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
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
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
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
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
with Rubies Tophas Diamond Thurkoie Onyx Iasper Saphyr Emeralde Carbuncle and gold with Tymbrels and Musicall pipes he was as an annointed Cherub and holy placed in the sacred mount of God and made perfect in his wayes A king of Maiestie and of excellent regard for his admirable vertues Hyram his name interpreted worthily alluding to his noble name being as one would say loving exceedingly the promotion of life the beautie of them that appertaine to him freedome or libertie an high mountaine a faithfull watch a bearing or powring forth that is to say of treasures and good thinges for the helpe and comfort of others the citie or refuge of them that maintaine peace and a discovering or vnderstanding of thinges divine and profitable Fourthly as this right noble Prince had an especiall loue to the Lord the God of Israel and his most holy Religion and therefore affected wondrous well both king David 1. King 5.1.7.8 and our Lord K. Solomon so was hee euer most glad willing and ready to send vnto either of them whatsoeuer they requested of him for and towardes the building of both the Lords house and also the kinges house in the greatest aboundance for as his land was plentifull and abounding with all those thinges before mentioned that by the especial blessing of God so thought he they could not be better employed then on the king and chiefly to and for so excellent a monument as he had purposed to erect to the name of Iehovah his God the same God I say which Hyram also so deuoutely honored to the prayse of his Maiesty the true solace of his soule and the good example of others Furthermore Hyram reioycing greatly to heare tel of our Soueraigne Lord now lately aduāced on the glorious seate of his father hee glorified God with this saying Blessed be the Lord this day who hath given vnto David a wise sonne to raigne ouer this mightie people Moreouer hee sent a message to the king saying I have considered all the things of the which thou hast sent vnto me and I wil surely accomplish all thy desire therein c. So that both the faith and pietie of king Hyram was plainely manifested in this kinde of congratulation of Solomons graces especially for that religious institution concerning the setting forth of the holy Religion as whereby not onely we Iewes might glorie of this that wee haue beene earnest professors of Gods law and builders of his house But that also the Gentiles whom wee sometimes abhorred are by the diuine fauour instigated and perswaded to conioine with vs in the performance of the same the which also as wee haue seene happilie to commence hath been continued and yet is enioyed to the comfort of vs all Therefore as for this benefit wee are bound to be thankfull to God and gratefull to that good King so haue wee not found or may perceiue any iust cause of offence to spring therence or that the King should thereof be greeued and perplexed in mind as at this time we obserue him to bee There is some other matter doubtles that causeth the sadnesse the which would to God wee could both find and remedy with speede for long delayes bring dangers especially in the cure of a wounded languishing head Then Lord Ahiah opening his mouth spake to this effect Ye haue well saide of the two former namely touching king Pharaohs daughter and the Tyrian king with whome the kinges Maiestie hath vnited himselfe with the former in mariage with the second in mutual amitie Ahiah speaketh of the Queene of Saba And this also may bee spoken of the most vertuous Queene of Arabia that vpon the report of the kinges seruantes which were sent at Ophir for gold prepared herselfe in great roialtie and came hether to this end to heare the kinges wisedome and to learne the religion of Iehovah our God and thereon she was happilie taught instructed being no doubt moued and perswaded thereunto by the diuine power who as we perceiue is willing that the Gentiles should partake with vs of those thinges which appertaine to the highest honour of our God and eternall happinesse as ye haue before intimated Now therefore the king knowing the purpose of God in this point and vnderstanding by his wisedome that her repaire vnto him was for this very end hee gladly welcomed her with her traine 1. King 10. and most willingly satisfied her mind euery way for he declared vnto her al her hard questions touching those diuine things for she had propounded many vnto him so that there was not one thing hiddē frō the king which he expounded not vnto her But when she saw his royall Maiestie with her eyes heard his words with her eares and well considered the admirable building of his house the excellēt orders of his noble Princes seruants and many semblable things farre passing all others and beyond the report she had heard which yet was merueilous she was throughlie rauished and astonied and thereon brake forth blessing the Lord blessing the kings royall maiestie and those his seruants with many emphaticall wordes and wonderfull gestures of bodie declaring her selfe at this time rather a true Iewish deuoted with the zeale of the glorie of our God then a Gentile as one educated and nurtured not in Arabia but in the Cittie of Ierusalem yea in Sion the Lords holie hill and sanctified Tabernacle all the daies of her life What kind of persons king Solomon accepted into league And here note I beseech you that as our most sacred Soueraigne hath entred league or affinitie with none of this kind I meane the out-landish before that they had acknowledged the Lord conuerted vnto him and made faithfull voues and promisses to be the Lordes and to feare him as somtimes Ruth and Rahab had done as the law in that case did require so refused he not any whosoeuer in this mind and sinceritie of heart came or offered themselues vnto him with a desire either to learne of him wisdome or to gratifie his wisdome glorie and prosperitie according to the true sense of the same law In or by the which we haue not found that the State of our holie Religion hath beene at any time altered or the same any way empaired or neglected but we haue seene that by this our shining candle many other candles haue beene kindled and our owne nothing blemished or consumed thereby All this doubtlesse was in our king very prayse-worthy as that which fitteth the high honor of a Soueraigne Prince Ahishar speaketh of the kings age and of his declining and death * In very truth as ye haue well spoken quod Ahishar But heare mee my Lordes might not this griefe be occasioned of this that the king now striken in yeares and well knowing himselfe a mortall man though a maiesticall King in his place doth either by his rare wisdome or some late inspiration perceiue that he must of necessitie shortlie giue ouer
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
and the law in their seuerall places and functions th' other generall parte is that holiest place into the which none but only the high Priest and that once in the yeere enireth to sacrifice aswell for himselfe as for the people By the former is expressed the condition of that part of the Church which is in this life militant gathered and made vp of all sortes aswell of the common people as of the priestes and of the Gentiles together with the Iewes By the latter is signified that part which containeth onely the Lordes holy elect and glorious company of heauenly Sainctes in the kingdome of holy Messiah Betweene those two partes of the Temple there is made a certaine lofte or Chamber boorded or séeled By the which is not vnaptly signified mans mortall body in this world the which neuerthelesse being once rent or dissolved the gate or entrance is made open of the passage from the one part to the other For by this we passe out of the troubles and confusion of this place into the place of glorie This Temple hath a foundation strong and permanent by the which is signified the power and might of Messiah who beeing best able to support and beare the burden and building of his Church hath laid the same on himselfe as that sure rocke of rest vpon the which whatsoeuer is fast grounded shall stand and neuer fall This is the same by whome our fathers in the wildernesse were relieued and strengthned This Temple hath also walles standing on that foundation raised vp of framed stones and set well in order by the which we vnderstand the goodly companies of holy men rightly disposed and well ordered in the same There bee also windowes to giue in the light By the which are ment the order of the wise teachers ministers in the same There be pretious stones which note the most excellent Princes Prophets Priestes and Magistrates There bee two Altars wherof the one is of gold standing in the holiest place th' other is of brasse standing in the other part By the former we consider the merite of Messiah by the other the pure heart of the holy ones On the one is offered the same vnspotted Lambe vnto which all the sacrificed Lambes of our law do point on the other is lifted vp that sacrifice of praier faith thanksgiuing and righteousnes where of King David hath spoken There bee also Cherubins in the holiest place which note those Angels and ministring Spirits which standing in the heauenly presence are most obedient to his wil and euen ready to helpe succour and comfort the Saincts which are on the earth There bee lights and Candles in number ten By the lights are ment the doctrine of the right knowledge of God by the which the people are taught and instructed and by the Candlestickes wee may consider that diuine law vnto the which hee woulde that all those doctrines and instructions shoulde drawe men and to note the perfection thereof as alluding to the tenne commaundementes in the Law which indeede conteineth the very summe of all other commandements they are in number ten for this is a number of perfection Moreouer on the walles bee certaine pictures most gloriously beautified which expresse the noble graces and vertues of those liuely stones I meane the saints and withall diuers other things right beautifull and most admirable which also are to bee applyed to so many sundry functions administrations duties offices vertues in the Church of Messiah of the which I may not presently delate nor may as yet presume to vnfold that which I know shall be shut vp and fast sealed from the perfect knowledge of man Many things were sealed vp from mans knowledge before the comming of Messiah vntill the comming of that most holy one Moses himselfe could see but the very backe partes of him whom he desired to behold and things which shall be indeede are as obscurely shadowed vnto vs as yet But when hee commeth hee will both confirme that which is declared and shewe all things else most plainly which yet are hidden from our eyes Now all these things my Lords are not vnknowne vnto you or at the least vnto some of you and therefore I am sure yee will not yéeld to this that the King should bee either called or accounted a damned or reprobated or prophane person but rather as yee should indeed conclude and subscribe to this that King Solomon whom the Lord his God hath appointed the Builder of his Temple which so lively expresseth the holy Church of Messiah and there in hath made him an excellent figure of that Messiah is a Saint of the Lord elected and ordained to salvation To this answered all the Princes Indeede wee know it but much the better by this your explanation And therefore we see no reason to denie your conclusion but rather as we should doe acknowledge and confesse the Kings Holines and subscribe to that whatsoeuer ye haue said concerning the same And now my Lord Zadok if ye haue any thing els further to ratifie or establish that which yee haue assumed although we doubt not of any thing We pray you to bring it foorth also that his Highnesse be not defrauded of that which in right hee ought to haue nor others left without a resolution of that whereof they might peraduenture rest doubtfull Neither are wee any thing weary to heare you to speake so iustly for the king so delectably for vs and so profitably for the people Yee haue thus farre walked in a very pleasant way Walke on as yet good father proceed and bee not faint the ende of this course is both profitable and right praise worthy in the iudgement of all good men CAP. XXVII Zadok produceth many other arguments to proove that Solomon was a Saint appointed to salvation ZAdok listening to the godly desire of the Princes touching the further probation of the kings holines and acceptation with the Lord notwithstāding his sins opened his mouth againe and saide God forbid my Lords that I should either conceile or keepe backe any thing of that which may either satisfie you to be reuealed or confirme my former proposition in the which I assumed that the king was a Saint of the Lorde Therefore hearken and I will speake As the Lord our God had chosen and appointed the king to be a true figure of Messiah in the building of his Temple and therein a Saint of the Lord So also hath the same Lord ordained and declared many other notable things in and by the king to fore-shew and expresse the same for surely vnto this belongeth also the honor of his birth and acceptation his diuers titles and names his wisedom his iudgements his wealth his kingdom his fame with many his actions his words his qualities his graces his vertues and rare enduments most admirable in the eyes of all men Of some few of the which I will speake very briefely for to tell of them al I
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
he sawe that those good things by how much the more they were imparted and made common to others by so much they appeared the better in all iust estimation * Moreouer to the ende that his wisedom and knowledge so imparted might be heard with the more delight The best wayes and meanes to instruct teach and edifie others the better conceiued the deeper imprinted in the mindes and memorie of the hearers by thē the more exquisitely discussed he hath inuented and doth dayly inuent compose and set foorth many rare and excellent Riddles Prouerbs and similitudes taken from the very nature and truth of things yea he seeketh and frameth such words Sermons and Sentences which hee knoweth to be most profitable and fit for the purpose he layeth euer before him those Bookes and Monuments of the wise and godly men of yore as it is before said whom hee knewe were illuminated and taught of GOD and the things which they spake and left to the Church were indited by the finger of the holy spirit For hee knoweth and hath so taught and tolde vs often The vse of the Bookes of holy scriptures that the Bookes wordes and writings of those antient holy men are right profitable in the Church to stirre vp and prouoke men to pietie and to walke in the way that leadeth towards the highest good and chief felicitie and also to confirme any doctrine or opinion that shall be either taught or deliuered to the Church for Gods glorie and the profite of the same For therein is to be séene and gathered the same veritie which it hath pleased God by the inspiration of his spirite to exhibite vnto his Prophets and seruants whom he hath made in this respect the Maisters and Authors of those holy Bookes and godly collections worthily entituled the Word of God Psal 1. These be the things which the King wonderfully affecteth and is neuer wearied in the holy meditation thereof Heere is that doctrine and learning vnto the which he would that all men should listen and giue attentiue heed All men must take heed of strange doctrines and opinions and that in regard thereof they should eschew and abandon all other doctrines and opinions whatsoeuer which sound or any way sauor contrary or not like vnto this For it is certaine that as the eie is not satisfied with séeing nor the eare with hearing and mans curiositie being vnmeasurable the doctrines and opinions of men doe exceed in multitude and diuersitie so both the inuenting of those doctrines and opinions and in the making of those Bookes which are neither agreable nor any way comparable to this one doctrine so giuen and approoued by the chiefe Pastor and Teacher and also in the reading studying learning and exercises thereof are nothing els but a labour of the flesh and a vexing of the minde And so much the more for that therein among other things this is holden and plausibly accepted that the chiefe felicitie of man did consist either of honors or riches Men haue placed their chief felicitie in those things of the world or of pleasures and mens delights and such like the which therefore most men studyed to attaine in the reading hearing and obseruing the precepts and rules of the same Wherein neverthelesse whiles men are busied they resemble those foolish people which being diseased do seeke for remedies of the things which are brought from India Aethiopia and the furthest parts of the world happily not so well fitting the constitution of their natures when the whiles they contemne or neglect the good things which grow in their owne gardens * But as for that doctrine and those words which are indited and giuen by that chief pastor approued by those graue maisters of authoritie and collected taken and taught by the King aswell in this as in other his Bookes and so wee finde them to shoote harmonically to this chiefe scope or marke The ende of the holy scriptures Eccles. 12.13 1 Gods glory 2. Mans happinesse Psal 50.23 Exod. 20. namely that men might thereby learne and bee perswaded to Feare God and to keepe his Commandements In the which are respected those two things namely the glory of God and the highest happinesse To the former whereof is required the praise and thankefulnesse vnto GOD for his benefites a dutie enioyned to man in the first Table of the Lawe In the latter is required a godly life and holy conuersation or dutie enioyned vs in the second Table of the same Lawe For in the first thereof is prescribed our dutie to GOD In the second our dutie to man In the former wee learne Dutie to God Dutie to man what GOD requireth and what hee abandoneth as iouching his owne honour and seruice In the latter what hee requireth and what hee condemneth in our behauiour one towardes another For there is not any one singular Precept but respecteth both what is to bee done Note this in the ten Commandements Exod. 20. and what is not to bee done And this wee must obserue therein that where any vertue is commaunded in the same Precept that vice which is her contrary is forbidden and so there where any vice is forbidden that vertue which is his contrarie is commanded Eccles. 12. This is that feare of God and the obseruation of his commandements which is required of man and to this ought euery man by those holy doctrines to frame and apply himselfe Besides these all the studies God hath prepared a iudgement for these things Psal 50 1.3 labours deuises and endeuors of man are vaine and nothing els but labors and vexations of minde drawing men from good vnto euill from God to the diuell from heauen to hell Neither may wee thinke but that for either of these wayes a man shalll bee called into iudgement to make his reckoning and to cast his account howe hee hath either vsed or abused them Yea men shall haue not onely their particular iudgements heere in this worlde wherein happie is hee that shall finde mercie and forgiuenesse but also in the end they shall stande before the tribunall Seate of Messiah when hee shall come and sit to pronounce a iust sentence against all men whether they be good or euill Then all things shall bee reuealed yea euen those which haue beene concealed psal 2.5 and in a great part left vnpunished since the beginning of the Creatures Then for euery idle word there shall bee made a reckoning euery idle deed shall bee discerned and euery secret thought of the heart shall bee made manifest Then shall Gods chosen hee cleared and called into glory with the holy Messiah and his angels and then shall the prophane reprobates be thrust out into vtter darknes to toyle and moyle with the serpent and wicked Feendes for euermore All these things in effect and many more with singular wisedome and great grauitie hath our Lorde the King vttered and taught as we must acknowledge
SCHELOMONOCHAM OR King SOLOMON his Solace Containing among many thinges of right worthy request King Solomon his Politie his true Repentance and finally his Salvation First Presented to the Kinges most excellent Maiestie and afterward published 1 King 10.6 It was a true word which I heard in mine owne Land of thy sayinges and of thy wisedome Ecclesi 12.10 The Preacher was yet more wise and taught the people knowledge LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Windet 1606. THE Price and estimation OF Solomons Solace He that commeth to buy will peradventure say to him which would sell it It is naught It is naught Howbeit when he hath bought it and brought it home then he boasteth of his good peny-worth as Pro. 20.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salva Deo Regis sit magno vita IACOBI Vt servet charos divino iure Britannos Vincenti Maximo De Rege nostro Serenissimo eiusque pro genie clarissima poema 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A A great red Dragon with 7. heads 10. hornd power D Design'd of late a soveraign Queene quite to deuour I Intending eke that Son to strike for whom she gron'd A Affright whereat to her good God she timely mon'd C Conspecting then Iehovah this his handmaides greefe O Omitted not with readie hand to grant reliefe B But first her sweet Soule he convaighd as seem'd him best V Vnto his princely pallace there in peace to rest M Moreover then he Michael with army stout M Maugre the foe sent forth in field cast him out A And so that when the tragedie should be effected G God it withstood those complots in time detected N Now sith the Dragon saw his purpose thus prevented A And quaild himselfe he might have coucht so repēted E Expecting pardon but no lesse he erst reviv'd B Bruite stratagems and quaint designes by him cōtriv'd R Recounting that loud lowing Buls might pierce deep lorne I In roiall Lyons heart and princely Vnicorne T That so the seede right soveraigne amongst the rest A And all the flowers of this field should bee supprest N Not by the lore of sacred lawes or iustice right N Nor with the dinte of valiant sword or open fight I In manly wise but savadgely with stygian flame A And hellish hounds attempted how to forge the same E Enlarging so his beastly bent God him there staid R Restraining him vnto the snare himselfe had laide E Establishing for aie the scepters dignitie G Giuen rightfully to Iames and his posteritie E Enrich therfore with peace power worship renown M Most mighty God his grace his progeny and crown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TO THE MOST MIGHtie most gracious and most Christian Prince IAMES by the divine Grace King of great Brittaine France and Ireland defendour of the faith c. Most mightie and most gratious Soveraigne Lorde IT is certaine that neither King Solomon so passing wise and famous nor anie his wordes recorded in Canonicall Scripture so prudent pithie and full of pietie need the helpe of humane hand much lesse of my poore penne for the defence of th' one or the authoritie of th' other having so long sithence by the best iudgement purchased that credit and approbation which neither the serpents envy nor mās malignity hath or shal be able to anihilate or empeach Howbeit seing that some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partly of malice partly of ignorance blush not to obiect except against either condemning the one as profane and damned and contemning th' other as polluted and perilous Wherat many remaine suspensive of both others with my selfe woful for both as that so soveraigne a tree should be blasted her wholsome fruit reiected I thought it good and my dutie aswell for the stopping of those mouthes as for the better resolution of the doubtfull the solace of the pensive the instruction of the ignorant the honour of the worthie and the glory of the Almighty to advēture the framing of this Apologetical Dialogue or conferēce entituled Schelomonocham or K. Solomons solace and the same vnder the divine feare and your Graces pardon to dedicate to your sacred Maiestie Howbeit this my rash enterprise most gracious Soveraigne first in attemting a worke so waightie then in addressing it to a personage so mightie convinceth me in some censures of audacious arrogancie when being farre poorer then Gedeon much slower tongued then Moses without comparison I should with the former have acknowledged my great impotence and with the latter have distrusted my small eloquence but with neither of them both have presumed on your Maiesticall presence At the least I should have followed that counsaile of Aesope to Solon approaching before Craesus King of Lydia to speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those conceites indeede might have daunted mee had I not found strong reasons to perswade mee For first beeing a Minister of Gods truth which as I reverence I shoulde also defend to my power and hearing those and other like obloquies divulged not onely in common conferences but in publike Sermones I should with them have consented and so sinned had I longer pawzed expecting from others the miraculous birth of those great bellied Mountaines Secondly having accomplished the worke and perpending as the vsuall manner is to whose worthinesse it should of right be commended I remembred that saying of King Alexander when a little before his death beeing asked to whome the Empire should remaine after him hee answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the worthiest yea I gladly recorded that ready resolution of our late right Christian Queene of blessed memorie concerning the successe of this most famous Monarchie which she said should in right descend and come to King Iames then of Scotland her naturall and lawfull successour and the most worthie Wherein I also resolved and presumed knowing well that as your princely power is best able to protect so your royall person is most meete to enioy King Solomons Solace for that not only after the philosophers rule and your Kingly advise in that learned Arist lib. Mor. 8. Plato de Leg. 8. godly and sententious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but after the Axiomes of divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is the person so should be the present the Argument so properly fits the same having for the principall subiect that most wise most divine most maiesticall and most famous King Solomon the sonne of King David the same whome Iehovah his God had both promised nominated and appointed to the kingdome of Israel before that he was conceived and borne made most prudent royall and glorious in his throne and set foorth in all thinges as a meete figure of the
true Melchisedek and Melchisalem many yeeres ere hee came into this worlde Neither might this prerogative bee well transferred to any other in regarde of the subiect without some iniurie to your highnes disgrace to the thing and blame to my selfe Thirdly as I was very willing in this sort to manifest the acknowledgement of my deepest debt namely dutifull love and true alleageance to your high Soveraignety so was I no lesse encouraged when I considered that I should present my selfe these my labours not before an Egyptian Pharao as did Moses nor before a Lydian Craesus as did Solon but which I vtter with a most ioyfull heart before the Lords annointed a right Christian King who with King David a man after Gods own heart vouchsaveth sweet audience to the prophet Nathan though he speak without a parable for the preferment of yong Solomon and for Israels cōmon good who al so with K. Iehosophat is desirous to know the wil of God thogh by the simple ministery of poore Micheas finally which with K. Solomon is contented to heare in his own royall person the pleading of 2. women though of base cōdition But now because that godly modestie though in the habite of princely magnanimitie admits not in presence any speeches displaying such your apparant worthinesse I lay my hand on my mouth yeelding many thinges to vnwilling silence the which neverthelesse the most loving affections of all your true-hearted subiects cannot but acknowledge willingly proclaime For we are truly perswaded that as Iehovah graced Noah the righteous with many perfections wonderfully blessed David his annointed with an excellent spirite and adorned K. Solomon with manifold graces as wherby changed into other men the first was miraculously preserved in the great deluge which drowned the olde world that he might be made the happy originall of the new the second powerfully rescued from the Lyon the Beare the hurtfull sworde that he might feede the Lords people and Iacob his inheritance the 3. beautified blessed with an admirable peace that he might build the L. house keep the Lords watch do equitie righteousnes in the midst of his people so hath your high excellēcie found enioyed the like frō the L. that being protected preserved by his holy Angels and established on the Throne of your kingdome ye are with that provident Ianus who behelde all thinges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made worthy the original of a new prosperous peace with the sweet Psalmist ordained a feeder of the L. inheritance after the discretion of your hands with that lovely Laemuel appointed a builder of that holy house a keeper of the watch and the Executioner of righteousnesse and iudgement in the middest of your people And as this is the end of your advancement the Glory of your Throne the peace of your kingdome and the ioy of your people so in the same shall yee truely confirme the love of GOD to your selfe declare your thankefulnesse to his Almightines perform the duty of a most Christian Governour assure your good Subiects of your vnfained amitie embrace their love retaine their loialty and publikely expresse your right Princely Pietie for the honour of God the comfort of his Church the ioy of your people the peace of your heart the safetie of your place the praise of your vertue and the salvation of your soule for this is that which as saith the Apostle hath all the promises both of this life and of the life to come All the which therefore we dayly desire of God in our heartie praiers to be confirmed encreased established and continued in your sacred Maiestie with the abundance of blessings so long as the Sunne and the Moone endureth Thus farre therfore have I adventured on your high person and presence Moreover seeing your Maiestie is not wont to blame your obsequious servant for profering the stay of your stirrop although ye are well able and willing to mount your faire Palfray without any his help I hope that yee will not much blame mee if in this happie accesse to your royal presence after th' example of wise Zorobabel speaking before King Darius and the three Princes of Persia according to my bounden dutie I onely remember you of that promise and vow made to the King of heaven in the day of your Coronation concerning the building of Ierusalem and the reparation of the Temple It is well knowne that our late deceased Noursemother so well learned and approved in all princely pietie did not only repaire and garnish the Lordes house which before her time lay ruinous and defaced as King Hezekiah and other ancient benefactors had don in their daies but having a right good opinion of the faithfull Pastours and painefull Ministers of the worde as sometimes the noble Sunemitish Ladie had of Elisha the man of God shee was wonderfull careful that they shoulde be enhabled to live of the Gospell which they preached in their due honour and therefore shee builte or at the least repaired and appointed not onely one little Chamber but many large houses for them to turne into compassed with strong walles to bee secured in and furnished with beddes to rest on Tables to eate on stooles to sit on and Candlestickes to put light on with all other meete provision and furniture for their studies functions and fare the which also had happily continued without great breaches vntill the day of her death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. lib. 1. Aristoph apud Suid. had not some more expert in Simonides Songes then in Davids Psalmes deceived her trust But as devouring time decayeth houses most strongly built and both estates in all ages by occasions wax blunt so the Lordes house which shoulde first be respected and those Chambers in the next place which should not bee neglected were so empaired that as the former needed the regard of the right owner to support it so the latter the wisdom of the cunning Artificer to edge it Now for that the highest Power hath not onely appointed your royall Maiestie next himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the principall overseer and chiefe Artificer of this great worke But also hath already moved your sanctified minde to consider so religiously of the same wee cannot but acknowledge this divine and gracious benefit with thankefulnes to his high Maiestie and a faithfull hope in holy invocation that your Maiestie may not onely continue zealous and regardfull of that howse but also vouchsafe that those chambers may from time to time bee truely survaighed kept and repaired with the preservation of their pristine and laudable rightes according to the purporte of your mind of pietie therein well declared not for Gehezi the Seller nor for Simon the Buyer nor for the vnworthie hireling But for Elisha that holy man of GOD that so the glorie of the LORDE may fill this house 2. Chro. 7.1.3 and that the people may bow downe their faces and praise the God of Israel
Israel if all things had answered ad amussim to his request and dayly endevor but also by many heauenly doctrines learned Orations wise sentences parables and arguments to display and set foorth the manifolde vanities of wordly-men and there-withall as the wise Preacher to studie and endevor on the one side to disswade and hallow them from the same beeing replenished with so many miseries and on the other side to allure and draw them on towardes the chiefe good and highest felicitie where onely is found the true sacietie and best solace after all the confused troubles of this life Truely this is the very Argument Summe or chiefe matter of his Booke entituled the Ecclesiastes or the Preacher from whence as from the head-spring of many both pleasant and profitable streames this present Solace is chiefly derived In the which besides the viewe of Solomons Common-wealth and many other matters of right worthy request is contained his true Repentance and Pardon after his sinnes displayed in a certaine Dialogue or conference of his Princes and chiefe Lordes A worke both godly pleasant and profitable aswell for Princes and noble personages as for all others which have any desire to walke in this life towardes the highest obiect of our hope But heere I thought it good to admonish thee gentle Reader that as the worke chiefely regardeth those matters of Antiquitie and namely such as were either heard of scene vnderstood or in action within the compasse of that time wherein that most famous King both raigned and lived and of the which his Princes Lordes and servantes coulde as auriti or oculati testes both take and giue true testimonies or the which they could readily cite gather obserue remember consider and reason of in and among themselues so haue I therein for the most part taken applyed and vsed those testimonies examples and Arguments the which either that time or the times then fore-past could happily affoord mee for those persons from whose wordes reportes and disputations this Dialogue is deduced could not possibly deliver vnto vs the things which as yet were neither in action or motion among men seeing themselues knew not as they were men what shoulde followe or come to passe after them vnder the Sunne Eccle. 3.22 but as they might conclude effects from the causes in naturall things Therefore I haue beene carefull that there-with I might intermixe any of those which succeeded in the ages times and persons following the which neuerthelesse being extant may be neither reiected nor abandoned but rather as they stand to bee taken and collected in and from the wordes writings and workes of others which though farre latter have yet beene both godly faithfull well learned and of no lesse credite and authoritie in the Church Howbeit because I would not that any thing which is either worthie thy knowledge or heere in request with any of them that stand in doubt of the holynesse of King Solomon the authoritie of his wordes and Bookes shoulde bee cowched in silence or buried in obscuritie I purpose and God will though very briefly to supply even here that which might seeme to bee wanting there that so the latter compared with the former and one thing considered rightly with another they may from either gather a meete harmony and consent to conclude both for the holynesse of th' one for the sufficiency of th' other But here I finde them that demaund how the knowledge of this disputation and conference should be brought vnto mine vnderstanding from whence this princely dialogue could be either gathered or presumed To whome I might answere that howsoever it be that either this or the semblable matter may bee hidden from the knowledge and vnderstanding of the simple and ignoraunt or how hardly it may bee conceived of some wise and learned persons yea and howsoever this present dialogue shal be censured and esteemed in a great part as prosopopoicall or imagined yet it is true and sure enough as it is hereafter declared and proved that those godly wise well learned and noble personages which were and lived in the time of Solomon heard of his wisedome and saw his glorie never doubted of his holinesse and true repentance and so neither of his remission and salvation with the Lorde And as in those thinges they were not doubtfull so were they neither so negligent nor carelesse of the Kinges health and prosperity and of the Common-good of the Lordes people but that they as most noble Princes and wise and grave Counsailors entered into a deepe consideration of the royal estate and of the common wealth of Israel reasoned and argued the case in and betweene themselves concerning the causes of the kinges great heavines and sorrow and therein did not onely thinke honourably and constre charitably and reverently of the kinges dealinges and wordes as it well became them but also endevoured by their wisedom counsel authority to remove away all the causes that the vnhappy effectes thereof might cease and to withstand the remedilesse inconveniences of such desperate mischiefs in time convenient that in such sort in effect as it is reported in this Solace And to the end that no man might either make question of the holinesse of their soveraigne Lord or doubt of his remission and salvation they argue for him and above all the rest of that most honourable society the most reverend father in God namely Zadok the Lordes high priest to whose grave and learned iudgement they all most gladly condiscended spake and proved first that king Solomon was by the providence of the highest provided and made a lively figure of the most holy Messiah whom they faithfully expected to come into the world and that it was necessary that the figure should answere to the thing figured Therefore the Messiah beeing most holy it must follow that King Solomon should bee also holy alluding to those equall proportions in the law between the Seed of the Woman and the types shadows and figures of the same * Next to that they argue his Pardon partly from Gods owne promise of mercy to him and the continuance of his divine Graces 2. Sam. 7.15 partly from his Repentance the which besides other places is worthily gathered of his Ecclesiastes or Preacher beeing as the Hebrewes say the booke of his repentance * Thirdly they argue his Salvation with the Lorde from the consideration of his pardon as that which necessarily followeth the same after this and like Testimonies and examples Blessed is that man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne And as they never doubted of the holinesse pardon and salvation of the person so neither called they into questiō any his books proverbs words songs sētences but honoured reverenced and esteemed them as wise and grave sayings divine prophesies and matters right holy and profitable for the Lordes congregation and for the instruction of his people Therfore they
thought it good and no lesse their duties not onely to collect and preserve them but to commit and commende them with the like authoritie to the holy Church Now it remaineth that we also heare and consider what hath beene else resolved concluded and testified by the godly learned and wise men aswell hebrewes as others succeeding them of that age and that not onely before but also sithence the birth death and ascention of the most holy Messiah concerning King Solomon and those his wordes First the auncient hebrewes and Rabins of the Iewes have delivered that Solomon did so much dislike his lustfull delightes and chiefly that sinne of Idolatrie impuâ—ed to him Jn vita pat lib. 7. in prologo in Cap. 1. in that hee tolerated and maintained his strange wives in their abhominations that hee willingly exposed himselfe in person a publike example of repentance throughout the streetes of Ierusalem and woulde also have beene whipped with seaven roddes in that Temple which himselfe had builded had not the learned doctors of the lawe withstood it holding it vnlawfull for them or any others to laye their handes on the Lordes Annointed as David had taught esteeming him not onely their true King but a divine Prophet and holy man of GOD and at this time a person truly repentant for his sinnes whereof they presumed of his pardon and eternall health Next wee finde it testified by the Author of the latter booke of the Chronicles of the kinges of Israel and Iudah Chap. 11. verse 17. that after king Solomon was laide to his fathers Iudah for the time of three yeeres following pleased GOD walking in the waies of David and Solomon not onely of David but also of Solomon noting that although king Solomon walked not perfectly with the Lorde in the time of his trespasses as David walked when hee pleased GOD yet neverthelesse in his latter time hee was reclaimed and walked againe with David as himselfe did in his youth when they both together pleased the Lorde GOD and so in th' end resigned both himselfe repentant and holy vnto God Nota. and the kingdom in the same estate wholy to his sonne Rehoboam for neither was the kingdome as yet divided nor the state of religion altered during the daies of SolomoÌ„s governmeÌ„t according as the L. had de creed promised 1. King 11.12 saying I wil not do it in thy daies Therefore not onely Solomon is combined with good David touching the state of religion the manner of his walking but also it is testified that Rehoboam his son followed the L. also together with theÌ„ of Iudah that scared the L. in the same way full 3. yeeres after Solomons death within the which time it pleased God to fortify the kingdom of Iudah therin to make Rehoboam strong After this the wise Syracides chap. 47.12 among others in his time conceiving wel of this excelleÌ„t person whoÌ„ he esteemed an excelleÌ„t sainct of the L. from whose wise sayings his graÌ„dfather Iesus had collected many his sentences hath carefully and reverently named numbred him among those holy Patriarches fathers of the old testameÌ„t so worthy of praise wherewithall although as a true historiographer in that parte hee hath laide open his sins which els were so apparant as they coulde not be covered yet he extolleth him with many admirable coÌ„meÌ„dations in right consideratioÌ„ giveth not so much as the least aime to any doubtfulnes of either his holines or salvation yea rather he omitted not to say and protest that God forsooke not his mercy meaning that which was promised to David concerning SolomoÌ„ confirmed to SolomoÌ„ accordingly as 1. King 11.39 Neither that he was vtterly destroyed because of his works that he should leaue him no posteritie Fourthly Saint Matthew the Evangelist bringeth in King Solomon in the genealogie of Christ our Saviour together with his mother among those holy fathers of the olde Testament Matt. 1.6 But chiefly the Lorde Iesus himselfe in his profound doctrines and sermons hath not disdained this person but vouchsafed to name him and there-withall to remember not onely the wisdom of King Solomon but also that holy House which he built to the Name of the Lord. And to declare how well he liked the same house he daily taught the people therin shewed them the right vse therof yea hee much disliked that the same should be prophaned by vngodly sinful men therfore assayed to reduce it to his pristin purity when with a whip he drave out both the buyers and sellers saying My house is the house of Prayer for all Nations it was indeede all vnmeet that the thing which was ordayned for a figure of his Church and prepared to so holy an vse should be stayned with mens prophanitie so long as the vse of the figure endured which was vntill the time of the comming of the holy Ghost vnto the Apostles after Christs ascension into the heavens After this that holy Protomartyr Steuen in his answere to the high Priest Actes 7. speaketh right reverently both of Solomon and of his worke and to testifie that the same had yet a further aime then to the ordinary personage or to the worke of other men he addeth But hee that is the highest of all dwelleth not in the Temples made with mens hands alluding to Solomons wordes in the dedication of that house 2. Chro. 6.18 For right well is it said that the very person whome that holy king prefigured dwelt not in that house made with handes howbeit as concerning his power and th'excellent graces of his spirite he is ever present in and with that holy church which Solomons Temple hath prefigured and expressed After all this to passe over the Apostles and their worthie estimation of this person and his workes from the which they have taken and cited argumentes to confirme their doctrins all the ancient fathers of the Nicen Concil Aug. in lib. 17 de civit dei cap. 20. Idem in 2. lib. de doct Christian Ioh. Driedo de Catalo sacr script lib. 2. vide Hieron in extrema visione Ezechiel Ambros super Ecclesiast et in Apolog. David and others both holy and learned in the church have not only gathered received aswel froÌ„ hence as from others monumeÌ„ts of their elders Solomons holines and true repentance but also have esteemed him for a Prophet and in their writings have called him the most wise holy Solomon But were it so that those things did not so plainly appeare in the holy scriptures nor could it be founde in any word or writing of antiquity that Solomon after his transgressioÌ„ did repent coÌ„vert himselfe to the L. what reasoÌ„ what charitie or what wisdom would yet cast into suspeÌ„se the holines salvation of so rare excelleÌ„t a persoÌ„ when there is not extaÌ„t any sufficieÌ„t scripture or warraÌ„t to prove his final prophanity eternall perdition or that hee continued irrepentant vntill his death
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
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
rebell against the Lord as Samuel told him in the height of his wealth Yea thus Dauid the father of K. Solomon being a whiles permitted to try himselfe and his might transgressed and confessed his folly Lo such is mans nature prave inclinatiō semblant to the ponderous lead or Iron which declineth to the bottom of the water whereon it is cast when as it is not by some arte or meanes staid from sinking or as the vine which groweth proud and out of course without timely pruning yea they be not vnlike touching their misfortunes those little Chickens which runne forth to the Vultures and the sily Lambes which offer themselues a pray to the Foxes without regard of their proper dās to kéepe or draw them away Men therefore yea the best and most strong men should feare and not desire to bee left vnto their owne wils wisedome power and habilitie but pray and desier to be continually protected governed and directed by the diuine counsayles and providence knowing that God beeing their Father doth euermore care and prouide for them which being humbled in his feare depend on his will direction Next that we sée that the Lord neither blesseth nor graceth thē which leaue him and his service how mighty wise rich or glorious soeuer they be but in this he estéemeth the king as a Caytiffe the Emperour as a wretch the rich as a beggar the wise as a foole nor will he vouchsafe them honour who dishonour him Nor indeede hath he freed his own from the touch of miserie in measure when they transgressed Adam and Hevah were exiled Paradise Noah was wade ashamed David mas floysed with many afflictions So neyther will the Lord that any person of whatsoeuer estate or condition should assure himselfe of peace and prosperity longer then whiles hee liueth in peace with his maker King Solomon began now to know his transgression and to returne dependeth on him by faith in Messiah and serueth him in singlenesse of heart All this the King at length wisely considering by the blessed motion of the diuine Spirite which now began to reclaime and call him home againe sodainely altred the constitution of minde and changed his behauiour as Dauid did after that the Lord created a new heart and renewed the right spirite within him And thereupon he became euen as another man For now knowing both his heynous transgression and the danger of his own poore soule foreséeing the imminent alteration of his high estate and the great perill of his people and féeling the heauy singer of that iust God and his dreadfull wrath already burning as a consuming fier in his conscience he was as a man stricken with a deadly arrow he waxed both pale and wan in the fearefull agonies of his most sorry soule that face which shined sometimes as a bright Angel was deformed with the aboundance of his watry teares and whereas he vsed to sit royally on his stately Throne he did now choose to lye all alone on the cold earth he wayled all the day and watched euery night rent his kingly cloathes cast ashes on his head mingled his drinke with his teares and watred hid cowch with the same sighed sorily and lamented wofully abandoned as donge all his former pleasures and contemned as vanitie the delights of men Moreouer all his words which were before so pleasant and hony sweete to the hearing now sauoured of mortification and sorrow expressing the vnmeasurable torment of his wofull soule Alas The fraile cōdition of mans nature who would haue thought that such a noble person could haue beene so sodainely turned about and altred Who could beleeue that such passing great pleasures should be determined in paines such comfortatiues conuerted into corasiues such gladnesse into griefes such prosperitie into aduersitie such felicitie into misery in so short a time in so noble a personage But yet we may marvaile the lesse if we duely consider not onely that the King though so Wise Rich and Glorious is yet but a Man to whom are incident both sinnes slydings falles but also that such are the miseries infirmities afflictions and conditions of this life And that whensoeuer the Lord God in his iust iudgements either openly or secretly beateth and punisheth a man for his faults that man is all vnable either to withstand those scourges or to abide in his honour or prosperous estate to retaine his health or welfare either of body or minde being worthyly constrained to cowch and giue place to him which is much stronger then he and to yeelde to him with whom no man can pleade nor answere one for a thousand as Iob said in the like consideration With this I call to minde that which the Kings Father was wont to modulate singing vnto the Lord his God When thou for sinne a mortall man doest beate He waues away and waxeth woe and wan Psal 39.12 Much like the garment which the moath doth freate So vaine a thing indeede is mortall man Lo here may we see the fickle condition of man the nature of his prosperitie in this life Well may he be compared therein to the flower of the fielde as both Iob A similitude which setteth forth mans condition Iob. 14.1 and Dauid faith for like as the flower is not onely sed and refreshed with the pleasant showers of raine the comfortable beames of the Sunne and groweth and shineth in the beauty of diuers colours but also within a very short time is annoyed altred and deformed now with the pearching heate of the Canicular Starre then with the pinching frosts of Boreas windes Euen so is man for he commeth vp he florisheth he shineth he is glorious in his place so long as it pleaseth God to giue him the sweete beames of prosperitie and honor in this world but this is not permanent for as man will not abide in honor so neither is it meete he should be still fostred and lulled here in the cradle of felicitie for by this he forgets himselfe and his estate yea he forgetteth God that made him and forsaketh the same which redeemed him Therefore the Lord is best pleased that he should be exercised with those afflictions which commonly follow after worldly pleasure and prosperitie being indeede as a common pronostication of sorrow and aduersitie Neither is there any thing to be looked for in this life as both the sayings of the wise the ancient histories the proper similitudes of things and the present examples of such euents doe plainely teach and instruct vs. In the sense and experience therefore of these things what is there found of any constancie or of any stability or of any continuance in mans life As man himselfe is fraile so are all those accidents appertenant to his humane nature transitory Therefore not onely the poore man but also the rich man yea not onely the beggers but the most Royall Princes are subiect to this alterations and vanities In the due consideration
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
whereas we hoped for some consolatory refrigeration and ease by the mitigation of those extraordinary passions wee see him yet hardly perplexed and vexed out of measure with farre greater and more torments For why the Sunne so brightsome is shadowed the ioyful light is couered the fayre Moone is obscured the shining starres be dazeled Eccle. 12.13 and the palpable cloudes returne after the late raine Neither indeede haue I any hope of the recouery of his former constitution of mind and health of body although I hartily wish it and desire it euery minute of an hower he accustomed to sit often in his kingly Throane most royally amiddes his Princes but now he prostrates himselfe on the most lumpish earth and reposeth him selfe most solitary as one forlorne He was wont to feede on the most daintie delicates but now hee is replete with bitter worme-wood and loathsome gall he sometimes solaced his sweete soule with the chearefull delightes of the happie but now he laments his hard lot with the wringing corasiues of the wretched Whereas for his recreation he vsed Harps Shalms Psalteries Dulcimers and other musicall instruments of pleasing sound now are they all set aside and neglected yea he doth vtterly distaste those and such delights Moreouer whereas he dayly accustomed for the better health of his body which hee was carefull to preserue to exercise himselfe before his meates and to rest himselfe sometimes after towards his better digestion and that in his bed he would first repose himselfe on his right side wherein is the greater heate of nature to further the same with the due obseruation of such and other good phisicall Diets now he is as another man he doeth all contrary he obserueth no diet profitable to health neither can he rest in his bed any while but tossing and turning hither and thither hee declareth his anguishes and powreth out his heart in sorowfull complaints The very remēbrance of his former pleasures grieue his very soul he vtterly abandoneth that he before much affected though a most glorious king in his estate hee yet abaseth himselfe beyond all measure his eyes gush out streames the teares runne downe his cheekes with the which he hath all watred his bed in the night 2. Sam. 12. right semblant therein to Dauid his Father after that the prophet Nathan had brought him a message from the Lord his God yea he séemeth not most wearie of his present life death is wished for being more acceptable to him in these his agonies of soule and semblably his Wordes Sentences sayings vpon whatsoeuer occasion he vttereth them argue a very déepe mortification of the flesh a vehement contempt of the worlde and a plaine condemnation of all the delights of the Sonnes of men Whereby in heauy sighes and groanes hee driues this mestiue myll Vanity of Vanities and all is nothing but meere Vanitie Eccl. 1.1.2 Lo thus fareth the king neither can my great familiarity with his Grace or any word or gesture of mine now preuaile with him as in times past to remoue this dangerous humour from his heart but as soone as I put him in minde of those his pristine delights he crieth out most wofully The person truely repentant is not soon drawne againe to follow his former lusts Io◠27.2.3 Vanity of Vanities as though God had taken away his iudgement and the Almighty troubled his mind But howsoeuer it be I tell you here in Councell that the King is in a very desperate agony of minde then the which nothing can bee more noysome to his health For as the trée cannot prosper whose roote is annoied so neither can that person receiue health which hath a pensiue soule I am very fearefull to thinke whereunto this will come and doubtles the kinges enemies hearing hereof they will clap their hands hissing and wagging their heads vpon him as the base abiects sometimes did on holy Iob with this bitter taunt Is this that man whome all the world admire for wisedome wealth glory and fame But on th' other side the kings people shall haue little cause to eate drinke and to reioyce vnder their vines and figge trées as they haue done in those dayes forepast vnder our Kinges happy Raigne This being spoken and heard with consideration of euery of these Lordes Zadock the high Priest stood forth and with a mighty sigh from the roote of his troubled heart zadock expresseth the wisdōe function and afection of a good Bishop Counsaylor he lifted vp both his eies and handes towardes the heauens vttering these wordes Oh good God helpe vs he said againe The peace prosperity and well-fare of all Israell doth depend next to our God on the peace prosperitie and well-fare of our most gratious King Solomon whom Iehouah his God hath chosen and appointed to represent his own glorious person in our happy Common-wealth in his wisedome his iustice his equity his benignity his fortitude his magnanimity his piety and all other his princely vertues no lesse then the faire and bright Sunne resembleth his Maiestie in the high Heauens to the ioy and comfort of the Creatures or as doth the head on the naturall body to the bewtie life and gouernment of the same or as the wise Gouernour of a Shippe in the Sea to the direction and safety both of it and of all those embarked therein Therefore I say if the Lord of heauen in his displeasure should take away our shadow or abridge our king and his honourable prosperity for transgression and sinne who from thencefoorth shall haue peace who shall fare well who shall prosper how can that body prosper whose head aketh and languisheth with paine and how can those creatures reioice from the which the light comfort and commodity of the Sun is remoued detayned The people ought to pray for the good estate of their Prince Psal 20.1.2 Then worthily are the people occasioned and obliged in their solemne praiers and seruices to lift vp their mindes to the Lord God aboue all other thinges next to the glory of God to pray for the good health comfort wellfare and prosperity of our gratious Soueraigne Lord as my Lord Azariah hath well before aduised and wished it For I know that the king is not onely much agonized in mind and afflicted in heart but that he is much weakened and worne away neither thinke I that without some presēt remedy or mitigatiō of this his griefe can his weake body long retaine his sorowful Soule The good consent of the princes for the safety of their king This beeing said the Princes with one consent answered In truth it is no lesse needfull then it is godly that all the kings maiesties Subiects both in generall and particular should pray vnto God for the life and well-fare of the kings Grace for as this duty of subiects towardes their lawfull Princes is comprised within that honour which children are to yeelde to their parents and taught
escaped both death and displeasure Thus also Baruch the noble Captaine harkened to wise Deborah gat the victorie ouer Gods enemies Thus Pharao though a tyrant craued aide of Moses and Aaron to be deliuered from those plagues of Egypt K. Saul permitted little David to enter the field against huge Goliah for Israels glory On the otherside the reprobate Cain would neither know his danger nor be restrained of his purpose and being in distresse would not vouchsafe to craue or séeke for aide whereby he perished a vagabond and exile from the Lord of heauen who cast him off from his grace and mercy Thus the filthy Sodomits stroken with blindnesse would neither thinke of their destruction nor craue nor admit the aduise and aide of righteous Lot who had vexed his soule among them nor any thing regarded the prayer and meanes of faithfull Abraham for their safetie to be short Saul the King disdained David and his comfort notwithstanding he had taken so good experience of his integritie and the power of God in him therefore rather then he would séeme to embrace him and his power he chose to kill himselfe with his owne sword to the daunger of his soule and decay of his glory These be examples to teach and admonish vs. Therefore now following those which haue in their choise declared wisedome to the preseruation and comfort of their soules Let vs withall regard both of the Kings health and of the good of his people both séeke for and embrace those things that may either helpe or comfort both And because the God of heauen is the same from whome and by whome all good thinges descend come vnto his children and which both comfortes and helpes them indeede in all their afflictions and dangers let vs as I said before lift vp vnto him both our hearts and eyes and thus let vs pray and say as the kings father hath taught vs in the like case Psal 20. The Lord God of heauen heare our Lord the King in the day of his trouble The name of the God of Iacob defend him Send him helpe from the Sanctuary and strengthen him out of Zyon Let the Lord God remember all his offeringes and accept his burnt sacrifices Selah The Lord God grant him according to his heart and fulfill all his purpose that we may reioyce in his sauing health and set vp the bāner in the Name of our God when the Lord shall performe all his petitions Now we know this that the Lord will helpe his Annoynted and will heare him from his sanctuary by the mighty helpe of his right hand O Lord most holy saue our Lord King Solomon let him prosper thereby be able to helpe vs by his wisedome power when in thy name we seeke vnto him for succour O Lord in loue heare our prayers be gratious vnto thy King mercifull vnto vs and all thy people for thy holy Names sake Amen Amen CHAP. 3. Iehosophat and the other Princes and Lords call to mind report in order what they haue noted and obserued in Solomons gesture behauiour and wordes as arguments of his troubled mind and misery THe former wordes being spoken the praier ended a pauze againe taken whiles the Lordes looked one on another with heauy hearts sad faces musing much of the kings woful case at lēgth Iehosophat the Recorder opened his mouth and saide Ah las I haue knowne and that not long sithence when at any time the kinges grace sat at his table to eate and to drinke among his Princes and Lords he would wonderfully be solaced and delighted with swéet harmonies of Men-singers and Women-singers whereof he had right many in his Courte and would be excéeding merry and glad in the middest of them all saying A merrie heart is the life of the body prouer 14.30 but envie consumeth away the bones But now sitting at his table in whatsoeuer company and howsoeuer he be serued and attended on he séemeth meruelous sad and wofull he museth he studieth he looketh heuelie he distasteth all thinges and giueth not so much as any sparkle or shew of a merry conceit yea he is wholly ouercome with deepe displeasure which argueth an vnmeasurable griefe of heart and a strange affection of the soule for the face and externall behauiour of a man which is not hypocriticall doth commonly expresse and declare the thought and heart And although the King well knoweth that he which being diseased in the body and distempred in his health when he shal be recreated with the ioy of his minde doth easely recouer if his sicknes be not incurable and that the most naturall cure of the diseased is to procure or occasion him some ioy or mirth of the minde for often times the sick man by the comfort of gladnes is eased yet to them which now laugh and would assay to prouoke the king to laughter for the same cause he sayeth ye are meere mad persons Eccles 2.1 The true vnderstanding of these the kings words is afterward declared by Zadok in his Apologie for Solomon and to them which proffer him mirth to recreate his mind he saieth Sirs what is it which ye do When any man willing to put him out of this conceit inuiteth him to a feast or banquet he denieth to come being vnwilling to enter into such houses saying It is better to goe into the house of mourning then into the house of feasting Moreouer of all those pleasant pastimes and delightes of the sonnes of men the which sometimes hee so much affected and of all their pleasures counselles studies laboures deuises policies workes and wisedome vnder the Sunne seeme they neuer so laudable in the eyes and estimation of worldly men he saieth Eccles Cap. 1.2.3 Vanitie vanitie of vanities and all is meere vanitie For what els doeth a man get profitable for himselfe of all those trauails which he taketh vnder the Sunne wherefore trauaile men in the wynd and what good thing is there to be found or enioyed or tasted of by men vnder the Sunne * This being said Azariah rose vp Azariah stoode foorth and spake againe The same thing said he haue I also lately noted in my Lord the King Hee was wont to walke foorth into his garding Eccl. 2.4.5.6 to view his Orchardes his Pondes and his fishing pooles to beholde with delight his faire houses and beautifull buildings and to take great pleasure in all the delights of the sonnes of men at all times but now alas hee rather conteyneth himselfe solitarilie within his Chamber pensiue sad now all the works which his hand hath made and all the things vnder the Sunne wherin heretofore he tooke such passing great pleasure to the wonder of all his Princes séeme vain and loathsome vnto his soule Solomon loatheth his labors and delights And as I sawe him of late to passe by and to behold them all I heard him with these eares sodainly to sigh
most grieuously and pointing at them to say with a very wofull voyce Yet Loe all this is but vanitie and vexation of the spirit And there commeth no profit at all of all these thinges vnto him that hath labored therein whereby I am weary not onely of those my labours but also of my life neither can I digest any thing that is vnder the Sunne I much mused thereon as also what should be the cause of such the kings condition and of his so sodaine metamorphosis Truely sithence that time I heard and perceiued thus I haue much pondered therof in my mestiue mind and haue been and yet continue right sory for the kings trouble * Then answered Helioreph the Secretarie Helioreph and said that hee had likewise not onely seene and obserued such an alteration in the kings maiestie and heard many such tragecall gestures pathetical words of the king himselfe but also that he had some times enquired of him wherefore he so did and had so said to whom his maiesty answered because that there is not any thing of valew vnder the Sunne The vanity of worldly things Eccles 1.4 and that a man by his owne labours findeth nothing els And therwith he spake much of the generations as that One passeth and another succeeded and that Earth onely remaineth Besides these I haue heard him to vtter many thinges strange wonderfull yea such as without a good interpreter are able to astonish and confounde both the reason and iudgement of any man Ahiah * It is very true said Ahiah the other secretarie and as I haue seene and heard so haue I noted much of the kings behauiour and wordes And here I remember that hee saide of late that All things are so hard that a mā is not able to expres them A saying which much daunteth the wise men of the world All things are too hard for mans witte Cap. 1.8 that vndertake in the search of Nature and her workes to find out and to declare not onely the things but also the causes of al naturall things with the euents yea he hath said also that The thing which is now in action hath beene done heretofore There is nothing new vnder the Sunne the thing that hath beene done and is now in action shal be done againe hereafter and that there is no new thing wrought or to be done vnder the Sunne Howbeit we see and know well that many new things are wrought and done in the world euery day and yet notwithstāding he said also that The thing which is past is out of remēbrance and that the things to come shall no more bee thought on and considering all the things which are done vnder the Sunne He found them all vanitie and vexation of the spirit Strange wordes yea high misteries howbeit I doubt not but that the King is well able to giue reason of those his words and to confirme the same with sufficient arguments howsoeuer the wisdome of euery man can neither reconcile them nor on a sodaine comprehend or conceiue the kings meaning And I also saide Abiather the priest haue both hearde and seene the same in my Lorde King Solomon Moreouer I heard him say Abiather that though manye thinges bee bowed and by mans arte cunning and industrye perfected and framed to request The crooked cannot bee made streight nor the imperfection of things can bee numbred and that whereas hee endeuoured to attaine to the perfection of wisedome and knowledge hee founde in the end that All was but vaine and where much wisedome was there was also much trauayle and disquietnes and The more knowledge a man hath the more is his care Benaiah * After this Benaiah Captaine of the Kinges Hoast standing foorth saide that hee also had hearde the same wordes vttered and that besides hee hearde the King to saye that whereas hee had sought to content his Soule with the pleasures and delights of the sonnes of men hee in the ende afer long search and study found therein nothing of habilitie to content his minde but this hee found that all those his studies and endeuours were meere vaine and grieuous to his soule and so much the sooner for that hee considered that the wise shal be no more in remembrance then the foole that it hapneth to the wise as to the foole The wise man is forgotten in the world therefore what encouragement hath a man to seeke for wisedome Moreouer I perceiue him to waxe weary of his labours and the rather as hee sayth because he shal be fayne to leaue all to one whom hee knoweth not whether he wil be a wiseman or a foole yea to him which neuer sweat for them in his life No mā knoweth who shall enioy his labors after him And that seeing a man getteth no profit of all the trauails he taketh vnder the Sunne he holdeth it best for a man to eate and to drinke and to refresh himselfe in his labours which yet a man cannot doe and so neither be pleased in his labours without the grace of God whose guift it is and therefore he sometimes expostuleth thereof thus And is it then good for a man to eate and drinke to seek to refresh him selfe in those his labours as if he should answere No But being comforted by them that stoode before him and heard his words and by them wished to preuent tymes and seasons he answered A time for euery person and to euery thing Eccles. 3.1 that he could not nor would assay to do it although hee should redeeme the time seeing the iniquitie of those dayes for why as men haue their appointed time and times in this world and as euery thing hath his proper opportunitye in the same so also hath hee had his time and the time which hee hath ouerpassed hee cannot recall nor the times to him alotted bee they good or euill is hee able to preuent nor may those thinges in any other time bee effected which are to this time by the diuine prouidence properly appoynted Men may labour without the consideration of this time but what gaine they nothing besides wearines and trouble which are the common rewardes of mens toyles in this life for God hath framed his workes in such order and measure as they are not to bee altered nor corrected by man not able to comprehend them The King complaineth of this also that Vngodlinesse is found in the place of Iudgement and iniquitie in the place of Righteousnesse Yea The iniustice and impiety of Magistrates euen in this time of his happy gouernment notwithstanding the core and regard not onely of his grace but of all vs his Lords and chiefe counsaylors who I am assured haue takē as great heede with diligence as any Prince in the world with his nobles could possibly take for the rule of the realme and ordering of the Common-wealth But ah las men are diuersly affected of sundry opinions and
