and yeeld to him alas which is prepared both to arrest him and to carry him captiue to his long home in the which being reposed and laid among the deade Iob. 7.7.8 the eye that saw him before shall see him no more as said Iob neither shall his eye returne to see pleasure in this life nor shall he thenceforth féele the delights of the sonnes of men A description of old age he shall no returne to his house neither shall his place know him any more Against the which time therefore we perceaue in man as the king himselfe hath said that the Sun is darke the light the Moon the stars and the cloudes returne after the raine the kéepers of his house tremble the strong men bow thēselues Eccles 12. the grinders cease because they be few and they which looke out by the windowes waxe darke the gates without be shut by the base sound of the grinding and he riseth vp at the birdes voyce and all the daughters of Musicke are abased Also he dreadeth the high things and feareth in the way the Almond tree florisheth and the Grashoppers are a burthen and concupiscence is extinguished for he goeth to the house of his age the receptacle of all flesh and the mourners go about in the streat The siluer lace is not lengthned the golden yewer is broken the pitcher is cracked at the well the wheele is torne at the cisterne and dust returneth to the earth as it was The consideration of this dolefull alteration in man which yet is not effected but by a strong and forcible meane cannot but terrifie euery man liuing And sure it is A description of death that when a man shall sée grisely death inuading and assaulting him he shall be forthwith agonized quite quailed in conceit and vexed in his soule yea albeit he be not as yet compelled to yeeld vp his spirit for as death is in nature a tyraunt so cruell to all things which haue life so approacheth he as a mighty giant or man of arms with his bent bow and pearcing dart looking most sternelie dealing most rigorously tearing and renting his pray right Lion-like without rescue Moreouer as this is the same which all liuing and sensible creatures both feare and abhorre The anguish of him whom death summoneth so a man once touched with his deadlie dart knowing that now by the force thereof he is compelled to forsake and leaue his father and his mother his wise and his children his friends and his acquaintance his wealth his substance with all the glory pleasures and delights of this world he is grieued he soroweth he weepeth and lamenteth perplexed aswell in minde as in body with this most wofull complaint Time was that I was much pleased and delighted in all these thinges enioying and vsing them with great gladnes ioy but now alas I see him approching invading me which constraineth me to flie to relinquish all those my delightes with weeping eyes sorrowe of heart But yet such as stand in the toppe of this worldes happines as the King beyond all others hath stoode and prospered these many yeeres with heartes desier and soules solace they most of all tremble and be aboue measure troubled euen then when they shall but heare of deaths comming much more when they feele the dint of his dart of the which I haue heard the king himselfe in his wise Parables to speake the which saying for the grauity thereof is coppied out and translated by the learned into many languages Syrac had taken this from Solomons words in Egypt O death how bitter is the remembrāce of thee to that man who seeketh rest and consolation in his substance and riches Vnto that man which hath nothing to vexe or trouble him but that hath prosperitie in all thinges And this griefe is much augmented and aggraued in this that though a man bee neuer so rich honourable and pleasured in this life yet shall he not carry away any of those riches honours or pleasures with him at his death but as he came into the world naked from the womb of his Mother so goeth hee thether againe out of this worlde all naked Moreouer in the graue whereto he tendeth hee shall enioy neither sense feeling vnderstanding nor facultie of working as the King himselfe hath saide no nor yet that possibilitie to praise God nor to giue him thankes in the Hell as David also modulated the same beeing a place both of darkenesse and silence wherein man being defrauded of his hope and expectation the most glorious King is made equall with the poorest beggar the strongest Captaine with the basest captiue the wise with the foole the rich with the poore the happy with the wretched the beautifull with the deformed and the liuing with the deade For there is the same condition vnto them all without difference Therefore hath the king preferred a liuing dogge in hope Eccles. 9.4 before a dead lyon in dispaire * Then answered Abiather Indéede that thing which separateth the soule from the body so altereth mans nature and reduceth euery man of what degree soeuer hee bee into one and the same condition yea into the same confused Chaos or lumpe from whence hee was taken and formed is worthily dreaded of all men But death is the same indéede Therefore may I wel compare him to that fearfull Hiena Death is like the beast Hiena which being an enemy to mankind hath a vipers necke an Elephants back a mans voice the quantitie and qualitye of a Wolfe the haire of an horse and in sexe changeable as somtimes male sometimes female For Death which is an extream aduersary to mans life and seeketh how to destroy him staieth not his expectted time and tide nor waiteth mans leasure whether he be prepared or not prepared but hasteneth and preuenteth it as doth the viper the naturall time of birth comming forth by piercing the wombe of his mother the cause of her presēt death 2. the Elephant is a beast fit for the wars and Death as a man of warre is opposed to al things that hath life in this world and ouercommeth them 3. Death is a deceiuer of mortall men for albeit it is certaine that all men shal dye yet is his hower vncertaine taking them away when they thinke not of him and yer they be ready as the Hiena deceiueth by faining a mans voice 4. Death is a consumer of the liues of all things that liue as the Wolfe is a deuourer of the sheepe without sacietie 5. Death is neither restrained nor hindered in his course as the wild horse being stiffe necked wil not be bowed 6. Death killeth now men then women sparing no sexe no age no degrée of persons as the Hiena which altereth kind Therefore is death worthily dreaded of all men Howbeit we cannot yet learne or perceiue that the king hath either such warning or if he had would hee be much astonished or
