A COMMENT VPON COHELETH OR ECCLESIASTES Framed for the instruction of PRINCE HENRI Our hope BY HVG BROVGHTON Anno 1605 A COMMENT VPON COHELETH OR ECCLESIASTES Framed for the instruction of PRINCE HENRI Our Hope By HVGH BROVGHTON Anno 1605. TO THE MOST NOBLE HENRY PRINCE OF great Britanie IN a former litle booke most noble Prince speaking Ebrew and Latin I shewed the Persons of Davids Familie the Kinges race and the Kinglier then the Kings the house of our Lord after the flesh a matter opened in few wordes yet mistaken in England and almost every where to the ruine of infinite millions who finding Christians vnable to settle their owne narration reiected all Christianitie That small worke I dispersed in many thousand copies by Sea and Lande over Europe and Asia where many haue thought the gift not meane Next knowledge of the Persones that sprang from Davids house the qualitie of the Kingdome perpetual Throne promised to David 2. Sam. 7. and 1. Chron. 17. and Psal 89. should be knowen To manifest that Salomon Davids sonne and a King that hath all Royalties of this world is chosen of God He telleth vpon his owne longue studie and experience that all thinges vnder the Sunne be vaine So that the Throne promised to David must be for the world to come which the man Gabriel that appeared to Daniel to tell our Lords death and to Marie for his birth doeth plainly expound what nature it hath that it is the Kingdome of Christ by suffrings bringing ioye The whole booke of Salomon herein spent with helpes to clearnes I ioyne to the former which if God will shal be accompanied with others as the argument calleth for explication Your graces most humble Hugh Broughton THE CHIEF MARK OF ALL The holy Scriptures SVNDRY wayes doth our heavenly father draw vs vnto the Kingdome of his sonne But Man created of God plain wil be searching out many conceites to his owne over throw by the sleight of Satan as the Angels that kept not their place fell to ruine They being created the first day hearing the voice of God which dwelleth in light that none can come too saw that the frame of the world was not for Spirites vse the Sphaeres in their wonderfull greatnes swiftenes the starres in theyr most beawtifull order the vapours windes cloudes in most wise peise the plantes foules fishes beastes all these benefite not the Angels But after the making of all these the holy trinity consulteth for making man in iustice plain holynes maketh his body of the earth that all thinges may serve his vse the starres the Elementes the plantes all live thinges And God doth breath into him a soule immortall full of life which might have kept the body allwayes alive sheweth vnto Angels mans wisdome in that he nameth all beastes with termes defining theyr nature maketh a woman outo ef his side giveth them dominion over the Earth and g tivth his Angels charge over them to attend vpon them to kepe them But one part mislikeh this charge by that rebellion extinguish their owne light lose their owne glory find misery vnrecoverable seke leave to try man whether he can be deceaved to cast of the obedience of God prevaileth bringeth them to death of the soule losse of that light which wold have kept the body alive for ever into sinne that draweth eternall woe vpon it And this disobedience being wroght quickly the first day of man brought all the world vnder corruption and greved still the holy spirit his Angels But then further counsell is shewed that the ETERNALL Son of God will take Humanity of Eves Sede and to him the world is subiectea till an vncorruptible new world be made But Satā withdrew belefe from this poinct rules as Prince of the darkenes of this world so as it is hard for Adams Sonnes borne in sinne blindnes extreme to hold this world cursed vvhich yet all serveth mans vse and to hope for a world vnvisible for the soule leaving this life of a new vvorld for the body soule Seing Adam cared not for Gods charge being yet in life Lordship beleeved not the word of him who spake all thinges had theyr beynge So the Sonnes of Adam will hardly beleve that the King of Glory must die to give life and to lighte Adam by faith to life and arise to raise Adam and leave this world to shew hope of an other world Experience teacheth vs how far this is from vs. To this none can come vnlesse the Father draw him Yet Gods grace in governement condemneth all for not layng hand vpon this grace and for not craving of grace truly so to doe Now to shew that by death life should come in Paradise a beast is killed and with the skinne our Parentes be clothed and fyer from Heaven burneth the carcase and the next day is appointed for a rest to meditate on this to whom able to governe the creature is subiected who by resting the Sabath in the graue vvhich fell out after 39 60. yeares fully endeth the Sabath rising vvith the light the first day brings light vnto the vvorld as in day for death his passion vvas fitted to Adams day time of fall sentence against him Thus redēption vvas taught anger by a curse pronounced to come by the flood Novv Cains murther of Abel sheweth what poyson Satan breathed into Eves soule to beare such a sonne further Cains sonnes appeare bad in making Gods of starres made to serve man defying their Lord that made the world for them deifiing the creatures to lose the creatour and creatures vvhen the flood vvashed their bodies away and their soules ascend to Gods Throne to have from it before it eternall flames Yet then Christ shevved in Noah how all beastes Elementes heavens obeyed him Againe they are told that Christ shall arise from Sem to be a King of iustice peace And that when the heathen receave the promesse Iapheth his sonnes shall have the chiefest continuance of grace And Noes families be named the Prophetes shew their nationes stories with Gods people That matter is expounded by the Prophetes speaking still of the first families But now they make the sad blessing a skoph and build a proud tower for worship to starres Then GOD devided all their tongues that they should no more heare his truth to plead foolishly against it And two thousand yeares all Heathen estranged from GOD perished for ever ever And in short speches to Abraham he foretelleth that of him one shall come that shall bless all nationess sheweth his death recouery from death in Isaak offred neare death but only by Gods voice reserved as by a resurrection that Iacobs sonnes should not worship starres above or any thing on earth they are starres in Iosephs dreame precious stones
