King Solomons Solace, Book · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Of Solomons comming to the kingdom of Iſrael: his proceeding againſt Adoniah and Abiather the prieſt is iustified.
AFter this Zadok the Prieſt who had thus farre liſtened to the wordes of the Princes, ſtoode vppe and ſpake to this effect. Indéede (my Lords) I ſée not as yet, that from any of thoſe thinges whereof yee hauehave ſpoken to be in the king and his Eſtate, any iuſt occaſion is miniſtred him of his preſent affliction, except it be in this, that knowing the largenes of Gods bounties towardes him, he either hath not ſatiſfied the Lords expectatiō in the vſe of thoſe thinges, or cannot as hee would ſhew himſelfe gratefull enough. And it may be, that beſides the premiſſes, ſome queſtion hath been or may be moued touching the kinges entrance into the kingdome of Iſrael, wherein ſome, eſpecially they which ſtand to defend the cauſe of Adoniah, Abiather and Ioab with others their confederates againſt the king, imagine that he hath and doth rather vſurp and tyranize, then that he hath lawfully attained and raigned, and therin not anſwered to his name Solomon which is to ſay peaceable or a peacemaker: But howſoeuer it be ſurmiſed or imagined by ſuch kind of perſons: it is moſt certaine that the kings entrance with the meanes and manner thereof was both lawfull & right, and his gouernment therein may be neither condemned nor iuſtly reproued, but rather iuſtified and commended of all wiſe and diſcreet perſons. King Solomon (although he had a promiſe of the Soueraignty, both of the Lord, and alſo of his father) he did not preſume to vſurpe on the kingdome as Abſolon wold hauehave done, when aſpiring he lifted vp his hand againſt his owne father the Lords Annointed: Nor would hee do as Adoniah did,Sol. was not an vſurper on the kingdome. who was extolled and proclaimed king euer Iſrael in the life time of his father without the conſent, goodwill or knowledge of the king, or of the Quéen. The king our Soueraigne Lord knew better what was meet to be done, bee remembred how his father dealt towards Saul the king, namely that albeit hee knew Saul to bee reiected of the Lord, and that himſelfe was already annointed to ſuccéede him in the kingdome of Iſrael, he would dot preuent the time that God had appointed, nor would he lay his hand on him beeing in his place the Lords annointed, although he had many opportunities offered him therto, for hee might eaſily hauehave ſlain him, both in the Caue and in other places without his owne bodily danger. But the king as hee was ordained for the kingdome by the diuine prouidence and the diſcretion of his father: ſo alſo he entred by a lawfull and worthie meane and in the due time. For King David knowing well the mind of the Lord, who had promiſed him that there ſhoulde one of his ſeede ſit on his Seate after him, and his name ſhould bee Solomon, made a faithfull promiſe vntounto Quéene Bethſeba the Kinges mother,1. King 1.11.30. that according to the word of the Lord this his Son which was called Solomon ſhould ſurely raigne after him and ſhoulde ſit vponupon his throne: therfore (as it is alſo recorded in the kings Annales) when that king David being waxen olde and enféebled had heard (by the report of the Kinges Mother and Nathan) that Adoniah had proudly vſurped, and that this Solomon his beloued ſonne and choſon heire apparant was to bee taken for a ſinner in Adoniah his ſight, contrary to the Kinges promiſe made and confirmed by an oath to Bethſeba and Nathā in that behalfe: David was very highly diſpleaſed with Adoniah, and ſware againe vntounto Bethſeba ſaying: 1 King, 1.29.As the Lorde liveth who hath redeemed my ſoule out of al adverſity, that as I ſware vntounto thee by the Lord God of Iſrael, ſaying aſſuredly Solomon thy ſonne ſhall raigne after me, and he ſhall ſit upon my throne in my place, ſo will I certainly do this day, Whereupon King David commanded mee, and Nathan the Lordes prophet to annoint his ſonne Solomon King ouer Iſrael, euen whiles that David liued: the which wee both faithfully performed. Wherat David then greatly reioiced and praiſed the Lord vponupon his bedde, and he ſaid: Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, who hath