in life and behauiour and not to be perfect within as to make shew without and not to be in either conformable to the office and place I haue especially regarded the maner of my walking that it might bee honest worthie and wise that so I might teach both in doctrine and life and not destroye in th' one Psal 109.7 whiles I would seeme to build in the other accounting them that offend herein worthy of that censure which David gaue on such saying His office let another take Moreouer whereas it was the good pleasure of my Lorde the King and the will of my Lorde Zadoke that I should at times minister for my Lorde Zadoke in the seruice of God the King It is well knowne that I haue not presumptuously vsurped nor intruded nor thrust my selfe into presence but being called and commanded beeing well mindfull of the kinges words writtē amōg his wise prouerbs pro. 25.5.6 Put not forth thy selfe in the presence of the King and prease not into the place of great men for better it is that it be said to thee come vp higher then that thou shouldest be placed lower in the presence of the Prince whome thou seest with thine eyes Therefore I haue not béene of that ambitious and arrogant minde But howsoeuer I might bee suspected as faultie or imperfect in place and time I appeale to the Lord and mine owne conscience as yee my Lords haue done If I be guiltie against the king to my knowledge then would I wish that the one might accuse me and the other condemne me in the presence of you all Howbeit letting passe this examinatiō I presume there is some other cause whereof the kings affliction springeth the which I doubt not will in time appeare in the clearing of vs al. For time is that which discloseth secrets reuealeth the truth therefore is worthily called the mother of truth Nor do I thinke that the king suspecteth any of vs in this case for if he did his iealousie would not haue forborne to disclose and vtter the same to any of vs all for he respecteth neither persons nor power nor wealth nor policie such is his wisedome wealth power and the glory of the fearefull God in him zadock the high priest putteth forth his Apology and sheweth what is the function duty of his place Abiather hauing thus spoken for himselfe he at the last giueth place to Zadoke perceiuing how ready willing also he was to say sōwhat in the presēce of the lords * Zadock was a uery graue and reuerend Father and a faithfull Priest of the Lord doing according to his heart and mind in whome the bright Vrim Thumim so shined that no man either suspected him of any fault towardes the king or doubted of his diuine wisedome and singular perfection and therefore neither the Princes required either any examination or further triall of his integritie howbeit the most reuerend father in all humilitie neither refused nor disdained to doe as they had before done in this respect Therfore stāding vp in the midst of thē he spake with great grauity deliberation to this effect My Lords all although it be so that neither any of you hath giuen this offence vnto the king nor may it be that he holdeth any of you faultie in this matter yet am I glad to see and heare how willing and readie ye haue béene with all submission to examine and cleare your selues in this presence And truely howsoeuer ye bee sory for the kings affliction as indéed ye cannot be glad thereof yet may ye reioice in this that ye haue had this fit opportunity by this confession and trial both to cleare your selues of guilt to manifest your integritie and dutifull heartes towardes his Maiestie But howsoeuer it be that any suspicion or surmises may spring of any of your wordes or dealinges ye are happy in this that ye retain a good consiēce to testify in for your selues to the ease and ioy of your heartes then the which there cannot be a greater treasure in this life The guiltie man proposing to his vnderstanding the law which he hath broken The guilty cōscience and transgressed and withall the iudgement and paine ensewing the same being rightly concluded and applied to himselfe hath alwayes dreade carefulnes and sorrowe of heart as who might thus argue Thus saith the lawe but thus haue I done and so transgressed the lawe Ergo I stand to bee iudged and condemned by the same as who shoulde saye shall not that iust God deale with me as I haue deserued and shall not I be plagued in the end for my desert offending against the law of God as others haue beene plagued for the like and shoulde I promise vnto my selfe safetie any way in this my guiltinesse Thus argued Adam when he had broken the law of the Lord thus also Cain when he had murthered his brother Thus the brethrē of Ioseph who had abused and solde him away Thus argued Pharao after that he had threatned Moses and Aaron and would not let the people go thus Saul when hee perceiued Davids innocencie and his owne malice against him and thus Achitophel and such like who in the knowledge of their owne sinnes and the sense of the diuine Iustice concluded a iust condemnation on themselues Adam fearing what wold ensewe hid himselfe in the bushes and yet hee coulde not bee safe opposed as it were to the diuine wrath and all miseries and therefore confessed Gen. 4. that hee was naked and was afraide at the sounde of the Lordes voyce Cain confessed that his sinne was greater then that hee coulde bee pardoned and that the punishment thereof shoulde bee farre beyond his habilitie to beare yea hee saide vnto the Lord Beholde thou hast cast mee out this day from the vpper face of the earth and from thy face shall I be hid fugitiue also and a vagabond shall I bee in the earth and it shall come to passe that every one that findeth mee shall slay me * The sonnes of Iacob seeing they could not bee hidden Gen 42.21 confessed at length their sinne against their brother saying we haue verily sinned against him and therefore are we now troubled And againe fearing what Ioseph woulde doe vnto them after his fathers funeralls they in the terror of minde come and beséech him to forget their iniury against him The king of Aegypt at length confessed and saide vnto Moses and Aaron Exod. 6.27 Indeede the Lord is righteous and I and my people are vngodly On the which he would conclude his conscience condemning him Therefore shall both I and my people be plagued Saul in the agonie of his heart slew himselfe with his owne sworde and Achitophel who had béene a Counsaylor and prouoker of Absolon against his Father his owne conscience condemning him went and hanged himselfe Surely of all the torments vnder the Sunne there is none comparable to an euill
should marry and how he should be esteemed in his place According to the which though I say it for my selfe I was taken froÌ„ the middest of my people as one worthelie esteemed and honoured in my place for the tokens of my graces then I was straitly viewed and throughlie examined wherein I was found cleane and free from euery one of those blemishes with the which whosoeuer was touched was forbidden to prease forth to do the priests office Leuit. 21.17.18.19.20 I was wel tried to be neither blind nor lame nor brused or flat of nose nor mishapeÌ„ in my meÌ„bers nor brokeÌ„ in my féet nor brokeÌ„ in my haÌ„ds nor crooked in my back nor bleared in mine eyes nor eyes webbed or blemished nor skiruy nor scabbed nor broken in the stoanes The blemishes for the which a man was vnfit for the priesthood yea I was found frée of those imperfections or blemishes which our Elders haue gathered and noted out of that place of the law which disabled the priest for they noted in the head eight in the necke two in the ears twelue in the eye-browes and eye-lides fiftéene in the eyes ninetéene in the nose sixe in the lips and mouth nine in the belly thrée in the backe thrée in the priuities sixtéene in the handes and féete twelue in the leges fiftéene and in all the body foure the which being taken away the naturall body appeared sound faire and perfect in all partes that by the same not onely the puritie of the mind might be signified but also the person of the Messiah truely prefigured Then was I consecrated to the Lord according to the law The consecration and ornamentes of the priest then was I cloathed in the holy garments as namely the Breastplate the Ephod the Tunicle the broadered Coate the Mytre the Girdle which were according to the commaundement garnished and beautified with gould blew-silke purple scarlet white twyned silke and brodered worke also with Owches Chaynes pretious stoans other such things with Vrim and Thumim in the which are expressed not onely spiritually the seuerall graces of a godly minde but also mistically the heaueÌ„lie vertues of the holy Messiah the finall obiect of our loue To this I was annointed with the holy oyle and had mine handes filled for the sacrifices The duties of priesthood performed Thus haue I béene furnished and approued for the Priestes office Now to this haue I beene willing and ready to doe my duety in the execution of my function I haue offered the sacrifices to the Lord for my selfe and the people and haue prayed for them in the which I haue beene mercifully heard and regarded of the Lord as Aaron was I haue taught the people and instructed them in the feare and lawes of the Lord I haue iudged and discerned according to equitie and as placed ouer the priests and ministers in the Lords house I haue regarded therein not only the conuersation and behauiour but also the order of the ministeries and seruices of the persons in the same for the better seruice of God the preseruation and maintainance of the ornaments of the Lords house and the benefit of the Lords people And this the better to performe I haue ruled my selfe and liued according to the law in my place and for my comfort I haue taken to me a cleane Vâ—rgin to wife Moreouer I haue serued and honoured next vnto my God my Lord the King in all dutiful thankfulnesse without giuing him any iust offence to my knowledge And therfore as the King is most wise and will not take an offence being not offered him I am sure he is not afflicted or grieued for any cause of mine as I perswade neither for any thing he hath noted or conceited in any of you But I know well there be other causes things whereof he hath taken this sorrow the which also may bee knowne to some of you and yet are yee most vnwilling to reveile or make knowne but would rather if it might be conceale and couer them for it is the part of a friend to couer the fault of his friend much rather then ought a true Subiect for the loue and honour of his Prince rather modestly to forbeare then to aduenture the display of any his faultes or imperfections They that obserue not this rule resemble shamelesse Cham one of the sonnes of Noah Gen. 9.22 who most vnreuerently both discouered and derided the nakednesse of his father This being said Zadok sighed déepely and made as a proffer to further speeches Neuerthelesse hee refrained for this time for he well knew the causes of the Kings griefe although it pleased him not as yet to vtter it partly for the reuerence he yeelded the kings honour partly for his owne modesty as also for that he was verie vnwilling to be the vnfolder of that which hee was sure the Princes and all the Kinges friendes would be very sory and loath to heare albeit they were so redy to inuestigate that whereof being once certified they did much maruaile at greatly lament and could scarsely ease or mitigate much lesse salue and recure howbeit they endeuoured their best and thought it bootelesse for them to stand wondering and reasoning longer then they might set on and spéedily assay which way to bring ease or comfort to their Soueraigne Lord the which they wel knew could not be effected till time they had found out and considered of the true causes of the kings affliction Therefore though much against their wils yet vrged by the present necessitie they presume on the king in this examination CAP. IX The Lordes are resolved to examine and consider of the King and his actions but note by what occasion in what sort and to what end Of Solomons birth WHen euery one of the Lordes had perused himselfe cleared his owne conscience and approued his words and actions towards the king Azariah Azariah the chiefe Lord replied againe and said Now that wee haue in this sort submitted our selues to the iust triall in all modestie and no lesse faithfulnes to our Lord K. Solomon and so cleared our selues of any iust offeÌ„ce offered him which bringeth no small comfort to our heartes in the time of this our trouble and trial Let vs aduenture to behold the king himselfe in whome it may be that the cause of his owne sorrow may be found Therfore let vs consider of his person actions and his manner both of entrance and life Indéede I confesse as Zadok hath before intimated that it may be thought a thing too malepert in Subiectes to censure the Prince or to pry too narrowlie into his actions and dealings or to discouer any his faults or imperfections especially to this end to diffame or deride him for this was Chams offence against his father for the which he was reproued and his posteritie cursed Neuerthelesse I thinke it not vnlawful nor amisse that the kings Princes and Priuie Counsellors seeing the kings
which eyther his owne conceit blameth as too base and vndecent to his honour or his owne conscience condemneth as vniust or his wisedome disliketh as too fond or his diuine spirite abandoneth as impious Iehosophat * Well then quod Iehosophat this being well resolued why should wee further delay Let vs approch howbeit with all the best wisedome and modesty to the consideration of the kings Maiesty Of Solomons progeny and birth As for progenie and birth there is no cause that the kings Maiesty should abase or dislike himselfe for hee is the sonne of worthy Nobles yea Noah hee is descended of the most noble house of that auncient Ianus or Noah Noah to whome the Lord granted to see the end of the old world and the beginning of the new howbeit he came not in by Cham nor by Iaphet Shem. but by Shem whome the Lord especially fauoured and chose to continue the seed of the blessed Abraham vnto the time of Abraham our father by whom and from whome the king is lineally descended neverthelesse not by his sonne Ismael the sonne of Hagar the bonde Isaack but by his sonne Isaack of Sarah the frée woman in whome the hope of the promise rested Againe hee was not of Esau who was iustly depriued both of the birth-right and the blessing Iacob but of Iacob whome the Lord louing and liking called Israel and Israel had many sonnes but the king came onely from Iudah â—udah in whose tribe according to the prophesie of Iacob the Scepter should be raised and a Law-giuer continued vnto the comming of Shilo to whome the people should be gathered From hence was the line drawne to Ishai Ishai and from him to David the Kings father who being a man after Gods owne heart David was according to the diuine prouidence ordained and annointed by Samuel the Lords Prophet before all his brethren to be king ouer his people of Israel whom he defended from their enemies on euery side with a strong and valiant hand fed them with discretion iudged theÌ„ with equitie and righteousnes and raigned ouer them ful 40. yeares to the glory of the Lord and good of his people with great honour Bethseba Sol. mother The kinges mother also was Bethseba the daughter of Eliam of no meane parentage her name soundeth the daughter of an oath or the seuenth daughter She was a right noble wise and vertuous Gentlewoman sometimes the wife of Vriah the Hittite a man of great estimation Indeede it was so that for her sake the king affecting her did iniuriously oppresse her said husband the rather by Ioabs meanes at what time this noble woman eyther doubted or simply thought that it was not lawfull for her husband or her selfe being subiectes to deny any thing which the king should command or desire of them 1. Sam. 8 11. knowing what Samuel the prophet had before that said vnto the people when they required a king what their king might or would do vnto them by his power and authority howbeit the trespasse being pardoned and grace and mercy restored according to the kings true repeÌ„tance and humble praier she feared the Lord God of Israel hearkened to Nathan the Lordes prophet notwithstanding that hee had before reproued the King for his faulte whereby she liued and contained her selfe with King David in all godly behauiour and high honour during her life This Noble Lady in many thinges both aided and comforted the King her husband and did not onely beare and bring foorth but also educated brought vp and nurtoured our Lord King Solomon in all such princely and diuine vertues to her power as did best beséeme him that should succeede King David in the happy kingdome of Israel as she had well learned and considered thereof by the inspiration of the diuine Spirit and the instruction of the Lordes Prophet that it was appointed and ordained by the Lord that this Solomon before all Davids other Sonnes should raigne ouer the kingdome of Israel after him Therefore shee diligently endeuored with the King the performance thereof as we sée it is brought to passe this day to the great ioy and comfort of the Lordes inheritance This therefore the young Quéene did gratefully remember at the time of the kinges marriage ascribing vnto her in the great solemnitie the chiefe cause next vnto God of his royall preferment saying to the daughters of Syon Go ye forth I pray you Cant. 3.10 and behold King Solomon in the Crowne wherewith his Mother hath crowned him in this day of his marriage and in the day of the gladnes of his heart And therefore also the king himselfe in the highest of his glory neither disdained nor omitted to commend her her excelleÌ„t vertues before vs al yea and vnder the same hath depainted and set forth not onely an holy and vertous Woman but also the holy Church the which also in his temple with the rich ornaments thereof he prefigured And thereof hath made an Alephabethical Encomion in these words pro. 31 Who so findeth an honest faithful womaÌ„ she is much more worth theÌ„ pearls the heart of her husbaÌ„d may safely trust in her so that he shall fall into no poverty She wil do him good not evil al the dais of her life c. A womaÌ„ that feareth the Lord shal be praised Giue her of the fruit of her hands and let her own workes praise her in the gates These things the king hath ruminated and vttered with great grauity as worthy the memory and imitation therefore wee also haue thought good to note and affixe the same to his wise prouerbs and Parables * Now with this let vs not forget The time of Sol. birth but carefully note and remember the rather to preuent the occasions of euill surmises that the king was neither borne nor begotten nor conceiued in the time of the trespasse and disgrace of his Parents but after the time that the Lord in mercy had pardoned them both and put away their sinnes vpon repentance and prayer 2. Sam. 12.13 of the which pardon the Lord certified him to the ioy and ease of their heartes by the prophet Nathan when also that was brought to passe and verified which David had with teares desired and with faith hoped to obtaine Thou shalt purge me said he with Isope and I shall be cleane thou shalt wash me I shall be whiter then snowe psal 51. Thou shalt make me to heare of ioy and gladnes that the boanes which thou hast broken may reioce For the which also he dewly blessed the Lord and in his thanksgiuing saide O Lord thou hast pardoned all mine iniquities and healed all mine infirmities psal 103. Finally the Lord himselfe to this his pleasure gaue testimony when he did not onely accept his sacrifices and burnt offeringes but also promised to set vp of his Seede after him vpon the throne of the
kingdome of Israel and that also not Absolon nor Adoniah nor Amnon nor any other of Davids sonnes begotten and borne before this time but only Solomon his sonne borne of Bethseba after the pardon granted him should build an house for his name vnto whō he would be as a father to his sonne * Al these things the princes gladly heard to the same subscribed most willingly knowing well both the truth of the kinges petigree and the honour of his noble birth zabud And thereupon spake Zabud and said It séemeth good to me The seuerall names of the King that with this which hath beene saide wée regard those titles and names by the which it pleased the Lord that the king should be called knowne and honoured the which truly haue not bin imposed rashly as many which giue names without respect of the Natures dignity or qualityes of the persons but with great wisedome iudgement and prouidence as were those names of Adam Havah Noah Abraham Lot Abel Sarah Isaack Israel Samuel David and such other which haue had their approbation from the Lord and expressed or taught or remembred some worthy thing In this sort the King hath had and enioyed fiue particular names and names of honor two of the which were imposed by the Lord himselfe the third by Nathan the fourth by his Mother and the last hée resumed by th'approbation of his Lordes In or concerning any of the which names he hath no cause ministred him to be displeased except onely in this that he hath tried himselfe bring a mortall man not answerable in all points to the same knowing it a thing most ridiculous for any person whatsoeuer to bee noted or called by such a title or name of the which hee shal bee found most vnworthy For the first we haue it recorded what the Lord God said to David concerning him he shal be my sonne Secondly he said againe touching him his name is Solomon 2 Sam 7.14 1. Chro. 22.9 Thirdly the prophet Nathan called him Iedid-iah The sonne of God Fourthly his Mother called him Laemuel and fifthly he is called Koheleh In that he is called the Sonne of God and that by God himselfe it giueth vs to consider in him somewhat beyond that which is found to be in other men For they are not of the common sort to whome the Lord vouchsafeth this high title Such are they which resembling the holy Angels haue not only the brightnes of the diuine glory apparāt in them but also are euer willing and ready to execute his pleasure In that he is called Solomō 2. Solomon it noteth the peace of his gouernmēt ouer Gods people according to the reason which the Lord added saying he shal be a man of rest and I will send peace and rest vpon Israel in his dayes In the third name the prophet would expresse not only the loue of God vnto him 3. Iedid-iah but also the loue of God his diuine graces in him to the which alluded the Arabian Quéene at her being here when shee said blessed be the Lord thy God which loued thee hath set thee on the throne of Israel In the fourth his Mother beeing a wise and rare Princesse 4. Laemuel 5. Coheleth woulde by that name signifie the glory of God in him and by him in the people In the last is testified the diligence and desier that the king hath not onely to search out and gather together for his owne further instruction the auntient monuments and holy bookes but also a people vnto the Lord to bee instructed and taught in the holy Religion for the glory of God and their owne health Teaching withall what should be the desier of all Princes in their places namely in this sort to tend to the end of their gouernment and rule Therefore finding rather an honour then an ignomy to grow from hence vnto the king Wee say as the kings daughter said in that excellent song Thy name is a sweet smelling oyntment when it is powred foorth Therefore do the virgins love thee CAP. X. Of Solomons person and estate forme beauty education wisedome c. wherof the cause of his griefe could not rise THen stoode foorth Ahishar and saide Truely my Lordes whatsoeuer hath beene here produced and spoken in the premisses maketh very much euery way for the kings honour and estimation Ahishar and therfore I perceiue not what shoulde thereof be gathered to offende him Neither can I finde any thing worthie dislike in any other points which concerne either his person or his estate for his forme and beautie his education his wisdome his iudgements his words his riches his works his peace his orders of house his pleasures his power his marriage his blessinges his fame his glory c. the king is most excellēt Solomon his beautie Homer singularly renowned as al men wil confes I remēber that looking on a certaine Booke of the Poet Melesigenes who liued and wrote in the time of our iudges among the Greekes I found where he had giuen an exceeding high praise to the forme and beautie of Priamus the Troyan Priamus the which in him as he saide was wel worthy a kingdome so faire was he The same Poet hath also spoken largely of one Nireus Nireus being the fairest of all them which came to Priamus his Pallace though hee had scarcely any worthy quality either of body or mind And in our own Records we haue the praise of the form and beauty of Saul the sonne of Cis whom Samuel annointed King ouer Israel Saul 1. Sam 9.2 that he was a goodly youngman and faire So that among the chidren of Israel there was none goodlier then he from the shoulders vpward he was higher then all the other people And we here present for the most part can say much of Absolon the kinges brother namely that in his time there was none in all Israel so much to bee praised for beautie Absolon 2. Sam. 14.25 from the seale of his foote to the top of his head there was no blemish in him And had his qualities beene to the same correspondent oh God how glorious might he haue beene And further we finde that Ioseph and Moses and Aaron and David haue beene praised in this respect But yet beyond them all looking with iudgement on our Lord the King and seeing howbewty is displayed in his royal person we cannot but acknowledge that for truth which the kings father said to him when he beheld him in his beautye Farre fairer then the sonnes of men art thou Cant. 5.9 Although all these things did properly belōg so were to be referred to the holy Messiah yet were they first spoken as of Solomon who in his person prefigured him as it is more fully declared hereafter And this the noble Princesse considered and sung of him He is both white ruddy the chiefest of thousands ten His head is as fine gold his
greater that way then all his Predecessors hauing a dominion ample and large with a princely prouision of all sorts of things both for the defence and maintenance of the same in all partes And for the better guard of his Royal person as the young Princesse noted when shee beheld and wisely considered in her Cant. 3.7 About the bed of Solomon there stand Ful threescore valiant men of sturdiest might Of Israel with glittering swords in hand Expert in warre him to defend by right Therein alluding to that which the kinges Father had modulated for the king in that swéete psalme 45. Gird now thy sword vpon thy thigh O prince of fame According to the worship and the glory of thy name And prosper in thy glee ride forth with glad successe Because of that thy word of truth meekenes and righteousnes Thy right hand forth shall tell the things of dreadful strength Thy sharpened shafts the people shall to thee subdue at length Yea though that they for safety should themselues bring Into the midst inuiron'd with th' enemies of the king To be briefe His blessings wonderfull are the blessinges wherewith the almighty hath graced our King for hee hath beene blessed beyound all other kinges on the earth aswell with thinges spirituall and heauenly as with those which are temporall and terrene according to that promise in the law made for such as be obedient Deut. 28. 2. Sam. 7. 1. King 3. according to that word of the Lord giuen to David concerning him and according to the that the Lord his God granted him when he had praied for wisedome to go out and in before his people In a word his blessinges are an astonishment to all the nations of the world vnto whom the fame of his Excellency hath gone forth This conioyned him in amitie with K. Hyram of Tyre His fame and glory and with Pharao king of Egypt this brought vnto him from the vttermost partes of the earth the famous Quéene of Arabia and many others and hee was in glory resplendent before all the kinges or Princes that euer raigned before him whereby many seeing and bearing of him thinke that they see or heare not a terrene or mortall Creature but a celestiall and diuine power And what should the king desire more Gen. 3. nothing at all except he would bee God as Adam thought to be But I am sure the king is not of that haughtie conceite of himselfe yea I haue obserued this that howsoeuer all these thinges haue beene excellent and aboundant in him as a Crowne of gold beset with pretious stones Solomon was not proude of his gifts and graces on the head of a most beautifull body yet did he neuer waxe proud or vaine glorious thereof as worldly men accustome when hauing a little beyond the ordinarie measure of some others of wisedome riches pleasures power policie or prosperitie do loue and like to sooth prayse and commend themselues resēbling the Pecocke which swelleth in the view of his painted plumes notwithstanding their humaine imperfections yet this is not al but thinking so highly of themselues they contemne others and endeuour in loath and disdaine to treade them vnder their feete Thus I say hath not the king at any time done but rather hee acknowledged his mortall humanity and his great ignorance and want of wisedome yea his base séely glory in respect of the supreme excellency eternity knowledge wisedome and glory of the almighty with the which when he had compared himselfe all his noble endewmentes hee found himselfe with the same iust nothing To this assented the Princes and found no cause in those thinges premised whereof the king should be offended CHAP. XII Of Solomons comming to the kingdom of Israel his proceeding against Adoniah and Abiather the priest is iustified AFter this Zadok the Priest who had thus farre listened to the wordes of the Princes stoode vppe and spake to this effect Indéede my Lords I sée not as yet that from any of those thinges whereof yee haue spoken to be in the king and his Estate any iust occasion is ministred him of his present affliction except it be in this that knowing the largenes of Gods bounties towardes him he either hath not satisfied the Lords expectatiō in the vse of those thinges or cannot as hee would shew himselfe gratefull enough And it may be that besides the premisses some question hath been or may be moued touching the kinges entrance into the kingdome of Israel wherein some especially they which stand to defend the cause of Adoniah Abiather and Ioab with others their confederates against the king imagine that he hath and doth rather vsurp and tyranize then that he hath lawfully attained and raigned and therin not answered to his name Solomon which is to say peaceable or a peacemaker But howsoeuer it be surmised or imagined by such kind of persons it is most certaine that the kings entrance with the meanes and manner thereof was both lawfull right and his gouernment therein may be neither condemned nor iustly reproued but rather iustified and commended of all wise and discreet persons King Solomon although he had a promise of the Soueraignty both of the Lord and also of his father he did not presume to vsurpe on the kingdome as Absolon wold haue done when aspiring he lifted vp his hand against his owne father the Lords Annointed Nor would hee do as Adoniah did Sol. was not an vsurper on the kingdome who was extolled and proclaimed king euer Israel in the life time of his father without the consent goodwill or knowledge of the king or of the Quéen The king our Soueraigne Lord knew better what was meet to be done bee remembred how his father dealt towards Saul the king namely that albeit hee knew Saul to bee reiected of the Lord and that himselfe was already annointed to succéede him in the kingdome of Israel he would dot preuent the time that God had appointed nor would he lay his hand on him beeing in his place the Lords annointed although he had many opportunities offered him therto for hee might easily haue slain him both in the Caue and in other places without his owne bodily danger But the king as hee was ordained for the kingdome by the diuine prouidence and the discretion of his father so also he entred by a lawfull and worthie meane and in the due time For King David knowing well the mind of the Lord who had promised him that there shoulde one of his seede sit on his Seate after him and his name should bee Solomon made a faithfull promise vnto Quéene Bethseba the Kinges mother 1. King 1.11.30 that according to the word of the Lord this his Son which was called Solomon should surely raigne after him and shoulde sit vpon his throne therfore as it is also recorded in the kings Annales when that king David being waxen olde and enféebled had heard by the report of the
