addicted to follow his owne braine that let neuer so good counsell and admonition be giuen he will not follow it To make manifest how great the harme and dammage is which this man doeth draw vpon himselfe and the mischiefes and snares into which he falleth Solomon doth very excellently set it foorth by comparison This foole for so he termeth him let him haue all the aduantages that may be to such an one yet shall they not deliueâ— him Age is a great matter to be regarded and a great helpe to goe through because it hath séene much Riches and honour and authoritie especially when they be with the greatest as in kings must néedes doo excéeding much But yet all these that is age riches honor power or authoritie shall not be able to deliuer the wilful conceipted foole that knoweth not to be admonished any more from miseries and dangers no though hée be a king This is the cause why he saith better is a poore child that is wise then an old king which is a foole and knoweth not to be admonished And to shew how vnâ—esistablie this foole casteth himselfe â—owne or how little those things shall â—elpe namely his yeares of experience â—is riches honour and power he setteth â—ne that wanteth all these in better case For a poore child hath not experience he â—anteth power for both tender age and â—ouertie bring coÌ„tempt He hath nothing â—ut wisdome and that wisdome but of a â—ild yet is he better theÌ„ the other Thus are we taught what mischiefe hedstrong follie doth carrie with it But I must here make the matter a little plainer It will be said what is this to declare the vanitie of life present We shall seldome find such a king and if it fall out oftenner yet doeth it touch but a few I answer first that when this is a king all the whole realme doth smart for it A wise king is a great blessing vnto all his subiects On the contrary such a foole as is here described to be wilfull and not knowing to be admonished by wise couÌ„sellors doeth not onely harme himselfe but wrappeth all his kingdome in calamities Great menne draw many with them they fall not alone Secondly I answere that Solomon doth not meane to speake this onely of a king but by way of comparison to include all other degrées of men For thus must we reason If an old king that is a foole and knoweth not to be admoninished any more be through his wilfulnes headie conceipt in worse case then a poore childe then other menne of lesse power and wealth though they be noble and rich can not be safe and how shal the inferiour sort of people then escape I meane such as be wilfull Thus wée sée how it concludeth all sorts of meÌ„ that be addicted to their owne will and be so wise in their owne eyes that they wil not be counselled Now let vs sée the difference betwéene them by which is laid open the harme which hée doth to himselfe The one he saith which is the poore childe commeth out of prison to raigne also the other that is the king which is a foole and knoweth not to bée admonished is borne poore in his kingdome Here is wonderfull difference the one out of pouertie and afflictioÌ„ riseth vp into princely estate the other doeth fall downe from his dignitie and power into calamitie We haue example of this in holy scripture poore Ioseph was sold for a bond man he was cast into prison and from thence he was lifted vp to be ruler ouer all Egipt Sedekiah did not humble himselfe before Ieremie the prophet at the mouth of the Lord 2. Chron. 36. and therefore he was cast downe All wilfull fooles are not kings or princes and so can not fall so high But miserable are the plagues if we behold them among the children of men which are wrought by wilfull conceipted fooles It is a common sicknes euery man almost is wise and many are so full with the opinion of wisdome that they despise good councell and good admonition Looke what they set vpon they go through with it in a gard they plague others vndoo themselues they be vnrecouerable For in the prouerbes Solomon speaketh thus If thou braie a foole in a morter with a pestle among wheat yet will not his foolishnes depart from him This is to be vnderstood of the simple foole there is no tawing that can bring him to any passe instruction or stripes and all will not serue a foole will be a foole still doe what ye can In an other place of the Prouerbes he saith thus séest thou a maÌ„ that is wise in his owne conceipt there is more hope of a foole then of him Yée sée he leaueth litle hope of a foole when braying in a morter wil not serue What hope is there then of this other kinde of foole that is of him that is wise in his owne eies whom he affirmeth to be the harder In this place he is called a foole not that he is so selie as to want common sence but because there is no greater follie then for a man to be wise in his owne eies There be many of these fooles which be craftie fooles they be déepe in fetches suspicious vaineglorious and proude It is not possible with wordes to expresse what inconueniences and plagues these bring vnto countries townes and families where they beare sway ye shall sée them like vnto vnbrideled coltes It is no meruaile though Solomon did behold these and bring them in as a part of the plagues which are vnder the sun There be an innumerable rabblement of idle fooles which fold vp their hands and eat their owne flesh There be many misers which turmoile without end to heape vp riches for they can not tell whom they pinch their owne bellies There be also