be taken away and the golden Ewer broken THat is before thine eating and drinking slake which is cōpared to a siluer corde and to a rundlet of golde or whéele or ringe of golde For as a whéele or circle runneth about and commeth to his circle againe So meate and drinke alwaies returne and are in déede lyke to a siluer string because our lyfe hangeth and dependeth on them Before the Pytcher be broken at the well and the wheele at the Cesterne THat is before thy breath and lyfe faile thée Our body is lyke to a pitcher which hath alwayes néede of reparation The whele vpon the cesterne is the stomacke and other members which giue instrument to the body And the dust returne to the earth as it was in the beginning SAlomon hath a respect to the place of Genesis 2. Chapiter as if he should say After death dust returneth to earth as it was before We were all dust therefore when we dye we returne to dust as we were before And the spirit returne to God that gaue it ANd here also he hath respect to an other place of Gene. in the same chapter The Lorde God breathed into the face of man breath of lyfe He appointeth not whether the spirit goeth but saith it returneth to God from whence it came For as we know not whereof God made the spirit euen so we know not whether it goeth Vanitie of vanities sayth the Preacher and all is but vanitie HE concludeth hys booke with the same saying wherewith he begonne it and addeth a cōmendation to his doctrine and an exhortation that we should not be led about with straunge and diuers learninges but abide in that that hath béene taught vs For this is a great misery that when God hath sett vp his worde and good teachers by and by start vp heretikes and wicked teachers which through emulatiō draw the people after thē Thus all the Apostles care was to keepe vs in holsome doctrine But thys peruersenes is the holsome doctrine and worde of God compelled to beare when God rayseth vp his worde in come heretikes and Apes that will counterfet hys word Moses appointed a seruice for god and certeine Ceremonies and forthwith certeine Apes erected Idols Thus in all Artes and Sciences it commeth to passe If there be a good Poet he wanteth not his zoili If there be a good Artificer there will be counterfets to follow hym Thus all Artes haue their imitators that is their destroyers But this of all other is the worst that the multitude foloweth these fooles and preferre them before the true Artificers as Christ sayd of them They shall deceaue many This is it that Salomon in this place complaineth on This Preacher was not onely wyse but also taught the people knowledge he was very diligent sought forth and gathered together many Parables THat is this preacher gaue himselfe altogither to teach the people truely but it succéeded not nor followed He was a very diligent man he sought how to set all thinges in good order he was diligent in teaching He appointed ordered many thinges in excellent wyse but where are they that listen to hym and receaue his learning There foloweth no more fruite but wordes For eyther he hath no hearers or els wicked teachers and peruerters succéede He sought to finde out pleasaunt wordes and vprightly to write the worde of trueth THat is he laboured to profit mē with holesome and worthy wordes or as Paule speaketh it with wordes worthy of all acceptation and he truly wrote the wordes of trueth He did not wrappe or folde them vp in darknes as these imitators doe who by reason they vnderstoode not thinges rightly can not teach rightly For Aristotle sayth it is a tokē that a man hath knowledge that can teach well And Demosthenes being demaunded how a man should teach well aunswered if he spake nothing but that he knew and vnderstoode well For he that hath good vnderstāding is able well to teach And this is a commendation of the author as if he should say he taught very well and plainely in so much that by his booke a man may vnderstand what to thinke what to take in hand what to doe or to leaue vndone The wordes of the wyse are lyke goades and like nayles fastened by the masters of the Assemblies and geuen by one Pastour HEre he exhorteth vs that we be not led about with diuers and straunge doctrines as if he should say you haue a notable master and teacher beware therfore of new teachers For the wordes of this master are goades and nayles that is they are planted and set fast They be fastened Such are the words