suffer their shippe sometimes to seeke a new master and thâ—â—â—â— the escape of their liues a precious merchandize as the Mariners did in Pauls voyage Verse 7. A time to rent and a time to sow a time to keepe silence and a time to speake SIxtly there is an opportunity to rent old garments when they are worne to be put to other vses If they be rent before they be worne that is vnprofitable if they be worne too long that is in-decent and occasioneth contempt and I know not what euill conceit of a man in the mindes of men as the sonne of Sirach saith The apparell countenance and gesture declare what a man is Contrarily there is a time to sow garments both for necessity and comelinesse But the superfluity of sowing bringeth pouerty and discouereth shame For God blesseth his owne ordinances and prospereth his owne opportunities But there is no time ordained of God in his will and ordinance for the inuenting and bringing in of strange fashions That is an opportunity taken by the permission of God from the Diuell Furthermore though there is necessary and continual vse of speech yet it is limited and confined to fit opportunity else is it foolish babling displeasing and harsh to the eares of God and man Therefore saith Solomon Prou. 25. 11. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of siluer id est most acceptable profitable comfortable amiable beautifull Also Chap. 15. 23. Ioy commeth to a man by the answer of his mouth and how good is a word in due season Hee that obserueth not opportunity of speech doth oft times depriue himselfe of many good things and inwrappeth himselfe in many miseries also Further Solomon saith Prou. 16. 1. The preparations of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord Contrarily there is a time to keepe silence To be silent in season is as great a vertue as to speake in due time For he that is defectiue in the one is so in the other Wee most commonly offend in speaking namely in our owne causes but in speaking on Gods behalfe and our neighbours we are commonly mute enough yea possest with a dumbe spirit But of good speech and silence God giueth opportunity and season Our tongues are the keyes of God to open and shut the doores of our lippes and our hearts are or should be Gods treasury Therefore our Sauiour Christ saith A good man out of the treasure of his heart bringeth out good things And out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Dauid saith Psalme 116. 10. I beleeued therefore I spake Paul saith We speake wisedome among them that are perfect 1 Cor. 2. Dauid said Awake my glory meaning his tongue Christ was the word of the Father so must the beleeuer be the word of Christ Verse 8 A time to loue and a time to hate a time of warre and a time of peace SEauenthly there is a time to loue as there is a time to speake and this opportunity of loue is as commonly offered of God Loue or true friendship is the bond of humaine society By the bond of loue all the members of the body are knit together into one head It is the sinewes of the Church and common-wealth Where loue faileth all tendeth to dissolution God is all loue the Diuell hath knowledge and faith but hee hath no loue at all Therefore the vertue and power of opportunities in getting making keeping and vsing friends is excellent and necessary Contrarily there is a time to hate to know our enemies to confront and contend with them to beware and auoid them to encounter and flie away yea also to make good vse to our selues of the wrongs that are offered vs. For howsoeuer a man ordereth his life and behaueth himselfe in all things loue and hatred concord and discord good will and enuie shall sift and tosse all affaires For the vncleane spirit mingleth himselfe in all things to make confusion and to bring destruction Therefore saith Solomon Prou. 28. 4. They that forsake the Law praise the wicked but they that keepe the Law contend with them The wicked are whelpes of the same littour therefore are they affectioned one towards another and praise one another Rom. 1. 31. Nam 16. 41. They grace sinne in others to couer their owne blemishes and to preuent reproach and controulement of their euill dealings and behauiour but the man of conscience that feareth God will discountenance discourage and dispraise them resist and oppose them and striue for the truth vnto death Hence it is that Dauid saith I hate them that hate thee and earnestly contend with them that rise vp against thee Ob. Christ saith Math. 5. 39. Resist not euill but whosoeuer shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also Ans Resistance is either a lawfull and harmelesse auoiding of euill or else a retaliation or rendering of like for like wrong for wrong reuenge for reuenge and that is forbidden Leuit. 19. 17. 18. Yea wee ought so to be possest with the spirit of patience bounty and goodnesse as to suffer a new wrong rather then to reuenge an old through hatred and ill will To this purpose Paul saith Rom. 12. 17. Recompence to no man euill for euill which is to be ouercome of euill verse 21. but ouercome euill with goodnesse darkenesse with light corruption with grace if it be possible haue peace with all men How is that Auenge not verse 19. but if thine enemy hunger giue him meate and if he thirst giue him drinke so shalt thou heape coales of fire vpon his head to wit either winne him with thy benefits or his owne conscience shall witnesse against him that the fire of Gods wrath hangeth ouer his head who will not suffer wickednesse to goe vnpunished Which terrour of his conscience thou must not desire nor reioyce at in way of reuenge or for ease of thine owne stomacke least God turne his wrath from him vnto thee but rather pitty him yet so as God might haue the glory Therefore by turning of the cheeke is not meant that a man should make himselfe a prey to contentious men malapert and violent persons and a voluntary obiect of their cruell contempt but to be of such moderation and equity as to pacifie and winne them with sufferance goodnesse kindnesse or what good meanes sanctified reason can deuise not to be incensed with hatred to oppose and wracke them and so be ouercome of Sathan by these his instruments both to bring the Gospell into slander hatred to fall into the same condemnation with them Wherefore we are to pray for the conuersion of them and Gods protection of vs not to contend with them in their kind that by the vertues of the spirit appearing forth in vs the corruption of nature malice of Satan in them may be by their owne consciences condemned But all this infringeth not the law of nature which is
be reformed which thing must needs pacifie Pauls mind and moue him to commend them rather seeing that to erre is humane frailty but to acknowledge and reforme an errour is grace So that this defence is an excusation including confession deprecation reformation 3 Indignation when a man grieueth at his folly impudence and carelessenesse that he should be so or so ouertaken and misled whereby to displease God to offend his brother to burthen his owne conscience and to giue aduantage to the aduersary 4 Feare which is a sence of Gods displeasure for some sinne committed This remorse bringeth repentance It is contrary to the seruile feare of an euill conscience with hardnesse of heart and to worldly feares 5 Vehement desire namely to seeke for and to obtaine the fauour of God that they might reioyce in his grace againe as they did at their first conuersion for by sinning we grieue the spirit of God and cause him to frowne on vs whose presence and countenance we earnestly desire to be turned towards vs againe as he that through vnkind dealing hauing almost lost his best friend seeketh earnestly to recouer the fulnesse of his former loue which thing is plainely exemplified in Dauid Psal 51. 6 Zeale which is a feruent indeauour to repentance It is mixt of loue and anger or rather here of desire and indignation or sorrow which is all one 7 Reuenge which is a chastening and curbing of our selues vpon consideration of Gods displeasure that we may preuent his iudgements and winne his fauour againe 1 Cor. 11. 30. 31. The whole verse laboureth on a gradation By the exposition of this verse it fully appeareth what the sorrow or indignation is that Solomon here speaketh of The meaning of the words are better is a sad and thoughtfull heart caused by remorse and grudge of conscience tending to repentance and amendment of life then a light heart and variable mind hauing no serious consideration of sinne nor of Gods iudgements in this life nor after this life impressed in it but seeketh rather to extinguish both the more freely to laugh and be fat For by the sadnesse of the countenance c. A confirmation by the effect This sorrow of the heart appearing in the firme and sad countenance maketh the heart more ioyfull and pleasant For as heat expelleth heat so doth godly and penitent sorrow expell feare trouble and despaireful doubtings which oppresse the heart as an heauy weight The reprobate cannot expell this seruile sorrow with penitent or gracious sorrow but by other false remedies seeketh to mitigate and alay the rigour as Diues would haue cooled his heate with a drop of water but one drop of grace in life would haue done more then an Ocean of waters in hell The wicked would be eased of torment but they will giue no glory to God like the nine lepers whether they be liuing or dead they are all for themselues If Diues would as earnestly haue craued but for one drop of grace when he was liuing to haue killed the worme in her breeding his thirst should haue beene quenched But being giuen to the bellie and bodily pleasures he loued not sorrow nor repentance but applied false remedies to the worme laughter and fatnesse He loued not the rebukes of the wise but such as were skilfull to feede his humors These words may also be expounded thus By the sad countenance and sober behauiour the hearts of one another are made better vaine fancies and lustfull thoughts are checked and curbed sinfull words and euill deeds following them are preuented The sequell or argument of vanitie gathered by the comparison is as before and so throughout the Chapter Verse 4. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth A Third meanes of mortification is sober conuersation The heart of the wise c. As there is sorrow and remorse in the heart and conscience of the wise so there is sadnesse in the countenance and also sober behauiour sober apparrell and sober compaine The heart of the wise man is affected to such places and companies as he may haue benefit by to his edification in knowledge and godlinesse Such things he loueth to heare to speake and to relate as may make both himselfe and others the better Prou. 15. 30. Good hearing maketh his bones fat and so of the seeing also The heart of him that hath vnderstanding seeketh knowledge that is moueth his lippes eyes and eares to seeke for increase of that holy wisedome wherewith he is in some good measure already indued For to him that hath shall be giuen Therefore he is ready also to frequent the houses of mourning a synecdoche of the speciall and the societie of mourners such as are well acquainted with the crosse exercised in temptations and men of sober carriage whereby he receiueth more comfort and ease of heart than by all festiuall and merry meetings where there is commonly vanity enough and matter of griefe to him that seriously thinketh on his latter end and the account of euery idle word As the nature and kinde of the seede and roote is such like is the sappe and shape of the tree such or such places it desires to grow in and among such or such other trees If it hath place and companie according to his liking than it prospereth flourisheth and reioyceth if not yet it liueth brancheth and fructifieth though poorely as the willow in the forrest the hysâ—p on the wall wheat in light sand and rapes in stiffe clay Euery thing desireth his proper place and company with other fotures according to his kinde to attaine the perfection and flourishing state of his kinde which thing if it cannot doe yet is it prudent and shiftie and will reape the most commoditie to it selfe that may be without any losse through improuidence and negligence But if it be in a soâ—le contrarie to his kinde it is much discouraged his fruits are vnkindely and imperfect his sappe is corrupted and much aiâ—ered by the qualitie of his food or humour c. yet will it retaine the kinde or else dye The seed or root of man is his heart as the heart or spirit of man is such is the man Mens câ—â—usque is est quisque And though of all creatures he be most variable and can personate himselfe infinite wayes yet doth his spirit incline him one way The Adamant in the diall is fickle it is vncertaine what coast it most affecteth or rather what his naturall position is being violently agitated but when disturbance ceaseth it resteth on the north-pole So foxe to the kinde A wise mans heart is his â—oote and such like are his thoughts countenance words workes carriage And as the man in his kinde nature and disposition is such soile he reâ—â—yceth to grow in such things he loues to heare by voyce or writings such companies he frequenteth this he extracteth that he reiecteth as his spirit is For
Kings Law and his word the Kings word as he taketh it into his custody to impose it and to inforce the obedience thereof vnder God vpon all men and to punish vnder God the breakers thereof Est enim medicus reipub Therefore must wee chearefully readily willingly faithfully obey the same as if wee had receiued it immediately from the mouth of God Verse 3. Be not hasty to goe out of his sight stand not in an euill thing for he doth whatsoeuer pleaseth him AN explication or illustration of the former generall instruction by the contrary practise of folly here forbidden Be not hasty to goe out of his sight If any thing displease thee because thou thinkest it not to be agreeable to iustice and right or some way inconuenient or some damage thereof to ensue to thy selfe c. take heede of pride and choler let it not appeare in thy words countenance or gesture which are appearances of a rebellious disposition yea seedes of future rebellion when occasions and further prouocations shall come thereunto shew no token of displeasure at all but in wisedome humble and submit thy selfe and speake as by good and lawfull leaue thou art permitted that it may plainely appeare that thy heart is for the Kings honour and safety Therefore doe not vnaduisedly or in discontent depart out of his presence nor in such sense or appearance refraine from his presence lest the disposition of thy heart be suspected to be rather from him then towards him For that is the seede or beginning of a disease which doubtlesse shall be purged or with disgrace curbed or at lest he shall alwayes haue a iealous eye ouer thee and how doubtfull things may be interpreted in that case consider For great euils may come vpon thee causelesse but yet vnknowne for he that is in an ill name is halfe hanged Howsoeuer thou hast giuen aduantage to thine enemies and laid a way open for them to come betweene him and thee To conclude boast not thy selfe before the King neither arrogate any thing to thy selfe be not too wise before him as though thou wert an instructer or teacher or haddest a reach beyond him but let thy wisedome and counsell be so couertly ingested as that rather it may appeare to him to be his owne thy words being as it were an occasion to bring it to his minde so shall he conceiue and vtter and doe that which thou wouldest haue him without any impeachment of his honour at all seeing that that which was thine is made his owne and so is his owne counsell and will not thine Put not thy selfe forth before the King Prou. 25. 6. Lest thou carrie the shew of a corriuall or part stake but be modest and humble And herein Ioab did wisely when he sent to Dauid to come and take Rabbah himselfe lest the victory should be imputed to him but Saul vndeseruedly enuyed Dauid for the songs that the women sang of his victory of Goliah Stand not in an euill thing Stand not in a thing proudly though thou beest in the right as it seemeth to thee neither stand in an euill without pride For pride marreth a good substance and euill marreth a good circumstance If thou stand in an euill thing of errour it shall bring present disgrace and if it be of pride it shall bring present destruction In this case therefore aske counsell of wisedome and shee shall giue thee true direction to come out of both to auoid both It is discredit enough to erre before a great man to stand in an errour is disgrace for it betokeneth folly but to stand in it in pride is stubbornnesse and madnesse For hee doth whatsoeuer pleaseth him A reason to inforce the former admonitions It is in vaine and a point of greatest folly to contend with him that hath power in his owne hands yea who onely hath power which cannot be opposed without iust punishment For contention controuleth and rebuketh and then is power no power and the heart that prepareth it selfe to resistance intrudeth it selfe into his roome who hath sole command vnder God an euill matter indeed may be resisted but neither the person nor place Well concerning the cause there is great wisedome to be vsed be not thou for thy part too iust nor too wise as was said before lest thy cause be construed to be but a pretence and the beginning of a disease in the Common-wealth For the King is the Common-wealths Physitian By King we may vnderstand euery man in authority by going out of his sight to depart from duty and obedience It is an Hebrew phrase Ionah 1. 3. Verse 4. Where the word of a King is there is power And who may say vnto him what doest thou A Prossyllogisme or confirmation of the former reason Where the word c. The commandement of a King is with power to haue it done He may doe very much be it right or wrong by the weight of his power and who may say vnto him what doest thou What subiect can oppose himselfe to power to controule or expostulate there with Seeing that he sustaineth the person of the whole Common-wealth vnder God how can one or a few branches contend against the whole tree or against the root or body thereof The strength and power of all is put into his hands What then is a priuate man or a priuate cause be what it will A common and dangerous griefe indeed is equiualent and easily perswadeth a Prince but it is enough for a priuate man to haue displeased for who shall stand in for him Verse 5. Who so keepeth the Commandement shall seele none euill thing and a wise mans heart discerneth both time and iudgement A Reason inforcing the practise of the instruction verse 2. He that keepeth the commandement c. He that sheweth himselfe modest and obsequious to these whom in duty he ought to obey shall be free from many dangers troubles and incumbrances and preuent such calamities as may not onely for the present but afterwards vpon displeasure arise Howsoeuer a great man will contend for his honour And he that resisteth shall make himselfe a prey to euery man But he that is dutifull and louing shall auoid all And a wise mans heart discerneth both time and iudgement The wise in heart knoweth what is lawfull what vnlawfull and how farre He discerneth when to obey when to dissemble how to obey how farre and when to be ignorant when to with-draw himselfe in what sort in what measure The wise hath discerning of the prouidence of God to which he giueth place and therefore in all things he tryeth what is the good pleasure of God These words I take to imply an answer to an obiection thus A man sometimes for being too ready obsequious and hasty in obeying the commandement of a Prince may procure to himselfe and others great euils as Doeg did For Princes haue their errours and are tempted to euill as well as other men and oft
which cannot affoord it For all that commeth to man in this life as concerning the outward man is vanitie seeing that old age commeth and death followeth after and that is eternall To conclude eate drinke reioyce in the workes of thine hands but remember thine end exercise thy selfe to good works that as thou liuest ioyfully with Gods gifts so thou mayest die happily and enter into euerlasting ioy That light is sweete that Sunne pleasant For we eate to liue and liue to do good we liue ioyfully to put away tediousnesse that we may serue God more cheerfully Verse 9. Reioyce O yong man in thy youth and let thy heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to iudgement THis verse is an answer to the second obiection or reply which is more particular to wit concerning the yong man for whom there is some colour of reason pretended by the wicked ciuill The reply is directed against the former answer but it is not here expressed but vnderstood by the context of the words I grant indeed that when a man is full growne and growne full elder and richer hee should be helpfull to the poore and letting all youthfull tricks passe haue a care of his family and follow his husbandrie that the poore may be relieued and his children well prouided for But youth will be youth youth must not be abridged of libertie yong men must be borne withall if they be not too leud But indeed if they beginne to fall to whoredome and vnthriftinesse especially they must be bridled else shall they lose their good name and spend that which their friends haue left them which is worst of all Againe when a man growes into age he must beginne to thinke of his end it is time I thinke and come to Church duly to serue God after that the diuell is first serued and at his last end haue a chiefe care to set all right and straight For when things are rawly left I see oft times that variance growes among his childrenâ— and much heart-burne and vaine expence the Lawyer getteth all in the end and they all become beggars That is the very fruite of thy wisedom and workes it is Gods iust iudgement vpon the worldly wise which seeke not Gods kingdome desire not his grace nor teach their children the feare of the Lord but aime all at worldly wealth and credit euen that imaginary happinesse which Solomon here confuteth The answer to this obiection is directed to the vaine imaginations of the yong man First it is propounded and figure by an ironicall concession and after rendered in plaine words by way of correction and threatning Secondly it is amplified by a milder but graue exhortation Reioyce O yong man c. Concerning the imaginations of the yong mans heart which Solomon here meeteth with they are three 1. Some yong men imagine the time of this life to be but a market of buying and selling to heape vp treasure and to set themselues into a couetous course and so fall into innumerable sinnes of that kind 2. Some imagine it to be but a play These enter into an Epicurish course of life and innumerable sins of that kind Yet of these contrary liues there are sundrie degrees and fashions and the latter sort are most incident to youth the other to age 3. Some hold a meane Ne quid nimis they participate of both these extremes and those are the moderate wise ciuill and orderly wicked The other two are madnesse and this is folly For in man there is no true wisedome nor true goodnesse As one holds on couetousuesse the other on voluptuousnesse so the third on pride and worldly pomp wherein soeuer it standeth He is meanely couetous which he calleth parsimonie and meanly prodigall which he termeth liberalitie but extremely vainglorious and proud and as reprobate to euery truly good worke as the other This we haue from our mother Eue a desire to be as gods Parsimony and liberalitie and all other vertues are splendide sinnes as Austine sayth attending on vainglorie To all these Solomon shâ—peth this answer by way of mockage and derision seeming to yeeld vnto their reasons and excuses because yong men whether yong in yeares or yong in discretion are proud wilfull selfe conceited impatient of admonition and reproofe but in the end he leaueth a sting in their consciences at his farewell to be a sowre sawce to their dainties to stay their appetites from surfetting Thou art wise yong man and valiant hearted thou needest no counseller it is a discredite to be taught consult with thy selfe and be like thy selfe liue in pleasure and follow after delights cheere thy body in the vse of those things that thy heart lusteth after enioy the fancies and pleasures of thine eyes thou art yet yong enough thou hast a long time to liue now be merry and Ionill louis filius thou hast nothing to care for put vp no wrongs auenge thy quarrell braue it with the proudest maintaine thy credite trie thy valour follow the fashion court it brauely a word and a blow stand to it stoutly make them stoope to thee put vp no abuse spend thy bloud before thou put vp disgrace neuer yeeld for flesh and bloud cannot endure it spend frankly among thy companions part with thy mony freely sit not out for a little shew thy selfe right bred take thy liquor with thee c. Let base fellowes go auoide precise companie for staining thy reputation among the generous it is neither for thy profite nor preferment to regard Sermons Ministers are but maisters they are no gentlemen yet is thy tongue too bad a clout to wipe their shooes whom thou most despisest Well sirra feed on your fancies and reioyce with your fleshly and lecherous companions and corrupt ye one another with your wicked blasphemies put away all remorse of conscience and the day of euill and make a league with death and hell but know this for certaine that God will bring you to iudgement you must be summoned to appeare before his tribunall seate neither your wit nor your valour nor your bloud shall be regarded there You must giue vp a iust account of all your words and deeds as well of your youth as of your age and as well of those things that you haue forgotten as those grosse sinnes that ye remember neither do ye know how soone It is but your folly to put the day of death farre from you death commeth often like a lightning or thunderbolt it blasteth the greene corne and consumeth the new and strong building As for those that you so scorne and basely esteeme as but priests precise persons clownes what if you see them your Iudges appearing in glorie and your selues as base miscreants and theeues holding vp your hands at the barre among your other fellow diuels Wil you needs be
