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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11933	A godlie and learned commentarie vpon the excellent book of Solomon, commonly called Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher in the vvhich commentarie are briefly and plainly layde downe the methode, sense, and vse of that most profitable sermon, on the which, yet there hath neuer bin set forth any exposition in the English tong before this time, in such large and profitable manner. VVritten in Latin by Iohn Serranus, and newly turned into English by Iohn Stockwood, school-master of Tunbridge.; Commentarius, in Solomonis Ecclesiastes. English	Serres, Jean de, 1540?-1598.; Stockwood, John, d. 1610.	1585 (1585)	STC 22247; ESTC S117199	256,809	478

of God for that they contemne despise that same remedie the which God hath giuen vnto men both for the auoyding of fornication euil lustes and also for the aide helpe of life and yet that it commeth to passe notwithstanding that they are entāgled with cares of most troublesome and wofull single life and do fall into most great inconueniences These men wise inough otherwise as we may see yet Solomon affirmeth to be so blind that whilest they vexe their bodies and mindes with greate labours yet they cannot make this reckoninge with themselues for the knowing of the vanitie of this vnprofitable carefulnesse For whome do I labour c. For what heire doe I appoint these my goods for whose cause do I take such toyle that I doe pinch euen mine owne bellie and disapoint my selfe of thinges necessarie This he sayeth to be great vanitie the which followeth a single life against the which discommodities of a single and sole life hee setteth the commodities of marriage 9 Better That is to say the commoditie and profit of a married life is farre greater then of a single life For two are better then one it is better to be two then one and that in euerie matter but here hee speaketh properly of marriage so that it is an exposition of the decree of God concerning marriage It is not good for man to be alone let vs make vnto him an helper like vnto him This in deede is generally true as I haue said of the societie of mankind for man is a liuing creature as liking of fellowship so also a maintainer of cōpanie for communitie cannot consist without societie and companie but this first of all agreeth vnto mariage which is the foundation and seede plotte of mankinde The efficacie or force of this communitie is most great in mariage concerning al parts of life He yeldeth a reason why the profit is greater in a life that is ioyned with a fellowe Because they haue A reason why there is more profit in a life that hath a fellowe then whē as things ar don alone c. Hee teacheth two thinges both that in the earnestnesse of labour the workers shall haue more force because that their strength doeth increase and their courage is kindled by mutuall exhorting or chearing one of another and by the mutuall example of the one and of the other and also that you shall haue much more profite of your labour when as you haue obtained that which you sought for as namely your fellowe being witnesse of your profite receiued and also reioysing with you For I pray you what should his happinesse be who did possesse great heaps of richesse and yet shoulde haue none with whome hee might speake or vnto whome hee might vtter his happinesse It is therefore a verie great profite of thy labour to haue a fellowe to bee partaker of thy ioy the which taketh chiefe place in marriage in the which the man and wife are alike partakers of prosperitie and aduersitie as hee teacheth by and by Another cōmoditie of marriage 10 Because if they fall Hee therefore declareth an other commoditie of the marryed life That it yeldeth remedies against al chaunces and aduentures of life the which are wont to betyde both bodie and minde and goods such namely as in the raging sea of this oure life men are accustomed to bee troubled sundry wise withall Art thou sicke Thou hast a wife at home the whiche looketh vnto thee with all carefulnesse Is thy minde troubled with sorrowe Thou powrest out thy griefe into the bosome of thy most deare wife and arte eased Go thy matters but badly forward Thou hast a fellow to help thee beare this burden The ioy is the better increased thy wyfe being glad and reioysing with thee But the single life wanteth these commodities Woe therefore vnto him that is alone He teacheth that those who as if they were more wise then God doe seeke a newe waye to auoyde miseries the which this life is subiect vnto doe intangle and bewrap themselues in moste sharpe thornes and troubles and doe finde verie great inconueniences of that their single life And therefore that they are payde home with vnhappinesse The miseries of a single life in steede of the happinesse whereon they dreamed in a single life They lacke wife and children but they lacke not those discommodities for the easing or remouing whereof they want in vaine the faithfulnesse and helpe of Wiues and children I speake of such Batchelers as of purpose desire a single lyfe forsaking marriage Hee setteth downe an other commoditie of