Husai Iehosophat the sonne of Paruah Semei the sonne of Ela Gaber the sonne of Vri. These Officers being elected with discretion and so approued were not the children of Belial as proud couetous luxurious extortioners bribers oppressors fighters brawlers or such as were either noted or suspected of anie wicked vice but of a goodlie constitution prudent ingenious of good capacitie gentle courteous of good conscience obedient to the lawes honest and faithfull in their places therein aunswering to the interpretations of their seuerall names either proper or appellatiue Whereby king Solomō was not onely most royally serued with all kind of princly prouision of houshoulde but had his store-houses replete with that which was timely reposed therein for the same and like vses Howbeit Solomon beeing most prudent did euer estéeme his people and subiectts for his best store-house Kings store-house so wel semblant I say not to the open fieldes but to that good Orchard or Gardine well set with diuers kindes of trées which haue in them not onely many branches boughs leaues stems erected but aboundance of fruit wholesome and profitable for mans vse especially then when the same is welhusbandred necessities respected iniuries salued particular causes wel waighed And truly to and for this end had king Solomon those prudent and meete prepositours knowing that by such persons the affaires are commonly well managed and performed but on the contrarie the subiects occasioned iustly to murmure wil be easily perswaded to rebell against the king and his gouernmēt and mens cogitations erst pure may be sorely corrupted especially if they perceiue that they which stand in place of authority shal not obserue that which themselues bid and command which both defaceth their authority and destroieth the good nature of many a man Solomons servants in house * Also the king for his priuate seruants in house had them which were of especiall choice as who for their wisedome strength agilitie actiuitie industrie good disposition manners humanity patience docilitie constancie trust fidelitie and the feare of the Lord were not only best fit to stand before him to gard him to serue him to attend his royall presence and person but also to heare his wisedome to apprehend his iudgements to note his behauiour to imitate his graces and to be interpreters of his wil and word vnto others And indeed these and such are worthie so noble a maister and well it becommeth a king of that puissance and magnanimity to be serued and attended on by such chosen seruants K. Solomons principal Lords But aboue all the rest the king had certaine principall and princelie Lordes by whose graue counsayle iudgement prudence good aduise and prouidence both the king himselfe was assisted consolated and preserued in gouernment and the affaires of the whole kingdome of Israell the better disposed ordered and performed 1. King 4.2 1. Chro. 28. Exod. 18.20 that according to the defier and charge of his father King Dauid who was not vnmindfull of that prudent counsaile which sometimes wise Iethro gane Moses in the right vse wherof himselfe was eased and ayded and the people timely iudged and well gouerned And these are the names of those principall Lordes viz. 1. Azariah 2. Helioreph 3. Ahiah 4. Iehosophat 5. Benaiah 6. Zadock 7. Abiathar 8. Azariah 9. Zabud 10. Ahishar 11. Adoniram Azariah the first of that name was an especiall Lorde attending and assisting the kings person Helioreph and Ahiah were the kings wise Secretaries Scribes ornotaries Iehosophat was the kings Recorder of the gestes or Chronicles Benaiah was the general Captaine ouer the kings hostes in the which office his succeeded Captaine Ioab Zadocke was the chiefe Priest preferred to that function and place after that Abiathar was degraded and put away for his confederacie with Adoniah against King Solomon Abiathar the same before named among the Lordes was a priest who sometimes ministred and attended in the stéede and place of Zadock Azariah the second of that name was a prudent Lorde whome the King had placed ouer those twelue Purueyors or officers before named Zabud was the sonne of Nathan a Priest and the Kinges friend and familiar companion Ahishar was set ouer the Kinges Pallace Adoniram had the authority for the Tributes as high Treasurer of the kingdome A description of King Solomons Counselors As all and euery of those Lords were of no meane choice but some of them such as were commended and left vnto him by his Father Dauid for wise graue Counsaylors and the Sonnes of Nobles so were they most exquisitely qualified and adorned with such princely vertues as appertaine to personages of that ranke As first they were adorned with that perfection of their mēbers as best fitted those affaires to and for the which they were elected and put in place Next they wanted not the goodnes of apprehension to vnderstand whatsoeuer was spoken worthy audiēce Thirdly they were graced with an excellēt memory to retain things heard and apprehended yéelding nothing necessarie the remēbrance to thriftles obliuion 4. they possessed a profound consideration and déepe conceit concerning such difficulties as occurred 5. A courteous affabilitie pleasing speech and ready eloquence but so as therein their tongues concorded with their heartes 6. A learned skill in the liberall sciences 7. They were in word faithfull louers of the truth contemners of lyes composite in manners pleasant gentle tractable well complexioned 8. Also free and without any iust suspition of ebrietie luxurie carnall lusts and notorious offences 9. Men right magnanimious in their purposes and affecting the true honor 10. Not couetous minded but contemning Gold Siluer and other accidentall things of the world in regard of their dutie to God to their king and the common-wealth wherein they had and retayned a most faithfull loue as well of strangers as of their neighbours 11. As they had a loue both to the iust and to iustice so also hated they alkind of iniuries odious offences yeelding euery one his right aiding the oppressed and those which sustained wrong not making at any time the strength of their authoritie their rod of reuenge to beate them whom they affected not in good will but remouing away all iniustice and shew of oppression they set no difference betwéene persons and degrées of men but only betwéene causes as equitie required 12. They had likewise a strong and perseuering purpose in th' execution of things méet the performance audacious deuoid of pusillanimity or feare 13. They knew well the issues of all expences nor were they ignorant of any vtilitie appertinent to good gouernment as whereby the poore subiects might not be iustly occasioned to exclame or complaine of hard or cruel dealings 14. They were neither worders or giuen to high laughters nor gamesters nor common players or such like but graue modest silent temperate and courteous 15. readie to heare such as came to séeke iustice as whereby the king might be eased of that
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
