it for what a man doth from the heart hee is neuer wearie of doing it but goes on with Saint Paul Through honor and dishonour through good report and ill report c. Yea with Christ through anguish of minde and tortures of body through spitting whipping scoffing and saith not Consummatumest till hee bow his head and giue vp the Ghost Saint Paul said to al men Jt is good to loue earnestly in a good thing Gal. 4. but especially should such a man as Nehemtah fly Neh. 6.11 No saith King Dauid J haue not swarued from thy law Psalm 119. He had not yet no nor euer meant to swarue hereafter but J will praise the Lord while J haue any being Psal 146. It is no wonder to see the continuall waxing waining of the Moone nor yet the ebbes flowings of the sea but it is wonderful to see how men made in the image of the vnchangeable God yet change with the times that where wee see the best beginnings and hope of goodnes yet no man can tell what the end will bee King Joash at seuen yeeres old did what was good in the sight of the Lord 1. King 12. but at fourtie yeeres old he did what was hateful to God and man And it is said of Nero in the beginning of his raigne that hee was so soft and tender hearted as when hee should set his hand to signe billes and sentences of death he wisht to God hee had not so much learning as to write his name but hee fell from that apace for afterward hee killed men as men kill dogs in a plague hee killed men for sport as children kill frogs and flies yea he killed without cause or colour his familiar friends his master and his owne mother But let this Salomon whose heart is heere stirred vp to hold fast let him be to all men a fearefull patterne of Apostacy or back sliding but as himselfe let slip what hee was commanded to hold so God sent him a foole to his sonne by whom he lost what he desired to hold the kingdome being brought from twelue tribes to two Now the reasons why men are thus weak in their retentiue faculties that they cannot hold fast they are in the parable of the sower reuealed to be three for sometime the seede falles into stonie ground where is no depth of earth and how can the heart hold that fast which takes no roote at the heart Such a scholler was King Herod to John Baptist who knew him to bee a holy man referenced him heard him and did many things at his admonition and yet killed him at the last for his conscience was but an vpper skin his heart still hardened vnderneath whereby for lacke of moystening with the heauenly grace all withered when the temptation came Sometime the seede falles by the high way side and that the foules pick vp and those foules are either idle and wandring thoughts stirred vp in the hart when the seed is a sowing or ill companions in mens cares which doe more hurt in Princes Courts then the Caterpillers did in the land of Egypt And such were in the daies of Jeroboam which did all they could to make the King merry Osea 7.3 and as if they feared his heart should hold too fast preuented him happily with vanity and bawdrie and vnsauorie mirth and made him to laugh when it was more fit to weepe and such were the young Councellors and companions of Rehoboam gallants whot spurs indeed but men that had more spirit then wit more fit to ride a horse then to to rule a kingdome and the King by listening to them brought cleane a crosse to his owne account his fathers loynes to a little finger Somtimes againe the seed is choakt with thornes which are expounded the tentations of riches and a voluptuous life for as fire cannot burne in water no more can the heart take hold of repentance which wallowes in wealth and ease and this was thought the cause why Salomons heart tooke no better hold for hee had gold and siluer like stones and all the delights of the sons of men Eccles 2. Et ideò forsitan corruit saith Bernard whereupon many men haue doubted of his saluation and therefore because the harts of all men especially Corregis in manu dei The heart of the King is in the hand of God both Prince and people must pray deuoutly that God would prepare and direct their hearts But euery man hath a heart to goodnes or if any man haue not yet euery man thinkes hee hath this priuiledge that none can challenge his heart but God who is the searcher of hearts and therefore to proue the affection of the heart there is required the obedience of the outward man Let thy heart hold fast my words and then it followeth Keepe my Commandements c. the same in effect with Saint James Shew mee your heart by your workes and with Christ Iohn 14. Jf yee loue mee keepe my Commandements Wherein Salomon is giuen thus much to vnderstand that though he was borne the son of a King and by God himselfe pointed out to a kingdome yet hee is at command And as Dauid who cōmanded him was to him a father a king and a figure of Christ so is hee heere commanded three waies first as by a father Keepe my Commandements and if so the command of the father bindes the sonne strongly Honour thy father and mother saith the Law but what honour without obedience yea how shall hee keepe subiects in due obedience who hath not first learned the obedience of a sonne It was a worthy saying of Decius the sonne of Decius the Emperour when his father