by the word of god he may direct not only his own life in the feare of god but also may gouerne his realme in the same feare That so he and his people might be preserued and presented blamelesse in the sight of god which is the greatest comfort of the soule and therefore can bee no greater delight The word of god is the séede of grace which being sowne in the furrows of Christian harts increaseth multiplieth excéedingly It is the spirituall sword that cutteth the flesh from the spirit which seperateth all impure thoughts from the mind and abandone th all lustful desires from the hart It is the sacred fire that burneth away the superfluous humours of worldly desires and worldly vanities It is the wholsom leauen that seasoneth edifieth the soule It is the swéete bread that féedeth the people of God It is the true key that openeth vnto vs Christ Iesus the doore and onely way to the kingdom of heauen And when this wisedom of the word of God entereth into our hearts and when this knowledge delighteth our soules then shall counsell preserue vs and vnderstanding shall kéepe vs. For it doth not only conuert the heart of some vnto the true feare of God It conuerteth It preserueth and call backe the sinner y◠goeth astray but it daily preserueth other some in the same feare causeth them to hold on in a right course But how Chiefly by meditating musing on the word of God by ordering the course of our liues therafter and setting our whole delight theron The King as I said before and chéefest in a realme was commanded to read the word of God all the dayes of his life An example wherof we haue in Ioshua who was appointed of God to be the Prince and gouernor ouer all the people of Israel who by name was thus commanded Let not this booke of the lawe depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein that thou maiest obserue and doo according to all that is written Prosperitie therein For then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe When we will signifie a great pleasure and delight we say it is a pleasure and delight for a King and euerie one woulde wish that hée were partaker of Kings delights Beholde then which and what is his cheefest delight and let it be of the same precious account with thée as it ought to be with the king And this delight in reading the word of God in hearing it preached and expounded vnto vs the daily musing and meditating thereon what we haue read and heard and what hath bene taught vs this delight doth bring with it the hatred and detestation of sinne and shall in time bréede in vs the loue and reuerent feare of God and at last make vs partakers of heauenly ioyes In consideration of which effects that the word of God worketh within vs the Prophet Dauid in his psalms doth highly extoll it in this sort The word of God is more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then honie and the honie combe Moreouer by thy word is thy seruant made circumspect and wary to kéepe himselfe within the compasse of thy feare and in keeping of thy word there is great reward Wherupon he also sheweth the great delight he had therein I am as glad saith he of thy word as Psal 119. one that findeth great spoyles I loue it aboue gold and precious stones my soule hath cleaued thereunto and loued it exceedingly If I had not had a delight therein I should haue gone astray and perished Yea therin haue I had as great delight as in all maner of riches and dearer it hath bene and is vnto me then thousands of gold and siluer And therefore in the Gospell it is rightly compared Mat. 13. vnto a treasure hid in the field which when a man hath found he hideth it and for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that hée hath and buyeth that field Also vnto a pearle of great price which when one lighteth vpon he goeth his way and selleth all that he hath to get it And among men he that hath a treasure his minde for the most part will be vppon his treasure and whether he be abroad or at home where his treasure is there will his heart be also So he that hath a pearle of great price his eye will be stil vpon it alwayes looking and beholding it It shal be either set in a King and Signet that it may be vpon his finger or with some chaine of gold or some cipres or the like it shall be hanged about his necke such store wil he make of it Therefore in great wisedome did God prouide for his people that they might alwaies haue his word in remembrance and take a delight therin that they might alwaies mus◠and meditate thereon Deut. 6. For they were commanded to write his word not in their halles or parlours or inner roomes of speciall account but also vpon their gates And yet a little nearer that it should be wrought vpon their garments not onely that their eyes should still behold it as a pearle most precious and an incomparable treasure but that their tongues might also be talking thereof and teaching their children both when they sat in their houses and when they walked by the way and when they laie downe when they rose vp All other delights which flesh and blood is wont to hunt after are both transitory and of small continuance and also comfortlesse by reason of the manifold cares as also the A confutation of the chiefest worldly delightes and excellencies A◠miseries which folow after For to let passe the meaner and baser sort which are not worthie to be spoken of let vs trie and examine the chiefest worldly delights let vs walke a while with King Salomon into this earthly paradice And first let vs beholde the glittering shewe of wealth and riches how either pride steppeth foorth and puffeth vp the minde and setteth vs a flaunt to all prodigalitie or couetousnesse créepeth within vs to make vs néedie more then néedes For the couetous man who Riches especially maketh wealth and riches his delight his iewell and his God what dooth hée else but in great plentie liue in miserie neither dooth hée further vse or enioy his goods but onely to behold them with his eyes Such toyle and labour in getting such care and breaking of sléepe to kéepe them such feare in loosing as though we had resolued with our selues to liue and die therewith as though our liues should end when any trouble casualtie or calamitie should make vs loose our goods Farre vnlike to wealthie and godly Iobe who béeing brought to miserie and losse of all gaue manifest proofe that his onely delight was not placed in his wealth and riches but with a patient contented and godly minde vttered these words Naked came I into the worlde and naked shall I
are rather nullities then nouelties of account and let vs leaue them to the world and worldly minded men To conclude let vs consider how the wise man doth exhort vs to the loue and admiration of the feare of God the delight wherein is no vanitie and the happie ioy which alwayes shall endure Eccle. 40. To labour saith hee and to be content with that a man hath is a sweete life but hee that findeth a treasure is aboue them both Wine and Musicke reioyce the heart but the loue of wisedome is aboue them both Gold and siluer fasten the feete but counsell is esteemed aboue them both Riches and strength lift vp the minde but the feare of the Lorde is aboue them both There is no want in the feare of the Lord and it needeth no helpe The feare of the Lord is a pleasant garden of blessing and there is nothing so beautifull as it is In which feare God giue vs grace in this our transitory life long to continue and hold out in the same euen to the end of our liues To God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost thrée persons and one euerliuing God be rendered all praise dominion and power now and for euermore Amen The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome and a good vnderstanding haue all they that doo therafter The praise thereof endureth for euer Deo gratia solique gloria But to the intent ye may be confirmed in that whereunto I haue perswadeâ— you although I haue done my best endeuour to shew the vanitie of earthly delights yet doubting that this would not satisfie I thought good to drawe aâ—ide the Curtaine and to she we you the picture of Vanitie it selfe as though none but Appelles had painted it and therefore haue of purpose inserted it The Glasse of Vanitie Eccle. 1. 