foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in destruction perdition for the loue of monie is the roote of all euill which while some haue lusted after they haue erred from the faith and haue pearced themselues through with many sorrowes I say if a man be thoroughly persuaded in his hart that there is no profite of the trauaile vnder the Sunne he shal be frée from this daunger that all worldlings be in Let vs sée the proufes One generation passeth away and another generation commeth c. Here wee haue the first reason by which hee proueth that a man hath no profite of all his trauaile wherin he trauaileth vnder the sunne and ye sée it is drawen from the estate which man is in He is mortal his dayes are fewe his continuance is short vpon the earth for he hath but the time of his generation he geueth place and neuer returneth againe but another generation succéedeth Finally his estate is more vaine then the estate of other creatures as it is set forth by comparison in the verses following Therefore there remayneth to him no profite of al his sore trauaile wherin he trauaileth vnder the sunne Brethren we know it is in all mens mouthes we are mortall we must die there is no remedie we must make our bed and lie downe in the darke we haue but our time here Againe where shall we finde that foole which looketh to haue any portion after he is dead of all the thinges which are wrought vnder the Sunne Is there any which is perswaded he shall come againe to looke vppon his workes to take pleasure in them Doeth he thinke that his riches shal féed him or cloath him any more Doubtles we all know we must tarie here but a time and then death will cut vs off We are fully perswaded that we shall neuer haue vse of any thing which we possesse here How doeth it then come to passe that cleane contrarie vnto this their knowledge men set their heartes vppon this world and looke for profite by their labours There is somewhat that doeth seduce men and quench the light of this knowledge or els how could it be thus In déede there be diuers thinges which doe seduce men and quench the light of this knowledge so that although they know they be mortal yet can they not sée that this is a sufficient argument to proue that all their trauaile for earthlie things is to no profite but they set their heart vpon them and couet them as gréedelie as if they should liue vpon y e earth foreuer I will note vnto you somewhat which doeth make men â—â—d euen against their knowledge Here is one great cause that such a thicke darke miste doeth compasse men round about that they cannot sée a farre of but euen at â—and They be not able â—o behold eternity and to looke vpon that which continueth for â—uer â—â—d that doeth make them estéeme this world as if it were all in all Ten thousand yeres in respect of eternitie are but a momeÌ„t and as nothing if we could wel discerne and iudge aright And behold what account man maketh of thréescore and ten they be euen as a worlde vnto him For these and about these for to maintain his estate in them he bendeth all the powers of his minde applyeth all his studies and indeuoures laboureth toyleth and vexeth him selfe marueylously like a foole Then we sée that this naturall sparke of light wherby men doe perceiue they must after certain yeres die and depart from all their labours is not sufficient to make theÌ„ wise nor deliuer them because they are compassed about with darkenes most miserable which causeth them to erre and goe out of the way as much as if there were no sparke of knowledge at all in y e mind It is farre more easie and possible for a man to sée cléerly twenty mile with his bodily eyes through the thickest mist then with all the light of nature to looke beyond this world Here come the great wise men of the world to be fooles for with all the light of understanding which they haue they â—e not able to looke any further but vpon â—he riches and glory of this world They â—an not be perswaded that a man shall receiue no profite of all his labour because hée shall die It is not within the â—oÌ„passe of their vew to looke vpon things eternall to valew them and from them â—o descend to the things present and by comparison to find that the glory of this worlde though it were for ten thousand yéeres is vtterly vaine and hath no profite in it I say they be not able to doo this without speciall grace to méete with this and to recouer men from such folly Solomon vseth a comparison betwéene man and other creatures by which it appeareth that besides this that he is mortall his estate is the most vaine and transitorie of many other The earth that is â—nmoueable and standeth for euer One generation of men doth succéede another and for a little time as it were play their part vpon it as vpon a stage some hath â— longer part then other but none passeth his generation What is the life of one man coÌ„pared with the