made one to ſit on my throne this day even in my ſight. Therefore this thing being ſo diuinely prouided, and handled in al pointes ſo directly, no man may iuſtly reproue it, neither may the King in the due conſideration thereof (now in his elder daies) either repent thereof, or be touched with ſorrowe in his heart. Nor may wee otherwiſe thinke, but that the Lord of Iſrael, louing well his people, hath ſet our Lord the King on the ſeate of his Father to do equity and righteouſnes in the ſame,1 King 10. Solomons procee…ings againſt Adoniah. as the noble Queene of Sheba, at her beeing heere, right worthily teſtified and as a prophiteſſe in that behalfe, bleſſed the Lord and the King in the ſame. Moreouer I hauehave not found, that my Lord the king hath merited blame or diſlike in any his dealinges touching his ſaid brother Adoniah who had ſo vniuſtly exalted himſelfe as an Eagle in the clouds of heauen againſt his honour; for truly, contrary to the wonted vſe of worldly Princes and potentates, which cannot eaſily permit or beare a cōpetitor of the kingdome, he did not raſhly or ſeuerely execute diſpleaſure of Adoniah: but being perfect, wiſe, of a moſt royal heart, and of noble Lyons nature, perceiuing him to ſtand infeare of him, & to ſubmit himſelfe to his gratious mercy on the groūd, he gladly pardoned him, with this ſaying, yt not ſo much as one haire of his head ſhoulde fall to the earth, if he would thenceforth ſhew himſelfe a worthie man, and ſo commanded him to goe to his houſe in peace and to reſt himſelfe, ſo long as wickednes might not be found in him. No doubt the king remembred that worthy example of Ioſeph ſo ful of piety who notwithſtāding the great iniury his brethren had done him,Gen. 50.20. did vponupon their ſubmiſſion and requeſt, forgiue and forget all: yea, he was ſo farre from reuenging that iniury, that he ſaid: fear not, now will I nouriſh you, and your children, and he comforted them, and ſpake kindly vntounto them * Thus farre procéeded Zadoke, Benaiah.and then Benaiah becauſe he was not onelyonly an eye witneſſe, but alſo an actor therin, ſtood forth & ſaid. And al this do I perfectly remē ber, being eſpecially called & appointed by king David (together with your reuerence and Nathan the Prophet) to deale for the king in thoſe high matters the which (I doubt not) but Nathā would alſo confirme if he were preſent, and therein commend and praiſe that noble magnanimity ano rare clemency of the king extended towardes his capitall enemy, at ſuch his entrāce into the kingdome, when as beeing not yet ſo perfectly ſetled, & ſcarcely knowing his friendes from his foes, hee might rather hauehave feared the euent of ſuch a dangerous manumiſſion & pardon.Solomon was not willing to revenge an iniury. It appeared, that the gratious king was not only glad to pardō him which had ſubmitted himſelfe and promiſed obediēce but alſo carefull to eſchew all colour or ſuſpicion of tyranny or cruell dealing, euen to an aduerſary. Some Princes and mightie perſons in ſuch caſes are ſeuere perſecutors, euen to the death of them which hauehave neuer ſo little offended them, although neither they hauehave nor can poſſibly hurt them, and ſuch (as the king well knoweth) are more hurtfull to their owne territories then the brute creatures are to ſuch as neuer hurt or annoied them.The Dolphin Fiſh. Wee find of the Sea-Dolphins (of whoſe nature the king hath ſpoken among other beaſtes and Fiſhes) that if perchance they find a dead man in the ſeas they feele by the ſmell of him whether hee hath euer eaten of Dolphin Fiſh, the which if at any time he hath, then they deuoure him, if not, then they defend him from the biting of all other Fiſhes: and bring him to the ſhoare, as it were to his funeralles in the earth. Lo, although theis Sea-beaſts doe by nature reuenge any iniurie, yet are they farre off from the perſecuting of him that neuer hurt or annoyed them, howbeit ſuch is mans cruelty and commonly the vſe of mighty perſons, that they perſecute and hurt them grieuouſly of whome they neuer receiued, nor are like to receiue any dammage at all. Wherein they righgtly reſemble the wolfe which quarrelled with the Lambe and tooke an occaſion to kill and deuour him, becauſe he drank beneath