of ambitious desires of rule place dominion and superiority In the 6. the vacuity of that devouring gulfe the unsatiable desires after riches In the 7. the vacuity of divining prognosticating and foretelling things to come In the 8. the vanity of hunting after applause and praise of men catching the popular Ayre In midst of the 8. Chapter and 9. the Vanity of the Heathenish and Paganish fortune In part of the 9. and 10. the vanity of corporall and bodily strength In the 11. and 12. the Vanity of flowring and flourishing youth all these heads as a spirituall HERCVLES though as many and monstrous as that m De Hercule Ethice apud Ravisium in Theat l. 8. p. 85 5. de Hydra apud Majolum de dich Canic part 1. Colloq 1. p. 12. Hydraes he labours to lop off with the sword of the spirit least they sting others as they have wounded him all these Cates of vanities like those of Appolonius Tyrancus he shewes to be painted or like the wine which Pope Alexander brewed his Cardinals poyson but drunke n Nauclerus Balaeus Chron. Funccij fol. 165. apud Osiandrum cent 15 l. 4 p. 492. it himselfe or at least as our Prodigals Huskes or Gland vnsatisfying as he hath received the Aconite and Mithridate against their poyson so he administers it as preventing or purging Physicke to others he knowes the dangerous sting that is in every vanity which fixing in the soule of any vaine man like some sting with some kinde of o De quibus Majolus ut supra volumin 1. Coll. 8. tit serpentum Serpents he eyther dyes laughing or else sleeping as they that have taken supeâ—bundant of Poppy or Opium or such dormitory potions unlesse they be awakened in a determinate time therefore as a Physitian carefull of his Patients to keepe them waking or to awake those that are asleepe or slumber in vanity with their golden deluding gulling dreames Cynthius aurem Vellit he plucks them by the eares hee rings them a peale as lowd as Bow-bell yea as lowd as Thunder he lifts up his voyce as a Trumpet that as it 's sayd of the old p Allusio Origenis Hom. in Psal 38. Geminiani in summa Exempl Lyons that by their lowd yell awake their long sleeping dead-seeming young he may rouse and raise men out of their Lethargicall slumbers in their vanities Salomon as now escaped from these enemies sets up a flag of defiance against them as a man new got out of the gulph quagmire of Vanity he now sets up a stake as the fashion of charitable men is to fore-warne others of the same perill as the rich Helluoh in the q Luk. 16.28 Gospell would have his brethren fore-warned that they come not into the like danger as an incautelous Mariner having dasht on some sand-bed and by splitting on some rocke himselfe having by repentance which is the second repaire of the Navie of the soule r Secunda post naufragium Tabula secundum Canonistas after shipwrack swum out as by some board or plank he cautelously admonisheth others to steere from the discovered shelves as that Tyrian Queene he commiserates others having beene in the furnace Å¿ Non ignaeramali miseris succurrere disco apud Virg himselfe as we pitty those that are diseased and distressed by the Gout Stone Strangury Collick Tooth-ach if we have beene afflicted with these maladies and as by sympathizing tenderly affected prescribe for their ease our best experiments That we have found good in our selves so it is betwixt Salomon now recured and recovered out of his spirituall sownes qualmes the sons of men surcharged and surfeiting on the Cates of vanity at the Divels Banquet he cryes to them as a Mother to a child ready to eate Mercury or Rats-bane with an opinion of Sugar oh Hands off Mors in t 2. Kings 4 40 olla death is in the pot or in the platter he cryes to vaine men in the utmost extention of his powers as CRAESVS dumbe sonne on a suddaine to those that would have murthered his u Apud Brusonium Father as Paul and Sylas to the * Act. 16.28 Iaylor that would have murthered himselfe Oh! doe yourselves oh do your selves no harme Yee vaine men Why doe you set your heartes on x Psalm 4.2 Vanity and follow after leasings Why doe you imagine a vaine thing why do you spin spiders webs Set nets snares and gins for your owne Soules Why doe you feed on Huskes and Swads As the Israelites once and the Muscovites now on Garlick y Democritus Junior part 1. Sect. 2. pag. 101. and Onions As once the Italians and our now roving Gypsees on Frogs and Snailes As our poore hungry vulgar Irish oft on Hawes and Shamrocks For such is vanities best food best Commons When Gods larder your Fathers house allowes you bread enough Which bread in Gods language includes concludes all satisfactory good even the coursest bread that Gods servants eate being as Israels Manna above all the Food of worldlings better than the Affrican and Spanish rootes the American Palmitos and Potatos the Chinaes hearbes the Nomades milke the West-Phalian fat meates the Tartars raw meates the Flemings Butter the Camhro-Britaines white meates the Scandians fish Or the chiefe and choyce of food of any Nations Yeâ— GODS bread affords more varieties of contents than that one Indian z Palmae Instar totius orbis arboribus praestan-Linschoton cap. 56. Tree which yeelds them Coquernuts meates drinke fire fuell apparell with his leaves yea oyle Vineger and cover for their houses if Authors relate truly SECT 3. SALOMONS three Bookes compared the summe of his Ecclesiastes being his verdict against Vanitie TO expresse SALOMONS verdict of lying Vanities as Ionas calls them these vnsatisfying Huskes as our Prodigall found them Not bread as GOD himselfe in Esay tearmed them earthly waters which quench no thirst as our Saviour himselfe expressed them and to presse it somewhat fuller and further Wee may consider that this booke of Ecclesiastes according to Cyrill being the letters testimoniall or Certificate sealed by the spirit of his repentance being as Most generally hold the booke of his old Age as Ioseph was to a Gen. 37.3 Iacob his youngest his darling most neare and deare unto him as Abell b Habel id est vanitas to Eve his second birth his better birth experience being the Godfather and late though true repentance the Godmother he christens it Vanity as Tullies booke of Offices and de Senectute being his last workes the mentall issue of his understanding part as the learned Critick calleth them shew the most maturity of Iudgement so this being Salomons last worke as his Canticles was his Beniamin the Son of his right hand in the prime of his youth this is his Benani the sonne of the sorrowes of his old Age as Isaac is called the sonne of c GeÌ„ 18.14 Promise
d 1 Sam. 1.27 Samuel and e Luk. 1.13 Iohn Baptist the sonnes of Prayer Monicaes Augustine the sonne of f Filius precum lachrimarum dictus ab Ambrosia Teares hee sends this Booke as Iacob g GeÌ„ 37.14 his Ioseph as Iesse his youngest sonne David h 1 Sam. 17.17 to visit his Brethren to aske them of their welfare to wish their health and happinesse That as Iohn writes to i Epist 3. ad Gajum n. 2 Gaius they may farewell even in their Soules as hee now fared himselfe Yea hee sends this booke as Abraham his Steward Eleazar out with a k Gen. 24.6 7. blessing to fetch Rebeccha from her Fathers house and to marry her to his Isaac the Fathers joy if I may allegorize with Origen to fetch the Soule of man that faire Rebecca out of her Naturall birth and abode in the state of Corruption in her naturall condition wallowing in her l Ezek. 16.6 blood soyled with her old and vaine Conversation to be Spiritually espoused and married unto ISAACS Antitype her Lord and Saviour her head m BerchoriuÌ„ vid. in reduct Morali vol. 10. cap. 18. and husband that Ithiell and Vcall as hee or wise AGVR calls n Prov. 30.1 him in whom shee shall finde true joy and true rest as NOAHS Dove o Gen. 8.9 found in NOAHS Arke if shee will at last leave to feed with NOAHS Raven on the Carrion of the worlds vanities yea this Booke may bee as Davids spokesmen to p 1 Sam. 25.39 Abigall after her Dis-joynting from Naball the worlds folly to unite and contract her selfe to the GOD of David or it may bee to the Soule as Salomons Parinimphs and Sutors to Pharaohs daughter to forget and forgoe her Fathers q Psal 45.10 house to leave and loath her birth sinnes and bred sinnes to mortifie and crucifie her originall and actuall sinnes and transgressions to breake out of all the intangling fetters of all her vicious vanities and so to marry and unite her selfe unto the true the typified Salomon the GOD of Salomon the Prince of peace the everlasting r Esa 9.6 Father in whom from whom and by whom onely is perfect joy and true tranquility to the immortall Soule and spirit of mortall and without God miserable man For the better conceiving of this It 's worthy our Animadversion That as SALOMON as wee all know was the Amanuensis or penman of the Spirit to write three Bookes the Proverbes the Canticles and this his Ecclesiastes So as Å¿ Lib. de Isaac cap. 4. in Psal 