fifth Chapiter for it is a new place By reading this booke it happeneth to the vnwise as vnto the vngodly through the preaching of the Gospell For when these men heare the righteousnes of fayth and Christian libertie preached and the righteousnes of workes denyed by and by they reply let vs then doe no workes but let vs sinne on still for faith is sufficient Contrariwyse if workes be preached as fruits of fayth straightway they attribute iustification to them séeke saluation in them So alway these two thinges follow the worde of God presumption and desperation so that it is an hard matter to holde the right way The lyke falleth out by this booke The vnwyse when they heare this doctrine that we ought to be quyet in hart and mynde and to committe all vnto God inferre thus If all thinges be in Gods hand and power then will we not labour at all Euen as the other offende on the other side in being too carefull while they will moderate and rule all things after their owne measure deuise But we must all holde the strayght way to doe our diligence and what we are able according to the worde of God but not to measure our doinges after our owne deuise but to commit all the successe of our doinges to Gods wisdome It seemeth to me therefore that Salomon in this place vseth a kynde of preuention and wholesome exhortation to them that walke not in the right way but either are too remisse slacke of theyr labour or els too carefull counselling them to be ruled by the worde of God and yet in the meane season to take paines and doe their endeuour diligently Take heede to thy foote whē thou entrest into the house of God. THe temple or house of God was ordeined not so much for sacrificyng as for preachyng that the people of God might méete together to heare the word of god As a Prince calleth his house together not onely to eate and drinke but to heare his word c. Therefore where the word of God is not heard there is no assembly of Gods people or house He commaūdeth them to take héede to their féete rather then their hart to the ende they should not be offended when they heare this doctrine as Dauid saith in the Psalme My feete were almost gone For after the worde of God whether it treate of peace of conscience or outward peace followeth offence For it is that signe that shall be spoken against for the fall and rising agayne of many Euen as Christ saith Blessed is hee whiche is not offended at me To be short the word of God is offence and foolishnes to the flesh Thus he saith therfore Thou hearest when I teach thée but take héede thou be not offended or make my teachyng a stumblyng blocke to thée that when thou hearest a man should quyet his mynde and that his deuises be in vayne thou say not then will not I labour at all or thinke then thou hast nothing to doe Or contrarywise that thou be not ouer carefull and wouldest gouerne and rule all thyng after thine own reason Mans cares disputations and counsels are as vneffectual as Plato his policie or common weale But if thou wilt auoyde all offences geue thy selfe to the word of God and to his workyng and cast thyne owne deuises and cogitations away Open thine eares and bee persuaded Draw neare to harken For in no wayes neither of Gods nor mans can we be in safetie onles we giue ouer our selues wholly to the word and workyng of God and stay vs therupon without any waueryng of mynde For this is better then the sacrifices of fooles THis is added by way of a Prouerbe to confirme this sentence It is better to harken to the worde of God then all the sacrifices and worshippings of fooles This he saith because he would extoll hearing and obeyeng of the word aboue all workes For it is méetest of all that we should harken to the counsell of our God as often as we come into the house of god The wicked tyre and werye thē selues in their workes forsakyng the counsell of God. And here mayst thou sée what a foole signifieth with the Hebrewes not him that we call a dysarde but him that harkeneth not to the worde of God or beleueth it not with his hart although otherwise he be neuer so prudēt because such men know not God neither the thinges belongyng to God much lesse care they for them but are vexed and caryed about with cares caryng for that is not worthy to be cared for Their care is how to doe sacrifice But lay thou holde on the best part harken to the worde of God and beware thou be not offended at it For they know not how much hurt they doe BY these wordes he expoundeth what fooles are For surely there is no mā so euill which would commit euill if he knew it were euill in Gods sight Therfore he calleth those fooles ignorauntes and blinde which doe many thynges as though they were good and with great earnestnes but yet are ignoraunt that these sacrifices which they so busily make are vtterly impious Thus Christ calleth the Phariseis blinde which vsed to offer many sacrifices and to weary them selues in workes but neglected faith and