King Solomons Solace, Book · Chapter 41
CAP. XLI.
Zadok anſwereth to the three laſt obiections. 15. of the difference betweene good and evill. 16. mans power of life: 17. the young-mans leſſon. Moreover Solomons words are approved for veritie.
Obiection 15 of the holy and prophane.ABiather proceeded to ratify his obiections and ſaid: But wherefore (I pray you) hath the king put no differēce between the righteous and the wicked, betweene the holy and the prophane? I might peraduenture anſwere you (ſaide zadok) if ye coulde certify me from the which of all his wordes they hauehave taken this to be obiected. They hauehave taken it (ſaid Abiather) from thoſe his wordes where yee hauehave hearde him ſay without retractation or correction:Eccles. 9.2 It happeneth to the one as to the other: it goeth with the righteous, as with the vngodly: with the good and cleane, as with the vncleane: with him that offereth, as with him that offereth not: like as it goeth with the vertuous, ſo goeth it alſo with the ſinner: as it happeneth vntounto the periured▪ ſo it happeneth alſo to him that feareth an oath. Among all thinges that come to paſſe vnderunder the Sunne, this is a miſery that it happeneth to al alike. Anſwere. And this is a cauſe that the hearts of mē are ful of wickednes & madneſſe is in their mindes as long as they live vntill they die. To this anſwered Zadok. Truely, wiſedome would perſwade, that before they had conclude againſt the King they had wiſely conſidered one thing wt another,Cap. 7.25. as the king hath alſo counſailed. For he hath often ſaid to ouerthrow the ſtrength of their argument, that he thinketh in his minde that God ſhall ſeparate the righteous from the vngodly, & then ſhalbe the iudgement & time of al counſails & works. Again he ſaith:Cap. 3.17. Cap. 8.12 I know that it ſhalbe wel with thē that feare God & do reverēce before him. But it at ſhal not be well to the wicked, neither ſhal he prolōg his daies: but even as a ſhadowe ſhal he be, becauſe he feareth not God. Wherin he ſpeaketh much like his father, who ſaid the L. knoweth or approueth ye way of the righteous, & he ſhal proſper: but the way of the vngodly ſhal perriſh, now ſhal he be able to ſtād in iudgemēt, nor in the cōgregatiō of ye iuſt. Now therfore (Abiather) let theſe things & places be cōſidered together, and ye ſhal find yt the K. hath a double purpoſe therin as els where he hath ſaid: Anſwer not a foole after his fooliſhnes: again: anſwere a foole after his fooliſhnes: wherein, he wold, yt an anſwere be made méet for the queſtiō, but not according to the fools expectatiō: ſo the K. hath ſaid the iuſt is as the vniuſt: again, the iuſt is not like the vniuſt: for in ſomethings they be cōpared in this world, but not in al things. As touching either mans mortalitie, or the ſundry accidēts & euēts of this life, they are not much vnlike. For as it was before ſaid touching ye cōpariſō of man wt the beaſt, or the wiſe mā wt the foole, ſo may it be ſaid in this that it happeneth to the iuſt as to the vniuſt.Iob. 21.23. And in this hee ſéemeth to allude to that ſaying if Iob: One man dieth in his full ſtrength beeing in all eaſe and proſperitie: his breastes are full of milke, and his bones runne full of marrow: Another dieth in the bitternes of his ſoule, and never eateth with pleaſure. Nevertheleſſe, they ſleepe both a like in the earth, and the wormes cover them. Thus are they both confounded, and worthily combined together. Yea, here Therſites the deformed, & Nircus the moſt beautifull (as the very Gréeke Poets ſay) are worthily compared, as touching their bodies. Next to this, ſuch are alſo the confuſions and euents of this life, and humaine affairs in this words, yt in the iudgement of the carnall man there is not diſcerned any difference at all between the good & the euil the iuſt man and the ſinner, to either of the which the temporall good thinges of nature, fortune and life are often alike. Abraham our Father was rich: ſo was Pharao, Abimelech and the king of Sodom. Againe, Cain was an exile from his Fathers houſe, ſo was Abraham and Iacob, and Ioſeph. Moreouer Sarah was faire and beautifull: ſo were the daughters of Cain. Shem was preſerued in the Arke with his Father Noah: ſo was Cham alſo within the ſame. But it may be ſo, that the Lord would therin teach, that his children ſhould ſerue him not inregard of thoſe temporall and worldly things: and again that the vngodly which alſo