variable dispositions in all ages the which to meete with in all points it is for any prince or magistrate impossible the which therefore may be lamented but neuer throughly corrected or amended Howbeit hee thought as he saith that the cure of this malady being beyond mans power and wisedome God would in the due time take on himselfe and separate the righteous from the vngodly and then shall be the time and iudgement of all counsels and workes Hee also much museth how God though he had chosen of the children of men shoulde neuer the lesse permitte them to appeare God suffereth men to appear as the beasts as though they were but Beastes and as somewhat doubtfull of the eternall beeing of mans soule which is that spirituall substance which God hath made afer his owne likenesse and powred into the humane body and ioyned to the body doeth animate guide it but being separated frō the body dieth not The fleshly mans iudgement of the soule but liueth immortall for euer he saith Who is he which knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpwarde and the breath of a beast that goeth downe to the earth And is not this the iudgement of worldely and carnall men which perceiue not the thinges which are of the holy spirit Indeed being as the beasts in their nature they consider nothing more And albeit the King hath said that it is best for a man to be ioyfull in his labour No man knoweth what will com on him or his posteritie after him which is his portion in this life yet to daunt him againe who saith he will bring him to behold what shal come on him or his posterity after him And truely this may easily discourage any man to prouide for his wife his children his familie and for the times to come when as without hope of future prosperities hee shall trauaile for them in the wind * These and such like passions of minde I haue perceiued in the king The great oppression in the world But yet beyond many others hee complayned of all the wrong that is done vnder the Sunne the which as appeareth by his wordes and lamentation is both vnmesurable and vnspeakable and the more for that the poore oppressed persons haue wept and shed aboundance of teares and yet haue not founde any in place ready to comfort them or to deliuer them from the violence of their oppressors And here as in regard thereof He much commended the dead before the living The dead cōmēded before the living because they are fréed from those miseries yea He commendeth him which is not yet borne to be happier then any of those because he séeth not nor hath had experience of those wretched toyles of men vnder the Sunne * Here he likewise complaineth of the Envy Idlenesse Envy idlenes couetousnes solitarines and covetous minds of men in this world he disliketh singularitie and solitarinesse of life in the which hauing too much presumed he hath béene wonderfully deceiued much annoyed in his life wherein hee soroweth for the abuse of his owne estate to the which inlieu thereof he preferreth the condition of A poore child that is wise A foolish king a poore child * Further in his wisedome he prognosticateth the foolishnes future misery of Rhehoboam his Sonne and heyre apparante and yet he hath both well nurtoured him Rhehoboam vnderstandeth that most men haue their eies fixed on him with great delight and hope of his happy successe and prosperity in time to come and some what the more hee is troubled because that men in regard of his young prince and his succession do somewhat neglect the present care and reuerence they should haue of his maiestie For they looke after the second man And indeede such is mans folly hee looketh alwaies further and affecteth the times persons and thinges either past or future before those which be present Some say the times and persons which haue beene of yore haue beene better then these which be present others say the best are not yet come but we hope for them to be hereafter the whiles they esteeme not yea they loath and contemne the good thinges which they haue and may vse at their pleasure and so in regard thereof do often losse both the commodity of th' one and comfort of th' other to their remedilesse miserie and continuall griefe And this saith he is a vaine thing and vexation of the minde Cap. 4.17 Moreouer the king hath highly reprehended and blamed many of them which enter into the holy house which he hath made for the seruice of God saying that their offerings are the offerings of fooles and they know not what euill they doe therein The which wordes being not well vnderstood will occasion the ignorant eyther to contemne the said house and the seruice of God therein or to forbeare to come into the same to shew their deuotion and religion to God as they are bound to doe CHAP. IV. Zabud speaketh againe reporting some other emphatical speeches of King Solomon SOlomons Lordes hauing thus farre proceeded in order to report what wordes they remembred vttered by the King in his affliction Zabud the Kinges familiar spake againe and said Well remembred my Lords And now besides the former I call to mind what the king hath saide concerning those Rich men of the world The Rich men of the world whome the most part of all men do estéeme happy in this life He saith that there is no man rich vnder the sunne for where much riches appeareth to be there be also many ready to spend and consume the same He that hath much riches cannot rest or sléepe in the night he that hath riches is oftentimes hurt and annoyed therewith and at length those which haue riches depart hence with sore anguish and sorrow of mind for there is no man but at length he must yeeld to death and shall carry away none of these thinges but are constrained to leaue all behind them that so they depart hence One man getteth another spendeth the riches of the world Cap. 6.1 as naked and bare as they came into this worlde notwithstanding their great trauels and long labours for their riches in all their life And this he esteemeth as a mighty misery which is so often seene vnder the Sunne that God giueth a man riches and goodes and honor so that he wanteth nothing of all that his heart can desire Cap. 6.1 and yet God giueth him not leave to enioy them but another man spendeth them The which as it seemeth he applieth to himselfe whome it chiefly concerneth In conclusion he seeth that many thinges encrease vanity and that a man vnder the Sunne findeth nothing else as long as he liueth Cap. 7. Furthermore the king though so wise did complaine that he could not yet get wisedome but that the more hee sought after it Solomon acknowledged his owne imperfection the
farther it went from him yea and so far that he might not reatch vnto her In this sort whiles hee would expresse the profoundnes of wisedome hee abased himselfe beyond all mens expectation for there is no man which knoweth the king but esteemeth him most wise I haue also lately heard him to speake much against Women so farre that whiles hee found the wisemen to be so rare Scarcitie of wisemen and wise women as one to a thousand in comparison He found not so much as one woman among them al. Further he speaketh much of this that euery thing wil haue an oportunitie and iudgement Euery thing will haue his iudgement which causeth mee to dread what he thereby entendeth towardes any of vs and the sooner because he added That one man hath lordship or rule ouer another man to his owne hurt which seemeth to touch vs and others which are placed in authority There be which iustifie the vngodly which are dead before any of them which are yet liuing and the more because he saith that some are contented to commend them which are deade and gone before them which be yet liuing Yea they praise such as were in their liues distained with vngodlinesse and sin for the which they were worthily condemned and executed accordingly being such as iustifie Adoniah and his cause Shemei and his cause and Ioab and his cause against the king notwithstanding that euery one of them were both execrable wicked and their workes abhominable before the Lord his holy annointed for the which they were iustly brought into iudgement and died without honour * But after that Zabud had a little paused and none of the rest had interrupted him he procéeded and shewed that the King declared the occasion of such rash Censores and the boldnes of malepert persons Because that euil workes are not speedily punished the heart of man giueth over himselfe vnto wickednes And yet it cannot be denied but that there bee some iust to whome it befalleth as vnto the wicked in this life The confusion of worldly thinges in the which many thinges be carried confusedly to mans vnderstanding for hee cannot comprehend eyther the thinges themselues or the causes and occasions of them by any his wit wisedome study or endeuours and therefore by any thing which is done vnder the Sunne and so in the kingdome of vanity No man knoweth whether he be beloued or hated of God for it often happeneth to one man as it doth vnto another yea to the good as to the euill to the righteous as to the vngodly to the cleane as to the polluted to him that offereth as to him that offereth not to the vertuous as to the sinner to the periured as to him that is afraid of an oath whereof there ariseth great enuy of one against another that the heartes of men are ful of wickednes and madde foolishnes as long as they liue vntill they die I haue heard him also to say that it helpeth not to the swift in running nor to the strong in battell Thinges happen to men by chance as touching their foreknowledge or forecast therefore men should be euer prouident and prepared Mans ingratitude Cap. 10. Ignorance of princes nor to the wise in feeding nor to the vnderstanding man in enriching nor in finding fauour to be cunning but that all lieth in time and fortune And that a man knoweth not his time but he is taken in the perilous season as the fishes are taken with the angle the birdes in the snare But he complaineth much and that daily of the great ingratitude of worldly men which doe not onely not care to requite but also do forget the greatest benefites of their bountifull benefactors Yea they cease not malitiously to slaunder and defame them that haue worthily merited honour in their liues hee greatly lamenteth the palpable ignorance of Princes which before all others should bee wise learned and well nurtured thereby the better able to perform their duties in their places he yerneth in his bowels to behold how seruants ride on horses and Princes goe on their feete princes abased seruants exalted as it were servants And that whoseeuer assaieth to redresse this monstrous abuse of the worlde is hurted and annoyed by them that striue to maintaine such abuses hee hath vttered and dayly vttereth many parabolicall sayinges and darke sentences and I haue much pondered of the sense thereof Cast forth thy bread saith he on the face of the running waters Cap 11. Geue a part seuen dayes when the cloudes be full they powre down raine where the tree falleth there it lyeth he that regardeth the winde soweth not he that respecteth the cloudes reapeth not Theis and many such other thinges haue I heard the kinges Grace to vtter in this time of his contrition and sorrow Cap. 12. Aboue all he hath exhorted men to remember God in the dayes of their youth before the times of affliction ouertake them and therin hath made a right excellent description of mans Old age with all mans infirmities being as preambles to his natural death Here hee telleth of the (a) A description of mans old age miseries and death dayes of aduersitie of the yeares of displeasure of the darkening of the sunne the moone and the starres of the turning againe of the cloudes after the raine of the (b) Hands and armes trembling of the house-keepers of the bowing of the (c) The legs strong men of the standing still of the (d) The teeth grinders (e) The eyes of the dimnesse of the windowes of the shutting of the (f) The mouth street dores of the silence of the (g) The great chaw teeth Milner of the waking vp at the (h) Watchfulnes in old men Cocke-crowing of the abasing of the (i) The cleare voice or throat the hearing Musicall daughters of the dread of high (k) Fearing to climb or stooping as if they feare climbing of the flourishing of the (l) gray haires Almond tree of the Grashoppers (m) Sharpe shoulders in age vnable to beare loading of the passing away of (n) The heate or the strength of nature Concupiscence of mans trauaile towardes his (o) The pit or graue long home of the (p) Lamentatiō ouer the dead Mourners which goe about the streetes of the taking away of the (q) The marrow of the backe bone or vitall spirite siluer lace of the breaking of the (r) The braine enclosed in a yellow skinne golden Ewer of the breaking of the (s) the veines pitcher at the (t) the liuer well of the renting of the (v) Heade wheele vpon the (w) Heart Cisterne of the turning of (x) the naturall death dust into dust from whence it came and of the (y) the immortality of the soule Euery man in such cases should first examine himselfe and his owne waies Ascension of the Soule
to God who gaue it All these and many other such like are the ordinary wordes and speeches of the king the which are intermixed with many deepe motions of the Spirite and diuine doctrines to draw men from the vanities of the world and to perswade them to the feare of God and the obseruation of his lawes Surely I haue much mused thereof in my mind yea I haue many times examined mine owne conscience and wayes whether there rested or appeared any thing in mee whereof the king might take any offence for I haue verily thought that eyther the whole cause or at the least some part of the cause of the kinges sorrow and trouble hath risen or beene taken from some of vs that haue beene and are daylie so neare and about his royall person Therefore it shall not be amisse in my iudgement that wee first examine our owne wordes workes and dealinges and with an vpright conscience trie and iudge our selues secretly with our selues and finding with vs any part of the cause or th' occasion of this displeasure that we endeuoure spéedily and séeke how to recure or mitigate the same lest whiles we delay the king be so ouercome in those his perilous passions that hee may be hardly recouered After that those forenamed Lordes had thus spoken euery of them in his turne zadock Zadock the Priest opened his mouth againe and with great grauity vttered these wordes in effect And my selfe also my Lordes haue with these mine eares heard those and others the like words to bée spoken by our most Soueraigne Lord But yet as I haue conceiued thereof duely pondered the King in such his wordes by you before remembred and recorded hath not spoken of vanitie Solomon hath not vsed any vaine talke that is hee hath not vttered any vaine or idle thing nor hath his tongue talked of deceit but hee hath wel refrained that and will doe as he hath protested with patient Iob as long as his breath is in his body for as the King is of al other the wisest so hath he had especially sithens the time that those passions afflicted him a due regard both of his place and calling And truely in my iudgement he hath made and yet dayly maketh and augmenteth A Catologue of mans vanities vnder the Sunne right worthy to be lamented and abandoned And by this he would that men should learne to contemne the wicked world with the pompe and vanities thereof The deceit vanitie of the world for why he hath found and yet perceiueth the world to be very deceitfull the euent horrible and the paine thereof intollerable wherein not to feare not to lament not to be afflicted not to bee in perill not to bee tormented it is most impossible Surely as the King could not finde so neither can I report any good or profitable thing of the World Therefore O ye louers of the world for whose sake yee striue and make warres your hope can bee no greater then that yee shall be made the friendes of the worlde and what gaine ye by that surely yee shall finde therein that the flesh will infect you Sathan will deceiue you and the worlde herselfe will daunt you besides that the world passeth away with her lusts and if yee loue those thinges that be hers yee shall passe away with her and her lustes and through many perils ye shall fall at length into eternall torments Therfore would our king that yee should leaue and contemne all those vaine things of the world which perish as that wherof ye can gather no profite at all in the end but paine and sorrowes vnspeakable And surely neither hath the king spoken or done this without the argumentes of many godly and diuine motions of minde from whence as from the treasure-house of a godly wise man he hath brought foorth many heauenly Oracles and sweet Sermons tending to the highest honour of the euerlasting God and the chiefe felicity of man being worthily esteemed the two principall endes of mans election and creation the which is to be inquired sought after and effected in the feare of God and the obseruation and performance of his commaundementes according to that saying of the Lord which David the Kings father receiued from his spirite and committed vnto Asaph that excellent singer psal 50.23 He doth me glorifie indeed that prayses yeeldes to me And he that leades a godly life my saving health shall see I thinke vndoubtedly that this sodaine Metamorphosis of the king The former good counsell approued by zadock is not occasioned by any of vs here present Neuerthelesse I dislike not your aduise right noble Zabud that euery one of vs should enter into himselfe and duely examine and trie his wordes and actions especially those which in any sorte may touch our Lord the King and endeuour with speede to redresse and amend that whatsoeuer wee shall finde or at the least suspect to bee faulty or amisse Nor may this bee disliked of any man liuing nay rather it is to bee highly cōmended in euerie man It is profitable for men to examine their owne wayes as a vertue whereby hee may the better know himselfe of the which whiles many men though otherwise wise in this world haue remained ignorant or at the least forgetful they haue not onely neglected the duties of their vocations but missed the right scope of their life and so the highest happinesse But would to God that the king were now as he was sometimes in those monethes past Iob 29.2 and in the dayes when God prospered him when his light shined vpon his head when he went forth after the same light and shining euen through the darkenes as it stoode with him when hee was young when God prospered his house and when the Almighty was yet with him and when hee had ioy and gladnesse in that his prosperity amongst vs and his people Then should not sorrow oppresse his heart nor dread of future dangers daunt our hope But let the Lord be true as hee is and euery man a lyer that so hee may worthily bee extolled in his iudgements and praysed in his mercies which doubtlesse is not the least cause that God in his wisedome hath suffered many of his Saintes which haue been and may stand for singular examples of pietie and godly vertues vnto vs not onely to shew forth their humaine imperfection and infirmitie by some certaine slidinges and blemishes but also to taste of afflictions cuppe aswell for a correction of their faults as for an exercise of their spirites no lesse necessary vnto man then his daily foode in this wretched worlde CAP. V. Solomons Lordes examining themselves and their dealinges one by one are in their owne consciences cleared of any cause of his affliction Zabud and Azariah are iustified AS the sodaine alteration of King Solomon after that hee came to himselfe again vpon the sense of his sinne was very maruailous and his words aunswerable to
his deepe conceite and that every one aswell his howshold seruantes as his Princes and Lords were ready to note obserue and record both the one and the other so also were they most willing to inuestigate and seeke for the cause of these thinges yea euery of them was almost ready according to that sentence of Zabud with the assent of Zadock to enter into him selfe with a due examination to search and enquire whether any iust cause or any occasion whatsoeuer might arise from any thing in them or of any their words or actions to trouble his Highnes mind and so to cleare himselfe in presence by declaring his integrity without all hypocrisie or vaine glory And so it is to bee esteemed that although a mans owne mouth should not prayse himselfe Note but rather another yet these Lordes vttered nothing of themselues as to blase in the pride of their heartes In what minde and sort the Lordes cleared themselues the honour of their owne demerites but as within the boundes of modesty they might excuse and cleare themselues of whatsoeuer might bée obiected to them In this sorte the holy man Iob and the holy Patriarke Abraham and Moses and Samuel and Sampson and David the King were not onely constrained but well contented to doe as in their seuerall histories plainely appeareth And herein they shew forth not onely their great griefe conceiued for the kinges trouble but also the desire they haue to ease and remedy the same to their power But now as hee is faithfull which performeth that in déede which in worde he hath protested and promised Zabud his Apologie so reuerend Zabud who first spake thereof beganne in this sort to performe it accordingly And thus he said As the Heauen is high and the earth deepe Pro. 25.2 so is the kinges heart vnsearchable I haue heard him thus to say therefore omitting as yet the search of his reines as Subiectes should I haue entered into mine owne heart and haue examined and tried mine owne thoughtes wordes and wayes especially The godly man rather iudgeth himselfe then others such as concerne his Highnesse I haue not cast mine eyes on others and censured them and their doinges and sayings but I haue I say obserued tried and iudged mine own fearing greatly whether at any time the King as hee is passing wise hath noted any point of folly or lightnes in mee whome his grace hath vouchsafed to embrace and to vse as his deere and familiar friend In the which point it were an ingratefull part in me and nothing beséeming the worthines and honour of my place if I should in such sort behaue my selfe especially towardes him or them by whose rich bountie I haue beene preferred aduanced and am dailie benefited and fauoured yea I confesse I might well bee numbred vppe among those fooles that haue crooked soules in vpright bodies for whome worshippe is so vnséemly as the snow for the Summer and raine for the haruest whome whosoeuer shall place in high dignity shall binde a stone in a sling to hurt himselfe And in my iudgement as those young Pellicans are worthily loathed reiected and abandoned of their Dams which neither feede them nor comfort them nor regard them Ingratefull persons after the time they haue weakened their bodies by shedding foorth of their precious bloud to cure and recouer them of the biting of the venemous serpents so also those persons do not only deserue to be expelled and cast out of this honourable societie but to be estéemed not worthy to liue much lesse to liue in honor that recompence their most gratious Princes and bountifull benefactors with such monstrous ingratitude as will not onely not assay to requite or that doe forget good turnes but also yeeld hatred and displeasures for that their louing demerites Surelie these be the persons in whom is plainely séene the enemy of the soule the quencher out of merites the dispearcer of vertues the destroyer of benefites the consumer of pieties fountaine the dryer vp of mercies deaw the stopper of graces streame the shutter out of Sonnes from their Fathers blessinges and the same to the which the Almighty that formed all things and both commendeth and commandeth gratitude to his Saints shal adde the transgressors reward in the end I am set in an high place and enioy therein like fauour of my Lord the King This I confesse I doe prayse God for the same and ambolden to be right thankfull to my Soueraigne God forbid I should in the same waxe proud arrogant disdainefull How zabud behaved himselfe in the K. Court enuious or seeke to reuenge priuate iniuries on thē which in times past haue abused me although I be in place either to hurt or profite them at my pleasure I haue not as being familiar with his Grace suggested and vngodly thing nor flattered nor dissembled with the King nor plaied the sycophant in accusing others in his presence I haue not though preferred and familiarly esteemed of the Kinges Maiestie eyther contemned or neglected the dutie of my Priesthoode to the which I was called nor the holy seruice and Religion but deuoutely attended the same and withall waited on the King and followed him neither haue I abandoned the cry of the poore with their petitions to the king when they haue been oppressed but I haue beene right glad to heare them and to further their suites yea and to defend and helpe the oppressed and them which had none helper against the proud faces of their oppressors I haue been as holy Iob hath taught me an eye to the blinde a staffe to the lame an eare to the deafe a mouth to the dumbe and a father to the fatherlesse I haue taken on me to further the honest suites of all the kings people that come to the Court for iustice howbeit not in that minde which Absolon had vnder David as the Lord is my witnes for he thought by this deuise to aspire to the kingdome but in the same spirite which my Lord the King had vnder his father by the good counsaile of his mother Pro. 31.8.9 who thus taught him Bee thou an Aduocate for the dumb to speake in the cause of all such as bee succourlesse in this transitory worlde Open thy mouth defend the thing that is lawfull and right and the cause of the poore and helpelesse Neyther haue I in this respect taken any mans oxe or asse or any thing else for a bribe or reward or a Fee as such often accustome to doe which stand in high places yea rather I haue beene of Samuels spirite and gladde withall mine heart that such an occasion was offered mee to expresse my loue to the Lordes poore people and therefore I haue payde foorth of mine owne and bestowed largelie both to the neede of the oppressed and the punishment of those prowde persons which knowing not their duties haue both abused the King and his liege people To be short I haue as
much as lay in mée endeuoured in my place to discharge my duetie to benefite my Countrie to serue my King and to glorifie the Lord of heauen Therefore I perswade that the Kinges Grace is not grieued or offended through me Loe my Lords all this haue I saide for my selfe of any of you can iustly accuse mee of any thing offensiue in this matter say on and let mee not bee holden guiltlesse * Zabud had scarcely vttered those wordes in such his honest and lawfull excuse Azariah examineth and excuseth him selfe but Azariah who thought it very long yer hee could likewise enter into his owne Apologie to declare his innocency spake and protested saying And I for mine owne part séeing the King in this kind of displeasure I haue also many times suspected whether his Excellency who hath exalted me of his owne grations heart without any my demerites to this honourable place hath obserued or noted or suspected in me any touch of couetousnesse ambition pride vaine glory or any kind of teacherie or disloialtie towardes his Highnesse or any kind of iniustice done or offered to his people wherof I here openly protest before thee Iehovah our God and you al that I am as guiltlesse in mine own conscience as the innocent childe that lyeth in the cradle for thus indeed I should declare my selfe to bee esteemed worthie this place and office For I perswade that as those props and stayes in an house which are eyther noysome rotten or vnprofitable should of necessitie be remoued that some stronger and more commodious might be placed in the same so al such persons which stand in place VVhat persons are most meete for authority as to support stay vp and maintaine the estate and honour of their Prince and common wealth be remoued and excluded both from his fauour and al authority which wāt the feare of the Lord those heroical vertues which are so needefull and commendable in such persons which extend not their forces to the due seruice and honour of th' one and benefite of th' other and such other to be preferred set in their places best fauoured which are both wel qualified and ready to perform their right offices in either as such whereof the king at all times and vpon all occasions may happily take and receiue counsel comfort the common wealth safety vtilitie * Therfore among many other things as the king hath not onely placed me in office ouer all his purveyours Cators for his house and sworn me to do obserue my duty trustily therin The office of the Purueyor with this especiall charge that neither they nor any other his seruantes should oppresse wring or wrong his subiects vnder colour of taking or making prouision for his house Knowing how soone a Prince by such meanes may become hatefull to his Subiects I haue prouided charged and regarded that both the saide Purueyors and their seruants be men of good report and faithfull and true dealing persons and that they be duly sworne to respect the kings cōmandement and to execute their offices accordingly Next I haue regarded that none of thē should presume to go forth with out his lawful warrant or commission sealed with the Kings seale to the end that both thēselues might know and remember their charge therin the people might neither suspect their authority nor feare of the māner of their dealings Thirdly I haue straitely charged thē in the kings name that they exact not nor wrest any thing from the Commons but vpon agréement at a reasonable price betwéene thē the owner of the things to be takē vp And that if any thing be takē on credit for the king to be paid for at a day appointed that the perueiors hauing receiued those monies out of the kinges Exchequer doe neither conuert the mony to their owne vse nor deteyne it from the Creditors nor delay to satisfie them at the saide daies And because all places of the Country are not stored with victuals and such other things alike I haue prouided and charged that prouision for the kings house be made in such places where the most plentie of those thinges are and that at méets and conuenient times and at such reasonable rates prices as the seller may wel afoord the same without threates or violent speeches Also that the purueiors shal not for fauor fine or bribe forbear to take of one man more then of another whose goods are lyable to their authoritie at méete prices nor shall charge or exacte of one man more then of another for any malice euil-will or suggestion of friendes or acquaintances To bee short as they are sworne to obserue and perfourme the kings commandement and their duty therein so haue I duly examined them their dealings from time to time And if any haue béene founde faultye or offensiue in this case I haue not onely abhorred and banished them the Court but seuerely punished them as capitall enemies to the king and his people Moreouer as touching the prouision of mine owne house I haue had no lesse regard that none of my Cators or Officers shoulde at any time exact of the kings subiects and kind of victuals Corn Cloath Cariages or whatsoeuer els without the good wills and consent of them whose the things be and without making a lawfull bargaine betweene them for the same nor yet without present paye according to their agréements and that whensoeuer I found any of my seruants or officers whether for their filthie lucre or mine owne commodity to offend in their dealings I haue neither defended them nor fauoured them nor wincked at their faults but I haue reproued them cast them out of fauaur depriued them of their offices and seuerely punished them yea I haue compelled them to restore and yeelde againe to the true owners the treble valew of such goods so taken vp with like costs of suite besides their amerciamēts to the kings Maiestie at his pleasure Truely this should be the desire of the Nobles and so much the sooner that the commons might not be moued to murmure but to commend their dealings that their owne consciences might neither accuse nor condemne but excuse and cleare them the poore people might not curse but blesse them the kings grace might not be offended but well pleased with them and the Lord of heauen might not in iustice plague but in mercy prosper them in their honour Thus haue I done and duly regarded and for my part I would not wish to liue much lesse to liue in this honour longer then I am able or at the least haue a faithfull desire both to aduance the true honour of the eternall God preserue and maintaine the most worthie Maiestie of my Soueraign Lord benefit the common-wealth and discharge my duty in my place * CAP. VI. Ahishar the Master of the Kings Pallace Iehosophat the Recorder and Helioreph and Ahiah the Secretaries examine and cleare themselves Ahishar
or recording of that which is false or should raze or blot out that which is true This is a sinne agaynst God an offence to the King the perishing of a good conscience the decay of a good name the subuerting of mens rites the cause of contentions and an occasion of greate inconueniences euen in those matters and causes which concerne man and man how much more then are such vngodly practizes both heinous and hurtfull in the thinges which concerne the Lord of heauen and his truth to the which to add any thing or from the which to take away deserueth an extirpation and losse both of body and soule The consideration hereof my Lords and the daunger not forgotten will make a man héedie and carefull that in this office he neither erre nor doe amisse amisse much more that he offend not of set purpose But to speake for my selfe I haue aduētured to record nothing besides the truth that also which is not onely lawfull and honest but right worthie the kings Annales and very profitable to be remembred in the posteritie as such whereof the kings father spake saying This shall be written and recorded for them that come after The truth of the thing mine owne conscience shall alwaies testifie for me both before God man the one is strong preuaileth the other is to me as a thousand witnesses either to acquite me of guilt or to iustifie my doings in this case Moreouer ye shall find my Lord if it please you to turne ouer peruse and consider the Records that there is nothing contained therein recorded or confirmed by me besides that which hath beene well considered of and weighed with deliberation iudgement in this place and societie and by the consent of your honors decreed to be committed to my Record I fit be found otherwise the fault proued to rest in me especially if any such fault be wilinglie done let me beare the blame thereof yea let me as well worthie be depriued of the honour of my place let me be punished as a periured and faithlesse wretch and let me vtterly be discreited made ashamed to the terror and example of all others But I trust in God that howsoeuer some haue taken offences before they be giuen who therein resemble children of variable affectiōs the Kings Grace being most wise is not offended at me seeing I haue not offered him any abuse or iust cause or occasion of any such matter And that those thinges which haue beene recorded by mee in the kinges Annales cheifely such as concerne God and the king shall be belieued as the most certaine truth shall be receiued into the holie church and esteemed and canonized for authority with them that come after vs Helioreph and Ahiah the Secretaries excuse and iustifie thēselues euen vnto the end of daies This being spoken the two Secretaries stood forth namely Helioreph and Ahiah And we also said Helioreph haue beene much troubled with the like feare whether his excellent Maiestie hath holden either of vs or our dealings suspensiue as towching either the reueling of any his secrets committed to either of vs or cōcerning any commandemētes Precepts Patents warrants or letters that haue been written and set foorth by vs or either of vs in His highnes Name without his expresse commandement will or knowledge first had and obtained therein But truely as this were a note of much malepartnesse in vs and is indeede a dangerous kinde of Treason so should we thereby occasion the kinges people and subiects not onely to murmure against vs our dealings but to condemne the king of great simplicitie and weakenes permitting or neglecting such our bold presumption yea and they may thereon much dread what we may peraduenture do and execute against them in the kings name contrary to the lawes and the good pleasure of the king who being as they know most wise prudent and filled with diuine graces neither willeth nor executeth willingly any thing in the gouernment of his people but that which standeth with righteousnes and equitie and therein sheweth great magnanimitie kingly vertues towards them all whether they be poore or rich Num. 32.23 Neither I thinke but that as they which sinne against the Lord of heauen are found out of their owne sinnes 1. Sam. 22.5 when hee goeth about to iudge and punish them as Moses said nor shal there be found a dayse-man betweene God thē as in matters of trespas betwixt mā man as father Eli the high Priest in his time said so such as vsurp presume and sinne aganst the kings honor shal neither be hidden notwithstanding their great hypocrisy dissimulation nor be holden guiltles in the day when hee shal come to visit them in his fierce wrath But cōcerning any such matter doubted of me I here testifie from my cleare consciēce that if such a question were proposed I would gladly and that safely sweare take the liuing God to recorde for me that as I haue been euer secret to his grace in matters of secrecie to me cōmitted with al fidelity so hath there not any thing so passed mine handes to bee sent forth to his subiects touching any the kinges affaires without his graces will or prescript cōmādement or at the least without his certaine knowledge that I haue to the vttermost of my skill habilitie behaued my selfe faithfully in this respect both towards my Lord the king his liege people * And the same may be said also for me said the other secretary in al points as I likewise here protest for myself with integritie of minde Neyther besides the danger that of such a fault might ensew I promise you faithfully I durst not aduenture to attempt that which I knowe woulde much empaire and hurt that credit and good name pro. 12.1 the which as the King hath saide is better then the sweete smelling ointment and worth the preferring before Siluer Gold and pretious stones It is true that the sweete sauoure of filthie lucre both disswadeth and perswadeth many a thing The couetous mind of officers and the most part of all persons care very little how or by what meanes they come by wealth when as wealthie they would bee and therefore oftentimes such as be preferred to offices by his royall grace estéeming their priuate gaine and honour for the right end of their functions and callings deale therein I say not with great partialitie but with deepe iniquitie whiles seruing rather Mammon then the true God they say in their hearte if not with their mouth what will ye giue me What shall I haue What reward will ye bestowe and so fill their cofers with the treasures of vngodlines and sinne which doe yet but waite the opportune time wherein they may be called forth not onely to testifie but also cry and call for vengeance against them And then they shall confesse and saye we haue indeed wearied our selues in the
way of wickednes destruction what good hath this vngodly gaine and the pompe of riches brought vs But I hope that the kings grace is not offended at me to whome to my knowledge I haue not giuen as touching my duty in my place any occasion of offence The Lord saue his noble Grace and graunt that hee may thinke and resolue of mee but as in equitie I haue deserued then as mine owne integritie of conscience doth cleare mee so shall not his noble Grace bée perswaded to suspect mée But as I am well resolued in the one hee shal be satisfied in the other and so neither shall I feare the terror of his face nor his grace be either grieued or offended at any fault of mine CHAP. 7. Adoniram the Treasurer Azariah the chiefe Collector and Benaiah the Captaine ouer the Kinges hoastes are iustified concerning the cause of the Kinges affliction AS the former Lordes had spoken in the clearing of themselues of all offence offered to the King Adoniram the Lord Treasurer his integrity in his office which might occasion his affliction and trouble of minde So also Adoniram the Lorde Treasurer Azariah the chiefe Collector and Benaiah the Captaine of the kings hoastes endeuoured the like And first Adoniram spake to this effect It may bee that the Kinges Maiestie hath conceyued against mee some matter in minde to the disquiet of the same But truely my Lordes as yée haue saide and done so may I also boldely say and auouch for mine owne sinceritie and vpright dealinges as touching the thinges in the which it hath pleased his Highnesse to put mee in trust I haue not beene of that couetous minde and of that base and corrupt nature to conueigh the Kings Treasure into mine owne chestes for any my priuate vses the which yet is the only end for the which some men hunt after seeke for such Offices little caring how the king or the commons do either prosper or decay Nor haue I wasted spoiled or ryotously spent or consumed the royall wealth as some haue done respecting rather their owne pleasures then the kings profit to the abuse of this authoritie nor haue I purchased in large landes builte vp sumptuous houses endowed my wife exalted my sonnes married my daughters or otherwise prouided for mine house and posterity with that which I haue receiued for the King the which without his especial warrant to the contrary is onely to be employed or kept and preserued to and for his Maiesties vse and the affaires of his kingdome I haue neither deteined nor withholden that which I haue beene willed or commaunded by the King to disburse and payfoorth as if the things were mine own to bee vsed and cōmaunded nor vnder colour of mine office and authority haue I extorted exacted or encroched that of the kinges people which was neither due to his Maiestie nor lyable in right to my commission or authority But why should I be prolixe and tedious in declaring further what I haue not béene and what I haue not done that might bréede offence It is enough for me to tell you that I haue executed mine office and done my duety faithfully to the vttermost of my power I haue kept and preserued the Royall treasures for the honour of his Maiesty the weale of his Realme and the daunting of the enemie with a good conscience and as there was neuer king more rich so was there neuer any more carefull in preseruing and more héedefull in well employing the wealth of the same It is wonderfull to reckon vp what hath béene receiued and againe to tell what hath beene paide out in and about the kinges buildinges of his Temple of his houses of his Cities of his Townes of his walles and about many other thinges The dealers in and about these great matters may neither be ignorant nor inexpert nor negligent In al the which I say I haue dealt yet as iustly and as carefully as I might howbeit not without great toile trauell and weakening both of mind and body But yet I haue beene glad and ready thus to imploy my selfe so far foorth as therein I might please my Lord the king and discharge my duety towardes him in this seruice And truely in all these great dealinges as I haue beene faithfull and therein discharged mine oath conscience both to God and the king So did I neuer as yet eyther heare or obserue in the king that hee was displeased with mee for any mine actions or doinges therein Neither belieue I that at this present hee hath taken any iust conceite against me in any thing that offendeth his kinglie mind Azariah the L. Collector acquiteth himselfe in his office * This being said Adoniram pauzed At the which Azariah the Collector stoode forth and spake in his owne defence and thus hee said Although so it be that the kinges trouble may not spring from any of vs all my Lordes yet as this one thing hath worthily touched the conceites of others by the which they haue beene right willing for the better satisfaction of others and for the ease and clearing of their owne consciences to examine and iudge themselues and their dealinges so am I also moued and readie with the rest to examine and iudge my selfe with all mine actions and dealinges in the kinges affaires for he that is silent in such a time of triall may be iudged guiltie and worthy blame how free cleare soeuer he be And againe A guiltie persō is fearefull how willing soeuer the innocent person be to abide the trial of iustice the guilty and faultie person will euer shunne or seeke to shift from himselfe the right triall and the censure of law for he that doth euill hateth the truth nor will hee come to the light that his wickednes might not appeare Therefore knowing mine vprightnes I stand to be tried and speaking for my selfe thus I protest howsoeuer it be that I be holden faultie or suspected of any indirect courses and procéedinges in my suruey of his Maiesties Collectors Receyuers Auditours or of any kind of wrongfull exaction extortion oppression or vniust impositions of taxes tributes or tolles on his liege people or of any kind of misdemeanour or lawles behauiour towardes his Grace and them I am able here with an vpright heart to iustifie my selfe and my doinges albeit I doe not throughlie know what euerie particular meane officer in his place hath done eyther good or euill But for that as occasion may require let euery one of them plead answere for himselfe and let the guiltie person beare the blame of his owne guiltines A fault in the meaner officers as well worthy And it may be for it is a thing too too common with officers that many loue to licke their owne fingers in their offices howsoeuer they be sworne to doe and deale iustly whereof the Prouerbe is that it is a good thing for a man to haue an office Hereof it is indeed
that many ichinges are purloined and much of the Kinges treasure mscarrieth in the way neither can a great part of that either come home to the kinges coffer or be brought to light which is either payed or receiued to and for the kinges vse such is the fault of Officers But to speake of my selfe I haue done that which I haue been able to do in mine office as mine owne cōscience testifieth for me be fore God and the king I haue taken the Accompts viewed the Audictes reckoned the Receites receiued in the moneis and duties I haue againe disbursed allowed paid out that which I haue or might haue receiued faithfully to the kinges vse that which remaineth is made knowne and I am alwayes readie both to yeeld an accompt of those things and of my dealinges therein I haue cleared my fingers and am ready to cleare my conscience I doubt not therefore but that as the king is wise hath two eares in his head so he hath not opened them both vnto him which hath sinistrelie accused or slaundered me before his royall presence but hath yet reserued the one of his eares for me Solomons discretiō in iudgment when I shall come forth to be heard in my honest iust defēce for this princelie virtue hath béen euer apparant and shining in the king from the tyme that he began to go out and in before vs and the people Such words spake Azariah the Collector and then gaue palce of speach vnto Benaiah the Captaine who had expected Benaiah the captaine declareth his integrity for his owne discharge in his office as yet when he might haue the like oportunity to speake for himselfe amongst the rest * And thus he prostested with great boldnesse Being placed ouer the kinges hoastes I haue béene also ready for my part in all pointes to do my duetie and to eschew and abandon the contrary as any other whatsoeuer I know how ready some are to leauie warres and to wage battailes without the Princes authority how hasty some are to ioyne their authoritie to old soares when they would be reuenged how some haue vpon displeasure pressed forth the vnworthy to serue in the Kinges warres and againe for money haue released and sent them home againe which were meetest for the seruice how some haue reteined to themselues the poore Souldiers paie and others haue receiued from the kinges Treasure pay for many more then they haue had in their Bandes And to passe ouer other particular faultes committed by them whome the king hath authorized to deale in his warres many haue dealt most vngodly respecting neither the cause nor the kinges commaundement nor the defence of the innocent nor the safetie of their Countrie nor the ouerthrow or weakning of the enemie nor any thing else besides the spoile for their owne lucre or the victorie for their owne glory For mine owne part I know iust warres are not vnlawfull nor vnméete for a godly man to fight in The honor of a good Souldier the duety of a Captaine and the office of a Captaine therein is an honourable calling and therefore ought to bee vsed and esteemed accordingly I haue not béen ignorant what thing this profession is what is the right end and vse of the same what is the dutie and office of a Captain who ought to be chosen for Souldiers and what they be what thinges are to be considered in them what thinges are necessarie how to place the companies and bandes what directions to giue what caueats how to encounter with the enemie how to fight how to triumph after victory such like The whole estate of a kingdome is contained in two partes wherof the one is Iudiciall the other Military and this Military part is euen a kind of prudence ordained for the common good There is prudence singular prudence oeconomicall prudence royall prudence politicall prudence in fiue points and prudence militarie By the first a man gouerneth himselfe by the second he gouerneth his houshold by the third a kingdome by the fourth a Cittie by the fift he defendeth and maintaineth the common good And here I haue considered this ende that as lawes doe chiefly respect the common good so is warfare instituted for the defence and maintainance of that common good either of the kingdome or Citty And for this purpose I haue considered from whence disturbances haue come to the common peace which might hinder that good whether by the sedition of Cittizens or by the oppression of innocentes or by incursions or inuasions of forraigne enemies and thereupon by the kinges commaundement and warrant I haue suppressed th' one and defended th' other I haue thereto made choice of méete and able persons for my souldiers as namely strong manly bolde nimble well set and of sufficient yeares aboue all I haue regarded such as feare the Lord loue the Kings Maiestie and the common-wealth of the Countrey Iudg. 7.3.4 remembring what the Lord charged to Gedeon for the choice of his Souldiers of the which sorte I estéeme tenne before an hundred of all others Furthermore to euery one I haue caused such meete weapons and furniture to be committed as best fitteth their strength knowledge and constitution of body That now they might know that they ought to bee as Doctors in their facultie Moreouer their apparrell their dyet their pay and their prouision in all partes haue also by my carefull prospection and direction béene duely proportioned and appointed vnto them without deniall diminution tasking telling wringing polling delay or any other inconuenience which might any way hinder or discourage them And I haue caused mine vnder Captaines to do the like After this I haue considered of the number of the daily practises of the constitution of the strength of the industrie of the virilitie of the enemies I haue also considered of the armour the victuals the places the times the aides of either partie I haue weighed where should be placed the horsemen where the footemen How many should be vnder the conduct of one Captaine how many vnder another I haue caused them to haue directions of their wayes in writing I haue placed in the Campes prudent Counsellors for aduise and direction to the Captaines I haue aduised that they conioyne and holde their forces together not to be dispersed that they keepe their purposes secret especially from the enemie I haue willed them to encounter with the enemy in the name and feare of God as Gedeon and David and Abraham and as Barach Moses Iosua and as Iepthe and such other noble Captaines haue done and therin not to feare And lastly hauing stroken down or dispersed the enemie I haue charged them to consider from whom the victory commeth as namely from the Lord of hostes who is the chiefe warriour mighty and glorious in battaile as David the king saith and then not to forget nor neglect to giue and ascribe vnto his high Maiestie the honour
the glory and the prayse for euer As Moses and Barach and David haue worthily taught by their holy examples in the like case These be the thinges my Lordes which in my dutie among others I haue duely regarded to be performed Besides this I haue had a care neither to wrong or oppresse any man nor to be reuenged on any mā vnder colour of mine authority as my predecessor Ioab hath oftentimes done to the great affliction of David the kinges father wherewith being much grieued he could often complaine and lament with teares as then when Ioab had killed the noble Captaine Abner Davids friend But some peraduenture scarcely will belieue this secing they haue neither beene companions of my trauelles in those affaires nor been acquainted with my manner of dealing for the king howbeit I perswade that the King knoweth all this to be true which I haue said for he hath beene certified from time to time not onely by my selfe but by others about me which accustom not to glorie of the truth of al things If the King knew it not nor could bee perswaded to belieue me yet I am sure that the Lord of heauen knoweth it with the same mine owne pure conscience testifieth in me and for me Although I haue beene a Souldier my Lords and now a Captaine and man of warre appointed ouer the Kings hostes yet I praise God for this that I haue alwaies feared God and obserued a good conscience the which whosoeuer respecteth not nor regardeth may happily be as strong in body as Goliah but he shall neuer preuaile with David hee may peraduenture goe forth with Gedeon but he shall be as fit for Gedeons warre as were those doggish lappers and those faint hearted dastardes whome hee sent backe againe Whatsoeuer some say which neyther know the one nor regard in their dealinges to expresse the other I know it is a fearefull thing to goe forth to the warres without God and a miserable thing to want a good conscience in the warres This regarded Abraham and Moses Iosuah Othoniel Sampson Gedeon Iepthe Dauid and therefore haue been noble warriours and happy in battels And this I would aduise all them that goe forth to the wars to respect as they would tender their owne welfare prosperity in the same But to be briefe I esteeme my selfe frée from all offence iustly offered to the kings Grace in this case And now my Lordes I thinke verily The cause of the k. affliction supposed not to rise from any of the Lordes that wee neede to looke further then into any of our selues here assembled if we shall find the cause of the kings affliction Neither ought this to be procrastinated lest by our delay the king perish vnder our hands and all things grow out of order to the griefe of the kinges friendes and dutifull Subiects and to the glorie of his Enemies Nor may wee think but that though the king haue many friends which are right glad to heare of his prosperitie yet he is not quite free from such enemies as enuie and hate both him and his felicity These be they which can very hardly be perswaded to thinke or speake well of his maiestie but to doe and to vtter out that which may anie way hurt or blemish his roiall honour they are alwaies readie and waite for their occasions Besides that wee may with others perswade and be thereof grieued in our heartes that the king being in this time troubled in minde and disquietted in his soule cannot well vse the faculty of reason albeit he be so wise a man as neither the eye in the head nor any member in the humaine bodie is wel able to execute his proper function when the same shal be molested or blemished And therfore it cannot bee that he shall well gouerne and iudge his people after the discretion and wisdome of a Prince except that speedie meanes be found and applyed to withstand this dangerous inconueniences CAP. VIII Zadok the high Priest and Abiather the priest disdaine not to examine themselues and are cleare in iudgement with the rest King Solomons Princes and Lords hauing thus farre pleaded for themselues in the audience of Zadok and Abiather who vntill now had holden themselues silent listning and pondring of that which had beene spoken in the end they both also vouchsafed the like But first Abiather by Zadoks leaue began in this sorte Why should I be silent in this examination Abiather the Priest here clereth himself in his function seeing that euery one of you my Lordes hath declared his integritie and cleared himselfe in iudgement against the King In what soeuer his Grace be displeased I know for my part that I haue not faulted as that other Abiather faulted whom therfore the king worthily depriued of his place and dignitie for albeit I haue the like name yet God forbid I should be of the like nature and quality nor haue I euer minded to worke treacherie as he did against my Lord the king nor do I know that in any part of my ministerie I haue so offended as wherof his Maiestie might iustly conceiue any such displeasure or sorrow of mind Howsoeuer others in this function haue béene approued how they haue entred how they haue behaued themselues and neglected or transgressed their duties I hope that shall not bee laide to my charge Yee know well that according to the election of such as I am what view examination The election and entrance of priestes Leuit. 2◠triall and approbation hath beene made of me the law ordained in that respect hath béen sufficientlie respected exacted and performed that so I might be made fit for the place for the better seruice of the Lord knowing wel that none of them which were either halt or blind might be permitted to dwel within the gates of the tower of Zion but were by the kings father expelled kept out that the place being of such purged 2. Sam. 5.8 they which reteined the right vrim thūmim might enter remain therin for the seruice of God honor of the king Neither vsed I any vngodly or indirect meanes for mine entrance I came not in by the windows or by the clifts of the wals as théeues and murtherers accustom to do but by the gates the dores being set opē as right lawful it was for me to doe yea they which were both of authority of a fellowship in the house of the Lord were as willing and glad to receiue entertain me therein as I was willing ready to enter Hauing thus entred I haue bin as careful to perform obserue my dutie I haue sacrificed praied taught ministred in my due course according to the order effect of the priests office with al diligence to my power knowing that it is no small danger no lesse disgrace to a mā of my profession to expresse one thing in habite and another thing
present affliction and extremitie the which they should regarde to mitigate and withstand and whose health and safetie they should tender and maintaine How subiectes may consider of their princes in all loue duty and reuerence of his honor not onely modestly to search out and to know but also wisely to endeuour to remoue or withstand the causes that the vnhappy effects might cease and the dangerous incōueniences be vtterly preuented onely in such sort to that end as the faithfull Phisicians accustome to deale with their pained Patientes or as they which desire to know the griefe of their distressed friendes to the entent either to prouide remedies or to ease them of their griefes for although we know the Kinges misery to be great heare his complaint very wofull ringing in our eares do condole with him with sorrow of mind yet vnlesse wee seeke for the cause consider well thereof and labour with wisedome and that spéedily to ease him of his affliction we shall do iust nothing but shall be rightly likened vnto them which stand gaping and gazing on the prisoners in bandes but neither goe about to deliuer them or to comfort them or like vnto those which seeme to visite the sicke and behold their deadely maladies but purpose neither to helpe or ease them There bee many more which accustome this then that performe the former in our dayes Helioreph * Indeed said Helioreph men should much rather in the sense of their owne faultes be penitent and in the kings offences be silent for as it is against humanity and good maners either to enter into another mans house not inuited or too curiously to obserue another not occasioned so is it much against the duty of a Subiect eyther too narrowly to note the kinges life and behauiour or to talke rashlie of his actions Notwithstanding we sée this that as Kings and Princes liue not so angelically but they offend in some things grieuously and offēding they cannot so conceale all thinges but they are seene noted and the more because they be Kings and Princes so their actions and maners with the behauiour of the whole Court are often more spoken of and censured in the Country among the Commons then either regarded or obserued amongst our selues But as ye haue well saide as cures cannot easily be wrought without first knowledge of the cause of-the griefe so I see not how we may ease the King of this his affliction except wee were certaine how it was occasioned Therefore with the consideration of the present necessitie and fearing the future inconuenience both to the king and to all his people which wee must speedily regarde to preuent in this case and time I thinke that wee his Princes and Counsellors so neare vnto him may lawfully aduenture as yee haue saide without all iust offence to his honor disgrace to his persō hurt to his people glory to his enemies sin against God or danger to our selues Gen. 21.14 Exod. 18.24 Iob. 31.13 1. Sam. 25.18 32 Abraham as we reade hearkened to his wife Sarah Moses gaue eare to his father in law Iethro Iob heard the complaint of his seruants against himselfe Abigail listned to her poore boy and David refused not them that at any time spake to him either for his or their owne good So I trust will the King giue vs audience in this case and the sooner because we are his Counsellors who as hee may well perswade do tender his safetie and haue a desire to counsell aduise endeuor the best in all things * And I remember said Ahiah the David the kinges father was not onely contented Ahiah but also acknowledged it right profitable for his safety that Nathan should both enquire and examine his life and actions 2. Sam. 12.13 also reproue and correct that which he found faulty in him yet say I not that it is meete for euery man to looke into those matters or to meddle in the Princes affaires but for such onely as are especially elected and called and authorized as Nathan was or be in place to consider aid and counsell the king as we are Neither thinke I the kings Maiestie will be exaspered or displeased with any of vs if wee doe the like for the better preseruation of his honor and credit for being wise he will consider the reason and ponder all things indifferently 2. Sam. 16.7 Againe I remember for it is noted in the kinges Annales that Shimei railing on David the kings father called him bloud sucker and man of Belial At the which although David might iustly haue striken him because hee cursed the Lordes Annointed David considering vpon those reprochful wordes what himselfe had before done in the case of Vriah and thereby condemning himselfe as guilty in his owne conscience and withall willing to shew a token of his owne wisedome and clemency would not suffer him to bee striken for his malepertnesse but he said in the anguish of his soule Let him alone for he curseth euen because the Lord hath bidden him curse David who dare then say wherefore hast thou done so How much rather then will the king content himselfe that we his Counsellors doe with a farre better mind and purpose for the honour and health of his Maiesty and preseruation of his people consider of the thinges that bee his and séeke to redresse or amend that which is amisse But therein let vs follow the example of Shem and Iaphet Shem Iaphet Gen. 9.23 the sonnes of Noah when they perceiued that Cham had vncouered him mocked him for they turning their faces from their fathers nakednes came towards him as backward and couered the same with their owne garments For it is not entended that the Kings secrets be displayed or published to his ignomy for it is not good to vtter the secrets of a Prince but onely that they may be knowne to our selues for the causes premised and that those thinges which are either knowne abroad already or may be knowne hereafter and whereof his aduersaries beholding and obseruing the same may giue their sharpe censures against his Maiestie and his wordes and works with maligne and malitious mouthes may be wisely considered of well construed reconciled resolued and salued or at the least the extremitie of those inconueniences ensuing these vnhappy causes may bee in some sort preuented * And verily I suppose there is somewhat conceited of himselfe and his owne workes for it is not long sithens I heard him to say and that with great wofulnes that hee loathed his owne life and then looking on the workes which his hands had wrought being indeede many and mighty and on the trauels that hee had taken the which yet farre passed the labours of other men hee confessed that all was but vanitie and vexation of the spirite whereby I was presently moued to suspect something in the kinges owne person and to doubt of some of his workes and deedes the
which eyther his owne conceit blameth as too base and vndecent to his honour or his owne conscience condemneth as vniust or his wisedome disliketh as too fond or his diuine spirite abandoneth as impious Iehosophat * Well then quod Iehosophat this being well resolued why should wee further delay Let vs approch howbeit with all the best wisedome and modesty to the consideration of the kings Maiesty Of Solomons progeny and birth As for progenie and birth there is no cause that the kings Maiesty should abase or dislike himselfe for hee is the sonne of worthy Nobles yea Noah hee is descended of the most noble house of that auncient Ianus or Noah Noah to whome the Lord granted to see the end of the old world and the beginning of the new howbeit he came not in by Cham nor by Iaphet Shem. but by Shem whome the Lord especially fauoured and chose to continue the seed of the blessed Abraham vnto the time of Abraham our father by whom and from whome the king is lineally descended neverthelesse not by his sonne Ismael the sonne of Hagar the bonde Isaack but by his sonne Isaack of Sarah the frée woman in whome the hope of the promise rested Againe hee was not of Esau who was iustly depriued both of the birth-right and the blessing Iacob but of Iacob whome the Lord louing and liking called Israel and Israel had many sonnes but the king came onely from Iudah â—udah in whose tribe according to the prophesie of Iacob the Scepter should be raised and a Law-giuer continued vnto the comming of Shilo to whome the people should be gathered From hence was the line drawne to Ishai Ishai and from him to David the Kings father who being a man after Gods owne heart David was according to the diuine prouidence ordained and annointed by Samuel the Lords Prophet before all his brethren to be king ouer his people of Israel whom he defended from their enemies on euery side with a strong and valiant hand fed them with discretion iudged theÌ„ with equitie and righteousnes and raigned ouer them ful 40. yeares to the glory of the Lord and good of his people with great honour Bethseba Sol. mother The kinges mother also was Bethseba the daughter of Eliam of no meane parentage her name soundeth the daughter of an oath or the seuenth daughter She was a right noble wise and vertuous Gentlewoman sometimes the wife of Vriah the Hittite a man of great estimation Indeede it was so that for her sake the king affecting her did iniuriously oppresse her said husband the rather by Ioabs meanes at what time this noble woman eyther doubted or simply thought that it was not lawfull for her husband or her selfe being subiectes to deny any thing which the king should command or desire of them 1. Sam. 8 11. knowing what Samuel the prophet had before that said vnto the people when they required a king what their king might or would do vnto them by his power and authority howbeit the trespasse being pardoned and grace and mercy restored according to the kings true repeÌ„tance and humble praier she feared the Lord God of Israel hearkened to Nathan the Lordes prophet notwithstanding that hee had before reproued the King for his faulte whereby she liued and contained her selfe with King David in all godly behauiour and high honour during her life This Noble Lady in many thinges both aided and comforted the King her husband and did not onely beare and bring foorth but also educated brought vp and nurtoured our Lord King Solomon in all such princely and diuine vertues to her power as did best beséeme him that should succeede King David in the happy kingdome of Israel as she had well learned and considered thereof by the inspiration of the diuine Spirit and the instruction of the Lordes Prophet that it was appointed and ordained by the Lord that this Solomon before all Davids other Sonnes should raigne ouer the kingdome of Israel after him Therefore shee diligently endeuored with the King the performance thereof as we sée it is brought to passe this day to the great ioy and comfort of the Lordes inheritance This therefore the young Quéene did gratefully remember at the time of the kinges marriage ascribing vnto her in the great solemnitie the chiefe cause next vnto God of his royall preferment saying to the daughters of Syon Go ye forth I pray you Cant. 3.10 and behold King Solomon in the Crowne wherewith his Mother hath crowned him in this day of his marriage and in the day of the gladnes of his heart And therefore also the king himselfe in the highest of his glory neither disdained nor omitted to commend her her excelleÌ„t vertues before vs al yea and vnder the same hath depainted and set forth not onely an holy and vertous Woman but also the holy Church the which also in his temple with the rich ornaments thereof he prefigured And thereof hath made an Alephabethical Encomion in these words pro. 31 Who so findeth an honest faithful womaÌ„ she is much more worth theÌ„ pearls the heart of her husbaÌ„d may safely trust in her so that he shall fall into no poverty She wil do him good not evil al the dais of her life c. A womaÌ„ that feareth the Lord shal be praised Giue her of the fruit of her hands and let her own workes praise her in the gates These things the king hath ruminated and vttered with great grauity as worthy the memory and imitation therefore wee also haue thought good to note and affixe the same to his wise prouerbs and Parables * Now with this let vs not forget The time of Sol. birth but carefully note and remember the rather to preuent the occasions of euill surmises that the king was neither borne nor begotten nor conceiued in the time of the trespasse and disgrace of his Parents but after the time that the Lord in mercy had pardoned them both and put away their sinnes vpon repentance and prayer 2. Sam. 12.13 of the which pardon the Lord certified him to the ioy and ease of their heartes by the prophet Nathan when also that was brought to passe and verified which David had with teares desired and with faith hoped to obtaine Thou shalt purge me said he with Isope and I shall be cleane thou shalt wash me I shall be whiter then snowe psal 51. Thou shalt make me to heare of ioy and gladnes that the boanes which thou hast broken may reioce For the which also he dewly blessed the Lord and in his thanksgiuing saide O Lord thou hast pardoned all mine iniquities and healed all mine infirmities psal 103. Finally the Lord himselfe to this his pleasure gaue testimony when he did not onely accept his sacrifices and burnt offeringes but also promised to set vp of his Seede after him vpon the throne of the