charitie yea knew them not calling that good that was euill and so contraryly Truly therfore doth Salomon call them fooles Here thou séest that the highest and chiefest pointe in religion is called euill For he speaketh of sacrifice whiche they made with great good intent and earnestnes because they did it and regarded not the word of god Abyde therfore in the worde least thou neglect the same and follow thine owne wayes and fall into the sacrifices of fooles as they did which vowed chastitie pouertie obedience and such lyke neglecting the worde of god All these in this doing were offended and their féete slipped Be not rashe with thy mouth nor let thyne hart be hastye to vtter a thing before God for God is in heauen and thou art on the earth Therefore let thy wordes be fewe for many cares breede dreames and multitude of wordes declareth a foole THis is one parte of them which are offēded and decline to the right hand which to much weary them selues and reason of goddes counselles Euen as other say if we should doo nothing but only beleue then let vs doo no workes so these men say if our counselles be of no force then what shall we doo wherfore did God make vs on this wise wherfore geueth he one man good successe and another none Salomon therefore counselleth vs in this place not to yelde to such cogitations or to follow such disputers but to abyde in the woorde and to doo that God prescribeth vs Neither to regarde the ones ouermuch carefulnes nor the others ouer greate negligēce but to hold on in the straight and high waye Before God. THat is in the house
as the prouerbe sayth knowen mischiefes are best We must not therefore so flye and abhorre aduersities considering we know that the ende of all mē is to haue enuye flaunder myseryes and death Therefore if thou wilt wade through them all thou must learne these things by continuall vse Such griefes come vpon fooles vnlooked for but to the Godly by reason of long vse they séeme light as vnto whom this worlde is counted but as donge and death séemeth pleasaunt And in that they lyue they lyue onely for gods sake which will haue them so to lyue And the liuing shal lay it to his hart THe lyuing is he that liueth in wealth and pleasure The naturall lyfe the Hebrewes cōmonly call the soule and the vsuall and pleasaunt lyfe they call to liue He truely expresseth what the experience of aduersitie doth namely that he that lyueth in pleasure layeth it to his hart that is that he is compelled in mynde or harte to learne by such aduersities And he that wil not suffer aduersitie learneth nothing and so remayneth still a foole Anger is better then laughter for by a sad looke the harte is made better THis is all one saying with that afore But how agreeth this with that he sayd afore We must not be angry but reioyce in all our labor And here he saith anger is better then laughter I aunswere He speaketh rather of sadnes then anger not that foolish sadnes which men counterfet But euen as he speaketh of the house of mourning so he speaketh of anger so that anger is a kinde of sadnes or gréefe that causeth a kinde of heauynes as when it was tolde Dauid that all the kinges children were slayne he fell sadd There is the same worde that is in this place which surely can not there signifie anger but heauynes so that it is all one with that we say in the Dutch tounge He was abashed and much troubled Aduersities dusken the countenance and make it heuye So he that is in office publicke or pryuate Such a one can leaue his laughing so that he be a good man and will doo his duetye truely there shall he finde such gréefe that he shall be compelled to saye The deuyll be a burrow master or gouernour for there is nothing but more sorow trouble in it Such sorowes cause sadnes in the countenaunce of those men as wish all thinges well in so much that they thus reason and thinke cease of geue ouer thou nothing preuailest but gettest thy selfe griefe and enuie Here Salomon withstandeth these thinges counselleth and warneth thée saying yelde not but goe thorough with it For it is better thou take indignatiō be sad that thou must bite away the same laughing that thou shewe heauines in thy countenaunce and behauiour and that thou be compelled to shewe it namely by reasō of griefe then to laugh The reason is Because thorough a sadde countenaunce the hart is made better THis may be vnderstāded two wayes first through a sad countenaunce the hart to say of others is amended So Paule in a Byshop requireth grauitie in manners and cōuersation that he offend not men by reason of lightnes c. So Salomon would haue him that is in auctoritie to reioyce in hart but to shew himselfe graue outwardly that other might thereby be amended For if a mā behaue himself in such wise that his hart be meary and his countenaunce graue so that he shew no lightnes in his apparell and gesture him will other feare and reuerēce and his familie will be of no dissolute demeanour Secondly