A GODLIE AND LEARNED Commentarie vpon the excellent book of Solomon commonly called Ecclesiastes or the Preacher In the vvhich Commentarie are briefely and plainly layde downe the methode sense and vse of that most profitable sermon on the which yet there hath neuer bin set forth any exposition in the English tong before this time in such large and profitable manner VVritten in Latin by IOHN SERRANVS and newly turned into English by Iohn Stockwood School-master of Tunbridge LONDON Printed by John VVindet for Iohn Harrison the younger 1585. To the right woorshipful M. Thomas Vane of Buston Esquire and one of her Maiesties Iustices of the peace within the Countie of Kent And also vnto the right worshipfull M. Henry Vane of Hadlow Esquire Iohn Stockwood Schoolemaster of Tunbridge wisheth all happinesse in this life and in the life to come the sound fruition of those ioyes which are eternall and neuer shall haue ending HAuing finished the translation of this most singuler and profitable worke the commendation whereof I thinke altogither impertinent and needelesse for me in this place to handle especially seeing the preface of the Author and the iudgement of that most learned and profounde Deuine M. doctor Fulke prefixed and set before it doe throughly and sufficiently performe the same Entring into some consideration with my selfe vnto whome I might worthily dedicate and offer vp this my simple labour such as it is simple I call it not in regarde of the matter and substance of the worke the which in this respect may verie well beseeme the fauourable gentle acceptation of the best but in regarde of mine owne simplicitie and plainnesse in translation I called to my remembrance right worshipfull the great and vndeserued curtesie verie lately receiued at both your handes the which being such as is not only priuately knowen vnto my selfe but also publikely recorded in the memorie of manie other welwillers and wishers vnto you both albeit that concerning your owne verie worshipfull and frindly natures I doubted not but that you woulde right curteously accept of priuat thanks where there wanteth abilitie of making deserued recompence yet could I not persuade my selfe to goe cleare from suspition of vnthankfulnes among others if I should not leaue some publike testimonie of my thankfulnesse for that benefite which is publikely knowen to haue bin receiued And albeit this way I stande chiefely beholding vnto the right worshipfull your louing and welbeloued sonne in lawe yet considering your worshipful approbation and good liking of his most frindly curtesie extended towardes mee in the same and also your owne friendly trauaile and labour to that effect as I worthely acknowledge my selfe much bounde vnto you both so I trust it shall not bee misliked in common thankfulnesse to haue ioyned two such gentlemen togither as besides the neere band of consanguinitie and affinitie do for many other respectes the one so well like loue the other Accept therefore I most humbly beseech you this small token of mine vnfained and dutifull good will proceeding from such a one who though in worldly respectes he be not comparable vnto many which account them selues many wayes bound and beholding vnto you yet in all gratefull remembrance of such surpassing kindnesse founde at your worships handes would be loth to be exceede of any of whome at any time you haue best deserued The Lorde blesse and preserue both your good w. and all yours and graunt you with them and others vnto whose handes this my simple labour shall hereafter come to reape such frute thereby as I by taking vpon me to finish and publish the same haue vnfainedly wished and heartily hope for to wit that God may bee glorified you edified his Church and people instructed and profited in further knowledge and increase of his trueth and in expressing the frutes of the same in a godly and holie conuersation through Christ our Lord. Amen From the Schoole of Tunbridge the 24. daye of Iune 1585. Your w. verie singularly bound and beholding Iohn Stockewood Schoolemaster of Tunbridge Vnto the godly Christian Reader IN what account this worke is to be had the learned in Diuinitie neede not to be admonished The text of holy Scripture being such as of it selfe deserueth all reuerence the Commentarie so framed as a taste of it being taken it will easily procure a good appetite to embrace the whole throughly But that such as be desirous of heauenly wisedome and yet haue not attained to such ripenesse of iudgement as they can of themselues discerne of bookes that in these dayes are set forth in great numbers which are most for their profit may bee put in minde of the excellencie of this treatise to the furtherance of their godly studie I thought good beeing thereto required in fewe wordes to encourage them to vndertake the reading thereof to the ende they maye reape such profite thereby as may delight them for the present and the frute thereof remaine with them for euer The wisedome of God in all the holy scripture inspired of God sheweth it selfe according to the matter whereof it entreateth to be most excellent The argument of this sermon being of wisedome vttered by that instrument of the holie Ghost whome God chose aboue all men except him in whome all the treasures of wisedome are layd vp our Sauiour Christ I meane in whome hee would place the excellencie of vnderstanding about the attaining whereof all the wise men of the worlde dulled their wittes in vaine there must needes be opened vnto vs thereby a certain and vndoubted way vnto the holy closet of true knowledge and heauenly wisedome Solomon himselfe the Preacher a right figure of our Sauiour Christ both in his peaceable and glorious kingdome and in his excellent and supereminent wisedome was a man so prepared of God to be a moste notable storehouse of Sapience as no meane of comming thereby in him was wanting For first by naturall towardnesse good education studie and other ordinarie meanes he attained to such extraordinarie knowledge as euen in his tender yeares which age is most subiect to folly hee obtained the name and credite of a wise man before he was a growen man which not one among tenne thousand euen in his gray heares deserueth to carie Secōdly by special grace diuine reuelatiō he was aduaūced to the highest degree of wisedom vnderstāding so that no man either before him or after him might aspire to the like And last of al before the endighting of this diuine preaching he had the principal of al his former knowledge matter of this sermon confirmed by experience which among men is counted to haue so great moment to the obteining of wisedom as no man lightly is counted wise which vnto knowledge learning hath not ioyned practise experience And although the same Solomon by the secrete yet most wise iudgement of God was suffered for al his wisdom to fal into such folly frō which many thousāds of gods childrē
especial vse of godlinesse that weying both the vanitie of this life and also the vncertaine houre of death the whiche notwithstanding will certaynely come we shoulde so prepare and frame our selues that we may appeare before God our Iudge without blame and withoute spotte The feare therefore of death drawing on is no slow warner vnto a mind following at large the lustes of the fleshe to awake out of this sleepe of his and vnto this point Solomon referreth this whole sermon of the which he maketh a very excellent end The Conclusion and summe of this whole sermon 8 Vanitie of vanities said the preacher all is vanitie 9 And the more wise that the Preacher was the more he taught the people knowledge and caused them to heare and searched forth and prepared manye parables 10. The Preacher sought to find out thinges that might please and the right scripture euen the wordes of truth 11. The wordes of the wise are like prickes and as nailes driuē in of the maisters of gatherings the which are giuen by one pastor 12. And more then these my sonne take heede thou seeke not there is no end of making many bookes and much doctrine is an affliction or trouble vnto the flesh 13 The end of al the word hath ben heard feare God and keep his commaūdements for this is the whole mā 14 For God will bring euery worke vnto iudgemēt which shal be vpon euery secret thing whether it bee good or euil The Exposition and Doctrine 8 Vanitie of Vanities c. A breefe