locks are curled blacke His eyes are like the Doues vpon the water streames Which are all waste with milke byde full vessels by His cheekes be like spice bedds as the sweetest flowers His lippes are Lillies like that drop the purest mirrhe His hands as ringes of gold with Chrisolite beset His belly yuory white with Saphires garnisht brave His legges as marble pillers on golden sockets set His looke as Libanon as Cedars excellent His mouth as sweetned thinges lovely all is hee Howsoeuer this was spoken as aiming mistically far beyond the Kings person It hath doubtles been applied to our Soueraign without adulation in whom their appeareth some especial grace yea the very image of the diuine nature beyond that hath been perceiued in any other man But were it that he had felt or vnderstood some defects in these external things yet see I not how he might be offended knowing well that he is but a mortall man that whatsoeuer is wanting in the body may bee supplied that to the vttermost by the graces of the minde the which the Lorde more respecteth then the beautie of the body as he said to Samuel when he sent him to annoint David for king moreouer he hath well tryed it and therof hath said it in iudgement that fauour is deceitfull and that beauty is a thing vaine therfore hath not béene of the mind to set his felicitie therein * To this also assented the Princes extolling and praising to the cloudes the most angelicall forme and beautie of the King Benaiah And forth with Benaiah beckning with his and proffered his speach and saide Neither indeed may the kinges education Solomon his eductaion or the manner thereof offend him as Ahishar hath saide for neuer any in this world hath beene better taught and brought vp as towching the feare of God and all princely and heroicall vertues For to this end king David had prouided him most wise and godlie teachers as namelie Nathan Gad Asaph and such other the Lordes prophets and wise men whom he had diuinelie inspired and sent forth yea king David himselfe being a man after Gods owne mind for his heauenlie songes and melody called the sweete Singer of Israel and the Lordes annointed and also his mother Quéene Beth-saba a most prudent and virtuous Ladie as it is before said and either of them haue very carefully taught and scholed him in the feare of the Lord and the right princelie virtues At whose knees he stood and was glad and ready to receaue both instruction and correction And thus himselfe acknowledgeth saying When I was my fathers deare sonne and tenderlie beloued of my mother he taught me also and saide vnto me pro. 4.3 let thine eare receiue my words kepe my commaundements and thou shalt liue Get thee wisdome and get thee vnderstanding forget not the wordes of my mouth and shrinke not from them c. Againe in his latter time ready to depart he left with him this direction 1 king 2.2 Be thou strong and shew thy selfe a man kepe thou the watch of the Lord thy God that thou walke in his waies kepe his statuts his precepts his iudgements and his testimonies as it is written in the law of Moses that thou maist prosper in all that thou doest and in every thing that thou medlest withall c. And this was his mothers lesson when shee taught and nourtured him pro. 31.1 What my sonne what the sonne af my body and what O my dearely beloued sonne Giue not over thy strength thy waies vnto womē which are the destructiō of kings O Laemuel it is not for kinges it is not I say for kinges to drinke wine nor princes strong drinke lest they by drinking forget the law and pervert the iudgement of all poore mens children Againe be thou an advocate for the dumbe to speake in the cause of all such as be succourlesse in this transitorie world open thy mouth defend the thing that is lawfull and right and the cause of the poore and helpelesse Lo such lessons hath his mother taught him so well beseeming I say not a child but a prince and excellent well fitting so beautifull a body from the which virtues are wont to shine as those pretious stoanes which are placed in goodlie Kinges of Gould But beyond all this the Lord his God which loued him and vouchsafed to call him his Sonne did extend vnto him the effect of a fathers office aboue that which earthly fathers are able to do or performe towards their children for he nurtured him by his spirit not onelie in the day time but by the nightes also And in this he acknowledged the great loue and mercie of God towards him as in his wise Prouerbs it is to be learned Lo thus was king Solomon educated and instructed in his tender yeares of the which he yet sauoureth euen in these his elder dayes to his double honour and the consolation of Israel * Therefore I see not that the king should be hereof offended except onely in this that he hath not in his owne cōceit answered in some pointes to this his education and instruction but let that alone to be considered of hereafter To this the Princes did also accord and then rose vp Adomiram and spake as followeth Adoniram Neither wanteth the king the excellencie of wisedome Solomon his wisedome by the which he goeth out and in before the people to iudge and gouerne this great multitude to teach all others the true wisdome This is that which being prized no man can tell the worthinesse thereof as Iob hath said thereof neither is it found in the land of the liuing it cannot be bought for gould nor may the price thereof be obtained with siluer No gold of Ophir no pretious Onyx stoans nor Saphyres may be valued with it for this is the highest Treasure of a king yea and the same without the which a king is vnfurnished of that he ought to haue and so méere vnfit for the place of gouernmēt but hauing this one iewell in possession he is sufficientlie armed not onely to do iustice and to defend them which are at home but also to withstand and subdue the enemies which Eccles 7.9 are abroad for Wisdome is much better then weapons of warre and giueth courage vnto thē that imbrace hir This the king by Gods good grace considered in his yong yeares 1 King 3.9 4.29 and therefore this was that only thing which he desired of the Lord whē he was willed to aske whatsoeuer hee would haue hee should haue it and therefore the Lord being well pleased with his desire gaue him wisdome and a large heart even as the sand that is by the sea shoare without number or measure By the which the king was most wise and therein is preferred before all those famouse men of the East Country which haue so farre excelled other men both in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Astronomy and also in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Science which by the voyce of birds prognosticateth the euents and thinges that ensue he also goeth beyond all the wise men not onely of the Egyptians but of our owne Nation as namely Ethan the Esrahite ond Heman Chalcol and Darda the sonnes of Mahol to be briefe the king is wiser then all men liuing for he hath that pure influence of the diuine Spirit the wisedome of the highest and that not so much by his owne studie and industrie albeit he hath béen wonderfully exercised in all laudable Artes and Sciences from his youth as by an especiall inspiration and diuine grace from the Lord his God who hath béene willing to enlarge and blesse him most aboundantlie By this he hath knowne to resolue and declare all hard riddles and questions By this he hath learned who hath laide the foundations of the earth who hath measured it and spread the line vpon it who hath shut vp the Sea with doores when it brake forth as out of the wombe who hath made the cloudes a couering for it and darkenes as his swadling bande who hath giuen the morning his charge and shewed the day-spring his place who hath bound the seauen-starres together and losed the bandes of Orion who hath brought forth the morning-star in his time and guided the euening-starre with his Sunne who hath ordayned the course of the heauens the Sea the windes the hailes the thunders the lightninges the showers of raine the deawes the light the darkenes and all that are both in heauen and earth yea he knoweth the purpose of the Creator therein And by this for the glory of God and the good of his people he hath spoken three thousand Proverbs he hath composed a thousand and fiue songes he hath told also of trees euen from the Cedar trée that groweth in Libanus vnto the Hysope that springeth out of the wall he hath spoken of Beastes of fowles of wormes of fishes and of all the creatures of God for their is nothing hidden from him his wisedom and knowledge is so admirable * By this his singular and swéet eloquence also is powred forth as the dropping of an hony combe Solomons Eloquence psal 45. vnto them that stand before him to heare his wisedome his lipes are full of grace as the Kinges father saide and dilectable to the hearers of his words euery where for his diligence was to find out and vtter pleasing wordes right scripture and the recordes of truth Cant. 5.14 This the noble Princes considering well semblably commended in him saying His lipes are like the Lillies that droppe sweete smelling mirhhe Doubtlesie as I saide of the former so may I say of this that the king herein farre passed all men on the earth without comparison which hath caused that many noble Kinges renowned Princes and wise and learned men of diuers strange far Countries were not only astonied when they heard thereof but the more to satisfie their eagre minds vndertooke great perilous and painefull iornies to come neare him to visit him to behold to heare to consider to take experience of that whreof they had heard reported concerning him and his wisedome Solomons iudgementes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * With this also my Lordes we may both remember and admire the excellencie of his Mischpatiim or iudgements in the which the very wisedom of the diuine power wonderfully appeared as in him whom the Lord his God had brought to this kingdome of Israel to do therein iudgement and equitie as the noble Quéene of Sheba perceiued and saide vnto him 1. King 10. For into how many partes soeuer Iudgement is deuided or any way considered the King expressed in euerie of them a right singular dexteritie For first according to the certaine and prescript rules of the law he wiselie discerned iudged and tried all matters of controuersie before him brought and therein as the parties were deuided one against an other after the manner of contenders in the Law their causes being eitheir contrary or doubtfull he worthily defended the good and condemned the euill extending to either iustice according to their sundry causes and contrary deserts Next as this title respected his place office ordinance function administration and ministery he was therein not ignorant but right prudent neither negligent but most carefull and diligent and gaue good heede attended that which was to him cōmitted in al reuerēce diuine feare knowing well that the iudgement was the Lords howsoeuer it pleased him to appoint him the minister who he was sure would rise vp for him in the iudgement that hee had commanded that the congregation of the people might flock round about him Thirdly as touching the iust lawfull and ordinary knowledge of the causes which is rightly regarded in such kind of administrations who sawe not pro. 12. but that the very thoughts of the King as those of the righteous were very iudgement as hee saide in the Prouerbs the which were deciphered to vs and others in many singular effects and sounde arguments Fourthly as touching the causes iudiciall wherein iudgement was to be reduced into righteousnes whereby the poore fatherlesse oppressed and wronged were to bee relieued and comforted with godly equitie shining forth of a iust and mercifull heart psal That is he will acquit and defend the poore the King did wonderfully declare himselfe before all his people ruminating to that purpose the saying of his father And sure am I the Lord will* iudge the poore and eke maintaine The cause of him that hath no friend his safety to sustaine Fifthly as concerning questions and doubts in matters of our holy religion or hard riddles or parables or the lawes and ordinances by which wee do and must liue and bee iudged or the causes and cases in controuersy that expect moderation and iudgement or the patterns and examples left to bee followed and receiued for performance in things of moment or manners of life or the gouernment and rule of the Church and common-wealth or whatsoeuer els which appertaineth or is incident to this noble virtue so worthy the royall Scepter the king I say hath before all others in the worlde declared himselfe a principall and chiefe personage To passe ouer so many examples as might bee produced in euery pointe for breuitie let vs bee contented with that particular example of the two Women which came before the king The kinges iudgement in the case of the two women 1. King 3. pleading for the living childe I hope yee haue not forgotten it the thing was done within our time and the matter being so rare and worthie memory could not so soone be forgotten although a wonder as men say lasteth not aboue nine dayes The King hauing heard the pleading and contention of those two women about the childe at length as a wise Iudge though yet but a child in yeares repeated briefly the
cause The one saith qoud he this childe which is alive is my sonne and the dead is thine And the other saith Nay but thy sonne is the dead and the living child is mine Then séeing the case doubtfull the more because there were no witnesses for eyther part hee said againe to them that stoode about him Bring me hether a sword and they brought it after that he said againe Divide the living child into two partes and give th' one part to the one and th' other part to the other For hee well knew what he would doe neither was his mind so cruell and bloody as to slay the young innocent for the mothers offence howbeit some being present not considering his purpose beganne to deride and dislike this sentence But by and by his intent was displaied for the woman whose the liuing child was féeling her vowels to yerne within her vpon her sonne whom shee thought was ordained for death cried out and sayde vnto the king I beseech thee my Lord giue her the liuing child and let it not be slaine but the other woman said Let the child be neither thine nor mine but let it be diuided as the king hath said Then the king gaue the sentence in iudgement and saide vnto the Ministers that stood by Geve her the living child whose bowels yerneth thereon and slay it not for doubtles she is the right mother thereof This being done all they of Israel hearing of this iudgement of the king feared his Maiestie the godly for loue the wicked for dread for they saw that the wisedome of God was in him to doe iustice Of this the kinges vertue spake the kings father in the spirit Thou hast loved righteousnes and hated iniquitie This being well weighed my Lordes I see not what should thereof be conceited to offend his Graces mind The princes Subscription To al this the Princes gladly subscribed commending in all thinges the iudgementes of the king And surely saide they they are happy in iudgemēt which haue as the king hath wel learned the right natures of thinges for they soundly consider of th'effectes and discerne and trie them well if they be such as are wise prudent godly and not led by affections but by sure knowledge good counsaile and the guide of the diuine spirite But we see that none of those can this perform which eyther are themselues vnlearned ignorant obstinate selfe willed prowde vngodly or contemne the good counsel and godly and graue aduise of the learned wise and vertuous Surely wee cannot denie it for it is most apparent that our Lord the king hath by this his discrete iudgement purchased to himselfe authority to his kingdome peace and trāquillitie and to the high God condigne glorie Now the better sorte of all men gratifie his honour and gladly submit themselues and their causes to his determination knowing that hee will do iustice The wicked transgressors and hypocriticall persons are fearefull to stand before his presence in the defence of their faults or triall of their liues So aswell of th' one as of th' other is the king feared in respect of those his vpright and iust iugementes which as ye said hath indéed appeared so admirable before all men CHAP. XI Of Solomons riches peace orders pleasures power blessinges fame glory from any of the which riseth not the cause of his sorrow IN the former conference king Solomons Princes and Lordes haue described displaied and defended his most noble birth his honourable names his excellent beautie his godly education his singular wisedome his sweet eloquence and his vpright iudgements Now they are no lesse willing to consider of his riches his workes his peace his orders his pleasures his power Azariah his blessinges his fame his glory And therefore Azariah spake againe and said As in the former wee haue not found anie iust cause of the kinges disgrace Solomons riches but altogether causes of honour and prouocations to ioy and gladnes so neither wanteth he any Riches or the Treasures of a King whether natural or artificiall By the naturall riches I vnderstand all such thinges as come from the fieldes trées and beastes as corne wines oyles fruites victuals clothings and such like apt and meete for mans body by artificiall I vnderstand and those things which are found out or framed by the art and industrie of man as gold siluer coyne pretious stones iewels and such like Ineyther of the which the king is maruailouslie enriched according to that word which the Lord his God spake vnto him when he asked wisedome saying I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked even riches and honour 1. King 3.13 so that there shal be no king like vnto thee in all thy daies Eccles 2.4 2. Chron. 1.15 For this wee know as himselfe hath confessed that the king hath many excellent vineyeardes planted orchardes and gardens with frees of all manner of fruit and fed oxen and beefes and more cattell and sheepe then all they which were before him in Ierusalem And as for siluer and gold wee know that hee hath made such thinges as plentifull as stones in Ierusalem and Cedar trees as plentiful as the Mulbury trées that grow in the vaileis and he hath horses brought out of Egypt and fine linnen which his Marchāts receiued for a price hee hath a chariot which cost him sixe hundred péeces of siluer with many of her Chariots and horsemen yea an hundred twelue thousand horsemen which hee hath bestowed in the Chariot Citties and at Ierusalem with his Maiesty Moreouer hee hath seruants and maidens a great houshold great substance and the chiefe treasures and large possessions euery way And truely howsoeuer these thinges doe proue as a very foolishnes vnto the ignorant and foolish Eccl. 2.9 Pro. 14.24 they are vnto with whome his wisedome remained as a glorious crowne and he is greater and of more worshippe then all his predecessors in Ierusalem Helioreph * All this is manifest said Helioreph neither can any man denie any thing of that which ye haue said therefore it is set downe in the kinges Annales and committed to the holy Registre Solomons works And as his riches is great so also are his workes most admirable according as himselfe hath said I have made gorgeous faire works I have built mee houses planted vineyeards Eccl. 2.4 I made mine Orchardes gardens of pleasure I made pooles of water to water the greene and fruitfull trees withall And it is true and hee hath builded Citties and raised the walles 2. Chro. 8. and fortified his townes and territories magnificently but beyond all others those his three houses which he hath made and performed in Ierusalem are excellent and passe all the buildings and workes in the world First according to the commaundement of his Father David and iust after the forme and proportion that the Lord had giuen to David 1. Chro. 28.19 and
which David committed and left as a patterne vnto him 1. Kin. 6. he set onto build vp that Temple in Ierusalem euen an house for his God This house is threescore cubits long and twentie cubits broad and thirtie cubits high c. And this house was built of stone made perfect already before it was brought thither so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any toole of yron heard in the house while it was in building But it would be wonderfull yea and beyond mine abilitie to tell and your selues presently to heare how many strange and diuers and excellent thinges the King prouided and disposed in and about this excellent worke And in this worke he so well pleased the Lord that he spake vnto him saying Concerning the house which thou art in building if thou wilt walke in mine ordinances execute my lawes and keepe all my Commaundementes to walke in them then will I make good vnto thee my promise which I promised to David thy father And I wil dwell among the children of Israel wil not forsake my people Israel Further after the end of seuen yeares for so long was that magnificent house in building the king began to build another house for himself about the which he bestowed great time charge and labour as it is recorded in the book of the kinges Annales and touching the which the kinges daugther beholding it with admiration said Cant. 3.9 King Solomon hath made himselfe a pallace of wood of Libanus the pillars are of silver the pavement therof of golde the hanginges thereof of purple c. Thirdly the king builded another house in the forrest then the which there is not a more princely thing in the world for the site forme and beauty thereof No man can dislike any of these his workes yea euery one doth highlie praise and commend them and him in the most excellent frame disposition and order of the same wherefore it may not be that from thence hee should finde occasion to afflict his owne soule The peaceable time of Solomon * But all these things haue been the better effected by the king for that the Lord his God which would that he should be called Solomon or Peaceable hath giuen him rest from his enemies on euery side for it hath neuer been heard of that the childrē of Israel enioied the like peace sithens the time that they came out of the land of Egypt And truely saide Benaiah neither the king nor his people haue these forty yeres had any cause to feare the inuasion of any forraigne enemie Benaiah or the nations embordering who hauing been subdued kept vnder and qualified by his father David in his time haue neuer sithens that resumed any courage or presumed to lift vppe their handes or quake against his Maiestie for all people and nations stand in feare of him and rather yeeld to bée his contributaries and seruantes then to attempt or aduēture warres against him knowing well that the Lord of Heauen is with him to preserue and keepe him and that the woodes and all pleasant trées do ouershadow him and his people at the commaundement of the Lord by whose grace they haue long prospered and rested in peace euen from Dan to Berseba vnder the kings happy gouernement Moreouer I am sure there hath not been in any age sithens the creation of the world a captaine set ouer the hoast of any king that hath had lesse trouble and feare then I haue had in my time vnder my Lord the king for although the king hath many barbed horses strong Chariots valiant men of warre great store of weapons armour and munition of proofe in the which he may compare yea and be preferred to all the kinges on the earth yet hath hee in his time had as little vse thereof as any whatsoeuer for the onely terror of the kinges Maiestie and the view of those thinges hath sufficiently daunted the enemie wherby we and his people haue had little cause to complaine of mortall warres which haue ensuing it so many slaughters burninges famines plagues destructions and noysome inconueniences in al ages The Poet Homer hath written of the wonderfull slaughters Homer and burning broiles of the Greekes Troians before this time which setteth before our eyes the miseries of warres And our owne histories haue largely displaied the great infelicitie of our fathers in the wildernesse and in the time of the Iudges and of Saul But we haue a cause to blesse and prayse the Lord our God who hath in this time of his mercy raysed vp vnto vs this Prince of Peace I pray God wee may thankfully esteeme thereof and not by our froward ingratitude offer vnto our God an occasion of the losse of so heauenly a blessing as those commonly accustome which hauing not the feare of the Lord before their eyes and so no sparkle of the true wisedome doe prouoke him to wrath through the lewdenes of their rebellious heartes And whether the King as hee hath the wisedom of God foreseeth in the spirit what is liking to beside vs by his departure from ouer vs I know not for what misery or inconuenience is there which may not come on them that transgresse and offend against God and the king if the Lord shall eyther commaund or commit the spirit of troble to fall on them * And this may come on vs and the people said Ahiah we know not how soone Ahiah But as ye haue said the king hath had indéede a glorious peace The orders of Sol. house and we haue enioyed the like vnder him for the which both his Highnesse and his people may reioyce together And here we cannot but with the former commend the orders of the kings house the meate of his table the sitting of his seruants 2. Chro. 9.4 the standing of his wayters their apparrell his Butlars their apparrell and behauiour the which when the Queene of Seba saw and cōsidered she was astonied and there was no more spirit in her And she said vnto the king The saying which I heard in mine own land of thine actes and of thy wisedome is true I beleeved not the wordes of them vntill I came and mine owne eyes had scene it behold the one halfe of thy wisedome was not tolde me for thou exceedest the fame which I heard Happy are thy men happy are these thy servants which stand before thee alway and heare thy wisedom Neyther were the kinges pleasures lesse then sufficient being solaced with his faire houses Solomons pleasures his gardens of pleasures his men-singers and women-singers and instrumentes of Musicke of all sorts with all the admirable sweet delightes of the sonnes of men yea there was neuer any one man vnder the cope of heauen that more flowed in all kind of pleasures meete and conuenient for a kings honour His power * He was also of no sesse power and mightinesse yea he was
greater that way then all his Predecessors hauing a dominion ample and large with a princely prouision of all sorts of things both for the defence and maintenance of the same in all partes And for the better guard of his Royal person as the young Princesse noted when shee beheld and wisely considered in her Cant. 3.7 About the bed of Solomon there stand Ful threescore valiant men of sturdiest might Of Israel with glittering swords in hand Expert in warre him to defend by right Therein alluding to that which the kinges Father had modulated for the king in that swéete psalme 45. Gird now thy sword vpon thy thigh O prince of fame According to the worship and the glory of thy name And prosper in thy glee ride forth with glad successe Because of that thy word of truth meekenes and righteousnes Thy right hand forth shall tell the things of dreadful strength Thy sharpened shafts the people shall to thee subdue at length Yea though that they for safety should themselues bring Into the midst inuiron'd with th' enemies of the king To be briefe His blessings wonderfull are the blessinges wherewith the almighty hath graced our King for hee hath beene blessed beyound all other kinges on the earth aswell with thinges spirituall and heauenly as with those which are temporall and terrene according to that promise in the law made for such as be obedient Deut. 28. 2. Sam. 7. 1. King 3. according to that word of the Lord giuen to David concerning him and according to the that the Lord his God granted him when he had praied for wisedome to go out and in before his people In a word his blessinges are an astonishment to all the nations of the world vnto whom the fame of his Excellency hath gone forth This conioyned him in amitie with K. Hyram of Tyre His fame and glory and with Pharao king of Egypt this brought vnto him from the vttermost partes of the earth the famous Quéene of Arabia and many others and hee was in glory resplendent before all the kinges or Princes that euer raigned before him whereby many seeing and bearing of him thinke that they see or heare not a terrene or mortall Creature but a celestiall and diuine power And what should the king desire more Gen. 3. nothing at all except he would bee God as Adam thought to be But I am sure the king is not of that haughtie conceite of himselfe yea I haue obserued this that howsoeuer all these thinges haue beene excellent and aboundant in him as a Crowne of gold beset with pretious stones Solomon was not proude of his gifts and graces on the head of a most beautifull body yet did he neuer waxe proud or vaine glorious thereof as worldly men accustome when hauing a little beyond the ordinarie measure of some others of wisedome riches pleasures power policie or prosperitie do loue and like to sooth prayse and commend themselues resēbling the Pecocke which swelleth in the view of his painted plumes notwithstanding their humaine imperfections yet this is not al but thinking so highly of themselues they contemne others and endeuour in loath and disdaine to treade them vnder their feete Thus I say hath not the king at any time done but rather hee acknowledged his mortall humanity and his great ignorance and want of wisedome yea his base séely glory in respect of the supreme excellency eternity knowledge wisedome and glory of the almighty with the which when he had compared himselfe all his noble endewmentes hee found himselfe with the same iust nothing To this assented the Princes and found no cause in those thinges premised whereof the king should be offended CHAP. XII Of Solomons comming to the kingdom of Israel his proceeding against Adoniah and Abiather the priest is iustified AFter this Zadok the Priest who had thus farre listened to the wordes of the Princes stoode vppe and spake to this effect Indéede my Lords I sée not as yet that from any of those thinges whereof yee haue spoken to be in the king and his Estate any iust occasion is ministred him of his present affliction except it be in this that knowing the largenes of Gods bounties towardes him he either hath not satisfied the Lords expectatiō in the vse of those thinges or cannot as hee would shew himselfe gratefull enough And it may be that besides the premisses some question hath been or may be moued touching the kinges entrance into the kingdome of Israel wherein some especially they which stand to defend the cause of Adoniah Abiather and Ioab with others their confederates against the king imagine that he hath and doth rather vsurp and tyranize then that he hath lawfully attained and raigned and therin not answered to his name Solomon which is to say peaceable or a peacemaker But howsoeuer it be surmised or imagined by such kind of persons it is most certaine that the kings entrance with the meanes and manner thereof was both lawfull right and his gouernment therein may be neither condemned nor iustly reproued but rather iustified and commended of all wise and discreet persons King Solomon although he had a promise of the Soueraignty both of the Lord and also of his father he did not presume to vsurpe on the kingdome as Absolon wold haue done when aspiring he lifted vp his hand against his owne father the Lords Annointed Nor would hee do as Adoniah did Sol. was not an vsurper on the kingdome who was extolled and proclaimed king euer Israel in the life time of his father without the consent goodwill or knowledge of the king or of the Quéen The king our Soueraigne Lord knew better what was meet to be done bee remembred how his father dealt towards Saul the king namely that albeit hee knew Saul to bee reiected of the Lord and that himselfe was already annointed to succéede him in the kingdome of Israel he would dot preuent the time that God had appointed nor would he lay his hand on him beeing in his place the Lords annointed although he had many opportunities offered him therto for hee might easily haue slain him both in the Caue and in other places without his owne bodily danger But the king as hee was ordained for the kingdome by the diuine prouidence and the discretion of his father so also he entred by a lawfull and worthie meane and in the due time For King David knowing well the mind of the Lord who had promised him that there shoulde one of his seede sit on his Seate after him and his name should bee Solomon made a faithfull promise vnto Quéene Bethseba the Kinges mother 1. King 1.11.30 that according to the word of the Lord this his Son which was called Solomon should surely raigne after him and shoulde sit vpon his throne therfore as it is also recorded in the kings Annales when that king David being waxen olde and enféebled had heard by the report of the
Kinges Mother and Nathan that Adoniah had proudly vsurped and that this Solomon his beloued sonne and choson heire apparant was to bee taken for a sinner in Adoniah his sight contrary to the Kinges promise made and confirmed by an oath to Bethseba and NathaÌ„ in that behalfe David was very highly displeased with Adoniah and sware againe vnto Bethseba saying 1 King 1.29 As the Lorde liveth who hath redeemed my soule out of al adversity that as I sware vnto thee by the Lord God of Israel saying assuredly Solomon thy sonne shall raigne after me and he shall sit upon my throne in my place so will I certainly do this day Whereupon King David commanded mee and Nathan the Lordes prophet to annoint his sonne Solomon King ouer Israel euen whiles that David liued the which wee both faithfully performed Wherat David then greatly reioiced and praised the Lord vpon his bedde and he said Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath made one to sit on my throne this day even in my sight Therefore this thing being so diuinely prouided and handled in al pointes so directly no man may iustly reproue it neither may the King in the due consideration thereof now in his elder daies either repent thereof or be touched with sorrowe in his heart Nor may wee otherwise thinke but that the Lord of Israel louing well his people hath set our Lord the King on the seate of his Father to do equity and righteousnes in the same 1 King 10. Solomons proceeâ—ings against Adoniah as the noble Queene of Sheba at her beeing heere right worthily testified and as a prophitesse in that behalfe blessed the Lord and the King in the same Moreouer I haue not found that my Lord the king hath merited blame or dislike in any his dealinges touching his said brother Adoniah who had so vniustly exalted himselfe as an Eagle in the clouds of heauen against his honour for truly contrary to the wonted vse of worldly Princes and potentates which cannot easily permit or beare a coÌ„petitor of the kingdome he did not rashly or seuerely execute displeasure of Adoniah but being perfect wise of a most royal heart and of noble Lyons nature perceiuing him to stand infeare of him to submit himselfe to his gratious mercy on the grouÌ„d he gladly pardoned him with this saying that not so much as one haire of his head shoulde fall to the earth if he would thenceforth shew himselfe a worthie man and so commanded him to goe to his house in peace and to rest himselfe so long as wickednes might not be found in him No doubt the king remembred that worthy example of Ioseph so ful of piety who notwithstaÌ„ding the great iniury his brethren had done him Gen. 50.20 did vpon their submission and request forgiue and forget all yea he was so farre from reuenging that iniury that he said fear not now will I nourish you and your children and he comforted them and spake kindly vnto them * Thus farre procéeded Zadoke Benaiah and then Benaiah because he was not onely an eye witnesse but also an actor therin stood forth said And al this do I perfectly remeÌ„ber being especially called appointed by king David together with your reuerence and Nathan the Prophet to deale for the king in those high matters the which I doubt not but NathaÌ„ would also confirme if he were present and therein commend and praise that noble magnanimity ano rare clemency of the king extended towardes his capitall enemy at such his entraÌ„ce into the kingdome when as beeing not yet so perfectly setled scarcely knowing his friendes from his foes hee might rather haue feared the euent of such a dangerous manumission pardon Solomon was not willing to revenge an iniury It appeared that the gratious king was not only glad to pardoÌ„ him which had submitted himselfe and promised obedieÌ„ce but also carefull to eschew all colour or suspicion of tyranny or cruell dealing euen to an aduersary Some Princes and mightie persons in such cases are seuere persecutors euen to the death of them which haue neuer so little offended them although neither they haue nor can possibly hurt them and such as the king well knoweth are more hurtfull to their owne territories then the brute creatures are to such as neuer hurt or annoied them The Dolphin Fish Wee find of the Sea-Dolphins of whose nature the king hath spoken among other beastes and Fishes that if perchance they find a dead man in the seas they feele by the smell of him whether hee hath euer eaten of Dolphin Fish the which if at any time he hath then they deuoure him if not then they defend him from the biting of all other Fishes and bring him to the shoare as it were to his funeralles in the earth Lo although theis Sea-beasts doe by nature reuenge any iniurie yet are they farre off from the persecuting of him that neuer hurt or annoyed them howbeit such is mans cruelty and commonly the vse of mighty persons that they persecute and hurt them grieuously of whome they neuer receiued nor are like to receiue any dammage at all Wherein they righgtly resemble the wolfe which quarrelled with the Lambe and tooke an occasion to kill and deuour him because he drank beneath him in the riuer But as I said albeit it had beene but a iust thing in the king to haue reuenged that iniury yet was hee more mercifull and gentle to his foes to whome in steede of death deserued zadoke hee pardoned and them preserued * Yee haue well saide quod Zadoke and thus shoulde Adoniah haue well remembred and considered accordingly and not haue attempted further matter to prouoke the Kings displeasure and turne mercy into iustice against his owne life But seeing that hee woulde not continue thankefull vnto his Grace but renewe his old malice and thereby worke to supplant the Lordes Annointed I see no reason why the King shoulde further spare him to the danger of his own safetie Therefore I verily belieue that the king hath hath not offended either against God or the lawe in that hee afterward perceiuing the wickednes and ambitious practises of Adoniah Benaiah did cause him to bee rewarded with death And well worthie said Benaiah for notwithstanding the King had most gratiously pardoned him and charged him thereon in my hearing to bee conteyned within his owne house hee yet presumed too boldely to come foorth and most malepertly to rush into the Queenes Chamber after Davids death in such sorte that shee was therewith wonderfully afraide of him neither coulde shee easily bee perswaded that hee beeing her mortal enemy though now subdued would either wish her well or entend her any good For as enemies are not to bee trusted notwithstanding their faire faces and wordes so beyond others had she a great cause to doubt of Adoniah who as she wel knew bare her a deadly hatred for that by her means
the sooner Solomon came to the royall Seat the which he Adoniah had so ambitiously and eagrelie affected and vnlawfully vsurped in his fathers life-time Whereat notwithstanding that she was as betwene hope and dispayre when she saw him sodenlie to enter her chamber she asked him if he came to her in peace and he answered yea whatsoeuer he meant and he said that he had a certaine petition vnto her which was that she would be a meane for him to the king that he would giue him to wife Abisag the Sunamite who had beene sometimes king Davids bedfellow to warme and nourish him in his weake old age In the which practice he had a purpose to aspire to the kingdom not onely for that though he were the fourth yet the eldest of king Davids sonnes then liuing but also combined with her who was estéemed as king Davids wife he might the sooner in his owne conceite and by the suggestion of the kinges enemies haue obtained the soueraigntie The which deceit and pretence of his the Quéene as yet perceiued not and therefore partlie for dread and partlie for good-will she bare him for king Davids sake she condiscended to his desire and made request for him vnto the king But the king being right wise soone espied this to be a suttle deuise of Adoniah for his owne aduancement The nature manner of the ambitious hee knew well that the ambitious are euery way ready to insinuate themselues into fauour before they be preferred they will faine humilitie lowlines honestie affabilitie and all benignitie they will follow and obey at a becke they will flatter and giue applause to all mens doings fearing to offend any yea and as is the common prouerb they will brush off the dust from the coate which hath no dust at all But being once aduanced exalted they begin to change their opinions and soone alter their manners for now they are become proud and glorious boasters they neuer care to profit but are glad of prefermēt they thinke themselues far better then others because they be placed higher then others their former friends they disdaine know not their old acquaintances they contemne their benefactors and bee vnthankefull to them which haue done them the highest good To let passe other things they be burthensom to their subiects hateful to al men headstrong troublesom arrogant gréeuous and importune This I say the king knew wel and that Adoniah was swolne with this humour Moreouer he perceiued that this matter did doth proceed and was furthered by two others his deadly foes namely Ioab and Abiather who thereby intended to supplant the king and to set vppe Adoniah And therefore when Queene Bethsabe requested the king for Adoniah according to her promise he answered her And why doest thou aske Abisag for Adoniah aske for him the kingdome also for he is mine elder brother and hath for him both Abiather the the priest and Ioab the sonne of Zerviah for he knew that if Adoniah had once gotten Abisag who was so deare and neere vnto his father he would also with her haue sought for the Crowne Therefore he sware and pronounced a sentence against Adoniah to recompence his wicked ambition and iniquitie saying God do so to me and more also if Adoniah hath not spoken this against his owne life Therefore the king being well aduised for he did euery thing with iudgement sent and commanded me to smite him that he might die thereby the sooner to establish the gouerment according to the will word of the Lord the which Adoniah his counsailors had practised to hinder ouerthrow Therfore this actiō of the king neither may be reproued nor may occasion him now after so many yeares of peace to be offēded with himselfe therefore Abiather * Thus haue yee saide quod Abiather and your wordes in mine opiniō may not be iustlie reproued The dealings of Solomon against Abiather the priest for yee haue spoken nothing but truth But what shall we say to this that the king at his entrance did both depriue Abiather then the Lordes priest of his office and expelled and bannished him the Lordes house Although I haue the like name my Lordes I neither propose this question nor speake as if I would defēd the cause of the Abiather against the king and his proceedinges therein but because I haue heard some opposition to the same by others and I would willingly they should be resolued zadok To this answered Zadok As I may not condemn that Abiather my predecessour because I woulde my selfe as Primas should be aduāced and approued in the place so neither may I dislike in equity the kings proceedings against him For firste it is certayne that Abiather behaued not himselfe worthely in his place and therefore was iustly depriued For albeyt my-selfe am now high Priest yet if I should not answere to my calling and name I allow the verification of that sentence of the kinges father on my selfe Let his daies be few and his office let another take And as cōcerning Abiather it became him not to counsaile Adoniah and to confederate with him in that he vnlawfullie couetted to be king both without the consent of his father and against the rightfull honor of king Solomō * Next it is most apparant how the Lord would that now by this occasion that word of his should be performed which was sometime spoken to Eli the priest 1 Sam. 2.32 that for the high dishonor and contempt of Godes seruice in his children and by him permitted the priesthood should be taken away from him and his house and another should be preferred in the same This was brought to passe when Abiather was reiected and zadocke taken to be the high priest 2 Sam. 2 32 The which the King béeing wise and indowed with a principall spirit did in time wisely consider and iustlie performed in the depriuing of Abiather and placing me in his office for there is not any word of the Lord which shall fall to the ground but shall be performed in the appointed time Howbeit the king according to the exellencie of his wisedome would neither slay nor cruellie torment or vexe that vnfaithfull Abiather because he had béene the Lordes higd priest and had beene a companiō a fauourer of his father David in all his afflictiōs Wherein he expressed a right sober mercifull and gratefull minde for he reuerenced the Lords ordinance and lawfull function of the person albeit the person was vnworthie he shewed lenitie where rigour was deserued and he would not that his hatefull enemie should be occasioned either iustlie to comdemne him or at the least to accuse him of any sauour of oppression tyrannie cruelty or vnkindnesse towardes him which had béene kind to his father in his afflictions though now after his fathers departure And surelie these are the virtues which are not common or vsuall among the men of this life especiallie among Princes and
Potentates where we often behold and consider how the Lordes priestes prophets and faithfull seruantes are not onely neglected but vnreuerentlie contemned and abused and that for the lightest causes that may be imagined we see that seueritie recompenseth priuate iniuries against all men without mercie and we see that little kindnesse is found to consider of great benefites of them which be liuing much lesse of them that be dead of whom the prouerbe is beaten Out of sight out of mind 1. Sam. 22.17 Such hath beene the vngodly behauiour of Saul towards Abimelech and the Priestes of the Lord whome notwithstanding they had made their honest excuse withall humilitie hee commaunded Doeg the Edomite to murther euen fourescore and fiue persons that did weare a linnen Ephod yea and bee smote with the edge of the sworde Nob the Cittie of the Priestes both men and women children and sucklinges Gen. 37.20 oxen and asses and sheepe with horrible crueltie Thus the brethren of Ioseph hardly handled their poore brother in that they did not onely cast him into a pit but sold him away as a bondslaue to strangers following therein the Nature of Cain who murthered Abel his brother vpon an offence not giuen Gen. 4. but taken Iudg. 7. And thus the vnthankfull Sichemites in the time of the Iudges notwithstanding that Gedeon had beene beneficiall to Israel shewed no mercy vnto his house but gaue consent to the setting vp of Abimelech the tyrant to the destruction of the same But thus hath not our King done Neuerthelesse as reason required he remoued Abiather both from his office and also from out of the Court for hee had distained his honour and disgraced his function by his lewde behauiour therein and was an enemie to the kinges estate Therefore that he might not longer abuse the place so fit for a better person yea for a person perfect and well approued Treacherous persons are euer suspected againe that he might not thenceforth as he was an enemie vnhappily moue or entise any of the Kinges Courte to conspire with him against the king and his gouernement hee was iustly depriued of the one and banished from the other for as it is indeed wisedome in time to cast out of the congregation such by whome the same is daily offended and the place abused to auoid the contempt which by such persons is often occasioned so it is good policie timely to obserue sequestre and put apart such dangerous persons from the presence of Princes and from the societie of their Lordes and seruantes left they both infect and inflame and so confound the body with the head by the contagion of their trecherous plots wicked designes and pestilent practizes in and about the which will euer bee their dailie and greatest studies and indeuours for they are set on the pricked forth by the Syre of treasons and broacher of rebellions Hence was it that Moses commanded a separation between the Israelites and Corah Dathan and Abiram whome the earth opening swallowed vppe in their rebellion Thus the Lord reproued Cain for his enuy and anger against Abel his brother and admonished him to his dutie but after that hee had listed vppe his hand against him murthered him he expelled him though too late and sent him an exile from his fathers house So also after that Ismael was noted to be a persecuter and derider of his brother whome hee sought to supplant hee was shut out of Abrahams house with Hagar his mother who had counselled and defended him in his wickednesse Therfore wee may perswade that this proceeding and iudgement of the king against Abiather for the abuse of his function and his treacherie against both David and our Lord the king being both lawfull and discreetely handled according to the diuine prouidence and the equitie of the law is not the cause of the kinges present sorrow To this all the Princes subscribed gladly iustifying the wise and worthy iudgement of the king with all his proceedinges therein in whom they did manifestly behold the wisedome of the most high God to doe equity and righteousnes CAP. XIII Of Solomons proceedinges against Ioab and Shimei KIng Solomon being iustified and commended in his iudgement procéedinges against Adoniah and Abiather in th' execution of th' one Azariah and the depriuatiō of th' other Azariah the chiefe of the Collectors came foorth said But there be which do not only blame but condemne the King concerning his dealing against his Cosen Ioab chiefly after he had taken holde of the hornes of the Altar where for the holinesse and reuerence of the place be presumed of securitie for he verily thought that the king which was wise and singularly affected the holy Religion would haue rather reuerenced the place and not aduentured to plucke any man out of the Lords house especially from the high Altar which did flie thither for defence and safetie as to the Sanctuary of the Lord. To this Benaiah the chiefe Captaine answered Benaiah against Ioab In that my Lord as I am well assured of mine owne guiltlesse hand being especially charged by the king to slay Ioab for indéede I slew him at the kings commaundement so am I well perswaded of the perfect wisedome and vpright iudgemēt of the king in that matter for diuers causes first for that Ioab had beene of the confederacie with Abiather yea and a chiefe Counsellor of Adoniah both against K. David and against our Lord the king for although he were the sonne of Zaruiah Davids sister placed by him in a very high grade and authority as the chiefe Captaine of all his heastes and had béene bolde in the presumption thereof to doe and commit many thinges both vnlawfull and vndecent against the kings will and good liking as in the murther of Abner and Amasa and such like yet here he presumed too too farre for as it was not lawfull nor conuenient so was it neither safe for himselfe to aduenture to set vp and to proclaime Adoniah king ouer Israel in the life time of K. David without the goodwill and manifest commaundement and warrant of the king and of his noble Counsellors vnto whom it better became Ioab to haue submitted himselfe his Counsailes to whom he should haue hearkened and yéelded the due honour according to the law chiefly in this high matter and not in such malepert lewde sort haue vsurped on the Kings gratious fauour arrogantly presumed so farre on the authority of his high place Truely this is a fault which is often committed and no lesse noted in them whom the fauour of gratious Princes hath aduanced and graced and the honour of the place hath puffed vppe so far Men being in honour do often forget themselues that forgetting themselues and their dutie they neither foresée their owne dangers imminent for it is sufficiently proued that many men being sodainely exalted are also sodainely depressed and humbled in their pride by the same
which lifted them vp yea and some are therefore aduanced that forgetting God and their duties Gon. 11. ◠Iudg. 9.53 they may be thrown downe and confounded as Nimrod was and Abimelech aswell for example vnto others which thereby are taught to take heede as for a iust reward of their owne pride ambition insolency great wickednesse Secondly Ioab being faultie against God and the King and now not onely accused before the king and his Princes but iustly condemned and fearing the kinges displeasure and the reward he had deserued hath most egregiously abused that holy place for Sanctuaries are ordained for a refuge and defence Sanctuaries Exod. 21.14 Num. 24. 35.11.14 Deut. 4.42 19.4 Ios 20.3 not for wilful murtherers stubborne malefactors traytors rebels seditionaries and conspiratours against lawful Princes but for innocents such as do or shall ignorantly and by an héedlesse occasion offend that there they may be protected and preserued till time the truth of the matters laide against them be in iudgement discerned and tryed as we finde it written in the law of Moses Nor was it méete indéed that Ioabs eāxple therin though a noble man so neere of bloud to the king and no lesse fauoured of David should embolden others to commit such hainous actions and villanies and then to shrowde themselues vnder those places of refuge so farre off from the true meaning of the law and from the right end of the institution of those places Therefore they that offend in like matters and thinke to be defended with their causes eyther by such places or by the wreasting of the holy lawes to their purpose do alwaies deceiue themselues and draw vengeance on their owne heades deseruedly * Thirdly Ioab expressed a most stubborne nature Ioabs stubbornes peruerse will and disobedient heart against the Lords Annointed for when in the kinges name and by his Highnesse commaundement I commaunded him to come forth from the Altar hee neuer so much as asked mercy of the king nor sought nor entreated for his owne pardon but presuming that the King would not haue aduentured to plucke him from the Altar wherof he had taken hold although he had been a wilful transgressor he then answered most stoutely in the presumption of his hart I wil not came forth and being further certified that then the king would not feare nor omit to stay him euen there for his ambitious praetizes and trespasse he replied as daring the king and his lawfull authority most arrogantly then let him slay me euen here for I will not come forth Neither think I but he will haue some regard to the high reuerence of this place into the which I haue betaken my selfe for the safety of my life as in the Lords Sanctuary vpon this aunswere the king perceiuing his pride and the stubbornes of his hart commanded me to doe vnto him euen as he had said namely to stay him euen there and so hee receiued the execution of his iust iudgement Fourthly the Lord our God The rewarde of murther hath rightly brought vpon the heade of Ioab the reuenge of that innocent bloud which he had before that time shed causeles and now cried to the Lord for vengeance according to that word of David 1. Kin. 2.5 when a little before his death hee gaue the king a very straite charge concerning this matter willing that Ioab should not be holden guiltlesse nor be brought in peace to his graue but that he shold receiue the reward of a merciles murtherer Num. 24. after the wordes of the law in that case prouided as whereby the sooner he might remoue away from the king and his fathers house that bloud which Ioab had shed without iust cause for beyond others his manifold slaughters and oppressions hee smote and most traiterously murthered two men which were more righteous and better then himselfe in the time of peace namely Abner the sonne of Ner captaine of the hoast of Israel 2. Sam. 3.23 who was as king David in his lamentation for him acknowledged a Prince and a Great man and also Amasa the Sonne of Iether Captaine of the hoast of Iudah A man likewise of right excellent gouernement and valour for Ioab being a person very proude enuious and ambitious greatly feared lest the fauour and estimation of those two Worthies in the kings eyes would much diminish or at the least hinder or withstand his further and higher honour Therefore David perceiuing his wicked inclination and considering wel the equitie of the cause charged and required his Sonne our Soueraigne Lord that the bloud of those two worthy persōs should be returned on the head of Ioab and vpon his seede that so vpon David and vpon his séede and vpon his house and vpon his seat there might be and remaine a perpetuall peace Thus truely when one creature kils another the heauenlie Powers crie out to the highest Maiesty saying Lord Lord this thy seruant presumes to be like thee Therefore if the déed be vniust the Creator of all aunswereth Suffer him yet which kils for he also shall be killed Vengeance is mine and I will repay And indéed those celestiall Powers shal and wil so often represent with their praises to the Lord the death of the person slaine till iust vengeance be taken of the slayer who therefore shall be numbred with them that are appointed to perpetual torments Hermogenes * as also one among the Philosophers of the Gentiles hath truely said And so we obserue that albeit the impious and wicked be for their times and turnes aduanced aboue many others better then themselues by the great fauour and liberalitie of bountiful Princes and so stand a while in an high grade of flourishing prosperity and that when the vngodly commit wickednesse against God and his Annointed they are spared or passed ouer with silence wherby forgetting God and their proper conditions they imagine him to bee wel pleased and so promise themselues lasting securitie in their impieties yet neuerthelesse in the end yea euen in their due time are they well ouertaken and destroyed without mercie being nothing worthie of mercie though they crie and call Therefore the Greeke Homer whom in this matter without iust offence to our Religion but to the shame of such ambitious persons we may remember hath well modulated in all iust censure saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus translated Although in pitie powerfull love A long some time refraines To smite the Sinner yet at length He plagues him to his paines But most diuinelie hath the kings father spoken in his Psalms and hymnes touching this argument which when learned Asaph the kings Scholemaister had aduisedly considered with the manifold instances dayly occurring hee thus spake as in the Lordes behalfe Oh now consider this ye that forget Gods grace Lest that I rent you for a pray and none be found in place To rescue or to saue
your soules Wherefore as his most excellent Maiestie hath rightly cōdemned Ioab and thereon commaunded him to bee executed according to the law in this case prouided and the charge that David gaue him a little before hee fell a sleepe so can wee not but worthily approue his iudgementes iustifie his proceedings and perswade that as thereby hee hath remoued away euill form his kingdom and house so neither hath he taken thereof any occasion of this great heauines wherewith he now languisheth for Ioab as ye know was not onely a wicked murtherer proud enuious and ambitious of honor but also stubborne and rebellious against the king a conspiratour with Adoniah the kings enemie perfidious treacherous seditious and couetous and in a word replenished with many vices where with hee was distained to the dishonor of our religion the daunger of our king the euill example of the nobles and the shame of himselfe Yee haue well spoken saide all the other Princes and Lordes And indéede this is not strange for wee our selues haue oftentimes seene and wel obserued that the vngodly and irreligious persons though long forborne and suffered to sinne yea and to wallow in impieties saying vnto themselues peace and all is well yet sodainly as holy Iob said they descend downe to the hell neither shal their pompe follow thē for glutted with prosperitie inveterated in malice hardened in heart and farre off from true repentance they euen prouoke the diuine power to powre on them that which they haue iustly merited in their abhominations And truely this is one of those thinges which follow man ordinary course and semblable succession in the world But to speake of Ioab we know that the kinges father having the spirite of Iehovah his God taught him how intollerable the sufferance of such a member as Ioab was should bee esteemed in his wisedome which much better were to bee expelled and abandoned of the people then that hee should bee the occasion of conspiracies and seditious in the common State remembring this beyond many other his mischiefes that hee had embrued his sword which hung on his loines in the bloud of a friend as if he had beene his enemie in the open fielde And now againe he euen bewraied himselfe openly as priuie to the new conspiracie of Adoniah who aspiring the second time to the kingdom of Israel sought to obtain to wife Abisag K. Davids last bedfellow for his conscience condemning him he fled frō the kings face and tooke hold as ye haue said of the horns of the Altar howbeit being a man wise acquainted with the law he might haue known that a volūtary murtherer or traitor was not to be protected in that place moreouer if he had alleadged that seeing the kings pleasure was to slay him indéed yet he would die in that holy place as before the Lord yet he might know for certaintie that the place shold be nothing profitable vnto him there to die seeing that for his impietie he was not worthy there to be interred amōg his fathers whereof all such are worthily depriued which are executed by an ordinary sentēce iudgemēt of law as execrable malefactors And in very déed wherfore shold such persōs as in their profanitie neither feare God nor loue his house nor care for his Altar nor regarde his diuine Seruice nor seeke to honour him in their liues presume so much on his house on his Altar on his tabernacle and Sanctuarye as either there to be protected or there to rest their wandring bones For as the Castle of Syon spewed out the halte and the blinde that David and such as retained both Vrim and Thumim might lodge and dwell there so the Lordes hill the Lordes tabernacle and his holy house is built prouided and prepared for them onely which feare and serue him in singlenes of heart all the daies of his life Then Banaiah proceeded saying The proceedings of the K. against Shimei 1. Kings 2.8 The like may be resolued concerning that iudgement which was giuen and executed on Shimei the sonne of Gera the sonne of Gemini of Bahurim whom the king commanded me to strike I speak not this my Lords to excuse my selfe of crime as guiltie in that action although I may not want my iustification therein but in regard of the equity of the cause For it is not vnknown vnto you and to many others that yet remaine aliue how that Shimei for getting himselfe and his oath with the reuerence hee should haue yeelded king David cast stones at him and at his seruants and withall railed at him and cursed him being the Lords annointed with an horrible curse in the day when he went to Mahavim and thus he said in great envy malice pride and contempt of the king euen to the king himselfe The railing wordes of Shimei 2. Sam. 16.5.6 Come forth come forth thou bloodshedder thou mā of Belial The Lord hath brought vpon thee all the bloud of the house of Saul in whose steede thou hast raigned and the Lord hath delivered the kingdome into the hand of Absolon thy sonne And behold thou art come to thy mischiefe because thou art a man of bloud Such words spake Shimei and so misdemeaned he himselfe euen against king David and his seruants Howbeit David was then contented to forbeare to reuenge this iniury on him although there wer standing about him that offered to go and to take away his head yea and afterward when he came and submitted himselfe to David he promised him rest from his hand neither woulde he strike him in all his daies Neuerthelesse he left the consideration therof to Solomon his Sonne whom he wel knew the Lord had inspired with a princely Spirit and noble mind and therefore could not be ignorant how to deale and behaue himselfe in these and such like causes And so likewise our Lord the King beeing as mercifull as he was wise did not in all the hast set on wicked Shimei to recompence that abuse he gaue to his father but first he called him and remembered him of his vnreuerent behaviour towards the Lords annointed thē he willed him to build him an house in Ierusalē to dwelm not to aduenture abrode said Be thou sure that the day that thou goest out and passest over the river Cedron thou shalt dye and thy blood shal be on thine owne head To the which Shemei gaue answer This saying is good As my Lord the King hath said so will thy servant doe By which wordes as he cleared and iustified both the king and his proceedings so did hee both iudge and condemne himselfe if he kept not that commandement of the king And yet we may not imagine but that he granted further then that he had any desire to performe as those which being endangered vow and promise many thinges more then euer they purpose to pay the danger beeing once past and that hee thus promised more for dread punishment then for any loue
or willingnes he had to obey the kinges commandement as those men of Belial which forbeare to sinne openly more for feare of the rod of Iustice then for any loue or reuerence of godly vertues Moreouer Shemei might haue considered as hee was subtle and craftie enough that men suspected are euer obserued and therefore such should be very heedfull not onely of committing the fact but of all pretence and shew of that which is euill Howbeit as he that is euill by nature doth euer presume in his euill without the reuerent feare of either God or man How Shemei was brought into the snare in his time as one garded secured in the foolish conceit of his own humor so Shemei either forgetting or little regarding any of those thinges premised passed foorth of Ierusalem the place wherein he was commanded to stay and went to Geth to Achis pretending to seeke for and to fetch home two of his Seruantes which were some little time before that runne away from him In the which presumption he could not escape a vehement suspicion of practising some lewd matters with the Philistines against the peace and gouernment of the king whome hee euer envied and closely assaied to reduce the kingdome from the house of David which the Lord God had chosen vnto the posterity of Saul whom the Lord had reiected But behold whiles Shemei went forth in his greedy ambition to finde and fetch home his seruants he lost and ouerthrew himselfe For thus by the diuine preuidence which holdeth them not guiltlesse that either touch his annointed or curse and maligne their father mother howsoeuer the seruants of Shemei faulted in their going from him and he had a iust pretence to reclaime them an occasion was rightly ministred in this time of his iudgement to cast him as guiltie into the kinges danger as whereby the king might euen in this though vpon a fresh occasion perform the word of his father David administer true iudgement and yeeld that deserued recompence to that rebellious beast Now my Lords it is apparant as ye see that Shemei though a person of great place could neither be iustified nor defended in such his impieties for why to recapitulate his crimes he was most proud and malitious a rayler seditious perfidious an infringer of oath a lyar and a couetous wretch for hauing wealth beyond his worthines he was thereof puffed vp both against God and his Soueraign enuying the regimēt of David and his prosperitie he cursed the Lords annointed with a most horrible curse against the law and the equitie of the kings cause he moved the people to rebellion against David and his house from whome hee assaide to translate the Scepter he was vntrustie and treacherous to his Lorde whome with all faithfulnesse hee shoulde haue serued in discharge of his duetie Hee had broken his oathe which hee had made to God and the King departing most presumptuouslye from the Cittie of Ierusalem wherein hee had vowed to contain himselfe Hee had scandalized the Lordes annointed most egregiouslye and more hee regarded his owne priuate lucre and gaine in fetching home his Seruantes which were departed and drawing thinges vnlawfully to himselfe then the kings manifest and expresse commandement and therfore in respect of th' one he too boldly transgressed the other Wherefore the king sitting in the seate of the Lord gaue vpon him most iustly the sentence of death and withall commanded me the captaine of his gard to execute the same accordingly whereof the king in my iudgement or any other his true subiects neede not to be sory or displeased To this the Princes answered with one mouth And truly in our iudgements as the king being most wise hath done iust iudgemēt therein so shold he not only be iustified but also commended for the same of as many as either heare or consider thereof Thus indeed hath K. Solomon rightly recompenced his dangerous enemies by the prouidence help of the power diuine For doubtles this is the Lords doing who loueth righteousnes and hateth iniquity as the kings father did sing therfore as he defendeth the iust that feare him in their iustice Psal 45. so he ouertaketh the vngodly that dishonour his high maiestie in their mischieuous deuises and casteth them downe Thus the cankred old serpent whiles he purposed and had subtly plotted not only to deceiue but to destroy that noble mankind in Paradise was by Gods vpright iudgement worthily condemned to the deepest hell and so the blessed Seede of the Woman whom hee had beguiled and thought to kill did in the end confounde both him and his kingdome To this might we adde the tragecall examples of enuious Cain whō the Lord God execrated exiled from the earth for his savage villany against his brother being a righteous man Also of that proud and tyrannous Codorlaomor and those other profane princes which had captiued iust Lot which princes therefore our Father Abraham worthily smote and discomfited of hard hearted Pharao and those cruel Aegyptians who were ouerwhelmed in the red-sea when they verily presumed to haue subdued and vtterly rooted out our fathers Of those cursed Chananites whom the Lord prostrated to the powerfull hand of his seruant Iosuah of the peruerse and hateful Philistines whom Sampson the Nazarite plagued in the spirit of Iehovah of the mōstrous Goliah the Gyant of Geth whom the kinegs father being yet but a yong man and tender slew cut off his head with his own sword of vnnaturall Absolō the kings elder brother who had practised to supplant his father being lawful king who by the iust vengeance from the highest was hanged on a trée by the hair of his head as he rode throgh the woods and beyond some others th' example of that trecherous and rebellious Achitophel a chiefe Counsailor of Absolon is yet fresh in memory who seeing that his crafty and impious counsell was not affected to his desier strangled himselfe with his owne handes Many more fearefull spectacles of the semblable iudgements wee find extant not onely with vs within those his highnes dominions but els where among the Gentiles and euery where to the terror and astonishment of the Sonnes of men but yet to the consolation and vnspeakable ioy of the righteous Wherein is verified that which the kings father hath modulated in his holy songes The wicked haue I seene most strong and plac'd in high degree In wealth and stoare faire florishing much like the lawrell tree But sodainly he past him hence and prisoned was in hell Nor could I find within a whiles the place where he did dwell But as for iust and perfect men the Lord them doth encrease Who have from him them to content great ioy with rest and peace Againe the Lord protects the iust his wealth his life his lot When wicked men are dawnted with the shaftes themselves had shot Oh blessed therefore Godly men preseru'd by God your King But woe yee wicked in your
