the M. of the Pallace and his office AS soone as Azariah had ended his Apologie and so cleared himselfe of all iust offence offered the king Ahishar the master of the kings Pallace stoode foorth and saide The Kinges Maiestie hath of his gratious fauour ordained me the Master of his Royall Pallace and therein what he hath conceyued of me in any thing disliking his minde pro. 19.12 I know not nor woulde I wish to incurre his displeasure which is as fearefull as the roaring of a Lyon when as his fauour is like the pleasant dew vpon the grasse and as the rayne in the time of drieth But this I knowe that to the vttermost of my power wisedome and discretion I haue done my duetye aswell touching the preseruation of the good orders of the kings house as in my behauiour towards his highnes and this I protest for my selfe not vaine gloriously to boast of mine integrity and demerites for therein I confesse I haue done but as I shoulde and am bound to do but to expresse my loyall heart and to excuse my selfe of all such suspected crime as might iustly moue the kings mind to this high sorrowe the which I would not for all that I am worth in worldly wealth should bee occasioned through me And therefore as touching mine office I haue been right careful and diligent that the kings pallace might be clensed and cleared of all such vayne persons as hauing neither the feare of God nor any honor of the king do cōmonly disturbe break all good orders in houses in citties in Cōmonwealths What kind of persons are vnfit for the Kings Court. I haue not only abandoned but also caused the Court gates to bee shut and barred against all Caynes Hagars Ismaels Esaus Chams Dalilaes Achitophels Doegs Shimeis Nabals Zibaes Adoniahs Ioabs Ieroboams as such as are knowne to be proud headdy high minded ambitious trecherous couetous enuious malitious together with all fornicators murtherers swearers lyers whisperers backbyters boasters fighters brawlers Al profane idle ireful slothful and vncourteous persons haters of God vnnaturall vnmercifull such as say in their hearts that God is not and such as knowing God honor him not as God but giue themselues ouer vnto al vngodlines These are they which disturbe the tranquillitie of brotherly felowship and all good order and therefore are worthily expelled and kept out * On th' other side I haue gladly admitted entertained retained and embraced righteous and godly Abel Abraham Isaack Iacob Sarah Anna Ruth Shem Lot What persons should be welcome to the Court. Ioseph Sampson Gedeon Iosuah Aaron Nathan Gad Samuel Abigail as such both men and women as are holy iust wise faithfull obedient gentle louing docile affable diligent couragious industrious gratefull beneficial religious godly chaste and vertuous These I say I haue gladly welcommed and admitted whether they were poore or rich knowing well it is the Kinges will good pleasure I should so do that so his pallace should not only be an house of Noble-men but a receptable to receiue and intertaine the holy and iust such as might become not only the kings Court but the mount Zion and that holie house which he hath built for the name of the Lord. Now to this is added a speciall care The exercises and the orders of the pallace first that the Lord of heauen be serued and then the house ordered and disposed in other thinges conuenient Three times in the day are they called to this seruice namely at morning at noone and in the euening notwithstanding the ordinarie repaire to the Temple with his Maiestie They which are merry are exercised in singing of Psalms hymnes and spirituall songs they that be afflicted are occupied in prayer and both th' one and th' other do ordinarilie vse to read with vnderstanding the Lawe the Iudges and the bookes of the godlie and wise whereby wisdome and the knowledge of God is learned and followed and therein are they excited as well by word as by examples to meditate day and night and to order themselues according to the same in all thinges * And as touching the ordinarie seruices within the kinges house as the king hath likewise deuised and giuen in charge I haue béene carefull for the order thereof the facilitie of performance and the conditions of the kings seruantes There is among them an obserued order which hath a cheife respect vnto one cheife Officer for the better performance Monarchicall gouerment for where there is not in gouerment one principall person by whom the others are to be directed there confusion marreth al nothing can wel'procéede Then that facilitie may bee added to the executiō of those seruices it is prouided that one man be not ouercharged either with many offices or in one such office as passeth one mans abilitie to performe but that the same be particularlie disposed to particular persons as it is thought both easy and conuenient for the one and the other in time place And as there was an especiall care taken and had who should be admitted and who should be expelled the Court so is there no lesse consideration of the election and reteining of the kings houshold seruantes The kings houshold seruants It is therefore required that they be faithfull that they deceiue not the King and that they be wise and prudent not to be decieued by others Moreouer that they be docile industrious courteous gentle and virtuous These and many such be the orders and seruantes of the kings house instituted by his most wise disposition the which also I haue withall diligence endeuoured to maintaine to my power according to his will This the noble Quéene of Saba at her being here obserued and commended with high prayses to the honor of the king the ioy of his people and the glory of the euerlasting God These words among others spake Ahishar the which being ended Iehosophat speaketh to excuse himselfe Iehosophat the Recorder put forth also his Apologie And whether in the Records or gestes said he which are written remembred or confirmed by me the king hath espied or béene certified of any error or faulte displeasing his conceit I also rest doubtfull Indeede all things cannot be so carried or writen by any Scribe or Recorder whatsoeuer but that imperfections or faultes may be made found therein as there is no man so perfect but he may haue a fault and no man so wise but he may by an occasion slide and by want of héede passe ouer a fault in his time a thing sone done especially in them that write or record much or haue many and sundrie matters occurring molesting The Recorder his office and distracting the mind Notwithstanding I hold it not onely for a fault but a fault intolerable that a Recorder either for fauour loue or affection to one or for malice enuie hatred or dislike of another should falsefie a Record or willingly write or consent to the writing
should marry and how he should be esteemed in his place According to the which though I say it for my selfe I was taken froÌ„ the middest of my people as one worthelie esteemed and honoured in my place for the tokens of my graces then I was straitly viewed and throughlie examined wherein I was found cleane and free from euery one of those blemishes with the which whosoeuer was touched was forbidden to prease forth to do the priests office Leuit. 21.17.18.19.20 I was wel tried to be neither blind nor lame nor brused or flat of nose nor mishapeÌ„ in my meÌ„bers nor brokeÌ„ in my féet nor brokeÌ„ in my haÌ„ds nor crooked in my back nor bleared in mine eyes nor eyes webbed or blemished nor skiruy nor scabbed nor broken in the stoanes The blemishes for the which a man was vnfit for the priesthood yea I was found frée of those imperfections or blemishes which our Elders haue gathered and noted out of that place of the law which disabled the priest for they noted in the head eight in the necke two in the ears twelue in the eye-browes and eye-lides fiftéene in the eyes ninetéene in the nose sixe in the lips and mouth nine in the belly thrée in the backe thrée in the priuities sixtéene in the handes and féete twelue in the leges fiftéene and in all the body foure the which being taken away the naturall body appeared sound faire and perfect in all partes that by the same not onely the puritie of the mind might be signified but also the person of the Messiah truely prefigured Then was I consecrated to the Lord according to the law The consecration and ornamentes of the priest then was I cloathed in the holy garments as namely the Breastplate the Ephod the Tunicle the broadered Coate the Mytre the Girdle which were according to the commaundement garnished and beautified with gould blew-silke purple scarlet white twyned silke and brodered worke also with Owches Chaynes pretious stoans other such things with Vrim and Thumim in the which are expressed not onely spiritually the seuerall graces of a godly minde but also mistically the heaueÌ„lie vertues of the holy Messiah the finall obiect of our loue To this I was annointed with the holy oyle and had mine handes filled for the sacrifices The duties of priesthood performed Thus haue I béene furnished and approued for the Priestes office Now to this haue I beene willing and ready to doe my duety in the