King Solomons Solace, Preface
A PREFACE to the Reader.
DIvers men, diuerſly affected (as we may ſee in the ſundry examples of all ages and perſons) hauehave ſought diuerſly to ſolace themſelues in this life. To paſſe ouer the manifolde delights wherewith a man is naturally recreated in the ſundry changes and chances of his time: ſome have beene well pleaſed in the remembrance of their owne priſtine adventures, whereof they hauehave made vſe for the better Inſtruction of themſelues: ſome, in the reading, hearing, or rehearſing of the Actes and Hiſtories of Antiquitie: ſome in often conference and talke with other men touching the vſages, cuſtomes, & affayres of diuers perſons, places, & things: ſome, in the holy meditation of heauenly, and ſpirituall matters: ſome in the glorious croſſe of Martyrdō: to be ſhort, ſome in the timely agnizing of their owne ſinnes and infirmities, in the declaration of mans vanities, in helping the weake, in defending the oppreſſed, in teaching the ignorant, in correcting the faulty, and performing the duties of Chriſtianitie, to the praiſe of God and the benefit of men. Yea, and as times and ſeaſons alter, and men (changed in thoſe times) often vary opinions: ſo in the ſelfe-ſame perſons are not alwayes found the ſame delights: but that which hath beene highly requeſted, hath at other times beene all ſo much loathed: and that which was before abandoned, is afterward eagerly purſued. Among others, the valiant Troian, who was ſometimes much delighted in the right princely proweſſe and the remembrance of his martiall exploytes, did neuertheleſſe, after his deſperate aduentures on the wrathfull Seas, perſwade, that this alſo ſhould in the time future bee a profitable ſolace for him, and his Companions, ſaying vntounto them, Haec olim meminiſſe iuvabit. And that happie Fortunatus (whom the Poet bringeth in talking with his fellow Fauſtus) willing to recreate himſelfe after ſome extraordinarie labours, ſayd: —Antiquos paulùm recitemus Amores.
But more worthily that holy Spowſeſſe whome King Solomon mentioneth, as one enamored on him whom her ſoule loued, is very much ſolaced, not onelyonly with the zealous meditation and condigne commendation of him and his ſoueraigne graces: but (after that ſhe found and enioyed him) in the glad report and declaration of the manner and methode, how ſhe fought him, how ſhee was hindred, how ſhee found and apprehended him, and whatſoeuer elſe betided her, in thoſe her carefull and fearefull affaires. The ſweete Pſalmiſt could ſometimes comfort himſelfe with holy hymnes, godly pſalmes and ghoſtly ſongs: ſometimes in fighting the Lordes battailes, ſometimes in the noble duties of his royall place: ſometimes in the deepe conſideration of his troubles and afflictions the which hee framed as documentes of godly diſcipline and ſimboles of divine graces, whereof he gladly confeſſed: Before I was troubled I went wrong: Pſal. 1 19.3.7.but now have I kept thy worde. Againe. It is good for mee that I have beene in trouble: that I may learne thy ſtatutes. Thus the Apoſtle was often ſolaced to tell not onelyonly of the Lordes graces and mercies towardes him with thankefulneſſe: but alſo to declare openly his owne former ignorances, infirmities and ſinnes, wherin hee had beene before time delighted (as zealous for the law) and now to report of his travailes, his troubles, his afflictions, his perſecutions, his croſſes &c. for his maiſters cauſe, in the which he gloried and tooke no meane delight. There was a time when K. Solomon was wonderfully pleaſed in the exerciſes of holy princely vertues in the building of magnificent houſes, eſpecially that which hee dedicated to the L. his God. Againe, there was a time when the ſame Solomon (being carried away of his own concupiſcēce and be ſotted with the pernicious love of ſtrange women) was delighted in the lewd luſts of men: But yet there was an other time, when as the ſame Solomon (after the full experience of thoſe delightes wherein hee had wearied himſelfe vnderunder the Sunne and the ſenſe of both the divine iudgements and mercies) thought that the houſe of mourning yeelded him a ſweeter Solace, then the banquetting houſe.
