King Solomons Solace, Book · Chapter 9
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 eueryevery 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 hauehave 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 offēce offered him, which bringeth no ſmall comfort to our heartes, in the time of this our trouble and trial: Let vsus aduenture to behold the king himſelfe, in whome it may be, that the cauſe of his owne ſorrow may be found. Therfore let vsus 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 preſent affliction and extremitie, the which they ſhould regarde to mitigate and withſtand, and whoſe health and ſafetie they ſhould tender and maintaine,How ſubiectes may conſider of their princes in all louelove duty and reuerence of his honor, not onelyonly modeſtly to ſearch out and to know: but alſo wiſely to endeuour to remoue or withſtand the cauſes, that the vnhappy effects might ceaſe, and the dangerous incō ueniences be vtterly preuented, onelyonly in ſuch ſort, & to that end, as the faithfull Phiſicians accuſtome to deale with their pained Patientes, or as they which deſire to know the griefe of their diſtreſſed friendes, to the entent either to prouide remedies, or to eaſe them of their griefes: for although we know the Kinges miſery to be great, heare his complaint very wofull ringing in our eares, & do condole with him with ſorrow of mind, yet, vnleſſe wee ſeeke for the cauſe, conſider well thereof, and labour with wiſedome, and that ſpéedily, to eaſe him of his affliction, we ſhall do iuſt nothing, but ſhall be rightly likened vntounto them which ſtand gaping and gazing on the priſoners in bandes, but neither goe about to deliuer them or to comfort them: or like vntounto thoſe, which ſeeme to viſite the ſicke, and behold their deadely maladies, but purpoſe neither to helpe or eaſe them. There bee many more which accuſtome this, then that performe the former in our dayes.Helioreph. * Indeed (ſaid Helioreph) men ſhould much rather (in the ſenſe of their owne faultes) be penitent, and in the kings offences be ſilent: for as it is againſt humanity and good maners either to enter into another mans houſe not inuited, or too curiouſly to obſerue another, not occaſioned: ſo is it much againſt the duty of a Subiect, eyther too narrowly to note the kinges life and behauiour, or to talke raſhlie of his actions. Notwithſtanding, we ſée this, that as Kings and Princes liue not ſo angelically, but they offend in ſome things grieuouſly, and offē ding, they cannot ſo conceale all thinges, but they are ſeene & noted, and the more becauſe they be Kings and Princes: ſo their actions and maners with the behauiour of the whole Court, are often more ſpoken of and cenſured in the Country among the Commons, then either regarded or obſerued amongſt our ſelues. But as ye hauehave well ſaide, as cures cannot eaſily be wrought without firſt knowledge of the cauſe of-the griefe: ſo I ſee not, how we may eaſe the King of this his affliction, except wee were certaine how it was occaſioned. Therefore with the conſideration of the preſent neceſſitie, and fearing the future inconuenience both to the king, and to all his people (which wee muſt ſpeedily regarde to preuent in this caſe and time) I thinke that wee his Princes and Counſellors ſo neare vntounto him may lawfully aduenture (as yee hauehave ſaide) without all iuſt offence to his honor, diſgrace to his perſō, hurt to his people, glory to his enemies, ſin againſt God, or danger to our ſelues.Gen. 21.14. Exod. 18.24. Iob. 31.13, 1. Sam. 25.18 32, Abraham (as we reade) hearkened to his wife Sarah: Moſes gaue eare to his father in law Iethro; Iob heard the complaint of his ſeruants againſt himſelfe: Abigail liſtned to her poore boy, and David refuſed not them that at any time ſpake to him either for his, or their owne good: So (I truſt) will the King giuegive vsus audience in this caſe, and the ſooner, becauſe we are his Counſellors, who (as hee may well perſwade) do tender his ſafetie, and hauehave a deſire to counſell, aduiſe, & endeuor the beſt in all things. * And I remember (ſaid Ahiah) the David the kinges father, was not onelyonly contented,Ahiah. but alſo acknowledged it right profitable for his ſafety, that Nathan ſhould both enquire and examine his life and actions,2. Sam. 12.13. & alſo reproue and correct that which he found faulty in him: yet ſay I not, that it is meete for eueryevery man to looke into thoſe matters, or to meddle in the Princes affaires: but for ſuch onelyonly as are eſpecially elected and called