King Solomons Solace, Book · Chapter 24
CAP. XXIIII.
Obiections, and exceptions againſt Solomon, and his words and deedes, the which the Princes endeuour to defend.
AFter that the whole aſſembly of king Solomons Lords, were thus diſpoſed and agreed in counſaile, that the kings Words (which hee in this time of his troubled ſpirits, and thencefoorth did vtter and ſpeake before them) ſhould be called into remembrance, conſidered of, and kept in the holy Regiſter among other the diuine monuments of the Church (ad it in before declared) Abiather, Abiather the prieſt.which ſometimes had miniſtred before the king, in the ſteede of Zadok, ſtood foorth, and obiected to the decree,Obiections againſt Solomon and his words. after this manner. But (my Lords all ſaid hee): I am much afraid of this, that many in the poſteritie will the leſſe eſteeme, or at the leaſt doubt, of ſome other things, which are noted in the holy Regiſter, when vntounto the ſame wee ſhall adde and combine (as of equall authoritie) thoſe matters of the king, the reuerence of whoſe perſon, and the authoritie of whoſe Words, I hauehave (euen with theſe mine eares) heard ſome wiſe-men to call into queſtion: and whereof they are wont to ſay to them that commend the king and his wordes: yet praiſe not the vnworthy becauſe of his riches: nor his wordes by reaſon of his wealth: Is not a green apple tree bearing fruit, better then the dry Cedar of Lybanus lying on the ground? & is not a living dogge preferred before a dead lyon? and what is that perſon to be eſteemed, or his words regarded, which hath distained his wiſedome with fooliſhneſſe, and polluted his honor with vngodlineſſe. For truely, as when women deck themſelues, they endeuor to chooſe the beſt glaſſes and caſt away others which are polluted or deceitfull: and as ſchollers to write doe ſet before them not ragged, but plaine and perfite copies to learne by: ſo in the Church, or in the Common-wealth, ſhould onelyonly thoſe examples bee propoſed for imitation and inſtruction, which are the holy deedes of worthy men. And as that worke is moſt praiſe-worthy in the which both the Arte commendeth the matter, and the matter the Arte:The perfection of the perſon ſhould ioyne with his words. ſo thoſe Sermons and wordes are alwayes beſt meete the conſeruation and obſeruation, wherein the worthineſſe of the perſon commendeth the Wordes, and the wiſedome of the words commendeth the worthineſſe of the perſon. Neither ſhould wee praiſe that too much, which is polluted in part, leſt vnhappily the vnwiſe that knoweth not to put difference betweene the good and the euill, will take and vſe as well the one as the other: for although the wiſe and prudent are wont to make choiſe of the waters whereof they drinke, knowing that all Fountaines are not of one goodneſſe, operation, and vſe: yea, and be as the Bees which make hony (and not poiſon) of eueryevery herbe: yet the fooliſh which can not diſcerne or make difference of things, will bee ready to take thoſe waters which breede fury and madneſſe, and procure death, and with the Spider will make poiſon of the ſweeteſt flowers. It may bee, that ſome of you (my Lordes) thinke, as I hauehave ſayde, would yee bee as plaine and ſimple to deliuer it foorth as I am. What ſay yee to that which I hauehave obiected?
Then ſtoode foorth the moſt reuerende Father,zadok anſwereth for the king againſt Abiathers obiection. Contemners of other men. and as the mouth of them all (for they all willed him to giuegive an anſwere) bee ſpake and ſayde. By your leaue, Abiather: As hee that commendeth another but ſparingly, ſeemeth to want his owne prayſe: ſo they that contemne other men raſhly, ſeeme to enuie their happineſſe. And truely as the ſlouthfull dogges doe barke at eueryevery one whom they know not, whether hee bee friende or foe to their maſter: ſo there bee certaine ignorant perſons, which carpe at all that themſelues vnderſtand not, bee it neuer ſo excellent and good. Againe,Vncharmed tongues. there bee many vncharmed tongues, which vſe to ſpeake euill of that which they know well to bee good.
