King Solomons Solace, Book · Chapter 26
CHAP XXVI.
Zadoke preveth that K. Solomon is a Saint of the Lord.
THen Zadok proceeded & reaſoned for the King ſaying
Whoſoeuer is made and ordained, by the will, wiſedome, and providence of God, a moſt lively and excellent figure of that holy Meſſiah the ſonne of God: the ſame is not a damned, or reprobate, or prophane perſon, but he is a Sainct of the Lord,
But our Lord King Solomon is made and ordained by the will, wiſedom and providence of God, a moſt lively and excellent figure of that holy Meſſiah, the ſunne of God.
Therefore our Lord K. Solomon is not a damned reprobate, or prophane perſon, but he is a Saint of the Lord.
Now, although no man may iuſtly deny either the firſt, or the ſecond propoſition, in any thing whatſoeuer: yet (as I perceiue ye are willing to liſten) ye ſhall heare mee to declare and proue either, and ſo concludet or the King. Surely (my Lords) it were not onelyonly a great abſurdity to hold it, but an horrible thing to imagine, that the most holy Meſſiah the ſonne of the everlaſting God, that bright morning Starre, that right holy Seede, that high diuine Prieſt, that excellent prophet, and king of Glory ſo well reſembling the almighty in holines, beauty, and in all perfection, ſhould be prefigured and declared by a prophane and vnholy perſon: and that the excellency of his high dignity and royall gouernment ſhould be typed by any thing common or vncleane. Neither hauehave we found ſuch inequalities in the proportions of the law of the Prophets and holy writings, eſpecially touching the promiſed and expected Meſſiah. But this we finde, that as the beſt things be beſt figured and declared in and by that which is moſt like or neere in nature, kinde and qualitie: ſo is the dignity, perſon and function of the moſt holy Meſſiah prefigured and foreſhewed according to the wiſdome and prouidence of the Almighty, where the types agree well with the things typed. Therefore it was commanded in the lawe, that the Lambes which were taken for the ſacrifices ſhould be cleane without all blemiſhes,Exod. 12.5. Gen. 4.4. Aaron a figure of Meſſiah. Exod. 28.30. Levit. 8. & 21.6.18 as ſuch as Habel offered vp to the Lord, of the beſt of his flocks. Therefore Aaron the Lords Prieſt (who in his body prefigured the body of Meſſiah, and in his garments expreſſed the excellency and perfection of his graces and vertues) was a perſon without defectes or blemiſhes of body, and glorious in his beautifull ornamentes, according to the commandement, the which alſo my ſelfe (being the preſent high Prieſt) am holden to retaine and vſe, and the which, for that Abiather my predeceſſor vſed not, but abuſed, he was iuſtly depriued. Moſes alſo (who brought our fathers out of the houſe of bondage and the ſame whome that prophet ſhould reſemble was a man welbeloued of God, wel learned ſanctifyed and made like vntounto him in the glory of his Angels: Likewiſe the Captaine Ioſuah (whome the Lorde appointed & enabled to lead our fathers into this promiſed land) was a man full of the ſpirit of wiſedome, & the Lord his God both ſtrēgthned and encouraged him, whereby hee might be made a meete figure of the true Iehoſuah, our leader and guide into the land of the liuing. To bee briefe, David, the Kings father (who in his time bare an excellent figure of that Meſſiah both in his annointing, nature, raigne, exaltation, and humiliation) was a man after Gods owne heart, and eueryevery way furniſhed with divine graces, and right princely vertues meete for the ſame. The like may be ſaid of our forefathers Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Iſaack, Iacob, Ioſeph, Sampſon the Nazarite, & others, in and by whome the Lord our God wold tipe and foreſhew his deare ſonne the Meſſiah, notwithſtanding all their humane imperfections and fleſhly infirmities. All theſe things ſaide the Princes) hauehave we hearde with great delight and that to our full ſatiſfaction in that part.The princes. For (indeede) ſuch is the nature of the diuine proportions in the lawe, in the Prophetes and in the pſalmes: And therefore, he which by the wiſedome, will and prouidence of God is made a liuely & excellent figure of that