13. b Man an vniuersall uatures 16 b Man how the litle world 16. m Mans twofold anatomie 16. m Mans condition seene in the creatures 17 b Mans nackednes what 17. m Madnes what it meaneth 57. e Meane the fooles meane 58. e. 59 Mediocritie of the ciuill wicked 187. e 316. b Melody or symphonie what â—â— e Mercifulnes a token of mercy receiued 293. e Marrow what 324. b Mortification 3 sorts 154. e Mony is all things 276. b vse thereof The occasion of all euills Musike tedious to old age 322 e Multitude querulous why 267 e Mens phronema what 5 e Must oft times no good reason 29 N. NAkednes what 17 m Nero slew Seneca why 46 e 47. b Nero iustly executed why 210 e Noble who 271 e 272 b Nuch of the back 324 b O. OBedience twofold 342 e Obseruation of Gods works 207 Obseruations wise and superstitious 212. b Ointments perfumes their vse 231 m Old age described 316. m. 320 Old men 5 old mens answers 290. m Old men impatient 25. m P. PAtience what 164. e Palsie whence 316. b Personall syn 192 b Pia mater described 324 m Psalme of the soule what 16 b Poore wicked to be relieued how 288 Prophesies and miracles ceased 28 b Remaning stil how 28 Princes wicked their miseries 213 Princes rude why enimies to knowledge and pietie 270. e Prayer repetitions 113. e 114 b Lords prayer 114 m what it is vsed of the disciples e Particular prayers how 115 Reading of Prayers 116 m What prayers to be said at all times 116 Prosperity how to be vsed 178. e R REsistance 78 b Religion outward exercises how abominable 102 Remembrance twofold 309 m Riches their euent 125 their sicknes 126 m 127 vse therof e Riches an harlot 128 b Rich maÌ„ Idolatour how 128m Rich wicked how they get riches 290 Rich mens houses Gods store-houses 294 b Romaines conquests how 250. b Rulers behauiour towards theÌ„ 255 e256 b c. S. SAbbath the end vse 310 Sacrifice intent therof 111 e Sacrifice of hypocrits deseribed 111. m Saltwaters how made fresh 14m Safetie of Princes wherin 47. b Scripture the whole scope thereof 330. b. Seruant who 258. m Search for assurance 280. e Sinne the ground of all euills 126. b Sinne not to be reformed with sinne 177. e Sinners some notorious why 141. e Sinners bold why 214. m 215. Society of brutes vegetables 101. e. Sight dimnes thereof whence 316. b Sinnewes whence proceeding 324. m SolomoÌ„ notified by 4 names 2. b Solomon had peace why 35. e Solomons Wisdome gotten how 38. b Solomons Royalty 52. to 56. b Sloothfull described 273. Spirit of Aeconomie and politie 273. 274. b Spirit of maÌ„ how knowne 221 m Spirit of the world 286. b Spartans answer to Alexander 23 b. Summer and winter how all one how not 322. m Sun how it corrupts inferiour things 12. m Strength how profitable 246. m T Temperance what 313. b Tyme 64. b V VAine what it signifieth 4. Veine portall veine 325. m Venae mesaraicae 325. m vnthankefulnes 245. Vse of all worldly things 133. b Vsury to God how 300. m W. VVEdlocke right vse thereof 234. e Weepe Heraclitus alwayes wept 50 b Wicked their destruction suddaine 243 b Wicked vnthankefull 245 Wicked men prospering 181 b 218 Wicked ouermuch who 184 185 Wickednes not to be reformed by wickednes 211 b Wisdome how it is grieuous 46 47 Wise and foolish described 62. Wisdome excellencie thereof 248. 249. Wisdome and wise two sorts 250. e Wicked wisedome destroyeth 251. b Wisdome aboue wealth 175. Wisdome true what 175. e Wisdome aboue strength 189. Wisedomes obiect 192. Wise ouermuch who 183. Wilfullnes 105. World Gods booke 62 e World the spirit thereof 286 b Worlds infinite how 25 e Worldly goods their vse 69. e 132. 133. Who vse them not 71 b Works how they please God 230 Works of God considered how 177. m Worldlings crafty dealing with God 311. Y YOngmans imaginations 315 e 316 b Yongman what it signifieth in the heb 312 e Yongmen must redresse their wayes why 113 e FINIS Faults Corrected Page Line Comparise Comparison page 21. line 2. Seamen Seaman pag 25. lin 3 before beyond pag 3. lin 34 PomPeous Pompous pag 56. lin 27. abide avoide pag 75. lin 34. this there pag 225. 1. yet Yea. pag 228. lin 8. first for pag 226. lin 1. of the fruit of all things the. pag 231. l. last bithocks bitlocks pag 249. lin 2. his this pag 246. 10 Wisedome Wisemen pag 250. lin 32. me men pag 259. lin 17. felicition felicitie pag 267. end vnsatiablenes vnsociablenes pag 99. lin 24. verture vertue pag 103. lin 29. Resistefull Restfull pag 108. lin 28. Rest reason pag 119. lin 26. posteritie prosperitie pag 126. lin 26. comporting comforting pag 152. lin 28. thus true pag 158. lin 3. betting letting pag 165. lin 22. actus astris pag 175. lin 4. vivant vitant pag 185 lin 32 can cannot pag 281. lin 7. knowest knowest not pag 300. lin 9. anascoue anasceue pag 301. lin 12. from for pag 303. lin 12. powers pores pag 322 lin 14. narrowie marrowie pag 326. lin 4. In the Table and obiect for the obiect sperne for sperme psalme for plasme The Inscription Dauid of Dod amiâ—us dilectus The Proposite The Theme or Question Principall Syllogisme Prossyllogisme i. A reason confirming the Principall * Hebraismus * Epizâ—uxis Epilogisme A Reason confirming the reason of a Reason Catullus * As it seemeth to them that stand on the wâ—stâ—rne and easterne shore 1 King 4. 7. 22 c. 2 Chron. 9. 25. 1 Kings 4. 26. Chap. 10. 26. Remedies of vanities He passeth here from the vanities of the body naturall to the vanities of the body politicke A third prosepilogisme to proue the Epilogisme Chap. 1. 3. 1. Example of vanities obserued in outward things II. Example of vanities in outward things Esay 59. 16. III. Example of vanity in outward things I. Example of inward euils is sloathfulnesse II. Example of inward euils is vnsociablenesse * Without naturall affection towards men Rom. 1. a Which is a remedy against the contrary vanity * Opposition or contrariety III. Example of inward euils is wilfulnes He sheweth here the vanities of the body ecclesiastick IIII. Example of vanities obserued in outward things * Bonum quò câ—â—unius eò melius * He shall not be altogether free and happy but in some good measure * Valer. 〈◊〉 lib. 7. cap. 3. V. Example of vanities obserued in outward things but the remedies of those vanities are still 〈…〉 at As the first degree of felicity consisted in the comfortable vse of worldly things and wise auoidance of euils so the second degree thereof consisteth in doing good communicating and â—oÌ„palsionating of others The former in one terme may be called sobriety this charitie As the second degree of felicitie consisted in the works of charitie so the third and last in the practise of pietie
good in this vale of misery is imperfect yet in continuall motion and progresse to perfection though the whole engine with all the furniture thereof man and euery condition and state of life ethike politike ecclesiastike groane vnder the burthen of vanity Here then is wisedome and worke for the curious Alchymist who surpasseth common capacities Here is the skill that extracteth gall out of hony and hony out of gall Here is the Phylosophers stone that turneth yron that base mettall into gold the purest mettall euen the soueraigne good that ouercommeth euill yea that turneth things in their natures cursed into blessings the beginnings of endlesse torments into eternall glory the light that expelleth darknesse the life that swalloweth vp death the spirit that weareth out the leprosie canker and rottennesse of the spirit of the vessell of the person of the outward state To omit the many learned dotages of the worldly wise and madnesses of selfe-willed Idiots some man thinketh himselfe happy if he knoweth the euils of this life and with all hath knowledge to auoid them and in procuring of good vnto himselfe for his bodily ease comfort and pleasure thinkes that by this wisedome he hath obtained the chiefe good and so kisseth his hand and sacrificeth to his net his subtle sound pate as he iudgeth Here is his vttermost extent in this sphere is he rowled as the Sow in the mire Secondly some man againe esteemeth such a one but brutishly subtle because he doth not good to others as well as to himselfe as the principle of humanity requireth Quod tibi vis fieri fac alijs Doe as thou wouldest be done to Therefore because he is cautelous and prouident for himselfe and communicateth to others also he iudgeth himselfe to be that happy man He excelleth indeed the former brute as he againe doth that vegetable one Eccles. 4. 