sum of al things handled at large in this discourse before The treatise of the vse of Godlinesse being ended now he maketh an ende of this whole disputation or discourse orderly and breefelye comprehending the summe effect of those thinges the which he hath at large declared before Wee haue shewed that the same was conteined in 3 parts especially The first by maner and way of confutation did teach That happinesse is not in the whole life of man The second That happines is in the feare of God that is in the true knowledge of the true God the thirde did at large and excellently set out the vse of godlinesse These three parts of this disputation he doeth plainely note in this breefe rehersal repetition Vanity of vanities It is as much as if he shold say By the former discourse disputatiō therfore it is proued that felicitie or happines is no where in the whole life of man And hee sayeth that he taught not this rashly or vnaduisedly 9. And the more wise Not as if hee woulde win authoritie vnto his doctrine by the authoritie of his own person when as rather the autority dignity of his persō depēdeth vpō the doctrin but by the things considered with wise and graue study learned experiēce He sayth then that he taught not these things as one vnprepared and vnfurnished but that he dealt in the searching out of so great weightie matters wisely and diligently and hee doeth flatly witnesse that hee bringeth not any thing of himselfe Solomon bringeth nothing of himself but out of the word of God but out of the worde of God whose interpreter onely hee was and that hee applyed the generall doctrine in it contained For this is the meaning of these wordes 10 The preacher thought to finde out wordes that might please that is to saye the which shoulde bee receiued with the consent of all men and whose authoritie shoulde bee autenticall and to bee beleeued of it selfe This hee calleth The right scripture and The wordes of trueth the which namely were committed to writing by Moses at the certaine commaundement of God and by the instinct and mouing of the holie Ghost Of these wordes God is the author Moses the minister the Prophets the interpreters Hee calleth therefore that the right scripture the which the Apostle called The scripture inspired by God He teacheth that this pure and right scripture is the foundation of al pure and sound doctrine The general doctrine of the word must particularlye be applied according as time place persons doth require 11 The wordes of the wise For in the worde of God are principles and generall doctrine contained the which the sounde doctors and teachers of the Church doe applye vnto the circumstances of persons places and times and doe conuey and fetch as it were riuers from thense Therefore hee sayeth That the wordes of the wise are as it were prickes or goades and nayles driuen in to sharpen and prickeforwarde the mindes of men which at the generall doctrine are dull and without feelinge and therefore the doctrine must bee applyed particularlye Therefore hee calleth the doctors and teachers of the Church the wise and lordes or masters of gatherings because they write bookes out of the pure worde of God for the vse and profit of the Church not that they are the authors of the doctrine but ministers onely Therfore hee addeth The which are giuen by one pastor As if hee shoulde saye Albeit there bee in the Church many teachers yet they haue receiued their doctrine from one on whome all of vs also ought to depende and staye And by these wordes one pastor they vnderstand Moses One pastor who was the minister of the lawe But wee must ascende vp from Moses and the Prophets vnto Christ the true teacher of his Church from whome alone both Moses and the Prophets by the holie Ghost haue drawen their doctrine who as hee is author of the holy scriptures so is hee also the interpreter as Peter sayth that no scripture of the Prophets is of any priuate interpretation Hee therefore will haue all the faithfull to depende vpon one Pastor and as to beware of strange doctrin so also many doctrins for there is one waye trueth and life Therfore hee sayeth 12 And more then these Bee not carried about with the winde or tempest of diuerse doctrines but rest thy selfe vpon certain doctrine Rashnesse and vnconstancie is no doubt to bee condemned in all sciences but especiallye in the knowledge of our saluation The onelye worde of God is the staye and foundation of our knowledge The same is the onely beginning of true wisedome to be wise without it is to bee starke foolish He therefore teacheth that wee ought diligently to beware and take heede of many and strange teachers Many and strange teachers ought heedefully to be auoyded and findeth fault with the euill custome or itch that is to saye vaine glorious desire of writing many bookes For manye vnhappie wittes practise to imitate or followe good writers and vnto the great hurt of the Church doe make huge heapes or cartloades of foolish bookes This disease therefore of vaine glorious writing hath beene in vre for manye yeares agoe being not only great trouble vnto the writers but also great hurt vnto the readers or hearers 13 The ende of the worde The other parte of this discourse True happinesse consisteth
themselues of the vse of thinges present and vexe themselues in vaine with care and carking for thinges to come and cannot soundly enioye the benefits of God But if perfect contentednesse of minde be a true note of happinesse doubtlesse this pensiue and toylesome care and carking is a token of chiefest vnhappinesse This sermon afoordeth fit remedies against this miserable and restlesse vanitie also and that so conueniently and plentifully that there can be nothing so pensiue and toylsome in this life which may not be asswaged with these remedies 4 The fourth profit that in the common societie we do our duties It should be an ouerthart satietie and contentednesse of minde carelesly to despise the duties of life such as the law commaundeth Therefore Solomon teacheth that we ought to be in such sort prepared that wee be so farre foorth content with the present state of things that we withdrawe not from God that obedience the which wee owe vnto him The which he teacheth to be the true vse of that same godlinesse which he affirmeth to be the sure waye vnto happinesse Therefore that God is to be obeyed the duties of our calling diligently to be done all the encumbrances the which are linked with the same to bee borne and suffered with a quiet minde 5 The fift profit that we follow our vocation and calling He setteth downe a way and meane how to beare these encumbrances with a constant minde that is to say that we heedefully followe the rules of God his commaundements refraine from man his curiositie the which through confidence in it selfe stirreth vp vnto things beyond the compas of our vocation that we should not walke proudly rashly in the ministerie of our vocation trusting vnto our own strength but that we aske help of God be obedient vnto him what euent or issue soeuer doe in the ende fall out and out of his promise perswade our selues that so farre as he shal see it expedient our course shal profit the church according vnto the proportion measure of our giftes 6 The sixt profit that wee strengthen our mindes by the worde of God with sound patieÌ„ce But least that we might suppose that in this booke is set before vs a certaine kind of Phylosophical mortification or patient enduring of labours Solomon doth diligently teach that the liuely doctrine of the church concerning the forgiuenes of sins life euerlasting with the persuasion wherof is ioyned the gift of regeneratioÌ„ or newbirth is the fouÌ„dation of these comforts the which good mindes doe vnderstand to be true healthfull For for this cause he will haue vs to enter into the house of god and to come to heare the voyce of that only pastor of whom he doth plainly confesse that he hath receiued all that he hath To wit that the sonne of God apeareth not only the iudge of our fightings but also to fight with vs that by his power wee may ouercome yea and also that his power getting the victori might triumph in our infirmitie or weaknes A difference betweene heathenish and Christian patience This Christian patience therfore of the which the preacher entreateth so plainly in this booke doth far wide differ from heathenish or