holy Meſſiah, muſt of neceſſitie be a Sainct, & not a damned wretch, reprobate, or prophane. But now what will ye produce for the proofe of this, that our Lord King Solomon (among thoſe bleſſed Fathers) is by the ſame wiſedome, Solomon is a figure of the holy Meſſiah.will and providence, or dained and made a right figure of that moſt holy Meſſiah? This propoſition (ſaide Zadok) can neither bee denied nor abandoned: but confeſſed and receiued aſwell of them now liuing as of al them that ſhall come after vsus in all poſterities, who in the due conſideration thereof with the circumſtances, ſhall grant and conclude with vsus in the ſame. And this may eaſily be gathered and proued to put all men out of doubt. Firſt in that according to the diuine prouidence and direction, he hath built and garniſhed that right glorious Temple in Ieruſalem, Solomon in the building of the Temple, figured the Meſſiah. foreignan houſe dedicated to the name of the Lorde: the which doubtleſſe ſtandeth for a perfect figure of ye holy Koheleh or Church of the Lorde our God, whether miſticall in the Congregation of them that ſerue God after his will declared in his worde: or ſpirituall in the heart and minde of all the faithfull where it pleaſeth the holy ſpirite of diſcipline to dwell: or glorious in heaven of all them that be deliuered from hence and tranſlated into the ſocietie of the celeſtiall angels. An houſe indeede,The Church figured. Gen. 3. which none either in heauen or in earth can or muſt builde or garniſh but onelyonly that moſt holy Meſſiah and promiſed Seede. And this was prefigured by the womans body, betweene whome & the Serpent the Lord ſet enmity: and ſignified in that Adam called her Havah the mother of all liuing. Herein are founde thoſe kindreds of the earth, who in the promiſed Seed are bleſſed for euer. And this is that princely ſpowſeſſe, indeede, of the which the King in a propheticall Spirite ſpake in his Schir-haſſchirim: moreouer, this is that ſame which was ſhadowed in the family of faithfull Abraham, Cant. 1.in the Arke of Noah the righteous, which was builte and prouided according to the patterne the Lorde gaue him and mankind preſerued, in and by the houſe of King David, wherein God was honoured and ſerued in the true vſe of the law,2. Sam. 5. praier, and the holy ſacrifices, and by the mount or caſtle of Zion, from the which both the halte and the blind were takē away: that the bright Vrim and right Thumim with all knowledge and perfection might dwell there. And the ſame is doubtleſſe expreſſed in this great and holy houſe, which the king hath built for the name of his God, wherein, wee may not imagine that the King hath beene more curious then godly, more preciſe then profitable, or more ſumptuous then wiſe, conſidering that there is not the leaſt iote or point therein, which hath not either his proper vſe, or miſtical entendemēt: as in place hereafter ye may better heare and conſider therof with iudgemēt. And thereof wee may gather & conclude, that as the holy Meſſiah was killed in Abel, deliuered his church figurately in Noah, was foreſhewed the Father of all nations in Abraham, was offered vp on the Altarin Iſaack, was bleſſed in Iacob, was a deliuerer of mankind out of the ſerpents tiranny in Moſes, was a Sauiour of the Lordes people in Iehoſuah, and borne, and annointed, and humbled, and exalted, and fauoured in David: ſo hath he built his Church figurately in our Lorde King Solomon. Furthermore, this is ſtrongly ratified aſwell by the report and teſtimony of thoſe recordes which the prophet Nathan hath written and left vntounto vsus: as by the conſent of our owne knowledge and conſcience, which hauehave both ſeene and heard, and in wiſedome conſidered one thing with another. By the which we are ſure, that all thoſe diuine promiſes which the Lord God made aſwell to King Solomon as to David, his Father do aime and point further then either to David, or to Solomon, yea, they concerne that moſt excellent K. the Meſſiah which was ſo promiſed and typed, and beleeued, and expected to come, and that in many thinges, the which the K. hath begunne or expreſſed miſtically, ſhall bee accompliſhed made and performed indeede in the