it may thus be expounded In an heauy countenaunce the hart goeth well that is there is no cause but the hart may be meary although the countenaunce outwardly be heauy so that the meaning may be thus It is better to leade a graue and seuere lyfe thē a lyght and dissolute The Hebrewes call laughing such a kynde of lyfe as our Papistes lead which liue most dissolutely contemning and deriding all thinges And thys meaning pleaseth me better then that whereby it is thought that the hart of a foole or godles body can be corrected by any mās sadnes or grauitie It may séeme that a wicked body feareth the grauitie of an other but his hart is all one still I take this saying therfore to be vnderstanded of thine owne hart that in the middle of troubles it may be good It is an Hebrew phrase a good hart for a pleasaunt and meary hart And Salomon speaketh after this sort to dyrect his hearer to the marke of his meaning that is to teach them to be meary howsoeuer the world goeth But where before he sayd It is good to reioyce c. here he séemeth to affirme a contrary Sadnes is better then laughter Surely these two séeme not to agrée but godly matters are alwayes difficulte they are alwayes wrested to a contrary sence If we teach that nothing iustifieth but onely faith then the wicked neglecte all good works Againe if we teach that faith must be declared by workes then they attribute iustification to workes A foole alway swerueth too much on one side So hard a thyng it is to kéepe the highe way So here Salomon requireth neither sadnes alone nor mirth alone but will haue a meane kept betwéene them bothe The mynde must be meary at libertie settled bearing it selfe euen in worldly matters betyde whatsoeuer aduersitie or prosperitie In the sadnes of the countenaunce c. AS if he should say I distinguishe betwéene sadnes of countenaunce and sadnes of hart I will haue all mē meary in hart inwardly for it can not be but outwardly some sadnes will happen As the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 6. As sad and alwayes meary c. so that the one must be referred to the outward sadnes the other to inward The hart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the hart of fooles is in the house of myrth ALl these things seeme cōtrary to that he hath sayd before except we make a difference betwene these two the inward myrth and the outward and inward sadnes and outward He contynueth on in cōforting exhorting saying follow not those fooles which chaunge their mindes with euery chaunge of thinges in hart cleaue to them they be meary in prosperitie but when aduersitie commeth they mourne and are sad In the house of mourning THe Hebrewes call a house not that building onely which is made of tymber and stone but what place so euer any thing is donne in So with their Grammariās euery letter is a house of words that beginneth with the same letter But why is the hart of the wise in the house of mourning Because wise men are not ouercomed of aduersitie neither chaunge with euery alteratiō Fooles follow outward myrth and flye aduersytie a most troublesome kinde of men taking many things in hande with great rashenes and feruencie and when neuer so lytle trouble appeareth
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
AN EXPOSITION OF SAlomons Booke called Ecclesiastes or the Preacher ☞ Seetle and allowed AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Daye dwellyng ouer Aldersgate An. 1573. ¶ Cum gratia Priuilegio Regia Maiestatis ⧠An admonition to the Reader DAuid that notable king and excellēt Prophet feeling in the course of this life the comfort and direction of the eternall word of almightie God professeth openly in that his Octonary Psalme these wordes Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum O Domine lumen semitis meis Thy word O Lord is a lanterne to my feete and a light vnto my pathes Dauid well perceiuyng the corruptiō of his nature the blindnes of his vnderstandyng could not but acknowledge in that his long meditation the necessitie that he espied in the Scripture of God for where he sawe his wyt to weake to comprise the merueylous workes of God aswell in his creation as in his redemption which he saw in spirit before could not well atteyne the life that he most ioyed in in this trāsitory world except his vnderstandyng should be illightened and his whole state of life truely gouerned by the lanterne and light of Gods word He was no phantasticall reader of his word he ioyed not rather to be a student or a talker then a worker but effectually framed all his senses to sauour and knowe the will of God and to folow the same His spirit was altogither set to vertue which entent whosoeuer doth not folow he doth as a man by the testimony of S. Iames which delighteth to behold his naturall countenaunce in the glasse and is not carefull so to impresse the same in his remembraunce thereby to wype away the spottes of his face for whosoeuer doth not