Philosophical patience the which consisteth only in this to thinke that there is nothing befalling to a man but that it may befall vnto it to count all things vnder it self that may happen vnto a man despicing them to contemne all humane chaunces and to be wholy fitted framed by reason by whose rule it suffereth it self to be gouerned suffereth those paines for duties sakes the which reason hath ordeined to be suffered But in as much as that same reason it selfe is blind we must also holde that the guidance of the same is preposterous ouerthwart and that therfore there is no true patience no right framing of duties before the which the acknowledging of the true God doeth not shine the which is the rule of true obedience to wit that wee beare with a quiet mind the labors miseries the which god willeth vs to beare that we obey his commandemeÌ„ts albeit that it be with the assured hasard of our liues moreouer that we beg wait for help from him that through the hope of this help from God we constantly perseuer continue in the rase of our calling begun that with assured conteÌ„tednes quiet of mind we asswage the sorrowe the which by reason of the incumbraÌ„ces of this life cannot choose but greatly dismay our minds that we hope for happy successe such so great as the lord shal please to giue These other most excellent profits may be gathered by the reading of this sermon as for the places in which these profits are contained I did not think good for this cause seuerally to set down because that euery foote they come in the way of the reader But hereout let vs learne so to frame our selues that abandoning the vanitie of worldly desires we wholly giue our selues vnto the seruice of God that we go in that path of happines the pledges wherof we haue in this life through assured sound quietnes of mind the pleasant vse of the gifts of God vntill that at the appointed time we attaine vnto the possession of perfect happines the which God hath laid vp for vs in heauen This setting down of the manifold profit of this book will prepare the minde of the reader vnto the more full reading of this sermon Let it be enough for vs to haue noted the chief points Now in the laying open of the wordes themselues there lyeth no smal hardnes Great hardnes in the words of this booke For in the very phrase of speaking the which in deede is poetical therfore more loftie with the garnishments of figures Solomon seemeth beyoÌ„d the coÌ„mon course of speaking to haue vsed a certain more exquiâ—te brauenesse of a more fine excellent pensill Such a kind of loftinesse and maiestie of speache as wee also see especially in Esaias albeit neither Moses nor Iob nor Dauid are without their grace and exquisitenesse in writing So the holye Ghost whose iudgement concerning thinges is best hath also vsed the best and most elegant words so that they are to be taken for starke fooles who accusing the simplicitie of the scripture of childishnesse and not knowinge how to speake doe therefore refuse it because they are not able to conceiue the finenesse and trimnesse of the same For when as they are blinde in the thinges themselues why should they not be blinde also in the wordes And let vs set against their vnskilfulnesse the forceable and pithie eloquence of the holie Ghost most farre in speaking exceeding all the giftes without question of all heathen writers An this verily is true if not onely the wordes but rather the power and force of the scripture bee weighed so that those things which in
some Prophets may seeme base and as it were creeping on the ground do yet notwithstanding with their weight and their heauenly maiestie throwe downe and as it were trample vnder their feete all the flourishing and furniture of man his wisedome Vale. A Commentarie of Iohn Serranus vpon the Preacher of Solomon The first Chapter 1 The wordes of the Preacher the sonne of Dauid King in Hierusalem The Exposition THere is no doubt but that by this name of the Preacher Solomon noted vnder the name of the Preacher Solomō is noted after a certaine kinde of excellencie for as much as the names of Dauid his father and the kingdome of Israel the chiefe citie whereof was Hierusalem are plainely expressed But at what time he wrote these things it is not in deede certaine The time vncertaine whē this booke was written yet the coniecture is likely to be true that he wrote these things in his last age for he writeth in such sort as if he had learned this doctrine by verie great experience of things and long vse and there is a peculiar circumstance hereafter cap. 12. And this Preface he setteth downe before this most excellent discourse of the chiefe and soueraigne good to get vnto him selfe authoritie and attention or heedefull hearing by the gloriousnes and dignitie of his person for it is not one of the common sort that speaketh or secretly whispereth some thing but he doth euidently preach who being garnished by God with great and glorious giftes and renowmed in the Church of God with princely dignitie hath lawfull authoritie to teach for it is not to be thought that it came to passe at all aduenture that Solomō was indued with that same extraordinarie wisedome Yet doe I not thinke that Solomon preached these things out of the Pulpit for I alow the coniecture of Luther that the Hebrew word which is translated the Preacher is rather to be referred vnto the matter it selfe then vnto the person of Solomon the which doctrine he did not onely teache diligently vnto the men of his time to serue vnto all occasions but also would haue it to be common that it might be vnderstoode of all men and being committed vnto writing that should last for euer might be deliuered ouer vnto posteritie Diuerse callings are not to be hudled vp together and be profitable vnto the Church For Solomon did not huddle vp together diuers functions and callings that is to say the office of a King and of a Preacher For whereas the holy historie doth beare record that he preached in the dedication of the temple that was a thing extraordinarie beyond the generall duetie of kings in maintaining and spreading abroad of true doctrine and yet was not such that the boundes of callings should bee broken the which how pernitious and hurtfull it is the holy historie doth teach by the lamentable example of Ozias no bad king otherwise The Hebrew word Koheleth the Greekes translate a Preacher in the masculine gender that is to say such a one as doth teach in an assemblie or in the congregation and Church whereas notwithstanding the Hebrew word is the feminine gender the which the interpreters doe in such sense expoūd that they say this word Nephesch soule is to be vnderstood in the same that the gender may agree as if it were a Preaching soule And it seemeth to be a verie fit kinde of speaking whereby the great earnestnes of the preacher is more expressely signified as if namely not his mouth but his minde did speake that is to say his minde after a sort were to be seene in his wordes By the name of Wordes What is to be vnderstoode by this name Wordes according vnto the vsuall maner of the scripture he vnderstandeth certaine graue weightie profitable sayings not common or worne but such as are worthie the minding and verie meete to be well kept in memorie as in the Psalmes and in other places and the wordes of Ieremie or the word of the Lorde which was giuen by Ozeas and such like the which are wont to be set downe in the beginnings of the Prophets And by this kinde of speaking this also seemeth to be signified that the matter is not set forth barely and simply or by writing and in common speach but such as is to be vttered by the publike ministerie of the Church and that the same in deede is a profitable doctrine the which soundeth in the Church and that it is the office of the ministers that they speake The doctrine The dignitie of the ministerie 1 The authoritie of the word doth not in déede hang vpon the person of the minister yet prouision must be made that the dishonestie of the minister hurt not the dignitie and gloriousnesse of his ministerie Nowe let the Ministerie of the Church be reckoned vile and base with wretched men when as so notable a king had it in so great a price that he would peculiarly be termed by that title The office of princes and magistrates 2 The especiall duetie also of Princes and of all chiefe Magistrates is signified