continuance of the earth therâ— be other creatures as the Sunne thâ— winde and the waters whose estate serueth to be vnconstant but yet man is noâ— to be compared with them for they returne againe into their former place hâ— passeth away and doth neuer returne any more The Sunne ariseth saith hée the Sunne goeth downe and hasteth tâ— his place againe Where it did arise thâ— win de goeth toward the South and compasseth about to the North compassing compassing about goeth the winde thâ— winde returneth by his circuites Aâ—â— flouds runne into the sea and yet the seâ— is not filled to the place whether y e floud runne from thence they spéedily returnâ— Touching the Sunne and the winde there is no difficultie we all sée they returne againe to their former estate buâ— this last of the waters néedeth exposition They be often displaced but they makâ— hast againe vnto their owne place as wâ— as the sunne and the winds but not sâ— apparantly But if we marke what thâ— Scripture teacheth we shall sée it In thâ— creation of the world God set the waters in two places Gen. 1. The waters vnder the firmament he layd vpon heapes and called them Seas The waters aboue the firmament he hath hanged alost in the clowdes these he carieth all ouer the worlde causeth them to drop downe and to water the earth They drop down in great plentie part of them fléete into vallies make a floud and with all spéede runne into the sea Another part sinke into the ground where they by little and little by drayning méete together and by hollow vaines of the earth from hillâ—s and mountaines breake foorth in springs and make riuers These also though a little stayed after their fellowes runne into
from God For God abhorreth the proude and beholdeth him a farre of yea he doth set himselfe against him or resist him as S. Peter teacheth It is not possible for man by nature but to be puffed vp and to glorie in naturall vnderstanding And therefore we sée that men which are of great wisdome for the direction of earthly things in lawes in policies and in artes doe so much glorie in theÌ„selues as if they were the flower of men so long as they be not regenerate Then also they be the hardest of all other to be brought for to yéeld to the heauenly wisdome For they be full and rich already Who shall admonish who shal teach who shall instruct or controll them Here will great displeasure be taken For will some wise men say this doctrine doth tend to the destruction of all the noble sciences for who will take the paines if he may not haue the honour Nay to heare that they doo carrie a man further from God It will also be the ouerthrow of commonwelths For where shall become our wise politikes and valiant warriours If honour be brought into contempt then farewell al. We shal haue none but fooles and cowardes Will men aduenture their liues if it were not for glorie wil they studie if they may not haue praise Is not this such a mischiefe as is intollerable I answere that in verie déed to ouerthrow common-wealths or to destroy noble sciences is a mischiefe intollerable But to say that it will be so vnlesse men may séeke the praise and glory of the world is a reason not good among christians Among Turkes or Heathen where there is no other thing to lead them forward it might well be allowed among vs it is to be accounted as flat Atheisme we are to séeke the glory of God and not vaine glorie I may reason thus If a Pagan would take such paines in studie for skill wisdome adueÌ„ture his life in the wars for the glorie and praise of meÌ„ How much more ought a christian man to do the like to glorifie serue his God God saith he will honour those which honour him their glorie shall last for euer The other which sought for to glorifie themselues shall lie couered in shame when their vaine praise shall vanishe There haue béene men as wise and poliâ—ike for gouernment and as valiant for warre as euer any other which sought not the praise of men but with true feare â—o serue and glorifie their God as Iehosua Dauid and Solomon with many others And it is a bad mind of those which will not allow humilitie because they 〈…〉 it maketh men fooles and cowards Let vs sée then when as Solomon doth affirme that in all the wisdome vnder heaueÌ„ there is no good there is no feâ—icitie there is naught but vanitie and affliction of spirite he doeth not condemne the skill of this world but doeth set it in the due place It is profitable for the affaires of this life it may be an handmaid to doo seruice vnto the true heauenly wisdome But when she is set vp as a iudge and controller in heauenly matters or as Hagar doth aduance her selfe and despise Sara her Ladie that is grieuous All this is wickedly performed when men doe glorifie it rest in it couet to be aduanced by it despising in respect thereof the true knowledge of God And herein behold the wickednesse of men the knowledge of Philosophie