King Solomons Solace, Book · Chapter 38
CAP. XXXVIII.
Abiather produceth 17. obiections againſt other the words and doctrines of the preacher: to 4. of the which Zadoke anſwereth in this chapter.
THen Zabud the Kings friend,zabud. a man that very much tendered both his honor and proſperity, hauing thus farre liſtned to the former diſputation and conference, ſtoode foorth and ſpake to this effect. Howſoeuer I am right ſorrowfull for the Kinges fall and affliction, yet am I glad the rather for the Kinges ſake (which hath euer beene and yet continueth ſo good a Lord vntounto me) that my Lord zadok hath not only anſwered in this preſēce, for his maieſtie, but alſo hath cleared him and thoſe his wordes of all the thinges ſo hardly conceited, and ſtrongly obiected againſt either of them. And we may thereby the ſooner perſwade,What the malitious gaineth in the end. that whoſoeuer hencefoorth ſhall caſt forth his venemous darts againſt either the King or his words ſhall rather hurt and annoy himſelfe by the rebound of the ſame (as thoſe do which ſhoote againſt the hard rocks) then any way diſcredit the one, or diſgrace the other. This is that they often purchaſe to themſelues, which take pleaſure to maligne and ſlander others chiefly their ſuperiors & betters, according to yt which the Kinges father ſaid: the vngodly be entrapped in their owne deviſes, and taken in thoſe ſnares which they had laide for others. And this we ſee verified on the old ſerpent, not only in the caſe of Adam: but in that of Iob, wherein his owne deuiſes to confound them was caſt on himſelfe. But hath Abiather heard any thing els obiected that he is willing to vnfold and lay foorth here bebefore vsus?Abiather. princes offences are not raſhly to bee ſpoken of. Yea (ſaid Abiather) I hauehave heard many other things of the which to heare I hauehave bin very ſorrowfull in minde, neither knew I vntil this time how I might find a fit occaſion to reueale it, or to whome: for as the cauſes of Princes are not to bee hearde or debated, as are the cauſes of other men: ſo neither may the ſubiects be ſo bolde as to talke or reaſon thereof without feare, eſpecially in the court ſo neare the kings preſence. And here yee ſhall vnderſtand (my good Lordes) that they which obiect, do not ſo much reſpect and of thoſe his geſtures, words and ſayings, which he either declared or expreſſed in his proſperous dayes and time of his dignity, then when he well pleaſed and bleſſed the Lorde (for thoſe doe all men, yea, euen the kings enemies approue and commend, nor thoſe dare they to maligne or diſgrace) nor call they into preſent queſtion any of thoſe his wordes or geſtures which hee either vttered or deliuered to and among his ſtrange wiues in the time of his treſpaſſe when nothing els beſides vanitie (after his owne confeſſion) might be expected to come from a perſon ſo vaine: (for neither thoſe we eſteeme, nor regard to collect) but they are the ſame which are, and hauehave beene in action and queſtion after & euer ſince the time of his contrition and ſorrowful affliction, ordinarily vttered and declared in his common and dayly geſture, talke, and conference eſteemed among his wiſe ſermons and which as holy oracles & diuine ſayings, yee hauehave entēded wt ful purpoſe to collect, to cōmit & leaue vntounto ye church in poſterity. I thinke not otherwiſe, but yt they are meere vniuſtly conceited & moſt hardly conſtrued againſt his excellent maieſty, & his true meaning. For whiles (as a King) he ſpeaketh in right courtly phraſes the rude country people ſcarcely vnderſtād him in any thing:Solomon in his words was Courte-like & briefe. & in yt (to eſchew tediouſnes, which is loathſome to the learned) he is very briefe, he ſéemeth in many thinges the more obſcure, eſpecially to the ſimple and ignorant which commonly do not onelyonly much miſtake the thinges they vnderſtand not, but alſo ſoone ouerthrow the right ſenſe and true meaning therof vnaduiſedly. But it were to bee wiſhed, that not onelyonly thoſe, but all others, when they come to conſider of the Wordes and affayres of Princes, but chiefly when they beginne to ſcanne the thinges which are holy and appertaine to GOD and his Church, woulde followe that counſell and aduiſe of the King,Eccles. 