execution of my function I haue offered the sacrifices to the Lord for my selfe and the people and haue prayed for them in the which I haue beene mercifully heard and regarded of the Lord as Aaron was I haue taught the people and instructed them in the feare and lawes of the Lord I haue iudged and discerned according to equitie and as placed ouer the priests and ministers in the Lords house I haue regarded therein not only the conuersation and behauiour but also the order of the ministeries and seruices of the persons in the same for the better seruice of God the preseruation and maintainance of the ornaments of the Lords house and the benefit of the Lords people And this the better to performe I haue ruled my selfe and liued according to the law in my place and for my comfort I haue taken to me a cleane Vâ—rgin to wife Moreouer I haue serued and honoured next vnto my God my Lord the King in all dutiful thankfulnesse without giuing him any iust offence to my knowledge And therfore as the King is most wise and will not take an offence being not offered him I am sure he is not afflicted or grieued for any cause of mine as I perswade neither for any thing he hath noted or conceited in any of you But I know well there be other causes things whereof he hath taken this sorrow the which also may bee knowne to some of you and yet are yee most vnwilling to reveile or make knowne but would rather if it might be conceale and couer them for it is the part of a friend to couer the fault of his friend much rather then ought a true Subiect for the loue and honour of his Prince rather modestly to forbeare then to aduenture the display of any his faultes or imperfections They that obserue not this rule resemble shamelesse Cham one of the sonnes of Noah Gen. 9.22 who most vnreuerently both discouered and derided the nakednesse of his father This being said Zadok sighed déepely and made as a proffer to further speeches Neuerthelesse hee refrained for this time for he well knew the causes of the Kings griefe although it pleased him not as yet to vtter it partly for the reuerence he yeelded the kings honour partly for his owne modesty as also for that he was verie vnwilling to be the vnfolder of that which hee was sure the Princes and all the Kinges friendes would be very sory and loath to heare albeit they were so redy to inuestigate that whereof being once certified they did much maruaile at greatly lament and could scarsely ease or mitigate much lesse salue and recure howbeit they endeuoured their best and thought it bootelesse for them to stand wondering and reasoning longer then they might set on and spéedily assay which way to bring ease or comfort to their Soueraigne Lord the which they wel knew could not be effected till time they had found out and considered of the true causes of the kings affliction Therefore though much against their wils yet vrged by the present necessitie they presume on the king in this examination CAP. IX The Lordes are resolved to examine and consider of the King and his actions but note by what occasion in what sort and to what end Of Solomons birth WHen euery one of the Lordes had perused himselfe cleared his owne conscience and approued his words and actions towards the king Azariah Azariah the chiefe Lord replied againe and said Now that wee haue in this sort submitted our selues to the iust triall in all modestie and no lesse faithfulnes to our Lord K. Solomon and so cleared our selues of any iust offeÌ„ce offered him which bringeth no small comfort to our heartes in the time of this our trouble and trial Let vs aduenture to behold the king himselfe in whome it may be that the cause of his owne sorrow may be found Therfore let vs consider of his person actions and his manner both of entrance and life Indéede I confesse as Zadok hath before intimated that it may be thought a thing too malepert in Subiectes to censure the Prince or to pry too narrowlie into his actions and dealings or to discouer any his faults or imperfections especially to this end to diffame or deride him for this was Chams offence against his father for the which he was reproued and his posteritie cursed Neuerthelesse I thinke it not vnlawful nor amisse that the kings Princes and Priuie Counsellors seeing the kings
gouerning of the common-wealth of Israel And surely when these both departed from vs we found as ye haue in sort signified that a great part of the light of Israel was shadowed and the kings honour blemished but such is their lots and such is our discomfort and the occasion of the kings sorrow Now here wee may remember well what the Lord God said to Moses a little before his departure from Israel Deut. 3 116. Behold said he thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers and this people will rise vp and go a whoaring after strange Gods of the land whether they go and will forsake mee and breake the appointment which I have made with them and then my wrath shall waxe hot against them in that day and I will forsake them and hide my face from them and they shal be consumed and much aduersitie and tribulation shall come vpon them so that they will say are not those troubles come vpon me because God is not with me Wherein we may see the order of the destruction of them whom the Lord determineth to consume First hee taketh away their godly and vertuous Prince then they as people without good gouernment depart from him and liue in all abhomination then his wrath is kindled against them then he hideth away his face and fauour from them then hee grieuously afflicteth them and in conclusion consumeth them This partly beginneth to worke on vs in the taking away of those wise Counsailors but oh God! what may wee feare to ensewe on vs of our Soueraigne King shoulde bee also called away Surely then it cannot otherwise bee but that those troubles which awayte for vs in such a time will sodenly seise on vs to our extreame paine and miserye In the meane time it is meete that we bee diligent in our duties and places aswell towardes the king as towards the people and assay to supply them which are so departed aboue all let vs haue an eye to the law of our God and not to contemne the same nor in any sort neglect it that so the Lord may thereby the sooner in his mercy regard the king and his people that neither we may be without an honourable King nor his Maiesty destitute both of faithfull counsaylors and obedient Subiects But now most reuerend father we also request that the fifth cause of the kings sorrow be likewise examined the which as ye said riseth of the yong Prince Rhehoboham the kings sonne and heire apparent to the kingdome CHAP. XVIII The 5. 6. causes of the kings sorrow viz of Rhehoboam Hadad Rhelon and Ieroboam THe fifth cause of the kinges trouble saide Zadoke is indeede of Rhehoboam who notwithstanding his right vertuous and rare educatioÌ„ which might wel perswade in him obsequie obedience the feare of God and a godly life through the wisdom and especiall regard of the king doth yet rather imitate and follow the corrupt humour and vnthrifty nature of his mother Naama the Ammonitisse then the good nature Rhehoboam his nature and inclination and wisedome of his father and he leaneth more vnto those yong and gréene heads that are growen vp with him and haue waited attended and beene conuersant with him in his childhood then to any of the K. noble Princes wise Counsailors the which the King perceiueth and knoweth to pronosticate the decay of his house and the dissipation of his honour For Rhehoboam being a yong man will haue his owne will and his owne libertie he is growen disobedient and scarcely can be restraigned by his father or kept within the boundes of his duty The King séeth whereto this will grow after his departure when this yong Prince shal be placed in the throne haue the raines at wil And truly this wil be to vs a very straÌ„ge Metamorphosis and sory change Thus as the King in his divine wisedome foreseeth the misery which the euerlasting God will bring vppon vs and his people so doth he more then feare the same to be iustly occasioned and performed in the daies of that Prince Rehoboam that is to succeed him that during his owne time this matter shal be deferred for the sake of David the Lords annointed to whome God had made a faithfull promise which concerned not him alone but also his Seede 2. Sam. 7. And that notwithstanding he well perceiueth that the people begin to affect Rehoboam more then they either loue or like him their preseÌ„t king for who is els that second man which shall stand vp after him of whome he lately spake Eccles. 4.15 Now hence is it that the king is occasioned to loath the labours of his owne handes to lament that vnhappy condition of his sonne and the people and thereof it is that hee saith in the wofulnes of his heart I am weary of my labors which I haue taken vnder the Sun Eccles. 