of one master and Pastour ¶ For there is none ende in making of bookes HEre he toucheth the infelicitie of mās nature seeming to imitate and followe these good men and wryters but full vntowardly vnhandsomely This he meaneth Thou hast to doe in the world where thou shalt happē on innumerable bookes set out to edifie the people but abyde thou within a certen numbre of thē prescribed And hold thy selfe vpon the scripture Much study and reading is a wearines of the fleshe THis he saith not of the wearynes of the person that wryteth but of his disciples or hearers as if he would saye These men with their many wrytinges and bookes doe nothing but cause men to weary themselues whō yet they would séeme to benefit alwayes learning and neuer attayning vnto the truth This I say is the fruite of these bookes ▪ to trouble mens consciences and to weary that people Therefore we must persist and abyde in the opinion of one Teacher We must cleaue either to one or to a fewe which haue the trewe forme of doctrine Other we must beware of which go about onely to séeme to bring some newe deuyse and to séeme better learned then others as nowe many Sectaryes and their likes doo Well therefore doth S. Iames saye Be ye not many maisters Let vs heare the ende of all feare God and keepe his commaundementes THat is this is the sūme of all feare God and worshipp him and set hym alwayes before thine eyes and so shalt thou perfourme all I haue written in this booke For vnlesse a man feare God he can accomplishe none of these thinges He hath set forth the examples of them which haue lyued wisely and notablye without feare who when aduersitie and distresse commeth waxe insolent and trouble themselues But they that feare the Lorde can contemne and set light all aduersityes troubles when they come giue God thankes whē they come not ¶ For this is the dutie of all men THat is belongeth to all men and is profitable for all mē By other trades and kindes of lyfe men seeke for gayne by this for godlynesse The same Paule affirmeth in this wise These thinges be proffitable for men As for vaine talke auoyde For God wil bring euery worke vnto iudgement with euery secreat thing whether it be good or euell THat is all thinges at length shall come vnto iudgement Be they good or be they euil vaine talkers backbiters fooles at length shall be confounded and their opinions shall no lenger endure Thus zoilus at length was throwen downe aliue from the topp of a mountaine But Homer abydeth the Prince of all Poetes still in despight of all the zoili or of whosoeuer is more wicked then they Thus all other good authors especially of the sacred Scriptures by Gods power and appoyntment are likewyse hetherto preserued ¶ With euery secret thinge THat is to saye hypocrisie Because these Apes counterfet a shewe of lyfe and good doctrine So in the 25. Psalme also it is sayd I will not keepe companye with dissemblers that is such as Christ calleth hipocrites Paule sayth They haue a shewe of Godlines Therefore God shall Iudge euery worke that that may remayne and abyde that is perfect and sincere all coulor fainednes being taken away wherewith they hid and cloked their workes He speaketh not of the latter iudgment but after the maner of the Scripture in generall of all iudgments eyther such as heretikes be iudged and put to death by or what so euer sorte of wicked persons All these thinges haue their iudgment and time appointed them of God which they must abyde Thus the Pope euen at this day is brought to iudgement is almost condēned Thus was Arius and diuerse other heretikes brought to this iudgment and the Lorde reueled their shamefullnes as Peter saith In the time of his visitation and inquirie FINIS Psal. 119. Nun. Iames. 1. Iames. 1. He blameth the abusing of this booke The errour of the Schoolemē in this booke The doctrine of doubtyng tooke begynnyng of this booke The errour of holy fathers in misunderstādyng of this booke The begynnyng of Monkishe lyfe Errour of the interpretours The title of this booke He meaneth Plato The obscuritie or hardnes of this booke Two causes why it is so obscure The vse of this booke The Argumēt and intent of this booke The errour of them cōfuted which condemne Gods creatures The creatures of God are good The abuse of Gods creatures naughty affections of men are condemned in this booke The errour of them that vnderstand not this booke What thyngs Salomon condemneth in this booke What the matter and content of this booke is What the affectiōs of man are The doctrine of this booke is to vse our goods with thankes geuyng S. Augustines saying The corruption of mās nature and miserie of mans affections What thinges are reprehended in this booke The title of the booke Why this booke is called the Preacher Salomons phrase and speach The cause why one worde is doubled The theame and argumēt of this booke Mens deuises and enterprises are vaine Of whose labour and trauel