5.1. where he ſaith: When thou commeſt into the houſe of GOD, keepe thy foote and drawe nigh, that GOD which is at hande may heare, that thou give not the offering of fooles: for they knowe not when they doe evill. Bee not haſtie with thy mouth, and let not thine heart ſpeake any thing raſhly before God: for God is in heaven, and thou on earth: therfore let thy words be few. For ſurely, in thoſe things which are either doubtfull, or vnknowne vntounto vsus, wee ſhould rather modeſtly ſtay & ſuſpend our iudgement, then raſhly giuegive cenſure or opinion without aduiſe. But that neither our ſelues, nor any others may happely miſtake, or miſconſtre the kings words, it ſhalbe néedfull that thoſe things be both wel reconciled & expoū ded: otherwiſe, there be, which thinke, that they hardly deſerue to be gathered, cōſerued, & placed in the holy Canon among the diuine writings, and ſo nether to be committed to the Church, for the inſtruction of Gods people. Many things?zadok. (ſaide Zadoke): Alas, I am right ſorry to heare that Abiather ſhoulde ſay ſo. It grieueth me not a litle, that Words ſo wiſely conceiued ſo princely vttered, ſo agreable to the veritie, & ſo well applyed, ſhould be vnderſtood ſo fondly, cōceited, ſo mailtiouſly, conſidered of ſo ignorantly, & wreſted ſo iniuriouſly. Let vsus heare (Abiather) what thoſe matters are which are obiected.Note, that the things hereafter ſpoken of are but as briefely touched, in reſpect of what may bee ſaid of them, But * I pray you to be briefe, & I wil promiſe the like in my reſolutions & anſweres, for we hauehave bin here a great whiles. I feare mee the K. hath (yer this) aſked often for ſome of vsus, & we are foūd wanting & faulty therin: for it is not méet we ſhould forget our dutifull attendance, And for mine own part, as I hauehave beene euer willing and ready to attend and ſerue my Lord the K. and the rather, becauſe his moſt noble grace hath been well pleaſed to accept of my poore ſeruice: ſo would I not willingly abſent my ſelfe from his preſence too long: for my whole deſire and endeuor is (as in dutie I am bound) that which my beſt counſell and ready attendance I may (next to the Lord) gratifie and pleaſure my Soueraigne, and comfort him in this his eſtate. Say on therefore Abiather. But why ſtagger ye as though ye were fearfull? feare not at all: for there is not any of vsus (I dare ſay) that doth ſo much as imagine, that any of thoſe obiections or hard cenſures againſt the king and his words, hath or may procéed from your owne head. Ye affect the King and his words better than ſo, we fully perſuade:An Author and reporter in ſort. and ye are herein rather the reporter of other mens opinions and ſpeeches: then the Author of any ſuch thing, which may either hurt the Kings perſon, or empeach the authoritie of his words. And ſurely, wee may in this rather commend then diſlike you or your wordes, though all words of all perſons (eſpecially of kings and Princes, howe true ſoeuer they be) are not to bee vttered or ſpoken before all perſons, in all places, at all times, without difference, wiſe conſideration, or due regard. For by this wee ſhall not onelyonly know what is conceited and ſpoken abroad of the king and his words: but alſo conſider of thē, & conſult how to withſtand thoſe inconueniences which may grow, follow and enſue thereof in poſteritie. And this ſhall be the ſooner performed, by the true vnderſtanding of the Kings meaning, and the right expoſition of his words.Abiather firſt clereth himſelf and then obiecteth. Then anſwered Abiather, (my Lords all) I hope yee iudge of mee, as of a true ſubiect to my Lord King Solomon, and I aduenture to ſtand for the perfect triall of my dutifull alleageāce & fidelity in this reſpect againſt al mē, wherin I know, howſoeuer it be imagined, I may not be reſembled to that Abiather the Prieſt, whom the King worthily depoſed and put from his place for his infidelitie. But now hearken, my Lords: It is obiected (beſides all the premiſed) Firſt, that the King hath combined the wiſe-man together with thee foole without difference in the ſame condition and eſtimation.