Moreouer, after this, hee much eaſed his afflicted ſpirite not onelyonly in declaring what a floriſhing and happy Common-wealth hee would hauehave eſtabliſhed in Iſrael, if all things had anſwered (ad amuſſim) to his requeſt and dayly endevor: but alſo by many heauenly doctrines, learned Orations, wiſe ſentences, parables, and arguments, to diſplay and ſet foorth the manifolde vanities of wordly-men: and there-withall (as the wiſe Preacher) to ſtudie and endevor on the one ſide to diſſwade and hallow them from the ſame beeing repleniſhed with ſo many miſeries: and on the other ſide, to allure and draw them on towardes the chiefe good and higheſt felicitie, where onelyonly is found the true ſacietie and beſt ſolace, after all the confuſed troubles of this life. Truely this is the very Argument, Summe, or chiefe matter of his Booke, entituled the Eccleſiaſtes or the Preacher, from whence as from the head-ſpring of many both pleaſant and profitable ſtreames, this preſent Solace is chiefly derived: In the which (beſides the viewe of Solomons Common-wealth, and many other matters of right worthy requeſt) is contained his true Repentance and Pardon after his ſinnes, diſplayed in a certaine Dialogue or conference of his Princes, and chiefe Lordes. A worke both godly, pleaſant, and profitable, aſwell for Princes and noble perſonages, as for all others which have any deſire to walke (in this life) towardes the higheſt obiect of our hope. But heere I thought it good to admoniſh thee (gentle Reader) that as the worke chiefely regardeth thoſe matters of Antiquitie, and namely, ſuch as were either heard of, ſcene, vnderſtood, or in action within the compaſſe of that time, wherein that moſt famous King both raigned and lived, and of the which his Princes, Lordes, and ſervantes coulde (as auriti, or oculati teſtes) both take and giuegive true teſtimonies: or the which they could readily cite, gather, obſerue, remember, conſider and reaſon of, in and among themſelues: ſo hauehave I therein (for the moſt part) taken, applyed, and vſed thoſe teſtimonies, examples, and Arguments, the which either that time, or the times then fore-paſt could happily affoord mee: for thoſe perſons from whoſe wordes, reportes and diſputations this Dialogue is deduced, could not poſsibly deliver vntounto vsus, the things which as yet were neither in action, or motion among men, ſeeing themſelues knew not (as they were men) what ſhoulde followe or come to paſſe after them vnderunder the Sunne:Eccle. 3.22. but as they might conclude effects from the cauſes in naturall things. Therefore, I hauehave beene carefull that there-with I might intermixe any of thoſe which ſucceeded in the ages, times and perſons following, the which neuertheleſſe being extant may be neither reiected nor abandoned: but rather as they ſtand, to bee taken and collected, in and from the wordes, writings and workes of others, which though farre latter, have yet beene both godly, faithfull, well learned, and of no leſſe credite and authoritie in the Church. Howbeit, becauſe I would not; that any thing, which is either worthie thy knowledge, or heere in requeſt with any of them that ſtand in doubt of the holyneſſe of King Solomon & the authoritie of his wordes and Bookes, ſhoulde bee cowched in ſilence or buried in obſcuritie, I purpoſe (and God will, though very briefly) to ſupply even here, that which might ſeeme to bee wanting there: that ſo, the latter compared with the former, and one thing conſidered rightly with another they may from either gather a meete harmony and conſent to conclude both for the holyneſſe of th'one, & for the ſufficiency of th'other. But here I finde them that demaund, how the