8. euen as the ayre excelleth the water and that the earth But the wisedomes of these three conioyned by vnion into one indiuiduall are but as an excellent vessell or receptacle for this last Lastly another who is truly wise indeed excludeth this man from happinesse yet because he is but as a beautifull body without a quickning spirit which is pietie the soule or supernaturall spirit enlining the rest So that neither the wise vegetable nor the wise brutall or sensible nor the wise reasonable or humane but the wise spirituall organized with the rest as I may say is onely capable of this soueraigne good of Solomon This onely knoweth what is good in euill things and states what euill in good things and States what is good for himselfe in both in this vaine life according to that line and measure that God dealeth to man This wisedome ordereth and enliueth the other wisedomes being a supernaturall gift the diuine influence of the sanctifying Spirit For they being seuered from this are but an eye without the optike spirit which indeed is no eye but a dead member The like we see in the structure of mans vessell id est in the vegetable and brutall spirits but the reasonable soule enliueth moueth and ordereth them both or rather her selfe in and by them by vertue of her vnion with them whereby they become rationall The degrees of this good to be gathered out of Solomons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or positiue doctrine are briefly these 1. To be in a calling according to Gods generall decree Gen. 3. 19. Otherwise a man is a belial a sluggard a dissolute disperst incompact member out of fauour with God and man and his owne conscience and lyeth open to many miseries as he is the fittest subiect to be sentina malorum the sinke of euils 2. To labour in that lawfull calling to exercise his talent that his Lord may receiue his owne with aduantage 3. To labour with diligence Chapter 9. 10. of this booke Hereby many bodily miseries and occasions of spirituall temptations also are auoyded For a man to be negligent in his businesse is to be brother to a waster as Solomon saith else where 4. To comfort and solace the body with the fruits of our labours all the creatures from the highest heauen to the centre of the earth seruing to no other purpose then the reparation conseruation of the soules fraile corruptible vessell For the soule her self is enliued fed conserued by another World the Word of God effectuall by the spirit that speaketh therein The body is ex limo terrae of the slime or seede of the vniuerse but the soule is ex alia propagine progenie 5. As we haue receiued good so to be faithfull dispensers thereof viz. to communicate to others wherein the essence of charity consisteth Communicating of mutuall duties is the bond of ciuill or sociable life whereby a man in any condition of life in harmefull occurrences and vnfortunate accidents is preserued helped relieued and the beneuolous aspect of neighbours congratulating his prosperous state is a lightsome pleasant and comfortable thing Moreouer danti dabitur qua mensura metimini vobis metietur But this communicating is of all gifts and duties towards equals superiours and inferiours euen of euery one in their place and calling towards others in oeconomike ethike politike state Thus farre the Heathen man goeth but here he makes a stand he cannot transcend his Orbe All things are made for man saith Cicero and man is borne for man to be seruiceable and comfortable one to another in sociable life Therefore all these degrees doe but as it were constitute the vessell of the quickning spirit 6. The sixt and last degree therefore of felicity is piety towards God sincerity in diuine worship briefly shut vp in this word Feare God and keepe his Commandements It is totum hominis or totus homo the whole man without which he is but praestantissimum brutum What this feare and obedience is is set downe in the Law of Moses at large which is more largely and plainely expounded by the Prophets and they againe by the life and doctrine of our Sauiour Christ and that againe by the Apostles and they by Pastors and Teachers to the Worlds end This is that compleate soueraigne good of soule body and state positiuely taught in this Treatise Which in a word is this the wise demeanor of a man towards himselfe towards others towards God in things concerning his owne body and person concerning communicating or sympathising others concerning diuine worship according to the direction of Gods Word These degrees must not be sundered but kept intire of him that would be compleatly happy so farre forth as happinesse can be obtained in this confused enormous World Men being ignorant of this sixe-fold vnion fall into many errours run out into many extremities and plunge themselues into a gulfe of miseries yea and digladiate among themselues praysing dispraysing blaming excusing they know not what euen tossed in a labyrinth But he that builds on this ground and walketh in this light riddeth himselfe and others
ayme at Verse 2. Vanitie of Vanities saith the Preacher Vanity of Vanities all is vanitie THe maine purpose of Solomon in this booke is to shew wherein the blessed estate and happie condition of man in this vale of miserie consisteth Which seeing that it is not to be found in the world I meane out of the Church the wise-men of the world are of so different yea contrary opinions among themselues and all aberre from the truth because being in darkenesse they neither know God nor themselues neither what is good nor what is ill for man in this vaine life Againe they lay downe this for a ground or principle that there is a Summum bonum or felicitie by the wisedom and endeauour of man to be found in the things of the world But this ground being false all their buildings must needes fall downe to the ground But Solomon here by the speciall instruction and direction of the spirit of God layeth downe such a felicity as the world by their wisedome could not comprehend The briefe summe whereof is this Feare God and keepe his Commandements or in a word faithfull obedience is the chiefe good This is the Theme or question as appeares by the conclusion of all Chapter 12. 13. Now the argument of confirmation is thus framed Prop. Either is the feare of God and obedience to his lawes the chiefe good or else it is to be found in by the things of this world which wee call the goods of the body the goods of the minde the goods of fortune or outward goods Assum But it is not to be found in and by these things Concl. Therefore is the feare of God and obedience to his lawes the chiefe good The Proposition is euident the Assumption is to be proued Prop. If all be vanity most vaine then there is no felicitie or chiefe good to be found in the things of the world Assum But all things are vanity most vaine Concl. Therefore c. And so he proceedeth forward in the handling of this argument to the end of the booke which hee concludeth Chap. 12. 8. So that this verse is a Prossyllogisme or reason added to the principall in the handling whereof the whole body of this booke consisteth Vanitie of vanities An hebrew phrase of speech They expresse the comparatiue often by a preposition and the superlatiue by doubling of the same word which noteth excellency or perfection As if hee should say all things are most vaine or vanity it selfe It is first amplified by a repetition wherein the adiunct is put for the subiect to signifie the certainty of this fundamentall truth which is figured as an ingemination or redoubling of the same sound more vehemently to moue the affections Secondly confirmed by testimony the dignity whereof dependeth on the office of the speaker The Preacher faith it therefore beleeue it Aged men are to be heard with reuerence Iob 32. 6. 7. I am young and yee are very old wherefore I was afraid and durst not shew you mine opinion I said dayes should speake and the multitude of yeares should shew wisedome Conuerts are to be greatly regarded Acts 22. 19. 20. So Paul argueth Surely they will receiue my testimony for they know that I imprisoned and beat in euery Synagogue them that beleeued on thee And Preachers especially Mal. 2. 7. The Priests lippes should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the Law at his mouth So Osee 4. 4. Therefore is Solomon to be beleeued being wise aged experienced By vaine is meant imperfect vncertaine transitory voyd of contentation full of griefe fruitlesse to no end nothing Briefely both man and all things with man are naught and come to naught 1 Cor. 2. 6. We speake wisedome among them that are perfect yet not the wisedome of this world nor the Princes of this world that come to naught What hath man than to glory in but in the Crosse of Christ whereby he is dead to the world and the world to him as Paul saith Man therefore and whatsoeuer is within him without him about him proceedeth from him is most vaine euen nothing Phil 3. 8. till hee be a new creature and all things renued with him 2 Cor. 5. 