righteousnes his annointing his apparell his marriage his royaltie his Godhead his praise his eternitie and everlasting glory For all these things are found and shall for euer be well approued and highly praised in that holy Messiah Solomons prayers and sacrifices which the Lord accepted 1. king 8.22 to whom onely the king by the letter pointeth as the figure to the thing figured Nowe with this wee may not forgette that the king hauing finished the Lords house stood before the Altar of the Lord in the sight of all the Congregation of Israel and stretched out his hands towards heauen and blessed the Lord and praised him and his truth yea he knéeled also on his knées and prayed vnto him that the word might be verified which hee spake vnto David his father and that it would please him to haue respect vnto his prayer and supplication as well for himselfe as for the people praying in that house Also he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel verse 56. with a loude voyce saying Blessed bee the Lorde that hath given rest vnto his people Israel according to all that hee promised c. The Lord our God bee with vs as he was with our Fathers and forsake vs not nor leave vs but that hee may bowe our hearts vnto him that wee may walke in all his wayes and keepe his Commandements his statutes and his Lawes which hee commanded our Fathers And those my words that I haue prayed before the Lorde bee nigh vnto Iehovah our GOD day and night that hee defend the cause of his servant the cause of his people Israel at all times as the matter shall require that all nations of the earth may knowe that Iehovah is God and none but hee Moreuer the King offered Offrings before the Lord yea peace-offrings in great aboundance and therewithall dedicated the house which he builded to the Lord with great ioy and gladnesse In all the which things Iehovah his God was well pleased with him yea and with the people through him heard his prayers receiued his requests graunted his petitions and apeared vnto him in Gibeon with this comfortable saying I have heard thy Prayer and thine intercession that thou hast made before mee For I haue hallowed this house which thou hast built to put my name there for ever and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually Now consider I pray you what K. Solomon is with the Lorde will the Lord heare and accept the reprobate and prophane persons or will he honour and esteeme their works although they séeme glorious to the conceits of worldly men No surely What saith the Kings father touching their prayers The prayer of vngodly men is turned into sinne Psal 100.6 And thus I haue heard him to modulate concerning himselfe and his estimation with the highest The Lord I know wil not vouchsafe my praier or words to heare If vnto sinne mine heart I should encline and him not feare But if I come into his Courts with offerings worthie praies And pay the vowes I promised in mine afflicted daies If on him with my mouth I call and with my tongue him blesse And offer him the sacrifice of thankes and righteousnes Then will he heare my praiers and consider of my case And my request will graunt in time of his aboundant grace In al these things therfore the king is declared to be not only holy and approued of God but also a perfect figure of that most holy Seede who in his time shall pray shall offer shall please God shal be heard shal be accepted and all his desires performed to the satisfying of his soule to the health of his people Finally The pluralitie of Solomons wiues the very pluralitie of the kings Wiues his Concubines on whom he was enamored and dishonoured howsoeuer vnlawfull offensiue to God and a disgrace to himselfe shall not be reckoned as a thing vnnecessarie in this comparison seeing that the most holy Messiah in his ardent zeale for mans recouery will be contented that the serpent shall trippe on his heele Gen. 3. whereby he will be dishonored and abased whiles he taketh on himselfe mans ougly deformities and sinnes being so willing through his owne humiliation and ignominie to ease man so burthened and to bring him home againe vnto him from whom hee had farre wandered and to reconcile him with him against whom hee had monstrously transgressed And therefore as his Proverbes the which for the most part hee vttered in his florishing and perfect estate are applicable as chiefly appertaining to the gouernment of a godly family as these his * Wordes That is his Ecclesiastes 1. now daily and ordinarily vttered and ruminated are applicable as especially belonging to the ordering of a godly Common-wealth So also those his Loue-songs and Ballads entituled * Schir-hasschirim The Canticles of Solomon The Song of songs composed in his yonger dayes yea before the twentieth year of his age shall not be reiected or abandoned but esteemed and properly applied both to that mysticall and spirituall woowing espowsing combination and familiar societie communication of the holy Messiah with his elect and faithfull Saints of the which hee gathereth and garnisheth a Church as a chaste Wife to himselfe Loe my Lordes in these and many other such notable things is our Lord K. Solomon by the will wisdom and providence of God made an excellent figure of that holy Annointed and therefore he may not bee esteemed a naughty or prophane person but to bee