of preface he sayth that he thought so earnestly That God hath purged them the Hebrewe wordes are A hard place Lebaram haelohim A harde place also diuersely expounded I wil recite the more likely expositioÌ„s out of the which I wil choose that which is more agreeable both vnto the wordes and also the meaning that is to saye the which shall seeme most simple and most fit Some thinke that Solomon speaketh according vnto the iudgement of wicked and prophane men that is according vnto the iudgement of man his reason falsly gathering Others and the same most lerned Interpreters suppose that Solomon speaketh not in their person but according vnto the outward appearance of the verie things themselues simply forasmuch as hee bringeth nothing the which is vngodly or sauoureth any way of vngodlines nay the which is not agreeable vnto the Scripture the which euery where with these arguments blameth increaseth the vanitie of man for that he doth not teach any thing but only bring reasons of doubting Therefore they expound the whole place thus That God hath made men cleare that is to say hath plainly opened and declared vnto men and hath shewed them that they are vnto him as it were beastes that is that their estate doth neuer aw hit differ froÌ„ brute beastes when as namely there is the same common end vnto them both when as both of them indifferently are subiect vnto death liue with the same vitall spirit haue the same vitall powers the same functions of life eating drinking sleepe generation mouing and other external and outward properties are taken out of the same matter namely out of the dust returne againe into dust And in the ende of their life is there any that knoweth whether the spirit of man goeth and whether the spirite of a brute beast goeth by what reasons can he make difference betweene them Thinges standing in this order in as much as the vanitie of man is so great and that in outward shew and appearance his condition differeth not from brute beasts that far the best kind of life is no other then that so long as he remaineth aliue in this life he vse and enioy his labours ioyfully and quietly and season the sweete pleasure of the bodie with the sounde vse of the benefites of God and with lawfull ioyfulnesse of minde vsing things present pleasant and vtterly reiecting the care of things to come I for my part doe not disallowe either of the interpretations A middle interpretation yet doeth the middle way like me better For I cannot thinke that Solomon speaketh simply either in his owne person or in the person of prophane men as I suppose the learned weighing the circumstances of this place will iudge Againe they doe not vnto the meaning of this place set down the ende of these words the which no doubt is the more to expresse the doubting of vanitie the which falleth into the externall and outwarde consideration of vertue For if in this life lawe and right bee broken and good and gyltlesse men bee euery where molested and troubled verie sore yet at leastwise there ought to bee some difference in their death yet the good man dyeth as wel as the badde But that this may bee the more liuely set foorth because hee had spoken in an other place of the like ende of the good and badde hee speaketh generally of the ende of man and compareth it with a brute beast by the which comparison the externall or outwarde condition of man is no doubt more expressely vnderstood To conclude I doe not agree with them in the exposition of certaine wordes They expounde these wordes Lebaram Lebaram That it will come to passe that hee will make cleare so that the worde following namely Velireâ—th should be of the same signification with the other and signifie That hee might shewe I am of an other iudgement For it standeth not with the vse of this tongue in such sort to ioyne wordes of one signification togither Againe the placing of these woordes of one signification shoulde bee nothing wisely set downe for the first is more than the latter that is to saye lebaram than halireoth and therefore it shoulde bee no increasing but a lessening againe the accent is against it for it is a greater distinction in the accent which the Hebrewes do call Athnach the which is diligently to bee considered vnto the finding out of the true meaning These are graÌ„mar matters in Hebrewe therfore beyond the reach of the simple reader and therefore rather appertaineth vnto the learned as doth that also which foloweth immediatly after and finally what neede is there in this behalfe to heape vp wordes togither of one signification Therefore I had rather haue an other sense of those wordes For barar signifieth not onelye to expresse or shewe a thing plainly but also to choose and to purifie Thus therefore doe I expounde it That Solomon considered these thinges with him selfe concerninge the condition and estate of men That GOD hath chosen them that is to saye out of the multitude of all other liuinge creatures hath seuered out man vnto him selfe and dedicated him as it were vnto him or hath purified altogither in the same sense that is to saye hath consecrated him vnto him as it were an honourable and holye liuing creature namely imprinting in him his owne image and likenesse And yet hath shewed that is to saye by certaine and sure argumentes hath layde as it were before his sight for this is the signification of the Hebrewe verbe Raah in the coniugation Pihel that men themselues men I say them verie selues for the Pronoune is significantly repeated indewed with so greate giftes are brute beastes vnto them selues that is to saye in respect of their owne estate or of those thinges which fall out vnto them euen their owne conscience or experience it selfe being witnesses or simply he hath shewed them so that they cannot pretende or colourably alleage any thing for excuse vnto the knowledge of their owne condition and estate And this interpretation as it is more agreeable vnto the wordes so is it also vnto the meaning and also containeth a more plentifull and excellent doctrine For it is a plain comparison and the same contrarie a comparison I saye betweene his firste estate in the which man was created and that estate wherinto he fell through his own fault by reason of sinne For that same image of God if it by it selfe had remained in man constantly without change it had kept whole man from death and had made him whole immortall But death is the rewarde of sinne A great difference betweene man and brute beastes yet is there a great difference betweene man and brute beastes the which were neuer indued with this image of GOD for in man after the entrance of sinne there remaineth yet the image of GOD but darkened with greate and many darknesses It is therefore verie
a good name the which he sayeth farre to excell them as if he should say Doest thou seeke sound and true pleasure Liue so that thou maist get a good name and without al doubt thou shalt enioy most great gladnes most great pleasure But vnto them that are giuen vnto pleasure the feare of death is horrible and vnto those especially the which abound in plentie of riches Therefore the wise man addeth verie well That the day of death is better and more excellent then the day of birth of which wordes the force and meaning is That it is better to thinke vpon death then to tryumph in reioysing pleasures That this is the true order and knitting togither of this place consequently the right meaning the words that goe before compared with them that doe come after do declare For hee frameth vp all these things togither to beat downe the rashnesse of triumphing and reioysing pleasure to the garnishing and amplifying of the matter Speaking vnto men of matters concerning meÌ„ he dealeth after the manner of men He noteth not expressely the which notwithstanding is the foundation of our faith euerlasting life he sayth onely that which experience teacheth to be true when as death swalloweth vp all men that this euen in death remaineth as a monument of man his felicitie or happinesse if a maÌ„ haue so liued that the remembrance of him being dead is praise worthie and commendable For detestable and verie miserable is the remembrance of such as haue liued like Sardanapalus Nero Heliogabalus 3 It is better to go That is to say It is farre better and more profitable earnestly to thinke vpon death and to feele the incumbrances of the condition of man and to haue experience of these discommodities both in our selues also in others then to fill our minds with delites as they do which giue themselues to banquets that is to say vnto pleasure For by the name of Feast hee vnderstandeth all kinde of pleasure among the which solemnities feastes haue the chiefe place The purpose therefore of Solomon is The purpose of Solomon to call them backe from the vanitie of pleasure and because that all of vs by nature are carried thereunto to put a bit in the mouth of the lustinesse of the flesh least it fling away a gallop with these as it were spurres of delites It shall therefore be a good remedie against these outrages of pleasure Consider what is the estate of the life of man beholde howe many heapes of dead bodies it hath we shall not alwayes banquet and laugh And why this cogitation or thought is profitable hee setteth downe a reason Because that it is The meaning of these wordes is plaine That at deathes there is an image and representation of man his frailtie and weakenesse whose as it were last ende death is namely that in the things which befall vnto other men euery one should be put in minde of his owne condition and estate Of which matter all men ought especially to thinke so farre as they will haue themselues verie well prouided for Therefore he sayeth He that liueth will lay these things c. That is to say euery man so long as he remaineth in this life All meÌ„ oughâ— daily to haue death before their eyes ought earnestly to thinke on this matter and daylye to set before him the image of the common condition of all men that is of death one euen of the blinde Heathen hath sayde that Philosophie is the meditation or thinking vpon of death We doubtlesse may say better and more truely that it is a most excellent gift of Christian veritie diligently to thinke on death to the end that wee should so liue as if we were to dye and therfore to yeld accounts vnto God of our life The doctrine 1 A good name is a most pleasant frute of life because it commendeth a man both when hee liueth and also when he is dead A good naâ—e is a most pleasant frute of life and an if any kind of pleasure be to be desired that one is especially to be wished for We ought therfore to prâ—fâ—rrâ— farre before all the pleasures of riches delights and honours this pleasure of a good name the which we do get by liuing well temperately â— iustly and therefore especially to labour about this thing not that we may excell other men in riches honours and delites the which do leaue vs at the last peril of death but that we may so liue that the remembrance of men that are aliue the which is acceptable vnto vs may witnesse that we haue liued well that their good and frindly speaking of vs may represent vs as if we were aliue vnto the mindes of men 2 But this is humane felicitie the which then at length is most sure if it staye vppon this foundation that our names are written in the booke of life For this is a most sweete promise common vnto all the faithfull in Christe their head Thou shalt not suffer thine Holie one or thy mercifull to see corruption These delites therefore of eternitie remaine for them which haue led their liues godly and holily The day of death is better vnto them then the day of birth For when as no man can be saide to be blessed happie before his death and last ende and in as much as this life is passed through infinite daungers and shipwrackes of perils and miseries No maÌ„ happie before his death he is happie which hauing commendably sayled ouer the sea enioyeth the hauen whereas otherwise he that commeth into life is carryed from the hauen into the maine vnto sundrie and manifold kindes of misery The Exposition 4. Anger is better These things do plainely agree with that which went before and are only added to garnish and set out the matter with al. What Solomon meaneth by anger By the word Anger he vnderstandeth iust indignation against sinne which the Greekes call Nemesis For he doth not speake of the corrupt affection of anger the which Iames denieth to worke the righteousnesse of God For suche an anger is a madnesse and that in deede moste hurtfull He meaneth therefore that anger of which it is spoken in another place Be angry sinne not c. Against this hee setteth laughter that is to say immoderate and intemperate ioy and gladnesse He furthermore setteth downe a cause namely for that the end of the same holy sadnesse is many times ioyfull and contrarywise the end of madnesse and frantike ioy and gladnesse lamentable and sorrowful How true this is experience doth too abundantly teach Dauid liuing ydle and at ease Dauid whilst he maketh much of himselfe and giueth ouer himselfe vnto pleasure lying as it is likely in the lappe of Bersabe got vnto himselfe great harme therby but when he was sad and heauy being touched in conscience for his sinne he diligentlye gaue himselfe vnto the making of Psalmes by occasion of his wholesome
in the true feare of God That true happinesse doth consist in the true feare of GOD The end hee calleth the principall and chiefe end and drift for this was the purpose of the disputation or discourse at the beginning What felicitie or happinesse shoulde bee it is therefore as much as if hee shoulde saye My intent and purpose was to teach what happinesse was and wherein it doth consist I haue taught that it doeth consist in the feare of God Let this therefore bee the summe and ende of my whole discourse Feare God that thou mayst liue happily For this is all or whole man that is to saye This is the onely principall ende of our whole life whereat all men ought to leuel and ayme This is the soueraigne good of man man euen all whatsoeuer hee is ought to direct all his studie and thoughtes vnto this ende or if man bee anye thing this onely hee is all other thinges are vaine all the accountes and doings of man ought to bee referred vnto this alone So in Heathen writers to Solon and to Agathon are taken for all one namely for the principall chiefe ende that man ought to haue regarde vnto that is true happinesse And for a rule of this godlinesse hee prescribeth and appointeth The commaundements of the Lorde that is to saye his word the which was the third part of this disputation that the vse of true religion might bee shewed for the right framing of our life and the strengthening of our mindes against the outrages and disorders of the life of man with the diligent and earnest thinking vpon the prouidence of god as he hath at large declared The summe and effect of which doctrine he addeth in these last wordes 14 For God will bring euery worke He therefore teacheth that GOD doeth moste assuredlye watch ouer the affairs of men God watcheth most assuredly ouer the affaires of mē that he hath regard both of the godly also of the vngodly and that in that same last daye of restoringe of all things hee will redresse all the disorders of this life that it may goe ill with the bad and well with the good cleane contrarie whereunto it often falleth out in this life For this is a principle knowen euen vnto the reason of man That God will render vnto euery one according vnto his workes But the good are those in deede whom God adopteth or chooseth in his sonne and vnto whome hee doeth impute or reckon the righteousnesse of his sonne and therefore doeth acknowledge them for his And death is in deede the rewarde of sinne life euerlasting the gift of God This iust iudgement of God shall no doubt redresse the disorders the which fall out in this mortall life and shal in the ende at his good time pull out the hypocrits by the eares out of their lurking hoales into the manifest light of his iudment So he hath here set downe the matter the principall ende principall circumstances of this discourse namely That happinesse is not in any thinges of this worlde belonging vnto men That it doeth consist in the true knowledge of the true GOD And that the same is the guyde and leader of our whole life and doeth teache vs the true and certaine waye to frame our liues well and happily that being furnished with fit remedies against all tentations wee shoulde liue well to the ende wee may dye well Euen so come Lorde Iesus FINIS Imprinted at London by Iohn Windet for Iohn Harison the younger 1585.
