the vvordes of the mouth of the vvise doe beare grace as specially the speches in David for the Kingdome of Christ but the lippes of the foole Ieroboam svvalovved vp all his house vvhen he bade vvorship calves at Dan and Bethel and forbade to go vp to Ierusalem The begining of the vvordes of his mouth vvas foolishnes and the end of his mouth an evell madnes The other Kinges foolish before God multiplyed vvordes against Iudah but savv not their fall Great toyle they tooke familie after family and vvearied them selves in their Idoles being as men that knevv not the vvay to the city And such vvere all the Kinges of Israell and the vvicked of Roboams Kingdome And vvo be to the kingdome vvhere the Princes be given to feasting as the true noble and sobre bring happines A King dome is like an house vvher by slougth the timber vvork rotteth and by dissolute hād the house vvilbe dropped through vvhen they make feastes for laughter and that vvine chear the hart and mony must affordall And herein the meddlers vvith Kinges find their ovvne ruine this vanitie is comon But they that look to the kingdome of Christ vvill not in thought medle vvith Caesar for listeners vvill fly to report all that is once vttered But men should ambitiously seke to meddle vvith their ovvne matters and to do good for the hope to come as Pilgromes strangers This vvil be a casting of seede vpon moyst ground vvhich vvill fructifie that as one soovveth he shall reape Therfore vvhile vve have time vve should doe good to all lest God alter our ability or occasion The cloudes and trees teach that the cloudes fall to moysten the hearbes and vvher the trees fruct falleth gatherers vvilbe ready And herein vve should not be casting doubtes eyther for others successe or lest vve in time vvant our selves of our joyes The husbandman plovv eth in hope not loking to the cloudes for sovving or reaping as vve knovv not the vvindes vvay nor the Embryones grouth so vve knovv not hovv sone God altereth times from life to death from planting to vnrooting from building to breaches from laughter to vveping from seking to losing from spech to silence from love to hatred from peace to vvarre from youth to old age morning and evening vve should not be vveary doing good for in due tyme vve shall reape yf vve doe not faint It is a good thing for one to chere his ovvne life vvill mans hart say but long and mery life vvilbe nothing sauing vanity vvhen vve thinke vpon the tyme after this life hovv it shall never haue end This thought vvill make yong men litle joy in the morning of age considering that God vvill bring them into judgement And the vvekenes of our earthly tabernacle should put vs in mind hourely For dayes void of all delite vvill sone come vvhen our eyes ribbes armes stomake eares and tongue and all helpes of voice the legges faile graynes buddeth vve are shaken off like a grashopper and the chine liuer brain pan all vvil be rent and man returneth to his endlesse home mourners go about in the strete This may teach vs hovv all temporall thinges be vainesse teach from Scriptures to find out Christ his Kingdome that vvhen the outvvard man is corrupted the invvard man be fully renued For Christ is our life and to die in him that is all our gain And mans sone passage hence vp to Goddes throne to receaue according to the vvorkes done by the body good or evell should print this in our hartes And vve should giue more aboundant hede to Koheleth his vvordes lest they flovv aside from our eyes as they from Ephraim Prov. 3. and from the men of Ierusalem Eb. 2. vvhom sin platting about them entangled to destruction Koheleth as all the other Prophets hath vvordes of delite Scripture of right vvordes of truth as Goades to direct vs nailes fastened in the shepe foldes geuen from Christ the only Shepheard of vvhom Dauid spake Psa 72. his last vvordes therin these Blessed be the Eternall God the God of Israell blessed be his glorious name for euer and let all the earth be filled vvith his glory Amen yea amen A TREATISE OF THE Holy Trinity NOW for the trinity I will folow those textes at which the very Iewes be amased I will make my style alltogether from theyr wordes saving that their future for MESSIAS to come I will turne into the tyme passed In the Babylonian Thalmud in Sanedrin fol. 38. excellent places be cited for vnity plurality touching also MESSIAS from Dan. 7. wher Rabbi Sadaias speaketh matter worthy regard also from Ex. 23. wher Ramban writteth well I saak Ben Arama vpon Ex. bringeth the whole Thalmudique consent that MESSIAS is greater then the Angels inferreth therupō that he must be God which matter Koheleth toucheth for plura lity of Persones in Boreeicha Thy creatours I have ioined an Ebrew style to the English that the one may help the other OF THE VNITY IN GOD-HEAD AND PLVRALITY of Persons THE ETERNALL our God the Eternall is one his nature is made knovven by himself for the Persons the father the Sōne the holy Ghost vve must folovv marke the mystery