waies your lot and euery thing The King himselfe in his most graue and high Parables hath many thinges of this argument to be noted as also in and among those patheticall speeches which we dayly heare him to ruminate Neither in truth are the heathen and those which are without free of semblable exāples which schooled them to learne what that is which the highest God loueth and what he most abhorreth Among the which it may not iustly offend either ourselues or our Religion and people that we remember one other graue sentence of the same Gréeke poet who liuing in the time of our Iudges and obseruing many things of those daies in the world whereof he also wrote of great distructions of Kings Princes noble Captaines and mightie Potentates with the causes of the same we find that in the worke whereof he tels of the wandrings of the famous Vlisses he hath these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is In truth all godlesse deeds are nought estem'd with God above But rightfull heastes and godlie workes of goodmen doth he love And eke his foes and wicked wreatches which on earth here live By others spoile at length a pray to iust men doth he give And in this manner Iehovah our God confounded the kinges aduersaries establishing the kingdome in his hand according to that promise made by him to David in the time of his grace The ready way how to preserue Peace Neither did his method of proceeding vnworthelie beseeme him notwithstanding his name noteth Peace or a Peaceable person seing it behoued him for the purchase of true peace to extinguish the Seditious and broachers of vnnecessarie wars a thing no lesse necessary thē that part of his office which concerneth his gouerment to and for the which his father king David counsailed and sang as before Gird thee with thy sword vpon thy thigh psal 45. O thou most mightie Againe seing that al thinges are in vaine which are attempted without an happie successe the which is a singular gift of God and of him to be desired he added Prosper thou in thine Honour And all this wel-beséemed the king to whome the Lord hath granted rest for the building of his house Solomons name therefore hath named him Solomon This being saide the Princes with one accord approued the kings iudgements and orderlie proceedinges in the premisses praysed his royall maiestie in the same blessed the God of Israel that had placed ouer his people so prudent and happie a king and humbly beseeched the most holie of Israel for his graces happy health and wished prosperitie CHAP. XIV The cause of king Solomon his griefe was not of his match with the daughter of Pharao 2 Nor of his amitie with Hyram the King of Tyre 3 Nor of that he royally entertained the Queene of Sheba 4 Nor of his owne infirmitie of age 5 Nor of the feare of death IT cannot be denied said Iehosophat but that our soueraigne Lord Solomō hath done equity and righteousnes in his procéedings and actions tending therin to the end of his gouerment for his own discharge the good of his people and aboue all the honour of Iehovah his God who for the same be praysed for euermore But now the question is and the matter argued augmented and caried from mouth to mouth among the kings Subiects for of this the kinges alteration many men talke diuersly and imagin many thinges whether the king hath iustlie offended in his match with the daughter of king Pharao the Egyptian whom he brought into the cittie of David And here they call to minde not onely what the law hath prouided in this case but that which the Patriarch Isaack hath charged to Iacob touching the daughters of Canaan which he would not that he should touch Iud. 14.3 as also what Manoah and his godlie wife spake to their sonne Sampson the Nazarite when he would haue taken a wife from among the vncircumcised Philistines Howbeit I doubt not but that the king being passing wise and prudent knoweth well how to disgest that morsell and to resolue that doubt Moreouer it is not vnknowne vnto vs that albeit this Princesse was a stranger vnto vs and our Religion whiles shee remained at her fathers house in Egypt yet as she was not of the brood of those cankered hearted Chananites nations which the Lord willed our Fathers to expell and roote out so would not the king aduenture either to touch her or to bring her into his owne house although she was both a noble and beautifull Ladie till time that was done and performed on her Deu. 21.13 which the Law in that case prescribeth but cheifely as she had forsaken her owne people and her fathers house thē polluted with many abominations so turned she to the Lord God of Israel with al her heart for the loue she had both to him and his holie Religion And truelie this is also well obserued that as Rahab of Ierico a belieuing woman and conuert was both admitted and esteemed of the nomber of the true Israelites in the dayes by the wisdom of valiant Iosuah and as Ruth the Moabitish woman was married to Booz king Davids Grandfather and as king David himselfe refused not faire Thamar whome he had gotten in the warres and as other our forefathers haue not abāndoned such womē vpō their true conuersiō to the Lord so neither we abhor such as admit circumcition faithfully serue the true God notwithstanding they be of the Gentiles knowing or at the least presuming that the Lord God hath euen among them some that are his people also that the starre which Balaam somtime saw might lighten them in their due time as we are lightned and that shall be then whē the praier of Noah shall be both heard and effected wherein he desired the Lord to enlarge the tentes of Iaphet to seise him in the tentes of Shem to whom he would that Shanan should be a seruant Now the king in this regard would often say of this Ladie psal 45. The daughter of the king is beautifull within her garments are of beaten gold And herselfe although time was she could say of herselfe I am but blacke O ye daughters of Hierusalem for whie Cant. 4.1 the Sun hath shined vpon mine head yet now hauing no meane pleasure in her beautie Cant 4.1 he could iustlie commend her to her face saying thus How faire art thou my loue how faire art thou thou hast Doues eyes besides that which within thee lieth hidden Wherein doubtlesse as he hath made her a liuelie figure of the church of God to be gathered of and among the Gentiles in time to come so sheweth he what is and shall bee the glorie of the same and wherein the praise thereof consisteth therefore to declare the Lordes good pleasure therein we haue both heard
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
wofull For being a man of an excellent spirit he feareth not Death whose day as I haue heard him to say is better in respect then the birth day of a man and that the dead are more happy then the liuing and therefore hath thus counsailed the liuing Be not feareful of death Remēber them that haue gone before thee them that come after thee This is the iudgement of the Lord vpon al flesh why wouldst thou be against the pleasure of the most high whether it be tenne and hundred or a thousand yeeres death neuer asketh how long a man hath liued Againe he hath said that death though a tyrant in nature is yet acceptable and welcome to some sorts of liuing creatures and namely to the man whose strength faileth him to him that is come to his last age and to him that is ful of care and fearefulnes and in miserie in this life Which sentences for th'excellencie thereof are also copied out and notified vnto many other nations which gladly accept and embrace them Moreouer the King hath said that howsoeuer a man be dead and laid senseles in the graue among the dead and dust be returned into dust that yet his Soule which is the best part of man returneth vnto God that gave it that is not to die with the body but to liue and continue for euer with him whose Image it beareth that fréely exonerated off and from all the miserable torments and vexations which assaile men in this transitory life By the which as among some other his words we find as a wise man should not be daunted with the terror of death but rather expect and embrace him so himselfe is nothing moued therewith Feare not death being of all men the wisest His reasons therefare many from the which wee take and gather these which follow First that Death is better then life or the day of the death happier then the birth day We may simply beleeue him therein Mors ita qualis vita For death is the renewing of a mans nature I meane to him that leadeth a godly life for if the life of a man be good his death cannot be euil And as men do alwaies desire that which is good so neither do they feare that which therein they desire Secondly this is that which belongeth to the cōdition of mans nature for he is borne into the worlde not to stay here but to dye and to depart againe therefore as no man can dye which hath not first liued so neither shall any liue which shall not also dye in this world Thirdly this is the decree of the almighty vpon all flesh once to dye to whose will and pleasure therein al men must yeeld obey Gen. 3 as good subiects to their prince in his place and authority And therefore we should neither murmur at nor feare that which he hath ordained knowing withall that he decreeth nothing but that which is good and profitatable for his children Fourthly this is not onely Gods decrée but also his good pleasure by this to glorifie himselfe and to benefite his children To whome euen death which came in through sinne might notwithstanding bee a meane to deliuer men from the same when his iustice therin shal be ioyned with mercy and louing kindnes Fifthly by this messenger men are ridde and discharged of many troubles vexations sorrowes miseries which oppres and grieue them in this yea through faith in the Messias from all sinne and dangers of Soule that follow after and awaite them in this worlde Sixthly a man may be comforted by th'examples of them that haue passed before him and the consideration of such as follow him This hath seised on father mother brother sister and friend This hath fallen on Adam on Abel on Noah on Abraham on Moses Iosuah Samuel and David and it shall not passe ouer them that come after thée Seuenthly this yeeldeth a man rest from his labours yea it yeeldeth the due both to heauen and earth for hereby the soule returneth to God that gaue it and the body to the dust from whence it was taken This the king considereth and feareth not death but as a man that hath trauailed and now wel neare finished a long and perilous voyage is rather glad and ioyfull then sory or wofull when hee seeth himselfe so neare the end thereof and would be vnwilling to begin his voyage againe especially being weary so the king being thus farre proceeded passing through the dangerous surges of the vanities of this life he is rather ioyfull glad and ready to resigne ouer his soule to his maker his body to the earth and his royall dignitie to an other then any way wofull or fearefull of death the end of this voyage Neither is he ignorant of this for he hath the highest knowledge of all men liuing that so long onely a man shoulde desire to liue in this worlde as he may bee well able to glorifie God and to performe his duty in the same which shal be so long How long a man should desire to liue here as the time of his ministry in this life is by the diuine prouidēce appointed to endure no lōger and that when the time of this his seruice is determined he should then desire rather to depart hēce thē to liue any longer assuring himselfe that hee shall neither effect nor performe any thing out of the due time for euery thing and euery worke hath his opportunity and time as the King hath said This time therefore abserued Noah Abraham Isaack Iacob Ioseph Moses Iosuah Samuel David and other our godly forefathers in their liues And this time I am assured the King shall accomplish and therein shall doe and performe that onely which the Lord hath appointed him in his place for his glory and the benefit of his people Thus farre the Princes were contented to heare one another of them and withall to iustifie that which had beene saide for the King Howbeit howsoeuer some of them dissembled the matter there was not yet any one of thē that either declared or reuealed the cause of the Kinges affliction Neither indeede was hee which knew the matter willing to open it because it touched the Kings Maiestie Whereby it was like to bee as daungerous to his person and state as the malady is to that patient the cause of whose griefe is neither reuealed nor wel known to the phisician This the lords cōsidered therfore they yet desisted not to search enquire further vntil they found out the causes of the kings present sicknesse CHAP. XV. Zadoke hath found the causes of the kinges troubled minde and declareth them of Solomons glory ZAdoke the most reuerend Father hauing now a good whiles hearkened to the conference of the Lordes and perceiuing that they would neither bee quieted in heart appeazed in conscience nor surcease to search and examine matter by matter cause by cause vntil they might at length find out
if it were possible the very causes of the kinges sorrowe And seeing withall that euery one of them had in their turnes spoken and now againe expected his graue sentence hee stood vp and after a long pause he spake vnto them in these wordes My Lordes all I haue heard you one by one and considered well of all your sayings howbeit I haue not yet heard that any man hath founde out much lesse declared the causes of the kings affliction For I am well assured that there be diuers other reasons and occasions which might iustly moue him as being a mortall man Subiects may not bee quicke censorers of their princes though so wise a man to be sory in his heart But I know well as it hath been said that it becommeth not subiects but in dutifull modesty to sifte or examine much lesse to censure the actions dealings of their princes the which is also a matter no lesse dangerous then presumptious Neuertheles in regard of your present opportunitie so willing and earnest to vrge on mine answere to satisfie your desires but chiefly that thereby the sooner as we be here assembled in councell we may consider consult thereof determine and endeuour not onely to ease the kings grace of his trouble if it may be but to satisfy all others work to preserue the common-wealth which through the kings displeasure may vnhappily be annoyed and brought into danger Therefore I will no longer holde you in suspence There be 7. causes of Solomons trouble but reueile the whole matter to your content I haue found seauen causes of the kings troubled mind The first whereof riseth of the deepe consideration of his owne Supremacie and the present high glory of the kingdome of Israel The second springeth of Hyram the king of Tyrus vpon the view dislike of those citties which the king hath granted him The third groweth of certaine letters of intelligence which the Arabian Queene sent him after that she departed from the court The fourth is from his Mother the Prophet Nathan which are now both departed this life The fifth is of Rhehoboā the kings sonne heire apparant not so well pleasing his fathers heart The sixth commeth from the kings adversaries as namely Hadad Rhesō and Ieroboā which haue lift vp their hands against him The seventh and the greatest of all is the sense of Gods high displeasure and fearful iudgements conceived bent against him and the people for some hamous sinnes and transgressions At this worde The princes the Princes and Lordes were fully astonished all abashed and not able to speake for anguish of mind stoode looking one on another Notwithstanding after a whiles they desired reuerend Zadok to explane that which he had as yet but briefly and obscurely touched and first how it could be that the kings sorrow might rise from the consideration of his most excellent Supremacie and the high glory of the kingdome of Israel wherof both the king and they all with his people had so good an occasion to be glad and to reioice with praises to the Lord God zadoke The great glory of Solomon and his kingdome was a pronostication of a future declination To this replied Zadoke Although that men for the most part neither foresee nor foreshew their owne dangers imminent like as the Sun the Moone the starres the seas the trees the hearbes the beastes the birdes the wormes the Fishes the elementes naturally pretend and foreshew the times the tides the tempests the alteratiō of terrene bodies yet who doubteth of this that the king being wise and prudent foreknoweth things yet to come not onely as such as haue a propheticall spirit but as those which are able and accustomed to gather the effects and euents by the causes and occasions in naturall things which is not the meanest king of Philosophy but a science right excellent no lesse profitable for many purposes in mans life and that which appertaineth to a reasonable creature By this he seeth that those thinges which florish most beautifully often wither most speedily when yet others endure This is first found in the life and constitution of mans body wherein that which is most florishing and glorious is soonest and that lightly altered and turned al about as health into sickenes strength into weakenes beautie into deformitie prosperity into misery life into death And hereof the cunning phisiciās pronosticate the future sickenes and danger of that person whom they see to stand in the highest grade of prosperity and health as when the Sea is at the very highest then it beginneth sodainly to fall againe by the Ebbe when the Moone is at the fullest by and by she waneth Therefore the wise ship-maister knowing how stormes and tempests succéede calmes and tranquillities hee fearing thereof prepareth himselfe to eschew the danger Now the king knowing all this and seeing himselfe placed in the highest grade of his honour and that the kingdome of Israel is no lesse aduanced to the highest grade of worldly felicitie therein farre preferred before all the kings and kingdomes of the earth he also knoweth that now of necessity must ensew and follow an alteration yea a declination of that resplendent glory and that the sooner by the meanes of mans inconstancy wherein he is like a bird in a Cage which will not bee quiet though by his excessiue flittering and striuing he kill himselfe Of this inconuenience feared Iob Iob. 1. in his prosperitie as hee testifieth therefore seeing his children wonderfull merry and in their mirth giuen to al kind of ryot pleasures to delight thēselues he vsed to pray for them euery day howbeit their fulnes was sodenly emptied himselfe though so good a man cast into great aduersitie Moreouer as it is the nature of worldly thinges to be subiect to alterations so man can neither conteyne himselfe in any cōdition be it neuer so excellēt without some desire of change yea in how better place and estate he is set furnished with all thinges so much the sooner will hee abuse the honour grace of the same to his own destruction verifying that saying of the kings father psal 49.12.20 Man being in honour plac'd declares his want of wit And in that honour cannot stay as one for it vnfit Wherefore vnto the beasts that in their death decay Compared he is for in this life this is his common way Therfore the king feareth greatly that these pleasāt things shal not continue and abide long in this sort and that shortly after these pleasures wil ensew paines after peace trouble after ioies sorrowes and after prosperity infelicity at the least then whē it shal please the high God to take him away from raigning over vs. In the time of prosperity thinke on the dayes of aduersitie in this life This shold teach all men liuing in this world not to trust in the great glory of this time nor in the wealth nor in the
strongest power of man nor in wisdome nor in anything vnder the Sunne for all these thinges being transitory haue aswell their falling as their rising as well their ending as their beginning as well their discommoditie as their commodity incident Now that king and also the kingdome haue that supremitie of glory and peace it is most apparant not onely by the firme testimony of Gods words spoken vnto the king promising him such a thing but by our own certaine knowledge and experience thereof and all men that haue vnderstanding cannot but beholde confesse the same with vs. For who is like to K. Solomon in wisedome wealth fame and glory of all the kings on the face of the earth and what kingdome is cōparable to the kingdom of Israel in beauty peace and prosperity For albeit the king hath been sometimes resisted and shouldered by Adoniah Ioab Abiather and some others yet hath he preuailed thus farre forth prospered and triumphed ouer his enemies valiantly and although the kingdome of Israel hath beene many times battered threatned troubled by diuers enemies on euery side sithence the cōming of our fathers out of Aegypt as the Sunne Moone with Eclipses clouds darke mists yet hath the same still increased growne and prospered more and more as the Sunne from his rising vnto the high noone and as the Moone from her Coniunction to her perfect fulnesse vntill this very day wherein the same is so highly aduanced that the exaltation thereof can no further procéede proceed but henceforth begin to decline droope returne and decay after the state and course of worldlie thinges wherein we sée how one generation passeth away another succedeth The world is like a sea of glasse Eccles 3. one falleth another riseth one dieth another is borne one thing corrupteth another thing is engendred Neither can thinges be established otherwise in this wauering world how glorious soeuer it be to the eye or delight of man therefore the world is not vnaptlie likened to a sea of glasse And surely this is an exceeding greate sorrow to a wise and glorious king when he séeeth and preceiueth that all his glorie will end in ignomie his pleasures will be finished in paynes his wealth will wast and wash away his peace will be quenched with warres and his prosperitie will draw after it aduersitie all this the very heauens portend the earth pronosticateth the elemēts expresse the creatures forshew and the king himselfe through his wisdome doth foresée and therefore he is full sad heauy in his heart Alas quod the Princes is it so indéed The princes is there not any thing to be foūd out or prepared this hard lot to withstād It is true and too true saide Zadok But how to withstand it I know not zadock sauing that wel I wot al things are possible to the Lord God of heauen and earth The best way to withstand this inconuenience is to go to God and craue help at his hands to whose high Maiesty deuout and faithfull prayers and supplications must he made powred forth and offered vp by vs them which shall be included within those dolefull times that it would vouchsafe his goodnes for his names sake to grant vs true patience and constant abilitie to stand before him satisfied with his grace sufficient for them which depend on him to shroud our selues vnder the wings of his mercie compassing all his works howsoeuer things be carried and séem confused in this world psal 37.25.27 neither shal so much as one haire of the head miscarry of the which belōg to Iehovah our God To this purpose spake the kings father in his godlie meditations saying I have beene young and now am old yet did I never see the righteous forsaken Therefore he resolued as well for the solace of his owne soule as for the comfort of them in posteritie that it is good for a man to hold him fast by God to put his trust in the Lord God and to speake of all his workes in the gates of the daughter of Zion how further to withstand those fatall decrees why should we search will the most high alter his purpose are not all his workes iudgement Deut. 32. and doth he not worke and effect whatsoeuer is in his thought and that euermore for the comfort and profit of his saintes that by faith trust in him yeas assuredlie whereof we may not doubt To this replied the Princes Neither will we presume to inuestigate those hidden thinges which the Lord hath sealed vp with seauen seales nor attempt to walke in his secret wayes which no mortall man is able to find out nor studie we to withstand the purpose and prouidence of the Almightie which is euer strongest and shall with the truth preuaile But rather we will assay to conforme our will vnto his will and our liues to his pleasure being well content with that which is reuealed as that which is onely appertinent to vs and our children for euer Now let it be your pleasure most reuerend father in God to explane that second cause of the kings displeasure which riseth as yee saide from Hyram the king of Tyrus the kings brother in amitie and especiall wel willer with the rest as they follow in order for our vnderstanding CHAP. XVI Of the second third causes of king Solomons grieved minde viz. of Hyram and of the Arabian Queene THen Zadok the most Reuerend father in God being willing to satisfie the Lordes procéeded in the declaratiō of those other causes of the Kings sadnesse Of Hyram and now concerning the secōd he spake as it followeth It is true that albeit Hyram be an especiall good friend to our Lord King Solomon as he was to his father David yet ye know well my Lordes that the king aswell to gratifie him for his approued goodwill as to recompence his rich bounty in that he furnished the king with Timber and many other necessaries for the building of the Temple and his royall howses and such like he had giuen him some twentie Cities in the land of Galilee the which he thought the King of Tyrus would gladly haue accepted at his hand the rather in regard of his lonely affection and friendlie goodwill 1. king 9.11.12.13 But now king Hyram lately comming out of Tyre to sée those twentie Cities declareth himselfe scarcely well pleased with king Solomon concerning them saying vnto him What kind of Cities are these which thou hast bestowed on me my brother Moreouer he called them the land Cabul which is barraine or as old and worne out howbeit we perceiue not but that he might be well enough pleased with those Citties forasmuch as the king hath not onely in loue ioyned amitie with him as his brother when he could haue made him a Subject vnto his power by conquest but also hath admitted him into his Territories so farre as hee thought it was lawfull for him to doe for the land
trouble But that notwithstanding it is reported said Zadoke that sithence the time that noble Quéene departed from the Court shee addressed certaine letters vnto the king whereby he is certified that whiles shee was here with the king she espied and beheld in the kinges house called the house of the forrest or of the wood which the king hath builded for his pleasure a tree on the which as she hath learned by a diuine inspiration a certaine man shall be put to death For whose death the Iewish kingdome shal be vtterly destroyed wasted And this hath that noble Queene in those her letters by many tokens and arguments made knowen to our Lord K. Solomon as a thing requisite to be declared and if it be possible to be preuented in time the which neuerthelesse at her being here she durst not to reueale partly for feare of the kinges displeasure * for Kinges are soone exasperated towardes them which in any thing seeme to dislike them their works which is the cause that oftentimes they are praised and iustified when rather they deserue to be blamed whereby they flatter themselues in their owne sinnes and foresee not the vnhappy euent of their peruerse studies and endeuors Neither therefore do they sometimes heare know or see and so not enioy and vse that which might tend to their safetie and best profit albeit the thing be commonly knowen and talked of abrod partly she concealed it in that she was very loath in that time of her princely entertainment to offer vnto him any occasion of sorrow or heauines * for they that are inuited or wel entreated are or shold be vnwilling to vtter or shew forth that especially to their friendes when they be merry the which they thinke will trouble their mindes But now vpon these tidinges by certificate from the Quéene the king is stroken with a meruailous feare thinking that this prophecie of the Quéene should aime to the holy Messiah or some other excellent personage whome our nation shall vniustly oppresse and put to death on this Trée And it is that as I heare which Seth the sonne of Adam did sometimes plante on his fathers Sepulchre and hath euer florished as a tree of Paradise til time it pleased the King to take it into the house of the forrest * Surely the king had this tree in no mean estimation and price It is said that about the time of Christ this tree was growen againe whereof there was taken to make the Crosse whereon he was crucified els had it not been placed in this glorious house But now the king vpō these tidings and willing to prevent this inconuenience feared to ensew hath remoued it from thence and hid it full deepe vnder the earth that it might henceforth neither sproute againe nor be found of any man liuing And it may be that the king the rather by this occasion foreseeing the ruin of our Nation according to Gods euerlasting decree and purpose is very sorowfull and heauy but the more because this destruction shal be iustly procured and cast on them for their iniury cruelty and enuy against him whome they should in all duty loue honour and embrace He now calleth to minde what his father David prophecied of this tragedie My handes and feete peirced wondrous wide psal 22.17 psal 109.25 a man might tell my bones on every side They made me as their vile reproach to bee and looking too did shake their heads at me And now albeit the king knoweth that no man liuing can withstand the purpose of God in this matter yet he would not that any thing should either be placed in his house or preserued and kept within his realme which might minister the meanes of this vnhappy euent in time to come for albeit men are not to enter into the depth of Gods secret deuises yet looking on the law and word of God they must by the same learne to eschew that which might be the occasion of transgressions and sinnes as those men that bee weary and fearefull of murther theft Men must not commit sinnes of their owne malice and then thinke to be excused because it was Gods will they should so do but they must hearken to the law and word of God Exod. 20. and such other crimes because they be forbidden threatned to be punished for committing such thinges howsoeuer the secret will and prouidence of God is that they should bee accōplished Therefore the theefe or the murtherer may not say when such a fact is done It was Gods will it should be so done els it could not be done therefore I may be discharged or excused But the word and law of God must be hearkened vnto and obeyed which saith Thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale thou shalt not cōmit Adultery c. And though it be necessary the offēces come yet wo to them by whom they come Therefore as the king is right sory that such a thing shold be effected by our nation so wold he that the meanes whereby this might be wrought or furthered should be remoued and the iniury preuented to the vttermost of his power that so he might be guiltlesse of the innocent bloud and free from the destruction of our nation thereon likely to be occasioned Adoniram without wise preuention Now truly saide Adoniram this being considered of is no small cause of a troubled heart For such a conceit therof being cast into a mans minde and especially into the kings minde cannot but occasion great conflicts and the rather for that in the very place which he had erected and so beautifully garnished for his pleasure and delight there should be found such a mischiefe as might either disgrace or shadow all But beholde such is the nature of this world Note the nature of worldly felicitie that in the same where men place their felicitie thinke to find occasions of their greatest ioy and solace there commonly is interposed one thing or other which hindereth or disturbeth altogether Howbeit the lord in his louing mercies forbid that such a Tragedie should be either wrought or occasioned by the king or by vs or by any his or our successors in the kingdome of Israel by the which the same with the gouernment thereof so well established should be dissipated and wasted Aboue all be it farre from vs and our nation that such an outragious euill and heinous iniury shoulde bee offered to the holy Messiah whome to honour and embrace is perfect wisedome and health and whome to reiect and abuse is very foolishnes and destruction Psal 2 1◠The which the kings father well considered when he said O kisse the Son left he be angry and so ye perish from the right way if his wrath be kindled yea but a little but blessed are all they that put their trust in him Surely if this heynous matter were but broched in our daies we would either preuent it or assay to withstand it but
rather then we would yeeld to the mischief we should choose to die as Moses Iosuah Gedeon Samson David haue well resolued for the glory of God the wel-fare of the people Neuerthelesse the kings father to confirme the former hath plainely prophisied that the heathen shall furiously rage psal 2.1 and the people shall imagine a vaine thing the kings of the earth shall stand vp the Rulers shall take counsaile together against the Lord and against his Annointed Abiather And not doubt saide Abiather king David hath pointed therein to some great trouble intended to the holy Messiah at his comming of whom we haue gathered the kings father hath beene before ordained a figure whose troubles therefore as wee all know haue not béene small but wonderfull great inforced against him by them whom he neuer iniured nor iustly offended yea and that not by meane persons but by kings Princes Rulers and Potentates of the earth Against the which notwithstanding the Almightie hath defended and deliuered him to the shame and confusion of all his enemies which haue now no cause left them to triumph against him And so I doubt not but howsoeuer the rage and fury of the aduersaries shall be against the Lords holy Messiah he shall for all that bée mightily protected he shall tread downe the head of his enemies and prosper in his deuises But God grant that neither our Princes nor Priests nor Prophets nor people be appointed the actors or executioners of this heynous Tragedie against the holy Messiah then might not the King be sory nor the people bée destroyed in time to come for the committing of so heynous an action CAP. XVII Zadoke speaketh of the fourth cause of King Solomons trouble viz. of Bethsabe and Nathan KIng Solomons Princes being willing to heare what Zadok could yet further say in the causes of the kings trouble vrged on and sayde Wee haue heard what yée haue said touching the Queene of Shaba Now let it please you most reuerend Father to proceede to declare vnto vs the fourth Cause the which as ye sayd did rise of the Kings most noble mother and of Nathan the Prophet Indeed said Zadok there hath no meane sorrow inuaded the kings mind of late occasioned by those two noble persons howbeit not that either of thē hath in thought word or déed hurt or offended him but that by their death bee is depriued of them For as they were such as he wonderfully loued affected and fauoured Naturall affection sorroweth for the departure of friends so they were no lesse profitable and comfortable to his state and honor in their liues Wee see that very nature prouoketh men yea the very wisest and holiest men to bee sadde and to lament the departure of other men especially of their fathers mothers brethren sisters kinsfolkes and friends for in them they see not onely the horrour of death the dissolution of soule and body that the same which was lately liuing is now dead and that which was a man is become a senselesse carkesse and very earth to the terror and horror of all mortall men which are taught therein to know their owne condition and nature but also that they must now depart one from another the father from his sonne the mother from her daughter the brother from his brother the friend from his friend and both man and woman from all his and her acquaintance and familiars of this life Therefore when the king speaketh of death by the which a man is resolued into dust from whence he was taken he saith also Eccles. 12 that The Mourners goe about the streetes Againe that men mourne for the dead seuen dayes Wherefore our father Abraham although he knew right wel that Sarah his wife being dead Gen. 23.1.2 was freed from all the miseries of this life whereto all persons that heere liue are subiect and was assured by his faith that she being a true beleeuer should rise againe to eternall life yet he sorowed he wept mourned for that her departure many daies Gen. 50.1 Also that godly Ioseph the sonne of Israel when he sawe his father to bee dead hee mourned and wept for him 2. Sam. 4.31 13.36 18.33 expressing thereby both his pietie and naturall affection Thus David the kings father wept wofully and bewayled the death of his friend Abner the like he did for Absalon and for Amnon his sonnes And therefore the king though a wise and godly Prince worthely soroweth for his deare mother and for the Prophet Nathan whom the Lorde hath taken away from this world Neuerthelesse Eccles. 4 2◠I haue heard him to say and that according to the truth that the deade are happier than they which live and then must that follow that he which is dead and fréed from this world and the troubles thereof is in better case than the highest Emperour king prince or potentate in his life and being so we should séeme to enuie that their happy estate How farre to be sory if we that be yet liuing should celebrate their funerals with excessiue sorow Sorow then we may for that is naturall and sorow for our friends and acquaintances for that is godly but to be sory without measure is neither naturall nor godly but heatheanish and brutish For therein we shall not onely hurt the naturall constitution of our bodily health but declare our selues to want that constancie of faith which our godly fathers haue reteyned the word of the Lord hath taught touching the eternall happinesse of man after this life yea we should be as enemies to them that bee deliuered from the miseries of this world as they which are sory that men being in prison and torments should be deliuered eased and we should be as the envious that is wonderfully greeued to behold and consider the good health and prosperitie of another man Therefore albeit I say the king is for this right wofull and sad as nature and pietie requireth yet I say not that he is ouercome therewith knowing well as he is a wise man how to bridle affections and therein best to behaue himselfe yet as a mortall man * But my Lords besides this naturall sympathie and pietie such was the wisedom the iudgement the grace vertues of his Mother Bethsabe a wise woman right profitable to the king in her life and such a helpe and comfort she was vnto him euery way that as he thought in her life he could not honour her enough so he may not forget her and her vertues after her death As this noble gentle woman instructed and taught the king when he was a child so she neuer desisted to aduise and counsaile him in all godlines being a man and she thought it appertained to her dutie not only to teach and cathecise him with wisedom but also both to admonish him gently and to reprooue him sharpely knowing well that sometimes gentle admonitions and
sometimes sharpe chidings hath their place to doe good in them that feare God as some precious stones shine the better bring steeped in sharpe vinegar some others when they bee boyled in soft oyle There be some which though they be in place The necessitie of good admonitions either dare not or list not to tell admonish or reprooue the mighty and rich vntill they sée them through folly fall downe to the ground and Fortune sternely frowne at them then perchance but neuer before they wil tel them of that which now it is too late for thē to auoyd resembling therin that maladie whē then neuer before appeareth when it hath throughly conquered nature in a man And then they will say as the Physician did to the man which after his long cure dyed surely if thou haddest forborne to eate of this and that kind of meat thou mightest have lived longer But hereof it commeth that as those which are wounded when they want friends are constrained to seeke helpe of their enemies so euen those noble personages themselues being offenders in their places as they bee men and doe offend often hauing none of such their faithfull friends about them as will either admonish or gently reprooue them of their offences doe often heare of their faults afterward by their very enemies and that to their shame and sorrowe Truely the king knowing both the wisedome and faithfulnesse of his Mother and considering what a comfort and stay shee was vnto him not onely in those priuate things but also in the better administration of the kingdome with him hee did worthily honour her hee was glad to heare her hee disdained not to follow her wise directions placed her on a seat next vnto his royall maiestie when at any time hee sate to giue sentence of iudgement in matters of the highest importance But now this princely counsailor is taken away and the king seeth that the departure of such a pretious ornament of his pallace is a prognostication of trouble to them that remaine behinde her seeing that with the losse of such a member the common-wealth of Israel is depriued of much wisedome and many good things And in this respect The departure of Nathan The losse of good counsailors a pronostication of future troubles the death and departure of that excellent Prophet Nathan his Scholemaster and faithfull counsailor doth not a little grieue him at this time not only in that Nathan is dead but also in that the king by his departure is depriued of a most wise godly happy counsailor For truly this is one chief cause that a Prince should mourne namely when his graue Senatours and prudent Counsailors be taken from him for this is as if the eyes shoulde bee pulled from out of the head knowledge should faile in him that hath an office of waight to bee performed the stayes taken from an house and a staffe from him that leaneth thereto In this consideration our Fathers in the wildernesse lamented with aboundance of teares when Moses their Leader was taken from them and in this respect all Israel mourned mightily ouer Samuel the Lords Prophet when he dyed For these did see that in the departing away of those worthy Personages a great part of their glorie their weale their prosperitie their safetie and defence departed also with them for the taking away of most noble Kings worthy Princes graue Senatours godly Magistrates and vertuous persons Deut 3.1.16 God sheweth mercy to them among whom the godly do liue Gen. 7.10 is a common Pronostication of euill euents to ensue on them that remaine behind in the world from the which it often pleaseth the Lorde first to remooue and take to himselfe * such his seruants for whose sake or through whose ministery and meanes he hath beene willing to deferre or withhold from the people such wofull afflictions So long as Noah was yet remaining in the world without the Arke the Lorde stayed the waters that they should not fall to couer the earth but when Noah was embarked then by and by the destruction threatned was executed on them that remayned without the Arke The like we haue obserued in the ouerthrowe of Sodome and the Citties there-about Gen. 19.22.24 which was soone effected after that Lot was taken from thence Thus also during the dayes of Moses and the whiles Iosuah liued the wealth of Israel encreased and great prosperitie enioyed our fathers the which then began to bee molested and to decline after their vnhappy departure from Israel as the Story of the Iudges doth certifie vs. So as long as the Prophet Samuel iudged Israel the land enioyed peace yea and whiles bee liued king Saul retained his honour before his princes and the people and the people their saftie for hee was a rare Prophet well beloued of the Lorde hee was a noble Counsailour to Saul and a most wise director of him in all his affayres to whom whils he listned and followed his godly counsaile hee and his people prospered on euery side But after that hee reiected Samuel but especially after the death of Samuel Saul was so agonized for want of good counsaile that despayring of good successe hee slewe himselfe disgraced his house and the people were sorely afflicted Euen so while those two right noble and godly persons namely Bethsabe the Queene and Nathan the Prophet liued and prospered in Israel all things went well and the King and his people prospered in great honour and peace but surely sithence the departure of those two worthy members there is a kind of defect espied in many things yea aswel in the king as in his people as yee shall more plainely vnderstand when I shall rippe vp vnto you the seauenth cause of the kings sorowe Worthily therefore may the king bee greiued for the losse of his most princely mother no lesse for the death of the diuine Prophet and wise Counsailor Nathan as for the falling downe of two such principall pillars as by whose strength and counsaile both the king and the Common-wealth of Israel hath beene sithence the kings most hapy gouerment the better stayd vp and maintained in peace and prosperitie And in very deede said the Princes this may be no small grief to the King in our iudgement as now wee call to minde and consider how tenderly his mother loued him The princes assent to zadokes reede and how honorably the Prophet esteemed him againe how deere was th' one and how fauoured was th' other of his royal grace wee cannot but testifie And most happy were the King indeede of hee had well obserued that which the one taught The consent of the prince with the prophet a stay to the common wealth and a comfort to the Church and th' other confirmed in him in his and their happy daies For these two euer well agreede in the right ordering of the holy religion in the right institution of the King and in the well
gouerning of the common-wealth of Israel And surely when these both departed from vs we found as ye haue in sort signified that a great part of the light of Israel was shadowed and the kings honour blemished but such is their lots and such is our discomfort and the occasion of the kings sorrow Now here wee may remember well what the Lord God said to Moses a little before his departure from Israel Deut. 3 116. Behold said he thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers and this people will rise vp and go a whoaring after strange Gods of the land whether they go and will forsake mee and breake the appointment which I have made with them and then my wrath shall waxe hot against them in that day and I will forsake them and hide my face from them and they shal be consumed and much aduersitie and tribulation shall come vpon them so that they will say are not those troubles come vpon me because God is not with me Wherein we may see the order of the destruction of them whom the Lord determineth to consume First hee taketh away their godly and vertuous Prince then they as people without good gouernment depart from him and liue in all abhomination then his wrath is kindled against them then he hideth away his face and fauour from them then hee grieuously afflicteth them and in conclusion consumeth them This partly beginneth to worke on vs in the taking away of those wise Counsailors but oh God! what may wee feare to ensewe on vs of our Soueraigne King shoulde bee also called away Surely then it cannot otherwise bee but that those troubles which awayte for vs in such a time will sodenly seise on vs to our extreame paine and miserye In the meane time it is meete that we bee diligent in our duties and places aswell towardes the king as towards the people and assay to supply them which are so departed aboue all let vs haue an eye to the law of our God and not to contemne the same nor in any sort neglect it that so the Lord may thereby the sooner in his mercy regard the king and his people that neither we may be without an honourable King nor his Maiesty destitute both of faithfull counsaylors and obedient Subiects But now most reuerend father we also request that the fifth cause of the kings sorrow be likewise examined the which as ye said riseth of the yong Prince Rhehoboham the kings sonne and heire apparent to the kingdome CHAP. XVIII The 5. 6. causes of the kings sorrow viz of Rhehoboam Hadad Rhelon and Ieroboam THe fifth cause of the kinges trouble saide Zadoke is indeede of Rhehoboam who notwithstanding his right vertuous and rare educatioÌ„ which might wel perswade in him obsequie obedience the feare of God and a godly life through the wisdom and especiall regard of the king doth yet rather imitate and follow the corrupt humour and vnthrifty nature of his mother Naama the Ammonitisse then the good nature Rhehoboam his nature and inclination and wisedome of his father and he leaneth more vnto those yong and gréene heads that are growen vp with him and haue waited attended and beene conuersant with him in his childhood then to any of the K. noble Princes wise Counsailors the which the King perceiueth and knoweth to pronosticate the decay of his house and the dissipation of his honour For Rhehoboam being a yong man will haue his owne will and his owne libertie he is growen disobedient and scarcely can be restraigned by his father or kept within the boundes of his duty The King séeth whereto this will grow after his departure when this yong Prince shal be placed in the throne haue the raines at wil And truly this wil be to vs a very straÌ„ge Metamorphosis and sory change Thus as the King in his divine wisedome foreseeth the misery which the euerlasting God will bring vppon vs and his people so doth he more then feare the same to be iustly occasioned and performed in the daies of that Prince Rehoboam that is to succeed him that during his owne time this matter shal be deferred for the sake of David the Lords annointed to whome God had made a faithfull promise which concerned not him alone but also his Seede 2. Sam. 7. And that notwithstanding he well perceiueth that the people begin to affect Rehoboam more then they either loue or like him their preseÌ„t king for who is els that second man which shall stand vp after him of whome he lately spake Eccles. 4.15 Now hence is it that the king is occasioned to loath the labours of his owne handes to lament that vnhappy condition of his sonne and the people and thereof it is that hee saith in the wofulnes of his heart I am weary of my labors which I haue taken vnder the Sun Eccles. 2.18 because I shall be faine to leaue them to another man that commeth after me and who knoweth whether hee shall be a wise man or a foole and yet shall he be Lord of all my labors which I with such wisdome haue taken vnder the Sun Then turning towards his people he said Wo bee to thee thou land whose King is but a child meaning a child in affection manners and wit such as Rehoboam is feared to proue after him and wo be to thee O land whose Princes are earely at their banquets meaning such as those counsailors of Rehoboam and companions of his youth shall declare themselues to be And thereunto he added this affixe Through slothfulnes the balkes fall downe and through idle handes it raineth in at the house Surely surely the vntowardnes of this youthful Prince hath already very much disquieted the kings heart neither besides all the former causes can it be otherwise then an vnspeak able griefe to a most louing and deere father especially to such a rare wise renowmed magnificent mighty magnanimious and glorious king to leaue behind him a thriftles an vnhappy child possessor of all those his ingenious trauailes It was not without good cause that father Noah in the griefe of his heart Gen. 9.25 denounced a bitter curse on Canaan the sonne of Cham and his generation whereof there ensewed no meane incoÌ„uenieÌ„ce to the Chananâ—ts in posterity who at this day as ye see stand odious in the sight both of God and of our nation Neither may we imagine that any light cause shall moue a father to cast on his owne children a curse in steed of a blessing So the sorrow of our first parent Adam conceiued vpoÌ„ the vngodly and brutish behauiour of his first borne Cain especially in that tragicall action perpetrated against God and his brother Habel was so great that Adam was verily resolued as it is deliuered vnto vs not to know his wife any more that thenceforth he might not be occasioned to lameÌ„t be grieued in such sort for the losse of another sonne neither did he know her
indeede as it is reported for the space of an hundred yeeres after that time Howsoeuer it was no doubt his griefe that way conceiued was vnspeakeable neither is the kings sorrow foreseeing such a thing to ensew him in the dayes of Rehoboam any meane or measurable sorrow Oh therfore that yet it wold please the Lord our God if possibly it may be in his mercy to allure and perswade Prince Rehoboam to feare his highest maiesty and to keep his lawes which is that which is required of him in his duty to honour his father our Soueraigne King in his life that his dayes may bee prolonged in this land to hearken to godly and graue counsell to remember his creator euen in those his tender yeeres and to learne and follow that which belongeth both to his fathers peace the safety of Israel and his own honour In summe that hee so order and demeane himselfe and his family in the true vse of his fathers faith and religion with the dayly exercise of his princely vertues that al Israel may bee moued by God to bee willing to incline vnto him and to obey him as a man most meete to succeede him and to sit on his seat whensoeuer it shall please God to take from over vs our Lord the king To this answered the Princes present Verily verily these be causes and argumentes waightie and sufficient to prouoke sorrow and griefe and such as may trouble any King Prince or Potentate in the world But wee yet hoped that seeing these troubles are such as commonly follow the nature of man Wise men bee not soone over come with ordinary afflictions and to the which all men in this life be of force subiected the king being most prudent and prouident will not be ouercome nor quailed with these or any such passions but will assay as he knoweth he should to beare and digest them or so to passe them ouer as hee may rather take profit then hurt thereby to himselfe Thus he seeth what Noah and Abraham Moses and Samuel Iehosuah and David with such other noble personages haue done in the like cases in their times The whiles it is our parts and duties to counsaile and perswade the king to that which shal be most meet and profitable aswell for his owne health as for the common good and therein not to contemne nor neglect Prince Rehoboam nor to defraud his honour hoping and wishing for the best to ensewe touching him howsoeuer God shall worke to dispose of matters in his secret counsaile that so the fault of his disobedience and defect if so it fall out may neither bee ours nor any way occasioned by any of vs. And so Iehovah our God be mercifull vnto our soueraigne Lord vnto Rehoboam his sonne vnto vs and vnto all Israel the land of his delight Now it may please you most reuerend father to call to minde that sixth cause of the kinges grieued heart which came as ye said of Hadad of Rezon and of Ieroboam The 6. cause of Solomons sorrowe the kinges aduersaries and of euery of them It is certaine answered Zadoke that troubles be common in all places of the world and incident to al men liuing on the earth seeing that al men be sinners and no man doth good as both David in his songs and our king in his wise parables record neither therfore is anyone man without his particular crosse Troubles are common nor any person without his aduersary or enemy to vex molest him eueÌ„ then when he seeketh to be quiet And surely it is rare an especial blessing of God when men may enioy peaceable times to finish their works taken in hand for the glory of God and the weale of his people as had our king during the time he was occupied in the building of the Lords house The kings father knew this wel all the histories of the former times are stored with such spectacles and examples that troubles awaite all men in this life Howbeit these things seeme strange and so wer vnto them which haue in loÌ„g peace liued and prospered vnder the raigne of peaceable Princes as we haue done in the happy time of our Soueraigne Lord. 1. King 11.14.23 Hadad the Edomiâ—e Now so it is that very lately as ye know there be risen vp against the king and his people those three namely Hadad Rezon and Ieroboam dangerous and shrewde enemies for that Hadad as ye remember is an Edomite of the kings Seede which was in Edom. And that when David the kings father was sometimes in Edom in the time of his warres and that Ioab then the captain of the hoast was gone vp to bury them that were slaine in the battayle he smote all the men-childreÌ„ of Edom. At what time this Hadad fled certaine other Edomites of his Fathers seruants with him to come into Aegypt Hadad being yet but a little Child Howbeit he had gotten fauour in the sight of Pharao the king who hath giuen him to wife the sister of his own wife euen the sister of Thaphynes the Queene Now as soone as Hadad had heard tell that David was laid to his Fathers and that Ioab also then captaine of the hoast was dead hee came againe into Israel by the power and assistance of Pharao where after processe of times being strengthned by his affinitie and combination with the Aegyptian King he tooke an occasion to rebell to stand vp against our Lord the King It appeared that hee had a mischieuous mind both against the king against all his house wherby not only the king and his court was much troubled but his subiects especially those territories which embordered on Hadad were annoyed with sodaine incursions inuasions and spoiles The king God knoweth hath long liued raigned in great peace with all nations as with his friendes now must he study euery day how to defeÌ„d himselfe against theÌ„ as his enemies And Hadad as I may say is not only an enemy so professed but a most daÌ„gerous enemy that not far off but eueÌ„ at home within his graces dominioÌ„s and the more for that Pharao whom the king had so many wayes benefited Take heede of old enemies in regard of loue and good will was contented to take a wife from thence to confirme the league of mutuall friendshippe betweene them By the which wee may obserue as it is not safe for a man to trust his enemy then when hee hath gotten habilitie with waies and meanes to reuenge an olde grief so neither is it wisedome either to trust or depend much on them which are of another religion howsoeuer they offer themselues obsequious vnto vs then when wee may pleasure them in the thinges of this life For surely though Nature be supprest yet will she sprout againe What oathes vowes or promises soever are giuen or taken to the contrary notwithstanding Therfore how could this be otherwise then a griefe to the king The second aduersary
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
betide him could not so much hurt or annoy either him or his people as it shal be for his and their good so long as both he and they shal feare God The safety of them whome God preserveth howsoeuer it should seeme hurtful and loathsome in the eyes of men See therefore what a soueraign good thing it is to feare the Lord for such as feare him the Lord loueth thē whom he loueth he safely protecteth and for that their protection he hath a speciall care and regard This David considered found in triall to be true and therefore did sing as in the Psalme psal 91.11 For why vnto his Angels bright a speciall charge gives hee In all thy waies for to protect preserve and prosper thee And that they beare thee in their handes and waite still thee vpon That not vnwares thou fall nor bruse thy foote against a stone Thus are they happy which feare the Lorde because the Lord blesseth and preserueth them But now the king perceiueth that the Lord hath turned away his gratious countenāce looketh sternly angerly vpō him vpon his people and that the fierce wrath of God is bent and now comming vnto him and vs the force whereof no man liuing is able to resist or to withstand For who can beare the matchlesse power of the Almightie A description of God being angry God in his anger is as a ramping Lyon as an hungry Beare as a consuming fire as a mightie storme as a waliant warryer as a cruell tyrant as a mighty Gyant as a terrible Iudge If hee touch the high mountaines they shall tremble and smoke as David did sing And this to confirme the king hath placed before his eyes the fearefull Iudgements of God which in his wrath were executed on the old rebellious people he remembreth that when the Lord God was prouoked to anger by the disobedience of our first parents Adam Gen. 3.24 and Hevah though they were his beloued and the first that hee had created in his owne Image hee looked sternely on them and withall hee delayed not to call them into iust iudgement nor spared he to punish them Therfore he sent thē both out of pleasant Paradize opposed them to all miseries and barred the gate that they might not enter into that blessed Tabernacle which was appointed not for the polluted but for cleane and holy persons The king also remembreth the example of Gods heauy wrath against Cayn Gen. 4. whom he reprobated punished and banished from his fathers house and made a vagabond on the earth and that iustly because he had sinned against the Lorde in killing of his brother He setteth also before his face the example of Gods fierce anger on the olde worldings in the time of Noah whom hee destroyed without mercie with the flood of waters Gen. 6. hee calleth into memory the example of the diuine wrath executed on the filthy Sodomites Gen. 19. whom the Lord burned with fire and brimstome Hee is not vnmindfull Exod. 32.28 how the Lord vexed and afflicted our Fathers in the wildernesse when they had angred him with their sinnes of whom onely two of them which came out of Egypt being aboue twentie yeares of age could recouer possession in the promised land Neither is he forgetfull how terrible the Lord shewed himselfe to king David and his people not onely then 2. Sam. 12. when David had transgressed in the case of Vriah but also when he had numbred the people For the one offence the Lord stirred vp his owne sonne and them of his owne house against him and for the other threescore and ten thousand perished with pestilence and had not David repented and entreated mercie he had likewise perished in that high displeasure Sin is odious to God For sinne is that which the Lord abhorreth and as odious as is a Toade or serpent to a man so is the sin that men commit against the Lord vnto him so that as they are contemned and abandoned of men which nourish and foster vp such venemous beasts they are no lesse loathsome to God which commit sin and wallow and tumble in the filthinesse of that which God abhorreth Therefore vpon such as David said the Lorde raineth haile fire and brimstone which is their portion in his wrath neither is there any thing els due vnto them but death shame and confusion againe praying against such hee saith to the Lord Set thou an vngodly man to be Ruler over him and let Sathan stand at his right hand psal 109. When sentence is given vpon him let him bee condemned let his prayer bee turned into sinne Let his dayes be few and let another take his office Let his children bee fatherles and his wife a widow let his children be vagabonds and begge their bread let them seeke it also out of desolate places Let the extortioner consume all that he hath and let the stranger spoile his labour let there be no man to pittie him nor to haue compassion vpon his fatherles children Let his posteritie be destroyed and in the next generation let his name bee cleane put out let the wickednes of his fathers be had in remembrance in the sight of the Lord and let not the sinne of his mother he done away c. Now of such things feareth the king and therefore is waxen very pensiue and heauy not able to withstand the strokes of Gods anger conceiued against him and his people The fiercenes of Gods wrath * Alas Alas then sayd the Princes it is a most fearefull thing to prouoke the Lord to fall into his hands with guiltie consciences for wonderfull and terrible is the Lord in his wrath as ye haue well sayd For though the Lord be slow to anger when hee looketh for mans repentance amendement of life yet is he of great power and will in no case acquit the wicked Though he be most mercifull being pleased yet being prouoked he is most terrible and cruell to them that prouoke him His dealing will be with blustring stormes high tempests and whirle-winds and the cloudes of the ayre are the dust of his feete he will rebuke the raging sea and dry it vp with all the famous riuers of the land yea Basan and Carmel shall shrinke the spring also of Libanus shall be destroyed and the faire trees thereof shal be burnt with fire The great mountaines shall quake at his mighty power and the hils shal be dissolued the earth also shall burne at his sterne countenance with the worlde and all that dwelleth therein What man is hee that is able to stand before his fierce wrath or who can rise vp before the dreadfull anger of his countenance his fiercenesse is powred foorth like consuming fire yea the hard Rocks cleaue in peeces at his might the strong pillars of heauen tremble and all the kindreds of the earth weepe and waile before him when hee beginneth to appeare to visite
and to holde his Court of Iustice Well therefore may the king mourne and bee holden with continuall sadnesse if the consideration of the diuine wrath hath seized on his heart zadoke tels that the king himselfe is the cause of this wrath * But so much the more sayde Zadok is the King perplexed and standes in feare because as hee hath lately found and considered the greatest cause of this anger both rise of himselfe For if a stranger had hurt him he might haue dissembled it if an enemie hee might haue reuenged it if a friend hee might haue complained of it but the cause beeing in himselfe to whom should hee make his moane of whom should he séeke comfort Although I will not iustifie the whole Congregation of Israel The people which dyed in the plague were not free of transgression no more then I might say that all the people which dyed in the pestilence in the time of Davids transgression were guiltles for no doubt they were faultie also before the Lord yet beyonde them all our Lorde king Solomon hath highly offended whereof it may come to passe that the Lorde who was mercifull vnto Israel and in his mercy gaue them such a King as by the which hee might expresse vnto them his loue is now minded to take and remooue farre from them this happy occasion of their peace and so to leaue them and commit thē to the hurtfull hand of the angel of wrath to be punished according to their deserts from the sense whereof they haue been thus long kept and preserued by the blessed meanes of king Solomon Now I remember what the Lord said to Moses when our Fathers had offended and Moses neuerthelesse earnestly prayed and requested him for their pardon Suffer me sayth he or giue me leaue Exod. 22.10 that my wrath may waxe hot against thē and consume them Sée the goodnes of God who not only stayd was restrained frō smiting of them vpon his request but acknowledged Moses the meane of their pardon In what sense the people are said to bee plagued for Dauids sinne But we haue that example of our owne time euen of David the kings father and his people yet in memorie For as long as he pleased Iehova his God God esteemed him accepted him for the occasion of their peace though they had deserued wrath confusion But after that David had transgressed with them and angred the Lorde then became he who was before an occasion of the peoples saftie an occasion of their punishment that not only for his own sin but also for their sins who now had not him in this time of disgrace for their further means to health nor any other such Sauiour as might stand vp in the gape between God them that because they repented not wherfore the Lord sent forth the messenger of death who smote 70. thousand persons with the plague of pestilence that they dyed within 3 dayes And surely we may feare euery one of vs what shal shortly ensue fall both on our king and the people seeing that God being now angry with our king for his sinnes neither looketh gratiously on him now accepteth him and his doings as an occasion of our peace Solomons youth age Indeede the king in his yong yeeres behaued himselfe most grauely shined in all princely vertues which did adorne and beautifie both his person and place which gaue vnto vs and to all his people both hope and expectation of a farre greater excellencie to follow in his Age as those trees which blowing faire in the spring time of the yeere put men in hope of fruits thereof in the time of haruest But alas the king hath in this point farre deceiued all mens expectation behauing himselfe most vnwisely both before God and in the eyes of all good men in this time of his age by the which he hath distained his honor and depriued vs all of that glory the which through him wee had atchiued and hoped by the same to haue had established on our Nation for euer according to the word of the Lord spoken to David in his good loue And of this as I cannot thinke without griefe of heart so can I not speake without weeping teares and deepe sighes * Then answered Zabud zabud as not a little greeued and sorrowfull in his heart to heare such hard tydings of the king with whom he had béene so familiarly acquainted and sayd But what is it I beseech you most reuerend Father wherein the kings Maiestie hath so heynously and daungerously faulted and so highly prouoked God to displeasure I doubt not but that without dishonor to the king hurt to your selfe or offence to any of vs present it may bee spoken heere in Councell that thereby the sooner wee may consult and consider thereof with iudgement and endeuor to our power to salue the displeasure Alas sayd Zadoke when one man offendeth against another there may bee a dayes-man to reconcile them zadok telleth wherein the king hath offended 1. Sam. 2.25 but if a man sinne against the Lorde of heauen who can decide it Thus said Eli the Priest in the like case But now sauing the kings honour and your reuerence my Lordes the king hath committed ah how sorowfull am I to say it the king hath committed but alack shall I vtter it my tongue would rather cleaue to the roofe of my mouth The King hath committed ah yet how loath and hashfull am I to tell it Howbeit it is already seene and not couered it is spoken off and not couched in silence euen of them that dwell not in the Court but in the Countrey yea aswell of them that bee without as of them that remaine within howsoeuer wee would dissimble it the King I say hath committed three great euils of the which the most part of all this displeasure and sorrow commeth both to himselfe and to vs. For beholde First The King hath multiplyed wiues to himselfe Secondly Hee hath combyned himselfe with straunge women Thirdly Hee hath turned away his heart from the Lorde This being sayd the Princes were all abashed and wonderfully amazed not knowing what to say or what to expect or what to thinke but pauzed and looked one on another of them nor could their fearefull tongues vtter the thoughtes of their grieued hearts CAP. XX. The first of Solomons sinnes Viz. the pluralitie of Wiues AFter a very long pauze Abiather the Priest stood forth and obiected for the king concerning the pluralitie of his Wiues Abiather obiecteth for the kings wiues and saide How should this be a fault so heynouse in the king Abraham our Father was permitted to take Hagar his mayd notwithstanding that Sarah was his wedded wife And Iacob the Lords seruant had two wiues namely Leah and Rachel and yet besides them hee had the company of his two maydes Bilha and Zilpha on whom he begat children So Lamech before the flood had two