volume of the booke it is written of mee that I should fulfill thy will O my God I am content to doe it Thus was the most holy sonne and worde of God brought in talking with his father touching mans redemption and shewing both his willingnes and obedience to relieue the state of mankind Hereof it was that the Lord God decreed and said that the womans seed should tread on the serpents head Gen. 3. which signified that one should be borne of the womans body the which the Serpent had corrupt that should not onely purifie her and all mankind but also confound the Serpent and all his power From the which time our fathers haue expected we as yet expect and waite for the comming of that holy Seede Now here by the way wee may consider that albeit the Lord God be wonderfull mercifull vnto mankind he doth not ouerthrow therin his Iustice How the Lord was both iust and mercifull but obseruing either he expresseth great Equitie in a wonderfull for t For beholde hee laid that on his sonne which was due vnto man and againe hee gaue that vnto man which was onely proper to his sonne hee laid mans sinne and faults on his sonne hee imputed the righteousnes of his sonne vnto man In th' one appeared his iustice in th' other his mercy And in them both conioyned equitye That which was due vnto man the holy seed taketh on himselfe namely mans punishment which mans nature could not beare that which the holy seede merited namely eternall life the Lorde gaue vnto man for the sinne of man which deserued death was imputed vnto this seede and the Iustice of the holy seed which deserued Heauen was imputed vnto man I meane vnto them onely that by faith depend on that promise and those be the same whom the Lord God had before loued elected and predestinated to eternall glory and whome hee would not by any meanes permit to perrish and dye for euer This is the onely recouery of mankind and hope of his health This is that eternall verity and obiect of our faith This is the same whereunto all the law and the Prophets and all the tipes and figures both of them before vs and of them now in daily vse do aime point Promises of the Messiah Gen. 6. Gen. 22. Gen. 22.18 and direct vs for all succour helpe comfort and reliefe The decree and promise of this seede was after this confirmed to Noah to whome the Lorde said With thee wil I make my covenant thou shalt come into the Arkè But more plainly to our father Abraham to whome the Lorde declared this Sauiour and said of him In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed The same which was called the seede of the Woman is now called the seede of Abraham for the Lorde woulde that hee shoulde come of Abrahams Seede after the flesh Prophesies of Messiah Gen. 49. Exod. 4.13 This is that whome Iacob our Father called Shilo and prophesyed that he should come in the tribe of Iudah And to him should be the gathering of the people This is that same to whome Moses pointed in the booke Velleschemoth when he saide to the Lord. Send I pray thee by the hand of him whome thou wilt send Deut. 18.15.18 and in his booke Haddebarim the Lorde himselfe calleth him a Prophet saying thus vnto Moses I will raise them vp a Prophet from among their brethren like vnto thee This is the same the holy man Iob calleth his Redeemer whome hee knewe to liue Iob. 19. Num. 14.17 This is that bright Starre and Scepter of the which Baalam did prophesie in Moses Booke Vaiedabber saying there shall come a Starre of Iacob and rise a Scepter in Israel 2. Sam. 7.12.13 14. This is that true King of peace promised to David the Kinges Father in 2. Schemuel 7. that Seede of David and Davids Lorde whose throne shall bee established for euer To bee short this is that lively Image of God and King of glory without all spot or blemish most mightye wise and excellent which shall in his time new builde Heirusalem and prepare himselfe an holy Temple and house for his worshippe therein I meane a Church spiritually framed and gloriously garnished after that proportion and forme which David the Kinges Father gaue and prescribed him according to the writing thereof which hee had receiued from Iehovah his God and the which the King hath in his time of peace builded and perfected accordingly Therefore of this holy Seede sang the Princely Prophet in many Psalmes calling him sometimes Gods Sonne sometimes a King psal 2.45.110 sometimes the King of glory sometimes a Priest eternall after the order of Melchisedek sometimes his Lorde sometimes his God sometimes his Redeemer sometimes his Saviour sometimes the Messiah or Annointed of Iehovah And as this holy Seede hath beene thus promised and foretolde of and belieued to come into the worlde Shadowes tipes and figures of Messiah The tree of life in paradise Abel Abraham Noah so hath hee beene shadowed typed and prefigured As first by the tree of life in Paradise of the which if our first parentes had taken and eaten they had neuer dyed but should haue liued foreuer Next by the Sacrifices of Abel Abraham others in the which it pleased God to declare himselfe gratious This Noah also prefigured when the Lord made him the finisher of the old world and the beginner of the new To the same pointed Melchisedek and Melchisalem Melchisedek to shew that he was a King and a Priest A King of peace and righteousnes and a priest of the highest God for euer as without beginning and without ending for the number of his daies may not bee reckoned or knowne The same was signified in the ladder our father Iacob saw Iacobs ladder Moses Iosuah by the which the angels did ascend and descend to and from heauen He was fore-shewed a deliuerer from thraldome in Moses and a Sauiour in Iosuah for Moses brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt and Iosuah conducted them inherited them and preserued them in the promised land Also Aaron the priest of the Lorde prefigured him with his Vrim and Thumim Aaron The pascall Lambe c To the same also serued the vse of the Pascall Lambe and those other symboles and sacraments in the Wildernes as the Manna from heauen the Water from the rocke Iudges and such like In the booke of * Shophtim is mention made of many bodily Saviours by the which was mistically shewed the person and office of Messiah There was Sampson Gedeon Othoniel Ieptha Samuel And within our age Sampson Gedeon Othoniel Ieptha Samuel David the calling annointing and manner of the raigne and condition of David foreshewed the same For all these things my Lordes haue and do rightly aime to that most holy Messiah whome the Lord God would that men should belieue and expect and
am not able they are both so many and wonderfull much lesse to apply them in euery point to him whome with his vertues these things doe fore-shew and teach vnto men Solomon a figure of Messiah in his birth And first touching the honor of the kings birth and acceptation with the Lord It is true that Solomon is the sonne of David as before it hath beene said concerning whom the Lord made a faithfull promise saying Of the seede of thy bodie will I set vpon thy seate Howbeit 2. Sam. 7.13 the Lord also saide to David concerning him I will bee his father and hee shall bee my sonne Surely this properly fits the Messiah who is to come of the séede of David and yet hee is that naturall Sonne of God Thereof spake the kings father Iehovah sayd to my Lord sit thou on my right hand Againe Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee This is he indeed to whom the stabilitie of the kingdome of Israel is promised Where the Lord said I will establish the throne of his kingdome for euer Solomon as yet sitteth on the throne gouerneth his kingdom but the time will come that as the tipes must cease when the things typed come in place our Lord K. Solomon shal yéeld and giue his place to the holy Messiah that true Sonne of God when he shall begin to raigne in mount Zion Therefore let vs conclude that the king prefiguring also in this point the holy Messiah is a Saint of the Lord. Secondly the Lord hath imposed Solomon in his Names a figure of Messiah ordained such titles and names to and for the king as might no lesse expresse and set forth the same thing We heard before that the king had such Names as tended to th'exemplification of his honor but yet it was not then considered of euery one of vs to what certaine person or thing those names properly pointed for it is very certain that euery of those names are more proper to the Messiah then to the king albeit they were on him iustly imposed and of him at the first literally vnderstood The Lord God himself speaking vnto David of this person yer euer he was borne or begotten said His Name is Schelomon which is Peaceable 1. Schelomon 1. cho 22.9 or a maker of peace And the Lord shewed the reason thereof saying For I will giue him rest from his enemies round about him I will send peace quietnes vpon Israel By this he foresheweth the true Melchisalem that king of peace the right reconciler of his elect vnto himselfe who without this noble Prince are at wars with Lord opposed to the intollerable strokes of his Iustice But heereof it is that they haue quiet consciences peace with God and finally eternall rest and safetie in the most glorious kingdome of the King of peace To this also aymeth the blessed peace and tranquilitie that the Lord hath giuen the king and through him vnto vs from our bodily enemies on euery side in those the happy dayes of his gouernment Next when the Lorde would expresse his loue and affection towards him and againe the loue and affection that hee had and should haue to the Lorde his God thereby the sooner to foreshew the mutuall loue and delight betweene God and that holy Messiah he sent the Prophet Nathan as some of you yet remember who according to the diuine pleasure 2 Iedid-iah 2 Sam 12.25 called him Iedid-iah Beloued of God For so it is written that the Lord loued him therefore he called his Name Iedid-iah of the Lordes-behalfe Indeede it pleased the Lorde in this sort to declare his Ioue to the king Howbeit the Name properly fitteth that person Psal 2. to whom the Lord said as before Thou art my beloved sonne this day haue I begotten thee And the same which the Arabian Queene did mystically point vnto when in the spirit of Prophesie she said to the king Blessed be the Lord thy God which loved thee * After this the kings mother namely Queen Bethsabe that not without the instinct of the heauenly spirit perceiuing the maiestie feare of God in him 3 Laemuel pro. 31.1 withall knowing him to be made a liuely figure of the holy Messiah called him Laemuel that is God with him or God with them meaning that God was with him that he was as God vnto the people as Moses was sometimes said to be The which tittle therefore fitteth none so properly as it doth that bright Starre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Balaam descried and spake of in his prophesie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. 24 the which as we haue obserued containeth both the nuÌ„ber of the name ineffable and the number of the Divine law for the two former letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make in number 26. the which also the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yeeldeth and the two latter letters make 22. in which number of letters is written the whole lawe the which onely in the time of the right Laemuel shall bee performed and throughly affected in him by whom there shall be but one Lord and one Law one faith and one religion one sheepheard Gen. 49 â—0 4 Koheleth Eccles. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and one sheepefold Lastly he hath another Name which no lesse indeed appertaineth to that right Shilon vnto whom the gathering of the people shall bee That is Koheleth which signifieth a Congregator or a Preacher or a builder of a Church The King had this Name worthily imposed partly in regard of his wisedwne which was in him wonderfull beyond al others as if in one and the same person should be heaped and layd vp together all the wisedom and knowledge both diuine and humane which not onely any other one man but which all men together at the same time liuing had or could containe or comprehend partly in regarde of his Office and ministerie by the which he did not onely builde the materiall house which should prefigurate both the mysticall spirituall and eternall but also did preach and indeuor to call into the same and to instruct and conforme all others aswell Gentiles as Iewes in the true Religion of the most holy and euerlasting God But the effecting of all this properly belongeth to that holy Messiah who hath and shall haue in his time all wisedome and all knowledge without measure and thereof shall giue and dispose aboundantly to others and by his proper ministerie gather together the out-casts of Israel bring home them that bee and shall be scattered abroad by his wisedome iustifie the multitude in bearing their misdeedes and not onely builde of diuers stones and sundry things a Church and holy Congregation to himselfe but also defend foster susteine and preserue the same foreuer Nowe my Lordes in all these things hath our Lorde the King right worthily prefigured the holy Messiah to the which I hope yée will willy subcribe and thereof
Israel if all things had answered ad amussim to his request and dayly endevor but also by many heauenly doctrines learned Orations wise sentences parables and arguments to display and set foorth the manifolde vanities of wordly-men and there-withall as the wise Preacher to studie and endevor on the one side to disswade and hallow them from the same beeing replenished with so many miseries and on the other side to allure and draw them on towardes the chiefe good and highest felicitie where onely is found the true sacietie and best solace after all the confused troubles of this life Truely this is the very Argument Summe or chiefe matter of his Booke entituled the Ecclesiastes or the Preacher from whence as from the head-spring of many both pleasant and profitable streames this present Solace is chiefly derived In the which besides the viewe of Solomons Common-wealth and many other matters of right worthy request is contained his true Repentance and Pardon after his sinnes displayed in a certaine Dialogue or conference of his Princes and chiefe Lordes A worke both godly pleasant and profitable aswell for Princes and noble personages as for all others which have any desire to walke in this life towardes the highest obiect of our hope But heere I thought it good to admonish thee gentle Reader that as the worke chiefely regardeth those matters of Antiquitie and namely such as were either heard of scene vnderstood or in action within the compasse of that time wherein that most famous King both raigned and lived and of the which his Princes Lordes and servantes coulde as auriti or oculati testes both take and giue true testimonies or the which they could readily cite gather obserue remember consider and reason of in and among themselues so haue I therein for the most part taken applyed and vsed those testimonies examples and Arguments the which either that time or the times then fore-past could happily affoord mee for those persons from whose wordes reportes and disputations this Dialogue is deduced could not possibly deliver vnto vs the things which as yet were neither in action or motion among men seeing themselues knew not as they were men what shoulde followe or come to passe after them vnder the Sunne Eccle. 3.22 but as they might conclude effects from the causes in naturall things Therefore I haue beene carefull that there-with I might intermixe any of those which succeeded in the ages times and persons following the which neuerthelesse being extant may be neither reiected nor abandoned but rather as they stand to bee taken and collected in and from the wordes writings and workes of others which though farre latter have yet beene both godly faithfull well learned and of no lesse credite and authoritie in the Church Howbeit because I would not that any thing which is either worthie thy knowledge or heere in request with any of them that stand in doubt of the holynesse of King Solomon the authoritie of his wordes and Bookes shoulde bee cowched in silence or buried in obscuritie I purpose and God will though very briefly to supply even here that which might seeme to bee wanting there that so the latter compared with the former and one thing considered rightly with another they may from either gather a meete harmony and consent to conclude both for the holynesse of th' one for the sufficiency of th' other But here I finde them that demaund how the knowledge of this disputation and conference should be brought vnto mine vnderstanding from whence this princely dialogue could be either gathered or presumed To whome I might answere that howsoever it be that either this or the semblable matter may bee hidden from the knowledge and vnderstanding of the simple and ignoraunt or how hardly it may bee conceived of some wise and learned persons yea and howsoever this present dialogue shal be censured and esteemed in a great part as prosopopoicall or imagined yet it is true and sure enough as it is hereafter declared and proved that those godly wise well learned and noble personages which were and lived in the time of Solomon heard of his wisedome and saw his glorie never doubted of his holinesse and true repentance and so neither of his remission and salvation with the Lorde And as in those thinges they were not doubtfull so were they neither so negligent nor carelesse of the Kinges health and prosperity and of the Common-good of the Lordes people but that they as most noble Princes and wise and grave Counsailors entered into a deepe consideration of the royal estate and of the common wealth of Israel reasoned and argued the case in and betweene themselves concerning the causes of the kinges great heavines and sorrow and therein did not onely thinke honourably and constre charitably and reverently of the kinges dealinges and wordes as it well became them but also endevoured by their wisedom counsel authority to remove away all the causes that the vnhappy effectes thereof might cease and to withstand the remedilesse inconveniences of such desperate mischiefs in time convenient that in such sort in effect as it is reported in this Solace And to the end that no man might either make question of the holinesse of their soveraigne Lord or doubt of his remission and salvation they argue for him and above all the rest of that most honourable society the most reverend father in God namely Zadok the Lordes high priest to whose grave and learned iudgement they all most gladly condiscended spake and proved first that king Solomon was by the providence of the highest provided and made a lively figure of the most holy Messiah whom they faithfully expected to come into the world and that it was necessary that the figure should answere to the thing figured Therefore the Messiah beeing most holy it must follow that King Solomon should bee also holy alluding to those equall proportions in the law between the Seed of the Woman and the types shadows and figures of the same * Next to that they argue his Pardon partly from Gods owne promise of mercy to him and the continuance of his divine Graces 2. Sam. 7.15 partly from his Repentance the which besides other places is worthily gathered of his Ecclesiastes or Preacher beeing as the Hebrewes say the booke of his repentance * Thirdly they argue his Salvation with the Lorde from the consideration of his pardon as that which necessarily followeth the same after this and like Testimonies and examples Blessed is that man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne And as they never doubted of the holinesse pardon and salvation of the person so neither called they into questiō any his books proverbs words songs sētences but honoured reverenced and esteemed them as wise and grave sayings divine prophesies and matters right holy and profitable for the Lordes congregation and for the instruction of his people Therfore they
escaped both death and displeasure Thus also Baruch the noble Captaine harkened to wise Deborah gat the victorie ouer Gods enemies Thus Pharao though a tyrant craued aide of Moses and Aaron to be deliuered from those plagues of Egypt K. Saul permitted little David to enter the field against huge Goliah for Israels glory On the otherside the reprobate Cain would neither know his danger nor be restrained of his purpose and being in distresse would not vouchsafe to craue or séeke for aide whereby he perished a vagabond and exile from the Lord of heauen who cast him off from his grace and mercy Thus the filthy Sodomits stroken with blindnesse would neither thinke of their destruction nor craue nor admit the aduise and aide of righteous Lot who had vexed his soule among them nor any thing regarded the prayer and meanes of faithfull Abraham for their safetie to be short Saul the King disdained David and his comfort notwithstanding he had taken so good experience of his integritie and the power of God in him therefore rather then he would séeme to embrace him and his power he chose to kill himselfe with his owne sword to the daunger of his soule and decay of his glory These be examples to teach and admonish vs. Therefore now following those which haue in their choise declared wisedome to the preseruation and comfort of their soules Let vs withall regard both of the Kings health and of the good of his people both séeke for and embrace those things that may either helpe or comfort both And because the God of heauen is the same from whome and by whome all good thinges descend come vnto his children and which both comfortes and helpes them indeede in all their afflictions and dangers let vs as I said before lift vp vnto him both our hearts and eyes and thus let vs pray and say as the kings father hath taught vs in the like case Psal 20. The Lord God of heauen heare our Lord the King in the day of his trouble The name of the God of Iacob defend him Send him helpe from the Sanctuary and strengthen him out of Zyon Let the Lord God remember all his offeringes and accept his burnt sacrifices Selah The Lord God grant him according to his heart and fulfill all his purpose that we may reioyce in his sauing health and set vp the bāner in the Name of our God when the Lord shall performe all his petitions Now we know this that the Lord will helpe his Annoynted and will heare him from his sanctuary by the mighty helpe of his right hand O Lord most holy saue our Lord King Solomon let him prosper thereby be able to helpe vs by his wisedome power when in thy name we seeke vnto him for succour O Lord in loue heare our prayers be gratious vnto thy King mercifull vnto vs and all thy people for thy holy Names sake Amen Amen CHAP. 3. Iehosophat and the other Princes and Lords call to mind report in order what they haue noted and obserued in Solomons gesture behauiour and wordes as arguments of his troubled mind and misery THe former wordes being spoken the praier ended a pauze againe taken whiles the Lordes looked one on another with heauy hearts sad faces musing much of the kings woful case at lēgth Iehosophat the Recorder opened his mouth and saide Ah las I haue knowne and that not long sithence when at any time the kinges grace sat at his table to eate and to drinke among his Princes and Lords he would wonderfully be solaced and delighted with swéet harmonies of Men-singers and Women-singers whereof he had right many in his Courte and would be excéeding merry and glad in the middest of them all saying A merrie heart is the life of the body prouer 14.30 but envie consumeth away the bones But now sitting at his table in whatsoeuer company and howsoeuer he be serued and attended on he séemeth meruelous sad and wofull he museth he studieth he looketh heuelie he distasteth all thinges and giueth not so much as any sparkle or shew of a merry conceit yea he is wholly ouercome with deepe displeasure which argueth an vnmeasurable griefe of heart and a strange affection of the soule for the face and externall behauiour of a man which is not hypocriticall doth commonly expresse and declare the thought and heart And although the King well knoweth that he which being diseased in the body and distempred in his health when he shal be recreated with the ioy of his minde doth easely recouer if his sicknes be not incurable and that the most naturall cure of the diseased is to procure or occasion him some ioy or mirth of the minde for often times the sick man by the comfort of gladnes is eased yet to them which now laugh and would assay to prouoke the king to laughter for the same cause he sayeth ye are meere mad persons Eccles 2.1 The true vnderstanding of these the kings words is afterward declared by Zadok in his Apologie for Solomon and to them which proffer him mirth to recreate his mind he saieth Sirs what is it which ye do When any man willing to put him out of this conceit inuiteth him to a feast or banquet he denieth to come being vnwilling to enter into such houses saying It is better to goe into the house of mourning then into the house of feasting Moreouer of all those pleasant pastimes and delightes of the sonnes of men the which sometimes hee so much affected and of all their pleasures counselles studies laboures deuises policies workes and wisedome vnder the Sunne seeme they neuer so laudable in the eyes and estimation of worldly men he saieth Eccles Cap. 1.2.3 Vanitie vanitie of vanities and all is meere vanitie For what els doeth a man get profitable for himselfe of all those trauails which he taketh vnder the Sunne wherefore trauaile men in the wynd and what good thing is there to be found or enioyed or tasted of by men vnder the Sunne * This being said Azariah rose vp Azariah stoode foorth and spake againe The same thing said he haue I also lately noted in my Lord the King Hee was wont to walke foorth into his garding Eccl. 2.4.5.6 to view his Orchardes his Pondes and his fishing pooles to beholde with delight his faire houses and beautifull buildings and to take great pleasure in all the delights of the sonnes of men at all times but now alas hee rather conteyneth himselfe solitarilie within his Chamber pensiue sad now all the works which his hand hath made and all the things vnder the Sunne wherin heretofore he tooke such passing great pleasure to the wonder of all his Princes séeme vain and loathsome vnto his soule Solomon loatheth his labors and delights And as I sawe him of late to passe by and to behold them all I heard him with these eares sodainly to sigh