of Dauid and of the Prophets The words of the inconstant wauering mē be as skūme vpon the water And of this place I coniecture there were certeine bookes and histories and to digeste them into certeine annalles and Chronicles of the Hebrewes and to compacte all other bookes in order thereby to purchase authoritie vnto the bookes and to ratifie and allow those that were worthy to be read So there are many authors that haue written Bibles But of them all those onely are receaued and allowed which at this day we call the Bible This it is therfore that he would say Take héede my sonne that thou stick fast to those bookes that are receaued as for other set them at naught because these wyse men haue set them at naught For it commeth to passe that when one good booke is set forth ten other euil be set forth again as may be séen in our dayes But the words of the wyse are firme true which a man may take holde on For they are nailes fastened they haue their authoritie of the men of the congregation Other bookes are not lyke them But are geuen by one Pastour THat is to say one kyng being Pastour hath appointed wisemen to peruse and allow bookes These men in this booke haue acknowledged the holy ghost and allowed it to be had of the people Thus were the Gospelles receaued and allowed of the Fathers that is the Fathers acknowledged the holy Ghost to be in them Now we must not hereof inferre therefore the Church or Fathers are aboue the Gospelles As it followeth not I know God to be the true and lyuing God and his worde Ergo I am aboue God and his worde As he is not aboue the Prince that acknowledgeth the Prince nor aboue his father that acknowledgeth his father euen so in this These men teach not this Pastour but receaue of our Pastour So I make a difference among bookes and say this Epistle is Apostolike and this is not Now this is nothing els but to beare witnes vnto the trueth Now followeth the exhortation ¶ Of other bookes beside these my sonne take thou heede THat is followe those bookes which are allowed of them that haue the holy ghoste and haue acknowledged them to be geuen
then is there néede of a wyse workmā that is It must be a cunning workmā that can well whet out an olde rustye Axe So it is néedefull he be a wyse man that can handsomly vse such euill tooles that is the worlde and such peruerse and vntoward men Men by nature are disspitefull But God hath authorized such men that at least they myght therfore be obeyed For he sayth I will that thou be obedient vnto this man for if thou disobeyest him thou contemnest me But yet they obey not by this neyther Therfore publyke gouernāce or howse keping is but such a rustie toole as is spoken of Vse therfore the same hatchet thou hast sins thou cāst handle none other as saith the Prouerbe He that hath no lyme must builde his wall with doonge or lome If thou be an householder or an officer thinke thou hast this rusty iron that is such as thou cāst not rule nor wil be ruled occupie it and cut with it as the canst that thou maist at least kéepe some parte and shew of a common weale For men shall neuer be able to doe so well in a common weale but much euel shall remaine there still Therefore he must be a good woorkeman that can so sharpen an olde rustye iron that yet he can vse it handsomely These are the thinges that must comforte vs in such cases If the Serpent byte when he is not charmed no better is a babler and blab of tounge THis perteyneth also to the common weale As a serpēt sayth he vncharmed that is vnknowen or vnlooked for for a serpēt that is charmed byteth not because he obeyeth the charmers voyce euen so byteth a blabbe of his toung Neyther is a blab of his toung better then a byting Serpent for he is not master of his owne tounge he curseth or speaketh euell of his ruler and gouernour Euen so it fareth whether in publike or priuate gouernaunce If thou be an housekéeper thou shall doe many thinges that shal offende thy wyfe and familie c. Emongst whom thou shalt fynde some that wil depraue the well doinges which the euill disposed will carry abrode to the Citizens and neighbours and this also thou shalte be compelled to beare with Thou shalt to thy power withstand it but if thou be not able to let it thou must suffer it It is in déede a tedious and greuous case to be thus dishonestly rayled at by tounges of ill willers thou not wytting it but what shalt thou doo These slaunders and