marriage Another commoditie of marriage 11 If also The honest pleasure of mariage he noteth by an honest kinde of speache And the vse of mariage is great in this corruption of mankinde for the auoiding of fornication with whose brands of lustes these seekers of a single life in the meane while doe burne and whilest they desire as they saye to shunne one mistresse they pull ouer their heads many mistresses that is to saye proud and faithlesse harlots The profit of honest pleasure in the bed vndefiled is manifold as the auoyding of detestable lust and begetting of children the which he noteth in the next verse that followeth 12 But if He sayeth therefore that there is sure ayde in the ioyning togither and agreement of man and wife But if the thirde be added that is to saye children begotten of lawfull marriage increase the familie that then the fellowship will be so great that it cannot by any meanes bee broken or vndone This hee doth garnish with a fine kinde of speach saying A tripled threed The meaning of the words A three fold coard or rope that is a threefold corde is not quickly not verie soone not verie easily broken the meaning whereof is That there is greate strength in concord or agreement and fellowship This is doubtlesse a fine saying and confirmed or warranted with great and notable examples That through concorde and agreement small things doe increase and through discorde and disagreeing great thinges go to wracke as the father exhorting his sonnes vnto agreement An example teaching the force of vnitie and concord biddeth a bundle of stickes to bee brought foorth and that euerye one easily brake his sticke being seuered and alone by it selfe out of the whole bundle but that they coulde not doe so in breakinge the bundle when all the stickes were bounde togither Of the ayde and strength of children in maintayning and defending their parentes there is a notable promise Psalm 128. Children then are a singular gift of God and the treasure of marriage is precious but God is to be prayed vnto that hee will graunt the issue which hee giueth vs to bee happie I haue rehearsed the simple meaning of this place the trifles of allegories the which Ierome in this place reciteth Ierom. it loatheth and wearieth mee to set downe For what is it to mocke the

to iudge of so great matters And therefore that wee must not let loose the brydle vnto our impatiencie We must not let loose the bri dle vnto impacientie the which cannot choose but miserably greeue and vexe our mindes but they are to bee strengthened with the helpe of that diuine wholesome wisedome the which is taken out of the worde of God that being dispatched out of the snares of these troubles and disorders they may arise vp vnto the consideratiō of the prouidence of GOD the which doeth bring foorth light out of so great darknesse This is the summe and contentes of this whole place vnto the 18. verse Oppression By the worde oppression or wrong by a figure called Metonymia he vnderstandeth riches gotten by wrong violence oppression and deceit and briefely vnlawfull gaines heaped vp togither by lewdnes vngodlines What the desire of riches may worke if God his spirit be wanting His meaning therfore is that the desire of mony is vnsatiable cannot bee filled the which stirreth vp and driueth men that carrie the title name of wise men suche as are those that are lawyers headlong into horrible wickednesse Therefore that it is no maruaile at all if the worlde bee ouerwhelmed with so great confusion and disorder when as the rage of couetousnesse doeth so boyle vp in those vnto whome the rule of thinges is committed and when as the infection of this desire raungeth farre and wide in all degrees of all men so that nothing is so holye in all the life of men the which it doeth not miserably defile For couetousnesse sayeth the holie Apostle is the roote of all euil This is the cause and beginning of all the miseries wherewith this life is haunted From thence doe spring priuate and publike disorders and stray abroad throughout all our life with verie great inconueniences dissentions of families discordes forged willes deceits stealing warres murther and other cōfusiōs or disorders wherwithal this life of ours is horribly distracted pulled asunder Amongest these troubles disorders doeth the prouidence of God sleepe No but groweth so much the more wonderfull honourable by these confusions by how much they are more entangled and combersome when as he bringeth them backe continually vnto a verie good end Solomon therfore teacheth vs that we ought not to giue iudgemēt by things present but that the end it self is to be looked vnto by the which true and sound iudgement may and ought to be giuen of euery matter God his prouidence sleepeth not 9 Better is As if he should say we must not rashly pronounce iudgemēt of any matter but the end it self must be looked vnto we are not to stay at the beginning Our mind therfore is to be restrained wee must not rashly giue it the bridle vnto impatiencie and euil speaking The outrages disorders of thinges are to be condemned the lewdnes also of wicked persōs is to be condemned but the prouidēce of god is with all reuerence