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
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
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
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
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
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
strongest power of man nor in wisdome nor in anything vnder the Sunne for all these thinges being transitory haue aswell their falling as their rising as well their ending as their beginning as well their discommoditie as their commodity incident Now that king and also the kingdome haue that supremitie of glory and peace it is most apparant not onely by the firme testimony of Gods words spoken vnto the king promising him such a thing but by our own certaine knowledge and experience thereof and all men that haue vnderstanding cannot but beholde confesse the same with vs. For who is like to K. Solomon in wisedome wealth fame and glory of all the kings on the face of the earth and what kingdome is cōparable to the kingdom of Israel in beauty peace and prosperity For albeit the king hath been sometimes resisted and shouldered by Adoniah Ioab Abiather and some others yet hath he preuailed thus farre forth prospered and triumphed ouer his enemies valiantly and although the kingdome of Israel hath beene many times battered threatned troubled by diuers enemies on euery side sithence the cōming of our fathers out of Aegypt as the Sunne Moone with Eclipses clouds darke mists yet hath the same still increased growne and prospered more and more as the Sunne from his rising vnto the high noone and as the Moone from her Coniunction to her perfect fulnesse vntill this very day wherein the same is so highly aduanced that the exaltation thereof can no further procéede proceed but henceforth begin to decline droope returne and decay after the state and course of worldlie thinges wherein we sée how one generation passeth away another succedeth The world is like a sea of glasse Eccles 3. one falleth another riseth one dieth another is borne one thing corrupteth another thing is engendred Neither can thinges be established otherwise in this wauering world how glorious soeuer it be to the eye or delight of man therefore the world is not vnaptlie likened to a sea of glasse And surely this is an exceeding greate sorrow to a wise and glorious king when he séeeth and preceiueth that all his glorie will end in ignomie his pleasures will be finished in paynes his wealth will wast and wash away his peace will be quenched with warres and his prosperitie will draw after it aduersitie all this the very heauens portend the earth pronosticateth the elemēts expresse the creatures forshew and the king himselfe through his wisdome doth foresée and therefore he is full sad heauy in his heart Alas quod the Princes is it so indéed The princes is there not any thing to be foūd out or prepared this hard lot to withstād It is true and too true saide Zadok But how to withstand it I know not zadock sauing that wel I wot al things are possible to the Lord God of heauen and earth The best way to withstand this inconuenience is to go to God and craue help at his hands to whose high Maiesty deuout and faithfull prayers and supplications must he made powred forth and offered vp by vs them which shall be included within those dolefull times that it would vouchsafe his goodnes for his names sake to grant vs true patience and constant abilitie to stand before him satisfied with his grace sufficient for them which depend on him to shroud our selues vnder the wings of his mercie compassing all his works howsoeuer things be carried and séem confused in this world psal 37.25.27 neither shal so much as one haire of the head miscarry of the which belōg to Iehovah our God To this purpose spake the kings father in his godlie meditations saying I have beene young and now am old yet did I never see the righteous forsaken Therefore he resolued as well for the solace of his owne soule as for the comfort of them in posteritie that it is good for a man to hold him fast by God to put his trust in the Lord God and to speake of all his workes in the gates of the daughter of Zion how further to withstand those fatall decrees why should we search will the most high alter his purpose are not all his workes iudgement Deut. 32. and doth he not worke and effect whatsoeuer is in his thought and that euermore for the comfort and profit of his saintes that by faith trust in him yeas assuredlie whereof we may not doubt To this replied the Princes Neither will we presume to inuestigate those hidden thinges which the Lord hath sealed vp with seauen seales nor attempt to walke in his secret wayes which no mortall man is able to find out nor studie we to withstand the purpose and prouidence of the Almightie which is euer strongest and shall with the truth preuaile But rather we will assay to conforme our will vnto his will and our liues to his pleasure being well content with that which is reuealed as that which is onely appertinent to vs and our children for euer Now let it be your pleasure most reuerend father in God to explane that second cause of the kings displeasure which riseth as yee saide from Hyram the king of Tyrus the kings brother in amitie and especiall wel willer with the rest as they follow in order for our vnderstanding CHAP. XVI Of the second third causes of king Solomons grieved minde viz. of Hyram and of the