hauehave and do abuſe the ſame, might be left without all excuſe of their vnthankefulnes: that the iuſtice of God might bee acknowledged and his word beleeued, which commendeth and promiſeth the future iudgement and full retribution of all mens wordes and workes, and that the worthines of faith might bee encreaſed. Moreouer it is ſo, that the true vertues of the ſpirit diuine (which are ſo well knowne of the king) do not externally appeare to the carnall minded man. Therefore the men of this world eſteeme no more of the iuſt and godly, then of the wicked and impious: yea, they perſecute the godly and moſt vertuous, and conſtraine them by their cruel tyrannies and oppreſſions to ſuffer and endure thoſe bitter tormentes and paines which are only one, as well deſerued to malefactor and tranſgreſſours of the law. This thing was noted in the death of Habel whom Cain ſlew: in the perſecution of our father Iacob by Eſau by Laban, & others wherof he could ſay to Pharao, that his dayes had beene few and euill: in the accuſation, the ſelling away, the impriſonment and afflictiōs of Ioſeph: in the afflictions of our fathers in Egypt, in the contempt of Lot in Sodom, in th'xtremity of poore Naomi and Ruth, and in the ſorrow of Hanna with others. Such is the entertainement of the godly and their common eſtimation in the world: and this is the nature of vanities kingdome! Now, what is that which ye diſliked in theſe the kings words No man hath power over the ſpirit to keepe ſtill the ſpirite nor hath any power in the time of death? Is it not a true ſaying? Obiection 16 mans power of life. Cap. 8.8.For hath any man power either to liue as long as he liſteth: or to put away his ſoule from his body at his pleaſure? Surely it is true (as Iob ſaid to this purpoſe: The dayes of man are determined and as the King ſaid: The dayes of a man are numbred: that is sby the Lord who onelyonly hath power either to giuegive, or to take away mans life at his will and pleaſure, at all times: and that neither this, nor that lieth in the will or power of man: therefore, as he may not caſt himſelfe raſhly into danger: ſo neither ſhould he promiſe himſelf long life. Though Saul ſlew himſelfe he had not therein power of his life: for his dayes were determined and now expired, he was ſhewed the day before,1. Sam. 28.19. that hee ſhould die, and in the manner of his death, he was, by the iuſtice of God, made his owne executioner. As he could retaine his life no longer, ſo neither could he forbeare to performe that on himſelfe, which he was in this iudgement conſtrayned to performe. If worldly men had this power either to retaine life, or to put it off, when they lifted, they would then often renew themſelues and old age would not be much diſlike: yea, death, which is ſo bitter to the wealthy men of this life, would not be ſo much feared, as it is. But now it falleth out otherwiſe: for why neither can the courage and ſtrength of body preſerue the ſtrong warrier, nor the induſtry of arte, nor the deuiſes and counſailer of man withſtand death, when the Lord taketh away life, nor can force death on them, whom the Lord is willing ſo preſerue in life. Thus when Saul in his trouble was ſlaine of his owne handes for want of another executioner, David on the other part was preſerued, Obiection 17 the yong mans leſſon.nor could he be ſlaine by them which were his mortall enemies, becauſe the Lord did keepe his life. * Finally ye hauehave ſaid, that it is obiected againſt the King, that hee ſhoulde in his wordes, counſaile young men to take their delights of youth and to ſwmime in their luſtes. Let mee heare the Kings owne wordes, as he ſpake them, and vponupon what occaſion. Hee ſaid (quod Abiather) Though a man live many yeeres & in them all reioice, Cap. 11.8.9yet he ſhould remember the dayes of darkenes, becauſe they are many, all that commeth is vanitie. Then thereupon he ſaid againe: Reioyce O yong man in thy youth, & walke in the waies of thine heart, & in the ſight of thine eyes. Then he added indéed: But know, that for all theſe thinges God will bring thee to iudgement: therefore, take away griefe out of thine heart, & cauſe evill to depart from thy fleſh: for childhood & youth are vanitie. Then anſwered Zadok: how hauehave they here conſidered one word with another: Anſwere. the beginning with the end? the exordium with the concluſion?Yong-men are counſailed to beware. For they alſo hauehave their Iudgment