of the Scriptures for the plurall number and for the Sonne òf God and for the holy Spirit In these there is a great mystery Let VS make man according to OVR image This for the persons And for the vnity of natures this God created man after his owne image So Come Let VS goe downe and Let VS confound there theyr Lippe And the Lord Went downe to see the city and the towre And For there Elohim WERE reucaled vnto him the God which heard me in the day of my distresse And who is like thy people Israel one nation on the earth for whom THEY went euen Elohim to redeme them vnto him selfe for a People And Vntill THRONES were set vp and the Euerlasting Sate what is to be said of that One for himself one for the Sonne of David as it is written behold with the cloudes of heauen one like the Sonne of Man came This is Messïas our righteousnes And is it not written of the Messias Meeke and riding vpon an Asse In deed he came in humblenes came not vpon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 horses with pride And wheras it was written with the cloudes of heaven They are the Angels of the host of heaven This is the great dignity which the Creatour gave Messias And to the Everlasting did they bring him as it is writtē The Eternall sayd vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hand c. A certen Saducie said to Rabbi Idith in the Babil Thal. San. fol. 38. It is written to Moses he said Come vp vnto the Eternall vnto me he should have said This is Matatron the Angel that led the People of whome it
11. He hath made every thing goodly in his time but he hath sett the world in ther hart that a man cannot find out the work which God doth from the beginning to the end 12. I know that ther is nothing good in them but to rejoyce doe good whiles one liveth 13. Also that any man eateth drinketh and jnioyeth the good of all his labours this is the gift of God 14. I know that all which God doth it wil be sure for ever and God doth all that men should live in feare before him 15. That which hath ben is now and that which is to be now hath bene God will bring a gaine that which is now passing away 16. Moreover I marked vnder the sunn the place of judgement ther was injurye the place of justice ther was jnjury 17. I sayd in my hart the just the vnejust God will judge for ther is a time for every thing for every deede there 18. I sayd in my hart after the maner of the sonnes of man when God made them knowen that I saw how they are beastes they to themselves 19. An happe befalleth the sonnes of man an happe befalleth the beast and they have one happe as the one dieth so dieth the other and man excelleth not the beast For all is vanity 20. All came from the dust all returneth vnto the dust 21. For who considereth the spirit of man which doth ascend vpward and the spirit of the beast which doth descend downe-wards vnto the earth 22. Then I saw that ther is nothing better then that a man joy of his workes For that is his portion For who can bring him to see what shal be after him Chap. 4 1. But whē I cōsidered all the oppressed ones which were greved vnder the sunn behold the oppressed had the teares but they had no cōforter for the oppressors had the strong hand and the other had no conforter 2. Then I commended the dead which already are dead above the living which are alive yet 3. And above them both him that as yet hath not bene because he hath not seene the wrong doing which is vnder the sunne 4. For I marked all labour all industrie of workes how it bringeth envy to a man from his neighbour 5. The foole foldeth his hands eateth vp his owne flesh Saying 6. Better is an hādfull with ease thē two fistfulls with labour frettīg of spirite 7. Againe I marked a vanity vnder the sunne 8. Ther is one none the second and he hath neyther sonne nor brother and ther is no end of all his labour and his eye cannot be satisfyed with riches And for whom should I labour and defraud my soule of good This also is a vanity a grievous toyle 9. Couples are better then one For they haue a good reward for their labour 19. For if they fall the one will lift vp his fellow woe is the one which falleth and hath not a second to lift him vp 11. And if a couple slepe they shal be warme but how can one alone be warme 12. And if some one be stronger then one two will stand against him a threefold thred will not sone be broken 13. A poore wise child is better then a King that is old and foolish which cānot abide to be advised any more 14. For out of the prison he commeth forth to reigne when as he that is borne in his kingdome is made poore 15. 3. I saw all the living which walk vnder the sūne attend vpon the child which shall stand vp the others place 16. Ther is no end with any people for any that is over them Also the later will not rejoyce in the same So this also is vanity vexation of spirite 17. Looke to thy feete when thou goest into the house of God For he is neerer to heare then to sacrifice Ther the gift of fooles For they know not that they doe evill Chap. 5 1. Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thy hart be hasty to vtter any thing before God For God is in the heavens thou art on the earth Therfore lett they wordes be few 2. For as dreames come by much busines so the voyce of a foole hath much babling 3. when thou vowest a vow to God differ not to pay it For he deliteth not in fooles what thou dost vow pay 4. Let not thy mouth make thy flesh sinne neyther say before the Angel that it was an errour wherfore should God be angry for thy voyce and destroy the workes of thy handes 5. For as in many dreames be vanityes so in many wordes But feare thou God 6. If oppressiō of the poore robbery of judgemēt justice thou behold in a cōtry marveyle not at the matter For an higher then the high one doth marke ther be high above them 7. The commodity of ground is for all The King is made servant to the field 8. He that loveth money cannot be fed with money or he that loveth any wealth which hath not fruite 9. when this good is much they be many to eat it what good commeth to the owners but the view of ther eyes 10. The sleepe of the labourer is sweet whether he sleepe little or much but the fulnes of the rich suffreth him not to sleepe 11. Ther is a sore sicknes which I have seene vnder the sunne riches kept of the owner to his owne harme 12. And the riches perish by some evill busines he begett a sonne and nothing cometh to his hand 13. As he came out of his mothers womb naked he returneth to goe as he came he cannot cary away any thing of his labour which he may beare in his hand 14. This also is a sore sicknes Euen as he came so he goeth away and what permanēt good hath he that he laboured for the wynd 15. Also all his dayes in darknes doth he eat much anger and by his owne sicknes payning 16. Behold what I haue seene it is a good-thing to eat to drinck to enjoy the good in all a mans labour which he taketh vnder the sūne the number of the dayes of his life which God giueth him for this is his portion 17. Though to euery man to whome God hath given riches treasures giveth him power to eat therof to take his part to enjoy his labour this is a gift of God 18. For he will not much think vpon the dayes of his life whome God busieth in the cheering of his hart Chapter 6. There is an euill which I saw vnder the sunne it is much among men 2. Some man to whom God hath giuē riches wealth honour he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that he desireth yet God giveth him not power to eat therof but a strange man shall eat it vp This is vanity this is an euill sicknes 3. If a man
beget an hundred childrē and liue many yeares and though the dayes of his yeares be multiplyed and his soule be not satisfied with good things and he have not wherwith to be buryed I say that an vntimely fruite is better then he 4. For he cometh into vanity and goeth into darkenes and his name shal be covered with darkenes 5. He also hath not seene nor felt the sunn he was in better case then the other 6. Yea though he had lived a thousand yeeres twise told and see no good Doe not all men goe to one place 7. All the labour of mā is for his mouth yet the soule is not filled 8. Then what hath the wise more then the foole and what lesse hath the poore mā of knowledge to walk afore the living 9. The eye-sight is better then the walking of the soule Also that is vanity and vexing of the spirit 10. whatsoever one be his name was given of old and it is known that he is earthly man and is not able to contend with him that is stronger then he Chapter 7. 1. VVhen there be many thinges that increase vanity what permanent good thing can a man have 2. For who knoweth what is good for a man in life the number of dayes of the life of his vanity which he shall spend as a shadow for who can shew vnto man what shall be after him vnder the sunne 3. A good name is better then a good oyntment and the day of death then the day that one is borne 4. It is better to goe to the house of mourning then to goe to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men and the living shall lay it to his hart 5. Sadnes is better then laughter For vnder heavynes of countenance the hart may be mery 6. The hart of the wise in the house of mourning But the hart of fooles is in the house of mirth 7. Better it is to heare the rebuke of a wise man then that a man should heare the song of fooles 8. For as the noyse of thornes is vnder the pott so is the laughter of fooles This also is vanity 9. Because oppression may make the wise madd and rewards destroy the heart 10. The end of a thing is better thē the begining The pacient in spirite is better then the hauty in spirite 11. Be not rash of spirite to be angry For anger lodgeth in the bosome of fooles 12. Say not how cometh it to passe that the former days were better thē these For thou canst not aske that frō wisdome 13. wisdome is good with possessions an excellent commodity for men while they behold the sunn 14. For wisdome bringeth