Salomō speaketh He speaketh of mēs enterprises not of Gods workes Gods creatures are firme and stable but men are caryed and vexed with diuerse desires False interpretatiō blamed Gods creatures abyde within theyr bondes but men stray out of theirs The sunne rayseth the wyndes with hys mouyng The cause of sprynges and fountaines All thinges are led with their own course and order What the meaning of this comparison is The errour of Sophisters vpon this place The vanitie of man greater thē can be expressed with wordes The insatiable gulfe of mans hart Alexander Magnus Mans mynde is vnsatiable Vanitie of mans hart In man there is no new thyng but concupiscence naughty inclamtiōs dwell in all men God worketh newe thinges in some men Men are not mooued with the examples of their predecessours He begynneth hys doctrine 〈◊〉 the exāple of himselfe which hee setteth out to all men to folow Of his owne example by an argument a maiore He speaketh of hys owne workes enterprises Mē troubled wyth their owne wisdome The care of man to his vocation ruled by the worde of God good and necessary Mās coūsels not ruled by gods word are deceaued We must abstayne not trust to our owne counsels but to gods word onely Where the greatest wisdome of man is without the feare of God there is most foolishnes Vnhappy is the good intention that is not ruled by the worde of God and fayth The cause why all thynges cā not be ruled by our counsell All thinges must be cōmitted to God and he desired to order our deuises and to geeue them good successe The wisedome of kyng Salomon What knowledge i◠What wisdome is The continuation of the former chapiter with this present Mourning companion vnto pleasure Loue is bitter We must vse Gods giftes with the acknowledgyng
dayly runne into the Sea. The Sea againe by certaine secrete conduites and vaines in the mountaines soketh droppeth as it were into springes Riuers and the earth is a very strainer through the which the water is clarified Thus we sée that Salomon in fewe wordes comprehendeth the meruelous disposition and motion of the fower elementes within themselues naming the earth the Sunne the wâ—â—de flouds I suppose Salomon meaneth by the allegory of these naturall alterations to bring vs to the matter that he treateth of and frameth this similitude vnto vs As if he shoulde say Euen as all these thinges abide in their chaungeable courses so doe all our affayres likewise The sunne is neuer wearied notwithstaÌ„ding his continuall course the waters runne into the Sea and yet are not spent and consumed c. EueÌ„ so fareth it wyth meÌ„ They still doe as their elders haue done which gaue themselues vnto vanitie EueÌ„ as they nothing preuailed no more doe we No man amendeth by an others example or taketh euer the more héede by an others dainger Iulius was most vainely occupyed Cicero sought to bee eloquent But what was the end of their trauell most vaine because they atteyned not to that they desired If he had vsed his eloquence not after his owne deuise but as tyme and place had serued him doubtles he shoulde haue béene a most happy man These mens examples doe we follow c. Therefore all mens deuises rise fall goe forward come backeward and continue as they alway haue done So there is in these wordes not onely a description of the kingdome of vanitie but also a similitude and comparison of mans deuises All thinges are hard to be knowen neither is any man able to expresse them THis text the Sophisters haue corrupted while they thinke the study of Philosophie is here repreheÌ„ded whereby meÌ„ search out the nature causes of things as though this were an euill thyng not able to be declared But it is not euill to search out the nature and properties of thynges Moreouer the causes of all things are most manifest so farre of is it that they be hard and difficult This therfore he meaneth that he wil speake of the vanitie of maÌ„ but that the same is so much and so great that he thinketh he can not sufficiently expresse the same It can not be vttered he sayth how great the vanitie of man is which thyng Persius the Poete declareth saying O what great vanitie is in the world And an other writer sayth No man lyueth content with his estate And euery man ought to lyue within his boundes and coÌ„passe vanitie stretcheth farther than can be rekoned in all mens affaires Therfore it is but litle that I can say of vanitie if a man consider the greatnes therof It is to grosse and to much For so great is this worldes vanity that I can not with any wordes expresse it The thyng is greater then either men can conceaue or I am able to vtter It is an hard matter to declare the varietie of mens deuises and desires what it is that Iulius coueteth what AlexaÌ„der what Salomon what Cato what Scipio what Pompey The affections of men are alwayes more then the toung of man can expresse And now he prooueth that he sayd by an example The eye is not satisfied with