and threescore yeeres before the birth of the most holy Messiah gathered of his words doctrines and praiers and comprised them in a Booke the which he entituled Solomons wisedome therein confessing from whence he had taken them namely from Solomon Albeit there be which attribute this collection to one Philo who lived and wrote in the time of C. Caligula the romane Emperour about the 38. yeare after the nativity of our Lorde Christ yet which of either of them collected the learned Fathers have taken and esteemed for the very Author thereof Solomon the King of Israel who as they considered hath therein spoken and delivered not only many wise and godly precepts and doctrines for the institution of a godly man but also divers singular prophesies as of the comming and crosses of Messiah of the tyranny and Apostasie of the Iewes of the paines of the reprobates in hell and of the ioyes of the elect in heaven Lastly hee hath remembred for all posterities that most excellent prayer which Solomon made and vsed to the Lord to get wisedome the which is begunne at the beginning of the ninth chapter and continued even vnto the end of that booke And although this booke is not found written in the hebrew tongue yet shall not that withstand the opinion of the ancient fathers seeing it may bee the right hebrew Coppie perished among some other of Solomons bookes in the vnhappy captivitie of Israel and Iuda and that this notwithstanding might bee preserved and kept as before that time taken and copied out by those strangers which either came to him heard his wisdome and laid vp all things in their heart or the which having affinitie and amitie with him as had Pharao King of Aegypt and Hyram King of Tyrus procured that those his words and wise sentences shoulde be copied out interpreted and translated into their severall languages as wee see the like to bee wrought for vs in this time Aug. de civ dei lib. 17. cap. 20. Hier. lib de vir illustr Cypr. in suis epist. passim Therefore not onely the auncient Nicen Councell wherein were assembled no lesse in number then 318 Bishoppes in the raigne of blessed Constantine but also the semblable Fathers of the Church after that as they thought honourably of the person have not onely accepted SCHELOMONOCHAM OR KING SOLOMON His Solace CHAP I. Of King Solomon his glorious Estate his Transgression and his Affliction ABout the thrée thousand Annal. sac◠Script Codaman Fol. 21.21 one hundred and tenth yeare after the creation of the world that right noble and most famous King Solomon the best beloued sonne of King Dauid that man of Gods pleasure and sweet Psalmist of Israel liued and raigned ouer Israel the Lords chosen people in the most renowned cittie Hierusalē As this Solomō was both chosen nominated by the Lorde his God ere that hee was borne by his grace appointed to succéede his Father King Dauid in the throne of that happy Kingdome and by his singular wisedome to goe in and out before his people so also in processe of time it came to passe that by the direction of diuine prouidence the meanes of his right prudent Mother the willing consent and word of his kinglie father and the faithful ministry of Zadock the Priest and Nathan the prophet hee was annointed crowned and proclaimed king ouer Israel euen in the life-time of King Dauid who thereupon gaue him the charge of the regal Scepter praised Iehouah his God with ioy and gladnes and prayed hartily vnto his supreme grace for the future peace and prosperity of his Sonne Solomon as wherein he might build an house to his most excellent Maiestie the God of Israel and prepare the Sanctuary for euer Whereupon Solomon sate on the seat of the Lord was king in the steede of Dauid and God prospered and encreased him in dignitie and gaue him so glorious a kingdome as the like no king euer had before him in Israel This was that Solomon to whome the Lord appeared in Gibeon and willed him to aske whatsoeuer hee would that it might be giuen vnto him and beeing yet but a child in yeeres he praied to God for an vnderstanding heart to iudge the Lords people with the which praier of his the Lord being right well pleased filled him with vnderstanding as with a floud that his mind couered the whole earth and replenished it with profound and graue sentences his name went abrode in the Iles and for his peace he was beloued the countries meruailed at him for his Songs Prouerbs similitudes Interpretations Moreouer by the name of the Lord God the God of Israel he gathered Gold as Tin and heaps of Siluer as Lead whereby he became famous before all the kings of the earth to the ioy of his people the wonder of the nations and the glorie of his God This was that Solomon who in the time of his peace and prosperitie and namelie about foure hundreth and fourescore yeeres after that the children of Israel by the conduct of Moses came forth of the land of Aegypt built vnto the name of Iehouah his God a magnificēt house an house of exceeding great glorie namelie that most beautifull Temple of God in Hierusalem according to the purpose of the Lord and that iust rule which Dauid his father receiuing from the Lord gaue vnto him before his death In the end this admirable worke perfectlie finished with all thinges both necessarie and conuenient king Solomon as he was of an heroicall spirite no lesse glorie so being thankefull he blessed and magnified Iehouah his God from whose grace he acknowledged this honour to be giuen him he adored his eternall maiestie with feruent zeale he praied vnto him in spirit and with vnderstanding and offered vp many great swéete and pleasing sacrifices vnto his supreme power who then againe right well pleased with him with his workes with his adorations with his sacrifices and prayers appeared to him the second time saying 1. King 4. that hee had both heard his prayer and intercession which hee had made before him and had halowed the house which hee had built to put his name there foreuer and that his heart should bee there perpetuallie Furthermore this magnanimious King for the better maintenance and preseruation of his royal estate prouided himselfe twelue certain Officers according to the nūber as well of the twelue months in the yeere as of the twelue tribes of Israell appointed and authorised euerie of them in his turne to leuie collect receiue and prouide from those places and persons which were within their seuerall diuisions all such victuals and other necessaries as might bee requisite for the kings person and familie The which Officers were these viz. K. Solomons 12. Officers The sonne of Hur the sonne of Dekar the son of Chesed the sonne of Abinadab Baana the sonne of Ahilud the sonne of Gaber Ahinadab the sonne of Iddo Ahimaaz Baana the sonne of
burthen and poore men satisfied in their iust requests 16. They had the ingenie and vertue to inuestigate vnderstand and make knowne to the king the whole estate and principall affaires of his kingdome 17. They were both able willing to cheare the subiects to correct their acttions to salue their sores to consolate the afflicted to tolerate the simplicitie of the ignorant by a fatherly connivance and to gouerne not only the whole but euery particular member of the common wealth 18. Lastly they had a chiefe regarde of their oath to God and the king as Solomon himselfe aduised them fearing God and keeping his commandements wherein the whole duty not onely of euery man but especially of such princely personages consisteth And this Solomon well obseruing as hee had an heroicall spirite so procéeded he to consider of and to reward their good deserts according to their seruices done and after the terme of the imposition of his will that they might further be encouraged in their places of gouernment but those placed he in the highest grade of remuneration whose good seruice he had approued most profitable and so orderly euery one of the rest after his place had both his qualification rewarde of the same for the king being conuersant with those his princes he honoured the honour worthy and held euery one in his sorte he inuited to his owne Table this day one the next day another adorning this man now and