old house or corrupt body that one part being repaired another falleth downe and one soare being cured two breake out in another place Hee therefore that laboureth to make this apt concurrence of things to obtaine his imagined happinesse doth but goe about to gather together wilde beasts of all sorts that runne out on euery side and being with infinite labour gotten together will deuoure one another or else all set vpon him and to bring many men together to effect a worke that are at variance among themselues and all opposite to him Concerning humaine affaires they are full of alterations and changes Common-wealths priuate states publike businesses domesticall workes and actions are full of inconstancie vncertaintie crossenesse trouble and griefe Such crossenesse is there in euery thing so manifold euents contrarie to mans intendments that the best gamester hath commonly the worst lucke And euen those things whereof mans wisedome and prouidence seeme to haue most power and command doe fluctuate vpon vncertaine issues in so much that he is altogether vncertaine whether his intents shall succeede at all and how and whether they shall turne to his benefit or hinderance to the raising vp of himselfe or ouerthrow of himselfe and that which to day hee hath resolutely determined is to morrow through vnknowne occurences changed and quite disanulled To conclude Of all these vanities there is a constant reuolution Man cannot vtter it An illustration by a comparison of the Lesse The reuolution instabilitie vncertaintie and vanitie of man in himselfe in his estate in all his wayes and imaginations and also of the creatures with him is more than man by word or writing is able to expresse How vncertaine and vnknowne are the ordinances of Heauen And who hath set the dominion thereof in the earth Iob 38. 33. Who can foretell the seasons of the yeare by the variable configurations of the starres Yet hath God set them for times and seasons And one vnseasonable Summer or Winter Seed time or haruest turneth all mens states vpside downe inriching one and impouerishing another Now the seede rotteth with too much moisture than both grasse and graine is scorched with heat and how slipperie is monie and cattle vncertaine Man and his estate therefore standing vpon such foundations is altogether instable and vncertaine And how sure a foundation is that of the windes and the waters Yet the Marriner must apply and commit himselfe to them he must obey them Whether he shall returne home againe he knoweth not nor when nor which way whether poore or rich And whether the Sea or Land be the safer habitation hee cannot determine As the water swalloweth vp so the fire deuoureth danger is euery where The continent is inconstant as the waters For the earth is full of darkenesse and cruell habitations All the foundations of the earth are out of course High-wayes bye-wayes and hedges are full of robbers wilde beasts and serpents A man is safe no where One lyeth in waite for his tongue another for his purse another for his body Againe things profitable and good in their kinde sometimes afford no profit to the owner and sometimes hurt Contrarily things of least account and that are as it were made for euill doe a man the most good What is good what ill for a man by all his wisedome he cannot certainly know no not for a moment and blinde hope is doubtfull and fearefull Whence then is ioy and full contentation How long could it last if a man had it The heathen shewed forth this instabilitie and vncertaintie of mans estate in their card-play and dice-play For these playes are nothing but a sportfull imitation of Gods prouidence vnder the names of chaunce and fortune with a wise disposing of those chances for the most good and least losse that fortune dealeth The best play so the best course hath oft times the worst euent and contrarily So chancefull changeable and vncertaine are all worldly things The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing The former comparise figured by a gradation Man can neither vtter by voyce nor by his owne obseruation perceiue nor by relation of others attaine to the depth of Gods wisedome in his workes nor yet of the corruption that is in them Although the wisest and most exercised in the contemplation of the creatures and humane affaires striue neuer so much to satisfie his curiositie in searching out the vnknowne paths of God in all things yet can he neuer finde it out nor comprehend in minde the firme foundation of God in such infinite contingencies casualties inconstancies appearances disparences courses and recourses of all things Yea the counsels of God are so deepe and his waies past finding out that man imagineth that there is no knowledge nor gouernement at all or that he swayeth great matters onely which maketh him so trust to his owne wisedome and prouidence and thereby to worke out this happinesse conceiued in his vaine minde Moreouer the frailety of all creatures in themselues and mischieuous dispositions one against another and all against man are infinite Euery thing is but a Lyon in the grate their obedience is outward compulsion not inward affection as in their creation But the frailty of mans body instabilitie of his estate the malice of his heart the wickednesse of his actions against God and man are wonderfull his inuentions are innumerable The wicked subtilties of a woman in insnaring the foolish and the madnesse of fooles is endlesse Salomon saith that hee could not comprehend it Chapter 7. God onely is able to deliuer a man The miseries troubles disquietnesse vexations of man in the best common-wealth are manifold and great Euery one is suspitious and afraid of other the hearts of men are so deceitfull their simulations and dissimulations so many their dispositions so variable All things are carried by extremity neither doth reason rule nor good affection moue And this is a common deceit in euery one in euery matter to make an alledgement shew of reason and good will when it is nothing but the awe of the Magistrate or some other compulsion or that one may make vse of another for the time In which case euery one loueth himselfe but neuer one another Mischiefe enuy and destruction is in the heart of euery one naturally And a politicke regiment is a grate for wilde beasts euery one hauing an habitation by himselfe and Lawes are iron chaynes for madde men If the chaynes were broken and the grate broken vp we should be as wilde beasts in a forrest How many headie beasts are there craftie Foxes subtle Serpents that by monie fauour and all deuices seeke to wrest and cracke these chaynes How many violent and moody beasts rushing against the sides of the grate making the house to shake in the parts and sometimes in the whole euer waiting watching wishing trying now and then to breake all open This is the qualitie of euery wilde thing in hold Surely if
obiected If there be such a constant reuolution of all things then there is a certaine knowledge of all things to be had and a fore-knowledge of things to come which a man may attaine to and so obtaine contentation of minde in the speculation of diuine wisedome in the frame and gouernement of the world and in this sort to be vnited vnto God by communication of his secret counsell is a felicitie I answere the particular or indiuiduall things and actions with their proper circumstances are now and neuer were before nor shall be againe but the things and actions in their kinde and nature and intent are the same that were of old They are the same in substance but differenced by circumstances or indiuiduall properties and so is generation from generation Father from Sonne Man from Man Summer from Summer Winter from Winter Yeare from Yeare Day from Day For that figure face or rather countenance of the heauens which is to day shall neuer be againe or the essence of all things in their kindes is the same but their existences whereby a thing of the same kinde is this and not that are without number And in this respect may a man say that there are infinite worlds Man cannot vtter it nor conceiue it in minde as was said before Verse 10. Is there any thing whereof it may be said See this is new It hath beene already of old time which was before vs. A Confirmation of the answere There was neuer yet any man that could say this thing or action in the substance nature kinde or intent thereof is new Such a thing was neuer thought said nor done plotted nor effected This proposition is figured by a communication to signifie the certaine truth thereof The argument is drawne from all the Specialls denyed to deny the Generall The argument may be framed thus Prop. If there neither be nor shall be any one thing new which hath not beene of old then all things that now are and shall be haue beene of old Assum But the antecedent or former part is true Concl. Therefore the Consequent or latter part is true also For if we shall recount from the creation till this present day and consider all the Saints and Sinners with their words and workes the manner of their liuing and behauiour in all things both towards God and man mentioned in the Scriptures wee shall see none other things then wee now see and shall see with our eyes and heare with our eares Though there be not the same degrees measures or extents yet there is the same spirit will desire endeauour conceit of minde and actuall performance Qua data porta ruâ—nt as power is giuen and way lyeth open c. To exemplifie this that I haue said The old Saints and Martyrs are all departed this life and their personall workes done on earth are ceased with them and so it is to be said of the wicked also but the natures and kindes of both with all their words and workes are yet liuing and liuelily acted now in the world and shall be as they were then Christ is enuyed persecuted tempted mocked crucified to the worlds end not in his owne person but in his Ministers and other members For saith Christ If they haue called the Master of the house Belzebub much more them of his houshold Againe All these things will they doe vnto you for my names sake yet shall they not know so much Moreouer the same iudgements of God doe now fall on the wicked but they acknowledge them not nor apply them Ier. 5. 3. because they are brutish and foolish Psal 92. 6. and also the same blessings and deliuerances on the godly that did in old time and the godly that are exercised and depend on the Word know it Zach. 11. 11. All blessings and curses were but casualties chances lucks naturall effects and euents to them that beleeued not nor applied the Sermons of the Prophets which caused Ieremie to complaine Thou hast stricken them but they haue not grieued thou hast consumed them but they haue refused to receiue correction They hardened their faces and refused to returne And why because they will not acknowledge such things to come of the Lord for sinne but they and we sticke in the second causes we cannot goe beyond the cloudes windes starres c. therefore neither are we thankfull to him for his benefits And if we Ministers were gifted with speciall reuelations as the Prophets were who would beleeue vs more now than they did then the Prophets And though our prophecies were fulfilled in their eyes yet would they not so apply them The same things come to passe now that did then though they be not now fore-told in such sort and should haue done so than though they had not beene foretold for both the nonage and rudenesse of the Iewes required such speciall reuelations and the people with all their sayings and doings are now that were then Thankefull obedience procureth the same blessings contempt and rebellion bring the same punishments and corrections though they bee not prophesied For wee neede no new prophesies nor miracles seeing that the old are sufficient vnlesse God should send a new Gospell We are the same people and such are our words workes and behauiours and so is God the same God not partiall not vnequall Wherefore if the old preuaile not neither will the new If we want wisedome and grace to applie the old wee would acknowledge the new no otherwise than the Iewes the old people did Ier. 5. 3. Well prophesies by speciall reuelation miracles are ceased but all things prophesied or taught by the Prophets and the efficacy of miracles are still the same The Scriptures set forth the state of the World for the substance nature and condition thereof to the Worlds end and endureth throughout all generations which are the same and so is it the same and to be preached to all generations There is no man good or bad no thought word or worke but there may hee see himselfe his workes and thoughts of his heart plainely depeinted forth It is accomplished and fulfilled in euery generation but the eyes of the wicked are holden Therefore if there were new prophesies new miracles yea a new Bible it should be but the same that which now is in the nature kinde substance and scope thereof differing onely in respect of circumstances To conclude All things whatsoeuer a man can particularize are the same that haue beene the same I say Specie in kind or nature not numero the very selfe-same without indiuiduall or circumstantiall difference Here then is wisedome to discerne the times and seasons and to apply after-things rightly to the former or rather to behold things past in those that are present but that is hidden from most mens eyes and it is giuen to few to behold that which they heare and reade of though it be neuer so plainely acted before their eyes yea and he is euen now acting
of manifold imaginations and groundlesse conclusions but my heart hath seene great wisedome and knowledge I haue fundamentally obserued and had the ocular experience of things their natures causes properties effects vses c. Verse 17. And I gaue my heart to know wisedome and to know madnesse and folly I perceiued that this also is vexation of Spirit A Continuation of the same answere As I perceiued in my heart that I had receiued of God a greater measure of discerning and sensible insight aboue others so according to my vttermost ability I diligently exercised my selfe in searching out yea following the euen tract and way of wisedome in her workes so farre forth as man is able to apprehend and comprehend her Consequently by the rule of wisedome I examined the wisedomes doctrines and instructions of men euen the manifold â—arring and repugnant opinions of men and the proud errours of contentious men who greedily affecting the admiration of their wits do by intruding themselues into things aboue their reâ—ch bewray great ignorance foolishnesse and madnesse both in naturall things and matter of estate I perceiued that this also is vexation of spirit A conclusion of his former reuâ—iw determination or iudgement Vers 14. To conclude as I by wisedome sought out the knowledge of naturall things and found that all was nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit so haue I more then that sought out examined and tryed the vnderstanding of morall things good and euill and I find as before that this is also full of vexation Wisedome on the one side being incomprehensible and the consideration of such men their opinions and doings being wearisome and grieuous to the spirit on the otherside yea their madnesse is endlesse Verse 18. For in much wisedome is much griefe and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow A Reason why that seeking after knowledge both of wisedome and folly there is no contentation of minde but vexation of spirit For the further that a man searcheth into the bottome of things to giue fuller satisfaction to his heart the more griefe he findeth and sorrow is increased with knowledge For First the accurate search and discussing by examination and iudgement of that which is fought is a great affliction to body and minde Secondly when a man hath done what he can hee hath onely attained to the sight of that great darkenesse of ignorance that is in him Chap. 7. 23. 24. which he thinking by study to expell doth more increase it that is hee more and more seeth into what a deepe dungeon hee and all men are fallen by the sinne of Adam Thirdly it is difficult troublous full of intricate questions and distracting doubts endlesse and withall transitory It is neither perfectiue of him that hath it nor perfectiue of other men or their matters Fourthly the more that a wise man knoweth hee still more more and more beholdeth greater corruption vanity folly madnesse and misery wherewith his spirit is discomforted and grieued his heart is heauy his minde dispairefull So that he is farther off from happinesse then the ignorant that knoweth nothing For he worketh and eateth and drinketh and sleepeth soundly he is without care he is heartily merry and so is strong and healthfull Fiftly when a man hath transcended common capacities his darke parables instructions and counsels of many shall be had in contempt of others hee shall be enuyed and his wisdome shall be but the white of a But to be shot at of some he shall be suspected and suppressed for Princes are suspicious of the godly-wise-learned I thinke because their rudenesse and nakednesse lies open to their iudicious eyes which made Nero kill his master Seneca or else desire ignorance that the thousand-headed beast might be better held vnder the yoke of gouernment For if they be wise and godly the rude Princes thinke that their nakednesse lyeth open whereof contempt followeth This is ethnicall pollicie Contrarily the wise and godly Prince shall by his wisedome and godlinesse bind the consciences of his people and cause them to reuerence and dread him as Iob said of himselfe This is the onely security of a Prince as of Iob Dauid Solomon Iosiah Moreouer if the wise would haue the benefit of his wisedome to redound to many he must descend to their meannesse and rudenesse and of a plentifull seed-sowing most commonly reape little and sometimes nothing Sixtly he shall see the foole oft-times graced countenanced preferred for money and other sinister respects when he for all his wisedome shall not be regarded but be buried in obscurity and obliuion Seauenthly If a man vnderstand all misteries and all knowledge and that no secret be hid from him all cannot free him from death but it shall rot in the graue with him Wherefore if a man know not himselfe to be in the number of Gods Elect if in the curious search of all things he cannot find that in himselfe what contentation rest ioy quietnesse of conscience what happinesse can knowledge bring him nay rather it will increase his sorrow Wherefore all humaine knowledge is vaine euen nothing and worse then nothing For when a man hath attained to all knowledge that can be comprehended in mans braine the Deuill hath still more then hee For he hath been in the kingdome of glory and seene God face to face And if a man had as he hath how much still should he be the better Surely if a man know not onely the depth of Gods wisedome in the world but the secrets of the kingdome of glory and of the damnation of hell also could by words vtter them he should notwithstanding liue in miserable perplexity all his life till hee had this sauing knowledge which should be his onely ioy and comfort both in life and death This onely should sweeten all the miseries of this life whereas the other doth exacerbate and turne all the prerogatiues delights and pleasures of this life into gall and wormewood There is no felicity on earth but this feare God and keepe his commandements For he that hath obtained all worldly wisedome cannot by the same worke out a felicitie to himselfe in this crooked state and vaine condition of all things CHAPTER II. Verse 1. I said in my heart goe to now I will prooue thee with mirth therefore inioy pleasure and behold this also is vanitie SOlomon hauing found no profit no happy contentation in knowledge nor in things subiect to knowledge purposeth now to try what contentation may redound to him by the vse of the creatures all care cast away whereof aboue other men hee had the full possession and fruition This verse containeth 1. a declaration of his counsell about the finding out of the chiefe good by the tryall of another way 2. his determination or censure which is amplified by a note of attention or asseueration I said in my heart c. As if he should say I haue already tryed what profit the studies of wisedome can afford but
case of religion their darke hearts neuer rightly conceiued what either extreames or middles were For this common meane is a mixture of light with darkenesse good with euill sweet with sowre wisedome with sensuality pretious with vile religion with carnality But such indifferences are hatefull and loathsome before God and vpright men This the Scriptures tearme folly and such wise ones fooles and hypocrites Matth. 23. Vnderstand therefore the deceitfulnesse of the heart and the delusion of Sathan euen that deepe sophistrie by which whole multitudes doe perish yea euen all except the very Elect For what is that common wisedome reason indifference honesty of men but a certaine mediocrity or meane mixt of linnen and woollen of sowre with sweet of religion with fleshly morality as though that all things religion and all should onely tend and ayme at a happy worldly state or glorifying of the flesh or outward man or to approach as neere to this marke as may be This was the sinne of Saul He did not aime at the sole glory of God but mingled the holy commandement and his owne lust euen his vaine-glory together He would not loose his owne glory in that triumph Therefore Samuel told him that hoe was become a foole 1 Sam. 13. 13. Such fooles were the Israelites 1 Kings 18. 21. and Exod. 31. 1. Such fooles were the Pharises Princes people of the Iewes The disciples being yet but rude and weake were tainted with this folly Ioh. 12. 22. Yet in them it was but infirmity because they were in Gods election and actually beleeued and followed him in sincerity Euery professour of the Gospel not inwardly renued by the spirit of sanctification is a foole but we must take heed of iudging and censuring For the worke of the spirit in the regenerate is not to make a mixture of heauenly carnall things but by mortification to sub due all things to himselfe euen to conuert the whole man inward and outward into spirit to bring euery thought and imagination euery word and worke into captiuity vnder Christ which is true wisedome and liberty So that whereas it is said that in state of grace we are partly flesh partly spirit in all our actions and affections it is not meant of mixture for where there is mixture there is no sound no sauing conuersion but the Foxe will to his kinde but that we are as the rusty Iron in the fire the menstruous or filthy rag in the fullers soap nay rather Lazarus dead in the graue into whom the soule being re-entred causeth motion of the spirits first in the heart than of the pulses and bloud then of a leg or arme c. till at length he be risen wholly out of the graue and at last brought to his former state of life and so is death ouercome of life But what this meaneth our common honest reasonable wise indifferent minded men neither will nor can conceiue For they know not through the hardnesse of their hearts that the ground of their Christian profession is the vtter denyall of themselues or the vtter destruction of the flesh and the best things thereof as enmity to the grace of Christ Rom. 8. 7. Phil. 3. 7. that they might be wholly in him and for him 1 Cor. 6. 19. 20. which is the maine scope of this present treatise of Solomon To redresse this beautifull but fundamentall euill let vs remember and lay to heart these two Texts of Scriptures The first is Dauids charge to Solomon his sonne 2 Chron. 28. 9. And thou my sonne Solomon know thou the God of they father and serue him with a perfect heart and willing minde for the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts The second is the ground and life of euery word and worke which maketh it acceptable in the sight of God Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne He that wanteth true faith shall perish euerlastingly whatsoeuer how great soeuer his workes be Lastly Solomon here confirmeth his experiments with the considerate and iudicious view thereof by the conscience of his sufficiency in wisedome and experience which is figured by a Prelepsis or preuention of an obiection thus It may be that thou hast not perfectly knowne the difference of wisdome and madnesse and folly and so hast not iudged and determined rightly of things and the vse thereof Ans I haue sufficiently knowne and tryed the truth of that which I haue spoken concerning these things and the vanity thereof This assertion is amplyfied by an argument of the Greater denyed No man can know or try more than I haue done The words are figured by a communication What can the man doe Haadam â— the greatest learnedest and most experienced for the demonstratiue article noteth eminence or excellence That commeth after the King This testimony of himselfe is confirmed by the dignity and excellency of his person King amplified by a comparison included in the demonstratiue article noting eminence hammelek the King the most excellent King As if he should say If Kings that haue power to get the knowledge and experience of things are to be beleeued then much more the most eminent King is sufficient to know trie and determine the truth of all this that hath beene saide therefore to be beleeued Verse 13. Then I saw that wisedome excelleth folly as farre as light excelleth darkenesse A Determination or censure vpon his iudicious reuiew of the two former wayes in the commendation of wisedome and dispraise of folly figured by a prolepsis thus Thou seemest to put no difference betweene wisedome and madnesse and folly in that thou canft finde no profit no content in any of them but onely vanity and vexation Ans Although that true felicity is not to be found in wisedome neither in the wisedome of this World nor in the literall knowledge of the Gospell yet it altogether excelleth folly yea is contrary to folly The proposition hee illustrateth by a comparison of things contrary Euen as light excelleth darkenesse not in degrees but in nature so doth wisedome excell folly not in degrees but in nature hauing no fellowship or communion with it but mortifieth it as light excelleth darkenesse and water extinguisheth fire By folly he meaneth the crooked actions and conuersation of wicked idiots and crafty colts vnaduised fooles and cunning fooles whose wisedome is worldly sensuall and diuellish Iames 3. 15. separated from all feare of God and grounds of naturall goodnesse and exercised in euill as Tamar saide to Amnon intising her to incest Thou shalt be a foole in Israel Such a foole as he here meaneth was Nabal Verse 14. The wise mans eyes are in his head but the foole walketh in darkenesse and I my selfe perceiued also that one euent happeneth to them all A Confirmation of his determination in the commendation of wisedome dispraise of folly and also a reuiew of the euent of wisedome and the wise The wise mans eyes are in his head The