detractors thou canst not stop Onely stop thine eyes eares do that thou art able Euen as we be compelled to beare with the woordes and workes of men that resist vs For the worlde will not cease to persecute magistrates and those that giue them good counsell The wordes of a wyse mans mouth haue grace but the lips of a foole deuoureth him THat is to say a wise man ordereth his doinges well and with a kynde of grace but because he is amonge euill tounges he hath litle successe For the detractor commeth and deuoureth and ouerwhelmeth the good mā with his words for so referre I this worde him to the wise man not to the foole For the word of the wyse that hath in it such grace is made in effectuall through the taulke of the foole If a good and wise man geue good counsell the slaunderer and deprauer cōmeth and ouerturneth his counsell So happened it to Paule in the Actes when he was in shippwracke Menne and bretherne sayth he you ought to haue obeyed me and to haue ryd it out in Creta c. To conclude the foole deuoureth the wyse and the woorse syde still preuaileth †The beginning of his woordes is foolishnes and the latter ende of his taulke is madnes THat is to saye thus it happeneth to fooles which will seeme wyse and iudge all other fooles in cōparison of thēselues whether they begin or make an ende yea all their taulke is nothing but foolishnes And the more a foole goeth about to séeme wise the more he plaieth the foole and yet he preuaileth aboue the wyse mā and deuoureth his good counsels Euen as the Pharises preuailed against Christ the best preacher the Iewes and false Apostles against the Apostles The Arrianes deuoured the good teachers in their dayes And we in these dayes preache Christ but the heretikes persecute and deuoure vs But let vs yet looke for greater matters taking it for a vauntage in the meane season that yet we retaine kéepe some goodnes for that some holde fast the true doctrine ¶ The foole multiplieth woordes A Wise mā dispatcheth briefly and in fewe woordes what he thinketh for truth is content with plaine and simple vtteraunce but fooles haue aboundance of wordes and can by no wordes be made holde their peace but for one worde will geue a thousand Thus Christ vsed allwayes in fewe wordes to aunswere the lawyers and Pharisies when they slaunderously sayd his doctrine was of the deuell and not of God. ¶ Man knoweth not what is before him who can tell him what shall be after him THat is man séeth not things present which are in his sight he is neuer cōtented with thinges present his eye is stil on other men and on things to come leauing that God hath geuen and appointed for him Now is the Gospel geuē vs but we geue our selues to other thinges but of this hath inough beene said before The labour of the foolishe doth weary him for hee knoweth not how to get into the Citie THat is although fooles multiplye wordes and preuaile yet get they naught thereby but multiplication of toyle and labour They scorne cast day and night with themselues how to bring their matters to passe but this trauell doth nothing but more and more disquyet them And these two contraries are to be well noted The foole of hys labour reapeth misery the wyse man myrth When the foole séeth that his deuise commeth not to passe he is vexed and troubled in his mynde for he can not nor knoweth not how to commit the successe vnto god But the wyse mā at all times is still of one mynde because he knoweth that thinges be not ruled by mās coūsels and deuises but by the will and appointment of god To him therefore he committeth all successe effect of his deuises They know not how to goe into the Citie THis is an Hebrew phrase such as is to be seene in the Psalmes and the way of the citie they haue not knowē that is they goe vp and downe wādring and can not hit on the way how to come to rest For all wayes lead to some place where men are dwelling but they wander in all wayes they continue in none whereas wise men abide in the way and kéepe their place although diuers daungers and impedimentes happen because they foresaw this woulde come to passe Let euery man therefore goe about hys