Certain rule◠necessary fo◠the true vnderstanding of this sermō not according vnto his owne minde but according vnto the iudgement of reason being corrupted albeit he seeme to lay downe thinges barely and playnelye namely of purpose so precisely framing his speeche that the image of this blynde reason maye bee more clearely and liuely represented So there are often chaunginges of speeche The first rule 〈◊〉 the whiche if Solomon his purpose bee not throughlye examined maye seeme to haue a cleane contrarie force and meaning The Seconde that wee must not giue iudgement of the whole sentence by some parte of the sentence 2 The second rule but must weigh the whole it selfe by his circumstances comparinge togither the things that go before with the things that followe For as it is a point of inciuilitie as the Lawers do teach to catch some one parcel of the lawe not viewing the whole lawe so is it no point of a Diuine snatching at some certaine wordes to iudge of the whole sentence For many things are spoken in some respect and that most truely the whiche in them selues and simplye shoulde not bee true as it shall appeare by the places themselues The thirde 3 The thirde rule that Solomon doeth not condemne the things themselues and creatures of God as knowledge the pleasant vse of things prudence riches honours and other such like but the abuse of these things that is to saye the studies counsailes desires endeuours of mankinde abusing the good creatures of GOD. For it is blasphemie to condemne the creatures of God the which cannot bee but verie good whereas all the fault of the vanitie of them is to bee layde vppon man as being cause thereof For whatsoeuer God hath created sayeth the Apostle is good and nothing to bee refused if it bee taken with thanks giuing the which vse also of the creatures Solomon doeth euidently and clearely teache The fourth that the ground of all these precepts the which seeme to be meere ciuil to appertaine vnto this life 4 The fourth rule must be wisely noted that they may be distinguished from politike or Philosophicall precepts with the which otherwise they might after a sort both in wordes and meaning seeme to agree Namely that the knowledge of the redeemer is the life as it were the soule of al this doctrin therfore that forgiuenes of sins repentance the promise of euerlasting life in the persō of the sonne of god to be short his voice sounding in the true church vnto the true sound vnderstāding of this doctrine ought first of al to be laid down to be the euerlasting and in deede chief principles of the same Herby shal this holie Philosophie be distinguished frō heathen and prophane and the sounde and liuely portraiture of vertues which are here set downe vnto vs shall be seuered from politike vertues that is to saye from the shadowe and shewe of vertue that wee shoulde not reckon Solomon in the same number with Hesiodus The precepts of Solomon do greatly differ from the precepts of the Heathen Philosophers Pythagoras Phocylides Plato and the rest of the teachers of the Heathen like as Solomon him selfe doeth also plainly witnesse that his doctrine is the selfe same the which to wit hee hath learned from one Pastor that is Moses the minister of the lawe or rather from Christ the euerlasting teacher of his Church that he onely applyed it as it were prickes vnto the men of his time and taught it in the Church in whose bosome hee must rest himselfe whosoeuer will truely profite in the same and thereby reape assured and certaine commoditie Although wee must also knowe this that alwayes the chiefe light of the worde of God is to be sought out of the doctrine of our Lorde Iesus Christ deliuered by his Apostles least any man should thinke that we doe so commend one and the same light of the fathers before Christ that by the comming of Christ him selfe we did not perceiue the sonne to haue shined more brightly then at noone day Through the guidance and helpe of these rules and the true laying open of the wordes the meaning of this sermon will not be ambiguous or doubtfull nor the vse and profit vncertaine the which no doubt will be manifold by the sure and certaine vnderstanding of this moste excellent doctrine 1 The first profit This truely is verie great and most profitable to knowe the way not onely how to lead this life well and happily but also the way how to come vnto that euerlasting happinesse which remaineth for vs in Heauen For when as this cause hath moued all men of all ages in whom there haue any sparkes of trueth remained that setting asyde all other things they haue giuen themselues wholy to search out the best state of life A way to attaine vnto happinesse no doubt they spent their so great care trauaile in that studie for the hope to liue happily and yet it is manifest that they haue beene so busied in this matter that they may seem not so much to haue attained the thing which they sought as to haue made vowes of a thing most excellent Therefore the authoritie of this doctrine ought to be most honourable vnto vs whereby wee may attaine not onely vnto the knowledge but vnto the sure sounde knowledge of so worthie a matter not hauing Plato Aristotle Cicero or some other blinde man to our guide but Christ himselfe the true archeleader vnto life as who is vnto vs from his father the waye the trueth and the life In laying open this happinesse What it is and what way wee may attaine vnto it this sermon is chiefely occupyed Also in so great imbecillitie and weakenes of mankind 2 The second profit To beare our selues valiantly stoutly among the discommodities of this life among so manie mazes of so great confusions out of which there is no way to be found out it can harde and scarsly be chosen but that our mindes shall be greatly amazed when as wee beholde the falles of mankind the ouerthrowes of kingdomes the deathes as well of good as bad the good in their life time to be often troubled with great miseries the wicked not onely to bee safe and free from troubles but also to flourish and to bee indued with wealth kingdomes Against these so daungerous awhapementes as it is needfull that our mindes should be strengthened with conuenient remedies so this sermon doeth yeld vnto vs those remedies clearly and plentifully And among all the vanities of the life of man this is the most vaine that there can scarsly any man be founde 3 The third profit A remedie against discontentednesse with our estate which liueth content with his estate the which is ingraffed in all men by the blot of sinne that they are carried about to fro with vaine desires yea and more ouer doe defraude bereaue
a man is nothing worth at all For so I take this kind of speeche And he haue no buriall A similitude Hee garnisheth and setteth oute the condition of a couetous person by the similitude of an vntimely birth that the estate of the couetouse man maye bee seene to be farre worse then it Hee sayth that the vntimely byrth commeth in vayne and that it goeth into darkenes and that his name is couered in darkenesse for these words are to be vnderstood of vntimely birth and not of the couetous man that is to say that it dyeth before it seeth the light as he sayth in the next verse that it neither hath seene the sunne nor known any thing that is that it had no feeling and in this respect that the vntimely birth hath more rest which was voyde of the miseries of this life with the snares wherof the miserly couetous person is entangled 6. And if he liue c. Although he continue out neuer so long a time in liuing yet must he in the end yeeld vnto the necessitie of death death at the lēgth wil catch him albeit he striue neuer so much against it and be neuer so sore afrayde of it And death the whiche vnto the faithful is the beginning of a better and a more happy lyfe vnto those couetous misers and profane Edoms the which preferre a messe of broath before euerlasting life shal be an entrye into most vnhappinesse and not as they suppose the last end of misery because that they place the end of their desires in this mortal life Therefore they liue most miserably the whiche whilest they are aliue inioy not their goods The miserye of such as vse not their goods in as much as they are giuen by god vnto men for this Therefore he sayth 7. Al the labor c. As if he should say therfore euery man doth labour and take pain that he may haue means and abilitie to lead his life commodiously and yet the couetous person is so madde and foolishe that he is neuer satisfyed or filled And to what end I praye you serueth his aboundance for there is no vse of that which is ouer and aboue Therefore the truth sayde Beware and take heede of couetousnesse for whenas goods do abound vnto any mā his life doth not consist by his goodes and in an other place Let your maners be far from couetousnesse be ye contented with things present And that acording vnto the measure the which nature prescribeth the which doubtlesse is cōtent with a little hauing wherewith we may be nourished and couered the rest are vnprofitable burdens and excrements of madde desire And who I pray you would take so manye and so greate laboures for a thing vnprofitable Therefore I vnderstande these wordes For his mouth of the thinges which doe appertayne vnto this life for the maintainaunce of the same wherewith a man may nourish himselfe Others expounde these wordes otherwise Other interpretations for the maner and measure the whiche signifycation is in deede vsuall vnto the scripture so that the meaning shoulde bee That vnto all men there is appointed a certaine measure according vnto the compasse whereof he oughte to labour and for his power continue in laboure according vnto his calling For there are distinct and seuerall dueties of persons and also of ages A child ought to labour one way a man an otherway a magistrate an other way a priuate person an other way So then he calleth vs back from the care of other mens matters vnto our own duties and would will vs chearefullye to applye oure selues in oure owne laboure and taske beeing perswaded of the goodnesse of God and content with our owne estate Against busie medling with other mens matters and finally woulde condemne busie medlynge with other mennes matters of whiche disease the greatest parte of men are verie sore sicke Both expositions are agreeable both vnto the words and also vnto faith Let the Reader follow whether he best liketh The doctrine Profit by the knowledge of the discommodities of couetousnes 1 The discommodities of couetousnes being knowen do cause vs the more earnestly to detest couetousnes Therefore they are to bee learned out of the worde of God and by wel practised experience neither are wee so to vse the matter that after the ouerthwart custome of men wee closely let in into our mindes and manners couetousnesse vnder the tytle and colour of good husbandrie Strong and sure proofes of the vanitie of couetousnes 2 The vnsatiable desire and burning lust of hauing the restlesse and raging carefulnesse bereauing vs of the true vse of the creatures and withholding our minde and bodie from needeful rest and vexing them both with endlesse discommodities riches hoarded vp vnto the hurt of the owner which are gotten with great and pensiue labour and when they are gotten are kept with infinit cares and paines and yet do forsake their master in his greatest and most extreme necessitie to be short no vse of them neither vnto our selues aliue nor dead when as they are most often left vnto a straunger are they not strong and in deede tryed proofes of that vanitie which is in couetousnes Remedies against these discommodities 3 Against these discommodities godlines yeldeth present and fit remedies namely that we should vse enioy with a quiet merie minde things present acknowledging with thankes giuing God to be the author of those benefits and our father giuing vnto vs this priuilege to vse this world as the heires of this world that wee should follow our calling go about with all diligence and industrie to do those things the which God sheweth vs to be belōging vnto our duety and that wee commit the issue and falling out of things vnto his prouidēce meddle with nothing beyond our calling yea and in our calling also that we abstaine from things not necessarie that we vse prosperitie ioyfully take aduersitie patiently as at the hands of our father and finally that we so vse this world as not vsing it with thankful mindes receiuing from God the things themselues vnto that ende wherunto they were by him ordeined as pledges of that same better life the which we know to be laide vp for vs in heauen So we shall vse the worlde and not abuse it as the most parte of men is wont to doe This is a golden saying of Augustine Augustine That riches lest they should be thought to be euil are giuen also vnto the good and that they should not be esteemed great or the chiefest iewels to be giuen also vnto the bad And againe that they are taken from the good that they may be tryed and from the bad that they may be greeued A Remedye agaynst the vanitye of the knowledge of man 8. What is there more vnto a wise man then vnto a foole VVhat shall it profite a poore man hauing knowledge to walke before them that are aliue 9. The sight
be done what is to left vndone and after what maner our life is to be ordered To know an euil thing is to feele and haue experience of misery or trouble To know an euil thing or to bee wrapped with greefes and losses The summe is that in the word of God the faythfull haue true and certaine quiet and rest and albeit that they be neuer so much tossed too fro with the great waues of calamities and miseries yet out of it the wholsome remedie is to be set againste all encombrances It is agreeable vnto that moste sweete promise Blessed is the man whom thou shalte instruct O Lord and shalt teach thy law that thou mayest giue him rest from the euill dayes c. And the Prophet confesseth in an other place that hee then at length gate the victorye out of a moste greeuous tentation when as bee entred into the sanctuarye of the Lorde Habacuc And Habacuc sayeth that in the confusions and disorders of things falling oute in this life among men he stood vpon his watch and waited diligently what the Lorde woulde speake Out of the word of God then and oute of the diligent meditation and study thereof a true and present remedy may and ought to be set for the ouercomming of all the calamityes and troubles of our life so that we maye praye with Dauid Lead me through the way of the worlde Yet Solomon his meaning is not to saye that the faithfull shall be free from all troubles the which is agaynst both the flatte word of God and also experience but this is the meaning that albeit they bee carried out into the maine sea of miseries The faithfull must not loke to be free frō al troubles yet that they shall remayne vndrownable in the midst of the waues through the guidance and leading of this diuine knowledge shining alwayes and safely vnto them as a loadstarre And he goeth on to shewe the power of this wisedome that is to say of the true knowledge of God A wise man knoweth time and iudgement by which wordes he doeth not onely signifye a right opportunitie and occasion to do thinges but also the issues of them so farre foorth namely as we are perswaded out of the worde of God that no tentation taketh vs but such as vseth to fall out vnto men and that GOD is faythfull and will together with the tentation at his due and good time giue away out of our battailes and striuinges Therefore we learne two thinges out of the worde of GOD a fit and conueniente waye howe to behaue oure selues in our battayles and striuinges that we bee not ouercomen of them and an assured hope of an happye ende of oure Combates Hee setteth downe a reason of this saying 6. For vnto euery purpose c. The worde Chaphets which they translate a wil he signifieth a purpose an action a kind or trade of life as wee haue noted before the meaning is That there are appointed and sette tymes and as it were certayne seasons for all thinges That a Wise man doth learne these out of the worde of GOD and noteth the peculiar properties of euery seuerall thing and action and doeth apply them wiselye as may serue for his turne and profyte and to place the cheefe pointe of their wisedome in the prouidence of God by the which let him be assuredly perswaded that all his affaires are gouerned and therfore whē as he hath all thinges belonging vnto him reposed in GOD that he shal not bee dismayed through euill and false rumors or reportes as the Prophet speaketh albeit the whiche an other sayde vpon farre vnlike constancye the world shoulde go to wrack and breake in sunder The faithfull holden vp with the prop and stay of God his prouidence the fall thereof shall not make him afrayd The faythfull among so manye and so greate tremblinges and fearinges as namelye being tossed too and fro dayly with infynite stormes and tempestes coulde not chuse but perishe a thousand times vnlesse they were held vp with the proppe and stay of this godlye confidence or trust 7. Because he knoweth not Hee goeth on in his discourse begun to wit concerning the maner how men ought to gouerne themselues in so great disorder of thinges falling out vnto men in this world Hee describeth and setteth out this disorder and teacheth fit remedies agaynst the same whereby true constancy might be setled in our mindes to ouercome all encōbrances valiantly and stoutly The whiche discourse he continueth from this place vnto the 13 verse of the ninth chapter The particle Ki is not causal but copulatiue only as before in the sixth chapter A greeuous doubt vnto flesh and blood He setteth downe a most greuous doubt wherewith our mindes are muche troubled for that all men both good and bad doe die indifferently and all are as it were blotted out and taken away with the common dart of death Against the which doubt he wil bring remedies but first hee sheweth reasons of the doubting Because he knoweth not c. The sum is That the end of this life is vncertaine For who can iudge of the end of death that is to come The houre then of death is vncertaine yet all must dye whosoeuer they are The whiche hee sheweth in the next verse 8 There is no man c. The necessitie of dying lyeth vpon all men Al men what soeuer must needes dye no man of what autoritie or power soeuer can by any meanes auoyd it no albeit he would go about to fighte with death in a set battel and with a great armie and host of men what sleights soeuer he vse and to what artes soeuer he betake himselfe This hee expresseth by a notable similitude By the wordes Mischlachath bammilchamath the which they translate Sending oute or sending in of warre hee meaneth power and force and that suche as is armed with an hoste of Souldiars and by the worde Reschang he signifyeth crafte and subtiltye furnished with wickednesse and trecherye All these thinges he sayth to bee manifest by continuall experience of thinges namely that lewde persons euen at the same time when as they giue ouer themselues vnto wickednesse and oppresse their Neighboures by violence are ouertaken manye times of Death when they thinke not on it and contrarywise that godly men do dye with the same Darte of Death And these thinges are signyfied by expresse wordes by the worde Returning he noteth death as in the Psalme 89. by the decree of the most soueraigne and high Emperour Returne ye sonnes of men vnlesse by the worde Returning you will also vnderstand the perpetuall memoriall or remembrance of them The remembrance of the wicked after death maketh them after a sort to liue againe among men but vnto their great shame and reproche by the which they maye verye ill bee sayd after death to liue againe among men By these words That holy men doe come from the holy place and