yet liuing would haue set the imperiall Crowne vpon his head No saich hee refusing it vereor ne si fiam Jmperator dediscam esse filius He feared that it hee tooke vpon himselfe the dignitie of an Emperour hee should soone forget the dutie of a sonne cleane contrary to the course of the world for men commonly couet to take honour but he thought it more honorable to giue honour where it was by nature due And what meaneth that Jch dien the word or Imprease of the English Prince but I serue A Prince and yet serues yea he shakes vp his feathers flourisheth when he speakes it as if it were his glory as yet to serue Againe if Dauid spake this Keepe my Commandements in the person of a King that command is so much heauier as the power of a King exceedeth the authority of a father Feare God and the king saith Salomon Prou. 24. God and the King are yoaked in our feare together yea and Saint Paul required obedience to Kings euen when Kings were enemies to religion and separate from God But if Dauid spake this in the person of Christ or in the name of God it is that which bindes heauen and bindes earth and bindes euen Kings as with cords and Nobles as with linkes of iron
yet gaue good gifts vnto their children Mat. 7. Yea the cruell beasts doe loue their own The Dragons draw out their breasts and giue sucke to their young Lament 4. and 2. Tim. 3. It is reckoned for one of the signs of the latter day that men shall bee without naturall affection Now the reason why men do naturally loue their children is not because they bee wittie or faire or forward though these things may encrease their loue but because they be theirs The reason why good men loue their children is not onely because they bee theirs but because as they thinke they bee heires begotten vnto God But the reasons why Kings doe loue their children are many more and more peculiar First because they see all the people loue them which Saul saw in Jonathan when they reskewed him out of his fathers hands and deliuered him from death 1. Sam. 14. Secondly because the royall seed and name is preserued in them which was promised to Dauid in this Salomon 2. Sam. 7. Thirdly because Kings of all men being subiect to plots and practises while they liue and also to ill fame and censure when they are gone their sons stand vp not only as heires to inherit their crownes and kingdomes but as Champions to maintaine their honours and to auenge their quarrels whereof the former was performed by Jotham the sonne of Gideon Iudg. 9.17 The latter by Amaziah the sonne of Joash 2. King 14.5 Fourthly the King loueth his sonne the more for a diuine mysterie hi him for as Kings themselues are Gods so is the sonne of the King as the sonne of God God ruleth he world by Christ his sonne Iohn 3.35 So did Dauid yet liuing set Salomon vpon his owne Mule yea vpon his owne Throne 1. Kin. 1. God pronounceth his sonne the onely mediator to himselfe 1. Tim. 2.5 He in whom he is well pleased Matth. 3.17 So did Dauid worke himselfe peace with Saul a while by the mediation of Jonathan his son 1. Sam. 19. 6. and as the sonne of God is the wisedome of the father 1. Cor. 1.24 So saith Salomon heere that his father taught him that is put wisedome to him and he did not only teach him but also prayed for him in that behalfe Giue thy iudgements to the king O God and thy righteousnesse to the kings son Psalm 72. and thus was Salomon his fathers sonne But to his mother what Tender and deare or as some translate it Tender and only in the sight of his mother To his father a sonne barely and without addition His fathers sonne but to his mother her tender son her deare her onely sonne So the father setteth downe the Substantiue but Tender and onely the Adiectiues or Epithetes come from the mother and why so because Salomon should shew that his father loued him but his mother loued him more euen as commonly wee say that men abound in reason but women in affection Thy loue to me was wonderfull passing the loue of women said Dauid to Jonathan 2. Sam. 1. A wonderfull loue no doubt which passeth the loue of women Or else Salomon would shew that his fathers loue was in discretion hid as in the text it is but vnderstood but his mothers loue was Tender and deare and onely flaming out like fire which hath no power to hide it selfe for Can a mother forget her child saith Esay yea can a mother hide her affection from her child yes iust as Salomons mother hideth hers VVhat my sonne and what the son of my wombe and what O sonne of my desires Prou. 31. See how shee hides her loue Her sonne and the sonne of her wombe and the sonne of her desires as if shee had said O thou my sonne whom once I bare in my wombe and whom I euer beare in my heart borne of my body by course of nature but still vnborne by strength of loue the father saith Sonne thou art euer with me Luk. 15. The mother saith Sonne thou art euer within me and so is it heere Tender and onely in the sight of his mother Tender in respect of his age as Chron. 