2. Vanitie of vanities sath the Preacher Vanitie of vanities All is Vanitie THis booke begins with all is Vanitie and ends with Feare God and keepe his Commandements If that sentence were knit to this which Saloman kéepeth to the end as the hauen of rest after the turmoyles of Vanitie it is like that whiche Christ saide to Martha Thou art troubled about many things but one thing is necessaire That which troubleth vs Salomon calles Vanitie That which is necessary he calles the feare of God from that to this should be euery mans pilgrimage in this worlde we begin at Vanitie and neuer know perfectly that we are vaine vntill we repent with Salomon Therefore this is his first gréeting and lesson to all after his conuersion to warne them that all is Vanitie as if God had said to him as he said to Ezechiel Cause Ierusalem to know her abhominations as though men did not know their sinnes how vaine they are as Eliphaz saith He beleeueth not that he is vaine which makes euery man deferre his repentance vntill the verie houre that sinne maketh preparation to leaue him and then fainting he is vnwilling to depart because he is not readie Therfore I haue chosen this sentence which speakes of nothing but Vanitie to shew how we take the way to misery for the way of happinesse and turne the day of saluation to the day of vanitie Let cuery man think as I go in this matter why he shuld loue that which Salomon repenteth if he thinke Salomon happier after he repented than he was before This verse is the summe or contents of all this booke and therefore Salomon begins with it and ends with it as if he should say First this is the matter which I wil proue and after this is the matter which I haue proued Now you sée whether I told you true that all is Vanitie I may call it Salomons Theame or the fardle of Vanities which when he hath bound in a bundle he bids vs cast it into the fire for after he hath done with them in his last Chapter and thirtéenth verse as though hee woulde haue no more thought of them he turnes away from them as if hée had buried them and goes to another matter saying Now let vs heare the end of all Feare God and keepe his commandements for this is the whole dutie of man As though hée were excéeding glad that after so many daungers through the rout of Vanities yet God let him sée the hauen of rest and brought him to the right ende and set him vppon the shoare where he might sée his vanities as Moses looked backe vpon his enemies and saw them drowned behinde him The whole narration doth shew that Salomon wrote this booke after his fall When he had the experience of vanities and séene the folly of the world what euill comes of pleasure and what frute groweth of sinne he was bold to say Vanitie of vanities c. which he auoucheth with such protestation as though he would iustifie it against many aduersaries sor all the world is in loue with that which he calls vanitie Therfore he puts too his name in the midst of his sentence as if he wold defend it against all commers if any man ask who broched this strange doctrine the Preacheâ— saith Salomon to testifie his hartie conuerfioÌ„ to God he calles himselfe a Preacher in the witnesse of vnfained repentance as if God had said vnto him Thou being conuerted conuert thy brethren and be a Preacher as thou art a King So when we are conuerted we should become Preachers vnto other and shewe some frutes of our calling as Salomon left this booke for a monument to all ages of his conuersion Therefore they which write that Salomon died in his sinne and that suche a famous instrument of God went to the damned doo great wrong to the worthie King which giue them such an example to repent and would correct their rash iudgement if they considered First that he was the clearest figure of Christ except Melchisedes which passed all Kings in his prosperitie and all men in his wisedome Secondly that he was inspired by the holy Ghost lyke the Prophets to be one of the pennes of God to write his holy word the word of saluation which was not fit for a reprobate Thirdly that God promised to his father that he would not take his spirit and his mercy from him as he did from Saul nor forsake him as he did Saul but correct him in another sort Fourthly that God is said to loue him therefore as Paul concludes that Iacob was elected because God saith Iacob haue I loued So we may conclude that Salomon was elected because God saith Salomon haue I loued Fiftly that in Luc. 13. 28. All the Prophets of God are sayd to be in heauen and therfore Salomon being an holy Prophet must be holden to be in heauen To shewe that he was a holy Prophet in 2. Pet. 3. 2. Peter calleth all the Prophets which wrote the scripture Holy Prophets Lastly we may gather out of the seuenth Chapter of this booke and the 30. verse and out of the
goe nor speake nor looke vainer Who doth not know that these are vanities and that they might leaue them if they would But that ye may sée that there is a heart within vainer then apparell without Therefore when these vanities are worne out they will haue new and still new till all be spent vpon vanitie and when they begin lyke the prodigall childe to sée how vain they were when they haue bought wisdom with sorrow What would Salomon say if he should sée how vanitie is growne since his time what a height she is mounted what a traine followes her that there is no Prince in the world hath so many attendants as Vanitie She was but an Impe then but now shée is a mother and who can number her sonnes and daughters The childe is vaine in playing the mother vaine in dandling the father vaine in giuing the Courtier vain in spending the souldier vaine in boasting the suter vaine in striuing the traueller vaine in talking the merchant vaine in swearing the gentleman vain in building the husbandman vain in carking the old man vaine in coueting the seruingman vain in soothing the yoong man vaine in sporting the papist vaine in superstition the Protestant vaine in conuersation Euery vanitie is so pleasant to one or other that they cannot misse one So she gads by sea and by land and still moe disciples flock vnto her of gamsters and swearers and players and tiplers and hacsters and Courtiers as thick as flies of Egipt which buzzed in their eares and their eyes and their neckes before and behinde that a man cannot set his foote but vpon vanitie As the waters couered the earth when but eight persons were saued so vanitie couered it again a worse deluge than the first because it hath not suffered eight persons to escape but euery man is tainted with some vanitie or other which God séeing in that place and Citie which should be best in the world that all men in the Cittie were vaine â—alls it the Cittie of Vanitie So we may call it the world of Vanitie because she hath an interest in euery person of it she sits vpon the earth like a Serpent and hatcheth all the sinnes which ye sée amongst men As full as heauen is of blisse so the world is fraught with Vanitie Court Citie Country whither doth not Vanitie go but to Heauen Séeing then that Vanitie is extolled amongst men Salomon giues his sentence that All is Vanitie Christ like a Mediator concludes vpon it that there is but one necessarie therefore let our sentence bee lyke theirs For sin if we had Salomons repentance we should sée such an image of Vanitie before vs as would make vs crie againe and againe as often as Salomon Vanitie of vanities Vanitie of vanities and all is Vanitie What a swéet sentence is this from a King who may liue as they list by authoritie as to say that all is Vanitie Oh that we might heare Kings speake so againe for it is a speech which had néed of some to countenance it for none are counted vaine now but they that speake against vanitie Then Salomon cried it but now we must whisper it You may sée howe times are chaunged Once this was sound diuinitie now it is flat railing to say that all is vanitie is euen the vpshot of a disturber If ye aske the Atheist or the Epicure rogish Players what is a disturber you shall sée that they will make Salomon one because he speaketh against vanitie For this is their definition he which will not allow men to prophane the Sabaoth but saith that Cardes and Dice and stage Players and May games and May poles and May fooles and Morris-dauncers are Vanities is a pratler a disturber and an Archpuritan by the law which the Iewes had to kill Christ The reason is because men cannot abide to be controlled of their pleasures Therefore they hold it as an offence to speake against their sports or their customes or their follies or their pleasures or their titles or their toyes and they which would not be counted precise in these times must take héede that they goe not so farre as Salomon to terme all Vanitie But they must say that the vanities of great men are necessary recreations and the vanities of the people are meanes to make vnitie Greater bookes are written to maintaine this then Salomon made to refute it so they haue made their wit their learning vanitie and are vaine in print But they that would know now of what standing such precise reprouers are and how auncient this reproofe is may sée hére that if this be a crime to call Vanitie Vanitie the wisest man that euer was before Christ was herein crimminate Not wheÌ„ he straied but when he repented in his best minde when he became like a Preacher he preached this first Vanitie of vanities All is Vanitie yet many had rather cry it with Salomon then beléeue it with Salomon And while they are wondring at him some are taken out of the way and cut short of the time which they set to repent from others God taketh away his grace so they neuer returne because their guide is gone This the holy Ghost pointed at when he saith They followed Vanitie and became vaine shewing that the thinges we follow will make vs like themselues and leade vs whither they belong to heauen or hell In Rom. 8. 