King Solomons Solace, Book · Chapter 40
CAP. XL.
Zadok anſwereth to fower other pointes obiected: viz. 11. Of the ignorance of man, 12. of his imperfection: 13. of tyme and chance, 14. of liberality and prodigality.
ZAdok yet proceeded, and ſaid to Abiather I yet remēber that further ye obiected, that our Lord king Solomon, iudged a man ſo deuoide of reaſon as that hee knoweth not what thing it good for himſelfe in his life, Obiection 11 of mans ignorance. Eccles. 6.11.yea (ſaide Abiather) and thus I hauehave hard him to expoſtulate. Who knoweth what is good for man in the life, and in the number of the daies of the life of his vanity, ſeing he maketh them as a ſhadow? And well might the king thus ſay (ſaide Zadok) in this reſpect, that no man knoweth in what eſtate to liue,The world hath ſo many confuſions that the naturall man cannot find what to chuſe or refuſe in the ſame. wherein to find perfect peace, quietnes and contentation in this world, for as the world is ſet on miſchiefe ſo is eueryevery kind of eſtate and condition of man in the ſame, oppreſſed with miſeries, and expoſed to vanities. Beſides that it is true enough, that the ſenſuall man (after his naturall fooliſhneſſe) preferreth thoſe thinges that bee euill, before the thinges that be good: neither is he able to iudge with an vpright iudgement or to diſcerne betweene the one and the other, being blinded through his concupiſcence as a beaſt of his owne knowledge, and in his whole life, made ſubiect to vanitie. And as diuerſe diſeaſes require diuerſe medicines, as the deſires of old men require one thing, and the luſts of young men another thing, and either age paſſeth away as a ſhadow: ſo the affaires of men are euer changed and carried to an vncertaine end, themſelues being euer vncertaine of future euents.Attend the preſent things and be not vanquiſhed of vanitie. Therefore they ſhould learne to attend the thinges preſent with diligence, waigh them with wiſdome, and commend to the Lord thoſe thinges that are to enſew. And albeit they cannot eſchew all vanity, they ſhould not yet bee conquered of vanity but be wiſe in God ſtrong in his power, and endeuour to lead a iuſt and an honeſt life without the exceſſiue care of that which ſhall or may betide them thereafter ſo far forth, as they neglect not to leaue a good report with the poſteritie. Obiect. 12 Of mans imperfection and ſinne. Cap. 7.22.*Yee hauehave further obiected (Abiather) that the king being a tranſgreſſor himſelfe, condemneth all other men of tranſgreſſion? Indeede ſaid (Abiather) the king hath ſaid it openlie: that there is no man iuſt on the earth, that doth good and ſinneth not. And yet we know by the teſtimonie of holy Scripture, that Habel, Noah, Abraham, Iob, and others were iuſt men in their times. It is true (ſaid Zadok) that the king hath ſo ſaide, as he might very well ſay. The occaſion of his words was taken from the conſideration of thē,No man is iuſt and ſinneth not. which being either wiſe in their proper conceits, or too quick cenſors and correctors of other men, ſee not into their owne ſinnes, imperfections and infirmities, neither conſider they of the imperfections and infirmities of other men: for he that is an offender himſelfe, ſhould not exact th'extremitie of the law againſt other men which be offenders: for it is a ſhame for the teacher or corrector of others faultes to bee found guilty in the ſame faultes. That men therefore ſhould not be too ſeuere exactors againſt others, he ſaith: There is no man iuſt vponupon the earth who when he doth well, doth not ſinne, or offend alſo. Therefore, let no men forget themſelues and their owne imperfections, whenſoeuer they take in hand to reprooue, puniſh, or correct others, neither let them do to others which they would not that others ſhould doe vntounto them. At the leaſt, let them not diſſemble their owne faults, to their owne conſciences (as thinking their owne ſinnes to be no ſinnes at all) whiles they cenſure, iudge, condemne and puniſh others. Moreouer, if the ſentence ſhould bee taken or conſidered abſolutely without any reſpect of that former ocaſion, we ſhal neuertheles find it true enough that eueryevery man is a ſinner, & that there is no mā liuing on the earth able to iuſtifie himſelf before the Lord, as both the K. father in his holy ſongs, & alſo the patient man Iob in his ſayings hauehave teſtified.
There ſhall no mortal man compar'd with God of might,Pſal. 143.3.
Be iuſtified: becauſe no man is righteous in his ſight.
Nor can he anſwere well, if with him he contend,Iob. 9.2.
One of a thouſand fold thereby himſelfe for to defend.