36. in titulo in Psal 118 v. 1. Praef. in Lucam AMBROSE t Hom. in princ Prov. BASILL and other expositors note There is in them a certaine Climax or gradation ascending by certaine staires and degrees to more sublime and heavenly matter For in the Proverbes hee allures Ephaebi and young men to honest and lawfull things by that beauty and lustre that is in vertue and from the reward of well doing And this they say answers his Name Ididiah or Amabilis u 2 Sam. 12 25. Lovely In this Ecclesiastes or Booke of the Preacher hee provokes these that are Adulti and more strong and perfect to the dispising and repudiating earthly and terrestriall things from their insufficiencie blemish and deformity discovering their perilous and painted beauty from whence hee is tearmed the Preacher In the third his Canticles his Epâ—thalium or mysticall Song from the consideration of naturall and earthly things Paulo maiora * Virgil. cadendo hee ascends to the speculation and contemplation of mysticall divine and supernaturall things in which Metaphysicall meditations wâ—e rest and fixe as in an internall and setled peace truely anchored in GOD The Asilum and Sanctuary of all true rest and tranquility and this answeres his third name SALOMON or Pacificus The Peace-maker or peaceable Others make his three Bookes answere the three Courts of the Tabernacle The outward Court the inner Court and the Sanctum Sanctorum CASSIANVS alludes to that double Abrenuntiation injoyned unto ABRAHAM of house and habitation of vices in manners and Conversation and of approaching to IEHOVAH by heavenly Contemplation Others x Richardus apply his three Bookes to the three Patriarchs ABRAHAM y Gen. 12.4 GeÌ„ 22.3 was obedient ISAAC digged z Gen. 26.19.21 22 32. Wells IACOB saw a GeÌ„ 28.12 visions even Angels ascending and descending His Proverbes urgeth and perswades obedience to the voyce of Wisdome Even to CHRIST the second person in Trinitie the wisedome of the Father Ecclesiastes is a well or fountaine of heavenly Counsels and conclusions digg'd deepe from his owne deare bought experiments to the watering and refreshing of the Israell of GOD The Canticles soares higher as an Eagle under the vaile and shadow of the letter from his matrimoniall love to PHARAOHS Daughter as carried up into a Divine rapture and extasie singing the mysticall love betwixt Christ and the Church But least as is the fashion of the Speculative Fryers and contemplative Monkes these allegories be too farre stretcht as on the Lasts and Tentors as a mans nose that 's too hard wrung gives blood Popery affording moe allegorizing Origenists than found Textuists So I like that tropologicall order which BERNARD observes b Bernard in Canticis that In primo pellitur superfluus amor sui In secundo Vanus amor mundi In tertio perscribitur castus amor Dei The Proverbes disswade that Philautia and superfluous foolish love of our selves The Ecclesiastes disswades the vaine and worthlesse love of the vicious world The Canticles perswade the pure and chast and perfect love of GOD who as hee best deserves onely desires our hearts c Prov. 23.26 and affections I will not discusse much lesse determine the Time when these three Bookes were writ whether his Canticles were writ in his youth d The Book call'd Salomons solace cap. 27. pag. 113. thinks the Canticles writ before the 20. yere of his Age. before his Fall Or according to e Praefatione in Joshuam BEZA and f De Haeres PHILASTRIVS in his old Age when his heart was purged and purified Though according to others his Proverbes were writ in his elder yeares his Ecclesiastes in his extreame old Age I will not stand on thinges Conjecturall in the fluctuations of opinions but I like the allusions of the Ancients That they are all three of them like the triple Passeover in Aegypt Exod. 12.1 In the Wildernesse and in Gilgall beyond Iordan Iosh 5.10 Or like that triple kisse of the hand the foot and the g Oseulum oris mannum pedum c. mouth testifying Love observance and obedience Or like that three-fold Cord not easily broken drawing and dragging the Soule of man out of the pit and puddle of vanity as IEREMY was drawne out of the myrie Dungeon and pulling it upwards nearer unto God
If the Simple finde fault with the Method or the Cynicke with the Style wee seeke neyther of their satisfaction Jf any bee Contentious 1 Cor. 11.16 wee haue no such custome nor the Church of GOD. The more Judicious are more Ingenuous and by consequence more Courteous also Together with whom so your Honours accept it who else like not may looke off if they please I will say no more for it than the Parents sayd on theyr Sonnes behalfe whom our SAVIOVR cured Ioh. 9.21 It is of age to answer for it selfe Lastly the concealement of the Authors name carries this benefite therewith That neyther can the Faults of the one reflect vpon the other while hee goes vnknowne Praestat agere dictum quam actum dicere Aug. Neyther can hee be counted guilty of or subject to bee tempted with that great Vaine-glorie which makes many so forward to become foole in Print So that every way that excellent Proverbe is worthy of all approbation Quo obscurior eo securior Obscurity is the best security against Censure and Selfe-conceipt Persij Satyr 1. Non te quaesieueris extra But least my Boldnesse should be burthensome in that which is spoken before I have made choyce of St. PAVLS charge for mine Apolâ—gie Charge them that are rich in this World that they be not high minded 1 Tim. 6.17 and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the living GOD which gaveth vs abundantly all things to injoy That they doe good and be rich in Good workes ready to distribute and communicate Laying vp a store for themselues a good foundation againe the time to come that they may obtaine Eternall life And so I close all with that Doxologie of the Author to the Hebrews Heb. 13.20 The GOD of Peace which brought from the dead our Lord Jesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe through the blood of the everlasting Covenant Vers 21. make you perfect in all good workes to doe his will working in you that which is pleasing in his sight through IESVS CHRIST our Lord to whom bee Glorie both now and ever AMEN Your Honours in all due observance R. H. THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. THe Preface with a Paraphrase vpon the Text and Context pag. 1 CHAP. II. The maine Point propounded that No Earthly Vanity satisfies Mans heavenly Soule pag. 13 CHAP. III. The amplification of the Point and the Proofe entred vpon pag. 17 CHAP. IIII. The Prodigals Huskes explained and the effect of Hunger pag. 22 CHAP. V. The Prodigals hungry Huskes further applyed to Epicurish profuse and prophane Men. pag. 31 CHAP. VI. The Reason why the vainest Men cannot alwayes attaine theyr worst desires pag. 41 CHAP. VII How vaine it is to trust to vaine Men in any Distresse pag. 50 CHAP. VIII The Insufficiencie of the Huskes of Vanity to satisfie and content the vnsatiable appetite of the Soule further explained pag. 55 CHAP. IX CHRISTS Verdict of the Worlds waters insufficient to quench the Soules thirst without the waters of Life pag. 63 CHAP. X. SECT 3. SECT 1. The hungry Huskes of vaine Worldlings and the blessed Bread of GODS Children declared and compared by the Prophet Esay p. 71 SECT 2. Gods Children as they have Gods plenty so they have Gods peace which Worldlings want pag. 81 SECT 3. The Ioyes of the Saints never conceived nor received by Sinners pag. 87 CHAP. XI SECT 2. SECT 1. IONAS his Iudgement and Experience of lying Vanities pag. 92 SECT 2. Eight Demonstrations of Lying Vanities pag. 100 CHAP. XII SECT 6. SECT 1. SOLOMONS depth of Wisdome diving and wading into the vility and Vanity of things Sublunarie pag. 108 SECT 2. Solomons Censure of lying Vanities from his owne Experience pag. 113 SECT 3. Solomons three Bookes compared The summe of his Ecclesiastes beeing his Verdict against Vanity pag. 121 SECT 4. The aymes and ends of Salomon that hee may Effect what hee doth Affect pag. 126 SECT 5. Solomons Repentance Sanctification and Salvation prooved by Scriptures and Reasons pag. 136 SECT 6. SOLOMONS Salvation prooved from Authors and Authorities pag. 156 CHAP. XIII SECT 4. SECT 1. The Nature of these Vanities their disproportion with the Soule the immensity of Mans Appetite further declared pag. 168 SECT 2. The Vnfatiablenesse of the Appetite and Concupiscible Faculty pag. 191 SECT 3. The Composition of the Heart Sublimity of Mans Soule Center of his Spirit GODS Image Mans Pilgrimage pag. 205 SECT 4. The Verdict of Divines force of Religion vnion betwixt Holinesse and Happinesse pag. 218 CHAP. XIIII SECT 2. SECT 1. The Inconstancy and vncertainty of Life Health Prosperity Common blessings and all Externals pag. 224 SECT 2. The vncertainty of Honours Riches Pleasures further exemplified pag. 237 CHAP. XV. SECT 5. SECT 1. GODS iust Iudgement on Vanities and Vaine men pag. 