namely that they be maintainers of true religion and that therefore they diligently labour about this one thing that the people may be rightlie instructed in sound doctrine which is the true and sounde foundation and strengthening of all common weales And truely by better right might we call that common wealth happie in which the King or Prince either were a diuine or a diuine king then a Philosopher such Philosophers as were the wicked Emperours and vnhappily learned Marcus the Philosopher and Iulianus the Apostata or backslider in whom the knowledge of Philosophie and learning was an hurtful instrument to the plague and destruction of their subiects On the contrarie side the examples of Dauid Solomon Ezechias and other godly kings haue taught that the earnest studie and care to plant religion is the most sure foundation of the common wealth wherewith it being established may happily and prosperously be increased 3 Furthermore the word Koheleth What the word Koheleth doth teach vs. the which is taken from a verbe which signifieth to call together an assemblie sheweth two things One that this is the true way to be wise which is not occupied onelie in bare speculation but that which is altogether referred vnto practize and the common profit of the Church 4 The second that the same is a true consent and agréement of kings and people that with ioyned mindes they embrace true doctrine and that Princes ought to be guides and preseruers of that agréemēt For both the title of a Preacher is giuen vnto king Solomon and also this word Preaching doth plainly import a multitude great or small to be preached vnto Let princes therefore and people know what is the true and sure way to increase the publique peace Princes that the one imploy their trauell that the voice of pure doctrine may sounde in the Church and
is the better part of man there cannot be alleaged a fitter reason to prooue the vanitie of man By these wordes Kol debarim I vnderstand all things according vnto the proprietie of the Hebrewes which put Daber a Word for the thing it selfe as the Greeke wordes Lâ—gos and Rhema are often taken Luke 3.15 but especially belonging vnto men of the which his purpose is chiefely to speake and yet do I not shut out naturall things so farre as they may be knowen He calleth theÌ„ laborsom passiuely as in knowing vnderstanding the which much paintaking and labour is to be vsed as if he should say all things are intangled and wrapped in great hardnesse lie in great darknesse And it is manifest by the whole discourse that he speaketh of such things as befal vnto the societie and fellowship of mankind The wit of man is not able to vnderstand the natures of things Such therefore sayeth he is the nature of things contrariwise he teacheth that the strength and power of the wit of man is weake in comprehending and vnderstanding of them The tongue is not able to expresse them nor the other senses to apprehend them The word Isch I take in his proper signification Isch for a certaine singular and excellent man according vnto the common signification of that word that he may flatly note all the powers of the wit of man howe great and excellent soeuer they may be Neither is a man able to vtter them that is to say the tongue is not sufficiently able to expresse them And by that which followeth or which may be concluded hereupon ought to be vnderstood that the wit it selfe is not able ynough to conceiue them for the things which we conceiue in mind we vtter by speach and reason goeth before speach and speach is the waiter and seruant of reason He adioyneth the other senses or rather the instrument of the senses by which commeth the true powers to iudge of things to wit the eye in seeing the eare in hearing which are the chiefe instruments to attaine vnto knowledge by yet he affirmeth all them to be ineffectuall and of no force vnto the certaine conceiuing of things he graunteth that we haue a desire in deede both to heare and also to see but the same vnprofitable as namely in the which the mind caÌ„ not soundly rest and be satisfied 9 What is there the which He giueth a reason why he termed the things laboursome and sheweth that he speaketh expressely of things belonging vnto men for he sayth Vnder the Sunne that is to say in this life Great vncertaintie in the things of men as we haue expounded before Namely that the things and affaires belonging vnto men are such that they can hard and scarsely be comprehended and conceiued because they are carried about with vnstedfast and vncertaine chaunging and for that the same runne backe againe as it were in a certaine circle and with a wandering violence are driuen about too and fro whereby their vncertaintie and inconstancie may be perceiued Therefore that there is nothing new but that the selfe same thing in diuerse ages doth after a diuerse sort arise and come vp againe so that nothing can be defined or found out He vseth an asking of a question for the vehemencie and making plaine of the matter and repeateth the same speache in two verses all to one ende 10 11. There is some thing For this is no new argument but a garnishing of the olde And this kinde of speache vsed after the maner of imitation or counterfaiting of another man his speach giueth a light and beautifying vnto the sentence like as also these wordes There is no remembrance c. are vsed to amplifie and increase the matter in this sense Like as the remembrance of things done before so farre as appertaineth vnto vs is perished so also the remembrance of the things that are nowe in regard of our posteritie shall after the like maner perish for the things which are now done of vs and are present vnto vs shall be past vnto our posteritie Therefore whither soeuer the sharpnesse of the wit of man can pearse The memorie of all times must perish what momentes of time soeuer it can conceiue in minde it altogether commeth to passe that the remembrance both of time present time past and also time to come must needes perish This is that imaginarie or supposed eternitie of meÌ„ most like vnto a swift dreame so that no man is able to determine any certaine thing of it Thus by the manifold and vnstedfast chaunge of things he describeth and setteth foorth the darknesse and hardnes of them Against the foolish opinioÌ„ of the Academik Philosophers Yet is it not his meaning to bring in an vncertaine knowledge or doubting of things either such as Anaxagoras or such as the Academik Philosophers helde and maintained as if in things all things were so vncertaine and vndeterminable that we ought to doubt of all things for that the vncertaintie of things such as we finde by experience in our selues ariseth not of the things themselues but of our owne selues but this simplie is his meaning that by the often chauÌ„ge of things falling out vnto men it is altogether manifest that Happinesse can by no meanes be found in this life tossed about with so many tempests stormes of chaunges and alterations And of this saying there is a most strong and very euident demonstration and proofe Let vs view and behold the processe of time past so far as we are able to call vnto minde In how great varietie vncertaintie shall we finde the whole course of old histories to be No certaintie in the most auncient histories We shall haue no certaine and assured knowledge but a rugged and rustie gessing at those matters And out of infinite store of examples to take one or two that whole age the which went before the flood and those first Monarchies of Assyria Babylon and Persia if you except those things which are written in the Bookes of the scriptures What are they else I pray you then hornes and fenowednesse of forworne antiquitie The common wealth of Rome The Romane common wealth albeit that it were lighthened with a greater light of histories yet it lyeth in great darknesse and vncertaintie so that as hard and scarcely any small fragment is remaining of the same so scarcely coulde the memorie of things done whilest it liued and florished be preserued But that I let not passe more neare and home examples which of vs is ignorant in how great darknesse the historie of the kingdome of Fraunce is wrapped The kingdom of Fraunce I speake not onelie of the beginnings of the first kings Pharamundus Merouaeus Clodouaeus and others of greater name in the histories of the which there is none well in his wits which seeth not many ridiculous and fond tales to be told but euen of the more famous and renowmed Carolus