and worldly wisdome is so highly estéemed and so bewtifull and precious in their eies that they haue more delight in it by many degrées then in the heauenly knowledge This doeth appéere by their studies How swéete vnto them are Tullies orations and Aristotels politikes when as the Psalmes of Dauid the Prouerbes of Solomon or Paules Epistles are but as drie chips These are neglected there is no pain or trauaile vndertakeÌ„ about theÌ„ there is no swéetnesse in them About the other for the wisdome of this world there is vnspeakable toile Bookes vpoÌ„ bookes volumes vpon volumes studie vpon studie and happie men if they can so come to excell in some one thing For why they suppose they haue gotten feathers of gold to make them goodly wings for to mount aloft in this world For the wealth and glory of this worlde is in their eye the chiefe matter Alas poore vaine men that they had the wisdom to consider well what is here spoken Vanitie of vanities all is vanitie yea euen wisdome it selfe For it bringeth much sorrowe both to body mind and can but aduance in this worlde the shape of which passeth away It would make them alter their studies and deuide them so that their chéefe laboures would be for the heauenlie wisdom For beholding the vanitie of all the glory vnder the sunne it would cause them to set their hearts vpon the true glorie and to séek for it ten times more carefully then for that Which the Lord geue vs grace to doe Amen The end of the second Sermon The thirde Sermon Ecclesiastes Chap. 2. I Said in my heart goe to now I will powre foorth with mirth therefore take thou pleasure in that that is pleasant But behold also this is vanitie 2 I said of laughter it is mad and of mirth what is it that she doeth 3 I sought in my minde to draw out my flesh in wine and leading my heart in wisdome and to take holde of follie vntill I sawe whether this be the good to the sonnes of men which they are to doe vnder the heauens the number of the dayes of their life 4 I made my works great I built me houses I planted me vineyardes 5 I made me gardens and orchardes in which I planted trees of all manner of fruite 6 I made me cisterns of water to water therewith the wood springing vp with trees 7 I gate me menseruants and maide-seruants and had children borne in the house also I had possession of cattle flockes great aboue all that were before me in Ierusalem 8 I heaped vp for me also siluer and golde and the peculiar of kings and of the prouinces I gate me men singers and women singers the delightes of the childreÌ„ of men all manner of harmony 9 And I was great and increased aboue all that were before me in Ierusalem also my wisdome did abide with me 10 And whatsoeuer mine eyes desired I withhelde it not from them I kept not back my hart from any ioy but my heart reioyced ouer all my labour and this was my portion of all my trauel 11 I looked then vnto al the workes which my hands had wrought and vnto the trauaile in which I trauailed to doe and behold all is vanitie and vexation of spirite and there is no profit vnder the sunne 12 Then I turned to beholde wisdome and extreme madnes and follie for what shall the man doe that shal folow the king euen that which is done alreadie 13 I saw that there is profite in wisdom
more then in folly as there is profite in light aboue the darke 14 The wise mans eyes are in his head but the fool walketh in the darke Ecclesiastes Chap. 2. ISaide in my heart goe to now c. We haue alreadie séene in the former Chapter that Solomon first of all searched out wisdome and found no good therein but sorrowes Now therfore he turneth to séek elswhere And first vnto plesures which he staieth not in but by and by detesteth And so he cōmeth to a third course which is this He mixed wisdome and pleasures together But he doeth conclude that although he found in this way some good in both yet not such but that he sawe all to be vanitie and vexation of spirit For the good be founde is but for the present time But let vs come to his words for that former he stirreth vp himselfe vnto delights and pleasures to sée whether ther be in them the felicitie that mē shall haue vnder the heauens And to the ende wée may vnderstande that he searched euen to the bottome of al pleasures delights he vseth a spéech to expresse the same as vehemently as might be For hee doeth not say I wil geue my selfe to pleasure which might be done with some moderation and so he shoulde not search déepe enough but he saith I will powre foorth with pleasure that is he wil wholy giue ouer or power foorth himself or his hart vnto pleasure And so he willeth his hart euen as it were letting lose al y e raines to take pleasure in that which is plesant This is very néedefull to be considered because our nature is addicted vnto delights and pleasures and men do greatly couet them imagining that there is felicitie in them they be so swéete vnto the