251 SECT 2. The Vanity and vexation of that Love which is Humane placed on the Creature allured by Beauty pag. 253 SECT 3. The Vanity Fury and Phrensie of Lustfull Lovers pag. 258 SECT 4. The vnquietnesse of Earthly Loves prooved by Inductions pag. 265 SECT 5. Severall Reasons vnited convincing the first propounded Proposition placing all Contentation in the Creator not in the Creature pag. 270 CHAP. XVI These Huskish vanities are never so fully and freely inioyed but there is alwayes something wanting to the Concupiscible or rationall Appetite pag. 278 CHAP. XVII There is no absolute Comfort and Contentation in any thing every calling hath its crosse even Mariage it selfe pag. 293 CHAP. XVIII Our inordinate appetites after earthly things so devide disturbe distemper and distract our hearts by divers passions and perturbations that in steed of hoped contentation wee reape vexation exaggeration distraction and destruction pag. 306 CHAP. XIX These outward things used out of Christ in carnalities in the abuse of Christian Liberty ever leave a sting in the Conscience more or lesse which deprives of all true peace and contentation pag. 328 CHAP. XX. The Peroration and Conclusion of this Tract pag. 333. AN APOLOGVE FOR AN EPILOGVE IT is not vnknowne how hard it is to preserve a Treatise of this make from faults in Printing I will not therefore trouble my selfe with gathering nor the Reader with perusing of every mistake the ingenuous have not onely judgement to discerne but also curtesie to connive at small errours I could not be present my selfe at the Presse neyther list I to plead further for the Corrector and Compositor Let this that followes suffice for the Text the Margent is matter for Schollers who need no other helpe then their owne ingenuity Errata Page 108. line 17. for Pyripatitions read Peripatetickes pag. 109. l. 24. r. Incident pag. 114. l. 7. r. Aquila line 22. deletur as line 23. place the Colon at Fooles line 24. for indeed read is heere pag. 141. l. 20. r. Adoption pag. 259. l. 9. r. Theseus l. 26. r. kis pag. 260. l. 19. r. Comes pag. 261. l. 3. r. Gleanings
nostrū Feildum Sonnium in Thesibus de Eccles sic in progressu Papatus ejusdem Mornei apud Sutclivium Whitakerum de Ecclesia de Romano Pontifice Church as the seven Cities pleaded for k Smyrna tamen vera patria apud Ravisium fol. 82. HOMER as two Suiters about one Woman Hee knowes that if God have the heart as he had the heart of l 1. King 15 3. DAVID m 2. Chron. 14.2 ASA n 2. King 18.3 EZECHIAH o Ioh. 1. v. 47. NATHANIEL though there be many infirmities he hath the whole man As there is no danger of Life naturall though there bee many byles and botches in the flesh so long as the heart is sound so it is in the life p See Dike of the Hearts deceit in fine libri Spirituall neither doth the Tree wither so long as the sap is sound at the roote though the barke pill the flowers fall the blossomes wither and the fruite be blasted or worme-eaten therefore he bids faire for the heart and useth all his tricks and stratagems chiefly politieke pleas to get it from God as ABSOLOM with his Complements sought and wrought the alienation of the peoples hearts from his Father q 2. Sam. 15.6 DAVID hee is sure enough of the whole if he have the principall the best pledge and pawne which is the heart as the Iaylor hath the Prisoner sure enough if tyed but by one leg as the Fowler hath the Bird safe enough if but snared by one foot limbe or wing though the rest of the bodie be free and therefore Sathan is not so carefull to content his Vassals in all points for hee knowes that if this Prodigall hath but an heart and an appetite to these huskes and faine would have them though he get them not no man giving them even this very desire after Vanitie speakes him vaine and dissolute as HAMANS plotting and projecting k Esth 3.6 the massacring of ESTHER of MARDOCHEUS and all the race of the Iewes as our powder Papists l See the Earle of Northamptons speech with other bookes extant in verse and Prose of the powder Treason the like of us and SENACHARIE m 2. King 19.27 the ruination of EZEKIAH and Ierusalem even this very Machination and Imagination of Murther this hatching of their Cocatrices n Esay 59.5 Egs to prove killing Basilisks this spinning of their Spiders Webs speakes them Murtherers even as the lusting and burning after the beauty of a o Mat. 5.28 woman speakes an Adulterer TARQVIN p Cum Lucretia vxore Collatini apud Livium as well as CLODIUS ABIMELECH q Gen. 20. as well as r Quaeritur aegistus quare sit factus adulter Ovid AEGISTUS APPIUS CLAVDIVS ſ Cum Virginea filia Virginei as well as t Mark 6.18 HEROD though not in the effect of the Act yet in the affect of the u Vt in bonis sic in malis apud Deum voluisse valuisse heart which God respects above all the rest both in bonam malam partem in the evill as in the good accepting ABRAHAMS willingnesse to * Gen. 22.16 sacrifice as much as NOAHS active building of the x Gen. 6.16.22 Arke DAVIDS desire to build God a y 2. Sam. 7.5 house as well as SALOMONS deed the Will as much as the Worke z 2. Cor. 8.1 2 3. in the poore Elemosinary Macedonians so he abhorres the very desire and endeavour and hunting after sinne in the Reprobates though they even misse of their game for such causes as I have showne as much as hee abhorres the very act of sinne in the Regenerate sinning of frailtie and infirmity as did a Gē 19.33 LOT b Gen. 9.21 NOAH and c Math. 26. Vltimo PETER without any desire affection premeditation or resolution the desire without the deed shewing in the one the heart to be more corrupt than the deed without the desire by the reluctance of the d Gal. 5.17 spirit in the other all being corrupt when the heart is corrupted as the whole body of the fish smels when the head e Observat Geminianus in summa exempl similit stinkes as all the streames be infected when the fountaine is poysoned and the fruit being nought when the Roote is rotten Applicatio Looke to this poinct who ere thouart and looke thy face in this glasse thou that hast months mind to any sinne at which thy lips water yet eyther thou canst not commit it for want of opportunity as AMMON thought it hard to doe any thing to his Sister THAMAR whom he lustfully loved because she was a f 2. Sā 13.2 Virgin which was the case also of Antigonus in respect of his Mother in g Strotonica vxor Selenchi Law and of that Immundus h Polienus in stratagem Loyer de Spectris Mundus who without the helpe of a faigned Diety could not obtaine his purpose on her who had * Paulina imprisoned his heart or darest not commit it for feare eyther of the Lawes of man as paenall in Civill and Ecclesiasticall Courts or in slavish feare of Hell or the Prologue to it terrour of Conscience yet hugs it in thy heart as the Ape her i Complectendo Necans Plivius Hist lib. 8. cap. 54. young Imbraceth it in the armes of thine affection as the mother her child art content to live and dye with it as CLEOPATRA with her k Ravissius in Officina Pag. 553. MARK ANTHONY suffers it to raigne in thy heart as a King in his throne to take up thy thoughts as by a Commission continually contemplates thereon yet darest not bee active in it for feare of after claps as the thiefe that hath a mind to a faire wel mertald horse yet fears to ride the halter at Tiburne as the Fornicator that followes his desired DINAH his beautious Galatea in the pursuite of his affections with as much vehemency as the Hawke her prey or the Hound the Hare as blinded with his lusts madded and enraged in his desires yet dares not prostitute and pollute her for feare of the worlds shame in his base bastardy As the Aegyptian Dogs dare hardly lap at Nilus for feare of the m Plinius lib. 8. cap. 25 Aelian Hist lib. 9. cap. 3. Crocodile as the Beare dare hardly intermeddle with his desired hony for feare of the stinging of the Bees I say who ever thou art in this predicament make of thy selfe what thou wilst thy true Heraldrie is the sonne of the n Ioh. 8.44 Act. 13.10 Divell as yet thou art in the snares of Sathan the gall of bitternesse the bond of o Act. 8.23 iniquitie thou art captivated of him to doe his will for thy affection to sinne in Gods account is action and hee that commits sinne is of the p 1. Ioh. 3.8 Ioh. 8.34 Divell