that man then according to his degrée Neither was any one of them neglected or left without some taste of his bounty yea his clemency liberality grace was apparent to all for he was neuer of the mind or semblance to be couetous towards his subiects whiles he was bountifull to himselfe but as I said bountifull to all but especially to those his princes and them which had best deserued in their faithfull seruices Now by this the sooner the true religion florished the common-wealth of Israel prospered and the highest of all was wonderfull well pleased with the king with his Nobles and with the people in those his happy daies wherein as he was not inferiour to any Prince in the whole world so neither was the kingdome of Israel thereby lesse prosperous then any kingdome on the earth yea this nation and their policie was to all others by many degrées preferred through this grace and blessing of the Lord both on them and their king Truly these be the things which the noble Counsaylors of kings and Princes most respect according to the right of their degrées the dignities of their functions the duties of their places and the diuine prescription knowing this to be the verie end of their preferments and the same which finally crowneth them that are worthie with the highest honour as we haue séene it verified in the examples of Abraham Moses Iehosuah Ioseph Samuel and Dauid the Kinges Father Whereas the neglect or abuse of this princely duty which is often found in them which ambitiously aspire for their proper pleasures vain glory or filthy lucre hath occasioned euen mighty men in the world shamefully to couch and fall downe vnder ignomy and finally to dye without any honour as we may behold in the fearefull examples of Cain Nimrod Achitophel Ioab Shimei Adonia Doeg and many such like But yet behold After many prosperous and florishing daies of peace and pleasing tranquillity this wise king euen Solomō began more and more to decipher his infirmities and to manifest himselfe as indeede he was a mortall yea a sinfull man For as Sathan who had long time envied his happy state and royall dignity suggested euill in his heart and tempted him to sinne against Iehouah his God thereby entending to ouerwhelme him his kingdome as sometimes he assayed to effect against righteous Iob whereon the Lord who had thus long staide him vp with his diuine power permitted him at the length to fal that for some good causes to himselfe wel known howbeit within the compasse of such a limit and measure as he should not defect and fall away from him for euer But King Solomon was as it were for a time committed I say not to Sathan but to himselfe who beeing so left notwithstanding his excéeding great wisedome soveraigne dexteritie in iudgement soone forgat himselfe his condition his duty and the law of his God following after the sensuall humour of a humain mind and prave affection he bowed his loynes vnto Women yea to many outlandish strange Women contrary to th'xpresse commandement of Iehouah his God whereby in his elder dayes being quite ouercome in his bodie turning away his hart from the Lord and affecting those vaine Gods which his wiues worshipped he wrought wickednes before Iehouah his God and walked not vprightly in his law by doing whereof he stained his honour defiled his posterity brought wrath on his children and felt sorrow for his folly For the Lord who had before graced and magnified him being iustly prouoked was very angry with him and in his fierce yet iust wrath not only minaced the diuision of his kingdome in the dayes of his Successor namely Rehoboam but stirred vp against him to that end euen in his latter time sundry Satans or aduersaries who euer crossing thwarting his peace purposes drenched him with manie bitter potions to the noysome disturbance of that blessed tranquillity which his name imported th'exéeding sorrow of his people dayly vexed with incursions of enemies and the continuall agony of his oppressed soule which both day and night felt the gnawing of a restles worme within his consciēce And here we obserue two memorable things for admonition and instruction to all posterities first what is the nature of man with his condition when hee is left or committed to himselfe not stayed or assisted by the diuine grace Next how little the Lord God regardeth them that turne their harts frō him how wise or magnificent soeuer they bee in their places before men We know how true and too often that is verified which King Dauid said in his godly meditations that man being in honour hath none vnderstanding and therefore is compared to that Beast which perisheth For thus Adam the Lord of the whole earth beeing left vnto himselfe with Lady Hevah his wife though in the most blessed Pallace of pleasant Paradise within short time transgressed the commaundement and expressed folly Thus Prince Noah after his laborious trauails on the huge deluge at length being at ease and as it were cōmitted to himselfe was made druncken with wine and lay vncouered before his children Thus good Lot after that Sodom was burned and himselfe but a little refreshed fell into both the sinne of drunkennes and inceste Thus Israel both in the wildernes and in the land of Canaan franked and pampered with prosperitie wherein they too much admired their owne valour forgat the Lord went a whoaring after strange Gods and fell to ruin Saul the late king plaied a plain
wherof Good counsell for them that liue in this world men should not so much marvaile at the sodaine chaunges of others and at the inconstancy of these worldly things as they should endeuour to learne to beware that they depend not on the deceaveable vanities of this life and to take héede that they waxe not proud nor forgetfull of their maker and of their owne estate and condition in the fond abuse of the things which are not their owne but as lent vnto them to be vsed to the honor of God their owne necessities Lastly séeing that these things be so vncertaine they should in time prouide to lay vp for themselues those treasures which are permanent and many stéede them to their highest content in the feare and loue of him that blesseth and prospereth all them that neuer turne their faith from him The second Chapter King Solomons Lordes perceiuing the strange alteration of their Soueraigne waxe very sorowfull they enquire for the cause and endeuour to preuent the future inconveniences WHilest all those thinges were in action apparent euen before Strangers talked of openly and laid in the common ballance to be peazed and censured of euery man King Solomons noble Princes and chiefe Lords were assembled in the Councell Chamber there partly to conferre of the affaires of the kingdome for the high glory of Iehouah their God the benefite of the common-wealth and the right honour of their Soueraigne Lord partly to inuestigate and search for the causes of this the kings sorrow and sodaine alteration the which they wold assay to remoue or mitigate according to their wisdom knowledge and best habilitie Wherein they manifested themselues dutifull to their God profitable to the weale-publique and regardfull of their kings health and prosperity The duty of noble Counsailors to their King which are the principall things that noble Counsaylors and the worthy seruants of such Soueraignes should in their supreame places respect with all fidelitie Now vpon a sodaine Zabud the priest the sonne of Nathan and the kings familiar friend who had béene with his highnes for his better comfort in affliction all that night before issued forth of his priuy Chamber entred the assemblie of those