Arabian Queene THen Zadok the most Reuerend father in God being willing to satisfie the Lordes procéeded in the declaratiō of those other causes of the Kings sadnesse Of Hyram and now concerning the secōd he spake as it followeth It is true that albeit Hyram be an especiall good friend to our Lord King Solomon as he was to his father David yet ye know well my Lordes that the king aswell to gratifie him for his approued goodwill as to recompence his rich bounty in that he furnished the king with Timber and many other necessaries for the building of the Temple and his royall howses and such like he had giuen him some twentie Cities in the land of Galilee the which he thought the King of Tyrus would gladly haue accepted at his hand the rather in regard of his lonely affection and friendlie goodwill 1. king 9.11.12.13 But now king Hyram lately comming out of Tyre to sée those twentie Cities declareth himselfe scarcely well pleased with king Solomon concerning them saying vnto him What kind of Cities are these which thou hast bestowed on me my brother Moreouer he called them the land Cabul which is barraine or as old and worne out howbeit we perceiue not but that he might be well enough pleased with those Citties forasmuch as the king hath not onely in loue ioyned amitie with him as his brother when he could haue made him a Subject vnto his power by conquest but also hath admitted him into his Territories so farre as hee thought it was lawfull for him to doe for the land
in that time of his age Solomon offended God in his elder daies when he should rather haue abandoned fleshly lustes the delights of the sonnes of men and all the vanities of the worlde and haue offered vp himselfe both body and soule a sweete and holy Sacrifice acceptable to the Lorde his God in that holy Temple which hee both built and dedicated to his Name Alas what a blemish is this to his Grace and that his gray haires shoulde bee polluted with youthfull lustes This is one of the things which I haue heard him saye that his very soule abhorred But when vnto those lustes shall ioyne that transgression of the Lawes and abhominable sinnes against the true seruice and honor of God and that in olde men oh God howe great and daungerous is this kinde of abhomination A great deale more loathsome and daungerous is the fire in an olde house then in a newe and no lesse dangerous and loathsome is sinne in an old person beyond those which bée in the yonger sort Olde men should bee to the yonger examples of a chaste life holinesse godly behauiour Religion and vertues they should be profitable to the common-wealth by their wisedome reuerend before all men for their age and well prepared for the place of eternitie vnto whose gate they are or should be ready to enter with holy hearts and cleane bodies they in whom the contrary is found especially among the Princes Nobles Magistrates and persons of name and account are rightly likened vnto those olde Cockes that bring forth certaine blacke and blewish Egges Similitude which being couered by some venemous beast as a Toade or serpent in the canicular dayes there is hatched a Basiliscus or Cockatrice of that venom which infecteth and killeth men with his piercing sight By the Egge is vnderstood the euill worke or action of the faultie olde man by the venemous beast is meant the suggestor or flatterer of him in his faults by the Cockatrice is noted the wicked example and by the persons killed the seers and imitators thereof For those elder persons and namely Princes and Magistrates which haue beene estéemed and honoured in their places now sinning against God and the honor of their functions and their sinnes fostered and nourished by the pestiferous and wicked suggestion giueth a most pestilent example the which being seene of the Subiects yonger and inferiour persons infecteth and corrupteth them and as much as lyeth in him he killeth him And thus hath the king done Howbeit now at length he perceiueth that the iust iudgements of God threatned in this case and wont to ensue on them that breake and contemne his holy ordinance and Lawe is now prepared against him and this whole Nation yea more fiercer than it was in Davids time when seuenty thousand dyed in the pestilence Neither hath he found as yet by his wisedome how to excuse himselfe in this matter nor how to defend his innocencie for behold it is neither the king though so wise and royal nor things in heauen nor them on the earth nor any other power or might whatsoeuer that is able either to dispence with this diuine Lawe or to beare the effects of that celestiall wrath Woulde God that King Solomons example could be remembred of all thē that shall come after him An admonition for princes to remember Solomons example and learn to feare the diuine iudgements to be placed vpon his throne that in the middest of all their prosperity they wold thinke of aduersity as Iob did with that reuerence and feare that they presume not so farre to tempt the Lorde in the lust of their eyes the lust of their flesh and in the trust of their proper wisedome worldly policies and high places for howsoeuer they be preferred and aduanced and do stand yet shoulde they know themselues to be but men yea miserable and fraile men in this life subiect to whatsoeuer misery betideth other men Wherein the King is no freer then the beggar though preferred in his estate royall and the lustie yong man is no more respected then the olde man to whom crooked age