1.29 Salomen my sonne young and tender but more in respect of her affection as mothers are euer tender that is fearefull and carefull of their children Samuel was not in his mothers keeping but in the custodie of the high Priest much better sure then in his mothers keeping yet see how mothers nature workes for though hee wanted neither meate nor clothes yet shee makes him and brings him euery yeere a little coat 1. Sam. 2.19 lest too much wind should blow vpon him and when the Shunamites sonne was sicke she set him on her knees till he died 2. King 4.20 but when Jeroboams son was sicke the Queene her selfe runs out to the Prophet for him 1. King 14.4 Againe Salomon was his mothers Onely sonne not onely begotten for shee had three sonnes beside 1. Chron. 3.5 but onely beloued or if not the onely beloued yet the onely beloued in that degree for though she loued them all well yet shee wisht and procured the kingdome to him and when she heard that Adonijah was vsurping it she steps in to Dauid 1. King 1. and makes sure worke for him And all this Jn her sight or before her Tender and onely in her sight for Vbi amor ibi oculus Loue is euer looking Samuels mother went vp euery yeere to Shiloh 1. Sam. 2. Yea true shee did so but that was to offer sacrifice yea and withall to sacrifice a little to her eyes that is to see Samuel too for if the sonne be but a little missing or out of sight Siseraes mother lookes and lookes out at a window and why tarrie the wheeles of his Chariots and why is his Chariot so long a comming Iud. 5. But if the son be dead or gone A voice is heard in Ramah Rachel weeping for her children and will not bee comforted Ier. 31. Now Lord that wee were but halfe so tender of our soules as our mothers are of our bodies But Salomons mother was tender of his soule too for she was a Prophet to teach him for so is the chapter 31. stiled The prophesie which his mother taught him She tels him what a King should doe To iudge righteously to iudge the afflicted and the poore and shee tels him what a King should not doe Not giue his strength to women not giue himselfe to wine euen as Monica the mother of Austin Toties parturiens filios c. So oft as she saw her son to do amisse so oft she was in pains of trauell with them And thus to loue is the tender deare and onely loue But this appeareth better in the next part of the text He taught me and said vnto mee c. Which followes out of the former not as oft in this booke of Prouerbs after a loose and independent manner but it followes with a speciall force as if hee had said Though I was my fathers sonne
tender and deare vnto my mother yet they did not coker mee but taught me and said vnto me There is a loue in parents a doting loue which teacheth nothing and there is a gouernment in parents which looseneth all the raines and suffereth to riot and for biddeth nothing and there is a pitie in parents a foolish pitie which pardoneth all and punisheth nothing till God come with the sword as hee did to the sons of Eli and kill where the father leaues vncorrected a strange loue in parents to kill their children with too much kindnesse but Salomons father loued him to proue his loue hee taught him as thinking him much better vnborne then vntaught If it be demanded heere how Dauid taught his sonne the text it selfe sheweth that sometime he spake vnto him himselfe He taught mee and said vnto mee hee taught him by word of mouth as the Eagle teacheth her young to flie Deut. 32.10.11 And as Plutarch saith the Nightingale teacheth her young to sing and God knew that Abraham would teach his sonnes Genes 18 And carefull parents are euer whetting the law vpon their children Beside it is also like that Dauid taught him by an instructor by Abiathar by Zadok by Nathan or some other and it is a chiefe prerogatiue of Kings that they may chuse their Tutors and instructours throughout their kingdomes The father of the great Alexander professed that hee was not more glad that hee had a son then that he had such a schoolemaster as Aristotle to teach him And Alexander himselfe confessed that he had his naturall life from his father but to liue well and vertuously hee had it from his master And it is strange to tell what honour Theodosius the Emperour gaue to Arsenius his sonnes schoolemaster And thus did Dauid teach And consider on the passiue part that as none is so carefull to teach the sonne as the father so hath none of the sonnes so much neede of teaching as he who succecdeth in the kingdome of the father Bee wise ye Kings saith Dauid and bee learnedye that be Judges of the earth Psalm 2. It is true that Kings are Gods annointed yet not annointed onely with oyle but with speciall graces but what grace before wisdome and learning which leades the way to all other grace as Kings are leaders to all other men Let the Lord appoint a man ouer the congregation who may leade them out and in saith Moses Numb 27. But it was neuer intended by God that they should be blind and ignorant themselues who were appointed as leaders and lights to other men And what was Salomon admired for but chiefly for his learning and for his wisdome The Queene of Sheba came of purpose to heare and proue his wisedome And 1. King 4.34 There came of all people to heare his wisedome as commonly when the people enquire after the King they doe not listen so much whether hee bee rich for they thinke he may be too rich as Julian the Emperor said that a couetous king was