him in the riuer. But, as I ſaid, albeit it had beene but a iuſt thing in the king to hauehave reuenged that iniury: yet was hee more mercifull and gentle to his foes to whome in ſteede of death deſerued,zadoke. hee pardoned and them preſerued * Yee hauehave well ſaide (quod Zadoke) and thus ſhoulde Adoniah hauehave well remembred and conſidered accordingly and not hauehave attempted further matter to prouoke the Kings diſpleaſure, and turne mercy into iuſtice againſt his owne life. But ſeeing that hee woulde not continue thankefull vntounto his Grace, but renewe his old malice and thereby worke to ſupplant the Lordes Annointed, I ſee no reaſon why the King ſhoulde further ſpare him to the danger of his own ſafetie. Therefore I verily belieue, that the king hath hath not offended either againſt God or the lawe, in that hee afterward perceiuing the wickednes and ambitious practiſes of Adoniah, Benaiah.did cauſe him to bee rewarded with death. And well worthie (ſaid Benaiah) for notwithſtanding the King had moſt gratiouſly pardoned him, and charged him thereon (in my hearing) to bee conteyned within his owne houſe: hee yet preſumed too boldely to come foorth, and moſt malepertly to ruſh into the Queenes Chamber after Davids death in ſuch ſorte, that ſhee was therewith wonderfully afraide of him, neither coulde ſhee eaſily bee perſwaded that hee beeing her mortal enemy (though now ſubdued) would either wiſh her well or entend her any good. For as enemies are not to bee truſted notwithſtanding their faire faces and wordes: ſo beyond others, had ſhe a great cauſe to doubt of Adoniah, who as ſhe wel knew, bare her a deadly hatred, for yt by her means ye ſooner Solomon came to the royall Seat, the which he Adoniah had ſo ambitiouſly and eagrelie affected, and vnlawfully vſurped in his fathers life-time. Whereat notwithſtanding that ſhe was as betwene hope and diſpayre when ſhe ſaw him ſodenlie to enter her chamber, ſhe asked him if he came to her in peace, and he anſwered, yea, whatſoeuer he meant, and he ſaid, that he had a certaine petition vntounto her, which was, that ſhe would be a meane for him to the king, that he would giuegive him to wife Abiſag the Sunamite, (who had beene ſometimes king Davids bedfellow to warme and nouriſh him in his weake old age) In the which practice, he had a purpoſe to aſpire to the kingdom: not onelyonly for that, though he were the fourth yet the eldeſt of king Davids ſonnes then liuing: but alſo combined with her who was eſtéemed as king Davids wife, he might the ſooner in his owne conceite, and by the ſuggeſtion of the kinges enemies, hauehave obtained the ſoueraigntie. The which deceit and pretence of his, the Quéene as yet perceiued not: and therefore partlie for dread, and partlie for goodwill ſhe bare him for king Davids ſake, ſhe condiſcended to his deſire, and made requeſt for him vntounto the king. But the king being right wiſe, ſoone eſpied this to be a ſuttle deuiſe of Adoniah for his owne aduancement;The nature & manner of the ambitious. hee knew well, that the ambitious are eueryevery way ready to inſinuate themſelues into fauour: before they be preferred they will faine humilitie, lowlines, honeſtie, affabilitie, and all benignitie, they will follow and obey at a becke, they will flatter and giuegive applauſe to all mens doings, fearing to offend any: yea, and (as is the common prouerb) they will bruſh off the duſt from the coate which hath no duſt at all. But being once aduanced & exalted, they begin to change their opinions, and ſoone alter their manners: for now, they are become proud and glorious boaſters: they neuer care to profit, but are glad of prefermēt: they thinke themſelues far better then others, becauſe they be placed higher then others: their former friends they diſdaine, & know not their old acquaintances: they contemne their benefactors, and bee vnthankefull to them which hauehave done them the higheſt good. To let paſſe other things, they be burthenſom to their ſubiects, hateful to al men, headſtrong, troubleſom, arrogant, gréeuous, and importune. This (I ſay) the king knew wel, and that Adoniah was ſwolne with this humour. Moreouer, he perceiued that this matter did doth proceed and was furthered by two others his