yea as pudle waters which some have unadvisedly drunke in which there is the froth and sediments of Frogs in time of ingendring they cause crawling and trouble in the bowels or as greene Apples and raw-fruit breed wormes yea that great hag-worme of a Corroding Conscience still gnawing as the Vultur on i Ovid. 4. Metam l. 3. de Poâ—to in ibidem TITIVS and PROMETHEVS k Propert. l. 2. Ravis pag. 81. Ethiâ—e Interpretatur lib. Offic. pag. 845. his Liver as the children of Vanitie yea when Vanitie is sweet in the mouth and hid under the tongue favoured and not forsaken but devoured and digested it shall turne to the gall of Aspes yea to very poyson it shall be disgorged and vomited up againe Iob. 20. ver 12.13 14.15 No quietnesse shall the soule have no more than the Ship or Whale had in which IONAS l Ioh. 1 4 cap. 2. v. 10 was no more than the rankling heele in which the thorne is no more than the side in which the stitch is or the eye in which the moate is or the flesh in which the impoysoned bullet is or the stomacke surcharged with meate or over-ballanced with drinke till like an Impostumated brest or a ripened Vlcer the rotten dregs and filthy matter of every vitious vanitie be purged evacuated and emptyed out of the soule by contrition of heart compunction of spirit confession of mouth and actuall dereliction till this fostered and harboured guest be disloged till vanities rankest veines bee phlebotomized there is nothing but unrest in the Soule distraction and division in the heart a taxie disorder and confusion in affections nothing but broyles and civill warres in the whole m Hominem esse Microcosmum vel parvum muÌ„dum lege â—uÌ„ varije aliusouibus ad magâ—um muÌ„dum ex Asteâ—io in Theologia naturalâ— Microcosme of man as there was no peace in Abrahams family till Hagar and Ismael the bond woman and her sonne were cast out of n Gen. 21.9 14. doores for there is no peace to the wicked saith my o Esay 58.20.21 God but they are as the raging sea even boyling and surging in the waves of severall lusts they cannot rest or come to any true repose every dish of vanities cooking either stupifies and benums them as Henbane that cold poyson as is seene in those that have p 1. Tim. 4.2 Read the learned booke dal'd the Physick of the soule Cap. 8. pag. 103.104 cautherized and lethargicall Consciences without any sence of any sinne whatsoever or else like those that eate Hemlocks mads and inrageth them as in those that have too wakeing and working Consciences as had q Gen. 4 13 Caine r Mat. 27.3 Act. 1.25 Iudas Francis Å¿ Apud Grineum in Theorem theol part 2. pag. 151.152 Spira of Padua the Advocate Ponsenâ—s of t The History of France under Francis the second France the German Kraus a Doctor in Swabe Dr. Latonius Gerlach and Bomelius of Lovaine with many u See the memorable Histories of our ries of our Times in Quarto Pag. 186.187 Added to the C. Crescense apud Sleidanum Lib. 23. moe The Huskes of Vanities are no true dyet for this Prodigall they are neither meate nor medicine for the minde of man they either benumme or inrage bring their feeders into the cold Palsie of securitie or into the burning Feaver of desperate fury CHAP. X. Sect. 1. The hungry Huskes of vaine worldlings and the blessed Bread of Gods Children declared and compared I Have brought in my first witnesse from Him that is indeed the Iudge in this and every other controverted case and cause the plaine testimony of CHRIST concurring with the scope and drift of his owne Parable as the Prince of the Prophets breakes the yce so that Prophet which is the fore-man of the Iewry of the twelve wades after for as ESAY is accounted by * Evangelij vocationisque gentium pronunciator apertior lib. 9 confes cap. 5 AVGVSTINE a more evident Trumpet and Proclaimer of Christ than the rest so setting up a Siquis as it were or making a geneâ—all Proclamation to all and every one Iewes and Gentiles Graecians and Barbarians that were a thirsty after x Esay 55.1 CHRIST and after his merits heated scorched and burnt up with the fiery indignation of the Law revealing sinne desirous to be cooled and refreshed with the Gospell heraldring out the worth of that water of Life CHRIST with all his mercies and merits as freely offered and preferred unto all that are rightly qualified with hungry hearts y Math. 5.6 to receive him as the Ayre to breath in the earth to walke on the Sea to saile in the Sunne of his mercy casting beames on all that groane under the z Math. 11 28. Math. 9.12 Luk. 19.10 burthen of their sinnes so expostulating with them further after the manner of the Prophets as MOSES oft with a Deut. c. 1. Exo. 32.21 Israel SAMAEL with b 1 Sam. 15 14. SAVL NATHAN with c 2. SaÌ„ 12.9 DAVID and others with others in like cases by way of Increpâ—tion and reâ—argution he demands of them of wherefore they lay out money for that which is not bread and their labour for that which satisfies not Esay 55. v. 2. In which he shewes 1. What they do foolishly 2. What they reape frivously they spend as all other vaine men their oyle and their toyle their costs and their paines their money and their labor in non panem upon that which is not bread What ever any man doth in a blinde zeale in a false Religion as the Iew in his Iudaisme the Turke in his Mahumetan sine d Act. 9. â— 2 Act. 22. â—4 1 Tim 1 13 Saul once in his Pharisaâ—sme e Vidi Sâ—uâ—teâ—i CensuraÌ„ de Tertulliano iâ— patrum Medulla TERTVLLIAN in his Montanisme the Anabaptists at this day in their f Anabaptisme the Familists in their g Familisme the Papists chiefly in their Papisme in their Massings Crossings Creepings Sprinklings Idolatrizings h Lege Doc. Rainolds te Jdol Rom. Ecclesiae in Thesibus St Worshipings Pilgrimages Trentrals Dirges Shrifts Pardons Exorcismes Crucifixes Shrines Reliques Images Superstitious Ceremonies Observations of Times Meates Will-worships Traditions and the i De quibus omnibus lege Willers Synops Tetrastylon Sutcliffs workes against Bell. his Turcopapismas his Abridg. of Popery D. Morton his Protestants appeale D. White against Fish D. Bâ—ard his 13. reasons D Fowâ—s â—oâ—el Downâ—m de Antichristo D. Feild de Eccl. Morney of the Masse and his progresse of Papacy Humfrey in 10 reasons of Champian cum alijs like or what paines soever are employed k Quicquid est homini studij luboris Industriae Calvinus lavater Marlorat in locum in prosecution of any inordinate lust vice vanity carnality concupiscence watsoever that tend not to ends not in Christ these and all these are
non panis they are no bread they are but Huskes and Akorns they satisfie not these that follow after such follow but after their shadow pursue a Flea run after a butter-flye they have a great catch for their labour they beat but the Ayre they gape for the Wind they misse their marke they run at uncertainties they wander in Devious l Toto errant coelo paths they sayle without their Compasse and Card they dash upon the Rockes they sow the Winde and reape the Whirlewind when they looke for Harvest and crop of felicity they are answered with the thornes of Cares the Bryars of sorrowes the brambles of anxieties with AESOPS Dog they snatch the shadow for the substance with that m Fabula in Ambitiosos applicatur a Ravisio in Officina l. 8. pag. 853. IXION they imbrace a Cloud for IVNO they wed bleare-ey'd n Gen. 29.25.26 LEAH for beauteous RACHEL as dim-eyed ISAAC they mistake o Gen. 27.22 23 IACOB for ESAY that which they thinke plants them supplants them these which they take as ADAM received EVE to bee their helpers to beatitude they prove p Remora piscis adhaeret Navibus sistit testibus vincenti◠l. 17. c. 29. Plin. l. 9. c. 25. Basilio exem hom 7. Remoraes and Hinderers they gripe these worthlesse trifles as Fooles doe Thornes till they pricke at last theyr very hearts till they bleed againe they dally and play with them as the Childe at the hole of the Aspe and of the Cockatrice or at the hive of the Bees till they be stung againe till they dye or cry in a word they prove not bread unto them as they thought but Huskes which they thought not they gaine over shoulders by them when all their Cards are cast theyr paines and their perils being counterpoized with the best that they promise their chiefe Clyents rew their bargaine and buy repentance at too deare a q Non Tanti paenitentiam emam Dem. rate they bring them as much content in the issue and event as Mercury to a greene wound as smoke to sore eyes the pleasure and profit they promise ends in paine and perplexitie as AMMONS unlawfull love to THAMAR ended in r 2. Sā 13.15 hatred as sweet wine oft corrupts to sower Vineger Hugging these in their armes as MOSES his ſ Exod. 4.3 rod they turne Serpents they breake promise as perfidiously as LAEAN with t Gen. 31.7 IACOB as the Carthagenians with Rome as Vlidislaus the Hungarian with the u Knols in his Turkish History Bonfinius in Hist Hungaria Jusius in Theatro Iudicierum Dei Anglice scripto cap. 29. pag. 166 167. Turke and the Turke with the Christians They answere not expectance they promise bread for sustentation but they performe Huskes vanities vexation Parturiunt Montes nascetur ridiculus mus they indent golden Mountaines but pay chirping Myce or micry Mole-hils they allure him with the baite of painted beauty but strike with the booke of experimented baine My Rivers returne to their first Seas they are not bread they satisfie not For the better clearing of which poynt it 's worthy our consideration the use the excellency the necessity of bread even according to the litterall sence as we have seene the vility and vacuity of Huskes that so contraries being opposed may