as we may well perceiue if we looke vpon the quarrels in law and contentions among societies and coÌ„panies that there be also very many conceipted fooles all is full of fooles the whole world is troubled with fooles If there be mo sortes they are not here meÌ„tioned because these thrée are sufficient to be brought forth vpon the stage Learne out of this place a necessary lesson when ye be to choose any to bearâ— office of gouernment either alone or together with other take heed that ye make not choise of such fooles that is of such as be wise in their owne estimation Such men will trouble all the more wit they haue the more daungerous ye shall finde them the more wilfull and headie and the further of from receyuing admonitioÌ„ Men can liue no pleasant life but where there is the comfort of societie Miserable therefore is the condition of this present life through the multitude of these three sortes of fooles which are most noisome to themselues and bring vexation vnto others Let vs goe forward I saw saith he al the liuing walking vnder the sun with the second childe
vp in their steade He demandeth what it is that hath béene and maketh answere that which is now and y t which shalbe is that that hath béene for God requireth that which is past All thinges are either past present or to come Men in times past did labour they are all set a work that liue now and those that rise vp after vs shall doe the like They that went before their workes are decaid and fallen we doe but the same again Those that come last and fall to it a fresh when our workes are vanished shall doo nothing but that which hath béene done before Thus all turneth round as a whéele which hee expresseth further in these wordes God requireth that which is past This is not Fortunes whéele it is God when men turmoyle which so ordereth the matter that they can doe no more but that hath alreadie béene done For when he saith God requireth it is as much as to say God bringeth back againe that which is past Oh poore creatures what do ye Open your eyes and behold with déepe meditation that which is here set before you Consider the workes of the ages that are past what is become of them what shall then become of your workes hereafter God hath decréed and no man can alter it that this estate of things shal continue to the end Turne then vnto him feare him and forsake these vanities and yée shall be blessed for euer The end of the fifth Sermon The sixth Sermon Ecclesiastes Chap. 3. MOreouer I haue seene vnder the sunne the place of Iudgement there is iniquitie the place of iustice there is wickednes 17 I said in my hart God will iudge the iust and the wicked for there is a time for euery purpose and ouer euery worke there 18 I said in my hart concerning the order of the children of men that God hath giuen them dignitie and to see to they are beastes to themselues 19 For the condition of the children of men and the condition of the beastes is euen as one condition to theÌ„ As the one dieth so dieth the other for they haue all one breath and there is no excellencie of man aboue the beast for all is vanitie 20 All goe to one place all was of the dust all shall returne to the dust 21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that it goeth vpward the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the erth 22 Therefore I see there is nothing good but that a man reioice in his own workes because that is his portion for who shal bring him to see what shall be after him Chapter 4. SO I turned and behelde all the oppressions that are wrought vnder the sunne and beheld the â—eates of the oppressed and none comforteth them and loe the strength is of the hande of those that oppresse them and none coÌ„forteth them 2 Wherefore I praysed the dead which are now dead aboue the liuing which are yet aliue 3 And I count him better thaÌ„ them both which hath not yet beene for he hath not seene the euill workes which are wrought vnder the sunne 4 And I saw all trauaile and all perfection of the worke that this is the enuie of a man from his neighbor This is also vanitie and affliction of spirit Ecclesiastes Chap. 4. MOreouer I haue seene vnder the sunne the peace of c. I noted the last time that he wold shew some particulars of the euils and mischéefes which hee obserued to fall vpon others which doe increase the miseries of this life Now hee commeth to them and first beginneth with the oppressors and the oppressed God hath made all the inhabitants of the earth of one bloud He willeth them to dwell together in concord and loue to deale iustly vprightly and with equitie and none to hurt but to doe good each to other But all this is gone through the corruption of our nature and wee are geuen to oppresse to spoyle and deuoure one another like sauage beastes For to méete with this and for y e preseruation of mankind the Lorde hath ordeyned the ciuill power hee hath erected the seate of iudgement and iustice vppon earth he hath put his sword into y e hands of Iudges and ruler â— to right that which is amisse They are by duetie of their office and place to rescue the innocent to deltuer the oppressed and to punish the wrong doers This doeth bring much ease and quiet vnto the Inhabitantes of the earth for without it no societie or common wealth can stand There wold be nothing but théeuing killing and spoyling If this were not some what at all times peruerted there might be much more comfort and reléef to