in Aarons Brest lap or Care of iudgement And to shew what iustice God required they have plain Lawes of perfect Equity with a curse to all that kepe not every one that men might know how sinne aboundeth to the poore in spirit the redeemer is declared in mysteries that the prophane should not skoff yet plainly to such as mark how Adam Abraham heard of him life of the soule is shewed by dwelling with God as the second death for the soule by anger from the face of God Thus closly the world to come is shewed Also the tabernacle appartenāces shewed Christ his dwelling with man by sacrifices birdes escaped his death resurrectiō that for iustice hence by faith men should not say who can go vp to heaven to bring Christ downe or who can goe to the depe of the earth to bring Christ from the dead but might know that Iesus should be the Eternal that the Godhead should raise him frō the dead And the saving of our soules appeared in the Brasen serpent when Moses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernes the stonged by serpentes weare healed Many dout lesse asked him what was meant therby he told that so the sun of man should be lifted vp that they who beleved on him should not perish but have life everlasting Moses mynd shined with knowledge of all as did his face shine with light Levies Sunlike Smaragd his Prophecies abridg all the holy stories he maketh the twelve dum stones tell much from Aarons brest And the Patriarkes lives have the like revolutiones in their children how for cleaving to the redeamer they should find glory againe shame in refusing their fathers God folowing the blindenes of the God of this world Now in David God historically expresseth Christ his Kingdome David cometh to his Kingdome by continuall afflictiones so all that will folow the religion of Christ shal be persecuted And by whom the covenant of God his law shall be kept to vanquish Satan David is told evē that Christ shall come of his loynes to reigne vpon his throne for ever Of him he shall come to be a man a King in this world but he shall have no Kingdome in this world the earth which God hath cursed but to him is the world to come subdued being the creator David sheweth how yet in his suffringes death he was made inferior to Angels but crowned with glory honour since he sate on the right hand of God And when he came into the world all the Angels of God worshipped him And that Iuda should consider how by suffrings this glory cometh David describeth as an Evangelist the suffringes of Christ This David doeth And telleth in Prophecies the overthrow of his nation theyr captivity retarne Antiochus persecutiones the Iewes reiection even all their times how God toke a time to plant them will pluck them vp to seke them will destroy them to kepe them will cast them off to love them and will hate them Now for experience that a Kingdome vnder the Sun was not promised in Christ Salomon had all wisdome wealth pleasure found all to be vanitie by his pleasures fell from God but returned and teacheh in Ecclesiastes in all particular sortes that all here is but vanitie vexation of spirit by mans dealinges and by the sorowes of theyr handes and closly warneth that his sonne shall not rule all his foreseying how Iosephs Ieroboam vold leave only Iuda to be an whole tribe till Shiloh his childe by the Virgin the King Eternall came in the flesh Part of Rachels house and a litle of Beniamin because God built half Ierusalem and the Temple in his tribe for that part of Beniamin cleaved to Iuda as a wolf though not a lion in Mardochai and Atossa the mother of Great Artaxerxes that built the temple which abode till our Lord came into it And Salomon warneth the ten tribes how they wil be robbers making one purse and refuse the love of the truth and how God wold laugh at their destruction by Assur and fitted Proverbes to have kept them from destruction And the sonne of Thamar of Rachab of Ruth of Bathsuagh in the Canticles turneth all ioy to the Kingdome of Christ that Iosephs house should not despise the root of Iessai though Iesus Son of Nun conquered the Land made the Sun to stay A matter shewing that which foloweth IESVS the Sonne of GOD and the Sonne of David after the flesh wold darken the Sun and shake all the earth And yeres nere a thousand GOD still so governed Iuda that they should look for the Kingdome of heaven alwayes opened by CHRIST and still feele their state on earth to be full of sorow That did they sone prove true For the Kinges of Iuda were all eyther worshippers of Devels with many of theyr people or in some feeling of great danger distresse or in open hearing of Prophetes and that many at once that Babel should end their state and Salomons house because they followed Babel built to make Gōddes of creatures Salomons house vtterly perished And in Babel the Image and other Pictures telles them in expositiones seaven times over how heathen shall withold Iudahs kingdome even from Salathiel and Zoroba babel our Lords Fathers