2.18 because I shall be faine to leaue them to another man that commeth after me and who knoweth whether hee shall be a wise man or a foole and yet shall he be Lord of all my labors which I with such wisdome haue taken vnder the Sun Then turning towards his people he said Wo bee to thee thou land whose King is but a child meaning a child in affection manners and wit such as Rehoboam is feared to proue after him and wo be to thee O land whose Princes are earely at their banquets meaning such as those counsailors of Rehoboam and companions of his youth shall declare themselues to be And thereunto he added this affixe Through slothfulnes the balkes fall downe and through idle handes it raineth in at the house Surely surely the vntowardnes of this youthful Prince hath already very much disquieted the kings heart neither besides all the former causes can it be otherwise then an vnspeak able griefe to a most louing and deere father especially to such a rare wise renowmed magnificent mighty magnanimious and glorious king to leaue behind him a thriftles an vnhappy child possessor of all those his ingenious trauailes It was not without good cause that father Noah in the griefe of his heart Gen. 9.25 denounced a bitter curse on Canaan the sonne of Cham and his generation whereof there ensewed no meane incoÌ„uenieÌ„ce to the Chananâ—ts in posterity who at this day as ye see stand odious in the sight both of God and of our nation Neither may we imagine that any light cause shall moue a father to cast on his owne children a curse in steed of a blessing So the sorrow of our first parent Adam conceiued vpoÌ„ the vngodly and brutish behauiour of his first borne Cain especially in that tragicall action perpetrated against God and his brother Habel was so great that Adam was verily resolued as it is deliuered vnto vs not to know his wife any more that thenceforth he might not be occasioned to lameÌ„t be grieued in such sort for the losse of another sonne neither did he know her
escaped both death and displeasure Thus also Baruch the noble Captaine harkened to wise Deborah gat the victorie ouer Gods enemies Thus Pharao though a tyrant craued aide of Moses and Aaron to be deliuered from those plagues of Egypt K. Saul permitted little David to enter the field against huge Goliah for Israels glory On the otherside the reprobate Cain would neither know his danger nor be restrained of his purpose and being in distresse would not vouchsafe to craue or séeke for aide whereby he perished a vagabond and exile from the Lord of heauen who cast him off from his grace and mercy Thus the filthy Sodomits stroken with blindnesse would neither thinke of their destruction nor craue nor admit the aduise and aide of righteous Lot who had vexed his soule among them nor any thing regarded the prayer and meanes of faithfull Abraham for their safetie to be short Saul the King disdained David and his comfort notwithstanding he had taken so good experience of his integritie and the power of God in him therefore rather then he would séeme to embrace him and his power he chose to kill himselfe with his owne sword to the daunger of his soule and decay of his glory These be examples to teach and admonish vs. Therefore now following those which haue in their choise declared wisedome to the preseruation and comfort of their soules Let vs withall regard both of the Kings health and of the good of his people both séeke for and embrace those things that may either helpe or comfort both And because the God of heauen is the same from whome and by whome all good thinges descend come vnto his children and which both comfortes and helpes them indeede in all their afflictions and dangers let vs as I said before lift vp vnto him both our hearts and eyes and thus let vs pray and say as the kings father hath taught vs in the like case Psal 20. The Lord God of heauen heare our Lord the King in the day of his trouble The name of the God of Iacob defend him Send him helpe from the Sanctuary and strengthen him out of Zyon Let the Lord God remember all his offeringes and accept his burnt sacrifices Selah The Lord God grant him according to his heart and fulfill all his purpose that we may reioyce in his sauing health and set vp the bāner in the Name of our God when the Lord shall performe all his petitions Now we know this that the Lord will helpe his Annoynted and will heare him from his sanctuary by the mighty helpe of his right hand O Lord most holy saue our Lord King Solomon let him prosper thereby be able to helpe vs by his wisedome power when in thy name we seeke vnto him for succour O Lord in loue heare our prayers be gratious vnto thy King mercifull vnto vs and all thy people for thy holy Names sake Amen Amen CHAP. 3. Iehosophat and the other Princes and Lords call to mind report in order what they haue noted and obserued in Solomons gesture behauiour and wordes as arguments of his troubled mind and misery THe former wordes being spoken the praier ended a pauze againe taken whiles the Lordes looked one on another with heauy hearts sad faces musing much of the kings woful case at lēgth Iehosophat the Recorder opened his mouth and saide Ah las I haue knowne and that not long sithence when at any time the kinges grace sat at his table to eate and to drinke among his Princes and Lords he would wonderfully be solaced and delighted with swéet harmonies of Men-singers and Women-singers whereof he had right many in his Courte and would be excéeding merry and glad in the middest of them all saying A merrie heart is the life of the body prouer 14.30 but envie consumeth away the bones But now sitting at his table in whatsoeuer company and howsoeuer he be serued and attended on he séemeth meruelous sad and wofull he museth he studieth he looketh heuelie he distasteth all thinges and giueth not so much as any sparkle or shew of a merry conceit yea he is wholly ouercome with deepe displeasure which argueth an vnmeasurable griefe of heart and a strange affection of the soule for the face and externall behauiour of a man which is not hypocriticall doth commonly expresse and declare the thought and heart And although the King well knoweth that he which being diseased in the body and distempred in his health when he shal be recreated with the ioy of his minde doth easely recouer if his sicknes be not incurable and that the most naturall cure of the diseased is to procure or occasion him some ioy or mirth of the minde for often times the sick man by the comfort of gladnes is eased yet to them which now laugh and would assay to prouoke the king to laughter for the same cause he sayeth ye are meere mad persons Eccles 2.1 The true vnderstanding of these the kings words is afterward declared by Zadok in his Apologie for Solomon and to them which proffer him mirth to recreate his mind he saieth Sirs what is it which ye do When any man willing to put him out of this conceit inuiteth him to a feast or banquet he denieth to come being vnwilling to enter into such houses saying It is better to goe into the house of mourning then into the house of feasting Moreouer of all those pleasant pastimes and delightes of the sonnes of men the which sometimes hee so much affected and of all their pleasures counselles studies laboures deuises policies workes and wisedome vnder the Sunne seeme they neuer so laudable in the eyes and estimation of worldly men he saieth Eccles Cap. 1.2.3 Vanitie vanitie of vanities and all is meere vanitie For what els doeth a man get profitable for himselfe of all those trauails which he taketh vnder the Sunne wherefore trauaile men in the wynd and what good thing is there to be found or enioyed or tasted of by men vnder the Sunne * This being said Azariah rose vp Azariah stoode foorth and spake againe The same thing said he haue I also lately noted in my Lord the King Hee was wont to walke foorth into his garding Eccl. 2.4.5.6 to view his Orchardes his Pondes and his fishing pooles to beholde with delight his faire houses and beautifull buildings and to take great pleasure in all the delights of the sonnes of men at all times but now alas hee rather conteyneth himselfe solitarilie within his Chamber pensiue sad now all the works which his hand hath made and all the things vnder the Sunne wherin heretofore he tooke such passing great pleasure to the wonder of all his Princes séeme vain and loathsome vnto his soule Solomon loatheth his labors and delights And as I sawe him of late to passe by and to behold them all I heard him with these eares sodainly to sigh