17. Henceforth we know no man after the flesh yea though we haue knowne Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more Therefore if any man be in Christ be is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new Verse 3. What profit hath a man of all his labour which hee taketh vnder the Sunne THe Epilogisme confirming the Prossyllogisme All things are most vaine because man can reape no profit no contentation of minde no quietnesse of heart of all the endeauours cares labours of body and minde wherewith in vaine he wearieth himselfe all the dayes of his life The argument is figured by a communication or question to intimate the certaine and infallible truth thereof For both the ignorant and the wise euen euery man that commeth into the World is wholly carried with an opinion of an earthly felicity to the obtaining whereof there is as he iudgeth an aptitude in man and a possibility in the things of the World The most learned and wisest placed it some in diuine contemplation without the word of God some in morall vertue onely some in vertue and worldly prosperity together some in riches some in honour some in one thing some in another And euery man feeling manifold miseries troubles and wants wherewith he is compassed and filled doth imagine to himselfe a possibility of deliuery and freedome on the one side and an happy enioying of the contrary good on the other side Ah that I were freed once from this or that if I had but this or that I could doe this or that I would euen desire no more I should thinke my selfe happy c. doth euery man imagine Hereupon hee beginneth to buckle himselfe to his worke to gather his wits together to bestirre his stumps and either rusheth violently forward as the Horse rusheth into the battaile or else he proceedeth warily wisely fundamentally as they that spend all in searching out the Philosophers stone but neuer finde it Of those Zophar one of Iobs kinsmen saith Iob 11. 12. Vaine man would be wise though man be borne like a wild Asses Colt The reasons of this vaine proiect are First because man cannot looke beyond the world he is confined within the limits of the Spheres hee is in bondage vnder the curse his phronema mens or purest wisedome is nothing else but lust or brutality 1 Ioh. 2. 16. All that is in this world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world But man knoweth not this his misery and how than shall hee know the right way to be rid out of it So than euery natural man is a foole Rom.
a man looke into the spirits of men in their dealings and dissemblings hee shall not onely see a forrest of beasts and serpents but an hell of wickednesse and miseries All is selfe-loue and hatred hence commeth such feare and snatching For otherwise men would not so much care in whose possession the goods of the world were seeing the reasonable wise liberall louing and right dispensation thereof according to the law of nature and of Christ Thus it was for a little while Acts 4. 34. 35. but that festiuall day lasted not long nay rather it lasteth still among the faithfull to the worlds end But that is another argument Here wee speake of the condition of the darke and euill world and the imaginarie deceitfull good thereof without Christ To conclude Hee that looketh on the frailty of man and all the creatures with him the interchangeable course of all things and states and considereth the depth of causes and reason of things shall be forced to seeke for felicitie durable rest or happy contentment somewhere else than in the confused disordered transitory World For all is vanitie nothing to none end like the actions of a foole and talke of a man in his dreame This secret God reuealeth to his secret ones As for the men of the world they will be wise great glorious and doe great matters they heare they see they listen they study and striue imagining that by a further and deeper reach they shall finde good For they are wilde asses colts As the Spartanes indigitating or deifying Alexander at his command contrary to their owne liking wrote Because Alexander will be a god let him be a god So I write Because these will be wise will be great will be glorious will be what they will be then let them be so But Alexander dyed like a man in the flower of his age euen so there is more hope of a foole than of one of these wise mad ones To conclude As the soule of man working especially by the organs of eye and eare cannot finde perfect contentation in things and times absent neither euer shall it doe in time to come for all things past and to come are the same in their kindes as the seasons of the yeere are the same for euer So that there is no possibility that the soule should be satisfied and filled with good in worldly things through the ministery of the chiefest senses but rather with irkesomnesse wearinesse and loathsomnesse Verse 9. The thing that hath beene it is that which shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done and there is no new thing vnder the Sunne AN amplification of the Argument or former Induction figured by a Prolepsis or preuention of an Obiection secretly framed in the foolish heart which is a wild roauing groundlesse imagination or euill suggestion of a possibilitie to obtaine a durable felicitie or happy rest in a full firme and solid state It is mans ignorance and presumption to striue for that which neuer any yet had and to doe that which neuer was done before Hee is all for nouelties and wonders To be the onely one is euery mans desire and to this point doe all his soaring thoughts aspire Euery man will needs try his wit and strength in finding out the means to this worldly blisse that none euer yet felt himselfe entirely to enioy Such courses hee deuiseth to take so farre to trauaile such curious inuentions to finde out as neuer yet any did Euery man in his kinde and wayes striueth as it were to finde out the stone that shall turne iron into gold till all his wit and siluer be spent and at the last hee bringeth forth winde It was but the crackling of thornes vnder a pot Parturiunt montes exit ridiculus Mus. With these mountanous imaginations and windie thoughts Solomon here meeteth The thing that hath beene is that which shall be c. Both the things that haue beene and the deedes that haue beene done are euen the same that now are and are done and so shall be hereafter And there is no new thing vnder the Sunne An amplification by the contrary denyed to take away doubting and to inculcate the certaine truth thereof Vnder the Sunne That is worldly or humaine things or deeds There is a circular reuolution of all things counsels deeds euents as well as of the spheres of heauen windes and riuers There is a rising falling ascending descending appearance disparence of all things Let the profoundest speculatist or curious practitioner turne the edge of his wit which way he will to finde out some new thing the like whereof was neuer yet knowne nor heard yet sure it is the same things haue beene and the same deedes were done of old and they are nothing but the circular reuolutions of the former The heart of man is the same that it hath beene of old and produceth such effects good or euill it cannot alter it owne kinde but is wheeled about in it owne sphere Some haue sought for a felicity in the studies of Wisdome some in riches and sensuall pleasures some in Honour pompe and magnificence but no man euer yet found contentment in his present estate without mixture of griefe griefe accompanying it or sorrow following him hard at heeles Many haue thought and thinke others happy but none euer yet found himselfe happy Suos quisque patimur manes If none euer yet reaped profit of his endeauours and labours neither then shall euer any doe it now or hereafter Euery man complayneth of the present state of the world and saith it was neuer so bad but it is not worse nor yet better then it hath beene neither shall it be otherwise The same complaints and discontent hath beene and shall be in all generations If a man liue neuer so long hee shall neither see nor heare other things then heretofore haue beene neither is it in his power to alter or mend any thing for the world is nothing but an alteration of alterations in it selfe A man hath no more command of it than the Sea men hath of the windes Some violent and hautie spirits haue striuen forcibly for the full fruition of an earthly happinesse but hauing obtained their desires that seemed so beautifull a farre off they found themselues no whit the better but rather worse yea nearest to miserie whereof they thought to rid themselues for euer Therefore it is better to sit still than to rise and fall to liue in obscuritie than to be a publique spectacle of follie as the most subtile and violent workers of old haue beene and so shall they be still Euery man hath great hopes as of old neither can he be disswaded from this vanity till old age bring him to see by long experience this reuolution of all things and then beginnes he to dispaire and to be weary He is full of teastinesse anger and impatience when he seeth nothing but vanitie follie and madnesse in men It may be