Euery worke is full of griefe in it selfe and occasioneth griefe to others The workes of the brutish Epicure are grieuous the workes of the foolish that thinketh himselfe wise are grieuous and so are the workes of the wise seeing that he dyeth and his wisedome is forgotten as they and theirs are Moreouer hee confirmeth this reason againe by a Prossyllogisme or addition of another reason For all as well the best as the worst things is vanity and vexation of spirit Thus farre of his counsell in the reuiew of the two former wayes to happy contentment verse 12. Of his determination or censure of them verse 13. of the confirmation of his determination and the reuiew of the euent of wisedome and the wise verse 14. of his determination or conclusion vpon the reuiew verse 15. of the confirmation of his determination verse 16. and conclusion verse 17. Verse 18. Yea I hated all my labour which I had taken vnder the Sunne because I should leaue it vnto the men that shall be after mee THis verse hath relation to the reuiew and euent of his pompous magnificence verse 11. He looked on all his workes and labours but all was vanity and vexation Why because there was no profit vnder the Sunne Here is further set downe the consequent of that euent namely that he obtained not only no contentment by his great workes but also hated them The reason of his hatred is because hee should leaue them to the possession and vse of another man who should be heire to all his labours yet neuer tooke any paines for them Verse 19. And who knoweth whether hee shall be a wise man or a foole yet shall hee haue rule ouer all my labour wherein I haue laboured and wherein I haue shewed my selfe wise vnder the Sunne A Confirmation of the reason figured by the preuention of an obiection thus That a man shall leaue his labours to another is no cause of griefe For seeing that hee must not alwayes liue here for one generation passeth and another commeth it is a mans ioy and comfort rather yea the prosperous successe of them in their continuance to future generations giueth great contentment to the heart Ans That cannot be because it is impossible for me or any man to know whether he shall be a wise man or a foole It is figured by a communication to intimate the impossibility thereof And what manner of man soeuer hee shall be yet shall he haue the rule command and vse of all my labours at his pleasure wherein I haue so diligently exercised my wisedome If hee proue a foole what is the fruit of my labour and my wisedome euen to be the purueyour of another mans sensuality and to subminister matter for the execution and maintenance of his folly So all my labour is lost If he proue a wise man yet will he alter change and vse all my labours according to his owne minde and so shall they be transformed as a vesture into a new fashion Therefore in that a man must leaue his labours to another mans possession and disposition that is also vanity Verse 20. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despaire of all the labour which I tooke vnder the Sunne A Conclusion of the reason confirmed in the verse before Seeing that my wisedome in my labour shall be either turned into folly or else translated into another fashion I iudged it better to despaire of getting contentment by my workes rather then to place any hope in such vncertainties that I might else-where seeke for the true happinesse that cannot be lost nor changed Therefore seeing that in the best things done here by wisedome wee haue more matter of despaire than hope and howsoeuer are held in continuall suspence they are meere vanity and vexation Verse 21. For there is a man whose labour is in wisedome and in knowledge and in equity yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leaue it for his portion This also is vanity and a great euill AN amplification of the conclusion conteined in the verse before Namely of the despaire and griefe of his labour by an obseruation of the common condition of men There is many a man that laboureth to attaine to an happy estate here and that by wisedome knowledge and equitie to which God also giueth a blessing that so his heart might reioyce without checke of conscience in the fruition thereof which is seldome incident to the rich yet shall he leaue his estate behinde him to be a portion for another that neuer tooke any paines for it And so be the prouident and true drudge of he knowes not whom and how it shall be vsed and imployed and blessed in the hands of him he altogether knoweth not Yea sometimes it falleth out that the heire curseth his patrimony because that if he had not had such a meanes and prouocation he should not haue committed so many euils Faelix necessitas quae ad meliora traâ—it For our Sauiour saith How hard is it for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen This then is a vanity and not onely a prâ—uation of good or a nothing but also a great euill namely that a man should not onely be depriued of his goods by death but also that his goods should be depraued Verse 22. For what hath man of all his labour and of the vexation of his heart wherein he hath laboured vnder the Sunne THis verse hath reference to the 18. verse before containing a reason of the hatred of his dispairefull labours figured by a communication to giue more weight vnto it If a man see no profit of the labours of his body and minde then they haue nothing but matter of despaire and hatred in them but what profit or ioyfull contentment can any man finde in the laborious getting and carefull keeping of his gettings Therefore as I said at first so after many proofes I conclude What profit hath a man of all his labour that hee taketh vnder the Sunne Verse 23. For all his dayes are sorrow and his trauaile griefe yea his heart taketh not rest in the night This is also vanitie A Prossyllogisme or confirmation of the former reason He hath no profit of his labours no calme contentation Why For because all his dayes are full of paines and sorrowes trouble and anger His trauaile is full of care and anguish feares and doubts perplexitie and anxiety His heart is depriued of the naturall reft of night For then hee falleth to reuiew the labours of the time past and to dispose of the trauaile of the time following to bring all things aptly together without the interruption of manifold occurrences or chances for the accomplishment of his proiect Againe although he would take his rest yet the manifold businesses and exagitations of his thoughts on the day cause many broken dreames and fearefull phantasies which often disquiet the spirit and maketh the heart pensiue afterward So that a
man hath no profit of his paines but his labour for his trauaile and this also is vanity Verse 24. There is nothing better for a man then that hee should eate and drinke and that he should make his soule enioy the good of his labour This also I saw and that it was from the hand of God IN this verse Solomon setteth downe the right vse and onely good that is to be found in the things of this life for a remedy or mitigation of the vanities or miseries and declareth the same by the efficient cause His proposition is illustrated by a comparison of the Greater denyed And it is an answere to a secret obiection which is this If nothing but sorrow and griefe redound to man of all his labours to what purpose then should a man apply his minde to wisedome and his body to trauaile And if so be that a man must either depriue himselfe of life or else prolong his dayes in perpetuall sorrow then the world seemeth to be made for none other end then to be an engine of torture vnto men Ans Not so neither For though I haue already prooued that a man can obtaine no true profit or happy contentation by the things of the world nor by any thing that can be knowne or done by mans wisedome yet it followeth not therefore that there is no good in all things made for mans vse by which he may be inabled and helped both to liue and to order his life according to wisedome and vertue But there is a good in them for which cause God hath created them and imparted the same to euery one according to his owne pleasure And this good is not to depend or rest on them nor to trust in them for therefore hath God made them vncertaine and vaine nor yet by treasuring them vp to depriue a mans selfe or others of their vse nor to lauish them out as though they would neuer haue end but to feede cheere and comfort the body therewith with tranquility of minde resting on Gods mercy and so to passe the time of this life with ioyfull contentation in honest labor not in idlenesse sensualitie or drudgery He that looketh for more then this in them is vtterly deceiued seeing that in the best vse of them they are transitory and vanishing Lastly this good vse of them he declareth by the principall efficient cause Not onely the possession of these things but also their vertue to feed and refresh the body and mind is the gift of God Otherwise all wisedome is full of vanity and griefe They come neither by mans prouidence and endeuour originally nor by chance Deut. 8. 17. Therefore let vs returne all praise and thankes to him in the vsage of our selues and vse of all his gifts Verse 25. For who can eate or who else can hasten hereunto more then I A Confirmation of his proposition amplified by a comparison of the Greater denyed and figured by a communication Who could receiue more profit ioy and contentment of these transitory and fading things more then I and who can more speedily and easily obtaine and more securely possesse and vse them more then I what good thing soeuer could be had and what vse could be made of them for the pleasure of my body and delight of minde I had it in the perfection thereof yet this is all that I by experience found or could conceiue in heart to be found in them Verse 26. For God giueth to a man that is good in his fight wisedome and knowledge and ioy but to the sinner he giueth trauell to gather and to heape vp that he may giue to him that is good before God This also is vanity and vexation of spirit AN amplification of this right vse of worldly things by the efficient cause thereof both in himselfe and other men These men are described by their condition and quality good Goodnesse is illustrated by a distinction thereof in his sight that is truely good Psal 3â— 1 2. not in appearance before men or his owne deceitfull â—eaâ—t Ier. 17. 9. which is hypocrisie God who hath made the world and all things therein for mans vse hath giuen wisedome and knowledge to those that are accepted of him and feare him to get them rightly and to vse them comfortably This worke of Gods mercy is illustrated by the Antithesis or contrary worke of iudgement in the sinner Contrarily God withholdeth this wisedome knowledge and ioy from the sinner which feareth him not but turneth his eare from the Law and maketh no conscience of his doings and leaueth him in the power and bondage of his lusts to torment himselfe both night and day with carking caring and drudgery to gather riches and yet to depriue himselfe of all comfort meate drinke cloathing recreation c. This worke of Gods iudgement in the sinner is declared by the end Namely that after this faithlesse drudge hath treasured them vp God might giue them to them that feare him and are accepted of him Iob 27. 17. Againe God doth take them away from good men when he correcteth their faults and giueth them to the wicked that are both theirs and his enemies as the example of Ezechias doth manifest To conclude This also is vanity and vexation of spirit CHAPTER III. Verse 1. To euery thing there is a season and a time to euery purpose vnder heauen SOlomon hath hitherto discoursed and concluded the vanity of mans purposes and designes of happy contentment First by the common obseruation of things subiect to mans knowledge Secondly by his owne experimentall knowledge both of wisedome and of the vse of worldly things in the two former Chapters Now hee continueth still his obseruation shewing by the conuersion of times and particular examples pertaining to knowledge and vse that all things deedes counsels euents good and euill are known to God onely and in regard of vs doe fluctuate vpon vncertaine issues yea altogether vncertaine in their beginnings proceedings and endings which depend and attend vpon vnstable times whatsoeuer our aduisements deuices be either in attaining good or auoyding euill This is another maine argument or Prosepilogisme confirming the Epilogisme Cap. 1. 3. Whereby he proueth that a man hath no profit of all his labours First he propoundeth it generally in this verse and after confirmeth it by an induction of sundry particulars as hee did before And here is a liuely exposition of that which he spake Chap. 1. verse 8. of the mutability and corruptibility of all things All things are full of labour man cannot vtter it c. To euery thing there is a season No maruell is it if all mans wisedome and the vse of worldly things whether sensuall or magnificall be subiugated to vanity when as all things all counsels all deeds all euents so variable and repugnant in this vnquiet world are subiected to this instable course and recourse of times which God hath put in his own hand and in his secret
to see what shall be after him A Conclusion of the right consideration regard and vse of worldly things inferred as before ver 12. And Chap. 2. 24. Seeing that there is nothing but vanity and miserie I perceiued that it was but vanity and folly to seeke for any happinesse in any worldly state And that it was the point of true and solide wisdome for a man to reioyce his heart in the honest getting comfortable vsing and prudent disposing of things put into his hand by the prouidence of God while it is his euen in his hands For this is a mans portion yea all the good that can be found in them and by them For who can bring a man to see what shall be after him Chap. 2. 18. 19. The knowledge of after-times belongeth to God onely and when we are gone then is all out of our hands and none of ours but left to Gods disposing which how God vseth and bestoweth or what good is done therewith is no thankes no reward to vs. Therefore it is but folly for a man to depriue himselfe of the benefit of his workes and to disquiet his heart and minde in vaine with prouiding and plotting for after-times namely for his posterity whereof hee hath no certainty What greater folly is there then for a man to torment his body vexe his spirit torture his conscience lose his soule for those that come after him which either shall be wrested from their goods or die presently after him or wastfully spend them working out their damnation in the prodigall spending as he did in the couetous getting But if they doe enioy them and doe good with them yet is that nothing to him that is now in torment For it is not by vertue of the goods gotten and left by him but of Gods grace and that doth good as well without those goods as with them For it is not how much we doe but how well not what but what God accepteth For all is his owne wee can doe nothing for him nor giue any thing to him CHAPTER IIII. Verse 1. So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done vnder the Sunne and behold the teares of such as were oppressed and they had no Comforter and on the side of their oppressours there was power but they had no Comforter A Second example of corruption in ciuill state is of the oppressed This is the second example of vanities obserued in outward things such things as outwardly come to a man These words haue dependance on verse 16. chap. 3. There he shewed how vanity was increased by corruption in place of Iudgement and Iustice here hee sheweth how vanity is increased by manifold oppressions euery where whereby almost euery man of wit and wealth oppresseth treadeth on insnareth and vexeth the inferiour and weaker after the manner of beasts And behold A graphicall or liuely description of oppressions in all ages and among all sorts of men continuall and common They are described First by the greatnesse thereof They are such as caused not onely griefe and complaining but also teares Secondly they are amplyfied by their want of remedy the incompassionatenesse of people which is the sinne of Sodome They had no Comforter There was none to deliuer them none to take their parts none to counsell them but euery one rather treading on him that falleth after the manner of brute beasts Thirdly by the persons oppressing which were men of authority and power that had the law in their owne hands Fourthly by the incompassionatenes of other great men which were mercilesse cruell and hard-hearted aboue the common sort of rude people as Ierem. 5. 26. 27. 28. complaineth Which persons though they were able to remedy wrongs yet they rather approued the same as Herod did Pilates and Pilate in some sort did the Priests and Pharises So farre were they from affording any comfort to the distressed The whole verse laboureth of a gradation Verse 2. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more then the liuing which are yet aliue Verse 3. Yea better is be then both they which hath not yet been who hath not seene the euill worke that is done vnder the Sun AN amplification He amplifieth these grieuous euils both of the oppressours and the oppressed by a comparison from the Lesse to the Greater They that are dead hauing left their wiues and children lands and goods behind them which is a great cause of mourning and teares as contrarily life is ioy are notwithstanding more happy then these that are liuing and inioy the priuiledges of life This comparison is figured by a Râ—uâ—cation whereby he recalleth backe the former comparison as not sufficient to illustrate the vanities and miseries of life and bringeth in another more fit to expresse the greatnesse thereof Yea rather the condition of him that is not yet borne is better then they both because he hath not felt nor seene the calamities of the world Better it is not to be at all then to be in misery What profit then hath a man of all the labour that he taketh vnder the Sunne Mundus est inuolucrum â—iue Chaos miseriarum Verse 4. Againe I considered all trauell and euery right worke that for this a man is enuyed of his neighbour this is also vanity and vexation of spirit A Third example of vanities outwardly incident to man is enuy not actiue but passiue By enuy also is vanity greatly increased I considered all the honest and moderate labour of him that rightly earned his liuing without couetousnesse and wrong who depriued not his soule of comfort by hoarding them vp but reioyced in the work of his hands and extended the fruits of his labours to others also But euen this man was enuyed of his neighbour because he was good and did good Yea euen they that were pertakers of the benefit of his labours with him reioyced at his fall Wherefore did Cain hate his brother euen because his brothers deeds were good and his owne euill Wherefore should Labans house enuy Iacob through whose faithfulnes all things prospered well with them yet so it was and is Wherfore doth the righteous man make himselfe a prey Isa 59. 15. Because he speaketh the truth and departeth from euill Why did the sonnes of Iacob enuy their brother Ioseph because their father loued him What occasioned Ismael to mocke Isaac Gen. 21. 9. Euen because God had blessed him And Amos saith Chap. 5. 10. Hee that rebuketh in the gate is hated and he is abhorred that speaketh vprightly Why was our Sauiour Christ hated persecuted crucified because he was true holy righteous the holy one and the iust Because hee was good and his goodnesse extended wholly to others For in the world he had no prerogatiues of the world all was theirs and their childrens he tooke nothing but gaue himselfe for them he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of loue and fauour to man whatsoeuer he was it was for mans
good Yet in this he could not be pardoned but must be put to shame and contempt with the greatest malefactors All this argueth the great vanity of this life Verse 5. The foole foldeth his hands together and eateth his owne flesh Verse 6. Better is an handfull with quietnesse then both the hands full with trauell and vexation of spirit THese vanities or euils hereafter following proceed from a mans selfe from within him whereof there be three examples following in this Chapter to wit of the sloathsull the niggard and the will-full which heape miseries vpon themselues by their owne folly The first example is of sloathfulnesse whereby much vanity is increased whereof much wickednesse and misery proceedeth The sluggard is graphically depeinted forth by an hypotiposis or liuely description by his generall and effects in this verse The foole The idle person is first described by his generall he is a foole or wicked person one of that ranke that wanteth wisedome and vnderstanding For he despiseth the decree and ordinance of God Gen. 3. 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou get thy liuing Againe he bringeth himselfe into contempt base account and hatred by wilfull pouerty Moreouer he bringeth himselfe into bondage and slauery when he is inforst to run into debt and to submit himselfe to the vices and euill dispositions whatsoeuer they â—e of other men to please them for reliefe and so to be the seruant of other mens corruptions a sonne of Belial Finally he setteth open the gap to infinite euils very hardly to be auoyded as lying dissembling flattering humouring grudging enuying stealing robbing murthering imprisonment c. The foole foldeth his hands together Secondly he is described by his deedes or gestures which are priuatiues or prauatiues rather signifying not any labour or preparation to labour but a preparation to more rest and ease which is a priuation of labour Hee foldeth his hands Hee sitteth or lyeth now stretching now enwrapping his armes one within another now yawning to ease himselfe a little when through want of motion the blood drawing more inwardly thickneth leauing the outward limmes more riged and stiffe and setleth about the heart Now he hangeth the chin into the bosome because his lazinesse wil not rouze vp his dull spirits and disperse his cold and clottered bloud Now hee looketh vpward gaping with open mouth because he will not stretch a little the sinewes of his throate and chapps as a man doth that looketh vpwards with his lippes shut therefore this idle foole draweth his breath in at his mouth most commonly for the rheume ascending into his head for want of moderate exercise and discending into his nose hindereth the easie passage of his breath that hee cannot so fully enioy his pleasant sleepe And for recreation sake when he is weary with sleeping on the one side he turneth on the other as the gate doth on the hookes Prou. 26. 14. Againe He foldeth his hands together As others vnfold their hands armes knees to labour so he infoldeth or crudleth his limbes together to sleepe as euery kinde of creature doth Working and walking doe most exercise the body standing lesse leaning lesse then that sitting lesse and lying lesse then that but the infolding of the members giue greatest rest and security For then the blood is kept more temperate hee coucheth in a lesse roome and is sooner vp if any euill outwardly assaile him In heat the sluggard displayeth abroad his limbes in cold he gathereth them on an heape These drowsie fooles liue by instinct of corrupt nature like beasts As for prodigall stirring liuely and witty fooles they more resemble the Diuell They are not snailes but waspes and hornets They are idle also for either they liue in no profession or calling or else take no paines in their profession And of them is this text also vnderstood And eateth vp his owne flesh What other euils soeuer hee may auoide yet this is a sure punishment laid on sluggishnesse that it pineth and consumeth the body as it wasteth the outward state For by labour must a man liue therefore by idlenesse shall he destroy himselfe For idlenesse is a cause of many diseases when the dregges of the humours are not moued nor superfluities evaporated by agitation and sweat Drowsinesse breedeth drossinesse and vaine pleasures which is another kinde of idlenesse bringeth pouerty and paine Againe he eateth vp his owne flesh with griefe enuie couetousnesse Griefe flayeth him Prou. 21. 25. Enuie and couetousnesse consume the flesh and drye the bones Many sluggards are couetous and greedy yet proud and idle enuying the plenty of those that labour and speake euill of them There are abundance of such like now a dayes Verse 6. Better is an handfull with quietnesse c. Thirdly the sluggard is here described by his inward effects or vaine imaginations of his foolish heart destitute of iudgement vttered by the tongue whereby he excuseth maintaineth and confirmeth himselfe in his idlenesse For a foole wanteth not his reasons yea the sluggard is wiser in his owne conceit then seauen men that can render a reason Prou. 26. 16. But his reasons are grounded on his lust and according to his lust for that is his law Better it is to haue an handfull with quietnesse then both hands full with trauell vexation of spirit As if he should say it is better for a man to content himselfe with a little with rest then to toyle himselfe as the drudge doth carking and caring night and day hee cannot tell for whom What should a man doe but eate and drinke and play and be merry and take his naturall rest A man cannot tell how long hee shall liue wherefore then should hee make a beast of himselfe He were as good spend his goods himselfe as let another spend them A man may labour all his life to gather goods for his children and they may hap to be rather the worse then better for them For as he hath freed them from care to get them so will they but care how to waste them Againe he that striueth to be rich shall be intangled in manifold businesses troubles suits and be disquieted with a multitude of seruants and labourers which will spend it as fast as they get it Moreouer he that hath much is but a prey to theeues robbers and catch-poles so that vnlesse hee looke well and warily to himselfe hee shall be insnared one way or other and be hated and enuyed Now for a man to liue and lie continually thus at defence is a great vexation and better were it that his goods were farre enough then to liue in continuall feare and drudgery Therefore I hold it a wiser course for a man to take his ease and pleasure to be content with a little let the World runne which way it will The sluggard seemes to haue many good speeches oft times but they proceede from an euill heart and tend to an euill end Therefore they are but foolishnesse