20. Vanitie is put for destruction but it is neuer put for saluation If other creatures are subiect to a kinde of destruction for the sinne of man as Paul sheweth what destruction shall light vpon man for his owne sinne Therefore let our sentence runne with Salomon Vanitie of vanities All is vanitie We could affoord the world better words and fairer titles than Vanitie of Vanities but call what we wil Salomon shews what it is and what we will say in the end when we haue tried it then Vanitie of Vanities yet it is comfort of comforts glory of glories life of lifes But Laban shewed himselfe at parting so at parting you shall sée how it will serue you they séeme pleasant vanities and honest vanities and profitable vanities but Dauid calles them deceitfull vanities Ionas comes after and calles them lying Vanities that is which promise pleasure and profit and all but deceiue all when they should performe They play Laban which gaue Leah for Rachel If they be lying vanities and deceiful vanities then are théy wofull and miserable vanities therfore if we be not come to Salomons conclusion to think that All is vanitie it is because our owne vanitie will not suffer vs to sée the vanities of other things When we haue proued lyke Salomon as fast as euery man groweth in knowledge and experience so he begins to cry Vanitie and after Vanitie of Vanities and at last All is Vanitie so we contemne not all at once but one sin after another one pleasure after another till at last we count all is vanitie and then we are
and I will make this Cittie a curse to all the nations of the earth The destruction of this Citie shall be a matter of feare and wonder and shall be continually in euery mans mouth as an example of the reuenge that the lord hath wrought Worship the lord in the glorious Sanctuary tremble before him all the earth Say among the nations The lord raigneth surely he shall iudge the people In the tenth Chapter to the Hebr. The Lord shal iudge his people Before whose iudgement seate we shall all appeare to receiue those things which we haue done in our bodies according to that we haue done whether it be good or euill As the wise man in his booke called Eccle. putteth vs in mind Reioyce ô yoong man in thy youth and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes but knowe that for all these thinges God will bring thee to iudgement If thou set light by and disobey that which I command thee I am the Lorde thou shalt not escape when I shall shewe my selfe from heauen with my mightie Angelles in flaming fire rendering vengeance and paying euerie one according to his desertes The Lorde the Lorde shall appeare in glorie when hee commeth to iudgement and all his holie Angels with him And before him shall be gathered all nations and he shall seperate them one from an other as a shepheard seperateth the shéepe from the goates and he shall set the shéepe on his right hand and the goates on the left Vnto the goates that is to them that haue disobeyed him he shal say Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his angels And if god spared not the angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them into chaines of darknesse to be kept vnto damnation and spared not the old world but brought the floud vpon the vngodly and turned the Citties of Sodome and Gomorra into ashes coÌ„demned them and ouerthrew them and made them an ensample vnto them that after should liue vngodly Surely the Lord as yet and from this day vnto the end of the world will reserue the wicked and vniust vnto the day of iudgement vnto punishment The Lord shall consume them with the fire of his wrath and render vppon their heads their owne waies and they shall knowe how true and certaine this is that he is the Lorde For in his hand is a cuppe and the wine is redde it is full mixt and he powreth out of the same Surely all the wicked of the earth shall wring out and drinke the dregs thereof Therfore are we willed to lead our liues before the Lord in feare and trembling considering how dreadfull the Lord is As saith the Prophet Dauid My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am affraid of thy iudgements Knowing therfore the terrour of the Lord and his fearfull iudgement we perswade men that they haue a diligent regard to that which the Lord hath commanded And séeing that the Lord shall come in such dreadfull maner to iudge the vngodly and disobedient what maner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse And being fully perswaded thorof let vs be diligent that we may be found of him without spot and blamelesse And let vs marke what is written in the last words of the book of Salomon called Ecclesiastes his words are these Let vs heare the end of all Feare God and keepe his commandements For this is the whole dutie of man For God wil bring euery worke vnto iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill Thus much you haue heard concerning his sacred and Strong fearefull maiestie wherein also the force of his power doth shewe it selfe and yet it is further expressed in that hée is said to be strong Which especially is to be séene in his punishments where I might bring in manifolde and infinit examples of plagues against the wicked procéeding from his iust anger whereby the Lord hath shewed his mightie power and declared his maiestie to be most dreadfull and full of force As among the rest were most notorious the drowning of the old world and the burning of Sodome and Gomorrha with fire and brimstone from heauen This his mightie power did not the Lorde make knowne onely to straungers but euen to his owne people in making the earth to open and swallow vp some the fire to burne and consume others a mightie great plague to make a riddance of them firie serpents to sting them to death for their murmuring and rebellion that they also might confesse and acknowledge the mightie power of the Lord. And to declare howe strong hee is he maketh mention of his thrée great plagues the Sword and Famine and the Pestilence wherby not a fewe but thousands and infinit multitudes perish when it pleaseth God to strike by them as we may read in diuers places of the scriptures well knowne to them that are but meanely séene in them Againe this is a great argument to proue how strong he is that when one punishment is sent and past and gone he can send another and another in the necke of the same and still increase his power by adding and doubling and multiplying For as his mercies haue no ende so his iudgements cannot be numbred And where his anger is â—â—â—led there his power groweth stronger and stronger In the Prophecie of Iere. cap. 15. 2. 3. The Lord instructeth the Prophet what he shall answere the Iewes that had so greatly prouoked his wrath And if they say vnto thée Whither shall we depart then tell them Thus saith the Lord Such as are appointed vnto death vnto death and such as are for the sword to the sword and such as are for the famine to the famine and such as are for the captiuitie to the captiuitie And I will appoint ouer them foure kinds saith the Lord. The sword to sley and the dogs to teare in pieces the foules of the heauen to deuouâ— and the beasts of the earth to destroy He might haue gone further in reckoning vp his plagues and neuer bene wearied in throwing downe his thunderbolts That proud and hard hearted king Pharaoh that said Who is the lord that I should heare his voyce I know not the lord The lord that he might make manifest his power shewed himself to this wicked king in diuers plagues punishments Which were such that one excéeding an other one was more greeuous then an other The waters of his land being turned into blood the earth couered with frogges the dust of the earth chaunged into lice the aire replenished with great swarmes of flies the hand of the lord was vpon their beasts and cattle and they died by a mightie great murrain there came a scab-breaking out into blisters vppon man and vppon beast the lord sent lightning and thunder and haile mixed with