appointed. and how is the māner of the kings ſpeech marked? When the king had aduiſed men in the higheſt grade of their proſerity to thinke vponupon affliction, trouble and aduerſitie, and to endeuor to eſchew it: he commeth to behold the guiſe and condition of yong men, yea of ſuch as did ſway in wordly and fleſhly luſtes and wantonnes without regarde of the iudgementes of God, which is wont to ouertake ſuch perſons in the time appointed and he derideth their folly (ſpeaking by the figure Ironia, in the which, the contrary is euer intended) as who ſhould ſay: Go too, go too, thou yong man: if thou wilt not bee aduiſed nor reſtrained, nor reclaimed by theſe inſtructions and leſſons take thine own mind, follow thine own will, walk in thine own waies, if thou thinke it good: But he leaueth him not without a commination or threatning: And thinkeſt thou, that there is none account to be made for theſe thinges: and will not God bring thee into iudgement? thou art deceiued (thou fooliſh yong man) for there is a iudgement which a waiteth but the time appointed, wherein thou muſt enter, not onelyonly at the laſt, when al men ſhal ſtand before the Lord to be tryed after their deſertes: but alſo in this life (if death preuent it not, which yet may bee thy particular iudgement here) and then will the Lord recompence thy ſinnes with ſcourges and thine iniquities with rods. Now thou art willing that the luſt paſſe through eueryevery pleaſant fielde,Sap. 5. Eccles. 12. and that thou ſolace thy ſelfe with the delights of the children of men: But then ſhall God ſpeake to thee in his wrath and thou ſhalt ſay: what good hath thoſe pleaſures & lusts brought me? Alas, theſe daies are evill, they do nothing delight me. Loe, doth not this explane the former words againſt the luſts of fond youth & men yt abuſe the creatures in their proſperity?To vſe things ſo as we forget not the reckoning we muſt make for them in the end. yes doubtles, and withall doth ſchoole and aduiſe men, that they neither contemne nor abuſe the creatures which are appointed for mās vſe in this life, but vſe them ſo, as they neuer forget what account they are to giuegive either for the vſe or for the abuſe of them in time to come. Thus ye hauehave heard, what I hauehave anſwered to all your obiections: hauehave yee any thing els wherewith to charge either the king, or his wordes? If ye hauehave let vsus heare.Abiather. Alhough I am ſory (ſaid Abiather) that men ſhould be ſo fooliſh and ignorant of the kings true meaning and purpoſe in the premiſſes: yet am I glad of this occaſion: for thereby the ſooner, not onelyonly the King and his wordes are cleared of this ſuſpition, but alſo both my Lordes that bee preſent, and my ſelfe with all others may bee fully ſatiſfied in thoſe points before ſo doubtfull. Therefore I will obiect no further, but put mine hand on my mouth and bee ſilent: yea, rather ſhall my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth, then that I will with the ſame either blaſpheme my Lord the King, or derogate from his Wordes the deſerued authoritie and worthy eſtimation.The princes. Then ſaide the Princes with one mouth and conſent: Surely whatſoruer haths beene ſaide and hearde wee conclude (with reuerende zadoke) for the defence of the king and his wordes againſt all maligne mouthes and ſclanderous tongues. Neither (indeede) can wee but well commend that which wee well vnderſtand of thoſe his Sermons and wordes, nor thinke wee but that the holy Ghoſt will both bring to our remembrance whatſoeuer thereof ſhall bee moſt profitable and conuenient for the Church of God, and will teach vsus alſo the true vnderſtanding and meaning thereof.zadok. Very well ſaide and reſolued my Lords (ſaide zadok) therefore the ſooner vponupon this occaſion, I will tell you what I thinke generally of thoſe wordes of the King which wee now minde to collect, and ſo conclude our preſent conference,Summa verborum. Eccleſ. 