deadly foes, namely, Ioab and Abiather, who thereby intended to ſupplant the king, and to ſet vppe Adoniah. And therefore when Queene Bethſabe requeſted the king for Adoniah, (according to her promiſe) he anſwered her: And why doeſt thou aſke Abiſag for Adoniah? aſke for him the kingdome alſo: for he is mine elder brother, and hath for him both Abiather the the prieſt and Ioab the ſonne of Zerviah: for he knew, that if Adoniah had once gotten Abiſag, who was ſo deare and neere vntounto his father, he would alſo with her hauehave ſought for the Crowne. Therefore he ſware and pronounced a ſentence againſt Adoniah to recompence his wicked ambition and iniquitie ſaying: God do ſo to me, and more alſo if Adoniah hath not ſpoken this againſt his owne life! Therefore the king being well aduiſed (for he did eueryevery thing with iudgement) ſent and commanded me to ſmite him that he might die, thereby the ſooner to eſtabliſh the gouerment according to the will & word of the Lord, the which Adoniah & his counſailors had practiſed to hinder & ouerthrow. Therfore this actiō of the king, neither may be reproued, nor may occaſion him (now after ſo many yeares of peace) to be offēded with himſelfe therefore.Abiather. * Thus hauehave yee ſaide (quod Abiather) and your wordes in mine opiniō may not be iuſtlie reproued,The dealings of Solomon againſt Abiather the prieſt. for yee hauehave ſpoken nothing but truth. But what ſhall we ſay to this that the king at his entrance, did both depriue Abiather then the Lordes prieſt of his office and expelled and banniſhed him the Lordes houſe? Although I hauehave the like name (my Lordes) I neither propoſe this queſtion, nor ſpeake, as if I would defēd the cauſe of ye Abiather againſt the king and his proceedinges therein: but becauſe I hauehave heard ſome oppoſition to the ſame by others, and I would willingly they ſhould be reſolued.zadok. To this anſwered Zadok. As I may not condemn that Abiather my predeceſſour, becauſe I woulde my ſelfe (as Primas) ſhould be aduāced and approued in the place: ſo neither may I diſlike in equity the kings proceedings againſt him. For firſte it is certayne that Abiather behaued not himſelfe worthely in his place, and therefore was iuſtly depriued. For albeyt my-ſelfe am now high Prieſt: yet if I ſhould not anſwere to my calling and name, I allow the verification of that ſentence of the kinges father on my ſelfe: Let his daies be few: and his office let another take. And as cōcerning Abiather, it became him not to counſaile Adoniah and to confederate with him, in that he vnlawfullie couetted to be king, both without the conſent of his father, and againſt the rightfull honor of king Solomō. *Next it is moſt apparant how the Lord would, that now by this occaſion, that word of his ſhould be performed which was ſometime ſpoken to Eli the prieſt:1 Sam. 2.32. that for the high diſhonor and contempt of Godes ſeruice in his children, and by him permitted, the prieſthood ſhould be taken away from him and his houſe, and another ſhould be preferred in the ſame.This was brought to paſſe when Abiather was reiected, and zadocke taken to be the high prieſt. 2 Sam. 2 32 The which the King béeing wiſe and indowed with a principall ſpirit, did in time wiſely conſider, and iuſtlie performed in the depriuing of Abiather, and placing me in his office: for there is not any word of the Lord which ſhall fall to the ground, but ſhall be performed in the appointed time. Howbeit the king (according to the exellencie of his wiſedome) would neither ſlay nor cruellie torment or vexe that vnfaithfull Abiather, becauſe he had béene the Lordes higd prieſt, and had beene a companiō & a fauourer of his father David in all his afflictiōs. Wherein he expreſſed a right ſober, mercifull, and gratefull minde: for he reuerenced the Lords ordinance and lawfull function of the perſon, albeit the perſon was vnworthie: he ſhewed lenitie, where rigour was deſerued: and he would not that his hatefull enemie ſhould be occaſioned either iuſtlie to comdemne him, or at the leaſt to accuſe him of any ſauour of oppreſſion, tyrannie, cruelty, or vnkindneſſe towardes him which had béene kind to his father in his afflictions, though now after his fathers departure. And