seyng nor the eare with hearyng THat is to say mans eyes and senses haue neuer any rest If I should goe about to declare but onely the pleasures we conceaue by seeyng and hearyng I should take an endles labour in hand If the eye be not satisfied with seyng how shall I be able to vtter all the vanitie of man To be short naught and vnsearcheable is the hart of maÌ„ Such is the diuersitie of mans affections and desires that that the eyes haue neuer seene ynough Now they desire to sée one thyng now an other wheÌ„ they haue their wish yet is not their mynde contented The hart is a gulfe alwayes gaping it coueteth all things and though it haue all it desireth yet stil séeketh it for more CoÌ„sider Alexander Magnus who being Lord almost of the whole world yet wheÌ„ he heard there were innumerable worldes sighed saying and I haue not yet vanquished one world Thus in his hart hee coueted infinite worldes What man is so eloquent that he can expresse this most vayne affectioÌ„ of the hart This vanitie and gréedynes of mans hart can not be expressed That whiche hee hath doth not like hym and wisheth for that which hee hath not The eye is not satisfied with seeing vnderstand this generally not as they haue expounded it It is not satisfied with beholdyng of heauen What thing is that that hath been euen the same that is to come What is that that hath been done euen the same that shall be done And there is no new thyng vnder the sonne Is there any thyng wherof it may be sayd Loe this is new for the lyke hath been in the times that haue been before vs There is no remembraunce of thinges past no more shall there be any remembraunce of thynges to come hereafter HEre do the Sophisters trifle agayne vnderstandyng these wordes of the Creatures their selues where Salomon playnely signifieth he speaketh of mens affections and desires saying The eye is not satisfied c. Bycause hearyng and seyng are such senses as soonest perceaue things are most delighted with them And thus he meaneth What is that that hath been THat is to say after thou hast prepared that thou desirest yet is not thy mynde quyeted the same affection abydeth still after thy desire that thou haddest before The mynde is neuer contented Alexander when he had ouercome the world had no more then he had before For his mynde was neuer the more satisfied Iulius thought to establish a common weale so thought Brutus too but neither of them brought it to effect This is it that hee sayth What is that that hath been Verely euen the same that hath been downe afore that is to say the same affection still remaineth which will neuer bee satisfied That that hee desireth or studyeth to haue or bryng to passe is euen the same hee hath all ready To bee short What a man hath to day of the same will he couet more to morow For here is signified the restles and insatiable appetite and vanitie of mans hart that caÌ„ not be satisfied with things present whatsoeuer they bee That I haue done this day is nothing although I haue had my purpose I am not content I will still prooue other wayes Thus doe all meÌ„ so did Iulius so Pompey so Alexander And euen as they did doe all other They desier things to come and lothe thinges present RemeÌ„ber therfore that SalomoÌ„ speaketh here of mans doings and not of Gods either already done or to be done For he speaketh alway of the thynges which are done vnder the sunne in this kingdome of the
thou not want so that thou hast to geue and gyuest of thine owne as Christ sayth in his gospell Because thou knowest me what euell c. THat is it may come to passe that to morrow thou shalt dye and leaue thy goodes to vnworthy mē or els some other calamity may suddeinly fall then thou repent thée that thou didst not geue or bestowe thy goodes and now being willing arte not able Geue therefore thy goodes while thou haste them and art able thou knowest not what wil afterwarde betide For when Princes gather and masse vp infinite treasures they doe but minister occasion of warres and rich men doing the lyke minister matter of lawe and contention ¶ If the Cloudes be full they will powre fourth rayne vpō the earth THese be meere exhortatiōs threats If the cloudes that is the poore be full they will send downe rayne into the earth This may be vnderstanded two wayes First thus Doe as the cloudes doe which when they are full let the raine fall euen so doo thou poure out vpon the poore Secondly it may be a promise which I lyke better after this sorte If thou hast substaunce geue it to thē which be like wandring cloudes and haue nothing Fill I say these cloudes and thou shalt see thy selfe also filled The commination followeth ¶ The tree whether it falleth to the South or to the North in the place that it falleth there it shall be THat is thou knowest not how longe thou shalt liue and possesse thy goods As a trée when it is cutt downe whether it fall to the South or to the North remayneth there still