more manifestly * Contraria juxta se opposita magis elucescune appeare as Venus pictured besides Vulcan seemes more beautifull as Arions Harpe is more melodious after Pans Pipe as hony more relisheth the palate after Aloes and Gall and as the rose smels more fragrant after assa faetida bread then we must know both in the Scriptures and Authors hath a very large x Panis Doctrinalis sacramentalis victualis apud Ludolphum de vita Christi extent for it containes all sufficiency of food and nutriment both for soule and body and therefore some would derive the Latine panis of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies saith one the multitude of all safeties the magnitude of all y Multitudinem salutum magnitudinem solaminum plenitudinem omnium bonorum comforts the plenitude of all good things what ever is needfull for corporall or animall sustenance which me thinkes better agrees to CHRIST in the mysterious sence who is called that bread of life Ioh. 6.51 Then to the literall sence yet consider the creature as it is in it owne nature of all the blessings which God hath given for the preservation and sustentation of the life of man for his esse and bene z Tullius de Officijs esse his being and his well being there is none of more use than bread for if we consider eyther what account the Patriarkes the Prophets the men of God yea Pagans Heathens Turkes Salvages in all Countries and Kingdomes have made and still doe make of it in all ages 2. Or how well we are with it 3. Or how ill we can be without it wee shall say of it as a Ad Laelium de Amicitia TVLLY sayd of friendship Solem è coelo tollere videntur they seeme to take the Sunne out of the Heaven that would deprive mortall men of it For the first use and antiquity of it however it be a question whether flesh were eaten or no before the b Negative determinant Theod. q. in Gen. 25. Chris hom in Gen. 27. Hier. contra Jovin lib. 2. Peter Martyr Lyranus in Gen. 9. Aquina 1.2 q. 102. d. 2. dubitat tamen Calvinus in Gen. 6. Reprobavit sententiā dominicus a Soto l. Justit 5. q. 1. art 4. Flood or onely hearbes and plants which then had more vigour and force in them than now yet I perswade my selfe bread was a food used of the Patriarkes even before the floud as since for CAINE being a c Gen. 4.2 Husbandman as ABEL a Shepheard and tilling of the ground sure corne came of his tillage and of Corne bread And after the Floud MELCHISEDECH brought to ABRAHAM bread d Gē 14.18 and Wine and the sonnes of IOB whom some thinke was about the time of e Pineda Mercerus perfat in Jobum MOSES banqueted and eate bread together in the Elder brothers f Iob. 1.13 house and IOSEPH from Aegypt sent Corne for bread for his Father IACOB into g Gen. 42.15 Canaan I know some Countries were long without the use of it using Akornes for bread yea PLINY reports it in his time which was some 40. yeares after CHRIST there were men eaters as the Canibals now that lived without bread and it 's certaine the Art of Baking was very lately brought to i 380. yeres after the Persian war Rome for till the time of the Persian Warre they used boyled Corne instead of bread and before the use of Corne came up many Countries lived of k Lib. 8. cap. 11. idem Plinius Iustin l. 2. Ovid. 4. Fast Pulse and Gland
that they are Vanity of Vanity and all but Vanity emptinesse and vacuity like our Prodigals Huskes in this my Text Incompetent and sufficient to fill the vast and immense desire of the soule of man SECT 2. SALOMONS Censure of lying Vanities from his owne experience THis you see is the Verdict of him whom it may be better sayd than PLVTARK of SENECA that he was nulli secundus second to none to whom these hyperbolicall Elogies and Commendations which PLATO and ZENOPHON give to SOCRATES HYPPOCRATES to DEMOCRITVS IVI IAN the Apostate and PHILOSTRATVS to Apollonius h Iulian did compare that Nicromancer with Christ Tyraneus LVCRETIVS to his Master Epicurus ENNAPIVS of Longinus Scoppius of Iulius Scaliger PAVLVS IOVIVS of Picus Mirandula others of ARISTOTLE may be truly and fitly appropriated for he indeed was Aquilus in Nubibus an Aeagle in the Clouds a myracle of Nature a walking i Keckerman so called D. Reynolds Library the Sunne of Sciences A Sea and an Abisse of Knowledge a Lampe of the World Qui genus humanam ingenio superavit omnes restrinxit Stellas exortus ut aetherius Sol Whose wisedome did excell all men as farre As doth the splendent Sunne a twinckling starre Being sanctuarium Sapientiae a Sanctuary of sapience farre shining above eyther the Britaine Druides the Aethiopian Gymnosophists or the wisest of the Heathens whom LACTANTIVS in his bookes of k Lib. 3. de Sapientia c. 17. 20. Wisedome Censures as l Tractatu de curatione Grac. affect Theodoretus censures Socrates even the wisest of them as the Apostle before them both speakes of all of them to be very m Rom. 1.21 22. fooles such an one indeed that if SVPPVTIVS n Aut. Dial. in PONTANVS had lived in the time of SALOMON hee would never so peremptorily have affirmed that travailing over all Europe to meet with a wise man hee had mist his marke and returned without his errand had he made but a step into Asia and met with SALOMON and heard him utter his Parables as his owne Servants and the Queene of Sheba did chiefly preach this Ecclesiastes or verdict against vanity he would have bene of an another opinion But which is further remarkeable Salomon doth not onely vtter this out of the Fountaine deepe abysse of his wisedome but drawing these waters out of the well of his owne experience to quench the fire of lustfull vanities as more effectuall thaÌ„ all the Popes holywater he besprincles the soules of the sonnes of men For besides his pious and Propheticall spirit with which this holy Prophet as some call o Augustinus de Civit. Dei l. 17. c. 20. him was inspired like the rest of the holy Prophets when he writ the same Canonicall Ecclesiastes or booke of the Preacher the true testimoniall of his Repentance and so cons quently of his needlesly questioned salvation hee drawes this booke whereof repented Vanity is the Argument as the p De hac Bembice vel verim Jndico Ambr. in Exem l. 5 c. 23. Basil in Exe m. hom 8. Silke-worme her clew or the Spider q De miris istis Aranearum Texturis Arist 9 bist cap. 39. Aelian lib. 6. c. 56. August Ep. 101 her web even out of the bowels of his owne experience for as Paul writes I aged r Ad Philem v. 9. Paul so Salomon aged Salomon preaching Salomon converted and turned now from his vicious Vanities his manifest and manifold Adulteries and Idolatries as Saul from his Å¿ Acts. 9.20 Acts 23.6 Pharisaisme Augustine from his u Ex Confes l. 8. ex Possidoneo in ejus vina Magcent 3. c. 10. pag. 11 13. Mantchisme Luther from his * â—idanus Osiaâ—der Cent. 16. l. 1 p. 5â— Papisme he like blessed Peter converted and x Lu. â—2 32 turned labors the conversion and turning of others his own filthy soyled soule deformed and defiled wâ—shed in the Laver of RegeneratioÌ„ he seeks to wash others in the waters of the Sanctuary himselfe being pluckt as a brand out of the fire as Ruben pluckt Ioseph out of the y GeÌ„ 37.29 Pit he would drag draw out others out of the puddle of poluting pleasures as a note of a true Convert distinguishing him and all in his case from all temporizers and hypocrites as SIBBOLETH and SHIBBOLETH distinguished z Iudg. 12 6 EPHRAMITES from GILBADITES as the Touchstone the Gold from the Copper as he had sinned publikely as his Father DAVID by publishing his penitentiall a Psal 38. Psal 51. cuÌ„ caeteris Vide Vegam in Psalmos paenitent Psalmes after his greevous falls as St. AVGVSTINE publikely retracting b In lib. retratactionum his leaving errors as c Fox in Martyrologio CRAMMER publikely burning that his culpable hand which subscribed to Popish Heresies so hee testifying this his Repentance publikely by this his Ecclesiastes or booke of the Preacher having true and saving grace as the Sunne his light the fire his heat the Seas the waters the ayre his moysture the earth her fruites he is studious and desirous to communicate this grace to others Like that other Disciple and d Ioh. 1.4 v. 46. ANDREVV that having found CHRIST themselves call their friends PETER and NATHANIEL to them as the Samaritan e Ioh. 4.29 woman preacheth him to her Samaritans the noble Aethiopian Eunuch as the learned f Jrenaus l. 3 cap. 12. l. 4. cap. 40. sic Euseb l. 2. c. 1. Nicep lib. 1. cap. 6. thinke to his Aethiopians being first inflamed with his love themselves as the Church was in the g Cant. 5.9 10. Canticles they would with her kindle sparkes of love in all others as PAVL with h Act. 26.27 29. AGRIPPA desirous to winne others to the faith like themselves for the whole argument of this booke being not onely naturall and morrall Discipline but according to i Prologa iâ— Caâ— ORIGEN and and k Hom. 1. in Principio Proverbio BASIL a fire or a light set upon a Beacon to discover to the sonnes of men a dangerous enimy out of whose jawes he himselfe by a speciall mercy had now escaped or a spirituall Herald blowing a trumpet to sound a retrait from theyr dangerous March after these soule-polluting perishing vanities the whole argument and subject of the booke being a discovery of severall l Vanitates naturae culpae miseriae Vanities which the m Vaellanicensis de ratione stud l. 2. c. 16. Canus in locis cap. ultimo Salmeraâ— Tom. 1. proleg 9. sic Bonaventure Hugo Card. Hugo Victor Modernes ranke in severall heads In the first Chapter demonstrating the vanity of humane Arts and Sciences and worldly wisedome In the seoond the vanity of the appetite and desire of pleasure and delicious things In the third vaine desire of long life and propagation of our dayes In the fourth and fifth the vacuity
