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
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
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
a good name the which he sayeth farre to excell them as if he should say Doest thou seeke sound and true pleasure Liue so that thou maist get a good name and without al doubt thou shalt enioy most great gladnes most great pleasure But vnto them that are giuen vnto pleasure the feare of death is horrible and vnto those especially the which abound in plentie of riches Therefore the wise man addeth verie well That the day of death is better and more excellent then the day of birth of which wordes the force and meaning is That it is better to thinke vpon death then to tryumph in reioysing pleasures That this is the true order and knitting togither of this place consequently the right meaning the words that goe before compared with them that doe come after do declare For hee frameth vp all these things togither to beat downe the rashnesse of triumphing and reioysing pleasure to the garnishing and amplifying of the matter Speaking vnto men of matters concerning meÌ„ he dealeth after the manner of men He noteth not expressely the which notwithstanding is the foundation of our faith euerlasting life he sayth onely that which experience teacheth to be true when as death swalloweth vp all men that this euen in death remaineth as a monument of man his felicitie or happinesse if a maÌ„ haue so liued that the remembrance of him being dead is praise worthie and commendable For detestable and verie miserable is the remembrance of such as haue liued like Sardanapalus Nero Heliogabalus 3 It is better to go That is to say It is farre better and more profitable earnestly to thinke vpon death and to feele the incumbrances of the condition of man and to haue experience of these discommodities both in our selues also in others then to fill our minds with delites as they do which giue themselues to banquets that is to say vnto pleasure For by the name of Feast hee vnderstandeth all kinde of pleasure among the which solemnities feastes haue the chiefe place The purpose therefore of Solomon is The purpose of Solomon to call them backe from the vanitie of pleasure and because that all of vs by nature are carried thereunto to put a bit in the mouth of the lustinesse of the flesh least it fling away a gallop with these as it were spurres of delites It shall therefore be a good remedie against these outrages of pleasure Consider what is the estate of the life of man beholde howe many heapes of dead bodies it hath we shall not alwayes banquet and laugh And why this cogitation or thought is profitable hee setteth downe a reason Because that it is The meaning of these wordes is plaine That at deathes there is an image and representation of man his frailtie and weakenesse whose as it were last ende death is namely that in the things which befall vnto other men euery one should be put in minde of his owne condition and estate Of which matter all men ought especially to thinke so farre as they will haue themselues verie well prouided for Therefore he sayeth He that liueth will lay these things c. That is to say euery man so long as he remaineth in this life All meÌ„ oughâ— daily to haue death before their eyes ought earnestly to thinke on this matter and daylye to set before him the image of the common condition of all men that is of death one euen of the blinde Heathen hath sayde that Philosophie is the meditation or thinking vpon of death We doubtlesse may say better and more truely that it is a most excellent gift of Christian veritie diligently to thinke on death to the end that wee should so liue as if we were to dye and therfore to yeld accounts vnto God of our life The doctrine 1 A good name is a most pleasant frute of life because it commendeth a man both when hee liueth and also when he is dead A good naâ—e is a most pleasant frute of life and an if any kind of pleasure be to be desired that one is especially to be wished for We ought therfore to prâ—fâ—rrâ— farre before all the pleasures of riches delights and honours this pleasure of a good name the which we do get by liuing well temperately â— iustly and therefore especially to labour about this thing not that we may excell other men in riches honours and delites the which do leaue vs at the last peril of death but that we may so liue that the remembrance of men that are aliue the which is acceptable vnto vs may witnesse that we haue liued well that their good and frindly speaking of vs may represent vs as if we were aliue vnto the mindes of men 2 But this is humane felicitie the which then at length is most sure if it staye vppon this foundation that our names are written in the booke of life For this is a most sweete promise common vnto all the faithfull in Christe their head Thou shalt not suffer thine Holie one or thy mercifull to see corruption These delites therefore of eternitie remaine for them which haue led their liues godly and holily The day of death is better vnto them then the day of birth For when as no man can be saide to be blessed happie before his death and last ende and in as much as this life is passed through infinite daungers and shipwrackes of perils and miseries No maÌ„ happie before his death he is happie which hauing commendably sayled ouer the sea enioyeth the hauen whereas otherwise he that commeth into life is carryed from the hauen into the maine vnto sundrie and manifold kindes of misery The Exposition 4. Anger is better These things do plainely agree with that which went before and are only added to garnish and set out the matter with al. What Solomon meaneth by anger By the word Anger he vnderstandeth iust indignation against sinne which the Greekes call Nemesis For he doth not speake of the corrupt affection of anger the which Iames denieth to worke the righteousnesse of God For suche an anger is a madnesse and that in deede moste hurtfull He meaneth therefore that anger of which it is spoken in another place Be angry sinne not c. Against this hee setteth laughter that is to say immoderate and intemperate ioy and gladnesse He furthermore setteth downe a cause namely for that the end of the same holy sadnesse is many times ioyfull and contrarywise the end of madnesse and frantike ioy and gladnesse lamentable and sorrowful How true this is experience doth too abundantly teach Dauid liuing ydle and at ease Dauid whilst he maketh much of himselfe and giueth ouer himselfe vnto pleasure lying as it is likely in the lappe of Bersabe got vnto himselfe great harme therby but when he was sad and heauy being touched in conscience for his sinne he diligentlye gaue himselfe vnto the making of Psalmes by occasion of his wholesome