and wickednesse Verse 7. Then I returned and saw vanity vnder the Sunne A Second example of the contrary to wit of couetousnesse and drudgery whereby vanity is increased Then I returned and saw vanity c. When I beheld the foolishnesse of the carelesse sluggard and withall looking about for the hearted man that h d wisedome to order himselfe rightly in the affaires of this liâ—e another extremity offered it selfe to my sight which was a vanity aboue all vanities yea darkening all other as the Sunne doth the starres So that mee thought I began but now to see vanity vnder the Sunne These words therefore are as it were a magnificall preface to the description of some great thing Verse 8. There is one alone and there is not a second yea he hath neither child nor brother yet is there no end of all his labour neither is his eye satisfied with riches neither saith hee for whom doe I labour and bereaue my soule of good this is also vanity yea it is a sore trauell A Description of the impure drudge First by his solitarinesse or vnsatiablenesse There is one and not a second That is to say a soliuagant or solitary vagrant a Deastricolous person whose heart is fixed in the ground like the roote of a tree neither a rationall nor yet a brutall creature but a plaine vegitable or locomotiue plant For diuers of this kinde there be that are without coniugall affection or abstaine from marriage for feare of charge of children and expence For hee hath not a second all liuing creatures are sociable but he that is he hath no companion or fellow all companies are vaine and euill and offensiue to this sober one for so is he conceited of himselfe and the best man with him is but a talker a familiar friend is but a disturber of his thoughts and hindereth him from his businesse So fearefull and carefull distrustfull and despairefull is a man when God leaueth him to himselfe Secondly he is described by his vnreasonablenesse argued by the negation of the impulsiue causes of his carefull drudgery He hath neither child nor brother kinsman nor allianee at least that standeth in neede to be helped with his goods Thirdly he is described by his excesse There is none end of all his labour Hee is insatiable his heart is a bottomelesse gulfe that cannot be filled his desires are inlarged as hell All that he looketh vpon with his eyes he desireth to haue And if he had it yet could not that quench his thirst nor stay his hungry appetite He is a Leuiathan a Sea-dragon or Whale that wanteth roome in the maine Ocean Fourthly he is described by his senselesnesse forgetfulnesse want of discourse and vse of reason being in vtter bondage to his lust and so wholly degenerated into the nature of a beast He neuer saith for whom doe I labour and bereaue my soule of good Hee is carried euen forward like the plant by his inclination or like the beast by his appetite like euery irrationall by his instinct neuer reflecting his reason vpon himselfe or his trauell to consider the end thereof and vse of worldly things nor vpon his owne end though hee see death in others both elder younger and equals euery day before his eyes and euen feele the causes fore-runners or warnings of death in his owne flesh and bones summoning him to iudgement This person most wise most good in his owne conceit commeth farre short of the rich man Luke 12. who in the fulnesse of wealth was able to say Now soule take thy rest thou hast goods enough eate drinke and be merrie He commeth farre short of Nabal that ate and dranke and was drunke and slept soundly vpon it Nay he neuer bethinketh himselfe how all the things of this World serue for nothing else but meate drinke apparell For he depriueth himselfe of these as neere as may be and layeth them vp for the wormes mothes and canker This seruice is the euent of his labour as much as in him lyeth for death not he putteth others in possession and vse thereof what other end soeuer he confusedly dreameth of but neuer obtaineth The whole verse laboureth of a Gradation thus He carefully laboureth for no cause and not onely so but there is none end of his labour and not onely that but he is neuer satisfied neither that onely but he affords no comfort to his body therewith He planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit he feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke he is an oxe treading out the corne and muzzleth his owne mouth yea when his bread is before him he layeth his knife to his throat as Solomon saith scarcity is vpon his table This is a vanity and a sore trauell It is one alone indeed for there is nothing in nature to compare him to For euery creature desireth the perfection of it selfe but this seeketh his owne destruction He is like a Water-mill Verse 9. Two are better then one because they haue a good reward for their labour AN illustration of the vanities of Misanthropicall couetousnesse by a comparison of contrary society or community of life Two are better then one This contrariety is confirmed by the opposition of the benefits of sociable life and euils of solitary life by diuerse examples in these foure next verses to wit of two working together of two lying together of two contending with the Antithesis of their reasons or contrary consequence of contraries The first example is of two working together Two or more labouring or trauelling or doing any thing are helped furthered and comforted one by another And that worke or exercise whereabout they are busied hath better successe by much then when one is alone Man by nature is the most sociable creature as his reason and speech doth manifest As for other liuing creatures they are sociable also but yet by naturall sympathy and so are plants also They are gathered or seuered by their manifold differing kinds and by sympathies and antipathies in their kinds But reason and speech vniteth men into one ciuill body and seuerall men are seuerall members of that body And whereas no member can serue it selfe maintaine or comfort it selfe without the other nor if it be sicke lame c. can relieue it selfe without the other so neither can any one man liue without the co-working nor comfort himself without the aid compassion of another But if he striue to doe it or can doe it in somethings yet it is altogether imperfectly vnprofitably vncomfortably done and of no continuance For the whole state of one member is so by diuine prouidence intangled and vnited with another that in the perfect wel-fare of one there must be a concurrence or communion of all as wee see it to be in the members of the body which though they haue seuerall offices yet cannot one execute his office to the perfect good of it selfe without the communion of the
foolishnesse and he that is foolish is farthest from happinesse though he be a Monarch Yea hee is neerest to greatest misery as Iehoâ—akim Saul Zedekiah c. Samuel was better then Heli and Dauid then Saul And through the like folly were ten tribes rent from Rehoboam The highest estate or dignitie that a man can attaine to and which men commonly count the happiest is the state of a king For a king hauing all other in subiection and vnder command is in that worldly respect the neerest vnto God whose immediate vicegerent he is And therefore in respect of supremacy in the execution of Iustice and iudgement Kings are tearmed comparatiuely Gods But notwithstanding that high place and supreame power if hee want discretion and wisedome to sway the scepter in Iustice and iudgement according to the law of the highest he is worse than a poore subiect or inferiour that hath wisedome to order his priuate and particular state aright Yea though he be old and rich yet is he worse then one that is yong and euen a childe and poore because this hath wisedome that is is capable teachable tractable and so is in possibility and hope But contrarily the other being old and by reason of age and long experience should be of a wise and vnderstanding heart to discerne truth and equity but yet is foolish and carryed with the sway of wandring and fruitlesse lusts as children commonly are neither yet through wilfulnesse will be admonished that is will not heare nor yeeld to the aduice and counsell of sage and prudent counsellers but like Rehoboam Zedekiah Ahab Nebuchadnezzer setleth himselfe vpon his lees the other I say is better then hee All this comparison is figured by a Synecdoche of the Speciall For by king is meant all men of any externall power place wealth kindred beauty strength age or any prerogatiue Contrarily by the poore childe is meant any one that wanteth these prerogatiues and is the most inferiour Verse 14. For out of prison hee commeth to raigne whereas also he that is borne in his kingdome becommeth poore A Confirmation of the Antithesis or contrariety by the contrary effects of wisedome and folly in them both For out of prison he commeth to raigne That is though he be a captiue and kept in hold vnder chaines as Ioseph was yet by wisedome he commeth not onely to obtaine liberty but also riseth by degrees to the scepter So that he which was a bondman is now become a King contrarily he that is borne in the kingdome becommeth poore as if he should say the other was a made bondman but borne a king this made a king but borne poore because that the other was in his birth and bondage of a kingly heart and disposition as was Dauid though of meane parentage but this in his kingly birth and royall preheminence is of a declining and degenerating heart and disposition as was Iehoiakim and Comah Ier. 22. Whereby it commeth to passe that he looseth the reuerend and awefull regard of his subiects as did Sardanapalus c. By folly and wilfulnesse are great houses and kingdomes ouerthrowne and translated to others whereof the Scriptures affoord diuers examples By prison-house is meant any of meane estate or low degree as Dauid was and as Ioseph was according to the Psalme 113. 7. 8. and specially Psalme 106. 17. 18. 19. 20. By borne King is meant any of higher estate degree or preheminence in outward things by the figure Synecdoche Such like were Zedekiah Iehoiakim Coniah Verse 15. I considered all the liuing which walke vnder the Sun with the second child that shall stand vp in his stead THis third example of vanity and vexation belonging to royall state is figured by the preuention of an obiection thus What though sometimes it fall out that Kings are led aside either through their owne folly or deceits of wicked Counsellours as the flattering Princes corrupted Ioash 2 Chron. 24. 17. that argueth not that wise Princes behauing themselues prudently in all their wayes should be subiect to vanity that is depriued of happy contentation as other inferiour degrees are I answer that vanity and vexation in royall state is not onely increased by their owne folly or produced by an inward cause but also it proceedeth from an outward cause to wit occasioned if he were guarded from all other euils and discontentments by the vnconstancy and the instability of the passionate people his subiects For they are fickle and restlesse carried to and â—ro as euery blast of discontentment and idle fancies tosse their humours and are oft times like the Sea that maketh a noyse when no winde is stirring when they haue no cause but onely disquieted with an itch affectation of nouelties changes though it be for the worse as the Israelites being weary of Iudge ordained of God would be gouerned by Kings as other Nations were 1 Sam. 8. 6. 7. As they that being weaâ—y of rest must be exercised with labour verse 11. to 18. that they may be brought to know their happy estate which through fickle and wanton discontent they are ignorant of like to children that hauing too much of their owne will cry for the roode for nothing else will quiet them Deliciousnesse and fulnesse in euery thing groweth loathsome Howsoeuer men know not or are forgetfull of their owne good This then is a griefe and vexation to a King that the people rest not contented in him and if they doe yet when he is old they begin for the most part to turne their hearts towards the second euen the child or heire that shall reigne after him And this is not one of the least griefes of old age the contempt or neglect of the younger when as they see themselues growing out of request their names account and memoriall decaying by little and little with their bodies and with death vanishing quite away As this is to others so to Kings also a vexation to see already the common aspect of their people bent vpon another obiect before the time Old age is iealous and suspitious of the contempt of youth Verse 16. There is no end of all the people euen of all that haue bâ—â—ne before them they also that come after shall not reioyce in him surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit A Reason why people are with the second child that shall stand vp in the Kings stead namely their vnconstancy There is no end of all the people that haue beene before them End hath not relation to time or perpetuall succession of generations but signifieth a fixed resolution and resistfull contentation or ioyfull complacence which is not to be found in the people which are wauering as the Sea and variable as the Moone For former people little regarded the present Kings Grand-father being old and in their desires turned after his Father being young whom againe now being old the present people are weary of and are all for his sonne and that for sinister respects
thankesgiuing But he that will insist onely vpon the briefe collections or formes of the Creed Lords Prayer and ten Commandements is very likely to deny all in particular that in generall hee confusedly confesseth saying as it were that fruit that br nch neuer came out of that kernell which I had in my mouth seauen yeares agoe This is but a foolish babler that standeth vp at the Creed and fighteth against the Gospel That bableth ouer the Commandements and maintaineth swearing and hateth euery godly and righteous man and is to euery good worke reprobate one that is like the corne vpon the house tops that maketh a shew a while but neuer commeth to good Verse 3. For a dreame commeth through the multitude of businesse and a fooles voyce is knowne by multitude of words AN argument of dehortation drawne from the effect or rather adiunct of many words batologie or polylogie they are signes of a foole they bewray an ignorant and heartlesse hypocrite that prayes without knowledge and without sanctified affections This is illustrated by a similitude As the multitude of businesse causeth a dreame so doe many words declare a foole who by rash and inconsiderate speeches vttereth many follies and vaine things that make him knowne to be a foole that hath a fooles heart For a foole is counted wise till he speake He that hath no roote of vnderstanding and wisedome in his heart but either saith other mens written prayers or rabbles together many words and sentences without vnderstanding and affection is a foole Otherwise he that is weake in knowledge or otherwise defectiue may vse other mens prayers and parcels of many prayers into which his vnderstanding and affection being implyed they become his owne For hee doth ioyne with holy men in their prayers as the people ioyne with the preacher in his prayers if he vse discretion in the vse of their prayers For one set prayer cannot agree to all times and circumstances vnlesse it be more generall as the Lords prayer is most generall and may therefore be said at all times Verse 4. When thou vowest a vow vnto God deferre not to pay it for hee hath no pleasure in fooles pay that which thou hast vowed THe second particular is a vowe When thou vowest a vow vnto God deferre not to pay it That is when according to the Law thou hast vndertaken to exhibite an euident testimony of honour to the Lord by a vowe thereby exciting and stirring vp thy selfe to giue vnto the Lord that which is his owne and due vnto him euen thy selfe the resignation and consectation of thy selfe or any thing into his hands to be to his honour in thankefull obedience after a more speciall manner deferre not to pay it doe not mocke God trifle not with him make no dissembling shew of speciall seruice and thankefulnesse to him when thou art loath to performe it as though thou wert willing to bind thy selfe to God but yet loath to abridge thy selfe of liberty This is like the hypocrisie of Ananias and Saphira Act. 5. For he hath no pleasure in fooles An argument inforcing the admonition They that doe so are not accepted of God because they are fooles that is they are sinfull and wicked their rashnesse sheweth their irreuerence their slacknesse in paying sheweth their dead heart and coldnesse of affection and their not paying manifesteth their deepe hypocrisie and contempt of him The man of honour and the aged are offended if a man in such sort trifle with them much more is God displeased when he is so lightly regarded and mocked Therefore the Lord commanded in the Law Deut. 23. 21. When thou shalt vow a vow vnto the Lord thy God thou shalt not slacke to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee and it would be sinne in thee Pay that thou hast vowed A conclusion of the reason If thou slackest to pay thy vow it shall be sinne in thee Therefore pay it Verse 5. Better it is that thou shouldest not vow then that thou shouldest vow and not pay AN amplification of the conclusion by a comparison It is better not to vow because that it is indifferent and free for God hath not commanded it but promised to accept that incitation of thy selfe to speciall seruice and duties Therefore if thou forbeare to vow it shall be no sinne in thee Deut. 23. 22. it is better I say then that thou shouldest vow and not pay because that is sinne For God is mockeâ— seeing that whom with thy lippes thou hast honoured thou hast by deede dishonoured shewing thereby thy want of feare reuerence and loue to him as followeth in the next verse Verse 6. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sinne neither say thou before the Angel that it was an errour wherefore should God be angry at thy voyce and destroy the worke of thine hands A Reason of the comparison why it is better not to vow then to vow and not to pay because it is sinne For though thy vow be in thy free choyce yet when it is once made God hath commanded the performance Deut. 23. 23. That which is gone out of thy lippes thou shalt keepe and performe euen a free-will offering according as thou hast vowed to the Lord thy God which thou hast promised with thy mouth Therefore Dauid saith Psal 66. 13. 14. I will pay thee my vowes which my lippes haue vttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble This he propoundeth by way of dehortation Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sinne That is neither conceiue in minde nor promise with thy mouth that which thou canst nor nor oughtest to performe for that is but to binde thy selfe to sinne which easily thou mightest haue auoyded yea to call and seeke for occasions of sinne in that thou takest vp that for an occasion which God hath left free and easie for thee to forbeare Neither say thou before the Angell that it was an errour A preuention of an obiection thus Although I haue rashly vowed that which now I cannot performe and through ignorance haue vowed that which afterwards I find to be vnlawfull yet my intent was good Therefore if I confesse mine errour before the Lords messenger Mal. 2. 7. and seeke to be absolued from my vow according to the Law Leuit. 5. 4 5. c. I trust God will be reconciled to me Answer When we are about to doe for our selues I meane to please God according to our owne ignorance and lust then we terme it a good intent but when the deede is naught through want of knowledge of Gods will and hearty submission to his will the intent is as bad A foole will not want excuses for his follie and this good meaning or well meaning is one of the common deceits of a carnall heart being like him that wisheth well to his friend but neuer doth him good but rather euill alwayes in the end when he is throughly
man to be separated from the presence and protection of Mammon When he and his Idoll are parted then he falleth into desperation This we see verified by the practise of those who being yet aliue and likely to liue long make away themselues yea oft times for a small losse but their feare is great for they haue now none other God to trust on or to flâ—e vnto for succour Therefore how much soeuer a man is addicted to any other sinne how great soeuer his desire his loue delight be in any vice yet for this onely is he termed an Idolater And this is the cause why the Scriptures impute this common condition of man with all creatures to the rich for a speciall miserie Psal 49. 17. And as a mans desire ioy loue and confidence in his goods is the greater so much greater is his miserie Otherwise he that trusteth in the liuing God who hath life in himselfe and by himselfe and giueth life to all is poore in his abundance Math. 5. 3. and rich in his pouerty For in vsing of this World he vseth it not for his heart is in heauen because his treasure is there But hee that hath his treasure here liueth in feare and dyeth in despaire O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the man that hath nothing in outward appearance at least to vexe him and that hath prosperity in all things for a little while as Craesus had yea vnto him that is yet able to eate meate that is young lusty and strong c. Ecclus 41. 1. Verse 16. And this also is a sore euill that in all points as he came so shall he goe and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the winde AN amplification of the vnprofitablenesse of riches lost by a comparison of the common condition of man leauing his riches For a man by death to leaue all behinde him is a misery But it is a greater misery for riches to leaue a man before death Commonly riches accompany the rich to the graue and there giue him his farewell which indeed is a misery to goe as he came but this man hauing gotten them with excessiue toyle is depriued of them before his death so that in all points he goeth as he came This is a double misery Diues his misery was great in that hee must part from his wealth yet he was honoured with a pompous funerall but Iobs was greater that being bestripped of all hee should die before his death and be buried before his graue was open as yet hee knew nothing to the contrary For first his whole state was dissolued all his ornaments all his necessaries vtterly dispersed dead in his estate dead in his children the World was a dead thing to him and hee a dead thing to the World as the Prouerbe is Who is so woe begoue as first a man since none Againe he was buried in the graue of sorrow and couered with the moulde of obliuion and contempt Therefore said Dauid in his deiection also I am a worme and no man I am as a dead man out of minde and Elias 1 Kings 19. 4. I am not better then my Fathers were This then is also a sore euill These words are an illustration of this misery by a comparison with the former verse 13. from the Equals in this word also As it is a grieuous euill for a man to perish by occasion of his riches so is it also as grieuous an euill that his riches should perish from him For his life standeth in his riches And as Dauid in his mourning for Absolon wished that he had died for him 2 Sam. 18. 33. So the rich man in his mourning for the losse of his goods wisheth himselfe dead or that he had beene dead when by such or such a folly he incurred such an incurable damage How many a man hazardeth yea looseth his life to saue his goods This deuoted seruitor will also die for the honour of his god Mammon He is a Martyr also What profit hath hee that hath laboured for the winde A conclusion amplified by a comparison to illustrate the vnprofitablenesse and vanity of vncertaine and perishing riches Euen as hee that laboureth for the winde wearyeth himselfe but getteth naught so this man gathering goods enioyeth naught The wind-gatherer feeleth the winde but graspeth naught so this man imbraceth sweetly his goods but holdeth naught Verse 17. All his dayes also he eateth in darkenesse and he hath much sorrow and wrath in his sicknesse AN hypotyposis or liuely description of his misery that is despoyled of his possessions which I called before the death and buriall of a man in respect of his worldly estate All his dayes he eateth a synecdoche of the speciall in darkenesse a metaphor As prosperity is compared to the shining of the Sunne and brightnesse of the Moone Iob 31. 26. so is aduersity to obscurity and darknesse Esai 58. 10. The earth into the which the euill spirits were cast downe is a death and an hell to them in comparison of the glory of heauen and this earth is proportionably an heauen to the damned So in some proportion pouerty and want is a graue a death an hell to the wicked rich in comparison of the splendour and glory of his wealthy state from which he is fallen When Diues would haue beene glad of one drop of water how glorious and beautifull was the reuiew of his earthly state yea the thought that for a man to behold the light of the Sun to haue his abiding among the creatures of God to liue among men and to be in the Church of God though otherwise he licked the dust with the Serpent and drunke water and were filled with all the temporall afflictions of this life was an heauen Now as this vale of misery was to Diues in torments an heauen without misery so are vaine riches a paradise of pleasure to the godlesse rich being now in pouerty He counteth the rich happy and himselfe when hee was rich but now he is in despaire and hateth himselfe hee hath no comfort in himselfe For then he loued himselfe for his goods sake but they being lost he is perished Hee wandereth in solitarinesse like to an ignis fatuus vndone deboshed he auoydeth mans company he delighteth in nothing all things are turned into bitternesse hee is a Pellican in the Wildernesse an Owle in the Desert He hath much sorrow sicklinesse and anger An amplification of the former generall speech by the specials Sorrow in Hebrew Cagnas signifieth indignation wrathfulnesse fretting grudging repining making euery thing a prouocation of griefe as Prou. 21. 19. It is better to dwell in the wildernesse then with a woman of contentions and indignation vacagnas sicklinesse and anger In the Hebrew and sicklinesse or languor and fury Indignation mourning fretting causeth sicklinesse consuming and languishing it dryeth and maketh bitter the humours which againe causeth