true Meſſiah, & that ſome things are common both in th'one and in th'other, as by comparing them and their actions ſhalbe eaſily perceiued in due time. But firſt concerning this figure (I meane King Solomon) When King David had determined to build an houſe for the name o… the Lord:2. Sam. 7.13. and that the houſe ſhoulde bee made and proportioned according to the writing and charge which the Lorde had giuen him: Yet ſaid the Lord; I will not that thou ſhalt build that houſe: but out of thy loines ſhall ſpring one that ſhall builde the ſame. For thou art a man of warre, and art much troubled as yet:The building of two houſes by two ſundry perſons. but he ſhalbe a man of reſt: and I will give him rest on every ſide, that hee may the better compaſſe and effect the ſame. By the which Oracle, David did not onelyonly vnderſtand, that his will and pleaſure was, yt ſuch an houſe ſhould be builded, which ſhold prefigurate his holy congregation: but alſo he learned, by whome thoſe two houſes ſhould be builded: Howbeit, not by King David, although he were a man after Gods owne heart, and in many thinges a true figure of the Meſſiah but by his Seed: & yet not both by one and the ſame perſon: but the one ſhould be made by his ſonne Solomon, whome hee begat on Bethſabe: the other by the holy Meſſiah, who albeit hee bee the ſonne of the higheſt, is after the fleſh Davids ſonne. For hee is to riſe not onelyonly in Iudahs-tribe: but alſo in the houſe and linage of David, according as the ſame David ſaid thereof in the perſon of God: I have made a faithfull promiſe to David, and I will not alter it, of the ſeed of thy body will I raiſe vp to ſet vponupon thy throne, whoſe daies ſhalbe as the daies of heaven. And therein, hee woulde that as figures go before things figured, and voices before words: ſo the building of this materiall houſe ſhoulde go before the building of the Church (as touching the times and ſeaſons wherein the Lord wold work & manifeſt his heauēly wil & pleaſure therein as Baalam ſaid, I ſhall ſee him but not now,Num. 24. and beholde him but not yet (for eueryevery thing vnderunder the heauens hath his appointed time) And ſo, that this former houſe ſhoulde bee a figure of the latter in all due proportions, and the Builder of the one ſholde prefigurate the Builder of the other. Therefore, as the former is a true figure of the Church of Meſſiah, which hee ſhall in the due time gather and build to himſelfe: ſo is King Solomō (the ſonne of David, who hath built this Temple) a true figure of that Meſſiah. And truely albeit King David was not permitted to build either houſe in his dayes: yet, towardes the building and performance of all thinges in and concerning them both, hee gathered and prouided many thinges of the higheſt requeſt. For towardes the materiall houſe hee gathered and made ready heiued ſtones, plentie of Iron,1. Chro. 21. Doores, Braſſe without waighte, Cedar trees without number, and hee made ordinances and lawes, and prepared thinges in great abundance, the which alſo are not without their ſignification of greater matters therein ſhadowed.
Againe towardes both the Myſticall and ſpirituall houſe to bee builded in the due time, as he was the man whome the Lorde choſe to raigne ouer his inheritance, and for his excellent Songes was called the ſweete ſinger of Iſrael : ſo hee exerciſed himſelfe in the diuine ſeruices, hee ruled the Lordes people and prepared them to the Lordes houſe; yea, hee compoſed and modulated many ſpirituall and ſweete Pſalmes, Hymnes, and Songes to the prayſe of God, and the edification of his Church: hee prouided alſo and left behinde him, for the heauenly Solomon, many propheſies, teſtimonies, and holy examples, from and by the which hee might vouchſafe at his comming into the worlde to take, gather and confirme, yea, and to conforme to purpoſe his doctrine and workes for the better edification of his Church. For hee hath plainely ſpoken before in the Spirite of the nature, the dignitie, the function, the obedience, the diligence, the trauailes, the manner of life, the manner of death, the riſing and the wonderfull glory of that King of Iſrael, and declared himſelfe a liuely figure of the ſame.