2 Hée conioyneth man in the like condition with the beaſt.
3 Hée ſéemeth to define mans felicitie in eating, drinking, and fleſhly pleaſures.
4 Hée preferreth (as it appeareth) death before life, and the dead before the liuing: yea, and him who is yet vnborne before them both.
5 Hée is noted to diſcourage men from the perfection of wiſedome and Iuſtice, which are two moſt excellent vertues in men.
6 Hee condemneth the man that loueth quietnes and peace better then trouble and vexation: and therein contrarieth his owne words elſe where deliuered.
7 Hee is ſuppoſed to condemne and abandon womans Sexe, the which the Lord hath framed and made meete and profitable for the man.
8 Hee hath taught Ambiguitie and deſpaire of the diuine louelove and merciemercy, to the horrible anguiſh of conſcience euen in the wiſeſt and holy men.
9 Hee ſeemeth to caſt into ſuſpenſe the ſubſtance and being of the ſoule of man.
10 He denieth plainely the life and ſenſe of mans ſoule after death.
11 Hee iudgeth a man ſo deuoyde of reaſon and iudgement that hee knoweth not, what is good for himſelfe in this life.
12 The King himſelfe being a tranſgreſſour, deemeth the like of all men, condemning them of ſinne and vnrighteouſneſſe.
13 Hee aſcribeth all that to Time and chance, the which we iuſtly attribute to the diuine Prouidence.
14 Hee encourageth men to a prodigall waſting out of their prouiſion, wealth and ſubſtance.
15 Hee hath ſet no difference betweene the righteous and the wicked, the holy and profane, as touching their concluſion, ends, and reward.
16 Hee holdeth, that a man hath no power of his owne life, when yet it is ſeene thay many men hauing power, murther themſelues, as Saul did.
17 Hee hath intiſed yong men to take their delights of youth, and to follow after their owne luſtes.
Loe theſe and ſuch like thinges are obiected.
And is it (indeed) ſo? ſaide Zadok: Howbeit,zadoke anſw. to all the former obiections. 1. Touching the combination of the wiſe man with the foole. Eccles. 2.14. & 9.2. I nothing doubt howe to reſolue thoſe doubts and anſwere thoſe obiections to your content, viz.
Firſt, it is obiected (as yee ſaide) that the King hath combined the wiſeman with the foole in the ſame condition & eſtimation. Of what wordes of the King ſhould that be gathered, as yee ſuppoſe? Of theſe (ſaide Abiather) that ſpeaking both of the wiſeman and of the foole, ſaid by and by, I know that the ſame condition falleth to them all: and thereupon he reſolued: It befalleth vntounto me, as it befalleth vntounto the foole: wherefore then labour I to bee more wiſe? Is this (anſwered Zadok) the ground of that obiection, and will yee ſo conclude of the Kings graue words? Alas the groſſe ignorance of vaine men! and yet how haſtie are they to iudge of that they neither know nor are able to apprehend. Thus the blind-man is ſaid to iudge of colours. Howbeit, ye ſhall conſider with me, that the king hath not ſaid it abſolutely or ſimply that the wiſe-man is no better then the foole, but in this ſenſe & meaning: Firſt, as we vſe to ſay, that Fooles hauehave fortune: meaning that a wiſe-man by his proper wiſedom, ſtudie, and power can effect nothing more, then doth a foole of any thing he takes in hand, without the wil, wiſedom, power and prouidence of God: becauſe things are not placed in the will and abilitle of man, but as moſt meete remaine for euer in the will and power of God, who often giueth the ſame Lot to the foole, as he doth to the wiſe-man of this worlde. Next, that there is one and the like ende (as touching the body) and the like conditiō in riches, health, pouerty, ſicknes and ſuch aduentures of this life, both of the wiſe and vnwiſe: otherwiſe the K. hath ſaid it, and no man can denie it, that there is more vtilitie in wiſedom, then in folly: as the light is more deſired, then the darkeneſſe, and that the wiſe-man is preferred before the foole: for the wiſe-mans eyes are in his head, but the foole walketh in darknes. And yet heere we may note, that the King ſpeaketh not of the wiſedome of Gods ſpirit, but of that humane wiſedome belonging to the reaſon of man which it in it ſelfe (as now vnderunder ſinne) is comparable to the vanitie of a foole.