variable dispositions in all ages the which to meete with in all points it is for any prince or magistrate impossible the which therefore may be lamented but neuer throughly corrected or amended Howbeit hee thought as he saith that the cure of this malady being beyond mans power and wisedome God would in the due time take on himselfe and separate the righteous from the vngodly and then shall be the time and iudgement of all counsels and workes Hee also much museth how God though he had chosen of the children of men shoulde neuer the lesse permitte them to appeare God suffereth men to appear as the beasts as though they were but Beastes and as somewhat doubtfull of the eternall beeing of mans soule which is that spirituall substance which God hath made afer his owne likenesse and powred into the humane body and ioyned to the body doeth animate guide it but being separated frō the body dieth not The fleshly mans iudgement of the soule but liueth immortall for euer he saith Who is he which knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpwarde and the breath of a beast that goeth downe to the earth And is not this the iudgement of worldely and carnall men which perceiue not the thinges which are of the holy spirit Indeed being as the beasts in their nature they consider nothing more And albeit the King hath said that it is best for a man to be ioyfull in his labour No man knoweth what will com on him or his posteritie after him which is his portion in this life yet to daunt him againe who saith he will bring him to behold what shal come on him or his posterity after him And truely this may easily discourage any man to prouide for his wife his children his familie and for the times to come when as without hope of future prosperities hee shall trauaile for them in the wind * These and such like passions of minde I haue perceiued in the king The great oppression in the world But yet beyond many others hee complayned of all the wrong that is done vnder the Sunne the which as appeareth by his wordes and lamentation is both vnmesurable and vnspeakable and the more for that the poore oppressed persons haue wept and shed aboundance of teares and yet haue not founde any in place ready to comfort them or to deliuer them from the violence of their oppressors And here as in regard thereof He much commended the dead before the living The dead cōmēded before the living because they are fréed from those miseries yea He commendeth him which is not yet borne to be happier then any of those because he séeth not nor hath had experience of those wretched toyles of men vnder the Sunne * Here he likewise complaineth of the Envy Idlenesse Envy idlenes couetousnes solitarines and covetous minds of men in this world he disliketh singularitie and solitarinesse of life in the which hauing too much presumed he hath béene wonderfully deceiued much annoyed in his life wherein hee soroweth for the abuse of his owne estate to the which inlieu thereof he preferreth the condition of A poore child that is wise A foolish king a poore child * Further in his wisedome he prognosticateth the foolishnes future misery of Rhehoboam his Sonne and heyre apparante and yet he hath both well nurtoured him Rhehoboam vnderstandeth that most men haue their eies fixed on him with great delight and hope of his happy successe and prosperity in time to come and some what the more hee is troubled because that men in regard of his young prince and his succession do somewhat neglect the present care and reuerence they should haue of his maiestie For they looke after the second man And indeede such is mans folly hee looketh alwaies further and affecteth the times persons and thinges either past or future before those which be present Some say the times and persons which haue beene of yore haue beene better then these which be present others say the best are not yet come but we hope for them to be hereafter the whiles they esteeme not yea they loath and contemne the good thinges which they haue and may vse at their pleasure and so in regard thereof do often losse both the commodity of th' one and comfort of th' other to their remedilesse miserie and continuall griefe And this saith he is a vaine thing and vexation of the minde Cap. 4.17 Moreouer the king hath highly reprehended and blamed many of them which enter into the holy house which he hath made for the seruice of God saying that their offerings are the offerings of fooles and they know not what euill they doe therein The which wordes being not well vnderstood will occasion the ignorant eyther to contemne the said house and the seruice of God therein or to forbeare to come into the same to shew their deuotion and religion to God as they are bound to doe CHAP. IV. Zabud speaketh againe reporting some other emphatical speeches of King Solomon SOlomons Lordes hauing thus farre proceeded in order to report what wordes they remembred vttered by the King in his affliction Zabud the Kinges familiar spake againe and said Well remembred my Lords And now besides the former I call to mind what the king hath saide concerning those Rich men of the world The Rich men of the world whome the most part of all men do estéeme happy in this life He saith that there is no man rich vnder the sunne for where much riches appeareth to be there be also many ready to spend and consume the same He that hath much riches cannot rest or sléepe in the night he that hath riches is oftentimes hurt and annoyed therewith and at length those which haue riches depart hence with sore anguish and sorrow of mind for there is no man but at length he must yeeld to death and shall carry away none of these thinges but are constrained to leaue all behind them that so they depart hence One man getteth another spendeth the riches of the world Cap. 6.1 as naked and bare as they came into this worlde notwithstanding their great trauels and long labours for their riches in all their life And this he esteemeth as a mighty misery which is so often seene vnder the Sunne that God giueth a man riches and goodes and honor so that he wanteth nothing of all that his heart can desire Cap. 6.1 and yet God giueth him not leave to enioy them but another man spendeth them The which as it seemeth he applieth to himselfe whome it chiefly concerneth In conclusion he seeth that many thinges encrease vanity and that a man vnder the Sunne findeth nothing else as long as he liueth Cap. 7. Furthermore the king though so wise did complaine that he could not yet get wisedome but that the more hee sought after it Solomon acknowledged his owne imperfection the
cause The one saith qoud he this childe which is alive is my sonne and the dead is thine And the other saith Nay but thy sonne is the dead and the living child is mine Then séeing the case doubtfull the more because there were no witnesses for eyther part hee said againe to them that stoode about him Bring me hether a sword and they brought it after that he said againe Divide the living child into two partes and give th' one part to the one and th' other part to the other For hee well knew what he would doe neither was his mind so cruell and bloody as to slay the young innocent for the mothers offence howbeit some being present not considering his purpose beganne to deride and dislike this sentence But by and by his intent was displaied for the woman whose the liuing child was féeling her vowels to yerne within her vpon her sonne whom shee thought was ordained for death cried out and sayde vnto the king I beseech thee my Lord giue her the liuing child and let it not be slaine but the other woman said Let the child be neither thine nor mine but let it be diuided as the king hath said Then the king gaue the sentence in iudgement and saide vnto the Ministers that stood by Geve her the living child whose bowels yerneth thereon and slay it not for doubtles she is the right mother thereof This being done all they of Israel hearing of this iudgement of the king feared his Maiestie the godly for loue the wicked for dread for they saw that the wisedome of God was in him to doe iustice Of this the kinges vertue spake the kings father in the spirit Thou hast loved righteousnes and hated iniquitie This being well weighed my Lordes I see not what should thereof be conceited to offend his Graces mind The princes Subscription To al this the Princes gladly subscribed commending in all thinges the iudgementes of the king And surely saide they they are happy in iudgemēt which haue as the king hath wel learned the right natures of thinges for they soundly consider of th'effectes and discerne and trie them well if they be such as are wise prudent godly and not led by affections but by sure knowledge good counsaile and the guide of the diuine spirite But we see that none of those can this perform which eyther are themselues vnlearned ignorant obstinate selfe willed prowde vngodly or contemne the good counsel and godly and graue aduise of the learned wise and vertuous Surely wee cannot denie it for it is most apparent that our Lord the king hath by this his discrete iudgement purchased to himselfe authority to his kingdome peace and trāquillitie and to the high God condigne glorie Now the better sorte of all men gratifie his honour and gladly submit themselues and their causes to his determination knowing that hee will do iustice The wicked transgressors and hypocriticall persons are fearefull to stand before his presence in the defence of their faults or triall of their liues So aswell of th' one as of th' other is the king feared in respect of those his vpright and iust iugementes which as ye said hath indéed appeared so admirable before all men CHAP. XI Of Solomons riches peace orders pleasures power blessinges fame glory from any of the which riseth not the cause of his sorrow IN the former conference king Solomons Princes and Lordes haue described displaied and defended his most noble birth his honourable names his excellent beautie his godly education his singular wisedome his sweet eloquence and his vpright iudgements Now they are no lesse willing to consider of his riches his workes his peace his orders his pleasures his power Azariah his blessinges his fame his glory And therefore Azariah spake againe and said As in the former wee haue not found anie iust cause of the kinges disgrace Solomons riches but altogether causes of honour and prouocations to ioy and gladnes so neither wanteth he any Riches or the Treasures of a King whether natural or artificiall By the naturall riches I vnderstand all such thinges as come from the fieldes trées and beastes as corne wines oyles fruites victuals clothings and such like apt and meete for mans body by artificiall I vnderstand and those things which are found out or framed by the art and industrie of man as gold siluer coyne pretious stones iewels and such like Ineyther of the which the king is maruailouslie enriched according to that word which the Lord his God spake vnto him when he asked wisedome saying I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked even riches and honour 1. King 3.13 so that there shal be no king like vnto thee in all thy daies Eccles 2.4 2. Chron. 