so howsoeuer death taketh the in whatsoeuer state or condition thou remaynest in the same If the Lorde finde thee in the South that is to say fruitefull and rich in good woorkes it is happye for thée If in the North that is to say with no good woorkes woe to thée Howsoeuer thou shalt be founde so thou shalt be iudged so thou shalt receiue also He that obserueth the wynde shall not sowe and he that regardeth the Cloudes shall not reape THis also apperteyneth to exhortatiō We in the Dutche tounge expresse this sentence thus He that is afrayde of the bushes must neuer come into the woodes or forrest It séemeth to him the geueth that he shall leaue nothinge at home but lose all And this is the cause we geeue so vnwillingly Therefore sayth he If thou wilt feare penurye ingratitude of men thou shalt neuer be beneficiall He that regardeth the substance he geueth more then the woorde of the promiser beleueth he shall not be nourished in tyme to come nor haue inough Therfore looke vpon the woorde and promises of God Man lyueth not by bread onely If thou wilt beléeue this woorde he will blesse the in thée féelde at home c. Therefore he soweth not the regardeth the windes nor reapeth that obserueth the raine For in the haruest raine is not good but men looke for fayre wether and reape not till that be come I would geue gladly say some if I knew I should not lacke my selfe Thou wilt geue onelye that whereof thou hast no néede But thou must know that the poore must eate with thée so that thou shouldest rather somewhat defraude thy selfe then he shoulde lacke But he that beleueth not the Lord will doo no good He that omitteth his worde will omitt his worke also As thou knowest not which is the waye of the Spirites nor how the bones doe growe in the wombe of her that is with Childe So thou knowest not the worde of God that worketh all SAlomon vseth this copiousnes of exhortation to awake and styrre vp our slouthfulnes Euen sayth he as thou knowest not the waye of the winde and how the bones are ioyned together c euen so thou knowest not the worke that God doth euery where or in all mē Thou knowest not what God will determine of thy selfe or of any other whether thou shalt lyue or dye to morrowe whether thou shalt be sicke or haue any other myshapp If God would haue prolonged our lyfe and our dayes so that we might haue knowē how long we woulde haue beene the woorst Creatures on the earth But now know we not whether we shall lyue one hower and yet we wil not cease our euill doing This similitude Christ vseth in the thirde of Saynte Iohn Thou hearest the blowing of the wynde and yet thou knowest not whēce it cōmeth nor whether it will and no more knowest thou whether thou shalte goe As therefore thou feelest the wynde present so vse thou thy present goodes And how the bones be ioyned together LIkewise saith he are beastes and men made in their mothers wombe thou knowest not how Psal. 38. My bones are not bid from thee though 〈◊〉 be made secretly in all that Psalme of Domine probasti c. And though the wombe were opened yet could we not sée how these thinges came to passe For we all sée that trées doe growe and yet we sée not how the bowes leaues and fruites of them doe grow neither can we shewe any reason thereof Euen so other men sée that we growe Seing therefore we vnderstand not thinges present and before our eies how shall we vnderstand things to come To cōclude Gods works are to vs vnknowen and so are those things that are to come In the morning sowe thy seede and in the euening let not thine hand rest For thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that or whether both shall be alyke good HE speaketh not this of tyllage onely but generally of all the woorkes of man and chiefly of doing good workes as Paule sayth Let vs doo good while we haue time In the morning that is betimes or alway The reason is because thou knowest not which will soonest grow Cast thou thy séede in the ground and doe that thou oughtest and then commit all thy labour successe hereof to god Doe wel vnto all men marke not the windes nor care not for that is to come Thus must we doe our good works not looke for our thankes here If the world doth giue no thankes God thanketh if both cometh to passe so much is it the better And if Daungers ensue receiue them thankfully We sée therefore in all this booke that Salomon teacheth vs to vse the thinges present that God sendeth and armeth vs against daūgers and calamities to come that when they light we take them not as straunge That that followeth is a kinde of wish or prayer such as we vse in our sermons and exhortations in Dutch on this wyse woulde to God it went so to woorke Light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to see the Sunne THis is an allegory he meaneth if were a pleasant thing if a mā would expresse this doctrine in lyfe If the Princes and people would folow this doctrine which I haue taught doe