Obiect. 2 Secondly ye obiected, that the King hath compared a man with a beaſt in the ſemblable condition: but I pray Sir, from whence is that gathered? It is taken ſayd Abiather out of thoſe words which the K. lately vtted, viz. I conſidered in mine heart the ſtate of the children of men, Eccles. 3.18.19.that God had purged thē: yet to ſee to, their are in thēſelves beaſts: for the condition of the ſons of men & the condition of beaſts are even one condition vntounto thē: as the one dyeth, ſo dyeth the other: ſo they have all one breath, and there is no excellēcie of a mā above the beaſt, for they are al vanitie. Now, this vrgeth many mens conſciences, that a man which hath a reaſonable ſoule, ſhould be made equall with the beaſt. Ye hauehave ſayd (anſwered zadok) yet hauehave ye not told me, nor can tell me indéed,Man differeth from a beaſt. when or where the King euer ſaid, that a man differeth nothing from a beaſt. It is true that he ſo compared them as touching the body which is of the earth ſubiect to corruption, mutabilitie, miſery and death (as before it is ſaid) for a memorie whereof the Lord God made garments for Adam, of the ſkinnes of beaſts. Alſo as touching any foreſight or knowledge either of the day of his death, or of that which commeth to paſſe after him, ſhe which (as ſaid holy Iob) who knoweth. among the children of men? Otherwiſe the King hath ſaide, that the Spirit of man goeth vpward, even to God that gave it: but the breath of a beaſt falleth downe into the earth. Againe, he hath ſpoken moſt profoundly of mans true felicitie, and directeth him the way to the same.
Thirdly, Obiect. 3 of mans felicitie. Eccles 2.4.ye ſaid that the King defined mans felicit in eating, drinking, and carnall pleaſures: where is that definition found? There (quod Aabiather) where the King hath ſaide: There is no profit to a man: but that he eate and drinke and delight his ſoule with the profit of his labour. And therefore (ſaid Zadok) doth the king define the felicitie of man in eating drinking, ſporting &c. That is no perfect conſequence, & ye utterly miſtake him. For contrary to that beaſtly behauior of carnall and voluptuous perſons, he ſheweth the true vſe of the creatures, according to the diuine ordinatiō, the which yet no man liuing can enioy to profit without his eſpeciall grace & bleſſing, beeing all that a mā may expect or look for in his life. For this is Gods gift (as the K hath often ſaid) howſoeuer a mā by his own wiſdom, wit, reaſon, power & agility ſéemeth able either to effect or comprehend the ſame in time & place: & therefore ſhould be vſe and eſtéemed with thankfulneſſe to God. 4. Ye ſaid further, Obiection: 4 The liuing & the dead. Cap. 4.2.3.that the King ſeemeth to preferre death before life & the dead before the living &c. Yea, ſaid Abiather: for the K. hath plainly ſaid: I have praiſed the dead which nowe are dead, above the living which are yet alive: and him better, then them both, which hath not yet beene. And this is very abſurde, for all men know, & it cannot bee denied, ye life is better thē death. For God hath made life,Life & death. & death is the priuation therof, & gard of ſin. Yea, himſelf hath ſaid, at a another time, that a living dogge is better then a dead Lyon, in regard of the excellencie of life before death. Anſwere. But the king (ſaid zadok) hath ſaid it not ſimply, or in that he abſolutely cōmendeth death, or condemneth life, but by the way of a compariſon, namely,The dead bee freed of the troubles of this life. Iob. 3 13. in reſpect of the great euils wherewith men are commonly tormented in this life. For why they that bee dead, are now freed from thoſe intollerable