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
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
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