are forgotten in the same citie in the whiche they haue done right He meaneth that godly men whilest they doe liue in the Church of God and discharge their calling doe also giue place vnto the necessity of death This he saieth to be vanitie to shewe that he hath broughte reasons of this doubting The which being shewed hee by and by bringeth remedies As if hee shoulde saye In as muche as death is common as well vnto the godlye as vnto the vngodlye is there then no difference betweene them both Solomon answereth The wicked abuse the patience of God vnto sinning 11 12. Because Because sayth hee that God doth not by and by take punishmente on the wicked but waiteth for their amendmente with long patience therefore the vngodlye flatter themselues in their sinnes and lette loose the bridle vnto vngodlinesse But albeit they seeme to sinne without punishmente because God giueth them a verye long space of time yet this ought to be sure and setled in vs that they onlye shall in the end be happye the whiche with true feare serue GOD and walke in his obedience godlye and carefullye contrariwise that the vngodly are vnhappy for whome there doth the greater punishment remaine by how much they haue sinned the longer and the more scotfree so that by the longnesse of God his patience a greater destruction ought to be foretokened vnto them after no other sorte then as the longer shadowe warneth that the light will by and by fade awaye and that the night is hard at hand This I take to bee the playne and true meaning of this place By the worde Sentence hee vnderstandeth the execution of the iudgemente of GOD that is as the Apostle speaketh the reuealing of the righteous iudgemeÌ„t of God by the delay of the whiche iudgemente wicked men take occasion of waxing madde in outrageousnesse of sinning The summe is albeit that freedome from punishment may seeme to be graunted by god vnto the wicked in this life so that they maye triumphe as if they had not onely shaken off the yoke as it were but also had receiued a rewarde of their wickednesse A great difference between the godlye and the vngodly yet that there is neuer the lesse a great difference betweene the godly and the vngodly the whiche no doubte shall in his time appeare Hee sheweth the cause of the diuerse ende betweene them both For that the godlye doe feare before the presence of God but the wicked doe not for this is a saying alwayes true that true Religion is the way vnto true and euerlastinge happinesse like as vngodlinesse or Atheisme is the waye vnto vnhappinesse The vngodlye therefore shal be vnhappy whatsoeuer the outward appearaunce of thinges falling oute in this worlde shall shewe to the contrarye Contrariwise the Godly shall bee happye as Christe hath notably declared by the parable of the riche glutton and the poore Lazarus yea and the truth also wrested out of the mouth of Bileam Bileam spite of his heart Let my soule dye the death of the righteous An other tentation 14. There is a vanitie c. He noteth another tentation That there is a great disorder in life it selfe as well as in common death namelye for that the godly many times haue ill successe and contrariwise the vngodlye good successe The whiche disorder hee marketh with the name of Vanitie For what is more contrary vnto reason then that it should go ill with the good and well with the badde Therefore man his reason sayth That the faithfull lose their labour in seruing of God as the Prophet sayth Of a truth I haue clensed myne heart in vaine and haue washed myne handes in innocency Agaynst this doubte Solomon setteth downe fit aunsweres The first answere vnto the former â—ntation 15. And I praysed c. The first answere that we must not curiously giue ouer our selues vnto these cogitations and thoughtes but that nothing is better nothing is more excellent in as much as no man can rightly giue a cause of these disorders wherewith the lyfe of man is troubled then ridding our minds out of these cares cherefully to vse the benefites of God committing our affaires vnto the prouidence of GOD that we go not about in any case curiously to prie into the secretes of thinges vnknowne as namely to seeke why the Lord dealeth after this and this maner Therefore that it is the best soberly to consider of these matters and at no hande so to behaue our selues that by reason of the too vehement or earnest conceiuing of them we be bereft of the fruit of God his benefites This is the first answere 16. Therefore c The seconde aunswere if The seconde Aunswere sayth he thou search after the thinges that fall out vnto men in this life and the causes of the same albeit that thou bend all the sharpnesse of thy witte vnto the contemplation and studye of so greate secretes employ all thy labour and diligence and defraude or keepe thy selfe from sleepe and other necessary helpes for the mayntainaunce of this life yet shall thy mind be altogether astonied and thy enterprise of searching shall be in vain Therefore he forbiddeth that wee bee not wise according vnto the iudgement of the reason of man but oute of the word of God which is the true and sounde wisedome In a worde hee signifyeth that it â—annot possible bee that we should vnderstand the causes of those thinges the whiche in the common life of man doe after so sundrie sortes fall out yea and moreouer that it is a most vayne thing to vexe our minde about the searching out of them too curiously but that we must stay and rest vppon the worde of God from whence true oracles or aunsweres must be set and taken The ninth Chapter The thirde answere 1. Surely I haue c. The third answere although it be so that is to say that the reasons can not be yeelded of these troubles and disorders yet neuerthelesse we are to hold for certaintie that all thinges are by God most wisely gouerned He sayth by way of Preface that hee diligently trauailed about the searching oute of all this matter by which enquirie he sayth that hee learned That the iust c. That is to saye that GOD hath a singuler and an especiall care of good and godlye men Not as if GOD hath cast away the care of other men but hee diligentlye declareth that whiche was in controuersitie and wherevpon all the discourse was taken Who they are whom Solomon calleth iust and in what respect The iust according to the vse of the scripture he calleth the faithfull whome God namelye of his meere grace accounteth for iust as being he that iustifieth the vngodlie as the Apostle saith whilest he imputeth vnto them their faith in him vnto righteousnesse and in whom also he imprinteth the testimonies of righteousnes that is to say of a pure and innocent or
giltles life as the pledges of their election Hee calleth them Wise because they are enlightened with the true light of true wisedome that is to saye with the knowledge of God and with Godlinesse the which is true and sounde wisedome This is one cheefe point of this whole answere yet he adioyneth a new and diligent descriptiō of the wauering vncertaine condition and estate of the life of mā And yet for so I expoūd the particle gam man knoweth not neither loue nor hatred c. that is to say Although it be moste certaine that God hath an especiall care for the saluation of the faithfull yet such is the course of thinges falling oute vnto men in this life that it cannot bee iudged by their outwarde shewe and appearance whome God loueth or whome he hateth for there is euery where such a cōfused shufling of things together that ther is all together all one ende and the same common vnto all men both godlie and vngodlye and when as lewd persons haue passed all their lyfe in wickednesse yet at length they go vnto death as vnto the last ende of thinges wherewith they are taken awaye like vnto other men the which seeme with one dart of Death to bee slayne quite I reade al this in one contexte and tenour together from this first verse vnto the end of all the sixte verse and thinke this to be the true meaning of these wordes The summe is Howsoeuer things goe in the world yet the prouidence of God watcheth continually ouer the faithfull albeit the outwarde shewe of things do cast a certaine infinite or endles confusion before the eyes of man his reason yet that this is sure and certaine that the prouidence of God doth continually watch ouer the saluation and safetie of the faithfull But the wordes with an exquisite and great garnishing of figures are more diligently to bee examined He sayeth that man knoweth not either loue or hatred of all things which are before them that is to saye It can by no meanes be iudged by the difference of those thinges the which sundrye wayes fall out in this life what men are acceptable vnto God or no for the wordes loue hatred are to be referred vnto God and not vnto men that is to saye What men God loueth or hateth Therefore the olde translator hath not translated them well Man knoweth not whether he be worthie of loue or hatred The Sophisters in deede halfe Pelagians to speake most modestly gently of them haue lewdly corrupted this place Against the Papists corrupting this place to bring in a doubting that is to say a tormenting of the consciences of men as if the faithfull ought not to bee certainly persuaded in their consciences that they albeit neuer so vnworthie are loued of God for Christ his sake when as by faith the which hee also giueth vnto them they lay holde vpon his free promises nor contrariwise that sinne is most greatly hated of GOD but that men ought to stand at this point that they stagger and wauer in doubting The which doctrine shaketh the foundation of true religion for it taketh away the efficacie and force of the promises and threatnings of God The verie principall and in deede effectuall effect of faith is that persuasion or trust whereby wee assuredly beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes and that the spirite of God is a witnesse vnto our spirit that we are the sonnes of God do approch without feare vnto the throne of grace The which full assurance or trust hee that taketh away from faith doeth altogither weaken and destroy faith and so farre as in him lyeth maketh God a lyar As God is true in his promises so is he also in his threatenings Nowe as wee are to beleeue that God is true in his promises so must wee also doubtlesse beleeue that hee hath the same trueth in his threatenings and therefore that hee is greatly offended euen with his children when they sinne that with this bitt we may be helde backe from wickednesse and robbe not God his prouidence of one of her eyes For God is both iust and also mercifull and wee must stedfastly agree vnto his worde wherein we are taught that wee are the sonnes of God and that the euerlasting foundation of oure faith standeth in such sort that it cannot bee shaken vpon his free good will also that God is an enimie vnto sinne that we may feare him because he is good This is a true doctrine agreeable vnto faith the which Sophisters do impurely defile and they fouly corrupt this place when as it doth manifestly preach of the prouidence of God against such as denye his prouidence because of the outwarde appearance of thinges for that it goeth ill with the good and well with the bad and because of these sightes or disorder they do fal away from God For by these wordes All things before them all those things are signified which befall vnto this life and are apparant before the eyes of men by the outward consideration of which thinges cannot bee gathered whome God doeth loue or hate And why he so sayth he yeldeth by and by a reason 2 All things fall out c. That is there is all one end vnto the Godly and vnto the vngodly Yet doeth hee wisely describe and set out the difference of the men betweene them selues vnto whome notwithstanding there is a common ende He that sacrificeth Hee calleth Him that sacrificeth him that diligently giueth himselfe vnto the seruice and worship of GOD and doeth holily keepe the seruice and ordinances set downe by the lawe Contrariwise hee calleth him that Sacrificeth not such a one as contemneth the worship of GOD. The which is a token of a godlesse an impure heart He calleth him a Sinner according vnto the common vse of the scripture which is a man of notorious lewdnesse and wickednesse Him that sweareth hee termeth such a one as abuseth an othe by swearinge either prophanely Him that sweareth and when there is no neede as those doe the which doe spice their talke with blasphemies as if it were with ornamentes of Rhethorike or by forswearing in an earnest matter Which is a signe of lewde and extreme wickednesse And hee sayeth that there rangeth so great disorder among men that there is all one ende vnto all men And that men take such a common course of life as if there were no feelinge after death and that there shoulde bee no punishment at all for sinnes as if after that they haue passed ouer this life they care not howe when the race thereof is runne they must passe vnto death as vnto a common necessitie whiche shoulde swallowe vp and blotte out for euer the memoriall of all men whosoeuer they are Hee marketh this prophane cogitation or surmize with expresse wordes The heart of men is full of euill madnesse is in their heart in their life and after this vnto the dead
course of nature He might haue sayd that it cōmeth oftentimes to passe that yong men are taken away in the very flower of their age their bodye being lustie and in very good plighte yea and by sundrie kindes of death when they think no such thing and contrary vnto the expectation of all men and that at such time also when as they seemed likelye to prolong and continue out their life yet many yeres But because yong men by the ordinarie course of nature doe promise vnto themselfe a long life therefore hee setteth out before them this ordinarye course of nature For yong men become old men and in the ende death commeth as they did sing sometimes in the daunce VVee are that which you haue bene you shall be that which we are we haue bene that which you are One and the same age doth not still continue neither is there any returning vnto the age that is past Go to therefore sayeth Solomon Beholde O yong man what is the estate of the life of man 2. Before the sunne waxe darke He maketh a very liuely and excellent description of old age as it were in a table A most liuely description of old age that the thing can not bee more plainely and effectuallye set before the eyes to be seene and viewed Whereby shineth forth the eloquence of the holy ghost fitly and aptly vsed in time maner and place as neede requireth Wherevnto no doubt the eloquēce of all Heathen writers albeit neuer so exquisit The eloquēce of the holy ghost when time and place requireth giueth place Although in the wordes themselues where the sence notwithstanding and meaning is plaine there is great obscurity and darknesse and as in alligories is wont to be diuerse and sundrie interpretations and expositions And he seuerally discusseth and handleth all the circumstances to lay so many barres in the way of vaine bragging youth that it may at laisure consider that the forme and beautye of the members in good plight and liking wil not remaine vnto them for euer as if he should say beholde O yong man the beautie of thy body and looke vppon euerye one of thy members and by the common estate of life consider in what brauery they will end at the last To bee breefe hee describeth the discommodities of olde age The sunne wax darke By this kinde of speeche the interpreters do think to be meant that the power of seeing is diminished in olde men The sunne wax darke which thing indeede is true but that this cannot properly be vnderstood of the eyes the wordes that follow doe declare in the whiche there is expresse mētion made of the eyes waxing dimme Therefore I take the simple meaning of these words to be That old men haue not the vse of those things the whiche is indifferently common vnto all men in so much as the Sunne the Moone the starres doe not sufficiently shine vnto them The whiche kinde of speaking is vsuall also vnto the Prophets to expresse and set out sorrowfull and heauy times For when as the mind is ouercome with greefe and heauines the Sunne shineth not bright ynough Clouds no not at noone day And the clouds returne after the rain that is to saye by reason of withered feeble age diseases do increase dayly more and more as fortokens of the tempest to come in death The keepers of the house 3. When as the keepers of the house shall mooue themselues that is to say the handes shall shake and tremble and not do their dutie sufficientlye He calleth them keepers by a fine Metaphor because of their verye greate and necessarie ministerie and seruice And the strong men shall bowe themselues The strong men Some doe hereby vnderstande the Thighes but I had rather vnderstande it of the Reines and Kidneyes For olde men become crooked Hestodus sayeth It maketh the olde man crooked like a VVheele Ouid Crooked age shall come with a still foote And Strength dwelleth especially in the Reines and Kidneyes The Grinders shall cease that is to saye the Teeth because they grinde the meate that being made small it may goe downe into the Stomach The Grinders Because they shall diminishe not only in strenth but also in number For the falling away of teeth is common vnto olde men The lookers through the Windowes shall wax dimme that is the eyes They shall be darkened The lookers through the windowes they shal be more dimme for the diminishing or decaying of the sight is a common accident that happeneth vnto old men 4. And the doores shall be shutte without c. The doores without He speaketh of the mouth The doores without he calleth the lippes the whiche are fitlye lykened vnto a Doore The sound of the mill The Sounde of the Mill he tearmeth the noice of the teeth whose office in olde men is not liuelye and stronge because that appetite vnto meate in them abateth and fainteth To be breefe Hee signifyeth that olde men cannot nowe anye longer eate as they did when as they were young men The voice of the bird Hee riseth vp at the voice of the birde By the worde Birde I thinke is meant the Cough Fleume the Rheume and suche like the which do follow old men for the most part for their brest is shaken with suche diseases and they that are troubled with them are wont to arise euery foote and to haue little sleep He signifyeth therefore the rawnesse and weakenes of Stomach in old men being not able to digest whereof it commeth that sleepe in old men is but short or often times broken because of their often being shaken with the former diseases or else he meaneth this because that old men take but little sleepe that therefore they heare the crowing of the Cocke The daughters of Song or singing The daughters of singing shal be abased In my iudgement letting passe the expositions of others he calleth the voyce the The daughters of singing He saith that in old men the voice is dulled and waxeth hoarse And therefore in steede of it that when as they were yong men they did sing with a sweete and a pleasaunt voyce then when they are old men they hold their peace Going decaieth in old me 5. Also they shal be afraide of an high thing For old men are afrayd to clime vp high places and they go softly and fearefully His meaning therefore is that in an olde cripled crooked man and such one as goeth tooting on the groūd as they say his pase is altogether weakned so that he goeth fearefully and carefully And the Almond tree shall flourish He meaneth hoarinesse the badge of old age The Almond tree The Almonde tree among other trees doth first bring forth flowers After the selfe same maner of speaking Sophocles calleth an old man Flowring as Mercerus my countrie man hath learnedlye noted And Orpheus by the same metaphor attributeth vnto old age A