knowledge of this diſputation and conference ſhould be brought vntounto mine vnderſtanding? & from whence this princely dialogue could be either gathered or preſumed? To whome I might anſwere: that howſoever it be, that either this or the ſemblable matter may bee hidden from the knowledge and vnderſtanding of the ſimple, and ignoraunt or how hardly it may bee conceived of ſome wiſe and learned perſons: yea, and howſoever this preſent dialogue ſhalbe cenſured and eſteemed in a great part, as proſopopoicall, or imagined, yet it is true and ſure enough (as it is hereafter declared and proved) that thoſe godly, wiſe, well learned and noble perſonages which were and lived in the time of Solomon, heard of his wiſedome and ſaw his glorie, never doubted of his holineſse and true repentance, and ſo neither of his remiſſion and ſalvation with the Lorde. And as in thoſe thinges they were not doubtfull: ſo were they neither ſo negligent, nor careleſſe of the Kinges health and proſperity, and of the Common-good of the Lordes people: but that they (as moſt noble Princes and wiſe and grave Counſailors) entered into a deepe conſideration of the royal eſtate and of the common wealth of Iſrael, reaſoned and argued the caſe in and betweene themſelves concerning the cauſes of the kinges great heavines and ſorrow: and therein did not onelyonly thinke honourably and conſtre charitably and reverently of the kinges dealinges and wordes (as it well became them): but alſo endevoured by their wiſedom counſel & authority to remove away all the cauſes, that the vnhappy effectes thereof might ceaſe and to withſtand the remedileſſe inconveniences of ſuch deſperate miſchiefs in time convenient, & that in ſuch ſort in effect, as it is reported in this Solace. And to the end that no man might either make queſtion of the holineſſe of their ſoveraigne Lord, or doubt of his remiſſion and ſalvation, they argue for him, and above all the reſt of that moſt honourable ſociety, the moſt reverend father in God, namely Zadok the Lordes high prieſt, to whoſe grave and learned iudgement they all moſt gladly condiſcended, ſpake and proved firſt, that king Solomon was, by the providence of the higheſt, provided and made a lively figure of the moſt holy Meſſiah whom they faithfully expected to come into the world, and that it was neceſſary that the figure ſhould anſwere to the thing figured. Therefore the Meſſiah beeing moſt holy, it muſt follow that King Solomon ſhould bee alſo holy, alluding to thoſe equall proportions in the law between the Seed of the Woman and the types, ſhadows and figures of the ſame. * Next to that, they argue his Pardon partly from Gods owne promiſe of mercy to him, and the continuance of his divine Graces 2. Sam. 7.15. partly from his Repentance, the which (beſides other places) is worthily gathered of his Eccleſiaſtes or Preacher, beeing (as the Hebrewes ſay) the booke of his repentance. * Thirdly they argue his Salvation with the Lorde from the conſideration of his pardon as that which neceſſarily followeth the ſame, after this and like Teſtimonies and examples: Bleſſed is that man whoſe iniquities are forgiven, and whoſe ſinnes are covered: bleſſed is he, to whom the Lord imputeth not ſinne. And as they never doubted of the holineſſe, pardon and ſalvation of the perſon: ſo neither called they into queſtiō any his books, proverbs, words, ſongs, ſētences, but honoured, reverenced and eſteemed them, as wiſe and grave ſayings, divine propheſies, and matters right holy and profitable for the Lordes congregation and for the inſtruction of his people. Therfore they thought it good, and no leſſe their duties, not onelyonly to collect and preſerve them; but to commit and commende them with the like authoritie to the holy Church. Now it remaineth, that we alſo heare and conſider what hath beene elſe reſolved, concluded and teſtified by the godly learned and wiſe men aſwell hebrewes as others, ſucceeding