wiues Ada and Zella And to let passe others David the kings father a man so well beloued of God had diuers wiues of whome he begate sonnes and daughters Therefore why might not the king do the like zadok answereth to the pluralitie of wiues To this answered Zadok It is true howbeit wee should not liue by examples of men but according to the Lawe of the Lorde All men be sinners and offend in many things therefore what they doe we may not respect nor presume to follow but regard what the Lorde hath instituted and commanded And surely this pluralitie of wiues hath beene a fault euen in those fathers Gen. 3.15 16.3 howsoeuer they aymed thereby to the multiplying of their séede whereof they hoped the Messiah should be borne according to the promise Neither should they haue staggered in faith touching the Messiah to imagine that Gods promise could not haue beene performed without their owne wisedome and meanes Abraham seeing his wife aged thought that the promise of God should haue holden on the venter of Hagar howbeit God being faithfull effected his promise in Sarah though beyond the course of nature and mans expectation And this to prooue we reade that at the beginning when God created man he made them Male and Female and therein not three or foure or more but only two in one flesh namely one man and one woman Gen. 2.24 And there-vpon this Law was ordained that for this cause a man should leave his father and mother and should cleave to his wife not Wiues This was the first Institution of Matrimonie and thus it was obserued by Adam by Seth by Enos by Kenan by Mehalaleel by Jared by Henoch by Methusalah by Lamech and Noah and his three sonnes who as we read brought into the Arke with them euery of them one wife for they were but eight persons in all that is to say foure men and so many women being their wiues gen 4.19 The breach of this Institution was first found in that other Lamech which descended from Cayn and afterward as it is deliuered to vs killed Cayn with a dart From whom it was drawen to others continued for a custome in the posteritie though so contrary to the Law and ordinance of the Lord. But leauing the errors of those we are to obserue that first ordinance with those holy fathers of that first Age if we will be free from blame in that respect and not presume the transgression thereof howsoeuer some others bee they kings or potentates of the earth haue followed or faulted and beene tollerated in the abuse of the same But after this there is a speciall Law prouided by the Lord and giuen by Moses Deut. 17. vnto kings and princes before all others that none of them should multiply wiues to himselfe And this the kings mother doubtlesse considered when schooling him she thus charged him saying Pro. 31.2 O my deerely beloved sonne Laemuel give not over thy strength and wayes vnto Women which are the destruction even of kings It may bee shee called to minde Homer II. Vliss A tragicall History written before this time gen 6. what is written in that Heathen Storie of the destruction that fellon so many Kings and Princes in and about Troy touching the rauishing of Helena It may be she remembred what betyded the olde world for the euill coniunction of the sonnes of God with the daughters of men And the king himselfe sometimes in the remembrance of this Lesson could aduise others from this destruction Saying Pro. 5.18.19 Let thy wel be blessed and be glad with the wife of thy youth let her be as the louing Hynde and pleasant Roe let her breasts alwayes satisfie thee and hold thee ever content with her love Hee speaketh of a wife not wiues neuertheles howsoeuer it hath beene occasioned the king hath offended yea he hath wonderfully exceeded therein for he hath not contented his lust with one wife according to the Law nor with a fewe wiues after the example of those godly Fathers Abraham and Iacob but he hath taken vnto himself 700. wiues which were Quéens 300. Concubines in the whole a 1000. as the like was neuer heard off before this time And by these women hee hath béene drawen into an inordinate lust and bin ouercome in affection to the stayning of his honor blemishing of his holy profession the which is in him an heynous fault For although the heathē which know not God and are as brute beastes without vnderstanding doe neigh as the stoned horses after euery woman that hath a faire face and séeke to satisfie their fleshly lusts in these kinds of pleasure yet should not king Solomon endowed with so excellent a spirit and wisedome haue sought to satisfie his desire therein and that the rather because as the constancie of the chaste helpeth to the prolonging of life The inconveniences of fleshly lust as appeareth in the Vultures which being chaste and sober that way liue as it is said by nature an hundred yeeres so they which delight in fleshly lust and be so ordinarily inflamed and ouercome with the same are of a very short life as wée may see in those Sparrowes which of other birdes are full of Lecherie And it is a sure axiome that they which engender much liue the lesse while The king therefore in this hath abreuiated empared wounded and endangered his life His naturall life is shortened his ciuill life is distained his spirituall life is perced and his life eternall is endangered For in the first there is an euacuation of that naturall heate and moistnesse by the which mans life is conserued and the strength of body sustained Yea Luxurie is such an immoderate wantonnesse of the flesh which as a sweete poison an importunate plague and a pernitious potion doth both weaken mans naturall body and effeminateth his minde O extréeme filthinesse of lust all other sinnes are without the body but hee that giueth himselfe ouer to this sin offendeth against his owne body Before this goeth euer heate and petulancy with it in company is stinch and vncleannesse and after it followeth sorrowe and repentance These bee the leaders the fellowes and the followers of luxurious persons Secondly this sinne taketh from a man all his credite good name and glory and bringeth to him distrust an euill fame and ignomy What vice is more dishonest what more damnable what more hurtfull to mans ciuill life and estimation for behold how vertues are decayed how victories languish how glory is swallowed vp of infamie how the vertues of minde and body are infringed Surely a man can scarcely discerne whether it be better or worse to be captiued either of this vice or of his mortall foes * Thirdly the spirituall life is in them wounded for all such as giue themselues ouer to the lust of bodie doe grieue the spirite of God in themselues and suppresse all the good motions of mind
whereby being like to the beasts they runne into many mischiefes and sinne more and more against God and their owne soules Gen. 6.5 Thus those olde sinners were alienated from the Lord for as their thoughts were by nature euill they were the sooner by this furthered and blinded in their malice for why the spirit of God which sanctifieth and garnisheth men with graces did not onely depart from them but also repented that euer they were in respect of their filthy abhominations Neither is it possible that hee can liue spiritually to God which is dedicated to the flesh for between the spirit and the flesh there is euer contrarietie Lastly as this withstandeth the graces of the diuine spirit heere by the which men should passe to the life of glory as by vertues men attaine to honor so indeede it shutteth vp vnto them the gate of the kingdom of God into the which neither fornicators Gen. 3.24 nor leachers nor vncleane persons shalenter no more then Adam could enter Paradize after that he had polluted himself with sin Lo what an enemy is the luxurious man to his owne life whether natural political spirituall or eternall And by this we see the dangerous condition of our L.K. Solomon yea by this we may behold consider what is the fraile nature of mā in this life A man being in honor and puffed vp in prosperitie hath none vnderstanding as king David sayde and therefore may bee compared to the beasts which perish for he forgetteth himself he remembreth not the Lord hee waxeth proude insolent hautie high minded prone to pleasures and ingratefull to God In this hee well resembleth the Siphny stone which though of it owne nature soft yet boyled in oyle waxeth wonderfull hard But after this their follow on him an hell of mischiefes huge torments for who can prosper in his deuises or endeuors which forgetting God walketh his owne wayes in the lewdnes of carnall lust Gen. 19. Exod. 32. Numb 25. Iudg. 19. Homer To passe ouer these examples of the Sodomites of the Israelites offending with the women of the Moabites Madianites of those men of Beliall that rauished the poore Levites wife in the time of our Iudges of Paris the Troiane of whō we haue heared let vs not forget the example of David the kings father 2. Sam. 11. After that God had both aduanced him and giuen him rest and prosperitie in his honor hee too soone forgate himselfe and burned in lust in whome the loue of the flesh was so naturall to the flesh that albeit reason as reason would put the desire to flight in him yet the flesh yéelded herselfe a captiue thrall to those desires by the which he was more fiercely assaulted then with the greatest enemies that euer he had For there be no foes so deadly and importunate as those which a man findeth and fostereth against himselfe within himselfe 2. Sam. 12.14 David had fought with the huge Goliah and cast him to the ground hee had killed a Lyon and a Beare which came to deuour his shéepe he vexed and spoyled the Philistines and other the enemies of Israel and euer returned home a victor and triumpher in the name of his God whereof they could sing to his praise David hath slayne his tenne thousand Howbeit this noble Prince in his rest and prosperitie as I said suffered lust in him to subdue reason gaue the raynes at large to carnall appetite and therein inflamed and agonized he vnlawfully desired abused Vriahs wife and yet not so contented he caused Vriah to bee vniustly murthered whereby he distained his honor he quenched out the spirituall graces and endangered his soule to the high displeasure of God who doth neither loue nor permit such delights in the children of men much lesse in his owne the seruants of grace And thus be it here spoken in counsayle hath our Lorde the king forgotten himselfe and both abused and dishonoured his honor Thus men set in honour are soone ouertaken therein for temporall felicitie is a most vnquiet thing neither can mans nature bee contained whithin his bounds and dutie of life in worldly prosperitie Worthily therefore David thanked the Lord for that he had beaten him with aduersitie which as he confessed hee found to be best for him It is good for mee sayd he that I have beene troubled But if wise men and godly men can scarcely and very seldome measure themselues in the vse of this flattring enemie how then should the ignorant and sinners doe when the Lorde sulleth them in this easie cradle Besides this here wee see What man is when he is given ouer to his owne will how foolishly the wisest of all men behaueth and demeaneth himselfe and into what inconveniences he runneth when it pleaseth God for his tryall to loose vnto him the raines of youthfull libertie and to commit him to the guide of his owne counsailes Surely hee may well be compared to the pondrous yron that of it owne nature sinketh to the bottome of the streame except it bee sustained or holden vp by some other thing This should mooue vs to pray vnto God that as hee would vouchsafe to succour and defend vs so he would not giue vs to our owne willes but that his will might be fulfilled in vs. For if we should but haue the guide of our selues and not be susteined and defended by the power and will of God it cannot bee otherwise but that we shall not only fall but fall away and perish from him and from our owne saluation euery houre in euery day of this our life Therefore that I may be briefe howsoeuer this euill custome of the pluralitie of Wiues came in or howseuer this kinde of pleasure hath beene vsed and delighted in among worldly men yea howsoeuer many wise men haue beene séene to solace themselues therein it is doubtlesse in the king a great fault and the more because hee is the king and should be a guide of holinesse and good example of life vnto others especially because the Lorde hath so blessed him with wisedome and diuine graces before all the kings of the earth Thus haue I explained the first of those thrée faultes which prouoked the Lord to displeasure the consideration whereof now moueth the king to this heauines of minde But yet the second fault excéedeth this in degree to aggrauate the sorrow and paine him to the heart These words being spoken and in such sort as Zadok could deliuer them prouoked the Princes to wéep with him wéeping to condole together the kings hard lot Howbeit they requested him to say somewhat more of that second sin which was as he said more heynouse and dangerous and so pauzed and expected what Zadok would say CHAP. XXI Of Solomons second sinne and third sinne viz. of his strange wiues and his turning away with the diuine Commination for the same THe second sinne of Solomon as I before sayd quod Zadok is
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
in that time of his age Solomon offended God in his elder daies when he should rather haue abandoned fleshly lustes the delights of the sonnes of men and all the vanities of the worlde and haue offered vp himselfe both body and soule a sweete and holy Sacrifice acceptable to the Lorde his God in that holy Temple which hee both built and dedicated to his Name Alas what a blemish is this to his Grace and that his gray haires shoulde bee polluted with youthfull lustes This is one of the things which I haue heard him saye that his very soule abhorred But when vnto those lustes shall ioyne that transgression of the Lawes and abhominable sinnes against the true seruice and honor of God and that in olde men oh God howe great and daungerous is this kinde of abhomination A great deale more loathsome and daungerous is the fire in an olde house then in a newe and no lesse dangerous and loathsome is sinne in an old person beyond those which bée in the yonger sort Olde men should bee to the yonger examples of a chaste life holinesse godly behauiour Religion and vertues they should be profitable to the common-wealth by their wisedome reuerend before all men for their age and well prepared for the place of eternitie vnto whose gate they are or should be ready to enter with holy hearts and cleane bodies they in whom the contrary is found especially among the Princes Nobles Magistrates and persons of name and account are rightly likened vnto those olde Cockes that bring forth certaine blacke and blewish Egges Similitude which being couered by some venemous beast as a Toade or serpent in the canicular dayes there is hatched a Basiliscus or Cockatrice of that venom which infecteth and killeth men with his piercing sight By the Egge is vnderstood the euill worke or action of the faultie olde man by the venemous beast is meant the suggestor or flatterer of him in his faults by the Cockatrice is noted the wicked example and by the persons killed the seers and imitators thereof For those elder persons and namely Princes and Magistrates which haue beene estéemed and honoured in their places now sinning against God and the honor of their functions and their sinnes fostered and nourished by the pestiferous and wicked suggestion giueth a most pestilent example the which being seene of the Subiects yonger and inferiour persons infecteth and corrupteth them and as much as lyeth in him he killeth him And thus hath the king done Howbeit now at length he perceiueth that the iust iudgements of God threatned in this case and wont to ensue on them that breake and contemne his holy ordinance and Lawe is now prepared against him and this whole Nation yea more fiercer than it was in Davids time when seuenty thousand dyed in the pestilence Neither hath he found as yet by his wisedome how to excuse himselfe in this matter nor how to defend his innocencie for behold it is neither the king though so wise and royal nor things in heauen nor them on the earth nor any other power or might whatsoeuer that is able either to dispence with this diuine Lawe or to beare the effects of that celestiall wrath Woulde God that King Solomons example could be remembred of all thē that shall come after him An admonition for princes to remember Solomons example and learn to feare the diuine iudgements to be placed vpon his throne that in the middest of all their prosperity they wold thinke of aduersity as Iob did with that reuerence and feare that they presume not so farre to tempt the Lorde in the lust of their eyes the lust of their flesh and in the trust of their proper wisedome worldly policies and high places for howsoeuer they be preferred and aduanced and do stand yet shoulde they know themselues to be but men yea miserable and fraile men in this life subiect to whatsoeuer misery betideth other men Wherein the King is no freer then the beggar though preferred in his estate royall and the lustie yong man is no more respected then the olde man to whom crooked age is a continuall sickenesse such is mans condition for this cause men be well likened to the grasse in the field and all their glory honour wealth wisedome beauty and whatsoeuer els wherby a man is adorned in this world and in the which hee delighteth as that which is mans or incident to his pleasures in this life is rightly likened to the flowers of the grasse in the fielde the which are by diuers occasions either withered or altered in a very short time neither is any one herbe or flower in the fielde more free from those blastings burnings annoies and perrils then any other in the same notwithstanding that one beyonde the other is in higher estimation and price among men But as for the Lord our God he is most mighty euer the same without alteration or changes alwaies sufficiēt a reuenger of them that dishonour him and a very consuming fier to deuoure the ongodly as the stuble from the face of the earth hee is in his iudgements most iust in his workes most perfect in his wisedome infinite and in all thinges good for his saints and glorious in himselfe This is he that ouerthroweth man in offences and compasseth him about with a net wherein if sinfull man should complaine of violence done vnto him Iob. 19.7 he shall not be heard and if he cry for helpe there is no sentence to bee giuen for him he must abide his lot and beare the iustice of the Iudge without hope of change or alteration of the decree vntill it bee his pleasure vpon mans true repepentance to turne Iustice into mercy and paine into peace * All this answered the Lords being true can neither be denied nor dissembled but we wil witnes the same though to our sorrow because it toucheth our Lord the King Howbeit we haue not found that the holy religion hath beene altered but that the seruices of Iehovah our God and al his holy sacrifices are continued in that house which the king had dedicated to that vse howsoeuer those strāge women haue in their apostacie turned to their Idols againe affected the superstitions of their seuerall nations and obtained by the kings fauour permissiō to vse their own religions within these his territories and dominions I grant said Zadoke that our holy religion is yet preserued in vre howbeit not without a manifest contempt zadoke tels that religion is much blemished by those sins of Solomon 1. Sam. 5.2.3.4 Iudg. 6.31 when such as deride and disdaine the same shal be both permitted and maintained in the open face of the king and his people Could Dagon stand before the arke of God Would Gedeon permit in his daies that any man shold pleade Baals cause did our father Iacob suffer that his wife Rachel should retaine with her Labans Images or that any of his sonnes or family should be
God the which we must seeke by godly repentance obtaine by faithfull praier vnto God in the trust of Messiah vntill which time the Lord will neuer be perswaded to draw in his hand which is stretched forth Solomon repenteth This the King himselfe well knoweth and therefore he is humbled on the ground he bewaileth himselfe hee weepeth hee lamenteth hee abandoneth the vaine things of this world and he turneth himselfe both body and minde as in the best sort of pennance vnto his God who I doubt not but wil be mercifull vnto him as he was merciful vnto his father David when he so repented * But yet in this interim to the aggrauating of the kinges griefe it is fallen out of late whereof the King is also certified for what can be hidden from his eyes that when this fellow Ieroboham departed from Ierusalem the Prophet Ahiah the Sylonite found him in the way hauing a new garment on him and they two being alone in the field the Prophet caught that new garment and rent it in twelue peeces The Lord threatneth Solomon to punish him for sin 1. King 11. and said to Ieroboham Take vnto thee ten peeces for thus saith the Lord God of Israel behold I will rent the kingdome out of the handes of Solomon and will give ten tribes to thee and thou shall raigne according to all that my soule desireth and shalt be King over Israel Againe I will for this offence which Solomon hath committed punish the seede of David but not for ever Now the consideration of this being added to the former hath caused the kings eies to faile through weeping his bowels to swell his liuer to be powred out on the earth and himselfe to swoone in the middest of his house Neither shoulde we also in the regard of this his great sorrow and the miseries imminent on him on vs and on the people but wéepe and howle with him and repent and cry to the Lord for mercy CAP. XXII Zadoks Reede is approved and secunded touching the cause of K. Solomons trouble And it is so recorded THe former speeches being well heard considered accordingly by the Lords assembled Prince Zabud the kings familiar friend answered My Lord Zadoke I suppose ye haue fully pierced the centre and haue plainely reuealed though in secret vnto vs the highest cause of this so strange metamorphosis and alteration of the king Your words so graue and right reuerendly disposed on this occasion wee allow as wel worthie and commend your plaine manner of dealing in this matter though of such waight for howsoeuer it bee honourable to conceale the Kinges secrets as my Lorde the Kings secretarie will confesse yet in this case I hold it necessarie that those things bee manifested to vs of this assembly no lesse then it shal be needfull that the sicknesse and griefe of the languishing patient with the causes thereof bee made knowen to the faithfull Phisician who at the least howsoeuer he may be able or not able to cure the malady wil neuerthelesse extend his good wil endeuour his best and wish the patient health And out of doubt as ye haue said so may I say what I likewise haue obserued being ordinarily so neere his grace as any one els in his Court that he hath had very lately a message sent him from God containing both a sharpe reprehension and a fearefull commination The message was therefore irksome to him for who may but bash when God reprooueth him and who should not tremble at the sentence of punishment The reproofe toucheth to the quicke but the threate dawnteth the guiltie conscience for as the one argueth a displeasure for a fault committed so the other awardeth iudgement for the same But yet what the very cause thereof was I could not vnderstand vntill now for ye haue said it to be besides all other causes the high displeasure of God iustly conceiued against the King and his people for that the King hath contrary to the diuine law multiplyed wiues to himselfe in a great number that he hath also combined himselfe with strange Women yea such as are strangers in Religion to vs and that by their societie and temptations he hath beene allured and turned his hart from Iehovah his God then the which alas what can be more reprehensible horrible and fearefull * The King himselfe said Zadok will not at the least he should not dissemble this matter zadoke proceedeth to tell what the prophet said to K. Solomon for the Prophet who brought him this Embassady from God deliuered it not in a corner nor staggered he to tell it to the Kings face and that with wonderfull audacitie For so God commaunded him to doe and neither to feare nor dissemble nor conceale any thing of that he had in charge and he had his authoritie and power then from God which emboldned him Therefore the holy Prophets whom God authoriseth and sendeth forth into the world The boldnes of the prophets setting God before their eyes and their duty nothing dread the faces of mortall men in their holy ministry and seruice vnto whose aspect the greatest potentates of the earth which feare not the Lord of heauen appeare but as sauage beasts or base things that perrish howsoeuer glorious they seeme to the conceits of prophane men So the Prophet beholding the King charged him and said without feare that he had transgressed and not obserued that which first David the Kings father receiued from the Lord and had giuen him in charge to performe nor that which Iehovah his God appearing to him at two sundry times willed him to obserue keepe as he was willing to enioy and retaine his blessings bee shadowed vnder the safe wings of his protection possesse the peace both of mind and body and thenceforth prosper in his place M. Recorder ye know well where the words be recorded I pray you to turne over the Annales till yee finde the place and then let vs heare the wordes read openly before vs all that we may the better consider and compare the same with the Kings dealings Iehosophat the Recorder findeth the record of the matter in the Annales Psal 102.18 for thus must one thing bee considered with another if we thinke to vnderstand that which we desier and to effect the thing which to our duty belongeth * I am here ready said Iehosophat the Recorder and I know very wel where this matter lyeth written Oh how necessary and profitable is the true record of things in writing And this is written for them that come after that they thereof may learne to bee wise as we are taught by the writings of Moses Iosuah Samuel and others both learned godly that liued before our daies And now my Lords all hearken what I haue founde written by Nathan the Prophet in the Kinges Annales Most willingly said the Lordes therefore read on in the name of God I finde said Iehosophat that after the time Solomō
was annointed King in the place of David his Father did sit on his throne by his fathers goodwill The charge that David gave to his sonne Solomō 1. King 2. aduise consent and direction David seeing the day to draw neare that he shold rest with his fathers he called Solomon and charged him saying I go the way of all the earth be thou strong therefore shew thy selfe a man keepe thou the watch of Iehovah thy God that thou walke in his wayes keepe his statutes and precepts his iudgements his testimonies as it is written in the law of Moses that thou maist prosper in all that thou doest in every thing that thou medlest withall That the Lord also may make good his word which he spake vnto me saying If thy children take heed to their waies that they walk before mee in truth withall their hearts withall their soules thou shalt not be without a man on the seate of Israel And all this the kings Father tooke from that holy Oracle which Nathan had before that time brought him Wherein the Lorde had certified David 2. Sam. 7. that Solomon his sonne should build an house for his name and hee saide he shall build an house for my name I will establish the throne of his kingdome for ever I wil be his father he shal be my sonne And if hee sinne I will chasten him with the rod of men with the plagues of the children of men but my mercy shall not depart away from him as I tooke it from Saul whome I have put away before thee And thine house shal be established thy kingdome for ever before thee even thy throne shal be established for ever * After this I find it recorded againe that the Lord appeared in Gibeon to King Solomon in a dreame by night Whiles he yet walked in the ordinances and waies of David his Father And the Lord said Aske what I shall give thee the King said Thou hast shewed vnto thy servant David my father great mercy when he walked before thee in truth 1. King 3.5 How David walked with God in righteousnes in plainnes of heart with thee And thou hast kept for him this great mercy that thou hast givē him a son to sit on his seat as it is come to passe this day And now O Lord my God it is thou that hast made thy servant King in steed of David my Father And I am but yong wot not how to go out in And thy servāt is in the middest of thy people which thou hast chosen verily the people are so many that they cannot be tolde nor numbered for multitude Solomons request Give therfore thy servant an vnderstanding heart to iudge thy people that I may discerne betweene good evill For who it able to iudge this so mighty a people And this pleased the Lord well that Solomō had desired this thing Therefore God said vnto him because thou hast asked this thing hast not asked for thy selfe long life neither hast asked riches for thy selfe nor hast asked the life of thine enemies but hast asked for thy selfe vnderstāding discretion in iudgement beheld I have done according to thy wordes Lo I have given thee a wise vnderstāding heart The Lorde granted him his request moreover of his louing mercies so that there hath beene none like thee before thee neither after thee shull any arise like vnto thee And I have givē thee that which thou hast not asked evē riches honour so that there shal be no King like vnto thee in al thy daies * And if thou wilt walke in my waies to keep mine ordinances my commandements as thy father David did walke I wil prolōg thy dayes c. Againe I find it recorded that when the King had builded the Temple and had prayed to the Lord that it would please him to sanctify the same for his name c. 1. King 9.2 The Lorde appeared vnto him the second time and said I have heard thy praier thine intercession that thou hast made before mee For I have hallowed this house which thou hast built to put my name there for ever And if thou wilt walke before mee as David thy father walked in purenes of heart in righteousnes to do all that I have commanded thee wilt keepe my statutes my lawes then will I stablish the seate of thy kingdome vpon Israel for ever as I have promised to David thy father saying Thou shalt not be without a man vpon the seate of Israel zadoke sheweth how gratious the Lord hath beene to Solomon and his people 1. King 10. To what end God giveth good princes * Lo said Zadok ye see how gratious the Lord our God hath shewed himselfe to the King and by him vnto the people of Israel whom the Lord hath chosen and to whome therefore it was his pleasure to giue vs such a King as the Queen of Saba in the due consideration thereof said for godly kings are adorned and giuen of the Lorde for the prosperity and peace of them whome his grace loueth And as by him they raigne so is hee carefull to defend them from euil and to leade them foorth in all goodnes by his wisedome and prouidence Moreouer this is an especiall grace of God bestowed on such Princes For without this the wisest man liuing can neither follow the good nor eschew the euill in this flattering and guilefull world * But read on gentle Iehosophat Is there not somwhat els Yes quod Iehosophat and thus the Lorde added on the contrary part But if ye your children turne away from me will not keepe my commandements my statutes A commination on the Apostates and disobedient 1. King 9.6 which I have set before you but go serve other Gods worship them then will I weed Israel out of the land which I have given them this house which I have hallowed for my name will I cast out of my sight Israel shal be a proverb fable among all nations this house shall be takē away so that every one that passeth by it shal be astonished shal hisse they shal say why hath the Lord don thus vnto this land to this house they shal answere because they forsooke the Lord their God which brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt have taken hold vpon other Gods have worshipped them and served them therefore hath the Lorde brought vpon them all this evill * Then aunswered Zadoke ye haue reade enough of this Argument Loe my Lordes as in the former member the Lorde hath declared his diuine loue and great mercies both to the King and his people and generally to all them that belieue in him and walk in his waies so in this latter he sheweth how much he hateth and abhorreth them that apostate from him follow after other
gods Exod. 20. and bee disobedient vnto his will For the Lord is a iealous God visiting the sins of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him For hee cannot suffer or abide sinne and iniquity as both Moses and Iob haue truly testified seeing that the committing of a sinne is a proude contempt of his law neither wil he winke at the vngodly in their iniquities being such as depart from him and set his commandements at nought Therefore he doth neither in loue respect them nor in mercy regard them but as a Iudge inexorable and a Lord most righteous he detesteth their waies beateth them with afflictions reiecteth them casteth them downe and destroyeth them yea be they neuer so wise wealthy royal famous strong and glorious he will notwithstanding speake to them in wrath and vex them in displeasure Psal 2. he shall beate them with a rod of iron and teare them in peeces as a potters vessell * Note this ye that haue tasted of the goodnes of the Lord in the aboundance of his mercies An admonition not to depart nor forget God psal 50.22 and take heede that ye neither turne away from him nor disobey him nor forget him vnmindfull of your duties lest peraduenture before he giue you true repentance he sodainly come vpon you as a theefe in the night and all to teare you as a ramping Lyon and there bee none found to rescue or deliuer you Neither is it good that any man should presume on this that God hath yet beene mercifull in the end and hath gratiously pardoned one or more that haue so sinned and offended his maiesty when they haue repented for as godly Repentance is not in the wil and power of man but is the guift and worke of God on them onely which hee is well willing to pardon and receiue again by repentance Against presumption so who is hee that knoweth when he presumeth to sinne in hope of mercy whether it shal be Gods pleasure to giue him repentāce and to receiue him to mercy yea or no Was not this the destruction of Cain the sonne of Adam Because hee had seene the Lords great mercy on his parentes which were pardoned in the promised Seed he presumed on the same and murthered his brother yea albeit the Lorde in iustice did both threaten and iudge him yet hee saide But is mine iniquitie more then that it may bee forgiven Neuerthelesse the Lorde cast him foorth from the vpper face of the earth a fugitiue and vagabonde and in the ende recompenced him for his brothers bloud This was also the sinne and ouerthrow of Saul whome God cast away before David 1. Sam. 15.9.19 For notwithstanding the Lordes commaundement giuen him against Agag and the Amalekites hee presumed to preserue that which was by the diuine decree prepared to the sworde the rather to content his couetous minde thinking that yet the Lorde woulde haue dispensed with him and winked at his folly But Samuel saide hee was a foole in that hee transgressed the word of the Lorde and that therefore his kingdome shoulde bee taken from him and giuen to another In this sinne offended Baalam Num 22.28 and was both reproued of his owne Asse and afterwards destroyed among the Lordes enemies .. Worthily therefore did the Kinges Father pray vnto God to keepe him from presumptuous sinnes CHAP XXIII Azariah telleth of the kings ingratitude to God The Lordes counsell and consent that praier be made for the king that the best be construed of him and that his wordes be neverthelesse worthy both the collection and preservation ZAdoke hauing thus considered and advised to disswade al other men from presumptuous sinnes and so from destruction Azariah the chiefe Prince answered and said Ye haue right wel said most reverend Father and semblably remembred the words so worthily recorded Oh that the King had well obserued and kept those holy commandements and walked in the waies of the Lorde as did David his father and as himselfe at the first did to the glory of God and the instruction and peace of his people then had it beene well for himselfe and profitable for vs all for they that obserue this want no manner of thing that good is Deut. 28. But the contrary perpetrated and wrought and now at length reuealed the feareful wrath of God appeareth his hand is already stretched foorth neither is there found a man to stand vp in the gap as sometimes Moses did with our fathers and as K. David did in his time for vs to pacify this deadly ire that wee perish not For as there is no safe contending with the Lord so are we not able to answere him one for a thousand And this is such a griefe vnto the King as will sticke by him in the bone faster then that we shal be able to remoue it For as they which haue once surfeited with pleasant meates are thereby occasioned to be grieued and to lament the same some long time therafter Salo. 5.7 though at the present they think themselues neuer therof satisfied so the King hath in these pleasures and the desires of his flesh so glutted himselfe as it is apparant to vs now that he hath thereby not only prouoked God to anger but also quite spoiled the right constitution of his health He may therfore alas with Esau lament but too late and say as we haue heard him tell of the vngodly We have over wearied ourselves in the way of destructiō Sap. 5.7 It was Gods pleasure that aswell the faults as the vertues of his children shold be recorded and remembred for the posterity Iehosophat what good hath our great pleasures brought vnto vs c. But I pray you right noble Iehosophat let this also be written and recorded for them that come after in such manner and forme as the most reuerend Father Zadoke hath before declared it I meane touching this last and greatest cause of the kings sorrow which commeth of the displeasure of God towards him by reason of his heinous offences and aboue them all for that he turned away his heart from God in those his elder daies * It shal be done said Iehosophat with al speede and fidelitie And yet as we see the king hath somwhat declined from the common course of men in this world For the greater part of them in their youth are wanton licentious addicted to diuers vaine lusts and little regard the power of God and the holy religion the which they esteeme a thing only incident to old age wherein men be more contemplatiue and yet neuerthelesse wee also see that of them there be some which in th' end are reclaimed do repent come home and serue the Lord and so are more religious in their mans estate or rather in their old age then euer they were in the daies of their youth Eccles. 12.1 But the K. in all the time of his
youth being vnder the education and nurtour of his father David of Bethsabe his mother and of Nathan the Prophet did well remember his maker and therby behaued himselfe in all things most worthily He was a graue wise man even in his yong yeeres for he hearkened to his father when hee taught him and to his mother when shee schooled him and to wisedome when she directed him Oh how wise was hee in his youth Eccles 47.14 filled with heauenly vnderstanding as with a flood his minde couered the whole earth and filled it with graue darke sentences his name went abrode in the Iles and for his peace he was well beloued The countries meruailed at him for his songs An example of Solomons ingratitude to God after his large guifts prouerbs similitudes and interpretations By the name of the Lord God which is called the God of Israel hee gathered God as Tin and had so much Siluer as Lead Al this not with standing as it hath been with great grief declared by the most reuerend father so must it be also recorded here by mee for I cannot dissemble it or passe it ouer that the King hath bowed his loines vnto womē and hath been overcome by his body and turned a way his heart from the Lord. And therein shall appeare to all posterities a most notable example of the kings ingratitude and disobedience against God and therewithall a fearefull example of the diuine iudgements to teach all others to take heede how they forget God and anger him with disobedience after all his large bounties towards them For besides the examples of the Elephants Storks and other beasts and birds without reason the earth which hath no sense shall worthily condemne him For the very earth receiuing good seede of the sowers hand yeeldes him againe in recompence and token of thankfulnes a farre greater quantitie as some thirty some sixty sōe an hundred fold teaching both how ready men should be to requite benefites receiued if they may do it without iniury especially how thankfull to God of whose hand they haue receiued both life and liuing and also to fly that menstrous sinne of vnkindnes then the which no sinne can be greater for within it is comprehended euery other sin whatsoeuer either against God or man either to giue or not to giue it is in a mans owne power but to recompence or requite a good turne it is of duty required And there where power or habilitie wanteth a good minde is accepted Oh God! how many graces blessings and wealthy gifts hath the kings grace receiued of the Lords hand neuer king had the like before him and it is said which wee belieue there shall neuer any succeede him comparable to him in all these things Therfore shoulde his thankfulnes to God haue been greater far aboue al the rest For of him to whom much is giuen is much required Againe shall not the paine of such vnkindnes exceede the punishment of others it is much to bee feared and the mighty shall bee mightely tormented Wherefore the King vnderstanding this is right sorrowfull in his soule zadoke yet speaketh for the King whome wee should not condemne as a reprobate Neither can wee bee merry and glad as wee haue beene sometimes in the florishing happy daies and prosperitye of our King * Then Zadoke the high Priest whome for his grauitie all the Lordes did reuerence and for his wisedome they did gladly heare replied againe againe and saide Yet may we not so condemne the king as if bee were vtterly cast out of the fauour of God for truly hee expresseth great tokens of repentance euery day The King is but a man hath imperfections and infirmities The King is excellent wise but yet the king is a man neither is a man so perfect in this life but that not onely hee hath infirmities but also many imperfections Yea as the fairest day hath his cloude the sweetest hony a prick and the finest wheat his branne so hath the best man liuing on this earth his fall and fault But this I confesse that seldom there hath bin seene in so wise and holy a man so foule a fault and I esteeme the fault so much the more by how much the king was wise and excellent before others A little fault appeareth great in a wise man For as the least blemish wil appeare in the fairest face so a little fault shal be esteemed much in a wise man How-much more this monstrous sinne in the wisest of all men which hath his eyes in his head to foresee and to preuent dangers then when the foole runneth foorth without knowledge to his own shame and confusion Surely the King hath been in this wonderfully ouertaken An example of mans insecuritie vnto all other men A caveat how wise prudent or politike soeuer they bee and a caueat for them to beware they fall not then when they thinke themselues to stand most assuredly For securitie is a deceitfull hagge Security The princes verdit of the Kinges fault and will cast men sodainly into dangers whē they imagine themselues most safe and sure * Indeede said the Princes this thing being so indiscreetly handled by so wise a King wil be an exceeding blot to his honour a sclander to the holy religion a shame to his Princes a plague to his people an encouragement to his enemies and an euill example for the posteritie and yet it shal be as it is conuenient in the Record lest vnto them For we may not be foūd false witnesses therin Alas that euer we should with these our eyes behold such abhominations with these our eares heare such euill reports with our hearts feare in these dayes of such thinges as are threatned and like to fall on vs zadoke telles that the King is contrite and sory for his sins and so repenreth Howbeit said Zadoke there is some hope in that I perceiue the king doth not only feel in his heart the seuerity of the diuine wrath foreseeth the misery that is threatned thereof is sorowfull but also knowing what is best to bee done as his father David did when he had sinned and was reproued by the Prophet hee is wonderfull contrite and grieued in heart for his sinnes which he now hateth and condemneth in himselfe hee is humbled on the earth and couered with sack-cloth and ashes hee maketh ◅rs strange confessions of his life and behauiour Hee abandoneth all the delights of the worlde which hee esteemeth and calleth vaine and hencefoorth doth assay to dedicate himselfe anew vnto the Lorde his God against whom he hath faulted And as hee hath taught that the iust man falleth seuen times in the day and riseth againe so hee knoweth that his onely way to rise is by faithfull repentance the which the Lorde hath promised to preserue keepe in store and to giue vnto them that bee his chosen that thereby they may passe vnto his hill in safetie howsoeuer
the aduersary hath beset them and battered their faith with sinne and thereby occasioned them to be beaten with the rod of men which is yet so necessary in them that fall that therefore they should not be ashamed to repent but ashamed to sinne Neither doth the king despaire of mercie * Lorde God sayd Benaiah and could it be that so wise a person should so fall May it bee lawfull for vs to inuestigate the causes of this thing Benaiah * It hath beene already sayd answered Zadok that the king was yet but a man zadok telleth the causes of the kings fall If hee had been God as hee is not he would not haue fallen in this sort Other causes of this declination in the king are knowne onely to the Lorde who wil◠hereafter I doubt not also reueale the same in the due time And yet it may be howsoeuer wee haue cleared ourselues of all heynous crimes and offences Sometimes the sinnes of the people are the cause of the trouble and plague of their princes both against God the king in those our owne conceits that the cause of the kings fall hath risen partly from some of vs partly by some thing committed in and among the people in whom are oftentimes found that which prouoketh the Lorde in displeasure to take away those blessings which in his louing mercies he had bestowed on them and so such kings and Princes by and vnder whose gouernment they haue and might haue inioyed long peace and prosperitie But for this time let vs in all sobrietie cease to search after those hidden things too curiously remembring that the king himselfe lately aduised Search not out the things which are aboue thy reach and capacitie And let vs commit this with the successe therof vnto God wha hath appointed these and all things else to succeed and come to passe by his Providence after his owne will for his glorie and the good of his chosen howsouer it appeareth vnto vs that the King hath therein offended and in whatsoeuer sorte they appeare vnto men And let vs haue a chiefe care that our Willes bee made and conformed here in earth to his will in heauen in all things Praye for the king and speake well of him * Furthermore as we be bound both by the law of God and a good conscience let vs neither forget nor omit to pray and make intercession vnto God for the King both daily and hourely and therewith both commaund excite the Congregation people to doe the like It may be the Lorde our God will heare vs and be mercifull Let vs also speake well and the best of the King euen in our priuy chambers and with him good in our hearts and so much the sooner because hee is the Lordes annointed and at this present setteth not himselfe in wickednesse nor maketh a mocke of Religion and good admonition as did Pharaoh when hee saide Who is the Lord or as those vngodly which iest and contemne correction and haue a delight in their sinnes But rather he is contented to heare to bee ruled to be reclaymed and to be directed by the wisedome of that divine Spirite as himselfe hath sayd the wise-man is wont to doe pro. 10.23 Solomon hath declared many arguments of his repētance And therein as vnto vs it appeareth hee hath expressed many arguments of a true repentant heart both in his gesture and manner of life Neither are his Sermons words and speaches to be neglected or forgotten being right worthy the noting obseruation and memorie of all men For as they sauour of the holy spirit so are they vttered with such wisedom discretion grauitie and deepe affects of the soule vpon this occasion that they doe not onely argue and declare the Kings true repentance but shall also teach instruct admonish and mooue the heartes of all Gods people to feare God and serue him with reuerence and therfore shall be right profitable for the holy Congregation and worthy preseruation for all posterities Solomons wordes and sermons are meete to bee collected and preserued Let vs therefore call those his Wordes and sermons into remembrance let vs collect and write them in a Booke and let vs after our power conserue them or some part of them in the sacred Register among other the kings wise parables Prouerbs graue sentences Prophesies and holy songs Let vs neither defraude the King of that he hath deserued nor withhold from the holy Congregation that which to the same belongeth nor appeare negligent in our dutie to bee performed to either of them And as in this wee shall serue the Lorde honour our King and benefite the Church so by those his words and sermons being thus exemplified he shall be more commended and praysed of the Saints then by the worldly glory of his Throne no lesse wise then those wise Princes Patriarks Sages Seers which are much more esteemed for their graue sayings words writings Elioreph the Notary then exalted for their great conquests and worldly riches * Then said Elioreph the kings Notarie right worthily spoken reuerend father for indeed the words of the king are such as are in all things consonant to the veritie and shall witnesse for euer the kings cōtrition and true conuersion vnto Iehovah his God after his sinne committed Moreouer they shall be preached as fruitefull and godly sermons in the Church to teach admonish exhort reforme conforme comfort instruct them that come after vs in the feare of God and the obseruation of his Lawes Eccles. 12. the which is as the King hath often and yet dayly teacheth that which chiefly appertaineth to euery man and is required of all men that liue in this world Therefore my selfe with the conuenient help of Ahia my fellow Notary and with the aduise of my Lord the kings Recorder will gladly endeuour this thing to effect In the Name of God whom we beséech to looke vpon the King and vpon his people in the aboundance of his louing mercies CAP. XXIIII Obiections and exceptions against Solomon and his words and deedes the which the Princes endeuour to defend AFter that the whole assembly of king Solomons Lords were thus disposed and agreed in counsaile that the kings Words which hee in this time of his troubled spirits and thencefoorth did vtter and speake before them should be called into remembrance considered of and kept in the holy Register among other the diuine monuments of the Church ad it in before declared Abiather Abiather the priest which sometimes had ministred before the king in the steede of Zadok stood foorth and obiected to the decree Obiections against Solomon and his words after this manner But my Lords all said hee I am much afraid of this that many in the posteritie will the lesse esteeme or at the least doubt of some other things which are noted in the holy Register when vnto the same wee shall adde and combine as of
equall authoritie those matters of the king the reuerence of whose person and the authoritie of whose Words I haue euen with these mine eares heard some wise-men to call into question and whereof they are wont to say to them that commend the king and his wordes yet praise not the vnworthy because of his riches nor his wordes by reason of his wealth Is not a green apple tree bearing fruit better then the dry Cedar of Lybanus lying on the ground is not a living dogge preferred before a dead lyon and what is that person to be esteemed or his words regarded which hath distained his wisedome with foolishnesse and polluted his honor with vngodlinesse For truely as when women deck themselues they endeuor to choose the best glasses and cast away others which are polluted or deceitfull and as schollers to write doe set before them not ragged but plaine and perfite copies to learne by so in the Church or in the Common-wealth should onely those examples bee proposed for imitation and instruction which are the holy deedes of worthy men And as that worke is most praise-worthy in the which both the Arte commendeth the matter and the matter the Arte The perfection of the person should ioyne with his words so those Sermons and wordes are alwayes best meete the conseruation and obseruation wherein the worthinesse of the person commendeth the Wordes and the wisedome of the words commendeth the worthinesse of the person Neither should wee praise that too much which is polluted in part lest vnhappily the vnwise that knoweth not to put difference betweene the good and the euill will take and vse as well the one as the other for although the wise and prudent are wont to make choise of the waters whereof they drinke knowing that all Fountaines are not of one goodnesse operation and vse yea and be as the Bees which make hony and not poison of euery herbe yet the foolish which can not discerne or make difference of things will bee ready to take those waters which breede fury and madnesse and procure death and with the Spider will make poison of the sweetest flowers It may bee that some of you my Lordes thinke as I haue sayde would yee bee as plaine and simple to deliuer it foorth as I am What say yee to that which I haue obiected Then stoode foorth the most reuerende Father zadok answereth for the king against Abiathers obiection Contemners of other men and as the mouth of them all for they all willed him to giue an answere bee spake and sayde By your leaue Abiather As hee that commendeth another but sparingly seemeth to want his owne prayse so they that contemne other men rashly seeme to enuie their happinesse And truely as the slouthfull dogges doe barke at euery one whom they know not whether hee bee friende or foe to their master so there bee certaine ignorant persons which carpe at all that themselues vnderstand not bee it neuer so excellent and good Againe Vncharmed tongues there bee many vncharmed tongues which vse to speake euill of that which they know well to bee good These wil contemne the hony together with the pricks they will condemne true men Haters of that which is good because there be some theeues they dislike al things in respect of the fault of some things There be others which beare euill will at Zion and therfore blaspheme the holy religion of the children of Zion Envious persons and sclanderers neither are any of these disposed vpon occasiō to yeeld the due either to God or to the king but striue in their vnquiet spirits to derogate frō both so to draw frō this most princely person I meane K. Solomon and his most excellent labours Sermons and Doctrines all the honor credit and estimation which to either of them iustly belongeth vnprofitable persons whereby they are become both vnprofitable to themselues and hurtfull to others for thereof it is that both themselues neuer féele the swéetnesse and comfort of those most soueraigne and healthfull solaces therein prouided and proposed vnto them and many others especially the ignorant and ouer credulous are and shall be iniuriously defrauded also aswell of this the kings Solace as of many other things godly wholesome profitable and necessarie the which the true-hearted and faithfull of the Lord doe and shall thereof gladly reape and enioy to their exceeding great good and highest consolation These aspire not to the true happinesse themselues nor would that others should attaine the same wherein they resemble those idle and wayward dogges that lying in the maunger will neither eat the hay nor suffer the labouring Asse to feed thereof But right iudgement and reason resolue that albeit it is not good to praise them much which of their owne accords are apt to vaine glory as we may not tickle them which by nature are giuen to excessiue laughter Whō to praise whom not yet meete it is that wee praise the praise-worthy and vpon an occassion prouoke them to laughter which are ouer pensiue and sadde that wee yeeld to euery man his dutie as honor to whom honour loue to whom loue feare to whome feare belongeth lest as in the former we should prouoke to vice which resteth in extremities so in the latter wee should discourage from vertue which holdeth the meane and so declare ourselues so vniust in th' one as wicked in th' other * Therfore although that both soueraigne Lord K. Solomon and those his last words haue already both deserued in themselues and obtained among the godly-wise both credit and authoritie sufficient yet The credite and estimation of Solomon and his words vpon this necessary occasion I shall be alwayes ready as my dutie is to pleade for the defence both of th' one and the other not withstanding his vnhappy staine with those transgressions and sins and so much the sooner because beeing both an eare and an eye witnesse I can best testifie and being the High-priest I can or should well discerne both of the one and the other without partialitie or corruption in iudgement Nor doe I doubt my good Lords but that yee all will consent with mee in the same as farre as truth will warrant mee to pleade for my Lorde the king Surely I would not exceed the boundes of truth nor endeuor to defend or excuse sinne in any person be hee high or low * And well worthy most reuerent Father said the Princes nor is it meete The princes consent to zadok in the kings apologie that any of vs all should presume to auouch that for truth which is a false lye for as he which heareth false witnesse against a man as the king hath said bringeth foorth lyes and is a very clubbe asworde and a sharpe arrowe so should wee bee if wee should produce any thing besides the veritie in any thing much more in those matters which concerne the kings Maiestie the which the
Lorde forbid for besides many other reasons we shall through such vntruthes not onely hurt the King and delude his people but ouerthrow our selues But may wee vnderstand most reuerend Father by sound report what all those things are that be or may be obiected against the king and his Sermons and words which might impayre the credit of the one and the authoritie of the other It is good to withstand the beginnings of mischiefes for if such conceits haue already entred the eares and mindes of men what may wee thinke will thereof ensue in processe of time if there be not a preuention ye know the common aduise Withstand the beginning of a maladie els the medicine will too lately be applyed But as a worde spoken in due season is like apples of gold in a graued worke of siluer so the testimonie which we shall exhibite with you vnto the king in this opportune time shall bee pretious and full of excellent beautie in the face of them that feare the Lord in time to come Therefore as Abiather hath ministred vnto vs the occasion of this question let him also declare heere before vs all what hee hath heard or may imagine to bee obiected against the king and those the kings words And let him also say what he feareth may yet be further excepted to the same alwayes prouided that modestie be not transgressed Then answered Abiather My Lords sauing alwayes the kings reuerence Abiather reporteth what he hath heard obiected against the king and his words and the credite of his wordes with the pleasure of your honours I will speake as the reseconding Echo reporting rather the wordes and speaches of others than any of mine owne for both against my Lorde the kings Highnesse and also against his sermons and words I haue heard of late some and that not meane nor ignorant but great personages and prudent largely to obiect Neither may any of vs thinke otherwise but that the king and his words and life are obserued and noted by others not onely his friends but his enemies also The words the liues and behaviour of princes are obserued of the people and so much the sooner because hee is the King on whom before all others the eyes of all the people are bent as on a famous citie set on an hill or as on a light on the table And truely the errors and meane faultes of Princes whose liues are set foorth to bee séene obserued and followed of many appeare often wonderfull great as in the face of a man a little webbe or scarre is sooner seene and disliked then a farre greater spot or blemish in any other the parts of the body And then as the eclipsing or defect of the Sunne bringeth a great annoyance to the earth and no lesse calamitie to men and other inferiour treasures those faults and errors of the king who should chiefly direct all others to the common good and highest felicitie engender no small perturbation and other great inconueniencies in the affaires of his Kingdome and Common-wealth An admonition to princes Therefore it is meet that the king and such high estates do walke aduisedly both in word deed with honourable behauior and that Princes bee right wary that they neither doe nor suffer to be done any thing which themselues would not that the people should not obserue or imitate or iustly dislike in them aboue all they must regard that they neither commit nor command any thing contrary to the Law of God and the honour of that place wherein they that stand are called Gods because they represent the Maiestie of God and raigne by his prouidence and power to doe equitie and righteousnesse vnto the people And heerein observing dutie they stand devoyd of all dreade honoured of their Subiects and others and goe foorth most couragiously in their lawfull enterprises no more respecting the sinister talkes of their malicious enemies then the great barbed horses feare of those little Curres which barke at their heeles But when these rules bee neither obserued nor followed both the honour of the place is distained by those persons and themselues in fine requited with obloquie and diffame For as the great ramping Lyon so gréedy of his pray is made afraid both at the crowing of the Cocke and at the sight of the Cockes-combe so many mightie and high Potentates of the earth in the knowledge of their owne slidings haue been wonderfully annoyed and astonished both by the hard reportes of very meane persons and by their churlish behauior towards them and their honor vpon such occasions And I doe no lesse feare that both the reports which are carryed abroad and the opinions of men with their demeanure occasioned thereby towards the king hath both much disgraced his high magnificencie and disquieted his happy peace Moreouer there be which stick not to except against his gouernment For as the rule wherby men worke must first be made straight and plaine before the worke can thereby be either corrected or directed so a prince ought to be free from all heinous vices yea it is required that he be perfect and sound in all princely vertues before hee be able to rule well or to correct or to direct others Neither indeede amongst the wisest haue such persons beene esteemed worthie to beare rule in the affayres of a Kingdome or to instruct guide and direct others in the Church which haue not throughly subdued their affections restrained their appetites abandoned their lustes and bridled their naturall passions Truely these and such like are the ordinary matters nowe in question and much ruminated among the very rusticall and Countrey people in such sorte as the eares of them that heare the same may glowe the King himselfe may bee sorie and all wee of his Court vtterly ashamed And first against the king himselfe there be which thus obiect Obiections against King Solomon Although that King Solomon hath in his time farre excelled all the kings in the world in wisedome wealth glory and other things of the highest request yet beyond all expectation he hath wonderfully transgressed sinned against God against his people against his own honour And with this they bring foorth against him all whatsoeuer my Lorde Zadok hath saide before and a great deale more Wherein they point at him as at one of the fooles of Israel farre vnmeete the dignitie of his place honor of his calling and reuerence of his Age. for as he best knoweth the nature of all hearbs and beastes hee should in this they say haue imitated the nature of either the hearbe or of the beast Chamoeleon whereof the one will euer change the colour of her leaues to the qualitie of the place wherein shee groweth and the other will resemble the colours and shewes obiected Thus it was saide of Saul i. Sam. 10.6 assoone as Samuel had annointed him for King ouer Israel that hee was chaunged into another man Thus also our Lorde the king
behaued himselfe after that hee was anointed and proclamed King in the place of his Father David and thus hee shoulde haue worthily continued and retained the honour of his place especially in his elder yeares wherein is required sobrietie grauitie holinesse wisedome zeale and perfection This the king knewe well-enough for hee wanted no wisedome no knowledge no vnderstanding no iudgement But that notwithstanding hee abused both his calling place and age whereof it is that as they which come out of hote bathes doe sodainely coole more vehemently and as that water which hath beene once heate seemeth to bee more colde then any other and as they most deadly hate one another which haue beene sometimes friendes when they fall at variance so turning himselfe from the Lorde his God and from the vse of those princely and heroicall vertues wherein hee was first exercised hee is esteemed execrable wicked in the eyes of wisemen Therefore There bee among them which doe not onely call into question his election and remission but also doe iudge him a person prophane reprobate and damnable and so not meete to bee a King much lesse to bee the King of Israel For as the iudgement of the tree is taken from the consideration of the fruite and of the fountaines by the taste or vse of the waters so gather they this censure from the consideration of the kings life and demeanour for whiles a man continueth wallowing in sinne without true repentance he declareth no pardon and he whose sinnes are not pardoned hath none hope of health Againe he that repenteth not of his sinnes when he hath sinned is a prophane person he that obtaineth not mercy is a reprobate and he that is shut out from saluation is damned Howbeit the Lord forbidde that this thing should bee found or iustly proued in our Lorde the King of Israel Herence also they obiect against the sermons wordes Exceptions to Solomons doctrine and words and doctrines of King Solomon as of fruites vnwholesome growing of such an euill tree For neither could his vnderstanding as they say henceforth be perfit to this purpose for as they which sodainly turne themselues to the shadow which haue seene the Sunne haue their eyes dazeled and cannot as yet see cleerely so it cannot be that be which hath turned away his minde from spirituall contemplations to the obscure lusts of the flesh should so soone afterwarde bee of perfite vnderstanding in those heauenly mysteries and diuine doctrines And heere it is remembred what the King himselfe hath sometimes saide That wisedome entreth not into a wicked soule nor dwelleth in a bodie that is subiect to sinne Therefore they from hence argue Solomon hath not presumed to vse the name Iehovah of late The booke of the Ecclesiastes not well vnderstood of many wherof it was that so many evill opinions haue bin fathered thereon that the King in this time is not replenished with the perfite wisedome and so can neither vtter nor teach wisedome vnto others by any deedes or wordes of his * But yet they are more bolde on these their assertions because the King hath not of late vsed the most holy Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehovah which is proper to the Almightie either in his priuate talke or in those his Wordes which hee hath lately vttered before his Princes or in that Booke of his called the Song of Songs which they holde and will esteeme a cause sufficient that both those his Wordes and Bookes shoulde bee not onely suspected but also reiected as prophane and vnprofitable for the Church of God Yea they say morouer that from hence as from a bitter roote will issue foorth sundry monstrous opinions and dangerous doctrines by the which the most prophane persons shall strengthen their prophanites the vngodly their impieties the superstitious their superstitions the sinners their sinnes Therefore as we are of Israel and ought not to be polluted with the manners of the heaten so shoulde wee before all others abandon those and such like works and words which corrupt good manners and that kinde of learning which confounds the good constitution of a mans health and hasteneth his destruction as for the conseruation of bodily health the Phisicians doe aduise men to eschew those daintie meates which prouoke them to eate when they are not hungry and those delicate drinkes which tempt them to drinke being not thirstie And of this kinde they obiect that the king hath much spoken in this his olde age But howsoeuer it bee we may bee sure of this that as the best wine looseth his verdit and grace when it is infused into fowle and filthy vessels So the words of the king be they neuer so good and profitable in right estimation shall by this his vngodly life and polluted behauiour loose both their right grace and commendation in the iudgement of all men I am right sory I was occasioned to say thus much of my Lorde the King and of his Sermons and last Words Azariah for the king and his words Then answered Azariah in the behalfe of all the other Princes Indeed as yee haue saide there may bee many things obiected by such as being not onely ignorant and neither able to discerne betweene things holy and prophane so perceiue not that the fault lyeth rather in their own synister interpretations of the Kings workes and wordes then in the workes and wordes themselues but also by such as regarde not to yeelde honour to them to whome honour belongeth and little care whome they wound with their tongues or whose wordes or workes they depraue and sclander as my Lorde Zadok hath before well noted Giue not sentence before the matter bee heard But let vs aduise all them that come after vs that they giue not sentence in a matter before they heare it with discretion lest it turne to their folly and shame pro. 18. A Caveat especially in these matters of God and the king and that they beware that they bee not seduced and led away by the sophistrie and guilfull practizes of such deriders from the true vse of this the kings Solace and so consequently from the way that leadeth to the highest felicitie and best good Gen. ◠The spirite of God is euer wont to reproue them that bee vniust in iudgement and thereof that cursed and reprobated Serpent is already condemned But heere wee heartily request you most reuerend Zadok which are adorned and beautified with that right * Vrim and Thumim That is knowledge perfection to speake in the defence of king Solomon our Soueraigne Lord and of his words and say whatsoeuer the Lorde shall put in your mouth to be spoken without feare or partialitie and wee will not onely giue eare vnto you but also be right thankefull We doubt not but that after your answeres to all those and such like obiections heard and waighed with deliberation Note well what wil be in the end resolued of Solomon and
his words if they be weighed in an equall ballance many more shall not onely suppresse their rashe iudgements concerning the king and his words but acknowledge and confesse with vs That all things are not so damned nor so daungerous nor so doubtfull as they haue imagined them to be Nay the Accusers themselues shall grant rather that SolomoÌ„ our king is neither a damned nor reprobated nor a prophane person but that hee is an excellent Saint of the Lord a true penitent person that hath obtained mercie and forgivenesse after his sinne and henceforth expecteth the ioyes of his Lord in everlasting happinesse through faith in the most holy Messiah whom hee did most worthily prefigure and set foorth in the world according to the foreknowledge and good pleasure of the everlasting God CHAP. XXV Zadok proueth by many arguments and reasons that Solomon was not a prophane or damned person But a Saint of the Lord and a right excellent member of the Church THen Zadok as one most willing to defend the honour of his most Soueraigne Lorde King Solomon answered againe and sayde I most heartily thanke you my Lords all that yee haue vouchsaued mee this honour For I esteeme it an honour to my selfe to bee thought worthy by your wisedomes to speake and to haue your audience in the defence of my Lorde the King and his cause Neither doe I thinke but that in conscience and dutie I am holden so to doe for it in not meete that I shoulde heare my good Lorde and his wordes to bee sclandered or euill reported and to passe it ouer in silence yea I shall be thought therein to giue consent to those sinister reports And first as touching the king The king is not to be iustified in his sins nor excused it cannot bee denyed but that hee hath indeede wonderfully doated on his strange wiues and hath hearkened too much to them which euer retaining that euill opinion and custome would neuer receiue nor admit that counsell which the wisest of all men liuing gaue them and hath beene by them allured seduced and led away from Iehovah his God against whole Maiestie by their instigation hee hath wrought wickednesse And therefore howsoeuer some might allegorize of the transgressions and sinnes of our Lord the king yet will not I nor may I in equitie iustifie him or excuse him therein no more then I may either iustifie or excuse the sinne of Adam in his fall howsoeuer there bee which call it an happy fall or the sinne of Iacob in his two wiues howsoeuer the priuiledge thereof came in with the promise of the multiplication of the holy seede or of Noah in his drunkennesse or of Lot in his incest or of Iudah in his whoredome or of the kings father in his murther pride and adultrey wherein it is certaine that they both displeased God and deciphered their humane imperefctions and infirmities Nor was it the wil of God that such their sins albeit they were his own children should be concealed or couered but rather hee woulde that for some good causes they should bee reuealed and reproued He â—hat iustifieth the sinner is abhominable before God For as sinne is that which onely prouoketh and displeaseth the Lord and therefore is no lesse odious vnto him then a most ougly and venemous Serpent vnto a man so he that either iustifieth or excuseth the sinner in his sinne shall not bee holden guiltlesse before Gods iudgement seate Neuerthelesse as godly wisedome and holy loue haue both taught and perswaded a reuerend opinion and like construction of those men A reuerent opinion of the repentent sinners their actions and words in whom godlinesse and the right worthy vertues in habit could not be vtterly ouerthrown with one or a fewe contrary actions whiles the mercie of God remayning with them they held fast the foundatioÌ„s of their holy hope so is it not meete nor conuenient that wee should rashly cast into dangerous suspence either the holines of our Lorde The holinesse repentance remission and salvatioÌ„ of Solomon proved king Solomon or his repentance after his sinne or his remission after his repentance or the hope of his eternall salvation the which depending on the euerlasting loue and sweete grace of God in the merit of the holy Messiah may not onely bee presumed but also rightly gathered and sufficiently proued as by your patience you shall heare Satans subtilty Indeed Satan the great enimy of mankind hath assayed to deale with the king as the Eagle dealeth with the Goate for when the Eagle comes to hurt the Goate to whome shee hath a mortall enemitie shee first assayeth to take away his sight by pulling out his eyes and then afterwarde shee killeth him against whom the Goate defendeth himselfe with his hornes So this Enemie hauing a deadly enuie to the King and his glory though to dispoyle him of his knowledge and wisedome but hee neuerthelesse by his faith and hope in the Lorde as with two strong hornes hath resisted him so farre that though hee were much wounded in his body hee hath yet preserued and kept safe his yes Solomons eies For as I haue heard him say and doe finde it by experience his wisedome remained with him Neither was hee drawen from the foundation of his hope For as the trees which are strong deepe rooted and haue sufficient sappe in themselues cannot easily be ouercome by either the violent heate or noysome colde when such as haue neither rootes nor strength nor sappe doe wither and decay so they which are rooted and grounded on the sure foundation of their hope and haue in them the habite of diuine vertues cannot vtterly bee quayled or ouerthrowne by either the heate or colde of afflictions or the vehemency of Sathans assaults or the alluring lustes of the flesh or the concupiscence of Nature for they bee holden by the right hande of Gods spirite and stand like the tree planted by the waters side psal 1. whereof David the Kings father coulde so diuinely modulate and sing Therefore I will first proue that our Lord king Solomon is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prophane or damned person Chadesch Chadosch but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a person holy dedicated to God and a member of the holy Congregation For in this Antithesis or contrarietie that which is the one cannot bee the other and that the Lorde hath not taken his Spirite vtterly from him howsoeuer his Graces were shadowed in him when hee sinned as hee is not willing to cast them away whome hee knewe before or elected howsoeuer hee seeme to hide his face from them in his displeasure and they onely are fore-knowen and elected which are his Saintes and holy ones howsoeuer they appeare or are esteemed before the face of worldly men Howbeit although there bee many notable things externally to be seene in the Kings person which yet are not to bee neglected nor forgotten but well considered remembred and applyed