flower of Haruest And the locust shal be a burden vnto him The locust By the worde Locust they vnderstand the priuie members the which in old men are stretched out The which exposition seemeth to be the more simple and playne because it followeth And lust shall bee driuen away the which wordes doe plainelye shewe that in old men the power of desiring not only of meate and drinke but cheefely of lust doeth abate and waxe cold when as the vitall and naturall desires doe faile but the priuation and bereauing of those powers the whiche hee rehearsed before is an assured token of death drawing neare Because man goeth vnto c. that is to saye by this meanes a waye is made vnto death For hee calleth death The house of man his age as the euerlasting seate or dwelling place in the which euerye man must dwell vntill the daye of the resurrection or rising agayne And the mourners Mâ—urners He signifieth the graue And setteth out the maner of burial yea and also death it selfe For the deade were wont to be lamented women being hired for this seruice the which of the Latines were called Praeficae And that this custome was muche vsed among the men of the east The siluer coard it doth appear by many places 6. The siluer coard c. Some doe expounde the siluer coarde to be the ridgebone of the back the which is tied together as it were with certaine linkes He calleth it Siluer because of the white colour as appeareth in a deade bodye And the Coard in my iudgement is sayde to be stretched out because that in death the ioyntes are made more loose and especiallye in olde men whose reines are crooked Others vnderstande the sinowes grislie muscles ioints cordes because that the sinowes are like vnto white stringes and in as much as they are the instrumentes of the sences and of moouing they haue especiall force and power in the body of man The golden ewer or pot The golden ewer or golden pot by whiche kinde of speaking they saye the brayne to be signifyed or else that skin in the braine the whiche is called Pia Mater Plato placeth the tower and fortresse of life in the braine Some take it to be meant of the heart because the heart is the fountaine and spring of the vitall powers and of the cheefe heate and the similitude of gold seemeth rather to agree vnto it together with the spirites The Pitcher be broken By the worde Pitcher they suppose the hollow veine to bee signified The Pitcher namelye the receiuer of the bloud which the vitall powers do drawe from the liuer that from thence as it were by pipes it maye bee conueighed by the vaines into the whole bodye the which distribution and conueighing of the blood into all the parts of the body Plato calleth hydreian and diocheteusin By the word Fountaine they saye the liuer is noted Fountaine the which is the principall and natural vessell to conteine the blood And by this kinde of speaking he meaneth that the blood fayleth and so consequently that death followeth Virgil One and the selfe same way the blood and the life doe follow The wheele The wheele be broken vpon the Cisterne They say that by the wheele the Heade is signified because of the power attractiue and that by the Cisterne is meante the hearte from the whiche the natural powers are drawn after the like maner as a bucket full of water is drawne out of the well by a wheele The Cesterne The originall and first heate being quenched when as the sences and all the instrumentes of the sences weare and consume away death followeth The which in expresse wordes bee by and by sheweth And dust returne c. there bee a separating of the soule and the bodye the which is a true definition of death when as namely the two natures of that essence whereof man consisteth and hath his name A true definition of death shall returne vnto their principles the earthy vnto the earth and the diuine and heauenlye vnto God and therefore the body bee broughte againe vnto the earth and the soule go vnto heauen and be ioyned with GOD after whose Image it was made It is therefore a most notable place Concerning the immortalitie of the soule To wit that there is in man one part earthlye and mortal an other part diuine and immortal the one that is to say the body goeth to the earth the other that is to say the soule vnto GOD. This auntient or simple truth is to be opposed or set against the deuises of prophane men the whiche haue gone aboute to darken this truth with the tedious discourses of subtil and deep disputations the sparkes whereof notwithstanding haue remayned in the mindes of some of the heathen euen in spite of the teeth of the Deuill Aristâ—tle Aristotle in this matter being wonderfull obscure and darke doth entangle the mindes of the vnwarie and vnskilfull with daungerous suspicions Plato In Plato there are greater remnantes of this truth albeit hee speake not so rightly as hee ought to doe concerning this mysterie or secret Euery where notwithstanding hee holdeth that this doctrine of the immortalitie of the soule is the foundation of true Philosophie and gathering the summe and effecte of this long disputation hee declareth his iudgement concerning this matter in expresse and plaine wordes saying The soule therefore is immortall and free from all destruction And when as death commeth vnto man that indeed whiche is mortall as reason is it should dieth but that which is immortall goeth away sound and voyde of all corruption giuing place vnto death Phocylides truly out of that auncient philosophie Phocylides teacheth the immortality of the soule in euident and cleare wordes The which place also it shall not greeue me to set downe that it may appeare that they which either denie the immortalitie of the soule or else call it into doubt are conuinced and reproued of follye and madnesse euen through the force and power of the light of nature that I recite not the excellent testimonies of Cicero touching this matter The bodies dead the soules of men The golden verses of Phocylides concerning the immortalitie of the soule doe vncorrupt remaine For bodies from the earth we haue and into it resolude againe VVe are but dust to Heauens hie VVhen body dieth the soule doth flie And these wordes of Solomon are expresly to be noted to the ende we maye knowe howe wickedly and lewdly they deale the which take occasion out of this booke eyther to establish vngodly doctrines or else doe reiecte and refuse the same as not sound The place therefore the which is in the third chapter verse 21 is to be vnderstoode by comparing it with this In the ende therefore of this sermon he enterlaced the mention of olde age and of death to the ende that we should vnderstand that this is euen an
seeke sound sufficiency and fulnesse of mind without the loue of this world and among all the garboyles of the life of man looke for vnto our selues an happy end Secondly that we should earnestly thinke vpon the leading of our life godly and honestly the which is the way vnto happinesse and the second effect of this vse All these thinges are plentifully and notably discoursed by Solomon with a certaine and constant rowe of Arguments the Obiections which seeme to be agaynst this doctrine are diligentlye rehearsed because these prophane and worldly cogitations and thoughts do stir vp great dayly turmoiles in the mindes of men Against these also are set down conuenient and fit remedies to ease our myndes of the abashmente of these confusions and garboyles whiche doe compasse and beset this life of ours there are adioined many promises to comfort the heartes of the faythfull and threatnings against the authors and workers of those sturs and that for the sake of the godlye least that they should be too much dismayde at the outwarde felicitie of desperate and lewde persons therefore as the state of this discourse is most simple and one namely concerning felicitie or happinesse so there are vsed in the same especiall pointes of doctryne touching God his prouidence Sundrie notable matters handled in this discourse touching the true and righte vse of his benefites touching the vanitie of man his affections and lustes abusing the good Creatures of GOD touching the true and sound sufficiencie or contentednesse of mind and such other like and that with such picked frame of wordes with such pithie strength of sentences with such a seuerall rowe of argumentes in so greate varyetye of matter that the sharpe wit of all the Philosophers and that in this common place of Felicitie or happinesse then whiche in all Philosophie there is handled nothing more weightie and notable compared with this treatise seemeth to be vtterly colde and of small accountes The discourses of al the philosophers nothing comparable to this Sermon Which thing shal appeare by the reading of the discourse it self it shal moreouer be delightsome in the meane season seuerallye to pointe oute by setting downe the particular partes of the discourse the thinges whiche generally and breefely I haue shewed This therefore is the particular distribution or handling of this whole discourse First of all is layd downe the contrary part of the principal question The disposition and order of this discourse the which is at large handled from the very beginning euen vnto the end of the 4 chap. that felicitie or happines is not at all in those thinges and affayres which are vsuall in this lyfe Therefore is the generall proposition set downe in the beginning by way of confutation That all thinges which are vnder the sunne are vayne and that Felicitie is not comprised in them Afterwardes there are reasons broughte to prooue the same taken from the sufficiente reckoning vp of partes by induction or alleaging of those thinges in the which maÌ„ his reason doth place happinesse the which doe most clearely appeare in the fellowship of men and vse of life What is more beautifull or excellente then knowledge yet he teacheth that felicitie is not in it and that in the first chapter Secondly he teacheth that it is not in Pleasure nor in the Wisedome of man by the ayde whereof notwithstanding it is thought that the life of man in euery respect may conueniently be lead the which discourse he continueth vnto the 16 verse of the third chapter â—leasure and the Wisdome of man Vertue And what shall we say of Vertue Are not they amongst men most happy which directe their life according vnto her rule And he considereth of vertue according vnto the maner of men and not in regarde of her selfe that is to say according vnto that issue whiche it commeth vnto among men most vsually Solomon maketh aunswere that such are the affaires of men that among so sundrie and many tormentes of fortune as they saye vertue is not sufficiently able to defende her selfe nay that in that kinde of life there is sometime great miserye because that innocencie is many times iniured and oppressed vnder the pretence and title euen of law or iustice and the very throne of iustice is the minister of great vngodlinesse and iniustice also in the common course of life the best men often go to the pot and the worst of all sit as they say on Cockhorse And in a thing so honourable and royall this is the head of cheefest misery for that ouer and aboue the raunging of suche outrages in the life of man and the rewarding of Godlinesse with so pitifull a wages yet notwithstandinge the good doe die as well as the bad as if death without any difference did swallow them vp and in such sorte that nothing seemeth to be left after this life For so doth man his reason iudge whereof there cannot chuse but be perceyued an infinite misery of this mortall life as if the estate of the deade or of them which neuer liued were farre better then the estate of them that liue Which thing he doth from the sixteenth verse of the third chapter vnto the fourth verse of the fourth chapter Those sortes of life being after this maner examined hee commeth vnto certain particular trades of life Single life and noteth those in which seemeth to be eyther lesse trouble or more commoditie The single life is commended as being quit and free from those great encombrances wherewith the married life is often loaden The life of Noble men The life of noble and great men by a certaine singular priuiledge seemeth to excell other kindes of life yet he teacheth that happinesse is neyther in the one nor the other and therfore by the conclusion of the induction he confirmeth that generall sentence that al is vanity the which as we haue sayd he was to proue by way of confutation first of all before that he shewed the contrary that is to say both what true happinesse is and by what meanes we attaine therevnto Before he come to that second point hee setteth downe certayne thinges in the maner of a Praeface For meaning to place true happinesse in the feare of the Lord that is in the true knowledge of GOD he teacheth that it is not a certaine outward obseruing and keeping of ceremonies or a bosting of Religion consisting in many wordes and this hee doth from the fourth chapter verse seuenteenth vnto sixte verse of the fifte Chapter and afterwarde doeth so discourse the matter that breefely shewing and setting downe the summe of the whole disputation in these words Feare God he sheweth the vse thereof fully and throughlye euen vnto the last end of the booke which is the third parte of the whole disputation Of Godlâ—nesse in which he placed the cheefe point of happinesse he teacheth a double vse The firste namelye Godlinesse that it ministreth fit
miserie or trouble to wit that carking and pensiue toyle wherewith men turmoyle themselues Menedemus as he in Terence vexing toyling himselfe in which number are euen the most wise and also the most wittie He sayth All All. to signifie and expresse that vncessant wearing wherein men wrastle so long as they liue in the course of this life when a man is come vnto the goale he must begin againe at the setting forth And it is a race in which one must run too and fro and not right forth in which namely there is no end but the easing of one wearinesse is for the most part the beginning of a greater He addeth Vnder the Sunne Vnder the Sunne both to expresse the place of this pilgrimage in the which wee must trie these masteries that is to say this vale of miseries lying vnder the Sunne and also to comprehend whatsoeuer the whole world doth containe least we might thinke that there were some part of the earth as it might be the fortunate ylandes free from the miseries incident and falling out vnto the life of man but that we should know that how farre soeuer the earth stretcheth euen there this calamitie and miserie tarryeth waiting for all men But the name of the Sunne is more maiesticall as the which namely being the brightest of all the starres doth as it were viewe all landes with his light neither is there any thing in the whole world the which doth not feele his efficacie force and power The Doctrine Without the blessing of God our labours are in vaine 1 In the gouernement and ordering of our whole life experience teacheth this to be true both in the ruling of the common wealth and also of our priuate families that the house is builded in vaine vnlesse God doe builde it and that the citie is watched in vaine vnlesse God doe watch it and gard it and to be short that the endeuours of men are to none effect vnlesse they be vpholden with a certaine singular blessing of God We must not therefore be so sottish and foolish as to depend vpon our owne strenghtes but ought to commit vnto God both the common wealth and our families yea and moreouer the course of our vocation and whole life and earnestly to call for his helpe that he would not suffer our labours to be in vaine if we depend vpon our selues we shall finde that the victorie is not of the strong man nor good successe of the wise With this remedie therefore wée are to helpe this vncertaintie of life that according vnto the compasse of our calling we doe in such sort follow honest labours that we burne not with desire that can not be filled but beg our dayly bread of God and whatsoeuer issue he shall giue vnto vs that we reckon the same as gaine and cut off long hopes with short space that we haue to liue 2 Furthermore The reward of our labors is not to be looked for in this life we ought in such sort to frame our selues that we doe not inclose the fruits and profites of our labours with the boundes of this life but our life is in such sort to be ledde that our conuersation be in heauen let vs here sowe in faith and hope the which we may reape in déede in heauen and let vs knowe that there is reserued for vs of God a reward of all our labours 3 Let vs also remember our infirmitie and weaknesse Men musical to remembrance their infirmitie let vs know that we are vnder the Sunne and therefore let vs modestly kéepe our selues in this lownesse of our estate yea moreouer let vs consider the ende of those men to bée shamefull which are proude in so great vncertaintie and set their owne counsailes against the prouidence of God the which is in déede after the maner of Gyants to séeke to clime vp to heauen and through foolishnes and madnes most shamefull to forget their owne estate 4 Also when as the Lord hath laide vpon this life of ours this condition The encombrances of this life are to be borne with prayer and patience let it not be any wonder vnto vs in this life if we féele such prickes but let vs asswage these common burdens and discommodities of life by calling vpon the name of God and with silence and let vs so much the more diligently thinke vpon that better estate which abideth for vs in another life and let vs assuredly hold that verie death it selfe is an entrance vnto the life that is happie and immortall Man hath no strength at all in heauenly things 5 Nowe if in bodily and worldly things man his abilitie be so weake howe much more weake shall it be in those things which appertaine vnto the life euerlasting in which the powers of man are not onely féeble but also none at all The exposition 4.5.6.7 One generation I read these fowre verser in one rewe together because that they containe but one certaine and simple matter to prooue that first and principall proposition concerning the vanitie of the life of man It is therefore the Second circumstance of that general confutation The second circumstance taken from the vncertaintie of mankinde making a comparison with things without life the which according vnto the ordinances lawes of their natures do constantly keepe their courses among the sundry ruines and changes of mankind And it agreeth with the argument and matter alreadie layde open after this maner How can man reape any certaine fruite and profit of his labours when as all mankind is carried about hither and thither with a most vncertaine motion For in this vniuersalitie of nature there are some certaine and as it were set dueties and offices of things the which are kept assuredly The earth The Earth standeth in the middle place of the whole world as namely the center therof and the seat and dwelling place of all liuing creatures The Sunne The Sunne hath his risings and goings downe the which he keepeth with an vnwearied course The Wind The Wind. albeit that it haue his passages from sundrie partes of the heauen yet it keepeth the same constantly Riuers Likewise the ebbing and flowing of Riuers from sea vnto sea is diuerse and manifold but yet the same such that it remaineth all one constant To be short all things according vnto the measure of their creation haue their setled and stedfast boundes within the which they keepe themselues but what is more vnstedfast then mankinde what more weake when as seuerall and particular men doe dayly die and are dayly chaunged with a certaine vnstable and vnsteadie motion so that one age diuerslie followeth another with sundrie chaunges and there fal out horrible rents in mankind in the ouerthrowes of cities kingdomes families and in the destructions of men themselues Here therefore is a comparing of man with other things created by whose more strong estate his
we preferre it before the meditation and thinking vpon better things The Apostle teacheth speaking of honest matrimonie That they which are married and occupied about the caring for their familie can not thinke vpon those things which are belonging vnto God How farre then do wée withdrawe our selues from God when as wee deale in such sort about our housholde matters that we make them the principall worke of our life whereas in regarde of our saluation they ought onely to be as it were by matters Christ obiected vnto Martha being too gréedily occupied about her housholde busines Martha that shée was troubled about manie matters but that one was sufficient Therefore our families are soberly and moderatly to be looked vnto and ordered least that being entangled with a greater care of the things appertaining vnto this life then is méete we be drawen from the thinking vpon a better life yea euen then whilest wée are disposing and ordering of such things the which otherwise are good and profitable Against busi-bodies such as meddle with euery man his matters 3 Furthermore let vs not be doing with things not néedefull nor be medling with manie matters but let vs so be occupied about our owne businesse that hauing to doe like busie bodies with euerie mans matters be away from vs and let vs thinke that the same is a commodious and profitable course of looking vnto our families which may make vs voyde of pensiue carefulnesse according vnto the rule of the Apostles and may leaue vnto vs more leasure to thinke vppon our saluation and the duities of life They therefore do greatly offende which do entangle themselues with sundrie and vnnecessarie businesse and whilest they shunnish pouertie doe shunnish themselues that is to saye do not enioy themselues but are busied in a continuall werying both of minde and bodie 4 And let vs vse things Things to be vsed in such sort as they are ordeined of God as they are ordeyned of God let vs serue in the gouernement of the common wealth let vs seeke things belonging vnto our familie let vs learne needefull things let vs acknowledge God who hath ordained all these things and let vs knowe him in generall to be the gouernour of mankinde and particularly of our owne families Let vs craue at his handes good successe in our affaires such and so great as he shall knowe to be expedient for his owne glorie and for our saluation Herein let vs keepe the compasse and fourme of our vocation and calling And let vs earnestly giue him thankes that he hath preserued vs and our families and hath giuen vnto vs things necessarie for the maintenance of this life 5 But if the issues and fallings out of things be not answerable vnto our endeuours or hope What is to be done when as things fall out contrarie vnto our hope let vs not be vexed with immoderate cares and sorrowes and let vs not heape vp newe and greater inconueniences vnto the encombrances of things which we sustaine alreadie but let vs haue remedies at hande Let vs commende our matters vnto the prouidence of God and being persuaded that they are ordered and gouerned by him let vs paciently abide his pleasure and rest in him There haue béene great yea home troubles in the families