Therefore we finde that Habel, and Noah, Abraham, and Iob, being but men (although they were iuſtified by their faith, and called righteous men both by that, and becauſe they were more iuſt in compariſon then many others: were neuertheleſſe ſinners: yea, and euen then whiles they did that which in nature was good, either by reaſon of originall concupiſcence, or for the defect of ſome circumſtāces in or about that good. For the ſaints and the beſt man liuing on the earth (put Meſsiah apart) cannot poſſibly be cleare, & without ſin, ſo long as they carie about them their earthly tabernacle, nor are they able to doe or effect that which good is. Now if the iuſteſt man is not only accuſed, but condemned, & his beſt works blemiſhed: Alas, what an heauy dome ſhalbe caſt on the vnrighteous? and …ugly ſhall his déeds bee in the ſight of God, howſoeuer hee glance in beautie before men? Well therefore might the king accuſe all men, and condemne ſin in thē, & yet not therein iuſtifie himſelfe, but with and among them both accuſe and condemne himſelfe, as eueryevery man in that reſpect ſhould, thereby the ſooner to beware, that he cenſure not vnaduiſedly, or too raſhly condemne others, leſt therein he bring iudgement on his owne head: that he conſider of other men by himſelf, & pray to God with an humble mind, that thoſe imperfections & ſins both of nature and action may be either purged or pardoned for the ſake of holy Meſsiah, who (indeed) ſupplyeth all ſuch wants of perfection & giueth grace and beautie to all them that by faith depend on him, according to that promiſe made to our father Aabraham ſaying: In thy ſeed ſhal all the kindreds of the earth be bleſſed: Further ye hauehave obiected againſt the K. that he hath aſcribed all things to Time and Chance. Obiect. 13 of time and chance. Eccles. 9.10.11Which we iuſtly attribute to the diuine prouidēce. I pray you, what ſaid ye K. to occaſion this conceit? He hath ſaid (quod Abiather) that he ſaw vnderunder the Sunne, that the race is not to the ſwift, nor the battel to the ſtrong, nor yet breade to the wiſe, nor alſo riches to men of vnderſtanding: neither yet fauour to men of knowledge: but Time and Chance commeth to them all: for neither doth a man know his time; but as the Fiſhes which are taken in an euill netie, and as the birdes that are caught in a ſnare: ſo are the children of men ſnared in the euill time which it falleth vppon him ſuddenly. Indeede (quod Zadok) ſo hath the King ſaide. Nowbeit he ſaid not that the Goddes Fortune ruleth or bears ſway in the affaires of men: nor that all thinges in the worlde happen and are caryed by chance, nor teacheth he men to embrace that cyclopicall ſecuritie which ſome of the heathen fondly embrace: Nor hath the king vnderſtood this time and chance in that ſort or ſenſe wherein worldly minded men cal Occaſion & Fortune Goddeſſes, and to them attribute the totall guide and carriage of all mens affayres, contemning the whiles the moſt profitable doctrine of the prouidence of God, and the true obſeruation of all thoſe ancient hiſtories, by the which the Lorde of heauen hath beene witneſſed to worke his work according to ſuch predictiōs and purpoſes as he had before declared vntounto holy men in the due time: But the king being moſt wiſe of all men, by this ſaying ſo pithie and patheticall, teacheth & that profoundly, that howſoeuer God in his wiſdome and prouidence decreeth, worketh and compaſſeth all things in good methode, meaſure,All things come to men, as by chance. time and place: yet in reſpect onelyonly of mortall mans wiſedome, providence, or forecaſt, al things come to paſſe, as by chance or Fortune (as they call it) for why, men foreſee not, nor know before hand what ſhall ſucceede or come after them in their life: therefore they are often ſnared and caught before they be aware, neither wil they take heede, although they be admoniſhed, becauſe they hauehave neither faith, nor the feare of God, which men very ſeldom entertain within the limits of vanities kingdom. Thus Cain, though otherwiſe ſubtle and enuious not foreſeeing his owne deſtruction, nor taking admonition by the Lordes commination, which tolde him, that if he did euill his ſinnes ſhoulde be laid at the doores to be ſeene, he procéeded in the compaſſing of his miſchieuous deuiſe, and ſo was curſed from the earth and afterward ſlaine. Thus, the old worldlinges, whiles they did eate, drinke, marie wiues, build houſes and ſported, deuoide of faith, pietie and foreſight of the generall deluge, were ſodainely and vnawares ouer whelmed in the dayes of Noah: whereof notwithſtanding the Lord God certified Noah ſome hundred and twenty yeeres before, and he omitted not to admoniſh thē of the ſame in his ordinary preaching: now this thing conſidered, that plague might ſeeme to betide them (which would neither foreſee, nor beleeue it) by chance: howſoeuer it was certainely decreed and appointed by the Lorde. In ſemblable ſort, the Sodomites and Gomorheans had their deſtruction falling on them, not expecting nor fearing thereof, as by chance: I ſay by chance in reſpect of their want of foreknowledge, or feare: So godles Pharao the Egyptian King, and his hoaſt were ouerwhelmed ſodainly in the red Sea,Iudg 9.53. 1. Sam. 17.49. 