Lords and although with an heauie heart mestiue mind and sadde countenance by reason of the Kinges great perplexitie and troubles he saluted them in these words Iehovah our God saue you my Lords all both Honourable and Reuerend the right happy princes of king Solomon To whome they all as with one mouth resaluting him answered the same Power blesse prosper and preserue you Reuerend Zabud the right trustie Secretarie and familiar good friend of our Soueraigne Lord King Solomon And whence come ye now my Lord an what is the cause if it please you that ye be so pensive and heavy to day Is all thing well To his Zabud replied My Lords all I am presently come forth of the Kings privie Chamber where I haue béene all this last night watching and attending on his most royall person the Lord God saue keep his grace howbeit there haue I found little or no comfort as God knoweth for much griefe and sorrowe hath betided the king which encreaseth yet more and more without mitigation and the like acreweth towardes vs and the whole kingdome as farre as I can gather by that which I haue both heard with mine ears and seene with mine eyes of and in him Vpon this saying in this manner deliuered before them such a strange terror and dread assayled the hearts of those Lords that being throughly astonished they neither were able to answer him The trouble of the King is a griefe to his Subiects nor wist they what to say For there can be no greater grief and discomfort to true hearted subiects especially to the faithfull Counsaylors of happy kings then when they shall either see or heare of the hurt sorrow or discontent of their Soueraigne Lord at the alteration of whose prosperous estate both Nobles and the Commons are sodainly moued much disquieted as that body which féeleth the distemperature of his proper head fearing the ensewing of such plagues troubles and vexations as are wont to follow and succeed the sodaine losse and departure of such heroicall persons by whose good gouernment and valour their Realmes and Common-weales haue bin right happily maintained in peace and tranquillitie Neither at the least should either the Nobles or the common people be merry or pleased in the sadnesse trouble or vexation of their Soueraigne Lord knowing well that natures of that grade and apprehension will not shew themselues heavie hearted and mestive for any light or meane causes At the length after long expectation silence pawzes and eagre looking one on another of them with deppe sighes pitifull groanes and cheekes watred with weeping eyes a principall Lord Azariah sheweth the good opinion loue and affection of a good Subiect whose name was Azariah though scarcely able for sorrow of mind to vtter with his trembling tongue his hearts conceit spake thus in effect Alas alas and how fareth then his most royall person how doth our good Lord king Solomon the most famoust most wise and most glorious King in all the world The God of heauen graunt his most princely grace both along life and a wished prosperity to liue raigne ouer vs and this people For I assure you my Lords as ye will know and must in equitie confesse that next and immediately vnto Iehouah our God hee is the approved stay of our house the lightsome eie of our body the resplendent glory of our kingdome the happy peace of our people the comfortable ioy of our heartes the glad solace of our soules the right guide of our gouernment the diuine wisedome of our nation the manifest maiestie of our God and the blessed preservation of Israel But how fareth the Kinges most sacred person In all this and other his speeches and gestures did this noble Azariah expresse the good opinion conceiued the right loue the godly zeale the faithfull mind the true affection and right worthy nature of a wise faythfull and obedient Subiect to his most gratious Soueraigne I will now tell you my good Lords saide Zabud how the king fareth I am well assured zabud sheweth the Kings alteration and present estate as ayming to his Repentance there is not any one of you all but hath plainely perceiued that his Grace is most strangely and sodainely altered of late from both his wonted constitution of mind and his common order of life and that his wordes also sauour now much other wise then they haue sometimes heretofore savored to our audience and vnderstanding For behold whereas he vsed to be gladsome and merily conceited now is he rauished with heavie dumpes and oppressed with ladâ—es wheras heretofore he accustomed to talke with a right lovely and lively voice now we heare nothing besides a voice of lamentation from him tending to mortification and
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
and considered what the swéet Psalmist of Israel euen the kinges father both prophesied and diuinely modulated thereof in these wordes O daughter now take heed incline and giue good eare Thou must forsake thy kindred all and fathers house most deere So shall the king affect thy beautie faire and trim For why he is the Lord thy God thou must worship him The Daughters then of Tyre with gifts full rich to see And all the wealthy of the land shal make their suits to thee Secondly after this as it is left in Record King Solomon loued Iehova his God walking in the ordināces of David his father offered vnto the Lord a 1000. whole burnt offerings the Lord being louing most mercifull vnto him did not only accept the same at his hands but had him aske of him whatsoeuer he would that it might be giuē him He asked wisedome the Lord his God heard him granted him his request declared his loue good pleasure towards him his actiōs procéedings by many notable arguments the which as we may persuade with the wife of Manoah he would neuer haue done had he not loued him or had he bin willing to haue reprobated him Thirdly albeit the Egyptians which had forgotten Ioseph and the manifolde benefites they enioyed by him in his time had grieuously afflicted our fathers as Moses hath recorded it yet as before that time our Fathers Abraham Isaack and Iacob and their children haue found refreshing and comfort from thence and therefore haue been contented to soiourne there and to ioyne in amitie with them so without any abuse of our Religion or danger of our consciences or iust offence to any being stedfastly purposed to reteine the right honour of Iehova our God we could not see How farre we may win amitie with strangers why we should denie this amitie or to conuerse with them that are well pleased not only to help vs at al needs with the things that appertaine to the vse and comfort of bodyes and life but also to bee reclaymed and willingly consent to serue the Lorde of Israel together with vs circumcising the foreskins of their hearts as Moses exhorteth And to such a purpose aymed our fathers the sonnes of Iacob Gen. 34.14 when speaking of the cause in question betweene Sechem and Dina their sister whom he desired they answered Sechem and Hamor his father saying We cannot doe this thing to giue our sister to an vncircumcised man for that were a reproofe vnto vs but in this will we consent vnto you if ye will be as we are that euery man childe among you be circumcised then will we giue our daughters to you we will take your daughters to vs will dwel with you and be one people Neuertheles to auoyd al occasiō of iust offence which might be taken of the kings wiues being brought into the house of David because the place was sanctified and the Arke of God was reposed therein therefore the king built a house for this Quéene remote from Bethlem placed her therin where she continued Neither haue we heard any exception