and authorized, as Nathan was: or be in place to conſider, aid, and counſell the king as we are. Neither thinke I the kings Maieſtie will be exaſpered or diſpleaſed with any of vsus, if wee doe the like, for the better preſeruation of his honor and credit: for being wiſe, he will conſider the reaſon and ponder all things indifferently.2. Sam. 16.7 Againe, I remember (for it is noted in the kinges Annales) that Shimei railing on David the kings father, called him bloud ſucker and man of Belial: At the which (although David might iuſtly hauehave ſtriken him, becauſe hee curſed the Lordes Annointed) David conſidering vponupon thoſe reprochful wordes, what himſelfe had before done in the caſe of Vriah, and thereby condemning himſelfe as guilty in his owne conſcience, and withall willing to ſhew a token of his owne wiſedome and clemency, would not ſuffer him to bee ſtriken for his malepertneſſe: but he ſaid in the anguiſh of his ſoule: Let him alone, for he curſeth, euen becauſe the Lord hath bidden him curſe David: who dare then ſay, wherefore haſt thou done ſo? How much rather then will the king content himſelfe, that we his Counſellors doe with a farre better mind and purpoſe, for the honour and health of his Maieſty, and preſeruation of his people conſider of the thinges that bee his, and ſéeke to redreſſe or amend that which is amiſſe. But therein let vsus follow the example of Shem and Iaphet, Shem & Iaphet. Gen. 9.23.the ſonnes of Noah, when they perceiued that Cham had vncouered him & mocked him: for they turning their faces from their fathers nakednes came towards him as backward, and couered the ſame with their owne garments: For it is not entended, that the Kings ſecrets be diſplayed or publiſhed to his ignomy (for it is not good to vtter the ſecrets of a Prince) but onelyonly that they may be knowne to our ſelues for the cauſes premiſed; and that thoſe thinges which are either knowne abroad already, or may be knowne hereafter, and whereof his aduerſaries (beholding and obſeruing the ſame) may giuegive their ſharpe cenſures againſt his Maieſtie, and his wordes and works with maligne and malitious mouthes, may be wiſely conſidered of, well conſtrued, reconciled, reſolued and ſalued: or at the leaſt, the extremitie of thoſe inconueniences enſuing theſe vnhappy cauſes may bee in ſome ſort preuented. * And verily, I ſuppoſe there is ſomewhat conceited of himſelfe, and his owne workes: for it is not long ſithens I heard him to ſay, and that with great wofulnes, that hee loathed his owne life: and then looking on the workes which his hands had wrought, (being indeede many and mighty) and on the trauels that hee had taken, the which yet farre paſſed the labours of other men: hee confeſſed that all was but vanitie and vexation of the ſpirite: whereby I was preſently moued to ſuſpect ſomething in the kinges owne perſon, and to doubt of ſome of his workes and deedes, the which eyther his owne conceit blameth as too baſe and vndecent to his honour, or his owne conſcience condemneth as vniuſt, or his wiſedome diſliketh as too fond, or his diuine ſpirite abandoneth as impious.Iehoſophat. * Well then (quod Iehoſophat) this being well reſolued, why ſhould wee further delay? Let vsus approch (howbeit with all the beſt wiſedome and modeſty) to the conſideration of the kings Maieſty.Of Solomons progeny and birth. As for progenie and birth, there is no cauſe that the kings Maieſty ſhould abaſe or diſlike himſelfe, for hee is the ſonne of worthy Nobles: yea,Noah. hee is deſcended of the moſt noble houſe of that auncient Ianus or Noah, Noah.to whome the Lord granted to ſee the end of the old world, and the beginning of the new: howbeit he came not in by Cham nor by Iaphet, Shem.but by Shem, whome the Lord eſpecially fauoured and choſe to continue the ſeed of the bleſſed,Abraham. vntounto the time of Abraham our father: by whom and from whome the king is lineally deſcended, nevertheleſſe, not by his ſonne Iſmael the ſonne of Hagar the bonde:Iſaack, but by his ſonne Iſaack of Sarah the frée woman, in whome the hope of the promiſe reſted: Againe, hee was not of Eſau, who was iuſtly depriued both of the birth-right and the bleſſing:Iacob. but of Iacob whome the Lord louing and liking, called Iſrael, and Iſrael had many ſonnes: but the king came onelyonly from Iudah, …udah.in whoſe tribe (according to the propheſie of Iacob) the Scepter ſhould be raiſed, and a Law-giuer continued vntounto the comming of Shilo, to whome the people ſhould be gathered. From hence was the line drawne to