variable dispositions in all ages the which to meete with in all points it is for any prince or magistrate impossible the which therefore may be lamented but neuer throughly corrected or amended Howbeit hee thought as he saith that the cure of this malady being beyond mans power and wisedome God would in the due time take on himselfe and separate the righteous from the vngodly and then shall be the time and iudgement of all counsels and workes Hee also much museth how God though he had chosen of the children of men shoulde neuer the lesse permitte them to appeare God suffereth men to appear as the beasts as though they were but Beastes and as somewhat doubtfull of the eternall beeing of mans soule which is that spirituall substance which God hath made afer his owne likenesse and powred into the humane body and ioyned to the body doeth animate guide it but being separated frō the body dieth not The fleshly mans iudgement of the soule but liueth immortall for euer he saith Who is he which knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpwarde and the breath of a beast that goeth downe to the earth And is not this the iudgement of worldely and carnall men which perceiue not the thinges which are of the holy spirit Indeed being as the beasts in their nature they consider nothing more And albeit the King hath said that it is best for a man to be ioyfull in his labour No man knoweth what will com on him or his posteritie after him which is his portion in this life yet to daunt him againe who saith he will bring him to behold what shal come on him or his posterity after him And truely this may easily discourage any man to prouide for his wife his children his familie and for the times to come when as without hope of future prosperities hee shall trauaile for them in the wind * These and such like passions of minde I haue perceiued in the king The great oppression in the world But yet beyond many others hee complayned of all the wrong that is done vnder the Sunne the which as appeareth by his wordes and lamentation is both vnmesurable and vnspeakable and the more for that the poore oppressed persons haue wept and shed aboundance of teares and yet haue not founde any in place ready to comfort them or to deliuer them from the violence of their oppressors And here as in regard thereof He much commended the dead before the living The dead cōmēded before the living because they are fréed from those miseries yea He commendeth him which is not yet borne to be happier then any of those because he séeth not nor hath had experience of those wretched toyles of men vnder the Sunne * Here he likewise complaineth of the Envy Idlenesse Envy idlenes couetousnes solitarines and covetous minds of men in this world he disliketh singularitie and solitarinesse of life in the which hauing too much presumed he hath béene wonderfully deceiued much annoyed in his life wherein hee soroweth for the abuse of his owne estate to the which inlieu thereof he preferreth the condition of A poore child that is wise A foolish king a poore child * Further in his wisedome he prognosticateth the foolishnes future misery of Rhehoboam his Sonne and heyre apparante and yet he hath both well nurtoured him Rhehoboam vnderstandeth that most men haue their eies fixed on him with great delight and hope of his happy successe and prosperity in time to come and some what the more hee is troubled because that men in regard of his young prince and his succession do somewhat neglect the present care and reuerence they should haue of his maiestie For they looke after the second man And indeede such is mans folly hee looketh alwaies further and affecteth the times persons and thinges either past or future before those which be present Some say the times and persons which haue beene of yore haue beene better then these which be present others say the best are not yet come but we hope for them to be hereafter the whiles they esteeme not yea they loath and contemne the good thinges which they haue and may vse at their pleasure and so in regard thereof do often losse both the commodity of th' one and comfort of th' other to their remedilesse miserie and continuall griefe And this saith he is a vaine thing and vexation of the minde Cap. 4.17 Moreouer the king hath highly reprehended and blamed many of them which enter into the holy house which he hath made for the seruice of God saying that their offerings are the offerings of fooles and they know not what euill they doe therein The which wordes being not well vnderstood will occasion the ignorant eyther to contemne the said house and the seruice of God therein or to forbeare to come into the same to shew their deuotion and religion to God as they are bound to doe CHAP. IV. Zabud speaketh againe reporting some other emphatical speeches of King Solomon SOlomons Lordes hauing thus farre proceeded in order to report what wordes they remembred vttered by the King in his affliction Zabud the Kinges familiar spake againe and said Well remembred my Lords And now besides the former I call to mind what the king hath saide concerning those Rich men of the world The Rich men of the world whome the most part of all men do estéeme happy in this life He saith that there is no man rich vnder the sunne for where much riches appeareth to be there be also many ready to spend and consume the same He that hath much riches cannot rest or sléepe in the night he that hath riches is oftentimes hurt and annoyed therewith and at length those which haue riches depart hence with sore anguish and sorrow of mind for there is no man but at length he must yeeld to death and shall carry away none of these thinges but are constrained to leaue all behind them that so they depart hence One man getteth another spendeth the riches of the world Cap. 6.1 as naked and bare as they came into this worlde notwithstanding their great trauels and long labours for their riches in all their life And this he esteemeth as a mighty misery which is so often seene vnder the Sunne that God giueth a man riches and goodes and honor so that he wanteth nothing of all that his heart can desire Cap. 6.1 and yet God giueth him not leave to enioy them but another man spendeth them The which as it seemeth he applieth to himselfe whome it chiefly concerneth In conclusion he seeth that many thinges encrease vanity and that a man vnder the Sunne findeth nothing else as long as he liueth Cap. 7. Furthermore the king though so wise did complaine that he could not yet get wisedome but that the more hee sought after it Solomon acknowledged his owne imperfection the
the M. of the Pallace and his office AS soone as Azariah had ended his Apologie and so cleared himselfe of all iust offence offered the king Ahishar the master of the kings Pallace stoode foorth and saide The Kinges Maiestie hath of his gratious fauour ordained me the Master of his Royall Pallace and therein what he hath conceyued of me in any thing disliking his minde pro. 19.12 I know not nor woulde I wish to incurre his displeasure which is as fearefull as the roaring of a Lyon when as his fauour is like the pleasant dew vpon the grasse and as the rayne in the time of drieth But this I knowe that to the vttermost of my power wisedome and discretion I haue done my duetye aswell touching the preseruation of the good orders of the kings house as in my behauiour towards his highnes and this I protest for my selfe not vaine gloriously to boast of mine integrity and demerites for therein I confesse I haue done but as I shoulde and am bound to do but to expresse my loyall heart and to excuse my selfe of all such suspected crime as might iustly moue the kings mind to this high sorrowe the which I would not for all that I am worth in worldly wealth should bee occasioned through me And therefore as touching mine office I haue been right careful and diligent that the kings pallace might be clensed and cleared of all such vayne persons as hauing neither the feare of God nor any honor of the king do cōmonly disturbe break all good orders in houses in citties in Cōmonwealths What kind of persons are vnfit for the Kings Court. I haue not only abandoned but also caused the Court gates to bee shut and barred against all Caynes Hagars Ismaels Esaus Chams Dalilaes Achitophels Doegs Shimeis Nabals Zibaes Adoniahs Ioabs Ieroboams as such as are knowne to be proud headdy high minded ambitious trecherous couetous enuious malitious together with all fornicators murtherers swearers lyers whisperers backbyters boasters fighters brawlers Al profane idle ireful slothful and vncourteous persons haters of God vnnaturall vnmercifull such as say in their hearts that God is not and such as knowing God honor him not as God but giue themselues ouer vnto al vngodlines These are they which disturbe the tranquillitie of brotherly felowship and all good order and therefore are worthily expelled and kept out * On th' other side I haue gladly admitted entertained retained and embraced righteous and godly Abel Abraham Isaack Iacob Sarah Anna Ruth Shem Lot What persons should be welcome to the Court. Ioseph Sampson Gedeon Iosuah Aaron Nathan Gad Samuel Abigail as such both men and women as are holy iust wise faithfull obedient gentle louing docile affable diligent couragious industrious gratefull beneficial religious godly chaste and vertuous These I say I haue gladly welcommed and admitted whether they were poore or rich knowing well it is the Kinges will good pleasure I should so do that so his pallace should not only be an house of Noble-men but a receptable to receiue and intertaine the holy and iust such as might become not only the kings Court but the mount Zion and that holie house which he hath built for the name of the Lord. Now to this is added a speciall care The exercises and the orders of the pallace first that the Lord of heauen be serued and then the house ordered and disposed in other thinges conuenient Three times in the day are they called to this seruice namely at morning at noone and in the euening notwithstanding the ordinarie repaire to the Temple with his Maiestie They which are merry are exercised in singing of Psalms hymnes and spirituall songs they that be afflicted are occupied in prayer and both th' one and th' other do ordinarilie vse to read with vnderstanding the Lawe the Iudges and the bookes of the godlie and wise whereby wisdome and the knowledge of God is learned and followed and therein are they excited as well by word as by examples to meditate day and night and to order themselues according to the same in all thinges * And as touching the ordinarie seruices within the kinges house as the king hath likewise deuised and giuen in charge I haue béene carefull for the order thereof the facilitie of performance and the conditions of the kings seruantes There is among them an obserued order which hath a cheife respect vnto one cheife Officer for the better performance Monarchicall gouerment for where there is not in gouerment one principall person by whom the others are to be directed there confusion marreth al nothing can wel'procéede Then that facilitie may bee added to the executiō of those seruices it is prouided that one man be not ouercharged either with many offices or in one such office as passeth one mans abilitie to performe but that the same be particularlie disposed to particular persons as it is thought both easy and conuenient for the one and the other in time place And as there was an especiall care taken and had who should be admitted and who should be expelled the Court so is there no lesse consideration of the election and reteining of the kings houshold seruantes The kings houshold seruants It is therefore required that they be faithfull that they deceiue not the King and that they be wise and prudent not to be decieued by others Moreouer that they be docile industrious courteous gentle and virtuous These and many such be the orders and seruantes of the kings house instituted by his most wise disposition the which also I haue withall diligence endeuoured to maintaine to my power according to his will This the noble Quéene of Saba at her being here obserued and commended with high prayses to the honor of the king the ioy of his people and the glory of the euerlasting God These words among others spake Ahishar the which being ended Iehosophat speaketh to excuse himselfe Iehosophat the Recorder put forth also his Apologie And whether in the Records or gestes said he which are written remembred or confirmed by me the king hath espied or béene certified of any error or faulte displeasing his conceit I also rest doubtfull Indeede all things cannot be so carried or writen by any Scribe or Recorder whatsoeuer but that imperfections or faultes may be made found therein as there is no man so perfect but he may haue a fault and no man so wise but he may by an occasion slide and by want of héede passe ouer a fault in his time a thing sone done especially in them that write or record much or haue many and sundrie matters occurring molesting The Recorder his office and distracting the mind Notwithstanding I hold it not onely for a fault but a fault intolerable that a Recorder either for fauour loue or affection to one or for malice enuie hatred or dislike of another should falsefie a Record or willingly write or consent to the writing
conscience which aggrauated by his owne sting or pricke doeth euer accuse condemne and wring mans heart If publique fame neither condemne nor accuse nor suspect yet the guiltie conscience within a mans selfe forceth the same to the vttermost neither can it be that he which liueth faultie shall escape the torment and terror thereof nor therfore can hee be happy in his life be he neuer so rich The comfort of a good conscience so honourable so strong so mightye so glorious in the worlde but blessed is the man that feareth God and walketh in his waies as David the Kinges Father hath modulated For this is that which in the lawe is required of him as the King hath saide This man concludeth to himselfe Ioy and gladnes Iob. 23.3.4.5.6.7 when that which hee hath done shal be well approued by the lawe This cheared Iob in the middest of his afflictions notwithstanding that his wife and his thrée friendes hardly charged him with folly So was Ioseph holde in Aegypt when his integritie cleared him So Moses and Aaron were not discouraged Gen. 40.41 Exod. 10. notwithstanding the threates and hard dealinges of Pharao and thus the Kinges father with a cleare conscieÌ„ce protested before King Saul Behold this daye thine eyes have seene 1 Sam. 24.10 how that the Lord hath delivered thee this daye into mâ—ne hand in the caue and some bad mee to kill thee but I had compassion on thee and saide I will not lay mine handes on my Maister for he is the Lords annoynted c. And this to expresse the innocencie of his heart hee feared not to protest before the Lord in his prayer O Lord my God If I haue done any such thing Psal 7.3.4 or if there bee any wickednes in mine handes If I haue rewarded euill vnto him that dealte srowardly with mee yea I haue deliuered him that without any cause is mine enemy then let mine enemy persecute my soule and take mee Yea let him treade my life downe vpon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust Lastly I cannot but remember that worthie example of Samuel the Lords Prophet who was occasioned through the disobedience of the people before King Saul and them to pleade for himselfe to defende his integritie 1. Sam. 12.3 And thus hee saide with a good conscience and boldnes of Spirit Beholde here I am Beare record of mee before the Lorde and before his Annointed Whose Oxe haue I taken Or whose Asse haue I taken Whome haue I done wrong to Whome haue I hurt or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you They said their own conscience prouoking them thou hast done vs no wrong nor hurte neither hast thou takeÌ„ ought of any maÌ„s hand Lo my lords here is ioy gladnes the greatest coÌ„fort in this life for the good Conscience hath with it a thousand witnesses and as many pleaders to testifie for his owners integritie and to defend the same before the throne of Iustice This therefore is the swéetest and most wholsome rest of mans soule the title of Religion the spirituall Temple the blessed field the pleasant gardin the golden peace the Angelicall ioy the holy Arke the Kings treasure the house of the spirit and the glasse wherein a man both séeth ordereth and confirmeth himselfe to the liuely image of his maker Though the flesh oppresse vs the world allure vs the Diuel terrifie vs yet is this treasure safe and sure within vs from all daunger of euill Therefore I hold that in this life there is nothing more pleasant more swéet more profitable and more to be desired and reteyned then a good conscience both towards God and man Wherefore my Lords as ye haue very well done in that ye haue submitted your selues to this present examination and tryal so are ye happy in this that ye are iustified in conscience for hereof ye haue and shall find the highest comfort and gladnesse And now I beséech you to permit me to do as ye haue done The high priest is willing to ease himselfe in shewing forth his integritie with the rest that thereby I may not onely expresse mine owne integritie so cleare my selfe of all offence and suspicion of the same but also reioyce together with you though in the middest of mine affliction for the kinges trouble And that the sooner because whiles I stand an hearer and a iudge of other men in their examination and triall I might not séeme to disdaine mine owne 1. Kings 2.35 Abiather was before this time high priest howbeit his cause and dealing concerning both God and the king came into question before the king and his princes and being found guilty against either in his triall he was worthelie deposed and the priestshood translated Then why should I imagin my selfe frée from censures the rather in respect of my place and why should I not abide the hammering of that which should be obiected against me and my maÌ„ner of procéeding towards God the king and his people And if I shall be found guiltie as Abiather was why should not I be remoued as he was another man put in my place more worthy And now my Lords although I may not say whether in my person or in my ministerie and behauiour wherin I am to prefigure the holy Messiah in his priesthood or whether in that Abiather the priest attended sometimes for me in the kings presence any contempt or abuse hath béene taken or suspected to his highnesse offence yet I know well that for mine owne part I here safelie protest from my conscience before the Lord of heauen and earth and before you all that according to that trust which the kinges father reposed in me when I was to annoint and proclame my Lord King ouer Israel and after that good opinion which the king himselfe conceiued of me in the day when he tooke me to him to be the Lords high priest in the place of Abiather whom he put away I haue performed the first and expressed the second whithout any deceit in the one or iust offence in the other and that after my state and dignitie so farre forth as a mortall man could possibly extend himselfe therein And of this as of my calling I hope ye doubt not Neuerthelesse let me be heard I beséech you a few words concerning both this and that seing that the Priesthood was ordayned to foreshew and signifie the office and dignitie of that highest Priest which is to come as vnto whoÌ„ all the types and shadowes of the law do point it hath beene both prouided and commaunded by the Lord himselfe that the Priest might haue his lawfull calling and therewith not onely in bodie but in habites and ornamentes should be pure holy and glorious in all pointes To the which it was aduised how he should be consecrated what he should doe how he he should liue what wife he
locks are curled blacke His eyes are like the Doues vpon the water streames Which are all waste with milke byde full vessels by His cheekes be like spice bedds as the sweetest flowers His lippes are Lillies like that drop the purest mirrhe His hands as ringes of gold with Chrisolite beset His belly yuory white with Saphires garnisht brave His legges as marble pillers on golden sockets set His looke as Libanon as Cedars excellent His mouth as sweetned thinges lovely all is hee Howsoeuer this was spoken as aiming mistically far beyond the Kings person It hath doubtles been applied to our Soueraign without adulation in whom their appeareth some especial grace yea the very image of the diuine nature beyond that hath been perceiued in any other man But were it that he had felt or vnderstood some defects in these external things yet see I not how he might be offended knowing well that he is but a mortall man that whatsoeuer is wanting in the body may bee supplied that to the vttermost by the graces of the minde the which the Lorde more respecteth then the beautie of the body as he said to Samuel when he sent him to annoint David for king moreouer he hath well tryed it and therof hath said it in iudgement that fauour is deceitfull and that beauty is a thing vaine therfore hath not béene of the mind to set his felicitie therein * To this also assented the Princes extolling and praising to the cloudes the most angelicall forme and beautie of the King Benaiah And forth with Benaiah beckning with his and proffered his speach and saide Neither indeed may the kinges education Solomon his eductaion or the manner thereof offend him as Ahishar hath saide for neuer any in this world hath beene better taught and brought vp as towching the feare of God and all princely and heroicall vertues For to this end king David had prouided him most wise and godlie teachers as namelie Nathan Gad Asaph and such other the Lordes prophets and wise men whom he had diuinelie inspired and sent forth yea king David himselfe being a man after Gods owne mind for his heauenlie songes and melody called the sweete Singer of Israel and the Lordes annointed and also his mother Quéene Beth-saba a most prudent and virtuous Ladie as it is before said and either of them haue very carefully taught and scholed him in the feare of the Lord and the right princelie virtues At whose knees he stood and was glad and ready to receaue both instruction and correction And thus himselfe acknowledgeth saying When I was my fathers deare sonne and tenderlie beloued of my mother he taught me also and saide vnto me pro. 4.3 let thine eare receiue my words kepe my commaundements and thou shalt liue Get thee wisdome and get thee vnderstanding forget not the wordes of my mouth and shrinke not from them c. Againe in his latter time ready to depart he left with him this direction 1 king 2.2 Be thou strong and shew thy selfe a man kepe thou the watch of the Lord thy God that thou walke in his waies kepe his statuts his precepts his iudgements and his testimonies as it is written in the law of Moses that thou maist prosper in all that thou doest and in every thing that thou medlest withall c. And this was his mothers lesson when shee taught and nourtured him pro. 31.1 What my sonne what the sonne af my body and what O my dearely beloued sonne Giue not over thy strength thy waies vnto womē which are the destructiō of kings O Laemuel it is not for kinges it is not I say for kinges to drinke wine nor princes strong drinke lest they by drinking forget the law and pervert the iudgement of all poore mens children Againe be thou an advocate for the dumbe to speake in the cause of all such as be succourlesse in this transitorie world open thy mouth defend the thing that is lawfull and right and the cause of the poore and helpelesse Lo such lessons hath his mother taught him so well beseeming I say not a child but a prince and excellent well fitting so beautifull a body from the which virtues are wont to shine as those pretious stoanes which are placed in goodlie Kinges of Gould But beyond all this the Lord his God which loued him and vouchsafed to call him his Sonne did extend vnto him the effect of a fathers office aboue that which earthly fathers are able to do or performe towards their children for he nurtured him by his spirit not onelie in the day time but by the nightes also And in this he acknowledged the great loue and mercie of God towards him as in his wise Prouerbs it is to be learned Lo thus was king Solomon educated and instructed in his tender yeares of the which he yet sauoureth euen in these his elder dayes to his double honour and the consolation of Israel * Therefore I see not that the king should be hereof offended except onely in this that he hath not in his owne cōceit answered in some pointes to this his education and instruction but let that alone to be considered of hereafter To this the Princes did also accord and then rose vp Adomiram and spake as followeth Adoniram Neither wanteth the king the excellencie of wisedome Solomon his wisedome by the which he goeth out and in before the people to iudge and gouerne this great multitude to teach all others the true wisdome This is that which being prized no man can tell the worthinesse thereof as Iob hath said thereof neither is it found in the land of the liuing it cannot be bought for gould nor may the price thereof be obtained with siluer No gold of Ophir no pretious Onyx stoans nor Saphyres may be valued with it for this is the highest Treasure of a king yea and the same without the which a king is vnfurnished of that he ought to haue and so méere vnfit for the place of gouernmēt but hauing this one iewell in possession he is sufficientlie armed not onely to do iustice and to defend them which are at home but also to withstand and subdue the enemies which Eccles 7.9 are abroad for Wisdome is much better then weapons of warre and giueth courage vnto thē that imbrace hir This the king by Gods good grace considered in his yong yeares 1 King 3.9 4.29 and therefore this was that only thing which he desired of the Lord whē he was willed to aske whatsoeuer hee would haue hee should haue it and therefore the Lord being well pleased with his desire gaue him wisdome and a large heart even as the sand that is by the sea shoare without number or measure By the which the king was most wise and therein is preferred before all those famouse men of the East Country which haue so farre excelled other men both in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
which David committed and left as a patterne vnto him 1. Kin. 6. he set onto build vp that Temple in Ierusalem euen an house for his God This house is threescore cubits long and twentie cubits broad and thirtie cubits high c. And this house was built of stone made perfect already before it was brought thither so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any toole of yron heard in the house while it was in building But it would be wonderfull yea and beyond mine abilitie to tell and your selues presently to heare how many strange and diuers and excellent thinges the King prouided and disposed in and about this excellent worke And in this worke he so well pleased the Lord that he spake vnto him saying Concerning the house which thou art in building if thou wilt walke in mine ordinances execute my lawes and keepe all my Commaundementes to walke in them then will I make good vnto thee my promise which I promised to David thy father And I wil dwell among the children of Israel wil not forsake my people Israel Further after the end of seuen yeares for so long was that magnificent house in building the king began to build another house for himself about the which he bestowed great time charge and labour as it is recorded in the book of the kinges Annales and touching the which the kinges daugther beholding it with admiration said Cant. 3.9 King Solomon hath made himselfe a pallace of wood of Libanus the pillars are of silver the pavement therof of golde the hanginges thereof of purple c. Thirdly the king builded another house in the forrest then the which there is not a more princely thing in the world for the site forme and beauty thereof No man can dislike any of these his workes yea euery one doth highlie praise and commend them and him in the most excellent frame disposition and order of the same wherefore it may not be that from thence hee should finde occasion to afflict his owne soule The peaceable time of Solomon * But all these things haue been the better effected by the king for that the Lord his God which would that he should be called Solomon or Peaceable hath giuen him rest from his enemies on euery side for it hath neuer been heard of that the childrē of Israel enioied the like peace sithens the time that they came out of the land of Egypt And truely saide Benaiah neither the king nor his people haue these forty yeres had any cause to feare the inuasion of any forraigne enemie Benaiah or the nations embordering who hauing been subdued kept vnder and qualified by his father David in his time haue neuer sithens that resumed any courage or presumed to lift vppe their handes or quake against his Maiestie for all people and nations stand in feare of him and rather yeeld to bée his contributaries and seruantes then to attempt or aduēture warres against him knowing well that the Lord of Heauen is with him to preserue and keepe him and that the woodes and all pleasant trées do ouershadow him and his people at the commaundement of the Lord by whose grace they haue long prospered and rested in peace euen from Dan to Berseba vnder the kings happy gouernement Moreouer I am sure there hath not been in any age sithens the creation of the world a captaine set ouer the hoast of any king that hath had lesse trouble and feare then I haue had in my time vnder my Lord the king for although the king hath many barbed horses strong Chariots valiant men of warre great store of weapons armour and munition of proofe in the which he may compare yea and be preferred to all the kinges on the earth yet hath hee in his time had as little vse thereof as any whatsoeuer for the onely terror of the kinges Maiestie and the view of those thinges hath sufficiently daunted the enemie wherby we and his people haue had little cause to complaine of mortall warres which haue ensuing it so many slaughters burninges famines plagues destructions and noysome inconueniences in al ages The Poet Homer hath written of the wonderfull slaughters Homer and burning broiles of the Greekes Troians before this time which setteth before our eyes the miseries of warres And our owne histories haue largely displaied the great infelicitie of our fathers in the wildernesse and in the time of the Iudges and of Saul But we haue a cause to blesse and prayse the Lord our God who hath in this time of his mercy raysed vp vnto vs this Prince of Peace I pray God wee may thankfully esteeme thereof and not by our froward ingratitude offer vnto our God an occasion of the losse of so heauenly a blessing as those commonly accustome which hauing not the feare of the Lord before their eyes and so no sparkle of the true wisedome doe prouoke him to wrath through the lewdenes of their rebellious heartes And whether the King as hee hath the wisedom of God foreseeth in the spirit what is liking to beside vs by his departure from ouer vs I know not for what misery or inconuenience is there which may not come on them that transgresse and offend against God and the king if the Lord shall eyther commaund or commit the spirit of troble to fall on them * And this may come on vs and the people said Ahiah we know not how soone Ahiah But as ye haue said the king hath had indéede a glorious peace The orders of Sol. house and we haue enioyed the like vnder him for the which both his Highnesse and his people may reioyce together And here we cannot but with the former commend the orders of the kings house the meate of his table the sitting of his seruants 2. Chro. 9.4 the standing of his wayters their apparrell his Butlars their apparrell and behauiour the which when the Queene of Seba saw and cōsidered she was astonied and there was no more spirit in her And she said vnto the king The saying which I heard in mine own land of thine actes and of thy wisedome is true I beleeved not the wordes of them vntill I came and mine owne eyes had scene it behold the one halfe of thy wisedome was not tolde me for thou exceedest the fame which I heard Happy are thy men happy are these thy servants which stand before thee alway and heare thy wisedom Neyther were the kinges pleasures lesse then sufficient being solaced with his faire houses Solomons pleasures his gardens of pleasures his men-singers and women-singers and instrumentes of Musicke of all sorts with all the admirable sweet delightes of the sonnes of men yea there was neuer any one man vnder the cope of heauen that more flowed in all kind of pleasures meete and conuenient for a kings honour His power * He was also of no sesse power and mightinesse yea he was