them of that age and that not onelyonly before, but alſo ſithence the birth, death and aſcention of the moſt holy Meſſiah concerning King Solomon and thoſe his wordes. Firſt the auncient hebrewes and Rabins of the Iewes have delivered that Solomon did ſo much diſlike his luſtfull delightes and chiefly that ſinne of Idolatrie impu…ed to him,Jn vita pat. lib. 7. & in prologo: & in Cap. 1. in that hee tolerated and maintained his ſtrange wives in their abhominations, that hee willingly expoſed himſelfe in perſon a publike example of repentance throughout the ſtreetes of Ieruſalem, and woulde alſo have beene whipped with ſeaven roddes in that Temple which himſelfe had builded, had not the learned doctors of the lawe withſtood it, holding it vnlawfull for them or any others to laye their handes on the Lordes Annointed as David had taught: eſteeming him not onelyonly their true King; but a divine Prophet and holy man of GOD, and at this time a perſon truly repentant for his ſinnes, whereof they preſumed of his pardon and eternall health. Next wee finde it teſtified by the Author of the latter booke of the Chronicles of the kinges of Iſrael and Iudah, Chap. 11. verſe 17. that after king Solomon was laide to his fathers, Iudah for the time of three yeeres following pleaſed GOD, walking in the waies of David and Solomon: not onelyonly of David, but alſo of Solomon: noting that although king Solomon walked not perfectly with the Lorde in the time of his treſpaſſes as David walked when hee pleaſed GOD, yet nevertheleſſe in his latter time hee was reclaimed and walked againe with David as himſelfe did in his youth, when they both together pleaſed the Lorde GOD; and ſo in th'end reſigned both himſelfe repentant and holy vntounto God,Nota. and the kingdom in the ſame eſtate wholy to his ſonne Rehoboam: for neither was the kingdome as yet divided, nor the ſtate of religion altered, during the daies of Solomōs governmēt, according as the L. had de creed & promiſed 1. King. 11.12. ſaying: I wil not do it in thy daies. Therefore not onelyonly Solomon is combined with good David touching the ſtate of religion, & the manner of his walking, but alſo it is teſtified that Rehoboam, his ſon followed the L. alſo together with thē of Iudah that ſcared the L. in the ſame way full 3. yeeres after Solomons death, within the which time it pleaſed God to fortify the kingdom of Iudah & therin to make Rehoboam ſtrong. After this, the wiſe Syracides chap. 47.12. (among others in his time) conceiving wel of this excellēt perſon (whō he eſteemed an excellēt ſainct of the L. & from whoſe wiſe ſayings his grādfather Ieſus had collected many his ſentences:) hath carefully and reverently named & numbred him among thoſe holy Patriarches & fathers of the old teſtamēt, ſo worthy of praiſe: wherewithall, although (as a true hiſtoriographer in that parte) hee hath laide open his ſins, which els were ſo apparant, as they coulde not be covered: yet he extolleth him with many admirable cō mēdations, & in right conſideratiō giveth not ſo much as the leaſt aime to any doubtfulnes of either his holines, or ſalvation, yea rather, he omitted not to ſay and proteſt, that God forſooke not his mercy (meaning that which was promiſed to David concerning Solomō & confirmed to Solomō accordingly as 1. King. 11.39.) Neither that he was vtterly deſtroyed, becauſe of his works, that he ſhould leaue him no poſteritie. Fourthly Saint Matthew the Evangeliſt bringeth in King Solomon in the genealogie of Chriſt our Saviour together with his mother among thoſe holy fathers of the olde Teſtament, Matt. 1.6. But chiefly, the Lorde Ieſus himſelfe in his profound doctrines and ſermons, hath not diſdained this perſon: but vouchſafed to name him, and there-withall to remember not onelyonly the wiſdom of King Solomon: but alſo that holy Houſe which he built to the Name of the Lord. And to declare how well he liked the ſame houſe, he daily taught