thus earnestly tary in the lawe of perfect libertie he deceiueth him self endeth in vanitie For it is he onely that is blessed in his act that doth persist in his law applying the vnderstandyng therof to heale his owne infirmities and to be able to be a light vnto others as we haue great cause to thāke the goodnes of almighty God for deuising of such a rule of Scripture to be lead by and as we be bounde to magnifie almighty God by his holy spirit to rayse vp such his welbeloued seruaūtes to call vpon vs and to bryng vs to the knowledge of hym selfe whereby we might be thākefull so is the daūger very great to all such as couer this his light vnder a bushell that deteyne this precious iewell vnder vnrighteousnesse of life The worlde was neuer more full of the certaine knowledge of God then it is at this day but almighty God was neuer more dishonoured then he is at this day by many that professe by theyr knowledge to be leaders to the blind instructours of the ignoraunt hauyng the fourme of right vnderstandyng by the law of God. Why therfore doest thou sayth S. Paule Teach other and teachest not thy selfe and so blasphemest the worde of almighty God before them that know not the power therof whose condemnation if they repent not shal be the greater We haue much delight now a dayes to know many thynges but litle lust we haue to lyue after our knowledge it is not he that heareth the worde of God that shall be partaker of Christes blessing but he that doth the word not he that hath right vnderstandyng of his will but he that is earnestly giuen to expresse his will in his secret thought betwixt God and hym selfe in his wordes and deedes of lyfe to the institution and example of others It shal not be asked at that dreadful day when we shall come to make our aunswere to almighty God how much we haue learned how oft we haue read how much we do know but how well we haue liued what workes we haue expressed to testifie with vs of our inwarde regeneration of our inwarde fayth that he might be thereby glorified And for this intent that we should be instructed in our true dueties to god and our neighbour amōgest many workes bookes to teach vs the same none is more apt then this booke of Salomon which we haue in hand none is more fit then this which setteth out the vanitie of our corrupt affections no author more liuely no writer is more apt to teach all maner of persons aswell publike as priuate to rule thēselue a right in this miserable vale of our corruptible lyfe thē is the author of this doctrine cōteined in this booke For whosoeuer will endeuour hym selfe to apply his wyt and his vnderstandyng to the counsell of this worke shall soone perceyue the corruption of this world and the vanitie of their owne nature and in all his trauayles what soeuer state of lyfe hee leades shall see by this lanterne how to step forth frōm fayth to fayth frō vertue to vertue frō charitie to charitie in cōclusion shal finde all thynges mere vayne and vanitie nothing permanent nothyng durable nothyng allowable but the knowledge of almighty God and the feare of his holy name to whom be all honour and glorye for euermore Amen ⧠The Preface vppon the booke of Salomon called the Preacher BEcause this booke hath beene obscurely darckly translated out of the Hebrew tounge euery learned mā hath greedyly gone aboute to expoūde and declare it eche man labouryng to frame diuerse of the sayinges therin to his owne profession or rather opinion whether for that their curiositie was delighted in straūge obscure and vnwonted matters or els for that in such obscure and darke writyngs it is easie for a man to fayne what hee phansieth and supposeth For the Philosophers haue thought that which Salomon sayth euen in the very begynnyng hath appertained to them namely that all thynges are difficulte man is not able to vtter them with tounge as though Salomon ment some kinde of vayne speculation in Philosophie Some other being offended with this saying of Salomon As the beast dyeth so dyeth the man and they haue both one end and lyfe haue demed that he was an Epicure or spake in the person of the Epicures But none haue more daungerously misused the same thē the Schooles of the diuines who haue wrested this place No man knoweth whether he be worthy of hatred or loue to the cōscience toward God and so much haue wrested the same that they haue vtterly slaughtered the consciences of all mē and put out the most certaine sayth in Christ teachyng beatyng into most miserable harts nothing more deuoutly thē that we ought to doubt to be vncertaine of the loue grace of God toward vs lyued we neuer so inculpable So great was the darkenes more the that of Egypt that by reason of this saying of Salomō yea rather through theyr owne errours builded vpon his saying they saw now no more the writynges of the Apostles and Euangelistes which do declare by so many miracles Scriptures and Argumentes that Christ is our mediatour and the authour