2. pointes thinking the time too long, ere I be with his Grace. The whole drift of the Kinges wordes may bee digeſted into two generall points, the firſt whereof is, that the worlde is to bee contemned, the other is that the chiefe Good is to be purſued. In which two pointes conſiſteth both wiſedome and vnderſtanding: as God ſaid to man in Iob. Iob. 28.28.Behold the feare of the Lord is wiſdome: & to depart from evill is vnderſtanding. Iob. 1.1.This hee peformed when he feared God and eſchewed evill. For in the world (which hee maeneth by the place vnderunder the Sunne,The world and whereas hee placeth vanities kingdome) he deſcrieth vanities, of the which collecting many,The chiefe Good. he frameth a certaine catalogue, & therby ſheweth his perfect vnderſtāding: In the chief good, he findeth mans higheſt felicitie exempted from all vanities and miſeries, to the which he directeth men by diuers good preſcriptions and rules whereby hee diſplayeth perfect wiſedome.The two tables of the law. And in theſe two partes, hee ſingularly alludeth to thoſe two tables of the law, wherein is commanded and ſet foorth what the thinges are which men ought to flye, and againe what they be which they ought to do and performe, aſwell for their owne health as for the glory of God.What he findeth in vanities kingdome to be abandoned. In vanities kingdome, he diſplaieth the vanitie of man in his deuiſes, ſtudies, counſailes, policies, delights labours, ſinnes, imperfections and infirmities: next hee diſplaieth his miſery in this world, wherein hee hath a condition toilſom and laborious, a troubled ſpirit, an aking heart, a grieved conſcience, an hell of ſorrowes, and an yeelding perforce to death. Thirdly he telleth what the things are, which moſt commonly encreaſe mans miſery and ſo his vanity: as namely that wiſedome which is earthly, ſenſuall and diueliſh, the pleaſures, luſts and delights of the children of men, which are beaſtly and deuoide of reaſon. The honour of the worlde and vaine glory of man wherewith hee is puffed vp forgetful of himſelfe, the greedy deſire of riches, auarice & couetouſnes which drowne men in ſinne and perdition. The vice of curioſitie, inconſtancie, rebellion, diſobedience to magiſtrates intemperancie, oppreſſion of the poore and iniurious dealing of man againſt man: Iniuſtice of magiſtrates, vnreuerent talking of Princes & lawes, eſpecially of God and of his actions, ſlothfulneſſe and idleneſſe, wrath and enuy: want onneſſe of youth, vnprofitable paſtimes that conſume the time of mans life, hope of long life and ſuch like. All which thinges beeing by him deſcryed and diſplayed to ſway and ſwell within the kingdome of vanitie, he thought good to make thereof a Catalogue (as I ſaid) and there withall hath in the ſame here and there preſcribed and appointed ſoueraigne ſalues and remedies againſt thoſe noiſome maladies,Remedies againſt thoſe noyſome maladies. that thereby the ſooner, thoſe great euills beeing auoided or abandoned, there might a ready way be made and prepared for al them that are willing to tend towardes the chiefe Good, and ſo to the higheſt felicitie. And theſe remedies are contained generally either in Coraſives or Comfortatives. The former conſiſteth of reprehenſions, confutations, deriſions, comminations. whereby be condemneth and contemneth thoſe vanities, with their inconveniences: The other conſiſteth of doctrins, confirmations, counſels, exhortations commendations, Caueats, aduiſes, and admonitions: wherby be halleweth men away from thoſe vanities and perſwadeth and allureth them to vertues & the higheſt felicitie. And in theſe pointes,Solomon as a cunning phiſician. the king (as a good Phiſician) hath not omitted any one thing, that the wiſe and cunning Phiſicians hauehave accuſtomed to practiſe and vſe in the cure of mans body, for here are preſcriptions of Sweates, of vomits, of diets, of ointmentes, of minutions, of cauterizings, of clyſters, of ſlepes, of exerciſes and of portions: whereof, if time would permit, I could ſpeake more amply: but here, I onelyonly point to the thinges which I might ſpeake touching the wiſedome and cunning of our King in and about the cure of thoſe great maladies. Howbeit as eueryevery medicine helpes not eueryevery nature, nor cureth eueryevery patient (ſeeing againſt the ſtrength of death there is no phiſicke auaileable) the king coulde not (as himſelfe confeſſed) cure all thinges: for many thinges remaine imperfect, defectiue and incureable in vanities kingdome,All thinges cannot be cured in this world. neither (howſoeuer the medicines are compounded and applied) may any man imagin that they can be ſalued and recured. But this fault is not long of the phiſician and his medicines, but of the euill conſtitution and nature of the patient and his griefes. * In the ſecond generall parte the King propoſeth the chiefe end of mans life in this worlde,The chiefe good to be purſued. which is The