the people therin & ſhewed them the right vſe therof: yea, hee much diſliked, that the ſame ſhould be prophaned by vngodly & ſinful men, & therfore aſſayed to reduce it to his priſtin purity, when with a whip he drave out both the buyers and ſellers, ſaying, My houſe, is the houſe of Prayer for all Nations: & it was indeede all vnmeet that the thing which was ordayned for a figure of his Church, and prepared to ſo holy an vſe, ſhould be ſtayned with mens prophanitie, ſo long as the vſe of the figure endured, which was vntill the time of the comming of the holy Ghoſt vntounto the Apoſtles, after Chriſts aſcenſion into the heavens. After this, that holy Protomartyr Steuen in his anſwere to the high Prieſt. Actes 7. ſpeaketh right reverently both of Solomon and of his worke: and to teſtifie, that the ſame had yet a further aime, then to the ordinary perſonage, or to the worke of other men, he addeth: But hee that is the higheſt of all dwelleth not in the Temples made with mens hands: alluding to Solomons wordes in the dedication of that houſe 2. Chro. 6.18. For right well is it ſaid, that the very perſon whome that holy king prefigured, dwelt not in that houſe made with handes: howbeit as concerning his power and th'excellent graces of his ſpirite, he is ever preſent in and with that holy church which Solomons Temple hath prefigured and expreſſed. After all this (to paſſe over the Apoſtles and their worthie eſtimation of this perſon and his workes, from the which they have taken and cited argumentes to confirme their doctrins) all the ancient fathers of the Nicen Concil, Aug. in lib. 17 de civit. dei cap. 20. Idem in 2. lib. de doct. Chriſtian. Ioh. Driedo. de Catalo. ſacr. ſcript. lib. 2. vide. Hieron. in extrema viſione Ezechiel. Ambroſ. ſuper Eccleſiaſt. et in Apolog. David.and others both holy and learned in the church: have not only gathered & received aſwel frō hence, as from others monumēts of their elders, Solomons holines and true repentance: but alſo have eſteemed him for a Prophet, and in their writings have called him the moſt wiſe & holy Solomon. But were it ſo, that thoſe things did not ſo plainly appeare in the holy ſcriptures▪ nor could it be founde in any word or writing of antiquity that Solomon, after his tranſgreſſiō, did repent & cōvert himſelfe to the L. what reaſō, what charitie, or what wiſdom would yet caſt into ſuſpēſe the holines & ſalvation of ſo rare & excellēt a perſō, when there is not extāt any ſufficiēt ſcripture or warrāt to prove his final prophanity & eternall perdition, or that hee continued irrepentant vntill his death? Nay we ought not to be ſuch ſharp cēſorers as either to deny, or to bring into doubt the ſalvation of all thē whoſe ſins have bin made manifeſt in the holy ſcriptures, albeit of their finall repentance we finde no mention in plaine forme of wordes. If it were not ſo, what ſhoulde wee iudge of Adam and Hevah, which hearkened to the Serpent and fell from their obedience? of Noah which beeing drunken with wine lay vncovered? of Lot, which was overcome and committed inceſt? of Iudah which lay with Thamar his daughter in law; of Sampſon the Nazarite, who dallied with Dalila & ſlew himſelfe with the Philiſtines? of Ioſiah which attempted an vnneceſſary battaile againſt Neko the K. of Aegypt & died in the ſame? of the man of God, which cōtrary to the L. commādement did eat bread in the old Prophets houſe & was ſlaine of a Lyon, and of many ſuch others both before and ſithence the time of Chriſt, of whoſe ſalvatiō there is no doubt or queſtiō? Neither may we think, howſoever Solomon offēded (as he did offēd, & that hainouſly) that yet his ſins were irremiſſible & not to be pardoned, or by nature ſuch as paſſed the ſins of thoſe others of whō wee read and belieue, that God pardoned them. Amongſt others, look on David the King, look on Manaſſes: look on Paul, and conſider Peter. Was not David both an adulterer & a murtherer? for he