to be praised the which contrary vnto expectation and purpose of sinfull men directeth those disordred matters vnto a very good end That this is the true meaning of this place all circumstances being wisely considered I hope that the learned wil iudge with me for as for that which expositers doe note here of perseuerāce or cōtinuāce vnto the end it is I confes truly spokē but not fitly with this mine expositiō the words next following agree very wel Better is a patient or long suffering spirit then a proud spirit for by a lōg suffering spirit I vnderstand that mā which wisely and soberly weying al things doth giue a certain iudgemēt Against him is matched one that is proud in spirit that is he which being caried away with rash proud preiudice or foreiudgement pronoūceth iudgement of most great matters In the which significatiō Habacuc in his 2 chap. 4 vers vseth the word Gnuppelah Hee is puffed vp like a bubble and denieth the iudgement of his proud mind to be vpright The sum is We must not giue rash iudgement in matters belonging vnto God his prouidence that wee muste not rashly geue iudgement of so weighty matters the which do appertain to the prouidence of god but that we must stay our sētēce that al things are to be looked about with patience reuerence that the ende is to be wayted for by the which as it were the conclusion of al the matter we may geue true sober iudgemēt It is a rash to soone ripe iudgemēt to cōdemn a matter not yet known tried doubtlesse a point of mad pride to take so much vppon our selues as to determine of so great matters and such especially as appertain vnto the maiesty of God But yet so far doth the rashnes and pride of man his wit breake out that it dareth to complayne of God and to speake euill of his workes This pride of spirit is greatly condemned the which anger or indignation followeth as a cōpanion Therefore the wise man addeth Anger 10. Make not hast By the word Anger he vnderstandeth that same backbiting waywardnes which dareth to complayne of the workes of God and to wax angry agaynst him not tarrying for those seasons of time the whiche God hath fitly and duly ordayned although it seem otherwise vnto the iudgement of our flesh and vnto corrupt reason Suche hasting is blame worthy and cleane against faith to witte because fayth doth patiently wayte for the prouidence of God the which without all doubt will come at his time as the prophets say He that beleeueth in him will not be hastie and if hee make delay wayt for him because in comming hee will come and make no long tarryaunce This same hastye and forwarde anger is peculiar vnto fooles the which notwithstanding the complaynts of Dauid and Ieremy do shew somtimes to happen vnto the faithfull Psa 73. and Iere. 9. Yet do they acknowledge thēselues whilest they doe so thinke of the ordering of humane affaires to dote and to rage after the maner of Beastes For it is a point of extreame madnes to speake euill albeit that it be neuer so little of the workes of God Contrariwise the Prophet sayth him to be a wise man the which reuerently beholdeth the wonderfull prouidence of God guiding the raines of men their affaires after suche a maner as manye times is vnknowne vnto vs but yet always iust Psa 107 ver 43. Hauing spokē these things very fitly by way of Praeface he cōmeth to the matter it self 11. Say not He teacheth that this waywardnes is to be auoided when as men being impatient at the feeling of presēt calamities or troubles do cōplain of God vpō whom they lay the cause of euill harde times This saying as it is true in Empires gouernments so is it also in the whole course of our life The present estate is alwayes heauie and such as we cannot abide We

and fit Preface A necessarie Preface The light in deede is sweete and it is pleasant to beholde the Sunne that is to saye the light and vse of this life is sweete it is a pleasant thing to enioy the commodities of this life 8 Truely if Yet if thou throughly consider the spaces and times of thy whole life although thou liue manye yeres and so long as thou liuest enioy al kind of pleasures and doe but set against them the discommodities and troubles of the which thou hast had experience al thy life and shalt cast thine accountes what hath befallen thee in all the course of thy life no doubte thou shalte finde that in thy life there is great vanitie which thing is so manifest by experience it selfe that the Sunne shineth not more clearely at noone day What then doeth hee I praye you gather hereof We must so liue that we remember that we shall dye 9 Reioyse The summe and effect is considering the vanitie of our life wee must so liue that wee remember that wee must dye therfore wee are to vse this life soberly and moderately and not so handle the matter that wee bee made drunken with the delites and pleasures of the same Now this doctrine is common vnto all men yet Solomon applyeth it properly and peculiarly vnto young men who through the strength and lustinesse of age and want of experience of things do not think that they shall dye nor that strength of lustie age shall faile them at any time and therfore they followe pleasures the more licentiously and intemperately