your soules Wherefore as his most excellent Maiestie hath rightly cōdemned Ioab and thereon commaunded him to bee executed according to the law in this case prouided and the charge that David gaue him a little before hee fell a sleepe so can wee not but worthily approue his iudgementes iustifie his proceedings and perswade that as thereby hee hath remoued away euill form his kingdom and house so neither hath he taken thereof any occasion of this great heauines wherewith he now languisheth for Ioab as ye know was not onely a wicked murtherer proud enuious and ambitious of honor but also stubborne and rebellious against the king a conspiratour with Adoniah the kings enemie perfidious treacherous seditious and couetous and in a word replenished with many vices where with hee was distained to the dishonor of our religion the daunger of our king the euill example of the nobles and the shame of himselfe Yee haue well spoken saide all the other Princes and Lordes And indéede this is not strange for wee our selues haue oftentimes seene and wel obserued that the vngodly and irreligious persons though long forborne and suffered to sinne yea and to wallow in impieties saying vnto themselues peace and all is well yet sodainly as holy Iob said they descend downe to the hell neither shal their pompe follow thē for glutted with prosperitie inveterated in malice hardened in heart and farre off from true repentance they euen prouoke the diuine power to powre on them that which they haue iustly merited in their abhominations And truely this is one of those thinges which follow man ordinary course and semblable succession in the world But to speake of Ioab we know that the kinges father having the spirite of Iehovah his God taught him how intollerable the sufferance of such a member as Ioab was should bee esteemed in his wisedome which much better were to bee expelled and abandoned of the people then that hee should bee the occasion of conspiracies and seditious in the common State remembring this beyond many other his mischiefes that hee had embrued his sword which hung on his loines in the bloud of a friend as if he had beene his enemie in the open fielde And now againe he euen bewraied himselfe openly as priuie to the new conspiracie of Adoniah who aspiring the second time to the kingdom of Israel sought to obtain to wife Abisag K. Davids last bedfellow for his conscience condemning him he fled frō the kings face and tooke hold as ye haue said of the horns of the Altar howbeit being a man wise acquainted with the law he might haue known that a volūtary murtherer or traitor was not to be protected in that place moreouer if he had alleadged that seeing the kings pleasure was to slay him indéed yet he would die in that holy place as before the Lord yet he might know for certaintie that the place shold be nothing profitable vnto him there to die seeing that for his impietie he was not worthy there to be interred amōg his fathers whereof all such are worthily depriued which are executed by an ordinary sentēce iudgemēt of law as execrable malefactors And in very déed wherfore shold such persōs as in their profanitie neither feare God nor loue his house nor care for his Altar nor regarde his diuine Seruice nor seeke to honour him in their liues presume so much on his house on his Altar on his tabernacle and Sanctuarye as either there to be protected or there to rest their wandring bones For as the Castle of Syon spewed out the halte and the blinde that David and such as retained both Vrim and Thumim might lodge and dwell there so the Lordes hill the Lordes tabernacle and his holy house is built prouided and prepared for them onely which feare and serue him in singlenes of heart all the daies of his life Then Banaiah proceeded saying The proceedings of the K. against Shimei 1. Kings 2.8 The like may be resolued concerning that iudgement which was giuen and executed on Shimei the sonne of Gera the sonne of Gemini of Bahurim whom the king commanded me to strike I speak not this my Lords to excuse my selfe of crime as guiltie in that action although I may not want my iustification therein but in regard of the equity of the cause For it is not vnknown vnto you and to many others that yet remaine aliue how that Shimei for getting himselfe and his oath with the reuerence hee should haue yeelded king David cast stones at him and at his seruants and withall railed at him and cursed him being the Lords annointed with an horrible curse in the day when he went to Mahavim and thus he said in great envy malice pride and contempt of the king euen to the king himselfe The railing wordes of Shimei 2. Sam. 16.5.6 Come forth come forth thou bloodshedder thou mā of Belial The Lord hath brought vpon thee all the bloud of the house of Saul in whose steede thou hast raigned and the Lord hath delivered the kingdome into the hand of Absolon thy sonne And behold thou art come to thy mischiefe because thou art a man of bloud Such words spake Shimei and so misdemeaned he himselfe euen against king David and his seruants Howbeit David was then contented to forbeare to reuenge this iniury on him although there wer standing about him that offered to go and to take away his head yea and afterward when he came and submitted himselfe to David he promised him rest from his hand neither woulde he strike him in all his daies Neuerthelesse he left the consideration therof to Solomon his Sonne whom he wel knew the Lord had inspired with a princely Spirit and noble mind and therefore could not be ignorant how to deale and behaue himselfe in these and such like causes And so likewise our Lord the King beeing as mercifull as he was wise did not in all the hast set on wicked Shimei to recompence that abuse he gaue to his father but first he called him and remembered him of his vnreuerent behaviour towards the Lords annointed thē he willed him to build him an house in Ierusalē to dwelm not to aduenture abrode said Be thou sure that the day that thou goest out and passest over the river Cedron thou shalt dye and thy blood shal be on thine owne head To the which Shemei gaue answer This saying is good As my Lord the King hath said so will thy servant doe By which wordes as he cleared and iustified both the king and his proceedings so did hee both iudge and condemne himselfe if he kept not that commandement of the king And yet we may not imagine but that he granted further then that he had any desire to performe as those which being endangered vow and promise many thinges more then euer they purpose to pay the danger beeing once past and that hee thus promised more for dread punishment then for any loue
and considered what the swéet Psalmist of Israel euen the kinges father both prophesied and diuinely modulated thereof in these wordes O daughter now take heed incline and giue good eare Thou must forsake thy kindred all and fathers house most deere So shall the king affect thy beautie faire and trim For why he is the Lord thy God thou must worship him The Daughters then of Tyre with gifts full rich to see And all the wealthy of the land shal make their suits to thee Secondly after this as it is left in Record King Solomon loued Iehova his God walking in the ordināces of David his father offered vnto the Lord a 1000. whole burnt offerings the Lord being louing most mercifull vnto him did not only accept the same at his hands but had him aske of him whatsoeuer he would that it might be giuē him He asked wisedome the Lord his God heard him granted him his request declared his loue good pleasure towards him his actiōs procéedings by many notable arguments the which as we may persuade with the wife of Manoah he would neuer haue done had he not loued him or had he bin willing to haue reprobated him Thirdly albeit the Egyptians which had forgotten Ioseph and the manifolde benefites they enioyed by him in his time had grieuously afflicted our fathers as Moses hath recorded it yet as before that time our Fathers Abraham Isaack and Iacob and their children haue found refreshing and comfort from thence and therefore haue been contented to soiourne there and to ioyne in amitie with them so without any abuse of our Religion or danger of our consciences or iust offence to any being stedfastly purposed to reteine the right honour of Iehova our God we could not see How farre we may win amitie with strangers why we should denie this amitie or to conuerse with them that are well pleased not only to help vs at al needs with the things that appertaine to the vse and comfort of bodyes and life but also to bee reclaymed and willingly consent to serue the Lorde of Israel together with vs circumcising the foreskins of their hearts as Moses exhorteth And to such a purpose aymed our fathers the sonnes of Iacob Gen. 34.14 when speaking of the cause in question betweene Sechem and Dina their sister whom he desired they answered Sechem and Hamor his father saying We cannot doe this thing to giue our sister to an vncircumcised man for that were a reproofe vnto vs but in this will we consent vnto you if ye will be as we are that euery man childe among you be circumcised then will we giue our daughters to you we will take your daughters to vs will dwel with you and be one people Neuertheles to auoyd al occasiō of iust offence which might be taken of the kings wiues being brought into the house of David because the place was sanctified and the Arke of God was reposed therein therefore the king built a house for this Quéene remote from Bethlem placed her therin where she continued Neither haue we heard any exception made as yet to the king for such his matching or conuersing with her Therefore I perswade that this is not the thing which so much offends him now except perchaunce he perceiueth that she hath a desire to returne againe into Egypt and to looke backe behinde him as the vnhappy wife of Lot did the which the Lord forbid or that there is mooued twirt them some secret emulatiō ielousie or dislike wherof I may not presume to talke nor might I were I able to expresse it the wringing of the shoo being knowne to him only which weareth it Helioreph Ye haue very well said my Lord quod noble Helioreph and the like may bee well resolued of the kings amitie with Hyram the Prince of Tyrus and Sidon although there bee of our nation that thereat bee much offended disliking that the Israelites should meddle with or haue to doe with any of them which are without no lesse then in times past it was an abomination to the Egyptians to eat and drinke with the Hebrewes And surely this affinitie and amitie was not made vpon meane occasions nor indeede without an especiall instinct of Gods spirite which had mooued and perswaded Hyram though an heathen Prince without the motion of king Solomon as of his owne accord to desire and seeke for this league and societie the which truely was first begun betweene king David and him from whom David gratefully acknowledged the receiuing of many good things yea and such as were appointed and laid vp to and for the building of the Lords house in Ierusalem In regard of that amitie with his father being now renewed and yet continued with him hee vouchsafed to honor him with the name of his father calling him his father Hyram Wherein as he verily manifested his right thankefull minde to so bountifull a benefactor and godly wel-willer so learneth he all children as by a true Copie in what honor reuerence estimatiō they should hold those persons who had beene not onely familiar but most louing and beneficiall vnto their Parents in their liues Likewise in king Hyrams combination with Solomon as there is a perfect intimation of the coniunction of both the Iewes and Gentiles within one Temple as whereof the mystycall Church should be compleate in the time appoynted so are they which yet be without to yeeld obedient heartes to this perswasion of the diuine spirit as whereby with all alacritie and ready willes they might run after him which both mooueth and draweth them according to that louely word and desire of the holy Spowsesse whom the King in his most excellent song bringeth in with this saying Cant. 3 O draw me foorth after thee and then shall we run Next it was respected that king Hyrā was a man very wise he feared serued Iehovah the God of Israel and was wonderfully qualified in all kinde of princely graces Else truly would not king David haue obliged himselfe in such a mutuall loue with him who as himselfe protested could neuer abide either prophane persons or froward hearts or any of them which had an euill wil at Zion Neither would the king himselfe as we well know being as the Angell of God perfit in knowledge of exquisite wisedome repleate with the spirit of God and chiefly then when both the Lord loued him fauoured him and blessed him with an admirable peace and namely in the time wherein he was busied in the building of the Lords house wherein he euer depended on the helpe and hand of God to asist him haue had any commerce or dealing at all with Hyram had he not well knowen that as it was Gods will and working therein so Hyram was a person that was to be regarded Thirdly Hyram was right beautifull and set as it were in the pleasant Paradise Ezec. 28. deckt with all manner of pretious stones
indeede as it is reported for the space of an hundred yeeres after that time Howsoeuer it was no doubt his griefe that way conceiued was vnspeakeable neither is the kings sorrow foreseeing such a thing to ensew him in the dayes of Rehoboam any meane or measurable sorrow Oh therfore that yet it wold please the Lord our God if possibly it may be in his mercy to allure and perswade Prince Rehoboam to feare his highest maiesty and to keep his lawes which is that which is required of him in his duty to honour his father our Soueraigne King in his life that his dayes may bee prolonged in this land to hearken to godly and graue counsell to remember his creator euen in those his tender yeeres and to learne and follow that which belongeth both to his fathers peace the safety of Israel and his own honour In summe that hee so order and demeane himselfe and his family in the true vse of his fathers faith and religion with the dayly exercise of his princely vertues that al Israel may bee moued by God to bee willing to incline vnto him and to obey him as a man most meete to succeede him and to sit on his seat whensoeuer it shall please God to take from over vs our Lord the king To this answered the Princes present Verily verily these be causes and argumentes waightie and sufficient to prouoke sorrow and griefe and such as may trouble any King Prince or Potentate in the world But wee yet hoped that seeing these troubles are such as commonly follow the nature of man Wise men bee not soone over come with ordinary afflictions and to the which all men in this life be of force subiected the king being most prudent and prouident will not be ouercome nor quailed with these or any such passions but will assay as he knoweth he should to beare and digest them or so to passe them ouer as hee may rather take profit then hurt thereby to himselfe Thus he seeth what Noah and Abraham Moses and Samuel Iehosuah and David with such other noble personages haue done in the like cases in their times The whiles it is our parts and duties to counsaile and perswade the king to that which shal be most meet and profitable aswell for his owne health as for the common good and therein not to contemne nor neglect Prince Rehoboam nor to defraud his honour hoping and wishing for the best to ensewe touching him howsoeuer God shall worke to dispose of matters in his secret counsaile that so the fault of his disobedience and defect if so it fall out may neither bee ours nor any way occasioned by any of vs. And so Iehovah our God be mercifull vnto our soueraigne Lord vnto Rehoboam his sonne vnto vs and vnto all Israel the land of his delight Now it may please you most reuerend father to call to minde that sixth cause of the kinges grieued heart which came as ye said of Hadad of Rezon and of Ieroboam The 6. cause of Solomons sorrowe the kinges aduersaries and of euery of them It is certaine answered Zadoke that troubles be common in all places of the world and incident to al men liuing on the earth seeing that al men be sinners and no man doth good as both David in his songs and our king in his wise parables record neither therfore is anyone man without his particular crosse Troubles are common nor any person without his aduersary or enemy to vex molest him eueÌ„ then when he seeketh to be quiet And surely it is rare an especial blessing of God when men may enioy peaceable times to finish their works taken in hand for the glory of God and the weale of his people as had our king during the time he was occupied in the building of the Lords house The kings father knew this wel all the histories of the former times are stored with such spectacles and examples that troubles awaite all men in this life Howbeit these things seeme strange and so wer vnto them which haue in loÌ„g peace liued and prospered vnder the raigne of peaceable Princes as we haue done in the happy time of our Soueraigne Lord. 1. King 11.14.23 Hadad the Edomiâ—e Now so it is that very lately as ye know there be risen vp against the king and his people those three namely Hadad Rezon and Ieroboam dangerous and shrewde enemies for that Hadad as ye remember is an Edomite of the kings Seede which was in Edom. And that when David the kings father was sometimes in Edom in the time of his warres and that Ioab then the captain of the hoast was gone vp to bury them that were slaine in the battayle he smote all the men-childreÌ„ of Edom. At what time this Hadad fled certaine other Edomites of his Fathers seruants with him to come into Aegypt Hadad being yet but a little Child Howbeit he had gotten fauour in the sight of Pharao the king who hath giuen him to wife the sister of his own wife euen the sister of Thaphynes the Queene Now as soone as Hadad had heard tell that David was laid to his Fathers and that Ioab also then captaine of the hoast was dead hee came againe into Israel by the power and assistance of Pharao where after processe of times being strengthned by his affinitie and combination with the Aegyptian King he tooke an occasion to rebell to stand vp against our Lord the King It appeared that hee had a mischieuous mind both against the king against all his house wherby not only the king and his court was much troubled but his subiects especially those territories which embordered on Hadad were annoyed with sodaine incursions inuasions and spoiles The king God knoweth hath long liued raigned in great peace with all nations as with his friendes now must he study euery day how to defeÌ„d himselfe against theÌ„ as his enemies And Hadad as I may say is not only an enemy so professed but a most daÌ„gerous enemy that not far off but eueÌ„ at home within his graces dominioÌ„s and the more for that Pharao whom the king had so many wayes benefited Take heede of old enemies in regard of loue and good will was contented to take a wife from thence to confirme the league of mutuall friendshippe betweene them By the which wee may obserue as it is not safe for a man to trust his enemy then when hee hath gotten habilitie with waies and meanes to reuenge an olde grief so neither is it wisedome either to trust or depend much on them which are of another religion howsoeuer they offer themselues obsequious vnto vs then when wee may pleasure them in the thinges of this life For surely though Nature be supprest yet will she sprout againe What oathes vowes or promises soever are giuen or taken to the contrary notwithstanding Therfore how could this be otherwise then a griefe to the king The second aduersary
betide him could not so much hurt or annoy either him or his people as it shal be for his and their good so long as both he and they shal feare God The safety of them whome God preserveth howsoeuer it should seeme hurtful and loathsome in the eyes of men See therefore what a soueraign good thing it is to feare the Lord for such as feare him the Lord loueth thē whom he loueth he safely protecteth and for that their protection he hath a speciall care and regard This David considered found in triall to be true and therefore did sing as in the Psalme psal 91.11 For why vnto his Angels bright a speciall charge gives hee In all thy waies for to protect preserve and prosper thee And that they beare thee in their handes and waite still thee vpon That not vnwares thou fall nor bruse thy foote against a stone Thus are they happy which feare the Lorde because the Lord blesseth and preserueth them But now the king perceiueth that the Lord hath turned away his gratious countenāce looketh sternly angerly vpō him vpon his people and that the fierce wrath of God is bent and now comming vnto him and vs the force whereof no man liuing is able to resist or to withstand For who can beare the matchlesse power of the Almightie A description of God being angry God in his anger is as a ramping Lyon as an hungry Beare as a consuming fire as a mightie storme as a waliant warryer as a cruell tyrant as a mighty Gyant as a terrible Iudge If hee touch the high mountaines they shall tremble and smoke as David did sing And this to confirme the king hath placed before his eyes the fearefull Iudgements of God which in his wrath were executed on the old rebellious people he remembreth that when the Lord God was prouoked to anger by the disobedience of our first parents Adam Gen. 3.24 and Hevah though they were his beloued and the first that hee had created in his owne Image hee looked sternely on them and withall hee delayed not to call them into iust iudgement nor spared he to punish them Therfore he sent thē both out of pleasant Paradize opposed them to all miseries and barred the gate that they might not enter into that blessed Tabernacle which was appointed not for the polluted but for cleane and holy persons The king also remembreth the example of Gods heauy wrath against Cayn Gen. 4. whom he reprobated punished and banished from his fathers house and made a vagabond on the earth and that iustly because he had sinned against the Lorde in killing of his brother He setteth also before his face the example of Gods fierce anger on the olde worldings in the time of Noah whom hee destroyed without mercie with the flood of waters Gen. 6. hee calleth into memory the example of the diuine wrath executed on the filthy Sodomites Gen. 19. whom the Lord burned with fire and brimstome Hee is not vnmindfull Exod. 32.28 how the Lord vexed and afflicted our Fathers in the wildernesse when they had angred him with their sinnes of whom onely two of them which came out of Egypt being aboue twentie yeares of age could recouer possession in the promised land Neither is he forgetfull how terrible the Lord shewed himselfe to king David and his people not onely then 2. Sam. 12. when David had transgressed in the case of Vriah but also when he had numbred the people For the one offence the Lord stirred vp his owne sonne and them of his owne house against him and for the other threescore and ten thousand perished with pestilence and had not David repented and entreated mercie he had likewise perished in that high displeasure Sin is odious to God For sinne is that which the Lord abhorreth and as odious as is a Toade or serpent to a man so is the sin that men commit against the Lord vnto him so that as they are contemned and abandoned of men which nourish and foster vp such venemous beasts they are no lesse loathsome to God which commit sin and wallow and tumble in the filthinesse of that which God abhorreth Therefore vpon such as David said the Lorde raineth haile fire and brimstone which is their portion in his wrath neither is there any thing els due vnto them but death shame and confusion againe praying against such hee saith to the Lord Set thou an vngodly man to be Ruler over him and let Sathan stand at his right hand psal 109. When sentence is given vpon him let him bee condemned let his prayer bee turned into sinne Let his dayes be few and let another take his office Let his children bee fatherles and his wife a widow let his children be vagabonds and begge their bread let them seeke it also out of desolate places Let the extortioner consume all that he hath and let the stranger spoile his labour let there be no man to pittie him nor to haue compassion vpon his fatherles children Let his posteritie be destroyed and in the next generation let his name bee cleane put out let the wickednes of his fathers be had in remembrance in the sight of the Lord and let not the sinne of his mother he done away c. Now of such things feareth the king and therefore is waxen very pensiue and heauy not able to withstand the strokes of Gods anger conceiued against him and his people The fiercenes of Gods wrath * Alas Alas then sayd the Princes it is a most fearefull thing to prouoke the Lord to fall into his hands with guiltie consciences for wonderfull and terrible is the Lord in his wrath as ye haue well sayd For though the Lord be slow to anger when hee looketh for mans repentance amendement of life yet is he of great power and will in no case acquit the wicked Though he be most mercifull being pleased yet being prouoked he is most terrible and cruell to them that prouoke him His dealing will be with blustring stormes high tempests and whirle-winds and the cloudes of the ayre are the dust of his feete he will rebuke the raging sea and dry it vp with all the famous riuers of the land yea Basan and Carmel shall shrinke the spring also of Libanus shall be destroyed and the faire trees thereof shal be burnt with fire The great mountaines shall quake at his mighty power and the hils shal be dissolued the earth also shall burne at his sterne countenance with the worlde and all that dwelleth therein What man is hee that is able to stand before his fierce wrath or who can rise vp before the dreadfull anger of his countenance his fiercenesse is powred foorth like consuming fire yea the hard Rocks cleaue in peeces at his might the strong pillars of heauen tremble and all the kindreds of the earth weepe and waile before him when hee beginneth to appeare to visite