after the flesh vntill he came into the world And they saw how yet vnder Heathen they were defended And when they saw not only the fall of Salomons race temple city kingdome but of mighty Babel in 70. yeres reigne then they were in fit case to be taught of Davids Throne that should stand for ever Aethan of Phares brother Zarach told it afore Psal 89. But the Angel Gabriel telleth it more properly even to the very yere and day that all the world might reckon 490. yeres to gather how many yeres monethes and dayes they were from the end of Moses how nere to the work of redemption by the sonne of God dwelling in our tabernacle And poor Iewes from 120. nationes are sent to Ierusalem by Cyrus proclamation of the true God who all could teach Heathen that the world was made and also how longue then it had stode wher still infidels will erre And for receaving of Christ his Prophecy the poore nation that returned to Ierusalem in hope of life by it is recorded by the holy spirit which beautified the heavens in high honour how many theyr whole number to every man did make This honor had the sainctes their poore state in Ezra Nehemias is from God set downe their defence affinity with the Persiā kinges also is pēned frō Gods wisdome religion is expōded by Aggei Zachary Malachy evē to Iohn Bap. to the meke King Christ himself to the destructiō of their natiō which will not beleve that all kingdomes vnder the Sun are vanity but doe and will still
hope for a pompous belly blessing in this cursed earth In due tyme our Lord cometh to have his tabernacle in vs for which his tabernacle or temple the world was made obedient vnto man And though Moses tabernacle were most diligently thrise described furnished with all dignity of matter forme yet God did sone leave it in smalle regard likewise Salomons temple Yet against S. Stephens doctrine Act. 7. to this day Israel hopeth for a temple of stone city to be built on mount Syon in Chanaan But our Lord leaveth this world to sit on Davids throne for ever Iewes perish in their lyes and blindnes for our Lords brightnes foure Evangelistes tell that one telleth how the Apostles taught that to the heathen holy Epistles comment vpon all Moses to teach Israell the golden building how their Thalmudicall is straw in all hope of Policy good on Earth And when Ierusalem is destroyed to force an end of Moses Ceremonies then more fully the nature of Davids throne is opened by Gracious Iohn in obscure Patmos He sheweth how all the goodly Iewels vsed through Moyses and the Prophetes tend hither how the knowledge of Christ practised openly rightly by his servantes maketh the heavenly Ierusalem the holy Iewes a ey-expectation But this should have two hinderances one by the prophane Caesares whom the Lord wold pay for their partes that all their world should be altered the other by Christianes falling away as Ismael Ephraim did So Mackmad of Ismael sone withdrew all the coÌ„treys of Daniels Image to their old Arabique infidelitie and Christ leaveth them to eternall blindnes as he did the old builders of Babel Also the city that crucified Christ setteth vp an earthly pompe with corruption of all holy truth cariage in hope of life by the waters of Scripture out of which he that is not borne againe by the Spirit can never enter into the Kingdome of heaven Yet against this Pompe Christ ruleth his common weales in perpetuall expectation of the Eternall Throne to be fully manifested And this summe doth the holy Bible afforde Which he that beareth in mynd shall soner see the driefte of every particular Booke And now Ecclesiastes will shew how this world can have no good Kingdome wher all kind of Sortes flow with vanities and vexation of Spirit But to consider his book with more clearnesse of light his kindred life a popular spech of his royall and most witty closse spech divinity chief poinctes yet resisted of his nation these are to be layd forth somwhat familiarly for the help of the vnacquainted with such matters AN ABRIDGEMENT OF SALOMONS LIFE DAVID had sonnes by many vvives The King and his brother Nathan tvvo more named in 1 Chr. 3. 5. by the daughter of Ammiel besides the first borne that sone died That his vvife vvas called Bath-Suagh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Daughter of nobility God closly disposing tongues to that vvhich in story should be most famous After Vrias the faithfull Hettean died for his people the cities of his God by good Davids vvicked sleight and David had made that Psalme of repeÌ„tance to the coÌ„fort of all that should by faith find justice David conforted Bath suagh and svvare that Salomon should reigne called her Bathshebagh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daughter of Oth. And he savv further that Salomons house vvold not be vpright vvith God but vvold overthrovv the temple nation Lev. 26. and Deut. 28. and that Nathans prophecy should come of Salomons next brother called him Nathan that his name should abridge the Prophecy Bath shebagh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also hath her honour from God Prov. 31. Being an holy teacher of holy truth and joying that Christ should come of her as of Thamar Rachab and Ruth the Moabite and not also of Roboams mother the Ammonite nor of any King aftervvardes SalomoÌ„ vvas borne about the time that Adoniah defloured Thamar as the story shevveth and is cast by the Rabbines and Grekes to be tvvelve yeres old vvhen David dieth His Father and his mother and the Prophet Nathan instructed him in the vvayes of God he craved vvisdome of God and had it above all Kinges and the more he increased in vvisdome he taught the people knovvledge and fitted many Proverbes Three bookes he left The Songe of Songes shevving the ioy of