her painted feathers thinkes her selfe fairer then any beast and none so bewtifull as she but when shée turneth downe her eyes and looketh on her blacke and dirtie legges then shée lets fall her plume of feathers with the conceit whereof shée looked so aloft Many looke so high that they knowe not the ground they treade on and fouly would they take scorne if it should be tolde them that they were but dust and earth The Prophet Ieremy to pull downe the high stomackes of the people to whome he was sent doth not doubt to call them so repeating it often in their eares that they might remember it O earth earth heare the word of the Lord. Which thing that godly Abraham well remembring freely and of his owne accord confesseth when he made his request vnto God for Sodome Behold saith he now I haue begunne to speake vnto my Lorde I am but dust and ashes Fewe there be that thinke so and more fewe that will acknowledge it Hée that is of base degrée vaunts himselfe of nobilitie and they that come of noble blood lift vp themselues to the skies as if the staffe should boast it selfe that it were no wood They neuer looke downe to the earth from whence they came nor consider the graue wherunto they must go Dust and ashes earth and wormes meate To consider that we came of the dust is not only profitable to bring vs to humilitie and to knowe our selues but also to put vs in minde of our latter ende that we may be the better prepared vnto God and learne to deny our selues and forsake the world Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne to my first mould to the wombe of all things that is the earth Dust was my first creation and dust shall be my latter end and my dissolution And yet it is woorth the marking to sée howe GOD dooth set foorth his glorie héerein that that creature which hee made of dust and earth should haue continued for euer and neuer died if the same creature had continued in his obedience and truly performed that which hée moste easily had commaunded Although man was created of the dust in his first beginning yet God caused him to increase and multiply by naturall seed and by lawfull matrimony Wherein also Gods worke is daily wonderfull and miraculous For although the parentes doo their indeuoure yet it is God that frameth the childe in the wombe of the mother by his mightie power neither dooth that matter alwaies come to passe after a naturall sort For monsters oftentimes come from women not by the meanes of the parentes but God hath so ordeaned it that they should bee tokens of his iudgementes And that the childe in the wombe is the worke of God let vs search it out in his word The wise man vttereth it in this sort In my mothers wombe was I fashioned to be flesh in tenne moneths Wisedome 7. 2. I was brought togither into blood of the seede of man and by the pleasure that commeth with sleepe The pleasure that commeth with sléepe then séede the seede is turned into blood and after commeth flesh But wherehence are bones and sinewes the order the shape and the proportion of the bodie The Prophet Dauid Psal 139. 14. declareth it and saith I am woonderously made And speaketh of God his woorke thus Thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe my bones are not hid from thee though I was made in a secret place and fashioned beneath in the earth thine eyes did see me when I was without forme for in thy booke were all my members written which in contiuuance of time were fashioned when as there was none of them before After séede and blood and flesh and bones and sinewes and all things prepared and set in order then comes the soule but not from the soule of the parents for God giueth the soule by his secret power and vnsearchable working aske not how but content thy selfe and wonder Yet if thou desirest to haue this matter more plainly shewed thée turne to the tenth chapter of Iob and reade his words which are these directing his speech vnto God Hast thou not powred me out as milke and turned me to curddes like cheese thou hast cloathed mee with skinne and flesh and ioyned mee togither with bones and sinewes And thou hast giuen me life and grace that is reason and vnderstanding and many other gifts whereby man excelleth all earthly creatures Whē God had made man hee breathed into him the breath of life and he was a liuing soule Yet this is not sufficient to declare how man was created in the image of God and according to his likenesse Which image and likenesse is not so to be vnderstood that either in body or in soule we doo resemble God himselfe For God hath no such forme and substance neither doth he consist of flesh or blood or bone God is a spirit and altogither incomprehensible Neither let it any thing at all moue vs so to be perswaded because wée reade in the scripture The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it the eyes of the Lorde beholde all things his eares are open to the praiers of them that feare him he deliuered his people by a mightie hand and a stretched out arme he will make his enemies his footestoole Not that God hath either mouth or eyes or eares or hands or armes or féete but it is so set down in respect of our weaknesse who are not able to vnderstand heuenly matters but by earthly similitudes and by familiar examples and comparisons And because we are too earthly minded therfore by such spéeches we are lifted vp to the consideration of more excellent things In the shape and proportion of mans bodie he is more comely and beautifull then all the rest of gods creatures yea and God hath planted in his face and countenance a maiestie that all other creatures might feare him and reuerence him yet we must not thinke with our selues rudely and grosly that the image of God consisteth in y◠outward proportion lineaments and shape of the bodie although herein God hath graunted mankind a superioritie dignitie and worthinesse Because the bodies of all other creatures are framed as it were groueling on the ground but mankind is made vpright to beholde the heauens and those things that are aboue the heauens and that by a supernatural and extraordinary sight The image of God is not this outward shape and proportion but the inward and most vertuous qualities of the soule Wherefore it was no maruell that God said Let vs make man taking counsell of his wisdome and power Concerning all things else that he made he onely said Let it be so and they were so but hauing further care of mankind as of a matter more waightie he taketh more aduicement and mindeth to shewe a greater excellency in the creatiō of man and woman to whose soules he gaue so great gifts and graces Whereby the way let vs
through him that loued vs. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things prâ—sent nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. The sâ—â—â—ne of all is this that the righteousnesse of man by reason of idolatry and wickednes procéeding from his corrupt nature is abhominable in the sight of god and that by no excuse or deuise he may acquit himselfe before the iudgement seate of God but hée is subiect both Iewe and Gentile to the condemnation which the iustice of God doth require Therefore lieth it not in mans power by the lawe of the workes thereof to attaine vnto righteousnesse because in his hart hée hateth the lawe he being carnall and the lawe spirituall As hée desireth to hide his sinne so by the lawe is the knowledge of sinne and as he séemeth to himselfe to be iust before he examine his life by the lawe not but that by the lawe hée is condemned but he putteth his condemnation farre from him and thinketh not of it so is the lawe the cause of transgression of sinne and of death Yea the regenerate man is stained with sin therefore neither can he be iustified by the lawe So that the righteousnesse of man is that which is from God by faithe in Christ vnto all that beleeue Of which righteousnesse there are thrée braunches Remission of sinnes which is not frée from correction though there be deliueraunce from eternal punishment and damnation The second braunch is the Conclusion Imputation of Christ his righteousnes whereby the filthy garments of our sinnes are taken from vs and we arraied in a vesture and garment of broydered gold I meane hauing not only our sinnes forgiuen vs but the righteousnes and holines of God also imputed vnto vs. The third branch is sanctification and holines of life by the which we are made fit to fulfill the lawe Yea séeing that while we are cloathed with this body of flesh sinne remaineth and that the flesh fighteth against the spirit we are to meditate and practise the mortification of our sinfull flesh Hauing this aduantage that we are vnder grace and that also by Christ we obtaine victory And not only to practise mortification but to bring forth the frutes of the spirite and of the inner man euen the loue which we do owe vnto God and that charitable duty which we are bound to extend to our neighbour And at all times we offer vp our selues as an acceptable sacrifice vnto God séeking the glory of his name as well by our death as by our life knowing this that in afflictions whatsoeuer if so be it we endure with patience we shall not be destitute of comfort and consolation Yea such that may swallow vp the bitternesse of all torments beside that rich reward that is reserued for them in the life to come who with all confidence and boldnesse willingly and readily confesse Christ before men standing to the triall of their faith and the assurednesse of their vndoubted hope euen to the sheading of their blood Now the God of all comfort and consolation euen the God of peace which brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ the great shepheard of the shéepe through the blood of the euerlasting couenant make vs perfect in all good workes to doo his will working in vs that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise dominion and power both now and for euer Amen Deo soli laus gloria Of Predestination A briefe declaration of Predestination set forth by that learned man and principall member in Christs Church M. Theodore Beza A waightie and most necessary matter for euery true Christian to know containing the very ground and principall scope of religion which the more we read the more we may both for the sweetnesse and singular profit that it yeeldeth to them whose harts it pleaseth God to open and whose mindes are lightned by Gods good spirit He that hath eares to heare let him heare Mat. 13. 