the oppressed But it falleth out as he saith I haue seen vnder the sunne the place of iudgemeÌ„t there is iniquitie the place of iustice there is wickednes The wicked should there be punished and the innocent rescued and it falleth out contrarie The Lord complayneth of this Psal 82. How long will ye iudge vniustly and accepts the person of the wicked He crieth vnto them to iudge the fatherles and poor but they heare not I know some take it that Solomon doeth not speake here of the iudgement seate but by the word place vnderstandeth as much as to say in steade Then is it thus that the people in place that is in steade of iustice doe iniury wrong one another I could yeald vnto this but that hee speaketh in this manner the place of iudgement there is iniquitie which agréeth rather to a very place theÌ„ to say in steade But it may be obiected and saide where did Solomon behold this corrupting of iustice in the very seate of iudgement was not hée the chéefe Iudge in his kingdome Did hée or coulde hee beholde such a thing in his his owne daies and not remedy it I answere that he speaketh not of that which he had séene in one kingdome or at one time or which he behelde so much with outward sight But by an inward light and knowledge he beheld this great euill in all dominions vnder the sunne and at all times He did know right wel the great corruption of man that tyrants should ofteÌ„ sitte vpon the highest seates of iudgemeÌ„t And moreouer that though the king him selfe be iust yet his substitutes and such as are put in trust vnder him would peruert iudgement many times For when they should look vprightly into the cause they be drawen awrie by manyrespectes for there be many thinges which haue force and strength in them to draw a man awrie from ministring true instice Sometime a gift doeth blinde their eyes for the Lord saith a gift doeth blind the eyes and peruert the iudgement of the wise Sometime they accept the person of the wocked for some friendship if not toward them yet for some friend which intreateth that fauor may bee shewed as it is vsuall in waightie causes that great men write vnto Iudges and then downe
foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in destruction perdition for the loue of monie is the roote of all euill which while some haue lusted after they haue erred from the faith and haue pearced themselues through with many sorrowes I say if a man be thoroughly persuaded in his hart that there is no profite of the trauaile vnder the Sunne he shal be frée from this daunger that all worldlings be in Let vs sée the proufes One generation passeth away and another generation commeth c. Here wee haue the first reason by which hee proueth that a man hath no profite of all his trauaile wherin he trauaileth vnder the sunne and ye sée it is drawen from the estate which man is in He is mortal his dayes are fewe his continuance is short vpon the earth for he hath but the time of his generation he geueth place and neuer returneth againe but another generation succéedeth Finally his estate is more vaine then the estate of other creatures as it is set forth by comparison in the verses following Therefore there remayneth to him no profite of al his sore trauaile wherin he trauaileth vnder the sunne Brethren we know it is in all mens mouthes we are mortall we must die there is no remedie we must make our bed and lie downe in the darke we haue but our time here Againe where shall we finde that foole which looketh to haue any portion after he is dead of all the thinges which are wrought vnder the Sunne Is there any which is perswaded he shall come againe to looke vppon his workes to take pleasure in them Doeth he thinke that his riches shal féed him or cloath him any more Doubtles we all know we must tarie here but a time and then death will cut vs off We are fully perswaded that we shall neuer haue vse of any thing which we possesse here How doeth it then come to passe that cleane contrarie vnto this their knowledge men set their heartes vppon this world and looke for profite by their labours There is somewhat that doeth seduce men and quench the light of this knowledge or els how could it be thus In déede there be diuers thinges which doe seduce men and quench the light of this knowledge so that although they know they be mortal yet can they not sée that this is a sufficient argument to proue that all their trauaile for earthlie things is to no profite but they set their heart vpon them and couet them as gréedelie as if they should liue vpon y e earth foreuer I will note vnto you somewhat which doeth make men â—â—d euen against their knowledge Here is one great cause that such a thicke darke miste doeth compasse men round about that they cannot sée a farre of but euen at â—and They be not able â—o behold eternity and to looke vpon that which continueth for â—uer â—â—d that doeth make them estéeme this world as if it were all in all Ten thousand yeres in respect of eternitie are but a momeÌ„t and as nothing if we could wel discerne and iudge aright And behold what account man maketh of thréescore and ten they be euen as a worlde vnto him For these and about these for to maintain his estate in them he bendeth all the powers of his minde applyeth all his studies and indeuoures laboureth toyleth and vexeth him selfe marueylously like a foole Then we sée that this naturall sparke of light wherby men doe perceiue they must after certain yeres die