the wicked life of the Servants and the good life of the Servants the amendment of the Master God was provoked against the Israelites by reason of their Idolatry of their Obstinacy and of their Ingratitude towards Samuel and this was the cause that he gave them Saul not so much to govern as to punish them and make them regret the virtue of their contemned Prophet by the comparison of the two Governments He suffers also Samuel to be deceived in that choice to teach us that it belongs onely to the eternall Wisdome to know and to make tums of State that surpasse the capacity of the ablest men If the stature of the body made the Excellency of Kings Saul without controversie was one of the chief he had a very fair appearance to the exteriour but within were found great defects of virtues and Royall qualities He was a guilded portall that nature had built for an house of straw The people at first were ravished with him and measuring him by the greatnesse of the body judged him the prime man of their Nation not seeing that making that judgement