finde or stablishe any firme peace with all their deuises But when one enemy was slayne there arose diuers other And when they were wythout warres abroad they had ciuile commotions till the commō weale was destroyed Euen so fareth it with all men Let euery man marke the course of hys owne lyfe and if all thinges succéede according to his mynde all his lyfe long let him reprooue this booke of lying Wherefore it shall be best to commit all things vnto God and to follow those which say let it goe as it goeth because it will goe as it goeth Which thing also the Dutch prouerbe teacheth vs Thou art yet a great deale too Greene to make of an olde Knaue an honest man. Hereof wee sée Princes which would best refourme and amende all things many tymes doe much hurt In this worlde nothyng can be so well ordered the all thinges can be well done no imperfection remayne Therefore it is best to walke in faith which letteth God reigne alone prayeth that Gods kingdome may come Enē as Christ did not commit himselfe to men but bare with all mens defaultes and iniquities When it was sayde that Iohn Baptist was killed an horrible offence he sayd nothyng but went into the wildernes and fedde the people he makes no accompt of it preached the worde onely and did his duety Therfore this a Christian wisdome for a man to commit him selfe to the kingdome of God and all his matters to him that iudgeth iustly A Christian man may iudge of offences by the worde of God but he may not set his hand to the punishing of them vnlesse God vrge him thereto or that he be appointed by his worde Therefore where thou art but one man and art not able to correcte and amēde all that is amisse leaue it to him that is of more power then thou which alone is able to bryng all thinges to passe I communed with mine owne hart saying loe I am come to great estate and haue gotten more wisedome then all they that haue been before me in Hierusalem yea my hart had great experience of wysdome knowledge for therunto I applyed my mynde that I might know what were wisdome and vnderstanding what errour and foolishnes and I perceaued that this also was but a vexation of mynde for where much wisdome is there is also great trauell and disquietnes and the more knowledge a mā hath the more is his care THese wordes are euen the same almost which he sayde before I sayth hee haue mused oftētimes how it commeth to passe that my deuises and enterprises could come no better forwarde considering I am a man of such authoritie and excell all other in wisdome c. For besides that diuine wysdome wherewyth God had endued hym he also wonderfully excelled in worldly wysdome and pollicie in so much that the order that was among his seruauntes séemed wonderfull to the Quéene of Arabia Wisdome and knowledge BY knowledge he meaneth not speculation but a kinde of practise and experience discretion in doing of things which we call sight perfect vnderstanding in matters as is spokē of in the Psal. Wisedome is that knowledge wherby I perceaue how a common weale is to bee set vp and gouerned which afterward is to be moderated and ordered by knowledge and experience accordyng to circumstances fallyng out and according to reason and moderation as tyme and matter shall beare it Errour and foolishnes VErely euē to put them out from me and my kyngdome and to enhaunce and set vpon those other But what happened I founde that this also was but a vexation of the mynde and fruteles care without end Therefore the wisest way is for a man to frame him selfe to take all thing in good part why For where much wisdome is there is also great trauell He that seeth much and knoweth how thynges will go It can not be but he must be wrath and thinke Ah howe vngodly and how shamefully doth it passe ouer whēce commeth this stomakyng and indignatiō but of much wisedome For hee that hath knowledge in many thinges hath many causes to anger him as seyng euery day many vnworthy thynges committed He whose eyes are shut knoweth nothing therfore nothing offendeth him Wherfore learne to be still to commit the kingdome vnto God and to pray Lord let thy will bee done Otherwise thou wearyest thy hart and thy body doest but lose thy tyme and thy life The second Chapter Then sayd I thus in my hart go to I will take myne ease haue good dayes But loe that is vanitie also BEcause in the Chapiter before he shewed that care thought and mens forecastes specially such as we prouide for our selues by are vaine of no force teachyng vs to be content with the word of God and his working so that we should presume to do nothing but that the word of God prescribeth vs or his working enforceth vs to doe which yet many tymes is contrary to his word as when hee oppresseth vs with some euill euen when we haue done accordyng to his worde wherein we haue néede of faith and patience that in these cases we yeld not to our owne deuises séeke to escape thereby but cōmit our selues vnto him to suffer