made as yet to the king for such his matching or conuersing with her Therefore I perswade that this is not the thing which so much offends him now except perchaunce he perceiueth that she hath a desire to returne againe into Egypt and to looke backe behinde him as the vnhappy wife of Lot did the which the Lord forbid or that there is mooued twirt them some secret emulatiō ielousie or dislike wherof I may not presume to talke nor might I were I able to expresse it the wringing of the shoo being knowne to him only which weareth it Helioreph Ye haue very well said my Lord quod noble Helioreph and the like may bee well resolued of the kings amitie with Hyram the Prince of Tyrus and Sidon although there bee of our nation that thereat bee much offended disliking that the Israelites should meddle with or haue to doe with any of them which are without no lesse then in times past it was an abomination to the Egyptians to eat and drinke with the Hebrewes And surely this affinitie and amitie was not made vpon meane occasions nor indeede without an especiall instinct of Gods spirite which had mooued and perswaded Hyram though an heathen Prince without the motion of king Solomon as of his owne accord to desire and seeke for this league and societie the which truely was first begun betweene king David and him from whom David gratefully acknowledged the receiuing of many good things yea and such as were appointed and laid vp to and for the building of the Lords house in Ierusalem In regard of that amitie with his father being now renewed and yet continued with him hee vouchsafed to honor him with the name of his father calling him his father Hyram Wherein as he verily manifested his right thankefull minde to so bountifull a benefactor and godly wel-willer so learneth he all children as by a true Copie in what honor reuerence estimatiō they should hold those persons who had beene not onely familiar but most louing and beneficiall vnto their Parents in their liues Likewise in king Hyrams combination with Solomon as there is a perfect intimation of the coniunction of both the Iewes and Gentiles within one Temple as whereof the mystycall Church should be compleate in the time appoynted so are they which yet be without to yeeld obedient heartes to this perswasion of the diuine spirit as whereby with all alacritie and ready willes they might run after him which both mooueth and draweth them according to that louely word and desire of the holy Spowsesse whom the King in his most excellent song bringeth in with this saying Cant. 3 O draw me foorth after thee and then shall we run Next it was respected that king Hyrā was a man very wise he feared serued Iehovah the God of Israel and was wonderfully qualified in all kinde of princely graces Else truly would not king David haue obliged himselfe in such a mutuall loue with him who as himselfe protested could neuer abide either prophane persons or froward hearts or any of them which had an euill wil at Zion Neither would the king himselfe as we well know being as the Angell of God perfit in knowledge of exquisite wisedome repleate with the spirit of God and chiefly then when both the Lord loued him fauoured him and blessed him with an admirable peace and namely in the time wherein he was busied in the building of the Lords house wherein he euer depended on the helpe and hand of God to asist him haue had any commerce or dealing at all with Hyram had he not well knowen that as it was Gods will and working therein so Hyram was a person that was to be regarded Thirdly Hyram was right beautifull and set as it were in the pleasant Paradise Ezec. 28. deckt with all manner of pretious stones
Rezon an adversary to Solomon 2. Sam. 8.3 namely Rezon was the sonne of Eliada who fled sometimes from his Lord Hadadezer king of Zoba when David smote him as he went to enlarge his border at the riuer Euphrates who also gathered men vnto him and became captain ouer the company when David slew them and they went to Damascus the Metropolitan cittie of Syria and dwelt there where he also raigned king Therefore is hee an aduersary to Israel retaining his minde of reuenge and denying to pay tribute And this is the mischiefe of Hadad and the hatred against Israel Hadad now raigneth in Edom and Rezon in Damascus ouer all Syria to the great griefe of the king and his people Howbeit all this doth not somuch vex him as that his late seruant Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat the Ephrathite of Zareda whose Mother was Zarviah this kings aunt is now lately stept forth Ieroboam the servant is an adversary 1 King 11.26 and lifteth vp his hand against him For when the king built Mello and amended the broken places of David and saw that this Ieroboam was a man of strength and habilitie for the worke he made him ruler ouer all the charge of the house of Ioseph whereby Ieroboam getting courage credit fauour and power is now waxen proud obliuious of duty and presumptuous wherin he opposeth himselfe against his Soueraigne Lord whereat the king is not a little troubled the more indeede for that he nothing thought much lesse suspected such a thing to be wrought by his seruāt Ieroboam whom he had trusted and obliged by fauour and many singular benefites to be faithfull and obedient vnto him Sodain tidings of vnkindnes trouble wise men much But it is no meruaile though the king be a wise man that hee should be hereat trouble for we know that gentle heartes do much alter when they sodenly heare any hard and strange tidings Thus David the kings father though a man valiant in warre and strong in heart was not a little grieued when he heard that Absolon his owne son had conspired against him but yet more when tidinges came to him that Absolon was slaine hee was likewise sore moued when Ioab had killed Abner a Prince in Israel when hee hearde that Amnon had defiled Thamar his sister that Absolon had killed Amnon and that Adoniah did aspire to the kingdome against his will in his life time * Howsoeuer the prouidence of God had decreed appointed that Ieroboham shoulde thus be exalted Ieroboham his vnkindnes it is cereaine that Ieroboam hath pretended mischiefe in his heart against the king and therfore most wickedly and rebelliously hath lifted vp his hand to hurt his highnes vs. A note of most beastly vnkindnes in him who forgetting the kings gratious fauours and large bounties towardes him vndeserued hath attempted the kings ouerthrow and destruction to aduance himselfe But such is the pride insolency ambition and ingratitude of many whom the fauour and benignitie of good Princes hath vnworthily exalted and honoured that forgetting both themselues their places al the goodnes of their gratious princes and their duties do eagerly seeke to attaine to the very places and honours of their Princes and benefactors by wicked and vngodly meanes Howbeit they find in the end that lot of the Eagle that carried fier to her nest together with her pray which consumed both it and her yong ones for God which bringeth downe all stony mountaines and all high rocks to fill the vallies to make them euen with the ground calleth their impiety vnfaithfulnesse and rebellion into remembrance before him yeelding vnto them in the iust iudgemēt that which they haue worthily deserued * But Ieroboham hauing found that the King vnderstandeth his purpose and practises against him Traitors and rebels live ever in feare and that he seeketh to bridle his insolency durst not to abide the hammering and tryall thereof for traitors and rebels hauing guilty consciences liue euer in fear of the diuine reuēge he is therefore