the Church that truly folovveth Christ and the Proverbes vvarning much the Tribes that they vvill fall avvay from God In the same booke he joineth the vvordes of Agur Ben Iakeh a vvise Prophet of his time vvho in fevv vvordes taught much of mans corruptioÌ„ and spake of God to dvvell in Christ named â—thiel and Vcal that is vvith me God euen the Mighty And Koheleth in his third book The K. had fovver names Salomon and Iedidiah 1 King 12. Lemoel Prov. 31. and Koheleth Eccl. 1. The notation of the last should here be opened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cahal the verb is Gather and the novvne Ecclesia a company gathered to one assembly as the 600000. vvhich at once denyed God Num. 13. called there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ghedah elsvvhere often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cahal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synagogue or Ecclesia Of Gathering the best thing that is vvisdome he is called Koheleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aben Ezr. Ecclesiast 1. That is He is called Koheleth by the terme of wisdome which was gathered in him finding by experience that all thinges vnder the sunne are vaine common vveales full of folly madnes that men should look to the Kingdome of Christ in heaven The LXX made a nevv terme of their ovvne Ecclesiastes a vvise Doctor And this book commenteth vpon Nathans Prophecy cited afore and teacheth closly that many Kinges of his posterity by foolishnes vvold breake the hedge that Serpentes should bite them vvold speak great vvordes as did Roboam so foolish as one that knevv not the vvay to the city And he himselfe vvas entangled by his vvives to build Idolea for them But he proclameth their vvickednes and hovv Iedidiah the beloved of God vvas delivered from them None should doubt but that he is in the Kingdome of heaven seing all the Prophetes be there Luc. 13. and he spent all his life to teach the vanities of this vvorld His posterity ended in Iechonias and the Ievves misse of all the Prophetes meaning vvhich say that Messias should come of Iechonias vvho left no child naturally Iere. 22. But sonnes to his Kingdome many 1 Chr. 3. Salathiel of Nathan Mat. 1. Luc. 3. This poinct should specially be noted of Christianes The Ievves vse all endevour to overthrovv S. Luk for our Lords Kindred mightily labour to prove that Salathiel vvas naturall sonne to Iechonias and not onely S. to the Kingdome as troupes of others 1 Chr. 3. but properly sonne as any other to his father in private spech And as they look for
a pompous Kingdome so they continue against Gods oth the line of Salomon in Sanedr fol. 18. Perec 10. atticle 12. in these vvordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This rule is a foundation that no King may be accepted for Israel but of the house of David of the sede of Salomon only who so is a schismatique against this family denyeth the name of the blessed God the wordes of his prophets Thus expressely they teach that Messias must come of Iechonias knovv that S. Luke our Gospell falleth vvher that is graunted vvhom I ansvvear in myne ebrevv treatise to Prince Henry And I have shevved of the grosnes of our table elsvvhere A PARAPHRASE Abridging the book VVITH OBSERVATIONES OF speches tovvching the holy Ttinity of Iudaisme stumbling against Koheleth even vnto this day ALL this book of Coheleth or Salemon tendeth as vvas shevved to open Nathans spech 1 Chro. 17. touching the Eternall throne of David And this sylogisme ariseth hence by the Ievves graunt in the Chaldy vpon this place Yf all things vnder the sunne be subiect to extreme vanitie the Eternall throne promised vnto David must be of an other world But all thinges vnder the sunne be subiect to extreme vanitie Therfore this is all the Man to looke vnto the iudgement of God for an other world and vnto the throne of the better stay The proposition is omitted as lapped in the Prophecy of Nathan closly and not to be opened directly to the prophane vvho vvold cōtemne all spech of the vvorld to come And the humble vvold sone conceave it The assumption is proved by a plentifull induction going through all mans state And these be the chief heades The shortnes of mans life passing as a vapour The Sun vvind and vvater never resting in one place picture our state and cause our change our eyes can never be contented nor our eares yet nothing is nevv but forgetfulnes maketh thinges past to seme nevv And to marke mens actions Koheleth that gathered all vvisdome by experience being a King and in Ierusalem the glory of the vvorld should passe all that none coming after him should excede him He considered the cariage of the vvise and of the mad vvorld and savv that the croked vvold not be streightened and the imperfect could not be made vp He tryed pleasure in his great cheer his thousand vvomen That became nothing vvorth He joyned vvisdome and royall majesty together in all pompe and stately vvorkes and delites But all vvas vanity Though vvisdome passe folly as darknes passeth light yet this event have both that both sone die and theyr memorie And vvhat the vvise by care never resting doth bring about a foolish heyre as Roboam and his house almost all the race vnto their end in Iechonias by vvicked madnes destroy The best thing vvhich the vvisest vvold vvish is contentement in vsing their present travell But Gods variety in governing mans tymes seasons in birth death planting rooting out seking rejecting love and hatred this checketh all hope of resting in contentement of vvelth goten And God vsed this variety in his judgements that men should feare him But the thorny cares pleasure choke the meditation vpon Gods vvorke And thus the vvisdome of the best