polluted with any strange Gods when as they came to Bethel to sacrifice vnto Iehovah and should then king Solomon not only permit those horrible Idolatries and loathsome superstitions of Idols but also exhibit them maintenance in the same that follow such thinges so neare the Temple and the holy Cittie of God This thing is not hidden from the Lord who seeth and wil be auenged on the same Howbeit the King most vnhappily doting on those profane women his wiues and concubines which are now reuolted from the Lord and his religion and turned backe vnto their fathers and their Gods hath beene contented to conniue and beare with them in such their abhominations euen before his face and in the open sight of the Lorde people yea and rather then he would diuorce them or deny them or reproue them or correct them or displease them therein as he might haue don and indeede should haue done in this case he hath both appointed and commaunded many great summes of mony and treasure to be paied and giuen forth from his owne treasurie both to the building of certaine houses and places for such their Gods and also for the daily maintenance of their seruices in the same Therof it is before al other things that Iehovah his God is prouoked and waxen angry with him with vs and his people and hath thereon not omitted to threaten him and vs with many mighty plagues and punishments to ensew yea such as neither he we nor our posteritie shal be able to beare thereof as I vnderstand the Lord hath lately spoken by his prophet and messenger vnto the King himselfe saying Forasmuch as this thing is done of thee and thou hast not kept mine appointment and my statutes which I commanded thee 1. King 11.11 I will rent the kingdome from thee and wil giue it to thy Seruant Notwithstanding in thy dayes I will not do it because of David thy Father but I will take it from the hand of thy sonne Howbeit I will not take away all the kingdome but will giue one Tribe to thy Sonne because of David my Seruant and because of Ierusalem which I haue chosen Now here I call to remembrance what the Lorde our God hath resolued in such a case by the consideration of his words once spoken to Eli the Priest in the daies of our iudges 1. Sam. 2.25 I will worship them saith he that worship me but they which despise me shall come to shame Moreouer I remember what the King himselfe hath said in his wise Prouerbs The turning away of the vnwise shall hasten his owne destruction And well I wot therefore that of all the creatures in the world pro. 1.32 the impious and wicked person is most vnhappy that not only in respect of his sinnes and condition of life but in regard of his end and conclusion for as the end of much eating is sicknes the end of pleasure is paine the end of this life is death and corruption so the end of the Sinner is extreame anguish and miserie both in this worlde and after his death For being iustly sequestred from the societie of the Saintes and so shut out from the diuine protection he is euen whiles he liueth molested with an vnquiet conscience an aking heart feareful cogitations and dreames and many afflictions both of body and mind the hand of God being streatched foorth against him from aboue and the instrumentes of wrath tormenting him from beneath Finally this life finished hee broyles and toyles in bitter tormentes for euer more In the which he may be compared to those flying fishes which being in the waters are persecuted by other fishes for their pray springing vp with their finnes into the aire they are followed and deuoured of the cormorants and Sea-meawes or to that bird which being on the ground is hunted by dogs and flying aboue the earth is taken by the vultures for true it is that the man of impietie and sinne hath neither peace nor safety either in this world or in the world to come This thing the kings father well knew and considered of in the depth of his heart therfore when he was remembred of his transgressions and faults by Nathan and by Gad the Lordes prophets and messengers to him in that respect feeling the true sense of Gods angry coūtenance iustly bent against him and his people for the same the perilous estate both of himselfe and his dominions by and by although a chosen magnanimious puissant and valorous minded King comming to answere before the highest God hee sodainly cast himselfe downe to the earth as a base caitiffe hee repented him of his sinnes and in the fearefull agony of his afflicted soule he cried out I have sinned I haue sinned Mercy Lord mercye nor would be leaue off crying and repenting nor any otherwise estéeme of himselfe then a sinfull guilty and condemned wretch vntill he perceiued that the Lord was willing to be appeazed and of his mercie to turne his gratious face towards him as in times past resembling the bird of Paradise which beeing taken in a snare is neuer quiet nor leaueth crying and flittering till time he either dye or be deliuered And thus behoveth it our Lord the King to esteeme of himselfe vnder those his transgressions this to respect and the same to performe which in this desperate and dangerous case is the best counsail we may giue him for remedy and ease For surely surely God being thus prouoked and that iustly he will not be appeazed nor will he surcease to streatch forth his hand of iustice against him so offending vntill that he meekly acknowledge his offences before him repent and seeke him with sorrow and singlenes of heart as we may see in th'examples of our forefathers both in the wildernes vnder the conduct of Moses and Aaron and in this land vnder the gouernment of our wise and valiant Iudges Now my Lords hereof is it that Iehovah our God being most iustly displeased with our Lord the King hee hath in iustice stirred vp and prouoked against him besides the two former enemies which much troubled him that Ieroboam who thirsting for the soueraignity of Israel now especially opposeth himselfe in might and policie against the King Neither may wee thinke but howsoeuer those persons especially Ieroboam are maliciously bent and prouoked against the king and his gouernment The kings enemies are the very instruments of Gods wrath appointed to vex the king and his people and do of themselues little respect or consider the prouidence and working of the most high in this his displeasure that yet they be the very instruments and ministers of Gods iudgements as those other aduersaries of Israel haue beene in the times past against our fathers when as they forgetting God did rebell against him and his holy servants And therefore the onely way to resist them is not the wisedome power policie or arme of man but the grace of our mercifull
youth being vnder the education and nurtour of his father David of Bethsabe his mother and of Nathan the Prophet did well remember his maker and therby behaued himselfe in all things most worthily He was a graue wise man even in his yong yeeres for he hearkened to his father when hee taught him and to his mother when shee schooled him and to wisedome when she directed him Oh how wise was hee in his youth Eccles 47.14 filled with heauenly vnderstanding as with a flood his minde couered the whole earth and filled it with graue darke sentences his name went abrode in the Iles and for his peace he was well beloued The countries meruailed at him for his songs An example of Solomons ingratitude to God after his large guifts prouerbs similitudes and interpretations By the name of the Lord God which is called the God of Israel hee gathered God as Tin and had so much Siluer as Lead Al this not with standing as it hath been with great grief declared by the most reuerend father so must it be also recorded here by mee for I cannot dissemble it or passe it ouer that the King hath bowed his loines vnto womē and hath been overcome by his body and turned a way his heart from the Lord. And therein shall appeare to all posterities a most notable example of the kings ingratitude and disobedience against God and therewithall a fearefull example of the diuine iudgements to teach all others to take heede how they forget God and anger him with disobedience after all his large bounties towards them For besides the examples of the Elephants Storks and other beasts and birds without reason the earth which hath no sense shall worthily condemne him For the very earth receiuing good seede of the sowers hand yeeldes him againe in recompence and token of thankfulnes a farre greater quantitie as some thirty some sixty sōe an hundred fold teaching both how ready men should be to requite benefites receiued if they may do it without iniury especially how thankfull to God of whose hand they haue receiued both life and liuing and also to fly that menstrous sinne of vnkindnes then the which no sinne can be greater for within it is comprehended euery other sin whatsoeuer either against God or man either to giue or not to giue it is in a mans owne power but to recompence or requite a good turne it is of duty required And there where power or habilitie wanteth a good minde is accepted Oh God! how many graces blessings and wealthy gifts hath the kings grace receiued of the Lords hand neuer king had the like before him and it is said which wee belieue there shall neuer any succeede him comparable to him in all these things Therfore shoulde his thankfulnes to God haue been greater far aboue al the rest For of him to whom much is giuen is much required Againe shall not the paine of such vnkindnes exceede the punishment of others it is much to bee feared and the mighty shall bee mightely tormented Wherefore the King vnderstanding this is right sorrowfull in his soule zadoke yet speaketh for the King whome wee should not condemne as a reprobate Neither can wee bee merry and glad as wee haue beene sometimes in the florishing happy daies and prosperitye of our King * Then Zadoke the high Priest whome for his grauitie all the Lordes did reuerence and for his wisedome they did gladly heare replied againe againe and saide Yet may we not so condemne the king as if bee were vtterly cast out of the fauour of God for truly hee expresseth great tokens of repentance euery day The King is but a man hath imperfections and infirmities The King is excellent wise but yet the king is a man neither is a man so perfect in this life but that not onely hee hath infirmities but also many imperfections Yea as the fairest day hath his cloude the sweetest hony a prick and the finest wheat his branne so hath the best man liuing on this earth his fall and fault But this I confesse that seldom there hath bin seene in so wise and holy a man so foule a fault and I esteeme the fault so much the more by how much the king was wise and excellent before others A little fault appeareth great in a wise man For as the least blemish wil appeare in the fairest face so a little fault shal be esteemed much in a wise man How-much more this monstrous sinne in the wisest of all men which hath his eyes in his head to foresee and to preuent dangers then when the foole runneth foorth without knowledge to his own shame and confusion Surely the King hath been in this wonderfully ouertaken An example of mans insecuritie vnto all other men A caveat how wise prudent or politike soeuer they bee and a caueat for them to beware they fall not then when they thinke themselues to stand most assuredly For securitie is a deceitfull hagge Security The princes verdit of the Kinges fault and will cast men sodainly into dangers whē they imagine themselues most safe and sure * Indeede said the Princes this thing being so indiscreetly handled by so wise a King wil be an exceeding blot to his honour a sclander to the holy religion a shame to his Princes a plague to his people an encouragement to his enemies and an euill example for the posteritie and yet it shal be as it is conuenient in the Record lest vnto them For we may not be foūd false witnesses therin Alas that euer we should with these our eyes behold such abhominations with these our eares heare such euill reports with our hearts feare in these dayes of such thinges as are threatned and like to fall on vs zadoke telles that the King is contrite and sory for his sins and so repenreth Howbeit said Zadoke there is some hope in that I perceiue the king doth not only feel in his heart the seuerity of the diuine wrath foreseeth the misery that is threatned thereof is sorowfull but also knowing what is best to bee done as his father David did when he had sinned and was reproued by the Prophet hee is wonderfull contrite and grieued in heart for his sinnes which he now hateth and condemneth in himselfe hee is humbled on the earth and couered with sack-cloth and ashes hee maketh ◅rs strange confessions of his life and behauiour Hee abandoneth all the delights of the worlde which hee esteemeth and calleth vaine and hencefoorth doth assay to dedicate himselfe anew vnto the Lorde his God against whom he hath faulted And as hee hath taught that the iust man falleth seuen times in the day and riseth againe so hee knoweth that his onely way to rise is by faithfull repentance the which the Lorde hath promised to preserue keepe in store and to giue vnto them that bee his chosen that thereby they may passe vnto his hill in safetie howsoeuer
the aduersary hath beset them and battered their faith with sinne and thereby occasioned them to be beaten with the rod of men which is yet so necessary in them that fall that therefore they should not be ashamed to repent but ashamed to sinne Neither doth the king despaire of mercie * Lorde God sayd Benaiah and could it be that so wise a person should so fall May it bee lawfull for vs to inuestigate the causes of this thing Benaiah * It hath beene already sayd answered Zadok that the king was yet but a man zadok telleth the causes of the kings fall If hee had been God as hee is not he would not haue fallen in this sort Other causes of this declination in the king are knowne onely to the Lorde who wil◠hereafter I doubt not also reueale the same in the due time And yet it may be howsoeuer wee haue cleared ourselues of all heynous crimes and offences Sometimes the sinnes of the people are the cause of the trouble and plague of their princes both against God the king in those our owne conceits that the cause of the kings fall hath risen partly from some of vs partly by some thing committed in and among the people in whom are oftentimes found that which prouoketh the Lorde in displeasure to take away those blessings which in his louing mercies he had bestowed on them and so such kings and Princes by and vnder whose gouernment they haue and might haue inioyed long peace and prosperitie But for this time let vs in all sobrietie cease to search after those hidden things too curiously remembring that the king himselfe lately aduised Search not out the things which are aboue thy reach and capacitie And let vs commit this with the successe therof vnto God wha hath appointed these and all things else to succeed and come to passe by his Providence after his owne will for his glorie and the good of his chosen howsouer it appeareth vnto vs that the King hath therein offended and in whatsoeuer sorte they appeare vnto men And let vs haue a chiefe care that our Willes bee made and conformed here in earth to his will in heauen in all things Praye for the king and speake well of him * Furthermore as we be bound both by the law of God and a good conscience let vs neither forget nor omit to pray and make intercession vnto God for the King both daily and hourely and therewith both commaund excite the Congregation people to doe the like It may be the Lorde our God will heare vs and be mercifull Let vs also speake well and the best of the King euen in our priuy chambers and with him good in our hearts and so much the sooner because hee is the Lordes annointed and at this present setteth not himselfe in wickednesse nor maketh a mocke of Religion and good admonition as did Pharaoh when hee saide Who is the Lord or as those vngodly which iest and contemne correction and haue a delight in their sinnes But rather he is contented to heare to bee ruled to be reclaymed and to be directed by the wisedome of that divine Spirite as himselfe hath sayd the wise-man is wont to doe pro. 10.23 Solomon hath declared many arguments of his repētance And therein as vnto vs it appeareth hee hath expressed many arguments of a true repentant heart both in his gesture and manner of life Neither are his Sermons words and speaches to be neglected or forgotten being right worthy the noting obseruation and memorie of all men For as they sauour of the holy spirit so are they vttered with such wisedom discretion grauitie and deepe affects of the soule vpon this occasion that they doe not onely argue and declare the Kings true repentance but shall also teach instruct admonish and mooue the heartes of all Gods people to feare God and serue him with reuerence and therfore shall be right profitable for the holy Congregation and worthy preseruation for all posterities Solomons wordes and sermons are meete to bee collected and preserued Let vs therefore call those his Wordes and sermons into remembrance let vs collect and write them in a Booke and let vs after our power conserue them or some part of them in the sacred Register among other the kings wise parables Prouerbs graue sentences Prophesies and holy songs Let vs neither defraude the King of that he hath deserued nor withhold from the holy Congregation that which to the same belongeth nor appeare negligent in our dutie to bee performed to either of them And as in this wee shall serue the Lorde honour our King and benefite the Church so by those his words and sermons being thus exemplified he shall be more commended and praysed of the Saints then by the worldly glory of his Throne no lesse wise then those wise Princes Patriarks Sages Seers which are much more esteemed for their graue sayings words writings Elioreph the Notary then exalted for their great conquests and worldly riches * Then said Elioreph the kings Notarie right worthily spoken reuerend father for indeed the words of the king are such as are in all things consonant to the veritie and shall witnesse for euer the kings cōtrition and true conuersion vnto Iehovah his God after his sinne committed Moreouer they shall be preached as fruitefull and godly sermons in the Church to teach admonish exhort reforme conforme comfort instruct them that come after vs in the feare of God and the obseruation of his Lawes Eccles. 12. the which is as the King hath often and yet dayly teacheth that which chiefly appertaineth to euery man and is required of all men that liue in this world Therefore my selfe with the conuenient help of Ahia my fellow Notary and with the aduise of my Lord the kings Recorder will gladly endeuour this thing to effect In the Name of God whom we beséech to looke vpon the King and vpon his people in the aboundance of his louing mercies CAP. XXIIII Obiections and exceptions against Solomon and his words and deedes the which the Princes endeuour to defend AFter that the whole assembly of king Solomons Lords were thus disposed and agreed in counsaile that the kings Words which hee in this time of his troubled spirits and thencefoorth did vtter and speake before them should be called into remembrance considered of and kept in the holy Register among other the diuine monuments of the Church ad it in before declared Abiather Abiather the priest which sometimes had ministred before the king in the steede of Zadok stood foorth and obiected to the decree Obiections against Solomon and his words after this manner But my Lords all said hee I am much afraid of this that many in the posteritie will the lesse esteeme or at the least doubt of some other things which are noted in the holy Register when vnto the same wee shall adde and combine as of
behaued himselfe after that hee was anointed and proclamed King in the place of his Father David and thus hee shoulde haue worthily continued and retained the honour of his place especially in his elder yeares wherein is required sobrietie grauitie holinesse wisedome zeale and perfection This the king knewe well-enough for hee wanted no wisedome no knowledge no vnderstanding no iudgement But that notwithstanding hee abused both his calling place and age whereof it is that as they which come out of hote bathes doe sodainely coole more vehemently and as that water which hath beene once heate seemeth to bee more colde then any other and as they most deadly hate one another which haue beene sometimes friendes when they fall at variance so turning himselfe from the Lorde his God and from the vse of those princely and heroicall vertues wherein hee was first exercised hee is esteemed execrable wicked in the eyes of wisemen Therefore There bee among them which doe not onely call into question his election and remission but also doe iudge him a person prophane reprobate and damnable and so not meete to bee a King much lesse to bee the King of Israel For as the iudgement of the tree is taken from the consideration of the fruite and of the fountaines by the taste or vse of the waters so gather they this censure from the consideration of the kings life and demeanour for whiles a man continueth wallowing in sinne without true repentance he declareth no pardon and he whose sinnes are not pardoned hath none hope of health Againe he that repenteth not of his sinnes when he hath sinned is a prophane person he that obtaineth not mercy is a reprobate and he that is shut out from saluation is damned Howbeit the Lord forbidde that this thing should bee found or iustly proued in our Lorde the King of Israel Herence also they obiect against the sermons wordes Exceptions to Solomons doctrine and words and doctrines of King Solomon as of fruites vnwholesome growing of such an euill tree For neither could his vnderstanding as they say henceforth be perfit to this purpose for as they which sodainly turne themselues to the shadow which haue seene the Sunne haue their eyes dazeled and cannot as yet see cleerely so it cannot be that be which hath turned away his minde from spirituall contemplations to the obscure lusts of the flesh should so soone afterwarde bee of perfite vnderstanding in those heauenly mysteries and diuine doctrines And heere it is remembred what the King himselfe hath sometimes saide That wisedome entreth not into a wicked soule nor dwelleth in a bodie that is subiect to sinne Therefore they from hence argue Solomon hath not presumed to vse the name Iehovah of late The booke of the Ecclesiastes not well vnderstood of many wherof it was that so many evill opinions haue bin fathered thereon that the King in this time is not replenished with the perfite wisedome and so can neither vtter nor teach wisedome vnto others by any deedes or wordes of his * But yet they are more bolde on these their assertions because the King hath not of late vsed the most holy Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehovah which is proper to the Almightie either in his priuate talke or in those his Wordes which hee hath lately vttered before his Princes or in that Booke of his called the Song of Songs which they holde and will esteeme a cause sufficient that both those his Wordes and Bookes shoulde bee not onely suspected but also reiected as prophane and vnprofitable for the Church of God Yea they say morouer that from hence as from a bitter roote will issue foorth sundry monstrous opinions and dangerous doctrines by the which the most prophane persons shall strengthen their prophanites the vngodly their impieties the superstitious their superstitions the sinners their sinnes Therefore as we are of Israel and ought not to be polluted with the manners of the heaten so shoulde wee before all others abandon those and such like works and words which corrupt good manners and that kinde of learning which confounds the good constitution of a mans health and hasteneth his destruction as for the conseruation of bodily health the Phisicians doe aduise men to eschew those daintie meates which prouoke them to eate when they are not hungry and those delicate drinkes which tempt them to drinke being not thirstie And of this kinde they obiect that the king hath much spoken in this his olde age But howsoeuer it bee we may bee sure of this that as the best wine looseth his verdit and grace when it is infused into fowle and filthy vessels So the words of the king be they neuer so good and profitable in right estimation shall by this his vngodly life and polluted behauiour loose both their right grace and commendation in the iudgement of all men I am right sory I was occasioned to say thus much of my Lorde the King and of his Sermons and last Words Azariah for the king and his words Then answered Azariah in the behalfe of all the other Princes Indeed as yee haue saide there may bee many things obiected by such as being not onely ignorant and neither able to discerne betweene things holy and prophane so perceiue not that the fault lyeth rather in their own synister interpretations of the Kings workes and wordes then in the workes and wordes themselues but also by such as regarde not to yeelde honour to them to whome honour belongeth and little care whome they wound with their tongues or whose wordes or workes they depraue and sclander as my Lorde Zadok hath before well noted Giue not sentence before the matter bee heard But let vs aduise all them that come after vs that they giue not sentence in a matter before they heare it with discretion lest it turne to their folly and shame pro. 18. A Caveat especially in these matters of God and the king and that they beware that they bee not seduced and led away by the sophistrie and guilfull practizes of such deriders from the true vse of this the kings Solace and so consequently from the way that leadeth to the highest felicitie and best good Gen. ◠The spirite of God is euer wont to reproue them that bee vniust in iudgement and thereof that cursed and reprobated Serpent is already condemned But heere wee heartily request you most reuerend Zadok which are adorned and beautified with that right * Vrim and Thumim That is knowledge perfection to speake in the defence of king Solomon our Soueraigne Lord and of his words and say whatsoeuer the Lorde shall put in your mouth to be spoken without feare or partialitie and wee will not onely giue eare vnto you but also be right thankefull We doubt not but that after your answeres to all those and such like obiections heard and waighed with deliberation Note well what wil be in the end resolued of Solomon and
his words if they be weighed in an equall ballance many more shall not onely suppresse their rashe iudgements concerning the king and his words but acknowledge and confesse with vs That all things are not so damned nor so daungerous nor so doubtfull as they haue imagined them to be Nay the Accusers themselues shall grant rather that SolomoÌ„ our king is neither a damned nor reprobated nor a prophane person but that hee is an excellent Saint of the Lord a true penitent person that hath obtained mercie and forgivenesse after his sinne and henceforth expecteth the ioyes of his Lord in everlasting happinesse through faith in the most holy Messiah whom hee did most worthily prefigure and set foorth in the world according to the foreknowledge and good pleasure of the everlasting God CHAP. XXV Zadok proueth by many arguments and reasons that Solomon was not a prophane or damned person But a Saint of the Lord and a right excellent member of the Church THen Zadok as one most willing to defend the honour of his most Soueraigne Lorde King Solomon answered againe and sayde I most heartily thanke you my Lords all that yee haue vouchsaued mee this honour For I esteeme it an honour to my selfe to bee thought worthy by your wisedomes to speake and to haue your audience in the defence of my Lorde the King and his cause Neither doe I thinke but that in conscience and dutie I am holden so to doe for it in not meete that I shoulde heare my good Lorde and his wordes to bee sclandered or euill reported and to passe it ouer in silence yea I shall be thought therein to giue consent to those sinister reports And first as touching the king The king is not to be iustified in his sins nor excused it cannot bee denyed but that hee hath indeede wonderfully doated on his strange wiues and hath hearkened too much to them which euer retaining that euill opinion and custome would neuer receiue nor admit that counsell which the wisest of all men liuing gaue them and hath beene by them allured seduced and led away from Iehovah his God against whole Maiestie by their instigation hee hath wrought wickednesse And therefore howsoeuer some might allegorize of the transgressions and sinnes of our Lord the king yet will not I nor may I in equitie iustifie him or excuse him therein no more then I may either iustifie or excuse the sinne of Adam in his fall howsoeuer there bee which call it an happy fall or the sinne of Iacob in his two wiues howsoeuer the priuiledge thereof came in with the promise of the multiplication of the holy seede or of Noah in his drunkennesse or of Lot in his incest or of Iudah in his whoredome or of the kings father in his murther pride and adultrey wherein it is certaine that they both displeased God and deciphered their humane imperefctions and infirmities Nor was it the wil of God that such their sins albeit they were his own children should be concealed or couered but rather hee woulde that for some good causes they should bee reuealed and reproued He â—hat iustifieth the sinner is abhominable before God For as sinne is that which onely prouoketh and displeaseth the Lord and therefore is no lesse odious vnto him then a most ougly and venemous Serpent vnto a man so he that either iustifieth or excuseth the sinner in his sinne shall not bee holden guiltlesse before Gods iudgement seate Neuerthelesse as godly wisedome and holy loue haue both taught and perswaded a reuerend opinion and like construction of those men A reuerent opinion of the repentent sinners their actions and words in whom godlinesse and the right worthy vertues in habit could not be vtterly ouerthrown with one or a fewe contrary actions whiles the mercie of God remayning with them they held fast the foundatioÌ„s of their holy hope so is it not meete nor conuenient that wee should rashly cast into dangerous suspence either the holines of our Lorde The holinesse repentance remission and salvatioÌ„ of Solomon proved king Solomon or his repentance after his sinne or his remission after his repentance or the hope of his eternall salvation the which depending on the euerlasting loue and sweete grace of God in the merit of the holy Messiah may not onely bee presumed but also rightly gathered and sufficiently proued as by your patience you shall heare Satans subtilty Indeed Satan the great enimy of mankind hath assayed to deale with the king as the Eagle dealeth with the Goate for when the Eagle comes to hurt the Goate to whome shee hath a mortall enemitie shee first assayeth to take away his sight by pulling out his eyes and then afterwarde shee killeth him against whom the Goate defendeth himselfe with his hornes So this Enemie hauing a deadly enuie to the King and his glory though to dispoyle him of his knowledge and wisedome but hee neuerthelesse by his faith and hope in the Lorde as with two strong hornes hath resisted him so farre that though hee were much wounded in his body hee hath yet preserued and kept safe his yes Solomons eies For as I haue heard him say and doe finde it by experience his wisedome remained with him Neither was hee drawen from the foundation of his hope For as the trees which are strong deepe rooted and haue sufficient sappe in themselues cannot easily be ouercome by either the violent heate or noysome colde when such as haue neither rootes nor strength nor sappe doe wither and decay so they which are rooted and grounded on the sure foundation of their hope and haue in them the habite of diuine vertues cannot vtterly bee quayled or ouerthrowne by either the heate or colde of afflictions or the vehemency of Sathans assaults or the alluring lustes of the flesh or the concupiscence of Nature for they bee holden by the right hande of Gods spirite and stand like the tree planted by the waters side psal 1. whereof David the Kings father coulde so diuinely modulate and sing Therefore I will first proue that our Lord king Solomon is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prophane or damned person Chadesch Chadosch but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a person holy dedicated to God and a member of the holy Congregation For in this Antithesis or contrarietie that which is the one cannot bee the other and that the Lorde hath not taken his Spirite vtterly from him howsoeuer his Graces were shadowed in him when hee sinned as hee is not willing to cast them away whome hee knewe before or elected howsoeuer hee seeme to hide his face from them in his displeasure and they onely are fore-knowen and elected which are his Saintes and holy ones howsoeuer they appeare or are esteemed before the face of worldly men Howbeit although there bee many notable things externally to be seene in the Kings person which yet are not to bee neglected nor forgotten but well considered remembred and applyed