is a continuall sickenesse such is mans condition for this cause men be well likened to the grasse in the field and all their glory honour wealth wisedome beauty and whatsoeuer els wherby a man is adorned in this world and in the which hee delighteth as that which is mans or incident to his pleasures in this life is rightly likened to the flowers of the grasse in the fielde the which are by diuers occasions either withered or altered in a very short time neither is any one herbe or flower in the fielde more free from those blastings burnings annoies and perrils then any other in the same notwithstanding that one beyonde the other is in higher estimation and price among men But as for the Lord our God he is most mighty euer the same without alteration or changes alwaies sufficiēt a reuenger of them that dishonour him and a very consuming fier to deuoure the ongodly as the stuble from the face of the earth hee is in his iudgements most iust in his workes most perfect in his wisedome infinite and in all thinges good for his saints and glorious in himselfe This is he that ouerthroweth man in offences and compasseth him about with a net wherein if sinfull man should complaine of violence done vnto him Iob. 19.7 he shall not be heard and if he cry for helpe there is no sentence to bee giuen for him he must abide his lot and beare the iustice of the Iudge without hope of change or alteration of the decree vntill it bee his pleasure vpon mans true repepentance to turne Iustice into mercy and paine into peace * All this answered the Lords being true can neither be denied nor dissembled but we wil witnes the same though to our sorrow because it toucheth our Lord the King Howbeit we haue not found that the holy religion hath beene altered but that the seruices of Iehovah our God and al his holy sacrifices are continued in that house which the king had dedicated to that vse howsoeuer those strāge women haue in their apostacie turned to their Idols againe affected the superstitions of their seuerall nations and obtained by the kings fauour permissiō to vse their own religions within these his territories and dominions I grant said Zadoke that our holy religion is yet preserued in vre howbeit not without a manifest contempt zadoke tels that religion is much blemished by those sins of Solomon 1. Sam. 5.2.3.4 Iudg. 6.31 when such as deride and disdaine the same shal be both permitted and maintained in the open face of the king and his people Could Dagon stand before the arke of God Would Gedeon permit in his daies that any man shold pleade Baals cause did our father Iacob suffer that his wife Rachel should retaine with her Labans Images or that any of his sonnes or family should be
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
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
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
conclude with mée that hee is neither a damned nor a reprobate The consent of the princes or a prophane person but a singuler Saint of the most high To this answered the Princes yee haue well spoken most reuerend father and semblably applyed whatsoeuer yee haue produced for the king Many things whereof wee knowe and all other things wee beleeue to be true as yee haue declared them therefore wee will gladly both subscribe to the same and conclude with you for the Kings holines Morouer as we haue been willing to heare you and are glad of those your resolutions so are wee not weary but more willing as yet to heare you further and further in these things neither shall ye bee more ready to speake then wee shall be pleased to listen and learne to vnderstand the mysteries of the kings excellency and glorie Therefore if ye haue any thing else to produce say on wee beseech you To this said Zadok Yea my Lords there be as yet many more Arguments to this purpose and more then I minde at this time to produce It shall be sufficient that among many I take some few For the thing being already so well proved that of the trueth fewe or none néede to doubt it may be bootlesse for mee to heape together ouer-much lest I may not onely séeme to affirme and confirme that which no man denieth but also to confound your memories with ambages and tedious circumstances But hearken againe As it hath well pleased the Almightie to elect king Solomon to appoint him the builder of his house Solomon in his dignitie prefigureth Christ to honor his birth and to entitle him with those most soueraigne Names so hath hee made him king ouer his people Israel to doe vnto them equitie and righteousnesse And this the Lorde did in his loue to his people 1. king 10. as the noble Queene of Saba said at her being here and so said Hyram the king of Tyrus writing to the king Because the Lord loved Israel therefore hath he placed the king over them Wherein wee see how he typeth the holy Messiah for insomuch as the Lord loued his Church I meane all those faithfull ones whom he had before elected and purposed to glorifie in the end he made his Messiah their Prince and Captaine He gaue vnto them in his good pleasure such a king as might sit vpon mount Sion from whence he had expelled all the halt and the blinde that this king of the right Vrim and Thumim might be placed and raigne therein doing righteousnesse and equitie vnto his Saints If therefore the Lorde loued Israel and in his pleasure placed ouer them a king whom he also loued and by the same would prefigurate both his Messiah his Church what