and depart from all their labours is not sufficient to make theÌ„ wise nor deliuer them because they are compassed about with darkenes most miserable which causeth them to erre and goe out of the way as much as if there were no sparke of knowledge at all in y e mind It is farre more easie and possible for a man to sée cléerly twenty mile with his bodily eyes through the thickest mist then with all the light of nature to looke beyond this world Here come the great wise men of the world to be fooles for with all the light of understanding which they haue they â—e not able to looke any further but vpon â—he riches and glory of this world They â—an not be perswaded that a man shall receiue no profite of all his labour because hée shall die It is not within the â—oÌ„passe of their vew to looke vpon things eternall to valew them and from them â—o descend to the things present and by comparison to find that the glory of this worlde though it were for ten thousand yéeres is vtterly vaine and hath no profite in it I say they be not able to doo this without speciall grace to méete with this and to recouer men from such folly Solomon vseth a comparison betwéene man and other creatures by which it appeareth that besides this that he is mortall his estate is the most vaine and transitorie of many other The earth that is â—nmoueable and standeth for euer One generation of men doth succéede another and for a little time as it were play their part vpon it as vpon a stage some hath â— longer part then other but none passeth his generation What is the life of one man coÌ„pared with the continuance of the earth therâ— be other creatures as the Sunne thâ— winde and the waters whose estate serueth to be vnconstant but yet man is noâ— to be compared with them for they returne againe into their former place hâ— passeth away and doth neuer returne any more The Sunne ariseth saith hée the Sunne goeth downe and hasteth tâ— his place againe Where it did arise thâ— win de goeth toward the South and compasseth about to the North compassing compassing about goeth the winde thâ— winde returneth by his circuites Aâ—â— flouds runne into the sea and yet the seâ— is not filled to the place whether y e floud runne from thence they spéedily returnâ— Touching the Sunne and the winde there is no difficultie we all sée they returne againe to their former estate buâ— this last of the waters néedeth exposition They be often displaced but they makâ— hast againe vnto their owne place as wâ— as the sunne and the winds but not sâ— apparantly But if we marke what thâ— Scripture teacheth we shall sée it In thâ— creation of the world God set the waters in two places Gen. 1. The waters vnder the firmament he layd vpon heapes and called them Seas The waters aboue the firmament he hath hanged alost in the clowdes these he carieth all ouer the worlde causeth them to drop downe and to water the earth They drop down in great plentie part of them fléete into vallies make a floud and with all spéede runne into the sea Another part sinke into the ground where they by little and little by drayning méete together and by hollow vaines of the earth from hillâ—s and mountaines breake foorth in springs and make riuers These also though a little stayed after their fellowes runne into
all diseases and incombrances yea both mind and body euery way in such crookednesse as is vnspeakeable There is nothing straight in him all goeth crooked and peruerse hée worketh vpon himselfe and can make no part straight For all the humane Science and wisdome vnder the heauens if it were possible for one man to attaine and possesse it is not able to giue him any sparke of true light and knowledge of God nor to clense or rid his soule from any one drop of that diuelish poison wherwith it is infected depraued Wise men might well and did séeme to haue made themselues much straighter then the cōmon sort but in very déed their crookednesse remained still within I speake not of such as are regenerate by Gods holy spirite but of those who were ledde onely by the light of nature All their riches their honour and power not able they imploing their trauaile to ease or recouer their bodies to rescue thē from the gout or from an ague The successe of things is so crosse and vnlucky they foreseing what they can their ignorance by which they take many times the wrong course mans skil being so imperfect doth cause such infinite defectes that Solomon beholding this in all the works wrought vnder the sunne he doth pronounce that all is vanitie vexation of spirit How cléere is this man hath such imperfections wantes and errours in his workes as can not be numbred all is crooked within him without him and about him and he can make no one thing straight therfore all his labours are lost they be vaine miserable carying with them so sore affliction and vexation of the minde Thus hath hée in generall pronounced what he found in al the deuices studies and workes which are wrought vnder heauen Now he procéedeth vnto particuler declaration for hée goeth from point to point shewing that in all the excellentest things vnder heauen wherein there is any appéerāce or hope of good to be found there did he make search And he did begin first of all with wisedome Because in very déede of all things transitorie she is the flower It is she that maketh men to differre most one from another and to excel It falleth out oftentimes that starke fooles are riche and in