to purpose as in the nature of those Symboles Figures Types and shadowes which teach and put vs in minde of things aswell spirituall and eternall as future of the which wee haue and retayne many at this time yet will I not beginne with those externall things lest peraduenture any man shoulde saye that the King is not therefore the better in the spirit nor the more acceptable to God because he is outwardly glorious no more then he is a good king that raigneth in a wealthy country or he a wise gouernour which is placed in a goodly ship or he a worthy man who weareth a faire Coate or that a perfect Steed which is arraied with a golden Saddle Solomon is a figure of Messiah But I wil aspire higher in the consideration of our king to expresse and confirme vnto you his excellency aswell before the Lord as before mortall men And namely and chiefely in that whereby it pleaseth the Lord his God that he should prefigurate and foreshew that holy Messiah whom wee do verily belieue to come into the worlde and doe daily expect But first of this most glorious Person I mean the Messiah it may please you to heare me a few words for they shal be both sweete and comfortable to the true hearted Isralites that from thence I may the better argue for the Kinges holinesse to your content To this the Princes gladly accorded The comfort of the tidings of the Messiah being most willing to heare tell of that most holy and sweete Messiah of Gods mercy promised so long ago typed shadowed prefigured and now so earnestly expected For as their is nothing more pleasing to the prisoner then to heare of his libertie more wished for to the hungry then meate more comfortable to the sicke then the comming of a cunning Phisician and more ioyfull to the condemned to death then the glad tidinges of pardon life so what should be more pleasing more desired more comfortable and more ioyfull to vs which are captiued to the Serpent starued for want of graces sicke and sore in sinne and by a iust sentence condemned to death yea to eternall death then to heare the glad tidings of the coÌ„ming of the most noble Prince the carefull pastour that faithfull Phisician and that mighty Saviour which wil as he is best able release vs refresh vs heale vs pardon and saue vs Say on therefore most reuerend Father for we long to heare of those chearefull things zadoke telleth of mans fall and misery Gen. 3. * Then hearken said he I know it is not hidden from you for Moses hath plainely written thereof in the booke Berescith and it is often read vnto you that our first Parents by the Serpentes subtiltie tooke the forbidden fruit in Paradise therein breake the commandement the paine and inconuenience thereon threatned for the same was that they should dye the death that same day Therfore it followed that they were exiled kept out from the presence of God they were wounded with the act of their transgression they were captiued in the Serpents bands they became odious to their maker they were dispoiled of all their diuine vertues they were opposed to all miseries and lastly subdued vnto ghastfull death and hell torments Lo such was the wofull condition of those our first parents Howbeit this had not beene so intollerable and grieuous vnto vs had not the effect of this transgression beene extended and propagated by nature on all Adams children and posterity but it is too true that all men are thereby holden guilty as the naughty children of like parents and as vnwholesome fruites of the same tree This David the kinges father hath considered and acknowledged Psal 51. in Mismor Ledavid Behold I was shapen in wickednes and in sinne hath my mother coÌ„ceived me yea and when the Lord looked downe from heauen he saw that all were gone out of the waye and were become abhominable and that none of them did good no not one The recovery of man by Messiah But yet seeing Iehovah our God was most willing to recouer and recure man I meane those whome he had in his loue fore knowne for his owne elected to life and appointed for his glory he did in wisedome deuise and prouide a wonderfull meane therevnto wherein his mercy striuing with his Iustice might yet in the ende conclude for Equitie by the which this man who was indged and iustly condemned should be pardoned and yet the diuine iustice not infringed How this could bee compassed by Gods wisedome and prouidence ye shall hereafter vnderstand Here let vs consider in the nature of the diuine goodnes that God is more ready to pardon and to saue then to iudge and destroy the children of his election and grace and the rather for that he loueth them hath created them in his owne image hath appointed them for his glory and would not they should be lost for euer Againe hee considered mans frailtie and pittied it he was mercifull and expressed it he was liberall and extended it he was the best father and declared his affection he was willing to saue and performed his will Therefore hee would neither suffer sin either to ouerthrow him or to raigne or to rest on him but hating and abhorring sin from his heart he did destroy the same by his grace he had compassioÌ„ on mans miserable condition therefore he little waighed yea hee forgat the iniury that man did him hee shewed himselfe ready both to satisfy for his guilt to heale his paine he was more ready to pardon man then man was to aske mercy and finally when in iustice he should and might if he would haue thrown him down into the depth of the nethermost hell he neuerthelesse after his mercy recouered him restored him to grace and raised him vp into the highest heauen And this to effect when neither angels nor powers either in heauen or earth or vnder the earth could do the deede he proposed his owne Sonne euen that most holy and eternall worde of God by whome all thinges were made Gen. 1.1 whom he appointed to deale for mans guilte to satisfy the diuine Iustice and to compasse and effect the most excellent worke of mans redemption by and in the which hee might gather and ioyne againe vnto himselfe a chaste spowsesse as vnto whome he might expresse the greatnes of his loue and continue as an husband or head to defend preserue maintaine and beautify the same for euer The obedieÌ„ce of Messiah Therevpon the Almighty was not so ready that man by this meane should be recouered but that sonne also himselfe as an earnest wower that seeketh for her whome his soule loueth was also willing obedient to doe and performe all things conuenient therein According to the which the Kinges Father did sing in his person Burnt offeringes and sacrifices for sinne thou hast not required psal 40. â—â— Then saide I Lo I come in the
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
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
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
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
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
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