should let vs in this to conclude for the kings holinesse Moreouer the end of this gouernment shooteth to the same scope which is to doe equitie and righteousnes This our king endeuoured to his power and so much performed as a mortall man could but the full perfection thereof indeede is reserued to the most holy seede which is appointed to combine the Lords Iustice with his Mercie therof conclude Equitie when laying mans guilt on himselfe hee shall beare the strokes of the diuine iustice and imputing his perfection vnto man hee shall procure him pardon Thus shall iustice be administred yet mercy shall not be abandoned but one thing so considered with another that both righteousnesse and equitie shall bee extended This worke I say is proper to the Messiah wherein therefore our Lord king Solomon standeth a true figure Furthermore to be briefe Solomons magnanimitie the K. great magnanimitie expresseth the same he spared forbare to punish thē which had offended his Maiestie as Adoniah Ioab and others whom hee would neuer haue struken had they not after their second offence against him worthily deserued the reward of their wickednes and how mercifully he dealt with Abiather it is apparent to signifie how ready the Messiah shall bee to forgiue them that offend him vpon their submission after the diuine nature who as David the king did sing is more ready to pardon then to punish them that sin against him when they repent as we sée in the example of the same David To this His wisedome may be added the excellencie of Solomons wisdō I mean that pure influence flowing from the glorie of the most high the brightnesse of that euerlasting light that vndefiled mirrour of the divine Maiestie and the image of his goodnesse that without measure The which shall perfectly and fully farre beyond all that the King hath or can haue be found really and actually resident in the person of holy Messiah the fountaine of all wisedome and heauenly graces the depth whereof the wit of man is not nor shall euer bee able to sound His iudgements and other things The 2. harlots The priesthood translated as long as the worldendureth Moreouer his discretion in Iudgement concerning the cause of the 2. women and their children signifieth the maner of dealing of the Messiah in iudgemēt between his Church and the malignant in time to come his translating of the Priest-hoode from the house of Eli foretelleth that the Priest-hood in time shall bee translated when the true Melchizedek shall come to offer vp his sacrifice for the people of God His iudgement on Adoniah and Ioab Adoniahs iudgement fore-sheweth that the King of glorie in his dayes shall powerfully throwe downe and confound all such as bee enemies to the Lords Annointed and which seeke to disturbe the common-wealth of his Church Hyram his contribution The sending to Hyram the Sidonian for timber and other things for the building of his Temple signifieth that the Messiah as hee is a light for the Gentiles so he shall from thence also take and gather into the Church according to the request of Noah Gen. 9. who prayed that Iaphet might be persuaded to dwell in the tents of Shem. To this also belongeth the comming of the famous Queene of Arabia The Queene of Sheba to heare the kings wisedome with her royall presents and her entertainement for the time shall come that in the like manner the kings of the Gentiles and the people which dwell in the remote and vttermost parts of the earth shall be congregated to heare the wisdom of the holy one Solomons glorie and riches and shal be most gratefull to him for his loving mercies Also the great glory and riches of the king setteth foorth the high glory and noble vertues of that heauenly king from whose kingly stocke many princely branches of divine issue haue and shall spring out and of whom the kings father diuinely inspired prophesied when he spake in the Psalme of his beautie psal 4.5 grace blessing courage might worship renowne prosperitie honor truth meekenes righteousnes noble actions strength in warre of his throne his scepter his iudgements his
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
cause The one saith qoud he this childe which is alive is my sonne and the dead is thine And the other saith Nay but thy sonne is the dead and the living child is mine Then séeing the case doubtfull the more because there were no witnesses for eyther part hee said againe to them that stoode about him Bring me hether a sword and they brought it after that he said againe Divide the living child into two partes and give th' one part to the one and th' other part to the other For hee well knew what he would doe neither was his mind so cruell and bloody as to slay the young innocent for the mothers offence howbeit some being present not considering his purpose beganne to deride and dislike this sentence But by and by his intent was displaied for the woman whose the liuing child was féeling her vowels to yerne within her vpon her sonne whom shee thought was ordained for death cried out and sayde vnto the king I beseech thee my Lord giue her the liuing child and let it not be slaine but the other woman said Let the child be neither thine nor mine but let it be diuided as the king hath said Then the king gaue the sentence in iudgement and saide vnto the Ministers that stood by Geve her the living child whose bowels yerneth thereon and slay it not for doubtles she is the right mother thereof This being done all they of