taken as hee is indeede a Saint of the Lorde Neither doe I any thing doubt but that the best learned and godly that either now liue or shall come after vs will so iudge and esteeme of him when they shall heare and well weigh not onely of that which hath beene said heretofore concerning him his words actions and estate but also shall plainely beholde the verification thereof in the very person and perfect beautie of that promised Schilo the King of righteousnesse and highest peace at his happy comming in the world into the appointed time This being sayd all the Princes were much comforted although in this their kings affliction and gaue thankes to Zadok who yet seemed further to resolue and satisfie them in any thing whereof either any question might bee mooued or any doubt iustly arise concerning the kings holines CAP. XXVIII Zadok argueth for the King concerning his repentance and remission after his Transgressions ZAdok hauing thus farre pleaded for K. Solomon and with many substantiall Arguments proued him a Saint of the Lorde and therefore that hee could not bee either a damned soule or a reprobated wretch or a prophane person as some haue or might ouer harldy rashly censure him the Princes shewed themselues both ioyfull and thankefull But after a whiles Prince Azariah in the behalfe of the rest stood foorth opened his mouth and sayde Most reuerende Father wee all confesse with thankefulnes that yee
much as lay in mée endeuoured in my place to discharge my duetie to benefite my Countrie to serue my King and to glorifie the Lord of heauen Therefore I perswade that the Kinges Grace is not grieued or offended through me Loe my Lords all this haue I saide for my selfe of any of you can iustly accuse mee of any thing offensiue in this matter say on and let mee not bee holden guiltlesse * Zabud had scarcely vttered those wordes in such his honest and lawfull excuse Azariah examineth and excuseth him selfe but Azariah who thought it very long yer hee could likewise enter into his owne Apologie to declare his innocency spake and protested saying And I for mine owne part séeing the King in this kind of displeasure I haue also many times suspected whether his Excellency who hath exalted me of his owne grations heart without any my demerites to this honourable place hath obserued or noted or suspected in me any touch of couetousnesse ambition pride vaine glory or any kind of teacherie or disloialtie towardes his Highnesse or any kind of iniustice done or offered to his people wherof I here openly protest before thee Iehovah our God and you al that I am as guiltlesse in mine own conscience as the innocent childe that lyeth in the cradle for thus indeed I should declare my selfe to bee esteemed worthie this place and office For I perswade that as those props and stayes in an house which are eyther noysome rotten or vnprofitable should of necessitie be remoued that some stronger and more commodious might be placed in the same so al such persons which stand in place VVhat persons are most meete for authority as to support stay vp and maintaine the estate and honour of their Prince and common wealth be remoued and excluded both from his fauour and al authority which wāt the feare of the Lord those heroical vertues which are so needefull and commendable in such persons which extend not their forces to the due seruice and honour of th' one and benefite of th' other and such other to be preferred set in their places best fauoured which are both wel qualified and ready to perform their right offices in either as such whereof the king at all times and vpon all occasions may happily take and receiue counsel comfort the common wealth safety vtilitie * Therfore among many other things as the king hath not onely placed me in office ouer all his purveyours Cators for his house and sworn me to do obserue my duty trustily therin The office of the Purueyor with this especiall charge that neither they nor any other his seruantes should oppresse wring or wrong his subiects vnder colour of taking or making prouision for his house Knowing how soone a Prince by such meanes may become hatefull to his Subiects I haue prouided charged and regarded that both the saide Purueyors and their seruants be men of good report and faithfull and true dealing persons and that they be duly sworne to respect the kings cōmandement and to execute their offices accordingly Next I haue regarded that none of thē should presume to go forth with out his lawful warrant or commission sealed with the Kings seale to the end that both thēselues might know and remember their charge therin the people might neither suspect their authority nor feare of the māner of their dealings Thirdly I haue straitely charged thē in the kings name that they exact not nor wrest any thing from the Commons but vpon agréement at a reasonable price betwéene thē the owner of the things to be takē vp And that if any thing be takē on credit for the king to be paid for at a day appointed that the perueiors hauing receiued those monies out of the kinges Exchequer doe neither conuert the mony to their owne vse nor deteyne it from the Creditors nor delay to satisfie them at the saide daies And because all places of the Country are not stored with victuals and such other things alike I haue prouided and charged that prouision for