the spawne or beginning that hath ouer-spread all generations of the World Therefore God hath subiected all things to vanitie out of which a man can by no meanes extricate himselfe but rather by striuing runne further in But yet seeing that there is an happie state of man here begunne which a man is to desire and seeke for in God not in worldy things and euen that in this vaine life which in that respect is not vaine there are certaine salues for these sores and remedies for these vanities Solomon therefore that he might take away from men discontentment and dispaire of their estate doth here deliuer rules of direction and comfort that they may haue wherewith to arme themselues against the troubles and miseries of this vaine life and in some good measure be able to alay and mitigate the same which God laid vpon Adam and all his sonnes for a iust punishment of his fall The first rule or remedy is in this first verse A good man A good reputation or report being the testimony of good men of the vertuous life honest conuersation of a man is a speciallblessing of God arming the heart with great ioy and comfort against many yea all outward losses and want of bodily things The excellencie of a good name is illustrated by a comparison of the best and most delicious things signified by ointment by a Synecdoche of the Speciall The comparison is both of the qualitie and quantitie First concerning the qualitie euen as the pretious ointment hath a fragrant scent refreshing and delighting the spirits of the senses whereby the body and minde is cheered so a good name and deserued estimation is of all outward things the most pleasant possession comporting the heart in euery state of life For it originally proceedeth from a good conscience and is the perfume of a godly and faithfull heart yea hee that hauing a great measure of the annointing of God which is the graces of his spirit to be a patterne to the rude a light to the blinde a guide to them that know not the way doth also refresh encourage and cheare the spirits and hearts of all that loue God and his truth among the filthy sents of corrupt examples fleshly fashions and ethnicall behauiours that are noysome and grieuous to the eyes eares and mindes of men of gracious disposition and as a fresh gale of sweet ayre to him that laboureth in the earth that liueth among earthly men Concerning the quantity the argument is from the lesse to the greater A precious oyntment is of great value a chiefe treasure and esteemed with the most precious things but a good name is of more worth then it or any earthly substance For costly oyntments and other treasures are of times more plentifull among the wicked For the sensuall are all for their sences but this is peculiar to good men alone They may be bought for money but this is the gift of God not to be purchased with base mettall They are corruptible this is euerlasting They leaue a man in death and betake them to a new master but the praise of the iust man remaineth still and still his owne It both tarrieth behinde him on earth and goeth with him to heauen and will crowne him with glory at the last day For although it be darkened for a time amongst the goates as Naboth was as Pauls and Dauids yet shall it breake forth as the rayes of the Sunne from vnder a cloud It may be couered but it cannot be polluted with vnclean tongues yet it becommeth more bright as mettall rubbed with dust or myre Whereas contrarily the false and forced praise of sinners that are prone and ambitious turneth to their greater shame as that of Herod Senacherib and the Pharisees did And so shall Antichrists doe as did that of Antiochus And the day of death then the day of ones birth These words are a second rule to arme the man that feareth God against temporall miseries Concerning their dependence vpon the former they are an answere to an obiection framed thus A good report in this life affords little comfort seeing that death commeth after it which is the miserable end of all men Ans The day of death is better then the day that one is borne It is better then the time of life and the transitory things of life Yea it is better then a good report it selfe because it is a comfort to extenuate the afflictions of life but this vtterly abolisheth all vanities The birth-day is an entrance into all woe and misery but the day of death is a passage into life The body is but a prison and a racke to the soule but by death it is set at liberty For by death are all miseries ended all dangers paines aches diseases sorrowes teares and that grieuous warre and conflict of concupiscence or fleshly lusts 1 Pet. 2. 11. doubtings vnbeleefe feares pride ignorance couetousnesse ambition enuy hatred lust which fight against the soule are dead from which Paul so earnestly desired to be freed Romans 7. 24. 2 Cor. 12. 8. Againe by death a man is freed from euils to come Esay 57. 1. He is deliuered from the wearisome company of petulcus goates Psal 120. 5. 1 King 19. 4. and from the assaults of Sathan yea from all fightings within and without to rest and raigne in glory with Christ and the blessed company of heauen This of the rule or remedy principally aymed at Now for the sequele or collection concerning vanity the argument from hence is thus If the day of death which to carnall reason is miserable be better then the day of birth surely this life is a thing most vaine But so it is Verse 2. It is better to goe to the house of mourning then to goe to the house of feasting for that is the end of all men and the liuing will lay it to heart A Second rule or remedy whereby a man is armed against the vanities of life is mortification which is the suppressing of sinne and curbing of the motions of sinne in the heart simply because it displeaseth God and is the onely thing whereby he is dishonoured Other mortifications are but either philosophicall or ciuill or subtle the first whereof is of naturall conscience the second of vaine glorious disposition the third of a diuellish heart But this is wrought onely by the Spirit of God who is a purifying fire and purging soape Mal. 3. 2. 3. not onely restraining and bridling but consuming sinne This consumption beginneth at the heart Ier. 4. 4. Breake vp your fallow grounds circumcise the fore-skinne of your heart If mortification beginne not here it is guilefull Psal 32. 2. He is blessed whose spirit is not guilefull though he be subiect to many infirmities Now that this rule may be operatiue and of force Solomon setteth downe the meanes and courses that are to be taken whereby to produce and nourish it for the comfort of the soule in this vale of misery The
gift is of God from whom euery good seede of grace proceedeth the other are but artificiall imitatiue and coyned yet this seede of God groweth not but by planting watering as all other seeds doe and that is the vse of the meanes The meanes therefore of the growth and increase of this grace Solomon here setteth downe illustrating the same by a comparison of the contrary vanities and they are foure in the foure next verses The first meanes of mortification are the outward prouocations thereunto to wit such places and companies whereby that good seede of grace that lyeth in the heart may be preserued and increased For euery seede must haue his proper place and outward foture of warmth and moisture to concoct it to perfection which Saint Paul calleth Rigation 1 Cor. 3. 6. It is better to goe to the house of mourning to visit the sorrowfull and sad in heart to goe to the graue of the dead to frequent the companies of mourners to weepe with them then to goe to the house of feasting where there is singing dancing merriment vanity and prouocations to vanity most commonly For that is the end of all men A confirmation of this rule or reason of the comparison by the antithesis or contrarietie of the adiuncts The adiuncts of the banqueting house are not expressed but vnderstood by anantapodâ—sts The former are death and mourning for there is the end of all men Let a man feed pride and beautifie his body as he will yea as most doe now a dayes make an Idoll of it yet shall it be a dead carkeis buried in the earth as other dead carrion is and more vile then other Bonum optimum corruptum fit pessimum The more composition the more corruption as in riches increased there is more vanity So that if it must needs be an idoll yet shall it be but a carrion idoll and such are all they that adore it in feasts and pompous meetings as did the Pharisees Againe let a man put away all remembrance of death out of his heart to source himselfe in the flesh to boyle in pleasure seeking out companions and prouocations of lust which are planters and waterers also in their weedy kinde yet shall it be turned in the end to lamentation and mourning vnlesse that curse be laid on a mans death that none shall mourne for him but rather eate him vp as the dogges did Iezabel one worrying another for his goods and lands and the wicked poore roaring like greedy Lions for his flesh that care not who dye nor how many so that their bellies be filled And the lining will lay it to heart A reason or proofe of the consecution of the former argument which was this If in the house of mourning there be the end of all men then it is better to goe thither then to the house of feasting But the antecedent is true Therefore the consequent also The reason of the consequence is the liuing shall lay it to heart These words shew the effect of death and mourning which are termed the end of all men namely a serious meditation of the state and condition of man All men are apt to forget themselues to be but men specially in their feastings and iolity iouilâ—y and ribaldry but this end of all men and them being exposed to the senses eyes and eares doth occasion them to remember whence they came what they are whether they are to goe So then this serious meditation or remembrance is the effect of the impulsiue cause For by the dead corpes and mourning a man is occasioned to remember himselfe The inward impulsiue or precedent is the gracious disposition of the heart to take such good occasions or suffer himselfe to be moued therewith for the wicked heart is stony brawny without remorse full of infidelity therefore hee maketh this contrarily an occasion of more epicurish and sensuall liuing yea at this time seruing his belly and his lusts as hee that cutteth purses euen before the bench And the eye of the foole is mindlesse wandring in the corners of the earth The outward impulsiue I say is the occasion to wit the dead corpes and mourning the house of mourning and the graue of the dead What is a man by this occasion moued to lay to his heart I. His owne death for euen so must he die and be mourned for of his wife children kinsfolkes c. cast into the graue and be putrified in the earth II. The vanity of all worldly things whereof a man is now quite bestript as lands goods buildings cloathing treasures skinne body and all are cleane sliuen off from the soule as barke from a tree and as a shell from the fish and the soule is gone naked as the body came in naked either to be glorified in heauen for the good deeds that it did in the flesh with worldly things or to be confounded and tormented in hell for the euill III. Of the account or reckoning that it must make before the iust Iudge of the talent that God gaue it to employ with diligence to his best aduantage IIII. Of repentance and continuall preparation to death by auoiding euill whereby his Lord is indammaged and by doing good setting euery thing in order euery day and disposing all things to the best for the profit of his Lord that when he commeth hee may receiue his owne with aduantage These and such things doth he lay to his heart that hath an heart when hee goeth to the house of mourning and commeth to the graue of the dead The sequell or argument of vanity gathered by the comparison is this Prop If it be better to goe to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting then are all merry meetings iuncatings playes games sports pastimes c. vaine and vnprofitable and no quietnesse of heart to be found in them Assump But the antecedent is thus therefore the consequent Verse 3. Sorrow is better then laughter for by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better A Second meanes of mortification is sorrow or anger which is a godly indignation or griefe for our sinnes committed and duties omitted This sorrow goeth before repentance and worketh repentance It is that which Saint Paul commendeth in the Corinthians occasioned by his reprehensory letter 2 Cor. 7. 10. 11. where it is set downe by seauen effects in them 1 Carefullnesse or diligence in reforming their errours and in conforming themselues againe to that purity which was wrought in them when at first he preached the Gospell to them in the euidence of the spirit from which they were declined through the Philosophicall ianglings of the false Apostles 2 Clearing of themselues or defence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was a deprecatory excuse of their errours which kinde of defence intimateth an ingenuous confession together with some alleadgement for themselues to insinuate that they had done amisse rather of infirmitie then wittingly and willingly and so were ready to
thy heart shall be armed against manifold vanities to liue in rest quiet and comfort in some good measure in this miserable life as these rules haue prescribed Verse 23. All this haue I proued by wisedome I said I will be wise but it was farre from me FRom this verse to the end hee declareth the difficulty of wisedome to shew that curiosity is vaine on the one side and that diligence to attaine to some good measure of wisedome is requisite on the other side and by consequence the errour of man appeareth in the one and imperfection in the other and vanity in both Now the obiect of wisedome is either good or euill things reasonable or agreeable to good reason or things wicked which are either with reason and subtlety or meere madnesse The difficulty of the former hee declareth by his owne experience in this verse All these things haue I tryed by wisedome that is to say that which I haue said concerning the extremities and mediocrity for the establishing of the heart in patience and comfort I haue seene and tryed by the direction of wisedome Neither yet is a man moderate and wise enough because he is able to bridle impatience but he must diligently bethinke himselfe as well of that which is to come as of that which is passed or present whereupon the happy issue or euent of things present doe depend For the experience of things past and coniecture of that which is to come or may happen is the ground or direction of that which is to be done for the present that the same may be to right and good purpose For it is not enough that a thing be good in his kinde but rightly applyed and vsed to good purpose And herein hath wisedome her chiefest stroke Therefore I hauing obtained knowledge and the practise of knowledge euen wisedome thought to attaine to the depth thereof and said within my selfe I will be wise but it was far from me But how much I thought my selfe more meerely to haue attained to wisedome by so much the more was I further off For where is wisedome to be found Where is the place of vnderstanding Iob 28. 12. Wisedome is a protection against all euils to come wisedome directeth in iudgement and equity wisedome guideth in the right way and guardeth from the incursions of Sathan and the wicked the wicked subtle and the wicked mad or sensuall both foolish both beastly and enemies to godly wisedome Verse 24. That which is farre off and exceeding deepe who can find it out A Reason of the difficulty of good wisedome or of wisedome exercised in that which is good That which is farre off or remoued farre away and out of sight an allegoricall speech worne out or dispersed away by succession of times which doe alter and eate vp all things who can find out For of innumerable things past there is no knowledge at all and of a few memorable things there is some generall conceit but the condition or conditure or circumstantiall existence of the times and things past is vanished and that which was most common is now become most difficult And the learned is perplexed in searching out that which was once most triuiall It is a difficult thing to calculate the whole figure or countenance of the heauens in any one day of the moneth sixe hundred yeeres agoe c. But it is more difficult to know the whole condition or state of that generation then liuing though we may gather much by those that wrote in those dayes The Papists for want of this wisedome are become sophisticall sots in the interpretation of the Fathers and Scripture If this calculation were granted to vs as it was to Moses and very much to Solomon all the Scriptures and all Lawes should be most plaine and most easie to be vnderstood of him whom the god of this World hath not blinded And exceeding deepe who can finde it If things past be difficult as the arrow or bird in the ayre vanishing out of sight more and more insomuch that a man can onely say Yonder is a Bird but what kinde what colour and many more indiuiduall differences he cannot tell but guesse by coniecture as well as hee can then are things to come much more difficult being buried as it were in a darke dungeon or pit into which the eye can diue but very little But all the deliberation of the wise proceedeth from the comparing of things past and to come without which a thing in it selfe good shall not haue like effect yea it shall haue a contrary effect and euent The word of Gods prouidence is firme and sure and it is before vs but it is seene of them to whom God reuealeth it more or lesse Man is not able to conceiue what is good for him or right it is the gift of God But in his last end vpon reuiew of all things past he shall see his manifold errours vanities madnesses on the one side and of Gods wisedome goodnesse iustice and mercy on the other side if that iudicious and gracious reuiew be giuen him For many liue in darkenesse and die in darkenesse without obseruation of Gods workes like beasts This of the difficultie of wisedome in respect of the obiect of good which is of God Verse 25. I applied mine heart to know and to search and to seeke out wisedome and the reason of things and to know the wickednesse of folly euen of foolishnesse and madnesse HEre he beginneth to declare the difficultie of wisedome in finding out and comprehending the deprauation malice and corruption of mans nature which is infinite for as he gaue his heart to know to trace out or see into and to finde out wisedome and the reason of things by the discourse of wisedome so also he laboured as diligently to know the wickednesse of folly or depraued wisedome of the vngodly that feared not God and the fortuous peruersenesse of reasonlesse mad ones that are carried like beasts after their lusts their naturall light of vnderstanding and reason being extinguished Verse 26. And I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is snares and nets and her hands as bands Who so pleaseth God shall escape from her but the sinner shall be taken by her AN explication of the infinitenesse of this wickednesse and folly by an example of speciall obseruation of one kinde of folly to wit of the harlot And I finde The harlots diuellish subtilties he illustrateth First by a comparison of the Lesse to the Greater more bitter then death Death is terrible and the paines of death are grieuous Yea all creatures abhorre death as an enemie to nature and a most grieuous euill because it is a deuourer and a destroyer But this is a small thing in comparison of the sorrowes calamities and miserable destruction that the flickering harlot bringeth a man vnto For she is Vorago the death and destruction both of body and soule goods and good name So that shee
man in an vnknowne desart If a man cannot define any thing because the formes of things are vnknowne if he know not the creatures themselues ab imo ad summum neither shall he know the wisedome of God in the vse of them The world is Gods engine by which he worketh he that cannot know the engine cannot know the worke that may be done with it The wisedome of God in the making and vsing of this engine is infinite constant certaine and vnchangeable not to be comprehended of that which is finite imperfect and changeable Therefore there is nothing better then to reioyce in that which God giueth with contentment in the feare of God This hath hee giuen vs the rest hath he reserued to himselfe It is enough for the seruant to doe his masters will to vnderstand what hee reuealeth to him and commandeth not to inquire into his secrets and demaund reasons For then shall hee be no longer a seruaut but his masters fellow and equall But God will haue no equals nor fellowes neither can he CHAPTER IX Verse 1. For all this I considered in my heart euen to declare all this that the righteous and the wise and their workes are in the hand of God no man knoweth either loue or hatred by all that is about him THis Chapter is an explication of the vanity aforesaid verse 14. chap. 8. increased by the instabilitie and variablenesse of diuine administration or aeconomie as it seemeth to carnall reason or outward appearance And also of the consequence of the right consideration and vse of worldly things verse 15. The maine substance and scope is that the diuine gouernement both in ciuill and naturall policie both of man and all things with man is secret and vnknowne to man that there seemeth to be nothing in the world but at axie and anomie disorder and confusion which plainely euinceth that no man can by any endeauour or wisedome worke or finde out any good to himselfe by or in them Which thing some men vainely labour to doe Others againe vpon this consideration take occasion to be dissolute and Epicurish beasts But the maine intent of the holy Ghost is to teach men to quiet their hearts in contentment with their lot and to seeke for the chiefe good elsewhere euen in feare and obedience chap. 12. 13. Of which good euery state and condition of life is partaker else could it not be the chiefe good because all worldly things are but subseruant to this good God hauing turned the curse into a blessing to them that beleeue and is therefore subseruant to this good also So that the poorest may enioy it as well as the richest and the greatest Monarch in the world This explication is made by an induction of particular examples in this chapter The first is of the euent of all persons to the verse 7. The second is of the euent of the deedes and endeauours of men verse 7. 8. 9. 10. The third is of the euent of counsell and wisedome verse 13. to the end For all this I considered in my heart euen to declare all this This is the first example of induction For is here a note of a conclusion q. d. Whereas I said before that to some iust men it happened according to the deedes of the wicked and contrarily which is confusion disorder and vanitie And that therefore it is the best thing for a man to eate drinke and to be merry which thing onely is certaine to him because no man can finde out the worke that is done vnder the Sunne as I my selfe and many others also haue found by much study and experience therefore euen for this cause haue I let that curious and vaine search alone and considered another thing in mine heart to which euen by common obseruation daily before mine eyes I was inforced namely to vnderstand all this perfectly and manifestly to declare all this as followeth that the righteous and the wise and their workes and whatsoeuer befalleth them as also contrarily the wicked the foolish and their wicked follies c. Which words are vnderstood by anantapodosis or ellipsis are in the hand of God set apart from the power disposition and will of man and gouerned by a secret way vnknowne to man and by mans wisedome vnsearcheable No man knoweth loue or hatred of all that is before them Henee it is that no man is able to determine of Gods loue or hatred by any thing subiect to man whether good or euill things perfections or defects whether naturall gifts of mind and body or outward possessions or any thing that occurreth to the senses and minde of the naturall man Therefore it must needes be a vaine labour and fruitlesse studie to seeke for any profit contentation or happinesse in any thing by the endeauour of mans wisedome here vnder the Sunne Yet is euery man of the earth thus vaine neither can he be otherwise Verse 2. All things come alike to all there is one euent to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and to the cleane and to the vncleane to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath A Confirmation For all things come alike to all that is to say wit and simplicity beauty deformity health and sicknesse soundnesse and diseases wealth and pouerty strength and weaknesse abundance and want long life and vntimely death ioy and sorrow honour and ignominie finally all kindes of prosperities and aduersities happinesses and miseries in this World happen to all as well to the iust as to the wicked and contrarily All men are subiect to the same things both the good and the cleane and the filthy that is polluted with all kindes of vices hee that sacrificeth a Synecdoche of the speciall hee that worshippeth God and diligently exerciseth himselfe in all Christian duties and he that is a contemner of Religion a scorner of deuotion a mocker of the godly and their liues there is the same condition of life and fruition of earthly things both to the good man and to the sinner to him that sweareth without reuerence of God and maketh no conscience of periury as to him that dreadeth to vse lightly the name of God in his mouth much more for to sweare falsly but maketh conscience both of his deedes and words Verse 3. This is an euill among all things that are done vnder the Sunne that there is one event vnto all yea also the heart of the sonnes of men is full of euill and madnesse is in their heart while they liue and after that they go to the dead AN amplification of the former vanitie by a comparison of all other euills or vanities figured by an Exclamation or Indignation This is of all vanities the chiefest and most grieuous to mans reason yet not to be thought on with patience that it should be done to the wicked as to the good that