hope to come and at his comming loue and embrace as the onely person in and through whome the diuine Iustice is satisfied the heauenly will fulfilled the Serpent and all his fiery darts quenched and mankind pardoned healed recouered and blessed for euer Now this being said as an introduction to that which followeth we will come to speak of our Soueraign Lord K. Solomon whom I trust to proue and declare a Saint of the Lord and a right worthy member in his Church and so consequently no reprobate nor prophane nor damned person for if the former be proued wee shall by the same easily cleare him of the latter as before I haue said The Princes at this word seemed much comforted and shewed their willingnes yet further to heare what Zadoke would say For this saide they shall not onely please and satisfy vs but all others aswell they which now liue as they which shall come after vs. Therefore proceede most reuerend Father to proue that which ye haue assumed for the king And we will gladly giue both an attentiue eare vnto your words and vnto you condigne thankes CHAP XXVI Zadoke preveth that K. Solomon is a Saint of the Lord. THen Zadok proceeded reasoned for the King saying Whosoeuer is made and ordained by the will wisedome and providence of God a most lively and excellent figure of that holy Messiah the sonne of God the same is not a damned or reprobate or prophane person but he is a Sainct of the Lord But our Lord King Solomon is made and ordained by the will wisedom and providence of God a most lively and excellent figure of that holy Messiah the sunne of God Therefore our Lord K. Solomon is not a damned reprobate or prophane person but he is a Saint of the Lord. Now although no man may iustly deny either the first or the second proposition in any thing whatsoeuer yet as I perceiue ye are willing to listen ye shall heare mee to declare and proue either and so concludet or the King Surely my Lords it were not onely a great absurdity to hold it but an horrible thing to imagine that the most holy Messiah the sonne of the everlasting God that bright morning Starre that right holy Seede that high diuine Priest that excellent prophet and king of Glory so well resembling the almighty in holines beauty and in all perfection should be prefigured and declared by a prophane and vnholy person and that the excellency of his high dignity and royall gouernment should be typed by any thing common or vncleane Neither haue we found such inequalities in the proportions of the law of the Prophets and holy writings especially touching the promised and expected Messiah But this we finde that as the best things be best figured and declared in and by that which is most like or neere in nature kinde and qualitie so is the dignity person and function of the most holy Messiah prefigured and foreshewed according to the wisdome and prouidence of the Almighty where the types agree well with the things typed Therefore it was commanded in the lawe that the Lambes which were taken for the sacrifices should be cleane without all blemishes Exod. 12.5 Gen. 4.4 Aaron a figure of Messiah Exod. 28.30 Levit. 8. 21.6.18 as such as Habel offered vp to the Lord of the best of his flocks Therefore Aaron the Lords Priest who in his body prefigured the body of Messiah and in his garments expressed the excellency and perfection of his graces and vertues was a person without defectes or blemishes of body and glorious in his beautifull ornamentes according to the commandement the which also my selfe being the present high Priest am holden to retaine and vse and the which for that Abiather my predecessor vsed not but abused he was iustly depriued Moses also who brought our fathers out of the house of bondage and the same whome that prophet should resemble was a man welbeloued of God wel learned sanctifyed and made like vnto him in the glory of his Angels Likewise the Captaine Iosuah whome the Lorde appointed enabled to lead our fathers into this promised land was a man full of the spirit of wisedome the Lord his God both strēgthned and encouraged him whereby hee might be made a meete figure of the true Iehosuah our leader and guide into the land of the liuing To bee briefe David the Kings father who in his time bare an excellent figure of that Messiah both in his annointing nature raigne exaltation and humiliation was a man after Gods owne heart and euery way furnished with divine graces and right princely vertues meete for the same The like may be said of our forefathers Adam Enoch Noah Abraham Isaack Iacob Ioseph Sampson the Nazarite others in and by whome the Lord our God wold tipe and foreshew his deare sonne the Messiah notwithstanding all their humane imperfections and fleshly infirmities All these things saide the Princes haue we hearde with great delight and that to our full satisfaction in that part The princes For indeede such is the nature of the diuine proportions in the lawe in the Prophetes and in the psalmes And therefore he which by the wisedome will and prouidence of God is made a liuely excellent figure of that holy Messiah must of necessitie be a Sainct not a damned wretch reprobate or prophane But now what will ye produce for the proofe of this that our Lord King Solomon among those blessed Fathers is by the same wisedome Solomon is a figure of the holy Messiah will and providence or dained and made a right figure of that most holy Messiah This proposition saide Zadok can neither bee denied nor abandoned but confessed and receiued aswell of them now liuing as of al them that shall come after vs in all posterities who in the due consideration thereof with the circumstances shall grant and conclude with vs in the same And this may easily be gathered and proued to put all men out of doubt First in that according to the diuine prouidence and direction he hath built and garnished that right glorious Temple in Ierusalem Solomon in the building of the Temple figured the Messiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an house dedicated to the name of the Lorde the which doubtlesse standeth for a perfect figure of the holy Koheleh or Church of the Lorde our God whether misticall in the Congregation of them that serue God after his will declared in his worde or spirituall in the heart and minde of all the faithfull where it pleaseth the holy spirite of discipline to dwell or glorious in heaven of all them that be deliuered from hence and translated into the societie of the celestiall angels An house indeede The Church figured Gen. 3. which none either in heauen or in earth can or must builde or garnish but onely that most holy Messiah and promised Seede And this was prefigured by the womans body betweene whome
the Serpent the Lord set enmity and signified in that Adam called her Havah the mother of all liuing Herein are founde those kindreds of the earth who in the promised Seed are blessed for euer And this is that princely spowsesse indeede of the which the King in a propheticall Spirite spake in his Schir-hasschirim moreouer this is that same which was shadowed in the family of faithfull Abraham Cant. 1. in the Arke of Noah the righteous which was builte and prouided according to the patterne the Lorde gaue him and mankind preserued in and by the house of King David wherein God was honoured and serued in the true vse of the law 2. Sam. 5. praier and the holy sacrifices and by the mount or castle of Zion from the which both the halte and the blind were takē away that the bright Vrim and right Thumim with all knowledge and perfection might dwell there And the same is doubtlesse expressed in this great and holy house which the king hath built for the name of his God wherein wee may not imagine that the King hath beene more curious then godly more precise then profitable or more sumptuous then wise considering that there is not the least iote or point therein which hath not either his proper vse or mistical entendemēt as in place hereafter ye may better heare and consider therof with iudgemēt And thereof wee may gather conclude that as the holy Messiah was killed in Abel deliuered his church figurately in Noah was foreshewed the Father of all nations in Abraham was offered vp on the Altarin Isaack was blessed in Iacob was a deliuerer of mankind out of the serpents tiranny in Moses was a Sauiour of the Lordes people in Iehosuah and borne and annointed and humbled and exalted and fauoured in David so hath he built his Church figurately in our Lorde King Solomon Furthermore this is strongly ratified aswell by the report and testimony of those recordes which the prophet Nathan hath written and left vnto vs as by the consent of our owne knowledge and conscience which haue both seene and heard and in wisedome considered one thing with another By the which we are sure that all those diuine promises which the Lord God made aswell to King Solomon as to David his Father do aime and point further then either to David or to Solomon yea they concerne that most excellent K. the Messiah which was so promised and typed and beleeued and expected to come and that in many thinges the which the K. hath begunne or expressed mistically shall bee accomplished made and performed indeede in the true Messiah that some things are common both in th' one and in th' other as by comparing them and their actions shal be easily perceiued in due time But first concerning this figure I meane King Solomon When King David had determined to build an house for the name o◠the Lord 2. Sam. 7.13 and that the house shoulde bee made and proportioned according to the writing and charge which the Lorde had giuen him Yet said the Lord I will not that thou shalt build that house but out of thy loines shall spring one that shall builde the same For thou art a man of warre and art much troubled as yet The building of two houses by two sundry persons but he shal be a man of rest and I will give him rest on every side that hee may the better compasse and effect the same By the which Oracle David did not onely vnderstand that his will and pleasure was that such an house should be builded which shold prefigurate his holy congregation but also he learned by whome those two houses should be builded Howbeit not by King David although he were a man after Gods owne heart and in many thinges a true figure of the Messiah but by his Seed yet not both by one and the same person but the one should be made by his sonne Solomon whome hee begat on Bethsabe the other by the holy Messiah who albeit hee bee the sonne of the highest is after the flesh Davids sonne For hee is to rise not onely in Iudahs-tribe but also in the house and linage of David according as the same David said thereof in the person of God I have made a faithfull promise to David and I will not alter it of the seed of thy body will I raise vp to set vpon thy throne whose daies shal be as the daies of heaven And therein hee woulde that as figures go before things figured and voices before words so the building of this materiall house shoulde go before the building of the Church as touching the times and seasons wherein the Lord wold work manifest his heauēly wil pleasure therein as Baalam said I shall see him but not now Num. 24. and beholde him but not yet for euery thing vnder the heauens hath his appointed time And so that this former house shoulde bee a figure of the latter in all due proportions and the Builder of the one sholde prefigurate the Builder of the other Therefore as the former is a true figure of the Church of Messiah which hee shall in the due time gather and build to himselfe so is King Solomō the sonne of David who hath built this Temple a true figure of that Messiah And truely albeit King David was not permitted to build either house in his dayes yet towardes the building and performance of all thinges in and concerning them both hee gathered and prouided many thinges of the highest request For towardes the materiall house hee gathered and made ready heiued stones plentie of Iron 1. Chro. 21. Doores Brasse without waighte Cedar trees without number and hee made ordinances and lawes and prepared thinges in great abundance the which also are not without their signification of greater matters therein shadowed Againe towardes both the Mysticall and spirituall house to bee builded in the due time as he was the man whome the Lorde chose to raigne ouer his inheritance and for his excellent Songes was called the sweete singer of Israel so hee exercised himselfe in the diuine seruices hee ruled the Lordes people and prepared them to the Lordes house yea hee composed and modulated many spirituall and sweete Psalmes Hymnes and Songes to the prayse of God and the edification of his Church hee prouided also and left behinde him for the heauenly Solomon many prophesies testimonies and holy examples from and by the which hee might vouchsafe at his comming into the worlde to take gather and confirme yea and to conforme to purpose his doctrine and workes for the better edification of his Church For hee hath plainely spoken before in the Spirite of the nature the dignitie the function the obedience the diligence the trauailes the manner of life the manner of death the rising and the wonderfull glory of that King of Israel and declared himselfe a liuely figure of the same Moreouer howsoeuer those
and the law in their seuerall places and functions th' other generall parte is that holiest place into the which none but only the high Priest and that once in the yeere enireth to sacrifice aswell for himselfe as for the people By the former is expressed the condition of that part of the Church which is in this life militant gathered and made vp of all sortes aswell of the common people as of the priestes and of the Gentiles together with the Iewes By the latter is signified that part which containeth onely the Lordes holy elect and glorious company of heauenly Sainctes in the kingdome of holy Messiah Betweene those two partes of the Temple there is made a certaine lofte or Chamber boorded or séeled By the which is not vnaptly signified mans mortall body in this world the which neuerthelesse being once rent or dissolved the gate or entrance is made open of the passage from the one part to the other For by this we passe out of the troubles and confusion of this place into the place of glorie This Temple hath a foundation strong and permanent by the which is signified the power and might of Messiah who beeing best able to support and beare the burden and building of his Church hath laid the same on himselfe as that sure rocke of rest vpon the which whatsoeuer is fast grounded shall stand and neuer fall This is the same by whome our fathers in the wildernesse were relieued and strengthned This Temple hath also walles standing on that foundation raised vp of framed stones and set well in order by the which we vnderstand the goodly companies of holy men rightly disposed and well ordered in the same There bee also windowes to giue in the light By the which are ment the order of the wise teachers ministers in the same There be pretious stones which note the most excellent Princes Prophets Priestes and Magistrates There bee two Altars wherof the one is of gold standing in the holiest place th' other is of brasse standing in the other part By the former we consider the merite of Messiah by the other the pure heart of the holy ones On the one is offered the same vnspotted Lambe vnto which all the sacrificed Lambes of our law do point on the other is lifted vp that sacrifice of praier faith thanksgiuing and righteousnes where of King David hath spoken There bee also Cherubins in the holiest place which note those Angels and ministring Spirits which standing in the heauenly presence are most obedient to his wil and euen ready to helpe succour and comfort the Saincts which are on the earth There bee lights and Candles in number ten By the lights are ment the doctrine of the right knowledge of God by the which the people are taught and instructed and by the Candlestickes wee may consider that diuine law vnto the which hee woulde that all those doctrines and instructions shoulde drawe men and to note the perfection thereof as alluding to the tenne commaundementes in the Law which indeede conteineth the very summe of all other commandements they are in number ten for this is a number of perfection Moreouer on the walles bee certaine pictures most gloriously beautified which expresse the noble graces and vertues of those liuely stones I meane the saints and withall diuers other things right beautifull and most admirable which also are to bee applyed to so many sundry functions administrations duties offices vertues in the Church of Messiah of the which I may not presently delate nor may as yet presume to vnfold that which I know shall be shut vp and fast sealed from the perfect knowledge of man Many things were sealed vp from mans knowledge before the comming of Messiah vntill the comming of that most holy one Moses himselfe could see but the very backe partes of him whom he desired to behold and things which shall be indeede are as obscurely shadowed vnto vs as yet But when hee commeth hee will both confirme that which is declared and shewe all things else most plainly which yet are hidden from our eyes Now all these things my Lords are not vnknowne vnto you or at the least vnto some of you and therefore I am sure yee will not yéeld to this that the King should bee either called or accounted a damned or reprobated or prophane person but rather as yee should indeed conclude and subscribe to this that King Solomon whom the Lord his God hath appointed the Builder of his Temple which so lively expresseth the holy Church of Messiah and there in hath made him an excellent figure of that Messiah is a Saint of the Lord elected and ordained to salvation To this answered all the Princes Indeede wee know it but much the better by this your explanation And therefore we see no reason to denie your conclusion but rather as we should doe acknowledge and confesse the Kings Holines and subscribe to that whatsoeuer ye haue said concerning the same And now my Lord Zadok if ye haue any thing els further to ratifie or establish that which yee haue assumed although we doubt not of any thing We pray you to bring it foorth also that his Highnesse be not defrauded of that which in right hee ought to haue nor others left without a resolution of that whereof they might peraduenture rest doubtfull Neither are wee any thing weary to heare you to speake so iustly for the king so delectably for vs and so profitably for the people Yee haue thus farre walked in a very pleasant way Walke on as yet good father proceed and bee not faint the ende of this course is both profitable and right praise worthy in the iudgement of all good men CAP. XXVII Zadok produceth many other arguments to proove that Solomon was a Saint appointed to salvation ZAdok listening to the godly desire of the Princes touching the further probation of the kings holines and acceptation with the Lord notwithstāding his sins opened his mouth againe and saide God forbid my Lords that I should either conceile or keepe backe any thing of that which may either satisfie you to be reuealed or confirme my former proposition in the which I assumed that the king was a Saint of the Lorde Therefore hearken and I will speake As the Lord our God had chosen and appointed the king to be a true figure of Messiah in the building of his Temple and therein a Saint of the Lord So also hath the same Lord ordained and declared many other notable things in and by the king to fore-shew and expresse the same for surely vnto this belongeth also the honor of his birth and acceptation his diuers titles and names his wisedom his iudgements his wealth his kingdom his fame with many his actions his words his qualities his graces his vertues and rare enduments most admirable in the eyes of all men Of some few of the which I will speake very briefely for to tell of them al I
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
haue framed a worthie Apologie for the king and with Arguments sufficient yee haue prooued him to bee not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prophane but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saint Neither doe wee doubt of any of those things but partly know them and partly beleeue them to be so indeede as yee haue sayde And God forbidde that any of vs by reason of our suspensiue opinions and doubtfull conceites should tender occasion to any of them that come after vs to bee doubtfull of the King whom wee well knowe the Lorde hath elected and will preserue and whome wee esteeme notwithstanding his sinnes a Saint of the Lorde And in truth as those persons which haue bruised frankinsence and beene ensenced therewith doe smell of the same neither will they by and by lose the sauour and sent thereof though they bee purged so the King hauing beene endued with the diuine Spirite and long exercised in the vse of the right Princely and sacred vertues doeth yet and shall enioy the sweete sauor and acceptable memorie of the same neither may so short a time as this life is blotte it out Whereby being enboldened hee may therein contemne them that shall either disdayne him or vniustly iudge of either him his wordes or actions But nowe because the Kings Remission and Pardone Solomons sinnes are pardoned and he remaineth a Saint of the Lord for euer after his trespasse was called into question it may not displease your Reuerence that wee enquire whether his sinnes bee remitted that is whether the Lorde hath forgiuen and pardoned his trespasses forgotten his iniquitie absolued him of his guiltinesse and loosed him from the bandes of eternall death yea or no. For they will reply and thus obiect It may bee that hee was a Saint and seruant of Iehovah his GOD so long as hee kept his minde chaste his body cleane his actions without reproofe and the trueth of his doctrine pure and vnspotted Or so long as hee well pleased GOD who iustifieth the beleeuing sinner or so long as hee was ordained to stand the figure of the holy Messiah wherein hee sheened in perfite beautie but afterwarde in his transgressions and sinnes he turned his beautie into ougly deformitie Nor indeede according to your former words coulde hee possibly bee and remayne the figure of the holy Messiah longer then whiles his beautie remayned perfite in him Therefore except hee were forgiuen and by this his remission clensed and restored to his former excellencie or at the leasted admitted into the fauour of GOD and iustified the former doubt will be still retained and vrged against both him and his words Therefore let it please you to resolue this doubt and satisfie vs therein as we know yee are well able most reuerend Father To this answered Zadok I am most willing both to resolue this doubt and to satisfie you my Lords all in this case therefore to proue that the King hath obtained mercie and pardon of the Lord God for all those his transgressions and so consequently standeth and remayneth a Saint and person dedicated to the Lorde notwithstanding all those his transgressions I thus reason for my Lord the king * Whosoeuer hath truely repented him of his sinnes Solomon obteined mercie for he repented him of his sinnes hee hath obtained mercie and forgivenesse But our Lord King Solomon hath truely repented him of his sins therfore he hath obtained mercy and forgevenesse The first proposition is prooued by many sounde Arguments and positions of holy Scriptures And first by the due consideration of the Nature of GOD who as hee hath created man to his owne image and likenesse and hath a will to preserue him so desireth hee nothing more then his conuersion and amendement after his falling as whereby hee may not bee hindered but furthered and bolpen in his walking towardes the highest Glorie yea in this hee resembleth a true father that both pitieth and pardoneth his owne sonne which hath offended him vpon his true repentance as both Moses Iob and David of famous memorie haue tolde vs with other our holy Prophets who teache and assure vs from the Lordes owne mouth that if an vngodly man will turne away from all his sinnes that hee hath done and keepe all his Statutes and doe the thing that is iudgement and right hee shall doubtlesse liue and not die neither shall his sinnes bee either retained or mentioned vnto him for God hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner but gladly will bee mercifull vnto him and pardon him vpon his repentance For God is most readie to forgiue Therefore hee comforteth vs with this saying Circumcise the fore-skinnes of your heartes Deut. cast away your transgressions and turne againe vnto Iehovah your God and yee shall not dye but liue And this is that which wee beleeue and persuade of our Lorde the king Surely Cain himselfe though too presumpsuous and proude in his sinnes could inregard hereof say and is my sinne greater Gen. 4. then that it can bee pardoned Knowing that the promise which GOD had made to Adam in Paradize both imported and included remission saying that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Seede of the Woman shoulde breake the Serpents heade whereof man though an execrable sinner shoulde finde both remission and life with Iehovah his GOD. Next to this wee haue a great many comfortable examples in the Bookes of Moses Iob Iosuah the Iudges and Samuel as of the pardon offered vnto Iudah Lot the Israelites and to bee briefe to David the Kings father to whome the Lorde sayde by Nathan the Prophet God hath put away thy sinnes thou shalt not die the which hee often remembred in the Booke of the Psalmes psal 103.3 whereof hee also prouoketh his soule to the praise of GOD who had forgiuen him all his iniquitie and couered all his sinne Nowe as none can forgiue sinnes but God onely so those our ancestors when they sinned perswading that all their sinnes were done against God either immediately or by meanes they would in the hope of remission and health repaire vnto him seeking first to bee reconciled with his grace before they would goe vnto men remembering what olde Eli the Priest 1. Sam. 2. saide some-times to his children If a man sinne against man sayde hee the Iudge may decide it but if a man sinne against GOD who shall bee his Vmpire or Dayes-man Moreouer knowing that pardon required precedent Repentance without the which who will forgiue him that offendeth him among men they neither presumed to approach the diuine throne with proud insolent and presumptuous Spirites but with contrite and humble heartes desiring mercie for sinnes committed and confessed with great submission For albeit that Repentance be very sharpe and bitter to the sinner and many men had leaner sinne openly then repent secretly yet is this the Medicine of trespasses the consumption of iniquities a weapon against Satan and a sharpe sworde prepared and able to daunt