9. They which pertaine to the kingdome of God to them it is giuen to know this and all other secrets and misteries belonging to saluation and euerlasting life As for the rest and them which are without all things are spoken in parables there is a vaile before them that they seeing should not see and hearing should not heare and hauing hearts to perceiue should not vnderstand Mat. 13. 11. Act. 28. 25. 26. 27. The first Chapter The question of Gods eternall Predestination is not curious or vnprofitable but of great importance and very necessary in the Church of God SAint Augustine in his booke of Perseuerance De bono perseuerantiae Obiection chap. 14. saith that they which were against him as aduersaries in this question did alledge that this doctrine of Predestination did hinder the preaching of Gods word and caused that it could not profit As if saith he Answere this doctrine had hindred the Apostle Saint Paul to do his dutie who so oftentimes doth commend vnto vs and teach Predestination and yet neuer ceaseth to preach the word of God Also saith moreouer As he that hath receiued the gift can better exhort and preach so he that hath receiued this gift doth hear the preacher more obediently and with greater reuerence c. We do therefore exhort and preach but they only which haue eares to heare do heare vs quietly and to their comfort and in those that haue them not this sentence is fulfilled That hearing with their eares they do not heare for they heare with outward sence but not with the inward consent Now why some men haue these eares and others not it is because it is giuen to some to come and to others not Who knew Gods counsell must that be denied which is plaine and euident because that cannot be knowne which is hid and secret Againe in the 15. Chapter I pray you saith he if some vnder the shadow of Predestination giue themselues to slothful negligence and as they are bent to flatter their flesh to follow their owne lusts must we therefore iudge that this which is written of the foreknowledge of God is false Now surely this is verie handsome and to the purpose that we shall not speake that which by the scripture is lawfull to speake Oh we feare say you least he should be offended which is not able to vnderstand and take it And shall we not feare say I lest while we do hold our tongues he that is able to take the truth be taken and snared with falshood and error Also in the twentie chapter of the same booke he writeth in this sort If the Apostles and Doctors of the Church which came after them did the one and the other both teaching the eternall election of God purely and truly and
againe to themselues the sonne of God and make a mocke of him For the earth which drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth hearbes méete for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing of God But that which beareth thornes and briars is reprooued and is néere vnto cursing whose end is to be burned Yea for a time they seeme to haue receiued the seede and to be planted in the Church of God Mat. 13. 20. He that receiueth séede in the stony ground is he which heareth the word and incontinently with ioy receiueth it yet hath no roote in himselfe and dureth but a season And also shewe the way of saluation to others Acts. 1 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. Ye men and brethren this scripture must néeds haue bene fulfilled which the holy Ghost by the mouth of Dauid spake of Iudas who was guide to them that tooke Iesus For he was numbred with vs and had obtained fellowship in the ministration He therefore hath purchased a field with the rewarde of iniquitie and when he had throwne downe himselfe headlong he brast asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out And it is knowne vnto all the inhabitants of Ierusalem insomuch that that field is called in their owne language Aceldama that is the field of blood For it is written in the booke of Psalmes Let his habitation be voyd and let no man dwell therein Also Let an other take his charge But this is plaine that the spirit of adoption which wee haue said to bee only proper vnto them which are neuer cast forth but are written in the secret of gods purpose is neuer communicate vnto them Ezech. 13. 9. And mine hand shall be vppon the Prophets that sée vanitie and diuine lies they shall not be in the assembly of my people neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel neither shall they enter into the land of Israel Iohn 6. 37. All that the father giueth me shall come to me and him that commeth to me I cast not away For if they were of the Elect they should remaine still with the Elect. 1. Iohn 2. 19. They went out from vs but they were not of vs For if they had bene of vs they would haue continued with vs. But this commeth to passe that it might appeare that they are not all of vs. 1. Cor. 15. 58. Therfore my beloued brethren be ye stedfast vnmooueable aboundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Iude. 20. 21. Ye beloued edifie your selues in your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost And kéepe your selues in the loue of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life 2. Pet. 3. 17. 18. Beloued Beware lest ye be also plucked away with the error of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ to him be glory both now and for euermore Amen All these therefore because of necessitie and yet willingly as they which are vnder the slauery of sinne returne to their vomit and fall away from faith are plucked vp by the rootes to be cast into the fire Iohn 8. 34. Verily verily I say vnto you he that committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne And the scruant abideth not in the house for euer Ephe. 4. 17. 1. Pet. 4. 3. 4. 5. Ro. 1. 28. As aboue looke in the margent for this marke ff Ro. 7. 14. For we know that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sinne Ro. 8. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. They that are after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit For the wisedome of the flesh is death but the wisedome of the spirit is life and peace Because the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God for it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither indéed can be So then they that are in the flesh cannot please god Because the workes of the flesh beare such swaie with them 2. Pet. 2. 19. Of whomsoeuer a man is ouercome euen vnto the same is he in bondage For if they after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Sauior Iesus Christ are yet intangled againe therein and ouercome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning For it had bene better for them not to haue knowen the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowen it to turne froÌ„ the holie commandement giuen vnto them But it is come vnto them according to the true prouerbe The dog is returned to his owne vomit and the sowe that was washed to the wallowing in the mire And fall away from faith 1. Tim. 4. 1. Nowe the spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue héede vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of diuels Are plucked vp by the rootes Mt. 15. 13. Christ answered and said Euery plant which my heauenly father hath not planted shall be rooted vp Iohn 15. 2. Euery branch that beareth not fruite in me he taketh away and euery one that beareth fruite he purgeth it that it may bring foorth more fruite Mat. 3. 10. And now also is the axe put to the roote of the trée therefore euery trée which bringeth not foorth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Iohn 15. 6. If a man abide not in me he is cast foorth as a braunch and withereth and men gather them cast them into the fire and they burne I meane â—hey are forsaken of God who according to his will the which no man can resist and also according to their owne corruption and wickednesse their hearts are hardned their eares stopped and their eyes blinded Rom. 1. 24. Wherefore also God gaue them vp to their hearts lusts and vnto vncleannesse Acts. 14. 16. Who in times past suffred all the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies Whose will no man can resist Rom. 9. 19. For who hath resisted his will Sée more in the notes of the first chapter Hardeneth them through their corruption and wickednesse Rom. 1. 27. 28. And likewise also the men left the naturall vse of the woman and burned in their lusts one toward an other and man and man wrought filthinesse and receiued in themselues such recompence of their errour as was méete For as they regarded not to know God euen so God deliuered them vp vnto a reprobate mind to do those things which are not conuenient Maketh their hearts fat stoppeth their eares and blindeth their eyes Esay 54. 7. There is none that calleth vpon thy name neither that stirreth vp himself to take hold of thée for thou hast hid thy face from vs. And chapter 6. 9. And the Lord said Go and say vnto this people Ye