1.15 For this wee know as himselfe hath confessed that the king hath many excellent vineyeardes planted orchardes and gardens with frees of all manner of fruit and fed oxen and beefes and more cattell and sheepe then all they which were before him in Ierusalem And as for siluer and gold wee know that hee hath made such thinges as plentifull as stones in Ierusalem and Cedar trees as plentiful as the Mulbury trées that grow in the vaileis and he hath horses brought out of Egypt and fine linnen which his Marchāts receiued for a price hee hath a chariot which cost him sixe hundred péeces of siluer with many of her Chariots and horsemen yea an hundred twelue thousand horsemen which hee hath bestowed in the Chariot Citties and at Ierusalem with his Maiesty Moreouer hee hath seruants and maidens a great houshold great substance and the chiefe treasures and large possessions euery way And truely howsoeuer these thinges doe proue as a very foolishnes vnto the ignorant and foolish Eccl. 2.9 Pro. 14.24 they are vnto with whome his wisedome remained as a glorious crowne and he is greater and of more worshippe then all his predecessors in Ierusalem Helioreph * All this is manifest said Helioreph neither can any man denie any thing of that which ye haue said therefore it is set downe in the kinges Annales and committed to the holy Registre Solomons works And as his riches is great so also are his workes most admirable according as himselfe hath said I have made gorgeous faire works I have built mee houses planted vineyeards Eccl. 2.4 I made mine Orchardes gardens of pleasure I made pooles of water to water the greene and fruitfull trees withall And it is true and hee hath builded Citties and raised the walles 2. Chro. 8. and fortified his townes and territories magnificently but beyond all others those his three houses which he hath made and performed in Ierusalem are excellent and passe all the buildings and workes in the world First according to the commaundement of his Father David and iust after the forme and proportion that the Lord had giuen to David 1. Chro. 28.19 and
which David committed and left as a patterne vnto him 1. Kin. 6. he set onto build vp that Temple in Ierusalem euen an house for his God This house is threescore cubits long and twentie cubits broad and thirtie cubits high c. And this house was built of stone made perfect already before it was brought thither so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any toole of yron heard in the house while it was in building But it would be wonderfull yea and beyond mine abilitie to tell and your selues presently to heare how many strange and diuers and excellent thinges the King prouided and disposed in and about this excellent worke And in this worke he so well pleased the Lord that he spake vnto him saying Concerning the house which thou art in building if thou wilt walke in mine ordinances execute my lawes and keepe all my Commaundementes to walke in them then will I make good vnto thee my promise which I promised to David thy father And I wil dwell among the children of Israel wil not forsake my people Israel Further after the end of seuen yeares for so long was that magnificent house in building the king began to build another house for himself about the which he bestowed great time charge and labour as it is recorded in the book of the kinges Annales and touching the which the kinges daugther beholding it with admiration said Cant. 3.9 King Solomon hath made himselfe a pallace of wood of Libanus the pillars are of silver the pavement therof of golde the hanginges thereof of purple c. Thirdly the king builded another house in the forrest then the which there is not a more princely thing in the world for the site forme and beauty thereof No man can dislike any of these his workes yea euery one doth highlie praise and commend them and him in the most excellent frame disposition and order of the same wherefore it may not be that from thence hee should finde occasion to afflict his owne soule The peaceable time of Solomon * But all these things haue been the better effected by the king for that the Lord his God which would that he should be called Solomon or Peaceable hath giuen him rest from his enemies on euery side for it hath neuer been heard of that the childrē of Israel enioied the like peace sithens the time that they came out of the land of Egypt And truely saide Benaiah neither the king nor his people haue these forty yeres had any cause to feare the inuasion of any forraigne enemie Benaiah or the nations embordering who hauing been subdued kept vnder and qualified by his father David in his time haue neuer sithens that resumed any courage or presumed to lift vppe their handes or quake against his Maiestie for all people and nations stand in feare of him and rather yeeld to bée his contributaries and seruantes then to attempt or aduēture warres against him knowing well that the Lord of Heauen is with him to preserue and keepe him and that the woodes and all pleasant trées do ouershadow him and his people at the commaundement of the Lord by whose grace they haue long prospered and rested in peace euen from Dan to Berseba vnder the kings happy gouernement Moreouer I am sure there hath not been in any age sithens the creation of the world a captaine set ouer the hoast of any king that hath had lesse trouble and feare then I haue had in my time vnder my Lord the king for although the king hath many barbed horses strong Chariots valiant men of warre great store of weapons armour and munition of proofe in the which he may compare yea and be preferred to all the kinges on the earth yet hath hee in his time had as little vse thereof as any whatsoeuer for the onely terror of the kinges Maiestie and the view of those thinges hath sufficiently daunted the enemie wherby we and his people haue had little cause to complaine of mortall warres which haue ensuing it so many slaughters burninges famines plagues destructions and noysome inconueniences in al ages The Poet Homer hath written of the wonderfull slaughters Homer and burning broiles of the Greekes Troians before this time which setteth before our eyes the miseries of warres And our owne histories haue largely displaied the great infelicitie of our fathers in the wildernesse and in the time of the Iudges and of Saul But we haue a cause to blesse and prayse the Lord our God who hath in this time of his mercy raysed vp vnto vs this Prince of Peace I pray God wee may thankfully esteeme thereof and not by our froward ingratitude offer vnto our God an occasion of the losse of so heauenly a blessing as those commonly accustome which hauing not the feare of the Lord before their eyes and so no sparkle of the true wisedome doe prouoke him to wrath through the lewdenes of their rebellious heartes And whether the King as hee hath the wisedom of God foreseeth in the spirit what is liking to beside vs by his departure from ouer vs I know not for what misery or inconuenience is there which may not come on them that transgresse and offend against God and the king if the Lord shall eyther commaund or commit the spirit of troble to fall on them * And this may come on vs and the people said Ahiah we know not how soone Ahiah But as ye haue said the king hath had indéede a glorious peace The orders of Sol. house and we haue enioyed the like vnder him for the which both his Highnesse and his people may reioyce together And here we cannot but with the former commend the orders of the kings house the meate of his table the sitting of his seruants 2. Chro. 9.4 the standing of his wayters their apparrell his Butlars their apparrell and behauiour the which when the Queene of Seba saw and cōsidered she was astonied and there was no more spirit in her And she said vnto the king The saying which I heard in mine own land of thine actes and of thy wisedome is true I beleeved not the wordes of them vntill I came and mine owne eyes had scene it behold the one halfe of thy wisedome was not tolde me for thou exceedest the fame which I heard Happy are thy men happy are these thy servants which stand before thee alway and heare thy wisedom Neyther were the kinges pleasures lesse then sufficient being solaced with his faire houses Solomons pleasures his gardens of pleasures his men-singers and women-singers and instrumentes of Musicke of all sorts with all the admirable sweet delightes of the sonnes of men yea there was neuer any one man vnder the cope of heauen that more flowed in all kind of pleasures meete and conuenient for a kings honour His power * He was also of no sesse power and mightinesse yea he was