to the tyranny of the Serpent which had deceiued them Adams sinne Gen. 3. Iudah Gen. 38.26 Lot Aaron Exo. 32.2 Gen. 34.25 Simeon and Levi. Ruben Gen 49 4. The Israelites Sampson Iudg 2.11.13 3.6 16.18 Laban Gen. 31.30 for the which they were iustly driuen out of Paradise and made subiect to misery and death notwithstanding it pleased the L. God as ye haue heard to forgiue them and to gather to himselfe an holy church euē from among them which had sinned We read that Iudah tooke his daughter in law Thamar lay with her contrary to the law and acknowledged that he had sinned therein Lot was made drunke and lay with both his daughters Aarō the Lords priest yeelded to the making of a molten calfe which the people worshipped VVe read that Simeon and Levi the sonnes of Iacob dealt deceitfully with Hemor Sichē his son and murthered them and their people against the will of their father who in his last words cursed their wrath which was shameles their rage which was cruel As for Rubē Iacobs eldest sonne he defiled his fathers bed distained his dignity Our fathers in the time of the Iudges were carried away to serue Baal Astaroth and they were cōioined with the Cananites against the law of the L. Sampsō the Nazarite combined himselfe with a strange woman yea and in the end yeelded his power to the harlot Dalila Laban the father in law of Iacob was a worshipper of strāge Gods Terah the father of Abrahā was not free frō the like offence And are the sinnes of those our fathers especially the greatest of these sins inferior to the K. sins Notwithstāding it is testified that the L. pardoned thē restored thē to his fauor But ye say that the K. hath turned away his heart form the Lord. Indeede of all others his sins this is the greatest Howbeit I say not therefore that hee hath vtterly turned away his heart as that hee hath quite forsaken God and by wicked apostasy fallen away from him for euer for had it beene so we should not haue seene him in this his estate And as I well remember I heard the king himselfe to say and wee cannot denye it when we well consider thereof and of him in this his estate that in the depth of those his sinnes and vanities he perceiued that yet his wisedome remained with him psal 51.11 1. Sam. 16.14 2. Sam. 7.15 How Solomon is said to turne away his heart from God by the which he ment the graces of that diuine spirit which King David praied that the Lorde would not vtterly take from him being indeed an effect of that mercy which the Lord his God said he would not take from him as he toke it from Saul whom hee had cast off before him But I say the King hath turned away his heart in this sense first in that he hath sinned against the Lorde his God secondly in that he hath yeelded to his lusts and thirdly in that he fainted in his holy zeale For there is no sinne whatsoeuer which a man committeth wherein there is not a turning away of the sinner from the Lord for sinne is contrary to the law of God and argueth a contempt of his iustice neglect of his graces therefore the Lorde requireth in them whom he recoureth and pardoneth a faithful returne in humble contrition Next it is true that euery man is led away from God of his owne concupiscence or naturall lusts and thus the King doting ouermuch on his strange Woemen hath been enflamed ouercome in affection seduced and led away from the Lordes righteousnes Thirdly the king by those former occasions had forsaken his first loue was waxen more colde or luke-warme in that holy religion and godly zeale with the which his heart hath been wonderfully enflamed in his youth But yet I remember what the Lord said I will shew mercy to whome I will shew mercy The same said to Hagar Returne againe to thy mistris Exo. Gen. 16 9. though thine heart was turned from her Againe he saith to the sinner ' Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and do those good workes which thou hast vsed to doe when I was well pleased with thee Againe Remember thy maker So I confesse though with sorrow of heart that the king in that his estate hath not so zeolously set foorth and maintained the glory and seruices of God as he was wont to doe for whosoeuer is addicted to the former is defectiue in the latter but he neglected a great part of his office and duty But yet the Lord bee thanked we know that the state of religion was neuer altered or changed The holy religion neuer altered but continued the same in Solomons time 2. Chro. 11.16.17 but that hath and yet doth remaine the same as in the time of David notwithstanding the idolatries superstitions and prouocations of his strange women which is a notable argument that yet thee helde the sure foundation of his saith vnshaken And therefore let vs not presume either to say or to thinke that King Solomon is fallen vtterly away from the Lord his God who hath so wonderfully loued beautified and blessed him It is one thing to offend God by euill thoughts euill wordes or wicked deedes another thing to deny God and to forsake him vtterly He that sinneth and offendeth God and yet beleeueth in God he is by his repentance reserved for saluation but who so doth deny God and vtterly apostate from him there remaineth vnto him not so much as one little shell wherewith he may drawe a very small measure of the water of life It is not one and the same thing to turne frō the Lorde and to turne vtterly awry from him without retyre or returne The former of these faults is often seene in Gods owne children when like prodigall and disobedient sonnes they bee tempted to depart from their most louing father and yet do returne home againe are renued by repentāce as were Aaron Moses David the latter is seene in the reprobates only which fall away and neuer returne and therefore are not renued by repentance for they cannot truely repent The reprobates cannot truely repent because the Lord giueth not repentance vnto them as it was apparant in Cain in Lots wise in Saul whom the Lord cast away frō before him But this falling away from God wee haue not found nor shall perceiue in K. Solomon the Lorde bee blessed therefore Neither may wee thinke that howsoeuer he is saide to followe after Astaroth Milcom Molock Camos such others the Gods of the heathen that therefore he was so grosse an Idolator as he did adore and worshippe those strange Gods no more then we may thinke Solomon did not worship Idols Exo. 32.2 that Aaron the Priest did adore and worship the golden Calfe which himselfe had made at the importunacie of our Fathers in the wildernes And I knowe
mine horrible ingratitude A K. banisheth from his Court Idolators and wantons and whoremongers c. but I haue fawned on those which in my presence haue dedicated themselues to those abhominations A king should be a patterne of beauty vnto his people in all godly vertues but I haue giuen them an example of lewdnesse in mine inordinate excesse A King is the stay and glory of his place but I haue both weakned and deformed mine house with transgressions A K. both respecteth and expecteth the honor of the most holy but I haue blemished the same with the damps of sinne Therfore vnworthy I am the title of a King And if I may not bee named a King then much lesse should ye call me the King of Israel And truly I may not henceforth be called K. over Israel because the L. God for mine offēces against him hath iustly depriued me of the honor of that high dignity But rather henceforth as I haue rightly merited I may be numbred amōg the fooles of Israel Messiah the true king of Israel Yea and albeit that my seruant Ieroboham hath lifted vppe his handes against mee and shall vsurpe that Name and dignitye yet shall both this Name and dignitye bee reserued as rightly imposed for the most righteous Seede and Prince of Israel which was promised to David my Father and which in his due time shal be raysed vp to sit on his seate and to raigne ouer the house of Israel that is ouer the Saints and holy people of God in doing them equitie and true iudgement for euer In the meane time I must in all humblenesse of minde bewaile my sinnes and the miserie of mine house and posteritie occassioned by the same the which I cannot but euery houre remember consider lament and finally repent and abandon those manifolde vanities of the sonnes of men Solomon is a preacher to teach and perswade the people pro. 31. wherein I haue beene polluted and wearyed in my life Lo thus the King ruminateth in affliction heereof is his continuall meditation in the sorowe of his minde and thus hee expresseth his faithfull repentance euery day * Fiftly although he hath spent some portion of his life in sin and the whiles did forget the wholesome lesson which his mother Bethsabe gaue him yet being in the ende preuented by the grace and mercie of God hee doeth agine often call to minde and recount her wife instructions and ruminateth of that which himselfe hath thought good to write and speake in his wise Prouerbs as a confession of his sinnes and a worthy argument of his Repentance yea hee hath not onely converted and dedicated himself again vnto the Lord in wonderfull great feare and reuerence Solomon inciteth all others to vertues Eccles. 12. but also as a learned and experienced Preacher of Repentance and Righteousnes he halloweth and calleth all men from the vices and vanities of the deceitfull world teaching and exhorting them to feare the Lorde and to keepe his commandements And in this the king is not like them which thinke that a benefite languisheth and perisheth as the flood which powreth foorth her streames into diuers channels and small veynes but he is as the liberall man right willing to benefite many thereby to cause his beneuolence to abound therefore he studieth he preacheth hee speaketh he exhorteth he admonisheth he comforteth he refuteth he confirmeth and whatsoeuer els necessarie and conuenient in a Preacher to drawe men from worldy vanities and to lead them towardes the best good and true felicitie the highest obiect of mans hope All this his nobles and his seruants All these things are testified by Solomons servants which stand before him heare his wisedome and obserue his wordes and workes finde and well vnderstande neither can wee but testifie the same for him before all men Yea wee see and can witnesse that there is in him both the wisedome of GOD and the knowledge of the holy Spirite in such abundance as wee are not able to expresse it and in this wee finde him yet more wise that now all the last hee hath changed his minde and withdrawen his affection from the worlde so farre that as he did sometimes swerue from the Lorde GOD and by his euill example did giue an occasion to many others to blaspheme and offend or at the least to bee offended so hee nowe endeuours himselfe tenne times more to eschewe euill and to seeke the Lorde in singlenesse of heart and to exhort and persuade others to doe the like to and for the which hee hath laboured day and night Eccles. 12 to searche and finde out delightsome wordes right Scripture and the wordes of trueth Wherein he followed not the common woont of sinners which beeing polluted and defiled with filthinesse haue a desire not onely to wallowe therein but also that others should bee defiled with them in the same resembling those Wrestlers or Fighters which care not to brush off the dust from their owne garmentes but rather endeuour to defile one another and fall together euen with the same Thus hath not the King done and to bee plaine The King hauing been nourtered and well trained vp in his youth sheweth foorth at this time the ripe fruites thereof notwithstanding those blemishes of humane imperfections * Finally although it bee a thing too common with men that though they for-beare to sinne for a time fearing the punishment thereof they neuerthelesse afterwarde forget themselues and returne againe Solomon after his repentance revolted not from God as with the dog to his vomit to their former vices as lately did Adoniah and Shimei yet the King beeing otherwise minded hath shunned and abandoned all his worldly delights vices and vanities and dedicated himselfe againe vnto the desire of heauenly things and the ioyes eternall in regard whereof for the loue of GOD and his owne health he abstaineth not onely from things vnlawfull but also from things lawfull and tollerable pleasing the minde and affection of man and now continueth stedfastly the same hauing made a sure Couenant with himselfe neuer to apostate or turne backewarde againe and therefore as the Trauailer which goeth towardes a most famous Citie is euer talking of his iourney and of the place to learne the customes and guise thereof and to expresse his desire to hasten and come thither Solomons common and daily meditation and talke as rauished with the loue of the same So we perceiue that the King is neuer pleased nor eased but when hee talketh and telleth of those high treasures of that most happy place thereof hee ruminateth thereof hee delighteth to talke thereof hee is glad to heare all other things bee they neuer so pleasant seeme loathsome and vaine in his conceit For of this nature are the words of his common talke and such are many of his Prouerbs the which seeme to be powred foorth from the good treasure of a good mans heart as the good fruits sprung of a good
tree The definitions of repentance And truely those are notable Arguments of the Kings true Conversion and Repentance For whether Repentance bee defined * that affection and passion of the minde by the which any person being touched with the sense of Gods anger conceiued for his sinne committed is most heartily sory with an humble and earnest desire of mercie and amendement of life * Or the loathing of sinne and thirsting after mercie and righteousnesse * Or the bewayling of trespasses with a full purpose thence-foorth to amend leade a godly life * Or the turning againe of man vnto his Maker with hope of mercie by faith in the holy Messiah * Or a changing or a renewing of the minde or opinion with a due consideration and better aduise * Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the turning about or changing of both the mind and body and so of the whole-man * Or after the common receiued opinion touching the parts therof the Contrition of the heart the Confession of the mouth the tempering of the flesh the amendement of the worke and the continuance in vertues * Or howsoeuer els it be defined described or declared according to the analogie or proportion of our religion we may gather out of those premised testimonies and examples both a true Repentance and the ripe fruites and notes of the same A conclusion for Solomons Repentance and so conclude that Solomon our King is truely repentant For were hee not a true repentant person wee should neuer haue found such wholsome fruites on this tree Signes and tokens of true Repentance nor such soueraigne treasures to be drawne foorth from his humble heart Neither may we thinke those fruites and treasures are of that nature as they can bee found in that person especially towards the ende of his life of whose true conuersion and faithfull repentance it may iustly be doubted no more then sweete waters are expected from a bitter fountaine or Figs to grow of Thistles Iob. 27.10 For why the Hypocrite hath never such a delight in the Almightie Nor can it possibly come to passe that the persons in whome these and such vertues are found resident dwelling or springing so proper to the Lordes chosen shoulde be vtterly shut out from a godly repentance and so debarred of the mercie of that most mercifull God who vouchsafeth both to call sinners vnto him and promiseth them mercie that truly repēt Note this For as the Lord being ielous of such his graces hath not bin willing that the damned Reprobates should be seised of the same or so much as handle them with their prophane and sinfull hands so hath he been and is most glad and right well pleased that those graces be powred out as proper to them whom it pleaseth him to renewe by repentance and to bring with great honour to his eternall glorie * Therefore as wee know that the King is Repentant so wee also beleeue he hath eschewed the danger of Gods wrath obtained mercie and pardon of his sins Solomons pardon and saluation This cure is wrought of Gods mercie and reteineth hope of his eternall health But this wee acknowledge to bee wrought not by the trust wee haue in that his repentance but in that sweete mercie of God which draweth men to Repentance in comparison whereof all his sinnes and all the sinnes of men in this life are not so much as one droppe to the Sea The Sea is great so is his sinne but the sea receiueth yet a measure so doth his sinne but the mercie of GOD is beyond all measure Therefore although men should bee ashamed to sinne yet should they not be ashamed to repent them of their sinnes as I sayde before and to hope for mercie Neither let any man say Obiect I haue sinned much how should I finde mercie for my sinnes for though a man cannot vnderstande the reason thereof yet the Lord God well knoweth it he worketh it and he pardoneth sinners in such sort as neither their sin no nor any scarre and shew of their sins remaineth This is strange to vs The nature of this cure and not séen in the curing of the wounds of a mans bodie wherin though wee haue a thousand cunning Physicians or Chirurgians the scarres of the soares remaine to be seene an argument of the wound for why the infirmitie of a mans nature and the imbercillitie of Art and medicine are repugnant to it self but when God pardoneth he blotteth sins out in such sort as not so much as any scarre or signe of the wound remaineth to be séen but together with the healing there is giuē perfit beautie after the pardoning of the paine he powreth out righteousnesse and he maketh the sinner equall with him that neuer sinned This the Kings father testified in himselfe when he said to his soule The Lord hath forgiven all thine iniquitie and healed all thine infirmitie he saveth thy life from destruction psal 103.3 Arguments for Solomons Pardon crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindnesse * But howsoeuer it bee there is no reason why we should doubt of the assurance of the loue of God to him whom he vouchsaueth to entitle his Son Neither should we suspect the happy continuance of Gods loving mercie on him which of his owne worde was both promised and warranted him when we finde neither testimonie nor sufficient presumption of his finall apostasie and reprobation Nay we shall both decipher our want of loue in iudging so rashly and vnreuerently of the king and of the generation of the righteous whom the Lord wil not suffer to fall for euer as K. David saide and our want of wisedome against our God whom therein to our power wee should make a lyar and vnfaithfull in not performing that his word promise made concerning him in the figure as it concerneth the Messiah indeed Who said He shal be my son I will bee his father If he sin 2. Sam. 7 I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the plagues of the children of men but my mercie shal not depart from him as I tooke it from Saul Which words are to be vnderstood not only nor wholy of the Messiah but also partly of Solomō the childe of God by adoption grace to whom the L. would continue mercifull and not vtterly cast him off els why should Saul with his apostasie reprobatiō as by way of a cōparison be here brought in And this not only the K. himself hath often both said declared that yet His wisedome did remaine with him that is that Spirit of God and the mercy of God Eccles. 2. which was taken away from Saul in the Lords anger for his rebellion but also all we are able to testifie for him in whom wee haue discerned and doe yet approue the excellency of the Spirit and mercie of the Almightie * Moreouer Another Argument for Solomons Pardon although the Lorde by his
against the Lorde Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and concupiscence and Idolatrye breakes out By this then it appeareth that the king meaneth chiefly this kinde of affliction of man and that whereof himselfe was weary as hee saide I am weary of my labours Next hee calleth those labours his labours wherein hee confirmeth that which was saide before touching the abridging of Col. For in this hee speaketh onely of mans labours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mans labors so named for 3 causes and hee calleth them so for three causes first because they bee occasioned through mans owne malice and concupiscence Secondly for that they bee imposed on him for a iust punishment of his rebellion and sinne in this life Thirdly because they bee the same wherein a man is most exercised and busied in this worlde And by this difference hee excludeth from this vanity all the workes of God and all those labours which are wrought by man according to the will and worde of God Deut. 32. For as a man is cōtrary to God in his nature so is he also contrary to him in all his works labours thoughts waies and deuises Thirdly the King hath shewed the place of these labours which is as ye heard him to say vnderneath the Sunne that is within the limites of Vanities kingdome among worldly men The place of mans labors which in the world are of a lewd mind and without God For the things that are wrought in mans heart and disposed by the diuine spirit are not called either the works of man or the labours of man vnder the Sunne but they be called properly as they be indéed the Workes of God deuised decreede and wrought in heauen by him that spake the worde and all thinges were done To bee briefe the King hath here brought in two generall argumentes to proue his former generall proposition vanitye of vanities 2 Arguments against mans vanitie the first whereof is taken from the condition of man in this life in the which howsoeuer hee search hee findeth nought els of himselfe but labour and toyle The second argument is taken from the effects and fruites of his labours wherein when hee hath vexed him selfe hee findeth no contentation no sacietie and so no felicity but altogether vanitie and vexation of the spirite And that the king might more fully expresse the greatnesse of this Vanitye and confirme with the more emphasis that which he had saide he expostulateth with this interrogation what els hath a man In which manner of speach there is a greater force then if he had said A man gaineth nought els For this is so vehement an affirmation of the thing proposed as if it coulde not bee denied and is so much to say as yee cannot in any wise denie that a man getteth nothing but vanitie of all those labours wherein he afflicteth himselfe vnder the Sunne CAP. XXXIIII Zadok answereth to some other obiections and speaketh 1. of the generations and Elements THen spake the Princes and said vnto Zadok yee haue right well explaned the Kings words and wee verily beleeue that his meaning is The princes approbation of zadoks words as ye haue sayd therin Neither think we that he hath or doth cōdemne all the works of God which are done either by himselfe or by man after his commandements but only all those labours whereof himselfe is now sorie and ashamed namely such as hee hath done and wrought vnder the Sunne as a carnall or naturall man without the wisedome of Gods spirite or the warrant of his Law Therefore wee may not either reiect or dislike the Kings words in this parte But hath Abiather the Priest any thing els to obiect against the Kings doctrine and words Another obiection ca. 1.4 yea that I haue answered Abiather for I haue heard the king to speake of the Generations as if he comprehended all generations within the same predicament as vaine and thus hee saide One Generation passeth away another commeth the Earth standeth for euer Yea hee combineth with them the foure principall Elementes as the Sunne which riseth and falleth the winde which bloweth and compasseth the earth zadok answereth to the obiection and expoundeth the place the waters riuers which come and go from and to the sea and the Earth which remaineth euer the same * Indeed saide zadok the King here speaketh of the Creatures and things themselues howbeit although they bee made subiect to mans vanitie in that they must stand for the vse of sinfull men according to the will of him that hath so subdued them vnder hope and expectation of a deliuery from this intollerable thraldom which wil be in the end of this world yet are they not in themselues vaine but good and profitable both to the glory of God and to the benefit of men Neither hath the King ment to place them in his catalogue of vanities But from the consideration of them beeing compared with the labours and affaires of men vnder the Sunne he taketh Arguments to proue the vanity not of the things but of sinfull man who is so inconstant and variable from his dutie and consequētly vnhappy But if it please you my L. for the better satisfying not only of Abiather but of al them that shal hence gather a conceit of the vanitie of these generations and elementes I will by the diuine grace speake first of these generations and what the Kings purpose is therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a generation what it signifieth and afterwardes of those elements * The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dor signifieth as ye know the constituted and ordinary order and course either of times or of persons or of actions or things A certaine succession or reuolution an order of degrées of the natural propagatiō of things as one thing is engendred or riseth vp of another thing An age A generation for one of the ages of the worlde a generatiō the which as a sphere or globe hath his reuolutions courses stéedes and turnes * Sometimes this word is set and vsed for one of the ages of the world which wee haue reckoned as from Adam to Noah from Noah to Abraham from Abraham to Moses from Moses to David the King c. * Somtimes an age is restrained to the time of a hundred yeares as where the Lord said to Abraham The time of an 100 yeeres gen 15.13.16 Thy seede shal be a stranger in a land which is not theirs foure hundred yeeres And afterward he expoundeth it saying In the fourth age they shall come hither againe the which fell out about the time that the Lord deliuered our fathers from the thraldome of Egypt by the hand of Moses * Somtimes it is taken for the time that a man liveth in this world whose life is called an age or a generation The time of a mans age in this worlde and so haue our fathers vnderstoode it * But it is certaine that