gospell that toward the latter end of the world heresies and errour shall so abound that if it were not for Gods grace and his instructing spirits euen the elect should bee deceiued and togither with the rest should be danmed For damnation is the effect of superstition and heresie and the diuell blinding vs and deceiuing vs dooth vse that forcible meane to draw vs from the knowledge of God and of our owne saluation Which thing the Apostle writing to the Thessalonians 2. Epistle chapter 2. dooth witnesse vnto vs that false teachers shall come vnto vs to deceiue vs â—y the working of the diuell But among whome shall they preuaile among none but them that perish because they receiued not the laue of the truth that they might be â—â—ued And therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they should beléeue lies and that all they might be damned which beléeued not the truth Many are the heresies that are sprung vp in the worlde and where the word of God is not their guide and the spirit of God doth not teach them there is nothing but wandring going astray in the vanitie of their thoghts For the true God the heathen worship the Sun the Moone and the Starres the Turke his Mahomet another people fall downe before Images créepe to crosses goe in pilgrimage to the reliques of Saintes put the only hope of their saluation in their good workes and if that serue not they make account that the praiers of them that are liuing shall doo them good after they be dead and release them being in torments They make their praiers vnto Saintes and thinke by pardons and indulgences and such meanes to haue their sinnes forgiuen them bee they neuer so many so great so hainous and so gréeuous But when the grace of God dooth teach vs instruct vs and lighten our mindes then all blind superstitions and vngodly heresies vanish away at the triall of the truth euen as the fogges and mistes doo breake away when the Sunne appeareth in his force And well may such false opinions vanish away because they are but vanities Copper beareth a shewe of golde and may bee flourished ouer to deceiue the eye of the simple but when it commeth to bee tried by the touchstone it appeareth to be a vaine thing and a thing of no account in comparison of gold So all superstition and heresies may goe for true religion in the mindes of simple and ignoraunt people but when they come to the touchstone the true triall I meane the word of God then if the grace of God do worke in our hearts by the reading and hearing of the word then wee beginne to denie the vngodlinesse of false religion and daily more and more wee growe in this grace and in the knowledge of his truth The ignorant mindes of the Heathen worshipping the Sunne the Moone and the Starres when GOD graunteth them of his knowledge as no doubt GOD vouchsafeth some they shall vnderstand that the Sunne the Moone and the Starres are but Gods creatures and that there is a Creator that made them and a Redéemer that died for them For the mercy of God shall be preached throughout the world and then shall the end of the world come The Turkes although many of them and that the most part of them mocke and scoffe at our crucified Christ yet the seale of God remaineth sure and some are called to the knowledge of the truth and God forbid yâ— the grace of God should be denied vnto them although thousands of them do perish They may be inwardly touched and God may vouchsafe them of fauour and make them partakers of his mercy and they may beleeue althogh they make not so ample profession of their faith and beliefe Those whom we call Papists who are deceiued concerning the truth of religion and the certaintie of their saluation and giue their names and consent vnto falshood before they haue had iust triall of the truth many of them are not perswaded nor euer will yéeld to be perswaded because the grace of god to them hath not as yet appeared For why they are carried away with high conceits of their owne deceiued mindes They thinke their owne inuentions and traditions to be of equall force with Gods word whereas they should in all humble sort submit themselues theâ— unto they thinke so highly of themselues that by their owne good workes they may deserue heauen so that the saluation of God which commeth by his grace and mercy is troden vnder their féete What are pilgrimages and reliques and praiers to saints and purgatorie but mans inuentions Which they can neuer approue to be good neither shall they euer finde warrant for them in Gods word The grace of God teacheth them to deny the vngodlinesse of mens deuices inuentions and traditions and so much the more because God hath pronounced a curse to them that shall adde or put too or diminish and take away any thing from his word I protest saith the spirit of of God vnto euery man Reu. 22. 18. 19. that heareth the words of the Prophecie of this booke if any man shall adde vnto these things God shal adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any man shall diminish of the words of the booke of this prophecie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy citie and from those things which are written in this booke Daungerous therefore are the deuices and traditions of men and likewise in a most dangerous estate are they who are ruled by them because that in them are contained many thinges that are contrary to the will of God and to his word What is it for vs to be perswaded that we shal be saued by our good workes although good works be necessary and commanded when the truth of Gods word shal direct vs that only by the grace and mercy of God we are saued and not by good workes let them beare neuer so glorious and glistering a shewe in the sight of men and séeme neuer so much to be approued Ephe. 2. 8. By grace are ye saued through faith that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast himselfe The most righteous men next vnto our sauiour Christ that euer liued when they make their praiers vnto God what say they Say they with the Pharisée I fast twise a wéeke I giue almes to the poore I pay tithe of all that euer I possesse No they come not in with such titles and with so glorious a stile Bâ—t as we reade Dan. 9. O Lord be mercifull vnto vs that haue sinned we haue committed iniquitie and done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and departed from thy commandements O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thée and vnto vs open shame As Daniel so also righteous Abraham confesseth of him selfe I am but dust and ashes and as one of no account God regardeth the humble
The other is concerning praier A good conscience maketh request vnto God and when we haue an euill conscience with what heart shall we offer vp our praiers to God or how shal they be accepted at gods hand According to that we reade Iob. 11. 13. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hand toward him if iniquitie be in thine hand put it farre away And therefore Mardocheus is bold to come into Gods presence vnder the warrant of a good conscience Hester 13. 12. Thou knowest saith he all things and thou knowest Lord that it was neither of mallice nor presumption nor for any desire of glorie that I did this and not bowe downe to proud Haman For I would haue bene content with a good will for the saluation of Israel to haue kist the sole of his feete But I did it because I would not preferre the honor of a man aboue the glory of God and would not worship any but onely thee my Lord. And this haue I not done of pride Séeing therefore the ioy of a good conscience is so great well might the wise man say Pro. 15. 15. A good conscience is a continuall feast and the greatest comfort in the greatest trouble and such a comfort that the world cannot giue The ioy and comfort whereof may appeare by the contrary in the wicked For where the want of a good conscience is there is neither ioy nor comfort but feare and sorrow As we reade Prou. 15. 13. A ioyfull heart maketh a cheerfull countenance but by the sorrow of the heart the mind is heauie And Iob. 11. 