like the Splen in a mans body which when it swelleth and groweth great all the rest of the members are in a consumption by it Nor doe they listen so much if he be a man of warre they like it well that hee bee martially minded and readie to encounter when the enemie giues cause but they like it not that hee haue Animum auersum a pace A minde hating peace or delighting in warre Psal â—8 30 yea cursed are the people which delight in warre saith Dauid himselfe euen one of the greatest souldiers that euer was in the world but the chief thing enquired of the subiects is if the King bee learned or wise for then they know that he wil carrie himselfe the state well in warre in peace in want in abundance in all conditions safely and well And that Salomon was thus wise it was not only his fathers teaching for men can but plant and water but first he had helpes from nature which had exceedingly fitted him besides he was studious and industrious of himselfe for as it is Eccles 1. Hee gaue his heart to search out wisedome and which is more then all humane helps when God appeared vnto him gaue him leaue to aske what he would 1. King 3. he asked not riches long life nor honour but hee asked wisedome and God gaue it him in great abundance for hee was seene in all wisedome yea he had considered all the workes that were done vnder the sunne Eccles 1. euen as Moses the gouernour of Israel was seene in all he wisedome of the Egyptians Act. 7. He spake three thousand Sentences or Prouerbs his Ethikes or morall Philosophy hee wrote Songs Psalmes or Poems a Poet among other learning He spake of trees plants euen from the Cedar to the Hysop his Physiques or naturall Phylosophie yea he spake euen of the beasts and creeping things A wonder to see a King come from his Throne an Iuorie Throne ouerlaid with gold mounted vpon steps for Maiesty and euery step with Lions on each side a wonder I say to see a King to come from thence to looke into the bowels vaines of a beast yea of a vermine the lowest steps of naturall learning what thought hee of learning which sought it thus And therefore they are deceiued which thinke learning to bee but a meere ornament to a King It is true there is facultie of ornament as playing singing dancing for as this learned Salomon saith There is a time to dance Eccles 3. and there is faculty of good vse as tilting running riding promised to the Kings of Judah Ierem. 22. If ye doe these things ye shall ride vpon Chariots and horses but learning and wisedome are essentiall to gouernment he was no mere scholer nor vulgar man but hee was a King which said it that Rex illiteratus est asinus coronatus Henry 1. King of England that a King without learning was an asse with a Crowne for to what end sits he vpon the iudgement seate which when hee comes there may sit and see and heare but hath no wit to iudge This Salomon himselfe sat in iudgement vpon the two harlots 1. King 3. and gaue such a sentence as all the kingdome applauded to heare it besides for knowledge of religion he was Ecclesiastes a professed Preacher as Eccl. 1. J the Preacher haue bin King ouer Jsrael c. and that knowledge is also needfull for a King for if a schisme or schismaticall fellow arise in the Church hee is a kinde of persecutor that onely punisheth him it is more kinde and kingly first by learning to controll him Constantine sat oft himselfe in iudgement and gaue sentence in causes Ecclesiastical especially in the faction and quarrels of the Donatists And I could speak of a King now vpon the stage which speaks and disputes and writes that Rome it selfe is enraged to reade it for the Romane Clergie doe with their kings as the late Queene
mother of France did with Henry 3. her vnlucky sonne shee bids him play and follow his pleasure and not trouble himselfe with the stirres in the Church that shee and her Holy league in the meane time might set both Church kingdome on fire In like manner doe they mufle their kings in blindnesse and suffer them not to looke into the causes of religion that themselues in the meane time might frame a religion to their owne lust But when God laid it vpon the King that hee should write himselfe the copie of the Law in a booke that it should be with him and that hee should reade in it all the daies of his life Deut 17.18.19 his meaning was sure that Kings should bee vnderstanding men able to iudge and discerne of the law themselues and not altogether to goe on trust for their religion It followeth in the text Let thy heart holdfast my words keepe my Commandements and thou shalt liue whereby it appeares that Dauid did not onely teach his sonne but also catechise him and teach him religion for hee taught him to hold fast his words and his words were the words of life Iust as Deut. 8. the Commandements which if a man doe he shall liue in them and there is no learning but religion which brings eternall life And Dauid doth heere two things first hee giueth his sonne a charge that hee doe thus and thus and then if he doe these things hee makes him a promise that hee shall liue Hee chargeth him most strongly for first hee speakes to his hear tor inward man Let thy heart hold fast c. and then he frameth his conuersation or outward man that he