Theſe wil contemne the hony together with the pricks: they will condemne true men,Haters of that which is good. becauſe there be ſome theeues & they diſlike al things in reſpect of the fault of ſome things. There be others, which beare euill will at Zion, and therfore blaſpheme the holy religion of the children of Zion:Envious perſons and ſclanderers. neither are any of theſe diſpoſed (vponupon occaſiō) to yeeld the due either to God, or to the king: but ſtriue in their vnquiet ſpirits to derogate frō both: & ſo to draw frō this moſt princely perſon (I meane K. Solomon) and his moſt excellent labours, Sermons, and Doctrines, all the honor, credit and eſtimation which to either of them iuſtly belongeth:vnprofitable perſons. whereby they are become both vnprofitable to themſelues and hurtfull to others: for thereof it is, that both themſelues neuer féele the ſwéetneſſe and comfort of thoſe moſt ſoueraigne and healthfull ſolaces therein prouided and propoſed vntounto them; and many others (eſpecially the ignorant and ouer credulous) are and ſhall be iniuriouſly defrauded alſo, aſwell of this the kings Solace, as of many other things godly, wholeſome, profitable and neceſſarie, the which the true-hearted and faithfull of the Lord doe and ſhall thereof gladly reape and enioy to their exceeding great good and higheſt conſolation. Theſe aſpire not to the true happineſſe themſelues, nor would that others ſhould attaine the ſame: wherein they reſemble thoſe idle and wayward dogges, that lying in the maunger, will neither eat the hay, nor ſuffer the labouring Aſſe to feed thereof. But right iudgement and reaſon reſolue, that albeit it is not good to praiſe them much, which of their owne accords are apt to vaine glory (as we may not tickle them which by nature are giuen to exceſſiue laughter):Whō to praiſe & whom not. yet, meete it is, that wee praiſe the praiſe-worthy, and vponupon an occaſſion prouoke them to laughter which are ouer penſiue and ſadde: that wee yeeld to eueryevery man his dutie: as honor to whom honour, louelove to whom louelove, feare to whome feare belongeth: leſt as in the former, we ſhould prouoke to vice which reſteth in extremities: ſo in the latter wee ſhould diſcourage from vertue which holdeth the meane: and ſo declare ourſelues ſo vniuſt in th'one, as wicked in th'other. *Therfore, although that both ſoueraigne Lord, K. Solomon, and thoſe his laſt words hauehave already both deſerued in themſelues, and obtained among the godly-wiſe, both credit and authoritie ſufficient: yet,The credite and eſtimation of Solomon and his words. vponupon this neceſſary occaſion, I ſhall be alwayes ready (as my dutie is) to pleade for the defence both of th'one and the other, not withſtanding his vnhappy ſtaine with thoſe tranſgreſſions and ſins, and ſo much the ſooner; becauſe (beeing both an eare and an eye witneſſe) I can beſt teſtifie; and (being the High-prieſt) I can or ſhould well diſcerne both of the one and the other, without partialitie or corruption in iudgement. Nor doe I doubt (my good Lords) but that yee all will conſent with mee in the ſame, as farre as truth will warrant mee to pleade for my Lorde the king: Surely, I would not exceed the boundes of truth, nor endeuor to defend or excuſe ſinne in any perſon, be hee high or low.
* And well worthy (moſt reuerent Father) ſaid the Princes: nor is it meete,The princes conſent to zadok in the kings apologie. that any of vsus all ſhould preſume to auouch that for truth which is a falſe lye: for as he which heareth falſe witneſſe againſt a man (as the king hath ſaid) bringeth foorth lyes, and is a very clubbe, aſworde, and a ſharpe arrowe: ſo ſhould wee bee, if wee ſhould produce any thing, beſides the veritie in any thing, much more in thoſe matters which concerne the kings Maieſtie: the which the Lorde forbid: for beſides many other reaſons, we ſhall through ſuch vntruthes not onelyonly hurt the King, and delude his people, but ouerthrow our ſelues. But may wee vnderſtand, (moſt reuerend Father) by ſound report, what all thoſe things are, that be or may be obiected againſt the king and his Sermons, and words which might impayre the credit of the one, and the authoritie of the other? It is good to withſtand the beginnings of miſchiefes: for if ſuch conceits hauehave already entred the eares and mindes of men, what may wee thinke will thereof enſue in proceſſe of time, if there be not a preuention? ye know the common aduiſe, Withſtand the beginning of a maladie, els the medicine will too lately be applyed. But as a worde ſpoken in due ſeaſon, is like apples of gold in a graued worke of ſiluer: ſo the teſtimonie which we ſhall exhibite with you vntounto the king, in this opportune time, ſhallbee pretious, and full of excellent beautie in the face of them that feare the Lord, in