with Rubies Tophas Diamond Thurkoie Onyx Iasper Saphyr Emeralde Carbuncle and gold with Tymbrels and Musicall pipes he was as an annointed Cherub and holy placed in the sacred mount of God and made perfect in his wayes A king of Maiestie and of excellent regard for his admirable vertues Hyram his name interpreted worthily alluding to his noble name being as one would say loving exceedingly the promotion of life the beautie of them that appertaine to him freedome or libertie an high mountaine a faithfull watch a bearing or powring forth that is to say of treasures and good thinges for the helpe and comfort of others the citie or refuge of them that maintaine peace and a discovering or vnderstanding of thinges divine and profitable Fourthly as this right noble Prince had an especiall loue to the Lord the God of Israel and his most holy Religion and therefore affected wondrous well both king David 1. King 5.1.7.8 and our Lord K. Solomon so was hee euer most glad willing and ready to send vnto either of them whatsoeuer they requested of him for and towardes the building of both the Lords house and also the kinges house in the greatest aboundance for as his land was plentifull and abounding with all those thinges before mentioned that by the especial blessing of God so thought he they could not be better employed then on the king and chiefly to and for so excellent a monument as he had purposed to erect to the name of Iehovah his God the same God I say which Hyram also so deuoutely honored to the prayse of his Maiesty the true solace of his soule and the good example of others Furthermore Hyram reioycing greatly to heare tel of our Soueraigne Lord now lately aduāced on the glorious seate of his father hee glorified God with this saying Blessed be the Lord this day who hath given vnto David a wise sonne to raigne ouer this mightie people Moreouer hee sent a message to the king saying I have considered all the things of the which thou hast sent vnto me and I wil surely accomplish all thy desire therein c. So that both the faith and pietie of king Hyram was plainely manifested in this kinde of congratulation of Solomons graces especially for that religious institution concerning the setting forth of the holy Religion as whereby not onely we Iewes might glorie of this that wee haue beene earnest professors of Gods law and builders of his house But that also the Gentiles whom wee sometimes abhorred are by the diuine fauour instigated and perswaded to conioine with vs in the performance of the same the which also as wee haue seene happilie to commence hath been continued and yet is enioyed to the comfort of vs all Therefore as for this benefit wee are bound to be thankfull to God and gratefull to that good King so haue wee not found or may perceiue any iust cause of offence to spring therence or that the King should thereof be greeued and perplexed in mind as at this time we obserue him to bee There is some other matter doubtles that causeth the sadnesse the which would to God wee could both find and remedy with speede for long delayes bring dangers especially in the cure of a wounded languishing head Then Lord Ahiah opening his mouth spake to this effect Ye haue well saide of the two former namely touching king Pharaohs daughter and the Tyrian king with whome the kinges Maiestie hath vnited himselfe with the former in mariage with the second in mutual amitie Ahiah speaketh of the Queene of Saba And this also may bee spoken of the most vertuous Queene of Arabia that vpon the report of the kinges seruantes which were sent at Ophir for gold prepared herselfe in great roialtie and came hether to this end to heare the kinges wisedome and to learne the religion of Iehovah our God and thereon she was happilie taught instructed being no doubt moued and perswaded thereunto by the diuine power who as we perceiue is willing that the Gentiles should partake with vs of those thinges which appertaine to the highest honour of our God and eternall happinesse as ye haue before intimated Now therefore the king knowing the purpose of God in this point and vnderstanding by his wisedome that her repaire vnto him was for this very end hee gladly welcomed her with her traine 1. King 10. and most willingly satisfied her mind euery way for he declared vnto her al her hard questions touching those diuine things for she had propounded many vnto him so that there was not one thing hiddē frō the king which he expounded not vnto her But when she saw his royall Maiestie with her eyes heard his words with her eares and well considered the admirable building of his house the excellēt orders of his noble Princes seruants and many semblable things farre passing all others and beyond the report she had heard which yet was merueilous she was throughlie rauished and astonied and thereon brake forth blessing the Lord blessing the kings royall maiestie and those his seruants with many emphaticall wordes and wonderfull gestures of bodie declaring her selfe at this time rather a true Iewish deuoted with the zeale of the glorie of our God then a Gentile as one educated and nurtured not in Arabia but in the Cittie of Ierusalem yea in Sion the Lords holie hill and sanctified Tabernacle all the daies of her life What kind of persons king Solomon accepted into league And here note I beseech you that as our most sacred Soueraigne hath entred league or affinitie with none of this kind I meane the out-landish before that they had acknowledged the Lord conuerted vnto him and made faithfull voues and promisses to be the Lordes and to feare him as somtimes Ruth and Rahab had done as the law in that case did require so refused he not any whosoeuer in this mind and sinceritie of heart came or offered themselues vnto him with a desire either to learne of him wisdome or to gratifie his wisdome glorie and prosperitie according to the true sense of the same law In or by the which we haue not found that the State of our holie Religion hath beene at any time altered or the same any way empaired or neglected but we haue seene that by this our shining candle many other candles haue beene kindled and our owne nothing blemished or consumed thereby All this doubtlesse was in our king very prayse-worthy as that which fitteth the high honor of a Soueraigne Prince Ahishar speaketh of the kings age and of his declining and death * In very truth as ye haue well spoken quod Ahishar But heare mee my Lordes might not this griefe be occasioned of this that the king now striken in yeares and well knowing himselfe a mortall man though a maiesticall King in his place doth either by his rare wisdome or some late inspiration perceiue that he must of necessitie shortlie giue ouer
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
sometimes sharpe chidings hath their place to doe good in them that feare God as some precious stones shine the better bring steeped in sharpe vinegar some others when they bee boyled in soft oyle There be some which though they be in place The necessitie of good admonitions either dare not or list not to tell admonish or reprooue the mighty and rich vntill they sée them through folly fall downe to the ground and Fortune sternely frowne at them then perchance but neuer before they wil tel them of that which now it is too late for thē to auoyd resembling therin that maladie whē then neuer before appeareth when it hath throughly conquered nature in a man And then they will say as the Physician did to the man which after his long cure dyed surely if thou haddest forborne to eate of this and that kind of meat thou mightest have lived longer But hereof it commeth that as those which are wounded when they want friends are constrained to seeke helpe of their enemies so euen those noble personages themselues being offenders in their places as they bee men and doe offend often hauing none of such their faithfull friends about them as will either admonish or gently reprooue them of their offences doe often heare of their faults afterward by their very enemies and that to their shame and sorrowe Truely the king knowing both the wisedome and faithfulnesse of his Mother and considering what a comfort and stay shee was vnto him not onely in those priuate things but also in the better administration of the kingdome with him hee did worthily honour her hee was glad to heare her hee disdained not to follow her wise