tooke Bethſabe, & cauſed Vriah her huſband for her ſake to be ſlain, howbeit he was not ſhut out frō repentāce, & ſo neither from remiſſiō, as the ſcriptures teſtifie. What was Manaſſes? the ſcriptures report, that he did evil in the ſight of the L. even after the abhominatiōs of the heathēs whō the L. caſt out before the childrē of Iſrael, for hee built vp all the high places which Hezekiah his father had deſtroied & he reared vp altars for Baal & made groaves, as did Achab K. of Iſrael, & worſhipped al the hoaſt of heavē, & ſerved thē & he built altars for al the hoaſt of heavē, he offered his own Son in the ſier, & gave heed vntounto witchcraft & ſorcery and maintained workers with ſpirits and tellers of fortunes, & wrought much wickednes in the ſight of the L. to anger him, Againe, he led the people out of the way to do more wickedly thē did the heathē people. And he (ſlew Iſaiah the L. prophet &) ſhed much innocent bloud, till hee repleniſhed Ieruſalem from corner to corner, beſides his ſinne, wherewith he made Iudah to ſin and to doe evill in the ſight of the Lord. Lo! ſuch an one was Manaſſes: and ſuch were his ſinnes, farre beyonde that wee reade of Solomon! Further, what was Paul? was he not a Saul, a blaſphemer, a perſecutor of Chriſt and his Saintes? and finally did not Peter 3. times not onelyonly deny his Maiſter Chriſt after he had believed and confeſſed him: but alſo did ſweare that hee knew him not? yet, lo, Manaſſes is witneſſed to repent, and to finde merciemercy: Peter goeth out and weepeth, and the Lord looketh on him and ſheweth him merciemercy: Paul hath alſo obtained merciemercy, (as himſelfe teſtifieth) and ſuch (indeede) is the merciemercy of our good God to penitent ſinners!Note this. Now let no man thinke, that this hath bin ſpokē to encourage men in their ſins; God forbid; Nay rather let men by theſe fearefull examples feare to ſinne and not preſume on Gods merciemercy, knowing that preſumptuous ſinnes ſhall not be freed of plagues when even thoſe ſinnes which are done of ignorance, of feare, of frailtie, or natures imperfections are not left without ſome meaſure of puniſhmentes: But this hath bin ſaid, partly to arme all men againſt deſpaire: but chiefly to baniſh out of mens hearts that deep ſuſpicion of Solomons finall Repentance, and the doubtfulnes of his eternall health with that holy Meſſiah whome he ſo worthily prefigured in his life. Secondly, as wee have ſaide of Solomons perſon: ſo may wee ſay & reſolve of his Books, Sermons and Songs: chiefely of his Proverbes, his Preacher and his Song of Songes, as of perfect veritie conſonant in all thinges to the legall, propheticall and Apoſtolicall Scriptures. And therfore howſoever ſome perſons either malicious or ignorant, would obiect and except againſt any of thoſe by reaſon of the perſons tranſgreſſion, or of his ſtrange phraſes farre paſſing the vulgare and ordinarie manner of ſpeech, or the reach of their knowledge, or otherwiſe: wee find nevertheleſſe, that as both the author and his workes and wordes have beene reverently eſteemed and worthily admired of thoſe wiſe and honourable perſonages who lived in his time, and ſo neare him, that they both beheld him with their eyes and heard him with their eares, and from his wiſdom collected and preſerved that which they eſteeme worthie the holy regiſter, as moſt divine Oracles, propheſies, ſentences and doctrines ſo neceſſary and profitable for the Church: ſo alſo have thoſe wiſe & learned Hebrues and others of regarde which ſucceeded them, reſolved of the ſame, which therefore they have likewiſe eſteemed and embraced accordingly.Pro. 25.1. Aug. de civ. dei lib. 17.20. Io. Driedo in Catalog. ſacr. ſcript. Therfore the godly affected Servantes of the right worthie King Hezekiah, admiring the one, and well affecting the other, did carefully copie out for their better ſolace and inſtruction, many of his wiſe parables and grave ſayings. Therefore alſo