the worde of God for from thence shall we haue true and sound rest Let vs not disquiet our mindes with diuerse goings about the bush for knowledge One thing is inough if wée choose that same better parte wée shall certainly finde it to be the guide of our whole life The knowledge of saluation is the chiefe knowledge Nowe the same is to be craued at the hande of God neither are we to reioyce in that we knowe sundry sciences but that we vnderstand the knowledge of saluation the which contayneth promises of both liues And the same shall then at last ingender in our mindes true and sound quietnesse if we shall knowe our names to be written in the booke of life Which foundation being layd wée shall no doubt carrie away most plentifull profite out of humane sciences as it were out of the spoyles of the Aegyptians A confutation of pleasure That is to saye That in pleasure there is great vanitie The second Chapter 1 I sayd in mine heart come now I wil proue thee in ioy and beholde thou pleasure and see this also is vanitie 2 Of laughter I sayd thou art mad and of ioy Whereunto serueth this The exposition That happinesse is neither in pleasure nor in the prudence of man SOLOMON thus far hath taught that happinesse is not in the wisedome of man now he teacheth that it is not in pleasure nor in the prudence of man the which discourse he continueth from this place vnto the third Chapter ver vij And he very fitly passeth from one contrarie vnto another For the studie of sciences and artes is cleane contrarie vnto a voluptuous and intemperate life for the one weareth away it selfe with great labors and toyles both of minde and bodie the other altogether giueth it selfe vnto ease and ioy Solomon therefore hauing had experience of the crabbed encumbrances of the Philosophicall life sayth that after a long and earnest deliberation in the ende he set downe with him selfe that the life which is spent in pleasure is better then other kindes of life And he setteth down a notable description of a minde reasoning with it selfe of vaine principles gathering vaine conclusions To what end Solomon gaue himselfe vnto pleasure For to this ende Solomon teacheth that he applyed his minde vnto pleasure not to commend a voluptuous life but to finde fault with the vanitie thereof and to condemne the blinde vainesse of the nature of man in allowing and embracing of the same For of this Preface 1 I sayd in mine heart c. this is the meaning The he after that he was not satisfied in that his former purpose to get wisedom tooke another course and being wearyed with the painfull studie of the thornie life about the knowledge of Philosophie of purpose speedely gaue him selfe vnto the contrarie part For in these words he sheweth that with setled purpose he embraced a newe kinde of life Nazianzen as Nazianzen doth verie well expound it And thinking to haue this in deede I determined to tourne my selfe vnto an other course of life and to giue ouer my selfe vnto delyte and to make tryall of sundry kindes of pleasures For To say in heart is so to consider of any matter as that you conclude determine some certaine thing For thinking or considering is the speach of the minde reasoning without wordes as speach is the thinking by expresse wordes because that which wee conceaue in minde we vtter by speach as the interpreter thereof Now what were those newe thinkings vpon a newe life after that he had had tryall of the mysteries of man his wisedome hee teacheth in these wordes A liuely resembling of the minde reasoning with it selfe Come nowe that is to saye Go to let vs consider a little more diligently of this matter and let vs gather our minde together for he speaketh vnto him selfe the which imitation or resembling of the minde reasoning with it selfe is farre more plaine and effectuall then if the matter were nakedly and barely set downe For the wauings and tossings of the thoughtes of man rashly turning them selues hither and thither are by this meanes notably expressed Go to then saith Solomon forsaking the studie and labour of those things in the which I haue wearied my selfe in vaine I will proue my selfe in ioy or I will poure out my selfe into ioy or I will giue my selfe vnto ioy Some expounde it one waye and some another according vnto the sundrie significations of the Hebrewe verbe The meaning is I will giue my selfe wholly vnto pleasure I will leaue nothing vndone vnto the seeking out of all pleasures to fill my selfe with them I will ouerflowe in delites I will wholly drowne my selfe in them I will let lose the raynes vnto mine appetite In a worde he sheweth that of a setled purpose of minde he doeth more freely giue ouer himselfe vnto pleasure and diligently as he himselfe thinketh best seeke all occasions to enioy her The which he signifieth also by another kinde of speaking And beholde good for To see To beholde good or pleasure or beholde good or pleasure is to enioy pleasure the kinde of speache with the Hebrewes growing hereupon because Wee haue our eyes fastened vpon that thing the which wee do loue And what I praye you doeth the minde gather by that same taste of pleasure Beholde this also is vanitie that is to say that by his own experience he acknowledged that in pleasure there is most great vanitie and that felicitie happinesse is most farre from that kynde of life The doctrine 1 Such is altogether the nature of man Man carried headlong into contrarie studies that being carried away with the rage of desires it is driuen headlong by outwarde things into contrarie partes So wée may oftentimes sée that sterne seueritie is losed into a certaine dissolute kinde of licentiousnes that they which haue liued an harde life forsaking their censorlike seueritie doe licentiously giue ouer them selues vnto pleasure The daily life doeth afoorde vs examples of this inconstancie of man Ioas. Ioas King of Iuda first of all from a chylde being verie well brought vp through the care diligence of Ioiada the high Priest in the beginning of his kingdome profitably shewing his singular care for the restoring of the pure worship of God yet notwithstanding had a clean contrarie end of his life his both care and manners being shamefully altered and chaunged The Empire of Rome also hath felt the hurtfull change of manners in Caligula Themistocles Lucullus and others mo abandoning vtterly the care of the common wealth haue giuen themselues wholy vnto pleasure and ease that they might beholde Neptune raging a farre off from the lande that it might behold the turmoyles and hurliburlies of the worlde themselues being at quiet and without the danger of the same like vnto one that séeth the Seas to worke be tombled together with the vehemencie of the windes himselfe standing
or happinesse No perfect quiet in any familie 7 Wee should therefore be farre deceiued if wee shoulde thinke that wee should finde perfect tranquillitie quiet in matters concerning our familie albeit neuer so well ordered and sumptuous in the which doubtlesse there is much labour and but little or no profit but the more certaine and heaped vp rewarde thereof is vanitie and affliction or trouble of spirite that wee should make reckoning with our selues to seeke for an euerlasting dwelling and an inheritance elsewhere then in this world To conclude if wee seeke for gaine that wee should know that godlinesse ioyned with satietie and contentednes of minde is great gaine The Exposition 12 And I looked backe This place is diuersly expounded For some doe so expound it This place diuerse waye◠expounded as if Solomon would signifie that hee hauing had experience of the troubles that are in keeping of an house did seeke after a more restfull quiet course of life bidding farewell vnto the care of the other and set his minde againe vnto wisedome of the which he spake in the first chapiter But that this is not the true meaning of this place I hope that the learned will agree with me if the circumstances bee dulye considered For Solomon no doubt goeth forward with his discourse in hande concerning Prudence or wisedome of man neither could he repeate againe that which he had sayd before of man his knowledge without foolishly babling or vayne repetition of the same thing for the which who doubteth that