time to come. Therefore, as Abiather hath miniſtred vntounto vsus the occaſion of this queſtion: let him alſo declare heere before vsus all what hee hath heard, or may imagine to bee obiected againſt the king, and thoſe the kings words. And let him alſo ſay, what he feareth may yet be further excepted to the ſame, alwayes prouided that modeſtie be not tranſgreſſed. Then anſwered Abiather: My Lords (ſauing alwayes the kings reuerence,Abiather reporteth what he hath heard obiected againſt the king and his words. and the credite of his wordes, with the pleaſure of your honours) I will ſpeake as the reſeconding Echo, (reporting rather the wordes and ſpeaches of others, than any of mine owne): for both againſt my Lorde the kings Highneſſe, and alſo againſt his ſermons and words I hauehave heard, of late, ſome (and that not meane, nor ignorant, but great perſonages and prudent) largely to obiect. Neither may any of vsus thinke otherwiſe, but that the king, and his words and life are obſerued and noted by others, not onelyonly his friends, but his enemies alſo:The words, the liues, and behaviour of princes are obſerued of the people. and ſo much the ſooner, becauſe hee is the King, on whom before all others, the eyes of all the people are bent, as on a famous citie ſet on an hill: or as on a light on the table. And truely the errors and meane faultes of Princes (whoſe liues are ſet foorth to bee ſéene, obſerued and followed of many) appeare often wonderfull great, as in the face of a man a little webbe or ſcarre is ſooner ſeene and diſliked, then a farre greater ſpot or blemiſh in any other the parts of the body. And then, as the eclipſing or defect of the Sunne bringeth a great annoyance to the earth, and no leſſe calamitie to men, and other inferiour treaſures: thoſe faults and errors of the king, who ſhould chiefly direct all others to the common good, and higheſt felicitie engender no ſmall perturbation and other great inconueniencies in the affaires of his Kingdome and Common-wealth.An admonition to princes. Therefore it is meet, that the king, and ſuch high eſtates do walke aduiſedly, both in word & deed, with honourable behauior: and that Princes bee right wary, that they neither doe nor ſuffer to be done any thing which themſelues would not that the people ſhould not obſerue or imitate, or iuſtly diſlike in them: aboue all, they muſt regard, that they neither commit nor command any thing contrary to the Law of God, and the honour of that place wherein they that ſtand are called Gods: becauſe they repreſent the Maieſtie of God, and raigne by his prouidence and power, to doe equitie and righteouſneſſe vntounto the people. And heerein obſerving dutie they ſtand devoyd of all dreade, honoured of their Subiects and others, and goe foorth moſt couragiouſly in their lawfull enterpriſes, no more reſpecting the ſiniſter talkes of their malicious enemies, then the great barbed horſes feare of thoſe little Curres which barke at their heeles. But when theſe rules bee neither obſerued nor followed, both the honour of the place is diſtained by thoſe perſons, and themſelues in fine requited with obloquie and diffame. For as the great ramping Lyon ſo gréedy of his pray, is made afraid both at the crowing of the Cocke, and at the ſight of the Cockeſ-combe: ſo many mightie and high Potentates of the earth in the knowledge of their owne ſlidings hauehave been wonderfully annoyed and aſtoniſhed, both by the hard reportes of very meane perſons, and by their churliſh behauior towards them and their honor vponupon ſuch occaſions. And I doe no leſſe feare, that both the reports which are carryed abroad, and the opinions of men with their demeanure occaſioned thereby towards the king, hath both much diſgraced his high magnificencie, and diſquieted his happy peace. Moreouer, there be, which ſtick not to except againſt his gouernment. For as the rule wherby men worke, muſt firſt be made ſtraight and plaine, before the worke can thereby be either corrected or directed: ſo a prince ought to be free from all heinous vices: yea, it is required that he be perfect and ſound in all princely vertues, before hee be able to rule well or to correct, or to direct others. Neither indeede (amongſt the wiſeſt) hauehave ſuch perſons beene eſteemed worthie to beare rule, in the affayres of a Kingdome, or to inſtruct guide, and direct others, in the Church, which hauehave not throughly ſubdued their affections, reſtrained their appetites, abandoned their luſtes, and bridled their naturall paſſions. Truely theſe, and ſuch like are the ordinary matters nowe in queſtion, and much ruminated among the very ruſticall and Countrey people, in ſuch ſorte, as the eares of them that heare the ſame may glowe, the King himſelfe may bee ſorie, and all wee of his Court vtterly aſhamed.