20. The eies of the wicked shall faile and their refuge shall perish and their hope shall be sorrow of minde An ill conscience bringeth great dumpes and the heart of the people is filled therewith And this is one of the chiefest iudgements that God doth lay vpon the wicked as we may reade Wisd 17. That they were sick and died for feare and they swounded when a sodaine feare not looked for came vpon them For it is a fearefull thing when malice is condemned by her owne testimonie and a conscience that is touched doth euer forecast cruell thinges By the which feare the succours which reason offereth are betraied for indéede no reason can allay the force therof but only the grace and good spirite of God which is farre from the obstinate and vnrepentant sinner Whose hope the lesse it is within the greater doe the tormentes to come séeme vnto them Wickednesse is full of feare and giueth testimonie of damnation against it selfe and a troubled conscience alway suspecteth cruell matters to be imminent and to hang ouer it selfe as it maketh account to haue descrued The miserable estate of a wicked mans conscience is also liuely described Iob. 15 in these wordes A wicked man is prooued all the daies of his life though time be vncertain how long he shall play the tyrant The sound of terror and feare is alwaies in his eares and although it be in time of peace yet he alway suspecteth some treason against him expecting on euery side the sword to come vpon him When hee sitteth downe to eate he remembreth that the day of darknesse is ready at hand for him tribulation terrifieth him and anguish enuironeth him euen as a king is enuironed with souldiers when he goeth to war What can be more miserable then that man that hath such a butchery and slaughterhouse within his own heart What are his fearee how great are his anguishes Suspecting all things doubting their own shadowes fearing euery little noise thinking euery one to come against them that come toward them and others that talke togither to talke of them and their sins Such a thing sin is that it bewraieth it selfe though no man accuse it it condemneth it selfe though no man beare witnesse against it Pro. 28. The wicked man flieth thogh no man pursue him And why doth he flie Because that he hath within his conscience an accuser pursuing him whom alwaies he carrieth about him And as he cannot flie from himselfe so cannot he flie from his accuser but wheresoeuer he goeth he is pursued and whipped by the same his wonnd incurable And wherehence groweth all this feare but only because our consciences shal be our greatest accusers at the day of iudgement as we reade Reuel 20. 12 And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes of their consciences were opened and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in those bookes according to their workes Now therfore it appeareth that one of the chiefest ioyes of the godly is the testimonie of a good conscience which is only proper to the godly and vnto the which the wicked can in no sort attaine Without the which there is nothing but the feare of death and damnation Wherefore let euerie one haue care to make a good conscience his only ioy and let all our works be ruled thereby without the which all things no doubt shall go farre out of square The ioy also of the godly consisteth in this that they The glorie of God turne all their ioy to the setting forth of Gods glory According to the example Hamah the mother of Samuel who being in great sorrowe of minde because she was barren and wanted the ioy of children she made her humble and earnest request vnto god to make her a ioyful mother Promising therewithall that if God would vouchsafe to graunt her a child that she would him to the Lord and consecrate him to his seruice Contrary to the course of the wirked and the fashion of the world which perisheth who réferre and apply all their ioy to the fulfilling of their pleasures and the saisfying of their lustes Which thing the Apostle Saint Iames doth worthily reproue in them Chap. 4. 3. 4. Yee aske and receiue not because ye aske amisse that yee might consume it on your lustes Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the amitie of the world is the enmitie of God Whosoeuer therefore will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemy of God Looke what ye sowe ye shall reape if ye séeke Gods glory ye shall reape honour and if your ioy bee setled in worldly and sinfull matters your ioy shall be turned into shame And herehence ariseth another kind of ioy of the godly Heauenly blessings who counting worldly ioyes but sinne and shame or at lestwise but friuolous vaine haue resolued with themselues to settle all their delight in heauenly blessings and inward comforts and in such things wherin the wicked hath no delight As in praier to God in singing Psalmes in hearing his word in reading his lawe Blessed is the man whose delight is in the lawe of the Lord and who meditateth therein day and night And séeing they are risen with Christ they séeke those things which are aboue their treasure is in heauen where their heart is As for the earth they
thy sonnes take heed to their way that they walke before me in truth with al their hearts and with all their soules thou shalt not said he want one of thy posteritie vpon the throne of Israel So also because the Rechabites kept the commaundement of their father their continuance by posteritie was their blessing as we reade Iere 35. 18. 19. which God caused to be pronounced vnto them by the mouth of the Prophet Ieremiah Thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel Because ye haue obeied the commandemeÌ„t of Ionadab your father and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he hath commanded you Therefore saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel Ionadab the sonne of Rachab shall not want a man to stand before me for euer but his posteritie shal continue and be continually in my fauour What greater preserment can come to the godly to requiâ—e their sorrowes withall then that it pleased God to make them all men-children and also heires of his heauenly kingdome if so be they can frame themselues to be content to suffer with him else are they in no sort worthie to be glorified with him For all the sorrowes and afflictions of this life are nothing to the glorie that shall be reuealed They may also be well said to be heires of the crown which is not so lightly obteined for oftentimes such a matter costeth many a man his life And how many dangers are vndertaken before we may be capable of this royaltie or thought worthie to be princes fellowes All things that are excellent haue a deare price and he that would be a prince must perswade himselfe it shall cost him full deare Yet a worthie mind thinkes no labour too painfull no danger impossible and all sorrowes to be swéete which haue so swéete a recompence Reu. 4. 4. I sawe round about the throne foure and twentie seates and vppon the seates foure and twentie elders sitting cloathed in white raiment and had on their heads crownes of gold Reu. 3. 11. Behold I come shortly hold that which thou hast that no man take thy crowne To the preferment of the godly this also may be added Nâ—me that their name and good report shall liue for euer wheras 〈◊〉 39. 13. the remembrance of the wicked rot Many things are done by the wicked for a name but it turnes cleane contrary For the credite of their name shall be but shame and discredite shall be their glorie They that built the tower of Babel got themselues a name but with dâ—risition of their follie and as good haue no name as such a name But the name that the godly leaue after their death is precious and the constant Martirs that gaue vp their liues for the profession of Christ his truth are remembred with reuerence Their bodies although they haue bene put to extremities and gréeuous punishments yet shall their names liue for euermore The congregation shall talke of their praise and although they be dead they shall leaue a greater fame then a thousand The doating foolishnesse of the world is such euer to neglect heauen and to séeke for a name in earth where nothing is firme nothing continueth but sadeth away and perisheth as a thought What is a name of great wisedome of great wealth of great eloquence of warlike prowesse yea of the princes fauour In the world they are obtained in the world they are enioyed and to the world they must be left Besides this the name of the godly is more durable and of longer continuance he that will loose his life shall saue it he that estéemeth more of the fauour of God then the fauour of the world shall in this life haue sorrowes and persecutions but in the life come ioyes Their names are defaced on Reâ— 2. â—7 earth among the wicked but they are written in heauen and registred in euerlasting remembrance Reioyce saith Christ that your names are written in heauen Yea let them reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable because that none shall be saued at the dreadfull day of iudgement but they whose names are sounde in the writing of Israel and recorded in the booke of life For whosoeuer was not founde written in the booke of life Reuelat. 20. 