desolation shame and perpetuall ignominy All shall be in the end but the crackling of thornes vnder a pot For they do hatch Cockatrice egges and weaue the Spiders web Esay 59. 5. They are crafty fooles hindering what good they can and doing euil hurting many and killing themselues There is nothing in them but selfe-loue pride hatred and mocking of them that are good The good wisedome of God in his children which is humble and louing they despise and deride exalting and preferring their owne serpentine suttlety For they are of the Diuell seeking their owne wils lusts and glory not Gods nor any mans good CHAPTER X. Verse 1. Dead slies cause the oyntment of the Apothecarie to send foorth a stinking sauour so doth alittle follie him that is in reputation for wisedome and honour THis Chapter hath two parts First an exhortation to perseuerance in wisdome verses 1. 2. 3. Secondly a remedy against vanities in ciuill gouernement by the direction of wisedome from verse 4. to the end The Exhortation is inforced by an argument drawne ab incommodo from the hurt and inconuenience that shall follow vpon inconstancie negligence or leuitie A little folly staineth or disgraceth him that is in reputation for wisedome It is illustrated by a similitude of dead flies infecting the Apothecaries ointment As an oyntment made by th' art of the Apothecary is esteemd most precious desired of euery one yet is it corrupted with a few dead flies and contrarily casteth foorth a stinking sauour that offendeth the sence euen so a man that hath beene highly esteemed for his wisedome doth by a little errour yet indiscreetly committed lose his former grace and reputation A blacke spot in a white sheete is seene of euery one that can hardly discerne other colours and secret enuy that is put to silence by the common fame and grace yea and carried backe with the sway of the multitude as the Shippe is with the Tide breaketh foorth as waters when a small gap or breach is opened And this is also vanity God is only good only wise and will be knowne to be so If Salomon had not beene tempted to folly by his heathenish wiues nor Iosiah giuen the battell to Pharao without asking counsell of the Lord yet after-times shal bewray the ignorance and vanitie of man seeing that that which seemeth to be both wisely and well done for the present to mans reason hath a diuers and contrary euent for want of wise prouidence Therefore is God onely wise onely good Man must not therefore be discouraged but more carefully imitate him and learne as children do of their parents and as wisedome hath taught vs Mat. 5. 48. Be you perfect sv your heauenly father is perfect Verse 2. A wise mans heart is at his right hand but a fooles heart at his left THis verse setteth downe the meanes whereby to preuent and auoide the blemish of folly and to maintaine still the honourable reputation of wisedome The meanes is double or hath two members First the wise man is led and guided by vnderstanding according to the fundamentall truth or the right ground of things Secondly if he erre he soone perceiueth it and quickly recalleth and recouereth himselfe This is illustrated by the contrary and both contraries by a similitude of the right hand and the left A wise mans heart is at his right hand The right hand is more strong agile and operatiue then the left therefore the artificer handleth his toole and worketh with it and so proceedeth well and bringeth his worke to perfection but if he giue but one stroke with the left hand he marreth his work for the left hand is but an helper or seruant attending on and gouerned by the right Therefore the eye and minde of the worker is euer at his right hand so likewise sound reason or good vnderstanding is a mans right hand and his affections are his left The wise man is alwayes inclinable to good reason his eye mind heart is altogether fixed on the ground of the truth and thereafter he worketh and proceedeth and his affections are but attendants and seruants to his wisedome which he hath at command but if hee yeeld or giue place but once to them Pâ—ssima suggerunt they are brutall he marreth all the splendour or grace of his worke euen that one stroke shall be a great blemish and eye-sore Let not him also that can fundamentally and methodically carry his worke with him intermingle a foolish opinion or perswasion of another lest it be as brimstone cast into the lake or vessell of the Alchymist among gold whereby his worke is marred Moreouer a man is the right hand woman is the left For she was created for an helper an vpholder of the family not an actor yet is some man left handed the prudent man oft times giuing place to a woman is as gold mingled with brimstone or as one that holdeth his worke in the right hand and worketh with the left Adam Solomon Samson may be examples hereof and if Iob had regarded his wiues counsell all his innocencie had bene vtterly corrupted and his vprightnesse peruerted but the heart of a wise man is at his right hand The other member of the meanes is vnderstood by anantapodosis or ellipsis and is gathered by the opposite vers 3. This is illustrated by the contrary practise of the foole The heart of a foole is at his left hand The foole is carried with his affections he is alwayes in clinable to folly a wicked and a vaine thing soundeth best in his eares wisedome cannot enter into his head wholesome instruction he abhorreth For he hath an euill heart vnpurged vnhallowed and therefore is he euer inclined to the worse part His grounds are broken and confused disturbed and ruled by his lusts so are his proceedings disorderly and bring forth vanitie Verse 3. Yea also when he that is a foole walketh by the way his wisedome faileth him and he saith to euery one that he is a foole THe second member of contrary folly seruing to illustrate the practise of wisedome or second member of the meanes whereby the reputation of a wise man is preserued from blemish Yea also when he that is a foole c. When a wicked man is entred into the way that his filthy lusts haue drawne him into then his heart faileth him he considereth not whence he is swarued nor whither he tendeth but being proud and wilfull he will neither reclaime himselfe nor be reclaimed by another but saith to euery one that he is a foole he declareth his folly and maintaineth his folly He hath no delight in vnderstanding but that his heart may discouer it selfe Prou. 18 2. seeking out reasons and excuses for his folly and giuing foolish answers to euery thing that is obiected against his folly and also strengthening himselfe with the opinions and testimonies of such like as himselfe is Whereas contrarily the wise man presently acknowledgeth concealeth and speedily salueth his error
not captiuated to his owne will is truly royall And thy Princes eate in due season c. That is when thy Magistrates Counsellers and officers are moderate and modest not giuen to feasting banketting prodigalitie pride glorifying one another in the flesh not to proud apparell proud buildings not to sports and pleasures drunkennesse and venery Prou. 31. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. For who is then graced preferred rewarded but the vassals of their lusts The Church and Churchmen go to wracke wanting necessary meate drinke apparell lodging c. but rather to sobrietie and parsimony not to oppression and robbery but to liberalitie and bountifulnesse not to carelesse wasting of the wealth of the land but to preserue and increase the same not to rob and spoyle but to enrich the Church and commonaltie lastly so to serue the body that the body of the Church and commonwealth may be serued by it and the Lord by both Verse 18. By much slouthfulnesse the building decayeth and through idlenesse of the hands the house droppeth through AN exposition or explication of the woe or miserie especially of the former part thereof vers 16. illustrated and inforced by a comparison drawne from the euill and disorderly oeconomie or gouernement of a priuate house or family which sheweth forth it selfe in the euill vsage of the outward building These euils are slouthfulnesse and carelesnesse or idlenesse The former is a vice of the minde the latter of the body A carelesse minde an idle hand Where those vices reigne the house not onely decayeth but rotteth and droppeth vpon the head of the improuident slouthfull vnthristie housholder A man in respect of his person is knowne by his apparell countenance and gate what manner of one he is as touching his ethicks or morality saith the sonne of Sirach Againe he is knowne by his house yard grounds cattell seruants and children what manner of man he is as touching his economie or husbandry Prou. 24. 30. 31. The house of the slouthfull man is ruinous and droppeth through his yard is like a vaste desert the fences and walls broken downe as a vineyard layd waste his fields are ouergrowne with thistles and briers his family is disordered and idle one contending and quarelling with another girning one at another all maisters and vnruly Thus it is in the house of prodigals drinking slipthrifts and Belials do naughts Thirdly in respect of his politicks or magistracie he is knowne by his subiects For as the housholder is in his house or family so is the magistrate in the citie and the king in his dominions An house is a part of a streete a streete is a part of a citie the citie is a part of the kindome The king is the head the kingdome is his body consisting of members whereof some are superiour as those that are placed in gouernment vnder him and are subordinate one to another others are inferiour Whereas the Prince feareth not God but is either couetous or wastfull carelesse and dissolute then the Church and common wealth go to wracke The gouernours are rauening Harpies and riotous deuouring the commons and feeding themselues of the flocke yea euery one after their examples preying one on another The vngodly flatterers lust-seruers are aduanced and placed in offices for money or fauour for there is no care nor feare of God in the superiours but euery one that feareth God is dishearted and he that speaketh vprightly is hated in the gate and he that rebuketh is abhorred Amos 5. And amongst those wicked ones there is nothing but enuie and contentions euery one being giuen to oppression pride and ambition and all enemies to God and godlinesse Whereupon it commeth in the end to be a vast desert of wilde beasts and as a vineyard lying waste spoyled with foxes and wilde boares like a field ouerrunne and cropt vp with cattell and pastures rooted vp with swine and ouergrowne with thistles and briers Such desolations doth the Lord threat vpon carnalitie and contempt of his word All these things declare what the Prince is and by what manner of spirit the commonwealth is inliued and moued For as the spirit of a thing is such is the thing If the spirit be weake the body is ouergrowne and ouercome with diseases as we see in plants in beasts in men Now the spirit of houshold gouernment is pater familias the good man of the house The spirit of polity or commonwealths gouernment is the king A prudent and valiant Prince hath a strong constitution and sound body his spirit worketh effectually in the finger and all vtmost parts as well as at the heart and inward parts that there may be soundnesse and ioy in all the body Verse 19. A feast is made for laughter and wine maketh merrie but money answereth all things AN explication of the complaint or woe especially of the latter part thereof vers 16. which was this Thy Princes eate in the morning that is spend their whole time euen the morning it selfe wherein nature it selfe bindeth vs to sobrietie and solitary study in eating drinking pleasures like to the Sodomites and beastiall Princes of Israel It is illustrated by the contrary and right vse of eating drinking and other expence A feast is made for laughter The vse of meate is the reparation and conseruation of the body in health and strength that a man may be enambled to discharge the duties of his calling wherein God hath placed him He must keepe his body in temperance sobriety and chastity that the minde may be more cleare and free of greater strength and vigour in the functions thereof both for deliberation and execution As for a feast that is made for laughter for a recreation of the minde and body at certaine conuenient times and to preserue common societie and neighbourhood or rather to testifie friendship and loue one towards another though particular businesses and necessities haue distracted them and drawne euery man ad sua curanda to care for his owne things of the vse whereof feasting and co mmon meetings testifie a certaine communitie such as in this disordered world and miserable condition of man can be had But to be addicted to feasting to make a trade of pampering the body as epicurishnesse and beastlinesse For beasts regard nothing but the belly they are all body and to feede well is their perfection And wine maketh merrie Wine also hath the same vse that is of meates He that giueth himselfe to drinking and companiship is a drunkard although he neuer be drunke Therefore the Prophet Esay denounceth a woe against them that are able to drinke strong drinke Woe be to them for they spend not onely the time of life idlely and wastefully but also make others drunke and glorie in euill But wine is not for Kings nor strong drinke for Princes Prou. 31. 4. but for the sicke to recouer health as Saint Paul said vnto Timothie Drinke a little wine for thy stomackes sake and often infirmities and wine
extolleth charity aboue all gifts 1. Cor. 13. Againe what vertue more becommeth a Christian then charity which is to shew mercy as he hath receiued mercy and to do good as he hath receiued good He that receiueth good and doth none maketh God his seruant and himselfe a god a god of this world or diuell Againe God requireth the practise of this vertue of vs more strictly and inforceth the same and imprinteth the same in the memory by his owne example Ioh. 13. 4. to vers 17. here is the vertue of charity dramatically set forth before their eyes and things seene cannot be forgotten Also Ioh. 15. 12. Lastly we shall be iudged by the workes of charity at the last day Math 25. Come yee blessed of my Father c. but this is not meant of morall or ethnicall workes Pharisaicall Popish workes For sinners are bountifull to sinners they giue and lend and that freely sometimes to such like as themselues in fleshly respects But Christ saith Whatsoeuer ye did to the least of my brethen yee did to me Cast thy bread vpon the waters Euery word of this sentence is emphaticall Cast that is to say giue with a good heart willingly and readily and freely not being bound at all to the loue of earthly things as Dauid saith If riches increase set not your heart vpon them Psal 62. 10. and God loueth an open heart or cheerfull giuer that giueth confidently without feare and freely without compulsion This goodnesse of the heart in this respect consisteth of these particulars I. Thankefulnesse when vpon consideration of Gods mercy and bounty towards vs in Christ we deuote in way of thankfulnesse our goods not onely to our owne vse but to the poore and to the Church 2. Cor. 8. 5. The Macedonians first gaue themselues to the Lord and after to the Apostles and to the poore at their request And the citizens of Tyrus being conuerted deuote their merchandize and gaines to the Lord Esay 23. 18. Her merchandize shall not be layd vp and kept in store but it shall be for them that dwel before the Lord to eate sufficiently c. II. Loue 1. Cor. 13. 3. If a man giue all that he hath and hath not loue it is nothing Many build Hospitals for the poore and so do Turks also but the Lords poore the brethren of Christ Math. 25. they know not nay they had rather take from such poore III. Compassion We must reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe wee must relieue them that want and make their case our owne The wicked churle sayth do as they will shift as they can c. when he dispossesseth a poore tenant for a little more rent for one poore man will oppresse and dispossesse another and this is like the raging storme that destroyeth all things It is the voice of a beast not of a man euery beast careth onely for himselfe and when one is fallen the other tread vpon him and goare him and so do beastly men IIII. Simplicitie and that is when we aime at neither profit nor praise but intend to obey the commandement of God Therefore sayth Christ Math 6. 3. Let not the left hand know what the right doth Giue in vprightnesse and sinceritie of heart whether in priuate or publicke otherwise he that giueth giueth not to God but to himselfe that is the meaning of these words V. Cheerfulnesse Rich men must distribute and communicate for God loueth a cheerfull giuer 1. Tim. 6 16 Solomon sayth Prou. 3. 28. Say not to thy neighbour go and come againe to morrow and I will giue it thee if thou hast it now Iob sayth that he restrained not the desire of the poore nor made the eie of the widdow to faile Iob 31. 16. VI. Bountifulnesse He that soweth plentifully shall reape plentifully 2. Cor. 7. Bread A Synecdoche of the Speciall By Bread he meaneth all kinde of sustenance and maintenance meate drinke apparrell lodging money Matth. 25. 35. c. euen whatsoeuer our brethren stand in neede of wherein wee are able to helpe them their soules bodies states For we must not onely helpe a man when he is fallen with our almes but assist him before he fall with our reliefe and succour both by giuing and lending The deceitful hearts of hypocrites and churles is herein damnable They will relieue or assist no man but suffer him to fall yea occasion and cause his fall to buy vp all that he hath for neede maketh good penny worths Then will they nay then must they relieue him on the common almes wherin the churle for his part will beare the least charge And if for his great penny worth hee doth any thing of free will hee thinketh that hee hath done a great worke deseruing great commendation and reward at Gods hands These are the common good workes and almes of the deceitfull world They are most commonly like vnto persecuters and robbers that doe giue sometimes to the poore part of their stollen goods It is indeede nothing but the offering of a Dogs head and Swines bloud in facrifice yet they thinke to merit heauen therewith Thy bread Therefore thou must giue thine owne not as mercilesse churles doe guilefully nor yet as their fellow thieues doe which steale much from one and giue alittle to another or benefit one and hurt many The thiefe that robbeth by the highway giueth to the poore that beggeth by the highway and hee is counted a good maister but hee shall be hanged for his goodnesse if hee be apprehended Consider this ye couetous persons extortioners vsurers and all vnlawfull getters that enrich your selues by the hinderance of other men God indeede may in mercie accept your repentance but your gifts and great workes are abhominable in the sight of God without repentance and deniall of all your deceitfull and false goodnesse For God is no receiuer of stollen goods If yee bee contented with that which ye can lawfully get in a lawfull calling and trust in him giuing a little of a little yee shall please him better then otherwise with thousands Be thou content and let them do great workes into whose hands God hath put much wealth If they will not their damnation shal be the greater and God shall dispose of their wealth as pleaseth him it may be to thee or thine The widdowes mite shall be as great a gift in the sight of God the rewarder of euery worke as the great summes of Princes in the eyes of men As for the gift of the couetous person vsurer extortioner or oppressour it is but the sacrificing of a dogges head and swines bloud as I sayd before it is but a bribe to make God partaker of their theft and robberies Amos 2. 8. vnlesse it be in the way of restitution vpon vnfained repentance as Zacheus did Many chiefly Popish worldlings will doe no good whiles they liue but at their last end they thinke to merit heauen with a great funerall feast
no slaunder As his necke is so let him chew such a bit For Salomon sayth That a wise man ordereth his affaires by discretion Be not ashamed saith the sonne of Syrach to beate an ydle stubborne seruant to the blood And Nature teacheth vs to cast out vnprofitable Drones But what Drone can be worse then those that curse murmure and speake euill of their Benefactors when as they should pray for them Lastly the Law sayth Respect not the poore for his pouerty giue righteous iudgement By all this we learne what to do with an euill tongued Drone and a sturdy loynes and what course to take with the wicked labouring man that spendeth all and spareth naught because the Parish must keepe his children Some such like poore there are Lastly we must do good to strangers whom wee neuer sawe and are neuer like to see agayne which are signified by waters also For thou shalt finde it after many dayes A reason to enforce this duty Thy benefit shall not be fruitlesse though it seeme to be cast into the Sea and vtterly lost yet it is in the hand of the Lord who shall restore it to thee agayne with aduantage The Seede that is seattered abroade vpon the ground seemeth to be lost yet it groweth by little and little and commeth in the end to a plentifull haruest so shall that doe which is sowne on the waters The poore are compared to ground 2. Cor. 7. ready dressed and tilled to our hands and our reliefe is seede cast vpon it and for our paynes and cost in sowing it we are promised to reape the whole croppe our selues For he saith Deuteron 15. 10. The Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou puttest thine hand vnto Prouer. 19. 17. He that hath pittie on the poore lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath giuen will he pay him againe Also Math. 10. 42. He that giueth but a cuppe of colde water to one of these little ones in the name of a Disciple shall not lose his reward A cuppe of colde water giuen in this sence is better then thousands and millions in a carnall respect For God respecteth the intent of the heart onely as for the gift it selfe that is Gods owne already the whole world is his owne he hath no neede of our gifts it is his already and he can giue it to whom hee will hee maketh heires therefore hee respecteth not the greatnesse of the gift but the sinceritie of the giuer hee needeth I say nothing from vs who can feede his poore at his pleasure but we haue neede of faith and obedience that he might be glorified in our saluation whose glorie is not diminished though we were all damned If God blesse and prosper a man in his person familie cattell Lands he shall soone be rich although his beginning be right little For it is not to be regarded how much a man hath but how it prospereth Corne hempe flaxe trees hearbs grow in a shortspace but no man seeth how so is it with him whom God prospereth For first God giues him wisdome and a right forecast Secondly there is a blessing vppon it which is aboue all indeuours Some man groweth rich no man knoweth how nor himselfe neyther Agayne some becommeth poore hee knoweth not how neyther can any man well tell him Moreouer besides the continuall successe of his labours God stirreth vp others to doe good to him after many dayes vpon long triall of his faith and constancie and the Lord maketh heyres at his pleasure lands and goods are in his disposing But the wisedome of the flesh is quite contrary The way to be rich is to spend nothing to giue nothing to oppresse the poore to detaine their wages c. There was in a certaine place one that went among the neighbours to craue some beneuolence towards the Ministers maintenance three of the richest and wisest so reputed gaue these answers One said The more I do giue the lesse I haue Another olde man said I see the fore-end of my life but I see not my latter I may come to want that which I now giue The third said I know what I haue heere but I am not sure what reward I shall haue when I am dead His meaning was that if he had beene sure that there were a Kingdome of glory hee would haue giuen somewhat to haue purchased it And a fourth olde man said That he was old and past preaching let his sonne if he would giue to preaching Yea and another aged man said That he knew how to bestow his money better Heere is fleshly wisedome which is enmity to the Law of God But the word of God teacheth quite contrary The former is mans wisedome sensuall and diuellish but this following is Gods He that will be rich let him bestow freely on the poore he that will giue shall get it is better to giue then to take he that will saue his life shall lose it and contrarily he that will keepe and saue his goodes shall lose them and hee that will cast them away shall saue and encrease them and that eyther by prosperitie and continuall good successe in innumerable small partciulars thereof or else afterward as the Lord prouided for the faithfull widdow of Sarepta when she looked for nothing but death yet of that little Meale and Oyle that was left shee serued the Lords Prophet first a worthy example of faith And Abigael for a smal present bestowed on Dauid in his necessity became a Queene whereas churlish Nabal was strucken dead So do these couetous wretches rake mony together for other men that neuer sweat for it Verse 2. Giue a portion to seuen and also to eight for thou knowest not what euill shall be vpon the earth THis verse setteth downe the extent of our liberality shewing to how many we must giue Giue a portion to seuen and also to eight A Synecdoche of the speciall a finite number being put for an infinite as Christ answered to Peter Forgiue not thy brother till seuen times but till seuenty seuen times This maner of speech is vsed Mica 5. 5. Then shall we raise against him seuen shepheards and eight principall men that is so many shepheards both teachers and rulers as shall sufficiently feed the Church of Christ and defend it from the enemies and breake the power thereof Therefore we must giue to all that need our helpe Luke 6. Giue to euery one that asketh As charity maketh a difference of persons so againe it respecteth euery mans necessity to giue to him according to his need A gift bestowed on a mans necessity is not lost because it is put into the hands of God that is done for the commandement sake and of pity For God regardeth the heart of the giuer not the gift nor so much the person to whom A small gift of a good heart is great and contrarily For thou knowest not what euill shall be vpon the earth