fled into Aegypt vnto Sysar the Egyptian king and there continueth gaping for and expecting to heare of the kinge death when he mindeth with a fresh courage to giue the onset to his sonne Rehoboam which shall succeede in the kingdome whome hee knoweth hath neither the like wisedom to gouerne his people nor will haue sufficient power to resist his enemies and to defend himselfe And yet wel I wot that these things being ordinary troubles which happen to realms prouinces and nations and therefore whosoeuer bee a Prince must settle himselfe armed against them in his time and place our Lord King Solomō wel knoweth both how to beare thē and wade through the middest of themal with a right valiant mind as David his Father hath full often in his daies done Lo thus haue ye heard the declaration of sixe causes of the kings sorrow all which indeede could he wel enough digest were there not yet a farre greater and more dangerous then any of the former For the seuenth beyond all the rest pierceth and griueth the very ground of his heart and that riseth of the great displeasure of the Almighty conceived against him his people Alas said the Princes then may the King be worthily sad indeede when the Lord of heauen looketh so wer vpon him and vs. For dreadfull is the angry face of the almighty The princes especially towardes them that haue iustly prouoked him and his wrath is a very consuming fier who is able to abide it But now let vs heare the declaration of this cause also if it be your good plesure most reuerend Zadoke to whom he answered zadoke although I am not only most sory to heare thereof but very loath to relate it yet to satisfy your importunity for the former causes I am ready to do it according to your desire And I pray God that neither the sin The princes nor the occasion therof be in the Lords iustice laid to our charge To the which said the Lords that God forbid but howsoeuer it be the Lord for his holy annointed be yet mercifull vnto our King vnto vs and the whole common-wealth of Israel that he may be glorified not in our destructiō but in our preseruatiō and prosperitie as in times past he hath beene glorified in the pardon recouery and prosperity of Adam of Abraham of Iacob of Moses of David and others our godly forefathers in their times So be it good Lord we pray and beseech thee CHAP. XIX Zadoke declareth the seventh cause of Solomons sorrow which is the sinne of Solomon NOw will I endeuour saide Zadoke to satisfie your request I will declare the seventh cause Yea I will shew you the last and greatest cause of the Kinges sorrowfull heart And well is this called the greatest For were it not thereof the King might well resolue as he knoweth best how to resolue that euery thing whatsoever might or should
indeede a degree higher then the former albeit the former was abhominable and dangerous to his body life fame soule and glorie And that is the king hath combined himselfe with strange women for hee hath taken the daughter of Pharaoh Strange women and the women of the Moabites Ammonites Edomites Sydonites and Hethites whereas yet concerning those Nations the Lorde sayde vnto our Fathers zabud obiected Goe yee not into them nor let them come into you els will they turne your hearts after their gods To this obiected Zabud for the king But yet it hath beene permitted in the Lawe that such women might neuerthelesse bee taken accepted and vsed of our Nation with certaine prouisoes and conditions For the Lorde saith by the hand of Moses Deut. 21.11 If thou seest among the captives taken in warre a beautifull woman and hast a desire vnto her that thou wouldest have her to thy wife thou shalt bring her home to thine owne house she shall shaue her head and pare her nailes and put her rayment that she was taken in from her and let her remaine in thine house and bewayle her father and her mother a moneth long and after that thou shalt goe in vnto her and mary her and she shall be thy wife In this sort David the kings Father tooke one of his wiues namely the mother of Thamar whom he had captiued in his warres And thus did our king take and accept Pharaohs daughter of whom his father spake in the Psalme Hearken O daughter and consider encline thine eare forget also thine owne people thy fathers house so shall the king have pleasure in thy beautie for he is thy Lord God and thou must worship him And truely howsoeuer the Quéene did dissemble her owne former Religion and made shewe of loue vnto that which we loue and imbrace the king so accepted her and thought nothing lesse then of any hypocrisie in her And therefore in his integritie he imbraced her and tooke her as his owne All this I grant sayd Zadok And I will not denie zadoke answereth the obiection that the king did obserue the like according to the Lawe in all other his wiues and Concubines But why should not such as are receiued on conditions be retained on the same conditions and not otherwise for the meaning of the Lawe is that if such a woman albeit she be Pharaohs daughter or the daughter of any other Prince or person shall not hold and obserue the conditions touching the Religion and peace of Israel but apostate and turne away from the Lord and daily endeuor and study to pollute the honour of our king and contemne the religion of our God that thereupon she be abandoned reiected sent away from the Common-wealth of Israel much sooner from the kings societie yea rather then that societie should he continued to the danger of those inconueniencies Exod. 34.16 Deut 7.3 the parties should bee reduced and committed to the censure of the generall Lawe as when the league is infringed by the breach of the conditions the parties stand as in their former estate any thing to the contrary thereof notwithstanding And this is the Lawe to the children of Israel touching the abandoning of this kinde of societie with any of those seuen execrable Nations as the Hethites the Hevites the Gergesites the Amorites the Chananites the Pherezites and the Iebusites Thou shalt make no marriages with them neither shalt thou give thy daughter vnto his sonne nor take his daughter vnto thy son The reason is added whereunto this prouiso or condition hath respect For they will deceive thy sonne that hee should not follow the Lord and they shall serve strange gods and then will the wrath of the Lord waxe hote against thee and destroy thee This thing Abraham our father both considered and respected long before the Law giuen by Moses for hee had seene the inconuenience of such coniunctions in the old time when by the same the sonnes of God were polluted and the whole earth destroyed in the dayes of Noah Gen. 24.3 therefore hee gaue his seruant a speciall charge for the match of his sonne Isaak with a mate of a faithfull Family The like also Isaak respected when hee disliked the mariage of his sonne Esau with the Hethites and charged his sonne Iacob not to take him a wife of the daughters of Chanaan Gen. 26. 