Moreouer howſoeuer thoſe promiſes before made doe pointe and belong properly to the moſt holy Meſſiah, 2. Sam. 7.12.and not to any man beſides him: (as they doe indeede) yet to declare that David, the Kinges Father did not wholy exclude Solomon his Sonne borne of Bethſabe, but did ſo vnderſtand the wordes ſpoken in this caſe, as that literally the ſame Solomon was the perſō eſpecially choſē and appointed to build that materiall houſe therefore he ſaid I had in mine heart to build an houſe of reſt for the Arke of the covenant of the Lorde: & for the footeſtoole of our God:1. Chro. 28.2. & had made ready for the building: But god ſaid to mee, thou ſhalt not build an houſe for my name, becauſe thou haſt beene a man of warre, and haſt ſhedde bloud. Againe. And he ſaid vntounto mee Solomon thy Sonne, Verſe 6.he ſhall build me an houſe & courtes: for I have choſen him to bee my Sonne & I wilbe his father. Then turning himſelfe to Solomon, Verſe 9.hee ſaide And thou Solomon my Sonne, know thou the Lorde of thy fathers & ſerve him with a pure heart, & with a willing minde. Againe. Take heede now: for the Lord hath choſen thee to build him an houſe of a Sanctuary: be ſtrong therefore, & ſhew thy ſelfe a man. Verſe 10.And in this ſenſe did K. Solomon alſo take the wordes of the Lord which Nathan the prophet brought him, as himſelfe teſtified, when ſending to Hyram the Tyrian king for further proviſion, he ſaid:1. King. 5.2. Thou knoweſt that David my father could not build an houſe vntounto the name of Iehovah his God, for the warres which were about him on every ſide, vntill the Lorde put them vnderunder the ſoales of his feete. But not Iehovah my God hath given me reſt on every ſide, ſo that their is neither adverſary nor evil to reſiſt. And behold I am determined to build an houſe vntounto the name of Iehovah my God, as Iehovah ſpake vntounto David my father ſaying: Thy ſonne whome I will ſet vponupon thy ſeate for thee, he ſhall build an houſe vntounto my name. 2 Chro. 6.10.And that Solomon did this performe accordingly, himſelfe teſtified againe ſaying: I am riſen vp in the roome of David my father, & am ſet on the ſeat of Iſrael, as Iehovah promiſed, & have built an houſe for the name of Iehovah the God of Iſrael. For indeed,1. Kings 6.1. 2. Chro. 3.1. in the fower hundreth and fower-ſcore yeer after that our fathers came out of the land of Aegipt and in the fowrth yeere of the raigne of King Solomon vponupon Iſrael, Aprill. 1. Kings 6, 38. October.& in the monethmonth *Ziff (which is the ſecond in our accoūt he began to build this houſe, and in the eleuenth yeere, in the monethmonth * Bul, (which is the eight) was the ſame houſe finiſhed throughout all the partes thereof, according to the faſhion of it, and ſo was hee ſeuen yeeres in the building of it, that in the mount Moriah, in the place where firſt Cain, and Abel, and afterward Noah offered their ſacrifices, yea and in the Alley of Arnon, there wherein, David (when hee ſaw the Angell with his drawne Sworde) was commaunded to reare his altar. Neuertheleſſe, to ſignifie, that both this perſon and his worke had a further and higher aime, then either wee coulde ſee with the eye, or comprehend in thought, much leſſe vtter with the tongue (as the thinges of God are ſuch as paſſe all mens vnderſtanding) wee hearde what the King himſelfe ſaide when hee dedicated the houſe vntounto God: And will God in very deede (ſaid hee) dwell with men on earth? Beholde heaven, 2, Chro. 6.18.and the heaven above all heavens may not containe him! How much leſſe the houſe which I have built? For the King (as hee had the wiſedome of the holy Spirite) knew right well, that this ſhoulde prefigurate the Church of the holy Meſſiah, and that not onelyonly the ſame which is or ſhalbee militant on earth, but that ſpirituall Temple of God in the ſoule and minde of man, yea, and alſo ſhoulde expreſſe (as by a liuely Simbole) the ſocietie triumphant and glorious in heauen.Gen. 6.15. Exod. 25 & 26 Therefore as hee alluded therein to Noah in the building of the Arke, and to Moſes in the framing of the Tabernacle,2. Sam. 5.8.9. 