keepe his Commandements The matter which he committeth to him is VVords and words howsoeuer they are but winde in the eares of the scorners yet the words of the wise are like goades and like nailes Eccles 12. like goades to pricke forward and like nailes to hold fast And Christ saith Ioh. 6. The words which J speake are spirit and life And Ioh. 12. The word which J haue spoken shall iudge you at the last Againe hee is commanded not to attaine them for that he did by his fathers teaching but when hee was taught to retaine or hold them fast and all this said to his heart Let thy heart hold fast c. For though it bee said vniuersally to all Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all all thy heart Deut. 6. yet it belongeth especially to Kings and God vpon this very occasion of annointing Dauid to the kingome said The Lord respecteth the heart 1. Sam. 16. So Dauids owne heart made him fit for a kingdome and therefore now he calles for the heart of his sonne whom hee knew God had destinate to bee King Let thy heart hold fast c. Now of an instructed heart there bee three testimonies First sincerity that what a man see me to doe hee doe it indeede and truly against the fashion of hypocrites Secondly zeale that what he doth he do it feruently against the fashion of cold professors and thirdly perseuerance that what hee begin to doe hee doe it to the end and constantly against the custome of backsliders The first thing is sincerity which still drawes in the heart as Saint Paul said of seruants Not with eye scruice but as the seruants of Christ from the heart Ephes 6. Dauid doth not teach his sonne as Machiauell taught Kings Regi ante omnia optandum vt pius videatur etiamsinōsit that a king aboue all things must seeme religious though indeed he be not euen as Saul which set vp an altar consulted with the Priests offered sacrifice killed the enemies of God and at euery word had God in his mouth when all was but a flash But Ablolon was more deuout then hee for hee must goe to Hebron and there pay his vowes and offer peace offerings to God for bringing him backe to Ierusalem and reconciling him to his father againe a meere Machiauellian practise for at the very same time he plotted how to winne the peoples hearts and to depose his father 2. Sam. 15. But Herod more deuout then hee Goe search for the the babe and when ye haue found him bring mee word againe that J also may come and worship him Matth. 2.8 May come and worshippe him when hee went to destroy him Monster of mankinde did Adoro signifie to kill or Occido to worship Is it not enough to murther and doe mischiefe but to make religion the cloake And thus did Julian the Apostata though he hated the Christians and their religion deadly yet he comes at times into their Churches and falles downe on his knees and praies deuoutly with them but all for a further purpose But as it neuer goes well with the gouernment where the gouernours are meere Politicians so is it worst with themselues for where God hath lift vp to the highest hee looketh for the best and if men serue him onely with a hood where hee requires the heart is not this to mocke God but God is not mockt witnesse that Saul and Absolon Herod and Julian whom we named before Againe the heart importeth a zeale to that we are taught as Ierem. 20.9 His word was in my heart like a burning fire And as a man cannot sit still which carries fire in his bosome so hee which is inwardly taught is inwardly toucht and cannot keepe silence nor cannot forbeare but is driuen with a spirit marcheth like Jehu the sonne of Nimshi suriously And it was spoken of that Jehu kingly 2 King 9. if it had beene spoken perfectly Come see the zeale that J haue for the Lord of hosts 2. King 10. For he put downe the idolatrous king hee killed his mother hee killed his children his kin dred confederates familiars and when he had trained the Priests of Baal into the temple of Baal he burnt vp temple Priests and Idoll and made one bonefire of them all Not like Rehoboam which suffered sinne to grow euen to the male stewes in Judah 1. King 14.24 and made the holy land like Sodom Nor like King Ahab which suffered the enemie of God to escape out of his hands shewed him mercy euen to his owne confusion 1. King 20. Iudah the kingly tribe had his blessing from Jacob to bee like a Lion Gen. 49.9 Not like a sheepe to walke vp and downe in a warme fleece and eate and drinke and sleepe and sit and see and doe nothing but like a Lion and like a Lions whelpe which carrieth fire in his hart and a flame in his eyes and a scepter in one hand and a sword in another to forbid sin and to punish sinne and to punish it in the proudest and he that doth not thus hee is like the Church at Laodicea Reuel 3. Neither hote nor cold and the Lord shall spew him out of his mouth The third testimonie of the hart is Perseuerance to begin well and to continue in