hee propoundeth his counsell verse 13. Secondly he declareth the effect thereof Thirdly he expoundeth both his reuiew and determination or iudgement thereof verse 14 His determination he confirmes by a reason verse 15. All is figured by a prolepsis verse 16. 17. and concluded verse 17. which is confirmed verse 18. The first argument confirming the certaintie of his experimentall knowledge is drawne from the condition of his person King and therefore of farthest extent and reach of deâ—pest apprehension and largest comprehension as he that on an high hill seeth farthest and comprehendeth most Men of priuate state are but of priuate straight and and particular wits experienced and exercised in few and inferiour things and also disturbed many waies But a King is as the Sunne comprehending all things superiour and inferiour within the compasse of his sight and is eleuated as I may say aboue the troubled regions of the Aire all things being placed vnder him and free from all obstacles in a firmely established and peaceable common-wealth as this of Israel now was In a word hee is Gods vice-gerent the neerest attendant to him of his priuie counsell euer in presence and sight on whose hand as I may say the great King leaneth Dauid was a man of warre but God gaue Solomon peace with all nations and all nations were seruiceable to him Wherefore The more freely to liue in ease and fleshly pleasure To doe as brethren doe oft times falling at variance among themselues for want of an outward aduersarie against whom they may ioyne in vnitie of contention Or that the members of the body should deuoure and consume one another for want of matter to worke vpon from the stomacke No such thing For that is bruitish and ethnicall But he gaue him peace that hee might build him an house a glorious house Hee gaue him wisedome with peace to gouerne his people prudently and to teach them the feare of the Lord to stablish the whole worship of God in perfection according to the Law To glorifie the Lord in erecting his house and stablishing his worship that the beauty of both might be an astonishment to the nations that the God of Israel might be glorified in all the earth To conclude his Kingly office is amplied by the subiect or obiect Israel the people of God and therefore the most excellent and glorious King Lastly by the place in Ierusalem Ierusalem the citie of God the beauty of holinesse the paradise of the world renewed the ioy of the whole earth Now being a King hee wanted no meanes to attaine to knowledge neither authority to enquire and demaund the opinions and iudgements of others nor ability to get and vse all meanes requisite for exquisite knowledge Verse 13. And I gaue my heart to seeke and search out by wisedome concerning all things that are done vnder heauen this sore trauaile hath God giuen to the sonnes of men to be exercised therewith THe second Argument confirming the certainty of his experience drawne from his diligent trauaile and accurate endeauour As hee wanted not power and ability to procure and vse all meanes so neither wanted hee desire and diligence For hee gaue himselfe wholly not onely to seeke by wisedome to know things but to search out by obseruation and tryall according to wisedome the causes properties and effects and the reason of all things that are and are done vnder heauen But this hee did not in pride and curiositie but in modesty accordingly as he found himselfe gifted of God 1 King 4. 33. For God is the father of lights the gifts of his spirit are lights shining in darkenesse Wisedome is with God and proceedeth out from the throne of God which whosoeuer wanâ—eth can neuer attaine to the true knowledge of him because his worldly heart is full of darknesse For God hath subdued all things vnder vanity which the blinde world knoweth not or but dreamingly noteth which maketh flesh and bloud so proud from which no man can rid himselfe striue hee neuer so much but rather doth still as the proud curious heritickes did encrease vanity errour and folly as the hydropical body by thirsting and striuing to quench thirst by drinking doth increase the discase and in the end destroy it selfe The heathen kept neither meane nor measure in the curious and ambitious search of the wisedome of God in the world and his secret counsell in the vse of his creatures But for as much as the end of their endlesse labours was not the glory of God euen subiection to him in feare and thankefull obedience but their owne vaine-glory praise pleasure foolishnesse impietie they found not that which they sought for For a foole saith Solomon seeketh wisedome and findeth it not but wearieth himselfe in a Labyrinth and so became vaine in their worldly imaginations Wherefore because they sought to know God out of his Church and to assume the glory thereof to themselues by returning their owne eyes and the eyes of men after them to exalt and magnifie them as hee that seeketh praise by the curious description of a cunning worke but forgetteth yea despiseth the workeman himselfe and because they thought and sought to comprehend the infinite maiestie and wisedome of God in the creation and gouernment by humane capacitie and trauaile without the Spirit and Word of God therefore were they blinded like the Sodomites seeking Lots doore groping all their life after that which they could neuer finde attaining onely to so much as serued to quicken the worme of their dead consciences to make them inexcusable Furthermore as God hath by a generall decree in the beginning laid sore trauell on man to humble his pride thereby in so much that nothing can be gotten without great labour since the fall so neither can he attaine to the knowledge of wisedome without diligence For the gift is indeed freely giuen of God but we must receiue it by the appointed meanes Therefore although hee granted the request of Solomon in giuing a wise and vnderstanding heart aboue all that were before him or after him yet he applyed himselfe to the study and contemplation of all things and to finde out the secrets of Gods wisedome by carefull obseruation and experience So that in the studies of knowledge there is great affliction both of body and minde First because some neuer attaine to true wisedome but fall into vaine imaginations and manifold errours and so when they thinke to be wise they become fooles The iust iudgement of God on their proud presumption Rom. 1. 22. Of those kinds of studies these wordes of Solomon may be vnderstood This sore trauaile hath God giuen c. Secondly they that are mooued and directed by the spirit of God to the right end and so attaine to wisedome are greatly humbled with infinite toyle as well as the husbandman and in the end see nothing but vanity euen matter of griefe both in the things that are knowne and in the knowledge it selfe For they are still
as farre from contentation and peace of conscience as euer they were For no worldly thing can make a man happy So that although a man had all knowledge without Christ it is nothing Paul esteemed it but losse and dung Phil. 3. Of this wisedome I rather thinke the words to be vnderstood Verse 14. I haue seene all the workes that are done vnder the Sunne and behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit IN the former verse he propounded his counsell in the applying of himselfe to get knowledge and experience not of some things but of all things Here he declareth the successe or effect thereof I haue seene all the workes c. I haue indeede by the gift of God obtained that vnderstanding which I sought for For I haue seene it with mine eyes I haue read it in the Booke of Nature the holy Spirit of wisedome instructing and directing me God hath giuen me a right and true discerning of all that I haue seene and discoursed on by sanctified reason Euery man heareth and seeth as well as Solomon but no man rightly discerneth ought but by the reuelation of the Spirit For a man is a beast by his owne knowledge a foole darkely led deceiued by Satan and such like are his obseruations If a man looke on the fairest letters and cannot reade what is he the better Solomon attained not to this height of wisedome by reading of the naturall and morall Treatises of the Aegyptians Chaldeans Assyrians Gimnosophists discoursing by imagination vpon other mens workes and culling sentences out of them to make a shew of that which was not in him wherein indeede many excellent things are buried as in darke and confused Mines yet but wilde fruit proceeding from the wilde Oliue out of which notwithstanding a diuine and sanctified spirit can extract good matter and conuert it into the right nature and vse thereof as it may be Solomon did some may thinke but the Kings of Israel were to be exercised in the Booke of the Law onely not in Ethnicall vanities which commonly we call learning What their wisedome was the Prouerbes the Canticles the Sonne of Sirach the Booke of Wisedome make manifest which differ much from ethnicall morall Treatises which are the wilde fruits of wilde trees and wilde ones are most addicted to them such lippes such lettuce But Solomon saw with his eyes and rightly conceiued in minde what hee saw by the speciall illumination of the Spirit of God which gaue such a plentifull blessing to his holy endeauours that he became famous for his wisedome among all the wise men and Kings of the earth who were desirous to heare of the wisedome which God put in his heart 1 King 10. 24. So that euen his seruants were counted happy that attended on him and heard his wisedome Here wee note that there is twofold learning or knowledge in a man the one is obtained by reading of mens bookes the other by reading in the Bookes of God The former kinde of wisedome is imitation which we commonly call learning It is gotten by imagination and strength of memory It is a talkatiue learning which a man relateth from the mouth of another not from an vnderstanding heart A parable is harsh in a fooles mouth and so is learning He hath not as our Sauiour saith Radicem vel semen in sâ—ipso Roote or seede in himselfe hewants the seede or principles of that whereof he talketh in himselfe It is therefore but speculatiue and childish and as it were an artificiall or painted complexion whereof a man boasteth vainely pust vp in his ignorant minde Hi volunt se primos omnium rerum esse nec sunt but the other is modest and humble For it is gotten by reading in the Bookes of God Yet aâ— the Booke of the Word being sealed vp or clasped affoordeth no knowledge Esay 29. 