Eſra the right learned Scribe, who collected and reſtored the written lawe & ſacred propheſies; diſperſed in the vnhappy time of the Babylonicall captivitie, gathered and placed thoſe 3. former Bookes in the Canon of the holy Scriptures. Therefore the Synagogue of the Iewes after him, and that aſwell before, as ſithence the time of the Lordes nativitie, accepted and received thoſe his Bookes in the number of the 22. which they proportioned to the letters of the holy tongue. Therefore the Chaldean tranſlators of the holy ſcriptures have both regarded & entituled his ſayings & ſongs, Propheſies: Therfore Ieſus or Ioſua the high prieſt being in Aegypt,Eccleſ. 1. in Prolog. August. de civit. deilib. 17. cap. 20. Et lib. retract. 1. cap. 4. Hieron. in lib. de viris illustrad Chromat. Hag. 1.1. Zach. 3.1. Io. Driedo in Catalog. ſacr. ſcript. Damaſ. lib. 4. cap. 18. & finding there many Books writtē in the hebrew tōgue, left there of the Iewes, among them all copied out, collected and compriſed in a book many of Solomons wiſe words, ſentences & divine propheſies, the which afterward, that is to ſay, in the raigne of Ptolomy Euergetes the Aegytian K. (a little before the daies of Iudas Macchabeus, and about 200. yeeres before the birth of Meſſiah) one Ieſus the ſonne of Sirach which was the ſon of the ſame Ioſuah, affecting that which his grandfather had collected, did interpret or tranſlate the ſame frō the hebrew into the Greeke tongue: acknowledging himſelfe therin to bee not the Author, but the tranſlator. Therefore Philo the learned Iewe who lived in the time of Onias the high prieſt (beeing about an hundred and threeſcore yeeres before the birth of the moſt holy Meſſiah) gathered of his words, doctrines and praiers and compriſed them in a Booke, the which he entituled Solomons wiſedome, therein confeſſing from whence he had taken them, namely from Solomon: Albeit there be, which attribute this collection to one Philo, who lived and wrote in the time of C. Caligula the romane Emperour about the 38. yeare after the nativity of our Lorde Chriſt: yet, which of either of them collected, the learned Fathers have taken and eſteemed, for the very Author thereof, Solomon the King of Iſrael who (as they conſidered) hath therein ſpoken and delivered not only many wiſe and godly precepts and doctrines for the inſtitution of a godly man: but alſo divers ſingular propheſies, as of the comming and croſſes of Meſſiah: of the tyranny and Apoſtaſie of the Iewes, of the paines of the reprobates in hell, and of the ioyes of the elect in heaven. Laſtly hee hath remembred for all poſterities, that moſt excellent prayer which Solomon made and vſed to the Lord to get wiſedome, the which is begunne at the beginning of the ninth chapter, and continued even vntounto the end of that booke. And although this booke is not found written in the hebrew tongue: yet ſhall not that withſtand the opinion of the ancient fathers, ſeeing it may bee, the right hebrew Coppie periſhed (among ſome other of Solomons bookes) in the vnhappy captivitie of Iſrael and Iuda, and that this notwithſtanding, might bee preſerved and kept, as before that time taken and copied out by thoſe ſtrangers which either came to him, heard his wiſdome and laid vp all things in their heart: or the which, having affinitie and amitie with him (as had Pharao King of Aegypt, and Hyram King of Tyrus) procured that thoſe his words and wiſe ſentences ſhoulde be copied out, interpreted and tranſlated into their ſeverall languages, as wee ſee the like to bee wrought for vsus in this time.Aug. de civ. dei lib. 17. cap. 20. Hier. lib de vir. illuſtr. Cypr. in ſuis epist. paſſim Therefore not onelyonly the auncient Nicen Councell (wherein were aſſembled no leſſe in number then 318 Biſhoppes in the raigne of bleſſed Conſtantine) but alſo the ſemblable Fathers of the Church after that, as they thought honourably of the perſon, have not onelyonly accepted