receiued the gift and the fulnesse thereof And in what place soeuer the tree groweth it fructifieth so doth a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bring forth good vnto all wheresoeuer he is Verse 4. He that obserueth the winde shall not sow and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reape THe former exhortation is figured by a double Prolepsis in this and the next verse wherein the answers are wholly set downe figured by an allegory but the obiections are vnderstood The first is concerning the time and persons First for the time They say that now they are not prouided to giue they haue rents to pay they haue an hard Landlord it is because thou art hard to the poore Mat. 7. 2. they haue a purchase to pay for They haue layd all out vpon house land cattell they will hereafter do something When they die they will make a bequest to the poore Qui non est hodie crà s minus aptus erit Mony is scant but grace is more scant they feare a dearth that is the churles desire therefore they cannot yet do good Secondly concerning the persons They alledge that they should haue bene more prouident and painfull in former times that they are vnworthy of any thing that they are leud and wicked like thy selfe and will spend it naughtily as thou gettest it that all is lost which is put into a riuen dish not in a close chest they must not doe for euery one that do all for themselues and so out of their selfeloue distrust and infidelity they pretend a thousand excuses and delayes they find innumerable obstacles to hinder them that they shall neuer do any good thing at all The answer hereto is illustrated by a similitude of the sower and the reaper He that obserueth the winde shall not sow He that stands vpon winde and weather calme and sunshine shall neuer sow his seed in the spring Now it is rainy now a drisling fog and claggie now snow-like now frosty and dry now windy and stormy c. no weather pleaseth he will tarry for a more conuenient season and that comes to be out of season and sometimes when earing time is past It is colde threfore the slouch will not plow Prou. 20. 4. It raineth the land will be too heauie it drisâ—eth that will rot the furniture the windes are aloft that will blow his seed on heapes it is ouermoist that will cause weeds it is ouerdrie and frost-like the seed will not come vp it is a faire day and a conuenient season but there is a Lion in the way So the wicked rich cannot sow the seed of good workes for want of a conuenient time and person Either the weather or land is not in tune because himselfe is out of tune But the strong man attaineth to riches the good husbandman ouerpowreth the weather and the stars so a good heart of gracious disposition can do good at all times and to all persons hee is armed against all weathers And he that regardeth the clouds shall not reape Hee that will tarry for a conuenient season of his owne deuising shall reape his owne deuice euen nothing He that will not sow till he see and be sure of faire weather shall haply neuer mow but let his corne rot on the ground or be all eaten with beasts and birds We must take the time as it is and reape the fruites as they are As we serue others so are we serued againe Some man will do good when he is old some when he dieth some after death by his last will some feare pouertie and want hereafter some haue now no leisure some alledge the vnworthinesse and vnthankfulnesse of the poore but none of these can finde a time when nor a person to whom to do good till death summon them to iudgement and then come they with their talent tied vp in a napkin Their reward shall be according to their workes Verse 5. As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit nor how the bones do grow in the wombe of her that is with child euen so thou knowest not the workes of God who maketh all AN answer to the second obiection concerning a mans selfe arising from his diffidence in Gods prouidence and deniall of his power It is thus I know not what need I may stand hereafter for I see not my latter end I must prouide also for my wife and children the more that I lay vp the more shall they finde this I am sure of and the more that I giue the lesse I haue that I am as sure of I will not depend on chaunces fortunes and vaine hope I will not make my selfe richer by other mens goodes and hee that waiteth for olde mens shooes may happily goe bare foote in the meane time and a bird in the hand is far better then two in the wood but if she die and be turned into rottennesse in thine hand or bee poyson to thee when thou eatest her what art thou the better how or which way shall God doe this or that for me or mine what will he doe for me when will he doe it While the grasse groweth the horse dyeth in the meane time I will first relie on mine owne prouidence and on Gods afterward I will doe for my selfe yea by stealing and lying amongest hands such like were the distrustfull and blasphemous speeches of the Israelites in the wildernesse which are set forth as ensamples for our admonition They also limited Gods power and prouidence How shall we do for bread and water in this barren and thirsty desert Can God prepare a Table in the wildernesse Wee are wearie of this Manna can hee giue vs flesh would to God wee were in Aegypt agayne or in the bottome of the redde Sea with Pharaohs armie if God should deale with you according to your deserts but that hee respecteth his promise to Abraham and glory of his name amongst the heathen The answer is illustrated by a similitude As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit Leane not to thine owne wisedome nor limite the power of God Hee hath commaunded thou must obey without reasons He hath promised thou must beleeue without interrogatories thou must not binde him to times and meanes His secresie is his glorie none is of his counsell neither is any worthy or able for his wisedome is infinite his goodnesse is to all and his mercy is ouer all his workes and on them that feare him throughout all generations As thou knowest not the way of the winde when it shall come whence it commeth or whither or how it goeth and as thou knowest not how the bones doe grow in the wombe so neyther canst thou know the workes of God who maketh all by the word of his power and gouernes all by the word of his prouidence he onely is all in all shewing mercy and iustice on all Feare and obey therefore trust not thine owne counterfeit imaginations make not a
world nor an estate to thy selfe after thine owne will for all that shall be but as the cracking of thornes vnder a pot Thy flame shall seeme great thy noise loud but both shall sodainly vanish into light ashes without Gods blessing thy riches shall neuer doe thee good thy prouision shall come to naught none of thine for whome thou art so carefull shall be the better for it For a curse is vpon it God blesseth his owne gifts not thy gatherings his owne ordinance not thy deuice The Manna gathered on the weeke day by Gods appoyntment prospered but that which was gathered on the Sabaoths morning by the couetous fearefull and distrustfull was putrified and full of wormes and they that were not content with Gods allowance but would haue flesh had their desire but their desire was wicked therefore their flesh brought a plague with it Neither did the Manna nor the flesh of their owne gathering and desiring doe them good For there was the man but the meate was taken away here was the meate but the man was taken away So it is now Therefore be thou contented hope in him bee doing good and thou shalt haue good and thy good shall be good to thee and continue with thee Be sure of this that of doing good there can come none euill neyther can wickednesse prosper If thou hast goods in thine owne hands and canst looke vpon them thou art joyfull and if they be in the hand of God not yet giuen thee distrust not That which is in Gods hands is by faith surer to thee then that which is in thine owne hands if thou doest but looke vpon thy sinnefull and polluted hands aswell as vpon thy goods in them Thy sinnes shall take these from thee and thy faith shall bring the other to thee Note this worke of God in the world There is many a rich heyre that can neuer be at ease till all his patrimony be spent Againe there is that cannot thriue till his foule inheritance be cleane washed away or his hands cleansed of that filth and then afterwards he prospereth and attaineth to riches For the man that sets his heart to gather for his children withdraweth himselfe commonly from relieuing the poore and so bringeth a curse on his house and lands the executioner whereof is the heyre for whom he laboured Hee that hath grace to beleene to trust in God to doe good whether hee hath much or little is heyre to all things and shall want nothing that is for his good and God knoweth what is for our good better then we he is our father the Ancient of daies most wise wee are but children c. Therefore feare not God shall bring it to passe cast thy care on him onely be doing good The good Counsellor shall want no Clients the good Physition no patients the good Tradesman no custome the man that feareth God no friends and helpers For the hearts of all men are in Gods hands and his workes aboue reason and beyond expectation are infinite to conclude limite not God but considder how the Lord brought Ionas to Nineue and by what meanes he aduanced Ioseph and prouided for Iacob with his sonnes in the great and long famine of Canaan Verse 6. In the morning sowe thy seede and in the euening with-hold not thine hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper eyther this or that or whether they both both shall be alike good A Conclusion of the exhortation verses 2. 3. 4. 5. with the answers to the obiections verses 4. 5. figured by an Allegorie Therefore in the morning sowe thy seede and in the euening c. Lay out thy goods bountifully and that with a good and free heart in the morning and let the day care for it selfe Doe good all the day vntill the euening and then also and thus doe from day to day Then shalt thou rest in peace and sleepe in safetie when thou hast reposed thy selfe on God Doe good in thy young age and mortifie the lusts of youth and cares of middle age and continue in well doing till olde age and be then weary of life but not of well doing neither weary of life to do well And in thy last end finish thy good life well and doe some good worke after thou hast taken thy leaue of the world and turned thy backe as the last word after a farewell for a memoriall and good ensample to the liuing While a mans name is in memorie and his works in fight he is not dead but liuing For thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that c. A confirmation drawn from the vncertainty of the successe of morning euening sowing whether shall bring a better haruest or both alike thou canst not tell Therefore do good worke at all times from morning till night from youth till olde age and as at all times so to all men good and bad knowne and vnknowne For neither doest thou know which shall be most fruitfull nor which God will most reward A word in due time is like Apples of golde with pictures of siluer and so is a good deede which can neuer be out of due time A gift of small valew oft times doth great good to a man and procureth great good to thy selfe for God will heare the prayer of the poore for thy sake and reward thee when thou hast forgotten and knowest wherefore it is Euen as God doth punish age for the sinnes of youth else would not Dauid haue prayed Psal 25. 7. Remember not the sinnes of my youth so doth he reward the good workes of youth in olde age For hee that giueth in youth laith vp for age because whatsoeuer he seemeth to cast on the waters to his present hinderance shal be paid him agayne with aduantage What then wilt thou giue because of aduantage That is vsurie which God hateth Giue freely of a faithfull and obedient heart looking for nothing againe at all But thou wilt say many receiue no such reward I answer God knoweth the heart of the giuer and thou must remember the resurrection of the Iust as well as present things God hath a better thing in store for thee let not the trifles of this nonage discourage thee This is a sure ground well doing shal be rewarded If thou seest not such a reward heere thou art more blessed because more assured of the reward hereafter For the wicked also receiue temporall rewards of externall and hertlesse good workes Doe good therefore continually and to all saue not thy meate and lose thy life as Nabal did Shall I giue my meate drinke money I know not to whom So the foole reasoned But Abraham and Lot by shewing kindnesse to euery one entertayned Angels vnawares If they had beene as wise as Nabal thought himselfe they might haue perished in the fiery deluge of Sodom as Nabal should haue perished by the sword But bountifull Abigail could not perish no more then Lot for the Lord deliuereth the
mercifull and libetall in time of trouble and plenteously rewardeth the proude doer Verse 7. Truely the light is sweete and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sunne THE second part of the chapter or anascoue maintaining the former precepts by a confutation or destruction of the corrupt and lustfull imaginations of mans worldly heart It is figured by a double Prolepsis the former whereof is generall The obiection is figured by a Prosopopeia which is figured againe by an Allegorie in this verse The answer is giuen in the next Truely the light is sweete c. By Light is meant worldly prosperitie Esay 58. 8. Then shall thy light breake foorth as the morning By the Sunne is meant an happy outward estate excelling all other splendide and pompous whereof the worldly heart is enamoured as the onely felicitie Iob 31. 26. If I beheld the Sunne when it shined or the Moone walking in her brightnesle That is if mine heart was enamoured on my flourishing estate if I blessed my selfe for my wealth power and honour To proceed wheras Solomon hath before recalled men from coueting earthly things and selfe-loue to charitie and good workes that he might more firmely settle this grace in their hearts hee now rooteth vp the weedes of fleshly pleasures and worldly delights by bringing in the careall man objecting or replying against him for himselfe or rather vpon his good admonitions to retract him closely clinging to his dirty god Mammon as Crabbes cleaue to the rocke and one to an other when they are pulled away Ah! but for all that a goodly inheritance is a sweeto thing it is a pleasant thing to be well seated in a fertile soile in an wholesome aire neare to the riuer not farre from the citie or market to be free from all troubles and cares that pouertie bringeth What an heauenly life it is when a man need do nothing but walke about his grounds for his pleasure ouersee his workmen looke on his cattell c. as the couetous rich man did Luk 12. when hee is prouided of the best housholdstuffe and lodgings and withall able to make his friend welcome to entertaine a gentleman to keepe gentlemen companie to keepe a couple of men and a good gelding to ride with credit and to change the fashion with the better sort and to haue mony alwayes in his purse to be able to pleasure a friend or a gentleman at his request in his need to be able to maintaine his wife in the gentlewomans fashion and to bring vp his children in learning for greater preferment Ah this is a louely and desireable estate aboue all things say what they will I will go labour and spare all that I can and cast about euery way that I may haue as such a one hath and liue as he doth or might do if he were wise Ah what good could I doe if I had as he hath or had bene so well left He dwelleth in a sweete seate what goodly and sweete grounds hath he adioyning to his house what sweete fields of wheate what goodly pastures what a goodly roote of wood what pleasant groues some say it will be solde ere long He prospereth not he is indebted who but a foole and a beast would make away such a goodly thing Ah would to God I had money to buy it I would neuer part from it well I will haue mony if I liue I will make all cracke else I shall liue in pleasure and comfort hereafter when I am old and my sonne shall be a fine yong gentleman of good account among gentlemens sonnes well accepted of the best sort and shall easily attaine to greater dignitie as I meane to bring him vp and place him in mariage What a zealous man is this how his bowels yerne with pitie on the poore and poore Minister how he first of all seeketh the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse He meaneth to be first a couetous beast to rake mony together by all meanes quo iure quaque iniuria from Church and poore and to leaue his substance to his heire but when the diuels fetch him away and his heire roguishly wasteth all and is at last hanged then shall his folly and madnesse appeare In the meane time nothing plagueth him but precise Preachers they are his tomentors Verse 8. But if a man liue many yeares and reioyce in them all yet let him remember the dayes of darknesse for they shall be many All that commeth is vanitie AN answer to the reply proponnded by way of admonition The argument is drawne from the contrary adiunct Youth and prosperitie are subiect to age and death which beginneth in age and formeth him from the graue Whereupon he inferreth the common conclusion to take away this and all other replies All that commeth is vanitie But if a man liue many yeares c. Put the case Dato non concesso that a man enioyed that conceited happinesse confisting in a free worldly prosperitie that earthly men so dreame of and aime at in all their courses Say that he liue long which is a thing desired of all men chiefly the rich and that he reioyce as freely as it is possible for a man to do in this confused and disordered world yet let him remember that which he cannot alway forget nor altogether forget in his freest iollitie namely that he is mortall that his flower fadeth his leafe withereth his verdure vanisheth testie and tedious old age hasteneth light shall be turned into darknesse pleasure into paine delights into wearisomnesse and the darke dayes of olde age and death exceed in number the lightsome dayes of life I say the darke dayes of old age and death because old age is the infancie or childhood of death as the sun setting to vs is the sun rising to the Antipodes For these pleasant sunshine dayes wherewith thou art so rauished are but a worme gleame and momentanie glance but contrarily the dayes wherein the body must lie in the darke graue are many These last words are a meiosis or liptote which are a kinde of hyperbole to wit of defect Many is put for innumerable endlesse eternall It may also be a synecdoche of the speciall Let a man remember all this and it will abate his lustfull courage it will take downe the pride of his flesh it will mitigate the eagernesse of his desires and the lushiousnesse lothsomnesse of his worldly zeale and make him more out of loue with his tender darling his body it will gather home his wilde dispersed fancies and his rouing thoughts into their hold and hang them on their right hinge and bring backe the prodigall vagabond home lastly it will recouer his wits and restore him to his right mind Therefore be satisfied with this be admonished hereby to contentation in things present striue not for an imaginary happinesse but exercise thy selfe in workes of charitie rather doe good which bringeth the true good then seeke for it in goods
preferred a messe of pottage before his birth-right While the euill dayes come not c. An argument of confirmation drawne from the instable state of yong age which passeth away as a shadow in the diall and as the day and summer passeth away and the winter and night draweth on Moreouer the force of the argument lieth iâ— the consideration of olde age as a meanes to cause the yoâ—g to remember the duties of charitie and pietie in the stre gth of his yeares while he hath time while the day serueth and summer lasteth The day is for labour as Dauid saith Man goeth forth vnto his worke vntill the euening the night is for rest Our Sauiour Christ saith Ioh. 12. 35 Walke while ye haue the light lest darknesse come vpon you Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling saith the Apostle Now the day is for worke and as well the morning as the euening and rather Why stand ye idle saith Christ get you into my vineyard The haruest is great the labourers are few The workes of charitie and pietie are great and many we are but fraile and weâ—ke Let vs recompence our weaknesse with willingnesse our short time with sedulitie and diligence If there be first willing mind God accepteth according to that which a man hath Let vs carefully husband our talent while we haue time and strength The Spring produceth all things out of the earth that were buried in Winter euen so what lyeth buried in childhood sheweth forth it selfe in youth Corruption must not shew it selfe forth now but the practise of instructions and godly informations formerly taught euen grace wrought in childhood by these good meanes The Summer ripeneth what the Spring brought forth let middle age bring to maturitie and perfection that which hath bene taught vs in our yong age The old in euill dieth in euill a thousand to one Now that the consideration of old age may take the déeper impression in the heart of the yong he depainteth it out by an allegoricall hypotyposis or liuely description first generally in these words and after particularly in the next six verses While the euill dayes come not By euill dayes in generall is meant pouertie weaknesse sicknesse lamenesse blindnes and other afflictions of body and state whereby a man is disabled from the actuall performance of such duties as hee is called vnto Whatsoeuer abilitie or gift a man hath that is his talent And in all affaires and workes of this life men take the appointed sea on and vse the time with diligence night letteth raine letteth winde and tempest letteth these lets men redeeme with diligence and some with double diligence and reserue some workes for letting dayes that euery moment of time may be supplied so they will neuer be idle that meane to be wealthy So it must be with vs in our Christian calling We must worke with the Oare while we haue strength and after sit at the sterne Let euery man do good while he is able Let him take grace when it is offered and vse it wheÌ„ he is bidden The Law saith yea the heart and whole drift of the Law is this Loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart minde soule strength soule and body superiour and inferiour powers euen while thou hast an heart which first liueth and last dieth while thou hast a minde and a memory while thou hast strength while thou hast health while thou hast wealth Suffer no gift to be vnfruitfull Euery talent must fructifie Secondly by euill dayes more specially is meant the disease of olde age For olde age is a disease it is the consumption of the whole body whereby a man is disabled from doing any thing It is grieuous and wearisome The lame is past labour and the sicke past study These words the euill dayes as I thinke haue relation to the body and the next to the mind Nor the yeares draw nigh wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them An amplification figured by a Prosopopeia whereby hee setteth the future age person words of the yong man before himselfe Men draw forth as liuely as they can the pictures of their yong age that in old age they may see their youth before their eyes this is but a vanitie yet may good vse be made hereof So contrarily Solomon draweth out the picture of olde age that men in time of youth may see and looke vpon and remember their olde age and death which followeth and their account which followeth that This is an instigation to workes of charitie and pietie Better it is for a yong man to haue the picture of death before him then for an old man to haue the picture of youth in his eyes An old dotard is odious and an old babbler hatefull I haue no pleasure in them These words haue reference to the minde of the olde man when the body is pained the minde is grieued When the bones are full of achâ— it is past worke and suffereth not the mind to be exercised in study meditation counsell aduice direction c. Euery thing is tedious and irksome to the wearie he delighteth in nothing but in â—esting sleepe is sweete to him and so is death to the aged The marriner speaketh of the windes the shepheard of his flocke the plow-man of his grounds and cattell and the old man of his diseases infirmities aches His relations of things past are concise independent confuse he cannot manage and vse his experiments and obseruations to profit withal yea his former practises are but speculations to himselfe much more to another therefore he hath no list to speake all things are quite altered the world is new it surpasseth his skill And thus it is with euery old man throughout all generations of the world insomuch that if they which haue bene long dead should rise againe as but out of an hundred yeares sleepe they could not know the world nor the way of it and might as well cause the Sunne to go backward as to reduce it to the former state and though it should be the same and continue like it selfe yet should a man be vnlike himselfe and so should the world one and the same in it selfe appeare in new and strange formes to him As for example All things are full of vanitie misery and griefe to the afflicted and to him vpon whom God turneth his backe whereas contrarily at the same time it is a paradise of pleasure to an other It is now an heauen but if God instantly forsake a man vtterly it is an hell And as Diues desired to be out of hell so would he desire to be out of the world whatsoeuer his estate should be heereafter he had rather stand to the hazard then liue If health strength wealth honor could at an instant be put vpon the poore sicke lame blind beggar the world should be a new world and such a world as hee neuer imagined the other dayes world should be passed as in a