11. no more doe the creatures when our eyes are held The creatures sound out the maiesty power wisedome iustice goodnesse mercy glory of God as also the corruption folly shame vanity and misery of man For in them he may see his nakednesse his curse But the foole perceiueth nothing of all that is before him Hee neither beholdeth the glory of God in them with praise and feare nor his owne nakednesse and brutishnesse with shame If God open our eyes and eares yea giue life vnto ouâ— dead senses vnfolding this booke vnto vs then shall we be able to reade in this booke the Spirit shall bring all things to our remembrance we heare and see confusedly in a slumber and vnperfectly as children and shall gine vs ripe vnderstanding in all things both to behold the reuerend and glorious wisedome of God in his workmanship as Dauid saith I am fearefully and wonderfully made and his secret counsell with his goodnesse in the vse of those his vessels and the effect and vse of that vanity that is in them In one generation may a man obserue and know euen by sight all things whatsoeuer haue beene taught by word or writing diuine or humane since the beginning of the world forasmuch as all things are the same in their circular courses But if a man be not guided by the Spirit his obseruations are but superstitious and false rules his readings erroneous yea though he hath read all Bookes and hath not roote or seede in himselfe he is but in a maze tossed too and fro hearing and seeing as in a dreame In a word he wants wisedome he hath no learning Wherefore men must not presume aboue their gift nor runne before they be called but worke according to their talent And behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit After that he had trauelled for knowledge and obtained knowledge now thirdly he taketh a reuiew or reflection in his minde thereof to consider what benefit or fruit redounded or might redound to him thereby and with all presently determineth the case most plaine and euident And when I had sought and searched and knowne what I could Behold marke consider and remember what I say All is vanity both knowledge and things knowne euery thing was empty of good full of euill I had nothing but labour for trauell After that Solomon had knowne all things not by their shadowes and pictures namely by reading bookes and relation of voice but seene with his owne eyes and things seene most affect and please yet he found no profit of this his labour no contentation no happy rest Why Because all was but vanity and vexation of spirit or the feeding of the soule with winde The Hebrew word signifieth either in differently He got nothing but labour for his trauaile and griefe for his care Contrarily he that drinketh the waters of life his thirst shall be quenched Iohn 4. and he that eateth the bread of life his hunger shall be satisfied Iohn 6. There is the true and euerlasting foode of the soule which onely giueth contentation that foolish man so greedily else-where seeketh for but neuer
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
signifieth order Psal 110. 4. and Barar signifieth to chuse to purge to declare whereof commeth Berurim choyce men set vp in dignity namely Princes Rulers Gouernours Officers ordained of God for peaceable honest and happy life which abusing themselues and their places are to mans reason as but stronger and more subtile beasts preying vpon the weaker and more simple harmelesse Againe they may be translated thus that they might cleere or iustifie God and see that they themselues are beasts and therefore vanity it selfe euen out of measure vaine Lastly thus that God had purged them id est created them pure holy and righteous in his owne image in the beginning yet to see to in this state of degeneration or corruption they are in themselues as beasts accordingly as he saith Chap. 7. 31. God hath made man righteous but they haue sought out many inuentions and Psal 49. 20. Man that is in honour and vnderstandeth not is like the beasts that perish Which of these interpretations is the most genuine and naturall I leaue to euery mans iudgement Verse 19. For that which befalleth the sonnes of men befalleth beasts euen one thing befalleth them all as the one dyeth so dyeth the other yea they haue all one breath so that a man hath no preheminence aboue a beast for all is vanity THe apt coherence of these three verses following with the former intimate that the last interpretation is the most proper For they are a reason prouing the corruption vanity vilenesse and misery of proud man by comparing him to beasts whose frailety corruption or vanity is Gods iudgement vpon man In them may hee behold his sinne and his corporall punishments for sinne before his eyes if otherwise he be insensible which are the fore-runners and beginning of eternal torments and sencelesnesse is a iudgement of God vpon the reprobate This like condition of man and beast to carnall iudgement is set downe in these three verses which similitude or likenesse made the Epicures to thinke that the estate and condition of them both was all one and consequently that to eate drinke and play was the chiefe good or onely felicity of man For wee see by daily experience that man and beast are subiect to the like casualties and misfortunes how men vexe deuoure lye in waite insnare kill c. one another as beasts doe how they die as beasts doe hauing the same causes of corruption in them with beasts They haue the same breath whereby they liue the same spirit whereby they moue the same senses the same inward and outward members and in bodily shape many beasts come neere vnto him and he is subiect to deformities and all infirmities in his kinde as much and more then they So that in outward state hee hath no preheminence aboue the beast For he cannot longer vse the things of this World nor carry any thing away with him more then the beast doth The reason is because all is vanity Therefore there is no difference Verse 20. All goe vnto one place all are of the dust and all turne to dust againe A Commoration All goe to one place that is both men and beast are dissolued againe into their elements For God created all things of the dust and all turne to dust againe There is the same matter of man and beast Some thinke that beast was made of the earth and man of the dust of the earth to wit either of mire or else of the dust that lyeth on the sur-face of the earth But that is an idle contention For mire and dust and earth are all one and the same in essence or substance When the raine falleth on the earth it is mire when the Sunne extracteth the moisture out of it it is dust So that the whole earth is nothing but dust or mire whether you will Therefore man was not made of baser matter then beast as some say but rather of better For Adam signifieth red earth or red dust or red mire All is one without any difference And Solomon saith here all are of the dust or earth which by the figure Synecdoche signifieth all the elements whereof earth in earthly things is predominant and water in the creatures thereof No element is simple or pure but it hath a mixture of other elements also to be the Chaos or nurse of their sundry creatures which in their purity they could not be So that earthly things are most earth especially the more particular or simpler creatures as mettals stones trees c. Yet water ayre and fire also with which the element of earth is mixed By vertue of which mixture man and beast are made of the other elements as well as of the earth Verse 21. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpward and the spirit of a beast that goeth downe-ward to the earth A Continuance of the commoration figured by the preuention of an obiection thus There is great difference betweene man and beast For mans brutall nature and spirit is but the plasme or vessell of his soule which is not compound or mixed with it but onely vnited to it Therefore when this fraile vessell is broken or dissolued the immortall spirit or soule ascendeth to God that gaue it and the vessell againe is absumed into the elements whereof it was formed But the spirit of a beast is nothing but the quintessence the purest and prime of his body or his life which consisteth in the harmony or vnion of the elements and so not being another essence separable from the body it dyeth with the body Ans This is indeed the holy and diuine truth but now speaking of the worldly outward and miserable state of man as it appeareth to humaine senses and reason who can by any signe or token or skill of Anatomy find out any differing wayes of these spirits What man can shew me the ascending of mans spirit into heauen or the descending of the beasts spirit into the earth namely the dispersing thereof into the elements If a man say that the spirit of man ascends vpwards into the firmament how can he let me see that but if it doe then doth the beasts so also For the firmament is but the quintessence or prime of the elements as the spirit is of the body according to Plato And be it that by humaine reason a man may easily demonstrate the immortality of the soule as the learned heathen haue all done yet what is that to the outward worldly state of man liuing Man whiles hee is man and of man we onely speake not of spirits is no better then beast So that to conclude Seeing that it is with man as with beast there is no profit no contentment no rest no durable prosperity no happinesse at all in this cursed confused brutall world but all is vanity Verse 22. Wherefore I perceiue that there is nothing better then that a man should reioyce in his owne workes for that is his portion for who shall bring him