the King in this his manner of speaking vnderstandeth not only the time and age of a mans life or of yeeres but the very ages of the world with the ordinary and common succession and generation of the persons and thinges in the same Wherein it is euident how one thing is corrupted and another thing is engendred how one man dyeth and another is borne how one thing passeth and another followeth And this course is so established in the world as it cannot be altered like that wherof the Lorde saide to Noah yet shall not sowing time and harvest colde and heate Gen. 8.22 The condition of worldly things sommer and winter day and night cease all the daies of the earth * By this wee may sée and consider the course of this worlde the shortnes of a mans life and the alteration and succession of things in the same A man may not expect to liue here still nor thinke to haue the face of thinges alwayes alike for a man is no sooner borne and taketh the place of him that went before him but by and by he posteth hence againe to giue place to another This world is but his place of peregrination and trauaile wherein his voyage ended hee must yeeld to him that commeth after him Therefore let vs not builde high houses as to dwell in them for euer nor lay vp treasures in this life from the which we shall soone bee shaken but rather let vs play our parts well while wee stand on the stage of our time in the feare and seruice of God therein to prepare our selues for the time we must departhence and for the life to come and then yéelding our selues vp vnto the Lorde wee may willingly resigne ouer our places vnto them that shal succéede and come after vs according to the will and purpose of God Loe this is the lot of this life wherein one generation passeth and another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commeth And this cannot but condemn mans inconstancie and vanity Mans inconstancie which contrarie to the due course of the Creatures and the constant succession of the ages times and persons of the worlde breaketh order and is wearied in many intricate and wicked imaginations counsels devises and actions as therein striuing with him that is mightier and seeking to withstand the will power and prouidence of the most high Howbeit The continuance of mans vanitie in this man accordeth to the course and sucession of those determinat ages that as man since his fall through our first Parentes is sinfull and vaine so is he sinfull and vaine as yet and so hee will bee vnto the ende for as Adam begate Seth in his owne likenesse So one sinfull and vaine man begetteth another in his likenesse one vayne deuise bringeth foorth another one vaine action another one vayne thing another in and among the children of men that looke as were the Fathers precéeding the like are the children succeeding in whome the Prouerbe hits true That Nature though spee bee supprest doth rise again which is a continuall argument not of mans constancy and perseuerance in vertues as the creatures which retaine their kinde but of his apostasye and wicked pertinacy in vices as degenerating from kinde and continuing a monster without cure or recouerie as long as hee liueth Loe yee haue seene both what is ment by these Dorim or generations and also what is the Kinges purpose therein The like may not vnhapily bee saide and gathered of those other fower thinges following The course order of the 4. Elementes which it pleased Abiather to call the fower principall Elementes as namely the Earth the Sunne the Winde and the Water For as it was the Nature of the ages and generations to come and go and to succeede one another in their due courses and turnes The Earth as so by the Lorde appointed not to bee altered so is it the Nature of those Elementes For first the Earth although it hath the circumference of all the other Elementes in their turnes rounde about it and thereof is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eretz of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rotz which signifieth to runne or to haue recourse vnto anything and importeth inclination promptnesse or proanesse yet it standeth abideth and remaineth the same and in the same estate wherein and to the vses wherevnto it was ordained and appointed from the beginning According to that testimony of the sweete Psalmist Thou Lorde Psal 119.90 haste laid the foundation of the Earth and it abideth This is the lowest of all the fower Elements to the which all ponderous thinges fall and encline as to their certaine centre This is the Mother of all earthly creatures the receptacle of all inferior bodies the Sepulchre of all corruptions the graue of all deade carkasses and the Element which is mightily oppressed howbeit shee susteineth it shee endureth it and standeth in her place vnmoueable because the Lord God hath so appointed it and therein she serued the Lorde and is profitable to men * The other three Elements also haue their due courses and vses wherein they abide and serue God according to that testimonie of the same Psalmist They doe continue to this day by thy divine decree In that estate wherin they were created The Sunne ariseth and knoweth his going downe The Winde bloweth breatheth and knoweth her circuites and turnes The Sea ebbeth and floweth in her tydes 119 91. The Sunne The winde or ayre The Sea psal 147. The creatures condemne mans inconstancie powreth foorth in venes to fill the springs and receiueth it againe from the Riuers And therein as they follow and keepe their proper vses they praise the Lorde as sayd the Psalmist all this the king opposeth to man thereby to condemne him of inconstancie and rebellion against his maker Besides this who seeth not how excellently this depaignteth and setteth foorth mans mortalitie and vanitie for howsoeuer one age passeth and another commeth yet both the one and the other come to the Earth and there it abideth and howsoeuer a man hath béene glorious in his dayes in conclusion he returneth thither from whence hee came according to that decree Thou art taken from the earth and to the earth thou shalt returne Mans mortalitie and transitorines Gen. 3. For this is the ende of his course wherein hee is compared not onely to the Flower of the field as Iob sayd that commeth vp from the ground and after a little time withereth and falleth into the ground againe but also to the Milstone which hauing runne about all the day with great wearinesse and heate resteth at night there where hée began in the morning without profite or ioy of his labours Behold therefore the great vanitie of the men of this life By this time I hope ye well vnderstand those the Kings Wordes For surely he condemneth not the Creatures in their kinde but by the due consideration of the same with
that they glorifie him in the vse of them doe good therewith one to another and discharge their proper duties in their places A cooling carde for worldly men who seke felicity of these things Lastly the King hauing learned the lesson of true consideration did in the end confesse that in al those things he could find no contentation so neither felicitie but that indeed he found great vanitie and vexation of his spirite Alas then what shoulde other men hope to finde Might not this stoppe the mouths of them who say that then they shoulde bee happy had they the wealth the riches the power the honors and the pleasures of glorious king Solomon as if forsooth that in those terrene and transitorie thinges the true happines of man consisted But truly as they bewray their corrupt iudgement and error in and about this chiefe principle so if by the will and pleasure of God they had therein their desire it is not only possible but most certain that they woulde transgresse and offend farre beyond the transgressions and offences of King Solomon and wanting that wisedome which he had to guide and direct them they would quickly declare themselues the greatest fooles in the worlde For man beeing in honor without vnderstanding is compared to the Beasts which perish as King David said when he beheld both the vprising and downe falling of many such persons as hauing the things of this worlde at will could neither vse the same to their own good nor with the same defend and preserue themselues from euill albeit estéeming the same aboue God and all goodnesse they placed therein their highest and chiefe felicitie In regarde whereof the pleasures honors glory and prosperity of this world are compared to a shining candle which for the time it burneth giueth a glorious light but the substance whereof it is maintained beeing consumed the same commeth all to smoke and stinche for the time will come when thou shalt grant and confesse with the King that all these thinges are vanitie and vexation of the soule that not so much in regarde of the thinges themselues as of thine owne abuse and erronious thoughts in and concerning the same CAP. XXXVIII Abiather produceth 17. obiections against other the words and doctrines of the preacher to 4. of the which Zadoke answereth in this chapter THen Zabud the Kings friend zabud a man that very much tendered both his honor and prosperity hauing thus farre listned to the former disputation and conference stoode foorth and spake to this effect Howsoeuer I am right sorrowfull for the Kinges fall and affliction yet am I glad the rather for the Kinges sake which hath euer beene and yet continueth so good a Lord vnto me that my Lord zadok hath not only answered in this presēce for his maiestie but also hath cleared him and those his wordes of all the thinges so hardly conceited and strongly obiected against either of them And we may thereby the sooner perswade What the malitious gaineth in the end that whosoeuer hencefoorth shall cast forth his venemous darts against either the King or his words shall rather hurt and annoy himselfe by the rebound of the same as those do which shoote against the hard rocks then any way discredit the one or disgrace the other This is that they often purchase to themselues which take pleasure to maligne and slander others chiefly their superiors betters according to that which the Kinges father said the vngodly be entrapped in their owne devises and taken in those snares which they had laide for others And this we see verified on the old serpent not only in the case of Adam but in that of Iob wherein his owne deuises to confound them was cast on himselfe But hath Abiather heard any thing els obiected that he is willing to vnfold and lay foorth here be-before vs Abiather princes offences are not rashly to bee spoken of Yea said Abiather I haue heard many other things of the which to heare I haue bin very sorrowfull in minde neither knew I vntil this time how I might find a fit occasion to reueale it or to whome for as the causes of Princes are not to bee hearde or debated as are the causes of other men so neither may the subiects be so bolde as to talke or reason thereof without feare especially in the court so neare the kings presence And here yee shall vnderstand my good Lordes that they which obiect do not so much respect and of those his gestures words and sayings which he either declared or expressed in his prosperous dayes and time of his dignity then when he well pleased and blessed the Lorde for those doe all men yea euen the kings enemies approue and commend nor those dare they to maligne or disgrace nor call they into present question any of those his wordes or gestures which hee either vttered or deliuered to and among his strange wiues in the time of his trespasse when nothing els besides vanitie after his owne confession might be expected to come from a person so vaine for neither those we esteeme nor regard to collect but they are the same which are and haue beene in action and question after euer since the time of his contrition and sorrowful affliction ordinarily vttered and declared in his common and dayly gesture talke and conference esteemed among his wise sermons and which as holy oracles diuine sayings yee haue entēded with ful purpose to collect to cōmit leaue vnto the church in posterity I thinke not otherwise but that they are meere vniustly conceited most hardly construed against his excellent maiesty his true meaning For whiles as a King he speaketh in right courtly phrases the rude country people scarcely vnderstād him in any thing Solomon in his words was Courte-like briefe in that to eschew tediousnes which is loathsome to the learned he is very briefe he séemeth in many thinges the more obscure especially to the simple and ignorant which commonly do not onely much mistake the thinges they vnderstand not but also soone ouerthrow the right sense and true meaning therof vnaduisedly But it were to bee wished that not onely those but all others when they come to consider of the Wordes and affayres of Princes but chiefly when they beginne to scanne the thinges which are holy and appertaine to GOD and his Church woulde followe that counsell and aduise of the King Eccles. 5.1 where he saith When thou commest into the house of GOD keepe thy foote and drawe nigh that GOD which is at hande may heare that thou give not the offering of fooles for they knowe not when they doe evill Bee not hastie with thy mouth and let not thine heart speake any thing rashly before God for God is in heaven and thou on earth therfore let thy words be few For surely in those things which are either doubtfull or vnknowne vnto vs wee should rather modestly
breuitie for we haue beene here talking very long and it is more then time we were with his maiestie to giue him comfort in his afflictions Debarim The first worde in this title is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Debarim the which as ye know signifieth not onely bare words speeches sermons or orations but also matters thinges and causes yea and such as are not vulgar ordinary or common but rather graue profitable memorable and of price as such where of the kings father sometimes modulated saying Mine heart is willing to disclose a goodly thing Psalme 45.1 For in my workes I will report of Iah the King Such wordes vttered Moses the Lordes seruant before our fathers when he said hearken O ye heavens I shal speake Deut. 32. ◠let the earth heare the wordes of my mouth And the like words the diuine preacher in his publike Sermons is wont to vtter declare vnto the people with great wisedome and grauitie for those indeede are the thinges which the king hath lately vttered and spoken of in the audience of vs and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concinator and the which we purpose to gather and commit to writing The next word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Preacher or that Preacher This is made as well ye know of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to congregate to assēble and call people together to make a Church and is a participle rather feminine then masculine howbeit in this place let it be vsed for both that it may be referred aswell to the person as to the thinges or matters by him vttered Solomon a preacher Eccles. 1.12 And first as it signifieth a preacher or one preaching we may apply the word to the King who notwithstanding his great royaltie and glory disdaineth not this name appellatiue yea hee hath willingly admitted it by his owne choice For albeit hee bee no publike preacher or teacher in the Church which is a thing rather appertinent to the priests and Leuits yet in either gender the word rightly fitteth him First in regard of the singular wisdom which hath beene aboundantly gathered and noted in him For in him is gathered the wisedome and knowledge of all the Patriarks Prophets Maisters Teachers wise men the Lord hauing granted him wisedome and vnderstanding exceeding much and a large heart euen as the sand that is on the Sea shore Secondly in regard of his soule so wisely instructed or of the Church which is to receiue the doctrine of his wordes to the edification of the saintes Neither may it seeme strange vnto them which are acquainted with the wordes and phrases of holy write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that this gendre is applyed to such a person who though masculine wee find to bee called Shelomoh as a person feminine tender delicate and peaceable or a faire and chast virgin whom a man affecteth and woweth in honest loue Howsoeuer it bee that some men not acquainted with our tongue may esteeme this title to be imposed on him for his vnmeasurable loue of women by the which hee was effeminated and changed in nature Thirdly he may be called Choheleth or Preacher in that hee spake not to one or to a few but before many great personages and others of diuers nations For as he hath spoken in the great assembly so are his words fit to instruct and teach all Fourthly as he hath had a speciall regard for the glory of the great God to the which he had built a magnificent house so as the figure of the holy Messiah which gathereth to himselfe teacheth and preserueth his holy church he hath a speciall care with that wisedome which the Lord had given him in his time to call together and to assemble the people into the same to the hearing of the lawe of GOD and performance of his right seruice as to him indéed it appertained The right office of a K. in 2 points Besides that the office of a King as ye well know is not onely to defend and rule the people but also as well by himselfe as by his prophets priestes and ministers by his commādement in their seuerall functions to teach and excite his subiects to feare the Lord and to walke in his wayes Fifthly hee may bee thus called For that beeing sufficiently schooled in his afflictions and repenting those his transgressions and sins before vs al he can best admonish and warne al others to flye that misery and trouble by contemning and abandoning the vanities of this guilefull worlde and to aspire in the feare of God to the highest felicitie they are called happy whō the harms exāples of others either séen or heard of can cause to be warie * In the second place the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may not vnaptly be applyed to the matter or cause it selfe which is handled The matter of the Booke or Words meete to be preached openly and then it soundeth as thus The words of the Sermon or preaching of the sonne of David For indeede as those words were vttred before appertaining to many as a publike Sermon or Oration or matters or causes so are they right excellent and worthy not only to bee read heard in the Churches or Congregations but also to bee preached and published in open sermons as the word not of man but of God and right profitable to instruct teach all men on the one side how to know and to estéeme of the world how to liue and order themselues in the world how to contemne eschew the vanities of the worlde on the other side how to knowe the right Good and how to walke in the world and to attaine the highest felicitie Therefore although the King bee no publike Preacher yet shall those his wordes be preached heard and estéemed of the people of God in the Church with all reuerence for their better instruction to the glory of God Thus haue I sayde of the person The difference betweene Solomon other preachers and their words with an emphasis and of his wordes Howbeit to make difference aswell betwéene him all other Preachers as betwéene those his words and the words of others as also to adde the more emphasis to either part haue wee prefixed this particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ha the which as ye know besides the note of a prepositiue article pointeth expositiuely to that speciall person and thing whereof there was mention made before as the King himselfe did when pointing to those things which hee had descried within the limites of vanities kingdome sayde And all that or that whole is vanitie Againe this particle being prefixed to a Nowne appellatiue addeth vnto it a singular emphasis or force as it is to be seene in the first Psalme where the Kings of father pointing to some excellent person sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed is that man So we say here The wordes of That singular Preacher or Congregator or
of that right excellent Sermon * The third word of the Title is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sonne of David if it bee asked 3 The sonne of Dauid Solomons name is concealed Eccles. 1. why the Name of Shelomon is héere concealed It may be answered First because it pleased the King to entitle himselfe the Preacher when he acknowledged not himself for king of Israel but only said that he had bin king And albeit we hold our Lord the King yet honorable in his place as true Subiects ought to do and neither to discouer his faults imperfections as Cham did the nakednes of his father nor to conceale that with the envious which may giue a light to the glory of the worthy yet considering the Kings cause and the humors of men wee had need to walke warily in this matter And we know that howsoeuer the king shal be honored or suspected with thē that come after vs The estimation of the words the words being indéed the words of truth shall stand and be receiued of prize as those which procéeded not only from this person but from the true Solomon the sonne of David by whose spirit the king hath abounded in wisedom spoken those words For it is wel known and the king himself hath not concealed it that by his transgressions hee hath prouoked Iehovah his God to anger as it is before declared whereby hee is depriued of that excellent Peace and Dignitie which his Name Shelomoh importeth For the time was that the Lord fauouring him Eccles. 47.13 gaue him a glorious raigne when he had made all quiet round about him that he might build an house to his name and prepare the Sanctuarie for euer and for that his peace he was beloued But now there bee stirred vp against him diuers great enemies Solomon himself concealeth his name Solomon because he had transgressed Ruth 1.20 whereby in steed of peace hee is forced to embrace warres and troubles moreouer entring into the reckning of his own demerits and condition he acknowledgeth himself rather an occasioner of warres then a procurer of peace and to be called rather afflicted and vexed then delicate and tender according as once Naomi sayd to her citizens Call me not Naomi beautifull but call me Marah bitter For the Almighty hath given me much bitternesse Therefore it might bee that some though not any of vs hearing those wordes published vnder the title of Solomon whome they know to bee a transgressour and causer of warres may vnhappily suspect and doubt of the authoritie thereof for things are commonly estéemed according to the credit of their Authors as Abiather before said A Lesson for preachers Therfore it is méet that they which take on them to preach to others or to teach others be themselues first of all reformed and conformed in life and conuersation lest whiles they endeuor to saue others they remaine themselues cast-awayes occasion their words to be derided and their doctrine reiected And that these words might be vnderstood so esteemed as the very words of truth and of that excellent * Prophet and Pastor That is the Messiah which shall be raised vp in his time to preach and to feede the people of God with the heauenly Manna they are entituled Of the Sonne of David Howbeit to put difference betweene him and some others of that Name and there withall to retaine the right honor and dignitie of the persons whom it pleased the Lord in loue and mercy to aduance and set on the throne of Israel we haue added in the fourth place 4. King in Ierusalem King in Hierusalem which may be vnderstood of King Solomon and next of the holy Messiah And although the Name bee not put downe háere Solomon Pro. 1.1 1. King 1.35 yet the godly learned shall well perceiue the Author of these wordes to bee the same which in the title of the Kings wise Prouerbes is named Solomon For this person beyond all Davids sonnes was onely preferred to the throne of Israel on the which hee sitteth and ruleth all the twelue Tribes for the most part hath dwelt in Hierusalem which Citie his father David constituted the Metropolitane and chiefe seat of the Kingdome and therein ruling the people of God in equitie and righteousnesse he beareth a type and Figure of the holy Messiah the sonne of David that King of righteousnes and peace who raigneth and shall raigne ouer the house of Israel for euer as I haue said from whom The author and authoritie of holy scriptures as from the chief Pastor author the authoritie credit of those words is to bee deriued as is the authoritie of all the holy Scriptures by whomsoeuer the wordes and Doctrines thereof haue beene or shall bee written preached or taught Loe thus haue I spoken for the better vnderstanding of this Title which we thinke good to prefixe to those the Kings words by vs to be collected Now if it please you my good Lordes all let euery one of vs call to minde what wee haue heard the king to vtter in this time of his Repentāce the which I would should be simply plainly gathered and registred without any addition or diminution of any thing How the words are to be collected and written that so the Wordes as they be indited by the singer of the holy Ghost may remaine the same sound whole to be remēbred vnderstood expounded and learned by thē only to whom the same spirit shall giue both wisdom vtterance capacity the same to performe in posterity * Very well spoken sayde the Princes and turning themselues towards Helioreph and Ahiah The Kings Secretaries they requested them to write according to that euery one of them should call to minde and deliuer of those the Kings last words The Secretaries write the words to whom they answered We are heare ready and as ye shall remember and relate the Kings owne wordes so shall we receiue the same with all willingnesse and faithfully register them zadoke beginneth the Collection Say on my Lords in order one after another They giue good eare sayde zadok and I will beginne to report what I haue heard The matters are waightie and graue they require both attention trust and diligence Write and begin thus Eccles. 1.2 Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities all is vanitie Verse 3. What remaineth vnto man in all his travell which he taketh vnder the Sunne c. Cap 2.1 I sayd in my heart Go too nowe I will proove thee with ioy therefore take thou pleasure in pleasant things beholde this also is vanity c. The Booke of the Ecclesiastes or the Preacher distinguished into 12. Chapters Cap. 3. To all things there is an appointed Time and a time to every purpose vnder heaven c Cap. 4.1 So I turned and considered all the oppressions that are wrought vnder the Sunne c. Cap. 5.1 Be not
my Lordes that ye haue not seene any such thing in the king nor do ye imagine as I suppose that the king at any time was so foolish as to adore or worship such kind of Gods of the which his father David deciding the grosse Idolatrie of the heathen thus sang Their Idols both of silver golde and mens hand worke they be They mouthes have but do not speake and eies but cannot see They have eke eares but do not heare senseles noses so They have handes but they handle not feete but cannot go Doubtles answered the Princes we perswade as yee haue said yea said Azariah and wee haue often heard the K. himselfe to blame and reproue such kind of Idolatry and thus hath he said whose wordes for wisedome and grauity are copied out and divulged euen among the Gentiles Sap. 13.10 14.8 15.3 Miserable are they and among the dead that call them Gods which are but the workes of mens hands Againe deriding the folly of those Idoll-worshippers he saith he is not ashamed to speake to that which hath no soule for health hee makes his petition to that which is sicke for life he humbly praieth to him that is dead Againe cursed be the Idoll that is made with handes yea both it and he that made it he because he made it and it because it was called a God whereas it is but a fraile thing for the vngodly and his vngodlines are both like abhominable vnto God euen so the worke and he that made it shal be punished together Againe To know the Lord God is perfect righteousnesse yea to know his power is the root of immortality As for the thing that men haue found out through their euill science it hath not deceiued vs nor the painters vnprofitable labor namly an image spotted with diuers colors whose sight inticeth the ignorāt to lust after it and he desireth the picture of a dead image that hath no breath Both they that make them they that desire them and they that worship them loue euill thinges and merite to haue such thinges to trust vpon Againe the enemies of Israel that worship those Idols are most vnwise more miserable thē very fooles For they iudge of them to bee Gods which neither haue eyes to see nor noses to smell nor ears to heare nor hands nor fingers to grope and as for their feete they are too slow to goe Lo those and such like wordes hath the king his wisedome vttered touching those heathen Gods and the worshippers of thē euen publikely and in presence of all them to come to him to heare his wisdome that thereby the sooner he might withdraw them from that grosse error and impious abhomination and bring them to the right worship of Iehovah the God of Israel Ye haue truly spoken in this matter said Zadok for in truth I haue not knowen any one man of life that hath more disliked and derided this kind of Idolatry that hath more sharply reprehended them that haue followed after strange Gods then the K. himselfe Neither did he thinke that any man which either knew Iehovah our God or had any wisedome or reason or iudgement or humaine wit wold acknowledge such a senseles image for a God and worship it much lesse himselfe woulde either aduenture or attempt a thing so heinous shamefull and dangerous against the law of God reason and good conscience being a man so wise holy and zealous for the L. his God Therfore let vs not imagine that the K. was so perswaded to prostrate himselfe before those vaine images of the heathen to adore or worship them as Gods or that he did inuocate or pray to them or trust in thē for any aid or comfort seeing that both he knew the abhomination of such vain things In what sense it is said that Solomon followed after strange Gods felt the goodnes of the living God at al times so gratious towards him but indeede this is true that the K. hath in his fond loue and carnall affection to his wiues being Idolators and Apostats from the true religiō so doted besotted himselfe that he hath winked at such their abhominations yea hee hath permitted them to vse their strāge religiōs more yet he hath caused to be built for thē houses high places in the face of all Israel in the sight of Ierusalē hath allowed thē great sums of money maintenance out of his treasurs to for the same wherof it is well said indéede that he followed after their abhominatiōs for being both the K. of Israel the husband of those his wiues he should rather as he might wel do haue restrained punished such horrible abuses of the name honor of God But howsoeuer it was seing we haue not séen such palpable idolatry in the K. as that he did worship their idols nor cā we see into the K. heart as God séeth him Gods secret waies are such as no vultures eie did euer see as Iob said the bottōles profunditie therof we may not attempt to sownd let vs here content our selues with so much thereof as it hath well pleased him to reueale vnto vs iudge iustly and soberly of God and his waies constre the best of his Saintes thinke honourably of this chosen person and his actions and words not rashly censuring the one nor indiscreetely condēning the other And out of all question if in this resolution and minde wee duly search and wisely examine and consider of all thinges we shall find and confesse that howsoeuer it bee K. Solomon did not onely turne away from God and endangered himselfe as all other sinners do but that also he is returned againe and assured of safetie King Solomon did turne again to the Lord. as those which truly repent them of their sinnes that he had not onely his heart seduced and corrupted as his Father David had when he cōmitted murther adultery but hath also a new heart created and a right spirit renewed in him as the same David had after that hee repented psal 51. praied and founde grace with the Lord that he did not only deny the Lord wherby God was exasperated against him as our forefathers both in the wildernes and in the time of the Iudges haue don but also hath acknowledged his power Num. 21.8 and confessed him and therein eschewed his owne destruction as many of our fathers did which beheld that brasen serpēt in the wildernes and wept before the Lord and were preserued and comforted he did not only sin to prouoke the Lord but also he did repent and well pleased the Lord. Exo. 10.17 2. Sam. 12.13 Gen. 4.14 1. Sam. 13.4 Gen. 3.20 38 26. Exo. 32.22 And this he hath done not with his mouth onely as Pharao did but with his heart as K. David did he dispaired not as did Cain and Saul but he sorrowed and repented in hope as did Adam and Iudah