ſurelie, theſe are the virtues which are not common or vſuall among the men of this life, eſpeciallie among Princes and Potentates, where we often behold and conſider, how the Lordes prieſtes, prophets, and faithfull ſeruantes, are not onelyonly neglected, but vnreuerentlie contemned and abuſed, and that for the lighteſt cauſes that may be imagined: we ſee that ſeueritie recompenſeth priuate iniuries againſt all men without merciemercy; and we ſee, that little kindneſſe is found to conſider of great benefites of them which be liuing, much leſſe of them that be dead of whom the prouerbe is beaten, Out of ſight, out of mind, 1. Sam. 22.17.Such hath beene the vngodly behauiour of Saul towards Abimelech and the Prieſtes of the Lord, whome notwithſtanding they had made their honeſt excuſe withall humilitie, hee commaunded Doeg the Edomite to murther euen foureſcore and fiue perſons that did weare a linnen Ephod: yea, and bee ſmote with the edge of the ſworde, Nob the Cittie of the Prieſtes, both men and women, children and ſucklinges,Gen. 37.20. oxen and aſſes, and ſheepe with horrible crueltie. Thus the brethren of Ioſeph hardly handled their poore brother in that they did not onelyonly caſt him into a pit, but ſold him away as a bondſlaue to ſtrangers, following therein the Nature of Cain, who murthered Abel his brother vponupon an offence not giuen,Gen. 4. but taken.Iudg. 7. And thus the vnthankfull Sichemites (in the time of the Iudges) notwithſtanding that Gedeon had beene beneficiall to Iſrael, ſhewed no mercy vntounto his houſe, but gaue conſent to the ſetting vp of Abimelech the tyrant, to the deſtruction of the ſame. But thus hath not our King done: Neuertheleſſe, (as reaſon required) he remoued Abiather both from his office, and alſo from out of the Court: for hee had diſtained his honour, and diſgraced his function by his lewde behauiour therein, and was an enemie to the kinges eſtate. Therefore that he might not longer abuſe the place, ſo fit for a better perſon, yea, for a perſon perfect, and well approued:Treacherous perſons are euer ſuſpected. againe, that he might not thenceforth (as he was an enemie) vnhappily moue or entiſe any of the Kinges Courte to conſpire with him againſt the king and his gouernement, hee was iuſtly depriued of the one, and baniſhed from the other: for as it is indeed wiſedome in time, to caſt out of the congregation, ſuch by whome the ſame is daily offended, and the place abuſed, to auoid the contempt, which by ſuch perſons is often occaſioned: ſo it is good policie timely to obſerue, ſequeſtre and put apart ſuch dangerous perſons from the preſence of Princes, and from the ſocietie of their Lordes and ſeruantes, left they both infect and inflame, and ſo confound the body with the head, by the contagion of their trecherous plots, wicked deſignes and peſtilent practizes, in, and about the which will euer bee their dailie and greateſt ſtudies and indeuours: for they are ſet on the pricked forth by the Syre of treaſons, and broacher of rebellions. Hence was it, that Moſes commanded a ſeparation between the Iſraelites, and Corah, Dathan and Abiram, whome the earth opening, ſwallowed vppe in their rebellion. Thus the Lord reproued Cain for his enuy and anger againſt Abel his brother, and admoniſhed him to his dutie: but after that hee had liſted vppe his hand againſt him & murthered him, he expelled him (though too late) and ſent him an exile from his fathers houſe. So alſo after that Iſmael was noted to be a perſecuter and derider of his brother whome hee ſought to ſupplant, hee was ſhut out of Abrahams houſe with Hagar his mother, who had counſelled and defended him in his wickedneſſe. Therfore wee may perſwade, that this proceeding and iudgement of the king againſt Abiather, for the abuſe of his function, and his treacherie againſt both David and our Lord the king, (being both lawfull and diſcreetely handled, according to the diuine prouidence, and the equitie of the law) is not the cauſe of the kinges preſent ſorrow. To this, all the Princes ſubſcribed, gladly iuſtifying the wiſe and worthy iudgement of the king with all his proceedinges therein, in whom they did manifeſtly behold the wiſedome of the moſt high God, to doe equity and righteouſnes.