the kings house be made in such places where the most plentie of those thinges are and that at méets and conuenient times and at such reasonable rates prices as the seller may wel afoord the same without threates or violent speeches Also that the purueiors shal not for fauor fine or bribe forbear to take of one man more then of another whose goods are lyable to their authoritie at méete prices nor shall charge or exacte of one man more then of another for any malice euil-will or suggestion of friendes or acquaintances To bee short as they are sworne to obserue and perfourme the kings commandement and their duty therein so haue I duly examined them their dealings from time to time And if any haue béene founde faultye or offensiue in this case I haue not onely abhorred and banished them the Court but seuerely punished them as capitall enemies to the king and his people Moreouer as touching the prouision of mine owne house I haue had no lesse regard that none of my Cators or Officers shoulde at any time exact of the kings subiects and kind of victuals Corn Cloath Cariages or whatsoeuer els without the good wills and consent of them whose the things be and without making a lawfull bargaine betweene them for the same nor yet without present paye according to their agréements and that whensoeuer I found any of my seruants or officers whether for their filthie lucre or mine owne commodity to offend in their dealings I haue neither defended them nor fauoured them nor wincked at their faults but I haue reproued them cast them out of fauaur depriued them of their offices and seuerely punished them yea I haue compelled them to restore and yeelde againe to the true owners the treble valew of such goods so taken vp with like costs of suite besides their amerciamēts to the kings Maiestie at his pleasure Truely this should be the desire of the Nobles and so much the sooner that the commons might not be moued to murmure but to commend their dealings that their owne consciences might neither accuse nor condemne but excuse and cleare them the poore people might not curse but blesse them the kings grace might not be offended but well pleased with them and the Lord of heauen might not in iustice plague but in mercy prosper them in their honour Thus haue I done and duly regarded and for my part I would not wish to liue much lesse to liue in this honour longer then I am able or at the least haue a faithfull desire both to aduance the true honour of the eternall God preserue and maintaine the most worthie Maiestie of my Soueraign Lord benefit the common-wealth and discharge my duty in my place * CAP. VI. Ahishar the Master of the Kings Pallace Iehosophat the Recorder and Helioreph and Ahiah the Secretaries examine and cleare themselves Ahishar
the glory and the prayse for euer As Moses and Barach and David haue worthily taught by their holy examples in the like case These be the thinges my Lordes which in my dutie among others I haue duely regarded to be performed Besides this I haue had a care neither to wrong or oppresse any man nor to be reuenged on any mā vnder colour of mine authority as my predecessor Ioab hath oftentimes done to the great affliction of David the kinges father wherewith being much grieued he could often complaine and lament with teares as then when Ioab had killed the noble Captaine Abner Davids friend But some peraduenture scarcely will belieue this secing they haue neither beene companions of my trauelles in those affaires nor been acquainted with my manner of dealing for the king howbeit I perswade that the King knoweth all this to be true which I haue said for he hath beene certified from time to time not onely by my selfe but by others about me which accustom not to glorie of the truth of al things If the King knew it not nor could bee perswaded to belieue me yet I am sure that the Lord of heauen knoweth it with the same mine owne pure conscience testifieth in me and for me Although I haue beene a Souldier my Lords and now a Captaine and man of warre appointed ouer the Kings hostes yet I praise God for this that I haue alwaies feared God and obserued a good conscience the which whosoeuer respecteth not nor regardeth may happily be as strong in body as Goliah but he shall neuer preuaile with David hee may peraduenture goe forth with Gedeon but he shall be as fit for Gedeons warre as were those doggish lappers and those faint hearted dastardes whome hee sent backe againe Whatsoeuer some say which neyther know the one nor regard in their dealinges to expresse the other I know it is a fearefull thing to goe forth to the warres without God and a miserable thing to want a good conscience in the warres This regarded Abraham and Moses Iosuah Othoniel Sampson Gedeon Iepthe Dauid and therefore haue been noble warriours and happy in battels And this I would aduise all them that goe forth to the wars to respect as they would tender their owne welfare prosperity in the same But to be briefe I esteeme my selfe frée from all offence iustly offered to the kings Grace in this case And now my Lordes I thinke verily The cause of the k. affliction supposed not to rise from any of the Lordes that wee neede to looke further then into any of our selues here assembled if we shall find the cause of the kings affliction Neither ought this to be procrastinated