the Serpent the Lord set enmity and signified in that Adam called her Havah the mother of all liuing Herein are founde those kindreds of the earth who in the promised Seed are blessed for euer And this is that princely spowsesse indeede of the which the King in a propheticall Spirite spake in his Schir-hasschirim moreouer this is that same which was shadowed in the family of faithfull Abraham Cant. 1. in the Arke of Noah the righteous which was builte and prouided according to the patterne the Lorde gaue him and mankind preserued in and by the house of King David wherein God was honoured and serued in the true vse of the law 2. Sam. 5. praier and the holy sacrifices and by the mount or castle of Zion from the which both the halte and the blind were takē away that the bright Vrim and right Thumim with all knowledge and perfection might dwell there And the same is doubtlesse expressed in this great and holy house which the king hath built for the name of his God wherein wee may not imagine that the King hath beene more curious then godly more precise then profitable or more sumptuous then wise considering that there is not the least iote or point therein which hath not either his proper vse or mistical entendemēt as in place hereafter ye may better heare and consider therof with iudgemēt And thereof wee may gather conclude that as the holy Messiah was killed in Abel deliuered his church figurately in Noah was foreshewed the Father of all nations in Abraham was offered vp on the Altarin Isaack was blessed in Iacob was a deliuerer of mankind out of the serpents tiranny in Moses was a Sauiour of the Lordes people in Iehosuah and borne and annointed and humbled and exalted and fauoured in David so hath he built his Church figurately in our Lorde King Solomon Furthermore this is strongly ratified aswell by the report and testimony of those recordes which the prophet Nathan hath written and left vnto vs as by the consent of our owne knowledge and conscience which haue both seene and heard and in wisedome considered one thing with another By the which we are sure that all those diuine promises which the Lord God made aswell to King Solomon as to David his Father do aime and point further then either to David or to Solomon yea they concerne that most excellent K. the Messiah which was so promised and typed and beleeued and expected to come and that in many thinges the which the K. hath begunne or expressed mistically shall bee accomplished made and performed indeede in the true Messiah that some things are common both in th' one and in th' other as by comparing them and their actions shal be easily perceiued in due time But first concerning this figure I meane King Solomon When King David had determined to build an house for the name o◠the Lord 2. Sam. 7.13 and that the house shoulde bee made and proportioned according to the writing and charge which the Lorde had giuen him Yet said the Lord I will not that thou shalt build that house but out of thy loines shall spring one that shall builde the same For thou art a man of warre and art much troubled as yet The building of two houses by two sundry persons but he shal be a man of rest and I will give him rest on every side that hee may the better compasse and effect the same By the which Oracle David did not onely vnderstand that his will and pleasure was that such an house should be builded which shold prefigurate his holy congregation but also he learned by whome those two houses should be builded Howbeit not by King David although he were a man after Gods owne heart and in many thinges a true figure of the Messiah but by his Seed yet not both by one and the same person but the one should be made by his sonne Solomon whome hee begat on Bethsabe the other by the holy Messiah who albeit hee bee the sonne of the highest is after the flesh Davids sonne For hee is to rise not onely in Iudahs-tribe but also in the house and linage of David according as the same David said thereof in the person of God I have made a faithfull promise to David and I will not alter it of the seed of thy body will I raise vp to set vpon thy throne whose daies shal be as the daies of heaven And therein hee woulde that as figures go before things figured and voices before words so the building of this materiall house shoulde go before the building of the Church as touching the times and seasons wherein the Lord wold work manifest his heauēly wil pleasure therein as Baalam said I shall see him but not now Num. 24. and beholde him but not yet for euery thing vnder the heauens hath his appointed time And so that this former house shoulde bee a figure of the latter in all due proportions and the Builder of the one sholde prefigurate the Builder of the other Therefore as the former is a true figure of the Church of Messiah which hee shall in the due time gather and build to himselfe so is King Solomō the sonne of David who hath built this Temple a true figure of that Messiah And truely albeit King David was not permitted to build either house in his dayes yet towardes the building and performance of all thinges in and concerning them both hee gathered and prouided many thinges of the highest request For towardes the materiall house hee gathered and made ready heiued stones plentie of Iron 1. Chro. 21. Doores Brasse without waighte Cedar trees without number and hee made ordinances and lawes and prepared thinges in great abundance the which also are not without their signification of greater matters therein shadowed Againe towardes both the Mysticall and spirituall house to bee builded in the due time as he was the man whome the Lorde chose to raigne ouer his inheritance and for his excellent Songes was called the sweete singer of Israel so hee exercised himselfe in the diuine seruices hee ruled the Lordes people and prepared them to the Lordes house yea hee composed and modulated many spirituall and sweete Psalmes Hymnes and Songes to the prayse of God and the edification of his Church hee prouided also and left behinde him for the heauenly Solomon many prophesies testimonies and holy examples from and by the which hee might vouchsafe at his comming into the worlde to take gather and confirme yea and to conforme to purpose his doctrine and workes for the better edification of his Church For hee hath plainely spoken before in the Spirite of the nature the dignitie the function the obedience the diligence the trauailes the manner of life the manner of death the rising and the wonderfull glory of that King of Israel and declared himselfe a liuely figure of the same Moreouer howsoeuer those
promises before made doe pointe and belong properly to the most holy Messiah 2. Sam. 7.12 and not to any man besides him as they doe indeede yet to declare that David the Kinges Father did not wholy exclude Solomon his Sonne borne of Bethsabe but did so vnderstand the wordes spoken in this case as that literally the same Solomon was the persō especially chosē and appointed to build that materiall house therefore he said I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the Arke of the covenant of the Lorde for the footestoole of our God 1. Chro. 28.2 had made ready for the building But god said to mee thou shalt not build an house for my name because thou hast beene a man of warre and hast shedde bloud Againe And he said vnto mee Solomon thy Sonne Verse 6. he shall build me an house courtes for I have chosen him to bee my Sonne I wil be his father Then turning himselfe to Solomon Verse 9. hee saide And thou Solomon my Sonne know thou the Lorde of thy fathers serve him with a pure heart with a willing minde Againe Take heede now for the Lord hath chosen thee to build him an house of a Sanctuary be strong therefore shew thy selfe a man Verse 10. And in this sense did K. Solomon also take the wordes of the Lord which Nathan the prophet brought him as himselfe testified when sending to Hyram the Tyrian king for further provision he said 1. King 5.2 Thou knowest that David my father could not build an house vnto the name of Iehovah his God for the warres which were about him on every side vntill the Lorde put them vnder the soales of his feete But not Iehovah my God hath given me rest on every side so that their is neither adversary nor evil to resist And behold I am determined to build an house vnto the name of Iehovah my God as Iehovah spake vnto David my father saying Thy sonne whome I will set vpon thy seate for thee he shall build an house vnto my name 2 Chro. 6.10 And that Solomon did this performe accordingly himselfe testified againe saying I am risen vp in the roome of David my father am set on the seat of Israel as Iehovah promised have built an house for the name of Iehovah the God of Israel For indeed 1. Kings 6.1 2. Chro. 3.1 in the fower hundreth and fower-score yeer after that our fathers came out of the land of Aegipt and in the fowrth yeere of the raigne of King Solomon vpon Israel Aprill 1. Kings 6 38. October in the moneth * Ziff which is the second in our accoūt he began to build this house and in the eleuenth yeere in the moneth * Bul which is the eight was the same house finished throughout all the partes thereof according to the fashion of it and so was hee seuen yeeres in the building of it that in the mount Moriah in the place where first Cain and Abel and afterward Noah offered their sacrifices yea and in the Alley of Arnon there wherein David when hee saw the Angell with his drawne Sworde was commaunded to reare his altar Neuerthelesse to signifie that both this person and his worke had a further and higher aime then either wee coulde see with the eye or comprehend in thought much lesse vtter with the tongue as the thinges of God are such as passe all mens vnderstanding wee hearde what the King himselfe saide when hee dedicated the house vnto God And will God in very deede said hee dwell with men on earth Beholde heaven 2 Chro. 6.18 and the heaven above all heavens may not containe him How much lesse the house which I have built For the King as hee had the wisedome of the holy Spirite knew right well that this shoulde prefigurate the Church of the holy Messiah and that not onely the same which is or shal bee militant on earth but that spirituall Temple of God in the soule and minde of man yea and also shoulde expresse as by a liuely Simbole the societie triumphant and glorious in heauen Gen. 6.15 Exod. 25 26 Therefore as hee alluded therein to Noah in the building of the Arke and to Moses in the framing of the Tabernacle 2. Sam. 5.8.9 1. Chro. 28.11.19 and to David in the institution and disposing of the Tower of Zion and followed the proportion which his Father David had plotted and prescribed so hee expressed not onely his earnest loue and heartie zeale that hee had to his God but his desire to display and set foorth the wonderful perfection and excellent glory of that Church Neither yet did hee shewe himselfe either too curious or too costly or ouer glorious or superstitious or superfluous in any one ornament or in the least title or thing whatsoeuer in and about the same house albeit both the worke was magnificent of great charge and labour and the ornamentes in and about the same rare pretious and many in number For truely as this materiall Temple signifieth that Temple of Messiah whether misticall in the Congregation or spirituall in the faithfull soule or glorious in heaven so the ornamentes and diuers and sundry functions and garnishings and glory of the same expresse and declare vnto vs the noble personages functions orders ministeries vertues of and in the same For there bee godly Kinges and Princes Prophets Priestes Ministers Iudges Magistrates and many wise and holy persons both men and women there is the wisedome the iudgement the iustifications the sanctifications the perfections and in a word all the graces of the Saincts and there are the angels heauenly spirites Abraham Isaak Iacob Moses Iosuah and other with the glory of the children of God But ye happily desire that some certaine particulars might be produced in this comparison To speake of all it wold both weary me cōfound your hearing they are so many wonderful yea beyond the knowledge of man as yet neither is it meete that wee should * inuestigate ouer curiously Deut 29 29. and sift out too precisely that which is laid vp in the diuine counsail vntil the happy time of the Messiah who then and not before shall tell vs al thinges yea things hidden from the beginning In the meane time it is enough that we belieue this that the law shall go foorth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem The Church is like an house And first as ye haue heard and doe perceiue the Church of the Messiah is prefigured and expressed wholy by an house and that conueniently in regarde of the partes orders and vse thereof But this house hath two generall partes whereof the one is that in the which aswell the people as the priestes do enter wherein they pray they teach they heare they offer sacrifice they praise God they talke and declare their holy deuotion and obedience to God
am not able they are both so many and wonderfull much lesse to apply them in euery point to him whome with his vertues these things doe fore-shew and teach vnto men Solomon a figure of Messiah in his birth And first touching the honor of the kings birth and acceptation with the Lord It is true that Solomon is the sonne of David as before it hath beene said concerning whom the Lord made a faithfull promise saying Of the seede of thy bodie will I set vpon thy seate Howbeit 2. Sam. 7.13 the Lord also saide to David concerning him I will bee his father and hee shall bee my sonne Surely this properly fits the Messiah who is to come of the séede of David and yet hee is that naturall Sonne of God Thereof spake the kings father Iehovah sayd to my Lord sit thou on my right hand Againe Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee This is he indeed to whom the stabilitie of the kingdome of Israel is promised Where the Lord said I will establish the throne of his kingdome for euer Solomon as yet sitteth on the throne gouerneth his kingdom but the time will come that as the tipes must cease when the things typed come in place our Lord K. Solomon shal yéeld and giue his place to the holy Messiah that true Sonne of God when he shall begin to raigne in mount Zion Therefore let vs conclude that the king prefiguring also in this point the holy Messiah is a Saint of the Lord. Secondly the Lord hath imposed Solomon in his Names a figure of Messiah ordained such titles and names to and for the king as might no lesse expresse and set forth the same thing We heard before that the king had such Names as tended to th'exemplification of his honor but yet it was not then considered of euery one of vs to what certaine person or thing those names properly pointed for it is very certain that euery of those names are more proper to the Messiah then to the king albeit they were on him iustly imposed and of him at the first literally vnderstood The Lord God himself speaking vnto David of this person yer euer he was borne or begotten said His Name is Schelomon which is Peaceable 1. Schelomon 1. cho 22.9 or a maker of peace And the Lord shewed the reason thereof saying For I will giue him rest from his enemies round about him I will send peace quietnes vpon Israel By this he foresheweth the true Melchisalem that king of peace the right reconciler of his elect vnto himselfe who without this noble Prince are at wars with Lord opposed to the intollerable strokes of his Iustice But heereof it is that they haue quiet consciences peace with God and finally eternall rest and safetie in the most glorious kingdome of the King of peace To this also aymeth the blessed peace and tranquilitie that the Lord hath giuen the king and through him vnto vs from our bodily enemies on euery side in those the happy dayes of his gouernment Next when the Lorde would expresse his loue and affection towards him and againe the loue and affection that hee had and should haue to the Lorde his God thereby the sooner to foreshew the mutuall loue and delight betweene God and that holy Messiah he sent the Prophet Nathan as some of you yet remember who according to the diuine pleasure 2 Iedid-iah 2 Sam 12.25 called him Iedid-iah Beloued of God For so it is written that the Lord loued him therefore he called his Name Iedid-iah of the Lordes-behalfe Indeede it pleased the Lorde in this sort to declare his Ioue to the king Howbeit the Name properly fitteth that person Psal 2. to whom the Lord said as before Thou art my beloved sonne this day haue I begotten thee And the same which the Arabian Queene did mystically point vnto when in the spirit of Prophesie she said to the king Blessed be the Lord thy God which loved thee * After this the kings mother namely Queen Bethsabe that not without the instinct of the heauenly spirit perceiuing the maiestie feare of God in him 3 Laemuel pro. 31.1 withall knowing him to be made a liuely figure of the holy Messiah called him Laemuel that is God with him or God with them meaning that God was with him that he was as God vnto the people as Moses was sometimes said to be The which tittle therefore fitteth none so properly as it doth that bright Starre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Balaam descried and spake of in his prophesie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. 24 the which as we haue obserued containeth both the nuÌ„ber of the name ineffable and the number of the Divine law for the two former letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make in number 26. the which also the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yeeldeth and the two latter letters make 22. in which number of letters is written the whole lawe the which onely in the time of the right Laemuel shall bee performed and throughly affected in him by whom there shall be but one Lord and one Law one faith and one religion one sheepheard Gen. 49 â—0 4 Koheleth Eccles. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and one sheepefold Lastly he hath another Name which no lesse indeed appertaineth to that right Shilon vnto whom the gathering of the people shall bee That is Koheleth which signifieth a Congregator or a Preacher or a builder of a Church The King had this Name worthily imposed partly in regard of his wisedwne which was in him wonderfull beyond al others as if in one and the same person should be heaped and layd vp together all the wisedom and knowledge both diuine and humane which not onely any other one man but which all men together at the same time liuing had or could containe or comprehend partly in regarde of his Office and ministerie by the which he did not onely builde the materiall house which should prefigurate both the mysticall spirituall and eternall but also did preach and indeuor to call into the same and to instruct and conforme all others aswell Gentiles as Iewes in the true Religion of the most holy and euerlasting God But the effecting of all this properly belongeth to that holy Messiah who hath and shall haue in his time all wisedome and all knowledge without measure and thereof shall giue and dispose aboundantly to others and by his proper ministerie gather together the out-casts of Israel bring home them that bee and shall be scattered abroad by his wisedome iustifie the multitude in bearing their misdeedes and not onely builde of diuers stones and sundry things a Church and holy Congregation to himselfe but also defend foster susteine and preserue the same foreuer Nowe my Lordes in all these things hath our Lorde the King right worthily prefigured the holy Messiah to the which I hope yée will willy subcribe and thereof
conclude with mée that hee is neither a damned nor a reprobate The consent of the princes or a prophane person but a singuler Saint of the most high To this answered the Princes yee haue well spoken most reuerend father and semblably applyed whatsoeuer yee haue produced for the king Many things whereof wee knowe and all other things wee beleeue to be true as yee haue declared them therefore wee will gladly both subscribe to the same and conclude with you for the Kings holines Morouer as we haue been willing to heare you and are glad of those your resolutions so are wee not weary but more willing as yet to heare you further and further in these things neither shall ye bee more ready to speake then wee shall be pleased to listen and learne to vnderstand the mysteries of the kings excellency and glorie Therefore if ye haue any thing else to produce say on wee beseech you To this said Zadok Yea my Lords there be as yet many more Arguments to this purpose and more then I minde at this time to produce It shall be sufficient that among many I take some few For the thing being already so well proved that of the trueth fewe or none néede to doubt it may be bootlesse for mee to heape together ouer-much lest I may not onely séeme to affirme and confirme that which no man denieth but also to confound your memories with ambages and tedious circumstances But hearken againe As it hath well pleased the Almightie to elect king Solomon to appoint him the builder of his house Solomon in his dignitie prefigureth Christ to honor his birth and to entitle him with those most soueraigne Names so hath hee made him king ouer his people Israel to doe vnto them equitie and righteousnesse And this the Lorde did in his loue to his people 1. king 10. as the noble Queene of Saba said at her being here and so said Hyram the king of Tyrus writing to the king Because the Lord loved Israel therefore hath he placed the king over them Wherein wee see how he typeth the holy Messiah for insomuch as the Lord loued his Church I meane all those faithfull ones whom he had before elected and purposed to glorifie in the end he made his Messiah their Prince and Captaine He gaue vnto them in his good pleasure such a king as might sit vpon mount Sion from whence he had expelled all the halt and the blinde that this king of the right Vrim and Thumim might be placed and raigne therein doing righteousnesse and equitie vnto his Saints If therefore the Lorde loued Israel and in his pleasure placed ouer them a king whom he also loued and by the same would prefigurate both his Messiah his Church what should let vs in this to conclude for the kings holinesse Moreouer the end of this gouernment shooteth to the same scope which is to doe equitie and righteousnes This our king endeuoured to his power and so much performed as a mortall man could but the full perfection thereof indeede is reserued to the most holy seede which is appointed to combine the Lords Iustice with his Mercie therof conclude Equitie when laying mans guilt on himselfe hee shall beare the strokes of the diuine iustice and imputing his perfection vnto man hee shall procure him pardon Thus shall iustice be administred yet mercy shall not be abandoned but one thing so considered with another that both righteousnesse and equitie shall bee extended This worke I say is proper to the Messiah wherein therefore our Lord king Solomon standeth a true figure Furthermore to be briefe Solomons magnanimitie the K. great magnanimitie expresseth the same he spared forbare to punish thē which had offended his Maiestie as Adoniah Ioab and others whom hee would neuer haue struken had they not after their second offence against him worthily deserued the reward of their wickednes and how mercifully he dealt with Abiather it is apparent to signifie how ready the Messiah shall bee to forgiue them that offend him vpon their submission after the diuine nature who as David the king did sing is more ready to pardon then to punish them that sin against him when they repent as we sée in the example of the same David To this His wisedome may be added the excellencie of Solomons wisdō I mean that pure influence flowing from the glorie of the most high the brightnesse of that euerlasting light that vndefiled mirrour of the divine Maiestie and the image of his goodnesse that without measure The which shall perfectly and fully farre beyond all that the King hath or can haue be found really and actually resident in the person of holy Messiah the fountaine of all wisedome and heauenly graces the depth whereof the wit of man is not nor shall euer bee able to sound His iudgements and other things The 2. harlots The priesthood translated as long as the worldendureth Moreouer his discretion in Iudgement concerning the cause of the 2. women and their children signifieth the maner of dealing of the Messiah in iudgemēt between his Church and the malignant in time to come his translating of the Priest-hoode from the house of Eli foretelleth that the Priest-hood in time shall bee translated when the true Melchizedek shall come to offer vp his sacrifice for the people of God His iudgement on Adoniah and Ioab Adoniahs iudgement fore-sheweth that the King of glorie in his dayes shall powerfully throwe downe and confound all such as bee enemies to the Lords Annointed and which seeke to disturbe the common-wealth of his Church Hyram his contribution The sending to Hyram the Sidonian for timber and other things for the building of his Temple signifieth that the Messiah as hee is a light for the Gentiles so he shall from thence also take and gather into the Church according to the request of Noah Gen. 9. who prayed that Iaphet might be persuaded to dwell in the tents of Shem. To this also belongeth the comming of the famous Queene of Arabia The Queene of Sheba to heare the kings wisedome with her royall presents and her entertainement for the time shall come that in the like manner the kings of the Gentiles and the people which dwell in the remote and vttermost parts of the earth shall be congregated to heare the wisdom of the holy one Solomons glorie and riches and shal be most gratefull to him for his loving mercies Also the great glory and riches of the king setteth foorth the high glory and noble vertues of that heauenly king from whose kingly stocke many princely branches of divine issue haue and shall spring out and of whom the kings father diuinely inspired prophesied when he spake in the Psalme of his beautie psal 4.5 grace blessing courage might worship renowne prosperitie honor truth meekenes righteousnes noble actions strength in warre of his throne his scepter his iudgements his
righteousnes his annointing his apparell his marriage his royaltie his Godhead his praise his eternitie and everlasting glory For all these things are found and shall for euer be well approued and highly praised in that holy Messiah Solomons prayers and sacrifices which the Lord accepted 1. king 8.22 to whom onely the king by the letter pointeth as the figure to the thing figured Nowe with this wee may not forgette that the king hauing finished the Lords house stood before the Altar of the Lord in the sight of all the Congregation of Israel and stretched out his hands towards heauen and blessed the Lord and praised him and his truth yea he knéeled also on his knées and prayed vnto him that the word might be verified which hee spake vnto David his father and that it would please him to haue respect vnto his prayer and supplication as well for himselfe as for the people praying in that house Also he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel verse 56. with a loude voyce saying Blessed bee the Lorde that hath given rest vnto his people Israel according to all that hee promised c. The Lord our God bee with vs as he was with our Fathers and forsake vs not nor leave vs but that hee may bowe our hearts vnto him that wee may walke in all his wayes and keepe his Commandements his statutes and his Lawes which hee commanded our Fathers And those my words that I haue prayed before the Lorde bee nigh vnto Iehovah our GOD day and night that hee defend the cause of his servant the cause of his people Israel at all times as the matter shall require that all nations of the earth may knowe that Iehovah is God and none but hee Moreuer the King offered Offrings before the Lord yea peace-offrings in great aboundance and therewithall dedicated the house which he builded to the Lord with great ioy and gladnesse In all the which things Iehovah his God was well pleased with him yea and with the people through him heard his prayers receiued his requests graunted his petitions and apeared vnto him in Gibeon with this comfortable saying I have heard thy Prayer and thine intercession that thou hast made before mee For I haue hallowed this house which thou hast built to put my name there for ever and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually Now consider I pray you what K. Solomon is with the Lorde will the Lord heare and accept the reprobate and prophane persons or will he honour and esteeme their works although they séeme glorious to the conceits of worldly men No surely What saith the Kings father touching their prayers The prayer of vngodly men is turned into sinne Psal 100.6 And thus I haue heard him to modulate concerning himselfe and his estimation with the highest The Lord I know wil not vouchsafe my praier or words to heare If vnto sinne mine heart I should encline and him not feare But if I come into his Courts with offerings worthie praies And pay the vowes I promised in mine afflicted daies If on him with my mouth I call and with my tongue him blesse And offer him the sacrifice of thankes and righteousnes Then will he heare my praiers and consider of my case And my request will graunt in time of his aboundant grace In al these things therfore the king is declared to be not only holy and approued of God but also a perfect figure of that most holy Seede who in his time shall pray shall offer shall please God shal be heard shal be accepted and all his desires performed to the satisfying of his soule to the health of his people Finally The pluralitie of Solomons wiues the very pluralitie of the kings Wiues his Concubines on whom he was enamored and dishonoured howsoeuer vnlawfull offensiue to God and a disgrace to himselfe shall not be reckoned as a thing vnnecessarie in this comparison seeing that the most holy Messiah in his ardent zeale for mans recouery will be contented that the serpent shall trippe on his heele Gen. 3. whereby he will be dishonored and abased whiles he taketh on himselfe mans ougly deformities and sinnes being so willing through his owne humiliation and ignominie to ease man so burthened and to bring him home againe vnto him from whom hee had farre wandered and to reconcile him with him against whom hee had monstrously transgressed And therefore as his Proverbes the which for the most part hee vttered in his florishing and perfect estate are applicable as chiefly appertaining to the gouernment of a godly family as these his * Wordes That is his Ecclesiastes 1. now daily and ordinarily vttered and ruminated are applicable as especially belonging to the ordering of a godly Common-wealth So also those his Loue-songs and Ballads entituled * Schir-hasschirim The Canticles of Solomon The Song of songs composed in his yonger dayes yea before the twentieth year of his age shall not be reiected or abandoned but esteemed and properly applied both to that mysticall and spirituall woowing espowsing combination and familiar societie communication of the holy Messiah with his elect and faithfull Saints of the which hee gathereth and garnisheth a Church as a chaste Wife to himselfe Loe my Lordes in these and many other such notable things is our Lord K. Solomon by the will wisdom and providence of God made an excellent figure of that holy Annointed and therefore he may not bee esteemed a naughty or prophane person but to bee taken as hee is indeede a Saint of the Lorde Neither doe I any thing doubt but that the best learned and godly that either now liue or shall come after vs will so iudge and esteeme of him when they shall heare and well weigh not onely of that which hath beene said heretofore concerning him his words actions and estate but also shall plainely beholde the verification thereof in the very person and perfect beautie of that promised Schilo the King of righteousnesse and highest peace at his happy comming in the world into the appointed time This being sayd all the Princes were much comforted although in this their kings affliction and gaue thankes to Zadok who yet seemed further to resolue and satisfie them in any thing whereof either any question might bee mooued or any doubt iustly arise concerning the kings holines CAP. XXVIII Zadok argueth for the King concerning his repentance and remission after his Transgressions ZAdok hauing thus farre pleaded for K. Solomon and with many substantiall Arguments proued him a Saint of the Lorde and therefore that hee could not bee either a damned soule or a reprobated wretch or a prophane person as some haue or might ouer harldy rashly censure him the Princes shewed themselues both ioyfull and thankefull But after a whiles Prince Azariah in the behalfe of the rest stood foorth opened his mouth and sayde Most reuerende Father wee all confesse with thankefulnes that yee
haue framed a worthie Apologie for the king and with Arguments sufficient yee haue prooued him to bee not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prophane but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saint Neither doe wee doubt of any of those things but partly know them and partly beleeue them to be so indeede as yee haue sayde And God forbidde that any of vs by reason of our suspensiue opinions and doubtfull conceites should tender occasion to any of them that come after vs to bee doubtfull of the King whom wee well knowe the Lorde hath elected and will preserue and whome wee esteeme notwithstanding his sinnes a Saint of the Lorde And in truth as those persons which haue bruised frankinsence and beene ensenced therewith doe smell of the same neither will they by and by lose the sauour and sent thereof though they bee purged so the King hauing beene endued with the diuine Spirite and long exercised in the vse of the right Princely and sacred vertues doeth yet and shall enioy the sweete sauor and acceptable memorie of the same neither may so short a time as this life is blotte it out Whereby being enboldened hee may therein contemne them that shall either disdayne him or vniustly iudge of either him his wordes or actions But nowe because the Kings Remission and Pardone Solomons sinnes are pardoned and he remaineth a Saint of the Lord for euer after his trespasse was called into question it may not displease your Reuerence that wee enquire whether his sinnes bee remitted that is whether the Lorde hath forgiuen and pardoned his trespasses forgotten his iniquitie absolued him of his guiltinesse and loosed him from the bandes of eternall death yea or no. For they will reply and thus obiect It may bee that hee was a Saint and seruant of Iehovah his GOD so long as hee kept his minde chaste his body cleane his actions without reproofe and the trueth of his doctrine pure and vnspotted Or so long as hee well pleased GOD who iustifieth the beleeuing sinner or so long as hee was ordained to stand the figure of the holy Messiah wherein hee sheened in perfite beautie but afterwarde in his transgressions and sinnes he turned his beautie into ougly deformitie Nor indeede according to your former words coulde hee possibly bee and remayne the figure of the holy Messiah longer then whiles his beautie remayned perfite in him Therefore except hee were forgiuen and by this his remission clensed and restored to his former excellencie or at the leasted admitted into the fauour of GOD and iustified the former doubt will be still retained and vrged against both him and his words Therefore let it please you to resolue this doubt and satisfie vs therein as we know yee are well able most reuerend Father To this answered Zadok I am most willing both to resolue this doubt and to satisfie you my Lords all in this case therefore to proue that the King hath obtained mercie and pardon of the Lord God for all those his transgressions and so consequently standeth and remayneth a Saint and person dedicated to the Lorde notwithstanding all those his transgressions I thus reason for my Lord the king * Whosoeuer hath truely repented him of his sinnes Solomon obteined mercie for he repented him of his sinnes hee hath obtained mercie and forgivenesse But our Lord King Solomon hath truely repented him of his sins therfore he hath obtained mercy and forgevenesse The first proposition is prooued by many sounde Arguments and positions of holy Scriptures And first by the due consideration of the Nature of GOD who as hee hath created man to his owne image and likenesse and hath a will to preserue him so desireth hee nothing more then his conuersion and amendement after his falling as whereby hee may not bee hindered but furthered and bolpen in his walking towardes the highest Glorie yea in this hee resembleth a true father that both pitieth and pardoneth his owne sonne which hath offended him vpon his true repentance as both Moses Iob and David of famous memorie haue tolde vs with other our holy Prophets who teache and assure vs from the Lordes owne mouth that if an vngodly man will turne away from all his sinnes that hee hath done and keepe all his Statutes and doe the thing that is iudgement and right hee shall doubtlesse liue and not die neither shall his sinnes bee either retained or mentioned vnto him for God hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner but gladly will bee mercifull vnto him and pardon him vpon his repentance For God is most readie to forgiue Therefore hee comforteth vs with this saying Circumcise the fore-skinnes of your heartes Deut. cast away your transgressions and turne againe vnto Iehovah your God and yee shall not dye but liue And this is that which wee beleeue and persuade of our Lorde the king Surely Cain himselfe though too presumpsuous and proude in his sinnes could inregard hereof say and is my sinne greater Gen. 4. then that it can bee pardoned Knowing that the promise which GOD had made to Adam in Paradize both imported and included remission saying that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Seede of the Woman shoulde breake the Serpents heade whereof man though an execrable sinner shoulde finde both remission and life with Iehovah his GOD. Next to this wee haue a great many comfortable examples in the Bookes of Moses Iob Iosuah the Iudges and Samuel as of the pardon offered vnto Iudah Lot the Israelites and to bee briefe to David the Kings father to whome the Lorde sayde by Nathan the Prophet God hath put away thy sinnes thou shalt not die the which hee often remembred in the Booke of the Psalmes psal 103.3 whereof hee also prouoketh his soule to the praise of GOD who had forgiuen him all his iniquitie and couered all his sinne Nowe as none can forgiue sinnes but God onely so those our ancestors when they sinned perswading that all their sinnes were done against God either immediately or by meanes they would in the hope of remission and health repaire vnto him seeking first to bee reconciled with his grace before they would goe vnto men remembering what olde Eli the Priest 1. Sam. 2. saide some-times to his children If a man sinne against man sayde hee the Iudge may decide it but if a man sinne against GOD who shall bee his Vmpire or Dayes-man Moreouer knowing that pardon required precedent Repentance without the which who will forgiue him that offendeth him among men they neither presumed to approach the diuine throne with proud insolent and presumptuous Spirites but with contrite and humble heartes desiring mercie for sinnes committed and confessed with great submission For albeit that Repentance be very sharpe and bitter to the sinner and many men had leaner sinne openly then repent secretly yet is this the Medicine of trespasses the consumption of iniquities a weapon against Satan and a sharpe sworde prepared and able to daunt
the deadly aduersarie This is the hope of health the purchase of mercie and way to felicitie I cannot yet cease but speake againe of this soueraigne treasure and medicine of the sinners sore beeing therein as full as the Moone and most willing to bee powred foorth in the excellencie thereof so full of consolation and rich blessings This is that which through the mercie of the liuing God in the promised seede remitteth sinnes openeth the gates of Paradize salueth the man that is broken in heart and gladeth them that bee sorowfull This is that which calleth a mans life from destruction restoreth his estate reneweth his decayed honour giueth him boldnesse reformeth his spirites and powreth in grace vpon grace This is that which looseth things bounde clarifieth things obscure and animateth things desperate The beautie of this vertue is as cleare as the Sunne as bright as the Moone as glistring as the Starres The sweetnes thereof is as honye the price as golde and the estimation beyonde all precious stones For this is that which neither sinne ouer-commeth nor defection destroyeth nor dispaire blotteth out Finally this abandoneth all vices imbraceth all vertues tormenteth sinne extolleth righteousnesse obtaineth mercies produceth vertues freeth sinners recouereth the lost recreateth the desperate He that can truely repent needeth not to doubt of saluation refresheth the harde labourer and bringeth to her possessors eternall happinesse For by this a man shall bee saued although hee hath lead all his life in sinne as there is no man which sinneth not full often and euery day Such an excellent thing is true Repentance But yee will saye Howe is this wrought in a man howe is this repentance wrought in man Howe shall a man truely repent Indeede this thing is not wrought in man of mans owne power nor wisedome For GOD stayeth not to expect it from mans wisedome or abilitie for so may both his expectation bee frustrated and man bee deceiued but it is the goodnesse of GOD to renewe them by repentance which are waxen olde in sinne Therefore the Sinner shoulde neuer despaire Despaire not of mercie nor fall from hope neither shoulde hee bee ashamed to repent but ashamed to sin and consider that as the one is a wound so the other is a medicine for the wound Sinne is the wound Repentance is the medicine the wounde hath shame the medicine hath boldnesse the wound is made by the malice of the deuill the medicine is wrought by the loue and goodnesse of GOD in the merite of the holy Messiah which beareth and washeth away all the sinnes of them that truely repent The princes * To this the Princes hauing yeelded attentiuenesse with great gladnesse consented esteeming the Oration as profitable as it was plausible and as fruitfull as gladsome vnto them And then among them stood foorth the Priest Abiather Abiather obiecteth and sayde Yee haue well spoken concerning the former proposition most reuerend Father It is likewise in request that yee prooue the Minor For it may bee called into question heereafter whether the King hath truely repented him yea or no For except this bee prooued what is any thing of that which yee haue spoken touching Repentance appertinent vnto him and if it concerneth not him what profite takes he thereof for hee is not remitted or how is our common question answered and the doubt resolued zadok proveth that king Solomon repented To the which answered Zadok neither is this question so hard to bee answered vnto nor the doubt intricate to bee dissolued for if there were none other Argument whereby to proue the kings true Repentance yet is this enough that he is a Saint a person dedicated to the Lorde therefore he is not fallen from hope therefore hee is truely repentant For as the strong foundation standeth still hauing this Seale The Lorde knoweth them that bee his The saints do not fall away for euer so wee may not thinke that the Saints of God for whom mercie is euer kept in store can fall vtterly away from hope or bee shut out from mercie in the time of their neede For as the wood whose nature is to swimme on the water may yet beeing ouer-laden with yron sinke but the yron beeing taken off the wood neuertheles ascendeth againe to the head of the water and swimmeth Neither may we say that it is no wood because it did sinke once to the bottome Though the faithfull fall yet they rise vp againe So though the righteous men whose nature is by Faith to stand and walke in Gods way being oppressed with the burthen of sinne through the deuils malice do vnhappily couch downe as with Isachar between two burdens yet may we not rightly saye that they are not of the Lords chosen for it is so that whensoeuer that burden is remoued as it is from them that repent they rise againe and bee renued as in their former estate and beeing of that generation and nature it is not possible that they shoulde fall vtterly away for the sonnes of God do not so apostate that they fall into eternall perdition howsoeuer they sinne and sinke vnder their sins For the iust man falleth but he riseth againe And therein they be likened to the herbe Adyanton which beeing steeped deep in the waters though a long time will neuertheles beeing taken vp appeare very dry For the righteous man which had fallen after his rising againe by Repentance is as beautifull as euer he was maugre the malice of the Serpent And touching this doctrine I haue heard the King himselfe to say according to the truth of the holy writings and words of our Prophets that the soules of the righteous are in the handes of God These be Solomons wordes which afterward were gathered by philo the Iew. Sap. 31. and there shall no torment touch them c. Again God proveth them and findeth them meete for himselfe as gold in the furnace doth he try them and receiveth them as a burnt offering and when the time commeth they shal be looked vpon Againe They that put their trust in the Lord shall vnderstand the truth and such as be faithfull shall persevere with him in love For his saincts have grace and mercy Sap. 4 15. and he hath care for them Againe The loving favour and mercy of God is vpon his saincts and he hath respect vnto his chosen Moreouer I haue heard the kinges Father to say The Lord will not permit the righteous to fall for ever though for their triall and bettering hee suffer them to slide for a time psal 55.22 And th'excellent prophets Nathan and Gad haue preached and others the Lords Prophets and holy men haue and do yet preach that God loueth his chosen with an eternall loue therefore he draweth them vnto himselfe by his mercy although they sinne seuen times in a day whereby they rise againe and are renewed Therefore it cannot bee that this person I meane King
Solomon so holy elected and beloued of God shold find no place of true Repentance after his sinnes committed Neither may we in equitie and charitie being indeede witnesses of such his Repentance but testify and auouch the same before the whole world But be it that his Repentance were neither apparant nor here protested by vs should the king therfore If this were not so plainely testified yet might not Solomon be iustly condemned as a reprobate which is so holy a man and the Lords chosen be condemned God forbid And it were too sharpe a censure either to say so or to think that euery person whose sins haue beene laid open in the holy Scriptures hath not been truly repentant except that also such his repentance hath beene expresly and plainely depainted and set foorth in the same Adam his repentance What plaine or expresse mention I beseech you is there made in the holy Scriptures of Adams repentance after his fall in whome wee bee all cast away by nature howsoeuer the same is presumed or gathered by circumstances or of the repentance of Noah after his drunkennes Noah Lot Sampson Simeon Levi. Iudah or of Lot after his incest or of Sampson after his daliances with Dalila or of Iacobs sonnes Simeon and Levi which against the mind of their Father dealt deceitfully and cruelly with Hemor the sonne of Sichem and his citizens or of Iudah th' eldest sonne of Iacob after his sinne with Thamar his daughter in lawe hee confessed indeede that shee was more iust then hee so did Pharao also confesse that the Lord was righteous and that hee and his people were Sinners Surely albeit that these and many other the Lordes chosen haue beene both noted in the holy Scriptures which are extant before vs and also punished in some measure for their sinnes and offences yet did it not alwayes follow that the repentance of euery of them hath beene so largely declared to the world or so plainely set foorth in wordes as was the repentance of David the Kinges Father Davids repentance and of some of others And yet who should either in wisedome reason equity or good conscience call their repentance conuersion or turning againe to the Lord into question to whome the Lorde hath expressed the full assurance of his loue and mercy in their liues What said the King in this case Though the righteous be overtaken by death yet shal he bee at rest Againe The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God their shall none evill touch them Worthily haue these golden sayings beene taken from his mouth Sap. 4.7 and copied out and conserued for the posteritie to giue comfort vnto the Lordes chosen and to satisfy them that might otherwise condemne themselues and their cause in the consideratiō of their punishments and miseries in this life Therefore it is true that as the man which hath beene long nooseled vp in vices will not onely with much adoe leaue them and leauing them will yet retaine some sauour thereof in his person as such which hauing beene long clogged with iron fetters will yet halte after they bee loosed so on the contrary parte hee that hath beene brought vp and exercised in holy vertues will not soone loose the habite much lesse the sauor of them as those vessels will long retaine and yeeld the smack of that liquor which was in them first steeped although they bee washed and assayed to bee purged from the same Neither may wee thinke but that if after the opinion of the very heathen Philosophers one vice ouerthroweth not a vertue in habite much rather shoulde wee of Israel not so much as imagine that one or a few faultes of the children of God occasioned either of ignoraunce or of feare or of infirmitye or of naturall concupiscence or of the malice of the olde Serpent shoulde rent asunder an habite of holinesse and so infringe or weaken the power of Gods free election and loue the which by his spirite euer worketh a godly repentance vnto them which are elected and by the same in mercy appointed to glory For those whome in his loue hee hath elected before all worldes hee wil in his mercy pardon and glorifie and for that purpose hee giueth them a godly repentance as that which is ordained for the calling home againe and recouery of those the Lords chosen whom the Serpent had beguiled and seduced For the Lorde our God will not loose any one of them which appertaine vnto him nor will hee suffer his truth to faile CAP. XXIX Of the nature of Solomons sinnes and argumentes of his true Repentance ZAdoke had no soonr deliuered the former speeches but by and by Abiather rose vp againe and obiected saying Whether are Solomons sins greater then the sinnes of some other that did repent and were pardoned 1. King 11. 5. It is said most reuerend father that the sins of our L.K. Solomō are of the nature as they haue far exceeded the sinnes of those holy ones of whose repentāce we be either certified or perswaded in the holy scriptures as more hainous and dangerous for behold his strange wiues and fleshly Concubines haue turned away his heart from the Lord his God in so much that hee hath followed after Astaroth the God of the Sydonians and Milcom the abhomination of the Ammonites he hath builded an high place for Chamos the abhomination of Moab and for Moloch the abhominatiō of the childrē of Ammon and hath wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord and hath not followed the Lord perfectly as did David his father Al these are your own words concerning the King and his trespasse most reuerend father neither haue I added any thing in the hearing whereof who is there almost but that will condemne the king of a more heinous and dangerouse sinne zadok then that the Fathers of whome ye haue spoken did euer commit in their daies But yet I beseech you said Zadok that those my wordes may neither bee wrested nor amisse vnderstood in this case God forbid that therein I shoulde so farre depresse the Kinges hope and estimation with the Lorde as to iudge his sinnes either irremissible or such haue exceeded the sinnes of those others whom the Lorde hath pardoned vpon their true repentance Indeede it cannot be denyed nor defended but that the king hath sinned grieuously against the Lord his God as I said before and therin hath offered an offence vnto the Lords people Howbeit that either the nature of those his sinnes is such as can neither haue pardon as was the sinne of Cain or that it was more hainous and horrible either in quantitie or qualitie then the sinnes of some others whom it pleased the Lorde in mercy to remit and renew vpon repentance wee neither finde nor dare to auouch Our first parents in Paradise committed an horrible transgression They hearkened to Satan they brake the commandement they forsooke the Lord their God were made thralls
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
and Moses and Aaron And this he did also truely and speedily as soone as he saw the Angell of Gods wrath had drawen forth his sworde against him his people as David did when he saw the angell of God plaguing the people in this point he well resembled that wary bird which seeing the fowlers bow bent and himselfe in danger makes haste to flye away before that the arrow bee sent foorth against him remembring what his father had modulated If when that men offend the Lord they will not turn againe He furbisheth his percing sword in iustice them to paine He bends his bow it prepares with dreadfull darts of death And lethall instrumentes to take from them their vitall breath But alas there be in the world too many cōparable to that foolish bird which maketh no hast to escape frō the snare before he be taken therin Therfore I now remēber not only what he coūsailed Be not slow to turne to the Lord for sodainly shall his wrath burne like fier but what his father aduised psal 95.8 To day if ye his voice will heare Then harden not your faithles heart As ye with grudging many a yeare Provokte me in the wild desert It is meet that men attend him whē he calleth If men offer gold which is yet but transitory there bee which come with speede and the tree being shaken they will gather vp the fruit without long tarrying But when the Lorde proffereth peace to mans soule they come slackly regarde it little which is the cause they often misse the kings thousand But as for our Soueraign L. albeit we had been neither eare-witnesses nor eye-witnesses yet besides the K. gesture and present constitution of body the very words which wee haue heard from him and yet daily heare him to vtter That is his Ecclesiastes and the which being taken and collected into a register may bee called the booke of his repentance shall for euer witnesse and manifest the same thing For therein it doth and may appeare that our L. King Solomon not onely after his full and perfect experience of all the delights of the sonnes of men and the affaires of this life but also after all those his transgressions wherein he had so much vexed and disquietted both his minde and body angred the L. offended the holy ones distained his honor and endangered his soule is neverthelesse by the admirable operation of the diuine spirite brought to the true sense and knowledge of his sinnes and so of the danger of himselfe and his people the which is alwaies the first grade to true repentance from whence hee hath orderly proceeded to the full perfection thereof as hereafter yee shall vnderstand In the meane time my good L let vs think right honourably of the K. and beleeue that Iehovah his God hath not barred him out from the contrition and repentance of the blessed and so neither from the diuine mercy Ye haue well spoken most reuerēd father said the Princes which we haue gladly heard and will both concurre and conclude with you for the King to the honour of our God And truely in this that hee hath acknowledged and confessed his offences hee may not bee either condemned or disliked albeit hee bee the King of Israel no more then such a thing was blamed in David his father but rather to be commended as it was in him as first in regard of the good example wherby others might be instructed next for the more ease of his own heart oppressed with sorrow in the consideration of his sin with the danger ensewing it Thirdly for the better pacifying of the diuine wrath which is vehemēt against obstinat sinners and fouthly for the good of his people who vpon his repentance and remission might hope for peace there be some who when they haue sinned will not easily acknowledge themselues faultie either to God or to man and therfore are hardly perswaded to amend Wherin they bee like those which holden of desperate diseases not feeling themselues sick are hardly recouered for this is a great hinderāce to amēdment of life when men which are offenders will not acknowledge their offences But there bee some though not many of them which offending do by times feele and know their offences and seek to escape the diuine wrath by a faithful recōciliatiō and so are recouered in good time And these be like not only to those wise birds which as ye said eschew the arrowes comming towards them but also to those which being distempered in their bodies soone espy it and seek to preuent inconueniences by the aduise and help of the cunning phisician For as the sense of the sicknes is the commencement of the cure so the acknowledging of a fault is the first step to pardon and so to the amēdment of him that hath faulted But proceed most reuerend father we pray you and desist not vntill ye haue fully declared the order and manner of the K. true repentance for truly howsoeuer it hath beene a griefe and sorow vnto our hearts to hear of those his great transgressions and sins it is and shal be now a ioy and comfort vnto vs to heare of his happy Repentance by the which it may be the L. will also repent him of that euill which he had purposed to doe vnto him and vs and will turne iustice into mercy that we perrish not in this his high displeasure which is as a fearfull fyer to consume thē that wil neither repent them of their sinnes nor seeke him whiles hee may bee found in the singlenesse of heart CAP. XXX Zadok declareth the order and manner of Solomons Repentance THe Princes hauing heard Zadok thus farre acknowledged the equitie of his dealing and withall hauing praysed and commended the King in this point that although he were a King yet he disdained not both is acknowledge himselfe an offendor after the example of his father David they requested Zadoke to proceede who continuing the former argument spake againe to this effect Surely my Lordes as the K. is most wise and his wisedome euer remained with him so perceiuing that he had sinned against God who thereby was prouoked to anger hee did not onely acknowledge the same in his heart but also considered that the iudgements diuine were now ready to be executed against him and his people Yea Solomons Contrition as in Eccl. ca. 1. 2. hee felt the arrowes of God to stick fast in him whereby he was moved to such great contrition of heart and sorrw of minde for his sins that there was no health in his flesh nor rest in his bones he was brought into such an extreame trouble and heauines that hee went mourning all the day long as sometimes I saw his father David to do when his heart was contrite after the knowledge of his sinnes and sense of Gods wrath Secondly Solomons confession of his sinnes the king hath not omitted to vtter foorth the fearefull
mine horrible ingratitude A K. banisheth from his Court Idolators and wantons and whoremongers c. but I haue fawned on those which in my presence haue dedicated themselues to those abhominations A king should be a patterne of beauty vnto his people in all godly vertues but I haue giuen them an example of lewdnesse in mine inordinate excesse A King is the stay and glory of his place but I haue both weakned and deformed mine house with transgressions A K. both respecteth and expecteth the honor of the most holy but I haue blemished the same with the damps of sinne Therfore vnworthy I am the title of a King And if I may not bee named a King then much lesse should ye call me the King of Israel And truly I may not henceforth be called K. over Israel because the L. God for mine offēces against him hath iustly depriued me of the honor of that high dignity But rather henceforth as I haue rightly merited I may be numbred amōg the fooles of Israel Messiah the true king of Israel Yea and albeit that my seruant Ieroboham hath lifted vppe his handes against mee and shall vsurpe that Name and dignitye yet shall both this Name and dignitye bee reserued as rightly imposed for the most righteous Seede and Prince of Israel which was promised to David my Father and which in his due time shal be raysed vp to sit on his seate and to raigne ouer the house of Israel that is ouer the Saints and holy people of God in doing them equitie and true iudgement for euer In the meane time I must in all humblenesse of minde bewaile my sinnes and the miserie of mine house and posteritie occassioned by the same the which I cannot but euery houre remember consider lament and finally repent and abandon those manifolde vanities of the sonnes of men Solomon is a preacher to teach and perswade the people pro. 31. wherein I haue beene polluted and wearyed in my life Lo thus the King ruminateth in affliction heereof is his continuall meditation in the sorowe of his minde and thus hee expresseth his faithfull repentance euery day * Fiftly although he hath spent some portion of his life in sin and the whiles did forget the wholesome lesson which his mother Bethsabe gaue him yet being in the ende preuented by the grace and mercie of God hee doeth agine often call to minde and recount her wife instructions and ruminateth of that which himselfe hath thought good to write and speake in his wise Prouerbs as a confession of his sinnes and a worthy argument of his Repentance yea hee hath not onely converted and dedicated himself again vnto the Lord in wonderfull great feare and reuerence Solomon inciteth all others to vertues Eccles. 12. but also as a learned and experienced Preacher of Repentance and Righteousnes he halloweth and calleth all men from the vices and vanities of the deceitfull world teaching and exhorting them to feare the Lorde and to keepe his commandements And in this the king is not like them which thinke that a benefite languisheth and perisheth as the flood which powreth foorth her streames into diuers channels and small veynes but he is as the liberall man right willing to benefite many thereby to cause his beneuolence to abound therefore he studieth he preacheth hee speaketh he exhorteth he admonisheth he comforteth he refuteth he confirmeth and whatsoeuer els necessarie and conuenient in a Preacher to drawe men from worldy vanities and to lead them towardes the best good and true felicitie the highest obiect of mans hope All this his nobles and his seruants All these things are testified by Solomons servants which stand before him heare his wisedome and obserue his wordes and workes finde and well vnderstande neither can wee but testifie the same for him before all men Yea wee see and can witnesse that there is in him both the wisedome of GOD and the knowledge of the holy Spirite in such abundance as wee are not able to expresse it and in this wee finde him yet more wise that now all the last hee hath changed his minde and withdrawen his affection from the worlde so farre that as he did sometimes swerue from the Lorde GOD and by his euill example did giue an occasion to many others to blaspheme and offend or at the least to bee offended so hee nowe endeuours himselfe tenne times more to eschewe euill and to seeke the Lorde in singlenesse of heart and to exhort and persuade others to doe the like to and for the which hee hath laboured day and night Eccles. 12 to searche and finde out delightsome wordes right Scripture and the wordes of trueth Wherein he followed not the common woont of sinners which beeing polluted and defiled with filthinesse haue a desire not onely to wallowe therein but also that others should bee defiled with them in the same resembling those Wrestlers or Fighters which care not to brush off the dust from their owne garmentes but rather endeuour to defile one another and fall together euen with the same Thus hath not the King done and to bee plaine The King hauing been nourtered and well trained vp in his youth sheweth foorth at this time the ripe fruites thereof notwithstanding those blemishes of humane imperfections * Finally although it bee a thing too common with men that though they for-beare to sinne for a time fearing the punishment thereof they neuerthelesse afterwarde forget themselues and returne againe Solomon after his repentance revolted not from God as with the dog to his vomit to their former vices as lately did Adoniah and Shimei yet the King beeing otherwise minded hath shunned and abandoned all his worldly delights vices and vanities and dedicated himselfe againe vnto the desire of heauenly things and the ioyes eternall in regard whereof for the loue of GOD and his owne health he abstaineth not onely from things vnlawfull but also from things lawfull and tollerable pleasing the minde and affection of man and now continueth stedfastly the same hauing made a sure Couenant with himselfe neuer to apostate or turne backewarde againe and therefore as the Trauailer which goeth towardes a most famous Citie is euer talking of his iourney and of the place to learne the customes and guise thereof and to expresse his desire to hasten and come thither Solomons common and daily meditation and talke as rauished with the loue of the same So we perceiue that the King is neuer pleased nor eased but when hee talketh and telleth of those high treasures of that most happy place thereof hee ruminateth thereof hee delighteth to talke thereof hee is glad to heare all other things bee they neuer so pleasant seeme loathsome and vaine in his conceit For of this nature are the words of his common talke and such are many of his Prouerbs the which seeme to be powred foorth from the good treasure of a good mans heart as the good fruits sprung of a good
Prophet Ahiah the Silonite hath for the Kings offence threatned punishment to the Seede of David as wee haue heard to our greife and sorow yet being mindefull of his promise and mercy made and shewed to David concerning Solomon to our great comfort hee hath in his grace stayed himselfe there and added this restraint 1. king 11.39 But not for ever or In all his dayes Whererin wee see that mercie is reserued and the punishment is determined in time which may not be vnderstoode of the paine of the reprobates and damned in hel the which is neither a punishment but a torment or plague and that not determinable but without and beyond all time Therfore we conclude that Solomon is not fallen for euer nor shall be punished for ever nor is deprived of the divine mercy but repenting being so well-beloved of God he is pardoned by him who hath commanded the woods and al pleasant trees to over shadow them that be his from this time foorth for ever more * And perswaded thereof Solomons salvation Object we may neither cast into doubt the hope of his eternal Saluatiō with the Lord for though I haue heard one to obiect Can a sinner be saved It is yet certaine as I saide that as such obtaine mercy which repent so shall they bee surely saued which obtaine mercie This the kings father testified when he modulated thus Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnes is forgiven Who are blessed and whose sinnes are covered Blessed is that man to whom the Lorde will not impute sinne And who are indeed blessed euen they to whome the kingdome of God belongeth and which are appointed to eternall happinesse Thus the first man Adam thus Abel the second man that feared God thus Abraham the father of true beleeuers thus Moses the Lords seruant and thus David the kings father and other the Lordes Saints were pardoned of their sinnes and blessed of the Lord. And therefore the King being the Lordes chosen and by his wisedome knowing the excellent effects of repentance and the sweetnesse of Gods louing mercies is doubtlesse happy and expecteth his rest and glorie with those Saints which hauing been wise and turned many vnto righteousnes doe and shall shine and glister as the brightnes of the firmament and as the starres for euer and euer Therefore howsoeuer it hath beene obiected against the King as neither the Egyptians for the heate Solomons defence nor the Scythians for the colde doe feele the terrible clappes of thunder So shall our Lord King Solomon partly by his excellent holines and glorie and partly by his true Repentance and forgiuenes of sinnes besides this our testimonie touching him be protected and defended against all reproches and obloquies of slanderous and enuious tongues aswell in this age as in all the ages that shall follow and succeed in the world yea and as he that casteth his darts against a rocke or other sound thing doeth sometimes hurt himself by the sodaine rebound of the same so whosoeuer shall hencefoorth ayme so contumeliously to the Kings person being a man so holy and glorious may paraduenture be perced himselfe by the inexpected rebounde of his owne dart and so they which haue beene glad of his sorrow and reioyce at his fall shall mourne in their owne destruction as a iust reward of their malitious censures and vngodly glory when on the other side they which loue the Lord and his Saintes shall be glad and reioyce in the sense of his louing mercies CAP. XXXI Why God permitted Solomon to fall Why Solomon now vseth not the Name Tetragrammaton The preservation of Solomons Sermons THE most reuerende Zadok hauing made the former Apologie for the K. and thervpon taken a pauze yet as not willing to giue ouer but as after a little breathing to proceed the Princes tooke an occasion of applause wherein they both approued and commended all those things which had beene sayde for the King The Nature of good subiects as right glad of that which might be iustly found and spoken in his defence being such persons indeed as wished him no euill but all good in their hearts But Zadok to preuent them who might of any his words take an occasion to presume in their sinnes zadok by defēding the king would not offer an occasion to any man to presume too farre vpon the divine mercies said I haue not produced the former arguments for the king nor spoken any thing my Lordes whereby I would animate or encourage men to presume vpon the diuine mercies and so to sinne that mercy might be powred out The Lorde forbid that any man should of this take that occasion Nay rather euery man might beware and take heed that he fall not then whiles he thinketh himselfe to stand most assured For as the most righteous man is not without his sinne and so prouokes the Lorde to anger and deserues damnation so shall not hee escape some measure of punishment Sinnes shall be punished aboue all hainous sinnes shall be horribly punished euen here in this life as it hath been apparant in David when he offended in the case of Vriah also in this our king of whom the Lord said before 2. Sam. 7. If he sinne I will beat him with the Rodde of men and with the plagues of the children of men thus did God beat euen him whom hee had made a man after his owne heart And thus he threatned euen the same whom hee named his Sonne If hee hath thus done on those greene and flowrishing branches what will he doe on the dry and withered stubbes surely whereas hee pruneth and correcteth the former to amend them for their good hee will cut off and destroy the other from among his people for though as a father he pittieth his owne yet as a iust Iudge hee will condemne and as a tyrant will rent a sunder the sonnes of Beliall Deut. 32. neither desist or spare vntill that in them hee hath filled vp the measure of his wrath according to the measure of their transgressions The which thing if the vngodly the féede dayly on mischiefe as on bread and drawe sinnes vnto themselues as with strong ropes duely considered and regarded they would haue lesse courage to flatter themselues in their manifold impieties and to promise peace to their soules in the depth of those their dangers Azariah * Then spake Azariah for the Princes saing Well sayd most reuerend father But wee beseech you wherefore did the Lord God permitte and suffer our noble King not onely to slide but also to sinne yea and to transgresse so horribly before the Lorde and his people zadok Gods secret iudgemēts are beyond the reach of man Shoulde godly sobrietie licence vs answered Zadok to sounde the profunditie of the divine thoughts or to enter into the bowels of his secretes or to searche out the causes of his hidden and vnknowen wayes no surely but rather then to search