his hand in his owne worke now he turneth him to an other deuise I sayd in my hart I will take myne ease AS though he should say Seyng carefulnes and myne owne deuises profite not I will refraine from them and and turne me to the right hand and take to me a quiete and easie life and delight in pleasures I will let all go as they come and take my pleasure But this was also a vayne deuise and prospered no more then that first deuise of mans wisedome and carefulnes For euē herein also dyd God withstād me For quyetnes commeth not but of Gods word and working And this doth experiēce it selfe teach vs Many tymes banquetes and feastes are appointed to prouoke mirth Fine iunkets enterludes games are deuised to cheare the ghestes but most times the contrary falleth out And seldome doth any good collatiō or pittaunce come of it For either there are present some sad seuere countenaūces or els some other thing disturbeth all the feast and specially when men deliberate to make such mirth and pastime long before Many tymes it commeth to passe that some casualtie falleth out euen in the meriest banquet by Gods appointement And so commeth it to passe also in other matters Some man séeketh his pleasure in loue but by and by he féeleth the bitternes therof which thing S. Augustine also complayneth of in his bookes of confessions how he was miserably scourged in the middle of his loues Euen so when we take our pleasures by and by the sauce therof is bitter Therfore there is no better thing then to abide in Gods word and working so to frame our hart that it may
liue wel after his owne wayes And my soule yet seeketh that is to say I sée myne owne vanitie and others and yet I cease not my folly nor can stay my selfe but séeke still for that I know I can not finde I haue founde one maÌ„ of a thousand that is which séeth how hys owne wysdome is of no force howsoeuer thynges fall out otherwise then they deuised so rare selde they are that haue attayned to this denyed wysdome So Demosthenes after he had vttered all his wysdome sayde that wysdome profited not Hereof the Philosophers sayde that all thinges came to passe by chaunce and fortune For they could not imagine that the wisedome of God was far greater and higher then all mens wayes and deuises But a woman haue I not founde among them all IF men be not able to perfourme this thing yea almost none much lesse shall women be able to doe it Agayne he speaketh of womenkinde as they be out of grace in nature and vnder the sunne For nature prescribeth not Gods works and myracles There may sayth he be founde one among a thowsande which by experience hath attayned to say my couÌ„sels and deuises can not succéede or preuayle so by this meane be made méete to gouerne But not one woman hath atteined hereto because of gods ordinance Therefore in these cases they are not to be harkened to Onely loe this haue I founde that God hath made maÌ„ righteous but they haue sought many Inuentions THe SchoolemeÌ„ heretofore haue wrested this saying to the establishing of frée will against grace and against Salomons meaning where as Salomon speaketh of thinges vnder the sunne and of thinges corporall in all his booke Neyther enfourmeth he mens consciences as hath bene already declared before God sauing that sometyme he maketh mention of the feare of God but he enfourmeth men in gouernement to brydle and kéepe vnder their harts This therefore is his saying God hath ordeyned man to trauell in the world he hath appoynted him certaine woorkes and labours But man will not abyde therein but taketh in hande such things as his desire leadeth him to God made man righteous straight for hym selfe to sée what was before him that is to say his present state that he should content him selfe therewith But not forsakinge this ordinaunce of God reasoneth compasseth matters to come This is it therfore that Salomon sayth I haue founde this by my searche that no maÌ„ liueth contented with his estate that all men cast their eyes asyde vpon others estates as Ouyde sayd The ranker Cropp is alwayes seene apon my neighbours grounde And greatest vdder in his Kydde is alwayes to be founde And againe The slouthfull Oxe will saddle haue And prauncing horse the plough doth craue Such eyes had Peter when he sayd and what shall he here doe Therefore his righteousnes is in outward matters that euery man should haue an eye to the that is right in doing gouerning not looke asyde But they haue sought many inuentions THat is they are occupied in manye wayes and dyuerse cogitations how to gouern things herafter leauing things present which god hath set before them So the woman will entremeddle in her husbandes chardge the maÌ„ in the wyues matters Therfore this sentence is a concluosin of the vanitie of man. Who is wise and who can declare these thinges THat is to say all thinges are so difficulte that they can not be vttered For we be so drowned in our owne deuises and counselles that we