of holie men I let passe in how great hazard Abraham saw the chastitie of his wife Sara Abraham but he was longer to beare the want of children when as Isaac was born there growe iarres betweene him his wife for Ismaell whome he is compelled to put out of his house And in the end in the verie latter end of his old age he séeth the burial of his most deare wife Sara Isaac Isaac a mā which other wise inioyed great tranquillity quiet yet the grudges which were betweene his sonnes did trouble grieue him Whilest he liueth he séeth Edom his first borne sonne not onely being mad after many wiues but also thrust out of his famili that is to saie out of the church of GOD. Iacob Iacob in getting of his wiues is constrained to endure an harde combat against the couetousnes of Laban after that hee had them in his owne power he bare a long season their most bitter brawlings the heynous outrages of his children What needes manye words How great encombrances felt Dauid manie other holy men in their families The which are put in writing to this ende that wee should know how we ought to walk among such thornes from the which we may not thinke that we shal be free The best and most excellent men sometimes méete with the worst and vnhonest wiues yea in good wiues otherwise yet are there to be found foule staynes want of issue or the deathes of children of great hope or that which is more lamentable their lewd manners and vnlucky endes the losse of friends the losse of goods and in a worde combersome and troublesome businesse are common matters the which are brought vpon the stage of our life But is our minde therefore to be vexed with vnasswagable sorrow and is both house and care of houshold to be giuen ouer Wee ought rather so frame our selues that we constantly followe our calling rest in God whether our labours and endeuors goe forward or not goe forwarde the which wee haue taken in hande according vnto the forme of our calling Our house is to bee gouerned our familie is to be instructed our children are to be brought vp our wife is to bee ruled wisely but so that at no hande thou thinke that the issue of thine affaires dependeth or hangeth vppon thy selfe nor that in any case thou trust vnto thine owne Wisedome If thou haue children instruct them diligently if GOD call them vnto himselfe take it not impatiently Vse thy goodes present A notable lesson but if they goe from thee imploye all thy diligence that looke howe much temporall goodes departeth from thee so much spirituall maye come vnto thee that is to saye howe much thine outwarde man is corrupted so muche thine inwarde man may bee renewed and restored Onely goe not beyonde thy boundes perfourme that diligence which thou art able and oughtest to doe committ all the falling out and successe of the matter vnto GOD otherwise thou canst not choose but be vexed with great tormenting Against the pinching of couetous misers 6 This also is to be noted that Solomon witnesseth of himselfe that he soundly enioyed his goods For the vanitie of miserie sundges is madde and sottish who dare not vse the goods which they haue gotten and haue no more that which they haue then that which they haue not Yet that riche glutton the so fearfull and vnhappie ende of whome is set downe folowed his pleasures enioyed his goods abundantly and gorgeously But in that same plentie and store of riches and in the vse of the same albeit neuer so franke and free who notwithstanding will place felicitie
prudently vnderstaÌ„ding and coÌ„sidering what is done in season what not that al things may be handled rightly and moderately These are the offices of the eyes in the head of a wise man Contrariwise A foole walketh in darknes that is to say doth al things vncircumspectly rashly for it is matched against this kinde of speech To haue his eyes in his head whereby suche sharpe sightednesse is signified by meanes whereof we doe in hart and minde at the very beginning of a thing before we take it in hande throughlye see the middle and ende of the same And To walke in darkenesse is to order thinges confusedly vnwisely according as they come to hand To walke in darkenesse So the Greekes do speake of a foole that he hath his mind in his heeles As we say in french sâ—al entendement au talon The difference therefore betweene wisdome and folly is verye greate But what I pray you followeth therevpon I knewe that all these had one ende that is to saye that it falleth out alike vnto the wise man and vnto the foole as if hee shoulde saye Wisedome indeede is wittie and sharpe sighted and foolishnesse is blinde and vncircumspecte yet is not wisedome of force so farre that shee can bring thinges to passe at her pleasure and rule and directe the issues and fallinges out of the same The issue of wisedome and folly is many times all one the expectation of follie is disappointed and so is also the expectation of wisedome He therefore fitly noted the difference of them both in themselues but least any man trusting vnto the helpe of man his wisdome should imagine that the successe of thinges dependeth and hangeth vpon himself and therefore should sacrifice vnto his nette as the Prophet speaketh that is to say attribute vnto his own industry or diligence the happy successe of things and not acknowledge God to be the author of them he noteth also expresly the vanity thereof setting down those circuÌ„stances The first circumstance of man his prudence by the which the same is laid open vnto the view of all men The firste circumstance is that both the wise and the foolish haue all one end or that things fal out vnto theÌ„ both alike Of which assertioÌ„ there is a sure proofe the which he wil flatly set down ver 16 Both of theÌ„ are bewrapped in the same incoÌ„ueniences miseries the couÌ„sails of the wise man haue no better successe theÌ„ the counsails of the foole nay the foole many times hath better succes in his counsails theÌ„ the wise maÌ„ as both old and also dayly examples do plentifully declare The counsailes of Dion Demosthenes Cato Cicero Brutus had most vnhappy successe Iulius triumphed in a most bad cause Marius Sylla Antonius had good successe of their counsails against the counsailes and industrie of most wise men This therfore is a very great and shamefull vanity of man his wisdome that whilest it much besturreth it selfe it profiteth nothing at all What doth the wit of man hereout gather 15. Therefore I sayd That is to say I did thus reason with my selfe if all one issue befall vnto the wise man and the foole the trauaile whiche is taken for the attaining of knowledge is altogether vain vnprofitable therfore the study of wisdome is to be cast away He therefore maketh a notable garnishing of this doubt in his own persoÌ„ that the thing may more effectually be set before the eies I saith he emploied al my diligence to gouern my kingdome most wisely and yet had I no such succes as I would peradueÌ„ture some foole might haue had as good succes as I. A thing diligently to be noted through this whole discourse For these thinges are spoken according vnto the suppositioÌ„ of maÌ„ his reason as we haue noted in the first rule the which doeth reason according vnto the outwarde falling oute of thinges Nowe it is euidente that both the good and the bad haue succes of thinges in coÌ„mon that is falling out vnto them both alike Thervpon arise these troublesome prophane cogitations the which hee marketh with the badge of Vanitie and sayth that when hee had cast his reckonings he himself so gathered For this is the meaning of these wordes Therefore I sayd with my selfe that this also was vanitie for hee doeth not intreat of any new matter but of the self same the which he had noted ver 14. That wise men and fooles had al one issue of things The which doctrine he also garnisheth and enlargeth in the next verse describing a most earnest affection of that same vanitie 16. For there shal be no of all the inconueniences Man his reason iudgeth death to be the greatest discommodity wherevnto this life is subiect if wee iudge according vnto the iudgement of corrupt reason death it selfe is the greatest and the sorest which seemeth to be the end of al thinges This Solomon affirmeth to be alike coÌ„mon both vnto the wise maÌ„ also vnto the foole vsing an interrogation or asking of a question for a great proofe of the vanity of man And how dieth the wise man with the foole As if he should say howe can it come to passe that both the wise man the foole should be takeÌ„ away with one and the same dart of death when as reason seemeth to require that a wise man should be immortal by the means of his wisdome for this is the true meaning of these wordes albeit Ierome expounde them otherwise And hee sheweth in the firste wordes of this verse the greate inconuenience that commeth by death namelye that the remembrance of the wise man as well as of the foole is swallowed vp and perisheth by death Memorie or remembrance is a certaine immortal thing commending euen those that are deade For an happye memorie or remembraunce followeth Abraham Isaac and other worthye men in the Churche of God and also we do honour with an happie remembrance those eueÌ„ among the HeatheÌ„ the which haue liued honestly and haue well deserued of mankind How great a trouble therefore and vanity is it that the remembrance of a wise man doeth perish as well as of a foole for if a wise man The remembrance of a wise man perisheth as wel as of a foole so long as he liueth in this life be diuerslye molested through the artes and practises of lewd persons yet at least wise being deade enuie dying also with him he ought to carrye awaye glorye and prayse as the assured rewarde of his labours his happie remembraunce remaining aliue behinde him but the common course of life doeth shewe that the remembraunce of a wise man as well as of a foole is blotted oute and buried with the wise man in euerlastinge forgetfulnesse For albeit that the remembraunce of famous men hath bene preserued in the monumentes and recordes of histories yet experience teacheth this that many good men die daily whose names also within no long space of time
be imployed that we followe the guidance and help thereof so farre as it shall appeare vnto vs as the most certaine light of our life and a verie great gift of God of whome chiefely dependeth the force and power of the same Against ambitious desire of fame 4 We are no doubt to labour that by doing well we may get a good and an happie name yet the ambitious and proude desire of fame is to be driuen out of our mindes and the same such a desire the which as if it did winne vs immortall memorie doth féede our mindes with a vaine imagination Let this be abundantly sufficient for vs that our names are written in the booke of life A great differēce between the death of the godly and vngodly 5 Albeit the common necessitie of death without any difference doth intangle and wrap in all mankinde yet is there a most great difference betweene the godly and the vngodly For vnto the vngodly death is fearfull but of the godly it ought to bee wished for vnto whome it is an entraunce vnto assured and euerlasting happinesse 6 Death may lawfully be wished for Death in som sort may be wished for vsing a certaine prouiso or exception as by the notable example of Paul appeareth But this waywardnesse is to be blamed because of the encumbrances and troubles of this life to take the matter so gréeuously that wee will be wearie of liuing For wee ought so to frame our selues that wee may take the discommodities of this life with a quiet and contented minde as well as the commodities so to reioyce as if wee did not reioyce and so to weepe as if wee did not weepe The exposition 18 I also hated c. The seconde circumstance of the vanitie of man his prudence Hee toucheth an other discommoditie of the prudence or wisedome of man the which is the seconde circumstance or note of that vanitie whereof it is pleaded gyltie The prudence of man is so busied in the contemplation of preceptes and rules that it is especially discerned and perceiued in the practise or doing of those thinges the which fal out in the common vse of life In this behalf the course and way to gaine which they call the skill to get wealth hath the first place For in this place Solomon doth altogither dispute according vnto the supposition of man his wisedome Goods gotten with great labour are manie times by the heire carelesly spent He sayeth therefore that this is a great vanitie that the most wise men do sweat and toyle and take much and long carke and care in getting of goods being yet vncertaine who shall be their heire a wise man or a foole whereof it often commeth to passe that the goods which were gotten with great and long labour are lewdly and wastfully spent of a prodigal heire which came to the inheritāce without any pain Which thing how true it is daily examples do sufficiently shewe not onely as one sayeth When as the forsworne faith of the father beguileth his partner and gest and maketh hast to leaue money to his vnworthie heire but also as they vsually saye in the French prouerb for that whether it be well or ill gotten all things are dashed away at the comming of a foole Therefore he sayeth That he hated all his labour c. al his endeuours which are taken in hand to get riches in what kinde of trade or course of life soeuer For this is the meaning of these wordes vnder the Sunne and there is in this behoofe a great fault committed of all men of al estates and degrees Because he shall leaue his labour that is to say his goods gotten by his labour by a figure called Metonymia vnto a mā which shall come after him for he shall not carrie them away with him vnto his graue to pacifie death with a rewarde as it is sayde Psalm 49. He dilateth increaseth this discommoditie 19 And who knoweth He vseth an interrogation or asking of a question vnto the greater force and vehemencie or force of the matter for the vehement affection of the thing encreaseth For this is to be read with an anger and displeasure as if he should saye I shall leaue all my goods vnto mine heire or successour who what manner of person he shal be The cares of rich men neither I nor any man else can tell or else my sonne will proue lewd in conditions and will dash away all my goods Or else all my children will dye and my goods shal fall vnto him which made continuall warre with mee my children when I was aliue which kinde of inconueniences are many times seene amonge kinffolke or else all my substance shall come vnto one that is in deede a forrainer and stranger and an heire shall enioy them that is vtterly vnknowen both vnto mee and mine And yet he be he what he will be shall haue rule ouer all my labour shall haue the gouernement and possession of all my goods shall enioy and vse thē and shall appoint of them at his pleasure the which notwithstanding I haue gotten with my great labour and wherewith I haue beene wise that is to say the which I haue earned with my wisedome and diligence For by this worde Wisedome as I haue noted before he vnderstandeth that paines and diligence which men vse to get riches whereby they wisely dispose their matters and do get goods honours and all other externall or outward things He concludeth that this is vanitie For how vaine a thing is it after that a man hath toyld night and day and hath gotten that thing which is necessarie to liue withall not onely to leaue the same behind him but also to leaue it vnto such an heir which will wastfully spend all his goods Solomon himselfe had experience of this vanitie whose sonne Roboam through foolish heddines lost a kingdome so wel founded Roboam and so manie and excellent things so worthily gotten The prooues therefore of this vanitie are not at all doubtfull the which the 39. Psalme doeth also set downe vnder the name of an image or shadowe A man passeth away in an image he turmoileth and heapeth togither riches and knoweth not for whome he gathereth them The doctrine We must not giue ouer the care of our families because of the inconueniences the which are incident thereunto 1. This doubtles is a great vanitie in worldly affires that goods are gotten with great labour for an vncertaine heire yet wee must not so farre let loose the raines vnto our impaciencie that therefore wee lay aside the care of all things and the disposing of our families For in as much as wee are men so long as wee are pilgrimes in this worlde wee must not thinke our selues free from anie aduenture that may befall vnto man Let vs knowe therefore that the house is built in vaine vnlesse the Lord do build it and that an heire is a gift
and rashnesse of our fleshe is to be restrayned held in with this bridle A bridle against the rashnes of our flesh These things must needes haue beene done at this time and after this manner because God hath so appointed but if thou shalt be against it whatsoeuer thou further takest in hand shal be vnprofitable and foolish 1 Vnto euery thing in the beginning he setteth downe a generall saying and sentence That there are certaine and set seasons and courses for all the things and enterprises of men the which the prouidence of God both hath appointed and also doeth constantly order and dispose The worde Zeman signifieth a set time Zeman Kairos Chephets occasion opportunitie ho kairos a moment or point of time Chephets hee calleth a trade or course of life to epitedeuma a purpose as beneath ver 17. Mercerus noteth that in the style and phrase of speaking in the Talmud all things are called Chephatsim like as the Greekes haue translated it to panti pragmati vnto euery thing In that this word vnder heauen is adioined I altogither vnderstande it of the enterprises of men not that it should be referred vnto God by whose will notwithstanding these times of thinges are appointed and disposed For he had sayde vnto euerie thing by which worde the things of nature are vnderstoode This generally set downe he prooueth to be true by induction or bringing in of diuerse and sundry things the which may be brought into two sortes natural and ciuil that is those things which consist in nature and the which are conuersant in the counsailes and enterprises of men For these things are to be taken simply and not to be intangled with the forgeries of allegories Needelesse allegories as many expositers foolishly do 2 A time to be borne or of bringing foorth and a time to die no doubt the seasons and verie moments of our birth and death are determined and set downe the which the wisedome of man can by no meanes change For the endes of our life are in the hand of God A time to plant c. In things also without life nature hath her certaine set courses appointed her by God Plants do growe vp at their time and do dy also at their time Yea countreys themselues haue their times some time they are wonderfully garnished encreased beautified with cities sometimes they are laid wast ly ruinous at decay Some times Asia and Graecia flourished with cities now they ly desolat Iewrie how notable a change hath it had 3 4 A time to kill His meaning is Prosperitie aduersitie gouerned by God that prosperitie and aduersitie is gouerned by God as also by these words A time to weepe c. to put vs in minde that those diuerse casualties of our life as sicknes death burial gladnes all things both priuately and publikely do come from the prouidence of God He addeth 5 A time to scatter abroad Diuerse interpreters do diuersly expound this place This place diuersly expounded I wittingly and willingly ouerpasse mad allegoricall interpretations For what doth it profit to load the reader with these trifles I vnderstand this place simply of matters belonging vnto houshold that he should teache that there is a time of gaine a time of losse So To gather stones togither to throw them abroad is to get goods to lose as he saith by by For that which som say of building and pulling downe a wall is nothing at all vnto the purpose With houshold matters he ioyneth marriage for these words A time to embrace Mariage c. I vnderstande of marriage that hee shoulde signifie that mariage the foundation of mankind is gouerned by God to the end we should learn in a matter the most of weight of all the things which belong vnto this life to depend vpō the prouidence of god hauing wiues as not hauing as the Apostle speaking of this matter hath saide Hee setteth out the self same matter of the courses changes of familie matters with other kindes of speaking also for the knowledge of this thing doth especialiy appertaine vnto the wisedome of man of the which he speaketh To cut 7 A time to cut for that which he said To lose he in this place by a figure calleth To cut To sowe vp againe To sow vp againe he vseth for to winne againe or recouer a losse And he doth not without cause note the times of holding our peace of speaking as which in the life of man beare great sway Also he doeth not ouerpasse those things the which in life do verie much preuail namely loue and hatred among priuat persons warre peace betweene cities for the words are plaine 8 A time to loue Doubtles there are to be found among men certaine felow feelings and louing affections as also the contrarie the which the prouidence of God without all question doeth gouerne diuersly turning and stirring the mindes of men vnto both partes according vnto his pleasure And that warre peace are ruled by God both the word of god and also experience doeth abundantly shewe By this reckoning vp therfore of diuerse things is concluded this generall That all things and enterprises hath their proper and set times and that Warre and peace ruled by God by the prouidence of GOD both Nature her selfe and also the fellowship of man are wisely gouerned yea and all things the which doe diuersely fall out both in the one and the other These things thus set downe hee concludeth 9 What profit that is if a man go about any thing against these times ordeined by God albeit he vse neuer so great labor diligence he shall altogither lose it wearie himselfe For this is the conclusion of the thinges going before therfore this condition of foolish ouerthwart enterprise is to be vnderstood This conclusion hee garnisheth amplifieth with a new circumstance to the same end purpose 10 I haue seene the trouble I haue saith he by assured argumēts founde out the cause why men do so miserably turmoyle themselues God in his secrete but yet most iust iudgement punisheth one sin with another He sayeth that God hath giuen vnto men that same pensiue toyle of life proceeding from vnmeasurable carefulnesse that is to say trouble and vexation not that God doeth put that same wicked desire into the minds of men for then he should be the cause and author of sin which is great blasphemie but to expresse the force and power of the prouidence of God who in his iudgement secrete in deede and vnknowen vnto vs but yet always iust doeth punish that same great sinne of distrust ouerthwart trustfulnesse with a new sin as with a penaltie that because men do neither trust vnto God yet do put too much trust in these fleeting and vading things he doth more deeply drown them and driue them headlong as it were