Sunne The miserie of a couetous man. All things that haue beginning shall decay A mouth wyth the Hebrewes signifieth a kynde of measure Euery maÌ„ must apply his vocatioÌ„ Be content with thine owne estate Who lyketh an others estate hateth his owne Of what wise men fooles SalomoÌ„ speaketh A looking glasse Women watching in the temple of the lord We must enioy thinges preseÌ„t not seeke after things away He repreheÌ„deth vnstable mindes desirous of other mens welfare There shal be alwayes vnstable meÌ„ couetous desirous of other mens goods Euery maÌ„s trade of life is appointed of God. All thinges ordeyned appointed of God. Be content wyth thine estate The doctrine comming by histories No man knoweth what is expedient for him in thys lyfe The successe of thinges is not in our power Consolations and exhortations entermedled in the accompte of vanities An exhortation to patience Many wearyed with the malice and ingratitude of men leaue their vocation A good name is not gotten but with great labour and bearing of many troubles S. Hierom repreheÌ„ded A good name compared to an odorifecous oyntment The meaning of this place An exhortation to beare patiently the incoÌ„modities of this life Suffrings are instructinges Trouble bringeth vnderstanding Aduersitie must be suffred wyth good courage and petition and seeking of gods helpe What this phrase to liue meaneth among that Hebrwes Why sadnes is preferred before laughter for the mynde of man ryoteth in prosperitie With grauitie men are amended wyth leuitie they are offeÌ„ded A maÌ„ may be meary at hart yet graue in countenaunce A meane must bee kept betweene myrth and sadnes Fooles geue themselues to myrth but wyse men study how to auoyde aduersitie The rebukes of the wyse must be patiently borne What laughing meaneth A comfort the we ought not to be wearied with the sclaunders vngratefulnes of men We must continue to the ende beaâ—e out all aduersitie Hastines must be auoyded Anger must be brydled The dayes are alwayes 〈◊〉 and the worlde set on naughtiâ—â—â— We must discharge the duties of our vocation and commit the successe vnto God. Wysedome must be preferred before riches Mens affayres can not alway be redressed by our deuyses It fareth well wyth no man alwayes We must take prosperitie and aduersitie bothe in good worth All thinges are appointed of god He returneth to hys roll of vanities We must not be too precise in executing iustice What it is to be too righteous We must vse moderation in gouernance rather theâ—â— rigour Some things must be winked at in gouernaunce and yet must not gouernance through negligence be corrupted This life is full of sinne errours As thou mayst wheÌ„ thou canst not as thou wouldest He speaketh of iustice to bevsed in gouernment A rule to be obserued of gouernours of common weales The seditious bowers An. 1525. Force without couÌ„sell falleth of his owne sway Wysedome is the gouerner of commoÌ„ weales and not lawes and power The best gouerners are sometyme deceaueâ— faultye Against too seuere exactours of iustice Gouerners must beare and winke at many thynges We must not harken after euery maÌ„s talke Two thinges necessary in gouernement ModeratioÌ„ of lawes necessary in all gouernment He setteth his owne example before gouernours A summe of the seueÌ„th Chapiter To play the foole sometime is an high pointe of wisdome An other kynde of vanitie the rule and gouernance of wyues A wife ordeyned to obey and not to haue rule ouer her husbaÌ„d Amazones womeÌ„ bearyng rule Candace Crowing imperious dames great impedimentes to their husbandes Vnhappie is the wisedome that is not gouerned of God. An errour of the Schoole doctours No man content wyth his present state An acclamation coÌ„cluding with the commendation of wisdome Salomons counsell in this booke Obedience to the magistrate commaunded What it is to depart from the kyngs face We must obey the magistrate They that obey escape punishmeÌ„t IudgemeÌ„t He threateneth with punishment those that obey not the magistrate God punisheth them that obey not magistrates Kinges haue long handes He returneth to hys roll of vanities We must obeye euen naughty magistrats The vnthaÌ„kfulnes of men wheÌ„ they haue good princes to succeede euill Frederike Duke of Saxony a very good Prince This booke woulde be redd of new chosen gouernours Salomons counsell PunishmeÌ„t commeth once or at length A consolation against the offence that the godly take when the vngodly persecute them He concludeth with his senteÌ„ce so often repeated Vnhappye is the wisedome of maÌ„ not ruled by God. How thys saying maÌ„ knoweth not whether he is worthy of loue or hatred is corrupted An admonition that we iudge not of gods prouideÌ„ce