Sodomites that all men may see what horrible filth lyeth in the heart of euery man which God restraineth for the preseruation of man-kinde for his Elect sake otherwise the Diuell is come downe and rideth vpon mans appetite The appetite multiplyeth it selfe infinitely For of all the millions of the liuing among whom the World is diuided euery one hath an appetite of all which sheweth it selfe in the vehemency and extreamity of mens striuings and aspirings higher and higher one roaring waue or billow beating forward another to ouerflow the banks and to conuert all into sea if God had not limited their line within which euery man is bounded when hee hath inhiated striuen and done what he can His might shall neuer be to his moode For God hath set hill against dale and contrarily But what the appetite of him that hath but one acre of ground to liue on and but one wife is in the nature and kinde thereof without outward restraint or inward grace and indeed both plainely appeareth by these two examples which may serue for all Therefore all the labour of man is for his body and bodily state but the appetite is not filled Moreouer if the bodily appetite should be satisfied with meate drinke apparrell with the delights of the sonnes of men and pleasures of the eyes and that the personall appetite were also satisfied with honor and Soueraignty which happened neither to Alexander nor to Heliogabalus nor to any naturall man yet cannot the soule be satisfied with infinite worlds For the food of the soule is not the world but God in the world The excellent beauty of Gods wisedome shining forth in all things enamoureth the soule with the loue thereof And the more that a man knoweth the more he thirsteth and longeth for knowledge But this appetite is not filled for it worketh on an infinite obiect which cannot be comprehended nor contained in the soule at least while it worketh by earthly organes So that neither Alexander nor yet his Master Aristotle nor Plato Aristotles Master could be satissied herewith Their appetites could not be stanched Hee that goeth about it maketh God an Idoll because he limiteth the infinite But if he be comprehended of any creature in heauen or earth then is he limited I conclude though the appetite of the body should be filled yet the appetite of man could neuer be filled Then full contentment or felicity is not to be found in this world nor by this world and the appetite that will not be filled with a little shall neuer be filled howsoeuer men commonly deceiue themselues thinking that if they had but this or that they would set vp their rest Yea euen as Diues would haue set vp his rest if he had gotten but one drop of water to quench his feruent thirst The truth is the more fuell the fire hath the more hot it burneth But the spirit of Christ is the water that cooles this heate and quencheth this thirst his body and blood satisfieth this hunger When the appetite the attractiue retentiue digestiue powers worke on this foode the other becommeth an excretion or expulsion But againe though we enioy Christ and the kingdome of glory by faith yet so long as we are here in the flesh wee haue not the full possession thereof 1. Ioh. 3. 1. and therefore desire to be with him 2 Cor. 5. 1. 2. To conclude Neither the appetite of the brutish man nor of the animall or carnall man nor of the spirituall man is here filled And what shal fill the vegetable man or locomotiue tree which desireth not meat drinke cloathing women children buildings c. Eccle. 4. 8. And yet is there none end of his labour Men now a dayes grow as thinne as Oakes begin to grow and all is filled with brutes and vnprofitable vegetables Verse 8. For what hath the wise more then the foole What hath the poore that knoweth to walke before the liuing A Confirmation of his former proposition concerning the insufficiency and weakenesse of earthly things to satisfie the appetite in their vse figured by a prolepsis and that by a Communication What can the wise man doe more with these worldly things then the foole And what can the rich man in all his abundance doe more with it then the poore doth without it The Hebrew is thus What more excellent or better thing by them is to the wise man then to the foole and what other thing is to the poore then to him that knoweth to walke before the liuing Then to him that can put forth himselfe put himselfe in prease make a shew or crackling noise carry a good account for doing good vnto himselfe Psal 49. 18. This I thinke the Hebrew directly intendeth Neither the wise man by his wisedome nor the rich man by his power strength and skill to order them for the best can doe more with them then bring their bodies to the ground in the full period of their times But this the foole and the poore doe as well as they andwhen they are all in the graue what difference is there of their bones And if there were any what is of their dust If the rich and the wise can do no more with them then the poore and the foolish then is there no strength in riches to full contentation or felicity Verse 9. Better is the sight of the eyes then the wandring of the desire This is also vanity and vexation of spirit AN amplification of the former reason further figured by another prolepsis thus Seeing that God hath giuen the earth and worldly goods to men for the sustenance and pleasures of the body they are a blessing and tokens of his loue and the beholding of them with the eye affordeth some contentment and satisfieth the desire of the soule And although perfect happinesse consisteth not therein yet it is much better then a wandring desire which longeth after many things and wanteth necessaries which the body naturally calleth for and prouoketh a man to seeke for though he would neuer so much inforce himselfe to restfull contentation He that hath a good competency and sufficiencie to cheere his body with comfortable things and to liue in good account and credit among the better sort is of a more stayed desire and hath loy in himselfe aboue him that hath lesse and is alwayes wishing complaining crauing c. Ans Be it so yet in these things that he possesseth there is vanity and vexation of spirit There is no soundnesse but rottennesse Misery may be mitigated but it can neuer be cured Verse 10. That which hath beene is named already and it is knowne that it is man neither may he contend with him that is mightier than hee A Confirmation of his iudgement or censure deliuered in his former briefe answere This is also vanity c. by two arguments The former whereof is drawne from the notation of mans name That which hath beene whatsoeuer it is for outward respects is already named
is left naked and exposed to many dangers and euils But as I said before it cannot hold out in comparison with wisedome For it is more excellent in that it giueth life to the owners thereof Money is but as drugges and lenitiue oyntments to mitigate the swellings and diseases of the body whose root remaineth still within and pullulateth againe after the same or some other manner but wisedome is a spirit incorporated into the radicall humour giuing health strength and life to the body to extirpate the rootes of all diseases The life of a man standeth not in his riches but wisedome giueth life By wisedome is not meant worldly craftinesse and the deepe counsels of sinners which is nothing but execrable malice and follie Ecclâ—s 19. 22. but that which is ioyned with the feare of God It is the knowledge of the law and works of God and the practise of his wisedome is prudence by which a man is directed alwaies in the best safest and neerest way to happinesse Monie is ordered by wisedome For without wisedome it is but a knife in a childes hand For the prosperitie of fooles shall destroy them Prou. 1. 23. The rich man trusted to riches Luk. 12. 19. Diues trusted to riches Luk. 16. The king of Tyrs trusted to riches Ezech. 28. Haman trusted to his wealth so did Craesus King of Lydia Nabuchadnezzar trusted to the strength of Babilon and Xerxes to the multitude of his souldâ—ers as did Senacherib also But these defences were nothing For riches auaileth not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse deliuereth from death The wicked in hell confesse too late Wisd 5. 