Israel hearing of this iudgement of the king feared his Maiestie the godly for loue the wicked for dread for they saw that the wisedome of God was in him to doe iustice Of this the kinges vertue spake the kings father in the spirit Thou hast loved righteousnes and hated iniquitie This being well weighed my Lordes I see not what should thereof be conceited to offend his Graces mind The princes Subscription To al this the Princes gladly subscribed commending in all thinges the iudgementes of the king And surely saide they they are happy in iudgemēt which haue as the king hath wel learned the right natures of thinges for they soundly consider of th'effectes and discerne and trie them well if they be such as are wise prudent godly and not led by affections but by sure knowledge good counsaile and the guide of the diuine spirite But we see that none of those can this perform which eyther are themselues vnlearned ignorant obstinate selfe willed prowde vngodly or contemne the good counsel and godly and graue aduise of the learned wise and vertuous Surely wee cannot denie it for it is most apparent that our Lord the king hath by this his discrete iudgement purchased to himselfe authority to his kingdome peace and trāquillitie and to the high God condigne glorie Now the better sorte of all men gratifie his honour and gladly submit themselues and their causes to his determination knowing that hee will do iustice The wicked transgressors and hypocriticall persons are fearefull to stand before his presence in the defence of their faults or triall of their liues So aswell of th' one as of th' other is the king feared in respect of those his vpright and iust iugementes which as ye said hath indéed appeared so admirable before all men CHAP. XI Of Solomons riches peace orders pleasures power blessinges fame glory from any of the which riseth not the cause of his sorrow IN the former conference king Solomons Princes and Lordes haue described displaied and defended his most noble birth his honourable names his excellent beautie his godly education his singular wisedome his sweet eloquence and his vpright iudgements Now they are no lesse willing to consider of his riches his workes his peace his orders his pleasures his power Azariah his blessinges his fame his glory And therefore Azariah spake againe and said As in the former wee haue not found anie iust cause of the kinges disgrace Solomons riches but altogether causes of honour and prouocations to ioy and gladnes so neither wanteth he any Riches or the Treasures of a King whether natural or artificiall By the naturall riches I vnderstand all such thinges as come from the fieldes trées and beastes as corne wines oyles fruites victuals clothings and such like apt and meete for mans body by artificiall I vnderstand and those things which are found out or framed by the art and industrie of man as gold siluer coyne pretious stones iewels and such like Ineyther of the which the king is maruailouslie enriched according to that word which the Lord his God spake vnto him when he asked wisedome saying I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked even riches and honour 1. King 3.13 so that there shal be no king like vnto thee in all thy daies Eccles 2.4 2. Chron. 1.15 For this wee know as himselfe hath confessed that the king hath many excellent vineyeardes planted orchardes and gardens with frees of all manner of fruit and fed oxen and beefes and more cattell and sheepe then all they which were before him in Ierusalem And as for siluer and gold wee know that hee hath made such thinges as plentifull as stones in Ierusalem and Cedar trees as plentiful as the Mulbury trées that grow in the vaileis and he hath horses brought out of Egypt and fine linnen which his Marchāts receiued for a price hee hath a chariot which cost him sixe hundred péeces of siluer with many of her Chariots and horsemen yea an hundred twelue thousand horsemen which hee hath bestowed in the Chariot Citties and at Ierusalem with his Maiesty Moreouer hee hath seruants and maidens a great houshold great substance and the chiefe treasures and large possessions euery way And truely howsoeuer these thinges doe proue as a very foolishnes vnto the ignorant and foolish Eccl. 2.9 Pro. 14.24 they are vnto with whome his wisedome remained as a glorious crowne and he is greater and of more worshippe then all his predecessors in Ierusalem Helioreph * All this is manifest said Helioreph neither can any man denie any thing of that which ye haue said therefore it is set downe in the kinges Annales and committed to the holy Registre Solomons works And as his riches is great so also are his workes most admirable according as himselfe hath said I have made gorgeous faire works I have built mee houses planted vineyeards Eccl. 2.4 I made mine Orchardes gardens of pleasure I made pooles of water to water the greene and fruitfull trees withall And it is true and hee hath builded Citties and raised the walles 2. Chro. 8. and fortified his townes and territories magnificently but beyond all others those his three houses which he hath made and performed in Ierusalem are excellent and passe all the buildings and workes in the world First according to the commaundement of his Father David and iust after the forme and proportion that the Lord had giuen to David 1. Chro. 28.19 and
which 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
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