cannot bring any sound state Novv folies be infinite In courtes of judgement might overcometh right and men are become beastes and for all thinges vnder the sunne as the one dieth so dieth the other And vvho considereth the spirit of a man that it ascendeth vnto God scant any But men live as not beleving or not regarding the soules immortality And the vvisest cannot look for vse of their ovvne for oppressours vnresistable are in every place that the heathen savv hovv it vvas best never to have bene next to dye quickly Envy of life bretheth in others slouthfulnes vvherby the poore in all common vveales be infinite And their misery bredes a contrarie in some rich that being vvithout kindred yet they have none end of their labour Yea the rich Kinges nether for them selves nor other have any happy case A vvise child in prison as Ioseph is in better case then an old foolish King as Ioas. And Kinges vvere borne poore naked and may come to the same case and people be still vvery of the present men vnder Kinges had nede of continuall prayer and in prayer much babling rash vovving encrease vanities in the best busines And for the oppression by the mighty many are amazed and knovv not hovv 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Trinity is above all hath a tyme for judgement But the most think ther is no God Novv tillage vvold seme a contented life better then marchandise vvher mony multiplyeth not but by care and hazard Here as vvelth encreaseth the servantes that spend it encrease and the master hath no more then they saving only the sight and the servantes slepe is svvete but care suffreth not the master to slepe And often falleth the rich to be vvorth nothing and onely contentement here is good but to vse the goodes gotten that is a gift of God Often the vvelthy are cut off from vse of their ovvne long life many children cānot in poverty make one better then the vntimely birth yea though a man live in poverty tvvo thousand yeares All must come to one place And this befalleth all men that the soule is never satisfied By this the vvelthy vvise man or foole hath no sound preeminence nor the poore of knovvledge infericritie in vvalking afore the living The notation of Adam should teach of his nature for the first names expressed the natures of the thinges named and it is evident that he is but earthly Adam and is not able to strive vvith his stronger and vvho knovveth vvhat is good for man in the dayes of his life that are but a shadovv vvho can tell him vvhat shall befall him Therefore ther is no true joy in this life but a good name before God is better then any vvelth vvherin precious oinctmentes in the East vvere the chiefest and better is the day of death then the day of birth and the house of mourning then the house of feasting for the mourning house is the end of all and the liuing vvill take it to hart The practise of vvise foolish shevv this For the vvise goe to the house of mourning the fooles to the house of banqueting So the check frō the vvise is better then the songes of fooles For as the voice of thornes is vnder the pot such is the laughter of fooles And because oppression from the stronger driueth men to madnes bribes again destroy their hartes the good end is better then the good begining and patience better then anger A man must be slovv to anger for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles As this proceedeth not of vvisdome
to aske vvhy vvere the former dayes better then these VVisdome is good vvith vvelth vvhile men liue Both bring a sheltre But vvisdome is the better it saueth him that hath it And here vvisdome shevveth it selfe euen in hamblenes not hoping to streighten that vvhich God hath made croked rejoyce vvith the rejoycing and vvepe vvith the vveping dayes God hath so set one by the other that none can finde fault The just perisheth in too straite justice the toylesome holdeth one long in his toyle Be not toylsome to much nor too vvise and play not the foole it vvill bring death before the ordinarie course It is good to kepe betvvixt both as they that feare God vvill VVisdome vvill strengthen more then ten rulers though in many thinges all stumble And this poinct of vvisdome hath great vse not to regard all evel tongues for all speak evell of others the tōgue cā not be bridled This Kohe leth tried sought still to find reasons for all cariages But that vvas far off Novv the far off and the depe vvho can find out But in trying the madnes of folk Koheleth found by his thousand vvives that an evell vvomā vvas bitterer then death This he found examining one thing by an other to find out devises But this he could not find out though in men one of a thousand Koheleth vvold find out the subtilest devises yet of a subtile vvomans devises in all that number he could not They made him build houses to strange Gods vvhervpon the Kingdome first rented aftervvardes perished And this Koheleth found generally true that God made Adam plain but they found out many invētiones And so doe their children in all folly And vvho is as the vvise man vvho is like him that knovveth the nature of matters VVisdome lighteth the face of a man and the hardenes of his face vvilbe changed As vnlernednes bredeth boldnes and judgement lothnes to be medling And it avoideth the calamities that come from governoures oppression Herein visdome vvold kepe the Kinges lavves in the Lord and not resist auctority for he earieth not the svvord in vain But he that doth vvell shall have praise of the King But here men brede them selves much sorovv not knovving vvhat vvill befall them And this vanitie is comon that men consider not rulers nor subiectes hovv sodenly death vnexorable against vvhich ther is no striving ceaseth vpon men By vvant of vvisdome