Iſhai, Iſhai.and from him to David the Kings father, who being a man after Gods owne heart,David. was according to the diuine prouidence ordained and annointed (by Samuel the Lords Prophet) before all his brethren, to be king ouer his people of Iſrael, whom he defended from their enemies on eueryevery ſide with a ſtrong and valiant hand, fed them with diſcretion, iudged thē with equitie and righteouſnes, and raigned ouer them ful 40. yeares, to the glory of the Lord and good of his people, with great honour,Bethſeba. Sol. mother. The kinges mother alſo was Bethſeba, the daughter of Eliam, of no meane parentage: her name ſoundeth the daughter of an oath, or the ſeuenth daughter. She was a right noble, wiſe and vertuous Gentlewoman, & ſometimes the wife of Vriah the Hittite, a man of great eſtimation. Indeede it was ſo, that for her ſake (the king affecting her) did iniuriouſly oppreſſe her ſaid husband, the rather by Ioabs meanes: at what time this noble woman eyther doubted or ſimply thought, that it was not lawfull for her husband or her ſelfe being ſubiectes to deny any thing which the king ſhould command or deſire of them,1. Sam. 8, 11. knowing what Samuel the prophet had before that ſaid vntounto the people, when they required a king, what their king might, or would do vntounto them by his power and authority, howbeit the treſpaſſe being pardoned, and grace and mercy reſtored according to the kings true repētance and humble praier: ſhe feared the Lord God of Iſrael & hearkened to Nathan the Lordes prophet (notwithſtanding that hee had before reproued the King for his faulte) whereby ſhe liued and contained her ſelfe with King David in all godly behauiour and high honour during her life. This Noble Lady in many thinges both aided and comforted the King her huſband, and did not onelyonly beare and bring foorth, but alſo educated, brought vp and nurtoured our Lord King Solomon, in all ſuch princely and diuine vertues (to her power) as did beſt beſéeme him that ſhould ſucceede King David in the happy kingdome of Iſrael, as ſhe had well learned and conſidered thereof by the inſpiration of the diuine Spirit, and the inſtruction of the Lordes Prophet that it was appointed and ordained by the Lord that this Solomon (before all Davids other Sonnes) ſhould raigne ouer the kingdome of Iſrael after him. Therefore ſhee diligently endeuored with the King the performance thereof as we ſée it is brought to paſſe this day to the great ioy and comfort of the Lordes inheritance. This therefore the young Quéene did gratefully remember at the time of the kinges marriage, aſcribing vntounto her in the great ſolemnitie the chiefe cauſe (next vntounto God) of his royall preferment, ſaying to the daughters of Syon: Go ye forth I pray you, Cant. 3.10.and behold King Solomon in the Crowne wherewith his Mother hath crowned him, in this day of his marriage, and in the day of the gladnes of his heart! And therefore alſo the king himſelfe in the higheſt of his glory neither diſdained nor omitted to commend her & her excellēt vertues before vsus al: yea, and vnderunder the ſame hath depainted and ſet forth not onelyonly an holy and vertous Woman; but alſo the holy Church, the which alſo in his temple, with the rich ornaments thereof he prefigured. And thereof hath made an Alephabethical Encomion, in theſe words:pro. 31 Who ſo findeth an honeſt faithful womā, ſhe is much more worth thē pearls: the heart of her huſbād may ſafely truſt in her: ſo that he ſhall fall into no poverty: She wil do him good, & not evil al the dais of her life. &c. A womā that feareth the Lord ſhalbe praiſed: GiueGive her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own workes praiſe her in the gates. Theſe things the king hath ruminated and vttered with great grauity as worthy the memory and imitation: therefore wee alſo hauehave thought good to note and affixe the ſame to his wiſe prouerbs and Parables * Now with this let vsus not forget,The time of Sol. birth. but carefully note and remember (the rather to preuent the occaſions of euill ſurmiſes) that the king was neither borne nor begotten nor conceiued in the time of the treſpaſſe and diſgrace of his Parents, but after the time that the Lord in mercy had pardoned them both and put away their ſinnes vponupon repentance and prayer:2. Sam. 12.13. of the which pardon the Lord certified him to the ioy and eaſe of their heartes by the prophet Nathan: when alſo that was brought to paſſe and verified, which David had with teares deſired and with faith hoped to obtaine. Thou