And firſt againſt the king himſelfe there be which thus obiect.Obiections againſt King Solomon. Although that King Solomon hath in his time farre excelled all the kings in the world in wiſedome, wealth, glory and other things of the highest requeſt: yet beyond all expectation, he hath wonderfully tranſgreſſed & ſinned againſt God, againſt his people, against his own honour. And with this they bring foorth againſt him all whatſoeuer my Lorde Zadok hath ſaide before, and a great deale more. Wherein they point at him, as at one of the fooles of Iſrael, farre vnmeete the dignitie of his place, honor of his calling, and reuerence of his Age. for, as he beſt knoweth the nature of all hearbs and beaſtes, hee ſhould in this (they ſay) hauehave imitated the nature of either the hearbe, or of the beaſt Chamoeleon: whereof the one will euer change the colour of her leaues to the qualitie of the place wherein ſhee groweth: and the other will reſemble the colours and ſhewes obiected. Thus it was ſaide of Saul, i. Sam. 10.6.aſſoone as Samuel had annointed him for King ouer Iſrael, that hee was chaunged into another man. Thus alſo our Lorde the king behaued himſelfe after that hee was anointed and proclamed King in the place of his Father David: and thus hee ſhoulde hauehave worthily continued and retained the honour of his place, eſpecially in his elder yeares, wherein is required ſobrietie, grauitie, holineſſe, wiſedome, zeale, and perfection. This the king knewe well-enough: for hee wanted no wiſedome, no knowledge, no vnderſtanding, no iudgement. But that notwithſtanding, hee abuſed both his calling, place and age, whereof it is, that as they which come out of hote bathes doe ſodainely coole more vehemently, and as that water which hath beene once heate, ſeemeth to bee more colde then any other: and as they moſt deadly hate one another, which hauehave beene ſometimes friendes when they fall at variance: ſo turning himſelfe from the Lorde his God, and from the vſe of thoſe princely and heroicall vertues, wherein hee was firſt exerciſed; hee is eſteemed execrable wicked in the eyes of wiſemen. Therefore, There bee among them, which doe not onelyonly call into question his election, and remiſsion, but alſo doe iudge him a perſon prophane, reprobate and damnable, and ſo not meete to bee a King, much leſſe to bee the King of Iſrael. For as the iudgement of the tree is taken from the conſideration of the fruite, and of the fountaines by the taſte or vſe of the waters: ſo gather they this cenſure from the conſideration of the kings life and demeanour, for whiles a man continueth wallowing in ſinne, without true repentance, he declareth no pardon: and he whoſe ſinnes are not pardoned hath none hope of health. Againe, he that repenteth not of his ſinnes when he hath ſinned, is a prophane perſon, he that obtaineth not mercy is a reprobate: and he that is ſhut out from ſaluation is damned. Howbeit, the Lord forbidde, that this thing ſhould bee found or iuſtly proued in our Lorde the King of Iſrael. Herence, alſo they obiect againſt the ſermons, wordes, Exceptions to Solomons doctrine and words.and doctrines of King Solomon, as of fruites vnwholeſome growing of ſuch an euill tree. For neither could his vnderſtanding (as they ſay) henceforth be perfit to this purpoſe: for as they which ſodainly turne themſelues to the ſhadow which hauehave ſeene the Sunne, hauehave their eyes dazeled and cannot as yet ſee cleerely: ſo it cannot be, that be which hath turned away his minde from ſpirituall contemplations to the obſcure luſts of the fleſh, ſhould ſo ſoone afterwarde bee of perfite vnderſtanding in thoſe heauenly myſteries and diuine doctrines. And heere it is remembred, what the King himſelfe hath ſometimes ſaide: That wiſedome entreth not into a wicked ſoule, nor dwelleth in a bodie that is ſubiect to ſinne. Therefore they from hence argue:Solomon hath not preſumed to vſe the name Iehovah of late. The booke of the Eccleſiaſtes not well vnderſtood of many, wherof it was that ſo many evill opinions hauehave bin fathered thereon. that the King in this time is not repleniſhed with the perfite wiſedome, and ſo can neither vtter, nor teach wiſedome vntounto others, by any deedes or wordes of his. *But yet they are more bolde on theſe their aſſertions, becauſe the King hath not of late vſed the moſt holy Name foreign Iehovah, which is proper to the Almightie, either in his priuate talke, or in thoſe his Wordes which