directions placed her on a seat next vnto his royall maiestie when at any time hee sate to giue sentence of iudgement in matters of the highest importance But now this princely counsailor is taken away and the king seeth that the departure of such a pretious ornament of his pallace is a prognostication of trouble to them that remaine behinde her seeing that with the losse of such a member the common-wealth of Israel is depriued of much wisedome and many good things And in this respect The departure of Nathan The losse of good counsailors a pronostication of future troubles the death and departure of that excellent Prophet Nathan his Scholemaster and faithfull counsailor doth not a little grieue him at this time not only in that Nathan is dead but also in that the king by his departure is depriued of a most wise godly happy counsailor For truly this is one chief cause that a Prince should mourne namely when his graue Senatours and prudent Counsailors be taken from him for this is as if the eyes shoulde bee pulled from out of the head knowledge should faile in him that hath an office of waight to bee performed the stayes taken from an house and a staffe from him that leaneth thereto In this consideration our Fathers in the wildernesse lamented with aboundance of teares when Moses their Leader was taken from them and in this respect all Israel mourned mightily ouer Samuel the Lords Prophet when he dyed For these did see that in the departing away of those worthy Personages a great part of their glorie their weale their prosperitie their safetie and defence departed also with them for the taking away of most noble Kings worthy Princes graue Senatours godly Magistrates and vertuous persons Deut 3.1.16 God sheweth mercy to them among whom the godly do liue Gen. 7.10 is a common Pronostication of euill euents to ensue on them that remaine behind in the world from the which it often pleaseth the Lorde first to remooue and take to himselfe * such his seruants for whose sake or through whose ministery and meanes he hath beene willing to deferre or withhold from the people such wofull afflictions So long as Noah was yet remaining in the world without the Arke the Lorde stayed the waters that they should not fall to couer the earth but when Noah was embarked then by and by the destruction threatned was executed on them that remayned without the Arke The like we haue obserued in the ouerthrowe of Sodome and the Citties there-about Gen. 19.22.24 which was soone effected after that Lot was taken from thence Thus also during the dayes of Moses and the whiles Iosuah liued the wealth of Israel encreased and great prosperitie enioyed our fathers the which then began to bee molested and to decline after their vnhappy departure from Israel as the Story of the Iudges doth certifie vs. So as long as the Prophet Samuel iudged Israel the land enioyed peace yea and whiles bee liued king Saul retained his honour before his princes and the people and the people their saftie for hee was a rare Prophet well beloued of the Lorde hee was a noble Counsailour to Saul and a most wise director of him in all his affayres to whom whils he listned and followed his godly counsaile hee and his people prospered on euery side But after that hee reiected Samuel but especially after the death of Samuel Saul was so agonized for want of good counsaile that despayring of good successe hee slewe himselfe disgraced his house and the people were sorely afflicted Euen so while those two right noble and godly persons namely Bethsabe the Queene and Nathan the Prophet liued and prospered in Israel all things went well and the King and his people prospered in great honour and peace but surely sithence the departure of those two worthy members there is a kind of defect espied in many things yea aswel in the king as in his people as yee shall more plainely vnderstand when I shall rippe vp vnto you the seauenth cause of the kings sorowe Worthily therefore may the king bee greiued for the losse of his most princely mother no lesse for the death of the diuine Prophet and wise Counsailor Nathan as for the falling downe of two such principall pillars as by whose strength and counsaile both the king and the Common-wealth of Israel hath beene sithence the kings most hapy gouerment the better stayd vp and maintained in peace and prosperitie And in very deede said the Princes this may be no small grief to the King in our iudgement as now wee call to minde and consider how tenderly his mother loued him The princes assent to zadokes reede and how honorably the Prophet esteemed him againe how deere was th' one and how fauoured was th' other of his royal grace wee cannot but testifie And most happy were the King indeede of hee had well obserued that which the one taught The consent of the prince with the prophet a stay to the common wealth and a comfort to the Church and th' other confirmed in him in his and their happy daies For these two euer well agreede in the right ordering of the holy religion in the right institution of the King and in the well
volume of the booke it is written of mee that I should fulfill thy will O my God I am content to doe it Thus was the most holy sonne and worde of God brought in talking with his father touching mans redemption and shewing both his willingnes and obedience to relieue the state of mankind Hereof it was that the Lord God decreed and said that the womans seed should tread on the serpents head Gen. 3. which signified that one should be borne of the womans body the which the Serpent had corrupt that should not onely purifie her and all mankind but also confound the Serpent and all his power From the which time our fathers haue expected we as yet expect and waite for the comming of that holy Seede Now here by the way wee may consider that albeit the Lord God be wonderfull mercifull vnto mankind he doth not ouerthrow therin his Iustice How the Lord was both iust and mercifull but obseruing either he expresseth great Equitie in a wonderfull for t For beholde hee laid that on his sonne which was due vnto man and againe hee gaue that vnto man which was onely proper to his sonne hee laid mans sinne and faults on his sonne hee imputed the righteousnes of his sonne vnto man In th' one appeared his iustice in th' other his mercy And in them both conioyned equitye That which was due vnto man the holy seed taketh on himselfe namely mans punishment which mans nature could not beare that which the holy seede merited namely eternall life the Lorde gaue vnto man for the sinne of man which deserued death was imputed vnto this seede and the Iustice of the holy seed which deserued Heauen was imputed vnto man I meane vnto them onely that by faith depend on that promise and those be the same whom the Lord God had before loued elected and predestinated to eternall glory and whome hee would not by any meanes permit to perrish and dye for euer This is the onely recouery of mankind and hope of his health This is that eternall verity and obiect of our faith This is the same whereunto all the law and the Prophets and all the tipes and figures both of them before vs and of them now in daily vse do aime point Promises of the Messiah Gen. 6. Gen. 22. Gen. 22.18 and direct vs for all succour helpe comfort and reliefe The decree and promise of this seede was after this confirmed to Noah to whome the Lorde said With thee wil I make my covenant thou shalt come into the Arkè But more plainly to our father Abraham to whome the Lorde declared this Sauiour and said of him In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed The same which was called the seede of the Woman is now called the seede of Abraham for the Lorde woulde that hee shoulde come of Abrahams Seede after the flesh Prophesies of Messiah Gen. 49. Exod. 4.13 This is that whome Iacob our Father called Shilo and prophesyed that he should come in the tribe of Iudah And to him should be the gathering of the people This is that same to whome Moses pointed in the booke Velleschemoth when he saide to the Lord. Send I pray thee by the hand of him whome thou wilt send Deut. 18.15.18 and in his booke Haddebarim the Lorde himselfe calleth him a Prophet saying thus vnto Moses I will raise them vp a Prophet from among their brethren like vnto thee This is the same the holy man Iob calleth his Redeemer whome hee knewe to liue Iob. 19. Num. 14.17 This is that bright Starre and Scepter of the which Baalam did prophesie in Moses Booke Vaiedabber saying there shall come a Starre of Iacob and rise a Scepter in Israel 2. Sam. 7.12.13 14. This is that true King of peace promised to David the Kinges Father in 2. Schemuel 7. that Seede of David and Davids Lorde whose throne shall bee established for euer To bee short this is that lively Image of God and King of glory without all spot or blemish most mightye wise and excellent which shall in his time new builde Heirusalem and prepare himselfe an holy Temple and house for his worshippe therein I meane a Church spiritually framed and gloriously garnished after that proportion and forme which David the Kinges Father gaue and prescribed him