Ecclesiastes he useth not the name Tetragrammaton as being ineffable and to sinners most terrible and dreadfull in the Consciousnesse of his sinne he doth not once mention it Mindfull of that in the 50. Psalme ver 16. of his Mr. Asaph forbidding the wicked once to take the Name or Covenant of God in their mouthes Which Text when Origen read after his Apostasie mentioned by Eusebius Lib. 6. Magdeb. Cent. 3. and Niceph. Lib. 5. Cap. 12. Hee burst out into teares and could not preach He in awe and reverence thinkes himselfe unworthy to name IEHOVAH Fourthly being converted himselfe he labors as Christ injoyned y Luk. 22 32 PETER and in him all true Paenitents and as PAVL z Act. 9.28 practized the Conversion of others for this booke of the Preacher preacheth repentance unto all both Iewes and Gentiles yea it teacheth mortification from the worlds Vanities the Feare of the Lord and obedience to his a Eccl. 12.13 Commandements therefore in respect of the affeâ—t of it or Salomons affections to doe good by it â—s cald by some b Rabbi Salomon in CaÌ„tica the booke of the calling againe of the Iewes c Comment in Cantica Origen calls it Ecclesiastes à Congregando Ecclesiam from that desire which Salomon had to congregate a Church to God and some of the Hebrewes as two famous amongst the d Hierom. in Eccles cap. 1 in Ezek. cap. 46. Fathers and e Aquinas de Regimine principum l. 3. cap. 8. Schoolemen have call'd it his Booke of repentance in which booke as a true Preacher indeed hee labours to finde out right Scriptures Delight some words and words of truth that as goades and nayles he might rivet them in the hearts of others to worke that remorse in them which hee found and felt in himselfe which indeed is a signe of true and saving Grace when it is Communative and diffusive for the conversion of the wicked or confirmation of the weake when wee would imprint grace in others which is sealed in our selves herein tutored by the Cock who when he hath found a Barly Corn clocks and calls to it his Hennes as the Hen calls her Chickens and when we are awaked our selves out of the darke dreame of our sinnes by clapping our wings and g Gallâ— vigilantis Episcopi Typus apud Majolum de dieb Canic Colloq 7. p. 210 crowing as Salomon heere and since LVTHER that h Vide Epistolas ad Leonem Papam ad diverses Episcopos nobiles Libellis de captivicate Bab. de Missa disputationes scripta apud Sleidanum Nigrium Bucholcheram Osiander Cent. 16. lib. 1. Cocke of Belgia to awaken others either out of Popery or prophanenesse is a sure signe of a sanctified heart and of a Conscience truely touched Fifthly SALOMONS confession was ioyned with faith he beleeved with his heart as did PHILIPS i Acts 8.37 Evnuch as he confessed with his mouth to his k RoÌ„ 10.10 Salvation for his confession heere to to GOD primarily as in the Iudgement both of charity and verity wee are to conclude and to his scandalized Church secondarily was not the Confession of a Felon to his Iudge as ACHANS to l Iosh 7.20 â—1 IOSHVAH fearing execution Nor as the Confession of IVDAS to the m Math. 27.4.5 Pharises for want of Faith ending in a halter and in n Psal 9.17 Act. 1.25 Hell but as the ConfessioÌ„ of a Son to his indulgent Father for that reference the Lord himselfe professeth he hath to o 2. SaÌ„ 7.14 SALOMON or as a Confession of a Patient to his Physitian in hope of helpe and health and he confesseth to the offended Church as any man may in the like case confesse even unto man t As appeare by that coÌ„fortable letter which Luther sent the sicke Duke of Saxony apud Osiandrum Cent. 16. l. 1 pag. 70. stearing yet farre enough from the Rockes of Popish Auricular Confession not onely to give satisfaction in case of p Mat. 5.23 24 scandall but as a diseased man to his Surgeons as the perplexed CHRIST crucifying paenitents to q Act. 2.37 PETER the Publicans to r Luk. 3.12 IOHN the Magicall Å¿ Act. 19.18 19 Nicromancers and others converted by PAVL and as many in our dayes have done to the zealous GRENHAM PERKINS DENT DEERING DODD and others to whom the Lord gave the tongue of the u Esa 50.4 learned and created the fruites of their lips to bee * Esa 57.17 Peace even in Case of desired Comfort and Consolation Esay 57.19 Iob 33.23.24 Sixthly SALOMONS Repentance was constant and Conscionable it was not in a flash or in a Crocodiles x Vincentius hist l. 17. c. 606. teare or two like y Heb. 12.16 ESAVVES and the hypocriticrll z Deu. 1.45 Iewes not in a SAVLS a 1. SaÌ„ 15.24 Confession but as PAVL's it begun and continued in that true Conversion the very life and soule of repentance that sincere aversion from sin and turning unto b Haec vera paenitentia preterita plangere plaÌ„genda non coÌ„mittere August de pan God which the Prophets every where call for he did not after any fained humiliation returne to his sinne againe as the Dog to his vomit the Sow to her wallowing as did Ahab Saul Adoniah Ioab Semei but acording to the rule and Canon he did Praeterita plangere plangenda non committere Lament his by-past Vanities and as a man that gives a Bill of Divorce to his whorish wife never to intermedled with her more as Noah Lot Iudah David Peter and others hee did not Apostate againe and backe-slide to his repentant and abandoned follies now hee esteemes all the Honours Pleasures Riches Dignities Policies Studies Counsels thoughts actions endeavors of men in this life without the Wisedome Word Worship Feare and Favour of God to bee meere Huskes and Vanities such as will never helpe ease profit comfort or coÌ„tent him in life in death nor death and his judgement ushering his practice he made a Covenant with his heart never to feed more on these Huskes to sinne more in the use abuse of these Vanities But as a Traveller ever talking of and fitting for his journey his Thoughts and tongue now walke and talke another way even how to feare GOD and keepe his Commandements Legall and Evangelicall being indeed that Regia Via Vitae the true way to life and herein indeed was his true repentance according to CHRISTS l Ioh. 5.14 Precept and AMBROSE his prescript when he sinned no more in that culpable kinde as m Haec vera poenitentia cum sic paenitet hominem peccasse ut crimen non repetat Amb de poenit before the best repentance saith that zealour Belgick n Luther call'd oft by Hennius Eccardus and others the Elias of Germany Apostle being in one word A new o Optima paenitentiae nova vita
too it were easie to these Arguments to bring in the whole Iewry yea Grand-Iewries of Antiquitie to prove both the repentance of SALOMON after his sinne his remission upon his Repentance and his Salvation upon his remission his Iustification Sanctification the fruit and effect of his salvation For besides the constant opinion of the Hebrewes as we have i Hierom. in c. 2. Eccles heard that his Ecclesiastes was his Repentance as may be seene in their booke called Sedar Olam Cap. 15. Lorinus k Prolegom in Eccl. c. 2. thinkes that Saloman in his Proverbes seemes himselfe to testifie his repentance as though in passing by the Feild of the sluggard and the Vine-yard of the Man devoyd of understanding seeing it all overgrowne with Thornes and nettles considering it and laying it to heart Pro. 24.30.31.32 He should by this Feild vnderstand his owne heart all overgrowne with the Thornes and Weeds of lust and Idolatry and by the Instruction he received by it should intimate his repentance as the reading of the l Novissimus ego egi paenitentiam respeâ—i ut eligerem disciplinam septuagint seemes to confirme it elsewhere by St. m Jn cap. 28. Ezek. Ierome this repenting Salomon is called King of Ierusalem and opposed against Ahab Ieroboam Ioram and the evill Kings and compared with David Ioshuah the Patriarkes Prophets and other religious Kings and Iudges of Israell and Iudah and in an Epistle to Eustachium Epist 22. though he lament his fall yet hee denyes not his repentance in an other o Ad salvinam Epist 9. victi sunt quasi homines Epistle he makes use of his fall as also of the fall of his father David that we that stand should not presume but take heed least we fall of later time Gregory de p Praesat in