feare of God & the keeping of his commandementes, and is indeede the dutie of every man, and that which by the law of Gods is required of all men. (as I ſaide before). And as in the former hee ſhewed what things moſt encreaſe mans vanity and miſcry: ſo here he teacheth what they are which further him towardes his felicitie: And they are certain vertues which he oppoſeth to thoſe former vices.Certain vertues commended which further men towards happines. As namely the wiſdome of God ſpirit, prudence whereby a common wealth is gouerned, Iuſtice, obedience to laws and magiſtrates, modeſty, temperance, induſtry, diligēce, charity, patience in troubles, ſobriety, humilitie, fidelitie, truth, praier, liberalitie, iudgement, and to bee ſhort, pietie and the right ſeruice of God. And becauſe all thoſe thinges are required of a man in the opportune time, at the leaſt within the compaſſe of his humane life:The benefit of time. therefore he is carefull to counſel and aduiſe him to take the benefit of the time, and not to defer or put off from day to day to do & perform that which is required of him, leſt he bee ſodainely taken away and periſh, nor can at any time thencefoorth finde the like opportunitie to worke, and effect that, which hee ſhoulde hauehave done, and now at length (though all too late) hee is moſt willing to doe, if hee might hauehave a graunt of that libertie and time againe. Therefore hee hath ſaide, and ſaith it often to them that ſtand before him to heare his wiſedome: Whatſoever thou takeſt in hand, Cap. 9 9.do it with all thy power: For in the grave wherevnto thou goeſt, there is neither worke, counſell, knowledge nor wiſedome. As if hee ſaid, there is no time allotted for men to worke and do the workes of their vocations after this life. They therefore that bee willing to ſerue GOD in their ſeuerall functions as they ought, muſt bee right diligent therein and obſerue their times in this life at the leaſt, and not deferre it to the life to com. Againe hee ſaith: Remember now thy maker in the daies of thy youth: whiles the evill daies come not, nor the yeeres approach, Cap. 2.1.wherein thou ſhalt ſay I have no pleaſure in them. And to the end he might not onelyonly teach the great vanitie of mans life in this worlde, but alſo take away from him all delaies which commonly followe the hope of long life, hee ſetteth foorth mans Olde age, and from thence defineth his death, and laſtly teacheth the immortality of mans Soule, the conſideration whereof beeing ſet before mans eies doth often containe him within the boundes of his duty, as wiſe to God, wary of the world, and carefull for himſelfe. And this the King hauing ſaid and ſtrongly proued his former generall propoſition, he concludeth with the ſame thus.The concluſion of the book Ʋanity of vanities & all is meere vanity. Lo, thus hath the king ſpoken, & ſuch is his purpoſe in thoſe his words, which ſome would ſo perverſly conſtre againſt him and his good meaning, crowne and dignity. And of this ſort is euen his ordinary talke, and ſuch are his ſentences, ſayings and words which he dayly vttereth. In the which (as they are right conſonant and agreable in all thinges to the ſacred veritie and holy ſcriptures) whoſoeuer heareth, and conſidereth, aright, ſhall find here and there applied ſuch and ſo many excellent doctrins, reſolutions, ſentences,The excellencie of Solomons wordes contayned in the Eccleſiaſtes. proverbes, parables, examples, counſels, conſolations, exhortatiōs, admonitions, comminations, reaſons, arguments and concluſions, with ſuch change and varietie of times (though as yet on one inſtrument and on one ground) to draw from vices and to perſwade to vertues, that they which read, heare or vnderſtand the ſame (if they be not enchanted with ſome erronious ſpirite) ſhall therein and thereof very eaſily finde out the heauenly wiſdom, with no ſmall comfort of heart, & reape no little cōtentation of Soule, when thereby the ſooner (the holy ſpirit aſſiſting them (they ſhalbe enabled to contemne the deceiueable vanities and luſts of the world, they ſhalbe encouraged to vſe the creatures of God thankfully, to walke in their vocations wiſely, to liue in this world honeſtly, to behaue themſelues worthily, to beare afflictions patiently, and to paſſe in the ſame victoriouſly through the bottomleſſe profundity of the horrible confuſions of this wretched life, towardes that Best Good, and highest felicitie.