shadow money bringeth shadow but knowledge hath the preeminence wisdome keepeth alive them that have it 15. Cōsider the work of God And who can make streight that which he hath made crooked 16. In the day of good vse the good in the sore time consider it God hath so set the one by the other that man cannot find no blame in him 17. I have seene all thinges in the dayes of my vanity Ther is a just man that perished in his justice ther is a wicked man that continueth long in his malice 18. Be not thou just much and be not too wise wherfore shouldest thou vndoe thy self 19. Be not too wicked neither be a foole wherfore shouldest thou perish before thy ordinary time 20. It is good that thou lay hold on this but yet vvithdraw not thy hand from that And he that feareth God shall come out of them all 21. wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mighty Princes that are in the city can give strength 22. Though there is no man just in all the earth that doth good misseth not 23. Take not heede to all the words that men speake least thou do heare thy seruant speak euill of thee 24. For often times also thy hart knoweth that thou also hast spoken euil of others 25. All this have I tryed by wisedome I thought I vvillbe wise but it wēt farr frō me 26. That which is farr off deepe depe who can find it out 27. I turned me hartely to know and to espy and to seeke wisedome conceytes to know the mischiefe of folly foolishnes of madnes 28. And I find one thing bitterer then death Euen the woman who is nettes and her hart snares her handes be bands He that pleaseth God shal be saved frō her but the sinner shal be caught by her 29. Behold saith Koheleth this have I found examyning one by another to find out conceyts 30. But this which further my soule sought I found not out The conceytes of a man one of a thousand I found out but of a woman with all these qualityes I found not out 31. Only behold this have I found out that GOD made Adam playne but they sought out many conceytes Chap. 8. 1. VVho is like the wise how rare is he that knoweth the nature of matters VVisdome in a man will lighten his face the hardnes of his face wil be altered 2. I say regard the Kings mouth yet after the oth to God 3. Be not rash to goe out of his sight stād not in an evil matter For he can doe whatsoever he will 4. wher the word of the King is power is And who may say vnto him what wilt thou doe 5. He that keepeth the law shall feele no evill thing the wise hart will know time judgment 6. For euery thing hath his time jugment But the mischief of man is much vpon him 7. Because he knoweth not what is to come how things wil fall out who cā tel 8. Man is not ruler over the spirit to reteine the spirite neither hath he power in the day of death nor armour for the battel no striving will helpe them that vse it 9 All this have I seene setting my hart toward every worke that is wrought vnder the sunne That ther is a time when a man ruleth over men to his owne harme 10. And in that sort I saw the wicked come to the grave they passed away and went from the holy place they were forgotten in the citye wher they had so dealt So this was a vanitye 11. Bicause sentence vpon evill dealing is not executed quickly therfore the hart of the sonnes of man is fully bent in them to doe evill 12. Though a sinner doe evill an hundreth times and long continue yet I know that it shal be wel with them that feare God which reverence his presence 13. But it shall not be well with the wicked neyther can he long continue dayes which are but a shadow he which liveth not in feare before God 14. Ther is a vanity which is done vpon the earth that ther be just men to whom it cometh accordīg to the work of the wicked ther be wicked men to whom it
cōmeth according to the work of the just I thought that this also is vanitye 15. And I praysed joy For a man hath no better thing then to eate to drinke and to rejoyce for this will stick to him of his labour the dayes of his life that God hath given him vnder the sunn 16. VVhen I applyed myne hart to know wisdome to behold the busines that is done on the earth how day night a man would not see slepe with his eyes 17. Then I marked all workes of GOD that man cannot find out the worke which is done vnder the sunne Though man laboure never so much to seeke yet he cannot find it yea allthough the wisest thinke to know it he cannot find it Chap. 9. 