27. but that hee should repayre to his Vncle Laban and take from thence of his daughters But howsoeuer such coniunctions might be tolerated or winked at vpon occasions in some others what needed Solomon the sonne of David to haue lusted after the women of a strange Natition Are not the daughters of Zion faire and beautifull and wise and vertuous yea are they not preferred in honour to all the women in the worlde And did Solomon feare of any heathen Potentate that hee would in this sort be lincked vnto him in amitie for the retayning of peace Yea is hee not stronger and more wise and politicke then any of them all And doe they not more dread and admire him then hee hath neede to doubt what they are able to doe against his Maiestie But alas lust is blinde and many wise men as I said before bee led blindfolded into the pitte of preuarication and woe by such women as being of an euill opinion and like Religion will receiue no kinde of Counsaile which withstandeth or hindereth their fonde lustes and vanities And thereof it is that the King so prudent wise and famous hath beene bewitched enchaunted and besotted so farre that in the lightnesse of voluptuousnesse he hath altered his single minde and distained his honour * These be great faults my Lords but yet hee is much more blameable and guiltie of iudgement no lesse of punishment The third sin of Solomon though hee bee a king because that in his lustes hee hath turned away his heart from the Lorde his God which hath appeared to him at two sundry times For beholde the king hearkening vnto those his strange Wiues which had nowe at length apostated and turned backe againe to the Religion of their Fathers and Countrey hee hath followed after Asteroth the God of the Sydonians and after Melcome the abhomination of the Ammonites and he hath built an high place for Chamos the abomination of Moab euen in the hill that is before Hierusalem and vnto Moloch the abhomination of the children of Ammon and the like hath hee done for other his outlandish Women which burnt incense and offered diuers sacrifices to their sundry Gods Neither seemed the king then touched with any remorse of conscience but cleane contrary to the Lawe of God the charge which his father gaue him the lessons his mother taught him and that which his owne wisedome should perswade in him he hath fowly prostituted himselfe to their lewdnesse and disgraced his Nobilitie Yea all this hath the king done even in his elder years
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
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
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
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
or endeuour to finde out wee shoulde reuerently admire and in all things iustifie them for it is true that Moses sayde Deut. 3 2.4 Perfect is the worke of the most mightie GOD for all his wayes are Iudgement Hee is a GOD of trueth without wickednesse righteous and iust is hee Deut. 29.29 Those secret things belong to GOD aboue and they are not for a man to knowe or finde out nor shall hee bee able in any other sorte then hee is able to finde out the circle of a Ring Iob. 28.7 This is that way whereof Iob spake the which the birdes haue not knowne the Vultures eye neuer sawe wherin the Lyons whelps walke not and into the which no Lyon euer came It is farre easier to knowe the way of an Eagle in the Ayre of a Serpent vpon a stoane of a shippe in the Sea and of a man with a yong-woman which yet passed the kings vnderstanding then to finde out the reasons and causes of the Lordes secret iudgements and hidden wayes Therefore when the wisest men in the worlde haue presumed this enterprise they haue beene compared to the hungry man which dreameth that hee is eating and beeing awaked out of his sléepe findeth himselfe emptie Thus are they fedde with winde in steede of woordes they take the shadowe for the bodie they finde wandering cloudes whiles they seeke for rayne and for substances they take holde of accidentes onely The causes of Gods secret iudgements are not to be found out But the better to suppresse the curiositie of mans minde let vs consider certaine examples of the workes and wayes of God the causes and reasons whereof we could neuer as yet finde out In the dayes of Iosuah the Captaine of the Lordes Hoaste wee finde that one Achan sinned against the Lorde Achan Ios 7.25 in that hee had contrary to the commandement taken among the spoyles a certaine Babilonish garment and two hundred sickles of siluer and a tongue of golde and conveyed and hidde them away for the which the whole Hoaste was troubled and fledde before the enemie and afterwarde not onely Achan but also his Familie and all the hee had was destroyed Nowe if Achan onely sinned why did the people flye and fall Againe why were his sonnes and Familie punished and what had his children and cattle deserued that they all perished with him was it not commanded before Deut. 24.16 The fathers shall not bee put to death for the children nor the children for the fathers Chorah Num. 16.13 but euery man shall bee put to death for his owne sin Also in the rebellion of Corah Dathan and Abiram why were the people plagued for these mens offences and wherefore dyed their Wiues and children and seruantes Abraham and Sarah Gen. 18. and cattle together with them * Also we finde that Abraham being fore-folde that hee should haue a sonne of Sarah his wife laughed aswel as did Sarah and yet Sarah was reprooued and not Abraham We may imagine that the one laughed for ioy and the other in scorne but wee haue no such cause deliuered vnto vs for they both beleeued God Moreover Adam Gen. 3. why did God permit Adam to fall and Hevah to be tempted Why was Abraham our Father made a soiorner in a strange land Abraham Iacob Pharao Why was Iacob vexed and afflicted with so many euils in his dayes why did God harden the hart of Pharaoh Why did the Lord plague thréescore and ten thousand of Davids people for his sin In all these things David let vs as I said wonder and iustifie the Lord knowing Iob. Gen. 18. that as no kinde of iniquitie dwelleth in the most high so beeing the Iudge of all the world he iudgeth according to right as Abraham saith and would that men should content their minds only with that which it pleaseth him to reueale vtter vnto them The generall cause of all But thus wee may say that in all those things the Lord hath respected his owne glorie and the benefite of his children and that as his will is in all things performed it was his will that among others the King should fall and shew his imperfections and that as I can gather besides the former for these foure causes Certain particular causes of Solomons sin First that the people which beheld his wonderfull wisedome wealth prosperitie and glory wherein hee hath as by way of symbole expressed the spirituall and heauenly vertues and glory of Messiah might not estéeme or thinke of him more then it is conuenient For indéed they haue for the most part taken him rather for God then for man and others haue taken him for the promised Messiah and not for the Figure of the same wherein they began to derogate from the Lorde and his Annoynted by giuing of his glory to a mortall man And surely for this cause hath the Lord often suffred the right worthy vessels of his grace to fall and to be noted in the holy Scriptures with their imperfections and imfirmities as were Adam Noah Abraham Lot David and such like Next the king hath in this sort fallen that as in his wisedome and diuine vertues he did prefigurate the holy Messiah so by those his slidings and the sinnes of his wiues and strange women imputed also vnto him in that he both affected maintained them notwithstanding their blemishes in religion hee might foreshew the burthen of mans sinnes layd and imputed to the holy one on whose héele therefore the Serpent was to treade in the regard whereof hee shall bee both reputed and esteemed vile and of no reputation among the children of men and shall be punished for their transgressions as David hath prophesied thereof Besides that in this declination of the Kings honor is noted the renting and finall dissipation of our Nation and gouernment in time to come Thirdly the Lorde God will that this example of the Kings fall should bee a terrour and document to all others in posteritie how prosperous or glorious soeuer they shall bee in this worlde full of Vanitie that they beware how they presumne on any ornament either of body or minde or any thing else of this present life and that they promise not to themselues the assurance and continuall vse of that which is but lent them and not their owne to retaine or dispose for if God hath suffered the king who enioyed all these things at his full pleasure to fall yea and to worke wickednes against his owne honor for these his sinnes hath laden him with a measure of his iudgements why should any other man assure himselfe the continuall possession of the like which yet come farre behinde the King in all things Lastly by this the Lord would schole and teach the king as wise as he is that hee presume not to enter into iudgement with him which is most iust and will not acquite a sinner in his sinnes nor to iustifie himselfe