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
before him in whose sight the very Angels be vncleane nor that he might thinke himselfe righteous in his owne power before the throne of that King in whose presence no flesh liuing can be iustified but that rather in the consideration of his imperfections and the bitter sense of the diuine displeasure he should acknowledge and confesse his infirmities and by a godly repentance striue to resurge vnto that from whence he was fallen as his father did * But here I call to minde Why Solomon vsed not the holy name Tetragrammaton in his Booke of Eccles that Abiather obiected further against the king and his wordes namely in this that hee had not of late vsed nor remembred in his common talke the glorious Name Iehovah whereof he would conclude as it appeareth a note of prophanitie in the King as one that either should denie or forget the liuing God who is to be remembred praised for euer Wherefore lest any aduantage might be either giuen or taken in passing such a thing ouer in silence which might indéed argue a consent to that which is obiected ye shal vnderstand that in any wise we may not gather of this omission of that sacred Name either a deniall or a forgetfulnes of the Lord God by the king nor may we thereby the sooner derogate authoritie from him and his words no more then wee may iustly condemne the poore sinner and his prayer which in the consideration of his owne vilenesse dareth not to lift vp his eyes to the heauens For as this Name is wonderfull and most dreadfull to the sinfull so who knoweth not but that we esteeme it Ineffable not to bee pronounced or vsed except in waightie matters and in the causes of the highest importance But the omission of this Name by the king may be imputed partly to the great honor he yéelded the same partly to the singular humilitie of his contrite spirit who now déeply weighing the heauy burthen of his sinne and all those vanities wherein hee had béene long wearied with the terror of the diuine iudgements threatned on him and his posteritie by the Lords Prophet he thinketh himselfe most vnworthy to take in his mouth or to vse that dreadfull name being not forgetfull of that which he heard his Maister Asaph after the Prophesie that David had giuen him often times to sing and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But God vnto the sinner said And why psal 50.16 presumest thou to preach mine holy heasts and in thy mouth to take my Testament For the King is now so far humbled An argument of the kings repentance that notwithstanding his wisedome place and glory he estéemeth himselfe of no reputation and therein too vile not onely to name Iehovah but also to be as a doore-kéeper within that holy house which himselfe hath built and dedicated in the time of grace to that most glorious Name And this is so farre off from all iust suspicion of prophanitie or forgetfulnesse or deniall of God in the King that the omission of this Name doth rather mightily argue his faithfull feare and humbled heart in true Repentance and with the like spirite in the remebrance of his sinnes committed and the punishments thereon threatned and felt in part and in this regard hee also refused to be called the King of Israel as before it hath béene sayd Would to God the like consideration dread and reuerence of this most holy Name did in the same spirit hold and possesse the hearts of all others that not onely mean and priuate persons but also princes and great personages would rather either tremble with David to heare thereof or feare with Solomon to take the same rashly and commonly in their mouthes then should not that commandement bee so presumptuously and dayly broken Exod. 20. Thou shalt not take the Name of Iehovah thy God in vaine Neither should this vengeance bee so often iustly inflicted Iehovah will not holde him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine Therefore hath the King worthily omitted the common vse of this Name in those his wordes and late writings Howbeit he hath neuerthelesse in all humilitie reuerence and grauitie vsed and yet doth daily vse those other Titles or Attributes of God whereby he is sufficiently knowne in the Law and in the Prophtes as namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is God Creatour King Supreme or highest And hee thus resolueth with holy Iob Iob. 27.3 that now so long as his breath is in him and the spirit of God in his nostrels his lips shall speake no wickednes and his tongue shall vtter no deceit But howsoeuer it bee that men haue their imperfections and slidings as wée may not tie the authoritie of holy Scriptures diuine Sermons and the truth of the Almightie to the credite or estimation of any mortall man The way to try all writings words and works of men so neither shall those Wordes and Sermons of our Lorde King Solomon bee esteemed onely after the person and authoritie of Solomon though he so far excelled all other men liuing in wisedom knowledge many other right excellent and rare induments and vertues but also according to the consent it hath with the propheticall and legall veritie and doctrine indited by the finger of Gods Spirit by whose motion Noah Abraham Isaack Iacob Samuel Moses David and other holy men haue spoken And it is most certaine howsoeuer some would gather thereof as Spiders which gather poison of the sweetest flowers and as the purest streames may bee polluted by the trampling of soule feete and the best Scriptures may be abused as Satan himselfe and the deceiuers of all times haue therein presumed to credite and authorize their owne that yet these present words of King Solomon as also his Proverbs Solomons words are approoued collected and reserued by his princes and servants Parables and divine songs the which he hath in the fullnesse of the Spirite of wisedome vttred spoken and modulated are sound veritie good Scripture and words agreable to the words and writings of Moses and the Prophets in all things Therefore let vs proceed with diligent carefulnesse to call to minde those the kings wordes which in this time and vpon this occasion hee vseth to vtter and speake before vs with great grauitie and to collect them into a Booke in the Name of God not forgetting to expresse our gratefull minde towardes his Grace in this our care to preserue his Wordes to commend them to the holy Church for the better instruction of the same acknowledging and testifying withall the diligence wisedome godly desire and excellencie of him who studied to be yet more wise and to teach the people knowledge that thereby abandoning the deceiuable vanities of this wicked world they might with him walke the right and perfite way towardes the best Good and highest felicitie These words beeing said Zadok pauzed again wherat
the princes with one accord expressed by signes both their gratefull minde and ready will to yeeld to the performance of this dutie knowing so well not only that the reasons alleaged were of sufficient probabilitie merited allowances but also that those the Kings Wordes were perfite veritie profitable for the Church in posteritie and therefore would that they should bee committed to writing and preserued accordingly CAP. XXXII Zadok answereth to certaine Obiections and expoundeth those wordes Vanitie of Vanities Abiather THen Abiather the Priest who had before obiected against the king and his wordes rose vp againe and saide But yet my Lords before we collect and record those the kings words that our labour therein may not be in vaine beseech you let vs further heare what my Lorde Zadok will answere to those particular Exceptions which are taken and may be vrged hereafter for some presumption against the Kings Words especially against this his ordinary talke towards the ratification of diuers erronious opinions that so all things being made plaine by vs by whom those the Kings Words must be gathered recorded commended to the church there may hereafter no iust aduantages bee taken nor any exceptions be admitted against any thing in the same The princes And we are well pleased said the Princes if it shall please my Lorde Zadok to vouchsafe vs his learned iudgement patience therein zadok And I also said Zadok shall not be vnwilling to answere Abiather in these things as the Lord shall enable me for the better setting foorth of his glorie and the truth of the Kings wisedome vttered in those his words What is the first Exception The first exception Eccles. 1.2 tell me Abiather The first Exception said Abiather is taken against those words of the king where hee saide and yet dayly saith Vanitie of vanities and all is most plaine vanitie There is not any of you all but haue heard him vtter these words aswell as myselfe wherein howsoeuer the king entendeth it there be which thinke that the king therein condemneth all the Creatures of God in the worlde with all those functions which in the law of God we are commanded to vse and to exercise our selues in to his high glorie the good of his Church and the benefite of the common-wealth And this he would prooue by many Arguments and in the ende so concludeth againe Vanitie of vanities Ye haue said quod zadok Eccles. 12.9 The answere but by your leaue Abiather and by your patience my Lordes all Séeing it is your good pleasure I shall answere I am the more willing as I said and ready to speake for my Lord the Kings Wordes It is true that the King hath saide and dayly ruminateth this proposition Vanitie of vanities Vanitie of vanities and all is but vanitie as the ground or conclusion of those his Words But doth that conclude a contempt of the Creatures and of the holy functions and gifts of God which in their natures are good Nothing lesse Nor indéed hath the king spoken therein of those Creatures or of the true vse of them in their kinde nor of those lawfull functions either in the Church or in the Common wealth But the wordes hauing a large scope doe neuerthelesse include in them all those things which are placed vnder the Sunne onely that is to say within the kingdome of vanitie Vanities kingdome Wherein is found to reigne much malice and little wisedome wherin all things be vicious all things be loathsome al things are full of obscuritie and snares wherein soules bee endangered bodyes be afflicted wherein all things be vanitie and affliction of the spirite and within the which are not comprehended any of those workes or wayes of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The labour of man vnder the sunne And this the king hath sometime noted by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or labour of man vnder the Sun which word as ye well know noteth rather the affliction of the minde then a worke of the body or any other labor But to make this yet more plaine let vs consider first what the King meaneth by this word Vanitie and then what the things are which he comprehendeth vnder the same For why should men contende about that whereof they knowe neither the meaning nor the reason Therefore yee shall vnderstand that this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vanitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vanitie which the king vseth singularly and absolutely signifieth a very light thing that which soone vanisheth away as the smoke or as a bubble of the water and as touching any profite is worth nothing psal 144 The vanitie of Adams sonnes as saide the Psalmist Thus Adam and Hevah reposing all their hope of the promised seede in Cain their first borne whom they called a man of the Lord they thought of the next Sonne but as of a meere trifle or transitorie thing in respect of him and therefore they named him Habel Gen. 4.1.2 vanitie But the King here speaketh of an exceeding great vanitie the which to declare hee duplicateth the worde and saith Vanitie of vanities that is beholde a notable and wonderfull great vanitie what things he comprehendeth vnder vanitie Secondly What things are comprehended by him within this vanitie the next worde plainely sheweth vs for in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haccol where it is to bee noted I will speake it rather to teach others then any of you to whom the Phrases of our tongue are so well knowne that this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col put absolutely without He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a signe vniuersall whereby the totall summe of things is signified and is so much to say as All or Altogether Haccol but hauing He prefixed as Haccol the same is abridged and restrained to some speciall or particular summe of things as not All generally or vniuersally but All that that whole that all which is either spoken of before or comprehended within such a predicament place or time Neither may any man thinke but that the particle in this place is referred to some particular or speciall summe of things or to some notable person as when pointing to such persons or such matters wee vse to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That singuler or speciciall Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That worde or that singuler or notable worde Ille sermo That word or matter So saide the Gréekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So by this wee may not say that the King hath included all things vnder vanitie but onely a particular summe of things Séeing therfore that all things are not drawne vnder this vanity but some things what things are excluded from vanitie and what not we may consider first what the things are which are excluded and stand without the compasse of this All then what those things are which are comprehended within the same both the which are to be gathered and
vnderstood by the drift and scope of the Kings owne words First therefore it may be known 1 the creatures are excluded that all the Creatures of God are excluded which in regard aswell of the Creatour beeing the best good as of the perfection of the things thēselues being in their natures good together with the conseruation of them by the diuine prouidence to and for good vses may not be vaine So the king many times teacheth the true vse of them and willeth men neither to contemne nor to abuse but to embrace enioy and vse them in the feare of God 2 Substances of things Neither are the Substances of things concluded in this particle All the which notwithstanding the diuersitie of accidents remaine the same as the Lorde hath ordained them from the beginning Nor may we bring vnder this particle All the workes and wayes of God 3 Gods works and wayes either spirituall within vs or externall without vs the which as Moses testifieth are perfite and good Eccles. 3.14 For whatsoeuer God doth as the King himselfe also considered it continueth for euer and nothing can be put vnto it nor taken from it 4 Solomons temple Nor doth this particle comprehend the Temple of God in Ierusalem which the King hath built and dedicated according to the will wisedome and purpose of God to be a type and Figure of that Church which the true Solomon namely Messiah shall build and dedicated to the eternall God although that when the thing figured is effected the figure ceaseth and vanisheth Nor is the Worde of God preached 5 Gods word preached and the words therin comended 6 The seuerall functions which are lawfull nor the godly workes and labours therein taught and commanded to bee done subiect to this partilce nor the seuerall functions of the Ministers in the Church or of the Magistrates in the Common-wealth or of husbands wiues maisters seruantes parents cihldrē c. Neither may these things be esteemed or called vaine without the abuse of the things and an offence to the Creator and institutor of the same who hath made them all perfite and good in their nature to be vsed enioyed with thanksgiuing and prayer in the feare of God On the other side these are the things which the king comprehendeth within this particle All as namely The counsels the studies the endevors These things are vaine the driftes the devices the purposes of man assaying to effect and bring to passe all things by and after his owne wit wisedom 1 Mans purposes and studies and by his owne power policies engines and abilitie without the word and counsaile of Gods Spirit Also all those works and buildings which the King hath wrought made for the lust of his eyes the lust of his flesh and for the pride of life 2 Idle workes and buildings as those which hee builded for the abhomination of his strange Women with all his labours expences and delights in and about the same Also man himselfe as nowe vnder transgression a stranger from the Lorde hauing vaine thoughtes 3 Man himselfe is vaine vaine wordes vaine deedes as of whom said the Kings father Man is altogether vanitie yea and lighter then vanitie it selfe is surely herein comprehended 4 The abuses which Solomon toucheth in this Booke Finally the King here noteth all those devises counsels studies workes matters and things the which are descried found to be within Vanities kingdome and particularly noted in his Catalogue thereof to the which this particle Col so abridged and restrained by He hath a speciall relation And surely this is a mayne and mightie stroke against the prudence and vertues of the naturall man to abate his pride to humble him to teach him to admitte correction to hearken to good counsaile to meditate of his owne condition to distrust his owne wayes to vse the Creatures and not to abuse them to turne himselfe from those things of vanities kingdome which are transitorie and vaine and to affect and follow after the things spirituall and heauenly which are permanent for euer and of the greatest price to all effects and purposes * Then replyed Abiather Abiather and sayde vnto Zadok In that ye haue denyed the consequence most reuerend Father yee haue right well satisfied vs neither indeede perceiue I how of the Kings Wordes as yee haue expounded them wee may conclude the contempt of the Creatures of God or the condemnation of those ordinarie functions in the Church and Common-wealth CAP. XXXIII The works and labours of men which Solomon condemneth in his Ecclesiastes AFter this Abiather procéeding in his reply said againe By those your answers most reuerende father wherin ye haue so well expounded and explayned the Kings wordes we may know the necessitie and end of good interpretations without the which The necessitie and ende of good expositions of the scriptures the ignorant and common people beeing not so wel learned in those sentences and phrases of holy scriptures may too soone as blindfolded persons fall into the pit of errors and preuarication They therfore which endeuor to with-draw or hold backe this good helpe from the holy Church do what in thē lyeth to hinder the people of the true vnderstāding of Gods will of walking in that light of righteousnes and consequently from the happy apprehension of the true felicitie by Faith in the holy Messiah But it may please you to heare me further Another obiection that he shold dissuade men from their lawfull labors Gen. 3. Exod. 20. Deut. 28. I haue heard the K. to vtter another sentence wherof at the first shew appeareth to spring a very dangerous doctrine and such indéede as might easily discourage all men that shall it heare from those laudable labours and trauailes which are to them enioyned in this world commanded thē in the law of God and haue the promises of blessing prosperity in this life For the K. speaking of vanitie expostulated and said by and by as I well remember his words What els hath a man of all his labors Eccles. 1.3 wherin he laboureth vnder the Sun as who should say a man getteth nothing by all his labors in this world and if it be so to what end thē should he labor sweat worke nay rather let him fold together his hands with the foole estéeming one morsell with quietnes better then both the hands full with labor vexation of the spirit let him be idle and take his ease not striue to get his liuing in the sweat of his face and toyle of body and minde nor to doe his necessarie workes in those sixe dayes wherein the Lorde hath commanded him to labour in his vocation zadoks answer To this zadok answering said As yee commend as well worthy good Interpretations so neither would yee dislike this sentence of the King if ye either vnderstood it aright or at the least noted well what I
had said before touching those things The works of a mans vocatiō are not condemned c. which the King would comprehend within Vanities kingdome It is not his meaning by that his expostulation to condemne the lawfull workes of any mans vocation in this life which are to him either enioyned or commended with a promise of blessing nor to discourage any person from his studie and labours in the same I neede not to tell you againe that as the king is most wise so he best knoweth what a man is what hee is to susteine in his life and wherein hee may finde peace and rest for his soule and that after his wisedome and experience he knoweth well what the Lawe what the Prophets what the Psalmes and wise men before him haue therein both taught and commanded neither hath hee euer giuen that semblance or shewe of prophanitie or impietie to oppose himselfe in his Doctrine and wordes against those holy Oracles so receiued and well approued of the chiefe Maisters of the Assemblyes Eccles 12.11 Eccles. 4. 5. and 5.11 But in this the King speaketh not of those laudable workes and actions of a man nor of all kindes of labours and workes vnto him enioyned and incident the which truely I haue heard him many times to commend yea and to praise them which are diligent in doing and effecting them well Againe I haue heard him vehemently to reprooue such persons as giue ouer themselues to idlenesse in the neglect of the works of their lawfull vocations What things are condemned But the K. in this place pointeth at the vaine and miserable studies counsayles deuises endeuors of man after the which in conclusion ensueth the practize of that which hee neither can nor may lawfully compasse and performe And this is made plaine by the due consideration of the Kings wordes of the same expostulation in the which wee consider this that the King speaking of mans labours Nota Exod. 20.9 taketh not any of those three wordes vsed by the Lorde in the Law where hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt labour and thou shalt doe all thy worke The first worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth any kinde of seruice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or seruile labours such as are not to be done on the Sabboth or Festiuall dayes but on other dayes they are to bee done without deniall by this warrant Levit. 23.2 Exo. 20.9 Sixe dayes thou shalt labour But that kinde of labour the king meaneth not in those his wordes What getteth a man els of all his labours The second worde of the Lawe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to doe or to make any thing and herence is that worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a deede or worke done or wrought or the effecting of any thing by any action or worke This worde hath that place of Iob whereas it is said to God concerning him Iob. 1.10 Exod. 18.20 Thou hast blessed the worke or labour of his hands so said Iethro to Moses Shew them the way wherein they must walke and the worke or labour that they must doe But the King hath not vsed this word of the Law in his sentence The third word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which noteth euery thing which serueth to to the vse and ministerie of man whether Artes or Workes or Flockes or whatsoeuer else which are gotten and obtained by the labour and industry of man This Labour Levit. 23.2 Exod. 12.16 and 20.9 is a worke necessarie to mans life and is not forbidden to bee done but on the Saboth dayes and holy convocations else they are both lawfull and commendable for in sixe dayes saith the Lorde thou shalt doe all thy worke which is necessarie to bee done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither hath the King that worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth that worke which is done with an earnest affection and desire to be effected and is both lawfull and laudable in them that studie and endeuour to doe and performe the worke of the Lorde with diligence This truely obserued the kings father in the Lorde himselfe to whom he thus sang Our eares haue heard our Fathers tell psal 44.1 and reverently record The wonderous workes that thou hast done in elder times O Lorde But the worde which the King here vseth and applyeth to this his purpose is as yee know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a labour with wearinesse and not with pleasure or delight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as are those other labours wherein a man expecteth the ende of his workes with sacietie For it hath tediousnesse and no relevation it hath sorrowfull despare and no hope of comfort in respect either of the horrible loathsomnes or of the vnhappy euent thereof for it is wonderfull tedious and yet in the ende effecteth nothing to content or please the minde This is that worke whereof spake Iob Iob. 3.10 saying He hid not sorrow from mine eyes and the same which the Kings father hath concerning that vngodly sinner singing thus Behold he labours in the throwes of mischiefes He hath conceived sorrow and brought forth impieties Gen. 2. But this is not that or such a kinde of labour as Adam had in Paradize or that which men should haue laboured in if that Adam had not fallen from that his blessed estate but rather that The effect of Adams fall which all men are constrained to feele as an effect of Adams fall hauing an affinitie with those 2. words which beyond all other expresse and set forth the vanitie of man the first whereof is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath the same letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but being inverted or other wise placed it varieth onely the manner of signification and is interpreted as ye know transgression preuarication a voluntary transcension against the conscience a contempt contumacie or rashnes and namely the trespasse of a subiect against his Prince of a wife against her husband of a seruant against his maister of a sonne against his father according as we find it in Levit. 5.17 and in Iob. 21.34 and some other places of the holy Scriptures * The other worde which is so neere allyed to this in signification is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aven that euill concupiscence of our first parents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the which they hauing listened to the Serpent transgressed the commandement of God Iob. 31.3 This is that whereof the same Iob spake Is not destruction said he vnto the wicked and some strange thing to the workers of concupiscence against the same sang the Psalmist Psal 119.133 Direct a right my steps to walke within thy way Then shall not vile Concupiscence within me beare the sway And this word is oftentimes applyed to Idolatrie as Samuel sayde to Saul 1. Sam. 15. 23. who rebelled
against the Lorde Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and concupiscence and Idolatrye breakes out By this then it appeareth that the king meaneth chiefly this kinde of affliction of man and that whereof himselfe was weary as hee saide I am weary of my labours Next hee calleth those labours his labours wherein hee confirmeth that which was saide before touching the abridging of Col. For in this hee speaketh onely of mans labours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mans labors so named for 3 causes and hee calleth them so for three causes first because they bee occasioned through mans owne malice and concupiscence Secondly for that they bee imposed on him for a iust punishment of his rebellion and sinne in this life Thirdly because they bee the same wherein a man is most exercised and busied in this worlde And by this difference hee excludeth from this vanity all the workes of God and all those labours which are wrought by man according to the will and worde of God Deut. 32. For as a man is cōtrary to God in his nature so is he also contrary to him in all his works labours thoughts waies and deuises Thirdly the King hath shewed the place of these labours which is as ye heard him to say vnderneath the Sunne that is within the limites of Vanities kingdome among worldly men The place of mans labors which in the world are of a lewd mind and without God For the things that are wrought in mans heart and disposed by the diuine spirit are not called either the works of man or the labours of man vnder the Sunne but they be called properly as they be indéed the Workes of God deuised decreede and wrought in heauen by him that spake the worde and all thinges were done To bee briefe the King hath here brought in two generall argumentes to proue his former generall proposition vanitye of vanities 2 Arguments against mans vanitie the first whereof is taken from the condition of man in this life in the which howsoeuer hee search hee findeth nought els of himselfe but labour and toyle The second argument is taken from the effects and fruites of his labours wherein when hee hath vexed him selfe hee findeth no contentation no sacietie and so no felicity but altogether vanitie and vexation of the spirite And that the king might more fully expresse the greatnesse of this Vanitye and confirme with the more emphasis that which he had saide he expostulateth with this interrogation what els hath a man In which manner of speach there is a greater force then if he had said A man gaineth nought els For this is so vehement an affirmation of the thing proposed as if it coulde not bee denied and is so much to say as yee cannot in any wise denie that a man getteth nothing but vanitie of all those labours wherein he afflicteth himselfe vnder the Sunne CAP. XXXIIII Zadok answereth to some other obiections and speaketh 1. of the generations and Elements THen spake the Princes and said vnto Zadok yee haue right well explaned the Kings words and wee verily beleeue that his meaning is The princes approbation of zadoks words as ye haue sayd therin Neither think we that he hath or doth cōdemne all the works of God which are done either by himselfe or by man after his commandements but only all those labours whereof himselfe is now sorie and ashamed namely such as hee hath done and wrought vnder the Sunne as a carnall or naturall man without the wisedome of Gods spirite or the warrant of his Law Therefore wee may not either reiect or dislike the Kings words in this parte But hath Abiather the Priest any thing els to obiect against the Kings doctrine and words Another obiection ca. 1.4 yea that I haue answered Abiather for I haue heard the king to speake of the Generations as if he comprehended all generations within the same predicament as vaine and thus hee saide One Generation passeth away another commeth the Earth standeth for euer Yea hee combineth with them the foure principall Elementes as the Sunne which riseth and falleth the winde which bloweth and compasseth the earth zadok answereth to the obiection and expoundeth the place the waters riuers which come and go from and to the sea and the Earth which remaineth euer the same * Indeed saide zadok the King here speaketh of the Creatures and things themselues howbeit although they bee made subiect to mans vanitie in that they must stand for the vse of sinfull men according to the will of him that hath so subdued them vnder hope and expectation of a deliuery from this intollerable thraldom which wil be in the end of this world yet are they not in themselues vaine but good and profitable both to the glory of God and to the benefit of men Neither hath the King ment to place them in his catalogue of vanities But from the consideration of them beeing compared with the labours and affaires of men vnder the Sunne he taketh Arguments to proue the vanity not of the things but of sinfull man who is so inconstant and variable from his dutie and consequētly vnhappy But if it please you my L. for the better satisfying not only of Abiather but of al them that shal hence gather a conceit of the vanitie of these generations and elementes I will by the diuine grace speake first of these generations and what the Kings purpose is therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a generation what it signifieth and afterwardes of those elements * The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dor signifieth as ye know the constituted and ordinary order and course either of times or of persons or of actions or things A certaine succession or reuolution an order of degrées of the natural propagatiō of things as one thing is engendred or riseth vp of another thing An age A generation for one of the ages of the worlde a generatiō the which as a sphere or globe hath his reuolutions courses stéedes and turnes * Sometimes this word is set and vsed for one of the ages of the world which wee haue reckoned as from Adam to Noah from Noah to Abraham from Abraham to Moses from Moses to David the King c. * Somtimes an age is restrained to the time of a hundred yeares as where the Lord said to Abraham The time of an 100 yeeres gen 15.13.16 Thy seede shal be a stranger in a land which is not theirs foure hundred yeeres And afterward he expoundeth it saying In the fourth age they shall come hither againe the which fell out about the time that the Lord deliuered our fathers from the thraldome of Egypt by the hand of Moses * Somtimes it is taken for the time that a man liveth in this world whose life is called an age or a generation The time of a mans age in this worlde and so haue our fathers vnderstoode it * But it is certaine that
the King in this his manner of speaking vnderstandeth not only the time and age of a mans life or of yeeres but the very ages of the world with the ordinary and common succession and generation of the persons and thinges in the same Wherein it is euident how one thing is corrupted and another thing is engendred how one man dyeth and another is borne how one thing passeth and another followeth And this course is so established in the world as it cannot be altered like that wherof the Lorde saide to Noah yet shall not sowing time and harvest colde and heate Gen. 8.22 The condition of worldly things sommer and winter day and night cease all the daies of the earth * By this wee may sée and consider the course of this worlde the shortnes of a mans life and the alteration and succession of things in the same A man may not expect to liue here still nor thinke to haue the face of thinges alwayes alike for a man is no sooner borne and taketh the place of him that went before him but by and by he posteth hence againe to giue place to another This world is but his place of peregrination and trauaile wherein his voyage ended hee must yeeld to him that commeth after him Therefore let vs not builde high houses as to dwell in them for euer nor lay vp treasures in this life from the which we shall soone bee shaken but rather let vs play our parts well while wee stand on the stage of our time in the feare and seruice of God therein to prepare our selues for the time we must departhence and for the life to come and then yéelding our selues vp vnto the Lorde wee may willingly resigne ouer our places vnto them that shal succéede and come after vs according to the will and purpose of God Loe this is the lot of this life wherein one generation passeth and another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commeth And this cannot but condemn mans inconstancie and vanity Mans inconstancie which contrarie to the due course of the Creatures and the constant succession of the ages times and persons of the worlde breaketh order and is wearied in many intricate and wicked imaginations counsels devises and actions as therein striuing with him that is mightier and seeking to withstand the will power and prouidence of the most high Howbeit The continuance of mans vanitie in this man accordeth to the course and sucession of those determinat ages that as man since his fall through our first Parentes is sinfull and vaine so is he sinfull and vaine as yet and so hee will bee vnto the ende for as Adam begate Seth in his owne likenesse So one sinfull and vaine man begetteth another in his likenesse one vayne deuise bringeth foorth another one vaine action another one vayne thing another in and among the children of men that looke as were the Fathers precéeding the like are the children succeeding in whome the Prouerbe hits true That Nature though spee bee supprest doth rise again which is a continuall argument not of mans constancy and perseuerance in vertues as the creatures which retaine their kinde but of his apostasye and wicked pertinacy in vices as degenerating from kinde and continuing a monster without cure or recouerie as long as hee liueth Loe yee haue seene both what is ment by these Dorim or generations and also what is the Kinges purpose therein The like may not vnhapily bee saide and gathered of those other fower thinges following The course order of the 4. Elementes which it pleased Abiather to call the fower principall Elementes as namely the Earth the Sunne the Winde and the Water For as it was the Nature of the ages and generations to come and go and to succeede one another in their due courses and turnes The Earth as so by the Lorde appointed not to bee altered so is it the Nature of those Elementes For first the Earth although it hath the circumference of all the other Elementes in their turnes rounde about it and thereof is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eretz of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rotz which signifieth to runne or to haue recourse vnto anything and importeth inclination promptnesse or proanesse yet it standeth abideth and remaineth the same and in the same estate wherein and to the vses wherevnto it was ordained and appointed from the beginning According to that testimony of the sweete Psalmist Thou Lorde Psal 119.90 haste laid the foundation of the Earth and it abideth This is the lowest of all the fower Elements to the which all ponderous thinges fall and encline as to their certaine centre This is the Mother of all earthly creatures the receptacle of all inferior bodies the Sepulchre of all corruptions the graue of all deade carkasses and the Element which is mightily oppressed howbeit shee susteineth it shee endureth it and standeth in her place vnmoueable because the Lord God hath so appointed it and therein she serued the Lorde and is profitable to men * The other three Elements also haue their due courses and vses wherein they abide and serue God according to that testimonie of the same Psalmist They doe continue to this day by thy divine decree In that estate wherin they were created The Sunne ariseth and knoweth his going downe The Winde bloweth breatheth and knoweth her circuites and turnes The Sea ebbeth and floweth in her tydes 119 91. The Sunne The winde or ayre The Sea psal 147. The creatures condemne mans inconstancie powreth foorth in venes to fill the springs and receiueth it againe from the Riuers And therein as they follow and keepe their proper vses they praise the Lorde as sayd the Psalmist all this the king opposeth to man thereby to condemne him of inconstancie and rebellion against his maker Besides this who seeth not how excellently this depaignteth and setteth foorth mans mortalitie and vanitie for howsoeuer one age passeth and another commeth yet both the one and the other come to the Earth and there it abideth and howsoeuer a man hath béene glorious in his dayes in conclusion he returneth thither from whence hee came according to that decree Thou art taken from the earth and to the earth thou shalt returne Mans mortalitie and transitorines Gen. 3. For this is the ende of his course wherein hee is compared not onely to the Flower of the field as Iob sayd that commeth vp from the ground and after a little time withereth and falleth into the ground againe but also to the Milstone which hauing runne about all the day with great wearinesse and heate resteth at night there where hée began in the morning without profite or ioy of his labours Behold therefore the great vanitie of the men of this life By this time I hope ye well vnderstand those the Kings Wordes For surely he condemneth not the Creatures in their kinde but by the due consideration of the same with
both mans curiositie and imperfection Mans curiositie and imperfection Man is willing to heare sée finde out all things to behold all strange matters newes and wonders hée would haue all knowledge hee would be like the most high as Adam and Hevah thought to bée he thinketh he can or may do all things Gen. 3.5.6 but hee is restreined his abilitie affoordeth him not that perfection nor hath the Lorde appointed him in this his estate capable of those things so farre aboue him In the mean time hee continueth insaciate without perfect contentation in this life * Here let man learn to know his own ignorance weaknes and imperfections in this world Let him containe himselfe within the bounds of his vocation place and abilitie and let him neither lust after or desire to comprehend those things which are neither reuealed nor incident to mans nature But in all modestie and reuerence let him seeke the Lorde who onely is the God sufficient perfiect wisedom omnipotent sacietie Abiather Another obiection and life eternall vnto them that serve him in humilitie and holinesse of heart Againe said Abiather it is obiected against the kings words that he hath denied that any thing is new When in trueth and experience it appeareth that things are dayly renewed and many new things are done and brought to passe in the worlde euery day how therefore shoulde this be vnderstood to sound acceptable to our knowledge It is true sayd Zadok that the King hath said zadok answereth Eccles. 1.9 What is that which hath beene that that shall bee and what is it that hath beene done that which shall be done And there is no new thing vnder the Sunne Or is there any thing whereof one may say Behold this is new It hath been already in the olde time that was before vs. Nothing is new But in these wordes the king speaketh not of the workes of the Creation as if they should be made againe so it is enough that those things be onely conserued in their kinde nor of the works of God for God doth worke daily newe and strange things nor of those generations of man which are past but of the occupations deuises counsailes drifts purposes Man and his vanities are eber the same and workes of worldly men which are euer wrapped in miserie and vanitie and are euer like and the same which haue beene of olde in the children of men Gen. 6.12 8.21 As man was in the olde time euill from his youth and all the imaginations of the heart wicked and vile so is hee now and so shall be as his deuises haue beene of yore so are they in this time as the vngodly thought and endeuored then so doe they thinke and endeuor now Gen. 4.6 gen 6.2 gen 10.9 gen 19.26 Exod. 7 13. Iudg. 9. 5. I neede not gather vp particulars of this time to match Cain in his enuie the daughters of men in their lustes Nimrod in his pride Lots wife in her apostasie Pharao in his hardnesse of heart Abimelech in his bloodie crueltie and such like they are easily noted and pointed at with the finger in euery place And that the king meaneth those things it is apparant by the place wherein he findeth nothing newe namely vnder the Sunne that is in vanities kingdome in and among worldly men which herein remaine the same still howsoeuer they bee scholed and instructed and therefore as vaine they are forgotten and passe away with the priuiledge of vanities dominion Howbeit The remembrance of the righteous the righteous are had in an euerlasting remembrance with their vertues in and for whom the Lorde worketh new and strange things to their necessitie and consolation euery day Abiather obiecteth againe * I haue both heard you most reuerende Father and well vnderstood the meaning of those the Kings words I haue heard another obiection that the King should dislike the searching and finding out of wisdome which is so much commended in the holy writings and among all good men and he saith that it is a sore trauell giuen to the sonnes of men to humble them zadok answereth The King saide Zadok seemeth to correct himselfe and his owne studyes when hee would aduenture or assay to doe and performe that of himselfe which hee should haue obtained and waited for from the Lorde to whom be first praied for wisedome and knew that she came from him yet doth he not condemne the ordinary labours and studies of them which in the feare of God assay to attaine to knowledge For as he commendeth wisedome before all things so hee condemneth the idle fooles which because the study and search after wisedome is laborious to the body sit still and continue ignorant But let vs consider the Kinges wordes obserue these thinges in order He said not Thus the Lord taught me or cōmanded me Eccles 1. vers 13. The meaning of the king is to condemne mans wisdome of worldly thinges or enabled mee to do to performe to bring to passe but thus I have given mine heart to search and find out wisedome how by the thinges that are done vnder the Sunne The King speaketh not of his present endeuour but of that forepast when he was carried away from the Lorde in the lusts of his eye and lusts of his flesh At what time respecting not what God had said nor what the diuine spirit had taught him but after his owne wit and humaine reason he entangled himselfe in the studies of the worlde and thereby made search curiously to be passing wise in the thinges of vanities kingdome where when hee thought to finde wisedome indeede he found nought besides afflictions and griefes of minde For what should a man expect of thornes but to be pricked and what is their to be learned vnder the Sunne of vngodly and foolish men their deuises but vngodlines foolishnes and sorrow And surely therof only the K. acknowledgeth that he made himselfe most worthy and therin to be punished as they do which neglecting the meditation of the law of God are distracted in the fables of vntruthes and receiving not the feare of the L. are wholy busied and vexed in the affairs of this world wherin they trauaile as in a most painful Labyrinth without any perfection or end therby to be tryed and humbled vnder the mighty hand of the Almighty whose wisedome words and direction they haue both forgotten and neglected The kings confession of his imperfections Moreouer in this the king maketh a kind of confession of his imperfections beeing a parte of his true conuersion and repentance Thus the King hath not condemned the search after the true wisedome but that vaine wisedome or at least the indirect manner of seeking after that which is commended in the word of God CAP. XXXVI The correction of thinges the experience of wisedome knowledge and high learning ABiather the Priest beeing willed by the Princes of
King Solomon to proceede and to produce any other argument which he had hearde to be obiected against the words of the precher stoode foorth againe and saide Cap. 1. Vers 15. Then let it not be grieuous vnto you my Lords that I produce here before you those other things which I haue heard It is obiected that the King denieth that any thing which is faultie or amisse can be corrected or amēded The crooked cānot saith he be made straight that which faileth cānot be brought into proportion To what end then are all instructions lessons zadok answereth what faults may be amended what may not artes sciences doctrins admonitions labours counsails laws The King hath so said indeede said Zadok But yet he entendeth it not of any particular faults or trespasses or of any the thinges which are by nature cureable But of that one generall maladie of mankinde and mans affaires beeing busied and vexed within the kingdome of vanitie for the errors slidings imperfections faultes offences and defects of man cannot bee amended The end of circumcision worthily therefore was circumcision commanded not only to the fathers but to the sons also yet that cutteth not off the cōcupiscence of mans nature but sheweth that it shold be cut off suppressed by * him which hath no concupiscēce at all That is Messiah Obiection Againe these imperfections be so many as that they can neither be numbred nor proportioned in number much les may they be recured by any witte or power of man who of himselfe is not able to make the least haire of his head And whereas another obiection may rise on the former that seeing those faults cannot be corrected it seemeth a vain thing for a magistrate to endeuor to amēd any thing that is amisse I say that this conclusiō is indirect Answere The office of a prince magistrate for it is one thing to endeuour to amned priuate faults things curable and it is another thing to assay to correct those generall griefes which are by nature vncureable Ca. 1. vers 17. J gave mine heart said he to know wisdome and knowledge madnes and foolishnes I knew also that this is a vexation of the spirite Note this It is doubtlesse a thing praise worthye in a Prince by his wisedome to endeuour to correct and amend thinges that are amisse in his common wealth But it is a meere follie in a Prince to think that by his proper wisdome and industrie he shall amend all thinges that are faulty Princes are bound to do their best endeuour but they may not imagine somuch as that they can performe all things This cure is proper to the Omnipotent God to effect and it is not committed to the power of any man Therefore that which man is able to performe in this let him doe it in the feare of God and that he cannot effect and compasse let him commit to the will and power of God to whome all thinges are possible Abiather obiecteth But yet said Abiather it is said that the king condemneth the experience of that wisdome and knowledge whereby a man especially a Magistrate should discerne between truth and error good and euill without the which a magistrate shall neuer bee able to iudge or doe well in his place according to Iethroes rule for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exo. 18.21.22 signifieth science knowledge cogitation notice and experience of the thinges both good and euill zadok answereth that Solomon condemneth not the wisdome of a Magistrate Indeede said Zadok Solomon asked for wisdome and science and the Lord gaue it him But if Solomon had staid himselfe and haue vsed this notable gift as hee did some times when hee plased God he had done well but exceeding his lymits he both ouercharged confoūded that wisdom in himselfe he sought out not iudgem̄et mercy but things prophane common polluted as I haue saide before yea things onely delightsome and pleasant to the sense of the flesh Gen. 3. and this he did not onely know but proue indeede as Adam and Heua did the taste of the forbiddē tree It is good to know both good and euill It is a good thing to knowe both the good and the euill and to discerne betweene th' one and thother but to follow the euill and to leaue the good it is an euill thing Adam knew both but he chose the euill and left the good so did Cain so did King Solomon to his paine and dishonour Well therefore might he call this a vaine thing in himselfe and a vexation of his spirit and yet not condemne that diuine vertue * But the King said Abiather is supposed to dislike and condemne high learning and much knowledge Abiather obiecteth Verse 18. from the which he terrifieth and disswadeth men saying that in much wisdome is much anger and that he which multiplieth knowledge multiplyeth sorrowes But if ye conclude so of the words said Zadok I will deny your consequence for here I finde a fallacie of equiuocation for the King in truth doth not condemne the best and highest learning nor that knowledge for in this place he spake either of the earthly and fleshly knowledge and wisdome or of the diuine and natural wisdome of a man in respect of the thinges obiected to the same As for the former which is taught men by the old subtle Serpent the King well knoweth that it is very vanitie for this wisdome respecteth not the thinges that bee pure peaceable and diuine but the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of this life being terrene sensuall zadoke his answere Gen. 3. and diabolicall of this kind are all the lustes guiles subtleties policies deceits and craftie conueiances of men whereby one man circumuenteth and beguileth another in this life But where this promiseth most pleasure and contentation it soonest casteth a man into paine and miseries The wisedom of the Serpent doth not direct men to paradise The King therefore perceiue yea he proued it too true in himselfe that therein offending God and abusing nature he gained nothing besides affliction of his Spirits for he could neuer thereby attaine that perfect ende of mans life nay rather hee wandred and departed from the same further and further euery day for it cannot bee that the wisdome of the Serpent may conduct them to Paradize who by the same are thence expelled but rather to the gate of perdition in the way of wickednesse Gen. 3.24 The wise man feareth man dangers when others sleepe in quiet beddes hee seeth himselfe to want manie thinges at the least hee lusteth after all thinges the which he thinketh he can purchase and get into his handes and possessions by his owne power policie or deuice howbeit he is preuented and cannot obtaine the greatest part of his gredie desire so he is neuer satisfied his minde remaineth discontent and himselfe is tormented with
an hell of troubles euen then The divine naturall wisedome is necessarie when he thinketh himselfe in the highest grade of this wisedome But let it be that the king spake of that other wisdome either deuine or natural Yet as neither of these can be obtained without study and paine of body and minde so being had it causeth a man to descrie behold and consider that sometimes which occasioneth him to be troubled and to lament He that hath it not is as that man which closing his eyes or being a sléepe seeth not either that which is like to hurt his bodie or offend his minde and so may vnhappilie be annoyed before he knoweth thereof howbeit the whiles he resteth himselfe secure But he that hath wisdome is as the man which hath his eyes open or is wakefull and thereby both seeth and endeuoreth to eschew the danger In the meane time he is indéede sore troubled vexed with feare And of this kind are they which behold the greate vanities of men and the more wisdome a man hath the more he beholdeth it considereth of it wayeth it and is much vexed therewith in his heart not that his wisdome is evill but that by that his wisdome he seeth and discerneth and is greiued with those things that be evill in this miserable and vaine world Therefore well he said the more wisdome the more greife In all those thinges I haue not founde that the King hath sinned with his lippes Therefore his wordes thus farre foorth may not in any iust censure be disliked nor in reason reiected Then said the Princes The Princes assent to zadoke they approue the kings words yee haue thus wel answered those obiections which Abiather hath produced most reuerend father Neither think we that the K. in this his constitution will exhibite vnto vs or to any others before vs any wordes but such as be right graue wise and sauering of the truth of Gods spirit the which we perswade at this time possesseth his minde whereby he is fully devoured with holy zeale If yet Abiather hath any thing els to obiect let him proceede in the name of God and we beséech you my Lorde Zadoke to giue him an answere CAP. XXXVII Of the gladnes and pleasurs of men and of the works of Princes c. ABiather being requested by the princes to bring foorth whatsoeuer hee had els heard obiected against the kings words answered againe and said I haue heard yet many other thinges whereby some would endeuor to deface the authoritie of his Sermons But I am sure that your wisdome most reuerend Father will easily stoppe their mouthes and satisfie vs and others Cap. 6. which haue not a desire to wrest the kings meaning and thus they obiect that the king is not onely pensiue and sorrowfull but also that he much speaketh against all kind of gladnesse of other men yea he condemneth all pleasant thinges and delights all mirth and pastime with the vse of the creatures for he hath said indeede Go to let me prove thee in gladnes Cap. 2. take thou delight in pleasant things but lo this also was vanitie Againe hee said I have esteemed laughter for an accustomed foolishnes and of mirth I said what is that which is don I have deliberated in mine heart to powre foorth my flesh to wine c. And this was also vanity Then answered Zadok As we haue heard the kings words zadok answereth so it is meete that wee consider how best to vnderstand them Surely wee may not thereof gather that the king condemneth all kind of gladnes and all delights Solomon condemneth not all kind of gladnes etc. nor that he holdeth al the creatures prophane which the L. hath made for the vse of man wee may not think that the king in so deuoid of reason and natural sense But thus we may vnderstand him that as before hee had proved by many substantiall arguments that mans felicitie and so his contentation is not contained within the limits either of the labors wisdom or deuises of the sons of men so now in like sort he proueth by those his words that the same is neither fouÌ„d nor indeed consisteth in the pleasures delights of those sons of men the which are such pleasures delights as are throughly pondered with wickednes and many lewd lusts that often ouerwhelme men in perdition Therefore all men are to beware the rather by the Kings example how they follow after their owne lusts in the waies of their sinfull affections And their are to respect this that the thoughts of their hearts and desires consent with the spirit and worde of God The true contempt of the world the which wil neither deceiue them nor occasion them to repent the same And this is the true contempt of the worlde when being guided by Gods spirit they abstaine from prosecuting and effecting their owne lusts pleasures and delights Solomons veyne in his lusts But to draw more neere to the obiection The time was and that lately when the king would excéede beyond his boundes and so he abused those good thinges which he might haue vsed for his solace and recreation for hee saide to his soule I will prove thee with ioy and gladnes or as it may be saide J will swimme in those delights I will dedicate my selfe to those pleasures nor will I desist or omit any occasion whatsoeuer vntill I haue fulfilled my desire yea I will wholy regard how I may liue in the world most pleasantly prouide that nothing may bee interposed to hinder those my lustfull delights This was indeede his purpose in that fleshly conceit of his but he saw No contentation in worldly pleasures that this was also a vaine deuise for in the preparing of those pleasures there was more cost then comlines much more labor then profit and to be briefe he found that in all those delights when the iust reckoning was taken there was more paine then pâ—easure and no contentation at all for one labour brought in another one study and deuise another one pleasure required another and for the most part determined in sorrow and griefe Now this is that which the King here condeÌ„neth and not that honest and lawful ioy and recreation which is either incident to mans nature whereof he is called a risible creature or proper to the Saintes of GOD in this life wherein they reioice in the LORD and praise him for his benefites as David vsed with instrumentes of musique Howbeit as in the former so neither in this is contained mans highest felicitie which is not founde in this life But the worde which the King vseth noteth as yee well knowe rather a lightnesse of the mind and an immoderate and vnmeasurable laughter to expresse the same then that pleasure or mirth which is proper to mans nature And such persons as are light minded and excessiue and vnmeasurable in their sportes and laughters hee might worthily
that they glorifie him in the vse of them doe good therewith one to another and discharge their proper duties in their places A cooling carde for worldly men who seke felicity of these things Lastly the King hauing learned the lesson of true consideration did in the end confesse that in al those things he could find no contentation so neither felicitie but that indeed he found great vanitie and vexation of his spirite Alas then what shoulde other men hope to finde Might not this stoppe the mouths of them who say that then they shoulde bee happy had they the wealth the riches the power the honors and the pleasures of glorious king Solomon as if forsooth that in those terrene and transitorie thinges the true happines of man consisted But truly as they bewray their corrupt iudgement and error in and about this chiefe principle so if by the will and pleasure of God they had therein their desire it is not only possible but most certain that they woulde transgresse and offend farre beyond the transgressions and offences of King Solomon and wanting that wisedome which he had to guide and direct them they would quickly declare themselues the greatest fooles in the worlde For man beeing in honor without vnderstanding is compared to the Beasts which perish as King David said when he beheld both the vprising and downe falling of many such persons as hauing the things of this worlde at will could neither vse the same to their own good nor with the same defend and preserue themselues from euill albeit estéeming the same aboue God and all goodnesse they placed therein their highest and chiefe felicitie In regarde whereof the pleasures honors glory and prosperity of this world are compared to a shining candle which for the time it burneth giueth a glorious light but the substance whereof it is maintained beeing consumed the same commeth all to smoke and stinche for the time will come when thou shalt grant and confesse with the King that all these thinges are vanitie and vexation of the soule that not so much in regarde of the thinges themselues as of thine owne abuse and erronious thoughts in and concerning the same CAP. XXXVIII Abiather produceth 17. obiections against other the words and doctrines of the preacher to 4. of the which Zadoke answereth in this chapter THen Zabud the Kings friend zabud a man that very much tendered both his honor and prosperity hauing thus farre listned to the former disputation and conference stoode foorth and spake to this effect Howsoeuer I am right sorrowfull for the Kinges fall and affliction yet am I glad the rather for the Kinges sake which hath euer beene and yet continueth so good a Lord vnto me that my Lord zadok hath not only answered in this presēce for his maiestie but also hath cleared him and those his wordes of all the thinges so hardly conceited and strongly obiected against either of them And we may thereby the sooner perswade What the malitious gaineth in the end that whosoeuer hencefoorth shall cast forth his venemous darts against either the King or his words shall rather hurt and annoy himselfe by the rebound of the same as those do which shoote against the hard rocks then any way discredit the one or disgrace the other This is that they often purchase to themselues which take pleasure to maligne and slander others chiefly their superiors betters according to that which the Kinges father said the vngodly be entrapped in their owne devises and taken in those snares which they had laide for others And this we see verified on the old serpent not only in the case of Adam but in that of Iob wherein his owne deuises to confound them was cast on himselfe But hath Abiather heard any thing els obiected that he is willing to vnfold and lay foorth here be-before vs Abiather princes offences are not rashly to bee spoken of Yea said Abiather I haue heard many other things of the which to heare I haue bin very sorrowfull in minde neither knew I vntil this time how I might find a fit occasion to reueale it or to whome for as the causes of Princes are not to bee hearde or debated as are the causes of other men so neither may the subiects be so bolde as to talke or reason thereof without feare especially in the court so neare the kings presence And here yee shall vnderstand my good Lordes that they which obiect do not so much respect and of those his gestures words and sayings which he either declared or expressed in his prosperous dayes and time of his dignity then when he well pleased and blessed the Lorde for those doe all men yea euen the kings enemies approue and commend nor those dare they to maligne or disgrace nor call they into present question any of those his wordes or gestures which hee either vttered or deliuered to and among his strange wiues in the time of his trespasse when nothing els besides vanitie after his owne confession might be expected to come from a person so vaine for neither those we esteeme nor regard to collect but they are the same which are and haue beene in action and question after euer since the time of his contrition and sorrowful affliction ordinarily vttered and declared in his common and dayly gesture talke and conference esteemed among his wise sermons and which as holy oracles diuine sayings yee haue entēded with ful purpose to collect to cōmit leaue vnto the church in posterity I thinke not otherwise but that they are meere vniustly conceited most hardly construed against his excellent maiesty his true meaning For whiles as a King he speaketh in right courtly phrases the rude country people scarcely vnderstād him in any thing Solomon in his words was Courte-like briefe in that to eschew tediousnes which is loathsome to the learned he is very briefe he séemeth in many thinges the more obscure especially to the simple and ignorant which commonly do not onely much mistake the thinges they vnderstand not but also soone ouerthrow the right sense and true meaning therof vnaduisedly But it were to bee wished that not onely those but all others when they come to consider of the Wordes and affayres of Princes but chiefly when they beginne to scanne the thinges which are holy and appertaine to GOD and his Church woulde followe that counsell and aduise of the King Eccles. 5.1 where he saith When thou commest into the house of GOD keepe thy foote and drawe nigh that GOD which is at hande may heare that thou give not the offering of fooles for they knowe not when they doe evill Bee not hastie with thy mouth and let not thine heart speake any thing rashly before God for God is in heaven and thou on earth therfore let thy words be few For surely in those things which are either doubtfull or vnknowne vnto vs wee should rather modestly
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
takes in hand without the wil wisedom power and prouidence of God because things are not placed in the will and abilitle of man but as most meete remaine for euer in the will and power of God who often giueth the same Lot to the foole as he doth to the wise-man of this worlde Next that there is one and the like ende as touching the body and the like conditiō in riches health pouerty sicknes and such aduentures of this life both of the wise and vnwise otherwise the K. hath said it and no man can denie it that there is more vtilitie in wisedom then in folly as the light is more desired then the darkenesse and that the wise-man is preferred before the foole for the wise-mans eyes are in his head but the foole walketh in darknes And yet heere we may note that the King speaketh not of the wisedome of Gods spirit but of that humane wisedome belonging to the reason of man which it in it selfe as now vnder sinne is comparable to the vanitie of a foole Obiect 2 Secondly ye obiected that the King hath compared a man with a beast in the semblable condition but I pray Sir from whence is that gathered It is taken sayd Abiather out of those words which the K. lately vtted viz. I considered in mine heart the state of the children of men Eccles. 3.18.19 that God had purged thē yet to see to their are in thēselves beasts for the condition of the sons of men the condition of beasts are even one condition vnto thē as the one dyeth so dyeth the other so they have all one breath and there is no excellēcie of a mā above the beast for they are al vanitie Now this vrgeth many mens consciences that a man which hath a reasonable soule should be made equall with the beast Ye haue sayd answered zadok yet haue ye not told me nor can tell me indéed Man differeth from a beast when or where the King euer said that a man differeth nothing from a beast It is true that he so compared them as touching the body which is of the earth subiect to corruption mutabilitie misery and death as before it is said for a memorie whereof the Lord God made garments for Adam of the skinnes of beasts Also as touching any foresight or knowledge either of the day of his death or of that which commeth to passe after him she which as said holy Iob who knoweth among the children of men Otherwise the King hath saide that the Spirit of man goeth vpward even to God that gave it but the breath of a beast falleth downe into the earth Againe he hath spoken most profoundly of mans true felicitie and directeth him the way to the same Thirdly Obiect 3 of mans felicitie Eccles 2.4 ye said that the King defined mans felicit in eating drinking and carnall pleasures where is that definition found There quod Aabiather where the King hath saide There is no profit to a man but that he eate and drinke and delight his soule with the profit of his labour And therefore said Zadok doth the king define the felicitie of man in eating drinking sporting c. That is no perfect consequence ye utterly mistake him For contrary to that beastly behauior of carnall and voluptuous persons he sheweth the true vse of the creatures according to the diuine ordinatiō the which yet no man liuing can enioy to profit without his especiall grace blessing beeing all that a mā may expect or look for in his life For this is Gods gift as the K hath often said howsoeuer a mā by his own wisdom wit reason power agility séemeth able either to effect or comprehend the same in time place therefore should be vse and estéemed with thankfulnesse to God 4. Ye said further Obiection 4 The liuing the dead Cap. 4.2.3 that the King seemeth to preferre death before life the dead before the living c. Yea said Abiather for the K. hath plainly said I have praised the dead which nowe are dead above the living which are yet alive and him better then them both which hath not yet beene And this is very absurde for all men know it cannot bee denied the life is better thē death For God hath made life Life death death is the priuation therof gard of sin Yea himself hath said at a another time that a living dogge is better then a dead Lyon in regard of the excellencie of life before death Answere But the king said zadok hath said it not simply or in that he absolutely cōmendeth death or condemneth life but by the way of a comparison namely The dead bee freed of the troubles of this life Iob. 3 13. in respect of the great euils wherewith men are commonly tormented in this life For why they that bee dead are now freed from those intollerable afflictions do rest as quiet and at ease in their bodies alluding to the words of Iob who through the vehemencie of his afflictions and infirmitie of his flesh wished hee had beene dead saying For so should I now have lyen and beene quiet I should have slept then and beene at rest with the Kings and counsellors of the earth which have builded themselves desolate places c. Againe The wicked have there ceassed from their tyrannie and there they that laboured valiantly are at rest The prisoners rest together and heare not the voyce of the oppressour There are small and great and the servant is free from his maister Againe wherefore is the light given to him that is in miserie life to thē that have heavy hearts In this respect speaketh also the king of life and death And he meaneth the life of this world and the death of the body and not the deserts of them that liue nor the sinnes of them that dye and that after the maner of men Otherwise we may not think but that the godly The righteous that be dead are at rest the faithfull and the righteous which bee dead as Noah Abrahā Isaack Iacob Moses Samuel Ioseph and such are in better case then they which yet liue For they bee blessed and no paine can oppresse or touch them Therfore this is the desire of them that here liue in the Lord That they may be dissolved to die and dwell with the Lord in eternall happines In the like sort hath the king spoken touching him which is not yet borne For he saith not absolutely that he which was neuer He that is not yet borne is happier nor he which shall not be borne nor he that is not and shall neuer be is happier them he which liueth and is but that after the iudgement of men in regard of those mightie troubles that ouertake men in the world it seemeth to be better not to be at all then to be made subiect and thrall to those troubles And yet who knoweth not