herein men vvilbe ruling men to their ovvne harme In that case Koheleth savv the vvicked buried vvhen they vvent avvay and passed from the holy place of judgement vvere forgottē in the citie vvher they had so done And this vanitie might teach that no throneacceptable vnto God can be found in this vvorld But by not knovving Gods dealing herein men fill this vvorld vvith vanity Because judgemēt is not shevved quickly vpon evel vvorkes mens hartes be fully caried to doe mischief But the vvise Koheleth vvould tell though the vvicked doe vvickedly an hundreth fould and live long yet it shal be vvell vvith the Godly not vvith the vvicked vvhose dayes are but a shadovv An other secret government of God teacheth the vanity of this life that the just are plagued and the vvicked prosper This teacheth that ther is an other vvorld of recompense as in the Parable of Lazarus and Dives In this diversity quiet enioyng of the present vvelth is all that a man can have of his travell And for mans busines restles and slepelesse not the vvisest can see the reason of Gods vvorkes By outvvard prosperity the just and vnjust are not discovered often tymes Hence Epicures exhort one an other vvith longe orationes to present pleasures vvhile not the svvift have the gool nor the valiant the victory nor the vvise the bread nor the cunning favour but a tyme and occurrant befalleth all And men knovv no more their time then fish or foule that be caught in a net and snare VVithout speciall vvisdome this vvill not be shunned VVisdome is soone contemned This example may be pregnant A litle citie besieged of a great King by a poore mans vvisdome hath ben saved But that poore man is soone forgotten yet vvisdome is better then strength though the vvisdome of the poore is contemned his vvordes are not heard The vvordes of the vvise in quietnes are heard more then the cries of Lordes over fooles VVisdome is better then armour of vvarre and one that misseth of it as a Lord over fooles vvill lose much good As one dead flye putrifieth much precious oinctement so a little folly marreth a man precious for vvisdome glory VVisdome is rare and to have the hart on the right hand But to have the hart on the left hand that is comon to the foole vvhose hart faileth in the plain vvay and he telleth all that he is a foole And in such a vvorld vvhat study of the Lavv can brede a blessed throne on earth The Spirit of rulers often riseth against a dutifull subiect as did Salomons against Ieroboam he left his place and fled to Egipt and became the ruine of Salomons throne Here a soft cure might have delayed much sinne An other evel is great and comon appearing notably in the vnlavvfull kingdome of Ephraim The fooles of the ten tribes vvere set on high and false Prophetes and the truly rich sate dovvne lovv Servantes sate on horseback Princes vvalked vpon the ground This people might knovv that great is the vanity of governements here Roboam in Iuda likevvise payd the price of that extolling foolish yonge men and contemning old sages And King Ioas most notably yelding from his rich counsellers to the foolish Idoleservers And his grandfather Ioram greatly vvanted vvisdome that lost all Edoms subjection and advaunced fooles to kill his ovvne bovvels and to dye by torment of bovvels And as Saul by folly hoping to defeate David digged a pit vvhich him self fell into So King Ochozias joyning vvith Israel brake an hedge that the Serpent Iehu stange him And of all Kinges vvanting vvisdome and of all in high place and of ill bent avvay from God these Proverbes vvilbe verified he that removeth stones vvilbe greved by them and he that cleaveth vvood shal be indangered by it yf the iron be blunt and a man vvhett not the edge but be vehemēt in strength vehemency in a blunt cause vvill cause dāger VVisdome from Gods vvordes of right vvill only bring good successe teaching to bevvare of Satans deceites vvher a sting at the first is past cure All the Kings of Israel folovved Ieroboams vvorshipping of calves being so sttong at the first vvithout vsing holy aduise that aftervvardes ther could be no vse of enchanters All the Prophetes vvarninges vvere nothinge all that Ionas vvhale and Nineuie taught all that Osec Amos Esai and Micha told vvroght litle good As deaf adders they stopped their eares and vvold not heare the voice of any inchanter Yet
is written My name is in him It is written rebell not against him he will not beare with your sinnes Mark also the commentary of Ramban vpon these wordes Behold I send myne Angel before thee to keep thee in the way to bring thee into the place which I have prepared regard him obey his voyce Provoke him not for he will not for bear your Sinnes for my name is in him Thus there speaketh Ramban In the propriety of the text this Angell which is promised here is the Angell the redemer in whom the great Name God is For in Iah Iehova is the Rock Everlasting And the same said I am the God of Bethel It is the manner of the King to tary in his house And the Scripture calleth him Angel because the world is governed by this Person And vvordes of the generall Rabines concerning Christ are these in Isaak Ben Arama vpon the Lavv fol. 76. Our Doctours say who art thou great mountayne This is Christ. Ana wherfore is his name called greate because he shal be greater then the Fathers as it is written Behold my servant that prosper he shal be high exalted I le shal be higher then Abraham exalted above Moses he shal be farre above the Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of ministery of whom it is written Ezek. â— They had height they had terrour And if they mark vnderstand this they doo know that the dignity of Messias is above the Angels of ministery In that sense should not he be God him self as they appropriate vnto him this honorable title This hath Ben Arama And most playnly doth the same mans vvordes say that God spake this of Messias ps 89. I wil be his father he shal be my sonne As Aben Ezra saith of Kisse the Sonne This is Messias And of the holy Spirit Gen. 1. 