lest by our delay the king perish vnder our hands and all things grow out of order to the griefe of the kinges friendes and dutifull Subiects and to the glorie of his Enemies Nor may wee think but that though the king haue many friends which are right glad to heare of his prosperitie yet he is not quite free from such enemies as enuie and hate both him and his felicity These be they which can very hardly be perswaded to thinke or speake well of his maiestie but to doe and to vtter out that which may anie way hurt or blemish his roiall honour they are alwaies readie and waite for their occasions Besides that wee may with others perswade and be thereof grieued in our heartes that the king being in this time troubled in minde and disquietted in his soule cannot well vse the faculty of reason albeit he be so wise a man as neither the eye in the head nor any member in the humaine bodie is wel able to execute his proper function when the same shal be molested or blemished And therfore it cannot bee that he shall well gouerne and iudge his people after the discretion and wisdome of a Prince except that speedie meanes be found and applyed to withstand this dangerous inconueniences CAP. VIII Zadok the high Priest and Abiather the priest disdaine not to examine themselues and are cleare in iudgement with the rest King Solomons Princes and Lords hauing thus farre pleaded for themselues in the audience of Zadok and Abiather who vntill now had holden themselues silent listning and pondring of that which had beene spoken in the end they both also vouchsafed the like But first Abiather by Zadoks leaue began in this sorte Why should I be silent in this examination Abiather the Priest here clereth himself in his function seeing that euery one of you my Lordes hath declared his integritie and cleared himselfe in iudgement against the King In what soeuer his Grace be displeased I know for my part that I haue not faulted as that other Abiather faulted whom therfore the king worthily depriued of his place and dignitie for albeit I haue the like name yet God forbid I should be of the like nature and quality nor haue I euer minded to worke treacherie as he did against my Lord the king nor do I know that in any part of my ministerie I haue so offended as wherof his Maiestie might iustly conceiue any such displeasure or sorrow of mind Howsoeuer others in this function haue béene approued how they haue entred how they haue behaued themselues and neglected or transgressed their duties I hope that shall not bee laide to my charge Yee know well that according to the election of such as I am what view examination The election and entrance of priestes Leuit. 2◠triall and approbation hath beene made of me the law ordained in that respect hath béen sufficientlie respected exacted and performed that so I might be made fit for the place for the better seruice of the Lord knowing wel that none of them which were either halt or blind might be permitted to dwel within the gates of the tower of Zion but were by the kings father expelled kept out that the place being of such purged 2. Sam. 5.8 they which reteined the right vrim thūmim might enter remain therin for the seruice of God honor of the king Neither vsed I any vngodly or indirect meanes for mine entrance I came not in by the windows or by the clifts of the wals as théeues and murtherers accustom to do but by the gates the dores being set opē as right lawful it was for me to doe yea they which were both of authority of a fellowship in the house of the Lord were as willing and glad to receiue entertain me therein as I was willing ready to enter Hauing thus entred I haue bin as careful to perform obserue my dutie I haue sacrificed praied taught ministred in my due course according to the order effect of the priests office with al diligence to my power knowing that it is no small danger no lesse disgrace to a mā of my profession to expresse one thing in habite and another thing
Kinges Mother and Nathan that Adoniah had proudly vsurped and that this Solomon his beloued sonne and choson heire apparant was to bee taken for a sinner in Adoniah his sight contrary to the Kinges promise made and confirmed by an oath to Bethseba and NathaÌ„ in that behalfe David was very highly displeased with Adoniah and sware againe vnto Bethseba saying 1 King 1.29 As the Lorde liveth who hath redeemed my soule out of al adversity that as I sware vnto thee by the Lord God of Israel saying assuredly Solomon thy sonne shall raigne after me and he shall sit upon my throne in my place so will I certainly do this day Whereupon King David commanded mee and Nathan the Lordes prophet to annoint his sonne Solomon King ouer Israel euen whiles that David liued the which wee both faithfully performed Wherat David then greatly reioiced and praised the Lord vpon his bedde and he said Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath made one to sit on my throne this day even in my sight Therefore this thing being so diuinely prouided and handled in al pointes so directly no man may iustly reproue it neither may the King in the due consideration thereof now in his elder daies either repent thereof or be touched with sorrowe in his heart Nor may wee otherwise thinke but that the Lord of Israel louing well his people hath set our Lord the King on the seate