Conitica Caâ— Valentia pleads much for SALOMON confutes some that denyed this booke of the Preacher to bee sacred Scripture or to be placed in the Canon as though he had transcribed it from his Father DAVID or received it from some other and though it were quaestioned as Apocryphall even in the dayes of IEROME because SALOMON Chap. 2. vers 21. Seemes to give way to Epicurisme and Licentiousnesse warranting to eate and drinke and be Ioviall as the Helluohs of the world yet as he is well cleered by that learned q CoÌ„ment in c. 1. Eccles Apolagie SALOMON is farre from giving way to Luxury or any Vanity which as by Clubs and Malls in the whole booke he beates downe onely approving a a free lawfull liberall use of the Creatures such as the holyest men have used standing with moderation reason religion and Christian gratulation Hence for all these and such like frivolous exceptions the booke is approoved his Verdict of Vanity of all religious hearts and illuminated spirits subscribed to the Author himselfe by the Chalde Paraphrase hath the name of a Prophet yea r In Ps 118 v. 1. lit 2. lib. de fide resurrectionis Saint ANBROSE besides that formerly alleaged in many places gives him the best Epithite of holy Salomon chiefly in his Praface before Saint LVKE and in his booke of his Faith in the Resurrection where hee cites this Ecclesiastes elsewhere Å¿ Apol. David l. 2. c. 3. he paralels him with Saint PAVL and DAVID and placeth him as a true Paenitent in the midst betwixt them sinning and repenting CYRIL t Catech. 1. of Ierusalem exhorts to repentance after the example of AARON DAVID EZEKIAS MANASSES NABVCHADNEZVAR PETER and amongst the rest SALOMON HILARIE u Hilarius on Psal 52. is confident that like AARON DAVID and others he was seriously reprooved for his sinnes and repented the very same IREVEVS * Lib. 4. cap. 45. saith he received by tradition from one that was an Auditor of the Apostles CHRISOSTOME is alleadged by ALVARVS x De Placitis Ecclâ—ari 45. PELAGIVS for the same purpose to testifie the repentance of SALOMON of whom the same Father writes y Serm. contra Concubia Tom. 9. elsewhere that after his lust and inordinate concupiscence after terrestriall and sensible sensuall things returning as it were out of a parke and shadowy Wood to true and heavenly wisedome he uttered as it were ex Tripode that sublime and heavenly voyce truly worthy of a heavenly man and a heavenly minde Vanitas Vanitatum Vanity of Vanity Vanities of Vanities all 's but Vanity saith the Preacher yea sayth that z Periphrasi in c. 2. Ecol THANMATARGVS abhorring and hating all his former life in which he had wasted and wearied himselfe spent as a Taper in pursuite Vanity as a man shipwrackt weather-beaten on the Rockes of Vanitie swimming to the shore by Repentance at last he sets up Sea-markes whereby others may avoyd these Syllaes and Caribdis on which he was newly ruined hereupon a Epistola de recuperandis laps BACHIARIVS that lived about the time of AVGVSTINE in his Epistle concerning the restoring of those that were falne in the fiery time of Paganish Persecution as it is extant in these Volumes call'd the Library of the b Bibliothera Patrum ToÌ„ 3. in Folio Fathers perswades IANVARIVS amongst others things that he would not doubt to receive an Adulterous Monke into the Church upon his repentance because that mercy was not denyed even unto Salomon upon his humiliation affirming moreover that it makes nothing against his repentance that it is not registred and recorded in expresse words in the Scripture no more than the repentance of Aaron Noah Lot Iudah Ruben Sampson who yet truly repented his beeing though not so publike as his Father Davids which was publikely sung in the Church yet as true in secreto Conscientiae in the inwards of his Soule and secrets of the heart and Conscience yea and that his sinne was pardoned hee makes this an Argument I know not how sound in that he was buried amongst the Kings of Israell and Iudah which he affirmes was a priviledge denyed unto some that persisted in their Perversnesse disobedience and impaenitency to the end of their lives the like argument is used by one Martyn c Lib. 10. Hypotypos Regula 25. Cantapretensis as also by one d Epist 65. Fulbar in Saint Bernards time who spends an whole Epistle on this Subiect so one Ticonius in Augustines time that was a little affected with Donatisme otherwayes a learned man in one of his e Extat regula in lib. 3 de Doct. Christ c. 31 Rules intituled of the Promises and of the Law extant both in the workes of Augustine and f L. 1. do suÌ„mo bono cap. 25 Isodore is very confident that as that as the Lord did not deprive SALOMON of his earthly Kingdome as he did g 1. Sam. 15 28. Saul h 1. â—in 12.16 Reheboam i Dan. 4.31 Nabuchadnezzar k 2 Kin. 19 37 Sonacharâ—b l Dan. 5.30.31 Baltazar and other wicked Kings
beloved of God as also that the Lord heard the Prayer of David for o Compare 〈◊〉 28.29 him to accomplish the thing which hee had promised I could also use the Arguments even of p In Comâ—d Paradisi Cant. 11 Dante 's the famous Italian Poet who from his excellent institution and education from his Father q Prov. 4.4 Prov. 31. David and Mother Bethshebah such as r 2. Tim. 1.5 Timothy from Lois and Eâ—nice Constantine from Å¿ Euseb in vita Const lib. 3. Helena Augustine from t Passim fatetur in Confess Monicha from his singular Love unto Wisedome his study of the Trinity his love to the Word to which in the person of Wisedome hee so earnestly u Pro. 4.1 Cha. 5.1 c. 7. c. 8. c. 9. exhorts his religious worshipping of God in the dedication of the * 1. King 8. Temple his excellent Vertues and guifts wherewith he was inobled chiefly from his contempt of the World and all wordly Vanities which in this Booke of the Preacher or preaching booke he so proclaimed concludes him in the state of Grace I could also from Finus Sadeus a x Jn cap. â—e invitat de Constit NuÌ„ 7. de praeser Num. 1. cap. 1. Canonist and y Lib. 17. Theosophiae cap. 20. Iohannes Arboreus strengthen mine owne hopes and others of SALOMONS everlasting welfare from that hope he hath in the Messias under the borrowed person of the wise Agur making a true confession of his sinnes unto Ithiel and z Pro. 30.1 Vcall even IESVS CHRIST acknowledging himselfe though the wisest of meere men yet as even some of the Hebrewes held him by reason of his sinnes sayth Lyra to be more foolish and bruitish than any man so with a Iob. 42.10 holy Iob in the sence and sight of his sinnes even abhorring himselfe and his by-past follyes Lamenting and repenting with this our Prodigall his feeding on the Huskes of Vanity in the service of his lusts wheÌ„ he might have bin fed with the pure Mancher the Heavenly Manchet of the sweetest mercies in the service of the Lord but Manum de Tabula I doubt I am within compasse of correption or running wide or Counter from our Prodigall to SALOMON but if it be an error it 's on the right hand error a dextra I say as DAVID in another case is there not a cause Si parvis 1. Sam. 17 19. componere magna if wee may compare Wrens with Aeagles Did they not both Convenire in eodem tertio Did they not both feed on Huskes both buy repentance too deare Both returne unsatisfied as that c Et lassata voris â—on saâ—recessit Messalina from the Stewes from Vanities Banquet Were they not both gulled deluded deceived with windy Swads for sollid meat Did they not both returne home by weeping Crosse froÌ„ the CoÌ„mons of Swine the gland of Hogs the fleshly sensualities of Epicurish men to the delights and desires of Saints and the joy of Angels * Applicatio Vade tu fac similiter Oh that all in their case had grace to doe the like Oh how would they loath their huskes and like their exchange How would they blesse God for the praescriptions and directions the Instrumentall meanes and motives of their internall peace here which they never before found and their aeternall Peace hereafter after this short Pilgrimage of life which they can never loose Thus have I discharged my last and longest Bill my strongest Battry against the paper Walls of Vanity SALOMON as the wisest of men speculatively as the best experienced of men practically as remorcefull amongst sinfull men paenitentially from his wisedome morall experimentall Theologicall that threefold Cord which cannot be broken from his spirit humane yea from the unerring spirit Divine by which the Preacher penned and published his Ecclesiastes or booke of Repentance giving in his true unpartiall judicious and undeniable determinate Verdict as the very mouth of God that all earthly and sublunary things under the Sun in their severall Species and individumus Riches honors pleasures profits Praeferments Wine Women Musicke Meates Feasts Festivals Frolicks yea Learning Knowledge Arts Sciences Languages Beauty Strength Favor Wit Policy Humanity Wisedome Children Friends Favorites Credit applause with men whatever disioynted from the