The other foolish alegoricall interpretations of the worde Nirdaph the whiche are brought of some as great misteries I auoyd as corruptions of the true sence and ease both my self and the Reader of vnprofitable labour in reciting them The Doctrine 1. God which hath created this whole world As God created so doth he stil gouern the world doth gouerne the same by the same power and prouidence and hath a singuler care of mankind as for whose sake hee hath created all other thinges God hath appointed vnto all thinges their seasons 2. He hath appointed vnto all things their certaine and set courses and seasons certayne and limited times and maner of doing and therfore he doth effectually dispose the issues and fallings out of all thinges Man cannot at his pleasure dispose his affaires 3. It lieth not therfore in the counsayle of man according to his owne pleasure to gouern the issues of his affaires nor to chuse out due seasons for the doing of things wel without a calling and without the certain helpe of God as it is manifest by the examples of holy prophane histories 4. Hereby may be séene what is the cause why men are cumbred with so mad and foolish lustes in this life Why men ar troubled with foolish lusts namely for that being much giuē vnto the desires of these fading and fléeting thinges they doe imagine in them a certayne immortality and therefore with a stubborne minde trie all thinges and many times thinges not necessarye neglecting the helpe of God rashly trusting vnto their own strength through this mad vnhappie sway of man his rashnes lewdnes how should not al things go to wrack whilest man his reason wil frame the sharpnes of his folly vnto al moments and seasons how should he not most miserably be tossed vp down in so variable a sea or oft changing gulf of the affaires of this worlde 5 This insatiable desire of men vnto these fading and fléeting things God as a iust iudge doth also gréeuously punish The punishment of mens inordinate lusts For God in his iust iudgement doth wrap men in new darknesse whiche swell with the truste in themselues and in their own affaires and voluntarily seuering thēselues from the trust in God both that they may the more féele the thorns and encombrances of the world which they haue preferred before him and also being willing to perishe might perish through their own fault This is the vnhappy ende issue of man his counsails and deuices 6. The earnest thinking vpon and perswasion of god his prouidence is a present and fit remedie against these inconueniences God his prouidence dulye considered ministreth remedies against the inconueniences of this life that looke howe manye encumbraunces lye before vs both publikelye and priuatelye in the Sea of this lyfe so manye remedyes wée mighte haue at hande agaynste all the Tormentes as I maye so call them of fortune and all the assaults and inuasions of alterations and chaungings 7. Al times ruled by God Namely let vs holde for certain that al the disposing of al time is wisely ruled and gouerned of the eternall God 8. Life death disposed by god That the times of our birth and death are disposed by his decrées that our life was giuē vs to vse and not for a slauery and bōdage and that the rule thereof is in his power that we shoulde commit both our life and also the life of ours vnto his pleasure 9. That our family marriage and all the issues of our life eyther ioyfull or sad are ruled by the same God 10. That the common wealth peace war plētie or wastnesse of countries are gouerned by the same God 11. To conclude that al the fellowship of mākind friendship and hatred and all the motions of our minde the which beare a greate sway in our life are ruled also by the lawes of his prouidence 2. vses of this doctrine 12. The vse of this doctrine is twofolde that God shoulde be feared and worshipped and that by this remedye the life of men might bee prouided for A remedie against the carelesnesse and boldnesse of men 13. Namely the carelesnesse or the boldnesse of our flesh is both to be stirred vp and also beaten downe by laying the brightnesse of God his maiestie before it for wee oughte to call to our remembrance that we séely soules that haue scarce a minute of an houre to liue haue to deale with the immortall and almightie God that we may depende and stay vpon him with reuerence and feare and refer all the parts of our life vnto his honour and glory The boundes of our calling are to be kept 14. Let vs know that we haue the bounds of our calling limited out vnto vs and let vs carefully kéepe our selues within the fame let vs followe God calling vs let vs enterprise nothing rashly let vs abhorre al curiosity and trust in our selues and other inordinate lustes let vs wisely and diligently follow lawfull meanes a righte course and order of doing thinges staying vppon the guidance and helpe of the prouidence of God Let vs withdraw our minds from the blind loue of the world in as much as we are mortall let vs so dispose of our matters that we may séeme to haue placed our immortalitie not in this life but in an other life which tarrieth for vs. 15. Moreouer let vs measure the fallings out of our affayres not by our own counsails but by the prouidence of God and let vs wayt for from the same whatsoeuer shal be profitable and expedient for our saluation 16. Contentednes of mind to be set against greedy hasting Against this troublesome hasting and desire of ours let vs set the assured quietnesse of minde which procéedeth from the perswasion of the prouidence of God If things go happily forward with vs let vs giue God thankes if otherwise let vs beare with a quiet minde those troubles which God will lay vpon vs. 17 Let vs vse and enioy things present let vs liue for the time present let vs not wearye our mindes with the casting for thinges to come let vs be only carefull for the worshipping of God for the following of our calling and doing of our duetie and framing of our life according vnto the forme thereof and lette vs take no care of those thinges of the which the Lord will haue vs to be ignoraunt finally let vs commend our life vnto God and let vs beléeue that he will dispose oure affayres for vs to our benefit 18. And let vs apply these thinges vnto all the parts of our life We must apply these things vnto all the partes of our life whatsoeuer in the end shal happen vnto vs let vs thanke God for it let vs commit vnto the prouidence of God our families and the common wealth our life children goods and whatsoeuer appertaineth vnto vs let vs know that there
wonderfull that the estate and condition of man and of a brute beast shoulde bee in a manner a like by reason of the like issue and falling out of things vnto them both 19 Because that which happeneth .. that is to saye the same affections in the common powers that maintaine life for hee speaketh only of these doe befall vnto men as namely sickenesse alterations of bodie weakenesses decaying and vading away of strength whereupon death is common vnto them both and in the verie dissolution and ouerthrowe of the powers and strength the Spirite is all one namely the vitall spirite accordingly as wee haue expounded before 20 And they consist of principles and beginnings Man and beasts are made all of one matter which are all of one matter that is to saye dust and are resolued and doe returne againe vnto the same dust as vnto their principles and beginnings All these thinges are such as that they may bee perceiued and marked of all men For hee entreateth onely of corporall and sensible powers and effectes In like effectes so farre as they are apparant vnto the external or outwarde viewe and apprehension of our eye and senses who can make a difference betweene the life of man and the life of a brute beast 21 VVho knoweth That is to saye If anye bodie woulde consider according vnto the iudgement of man onely and examine by the ballance of man his reason the outwarde shewe and condition of man and beast the which euery man seeth to bee common vnto them both howe shall hee knowe to make a difference betweene both their spirites and perceiue some certaine more notable and precious thing to bee in man than in beast so that the minde of man shoulde ascende vp into heauen immortall and the spirite of brute beastes goe downe into the earth that is to saye dye with the bodie as namely grosse and mortall with his grosse and mortall bodye beeing resolued into his principle that is to saye the earth For hee had assigned that for the matter of beastes and so the bodye when it dyeth is sayde To goe downe into the earth The outwarde condition therefore beeing onely considered the which is common vnto man with brute beastes and taking the reason of man onely into counsaile no man can tell whither the soule of man become heauenly and immortall and remoue vp into Heauen his olde countrie and dye not with the bodye and when as there is one issue and ende common vnto man and beast in what respecte and in what thinges the difference doeth consist that the soule of man shoulde haue an heauenly and an immortall estate and the spirite of a brute beaste an earthlye and mortall The reason of man doeth not teache this What man his reason teacheth the which of sensible thinges can onely iudge sensibly that is to say of such things as are subiect vnto the senses so as their nature doeth beare but rather it teacheth this that setting aside the care of vertue the which no rewarde doeth followe men shoulde busily laboure in tricking and trimming vp of their bodye For this is the conclusion of that doctrine which holdeth the soule to bee mortall contrarywise the conclusion of that doctrine which teacheth that the soule is immortall is this that abandoning the care of decking vp the bodye wee shoulde frame oure liues according vnto vertue and wisedome The wiseman therefore disputeth of the condition of our soule according vnto the outwarde appearance of thinges and according vnto the iudgement of man his reason the which cannot fynde happinesse in vertue it selfe so farre as may bee iudged of it by the effectes of life For who iudging by the compasse of the reason of man will iudge vertue to bee happie in the middest of tormentes and in death it selfe The Philosophers therefore doe dote and doe deceiue them selues and others who accordinge vnto the reason of man woulde conclude that vertue of her selfe is sufficient vnto a blessed and happye life For on the racke and in the verye iawes of death the trueth of thinges will crye out againste it and plead them giltie of lying The light of God his spirite must instruct vs in true vertue A newe light is to be sought for so that we may both vnderstand true vertue and also that happinesse the which no doubt remaineth for vertue The forgeries therefore of Stoike Philosophers concerning vertue do no lesse vanish awaye at the brightnesse of this light then the dreames of the Epicures concerning pleasure 22 Therefore I sawe These are not the wordes of prophane men by way of imitation as some interpreters doe suppose but he now repeateth as it were a common saying the former wordes in the which hee did set out the true vse of things to shewe wherein the true contentednesse of minde doeth consist That wee are not to fasten and settle our mindes vpō these things and in them to limit and bounde our hope in the which doubtlesse we shall find nothing lesse but meere vanitie Therefore that it is better with a quiet minde to vse and enioy things present laying aside the care of these things the which cannot choose but greatly torment our mindes reiecting that trouble which commeth of the consideration of them and neglecting the studie of things to come Of the true foundation of happinesse hee will deale throughly in his place It was sufficient for him in this place to set down a troublelesse remedie against this present sicknesse whereby this immoderate care might be buried vntill that the minde should soundly be strengthened with the food of true happines We haue spoken before of the interpretatiō of these words that we go not about a needelesse labour in repeating of those thinges the whiche wee haue there declared at large And concerning the immortalitie of the soule hee will set downe a plaine doctrine hereafter chapt 12. ver 9. the which is soundly to be opposed and matched against these doubtings The Doctrine 1. We ought not to dissēble our doutes in religion when we may be resolued to our better instruction We néede not straine any courtisie to acknowledge openly those doubtings wherewith oure minds are held in suspence yet a reuerent wise discretion is to be vsed least that through heate of contention we be ouerthwartly drawne into diuerse errours Therefore we must so doubt that yet in the end our mindes maye be strengthened with sound knowledge 2. The doctrine of the immortalitie of the soule is most certain The doctrine of the immortalitie of the soule is most certain and is the foundation of our hope For what should we hope for in the other life if our soules did die with our bodies but yet fleshe and blood cannot teach vs this doctrine that is to say the exquisit discourses of Philosophers albeit neuer so excellent the which doe rather intangle and make more darke the manifest trueth I make no exceptiō of Plato himself Plato
in whom notwithstanding the more plaine certaine auouchment of this doctrine is to be foūd who if he haue affirmed any thing agréeablye concerning this matter he fet it no doubt from a better and more happy doctryne the which neither he himself sufficiently vnderstood neither could he sufficiently declare it vnto others Therefore the certain and sure knowledge of this doctrine is to bee fet from the word of God the true and auntient recorde of the truth Albeit that there be many things cōmon vnto man and beasts yet is there a great difference between the mind of the one and the life of the other 3. Albeit that all the vitall powers yea and also the vitall spirite it selfe be common vnto man and also vnto brute beastes yet is there a most great difference betwéen the soule of a man and the life of brute beasts for besides those powers of the bodye and of life béeing mortall with the mortall bodye of liuing creatures that is to saye the sences and the powers effects of the sences he hath a certayne and peculiar gifte the whiche is not common with other liuing creatures that is to say Reason the whiche so far off is it that it is borne with the body and dieth with the bodye that it hath nothing cōmon with it but commeth as a straunger into the bodye hee vseth in déede the seruice of the body and of those powers of the body but in such order that the mind it selfe the pallace of Reason is the Mayster and selfe moouer of them and the true beginning of moouing and therefore those powers of the bodye are so long effectuall as the minde remayneth in the body oute of the whiche when as hée goeth both the bodye dieth and also all those powers of the body do dye with the body There are therefore in man two thinges Two things in man the one mortall and the other immortall The body is mortall and whatsoeuer is bodily that is to say al the powers of the body the mind is immortal that is to say reason the perfectiō of the mind But when as things are to be cōsidered according vnto their own nature there is a difference to bee made betwéene those powers of the bodie of man and betwéene the minde it selfe As therefore thinges compounde returne vnto their principles and matter wherof they were made and then the thinges compounde are no longer so that whiche is voyde of Composition as it canne neuer bee dissolued so neyther canne it dye by anye meanes The compounde bodye therefore and the powers of the bodye growing of the sences and instrumentes of the bodye doe die when death cōmeth But the minde of man being voyde of al composition as namely being diuine or comming frō God neyther feareth dissolution nor death by any meanes and therefore when as the body dieth and returneth into his principles that is into the dust the mind remaineth immortal goeth again into his countrie that is to say into heauē being deliuered from the fetters of this prison This is to bee vnderstood of the soules of the faythfull as appeareth plainly in the doctrine next following Flesh séeth not this But shall it not bee therefore true And shal there be no wind because it is not séene The reason therefore of man doteth disputing of diuine inuisible thinges according vnto the outward shew appearance the which cannot be made but of diuine euerlasting principles Death the reward of sinne 4. Death is in déede the wages of sinne common vnto all men like as all men sinned in Adam And for as muche as euen the faithfull are borne in that same staine of sinne which is by inheritaunce He meaneth original sinne and so long as they doe liue in this life doe carrie about with them the most lamentable remnantes of this sinne it is therefore to be no maruaile if they die as wel as other men Their death notwithstanding differeth far and wide from the death of wicked men for vnto them death is an entrance into extreame vnhappinesse and vnto the godly on the other side it is the entrance into chéefest happinesse The practise of such as repose their felicity in this life 5. The blinde and frantike sighte of man his wit because it séeth nothing to be left after death and doeth inclose his felicitie or happinesse within the narrow boundes and lists of this life and imagineth that this life is his chiefest portion neglecteth the care of liuing well and honestlye and is wholy occupied in looking vnto and trimming vp of the body Against this prophane cogitation or thought the earnest thinking vpon the immortalitie of the mind must be set that wée may know that the mindes or soules of all men shall in such sort abide immortal in the other life that for the godlye there remayneth euerlasting happinesse and for the vngodlye euerlasting vnhappinesse The way vnto them both is this life Let those willinglye run headlong vnto euerlasting misery which doe dreame that nothing remayneth after death and in the ende vnto their owne destruction doe learne that their mindes doe remayne vnto extreme punishment Let vs whilest wee liue thinke vppon the garnishing of the better part of vs that is to say of our mindes and let vs betimes tread the path vnto euerlasting happinesse and blisse 6. Against that same pensiue and cumbersome carefulnesse of thinges Quietnesse of mind must be set agaynst worldly carefulnesse that maketh the life miserable and in déede no life let vs set sound contentednesse of minde let vs ioyfully vse thinges present let vs thinke that the care of things to come doth nothing at all appertaine vnto vs Let vs with quiet mindes looke vnto that whiche is at hande So we shall be voyde of a double discommodity wherewith they are troubled which wil be too wise according vnto the wisedome of the flesh For they enioy not thinges present nor attaine vnto things to come and it falleth out with them as it did with Esop his dogge that in vain snatched after the shadow when hee had lost the fleshe The fourth chapiter 1. And I turned He sheweth the third doubt The thirde doubt why happinesse doth not consist euen in vertue it selfe by reason of the horrible disorder of worldly affaires in that the good and guiltles are euery where afflicted and troubled and oppressed and that in suche sort that the disordered lust and boldnesse of lewd persons with all maner of iniuries doth desperatelye rage and scotfree raile agaynste the good being destitute and voyde of all comfort and helpe Then the which tentation what canne bee deuised more sharpe and bitter Now in so greate confusion and disorder truely the life cannot any way bee a lyfe for when as the affayres of the World are tossed vp and down with the storme and tempeste of so greate troubles that they whose lyfe oughte to be defended of al men are