of his Father to do equity and righteousnes in the same 1 King 10. Solomons proceeâ—ings against Adoniah as the noble Queene of Sheba at her beeing heere right worthily testified and as a prophitesse in that behalfe blessed the Lord and the King in the same Moreouer I haue not found that my Lord the king hath merited blame or dislike in any his dealinges touching his said brother Adoniah who had so vniustly exalted himselfe as an Eagle in the clouds of heauen against his honour for truly contrary to the wonted vse of worldly Princes and potentates which cannot easily permit or beare a coÌ„petitor of the kingdome he did not rashly or seuerely execute displeasure of Adoniah but being perfect wise of a most royal heart and of noble Lyons nature perceiuing him to stand infeare of him to submit himselfe to his gratious mercy on the grouÌ„d he gladly pardoned him with this saying that not so much as one haire of his head shoulde fall to the earth if he would thenceforth shew himselfe a worthie man and so commanded him to goe to his house in peace and to rest himselfe so long as wickednes might not be found in him No doubt the king remembred that worthy example of Ioseph so ful of piety who notwithstaÌ„ding the great iniury his brethren had done him Gen. 50.20 did vpon their submission and request forgiue and forget all yea he was so farre from reuenging that iniury that he said fear not now will I nourish you and your children and he comforted them and spake kindly vnto them * Thus farre procéeded Zadoke Benaiah and then Benaiah because he was not onely an eye witnesse but also an actor therin stood forth said And al this do I perfectly remeÌ„ber being especially called appointed by king David together with your reuerence and Nathan the Prophet to deale for the king in those high matters the which I doubt not but NathaÌ„ would also confirme if he were present and therein commend and praise that noble magnanimity ano rare clemency of the king extended towardes his capitall enemy at such his entraÌ„ce into the kingdome when as beeing not yet so perfectly setled scarcely knowing his friendes from his foes hee might rather haue feared the euent of such a dangerous manumission pardon Solomon was not willing to revenge an iniury It appeared that the gratious king was not only glad to pardoÌ„ him which had submitted himselfe and promised obedieÌ„ce but also carefull to eschew all colour or suspicion of tyranny or cruell dealing euen to an aduersary Some Princes and mightie persons in such cases are seuere persecutors euen to the death of them which haue neuer so little offended them although neither they haue nor can possibly hurt them and such as the king well knoweth are more hurtfull to their owne territories then the brute creatures are to such as neuer hurt or annoied them The Dolphin Fish Wee find of the Sea-Dolphins of whose nature the king hath spoken among other beastes and Fishes that if perchance they find a dead man in the seas they feele by the smell of him whether hee hath euer eaten of Dolphin Fish the which if at any time he hath then they deuoure him if not then they defend him from the biting of all other Fishes and bring him to the shoare as it were to his funeralles in the earth Lo although theis Sea-beasts doe by nature reuenge any iniurie yet are they farre off from the persecuting of him that neuer hurt or annoyed them howbeit such is mans cruelty and commonly the vse of mighty persons that they persecute and hurt them grieuously of whome they neuer receiued nor are like to receiue any dammage at all Wherein they righgtly resemble the wolfe which quarrelled with the Lambe and tooke an occasion to kill and deuour him because he drank beneath him in the riuer But as I said albeit it had beene but a iust thing in the king to haue reuenged that iniury yet was hee more mercifull and gentle to his foes to whome in steede of death deserued zadoke hee pardoned and them preserued * Yee haue well saide quod Zadoke and thus shoulde Adoniah haue well remembred and considered accordingly and not haue attempted further matter to prouoke the Kings displeasure and turne mercy into iustice against his owne life But seeing that hee woulde not continue thankefull vnto his Grace but renewe his old malice and thereby worke to supplant the Lordes Annointed I see no reason why the King shoulde further spare him to the danger of his own safetie Therefore I verily belieue that the king hath hath not offended either against God or the lawe in that hee afterward perceiuing the wickednes and ambitious practises of Adoniah Benaiah did cause him to bee rewarded with death And well worthie said Benaiah for notwithstanding the King had most gratiously pardoned him and charged him thereon in my hearing to bee conteyned within his owne house hee yet presumed too boldely to come foorth and most malepertly to rush into the Queenes Chamber after Davids death in such sorte that shee was therewith wonderfully afraide of him neither coulde shee easily bee perswaded that hee beeing her mortal enemy though now subdued would either wish her well or entend her any good For as enemies are not to bee trusted notwithstanding their faire faces and wordes so beyond others had she a great cause to doubt of Adoniah who as she wel knew bare her a deadly hatred for that by her means