this writing is for He hath noted out that part of Prudence the which is occupied in the direction of housholde matters the which in deede of it selfe is of great weight vnto the vse of life Solomon nowe handleth the cheefest parte of prudence And now he doth at large and excellently set downe that whiche is the chiefest and most notable parte of Prudence namely that which iudgeth of the whole life the which teacheth what is good what is euill what agreeable what disagreeable iudgeth of such thinges as fall out in the life of man weying the grounds and causes of men their actions and therefore prescribeth counsaile to order the issues of things that a happy end maye follow sheweth the danger that it may be auoyded The Bookes of Politikes or of such as haue written of common wealth matters are full of this excellent knowledge and the counsailes of prudent men are directed by the guidance and helpe hereof It is likely that so families Cities were founded and ordeined that so great Empires sprang vp and were increased and that so the same were maintained preserued But what is the successe of this ciuile prudence or wisdome Solomon being taught also by his own trial and experience will tell vs hereafter now he teacheth what it is vpon how sure ground he speaketh of the same Loking back By the word Loking back he meaneth a certain and sure purpose for the Hebrew worde doeth not simply signifie to see but to turn about one his self to behold and mark a thing more heedfully but yet so that with all the inconstancye of a doubtful and wauering mind whiche gazeth about hither and thither is thereby represented For these things are to bee ioined with that which went before with the words that follow after in the which he describeth and setteth out the alterations and chaunginges of diuerse courses trades of life The inconstācie of the mind of man the which do declare that the mind cannot stay long in any one sure and setled thing He sayth therfore that he loked back to see that is to say to marke try vnstande Wisedome and Madnesse and Follye that is to say whatsoeuer went vnder the name or but vnder the shew of ciuile Wisedome as wee haue expounded it before for he repeateth againe the same wordes Ciuile Prudence or Wisedome is questionlesse a moste principall and profitable part of Philosophie and therefore the naming agayne of the same wordes doth very well agree vnto it The summe and effect is that he speaketh not of a thing that is vncertaine but whereof hee had good triall knowledge and experience as about the studie whereof he raunged not as they saye ouer the fieldes but tooke great payne and laboure and diligently gaue himselfe vnto the searching out of all the partes thereof Therefore he doth verye notablye alleage his owne Example For what is a man c. The wordes are somewhat hard but the sence and meaning is nothing doubtfull The very expres significations of the hebrew text word for word is thus What is man whiche shoulde come after the King vnto those thinges whiche they haue done alreadye Some as many of the Rabbines as Ierome by the worde King vnderstande God The hebrew words I haue left out of purpose because I suppose thē needlesse vnto the ignorant reader and that in sundrye sences eyther that we oughte to bee content with the workes of God nor seeke any further thinges then that which is made alreadie and that we ought not to find fault with his workes as wicked Carpers vse to doe or After the pronouncing of God his decree that God is not to bee prayed vnto to reuoke it or call it back agayn when as it can by no meanes bee called backe againe but whilste wee haue opportunitie of time that we ought so to prepare and frame our selues that God be not cōpelled to exercise his iudgement against vs or that no man can so clearely and purelye knowe the wisedome of his Creator and King as hee knoweth which is the Creator Which thinges I confesse in themselues are true but they are cleane beside the purpose Others also by the word King An other interpretation do vnderstād God but in this sence That it is in the pleasure and power of God alone that like as he hath created vs so hee also gouerneth the successe of our affaires and that therfore ther is no man that in this behalf can imitate and follow God the King and Lorde of all thinges that is to say do as he doth for that is done which he hath commaunded his counsaile and will doth direct the successes of things the which power can by no meanes befall vnto any man But this exposition albeit that it conteine a very profitable doctrine yet it doeth not agree with the wordes and meaning I therfore expound these things of Solomon in this sence What man I pray you is there that coulde haue experience in more thinges then I The expositiō of the author Who when as I am King and haue had autoritie ouer so great a people being endued with singuler gifts from God and haue also taken great paines to know these things haue gotten most exact and perfect vnderstanding of these thinges and by good right may be a witnesse of these thinges such a one as no exception can be taken against I thinke
be imployed that we followe the guidance and help thereof so farre as it shall appeare vnto vs as the most certaine light of our life and a verie great gift of God of whome chiefely dependeth the force and power of the same Against ambitious desire of fame 4 We are no doubt to labour that by doing well we may get a good and an happie name yet the ambitious and proude desire of fame is to be driuen out of our mindes and the same such a desire the which as if it did winne vs immortall memorie doth féede our mindes with a vaine imagination Let this be abundantly sufficient for vs that our names are written in the booke of life A great differēce between the death of the godly and vngodly 5 Albeit the common necessitie of death without any difference doth intangle and wrap in all mankinde yet is there a most great difference betweene the godly and the vngodly For vnto the vngodly death is fearfull but of the godly it ought to bee wished for vnto whome it is an entraunce vnto assured and euerlasting happinesse 6 Death may lawfully be wished for Death in som sort may be wished for vsing a certaine prouiso or exception as by the notable example of Paul appeareth But this waywardnesse is to be blamed because of the encumbrances and troubles of this life to take the matter so gréeuously that wee will be wearie of liuing For wee ought so to frame our selues that wee may take the discommodities of this life with a quiet and contented minde as well as the commodities so to reioyce as if wee did not reioyce and so to weepe as if wee did not weepe The exposition 18 I also hated c. The seconde circumstance of the vanitie of man his prudence Hee toucheth an other discommoditie of the prudence or wisedome of man the which is the seconde circumstance or note of that vanitie whereof it is pleaded gyltie The prudence of man is so busied in the contemplation of preceptes and rules that it is especially discerned and perceiued in the practise or doing of those thinges the which fal out in the common vse of life In this behalf the course and way to gaine which they call the skill to get wealth hath the first place For in this place Solomon doth altogither dispute according vnto the supposition of man his wisedome Goods gotten with great labour are manie times by the heire carelesly spent He sayeth therefore that this is a great vanitie that the most wise men do sweat and toyle and take much and long carke and care in getting of goods being yet vncertaine who shall be their heire a wise man or a foole whereof it often commeth to passe that the goods which were gotten with great and long labour are lewdly and wastfully spent of a prodigal heire which came to the inheritāce without any pain Which thing how true it is daily examples do sufficiently shewe not onely as one sayeth When as the forsworne faith of the father beguileth his partner and gest and maketh hast to leaue money to his vnworthie heire but also as they vsually saye in the French prouerb for that whether it be well or ill gotten all things are dashed away at the comming of a foole Therefore he sayeth That he hated all his labour c. al his endeuours which are taken in hand to get riches in what kinde of trade or course of life soeuer For this is the meaning