molested euen by those in whose hande is power and authoritie and when as to bee shorte nothing is safe from the lewdnesse and boldenesse of wicked persons Death seemeth farre to bee preferred before lyfe in as much as it doeth sette vs free from suche discommodities and troubles This is the tenoure of the wordes By the worde Turning are noted both the swiftnesse of our inconstant nature the whiche diuersly gapeth after euery thing and also the stormy ebbing and flowing of those things like vnto the arme of the sea Euripus Euripius is a crike or hauen of the sea ebbing and flowing seuen times in a day diuersly changing with sundry waues Hee garnisheth with new fygures the Oppressions that is the iniuries whiche are done Vnder the Sunne that is to saye in this life Beholde sayeth hee not as in a new matter and vnheard of but to signify the haynousnesse of the crime albeit that it come to passe often The teares of the oppressed And hee sayeth that The hande of the oppressors is armed with power that by a notable representation hee might set oute as it were before the eyes that whiche dayly in this life falleth out namelye the poore sheepe in the hande of the Butchers holding oute their knyfe lying readye bounde to bee slaughtered Thinges being thus disordered he saith that yet there appeareth no comforter and this he repeateth agayne to the mouing of affectiō to shew that innocency and honesty are on euery side layd vtterly naked of comfort and help and therefore he concludeth 2 3. Therefore That is if life shoulde bee considered in regard of the troubles and miseryes whiche are in it that the estate of the deade were farre better than the estate of the liuing or at leaste wise of them whiche neuer sawe the light of this life He yeeldeth a reason Because he hath not c. because that they are voyde of the miseryes and troubles of this lyfe For hee onelye weygheth the outwarde both troubles and greefes of this presente lyfe the whiche is rounde aboute besette wyth infynyte Mazes of myseryes and suche as wee canne finde no waye oute of For lyfe in it selfe is the gift of GOD. Hee speaketh therefore both according vnto the outward appearance of thinges and also according vnto the iudgement of our sence So this was a common saying among the Heathen It is beste not to bee borne or so soone as you are borne straight wayes to die and as it were out of a shipwrack to escape in this life as it were in a tempestuous sea the stormes tormentes of fortune so that death is the most safe hauen of these miseries The doctrine Our dayly life a pattern of the oppression of the innocent 1. Our dayly life doth sufficiently too abundantly minister a liuely descriptiō of this violēce and oppression against the innocent namely that the more mightie do wickedly employ their autority to oppresse the innocent and that at theyr pleasure they haue the law in their own handes as he sayth In so great disorder let God be called vpon who is the god of reuenge the iudge of wickednesse the deliuerer and defēder of iustice and such as are wrongfully oppressed the Father of mercye and of comfort the which no doubte will helpe his in time In the meane season we ought to possesse our soules in patience in hope wayting patiently for our God We must not heape greater troubles vpon our troubles 2. Moreouer we must asswage the teadiousnes and wearisomnes the which cannot chuse but be ingendred in our minds by reason of so great disorders neyther must we so farre forth let out the bridle vnto our gréeues that we heape vpon our life greater troubles the which is otherwise intangled with incombrances ynough already the remedy against this way wardnesse must bee sought for out of the worde of God and must bee applied vnto our necessities neyther must wee giue the bridle vnto this péeuishnesse ¶ The last confutation of the Vanitie of man taken from the actions of common life and from certain especiall and principall trades and maners of liuing The Exposition 4. I beheld also He noteth great vanitie in the vse also of common life The societie and fellowship of mankind is preserued by traffike one with an other and in the dislikenesse and varietie of diuers degrees of men there is great consent and agreement if men woulde so behaue thēselues as they ought He that best behaueth him self is most hated But he teacheth that there reigneth so greate enuie among all men of al degrees that the arrowes of enuie are especially discharged vpon him the which hath handled his matters best of al others For so do I vnderstand those words Al labour and all perfection of worke that is when as a man doeth so order his thinges that they go forward according vnto his mind The word Kischron therefore signifieth both industry and diligence and also an happie successe of one his labour So also is the word Tsedek taken Psalme 23. verse 3. Thou leadest me through the pathes of righteousnesse that is to saye Thou doest blesse mee thou giuest good and prosperous successe vnto mine affayres and in Iames this word Dikaiosune The anger of a man bringeth not to passe the righteousnesse of GOD that is to saye letteth that things be not done wel nor as they ought to be for he calleth the righteousnesse of God a right an equall and temperate action For according vnto the proprietie of the Hebrewe tongue notable and great thinges are attributed vnto God Enuie a lette of many good matters Enuie therefore is a great lette of necessary and profytable thinges in life yet it often times followeth those whiche handle their matters actiuely and with good successe and therefore hee sheweth that there is greate vanitye in that kynde of life As it is also commonly sayde in the Prouerbe Enuye followeth riches and the complaints of enuy are vsuall and common * It is a peece of a verse taken out of Hesiodus where hee sheweth that men of the same trade do enuie eche others thrifte yea that one begger is hatefull vnto an other And the Potter c. What then in an idle and slouthful life is there any more profit or quietnesse therein He aunswereth 5 A Foole. That is to saye a sluggishe and a slouthfull person whiche giueth himselfe vnto lazinesse and casteth aside al care of his businesse hee calleth him a foole whiche is negligent because there is nothing the whiche doth more dull and breake the witte then laizie and sluggishe idlenesse is not in deede in daunger of the same enuie the which is wonte to follow the painefull and diligent yet doeth hee snarle and bewrappe himselfe in infinite other troubles and encombrances For Whilest hee foldeth his handes that is whilest hee geueth himselfe vnto lazinesse and waxeth as it were benummed with ydlenesse hee liuelye setteth out the gesture of
hath giuen vnto euery man riches wealth hath giuen him power to eat of thē and to take his part and to reioyse of his labour This is the gift of God 20 For he doth not much remember the dayes of his life because that God heareth him in the ioy of his heart The sixth Chapter 1 There is an euil the which I haue seen vnder the Sunne and it is vsuall vnto man 2 A man vnto whome God hath giuen riches and wealth and glorie and his soule lacketh nothing of al things that it desireth but God giueth him not power to eate of them but a man that is a stranger shall eate them this is vanitie and an euil sicknesse 3 If a man be get an hundreth children and liue manie yeares and the dayes of his yeares bee encreased and his soule be not satisfied with good it selfe and he haue no buriall I saide an vntimely frute is better than hee 4 For he commeth into vanitie and shall goe into darkenesse and his name shall be couered in darknes 5 Also for that he hath not seene the Sunne nor knowen any thing this hath rest more then the other 6 And if he liue a thousand yeares twise tolde see no good do not all men go vnto one place 7 All the labour of man is for his mouth and yet his soule is not filled The exposition Remedies against couetousnes 10 He that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied Hee setteth downe fit remedies against couetousnes and that at large as hee ought to doe the which couetousnes is wont to engender an endlesse carefulnesse in the minde for the desire of hauing hath tainted the mindes of all men and taken deepe roote in them In this same rage of madde desire the minde cannot choose but be miserably vexed Many reasons therefore were to be brought togither wherewith our minds might be strengthened against so strong a poyson and espying finding out the hurtfulnesse thereof that wee should most earnestly detest and abhorre it The first reason The first reason by shewing the verie great inconuenience that commeth by it He which loueth c. For the desire of hauing cannot bee filled and the loue of money increaseth as much as the money it selfe increaseth For this doubtlesse is the propertie of sinne that the more a man maketh of it the more fiersly it fareth and rageth The bookes also of Heathen writers are full of such refutations against this mad outrage of couetousnesse The propertie of sinne He setteth forth the same thing in other wordes He that loueth a multitude to wit of money for the Hebrewe worde signifieth riches as the Latin worde Copiae is taken for wealth or riches is without frute they haue no profite at all of riches for couetous men doe not vse the present riches which they haue but are tormented with the desire of wealth to come Therfore they take great toyle but vnto no profit of theirs for they stande alwayes in neede being poore in the middest of great wealth and haue no more that which they haue then that which they haue not For they defraud themselues of the vse of their owne goods the which vse notwithstandinge is the true and sure profite of riches I let passe other expositions of the Rabines He concludeth this to be vanitie For what is more vaine then for a man to take great toyle to vexe himselfe The second reason 2 When as goods are increased The seconde reason That the mindes of riche men are many times bereaued of the frute euen of those things the which they so greatly loue And hee vseth a comparison of a bare or poore life What hath the rich man regard vnto To hoard vp great heapes of riches What more to liue Also he doeth not thinke the life of poore men to bee a life and that it is lawfull for him to liue at case and to sleepe a deepe sleepe whilest poore men get their liuing with great labour But how well those desires often times fall out vnto couetous men Solomon teacheth to wit that whilest riches doe increase manye seruaunts also are to be maintained manie wil resort vnto their houses and by this meanes great reuenues are spent with endlesse charges as in the courtes of Princes who enioyeth the goods of Princes The Courtier The Prince hath but cloth and meat thereout Flatterers Sodomites proude persons deuour the greatest parte of their reuenues The kingdomes also are entangled with great burdens of debt neither can great tributes and customes suffice for the maintainance of their ryot and excesse On the contrariside The poore man the poore man according vnto the measure of his riches leadeth a thriftie and an orderly life so that some times hee hath more left at the yeares ende then hee which hath large possessions Hee sometimes shall both be combred with greater businesse and shal tie his heires fast by the feete for debt wicked riches sayth one do increase Horace calleth it short wealth because that couetous men alwayes lack◠some thing albeit they haue neuer so much yet short wealth hath always I cannot tel what wanting vnto it These things in deede do not always fall out yet because they sometimes fal out they do flatly descrie the vanitie of riches In this vanitie of riches therfore VVhat good is there sayeth he vnto their owner that is to say What commoditie profit sauing the beholding of the eyes that is to say sauing that he only looketh vpō his goods feedeth his eyes with the beholding of thē but receiueth no profit the which he may constantly enioy For if the couetous man only vse his riches hee him selfe taketh his portion the rest that is left the rabble of maunch presents wil consume and spoyle If hee dare not vse his owne goods then shall hee haue lesse hee shall onely delite his eyes with a vaine sight reioysing as it were at painted tables But this is a very smal frute of riches After this manner the most poore may be rich when as riches ar shewed him on this condition Looke vpon these treasures when thou hast beheld thē be packing Seruants that keepe the dore as he saith haue as good right vnto riches as this vain owner master but in name After this condition good vpright dealing do the Masse priests sel their marchandise and doe shewe their bread-god vnto the people and doe make the people pay well for the sight of him Vaine is the possession of riches with the price wherof the rich man his soul is not redeemed from death Nay of the which he can reap nothing besides a vaine sight and burthen Contrariwise the poore mā hath far greater vse of his goods for The commodities of a poore labouring life 12 Sweete is the sleepe That is to saye he that in small wealth getteth his liuing by his labour whether he eate litle or much leadeth a healthfull life yea and
heauinesse hee made assured matter of gladnesse for himselfe and for the church There is therefore a certaine sadnesse or heauinesse according vnto GOD the which must bee set against the madde franticke pleasure of the flesh Vnto this purpose he addeth The duetie of the faithfull 5 The heart of wise men c. That is to saye The faithful ought so to frame themselues that their mindes may be stroken with a touche of the feeling of the miseries the which are befalling vnto man so fortifie strengthen thēselues that they may bee readie against the assaultes of all chaunces aduentures and walk wisely among the thornes of this world wheras contrariwise the vnfaithfull beeing made drunken with the vnconstant ioy of the world do with a blinde heat and rage entangle themselues in the verie nettes of calamitie and miseries He doth therefore commend a certaine wise sadnesse and condemneth an vnwise and mad gladnes the end whereof is gnashing of teeth His meaning is not to let loose the bridle vnto the intemperate waywardnes of those men who being neuer contented with the gifts of God The waywardnesse of some the present state of things seeke euery foote new causes of complaint for this saying is not against that trueth Reioyce alwayes Yet notwithstanding his purpose is to condemne the frantike and foolish ioy of worldly men The mad ioy of the world the which beeing brought asleepe with a deadly slumber mocke at the iudgementes of god do turne his threatnings into laughter The feeling of affliction and trouble is wholesome although it be ioyned with sorrowe yet notwithstanding must we so weepe that in the middest of death we are to remēber the goodnes of God who doeth wisely dispose all the seasons of our life Nowe hee setteth downe a newe circumstance 6 It is better Rebukes are wont to be vnpleasant vnto the flesh The flesh can not away to be rebuked the which pleasure especially cannot abyde taking these prickes verie griuously Contrariwise the wise man teacheth that the rebukes of the faithfull are better then the flatterings and praises of worldly men the which he meaneth by the word Song This same dissolute flatterie which cannot abyde to be reproued bringeth many men vnto destruction on the other side earnest and wise rebuking is a moste present remedie for the healinge of mindes So farre off is the Prophet frō thinking a misse of the rebukes of the godly that he accounteth of them as of a most sweete and precious oyle Let men set this before thē in the midst of their delites let them rather like the freenesse of reprouing then the smoke of faire and flattering soothing Let the righteous strike me saith the Prophet in mercie and let the precious oyle rebuke mee it shall not break mine head 7 In the seuenth verse he garnisheth setteth out the vaine laughters of prophane men with a notable similitude and shutteth vp this discourse after his manner That there is greate vanitie in this affectation and seekinge after pleasure to the end we shoulde vse fit remedies against it such as hitherto he hath prescribed The doctrine A remedie against the vanitie of pleasure The remedie therefore againste this vanitie of pleasure is that we earnestly thinke vppon the framing of our life well and honestlye whereby we shall reape most great fruit namely the most swéete sauour of a good name Let vs set before our eyes the common calamities and miseries of life and let vs perswade our selues that they doe appertaine vnto vs that among the delites of this world we leaue a place for these cogitations Thou shalt dye Haue regarde therefore that death may be vnto thee an entrance vnto eternall happinesse Let vs heare the voyce of oure God dayly reprouing vs both by his worde thorow the ministerie of his seruauntes and also by the holy ghost euery foote calling vppon our conscience and putting vs in minde of our duety and let vs obey him whilest we may let vs learn to tremble at his iudgementes finally let vs think that this conscience of our duetie a most excellēt effect whereof is contentednes quiet of minde is of all pleasures far the greatest From thence he entreth into a new discourse Of the remedy against this abashment wherwith our mindes are cumbred by reason of the outrages wherewith this life is sundrie wayes shaken A remedie against this abashment of minde the vvhiche ariseth of the feeling of the troubles and disorders the which are incident or befalling vnto men 8 Surely oppression causeth a wise man to go mad and a gift doth vndermine the heart 9 The end of a thing is better then the beginning thereof better is one that is long suffering in spirite then he that is proude in spirite 10 Hasten not in thy spirite to be angry because that anger resteth in the bosome of fooles 11 Say not what is the cause that the former dayes were better then these because that thou doest not in wisedome aske concerning this 12 VVisedome is good with inheritaunce and it is the excellencie of them that see the sunne 13 Because that a man shall rest in the shadow of wisedome and in an hot shadow but the knowledge of wisedome is more excellent the which bringeth life vnto the owners thereof 14. Behold the worke of God for who canne make him straight whome he hath made crooked 15 In a good day be thou of good comfort and in an euill day consider God also hath made this contrary vnto that to this end that man should not finde any thing after him 16 I haue seene all things in the dayes of my vanitie there is a righteous man which perisheth through his righteousnes and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his dayes through his wickednes 17 Be not thou iust ouer much and bee thou not wise ouer much wherefore shouldest thou be desolate 18 Be thou not wicked ouer much neither be thou foolish wherefore shouldest thou dye not in thy time The exposition 8 Surely oppression Minding to entreat of the remedies against that most grieuous tentatiō of the which he spake in the third Chapter and sixt verse namely howe it commeth to passe that the innocent or giltlesse are troubled vniustly and that vnder the pretense and shewe of iustice he setteth down by way of a preface certaine things altogither necessarie vnto this discourse For hee sheweth the fountaine of all these troubles and disorders namely the mad couetousnes of men which haue regard neither of holinesse nor honestie And he teacheth that the prouidence of God doth constantly watch in these confusions or disorders to bring these outrages albeit neuer so euill and harmfull in themselues vnto a verie good end to be short hee willeth vs to bridle our mindes that wee bee wise out of the worde of God not out of the sharpnesse of man his reason the which as it is blinde so is it not able