c. A two fold reason inforcing the admonition vpon the Reader The first is drawne from the vnprofitablenesse of many words and writings of men which are discordant and distractiue of mens mindes which falleth out whereas the infallibilitie or direction of the spirit is wanting which gift was promised to Solomon 1 Kings 3. 12. and he was assured thereof and therefore without vaine presumption may iustly retract the Reader from other warbling erroneous imperfect discourses and treatises of men wherewith doubtlesse hee was acquainted as in his Booke hee intimateth plainely enough to this diuine-inspired Treatise of his owne concerning the chiefe good So that all writings except those that are warrantable by and grounded on these speciall pen men of the Holy-Ghost are vnprofitable and to little purpose affoording no tranquillitie peace durable joy comfort to the heart and conscience For they can not impart that to others which they altogether want themselues For they being in darkenesse seeke onely for it where it cannot be found seeing that God hath subdewed man and all things to vanitie which can neuer be the mother or fountaine of felicitie And the earthly paradise is destroyed This text maketh litle for those that being so eagerly and seruently deuoted to their worldly and fleshly lusts thinke and say that so much preaching and writing is neceelesse For Solomon taxeth not the holy and great Labours of the Lords Ministers who keepe themselues within the compasse of his written word but he taxeth these slouthfull ones sleepie and spirituall drunken ones ignorants and fooles that euen weary the Messengers oâ— God with calling crying lifting vp their voyces liâ— e Trumpets earely an laâ—e and yet will they not be awaked they are heauy-hearted dull-eared pore-blind long about alittle and that little is quickely forgotten If the Preacher be but silent a while they are ready to daunce about the golden Calfe and beginne to thinke and talke of Egypt agayne They are like the stone of Sisiphus or heauy logges pulled vp the side of a stiepe hill which lush downe agayne when a man letteth his hold go Againe on the contrary side this taxeth those that are quick of hearing but heauy footed ripe in the top dead at the roote nimble chapt and slowe handed There is none end of their hearing new instruments new voyces new tunes new formes new stiles they are all for nouelties full of the itch full of curiositie but their heart goeth after their pride after their couetousnesse These extreames are at length coincident There is none end of speaking and writing to the sluggish and curious They are both a great burden to their teachers they will neuer be pleased Solomon therefore in these words willeth them to be doers and diligent practisers the one sort to humble themselues the other to rouze themselues to obedience that they may haue experience and feeling in themselues of the grace and wisedome of God manus est causa sapientiae and then shall they comfort not weary to death their teachers as many doe But those greedy eares proude and couetous that are so zealous to heare and yet their teachers but figge-frailes and themselues sucking spiders casting them out when they haue suckt them as they doe their oyster shells are but gadding carnalls and bloud-suckers When they would be ridde of their teacher then will they put him out of breath and when he cannot preach twice a day hee may sit vnder the Iuniper tree with Elias to be fedde with Rauens I speake not this to set dogges on barking to whom all things are alike but the God of order hateth confusion which take vp all occasions of euill speaking but rather to stoppe their mouthes by putting a difference betweene the truely religious and truely deuoted and gadding talkers whose backs and eyes are full of pride and adultery But our All-alikes are not for differences but confusion But when they haue once made a confusion of good and euill sowre and sweete light and darknesse then in the flesh will they make differences they cannot abide confusion euery one striueth for superiority and preheminence euery one preferreth him selfe before other and glorieth in his riches in his learning in his knowledge in his skill in his friends in his strength and men acknowledge such differences but of light and darknesse carnall and spirituall precious and vile they will admit no difference all must be alike and the more carnall the more acceptable The ciuill and orderly vicious the best garnisher of vice in vertues robes and colours is the most wise and most commended And much study is a wearinesse to the flesh Hee speakes not this of the paines of the holy writer nor of the reader that ought to exercise himselfe day and night in the Scriptures and that with delight but of those erraticall extreame persons of whom I spake before both writers and readers Dauid exercised himselfe continually in the Law Psal 1. 2. but he got wisedome by doing it Psal 119. 98. 99. 100. And Plato saith Manus est causa sapientiae When a man hath disquieted and tormented himselfe long about predestination c. yet shall the ioyfull and cheerfull practise of Christianitie sustain him and faith in Gods mercy towards him shall be his onely comfort in life and death For all our felicity is in Gods acceptation and he putteth none away that constantly seeke him with their whole heart that is sincerely not guilefully Psal 32. 2. Neither doth he forsake any that do not first forsake him The vnderstanding of this may we see in Iudas the guilefull disciple and the eleuen true disciples Know thy maisters mind heare what he saith to thee and apply thy selfe to do his wil without seaching into his secrets and thou shalt neuer lose his fauour nor be turned out of his seruice For he is not so easily displeased but beareth with innumerable imperfections and infirmities in his children whom he measurably chasteneth and deliuereth not ouer to death He is most wise most good most mercifull if thou doest not account his mercy greater then thy sinnes thou doest limit him who is infinite To know thy sinnes to acknowledge and confesse them and to despaire of righteousnesse and saluation in thy selfe and by thy selfe is that which he requireth for then thou wilt flie to him trust in him rely on him and be euer thankfull to him Surely when thou art none of thine owne then art thou his Much reading and studying is indeed a wearinesse but it is a delightfull thing to do the commandements Experimentall knowledge is full delightfull and comfortable A litle that one eateth is better then all that a man can heare of reade of study of dreame of Greedy speculatists and hearers are but dreamers they are neuer satisfied but soone weary of well doing but God will be heard of vs seene of vs and serued of vs as if he were a King in bodily presence This is the fulnesse of sound faith feare and
vanitie though the blind world seek for felicitie and meanes of blisse in any thing and in euery thing besides this Verse 14. For God shall bring euery worke into iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or whether it be euill AN argument of confirmation drawn from the last iudgment whether the generall or the particular tending to terrifie the wicked and comfort the godly For God shal bring into iudgement The Iudge is God most mightie not to be resisted by strength most iust not to be corrupted with bribes most wise not to be blinded with cauils Euery worke with euery secret thing A declaration of the iudgement by the obiects viz. things knowne whether words or workes publicke or priuate and things vnknowne not onely done and spoken in secret but the thoughts and imaginations of the heart with the affections and dispositions thereof All which are amplified by a diuision in respect of their qualities good or euill As euery person since the creation till the last consummation shall be summoned and not one escape so shall euery deed word thought be iudged not one shal escape For the bookes shall be opened and euery secret thing shall be reuealed the booke of Gods omniscience and the booke of mans conscience That which is now forgotten as a thing in sleepe shall then be brought to remembrance as a thing to a man awaked which is as fresh in memory and more fresh then it was before As the roote lying buried in the earth in Winter sheweth forth it selfe in the Spring so shall all things now buried in forgetfulnesse be then made manifest vnto vs as if they were layd before our eyes All hearts shall be layd open to the discouery and terror of the wicked and to the manifestation of the godly whose faith and truth shall now appeare and these shall enter into euerlasting rest and ioy but the other shall go into euerlasting fire FINIS A TABLE The number sheweth the Page the Letters b begining m middle e end or thereabouts A. ADam what it signifieth 90. e. Administration diuine vnserchable 220. 222. Admonition what 333. m. Adultry with a mans owne wife how 232. e. Aire food of liuing creatures 15. e. Alexander 43. b. Ambition and curiositie how punished 81b 82. Anger Effects thereof 168. e. 169. b. Appetites of the Creatures 139. Appetite of man vniuersall 139. The vniuerse and obiect therof 139 Appetite of man infinite 141. 142. e. Alexanders personall appetite 141. Heliogabalus his bodily appetite 141. Appetites 4. sorts as of men 143. m. Assurance search for the same 218. e. Aprarrell vse and abuse thereof 231. b. B. BEhold what it signifieth 41. b. 197. e. Beast spirit of beast what 91. m. Behauiour before great men 203. 204. Beleeue 3 sorts of men to be beleeued 4. b. Blood ingendred how 325. m. Bloodgate or hollow veine 325. e. Body or vessell what 139. b. Braine without sence 324. b. Books opened what 344. m. Bribe and Briber 166. Bribe how the wicked wold bribe God 285. m. C. CArdplay and Diceplay what 20. e Circle al things Circular 24. b. Chance 240. m. Charity excellencie thereof 282. m. Charitable heart the signes 283. Charity of churles 284. m. Charity of thieues 213. e. 285. Charitable workes not to be deferred 292. m. Charity Churles excuses 295. 296. e. 5 old mens answeres to a motion of godly charity 290. m. Community of life 104. the benifite thereof 103. Coheleth what it signifieth 2. b. Common people inconstant 107. m. 108. e. Christian profession what 60. b. Cheeke turning of the cheeke what it meaneth 78. b. Conscience submonitious thereof 29 e. Coueteous rich a martyr 130 m. Creatures a booke sealed 40. b. Craesus his demand of Selon 145. e. Crookednes of all things 42 Curse or corruptioÌ„ what 10. b. D. DAuid why so called 2 m. Democritus allwayes laughed 50. b. Death the benefite thereof 154. b. Deuotion in things indifferent 229. m. Diceplay and Cardplay what 20. e. Diligence fruites thereof 235. e. Drunckard who 275. b. Dust of the earth what 90. e. 91. b. E. EArth of magnetical nature 14. m. Earths breath 15. m. Earth an hell to deuills an heauen to the daÌ„ned 130. m. 131. b. Enuy the obiect thereof 95. Eunuch why so called 324. b. Exhortation what 333. m. Eye a wise and foolish eye 62. e. 63. F. FEast vses thereof 274. e. 275. b. Feare what it meaneth 338. b. 5 sorts of feare 338. Sonlike feare described 339. e. 340. 4. degrees thereof 340. Feare of God two fould 216. e. Felicities of the world many 5. m. Satan a perswader maintainer of such opinions 6. It is a false shew 7. who only seeke it 8. e Felicity to be obtained of the poorest 222. e. Felicity where to be knowne 109. m Fishes their wisdome 241. b. Sea-fish why not salt 14. e. Flora. 43. b. Folly what it meaneth 57. e. 61. e. Flesh and spirit partly what 59. e. Foole who is a foole 275. m. Foole described 264. m. Foole 's ' their conuersation 162. m. 163 Foole who his companion 9 Fooles 2 sorts 58. b Fooles naturall 2 sorts 58 Foolishnes spirituall 58 e Foolish rulers a iudgmeÌ„t 269. m Foote what it signifieth 110. m. Forget what it meaneth 310. b. G. GIft In gifts works what God respecteth â—89 m Good chiefe good what 3. m Good name commendation thereof 1â—2 153 God needeth not our gifts and workes 289. m Good world of common papists confuted 170 171 Gospell a burthen to whoÌ„ 32. m Greedy getters how punnished e 2 9. b H. HHarlot described 196 Hands the office thereof 319. b Heauens the basis or firmaÌ„ent 12. m HeaueÌ„s an vniuersal vessel 140 Heart a sphere 24. e Heraeclitus allwayes wept 50. b Hypocrites sacrifice described 3. m Hypocrites their maners 335 I. IDlenes euills thereof 96 m Idlenes effects thereof 97. e Idle persons described 96. e there excuses 98. m Impatience what 1â—5 b Indifferent things 263. e 277. e 278. b. Instruction what 313. m Influence of starres in the aire 322. b. Iust men perishing 18. m. 218. Iust too Iust who 182 K. KIng termed a child when 269. e L. LAbouringmans happines 123. e. 124. b Law of God the extent 2â—2 m Lawes of Princes alterable 202 Law of God the Kings law how 203 b Lawes iron-chaynes 22 b Laughter the obiect 49 e. 50. m Christ neuer laughed 50. b It procedeth of corruptioÌ„ 50. m Democritus allwayes laughed 50 b Learning twofould 39. e Lending for increase not alwayes vsurie 287. b Light why first created 140. b Liuer described 325. b Libertines described 332. m Loue coniugall loue 233. m how it is maintained 233. Epicurish loue 234. b M. MAn vegetable man 99. e described 100 Man most sociable 101 e MaÌ„ the sperne of the world 140 The centre of the world 140. 16 Man How Gods image 140. e Men more miserable thaÌ„ beasts how 135 Mankind a double motion of it
of men so much differing as light from darkenesse heauen from hell there should be made no difference in the dispensation of worldly things as though there were neither wisdome nor iustice in the world but plaine chance and blinde fortune seruing all alike Yea also the heart of the sonnes of men is full of euill c. A continuation of the comparison figured by a Climax or gradation As it is a most vaine and grieuous thing that the same euent should be to all men so doth this aggrauate their miserie that the hearts of men all the time of their life are full of griefe sorrow wrath enuy angu sh â—eare despaire euen a lumpe of miseries vexing and tormenting the whole body and breaking forth into incurable madnesses and follies to the disquieting and vexing one of another and then after all to be buried and roâ—te in the earth and to consume iâ—tâ— slime and dust as though they neuer were or had any being in the world This is a thing most vaine and grieuous to bee thought that of a vaine life there should be a more vaine end yea that life and death should be nothing but a crackling nothing sodainely vanishing Vers 4. For to him that is ioyned to all the liuing there is hope for a liuing Dogge is better then a dead Lion A Reason why that death augmenteth this grieuous vanitie For to him that is ioyned to all the liuing c. The Hebrew is Ki mi a sher jebuchar quia vter sit qui eligatur First because whether of them he be that is chosen that is to say whether the iust or the vniust he that maketh conscience of his wayes or he that liueth in his lusts be approued of thee whose wayes and maner of life thou best likest and most followest when he is dead there is an end of all and vse of all both good and euill But to him that is yet remayning amongst the liuing there is euer still some pleasing hope and delightfull expectation of better things to the contentation of a mans minde As he hath a present fruition of good things so hath hee still an hope of more and if of euill things as crosses and troubles dabit Deus his quoque finem they shall haue an end and the remembrance of euills past shall affect the minde in time to come I know not with what delight The remembrance and relation of things past euen of troubles and dangers delight the aged as a desire of hearing seeing and looking into the world tickleth the young that are vnexperienced For the world promiseth to the young man great matters it putteth them in great and proude hopes but it performeth I know not what â—t beateth him home that will needes rauen and range He therefore that hath euaded out of many dangers and euills is better then he that knoweth not the difference Therefore to the liuing there is still a feeding hope of a better condition in this inexhaust treasure-house of the variable world replenished with innumerable blessings and benefits of all sorts For a liuing Dogge is better than a dead Lion The former speach is figured heere by a prouerbiall sentence He that is but poore and of meane estate is better then the man of authoritie strength wealth and honour that is dead who hath lost the societie of the liuing the good things and pleasures of this life whatsoeuer they be or howsoeuer mixed and is cut off from all hopes and ioyfull complacence in the fruition of things desired Verse 5. For the liuing know that they shall die but the dead know not any thing neither haue they any more a reward for the memorie of them is forgotten A Reason why that the poore man liuing is better then the corpse of the noble For the liuing know that they shall die They know that they cannot alwayes liue here but while they liue they enioy the blessings of God here which all men do desire and in hope and possibilitie the poore man yet liuing enioyeth all things For God sheweth forth many examples of exalting and humbling that the meanest may hope and the greatest may feare For they rise and fall by him not by themselues The carelesse oft times attaineth to great wealth and the wrestling niggard commeth to pouertie but neither of them can describe how Likewise the remembrance of death doth put them in mind of their end and their account to refraine from euill and to prepare themselues to die in ioy and comfort by purging their hearts and consciences more and more through daily renouation of faith and repentance For which cause a man at the point of death desireth to liue but one houre longer thinking himselfe for that better then him that is dead alreadie the lifting vp of his heart and hands once more giueth great contentment to him and if after that he is dead in the iudgement of his friends he reuiue againe but to looke vp on them and to speake two or three words it giueth them wonderfull satisfaction But the dead is depriued of all There is no knowledge of any thing in the graue no more hope no repentance Neither haue they any more a reward They can adde nothing further to themselues in any respect neither can any good thing more be hoped for being cut off from all possibilities Againe as the time of labour is here so is the meanes of reward here as he here worketh so shall his reward be increased as he soweth so shall he reape in this world and in the world to come For the memorie of them is forgotten Whatsoeuer they haue said and done here though they haue striuen to draw all eyes and eares after them alone yet now is there not any thought of them but they are as though they had neuer bene borne into the world in respect of the liuing Both their future hopes and their glorie past is vanished away as smoake in the aire as the bodie into dust and dust into the winde which disperseth it all ouer the earth and the waters Verse 6. Also their loue and their hatred and their enuie is nâ—w perished neither haue they any more a portion for euer in any thing that is vnder the Sunne AN amplification by an enumeration of some particulars Also their loue and their hatred c. These words are to be taken actiuely whether in the good or euill sence thus Their loues kindnesses liberalities one towards another their feastings and reioycings one with another c. for which they were praised and extolled of men here is perished Their hatred opposition contention reuenge their glorie in ouerthrowing and vanquishing their aduersaries which also is a blessing promised to the godly though the godly glorie not herein carnally as the wicked do but as the wicked are enemies first to the Lord and to them for the Lord. In this sence the Saints in heauen reioyce at the vengeance of the wicked which persecute he Church and waite for the
How long thou shalt enioy thy goods thou knowest not and what need thou or thine may come to thou knowest nor Surely with what measure a man meateth to him it shall be measured againe Blessed is he sayth Dauid that prouideth for the sicke and needy the Lord shall deliuer him in time of trouble Diues prouided for his owne belly but nothing for the poore but aft rward he stood in need of Lazarus helpe but in vaine So shall it be wiâ—h euery rich glutton that loueth himselfe and hateth the poore When the rich mans soule is in hell then shall his goods be dispersed on the earth and his children vagabonds begging their bread and sometimes hanged for their leudnesse As the diuels fetched away the soule of the couetous rich man Luk. 12. so commonly doâ—vsurers whores and other miscreants carry away their goods Surely if Diues could haue risen from the dead he would haue done good but the Apostle sayth While we haue time let vs doâ—good while we are liuing and haue goods to bestow For while we are liuing they are ours afterwards they are none of ours we are now the stewards of them let vs now make friends of the vnrighteous Mammon let vs worke while we haue the instrument in our hands and do good while God giueth power to do it For riches are for the time our gift or talent to be layd out and vsed for our Lords aduantage It is a folly not to do good in time of life but to deferre till death as many brute heads do seruing God as they list and how and when they list seruing themselues first and if ought leaue then shall God haue something contrary to the practise of the faithfull widow of Sarepta as though God were a begger that stood need at all times and so nothing could come amisse nor at any time amisse and that he must depend on vs and be thankfull to vs. Thou foole and mad man God biddeth thee doe good in time of strength not at thy last end he respecteth thy faith and obedience to his commandement not thy gift which is his owne not thine Hast thou his grace at command Thou that wilt not now do good shalt not then For he will cut thee off suddenly thou shalt die in thy sinne nay in stead of doing good thou shalt haply end thy dayes in cursing and blaspheming God and in fearfull desperation Againe thou wilt giue to the poore at thy last end c. How many are suddenly taken as one arrested by the Sergeant and as thou hast bene vnfaithfull to the poore so may thy executors be to thee and them But iâ— the poore be partakers thereof that is no good to thee but thy faith and obedience should haue bene rewarded The commandement is giuen to men liuing not to men dying Thou hast alwayes bene a theefe and art so still for this is but a small part of that which thou hast vniustly withheld from the poore and wrongfully gotten Therefore thou art but as one going to the execution for theft and restoring some small part of his stollen goods to the poore as he goeth which cannot free him from the gallowes and leauing the rest to his babes which shall be taken yea stollen from them againe or wither away they cannot tell how For the curse of the poore is vpon their patrimony though themselues be safe Verse 3. If the clouds be full of raine they emptie themselues vpon the earth and if the tree fall toward the South or toward the North in the place where the tree falleth there it shall be A Confirmation drawne from the creatures or law of nature whereof two are specified full clouds and fruitfull trees Or they are an illustration of the rich mans duty or stewardship and vse of worldly goods by the similitudes or examples of clouds and trees vegetables and meteors euen all the creatures As the clouds being full doe not withhold their raine but powre it downe vpon the earth so the rich man must not hoord vp his treasures or goods from others When the merchants of Tyre repented they left off to hoord vp riches and gaine according to their old manner and dedicated them to holy vses Our Sauiour sayth Giue almes and lay vp treasure in heauen Thus did Iob and the faithfull in the Primitiue Church sold their possessions to communicate to the needy Moreouer the clouds do not raine vpon certaine mens grounds certaine fields and woods but vpon all places and all things where they are caried with the windes So the truly mercifull namely he that is receiued to mercy sheweth mercy on all his compassion is extended to all which generall extent is a print or stampe of Gods mercy set in his heart to wit that he is receiued to mercy and is againe truly mercifull a fruite of the former Christ sayth Be yee mercifull as your heauenly Father is mercifull Now he sheweth mercy on all as Paul saith He is the Sauiour of all men especially of them that beleeue Rich mens houses are Gods store-houses His gold siluer corne wine oyle c. is not layd vp in euery house nor the charge and dispensation thereof committed to euery one but to certaine persons and places where it must not lye as a talent hid in the ground but be dispersed abroad among other men For â—e that hath giuen power right and a commandement to gather his frui es hath also giuen a commandement how to dispose them As the clouds so all creatures haue their fulnesse which is not for themselues but for the earth and they enuy their raine to no man The rich mansfulnesse is not for himselfe but for all and he must enuy the same to no man for that is hatefull to God and man For the earth is the Lords with the fulnesse thereof and the creatures with the fulnesse thereof euery fulnesse is for man and euery man hath a fulnesse to be rained vpon all to be distributed and communicated to all and that is his gift or talent All creatures haue not one kind of fulnesse nor all members one office nor all men in a corporation one trade But euery one distributeth his fulnesse and is serued of the fulnesse of others that there may be a supply of all necessaries to euery man and an equality He that retaineth his fulnesse to rot within him is worthily hated For he is a drone and a theefe Therefore Saint Iames threatneth iudgment mourning and woe to them Iam. 5. 1. 2. 3. The rottennesse of their riches the mothes of their garments the canker and rust of their gold and siluer shall be a witnesse against them and eate vp their flesh as fire And if the tree falleth c. The trees bring forth fruite for man so must man do for man They are fruitfull on euery side and where their fruite falleth there it lyeth for all that need it so must euery man be fruitfull of good workes as he hath