of these wordes vnder the Sunne and there is in this behoofe a great fault committed of all men of al estates and degrees Because he shall leaue his labour that is to say his goods gotten by his labour by a figure called Metonymia vnto a mā which shall come after him for he shall not carrie them away with him vnto his graue to pacifie death with a rewarde as it is sayde Psalm 49. He dilateth increaseth this discommoditie 19 And who knoweth He vseth an interrogation or asking of a question vnto the greater force and vehemencie or force of the matter for the vehement affection of the thing encreaseth For this is to be read with an anger and displeasure as if he should saye I shall leaue all my goods vnto mine heire or successour who what manner of person he shal be The cares of rich men neither I nor any man else can tell or else my sonne will proue lewd in conditions and will dash away all my goods Or else all my children will dye and my goods shal fall vnto him which made continuall warre with mee my children when I was aliue which kinde of inconueniences are many times seene amonge kinffolke or else all my substance shall come vnto one that is in deede a forrainer and stranger and an heire shall enioy them that is vtterly vnknowen both vnto mee and mine And yet he be he what he will be shall haue rule ouer all my labour shall haue the gouernement and possession of all my goods shall enioy and vse thē and shall appoint of them at his pleasure the which notwithstanding I haue gotten with my great labour and wherewith I haue beene wise that is to say the which I haue earned with my wisedome and diligence For by this worde Wisedome as I haue noted before he vnderstandeth that paines and diligence which men vse to get riches whereby they wisely dispose their matters and do get goods honours and all other externall or outward things He concludeth that this is vanitie For how vaine a thing is it after that a man hath toyld night and day and hath gotten that thing which is necessarie to liue withall not onely to leaue the same behind him but also to leaue it vnto such an heir which will wastfully spend all his goods Solomon himselfe had experience of this vanitie whose sonne Roboam through foolish heddines lost a kingdome so wel founded Roboam and so manie and excellent things so worthily gotten The prooues therefore of this vanitie are not at all doubtfull the which the 39. Psalme doeth also set downe vnder the name of an image or shadowe A man passeth away in an image he turmoileth and heapeth togither riches and knoweth not for whome he gathereth them The doctrine We must not giue ouer the care of our families because of the inconueniences the which are incident thereunto 1. This doubtles is a great vanitie in worldly affires that goods are gotten with great labour for an vncertaine heire yet wee must not so farre let loose the raines vnto our impaciencie that therefore wee lay aside the care of all things and the disposing of our families For in as much as wee are men so long as wee are pilgrimes in this worlde wee must not thinke our selues free from anie aduenture that may befall vnto man Let vs knowe therefore that the house is built in vaine vnlesse the Lord do build it and that an heire is a gift
smallest and least points thereof that he doth gouerne families common wealths kingdomes all empires and euerie particular man but especially that he hath a singular care ouer his Church the which he preserueth amongst hurliburlies of the world the ruines and ouerthrowes of kingdomes and empires and therefore that she is not onely the kéeper of true antiquitie but also the witnesse and discrier of all those chaunges she her selfe being not at all subiect vnto alteration or chaunge Therefore as Habacuc saieth Let vs goe vp into the watch-tower that is to say let vs out of the worde of God and in the bosome of the Church behold the confusions of the perishing worlde and let vs wisely iudge of them This is the generall proofe of the confutation A short repetion of the principall prooues of the first confutation namelie that in the whole life of man there is great vanitie the which Solomon hath prooued by the vnstedfastnesse and shortnesse of life the vnprofitable successe of man his labours the weaknesse of the wit of man the forgetfull darknesse of the things themselues and the sundrie chaunges and alterations of the same A confutation of the wisdome of man that is to say that in the wisedome of man there is great vanitie 12 I the Preacher haue beene King ouer Israel in Hierusalem 13 And I haue giuen mine heart to searche and finde out with wisedome that which is done vnder heauen this sore trauaile hath God giuen vnto the sonnes of men to toyle themselues therein 14 I haue seene all the workes which are done vnder the sunne and beholde they are all vanitie and vexation of spirit 15 That which is crooked can not be made right and the want can not be numbred 16 I spake with mine heart saying Beholde I am become great haue added wisedome aboue al those which haue beene before me in Hierusalem and mine heart hath seene a multitude of wisedome and knowledge 17 And I haue giuen mine heart to knowe wisedome and knowledge and madnesse and foolishnesse I knew also that this was vexation of spirit 18 For in the multitude of wisedome is much anger and he which increaseth knowledge increaseth sorow The exposition 12 I Hitherto he hath generally shewed with soūd argumēts the vanity of the life of man as hath beene by vs declared nowe he beginneth to rehearse particular reasons to prooue by induction the generall proposition from whence he tooke the beginning of the discourse That al things are vanitie And he fetteth the first argument of the 1 An inductiō is a kind of argument by reckoning vp of many particulars in the end cōcluding a generall induction from himselfe and after a sort setteth forth himselfe abroade for an example of vanitie to shewe that flesh is so foolish that man his reason is so blinde that it can be amended by no examples For he speaketh in such sort of himselfe that when as he had made proofe or triall of sundrie kindes of life he confesseth himselfe to haue beene altogether disceiued for that he founde vanitie in those things in the which he searched for happinesse He witnesseth therefore that he himselfe commeth forth not as some odde Philosopher discoursing of matters at home in his studie or as a scholler rehearsing the Latins of his maister but as he that both had beene a long time conuersant in the Church and also had diligently giuen himself vnto the knowledge of this most excellent thing For the wordes of this preface are to be valewed by their weight for he calleth himselfe a Preacher to this end Why he calleth himselfe a preacher to shewe that he himselfe vnderstandeth the things which he teacheth Neither did God without cause indue him with singular wisedome as else where we haue alleaged out of the holy scripture Why he termeth himselfe a King The terme of Kingly dignitie is adioyned for the same cause and that not of euerie kingdome but of the kingdome of Israel the which God had dedicated as a peculiar iewell of prise vnto himselfe and that in Hierusalem to wit an holy place and full of Maiestie the which God had reserued as a sanctuarie vnto himselfe So the naming both of a kingdome and also of the chiefe citie maketh for the increasing and also the making plaine of the matter It is therefore as much as if he should say Doubtlesse beyng taught by experience I set forth my selfe a witnesse of the doctrine which I teach such a one as no exception is to be taken against as who being garnished both with singular giftes of God and also long and much conuersant in his Church hauing borne a most high office could not choose but to haue gathered verie great experience of things The expositiō of Nazianzē So Nazianzen I set not downe these things rashly without aduisement as being now first conuersant in the Church but hauing beene made King of the Hebrewes in Hierusalem I haue sufficiently considered all things What doth he gather hereof that he being furnished with those great opportunities and helpes for the doing of things had notwithstanding more toyle and griefe then good successe that he attained not vnto the things which he enterprized by the force and benefite of his owne wisedome and power and in a