In another place in deede the wise man biddeth vs to reioyse but in this sense and meaning namely that wee shoulde vse the commodities of this life merily and ioyfully but that it is not so to bee meant in this place these wordes doe declare Walke in the wayes of thine heart c. the whiche doubtlesse doe not will that wee shoulde so doe This therefore is to bee vnderstoode to bee a graunting ironically or in mockage As if he should saye Go to O young man which art lustie in age followe thy pleasure and spare not doe what thou wilt according vnto thy minde and lust yet knowe for all this that in the ende at length thou must giue accountes vnto GOD of thy life For as much then as thou shalt haue to doe with so mightie a Iudge 10 Take away anger our of thine heart that is to say beginne a course of a better and a more holye life abandoning those euill lustes whervnto thine age is subiect By these wordes Anger and euill or wickednesse Anger hee vnderstandeth all the corrupt affections of man And the principall poynt of a newe life is the mortifying of the olde man that the newe may be restored and repaired By the worde Anger besides the common signification hee noteth a certaine indignation or obstinacie wherewith hee that is reprehended hardeneth him selfe against reprehensions By malice euill or wickednesse Euil malice or wickednes hee signifieth the moste sower leuen of sinne wherewith oure whole life is corrupted Of that same disorder the which is in vs by oure nature corrupted the first is that same natiue sinne that is borne with vs the which the Apostle calleth sinning or sinfull sinne from this blot there is borne with vs rashnesse the which firste in children sinneth through a certaine vnaduised and blinde brunt or brayde and as age increaseth and boldnes is brought in to sinne it becommeth malice and obstinacie to sinne Theses are as it were habites or growen practises and qualities of vices that besides that same naturall stayne of sinne through an euill custome also of sinne waxeth and groweth more and more that it is made more sinfull and becommeth a corruption of corruption Hee counsayleth yong men betimes to preuent or withstand these euils least that in an age that is prone and readie vnto lust licentiousnesse of sinning doe growe from worse to worse Therefore hee doeth earnestlye beate into their heades this admonition Because childhoode c. that is to saye because it harde and scarselye falleth oute that Wisedome accompanyeth yong age Yong age trulye is verye daungerous The daungerousnesse of youth so that Paule nothing doubted to admonishe Timothie a young-man otherwise indued with excellent giftes and amonge other men as it were an Aungell that hee shoulde take heede of that age and flye youthfull lustes by whiche Worde hee doeth not vnderstande those vntemperate dissolutenesses and lewdenesse of young men the whiche no doubte Timothie was free and voyde of but certayne fyttes and panges of those lustes the whiche commonlye pricke forwarde young age as ambition lightnesse pride vnskilfulnesse and suche lyke vices the whiche oftentimes accompanye vnexperienced and vnaduised yong age Hee goeth forwarde with the same matter The twelfth chapiter 1. Remember thy Creator c. That age seemeth that I may so speake by a certayne priuiledge to haue libertie to be wanton youth woulde haue as it wer a certain priuiledge to bee wanton as if as yet it were not time to be wise as many at this day with this sorie shifte washe of sober and graue admonitions Contrariwise the Wise man teacheth that the time of well doing is not any longer to bee put off but that euen in childhoode and youth wee must make a beginning to be wise And therefore that it is meete that a yong man Remember his Maker We must begin to be wise euen in our youth For Godlinesse is the principall pointe and foundation of framing our life well and blessedlye Of which matter he sayeth that wee muste thinke betimes Before c. Before that the time of olde age yea and that whiche more is of death it selfe and too late repentaunce doth approche the whiche the occasion being not taken suffreth not to goe backe agayne and to returne vnto the olde opportunitie of doing wel as it were recouering againe a thing that was lost He that should forslew the seasons of sowing and reaping should in vaine wishe for them at an other time of the yeare That is sowne in youth the which must bee reaped in stayed yeres and in olde age it selfe If this season of sowing flie away from whence shall wee looke for an haruest The preacher faieth therefore that the time of age draweth nigh the whiche will come with a still pace making no noyce and hastening on will beguile vs before we be aware and death followeth vppon it manye times ouertaking those which when they haue departed this life did not yet now consider for what cause they came into this life And Solomon in a notable kind of speaking doth painte out the whole matter as it were in a table We must thinke on death betimes The summe and effect of this whole place is That we must thinke on death betimes to the end to liue wel that we die well And hee excellentlye describeth and setteth out the order