8. What hath pride profited vs or the pompe of riches brought vs If a man hath tooles and want wisedome to vse them what is he the better Nabal was a rich foole and his riches for want of wisedome destroyed him But thou wilt say what can a wise man doe without riches But wisedome is good with an inheritance Yea and without an inheritance For if a wise man desire riches he can by wisedome obtaine riches and honour for out of the prison-house commeth he to raigne as Solomon said before If he desire not temporall goods he is rich already For no man wanteth that which he desireth not nor yet desireth that which hee needeth not The wise man is rich in God he hath therefore whatsoeuer is for his good and more is but a superfluity If pouerty be the way to life and riches the way to death whether is the better way Whether is the better defence or shadow Whether is the better that is brought lowe to rise higher as Iob was or that riseth high to fall as Haman did Wisedome is a strong Tower to the wise but a rich man is a shippe tossed on the waues But a wise man with riches is better then a wise man without monie I but tiches infatuate the heart of the wise and are often a snare to him For he that hath riches commonly wanteth himselfe they are strong tempters and therefore wicked Mammon Howsoeuer a man is more troubled to keepe a good conscience with riches then he that wanteth them Neither indeede can a wise man want seeing that there is as much vse of wisedome and the wise as of wealth and the rich For the world is gouerned by wisedome not by riches Therefore wisedome shall alwaies haue the preheminence and riches attending on it Verse 13. Consider the worke of God for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked AS before he propounded in generall the profit and excellencie of wisedome to arme a man against impatience and all other vanities so here he beginneth to expresse the benefit and vse thereof more particularly shewing what the practise of wisedome is and how it is a defence comfort and life to a man in this vale of misery First the practise of wisdome standeth in a right consideration of the workes of God verse 13. The right consideration of the workes of God is not to search into the depth of his vnsearchable wisedome but to rest contented in the worke of his ordinance He doth all things after the counsell of his owne will No man is his counsellour his owne counsel must stand Therfore consider the worke of God All things are ordered by the wisedome of God and it is thy wisdome not to coyne worlds and policies at thy pleasure and will by violence and turnings of deuices but thou must rest and relie on God and let him worke his owne worke otherwise impatience shall carry thee headlong into sinne against God and against thy selfe The reason of this practise is in the next words figured by a communication For who can make that straight which he hath made crooked If thou seest oppression and wrong and peruerting of iustice which may mooue thee to impatience anger reuenge insurrection c. oppose not sinne against sinne but feare God and know that God is euen now in doing a worke of iustice on some by these and afterward will doe a worke of iustice on these If Iosiah the best King that euer raigned will needes goe out to fight against Pharaoh whom the Lord had sent out for an executioner of iustice he shall be slaine The Lord maketh vse of crooked things for his glorie which thou canst neuer make straight Walke thou vprightly and speake thou vprightly that they may know their crookednesse if so be that God will reueale it to them and returne to thy vprightnesse if God giue them power to lay it to heart but let their crookednesse be their owne and fall vpon their owne heads Rest thou on God tarrie his leisure all times and workes are in his hands They cannot be hastened nor slackned by the wit or strength of man Verse 14. In the day of prosperity be ioyfull but in the day of aduersitie consider God also hath set the one ouer against the other to the end that man should finde nothing after him SEcondly the practise of wisedome stands in the right vse of the times and seasons which are in Gods owne hands These seasons are either of prosperity or aduersity of wealth or want of peace or troubles In the day of prosperity be ioyfull when God giueth thee thy hearts desire for the necessitie and comfort of thy body receiue it thankefully vse it ioyfully cheere thine heart therewith and let others be partakers of thy ioy For to what other purpose hath God sent it Make not a curse of his blessing nor his goodnesse an occasion of sinne either by depriuing thy selfe or others of the vse thereof or by abusing the same to the hurt of thy body or mischieuing of others Glorifie God in peace and plenty comfort thy selfe glad the heart of thy neighbour let him praise God in the feeling of his blessings with thee and not enuy thy wicked prosperity But in the day of aduersity consider Fall not to vnprofitable murmuring grudging complaining cursing c. It is
grindeth a man and his estate all to powder Secondly her subtile deuices are compared to snares nets As the fowler and fisher are skilfull to catch fowles fishes by their snares and nets which otherwise are out of mans power and reach so the harlot by her wilie deuises insnareth the wise by inflaming lust in them which blindeth their vnderstandings bringeth their soules in the end into the bondage of the body the Harlot and the Deuil How she maketh and setteth her snares and nets Solomon depainteth out by an hypotyposis or liuely description Pro. 7. 10. to the end Her bates or songs are pleasant witty and sugred words Pro. 5. 3. The lips of a strange woman droppe as an home combe and her mouth is smoother than oyle She is subtle both by words and gestures to kindle lust to enamour and rauish the simple with the loue of her she maketh her selfe a beautifull and precious Iewelin his eyes she transformeth her selfe to delude the sences like a lugler draweth the imagination after her shewes to make him phantasticate on her as an angell whereupon she seemeth to be an angell in his deluded eyes when she is indeed but an Empusa Lamia Strix a beastly whore to be put to grinde in the house of correction acommon pocky Iade And her hands are as bands After that she hath once entangled their affections she then bindeth them as prisoners are bound as Delilah did Sampson and leadeth them to hell She in effect saith as Delilah did The Philistims be vpon thee Sampson death and destruction be vpon thee my sweet heart Prou. 7. 27. Her house is the way to hell going downe to the chambers of death She kisseth shee imbraceth the foole in her armes she ioyneth hand in hand she dallieth she mingleth now and then a discord with her lasciuious concords to whet the affections but her armes are ropes wherewith the gentle louing beast is bound for the slaughter and the feete of the spider inwrapping the bee or flie in her copwebs Yet are these simple ones strongest and the wisest also in their owne conceits and so are they led as an Oxe to the slaughter and as a foole to the stocks Prou. 7. 22. This of the illustration Who so pleaseth God shall escape from her Here he amplifieth her deuillish subtilties by the power and force thereof in the persons tempted First negatiuely onely he that feareth God as did Ioseph shall escape from her or he that is good before God in his election being taken by her shall escape from her though he be through humane frailtie for a time deluded by her For the elect may fall but neither wholly nor finally The seede of grace shall be of force in the end to ouer-power her force Secondly affirmatiuely but the sinner shall be taken by her He whom God hath forsaken shall be surely taken by her he shall neuer be able to ouercome the strength of her temptations but giue place to his fleshly lusts prouoked and inflamed by her For she is the rod of Gods indignation vpon the sinner and her house is the wide gate and broad way that leadeth to hell Verse 27. Behold this haue I found saith the Preaecher counting one by one to finde out the accompt Verse 28. Which yet my soule seeketh but I finde not one man among a thousand haue I found but a woman among all those haue I not found A Confirmation of the infinitenesse of the harlots wicked subtilties and the fooles madnesse by the impossibility of finding it out Behold A note of a wonder of attention and serious consideration of vehement asseueration and of sensible proofe For a man will beleeue what hee seeth or else nothing behold consider thinke well of it see in your owne experience if it be not true This haue I found counting one by one to finde out the accompt That is to say weighing one thing after another or diligently searching out by discourse and obseruation all the subtilties and deuices of the harlot and the mischiefes that insue thereof Which yet my soule seeketh I still desire to finde out her turning of deuices her innumerable plots and fetches her blindings her variable trans-forming of her selfe to worke vpon the affections as the Musitian turneth his instrument to what tune he pleaseth But I find