worde that he could not by these helpes finde happinesse in the things belonging vnto men To this end he alleageth his owne example by this reason An argument from the greater vnto the lesser If I haue had no good successe with my counsailes what may other men being fortified with lesser helpes hope for And hereby may be gathered that this booke was written by Solomon in the times of his verie last age as it euidently appeareth by these wordes The doctrine 1 They no doubt are true teachers Who are true teachers who doe soberlie and earnestlie ioyne practize vnto contemplation of things and knowledge of the same that is which are perswaded and assured of that which they teache by certaine experience In which kinde of doctrine the Apostles did chiefely excel who doe teach that the crosse is to be borne in bearing the crosse in their owne persons Away therefore with the vaine speculations of such wizardes as can onelie debate of matters at home in their studies who reason coldly and generally as it were out of the schoole of Philosophers concerning things appertaining vnto godlinesse But let those be vnto vs teachers of greater account which haue experience ioyned with doctrine 2 But out of the lamentable example of Solomon endued with so manie and so worthie gifts The fall of Solomon oughte to teach vs to walke circumspectly we haue cause why to walke with great carefulnesse For he did not so well and profitably apply vnto himselfe the true way of being wise the which his purpose is to teache in this booke as he was able to set it downe vnto others But if he had as earnestly detested the vanitie
of things falling out vnto men as he doth rightly teach the same he would not haue giuen so great an offēce vnto the Church of God through his so foule fall at the very last point almost of his lif The which notwithstanding doth not call into doubte the truth of this doctrine but by a notable argument teacheth how earnestly we ought to thinke vpon the lawfull vse of the giftes of God wherevnto no doubt we haue néede of a newe gift of God Which falles as they are more shamefull in those whom God hath beautified aboue others with excellent giftes so ought they in this behalfe to labor more carefully after the example of the Apostle kéepe vnder their bodies bring them into subiection least whilest they haue preached vnto others they themselues become reprobates or ofcastes but that they may in the ende say with the same Apostle I haue fought that good fight I haue ended my race I haue kept the faith c. Knowledge without the gift to vse it doth little auaile 3 Here out also we doe learne that knowledge doth little or nothing at all profit vnlesse there be reason and power to vse it therfore the same Apostle sayde vnto Timothie Consider what I say God giue thee vnderstanding in al things Doctrine therefore is so to be learned that we weigh the same apply the same vnto our selues referre it vnto all the partes of our life the which comparing and applying of doctrine is as necessarie for our soules as is the applying of remedies vnto our bodies The exposition Solomon himselfe deceiued in the searching for happinesse 13 14. And I gaue Hauing spoken first of himselfe he commeth vnto the matter and he sayth that he himselfe first of all was disceiued in that thing the which did seeme most of all to containe happinesse to wit Wisedome by the which one marke especially man doth farre excell other liuing creatures Notwithstanding he denieth happinesse to be in this wisedome yea if vanitie be any where in things belonging vnto man here especially he sayth that she is to be found He sayth therefore that wisedome is the head and ring leader of chiefest vanitie but how farre and after what maner we will shewe in his place And by the word VVisedome euery man seeth that he vnderstandeth the wisedome of man but of what things he here speaketh for the subiect or matter whereabout the wisedome of man is occupied is of many sortes Diuers iudgments concerning this place the opinion of the learned is diuerse For many doe thinke that Solomon doth not speake of any naturall consideration or of the workes of God for these are their expresse wordes that is to say of nature and naturall things about the consideration whereof the wit and labour of man doth oftentimes sweate and take paine but that he speaketh of the consideration of counsailes actions and issues of things in the gouernment of man concerning the common wealth or priuate families so that the meaning should be I determined with my selfe to set my things in verie good order to strengthen and establish my kingdome after a verie excellent maner but I perceiued and learned by experience that there fell out vnto me good successe in my affaires so farre as the power and prouidence of God were with mee when as God withdrewe his hand in the verie middest of mine enterprises albeit neuer so great that al things went with me most vnhappily that I did nothing else then miserably to turmoyle and vex my selfe And that this is the meaning of this place they say doth apeare by this kind of speaking vnder the Sunne by the which Solomon is wont to signifie the affaires of men and that the workes of God and Nature are not hemmed in within so narrow boundes And truely there is no doubt but that the consideration of things belonging vnto men also is comprehended vnder the name of this wisedome Reasons to proue that Solomon speaketh of the workes of nature but I suppose that he speaketh not hereof in this place but that his purpose is to speak of the whole consideration of nature and why I so thinke these are my reasons If he should intreat of man his prudence it should be a plaine babling from the which this most wise discourse is most farre for he will speake hereof at large in the next Chapter Moreouer the rules of a Demonstration will not suffer it which bid that the chiefe partes be diligently reconed vp in the Induction But such a chiefe parte should be ouerpassed in the which those men who thinke that they are wiser then others are wont to place felicitie or happinesse Lastly the wordes themselues vnto the which the meaning must be altogether answerable and agreable do at no hande beare it For they speake of such a kinde of knowledge the which is wholly occupyed in searching and contemplation the which can not agree with man his wisedome the which albeit shee haue her knowledge yet is shee chiefely called backe vnto action and practise Therefore I thinke that Solomon speaketh of that kinde of searching the which doeth not onely looke vnto a familie and citie and vnto the societie and fellowship of mankynde He speaketh of the knowledge of all Philosophie but also with deepe and exquisite order doth beholde and consider the causes and effectes of Nature it selfe and the multitude of those myracles which are extant in this Theater of the worlde tryeth out and bringeth vnto light the principles and groundes of things and that which is general and simple as the foundation of true knowledge and mounteth vp most farre aboue nature euen vnto GOD himselfe To be short I thinke that he speaketh of all Philosophie by examining whereof hee doeth first searche whether happinesse may bee in thinges appertayning vnto man For the best men The best men haue giuen themselues vnto the studie of Philosophie abandoning the desire of glory and of monie and counting all other thinges as nothing by giuing themselues vnto the contemplation and studie of the nature of thinges haue alwayes thought that they followed the best kinde of life and that this contemplation and knowledge of things did farre excell all other studies as being a life free deliuered from the troublesome sturres of this life giuen vnto the contemplation and trueth of things and full of great satietie and contentednes of minde and therefore comming more neere vnto happinesse and of the sound Philosophers those the which haue sayd that the first and chiefest points of happinesse that is to say altogether happinesse it selfe is in God alone nay that God himselfe is true happinesse haue attributed the second place vnto knowledge it selfe namely after God himselfe with whom that same mild and quiet contemplation should ioyne the mindes of men and that same excellent knowledge of things they adorned with that most honourable name of VVisedome Moreouer there is no doubt that