authoritie And he sayeth that the wordes of the wise are rather heard then the wordes of the foole because there is in them more power and profite Wise men therefore doe speake by the effects of that which followeth of their speeche Therefore there is in these wordes no contrarietie with the wordes of the 16 verse in whiche this same was denied Wise men are not hearde of lewde and vnthankefull persons because these refuse their sober and profitable counsaile yet are they heard albeit that lewde men bee neuer so muche agaynst it because of the manifest profite of them the which doe clearely shine forth by the fruitefull effectes Nowe after what manner and by what effects the wordes of wise men are heard he teacheth in the next verse 18. Wisedome is better c. For as by sober and Christian Wisedome many commodities doe redound vnto all men so follye and lewdnesse bring infinite hurtes vnto men He calleth him a sinner as I haue noted manye times alreadye the which is an vngodlye and a prophane person agaynst whome he matcheth A Wise man that is to saye a godly and an honest man For the cheefe poynt of true Wisdome is to liue godly and honestlye Solomon therfore describeth that same true wisdom the which Iames calleth the wisedome from aboue the which doth not onely teache the waye of saluation but also the meanes how to frame our life well and blessedly so that hee that is indued therewith shoulde not onlye be profitable vnto himselfe but also should bring great and profitable benefites vnto all other men Agaynst him he setteth an vngodly and wicked man of a badde and naughtie conscience hurtfull especially vnto himselfe and also vnto other men of which like plagues and corruptions of mankinde there haue bene both many in times past and are also at this day vnto the ouerthrowing of common wealths and families whilest that they also procure hurt vnto themselues these sinners albeit endued with singuler wittes so farre as concerneth ciuil and externall matters the holy ghost marketh with the reproche of folly and madnesse that we shoulde know that it is a bottomlesse gulfe of greatest and most extreame madnesse Most extreme madnesse to depart from the seruice of God to departe from the pure worship and seruice of God These ciuil giftes albeit neuer so greate and fayre in shewe yet are they so defiled with the stayne of this badde Conscyence that they bring assured destruction vnto their owne Maysters the which hee sheweth in the next verse The tenth chapter 1. As flies c. Suche sayeth he The corruption of wicked folly is the corruption and infection of this wicked follye that he which is infected therewith albeit hee be otherwise endued with great and excellente giftes yet he stincketh shamefully that is to say those same giftes are altogether vnprofitable and hurtfull and turne so much more vnto his greater condemnation by howe muche they were more greate and excellent By the worde Oyntmente according vnto the vse of the scripture some pretious or excellent thing is signified as Vnto a smell of sweete sauoure speaking of the efficacie and vertue of our redemption A sauoure of knowledge speaking of the preaching of the Gospell A sauour of a sweete smell speaking of the bounteousnesse and liberality of Christian charitie whiche speeches are vsed by Paule in his Epistles And by the worde Folly as I haue sayde I vnderstande that same sinfull ignoraunce of GOD and of a man his owne selfe the which causeth that excellent giftes otherwise as of knowledge Wisedome eloquence yea of martyrdome and myracles are rotten Flies If thine eye be darke sayth Christe thy whole bodye is made darke Saul Iudas Saule had excellente ciuile giftes so also had Iudas but they were rotten or stinking Flies in oyntmente Ciuile giftes therefore are in suche sorte to be wished for that wee especiallye begge of GOD the holy ghost that is to saye gifts not to be repented of whose moste holye effecte is a good conscience that wee may reioice especially on this behalfe that our names are written in the booke of life and with the holy Apostle so striue that we maye carry away the reward The stinke therefore of an euill conscience is to be taken heede of and eschewed And this comparison of counterfeit wisedome being wont to be vsed by the way of the olde sound fathers in religion may bee alleaged to discipher out those also whiche departing from true faith and the feeling of the Lord himselfe do in name only professe themselues to bee of the Church of Christ Vnto whom this comparison now adayes may bee fitly applied suche as there haue bene many in times past autors of heresies and schismes and is now adayes also pretended vnder the name and title of Catholicisme 2. The hearte of a wise man c. Hee goeth on in the comparison of a wise man and a foole The wise man hee sayeth to haue his Heart at his right hande and the foole At his lefte hande by a fyguratiue kinde of speaking signifying that the knowledge of a good conscience is the guide and leader of our whole lyfe The Prouerbe is taken from this that the righte hande in a man is readye to doe thinges and the lefte hande vnreadye So to bee at the righte hande is to directe and gouerne as Psalme 16. A wise man then doth gouerne himselfe and his whole life well and happily but a foole throweth himselfe willingly headlong vnto destruction This is that whiche he sayth A foole willingly seeketh his own destruction 3. By the way by which c. That is to saye He taketh the waye of destruction hee willinglye runneth vnto his owne ouerthrowe For it is knowne that by the Worde VVay a course and trade of life is signifyed His heart fainteth he is voide of iudgement and reason that hee may be carried with a certayne blinde rage vnto his owne miserie And yet he sayth Suche is his boldnesse and so greate that he sayth of all men Hee is a Foole that is hee condemneth others Therfore he noteth that ambition the which being rash and foolish dareth to condemne not onely the godly but also furiously riseth vp agaynst God and through folly assaulteth heauen after the maner of Gyauntes Hauing shewed the nature of Wisedome and follye he setteth down the effectes of Wisedome for the ordering of our life rightly wisely that in most weighty and necessary matters How we ought to behaue our selues toward an euil Magistrate 4. If the spirite c. Hee teacheth howe wee oughte to behaue our selues towardes an euill Magistrate and then especiallye when as wee are come into such streightes as that vvee stande in his displeasure in this daunger vvee muste not set anger agaynste anger but ouercome the anger of the mightyer by modestye and mildnes The vvhich doubtlesse is of great importance in this life into the vvhiche befall sundrie encumbrances of