not That is there is none end of her wickednes Shee is thespawne and fountaine of all manner of euils For euery word and gesture is a world of deceits Her apparrell and euery part theseof her motion countenances lookes glaunces frownes flickerings are innumerable Shee fils the mind full of fancies configurateth them as she list like a deuill She stirreth vp the flesh into rebellion against the spirit like a deuill Omnia spirant delos Her fingers are snakes her words drops of poyson she weepeth with the crocodile louingly and compassionately her eyes streame out the venime of the cokatrice she hath Hyaenaes voyce and deuoureth as Leuiathan For she bringeth the foole into a paradise of pleasure but his out-gate at the last is the stocks pocks gallowes hell Saith the Preacher A confirmation of the truth of this discourse and obseruation concerning the infinite wickednesse of these subtle fooles made fooles by the testimony of the person searching discoursing obseruing The Preacher a man of age and experience and exercised all his life in the studies of wisedome and knowledge of all things good and euill One man of a thousand haue I found q. d. there is a possibility to find out the subtle deuices and turnings of men that are wise and wil-full in euill though they giue themselues ouer to delude ensnare For there is some curbe of reason some small remorse whereby their wayes are something more plaine they all deuiate not altogether from the principles of humanity into diabolicall falshood cruelty and shamelesnesse and so some few of them may be found out and comprehended But a woman among all those haue I not found there is not one of these witty wicked harlots can be found out i. their infinite wayes and deuillish deuices to deceiue circumuent ensnare yea and to spoyle by subtlety and cruelty is not to be comprehended by the reason of man because the wicked woman is reasonlesse remorselesse sencelesse dead in sinne her proceedings and sudden enterprises are vnnaturall and voide of all reason her spirit is buried and extinguished in her lusts and so hath Sathan more power ouer her and more powerfully worketh by her Therefore her strange deuices deceits pleasing allurements yea and her cruelties also are like the deuils Though Ahab had sold himselfe to commit wickednesse and was euen sicke of his couetous desire yet such a wicked and sudden plot whereby to obtaine his desire neuer entred into his minde or if into his minde yet not into his heart to act it without further prouocation as that of Iezabels in murthering innocent Naboth Verse 29. Loe this onely haue I found that
or gift of money of an house or of some land out of their superfluity They haue indeed made many good bargaines in their life and this is one of the best The earnest penny indeede is offered if it will be receiued but heauen cannot be so bought A wise man goeth forth to his worke in the morning he taketh the day before him but this person will beginne at Sunne-set if at all when the gates of the Citty are shut In the time of life I heard him say often that all things may be done for mony and with the bribe hath he procured himselfe much fauour and auoyded deserued punishment and the beast thinketh now to deale so with God For I see no token of a penitent and contrite heart nor sorrow for sinne but iustifying of himselfe no restitution but onely a gift giuen out of superfluity and sometimes nothing at all Vpon the waters An illustration of the right manner of giuing by a similitude of Seede or Bread sowne or cast vpon the Seas signifying not only the sincerity and freedome of the heart in giuing but also the persons to whom it is giuen The wise worldling thinketh that whatsoeuer is giuen is lost and if neither profit nor praise of men nor any thing redound at all to him againe hee counteth it quite lost Therefore respecting himselfe onely in euery thing neither can hee doe otherwise hee counteth that which is giuen to the poore Minister who is nearest vnto God cleerly cast away because the worldling is either Popish or Turkish either an hypocrite or plaine ethnicke neither would he haue any man that feareth God to haue any thing His spirit telleth him that he is of the world and hath his portion in this life onely therefore he claymeth the world as his owne right to himselfe and such as are seruiceable and pleasing to his flesh Their spirit I say sayth as their father the diuell sayd Luc. 4. All is mine and I giue it to whom I will The children of God are not for the profit or praise of worldlings therefore would they haue the world rid of them They cry with open mouth away with them The persons to whom we must giue are the poore such as need our reliefe and almes that is such as are not able to labour for liuing by reason of sicknesse age c. These poore are either good or else prophane idle Belials donaughts The good are those that liue honestly and labour truly for their liuing as health and strength will permit and are thankfull to God and to their benefactors These are a fertile soyle worth the cost and labour and plenty of good seed For that which is done to them is done to Christ himselfe He calleth them his brethren Math. 25. 40. and his little ones To these must we doe good especially or else it is a sure token that the loue of God is not in vs. For he that seeth his brother haue need and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Againe the Law sayth Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe The Macedonians were willing to their power and beyond their power to relieue their poore brethren 2. Cor. 8. 3. yet it is not meant that a man should ease others and burthen himselfe as he that lendeth his money without increase to him that is richer then himselfe and in the meane time wanteth necessaries vers 13. but to make an equality in supplying one anothers want vers 14. Neither is this meant to confound callings for euery one must be content with his calling as Paul sayth of seruants c. but to relieue mens wants in their callings yea and friendly to helpe them forward not to enuy and suppresse on euery side that we our selues may be aloft alone and haue all at our owne disposing Neither yet in wants is it meant of an Arithmeticall equality but Geometricall as the Philosophers say that reliefe be giuen according to the need and worthinesse of the person I say worthinesse for the houshold of faith is specially to be relieued though our All-alikes can abide no difference except in this that as the world loueth his owne so do they most affect their rascals and claw-backs Herein they make a difference for to these are they very bountifull when they will not bestow a good looke vpon a poore Minister nor honest poore man these must licke their liuing of the thorne and chew vpon the bridle They will haue no difference at all of grace and morality this difference the Papist cannot abide morality and flattery infirmities and prophanenesse but all must be alike But when all is alike that is to say darknesse and carnality for that their spirit intendeth then will their pride make distinctions and degrees enough And this is nothing but to draw all from God that they themselues might be gods censuring and iudging iustifying and condemning helping and forsaking men accordingly as they please and as they are pleased The other sort of poore are neuer-goods or doe-naughts that haue liued idlely and brought themselues into want and in want are still idle and thanklesse abusing themselues euen in that litle which they haue and is giuen them These are a barren soyle for a man to cast his seede vpon They are water that consumeth and rotteth the seede or bread that is cast into it and so in respect of them it is lost For they are rather ready to speake euill and doe uill to those that doe them good and walke about with lies yet in their necessity and misery must we help them though they be naught because we our selues are good euen the children of God and followers of God who causeth the raine to fall and the Sunne to shine vpon all Christ healed the nine vnthankefull Leapers as well as the tenth and he did good to vs when wee were his enemies He prayed for his persecuters for he came to saue not to destroy And Salomon sayth Doe good for the commaundement sake Relieue the godly in loue the euill in pittie we may be sure of this that our gift to the euil in that sense shall doe vs good and him good also and more happly then we are aware of this being excepted that wee minister not matter to his wickednesse I meane that our liberalitie be not meanes to maintayne his idlenesse drunkennesse whooredome c. to our knowledge Yet many are too wise too circumspect heerein they proue naught in seeming to be too good In this case lend to the poore and lend not and if he be without grace or gouernment put thy meate into his mouth but let him not finger thy money neyther be surety for such lest the weight of his folly be layd on thy backe For hee hath the plague and would haue all alike with him The prodigall loueth not parsimony His nature is to vndoe all that deale with him and follow his humours neyther regarde his serpentine tongue it is