for as it is true that Kings are Gods so is it as true that God is a King The Lord raigneth Psalm 97. and Omne sub regno grauiore regnum est All kingdomes are but prouinces and Kings but deputies to doe iustice for God and without iustice Quid sunt regna nisi magna latrocinia saith Austin when Kings shall doe what they list and shake of their subiection to God what are Kings but great theeues as great theeues in their kind are said to be little kings yea and this is sure that the errours and irregularities of great men are extended and grow great by their greatnesse for it is an abomination to Kings to commit wickednesse Prou. 16. That which is but sinne in another man is abomination in a King and why so first because Kings in sinning abuse the sword of God which was put into their hands to cut downe sinne secondly because they defile the very place the seate of God which is maintained by iustice and ouerthrowne by sin and thirdly because their actions being for the most part exemplare they seduce the people of God and doe more hurt by their ill example then by their owne sin And be it true that Kings heere may sinne without impunity as being subiect to no correction of man but onely to the hand of God yet they are subiect to God and must account to him for the keeping of his Commandments and must fall into his hands at last where to fall as the Apostle saith it is a fearefull thing Hebr. 10.31 And in the meane time they shall be sure of this that though they scape open outcry yet here shall resound from euery hill and euery wall a murmure of ill fame which shal answere instantly as Ecchoes to their euill yet they know not whence For though no man dare say To a King thou art wicked or to Princes ye are vngodly Iob 34. yet reeds will whisper and owles will crie in the night and the sonnes of darkenesse will raile and write in corners then what they thinke they haue done in secret as Dauid is adulterie it shall bee painted like Belshazzars destiny vpon the walles And which is yet a more singular punishment vpon the faults of Kings and Princes that whereas while they liue they finde flatterers which sooth them in their sinne and tell them they doe well when they doe exceeding ill yet when they are once dead and gone then euery Chronicler which passeth ouer the faults of meaner men yet when hee comes to write of Kings he reporteth freely how one was prodigall another was couetous one was an adulterer another a coward and basely timorous and writes it vp as boldly as euery yeere Prognosticators write the ecclipses of the Sunne and the Moone so as where meaner men do oft amisse and carrie it away in silence with them yet their offences shall stand vpon record that if a man would not forbeare to breake the Commandements of a conscience to God yet feare of perpetuall infamie should bee a bridle to him But what is the conclusion of all Dauid concludeth with reward Keepe my Commandements and thou shalt liue The greatest blessing which the father can giue the greatest reward which the sonne can receiue And indeed to what doe parents beget their children but to liue to liue by vnion of soule and body which is by naturall generation but chiefly to liue by vnion of the soule with God which is by spirituall regeneration in which sense S. Paul said to the Corinthians J haue begotten you in Christ 1. Cor. 4. and what doe parents for their children if they doe not this The life which is by nature it is conceiued in sinne borne in sinne and proceedes in sinne and the reward of sinne is death so nature promiseth life to her children and performeth death Is not this a mockery to mankinde and are not naturall fathers meere mockers to their children if they bee no more then meerely naturall But keepe my Commandements and thou shalt liue saith the law And this is life eternall that they know thee and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ Ioh. 17.3 the life of the Gospell and thus is life proposed to all But to Dauid and to Salomon that is to the King and to the Kings sonne it was a popular and peculiar acclamation as they passed by the streets Viuat Rex God saue the King or life bee to the King Now vnder life which is the ground of all our good the Iewes doe commonly wish and pray for all other happinesse health and prosperity And wee may heere first vnderstand the life that is by nature Keepe my Commandements and liue that is liue heere for though the naturall life bee not the height of our hope yet the honour of a King dependeth much vpon the present life for while hee liues sinne is punisht religion is promoted Gods Church is built and God himselfe is glorified by him but when hee hath serued his time these seruices also are ended with him Againe while hee liues euery man praises him and admires and adores him and hee is the light of Israel and my Lord the King is as an Angell of God but when he is once dead his honour oft dies with him and his light put out in darkenes so Kings are Kings but for terme of life that as this Salomon said Jt is better to bee a liue dog then a dead Lion Eccles 9.4 Or it may be that life is promised heere respectiuely against hazard of death not that Salomon should not die but that hee should not die a violent death Amongst the Kings of Israel and ludah how many perisht some by conspiracie at home and some by the sword of the enemie And S. Austin obserueth that of all the Romane Kings two onely that is Numa Pompilius and Ancus Martius came to their graues in peace yea Kings are maliced whether they doe well or doe ill if not for