hee hath lately vttered before his Princes, or in that Booke of his, called the Song of Songs, which they holde and will eſteeme a cauſe ſufficient, that both thoſe his Wordes, and Bookes, ſhoulde bee not onelyonly ſuſpected, but alſo reiected as prophane, and vnprofitable for the Church of God. Yea, they ſay morouer, that from hence (as from a bitter roote) will iſſue foorth ſundry monſtrous opinions and dangerous doctrines, by the which, the moſt prophane perſons ſhall ſtrengthen their prophanites, the vngodly their impieties, the ſuperſtitious their ſuperſtitions, the ſinners their ſinnes. Therefore (as we are of Iſrael, and ought not to be polluted with the manners of the heaten) ſo ſhoulde wee before all others abandon thoſe and ſuch like works and words, which corrupt good manners, and that kinde of learning which confounds the good conſtitution of a mans health, and haſteneth his deſtruction, as for the conſeruation of bodily health, the Phiſicians doe aduiſe men to eſchew thoſe daintie meates which prouoke them to eate when they are not hungry, and thoſe delicate drinkes which tempt them to drinke being not thirſtie. And of this kinde they obiect, that the king hath much ſpoken in this his olde age. But howſoeuer it bee, we may bee ſure of this, that as the beſt wine looſeth his verdit and grace, when it is infuſed into fowle and filthy veſſels: So the words of the king be they neuer ſo good and profitable (in right eſtimation) ſhall by this his vngodly life and polluted behauiour, looſe both their right grace and commendation in the iudgement of all men. I am right ſory I was occaſioned to ſay thus much of my Lorde the King, and of his Sermons and laſt Words.
Azariah for the king, and his words.Then anſwered Azariah (in the behalfe of all the other Princes) Indeed (as yee hauehave ſaide) there may bee many things obiected, by ſuch, as being not onelyonly ignorant and neither able to diſcerne betweene things holy and prophane, & ſo perceiue not that the fault lyeth rather in their own ſyniſter interpretations of the Kings workes and wordes, then in the workes and wordes themſelues: but alſo by ſuch as regarde not to yeelde honour to them to whome honour belongeth, and little care whome they wound with their tongues, or whoſe wordes or workes they depraue and ſclander, (as my Lorde Zadok hath before well noted).GiueGive not ſentence before the matter bee heard. But let vsus aduiſe all them that come after vsus: that they giuegive not ſentence in a matter before they heare it with diſcretion, leſt it turne to their folly and ſhame,pro. 18. A Caveat. eſpecially in theſe matters of God and the king: and that they beware, that they bee not ſeduced and led away, by the ſophiſtrie and guilfull practizes of ſuch deriders, from the true vſe of this the kings Solace, and ſo conſequently from the way that leadeth to the higheſt felicitie and beſt good.Gen. …. The ſpirite of God is euer wont to reproue them that bee vniuſt in iudgement, and thereof that curſed and reprobated Serpent is already condemned. But heere wee heartily requeſt you (moſt reuerend Zadok) which are adorned and beautified with that right *Vrim and Thumim, That is, knowledge & perfection.to ſpeake in the defence of king Solomon, our Soueraigne Lord, and of his words: and ſay whatſoeuer the Lorde, ſhall put in your mouth to be ſpoken, without feare or partialitie: and wee will not onelyonly giuegive eare vntounto you, but alſo be right thankefull. We doubt not, but that after your anſweres to all thoſe and ſuch like obiections heard and waighed with deliberation,Note well, what wil be in the end reſolued of Solomon and his words, if they be weighed in an equall ballance. many more ſhall not onelyonly ſuppreſſe their raſhe iudgements concerning the king and his words: but acknowledge and confeſſe with vsus, That all things are not ſo damned nor ſo daungerous, nor ſo doubtfull, as they hauehave imagined them to be. Nay, the Accuſers themſelues ſhall grant rather, that Solomō our king, is neither a damned, nor reprobated, nor a prophane perſon: but that hee is an excellent Saint of the Lord, a true penitent perſon. that hath obtained merciemercy and forgiveneſſe after his ſinne, and henceforth expecteth the ioyes of his Lord in everlaſting happineſſe, through faith in the moſt holy Meſſiah, whom hee did moſt worthily prefigure and ſet foorth in the world, according to the foreknowledge and good pleaſure of the everlasting God.