1. FOR all this have I applied vnto myne hart even to try out all this that the just the wise ther workes are in the handes of God neither love nor hatred doth men discerne by all that is before them 2. Euen all they finde as if all had one happ the iust the vniust the good the cleane and the vncleane the sacrificing he that sacrificeth not the good the bad have alike the swearer as he that reverenceth an oath 3. This is the most grievous of all that is done vnder the sunne that all have one hap Also the hart of the sonnes of man is full of euill and madnes is in their heartes whiles they live and afterward they go to the dead 4. For all that be yet accompanied vnto all the Living say the men of an euill hart they have assurance For it is better vvith the dog alive then vvith the Lion that is dead 5. For the living knovv that they shall dye but the dead knovv nothing at all neither have they any more a revvard For their remembrance is forgotten 6. Also their love and their hatred their envy is already gone they have no more portion for euer in all that is done vnder the sunne 7. Goe eat thy bread vvith joy drinke thy vvine vvith a cheerefull hart For God novv accepteth thy vvorkes 8. At all times let thy garments be vvhite let not oyle be lacking vpon thine head 9. Enjoy life vvith the vvife vvhich thou doest love all thy dayes of vaine life vvhich HE hath given thee vnder the Sunne all thy vaine dayes For this is thy portion in life in thy Labour vvhich thou doest take vnder the sunn 10. All that thy hand can finde to doe do it as thou canst For there is nether vvorke nor invention nor knovvledg not vvisdome in the grave vvhither thou goest 11. Againe I marked vnder the sunne That the suift winne not the race nor the valiant the victory nor the wise the bread nor nor the subtile riches nor the cunning favour But a time occurrent happeneth to them all 12. For assuredly man knoweth not his time As fishes are taken in a mischevous net as birdes are caught in the snare So they the sonnes of man are intangled at the evill time when it falleth vpō them suddēly 13. I have also seene this wisdome vnder the sunne me thought it great 14. A little city had few men in it and a great King came against it compassed it about builded fortes against it 15. And there was found therein a poore wise man he saved the city by his wisedome But none remembred this poore mā 16. Then sayd I. Better is wisdome then strength yet the wisedome of the poore is despised his words are not heard 17. The words of the wise are more heard in quietnes then a Lords cry over fooles 18. Better is wisedome then weapons of warre as one vncircūspect destroyeth much good Chapter 10. 1. One dead fly putrifieth corrupteth much precious oyntment so doth a little folly him that is in estimatiō for wisdome for glory 2. The hart of a wise man is at his right hand but the hart of a foole is at his left hād 3. And also when the foole goeth by the way his hart fayleth and he telleth vnto all that he is a foole 4. If the spirite of him that ruleth riseth vp against the leave not thy place For a soft cure pacifieth great sinnes 5. There is an euill that I have seene vnder the sunne as an errour that proceedeth from the face of him that ruleth 6. Folly is great height and the rich sitt in low place 7. I have seene seruants on horses and princes walking as seruants on the ground 8. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it And he that breaketh dovvne a hedge a serpent shall sting him 9. He that removeth stones shal find sorrow therby And he that cleaveth wood shal be heated therby 10. when the Iron is dul the mā whetteth not the Edge but vseth might But the best helpe to bring a thing to good passe is wisedome 11. when the serpēt hath bit before charming then the cūning charmer profiteth nothing 12. The words of the mouth of a wise mā give grace but the lippes of a foole devour himself 13. The begining of the wordes of his mouth is foolishnes and the later end of his mouth is wicked madnes 14. And the foole will multiply wordes But the man knoweth not what shal be And who can tell him what is following him 15. The labour of the foolish doth weary him For he knoweth not how to go into the city 16. woe to the O land whose King is a childe whose princes eat in the morning 17. Blessed art thou O land whose King is the sonne of nobles and whose Princes eat in time for strength not to drink 18. By slothfulnes beames come to decay by holding downe the hands the house droppeth thorow 19. Men making feastes to be merry that wine make glad the living mony must affoard all 20. Curse not the King no not yet in thy thought neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber for the foule of the heauen will cary the voice the winged bird will declare the matter Chapter 11. 1. Cast thy seede vpō the moist groūd for after many dayes thou shalt finde it 2. Give a portion to seauē also to eight For thou knowest not what evill shal be vpō the earth 3. If the cloudes be full they will poure fourth rayne vpon the earth And if the trees fruite fall toward the South or toward the North ī the place that the trees fruict falleth there fruite gatherers will be 4. He that looketh vpon the winde will not sow he that looketh vpon the cloudes shall not reape 5. As thou knowest not the way of the winde as nor of the bones in the belly of her that is with childe so thou knowest not the worke of God that worketh all 6. In the morning sow thy seede in the euening remit not thy hand For thou knowest not whether will come to good this or that or