place of great honour The bruite beastes doe enioy delight and pleasures as wel as men but neither beast nor foole can possesse wisdome but onely the wise man If there be any true worthines felicitie excellencie or good to be found in the creatures vnder the sunne it is in wisdome therefore he saith I applyed my hart to know wisdome It may be said that wisdome euen humane wisdome of which he now speaketh is high and déepe who can searche into her treasures who shall finde or be able to value what she can affoord Most true it is that wisdome is no easie thing to try He must be no foole nor simple person but he must possesse her and that in excéeding great measure which will discerne what her riches and pleasures be Marke therefore what hée saith before he doeth tell that he applyed his hart to know wisdome I said in mine heart saith he behold I haue magnified and increased wisdome aboue all that haue béen before me in Ierusalē Also my hart hath séen much wisdom and knowledge because God had indued him with greater wisdome and knowledge than any man vnder heauen he doeth gather therby that hee was the fittest for this purpose He doeth encourage himselfe and maketh it knowen vnto all that he was thus set forward He searcheth not at aduenture he searcheth not in the darke he hath his rule and his candle in his hand euen the light and direction of wisdome her selfe The wisest man vnder heauē searcheth out wisdome yea I may say more let the wisdome of al the wise men in the world be laid together it commeth short of his Some haue béene greatly wise in the course of the heauens some in the knowledge of nature in all creatures here belowe some subtile Logicians some eloquent Orators to perswade some politike in making lawes to gouerne Cities and commonwealths Others haue béen famous and renowmed for the skill of other noble sciences as euery mans heart led him some to one and some to another In all these he hath surmounted thē far if they were layde together Hee sawe more he did know more and coulde tell more then all they He was in déede the wonder of the world The Quéen of Saba wondered at his wisdome vntil there was no spirite in her 1. Kings 10. Confessing that she did not beléeue that which she heard of him vntill she came and saw it with her eyes and moreouer that the one halfe was not tolde her Hée excelled the fame that went of him Then behold here is the man which must tell vs what good is to be found in all the wisdome and skill of this worlde He did abound in al manner of wisdome thereby gaue his heart to know her Moreouer as he was wise so he tooke a good and perfect way to make a full search It is expressed in these words I gaue my hart to know wisdome and the knowledge of extreme madnesse and follie This is certaine that euery thing is most perfectly manifested and knowen by the contrarie As for example A man could neuer find so well the comfort and benefit of the light if he were not sometimes compassed about with darkenesse We best féele the swéete when we haue first tasted the sower Health is more cōfortable after gréeuous sicknesse the pure white sheweth the brighter when it is set by the blacke euen so wisdome sheweth the greater glory whē extreme madnesse and follie are set by her For this cause Solomon to the end he might behold this goodly lady wisdome in her full beautie and commoditie setteth by her extreme madnesse and follie For together with the sight of this euill fauoured and deformed bedlem with all her inconueniences the vew of wisdome doth set her out most excellently All her brightnesse all that she hath to delight or to benefit are displayed We may sée then what ladde him to applie his hart to know extreme madnesse or all kindes of madnesse for he vseth the word in the plurall number and foolishnesse It was not any loue that he bare vnto them but to finde out the perfection of wisedome through the knowledge of these For by the vglines of madnesse follie the pleasant countenance of wisdome is more delightsome and amiable The harmes the inconueniences and mischiefes which grow from those to the annoyance of all mad raging fooles doo make knowen and manifest what good what treasures and cōmodities this wisdome doth bring vnto him that doth possesse her May we not thinke that Solomon did now beholde as it were an Angell in brightnesse and glorie which might fill the mind with consolation happinesse but marke what hée pronounceth in the next words following I
can deny but that the life of such men is most miserable Now because this miser though hée be among men yet liueth if it may bée called a life vnto himselfe as he saith he is one and his minde cannot admit any fellow in that he possesseth in which hée pincheth his owne bellie and saith it nay euen when it cryeth vnto him for somewhat He wil set foorth further euils and incōueniences of his life by shewing the good which commeth of the contrary that is the societie and felowship of life Two are better than one they can doe more work and many works together which one cannot and so they haue a good reward for their labour There be many commodities in laboring together Companions are in societie if one of them fal his fellow lifteth him vp But he which is alone and doth fall wo be to him there is no helpe for him If two lie together they are warm but one alone can not be warme if any doe set vpon one and would be to strong for him two will be able to resist and a thréefold