stay suspend our iudgement then rashly giue censure or opinion without aduise But that neither our selues nor any others may happely mistake or misconstre the kings words it shal be néedfull that those things be both wel reconciled expoūded otherwise there be which thinke that they hardly deserue to be gathered cōserued placed in the holy Canon among the diuine writings and so nether to be committed to the Church for the instruction of Gods people Many things zadok saide Zadoke Alas I am right sorry to heare that Abiather shoulde say so It grieueth me not a litle that Words so wisely conceiued so princely vttered so agreable to the veritie so well applyed should be vnderstood so fondly cōceited so mailtiously considered of so ignorantly wrested so iniuriously Let vs heare Abiather what those matters are which are obiected Note that the things hereafter spoken of are but as briefely touched in respect of what may bee said of them But * I pray you to be briefe I wil promise the like in my resolutions answeres for we haue bin here a great whiles I feare mee the K. hath yer this asked often for some of vs we are foūd wanting faulty therin for it is not méet we should forget our dutifull attendance And for mine own part as I haue beene euer willing and ready to attend and serue my Lord the K. and the rather because his most noble grace hath been well pleased to accept of my poore seruice so would I not willingly absent my selfe from his presence too long for my whole desire and endeuor is as in dutie I am bound that which my best counsell and ready attendance I may next to the Lord gratifie and pleasure my Soueraigne and comfort him in this his estate Say on therefore Abiather But why stagger ye as though ye were fearfull feare not at all for there is not any of vs I dare say that doth so much as imagine that any of those obiections or hard censures against the king and his words hath or may procéed from your owne head Ye affect the King and his words better than so we fully persuade An Author and reporter in sort and ye are herein rather the reporter of other mens opinions and speeches then the Author of any such thing which may either hurt the Kings person or empeach the authoritie of his words And surely wee may in this rather commend then dislike you or your wordes though all words of all persons especially of kings and Princes howe true soeuer they be are not to bee vttered or spoken before all persons in all places at all times without difference wise consideration or due regard For by this wee shall not onely know what is conceited and spoken abroad of the king and his words but also consider of thē consult how to withstand those inconueniences which may grow follow and ensue thereof in posteritie And this shall be the sooner performed by the true vnderstanding of the Kings meaning and the right exposition of his words Abiather first clereth himself and then obiecteth Then answered Abiather my Lords all I hope yee iudge of mee as of a true subiect to my Lord King Solomon and I aduenture to stand for the perfect triall of my dutifull alleageāce fidelity in this respect against al mē wherin I know howsoeuer it be imagined I may not be resembled to that Abiather the Priest whom the King worthily deposed and put from his place for his infidelitie But now hearken my Lords It is obiected besides all the premised First that the King hath combined the wise-man together with thee foole without difference in the same condition and estimation 2 Hée conioyneth man in the like condition with the beast 3 Hée séemeth to define mans felicitie in eating drinking and fleshly pleasures 4 Hée preferreth as it appeareth death before life and the dead before the liuing yea and him who is yet vnborne before them both 5 Hée is noted to discourage men from the perfection of wisedome and Iustice which are two most excellent vertues in men 6 Hee condemneth the man that loueth quietnes and peace better then trouble and vexation and therein contrarieth his owne words else where deliuered 7 Hee is supposed to condemne and abandon womans Sexe the which the Lord hath framed and made meete and profitable for the man 8 Hee hath taught Ambiguitie and despaire of the diuine loue and mercie to the horrible anguish of conscience euen in the wisest and holy men 9 Hee seemeth to cast into suspense the substance and being of the soule of man 10 He denieth plainely the life and sense of mans soule after death 11 Hee iudgeth a man so deuoyde of reason and iudgement that hee knoweth not what is good for himselfe in this life 12 The King himselfe being a transgressour deemeth the like of all men condemning them of sinne and vnrighteousnesse 13 Hee ascribeth all that to Time and chance the which we iustly attribute to the diuine Prouidence 14 Hee encourageth men to a prodigall wasting out of their prouision wealth and substance 15 Hee hath set no difference betweene the righteous and the wicked the holy and profane as touching their conclusion ends and reward 16 Hee holdeth that a man hath no power of his owne life when yet it is seene thay many men hauing power murther themselues as Saul did 17 Hee hath intised yong men to take their delights of youth and to follow after their owne lustes Loe these and such like thinges are obiected And is it indeed so saide Zadok Howbeit zadoke answ to all the former obiections 1. Touching the combination of the wise man with the foole Eccles. 2.14 9.2 I nothing doubt howe to resolue those doubts and answere those obiections to your content viz. First it is obiected as yee saide that the King hath combined the wiseman with the foole in the same condition estimation Of what wordes of the King should that be gathered as yee suppose Of these saide Abiather that speaking both of the wiseman and of the foole said by and by I know that the same condition falleth to them all and thereupon he resolued It befalleth vnto me as it befalleth vnto the foole wherefore then labour I to bee more wise Is this answered Zadok the ground of that obiection and will yee so conclude of the Kings graue words Alas the grosse ignorance of vaine men and yet how hastie are they to iudge of that they neither know nor are able to apprehend Thus the blind-man is said to iudge of colours Howbeit ye shall consider with me that the king hath not said it absolutely or simply that the wise-man is no better then the foole but in this sense meaning First as we vse to say that Fooles haue fortune meaning that a wise-man by his proper wisedom studie and power can effect nothing more then doth a foole of any thing he
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