1. Chro. 28.11.19. and to David in the inſtitution and diſpoſing of the Tower of Zion, and followed the proportion which his Father David had plotted and preſcribed: ſo hee expreſſed not onelyonly his earneſt louelove, and heartie zeale that hee had to his God, but his deſire to diſplay and ſet foorth the wonderful perfection and excellent glory of that Church. Neither yet did hee ſhewe himſelfe either too curious, or too coſtly, or ouer glorious, or ſuperſtitious, or ſuperfluous in any one ornament, or in the leaſt title or thing whatſoeuer in and about the ſame houſe, albeit both the worke was magnificent, of great charge and labour, and the ornamentes in and about the ſame rare, pretious, and many in number. For truely as this materiall Temple ſignifieth that Temple of Meſſiah, whether miſticall in the Congregation, or ſpirituall in the faithfull ſoule, or glorious in heaven: ſo the ornamentes and diuers and ſundry functions and garniſhings and glory of the ſame, expreſſe and declare vntounto vsus the noble perſonages, functions, orders, miniſteries & vertues of and in the ſame. For there bee godly Kinges and Princes, Prophets, Prieſtes, Miniſters, Iudges. Magiſtrates and many wiſe and holy perſons, both men and women: there is the wiſedome, the iudgement, the iuſtifications, the ſanctifications, the perfections, and in a word all the graces of the Saincts and there are the angels, heauenly ſpirites, Abraham, Iſaak, Iacob, Moſes, Ioſuah, and other with the glory of the children of God. But ye happily deſire, that ſome certaine particulars might be produced in this compariſon. To ſpeake of all, it wold both weary me & cōfound your hearing, they are ſo many & wonderful, yea, beyond the knowledge of man as yet: neither is it meete that wee ſhould * inueſtigate ouer curiouſly,Deut 29 29. and ſift out too preciſely that which is laid vp in the diuine counſail vntil the happy time of the Meſſiah, who then (and not before) ſhall tell vsus al thinges, yea things hidden from the beginning. In the meane time, it is enough, that we belieue this, that the law ſhall go foorth from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Ieruſalem. The Church is like an houſe.And firſt (as ye hauehave heard and doe perceiue) the Church of the Meſſiah is prefigured and expreſſed wholy by an houſe: and that conueniently in regarde of the partes, orders, and vſe thereof. But this houſe hath two generall partes, whereof the one is that, in the which aſwell the people, as the prieſtes do enter, wherein they pray they teach, they heare, they offer ſacrifice, they praiſe God, they talke and declare their holy deuotion and obedience to God and the law in their ſeuerall places and functions: th'other generall parte is that holieſt place, into the which none but only the high Prieſt and that once in the yeere enireth to ſacrifice aſwell for himſelfe, as for the people. By the former is expreſſed the condition of that part of the Church, which is in this life militant, gathered and made vp of all ſortes aſwell of the common people, as of the prieſtes, and of the Gentiles, together with the Iewes: By the latter is ſignified that part which containeth onelyonly the Lordes holy elect and glorious company of heauenly Sainctes in the kingdome of holy Meſſiah. Betweene thoſe two partes of the Temple there is made a certaine lofte or Chamber boorded or ſéeled. By the which is not vnaptly ſignified mans mortall body in this world: the which neuertheleſſe, being once rent or diſſolved, the gate or entrance is made open of the paſſage from the one part to the other. For by this, we paſſe out of the troubles and confuſion of this place, into the place of glorie. This Temple hath a foundation ſtrong and permanent: by the which is ſignified the power and might of Meſſiah, who beeing beſt able to ſupport and beare the burden and building of his Church hath laid the ſame on himſelfe, as that ſure rocke of reſt, vponupon the which whatſoeuer is faſt grounded ſhall ſtand and neuer fall. This is the ſame, by whome our fathers in the wilderneſſe were relieued and ſtrengthned. This Temple hath alſo walles ſtanding on that foundation, raiſed vp of framed