ſhalt purge me (ſaid he) with Iſope, and I ſhall be cleane: thou ſhalt waſh me & I ſhall be whiter then ſnowe:pſal. 51. Thou ſhalt make me to heare of ioy and gladnes, that the boanes which thou hast broken may reioce. For the which alſo he dewly bleſſed the Lord, and in his thankſgiuing ſaide: O Lord thou haſt pardoned all mine iniquities, and healed all mine infirmities. pſal. 103.Finally, the Lord himſelfe to this his pleaſure gaue teſtimony, when he did not onelyonly accept his ſacrifices and burnt offeringes: but alſo promiſed to ſet vp of his Seede after him vponupon the throne of the kingdome of Iſrael, and that alſo not Abſolon, nor Adoniah, nor Amnon nor any other of Davids ſonnes begotten and borne before this time but only Solomon his ſonne borne of Bethſeba after the pardon granted him, ſhould build an houſe for his name, vntounto whō he would be as a father to his ſonne. * Al theſe things the princes gladly heard, & to ye ſame ſubſcribed moſt willingly knowing well both the truth of the kinges petigree, and the honour of his noble birth.zabud. And thereupon ſpake Zabud and ſaid: It ſéemeth good to me,The ſeuerall names of the King. that with this which hath beene ſaide, wée regard thoſe titles and names by the which it pleaſed the Lord that the king ſhould be called, knowne and honoured: the which truly hauehave not bin impoſed raſhly, as many which giuegive names without reſpect of the Natures, dignity or qualityes of the perſons: but with great wiſedome, iudgement and prouidence: as were thoſe names of Adam, Havah, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Abel, Sarah, Iſaack, Iſrael, Samuel, David, and ſuch other, which hauehave had their approbation from the Lord and expreſſed or taught, or remembred ſome worthy thing. In this ſort, the King hath had and enioyed fiue particular names, and names of honor, two of the which were impoſed by the Lord himſelfe, the third by Nathan, the fourth by his Mother, and the laſt hée reſumed by th'approbation of his Lordes. In or concerning any of the which names, he hath no cauſe miniſtred him to be diſpleaſed, except onelyonly in this, that he hath tried himſelfe (bring a mortall man) not anſwerable in all points to the ſame, knowing it a thing moſt ridiculous for any perſon whatſoeuer, to bee noted or called by ſuch a title or name, of the which hee ſhalbee found moſt vnworthy. For the firſt we hauehave it recorded what the Lord God ſaid to David concerning him: he ſhalbe my ſonne Secondly he ſaid againe touching him his name is Solomon: 2 Sam, 7.14. 1. Chro. 22.9.Thirdly the prophet Nathan called him Iedid-iah: The ſonne of God.Fourthly his Mother called him Laemuel, and fifthly he is called Koheleh. In that he is called the Sonne of God, and that by God himſelfe, it giueth vsus to conſider in him ſomewhat beyond that which is found to be in other men. For they are not of the common ſort to whome the Lord vouchſafeth this high title. Such are they, which reſembling the holy Angels, hauehave not only the brightnes of the diuine glory apparāt in them: but alſo are euer willing and ready to execute his pleaſure. In that he is called Solomō, 2. Solomon.it noteth the peace of his gouernmēt ouer Gods people according to the reaſon which the Lord added ſaying he ſhal be a man of reſt, and I will ſend peace and reſt vponupon Iſrael in his dayes. In ye third name the prophet would expreſſe not only the louelove of God vntounto him:3. Iedid-iah. but alſo the louelove of God & his diuine graces in him, to the which alluded the Arabian Quéene at her being here, when ſhee ſaid bleſſed be the Lord thy God which loued thee, & hath ſet thee on the throne of Iſrael. In the fourth his Mother beeing a wiſe and rare Princeſſe,4. Laemuel. 5. Coheleth woulde by that name ſignifie the glory of God in him, and by him in the people. In the laſt is teſtified the diligence and deſier that the king hath, not onelyonly to ſearch out and gather together for his owne further inſtruction the auntient monuments and holy bookes, but alſo a people vntounto the Lord to bee inſtructed and taught in the holy Religion for the glory of God and their owne health: Teaching withall, what ſhould be the deſier of all Princes in their places: namely in this ſort to tend to the end of their gouernment and rule. Therefore finding rather an honour, then an ignomy to grow from hence vntounto the king: Wee ſay as ye kings daughter ſaid in that excellent ſong: Thy name is a ſweet ſmelling oyntment, when it is powred foorth: Therefore do the virgins love thee.