vnderstand not how we be drowned in them as though he shoulde say I will not speake of the facte it selfe For men vnderstande not what right is so farre they are from perfourming it And this is a declaration how vaine the hart of man is The wisedome of a man maketh his face to shine but vnshamefastnes putteth it out of fauour I Iudge these sayinges to pertaine to them that goe before This figure of speech that Salomon vseth here is partlye knowen to vs by other places of Scripture which haue the lyke figure In the seuenth of the Prouerbes it is sayde of an harlot méetyng with a younge man With a strong countenauÌ„ce shee flattred him Againe there met him a woman stronge in countenaunce or whoorishe in behauiour So Daniell in the viij chapiter hath a king fierce in countenaunce This fygure signifieth impuâ—encye and boldenes of countenaunce such as where no feare reuerence is as we say in our prouerbe of a fooâ—e that he setteth a good countenaunce on it meaning that he blusheth not 〈◊〉 is without feare and shame This place may be vnderstanded two wayes first actiuely as wysdome maketh the face of the rightous to shine that is wysedome maketh him cheareful in looke or countenaunce Contrarywise foolishe Hypocrites goe sadly as Chryst sayth of the Pharisies in the sixth of Matthew They disfigure their faces they looke sowerly The wise man goeth away with a cleere countenaunce because he doth that in him lieth The wicked alwaies haue an hateful cloudy clooke It is therfore a kinde of prouerbiall seÌ„tence as if he should say It is to be seene by the eyes where a meary hart is The wicked alwayes hath his forhed ryueled and wrinkled For as their harte is so is their face Secondaryly it may be taken passiuely almost in the same sence that is one that is of a meary couÌ„tenance is chereful to other and delighteth other His company is pleasant and delectable And in this sence it is a conclusion in commendation of a wise man. The viij Chapiter Keepe the kynges Commaundement I warne thee and the othe that thou hast made to God. SAlomon séemeth in this booke to fray men from intermedling with worldly affayres wherewith he hath as much néede agayne to exhort them to be doing As we while we preach faith doe vtterly dehort men from working to set forth the true Sabboth Againe wheÌ„ faith is once plaÌ„â—ed we must labour to shewe Christians how busie they must be to doe well to their neighbours and how in this behalf they must keepe no Sabboth but must be zelous in doing good workes seruent in charitie toward their neighbours and kéepe the Sabboth onely before god So SalomoÌ„ teacheth vs in this place to doe nothing after our counselles and deuise but all thinges according to the worde of god And thus he is occupyed as it were through halfe the chapiter Where therfore he sayth I marke or take heede to the kinges mouth or coÌ„maundement he exhorteth meÌ„ to ciuile obedience For this must be vnderstanded of a politike kinge or kingdome although it may also be vnderstanded of God but not of a subiecte I saith he would keepe and obserue the kings commaundement I counsel you to be in subiectioÌ„ to the kyng and not to follow your owne wayes You haue inough to doe in the common weale if you obserue that the kyng commaundeth whom god hath ordeyned for you to heare
that I teach any rebellion or slacknes in doing our duetye All these things haue I considered and haue geuen my mynde vnto euery worke that is vnder the sūne and I sawe how one man hath lordshipp ouer an other to his owne harme NOw returneth he to his Register repeating againe the miseries of mans vanitie Among all these thinges that I haue rehearsed I haue séene this the man hath power ouer man to his owne hurt This is to be referred to the person that is subiect that is it commeth to passe many tymes that Tyrantes beare the rule and their rule tendeth to the afflicting of the subiectes And yet notwithstanding their commaundement must be fulfilled and no tumult or busines to be made for although the Prince were a good man yet hath he no thanke and not onely he is not thanked but men also become the worse euen lyke as the commons in these dayes being deliuered from the Byshop of Rome his lawes and bondage All men desire to haue tyranny taken away but when they are deliuered they can not abyde in that state neyther He graunteth therefore that magistrates are euill in punishing of subiectes but that they are notwithstanding to be borne and suffered Lykewise I sawe the wicked buryed which walked in the holy place and they were forgotten that they had so behaued themselues This also was a vanitie THe like place is in Amos the 6. chap. Woe be to the riche in Sion which proudly enter into the house of Israell To enter into the Church or house of God is an Hebrew phrase signifiyng one that beareth office or rule ouer the people of God as in the 22 of Deuteronomy the Ammonites are forbidden to enter into the house of God that