ſtones, and ſet well in order: by the which we vnderſtand the goodly companies of holy men, rightly diſpoſed and well ordered in the ſame. There bee alſo windowes to giuegive in the light: By the which are ment the order of the wiſe teachers & miniſters in ye ſame: There be pretious ſtones, which note the moſt excellent Princes, Prophets, Prieſtes, and Magiſtrates. There bee two Altars, wherof the one is of gold, ſtanding in the holieſt place th'other is of braſſe ſtanding in the other part. By the former, we conſider the merite of Meſſiah, by the other the pure heart of the holy ones. On the one is offered the ſame vnſpotted Lambe, vntounto which all the ſacrificed Lambes of our law do point: on the other, is lifted vp that ſacrifice of praier, faith, thankſgiuing and righteouſnes, where of King David hath ſpoken. There bee alſo Cherubins in the holieſt place: which note thoſe Angels and miniſtring Spirits which ſtanding in the heauenly preſence, are moſt obedient to his wil, and euen ready to helpe, ſuccour and comfort the Saincts which are on the earth. There bee lights and Candles in number ten: By the lights are ment the doctrine of the right knowledge of God by the which the people are taught and inſtructed: and by the Candleſtickes wee may conſider that diuine law vntounto the which hee woulde that all thoſe doctrines and inſtructions ſhoulde drawe men, and to note the perfection thereof (as alluding to the tenne commaundementes in the Law) which indeede conteineth the very ſumme of all other commandements, they are in number ten: for this is a number of perfection. Moreouer, on the walles bee certaine pictures moſt gloriouſly beautified, which expreſſe the noble graces, and vertues of thoſe liuely ſtones, I meane the ſaints: and withall diuers other things right beautifull and moſt admirable, which alſo are to bee applyed to ſo many ſundry functions, adminiſtrations, duties offices & vertues, in the Church of Meſsiah, of the which I may not preſently delate, nor may as yet preſume to vnfold that, which I know ſhall be ſhut vp and faſt ſealed from the perfect knowledge of man,Many things were ſealed vp from mans knowledge before the comming of Meſſiah, vntill the comming of that moſt holy one. Moſes himſelfe could ſee but the very backe partes of him, whom he deſired to behold, and things which ſhall be indeede, are as obſcurely ſhadowed vntounto vsus, as yet. But when hee commeth, hee will both confirme that which is declared, and ſhewe all things elſe moſt plainly, which yet are hidden from our eyes. Now, all theſe things (my Lords are not vnknowne vntounto you, or at the leaſt vntounto ſome of you: and therefore I am ſure, yee will not yéeld to this, that the King ſhould bee either called or accounted a damned, or reprobated, or prophane perſon: but rather (as yee ſhould indeed) conclude and ſubſcribe to this: that King Solomon, whom the Lord his God hath appointed the Builder of his Temple, which ſo lively expreſſeth the holy Church of Meſsiah, and there in hath made him an excellent figure of that Mesſiah, is a Saint of the Lord, elected and ordained to ſalvation.
To this anſwered all the Princes. Indeede, wee know it: but much the better by this your explanation. And therefore we ſee no reaſon to denie your concluſion: but rather (as we ſhould doe) acknowledge and confeſſe the Kings Holines, and ſubſcribe to that whatſoeuer ye hauehave ſaid concerning the ſame. And now (my Lord Zadok) if ye hauehave any thing els, further to ratifie or eſtabliſh that which yee hauehave aſſumed (although we doubt not of any thing) We pray you to bring it foorth alſo, that his Highneſſe be not defrauded of that which in right hee ought to hauehave, nor others left without a reſolution of that whereof they might peraduenture reſt doubtfull. Neither are wee any thing weary to heare you to ſpeake ſo iuſtly for the king, ſo delectably for vsus, and ſo profitably for the people. Yee hauehave thus farre walked in a very pleaſant way: Walke on as yet, (good father) proceed, and bee not faint, the ende of this courſe is both profitable and right praiſe worthy in the iudgement of all good men.