according to the writing thereof which hee had receiued from Iehovah his God and the which the King hath in his time of peace builded and perfected accordingly Therefore of this holy Seede sang the Princely Prophet in many Psalmes calling him sometimes Gods Sonne sometimes a King psal 2.45.110 sometimes the King of glory sometimes a Priest eternall after the order of Melchisedek sometimes his Lorde sometimes his God sometimes his Redeemer sometimes his Saviour sometimes the Messiah or Annointed of Iehovah And as this holy Seede hath beene thus promised and foretolde of and belieued to come into the worlde Shadowes tipes and figures of Messiah The tree of life in paradise Abel Abraham Noah so hath hee beene shadowed typed and prefigured As first by the tree of life in Paradise of the which if our first parentes had taken and eaten they had neuer dyed but should haue liued foreuer Next by the Sacrifices of Abel Abraham others in the which it pleased God to declare himselfe gratious This Noah also prefigured when the Lord made him the finisher of the old world and the beginner of the new To the same pointed Melchisedek and Melchisalem Melchisedek to shew that he was a King and a Priest A King of peace and righteousnes and a priest of the highest God for euer as without beginning and without ending for the number of his daies may not bee reckoned or knowne The same was signified in the ladder our father Iacob saw Iacobs ladder Moses Iosuah by the which the angels did ascend and descend to and from heauen He was fore-shewed a deliuerer from thraldome in Moses and a Sauiour in Iosuah for Moses brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt and Iosuah conducted them inherited them and preserued them in the promised land Also Aaron the priest of the Lorde prefigured him with his Vrim and Thumim Aaron The pascall Lambe c To the same also serued the vse of the Pascall Lambe and those other symboles and sacraments in the Wildernes as the Manna from heauen the Water from the rocke Iudges and such like In the booke of * Shophtim is mention made of many bodily Saviours by the which was mistically shewed the person and office of Messiah There was Sampson Gedeon Othoniel Ieptha Samuel And within our age Sampson Gedeon Othoniel Ieptha Samuel David the calling annointing and manner of the raigne and condition of David foreshewed the same For all these things my Lordes haue and do rightly aime to that most holy Messiah whome the Lord God would that men should belieue and expect and
both mans curiositie and imperfection Mans curiositie and imperfection Man is willing to heare sée finde out all things to behold all strange matters newes and wonders hée would haue all knowledge hee would be like the most high as Adam and Hevah thought to bée he thinketh he can or may do all things Gen. 3.5.6 but hee is restreined his abilitie affoordeth him not that perfection nor hath the Lorde appointed him in this his estate capable of those things so farre aboue him In the mean time hee continueth insaciate without perfect contentation in this life * Here let man learn to know his own ignorance weaknes and imperfections in this world Let him containe himselfe within the bounds of his vocation place and abilitie and let him neither lust after or desire to comprehend those things which are neither reuealed nor incident to mans nature But in all modestie and reuerence let him seeke the Lorde who onely is the God sufficient perfiect wisedom omnipotent sacietie Abiather Another obiection and life eternall vnto them that serve him in humilitie and holinesse of heart Againe said Abiather it is obiected against the kings words that he hath denied that any thing is new When in trueth and experience it appeareth that things are dayly renewed and many new things are done and brought to passe in the worlde euery day how therefore shoulde this be vnderstood to sound acceptable to our knowledge It is true sayd Zadok that the King hath said zadok answereth Eccles. 1.9 What is that which hath beene that that shall bee and what is it that hath beene done that which shall be done And there is no new thing vnder the Sunne Or is there any thing whereof one may say Behold this is new It hath been already in the olde time that was before vs. Nothing is new But in these wordes the king speaketh not of the workes of the Creation as if they should be made againe so it is enough that those things be onely conserued in their kinde nor of the works of God for God doth worke daily newe and strange things nor of those generations of man which are past but of the occupations deuises counsailes drifts purposes Man and his vanities are eber the same and workes of worldly men which are euer wrapped in miserie and vanitie and are euer like and the same which haue beene of olde in the children of men Gen. 6.12 8.21 As man was in the olde time euill from his youth and all the imaginations of the heart wicked and vile so is hee now and so shall be as his deuises haue beene of yore so are they in this time as the vngodly thought and endeuored then so doe they thinke and endeuor now Gen. 4.6 gen 6.2 gen 10.9 gen 19.26 Exod. 7 13. Iudg. 9. 5. I neede not gather vp particulars of this time to match Cain in his enuie the daughters of men in their lustes Nimrod in his pride Lots wife in her apostasie Pharao in his hardnesse of heart Abimelech in his bloodie crueltie and such like they are easily noted and pointed at with the finger in euery place And that the king meaneth those things it is apparant by the place wherein he findeth nothing newe namely vnder the Sunne that is in vanities kingdome in and among worldly men which herein remaine the same still howsoeuer they bee scholed and instructed and therefore as vaine they are forgotten and passe away with the priuiledge of vanities dominion Howbeit The remembrance of the righteous the righteous are had in an euerlasting remembrance with their vertues in and for whom the Lorde worketh new and strange things to their necessitie and consolation euery day Abiather obiecteth againe * I haue both heard you most reuerende Father and well vnderstood the meaning of those the Kings words I haue heard another obiection that the King should dislike the searching and finding out of wisdome which is so much commended in the holy writings and among all good men and he saith that it is a sore trauell giuen to the sonnes of men to humble them zadok answereth The King saide Zadok seemeth to correct himselfe and his owne studyes when hee would aduenture or assay to doe and performe that of himselfe which hee should haue obtained and waited for from the Lorde to whom be first praied for wisedome and knew that she came from him yet doth he not condemne the ordinary labours and studies of them which in the feare of God assay to attaine to knowledge For as he commendeth wisedome before all things so hee condemneth the idle fooles which because the study and search after wisedome is laborious to the body sit still and continue ignorant But let vs consider the Kinges wordes obserue these thinges in order He said not Thus the Lord taught me or cōmanded me Eccles 1. vers 13. The meaning of the king is to condemne mans wisdome of worldly thinges or enabled mee to do to performe to bring to passe but thus I have given mine heart to search and find out wisedome how by the thinges that are done vnder the Sunne The King speaketh not of his present endeuour but of that forepast when he was carried away from the Lorde in the lusts of his eye and lusts of his flesh At what time respecting not what God had said nor what the diuine spirit had taught him but after his owne wit and humaine reason he entangled himselfe in the studies of the worlde and thereby made search curiously to be passing wise in the thinges of vanities kingdome where when hee thought to finde wisedome indeede he found nought besides afflictions and griefes of minde For what should a man expect of thornes but to be pricked and what is their to be learned vnder the Sunne of vngodly and foolish men their deuises but vngodlines foolishnes and sorrow And surely therof only the K. acknowledgeth that he made himselfe most worthy and therin to be punished as they do which neglecting the meditation of the law of God are distracted in the fables of vntruthes and receiving not the feare of the L. are wholy busied and vexed in the affairs of this world wherin they trauaile as in a most painful Labyrinth without any perfection or end therby to be tryed and humbled vnder the mighty hand of the Almighty whose wisedome words and direction they haue both forgotten and neglected The kings confession of his imperfections Moreouer in this the king maketh a kind of confession of his imperfections beeing a parte of his true conuersion and repentance Thus the King hath not condemned the search after the true wisedome but that vaine wisedome or at least the indirect manner of seeking after that which is commended in the word of God CAP. XXXVI The correction of thinges the experience of wisedome knowledge and high learning ABiather the Priest beeing willed by the Princes of