which hath wisedome that the King might speake so touching the wicked which nowe liue in the worlde and are appointed to eternall torment and miserie after death For in this respect the poorest wretch that euer lived in the worlde nowe by death translated into Celestiall happinesse is by thousands preferred before the highest Potentate or Lord that liueth on the earth and by his Tyranny oppression and heynous iniquities is by the iust iudgement of GOD ordained for the fyer of Tophet and perpetuall miserie Otherwise I knowe well that the King preferreth not death before life nor the dead before the liuing knowing that GOD hath made life for his glorie and men in this life to set foorth the same Neither is he ignorant of this as hee is most wise that as the righteous which bee departed from this worlde are happyer then they which yet liue and sustaine and féele the miseries of the same so is it much better for them to bee as they are notwithstanding oppressed in this worlde with all the miseries thereof in full hope and assurance of eternall felicitie then that they should not bee at all Finally if the wordes might bee taken without respect or relation to the miserable affayres of men in the kingdome of vanitie who will not beleeue that those holy Patriarches and Fathers which are layd vp in peace are more happy then any of vs which nowe liue and that the holy Messiah whom the King prefigureth not yet borne but to bee borne heereafter is farre to bee preferred and extolled for happinesse and honour before either of both Therefore the Kings wordes truely vnderstood neede not to offend any but rather to instruct and comfort all aswell them which are present as those in posteritie CAP. XXXIX Zadoke answereth to Sixe other obiections for the King 5. Of Iustice wisedome 6. Quietnes 7. Of women 8. Of Gods love 9. Of the Soules being 10. Of the sense of the soule after death ZAdoke procéeding saide againe to Abiather yee haue saide as I well remember that our Lord King Solomon in his words hath discouraged all men from the perfection of wisedom and from the exquisite Iustice. Obiection 5 of the discouraging of men from wisedom and Iustice Out of what wordes of his is this presumed can ye tell me yea said Abiather and of these his speeches lately vttered in your owne hearing Bee thou not iust overmuch neither make thy selfe over wise Eccles. 7.18 Answere wherefore shouldst thou bee desolate If yee gather from hence said Zadok then I may well denie your consequence For yee should haue distinguished of these words Iustice and Wisedome For there is the Iustice and wisedome of God and these is that Iustice and wisedome of men The King in those his words hath not disswaded any man liuing from the inuestigation and searching after the Iustice and Wisedom of God for the which a man should euer hunger and thirst and neuer bee weary or faint to seeke to obtaine the same as most diuine graces and vertues in this life Neither doeth the King desist from this desire and continuall exercise although hee bee passing wise knowing that no man in this world shall yet be able to attaine to the full perfection therof and therfore may yet striue and endeuor euery day to come neerer and so neere as he can with all kinde of studyes and exercises before his death perswading yet that the better hee shall be furnished in these vertues the more hee shall be able to set foorth the praise and glory of God among men and prepare himselfe for the company of the holy Angels But in this saying of the K. is ment the politicall or civile wisedome Not to be over wise nor too iust the like Iustice the which is vsed in the gouerning of a Cōmon-wealth or a familie or the externall life of man And herein he would that men should not séeme to be more wise then the wisedome of God requireth that is that they bee not wise in proper conceit not to bee subtle Sophisters nor craftie disputers nor deceiuers nor circumuentors of others nor wise to the worlde nor such as the Serpent was which tempted and beguiled Hevah but rather that they bee wise to sobrietie Againe hee would that men should not bee ouer iust that is that they be not too quick censors nor hastie accusers of others nor too severe exactor of the extremitie of laws against euery offender either in his own house among his seruants or in the Common-wealth among his citizen But rather Equitie is of request that Equitie should be respected for hee that will be either so euer wise to see all things or so ouer iust to correct punish or controll all things and neither to winke at some things nor to mitigate the rigor of the law in other things shal neuer be able either to rule happily or to liue quietly either in the commonwealth or within the gates of his owne house Nowe I hope yee well vnderstand the King in this point Obiect 6 of quietnes But yee haue obiected againe that the King condemned him that loveth quietnes and flieth from toyle and trouble wherein as yee say hee contraryeth himselfe commending else-where the quiet life Where haue yee found that I vnderstand well the Kings meaning by your wordes in the former saide Abiather and this latter obiection is taken from that where hee sayde The Foole foldeth his handes and eateth vp his owne flesh Eccles. 4.5 and saith that better is one morsell with quietnesse then both the handes full with labour and vexation of the spirit Héere hee calleth him a Foole that resteth him content and quiet and yet hee sayde before in his Prouerbes Pro. 15.16 Better is a little with the feare of GOD then great treasures and trouble there-with To this Zadoke answered The answere denying the consequence for that the King entended another thing in that his Prouerbe then hee doth in those his latter wories For there hee spake of the godly minde which is content with whatsoeuer it shall please God to giue it and esteemeth more of that little with quietnesse in the feare of God which indeed is great riches to the godly minde but here he speaketh of the idle and sluggish person or of him that is wearie or discouraged in the performance of his office or dutie by reason of the common emulations enuies crossings and thwartings of his aduersaries and the afflictions and troubles which are incident to his calling and place Such a one he calleth a foole and that worthily for whereas the Wise-man notwithstanding all these things giueth not ouer nor is faint-hearted but continueth his calling to the ende and is happy therein the other being daunted and yeeldeth which the foolish Maryner to euery contrary winde and so perisheth to his diffame and endles miserie In this saying therefore the King is not to be reproued But in the seuenth place ye said
Obiection 7 of women Ca. 7.29 that the King was thought to condemne womens Sexe May I also heare from whence this surmise is taken from that said Abiather where he said This have I found seeking one by one to finde the count and yet my soule seeketh but I finde it not I haue found one man of a thousand but a woman among them all have I not found Answere And will they heereof conclude said Zadok that a woman therefore is not found among the Saintes He condemneth not womans sexe or that womans Sexe is prophane an euill thing I deny the consequence for yee wander farre from the kings meaning therin It is very plaine that howsoeuer the K. knoweth that he hath bin deceiued and polluted with wicked women and himselfe hath spoken against the vngodly and strange women and their vices yet did he neuer condemne the sexe or kinde of women He speaketh by comparison nor the godly woman and her vertues But he hath spoken by way of comparison as thus If of men there be found as fewe as one man of a thousand which vnderstandeth and considereth of the course of mans affayres and of his vanities vnder the Sunne and of the cariage of things in this world according to the will and prouidence of God surely of women there is not found one within that number for if men haue not that wisedō how should those weaker vessels I mean womē Howbeit we may not for all that think that by this number certain which he taketh for a number vncertaine by this hyperbolicall speach hee vtterly excludeth all women from the life of the saints number of the wise Thē might he bee found indeed to condemne Sarah the wife of Abraham and Rebecca the wife of Isaack and Hanna the mother of Samuel and the wife of Manoah the mother of Sāpson Ruth the Moabitesse and Rahab of Ierico and Abigael and Bethsabee the kings mother others of the generation of the iust which are so much commended in the holy write But the King in his wisedome knowing the excellencie of such women hath worthily praysed them and their vertues saying Pro. 31. The woman that feareth the Lord shal be cōmended give her of the fruit of her hands and let her owne works praise her openly And he said againe that such a woman shall be given by the Lord for a good portion to such a man as feareth him * 8. Obiection 8 of the doubtfulnes of Gods loue mercie Chap. 9.1 Answere Ye haue said said that the King hath taught a doubtfulnes of the Love mercy of God But let me heare of what words ye haue taken that The king hath oftē said quod Abiather that No man knoweth either love or hatred of all that is before them And both this sayde zadoke teach vs a doubtfulnes of the loue and mercy of God towardes his children in this life No truely for by this he speaketh of an other thing as first that considering the manifold confusions of mans affayres in this world no man in the view thereof or of any other external thing can take censure of matters diuine nor truely discerne No man can iudge of divine things by these externall things what things he ought either to choose or refuse in this world For the Lord sendeth both prosperitie and aduersitie aswell to the wicked as to the godly Next the King knoweth that albeit the soules of the righteous bee in the hand of GOD so that none euill may touch them yet such is the corrupt iudgement of flesh and blood ignorant of GOD and of his wayes Men consider not whō God either loueth or hateth that he neuer somuch as considereth what kinde of men the yare which God loueth and what kinde of men they are which God hateth and therefore are they no more louing nor thankfull vnto the godly whom the Lorde loueth howsoeuer they haue well deserued then they are vnto the vngodly 9. Oiection of the soule Cha. 3.21 which neither feare God nor endeuor to benefite his Church * Yee further obiected that the King hath cast into doubt the being of the Soule I pray what hath he sayde to occasion this conceite of him he hath sayd quod Abiather Who knoweth whether the soule of man ascendeth vpward and the spirite of the beast descendeth downward to the earth As who should vehemētly affirme that no man knoweth the life or being of the soule Ergo he doubteth thereof Mans iudgement of the soule of a man I deny that said Zadoke for albeit the naturall man neither knoweth nor vnderstandeth this by his reason yet the godly man by his faith beleeueth and comprehendeth it The purpose of the King therefore in these words is to set foorth the imagination of the children of men which cannot conceiue by any wisedome or reason of man that the soule of man is immortall and ascendeth vp into heauen after his dissolution no more then doth the breath of a beast Ye haue said also that the K. doubteth of the life sense of the humane soule 10. Obeiction of the sense of the soule Chap. 9 5.9.10 Yea said Abiather for he saith Whosoever is ioyned to the living there is hope for it is better to a living dog thē to a dead Lyon for the living know that they shal die but the dead know nothing at all Neither have they any more a reward for their remēbrance is forgottē Also their love their hatred and their envy is now perished they have no more portiō for ever in al that is done vnder the sun Answere To this answered Zadok I meruaile what should moue any man to think by these words that the king doubteth of the life and sense of the soule after his departure as therein to giue aime to the opinion of them that thinke the soules doe either die or sléepe vntill the iudgement which is to come so contrary to the holy Scriptures and beliefe of our Fathers for Solomon hath no such aime nor meaning All men are admonished to vse the time of their life in the works of their vocation But hee speaketh of the dead and not of the soules which liue for euer and wisheth all men to vse the time of their life and present opportunitie for the exercising and performing of the woorkes of their vocation for the benefite of the Church the good of the Common-wealth the discharge of duties and the glorie of GOD. For that by death which dayly draweth on them all men are depriued of all sense worke and labour of this life to doe thencefoorth therein either good or euill For they haue finished their course played their partes and cannot returne either to perfect their defectes or to supply their wants in the performāce of that dutie wherunto they were both created and called but must from hence-foorth let all alone for euer that so the tree might lie wheras
it is fallen Therefore the king would that men should respect the ende of their Creation and calling Respecte the end and not to neglect or passe ouer the fittest times of working and effecting their duties in the same This is the kings purpose and not that hee either denyeth or doubteth of the immortalitie or sense of the soule of mā wherof I haue heard him say that departing hence it goeth to God which gaue it and that the soules of the righteous are in the hand of God Eccles. 12. and there shall none evill touch them For though in the sight of the vnwise they apeare to dye their ende is taken for miserie and their departing from vs to bee a very destruction yet are they at rest and their hope is full of immortalitie The iust shall liue for euer Moreouer the King as hee had well learned and vnderstood so he likewise remembred Iobs resolution where he said I am sure that my Redeemer liveth Iob. 19.25 and that I shall rise out of the earth in the latter day and shall bee covered againe with my skinne and shall see God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold and none other for me This my hope is layd vp in mine heart Thus haue I answerd ten of your Obiections Abiather in which mine answeres let mee know whether your minde be satisfied To this answered Abiather ye haue well satisfied me most reuerend father therefore I will not reply and I doubt not but that ye haue also pleased all the Lords assembled And we sayd the Lords hold our mindes well resolued in those doubtfull poyntes and are thankefull for the same CAP. XL. Zadok answereth to fower other pointes obiected viz. 11. Of the ignorance of man 12. of his imperfection 13. of tyme and chance 14. of liberality and prodigality ZAdok yet proceeded and said to Abiather I yet remēber that further ye obiected that our Lord king Solomon iudged a man so deuoide of reason as that hee knoweth not what thing it good for himselfe in his life Obiection 11 of mans ignorance Eccles. 6.11 yea saide Abiather and thus I haue hard him to expostulate Who knoweth what is good for man in the life and in the number of the daies of the life of his vanity seing he maketh them as a shadow And well might the king thus say saide Zadok in this respect that no man knoweth in what estate to liue The world hath so many confusions that the naturall man cannot find what to chuse or refuse in the same wherein to find perfect peace quietnes and contentation in this world for as the world is set on mischiefe so is euery kind of estate and condition of man in the same oppressed with miseries and exposed to vanities Besides that it is true enough that the sensuall man after his naturall foolishnesse preferreth those thinges that bee euill before the thinges that be good neither is he able to iudge with an vpright iudgement or to discerne betweene the one and the other being blinded through his concupiscence as a beast of his owne knowledge and in his whole life made subiect to vanitie And as diuerse diseases require diuerse medicines as the desires of old men require one thing and the lusts of young men another thing and either age passeth away as a shadow so the affaires of men are euer changed and carried to an vncertaine end themselues being euer vncertaine of future euents Attend the present things and be not vanquished of vanitie Therefore they should learne to attend the thinges present with diligence waigh them with wisdome and commend to the Lord those thinges that are to ensew And albeit they cannot eschew all vanity they should not yet bee conquered of vanity but be wise in God strong in his power and endeuour to lead a iust and an honest life without the excessiue care of that which shall or may betide them thereafter so far forth as they neglect not to leaue a good report with the posteritie Obiect 12 Of mans imperfection and sinne Cap. 7.22 * Yee haue further obiected Abiather that the king being a transgressor himselfe condemneth all other men of transgression Indeede said Abiather the king hath said it openlie that there is no man iust on the earth that doth good and sinneth not And yet we know by the testimonie of holy Scripture that Habel Noah Abraham Iob and others were iust men in their times It is true said Zadok that the king hath so saide as he might very well say The occasion of his words was taken from the consideration of thē No man is iust and sinneth not which being either wise in their proper conceits or too quick censors and correctors of other men see not into their owne sinnes imperfections and infirmities neither consider they of the imperfections and infirmities of other men for he that is an offender himselfe should not exact th'extremitie of the law against other men which be offenders for it is a shame for the teacher or corrector of others faultes to bee found guilty in the same faultes That men therefore should not be too seuere exactors against others he saith There is no man iust vpon the earth who when he doth well doth not sinne or offend also Therefore let no men forget themselues and their owne imperfections whensoeuer they take in hand to reprooue punish or correct others neither let them do to others which they would not that others should doe vnto them At the least let them not dissemble their owne faults to their owne consciences as thinking their owne sinnes to be no sinnes at all whiles they censure iudge condemne and punish others Moreouer if the sentence should bee taken or considered absolutely without any respect of that former ocasion we shal neuertheles find it true enough that euery man is a sinner that there is no mā liuing on the earth able to iustifie himself before the Lord as both the K. father in his holy songs also the patient man Iob in his sayings haue testified There shall no mortal man compar'd with God of might Psal 143.3 Be iustified because no man is righteous in his sight Nor can he answere well if with him he contend Iob. 9.2 One of a thousand fold thereby himselfe for to defend Therefore we finde that Habel and Noah Abraham and Iob being but men although they were iustified by their faith and called righteous men both by that and because they were more iust in comparison then many others were neuerthelesse sinners yea and euen then whiles they did that which in nature was good either by reason of originall concupiscence or for the defect of some circumstāces in or about that good For the saints and the best man liuing on the earth put Messiah apart cannot possibly be cleare without sin so long as they carie about them their earthly tabernacle nor are they
able to doe or effect that which good is Now if the iustest man is not only accused but condemned his best works blemished Alas what an heauy dome shal be cast on the vnrighteous and â—ugly shall his déeds bee in the sight of God howsoeuer hee glance in beautie before men Well therefore might the king accuse all men and condemne sin in theÌ„ yet not therein iustifie himselfe but with and among them both accuse and condemne himselfe as euery man in that respect should thereby the sooner to beware that he censure not vnaduisedly or too rashly condemne others lest therein he bring iudgement on his owne head that he consider of other men by himself pray to God with an humble mind that those imperfections sins both of nature and action may be either purged or pardoned for the sake of holy Messiah who indeed supplyeth all such wants of perfection giueth grace and beautie to all them that by faith depend on him according to that promise made to our father Aabraham saying In thy seed shal all the kindreds of the earth be blessed Further ye haue obiected against the K. that he hath ascribed all things to Time and Chance Obiect 13 of time and chance Eccles. 9.10.11 Which we iustly attribute to the diuine prouideÌ„ce I pray you what said the K. to occasion this conceit He hath said quod Abiather that he saw vnder the Sunne that the race is not to the swift nor the battel to the strong nor yet breade to the wise nor also riches to men of vnderstanding neither yet fauour to men of knowledge but Time and Chance commeth to them all for neither doth a man know his time but as the Fishes which are taken in an euill netie and as the birdes that are caught in a snare so are the children of men snared in the euill time which it falleth vppon him suddenly Indeede quod Zadok so hath the King saide Nowbeit he said not that the Goddes Fortune ruleth or bears sway in the affaires of men nor that all thinges in the worlde happen and are caryed by chance nor teacheth he men to embrace that cyclopicall securitie which some of the heathen fondly embrace Nor hath the king vnderstood this time and chance in that sort or sense wherein worldly minded men cal Occasion Fortune Goddesses and to them attribute the totall guide and carriage of all mens affayres contemning the whiles the most profitable doctrine of the prouidence of God and the true obseruation of all those ancient histories by the which the Lorde of heauen hath beene witnessed to worke his work according to such predictioÌ„s and purposes as he had before declared vnto holy men in the due time But the king being most wise of all men by this saying so pithie and patheticall teacheth that profoundly that howsoeuer God in his wisdome and prouidence decreeth worketh and compasseth all things in good methode measure All things come to men as by chance time and place yet in respect onely of mortall mans wisedome providence or forecast al things come to passe as by chance or Fortune as they call it for why men foresee not nor know before hand what shall succeede or come after them in their life therefore they are often snared and caught before they be aware neither wil they take heede although they be admonished because they haue neither faith nor the feare of God which men very seldom entertain within the limits of vanities kingdom Thus Cain though otherwise subtle and enuious not foreseeing his owne destruction nor taking admonition by the Lordes commination which tolde him that if he did euill his sinnes shoulde be laid at the doores to be seene he procéeded in the compassing of his mischieuous deuise and so was cursed from the earth and afterward slaine Thus the old worldlinges whiles they did eate drinke marie wiues build houses and sported deuoide of faith pietie and foresight of the generall deluge were sodainely and vnawares ouer whelmed in the dayes of Noah whereof notwithstanding the Lord God certified Noah some hundred and twenty yeeres before and he omitted not to admonish theÌ„ of the same in his ordinary preaching now this thing considered that plague might seeme to betide them which would neither foresee nor beleeue it by chance howsoeuer it was certainely decreed and appointed by the Lorde In semblable sort the Sodomites and Gomorheans had their destruction falling on them not expecting nor fearing thereof as by chance I say by chance in respect of their want of foreknowledge or feare So godles Pharao the Egyptian King and his hoast were ouerwhelmed sodainly in the red Sea Iudg 9.53 1. Sam. 17.49 1. King 2.34 Abimelech was vnawares killed by a Woman that cast downe a peece of a milstone on his head great Goliah was soone cast downe by the Kinges father Shimei and Ioab were by an occasion not thought on brought within the snare and caught as the Lorde appointed it for their sinnes Many such examples are dayly before our eyes to bee seene the which howsoeuer the vnwise and foolish little obserue and consider of are neuerthelesse well noted of the wise to profit and good vse By this therefore the King neither denieth the working nor infringeth the force of the diuine prouidence by the which he knoweth that all thinges in the world are both disposed carried and ordered in a most perfect methode howsoeuer they be hidden and conceiled from the knowledge reason of them that inhabite within the dominions of vanities kingdome And truly in this that the working of God and his waies are farre aboue and beyond the wit wisdome and reach of all men the power glorie and maiestie of the almightie is aduanced in al the world and his Saints haue and retaine no meane instruction in their liues and consolation in al their afflictions Obiect 14 of prodigalitie After this my L. Abiather I call to mind another obiection of yours as namely that the K. in some his late wordes should encourage men to a prodigall wasting and spending out of their wealth and substance without regarde what might thereof become But let it please you to tell me what those the kings words are wherof this doctrine might be gathered It is a strange thing to see how the simple truth is often inuerted and mistaken Men in publike places shoulde therefore be well aduised what wordes they vtter and explane obscure sentences by wise expositions Thus said Abiather spake the K. Eccles. 11.1 Cast foorth thy Bread vppon the face of the waters and after many dayes thou shalt finde it Give a portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evill will bee on the earth Alas said Zadoke how peruersly they wrest the kings good meaning in this singular metaphor Answere Because the king said cast foorth the bread on the face of the Waters wil ye conclude ergo he encourageth men to prodigalitie
and dissolute wasting away of their wealth God forbid foe he hath no such meaning But he exhorteth men to be liberall and charitable two excellent vertues he would that therein they should extend of their welth in either parte without respect of persons or of reward or hope of gaine or glory that men should help such as be in néed trouble misery that cannot recōpence or requite and to commit the successe and the regarde of all retribution to the Lord without all feare or distrust In the doing whereof is shall come to passe that men shall find againe that which they had laid out in one sort or other For such thinges are but as lent to him that will in due time repay The Lord himselfe will augment and blesse the basket and the store as Moses hath saide to them that keepe the Lordes commandementes Deut. 28. Therfore according to this saying men in the bestowing of benefits or in the giuing of their Almes should do like vnto those which cast foorth their things on the fleeting streame the things are throwne foorth and they bee carried away and there is no care taken thereof nor hope of recouery againe So men ought to giue and dispose of their riches in this life especially to the poore and needy without hope of recompence or reward knowing wel that the reward thereof is with the Lorde who forgetteth not them that haue thus bestowed of their wealth and thinges that the LORD hath giuen them and in the due time wil duely recompence them Psal 103.2 This the Kinges Father remembred whem hee saide Blesse the LORD O my soule forget not all his retributions Moreouer by the face of the waters wee may not vnaptly vnderstand the wet faces or weeping eyes and namely the poore the needy the miserable which in regarde of their harde lotts and afflictions are constrained to mourne And further to shew that the ende of our good worke or charitable action should be the beginning of another that shold succéed he willeth men to giue and bestow a part not onely the 7. day which is the end of one wéek but also the 8. day which is the beginning of another so forth Wherein also hee woulde that men which haue abundance shoulde resemble the full cloudes which poure downe the raine without any respect of places or hope of receiuing therof again and shoulde be also like the trées which in the autumne or harvest time let fall their fruite for such as will gather thereof and regard not the returne of the benefit Lo this is the meaning of the king in his wordes which are indeede right worthy the memory and praise Then replied Abiather In truth most reuerende Father ye haue also in this fully satisfied mee and I trust that ye haue no lesse contented al these the Kings Princes and seruantes And wee said the Princes are very wel pleased in these resolutions But if there be any thing els to be obiected we would that ye did now remember it that it may bee in like sort answered for our hearty request is and the same shal be continued that it woulde please this most reuerend Father in presence to answere and resolue the doubtes that aswel the posteritie and others as our selues hearing both th' one and th' other may bee the better instructed occasioned to thinke ruerently both of the King and of his words And truly we esteeme him a meete defender of the truth who when he thinketh well doth neither feare nor is ashamed to speake CAP. XLI Zadok answereth to the three last obiections 15. of the difference betweene good and evill 16. mans power of life 17. the young-mans lesson Moreover Solomons words are approved for veritie Obiection 15 of the holy and prophane ABiather proceeded to ratify his obiections and said But wherefore I pray you hath the king put no differēce between the righteous and the wicked betweene the holy and the prophane I might peraduenture answere you saide zadok if ye coulde certify me from the which of all his wordes they haue taken this to be obiected They haue taken it said Abiather from those his wordes where yee haue hearde him say without retractation or correction Eccles. 9.2 It happeneth to the one as to the other it goeth with the righteous as with the vngodly with the good and cleane as with the vncleane with him that offereth as with him that offereth not like as it goeth with the vertuous so goeth it also with the sinner as it happeneth vnto the periured so it happeneth also to him that feareth an oath Among all thinges that come to passe vnder the Sunne this is a misery that it happeneth to al alike Answere And this is a cause that the hearts of mē are ful of wickednes madnesse is in their mindes as long as they live vntill they die To this answered Zadok Truely wisedome would perswade that before they had conclude against the King they had wisely considered one thing with another Cap. 7.25 as the king hath also counsailed For he hath often said to ouerthrow the strength of their argument that he thinketh in his minde that God shall separate the righteous from the vngodly then shal be the iudgement time of al counsails works Again he saith Cap. 3.17 Cap. 8.12 I know that it shal be wel with thē that feare God do reverēce before him But it at shal not be well to the wicked neither shal he prolōg his daies but even as a shadowe shal he be because he feareth not God Wherin he speaketh much like his father who said the L. knoweth or approueth the way of the righteous he shal prosper but the way of the vngodly shal perrish now shal he be able to stād in iudgemēt nor in the cōgregatiō of the iust Now therfore Abiather let these things places be cōsidered together and ye shal find that the K. hath a double purpose therin as els where he hath said Answer not a foole after his foolishnes again answere a foole after his foolishnes wherein he wold that an answere be made méet for the questiō but not according to the fools expectatiō so the K. hath said the iust is as the vniust again the iust is not like the vniust for in somethings they be cōpared in this world but not in al things As touching either mans mortalitie or the sundry accidēts euēts of this life they are not much vnlike For as it was before said touching the cōparisō of man with the beast or the wise mā with the foole so may it be said in this that it happeneth to the iust as to the vniust Iob. 21.23 And in this hee séemeth to allude to that saying if Iob One man dieth in his full strength beeing in all ease and prosperitie his breastes are full of milke and his bones runne full of marrow Another dieth in the bitternes of his
soule and never eateth with pleasure Neverthelesse they sleepe both a like in the earth and the wormes cover them Thus are they both confounded and worthily combined together Yea here Thersites the deformed Nircus the most beautifull as the very Gréeke Poets say are worthily compared as touching their bodies Next to this such are also the confusions and euents of this life and humaine affairs in this words that in the iudgement of the carnall man there is not discerned any difference at all between the good the euil the iust man and the sinner to either of the which the temporall good thinges of nature fortune and life are often alike Abraham our Father was rich so was Pharao Abimelech and the king of Sodom Againe Cain was an exile from his Fathers house so was Abraham and Iacob and Ioseph Moreouer Sarah was faire and beautifull so were the daughters of Cain Shem was preserued in the Arke with his Father Noah so was Cham also within the same But it may be so that the Lord would therin teach that his children should serue him not inregard of those temporall and worldly things and again that the vngodly which also haue and do abuse the same might be left without all excuse of their vnthankefulnes that the iustice of God might bee acknowledged and his word beleeued which commendeth and promiseth the future iudgement and full retribution of all mens wordes and workes and that the worthines of faith might bee encreased Moreouer it is so that the true vertues of the spirit diuine which are so well knowne of the king do not externally appeare to the carnall minded man Therefore the men of this world esteeme no more of the iust and godly then of the wicked and impious yea they persecute the godly and most vertuous and constraine them by their cruel tyrannies and oppressions to suffer and endure those bitter tormentes and paines which are only one as well deserued to malefactor and transgressours of the law This thing was noted in the death of Habel whom Cain slew in the persecution of our father Iacob by Esau by Laban others wherof he could say to Pharao that his dayes had beene few and euill in the accusation the selling away the imprisonment and afflictiōs of Ioseph in the afflictions of our fathers in Egypt in the contempt of Lot in Sodom in th'xtremity of poore Naomi and Ruth and in the sorrow of Hanna with others Such is the entertainement of the godly and their common estimation in the world and this is the nature of vanities kingdome Now what is that which ye disliked in these the kings words No man hath power over the spirit to keepe still the spirite nor hath any power in the time of death Is it not a true saying Obiection 16 mans power of life Cap. 8.8 For hath any man power either to liue as long as he listeth or to put away his soule from his body at his pleasure Surely it is true as Iob said to this purpose The dayes of man are determined and as the King said The dayes of a man are numbred that is sby the Lord who onely hath power either to giue or to take away mans life at his will and pleasure at all times and that neither this nor that lieth in the will or power of man therefore as he may not cast himselfe rashly into danger so neither should he promise himself long life Though Saul slew himselfe he had not therein power of his life for his dayes were determined and now expired he was shewed the day before 1. Sam. 28.19 that hee should die and in the manner of his death he was by the iustice of God made his owne executioner As he could retaine his life no longer so neither could he forbeare to performe that on himselfe which he was in this iudgement constrayned to performe If worldly men had this power either to retaine life or to put it off when they lifted they would then often renew themselues and old age would not be much dislike yea death which is so bitter to the wealthy men of this life would not be so much feared as it is But now it falleth out otherwise for why neither can the courage and strength of body preserue the strong warrier nor the industry of arte nor the deuises and counsailer of man withstand death when the Lord taketh away life nor can force death on them whom the Lord is willing so preserue in life Thus when Saul in his trouble was slaine of his owne handes for want of another executioner David on the other part was preserued Obiection 17 the yong mans lesson nor could he be slaine by them which were his mortall enemies because the Lord did keepe his life * Finally ye haue said that it is obiected against the King that hee shoulde in his wordes counsaile young men to take their delights of youth and to swmime in their lustes Let mee heare the Kings owne wordes as he spake them and vpon what occasion Hee said quod Abiather Though a man live many yeeres in them all reioice Cap. 11.8.9 yet he should remember the dayes of darkenes because they are many all that commeth is vanitie Then thereupon he said againe Reioyce O yong man in thy youth walke in the waies of thine heart in the sight of thine eyes Then he added indéed But know that for all these thinges God will bring thee to iudgement therefore take away griefe out of thine heart cause evill to depart from thy flesh for childhood youth are vanitie Then answered Zadok how haue they here considered one word with another Answere the beginning with the end the exordium with the conclusion Yong-men are counsailed to beware For they also haue their Iudgment appointed and how is the māner of the kings speech marked When the king had aduised men in the highest grade of their proserity to thinke vpon affliction trouble and aduersitie and to endeuor to eschew it he commeth to behold the guise and condition of yong men yea of such as did sway in wordly and fleshly lustes and wantonnes without regarde of the iudgementes of God which is wont to ouertake such persons in the time appointed and he derideth their folly speaking by the figure Ironia in the which the contrary is euer intended as who should say Go too go too thou yong man if thou wilt not bee aduised nor restrained nor reclaimed by these instructions and lessons take thine own mind follow thine own will walk in thine own waies if thou thinke it good But he leaueth him not without a commination or threatning And thinkest thou that there is none account to be made for these thinges and will not God bring thee into iudgement thou art deceiued thou foolish yong man for there is a iudgement which a waiteth but the time appointed wherein thou must enter not onely at the last when al men shal
stand before the Lord to be tryed after their desertes but also in this life if death preuent it not which yet may bee thy particular iudgement here and then will the Lord recompence thy sinnes with scourges and thine iniquities with rods Now thou art willing that the lust passe through euery pleasant fielde Sap. 5. Eccles. 12. and that thou solace thy selfe with the delights of the children of men But then shall God speake to thee in his wrath and thou shalt say what good hath those pleasures lusts brought me Alas these daies are evill they do nothing delight me Loe doth not this explane the former words against the lusts of fond youth men that abuse the creatures in their prosperity To vse things so as we forget not the reckoning we must make for them in the end yes doubtles and withall doth schoole and aduise men that they neither contemne nor abuse the creatures which are appointed for mās vse in this life but vse them so as they neuer forget what account they are to giue either for the vse or for the abuse of them in time to come Thus ye haue heard what I haue answered to all your obiections haue yee any thing els wherewith to charge either the king or his wordes If ye haue let vs heare Abiather Alhough I am sory said Abiather that men should be so foolish and ignorant of the kings true meaning and purpose in the premisses yet am I glad of this occasion for thereby the sooner not onely the King and his wordes are cleared of this suspition but also both my Lordes that bee present and my selfe with all others may bee fully satisfied in those points before so doubtfull Therefore I will obiect no further but put mine hand on my mouth and bee silent yea rather shall my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth then that I will with the same either blaspheme my Lord the King or derogate from his Wordes the deserued authoritie and worthy estimation The princes Then saide the Princes with one mouth and consent Surely whatsoruer haths beene saide and hearde wee conclude with reuerende zadoke for the defence of the king and his wordes against all maligne mouthes and sclanderous tongues Neither indeede can wee but well commend that which wee well vnderstand of those his Sermons and wordes nor thinke wee but that the holy Ghost will both bring to our remembrance whatsoeuer thereof shall bee most profitable and conuenient for the Church of God and will teach vs also the true vnderstanding and meaning thereof zadok Very well saide and resolued my Lords saide zadok therefore the sooner vpon this occasion I will tell you what I thinke generally of those wordes of the King which wee now minde to collect and so conclude our present conference Summa verborum Eccles 2. pointes thinking the time too long ere I be with his Grace The whole drift of the Kinges wordes may bee digested into two generall points the first whereof is that the worlde is to bee contemned the other is that the chiefe Good is to be pursued In which two pointes consisteth both wisedome and vnderstanding as God said to man in Iob. Iob. 28.28 Behold the feare of the Lord is wisdome to depart from evill is vnderstanding Iob. 1.1 This hee peformed when he feared God and eschewed evill For in the world which hee maeneth by the place vnder the Sunne The world and whereas hee placeth vanities kingdome he descrieth vanities of the which collecting many The chiefe Good he frameth a certaine catalogue therby sheweth his perfect vnderstāding In the chief good he findeth mans highest felicitie exempted from all vanities and miseries to the which he directeth men by diuers good prescriptions and rules whereby hee displayeth perfect wisedome The two tables of the law And in these two partes hee singularly alludeth to those two tables of the law wherein is commanded and set foorth what the thinges are which men ought to flye and againe what they be which they ought to do and performe aswell for their owne health as for the glory of God What he findeth in vanities kingdome to be abandoned In vanities kingdome he displaieth the vanitie of man in his deuises studies counsailes policies delights labours sinnes imperfections and infirmities next hee displaieth his misery in this world wherein hee hath a condition toilsom and laborious a troubled spirit an aking heart a grieved conscience an hell of sorrowes and an yeelding perforce to death Thirdly he telleth what the things are which most commonly encrease mans misery and so his vanity as namely that wisedome which is earthly sensuall and diuelish the pleasures lusts and delights of the children of men which are beastly and deuoide of reason The honour of the worlde and vaine glory of man wherewith hee is puffed vp forgetful of himselfe the greedy desire of riches auarice couetousnes which drowne men in sinne and perdition The vice of curiositie inconstancie rebellion disobedience to magistrates intemperancie oppression of the poore and iniurious dealing of man against man Iniustice of magistrates vnreuerent talking of Princes lawes especially of God and of his actions slothfulnesse and idlenesse wrath and enuy want onnesse of youth vnprofitable pastimes that consume the time of mans life hope of long life and such like All which thinges beeing by him descryed and displayed to sway and swell within the kingdome of vanitie he thought good to make thereof a Catalogue as I said and there withall hath in the same here and there prescribed and appointed soueraigne salues and remedies against those noisome maladies Remedies against those noysome maladies that thereby the sooner those great euills beeing auoided or abandoned there might a ready way be made and prepared for al them that are willing to tend towardes the chiefe Good and so to the highest felicitie And these remedies are contained generally either in Corasives or Comfortatives The former consisteth of reprehensions confutations derisions comminations whereby be condemneth and contemneth those vanities with their inconveniences The other consisteth of doctrins confirmations counsels exhortations commendations Caueats aduises and admonitions wherby be halleweth men away from those vanities and perswadeth and allureth them to vertues the highest felicitie And in these pointes Solomon as a cunning phisician the king as a good Phisician hath not omitted any one thing that the wise and cunning Phisicians haue accustomed to practise and vse in the cure of mans body for here are prescriptions of Sweates of vomits of diets of ointmentes of minutions of cauterizings of clysters of slepes of exercises and of portions whereof if time would permit I could speake more amply but here I onely point to the thinges which I might speake touching the wisedome and cunning of our King in and about the cure of those great maladies Howbeit as euery medicine helpes not euery nature nor
of that right excellent Sermon * The third word of the Title is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sonne of David if it bee asked 3 The sonne of Dauid Solomons name is concealed Eccles. 1. why the Name of Shelomon is héere concealed It may be answered First because it pleased the King to entitle himselfe the Preacher when he acknowledged not himself for king of Israel but only said that he had bin king And albeit we hold our Lord the King yet honorable in his place as true Subiects ought to do and neither to discouer his faults imperfections as Cham did the nakednes of his father nor to conceale that with the envious which may giue a light to the glory of the worthy yet considering the Kings cause and the humors of men wee had need to walke warily in this matter And we know that howsoeuer the king shal be honored or suspected with thē that come after vs The estimation of the words the words being indéed the words of truth shall stand and be receiued of prize as those which procéeded not only from this person but from the true Solomon the sonne of David by whose spirit the king hath abounded in wisedom spoken those words For it is wel known and the king himself hath not concealed it that by his transgressions hee hath prouoked Iehovah his God to anger as it is before declared whereby hee is depriued of that excellent Peace and Dignitie which his Name Shelomoh importeth For the time was that the Lord fauouring him Eccles. 47.13 gaue him a glorious raigne when he had made all quiet round about him that he might build an house to his name and prepare the Sanctuarie for euer and for that his peace he was beloued But now there bee stirred vp against him diuers great enemies Solomon himself concealeth his name Solomon because he had transgressed Ruth 1.20 whereby in steed of peace hee is forced to embrace warres and troubles moreouer entring into the reckning of his own demerits and condition he acknowledgeth himself rather an occasioner of warres then a procurer of peace and to be called rather afflicted and vexed then delicate and tender according as once Naomi sayd to her citizens Call me not Naomi beautifull but call me Marah bitter For the Almighty hath given me much bitternesse Therefore it might bee that some though not any of vs hearing those wordes published vnder the title of Solomon whome they know to bee a transgressour and causer of warres may vnhappily suspect and doubt of the authoritie thereof for things are commonly estéemed according to the credit of their Authors as Abiather before said A Lesson for preachers Therfore it is méet that they which take on them to preach to others or to teach others be themselues first of all reformed and conformed in life and conuersation lest whiles they endeuor to saue others they remaine themselues cast-awayes occasion their words to be derided and their doctrine reiected And that these words might be vnderstood so esteemed as the very words of truth and of that excellent * Prophet and Pastor That is the Messiah which shall be raised vp in his time to preach and to feede the people of God with the heauenly Manna they are entituled Of the Sonne of David Howbeit to put difference betweene him and some others of that Name and there withall to retaine the right honor and dignitie of the persons whom it pleased the Lord in loue and mercy to aduance and set on the throne of Israel we haue added in the fourth place 4. King in Ierusalem King in Hierusalem which may be vnderstood of King Solomon and next of the holy Messiah And although the Name bee not put downe háere Solomon Pro. 1.1 1. King 1.35 yet the godly learned shall well perceiue the Author of these wordes to bee the same which in the title of the Kings wise Prouerbes is named Solomon For this person beyond all Davids sonnes was onely preferred to the throne of Israel on the which hee sitteth and ruleth all the twelue Tribes for the most part hath dwelt in Hierusalem which Citie his father David constituted the Metropolitane and chiefe seat of the Kingdome and therein ruling the people of God in equitie and righteousnesse he beareth a type and Figure of the holy Messiah the sonne of David that King of righteousnes and peace who raigneth and shall raigne ouer the house of Israel for euer as I haue said from whom The author and authoritie of holy scriptures as from the chief Pastor author the authoritie credit of those words is to bee deriued as is the authoritie of all the holy Scriptures by whomsoeuer the wordes and Doctrines thereof haue beene or shall bee written preached or taught Loe thus haue I spoken for the better vnderstanding of this Title which we thinke good to prefixe to those the Kings words by vs to be collected Now if it please you my good Lordes all let euery one of vs call to minde what wee haue heard the king to vtter in this time of his Repentāce the which I would should be simply plainly gathered and registred without any addition or diminution of any thing How the words are to be collected and written that so the Wordes as they be indited by the singer of the holy Ghost may remaine the same sound whole to be remēbred vnderstood expounded and learned by thē only to whom the same spirit shall giue both wisdom vtterance capacity the same to performe in posterity * Very well spoken sayde the Princes and turning themselues towards Helioreph and Ahiah The Kings Secretaries they requested them to write according to that euery one of them should call to minde and deliuer of those the Kings last words The Secretaries write the words to whom they answered We are heare ready and as ye shall remember and relate the Kings owne wordes so shall we receiue the same with all willingnesse and faithfully register them zadoke beginneth the Collection Say on my Lords in order one after another They giue good eare sayde zadok and I will beginne to report what I haue heard The matters are waightie and graue they require both attention trust and diligence Write and begin thus Eccles. 1.2 Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities all is vanitie Verse 3. What remaineth vnto man in all his travell which he taketh vnder the Sunne c. Cap 2.1 I sayd in my heart Go too nowe I will proove thee with ioy therefore take thou pleasure in pleasant things beholde this also is vanity c. The Booke of the Ecclesiastes or the Preacher distinguished into 12. Chapters Cap. 3. To all things there is an appointed Time and a time to every purpose vnder heaven c Cap. 4.1 So I turned and considered all the oppressions that are wrought vnder the Sunne c. Cap. 5.1 Be not
rash with thy mouth nor let thine heart be hasty to vtter a thing bofore God c Cap. 6.1 There is an euill which I saw vnder the Sunne and it is much among men c Cap. 7.1 Surely there be many things that encrease vanitie and what availeth it man c Cap. 8. Who is as the wise man who knoweth the interpretation of a thing c. Cap. 9.1 I have surely given mine heart to all this and to declare all this c Cap. 10.1 Dead flyes cause to stincke and putrifie the best oyntment of the Apothecary c Chap. 11.1 Cast thy bread vpon the waters and after many dayes thou shalt find it c Cap. 12.1 Remember nowe thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth c Verse 8. Vanitie of vanities saith the Preacher and all is Vanitie CAP. XLIII The Conclusion of the Booke contayning the declaration of the Princes and Collectors concerning their approbation of Solomon and his words with their Affixe to the same THe Secretaries hauing written the Words of King Solomon according to the former collection they said vnto zadok and the Princes Behold my Lords all these words haue wee written with diligence Is there any thing else that ye would we should also write Solomon spake much more then is here remembred Truely saide the Princes the King hath spoken in our hearing many other things right worthy both the remembrance and the writing yea and so many as wee neither could beare away nor can now report and the Kings wisedome and diligence hath yet farre passed and exceeded It is most true in very truth said Zadoke And although the Lord his God hath wonderfully blessed him with wisedom knoweldge vnderstanding and many rare graces farre beyonde that any other man now living doth enioy yet he omitteth not Solomon yet studieth and searcheth for more wisedom nor neglecteth his daily study and diligence to search for and to obtaine and get more wisedom more knowledge more vnderstanding and more graces and hee yet learneth and ruminateth that both night and day which hee mindeth to produce and teach vnto the people Neither doth hee aduenture to speake or vtter any thing before that hee hath with wisedom conceiued it and with a perfect iudgement digeasted it in his heart For hée knoweth that as in the ordinary course of nature the conception goeth before the birth so learning ought to goe before teaching in him which is the teacher First therefore he hath learned yea and yet he continueth a learner that thereby he might the better know all things and frame himselfe a Teacher And to that end he hath béene a diligent searcher of all Antiquities and the worthiest monuments of the ancient Fathers hearkening therein to the counsaile of Moses Deut. 32.7 where hee faith Remember the dayes of the world that is past consider the yeeres of so many generations Aske thy father he will shew thee thine Elders and they will tell thee Genesis Exodus Levit. Num. Duet And therefore he hath commonly in his hands the Bookes of Moses as namely Bereschith Velleschemoth Vaichrah Vaiedabber Ellehaddebarim Also the Booke of Iob the Booke of Iosuah the Bookes of Shemuel the writtings of Nathan of Gad of Asaph and of his father David with the volumes of other Prophets wise men neither abandoneth he the writtings of Homer other learned monuments of the Gentiles From and out of the which he hath gathered and yet gathereth of learning knowledge and wisedome more and more euery day Nor is the King ignorant of this that as the herbe Moly which is so good and soueraigne for medicine beyonde many others is very hardly digged or drawen vp from the earth so those things which are excellent indéed and of speciall choice come not to men without exquisite studie wisedō is Gods guift yet must men study labour for it and great and hard trauels and that albeit the excellencie of wisedome knowledge and iudgement is not atchiued or gotten by any the wit wisedome power policie or agilitie of man but commeth from the Lordes goodnesse and mercy yet doth not the Lord ordinarily giue or bestow any of those things without the lawfull exercises of reason studies and diligence but he is right willing to helpe and further the true labourers to instruct them which reade aduisedly and to further them which haue a desire to procéede faithfully in the way of his commandments to and for the which he maketh his word a Lanterne vnto their fecte and a light vnto their pathes To this purpose he giueth them Séers wisemen Prophets Priests and goodly Princes and he powreth foorth of his diuine spirite whereby they be made apt and capable of those singular graces Whereof wee haue many worthy examples as namely in Noah in Lot in Abraham in Iacob in Ioseph in Moses in Samuel in the Kings father and lastly in the King himselfe who in his youth as the Lorde by his spirit had disposed him prayed vnto the Lord for wisedome exercised himselfe in the things which thereunto appertained hearkened to David to Bethsabe to Nathan to Gad to Asaph and to his noble Counsailors and vsed the reason and wisedom which God gaue him as a talent encreasing So God yet more and more prospered him from day to day hee taught him he aduised him he blessed him and wisdome was found of him that sought for her And thus vseth the Lorde in his mercie and loue to admonish such as thinke of his goodnes and to comfort them which early enquire for him he teacheth them that desire to learne hee heareth them that pray vnto him he lighteneth them that dispute of knowledge hée openeth to them that knocke and he giueth to them that aske that in things that be profitable holy and appertaining to the glory of his Name to the good of his Church to the benefite of his people This the King as hee is most wise knoweth right well And hauing thus gotten and attained the excellencie of wisedome he burieth not those his Talents in the earth The vse of talents and gifts which God bestoweth on men but employeth and occupieth the same not like vnto that niggard who for feare of loosing his wealth would hide it though without all vse nor like the enuious which would not that other men should be partakers of knowledge but as the right libeberall and charitable man he laboureth endeuoreth to make all other men partakers of his wisdome and diuine graces and hideth her riches from no man For he séeth that as wisedome is an infinite measure vnto men so shall his diligence and studie be acceptable not only to them but to the Lorde Sap. 13.14 who hath filled his soule with diuine treasures mooued him to speake what his minde hath conceiued and to vse his graces to the edification of his pepole Therefore hath hee spoken according to the fulnes of his spirit the sooner because
and witnes Therfore I thinke it good if it shall please you my Lords that these our right trusty and faithfull frinds Helioreph and Ahiah doe adde this also as an Affire to the Kings Conclusion of the booke which is written vz. Vers 9. The preacher was yet more wise and he taught the people knowledge and caused them to heare and he searched foorth and prepared many Parables Vers 10. The preacher sought to find out pleasant words and an vpright writing the words of truth Vers 11. The words of the wise are like Goads like nailes fastened by the maisters of the assemblies which are given by one Pastour Vers 12. And of other thinges besides these my Sonne take thou heede for there is none end in making many bookes and much reading is a labour or wearinesse of the flesh The Affixe to to Solomons Booke of Ecclesiastes Ecc. 12 Vers 13. Let vs heare the end or scope of all the sermon Feare God and keep his commandements for this is that which belongeth to everyman Vers 14. For God will bring euery worke into iudgement with every secret thing whether it be good or evill CAP. XLIIII The common consent and subscription of the Princes to this collection and the conclusion THe former Wordes beeing so written and finished and the two Secretaries hauing read ouer the same in the audience of the Princes they asked whether they all well liked of those thinges with the manner and cariage thereof To whom they all answered with one voice and consent that they liked all thinges right well and were very glad that those matters were so happily rememembred to bee preserued for posteritie Moreouer they saide And wee nothing doubt but that the King himselfe when he shall either read or heare those Words of his with the manner of the report collection therof he will both like allow and ratify the same Neither wil we omit or deferre to solicite his most noble grace therein for as it concerneth the King himselfe and the truth and authoritie of his wordes so it doth and shall for euer expresse our hearty desier to exonerate our selues and to expresse that duty which wee owe and must yéeld both to his highnesse and the holy Church Finally wee most heartily thank you most reuerende Father for this your paineful diligence and willing readinesse in the plaine resolution of those things which were or might bee holden suspensiue concerning either the Kinges person or his wordes neither are wee vnthankefull vnto you the Kinges most trustie Secretaries and to you Maister Recorder for the writing and recording of all those matters so needfull to bee knowne profitable for posteritie Against them which sclander the King and his wordes * After this Zadok spake againe and saide But my Lords that all these thinges with our godly purpose may the better proceede and happily prosper for the glory of GOD the comfort of our most dread Soueraigne and the benefite of his Church Let vs endeuour as much as in vs liesh to banish from hence malignant and froward mouthes and let the lippes of all them that seeke to sclander the King and his wordes bee abandoned But let the eyes of them that feare Iehovah and loue his holy annointed looke hither and beholde onely that which is right Let their eye-liddes looke straight before them and let the right bee hearde and considered in wisedome Thanksgiving to God Finally in the conclusion and vpshot of this our councell and conference let vs turne our selues to GOD in holy inuocation and prayer Wherein as it is meete let vs first blesse and praise Iehovah our GOD for all those excellent blessings the which he hath powred forth on vs vnder the happy gouernment and noble ministry of our Soveraigne Lorde King Solomon for the which beeing so abundant in his louing and large mercies wee are not able sufficiently to bee thankefull yet let vs prouoke our selues to that measure we haue psal 103. as the kings father did when hee saide Blesse the Lorde O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name Blesse the Lorde O my soule and forget not all his retributions Next let vs beseech his most high Grace that yet in his tender mercies and louing kindenes hee would preserue the life of our dread Soueraigne Prayer for the King and renew the same as the Eagle that hee woulde consolate his Soule and keepe him in well-fare and peace that we also may yet liue and prosper vnder him as wee haue done these fourty yeeres in the right God's seruice tranquillitie and peace Thirdly let vs pray to the Lorde of heauen for our selues that our sinnes may be pardoned and our true obedience both to his Grace and our noble Soueraigne renewed and confirmed that thereby the sooner for the sake of his holy anointed hee may spare vs and not remoue from vs in his wrath that thing which in his loue he hath vouchsafed vs that his louing fauour might bee yet continued and encreases towardes vs to the eternall ioy of our heartes Fourthly let vs heartily beseech him that this our Collection of the Kings words so rightly correspondent to those ancient Eccles. 1.1 and learned authors from whence hee has taken them to bee thus conueighed vnto vs may from hence proceede with happie successe among the Lordes people as whereby not onely the Pastor in the Church but the Magistrate in the Common-wealth may take instruction and comfort euen in the middest of all the crossing aduentures incident to either place Lastly let vs humble entreate the Lorde GOD to grant that wee and euery of vs may the rather by the King his Examples Lessons and Rules of pietie learne rightly to knowe and loue GOD to knowe and consider of our selues and the depth of this worldes Vanitie as whereby the sooner abandoning and forsaking the counsailes of the vngodly psal 1 i the wayes of the wicked and the seates of the scorners we may truely and timely conuert our selues to the diuine Maiestie and be wholy dedicated to his honour in his feare All these thinges beeing performed let vs againe repaire to his highnes presence who doubtlesse by this time museth very much of this our long absence To this all the Princes and Nobles assented conioyned in most holy and reuerende prayers to the Lord from whose spirite they received no small consolation and gladnesse and thence mutually bestowing thankes they brake vp and conueighed themselues in all dutifull manner to the royall presence of King Solomon their Soueraigne Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS
tree The definitions of repentance And truely those are notable Arguments of the Kings true Conversion and Repentance For whether Repentance bee defined * that affection and passion of the minde by the which any person being touched with the sense of Gods anger conceiued for his sinne committed is most heartily sory with an humble and earnest desire of mercie and amendement of life * Or the loathing of sinne and thirsting after mercie and righteousnesse * Or the bewayling of trespasses with a full purpose thence-foorth to amend leade a godly life * Or the turning againe of man vnto his Maker with hope of mercie by faith in the holy Messiah * Or a changing or a renewing of the minde or opinion with a due consideration and better aduise * Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the turning about or changing of both the mind and body and so of the whole-man * Or after the common receiued opinion touching the parts therof the Contrition of the heart the Confession of the mouth the tempering of the flesh the amendement of the worke and the continuance in vertues * Or howsoeuer els it be defined described or declared according to the analogie or proportion of our religion we may gather out of those premised testimonies and examples both a true Repentance and the ripe fruites and notes of the same A conclusion for Solomons Repentance and so conclude that Solomon our King is truely repentant For were hee not a true repentant person wee should neuer haue found such wholsome fruites on this tree Signes and tokens of true Repentance nor such soueraigne treasures to be drawne foorth from his humble heart Neither may we thinke those fruites and treasures are of that nature as they can bee found in that person especially towards the ende of his life of whose true conuersion and faithfull repentance it may iustly be doubted no more then sweete waters are expected from a bitter fountaine or Figs to grow of Thistles Iob. 27.10 For why the Hypocrite hath never such a delight in the Almightie Nor can it possibly come to passe that the persons in whome these and such vertues are found resident dwelling or springing so proper to the Lordes chosen shoulde be vtterly shut out from a godly repentance and so debarred of the mercie of that most mercifull God who vouchsafeth both to call sinners vnto him and promiseth them mercie that truly repēt Note this For as the Lord being ielous of such his graces hath not bin willing that the damned Reprobates should be seised of the same or so much as handle them with their prophane and sinfull hands so hath he been and is most glad and right well pleased that those graces be powred out as proper to them whom it pleaseth him to renewe by repentance and to bring with great honour to his eternall glorie * Therefore as wee know that the King is Repentant so wee also beleeue he hath eschewed the danger of Gods wrath obtained mercie and pardon of his sins Solomons pardon and saluation This cure is wrought of Gods mercie and reteineth hope of his eternall health But this wee acknowledge to bee wrought not by the trust wee haue in that his repentance but in that sweete mercie of God which draweth men to Repentance in comparison whereof all his sinnes and all the sinnes of men in this life are not so much as one droppe to the Sea The Sea is great so is his sinne but the sea receiueth yet a measure so doth his sinne but the mercie of GOD is beyond all measure Therefore although men should bee ashamed to sinne yet should they not be ashamed to repent them of their sinnes as I sayde before and to hope for mercie Neither let any man say Obiect I haue sinned much how should I finde mercie for my sinnes for though a man cannot vnderstande the reason thereof yet the Lord God well knoweth it he worketh it and he pardoneth sinners in such sort as neither their sin no nor any scarre and shew of their sins remaineth This is strange to vs The nature of this cure and not séen in the curing of the wounds of a mans bodie wherin though wee haue a thousand cunning Physicians or Chirurgians the scarres of the soares remaine to be seene an argument of the wound for why the infirmitie of a mans nature and the imbercillitie of Art and medicine are repugnant to it self but when God pardoneth he blotteth sins out in such sort as not so much as any scarre or signe of the wound remaineth to be séen but together with the healing there is giuē perfit beautie after the pardoning of the paine he powreth out righteousnesse and he maketh the sinner equall with him that neuer sinned This the Kings father testified in himselfe when he said to his soule The Lord hath forgiven all thine iniquitie and healed all thine infirmitie he saveth thy life from destruction psal 103.3 Arguments for Solomons Pardon crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindnesse * But howsoeuer it bee there is no reason why we should doubt of the assurance of the loue of God to him whom he vouchsaueth to entitle his Son Neither should we suspect the happy continuance of Gods loving mercie on him which of his owne worde was both promised and warranted him when we finde neither testimonie nor sufficient presumption of his finall apostasie and reprobation Nay we shall both decipher our want of loue in iudging so rashly and vnreuerently of the king and of the generation of the righteous whom the Lord wil not suffer to fall for euer as K. David saide and our want of wisedome against our God whom therein to our power wee should make a lyar and vnfaithfull in not performing that his word promise made concerning him in the figure as it concerneth the Messiah indeed Who said He shal be my son I will bee his father If he sin 2. Sam. 7 I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the plagues of the children of men but my mercie shal not depart from him as I tooke it from Saul Which words are to be vnderstood not only nor wholy of the Messiah but also partly of Solomō the childe of God by adoption grace to whom the L. would continue mercifull and not vtterly cast him off els why should Saul with his apostasie reprobatiō as by way of a cōparison be here brought in And this not only the K. himself hath often both said declared that yet His wisedome did remaine with him that is that Spirit of God and the mercy of God Eccles. 2. which was taken away from Saul in the Lords anger for his rebellion but also all we are able to testifie for him in whom wee haue discerned and doe yet approue the excellency of the Spirit and mercie of the Almightie * Moreouer Another Argument for Solomons Pardon although the Lorde by his