flesh If Solomon had but tasted or vsed moderation in pleasures we might haue said what can he tel how great good there is to be found in delights But when hée poured foorth and gaue ouer him selfe whollie for the time vnto them what doubt remayneth or can remaine He was a great king wanting nought but hauing at wil and commandement what he would for all lawfull delights No other king in the world able to doe y e like He put foorth himselfe did what might be done And now hauing proued marke what he saith Beholde this also is vanitie He stayeth not here in pronouneing all carnall delights and pleasures to bée vanitie but sheweth also that he did euē ldath them with contempt and indignation I said saith he of laughter it is mad and of mirth what doeth she Being marueylous wise it gréeued him excéedingly to be carried so farre awrie and out of the way as to be made a foole a mad man or a beast Nowe he saw that pleasures which he vnderstandeth by laughter doe in déede make those euen brutish and mad fooles which are geuen ouer vnto them That is the cause why he saith laughter is mad which is not to be vnderstoode only what it is in it selfe but what it maketh men It carieth men which are poured foorth thereunto euen to the forgetfulnes of God and to quēch all light of true vnderstanding in them Thus then he reasoneth felicity or good is not to be sought in that which maketh a man forget God quencheth the light of reason turneth him into a beast or maketh him mad But carnall pleasures do all these when a man doeth poure foorth him selfe vnto them therefore they are to be despised abhorred and reiected A wise man may wel say of mirth as he doeth what doeth she as if it should be said she doeth marre at leadeth cleane awry and leaueth no good In this point there is little credite giuen or like to bée giuen vnto Solomon For almost the whole world doth giue ouer it selfe vnto vaine mirth and pleasures There is such a swéetnesse in them vnto the flesh that ye shall scarce find the tenth man among noble or base which doth not thinke himselfe euen after a sort happie if he may inioy euen the scumme or dregges of them I speake thus because in comparison of Solomons pleasant delights all the pleasures which the common sort of men attaine vnto are but euē as the scumme And what is the cause that we can not beléeue him but doo still follow after carnall pleasures as gréedily as euer hungry fishes doo catch at the bait Surely this is the cause men are fooles and so it gréeueth them not to be made beastes or madde men as it gréeued him being wise Is this the way to happinesse O miserable blindnes Men are now as the holy Apostle prophecied they should be in the last daies louers of pleasures more then louers of God 2. Timoth. 3. Let vs take héed of it seing it is but a vaine illusion and no more but as the dreame of a sick man He dreameth that he séeth pleasant sights heareth goodly songs which delight him but when he awaketh he is in his bed full of paine pleasures for the time carrie men on as happie but in the end they shall find they were deluded I may here reason by comparison after this sort If lawfull mirth or that which is indifferent in it selfe doo make men to become madde and base minded when they be giuen ouer thereunto not kéeping moderation for power forth thy selfe and thou shalt become madde how much more shall filthie and vnlawfull or impure delights make them brutish for we must not thinke that king Solomon did poure foorth himselfe vnto vncleane mirth but vnto such pleasures as are déemed honest And they that are carried away with these become madde and base minded their felicitie being all one with the beasts Then wée know not whereunto for to likē those which make a sport of sinne and sport themselues with wickednesse Some of them delight in pride painting forth thēselues by all the waies and meanes which they can that they may séeme goodly in the eyes of men Others follow gluttonie and drunkennes cramming and stuffing their bellies like swine Others solace thēselues in whoredome vncleannes these be their swéet delights Solomon did not giue himselfe to such pleasures These be more then madde for they drinke in poison only because it is swéet euen the most pestilent and deadly poyson and bane both of soule body therefore it is said the foole maketh a sporte of sinne Moses is commended for great wisdome Hebr. 11. When he did refuse to be called the sonne of Pharoes daughter choosing rather to suffer afflictiō with the people of God then to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a season estéeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egipt I would all kings princes nobles great men of the earth did know that which king Solomon doth teach in this place Yea I would all men did cōsider it a right Thē should we not haue the deuisers of vaine delights so much made of wée should not haue