1. King. 2.34. Abimelech was vnawares killed by a Woman that caſt downe a peece of a milſtone on his head: great Goliah was ſoone caſt downe by the Kinges father: Shimei and Ioab were, by an occaſion not thought on, brought within the ſnare and caught (as the Lorde appointed it) for their ſinnes. Many ſuch examples are dayly before our eyes to bee ſeene, the which howſoeuer the vnwiſe and fooliſh little obſerue and conſider of, are neuertheleſſe well noted of the wiſe to profit and good vſe. By this therefore the King neither denieth the working, nor infringeth the force of the diuine prouidence, by the which he knoweth that all thinges in the world are both diſpoſed, carried and ordered in a moſt perfect methode, howſoeuer they be hidden and conceiled from the knowledge & reaſon of them that inhabite within the dominions of vanities kingdome. And truly, in this, that the working of God and his waies are farre aboue and beyond the wit, wiſdome and reach of all men, the power, glorie and maieſtie of the almightie is aduanced in al the world, and his Saints hauehave and retaine no meane inſtruction in their liues, and conſolation in al their afflictions. Obiect. 14 of prodigalitie.After this, (my L. Abiather) I call to mind another obiection of yours, as namely that the K. in ſome his late wordes, ſhould encourage men to a prodigall waſting and ſpending out of their wealth and ſubſtance, without regarde what might thereof become. But let it pleaſe you to tell me what thoſe the kings words are, wherof this doctrine might be gathered. It is a ſtrange thing, to ſee, how the ſimple truth is often inuerted and miſtaken. Men in publike places ſhoulde therefore be well aduiſed, what wordes they vtter, and explane obſcure ſentences by wiſe expoſitions. Thus (ſaid Abiather) ſpake the K.Eccles. 11.1. Caſt foorth thy Bread vppon the face of the waters and after many dayes thou ſhalt finde it. Give a portion to ſeven and alſo to eight: for thou knoweſt not what evill will bee on the earth. Alas (ſaid Zadoke) how peruerſly they wreſt the kings good meaning in this ſingular metaphor? Anſwere. Becauſe the king ſaid caſt foorth the bread on the face of the Waters wil ye conclude, ergo he encourageth men to prodigalitie: and diſſolute waſting away of their wealth? God forbid, foe he hath no ſuch meaning: But he exhorteth men to be liberall and charitable: two excellent vertues: & he would yt therein they ſhould extend of their welth in either parte without reſpect of perſons, or of reward, or hope of gaine, or glory: that men ſhould help ſuch as be in néed, trouble, miſery, & that cannot recōpence or requite: and to commit the ſucceſſe and the regarde of all retribution to the Lord without all feare or diſtruſt: In the doing whereof, is ſhall come to paſſe, that men ſhall find againe that which they had laid out in one ſort or other: For ſuch thinges are but as lent to him that will in due time repay. The Lord himſelfe will augment and bleſſe the baſket and the ſtore (as Moſes hath ſaide) to them that keepe the Lordes commandementes.Deut. 28. Therfore according to this ſaying, men in the beſtowing of benefits or in the giuing of their Almes, ſhould do like vntounto thoſe which caſt foorth their things on the fleeting ſtreame: the things are throwne foorth, and they bee carried away, and there is no care taken thereof, nor hope of recouery againe: So men ought to giuegive and diſpoſe of their riches in this life, eſpecially to the poore and needy without hope of recompence or reward: knowing wel that the reward thereof is with the Lorde, who forgetteth not them that hauehave thus beſtowed of their wealth and thinges that the LORD hath giuen them, and in the due time wil duely recompence them.Pſal. 103.2. This the Kinges Father remembred whem hee ſaide Bleſſe the LORD O my soule, & forget not all his retributions. Moreouer, by the face of the waters, wee may not vnaptly vnderſtand the wet faces or weeping eyes: and namely the poore, the needy, the miſerable, which in regarde of their harde lotts and afflictions are conſtrained to mourne: And further to ſhew that the ende of our good worke or charitable action ſhould be ye beginning of another yt ſhold ſuccéed, he willeth men to giuegive and beſtow a part not onelyonly the 7. day (which is the end of one wéek) but alſo the 8. day (wc is ye beginning of another & ſo forth. Wherein alſo hee woulde that men which hauehave abundance ſhoulde reſemble the full cloudes, which poure downe the raine without any reſpect of places, or hope of receiuing therof again and ſhoulde be alſo like the trées, which in the autumne or harveſt time let fall their fruite for ſuch as will gather thereof, and regard not the returne of the benefit. Lo, this is the meaning of the king in his wordes, which are indeede right worthy the memory and praiſe. Then replied Abiather. In truth (moſt reuerende Father) ye hauehave alſo in this fully ſatiſfied mee, and I truſt that ye hauehave no leſſe contented al theſe the Kings, Princes and ſeruantes. And wee (ſaid the Princes) are very wel pleaſed in theſe reſolutions. But if there be any thing els to be obiected, we would that ye did now remember it, that it may bee in like ſort anſwered: for our hearty requeſt is, and the ſame ſhalbe continued, that it woulde pleaſe this moſt reuerend Father in preſence to anſwere and reſolue the doubtes: that aſwel the poſteritie and others, as our ſelues hearing both th'one and th'other, may bee the better inſtructed & occaſioned to thinke ruerently both of the King and of his words. And truly, we eſteeme him a meete defender of the truth, who when he thinketh well, doth neither feare nor is aſhamed to ſpeake.