is to beare any rule in the cōmon weale of the Iewes For the Ammonites were suffered to be among the Iewes but not to beare any office So likewise in this place They were in the holy place that is to say they were rulers in the commō weale Therefore he sayth I saw the wicked buryed THat is how tyrauntes dyed and good Princes succéeded as Dauid did after Saule was dead But the wicked once deliuered from their tyrāny forget their deliuery Thus men acknowledge not their benefites So we by and by had forgotten our good Prince Frederike the author of peace No man remembreth what benefites they got by him from what mischiefes he deliuered them We alwayes desire chaunge neglecting and forgetting thinges present All these thinges Salomon speaketh to this ende that we may learne to know this world and wysely to vse the foolishnes therof Therfore this booke new rulers ought chiefely to reade on who hauing theyr heades troubled with diuers opinions thinke to rule the world after their owne deuises and will exacte the vttermost of all men But these men ought first to haue learned to know the worlde namely how it is vniust stubborne disobedyent vngracious and to cōclude vnkinde Let them geue God thankes if they can bryng but the hundreth parte to the obseruing of their lawes So our Sectaries are not content with the present goodnes of God with the preaching of fayth and grace of the gospell but will disturbe all the worlde with newe and vayne opinions Therefore Salomons counsell is to teach vs their vanity and to withstand it as much as in vs lyeth Howbeit those whom we are not able by our admonishmentes to conuerte vnto the fayth and to kéepe in the same we must bid a dieu For the euill are made euen obstinate and the worse with continuall punishement Therfore he sayth Because sentence agaynst an euyll worke is not executed speedely therfore the hart of the children of mē is fully set in them to doe euill THis may be two wayes expounded Actiuely thus that is the wicked holde on in doing euil because their punishement is deferred Because God taketh not vengeaunce by and by as men doe therefore they waxe the prouder Passiuely thus we that sée how such goe vnpunished are filled with many euils we take indignation we are ouercome with tediousnes and cease from doyng well For both these thinges punishmēt put of bringeth to passe First it maketh vs obstinate and the worse nexte it maketh other also that sée these thinges the slacker to doe their duties Both senses are good But though a sinner offend an hundreth tymes and God prolong hys dayes yet I know that it shall goe well with them that feare the lord and doe reuerence before him But it shall not be well to the wicked neyther shall he prolong his dayes he shall be lyke a shadowe because he feareth not God. NOw he comforteth not man but the godly hart For man can not abyde this nor suffer such ingratitude Neither could Dauid beare with foolishe Nabat but purposed to kill him in his cogitatiō in the first of the kinges the .25 He saith therfore learne onely to know the world Thou canst not redresse or amende it shee will not yelde to thee thou must yelde to her that thou mayst know it is ingratefull and vnmyndefull of all pleasures and benefites knowing thys thou shalt doe well This therefore is that he woulde say by these wordes though a sinner offēd an hundreth tymes that is though his punishment be deferred and his vniust dealing not reuenged yet shall he be punished in tyme to come It cā not be chosen but such vngrateful persons must be punished Therfore be not thou so hasty to iustifye and make good the worlde or to be reuenenged of all men Holde thy selfe well apayde if thou canst conuerte but the thousandth parte thereof and make it thankefull Let the worlde sinne and not thou For it shall not escape vengeaūce no more then the Iewes which murthered the Prophetes Christ escaped the punishment of Vespasiane ¶ And his dayes shall not be prolonged IT séemeth the punishment of the wicked is long differred specially to those that are afflicted but when the day and punishmēt of the wicked commeth it séemeth thē to vs all to soone As Iob saith That the day of the wicked commeth suddenly And in the 54. Psalme Wicked men shall not lyue out halfe theyr dayes that is where they alwayes take enterprises in hand and hope after many thinges they dye before they bringe halfe their purposes to passe ¶ There is a vanitie also which is done vpon the Earth that is there be righteous men to whom it happeneth as if they did the workes of the wicked and there be also wycked to whom it commeth as if they did the workes of the iust I sayd This also is a vanitye THese two thinges greately offend the mynde of man that the punishment of the vnthankfull is differred and the good are entreated and dealte with all as if they were wicked good men hated and enuied and the wicked had in estimation and reuerenced And yet dayly so it commeth to passe