afflictions, & do reſt as quiet, and at eaſe in their bodies: alluding to the words of Iob, who through the vehemencie of his afflictions, and infirmitie of his fleſh, wiſhed hee had beene dead: ſaying, For ſo ſhould I now have lyen and beene quiet, I ſhould have ſlept then and beene at reſt, with the Kings and counſellors of the earth, which have builded themſelves deſolate places &c. Againe, The wicked have there ceaſſed from their tyrannie, and there they that laboured valiantly are at reſt. The priſoners reſt together and heare not the voyce of the oppreſſour. There are ſmall and great, and the ſervant is free from his maiſter. Againe, wherefore is the light given to him that is in miſerie? & life to thē that have heavy hearts? In this reſpect ſpeaketh alſo the king of life and death, And he meaneth the life of this world, and the death of the body, and not the deſerts of them that liue, nor the ſinnes of them that dye, and that after the maner of men. Otherwiſe, we may not think but that the godly,The righteous that be dead are at reſt. the faithfull and the righteous which bee dead, as Noah, Abrahā, Iſaack, Iacob, Moſes, Samuel, Ioſeph and ſuch, are in better caſe, then they which yet liue. For they bee bleſſed and no paine can oppreſſe or touch them. Therfore this is the deſire of them that here liue in the Lord That they may be diſſolved to die, and dwell with the Lord in eternall happines. In the like ſort hath the king ſpoken touching him which is not yet borne. For he ſaith not abſolutely, that he which was neuer,He that is not yet borne is happier. nor he which ſhall not be borne, nor he that is not and ſhall neuer be, is happier them he which liueth and is, but, that after the iudgement of men, in regard of thoſe mightie troubles that ouertake men in the world, it ſeemeth to be better not to be at all, then to be made ſubiect and thrall to thoſe troubles. And yet, who knoweth not (which hath wiſedome) that the King might ſpeake ſo touching the wicked which nowe liue in the worlde, and are appointed to eternall torment and miſerie after death. For in this reſpect, the pooreſt wretch that euer lived in the worlde, nowe by death tranſlated into Celeſtiall happineſſe, is by thouſands preferred before the higheſt Potentate, or Lord that liueth on the earth, and (by his Tyranny, oppreſſion, and heynous iniquities) is by the iuſt iudgement of GOD ordained for the fyer of Tophet and perpetuall miſerie. Otherwiſe I knowe well, that the King preferreth not death before life, nor the dead before the liuing, knowing that GOD hath made life for his glorie, and men in this life to ſet foorth the ſame. Neither is he ignorant of this (as hee is moſt wiſe) that as the righteous which bee departed from this worlde are happyer then they which yet liue and ſuſtaine and féele the miſeries of the ſame: ſo is it much better for them to bee as they are, notwithſtanding oppreſſed in this worlde, with all the miſeries thereof, in full hope and aſſurance of eternall felicitie, then that they ſhould not bee at all. Finally, if the wordes might bee taken without reſpect or relation to the miſerable affayres of men in the kingdome of vanitie, who will not beleeue, that thoſe holy Patriarches and Fathers, which are layd vp in peace, are more happy then any of vsus which nowe liue: and that the holy Meſsiah whom the King prefigureth, not yet borne, but to bee borne heereafter, is farre to bee preferred and extolled for happineſſe and honour before either of both? Therefore the Kings wordes truely vnderſtood, neede not to offend any, but rather to inſtruct and comfort all, aſwell them which are preſent, as thoſe in poſteritie.