their vices yet for their places for enuie shoots alwaies at the fairest marke especially where a quarrell growes for right of a kingdome who knoweth not that such trials are made with hazard of life But Thou thou shalt liue saith Dauid to Salomon and Salomon found it true for when Adonijah his elder brother rose vp to vsurpe the kingdome the vsurper soone miscaried but Salomon escaped and raigned and liued and so shall it bee with all them which extend their authority to maintaine the honour of God They shall flourish but their enemies shall perish Moses shall march through the sea as on the land when Pharaoh and his host shal sinke to the bottome as a stone and as our eyes haue seene the great Armadoes and inuincible fleets part flying home with shame and part or them drowned in the depth of the sea so let your heart hold fast the words c. and your Highnesse shall liue and feele the power of God in your preseruation when all Machiuellian Italian
Spanish and Popish conspirators shall fall before you in the field or die by the sword of iustice and when they are dead shall leaue nothing to hurt but their heads vpon poles and their rotten bones for reliques Or it may be that Dauid in promising life to Salomon did intend him life in his posterity for men which are dead yet are said to liue in their posterity and when God was well pleased with the Kings of Israel his promise was stil that he would build them a sure house and that they should not want a man to sit vpon the throne but when hee was offended with them hee would bring euill vpon that house and cut off euery one that made water against a wall and he would sweepe away the remnant as filth and one should die in the city and another in the fields and one the dogs should eate and another the fowles And as it is said of all the wicked in generall that their names shall rot Iob 20. so is it especially the curse of a tyrant that he shal write himselfe the last of his name as for example In the degenerate kingdome of Israel in a succession of twentie Kings the line ten times broken and interrupted to shew that all tyrannie is of short endurance But thou shalt liue saith Dauid to Salomon and from Salomon to Jehoahaz which is seldome found in course of history the sonne for seuenteene generations still succeeding the father so immortall is not onely the righteous but also his seede and propagation Or it may bee that the life heere promised to Salomon was meant of a spirituall life opposed to that 1. Tim. 5.6 She that liueth in pleasure is dead for a man may bee said so long to liue as he hath liued to glorifie God vixit dum vixit bene but all the rest of his life is a meere trance or image of death as Ephes 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and when the prodigall child ranne riot and spent his fathers goods with harlots Filius meus mortuus est Luk. 15. the father pronounced that his sonne was dead but especially hee that shall riot in the gouernment that shall suppresse religion oppresse the innocent and rage reuell in the kingdom Mortuus est he is dead to God though otherwise aliue in the world And it is worthie obseruation that wheras all the Kings of Israel had both their ages yeeres of their raigne recorded Saul the first King because he seasoned the kingdome with tyrannie and impiety had no such computation made for for him for God knoweth not the way of the wicked but the short raigne of the righteous is vpon record with God and the one and thirtie of Josiah is of longer account with him then the fiue and fifty of Manasses for of a good King it is said that his yeeres shall be as many ages Psal 61.6 And lastly in this promise of life here is meant to Salomon the mysterie of eternall life 1. King 1. as when Dauid was readie to die Bathsheba bowed her selfe and said Let my Lord King Dauid liue for euer Now the life which is for euer must needs bee meant of eternall life and this is indeed the very edge and point of Dauids promise for what is this mortall life with all her pompe and pride were it not a passage to immortall yea and what is a kingdome heere where all kingdomes were showne in the twinckling of an eye were there not in hope a better kingdome a better kingdome where all shall be Kings and raigne with Christ eternally And they which here haue raigned as Kings vpon the earth shall loose nothing but gaine immeasurably by the change yea kings and Queenes when they come thither shall cast away their crownes as Elias when hee went to heauen let his cloake fall from him and they shall repent nothing there saue that they came no sooner thither and when they shall compare their earthly and their heauenly kingdomes together they shall say as S. Peter said of the mount Bonum est esse hic It is good to bee in heauen but for the earth they shall be as loath to looke backe to it as Moses to goe backe into the land of Egypt for their Palaces shall then seeme prisons their golden chaines but golden fetters their Crownes shall be but crosses and all their honours but burdens and vexations but when they shall looke into the face of God they shall say to him with triumph VVith thee is the well of life in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore FJNJS