2. they say This is the Spirit of Messias the King Zohar vpon Gen and comonly from Ieremy 23 as in Bathra sect 5. fol. 75. B. That he is Iehouah our righteousnes And thus they doe in vvordes agree vvith our holy Apostles But they turne aside like a vvarping bovv vvherof I vvil novve speake by the helpe of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OF IVDAISME DISANNVLLING COHELETH AND ALL the Bible One great Rabbin who lived 42 3 yeeres agoe who gathered the Ierusalem Thalmud and the Babylonian into an easier order translated what he bringeth into familiar Ebrew they be rare Iewes that vnderstand the Ierusalemy or the Babylonian specially He endeth his volumes in the common place of Messias who shal be translated cited in his own wordes to shew howe the whole nation misseth extreamely of Christ the end of the law though in toung they agreed with the Apostles Rambam or R. Moses Ben Maymony in Misnaioth Tom. 4. tract Kinges Sect. 11. 12 thus writeth Messias the King shall stand vp restore the Kingdome of the house of Dauid to the old state of the first gouerment he shall build the temple gather the dispersed of Israel the Lawes shal be restored They shall offer their offringes and keepe the seauenth yeeres rest according to euery commaundement deliuered in the Law And euery one that beleueth not in him and he that looketh not for his comming he denieth not onely all the other prophets but also the Law Moses our Doctour For behold the Law testifieth of him as it is said And the Eternall thy Elohim shall restore thy captivity and pity thee and gather thee againe c. After thy dispeâ—â—ion shal be into the extremity of the heauens Yet the Eternall will bring thee againe And these speche set fourth in the Law they are abridgements of all the speches which are spoken by all the prophets And specially in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Section of Balaam as is spoken and there he speaketh of two Messias of the first Messias which is David which saued Israell from the hand of their enemies And of the latter Messias which shall stand vp of his children which shall teach Israel in the end And in the former place he saith I shall see him But not now I shall view him but not neare This is King Messias A star from Iacob This is Dauid a scepter That is King Messias And He shall smit the Lordes of Moab He is David as it is said And he stroke Moab And measured them by corde And he shall vnwall all the sonnes of Seth He is Christ the King as it is said And he shall rule from sea to sea And Edom shal be an inheritance Euen to David as it was said And Edom became servants to David And Seyr shal be an inheritance c. This is to Messias the King As it said And Sauiours shall arise on mount SioÌ„ c. Also concerning the cities of refuge he saith thou mayst adde yet three cities c. But this hath neuer bene done And the Lord did not commaund any thing in vaine But the case standeth according to the wordes of the Prophets it needeth no disputing for all bookes are full of this matter And Let it neuer come to thy minde that Messias the King needeth to worke by signes and wonders For behoâ—h Rabbi Akiba was a great Doctor among the Doctours of the Thalmud he was Harnes bearer to Ben Coziba the King he thought that he was the King Messias Both he deemed and all the Doctours of his age that he was King Messias vntill he was killed for Sinne. when he was killed they knew he was not And the Doctours asked of him for no signe for no wonder And the grouÌ„d of the matters thus standeth That the Law that the statutes rightes of it staÌ„d for euer yea for euer euer And nothing maye be added nothing may be taken away And if a King stand vp from the house of David studieng the Law busiedin the coÌ„maundementes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as David his father according to the written Law the Law of traditions and compel Israel to walk in it to repair the ruins of it to fight the warres of the Eternall behold this is sure that he is the Messias yf his doing prosper he build the temple in place gather the dispersed of Israel behold that man is Messias out of all doubt And he will settle al the world to serue the Lord togeither As it is said then I will turne vnto nations pure Lippes that all may call vpon the name of the Eternall serue him with one accord Perek or Section 12. the last of all his Thalmud Let it not come into thy hart that in the dayes of Messias any thing shal be abrogated from the custome of the world or that any newnes shal be in the frame of the world Nothing so The world goeth on in the same rate and that which is said in Esay And the wolf shal dwell with the Lambe the Leopard