15. was cast into the lake of fire where is nothing else but burning and brimstone wéeping and gnashing of téeth and wofull lamentation without any compassion The former part of the similitude and comparison being Application I will see you againe ended now followeth the second consisting in application set downe in these words And ye now are in sorrow but I will see you againe and your hearts shall reioyce and your ioy shall no man take from you This application Iohn 1. 51. 14. 19. as you sée is furnished with thrée proofes whereof the first is I will see you againe The woman when she trauelleth hath sorrow but when she is deliuered of a manchild her sorrow is turned yea and swallowed vp of ioy I will see you againe So still he performeth his word and promise Your sorrow shall bee turned into ioy When the Apostle Saint Paule tooke his leaue and his last farwell of the Church of Ephesus knéeling downe and praying with them they wept all aboundantly and fel on Pauls necite and â—â—â—ssed him Being sorrie for nothing so much as for the words which he spake That they should sée his face no more How then could the Apostles choose but be sorrie and wéep aboundantly at the departure of our Sauiour Christ which was so deare a friend vnto them and whose presence they had so long enioyed to their great comfort and contentment Departure of louing friendes bréeds paine and taking of leaue is often with great heauinesse As we sée when one is to depart from his friends and to take his iourney into some farre country this griefe of departing is ioyned with sheading of teares But when there is departure by death theÌ„ what wéeping what wringing of hands what outcries and lamentation The reason of this their excessius sorrow for the departure of their friends is that they are without hope Who although they shâ—l â—ée their face no more yet ought they to be assured that their soules shal be at rest and in the hands of God and that no torments shall touch them They that are thus perswaded leaue their sorrow and are contented with Gods will and are also thankful that it hath pleased God to take them to his mercy and that he hath released them out of the troubles of this miserable world Yet are there some that are of opinioÌ„ that euen in heauen also they shal haue knowledge and sée their friends again which are departed in the Lord which is a matter to abate all sorrow Neuerthelesse we may not imagine any worldly knowledge For greater things are reserued for the saints of God According to that we reade 2. Cor. 5. 16. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh
5. of the Prouerbs and the 14. verse that Salomon had left his Concubines and vanities before he wrote this booke Therefore to say that the figure of Christ the pen of the holy scripture the man whom God loued the wisest man that euer was and one of the holy Prophets dyed a reprobate is presumption against the word impiety against God wrong to the dead Although because of his gréeuous fall in Idolatry and vncleannesse God left him in disgrace and makes no mention of repentance where he speakes of his death That they which stand may take héede least they fall and sée how easie it is to slip by the example of him that was wiser than they Salomō being wicked and yet saued was a figure of the church whose sinnes are forgiuen Thus hauing found as it were the Mine now let vs dig for the treasure Vanitie of vanities c. This is Salomons conclusion when he had gone through the world and tried all things lyke a spie sent into a straunge country as if he were now come home from his pilgrimage they gather about him to enquire what hée hath heard and séene abroad and what he thinkes of the world and these things which are so loued amongst men like a man in admiration of that which he had séen and not able to expresse particulerly one after another he contracts his newes into a word you aske me what I haue séen and what I haue heard Vanitie saith Salomon And what else Vanitie of vanities And what else All is Vanitie This is the historie of my voyage I haue séene nothing but vanitie ouer the world Carry this for the newes from the Preacher Vanitie of vanities All is Vanitie as if he should say Vanitie and greater Vanitie and more than Vanitie So the further he did go the more vanitie he did sée and the néerer he looked the greater it séemed till at last he could sée nothing but vanitie Whē he was come to this that he did sée all things vain vpon which men set their hearts he was moued with compassion could be silent no longer but néeds he must write to them which séek felicitie as he did in transitory things to warne them y◠they séeke it not any longer in these foolish things which haue no stability nor contentatiō but fly from them to the feare of God which hath the promises of this life and of the life to come Therfore he begins with All is vanitie as if he should say Loue not the world nor y◠things of the world for I haue tried that there is no certainty in them Thus he withdraweth them First from the wrong way and then sets them in the right way to happinesse which he defineth at last to feare God and kéepe his commandements When he had gone through a thousand Vanities then that comes in at the end euen like our repentance which staies till death So his drift is to shewe that mans happinesse is not in these things which we count off but in those things which we defer his reason is that they are all vanitie his proofe is because there is no stabilitie in them nor contentation of mind his conclusion is therfore contemne the world and looke vp to heauen from whence ye came and whither ye shall go This is the scope which Salomon aimes at as though we did all seek happinesse but we go a wrong way vnto it therfore he sounds a retire shewing that if we hold on our course and go forwards as we haue begun we shall not find happinesse but great misery because we go by vanitie Therefore to fright vs out of that way he breakes forth into an exclamation Vanitie of vanities All is vanitie Now Salomon full of wisedome and schooled with experience is licensed to giue his sentence of the whole world For the spiritual man iudgeth all things his iudgment is so certain that it runs before the euidence and cōdemnes all for vanitie before he conuince them to be vain whereas we proue first and condemne after because our words are no authorities he concludes first proue after neither any iudge did condemne so many togither Salomon resolued all the questions of the Quéen Sheba yet Salomō neuer answered so many questiōs at once as now for what can you enquire but heare you haue an answere Aske him as the souldiers and harlots and Publicans asked Iohn What is sin Vanitie saith Salomō What is pleasure Vanitie too What is bewty Vanitie too What is riches Vanitie too What is honor Vanity too What is long life Vanity too This is y◠state of all things after the fall all turned to Vanitie This is no reproch to the things but a shame to him which so abused them y◠all things should be called Vanity for him What a testimony is this of him which should be the onely seruant of God on earth whom he created in righteousnesse and holinesse whom he framed to his owne Image whom he placed in Paradice and would haue raised to heauen to heare that he hath so polluted his life with sinnes that now there is nothing but Vanitie This is a lamentable song which will make him wéep that tunes it if he think what he saith how his state was chaunged since Adam his father died Once God said That all was good and now he saith That all is naught and vaine as though he forbad man that which he created for man That is not Salomons meaning to debarre men from the vse of creatures although all things changed with man and became worse then they were yet he doth here rather shewe that man reapes nothing but Vanitie out of these things by reason of his corruption then that the things themselues are vain if they were well vsed For euen since the creation Paule saith 1. Tim. 4. That euery creature of God is good and nothing is to be reiected if it be receiued or vsed with thanks giuing for it is sanctified by the word of God prayer That is it which maketh them profitable to vs which because it is wanting for the moste part therefore Salomon saith that all are vaine to vs not vaine of themselues but because they are not sanctified as they should be Therfore in the 2. 24. the 3. 12. and 22. the 5. 17. the 8. and 15. hée shewes a way how we may make a profit of all and reioyce in our labours and finde a lawfull pleasure in earthly things so often hée calles vs to the vse least we should erre as the Monkes Erenits haue done before mistaking these words whē he saith That all is Vanitie they haue forsaken all company and gouernment and Office and trade and got themselues into the wildernesse amongst beasts to liue in quiet silence saying that men could not liue in the world and please God bicause all is vanitie So while they counted all things vain they became vain themselues left those blessings which Salomō enioyed after his