cord is not easily brokē Where men are linked together in societie and friendship they be strong and can not easily be iniuried By these his meaning is to shewe the manifold mischisfes which the worldly drudge coueting to liue by himselfe doth fall into Let vs note thus much that men are dissociate and liue a sunder gréedinesse of wealth is a great cause of it They can not abide that one should haue any gaine by another they will bestow nothing vpon any to norish loue And thus they draw euils vpon themselues and make their life full of miseries Where he saith of the worldly drudge that there is no end of all his labour also his eye is not satisfied with riches though he haue neither sonne nor brother I feare many wil take none but such to be couetous least any should be deceiued in taking this to be the onely description of a couetous man I will stand somewhat vpon it In déed it is the descriptiō of a couetous mā but yet of one that is in a déepe degrée of couetousnes yea of an extreme miser and drudge A man may come certaine degrées short of him and yet be couetouse and so couetouse that she Scripture calleth him an Idolater making riches his trust and so his God he shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen First if a man haue many children for which he is bound to prouide by his trauaile and to teach them to worke yet to haue an insatiable desire for riches to toyle without end is condemned it is a sauage thing to liue which many doe without societie of neighbors as ye shall see many so couetous that they admit no companions I will say further though he doo not defraud his soule of good but doo féed of them yea though he come to be after a sort satisfied and haue enough yet he may be couetouse for couetousnesse is not onely in the gréedie desire of hauing more or in pinching the bellie but chiefly in trusting in riches God hath giuen vs our life he hath commaunded vs to trauaile for sustenance but yet so as that we depend vpon him and know that he doth féed vs maintaine our life Faith in him is she keye of our store house if we stay vpon riches as though our life were maintained by them be guiltie of couètousnes Our Sauiour saith take héed and beware of couetousnesse Luke 12. and then for example bringeth in a man whose garners brought foorth such stoare that he had not roome to lay it vp hee pulled downe his barnes and builded greater and then he said Soul thou hast enough laide vp in store for many yeres eate drinke and be merie Thou foole this night shall they take away thy soule c. Here is one ye sée doeth eate drinke and is merrie hath enough for many yeres and yet condemned as couetous The wretched drudge here described by Solomon goeth farre beyond this and yet this is not excused We haue now in our daies it may be but here and there one which fitly in euery respect agréed with this description For though there be many that cannot be satisfied wish goodes that neuer rest toyling that robbe their own bellies yet fewe of them be without children or kinred Well let it be they differ some what yet they be but base drudges Of the last sort that is such as stay and trust vppon riches there be infinite for all are such vntil God worke in them the regeneration Ye shall heare many say I thanke God I am not conetous If I were sure to haue inough but to liue withall I woulde haue lesse care and take lesse paines It is in some sence and as some speake it as much as to say if I were sure that Mammon my God were so great to kéep me I would wish no more These men are afraid their riches will not suffice them and their posteritie For they imagine that their children can not liue but by them It wil here be obiected that it is lawfull and requisite to make prouision and to lay vp for the children and dayly experience doeth teach that such as haue litle or nothing left doe ful ill I answere we must so lay vp that we yet trust not to the riches which be vncertaine but to the liuing Lord. Our life dependeth vpon him and so doe the liues of our children And where it is said they doe ful il which haue little or nothing left them that is through vnbeléefe Is it maruell though the Lord suffer thousands of such as trust in riches to be depriued of his blessing They fayle of riches and haue no God to stay vpō and so doe pilfer and steale But such as feare the Lorde and trust in him shall ve fed in the time of dearth I haue béene young and now am olde saith the Prophet yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken and his seed begging their bread We sée also many left in wealth that come to beggerie and thousandes lefte with nothing which come to be wel able to liue The parents which prouide that their children may haue prouision made for the flesh to fulfill the lustes thereof doe often geue them a knife to cutte their owne throate For they be idle and riotous and learn no good trade to get their liuing If that be once spent which was left they must begge or steale Thus I haue stoode somewhat largely least any should take none to be couetous but such as to whom in euery respect the description here made by Solomon doeth agree We must now come to the third sort of men which do plague thēselues Wée haue dealt with the idle with the miserable couetouse there remaineth that foole which is wilfull and conceipted He describeth him in these wordes that knoweth not to bee admonished any more He hath such an opiniō of his owne wisdome and is so