shall lodge with the Kid that is a parable and a dark spech The sense of the spech is That Israel shall dwell in safety among the wicked of the world which are Likened to the wolf Leopard As it is said the Euening vvoolf shall spoyle them the Leopard shall vvatch at their cities And they shall turne vnto the Law of truth and they shall not spoyle nor destroy but shall eat their store in quietnes as Israell as it is sayd The Lyon as the Oxe shall eat stravv And so in other matters the like which are written of Messias they are resemblances And in the dayes of Christ the King it shal be knowen to all what thinges were resembled and to what matters the hid meaning tended The Doctours say ther is no differēce betwixt this world the dayes of Christ but onely the service vnder the Kingdomes It may be sene by the propper sense of the prophets that in the begining of the dayes of Messias shal be the warre of Gog and Magog before the warres of Gog Magog a prophet shall stand vp to settle Israel to praepare theyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hartes as it sayd Behold I send vnto you Elias c. And he cometh not to Pollute the pure or to purifie the polluted nor to disable the fully allowable nor to allow the manifestly disallowable but to settle peace in the world as it is said he shall turne the harts of fathers vnto the Children And there be some of the Doctours who say that before the coming of Messias Elias shall come But all these matters such like doth no man know what they shal be vntill they be The matters are matters closed vp with the prophets also our Doctours haue no Kabala for these matters But with wresting of the textes And therefore they are at schisme for these matters And these matters are in no case for theyr order of being or particularities any foundation of Law Let not a man busie himselfe in the Agadoth or fables wittilypēned nor be long in Midrasoth cōmentaries of allusions which are spokē of these matters such let him not lay them for a foūdatiō For they teach neither faith nor Love So let not a man reckon the End Yet the Angell Gabriel Daniel did to the very houre Daniel 9 as our Doctours say Let their soule breath out who reckon the endes But let him expect and beleue according to the generall rule which wee haue expounded In the dayes of Messias the King when his Kingdome shal be settled all Israell shal be gathered vnto him all they shal be genealogized according to their familyes by his mouth from the holy Spirite which shall rest vpon him as it is vvritten hee shall sit he shall purifie and clense The sonnes of Levy first shall he clense and thus say This man is of the Priestes family this man of Levies genealogie he shall reiect them which are not of the Genealogie of Israel Behold a certayne One sayd And the Ambassadour said vnto them c vntil there standes Vp a Priest with Vrim Thummim Behold thou art taught that by the holy Spirit the Principall shal be referred to their Genealogie the genealogized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal be made knowen But he will not genealogize Israell that is them who are not of Levy but generally of what tribe they be shewing that this man and this man is of such a tribe But he will not tell that such a man is of speciall vertue such an one of an Heathen mother such an one a Slaue But of right will Let them sink that will haue their Sun to set The Doctours and prophetes desired not the dayes of Messias neither to rule over all the world nor to subdue the Heathen nor to be extolled of nations nor to drink make mery but to haue Leasure for the Law and wisdome and haue no taxe master and Hinderer that they may be worthy of life Eternall And in that time there shal be no hunger no warre no emulation nor strife for goodes shall flow plentifully And all delicates shal be found as Plentifull as dust And the world shall studie nothing cls but onely to know the Eternal Therfore there shal be great Doctours skilfull in hid speches they shall apprehend the knowledg of their Creatour according to the force of their strēgth as it is written For the Earth shtlbe full of the knowledg of the Eternall as the waters that cover the Sea The Ebreu that folovveth is the Ievves continued spech of theyr mistaken Messias But excedeth much the English translation in space because I vvold have a fayr and great Letter After shall come a short cēsure vpō the levves hope for theyr Messias then The Chaldy Paraphrastes ovvne argument of Coheleth the holy Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Censure vpon the Iew Rambam He speakeah truly that Balaam prophecieth of Christ but he litle marketh vvhat Balaam taught by that Messias shall vnvvall all the sonnes of Seth. Yffor destroying all their tovvnes vvall this vvere spoken that vvere no benefite Nether vvil Salomon suffer to hope for one age to haue any thing the like vvherof vvas not afore either for peace or vvarres Paul expoundeth the vnvvalling of Seth sonnes 2. Cor. 10. Our armour is not carnall but mighty for God to pull dovvne strong holdes This Balaā meant By more cities of refuge Rambam seeketh corners thus he reasoneth Yfvve had not yet all cities of refuge promised ther is a returning vnto our land of Chanaan to haue them But yet vve had not all promised Therfore there remayneth a returne to Chanaan The assumption is double vveake The Lavv gaue leaue to make more yf they conquered more as Ruben Gad Manasses conquered more Permissiōs be in Lavves no lesse then cōmaundements Besides vve may not say that Ruben Gad Manasses made no cities more of refuge because it is not recorded The vvitty Aben Ezra noteth vpon Gad Gen. 4. 9. that much is vnrecorded vvhich Iacob speaketh of him Thus Rambams hope is the vveb of a spider And concerning building of Ierusalem vvhat can that profit more then it profited in Salomons time vvhen sone all came to nothing And novv the vvorld is 5531. yeres old and their rule is that six thousand shall end it vvhich vvilbe at 469. vvhat can that time vvorke to change the vvhole vvorld Touching Elias He tottereth But vve knovv the case and he might learne Christ the heauenly Ierusalem of our N. Test the Chaldy vpon Eccles 1. v. 2. telleth that their Messias is but vanity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 KOHELETH Ecclesiastes 1. The wordes of Koheleth the Sōne of David King in Hierusalem 2. Vanity of vanityes saith Coheleth vanity of vanityes all is vanity 3. what permanent good hath man in all his labour which he taketh vnder