Grace Feare love favor service worship of the Almighty not used in God from God to God and his Glory all these are meere Huskes Vanities Vacuities Dreames Delusions To give to the Soule of man that rests in them any true reall satisfactory Contentation more then snow in Harvest Vineger to the aking Teeth smoake to the eyes Mercury to a greene wound or a cold stone to him that hath the heart-burne Thus we have heard the verdicts testimonials of the greatest and best men casting this case controverted with the vaine sonnes of men infatuated with the Dregs and Drugs of Vanity Esay Ionas nay IESVS SALOMON and the God of SALOMON have spoke to the purpose that unlesse men will be mad with d Cum ratione infanire reason or against reason as he that resolved in the Comedy not to be perswaded though hee were e Non persuadebis etiamsi persuaseris apud Comicum perswaded or as our Papists as once the Pharises unlesse they will even shut their eyes against the Sunne till they fall into the Pit of Perdition their Consciences must needs be convicted CHAP. XIII SECT 1. The nature of these Vanities their disproportion with the Soule the Immensity of mans appetite further declared BVt least these proofes be too generall froÌ„ expatiating as it were in an open Champion wee will come to the strict inclosures of particulars from Testimonies and Authorities wee will come to more speciall Arguments and Reasons as from shooting at long Markes and running at Tilts and Iusts wherein we may take our breathings and fetch our cyrcling Carieres we will come as in a Land or Sea-fight to graple and gripe with Vanities these speckled killing f Panthera vanitatis ef figies odore enim conspectu animaÌ„ tia sibi allicit obtecto capite dum devorat Solinus cap. 20. Plinius hist lib. 8. c. 17. Panthers and to lay on with downe-right blowes that we may lay them all at once prostrate if we can as DAVID did g 1. SaÌ„ 17.49 GOLIAH or as the Greekes did h Mortuo Leone insultant Leopores HECTOR to trample upon them and insult over them yea to kicke them as we use to doe with discovered Cheators and Sharkers as moore deluders and Impostors not able to performe more than Huskes to the Prodigall these desired contentations and satisfactions which they promise and that amongst many moe for these subsequent Reasons partly from the nature of man partly from the nature of these Vanities themselves partly from comparing both together partly from GOD himselfe to which heads all may bee referred First Vtor concessis to
dishonour CHAP. XV. SECT 1. GODS just Judgement on Vanities and vaine Men. MY next proofe and reason of the insaturity and insufficiency of all these huskish Vanities Reason 18 on which our Prodigall eates but neyther feeds fils nor fats is from Gods meere Iustice and Iudgement on him and on such as he that Recedens a satiabilibus impotentia saturandi mulctetur Departing from his Fathers house in which was bread enough he should be hungred and starved with Huskes for want of bread thus it 's just with God that when sinners leave him the Fountaine of living Water they should dig to themselves Pits that will hold no water that whilst they will not buy Wine of him without t Esay 55. â— money and drink freely of his living waters they should as Reedes without moysture and as the Rush without u Ib. 8 1â— Myre perish for want of water thus whilst they will not beleeve the truth its ' iust with God to give over the sonnes of Vanity to beleeve Lyes and * 2. Thes 2 10.11 Fables to dreame and dote in their sinfull slumbers and as sicke men and mad-men to imagine strangely and talke idlely as the Iewes doe in their Thalmud the Turkes in their Alcoran the Papists in theyr Masse bookes Rosaries Catechismes and golden Legends as I might shew more plainely in the application of these things and therefore whereas Ionas sayth that Those that imbrace lying Vanities forsake their owne Mercy some read it by way of Concession and by way of an Ironicall Conclusion as well Goe too If they will needs imbrace Vanities let them I give them over to the Vanities of their owne minde if they will not as mad Colts be restrained I give them the Reines Counsell is no Command I leave them to themselves and to the Lusts of their owne hearts but let them know that as Cain had long x Gen. 4.15 life b V. 27. de his aquis fusius apud Paulum Fagium in Thargum on Keli ex Hebraeorum Scriptis ex Zeppero legibus Mosaicis l. 4. c. 18. pag. 466 the Israelites y Ex. 16.12 Quailes and the Iewes a z 1. SaÌ„ 8.22 King with a Curse annexed as the Colloquintida that spoyl'd their Pottage so they shall enioy their Vanities with a Curse they shall have no more good of them than Dogs of Grasse than the stomacke of Mercury than the whorish Woman amongst the Iewes of the waters of a Numb 5.12.13.14 Iealousie that filled them indeed with swelling and rottennesse but plagued and pained them never refreshing them or those that have a c Barrow his Method of Physicke l. 3. c. 35. pag. 160. Tympany filled with winde and putrified water yet empty for all their filling these Vanities shall prove lying to them as Iuglers and Impostors they shall meerely cheat and deceive them but not content them as if a Father should say to a refractory resolute dissolute Sonne that 's not to be counselled nor controlled well Sirrha follow your owne wayes take your owne courses thinke your owne wit 's best as a Bucke of the first head run on wildely and vildely still but know you will be beat enough with your owne rod Your selfe will bee the greatest Plague unto your selfe If these courses thrive and prosper if this way leade not just unto the Gallowes my Prognostication failes mee Doe as thou wilt I can but pitty thee and pray for thee I leave thee to thy selfe to run on to thine owne ruine Liberavi animam meam I have discharged the part of a Father SECT II. The Vanity and vexation of that Love which is humaine placed on the Creature allured by Beauty MY next Reason Ratio 19. which is as convincing and conclusive as any if not as all the rest is from Experience which though she be said to be the Mistresse of d Experientia StulteruÌ„ Magistra fooles yet from their repentance bought at too deare a rate shee oft teacheth and tutoreth Wise men now in this Glasse of Experience as in the Ship of fooles into which some of al professions entred doe we not see how many men are vexed tortured diversly distracted and disquieted with their earthly loves or their own lusts as Noah was drunk discovered by his own Wine Gociahs head cut f 1. Sam. 17 51 off e Gen. 9.21 by his owne Sword whereas had they placed their love wholly and solely up GOD as that Ignatius the Martyr and Polycarpuâ— did g Deus meus et omniâ— Oh Iesus esto mihi Iesus Amor meus Crucifixus est who have sayd with DAVIDS heart I love the h Psal 18.1 Lord and with PETER Lord thou knowest that I love i Ioh. 21.15 thee could all their love have run in that streame and torrent after God oh what a calme What a quiet What a tranquilitie should they have had in their hearts Yea what a Heaven upon Earth Whereas now they are vexed with their owne passions or rather perturbations as the Ticke vexeth the Oxe and the Indian Gnats the Lydian Lyons which sitting on their eye-bryes cause them to scratch themselves k Plinâ—us blinde if any doubt of this let us but observe the passionate melancholly Lover as he is graphically discovered in many Poets and Historians as he is acted and personated in many Comedies and Tragedies yea as hee reveales and discovers himselfe in his words habit gestures lookes sighes Sonnets Love-songs Maskes dances and what not Loue being no more to be hid than fire in the Thatch alas how the poore man is perplexed Doting upon the naturall if not painted or imagined beauty of a humaine Creature which perhaps after all his toyling and moyling he never injoyes more than Apollo did Daphne or that Actaon Diana or those luxurious old Iudges did Susanna or if he purchase this his supposed Paragon as his Fee-simple hee hath caught perhaps a Frog a Snake or a Sneake for a Fish Copper for gold or if a Fish an Ecle by the l Qui capit anguillaâ— per candaâ— non tenet illam taile a wanton want-one Venus ascolding Zantippe a brawling Iuno or else Pigmalions Image a very picture a silver feathered Goose a faire Foole a very Bable to play with a Bessy Babe that must be dandled and in every thing * A description of a Sheepe and of a shrew honoured else she feeds all upon Poutes by which match he gets a Pearle in his eye weares a straight shoe all his life though seeming meat eates a Sallet of Nettles every meale or else dines with a Woodcocke or a Dottrill hath a chiding worse than halfe a hanging every day and carries a Warming pan or chasing dish into his bed every night where he heares Curtaine if not Curtezan Sermons ere the m Alternaque Jurgia lecto in quo nupta facet Morning thus for a hoped Paradise purchasing a reall Purgatory drawing in an