according to prosperity or aduersitie The world is geuen to naughtines The vnkind world remembreth no benefites An admonition against the offence of vnkindnes They that are offended with some mens vnkindnes wil benefite no man. He exhorteth vs that we will not cease to doe good though men haue vsed vs ingratefully We must goe thorow in our vocation euen for a fewes sake that be good If thou caust not be a lyon be a whelp in thine office Be beneficiall to other because thou knowest thou shalt dye A place to be noted against the inuocation of Saintes daparted An errour of Saint Hierome Comfort often repeated The workes of the godly please God ergo man knoweth ought to beleeue the God loueth him Whom Salomon exhorteth to be meary Diligence continuance in labour commaunded Against inuocation of Saintes What this worde infernus signifieth Where the sayntes that be dead are Then be our enterprises happye when God prospereth them and gouerneth their successe We must goe on with our vocatioÌ„ All successe of matters is of God. Fraunces kyng of Fraunce takeÌ„ prisoner 1525. Many notable artificers coÌ„temned We must trauell and leaue all successe vnto God. All aduersities caÌ„ not be foreseene Foolishnes vnkyndnes of the people reprehended Themistocles Exhortations reprehensions mixed togither Wyse mens counselles despysed Counsell taketh no place but in myndes wholsomly settled Force without counsell can not stand Peruerters of good counsell Euill couÌ„sellers reprehended To dote in some thyng is helde for high wysedome Glorye The difference betweene wise men and fooles Many such glorious braggers in Princes Courtes Fooles must not be striueÌ„ with but yelded to for a tyme. All thyngs replenished wyth folly Whome he vnderstandeth by riche men seruauntes GouernaÌ„ce a perillous enterprise GouernaÌ„ce must not be cast of for the perrils therin An other similitude Daunger ioyned with gouernaÌ„ce An hard thyng to gouerne a corrupt coÌ„mon weale Great wisdome is needefull to correct euill manners A precept how to beare sclauÌ„ders and back bytyng The deuises of wyse meÌ„ hindred by the sclaundering of fooles Fooles deuises preferred before wyse mens Fooles be full of wordes The foole is vexed with his labour but the wyse man reioyceth in hys Fooles know not of what weight matters are nor what is needfull to be done What a discommoditie a foolishe prince is geueÌ„ to voluptuousnes A good Prince is a great gifte of God. Princes Courtes Diligence coÌ„mauÌ„ded whether in publike or priuate gouernaunce Frederike Duke of Saxony a most laudable Prince Princes Courtes An exhortation to good workes A coÌ„maundement to honour the magistrate Euen euyll magistrates are to be honoured Men alwayes impatient and discontent A coÌ„maundement to be liberall The commaundemeÌ„t of liberality repeated agayne A commination agaynst Niggards We must geue liberally He shall neuer be liberall that is voyde of fayth and feareth pouertie Because our life is vncerteine we must be liberall The workes of God be vnknowen to vs. He that made thee will feede thee He repeateth his former exhortations and comfortes A man shal scarce finde one that hath liued mearyly all the dayes of his lyfe He exhorteth youth to enioy their goods mearyly in the feare of God. How youth should be brought vp The mindes of youth must be well instructed We must enioy the goods that God geueth vs with feare of the Lord. Fret not against god though aduersitie fall and be not ouercoÌ„med with voluptuousnes Sorow must be put away TeÌ„perance modestie must be obserued He exhorteth youth to feare God. A description of age The handâ—â— the garde of the body The legs The teeth The eyes The mouth and lippes The voyce Sleepe The eares The head-shaking or trembling White head Leannesseand bones sticking out Lothsomnes of meat and drinke The buryall graue NutrimeÌ„t or foode Breath and lyfe The body returneth to dust The spirit returneth to God. A greuous compalynt of the miserie of mans lyfe The dutie of Preachers He exhorteth vs to abyde in the true and holesome doctrine of the church We must keepe to the bookes receaued and allowed by God. The sonne of God the onely shepeheard of the Church The church is the piller and witnes of the trueth The inconuenience of many bookes writing One maister to be folowed The suÌ„me of the doctrine of this booke comprehending all worshyp and feare of God fayth and good workes