And in the two nexte verses hee paynteth out the tryumph of death ouer all kinde of men 4. and 5. For vnto euery one The effects of life death compared togither He compareth the effectes of death and life togither vnto the garnishing and amplyfying of the matter Him that is ioyned vnto all them that are aliue hee calleth euerye liuing man whiche hath the vse and benefite of life of howe lowe or base condition or degree soeuer he be Him he sayth to be better then a dead man whosoeuer at any hand he be and in howe great dignitie soeuer hee did sometimes excell vsing a prouerbe That a liuing dog is better then a dead Lyon The vse of which prouerbe serueth to shewe the excellencie and commoditie of life Vnto the same purpose appertaine the wordes of the next verse Death vanquisheth man and al things belonging vnto man of the which this is the plaine and true meaning that all things the which do belong vnto men yea also men them selues especially if the outward shewe appearance be looked vnto do altogether dy and are taken away by death And it is a trimme kinde of speach seasoned with a fine figure that Loue Hatred Enuie and other affections whose dominion was large and wide whilest they were aliue is extinguished and put cleane out with death and also with the possessers of them and that there shall bee no profite of them before the chiefe Iudge as vnto whom accounts must be giuen of their whole life And that this is a disorder of things falling out in this life vnto men experience it selfe doth sufficiently and abundantly teach What then must wee doe among so great outrages 7 Go eat These things he noted in the beginning of this place at the 15. verse of the eight Chapter Curiositie altogither vnprofitable Nowe hee gathereth a generall conclusion of the same and that notably shewing the whole matter the effect is That curiositie is altogither vaine and hurtfull that it doeth vexe and torment the minde because of the outrages and confusions of this life that it is better with a sober and cheerefull minde to vse the benefites of God and diligently to apply our selues euery man vnto his calling and to bestowe the powers of our minde about the discharging of it faithfully and painfully whilest that by meanes of life occasion we may and to stay vpon the blessing of God whereupon doubtlesse all the happie successe of all things doe depend Go therefore sayeth he c. that is to say Torment and vexe not thy mind too much with these cares but rather vse and inioye things present with assured quietnes of minde as for thinges falling out vnto men in this life the which thou canst not helpe suffer them to passe and fleete awaye as they come And he doeth set foorth and garnish this plain sentence verie finely with diuerse words Go as if hee should say rid thy selfe out of these mad cares for what neede is there and what doth it profit thee to busie thy self about many matters As it was by Christ obiected vnto Martha too busilie occupying her selfe about her housholde Eat drinke that is to saye vse and enioy freely the commodities of this life To this purpose perteine these wordes 8 At all times let thy garmentes be white and oyle vppon c. By which wordes he signifyeth that wee must leaue nothing vndone for the enioying of a merrie and pleasant life namely that cleannesse and finenesse is not to be ouerpassed Against such as make an allegorie of this place the which doeth make meate drinke more pleasant For where as some do allegorically expounde these wordes of the simplicitie of the heart it is true I confesse and agreeable vnto faith but yet it is from the right meaning of this place And by Oyle hee vnderstandeth sweete smelling oyle and other pretious oyntmentes the which were much vsed in the East For God doeth not onely giue vnto vs things necessarie for the maintenance of our life but those thinges also which doe serue for honest and ioyfull pleasure as is shewed Psal 104. Finally saith Solomon 9 Liue thy life c. that is so saye enioy thou the commodities of this life with assured and sound contentednesse of minde A good wife is one of the greatest blessings that mai befall vnto a man in this life with the wife then especially when as God hath giuen thee a wife meete for thee and fit for thy mind and manners then the which benefite among the blessings which appertaine vnto this life nothing is better nor more deare nothing more profitable nor more plentiful vnto al the parts of life All the dayes c. If thou shalt haue obteined this benefit at the hands of God vse it as a pasport to wander ouer the race of this miserable life A prouiso concerning the vse of the things pertaining vnto this life dwel so with thy selfe that thou haue at home with thee as houshold gestes cōtentednes ioy of mind And he will haue the vse of all these things pertaining vnto life thus far to be free that always a necessary exception be vnderstood namely so far as God hath created them to be vsed of the faithful soberly and with thanks giuing For the wiseman in this place speaketh of the lawful vse of things This moreouer must be supplied out of the Apostle That we fasten not our affection neither vpon the getting of these things nor vpon the vsing of them nor vpon the forgoing of them but that we possesse them as not possessing thē that we want abound according vnto the plesure of the lord finally that we be always redie to liue dye vnto him and not vnto our selues Now he adioyneth a new circumstance 10 Al that c. He signifieth A presēt remedie for the auoiding of the wearinesse of this life that it is a most present remedy for the auoiding of the tediousnes of this life that euery one of vs diligently follow his own vocation imploy all the powers of his minde about the discharging of it faithfully For there is nothing more busie than is idlenes the which filleth the mind with vain cogitations as if there were not alreadie presēt occasion to occupy it about They be the wordes of the Poet Horace by the which he noteth the follie of such as letting go the present occasion to doe good idly muse vpon other matters to followe some trade for so saith he The husband man or countrie man waiteth vntill the riuer leaue running Contrariwise the mind being occupyed about some certaine businesse is not cumbred with those curious wearinesses of searchinge after needelesse matters All that which thou shalt finde hee sayeth not that wee must doe whatsoeuer wee list or please but whatsoeuer shall appertaine vnto our calling And hee giueth to vnderstand that there are sundry sortes of callings but that euery
if thou shalt bestow any benefit vpon the poore thou shalt not lose it but it is laid vp and kept for thee by GOD according vnto the rule of that promise whereby hee hath bounde himselfe vnto thee This is the true and simple meaning of these wordes and the garnishing of the wordes that went before In the multitude of dayes thou shalt finde thy breade Doubtlesse thou shalt receiue frute of thy liberalitie Obiection But nowe man his reason obiecteth Howe shall I knowe that I shall reape profit I giue my goods the which I haue in mine owne hande but the issue of my beeing rewarded againe is vncertaine The wise man aunswereth 4 He that obserueth the winde Aunswere As if he should say this feare is vnaduised without consideration For like as he that is superstitiously giuen to the marking of the signes of heauen beholding of the windes will not sowe to day so wil he put it off also to morrow for the same cause thus thorough too much feare whilest he daylye fyndeth delayes hee will in the ende neuer sowe at al. As therefore the issues and fallings out of thinges naturally being vnknown vnto vs euen seuerally do not let but that the workes of husbandrie are done abroad at their set and appointed seasons so ought we not to be called backe from our duetie of releeuinge our brethren albeit that we see not the reward of our labours He setteth forth the same thing by new symilitudes and examples 5. As thou art ignorant That is to saye as thou seest not the wind yet doest feele his force and power and albeit that thou see not the infant in the wombe of the mother yet it is there indeed froÌ„ thence commeth forth at his due time so the works of God are dark indeed the issues fallings out of things are vnknown yet must thou with assured hope do those thinges the which God hath commaunded thee according vnto thy dutie vntil that the issues do follow fal out Christ vsed the similitude of the wind Iohn 3. ver 8. signifying the misterye of regeneration or newe birth which springeth from the secret power of the holy ghost And here is also notably set down a similitude of a child in the mothers wombe and this doctrine besides his peculiar proper circuÌ„stance may be stretched further Like as we know not how we are formed or fashioned in the womb of our mother What we maâ— learne by this similitude so the issues of many things can not be seene and yet as by the very shape of the infant wee see that it is preserued by the wonderfull prouidence of God that the mother is saued great with childe that life is powred into the shaped bodie that nourishment is made apte and fit to nourish it with all that the enclosures are wonderfully opened when as the childe commeth into the worlde that the childe knoweth the due time to come foorth so let vs knowe that all our affaires are cared for of God and that the issue of our calamities and troubles is appointed by GOD as Christ also by the similitude of a woman in trauell doeth describe the issue of our afflictions But the proper circumstance of the similitude requireth that it bee vnderstoode of the issue and ende or successe of liberalitie or bounteousnesse This therefore being determined persuade thy selfe that thou shall haue a certaine effect of thy charitie No occasion of weldoing is to be let passe 6 In the morning sowe That is to say whilest thou mayest and hast occasion let passe nothing appertaining vnto thy calling vpon euery occasion bee thou readie to helpe thy neyghbour to deserue well of the Church and of mankinde Sowe morning and euening If here thou haue no good successe thou shalt haue good successe elsewhere Onely doe thy duetie watch diligently all occasions to doe well and redeeme them doe thy duetie and leaue the successe vnto God For this doctrine may and ought generally to bee applyed vnto the discharging of our calling The worde sowing is vsed by Paul in this self same argument 2. Cor. 9. vers 6. whereas this place concerning the bounteousnesse of Chistian charitie is plentifully and notably handled the which is so much the more earnestly to be often taught by how much in this most wicked worlde the charitie of many is not onely waxen colde but also cleane frozen A precept concerning the vse of life and earst thinking vpon death From this 7. verse vnto the 8. verse of the 12. Chapter 7 Surely the light is sweete and it is a pleasant thing vnto the eyes to behold the Sunne 8 Truely if a man liue many yeares and reioyse in them all and doe call to remembrance the dayes of darkenesse because they are manie whatsoeuer commeth to passe he will iudge to be vanitie 9 Reioyse O young man in thy youth and walke in the wayes of thine heart and according vnto the sight of thine eyes but knowe thou that for all these things God will bring thee vnto iudgement 10 But take away anger from thine heart and remoue euill from thy flesh because that childhood and youth are vanitie The twelfth Chapter 1 And remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth before the euill dayes come and the yeares drawe neere of which thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them 2 Before the Sunne waxe darke and the light the Moone and the Starres and the clowdes returne after the raine 3 In the daye in which the keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bowe themselues and the grinders shall cease because they shall diminish and the powers shal waxe darke which looke through the windowes 4 And the doores shal bee shut without because of the abating of the sound of the mill and hee shall arise at the voyce of the birde and all the daughters of singing shal be abased 5 Also they shall bee afrayd of an high â—hinge and they shall feare in the waye and the Almonde tree shall florish and the locust shall bee a burden vnto him and lust shall bee driuen away because man goeth vnto the house of his age and the mourners goe vp and downe in the streete 6 Before the siluer coard be lengthened and the golden ewer broken and the pitcher broken at the well and the wheele bee broken at the cisterne 7 And dust returne vnto the earth as it was and the spirite vnto God that gaue it The Exposition and doctrine 7 Surely the light A moste wholesome and profitable precept that wee shoulde vse this present life soberly and with the earnest thinkinge vppon death as it were with a bit or bridle hold backe and rule the delightes of life and wanton pleasure And this notable ende hee maketh of the notable doctrine concerning the vse of godlinesse the which in their places wee haue sayde to bee the thirde and last parte of this whole discourse Hee vseth a necessarie
and fit Preface A necessarie Preface The light in deede is sweete and it is pleasant to beholde the Sunne that is to saye the light and vse of this life is sweete it is a pleasant thing to enioy the commodities of this life 8 Truely if Yet if thou throughly consider the spaces and times of thy whole life although thou liue manye yeres and so long as thou liuest enioy al kind of pleasures and doe but set against them the discommodities and troubles of the which thou hast had experience al thy life and shalt cast thine accountes what hath befallen thee in all the course of thy life no doubte thou shalte finde that in thy life there is great vanitie which thing is so manifest by experience it selfe that the Sunne shineth not more clearely at noone day What then doeth hee I praye you gather hereof We must so liue that we remember that we shall dye 9 Reioyse The summe and effect is considering the vanitie of our life wee must so liue that wee remember that wee must dye therfore wee are to vse this life soberly and moderately and not so handle the matter that wee bee made drunken with the delites and pleasures of the same Now this doctrine is common vnto all men yet Solomon applyeth it properly and peculiarly vnto young men who through the strength and lustinesse of age and want of experience of things do not think that they shall dye nor that strength of lustie age shall faile them at any time and therfore they followe pleasures the more licentiously and intemperately In another place in deede the wise man biddeth vs to reioyse but in this sense and meaning namely that wee shoulde vse the commodities of this life merily and ioyfully but that it is not so to bee meant in this place these wordes doe declare Walke in the wayes of thine heart c. the whiche doubtlesse doe not will that wee shoulde so doe This therefore is to bee vnderstoode to bee a graunting ironically or in mockage As if he should saye Go to O young man which art lustie in age followe thy pleasure and spare not doe what thou wilt according vnto thy minde and lust yet knowe for all this that in the ende at length thou must giue accountes vnto GOD of thy life For as much then as thou shalt haue to doe with so mightie a Iudge 10 Take away anger our of thine heart that is to say beginne a course of a better and a more holye life abandoning those euill lustes whervnto thine age is subiect By these wordes Anger and euill or wickednesse Anger hee vnderstandeth all the corrupt affections of man And the principall poynt of a newe life is the mortifying of the olde man that the newe may be restored and repaired By the worde Anger besides the common signification hee noteth a certaine indignation or obstinacie wherewith hee that is reprehended hardeneth him selfe against reprehensions By malice euill or wickednesse Euil malice or wickednes hee signifieth the moste sower leuen of sinne wherewith oure whole life is corrupted Of that same disorder the which is in vs by oure nature corrupted the first is that same natiue sinne that is borne with vs the which the Apostle calleth sinning or sinfull sinne from this blot there is borne with vs rashnesse the which firste in children sinneth through a certaine vnaduised and blinde brunt or brayde and as age increaseth and boldnes is brought in to sinne it becommeth malice and obstinacie to sinne Theses are as it were habites or growen practises and qualities of vices that besides that same naturall stayne of sinne through an euill custome also of sinne waxeth and groweth more and more that it is made more sinfull and becommeth a corruption of corruption Hee counsayleth yong men betimes to preuent or withstand these euils least that in an age that is prone and readie vnto lust licentiousnesse of sinning doe growe from worse to worse Therefore hee doeth earnestlye beate into their heades this admonition Because childhoode c. that is to saye because it harde and scarselye falleth oute that Wisedome accompanyeth yong age Yong age trulye is verye daungerous The daungerousnesse of youth so that Paule nothing doubted to admonishe Timothie a young-man otherwise indued with excellent giftes and amonge other men as it were an Aungell that hee shoulde take heede of that age and flye youthfull lustes by whiche Worde hee doeth not vnderstande those vntemperate dissolutenesses and lewdenesse of young men the whiche no doubte Timothie was free and voyde of but certayne fyttes and panges of those lustes the whiche commonlye pricke forwarde young age as ambition lightnesse pride vnskilfulnesse and suche lyke vices the whiche oftentimes accompanye vnexperienced and vnaduised yong age Hee goeth forwarde with the same matter The twelfth chapiter 1. Remember thy Creator c. That age seemeth that I may so speake by a certayne priuiledge to haue libertie to be wanton youth woulde haue as it wer a certain priuiledge to bee wanton as if as yet it were not time to be wise as many at this day with this sorie shifte washe of sober and graue admonitions Contrariwise the Wise man teacheth that the time of well doing is not any longer to bee put off but that euen in childhoode and youth wee must make a beginning to be wise And therefore that it is meete that a yong man Remember his Maker We must begin to be wise euen in our youth For Godlinesse is the principall pointe and foundation of framing our life well and blessedlye Of which matter he sayeth that wee muste thinke betimes Before c. Before that the time of olde age yea and that whiche more is of death it selfe and too late repentaunce doth approche the whiche the occasion being not taken suffreth not to goe backe agayne and to returne vnto the olde opportunitie of doing wel as it were recouering againe a thing that was lost He that should forslew the seasons of sowing and reaping should in vaine wishe for them at an other time of the yeare That is sowne in youth the which must bee reaped in stayed yeres and in olde age it selfe If this season of sowing flie away from whence shall wee looke for an haruest The preacher faieth therefore that the time of age draweth nigh the whiche will come with a still pace making no noyce and hastening on will beguile vs before we be aware and death followeth vppon it manye times ouertaking those which when they haue departed this life did not yet now consider for what cause they came into this life And Solomon in a notable kind of speaking doth painte out the whole matter as it were in a table We must thinke on death betimes The summe and effect of this whole place is That we must thinke on death betimes to the end to liue wel that we die well And hee excellentlye describeth and setteth out the order
especial vse of godlinesse that weying both the vanitie of this life and also the vncertaine houre of death the whiche notwithstanding will certaynely come we shoulde so prepare and frame our selues that we may appeare before God our Iudge without blame and withoute spotte The feare therefore of death drawing on is no slow warner vnto a mind following at large the lustes of the fleshe to awake out of this sleepe of his and vnto this point Solomon referreth this whole sermon of the which he maketh a very excellent end The Conclusion and summe of this whole sermon 8 Vanitie of vanities said the preacher all is vanitie 9 And the more wise that the Preacher was the more he taught the people knowledge and caused them to heare and searched forth and prepared manye parables 10. The Preacher sought to find out thinges that might please and the right scripture euen the wordes of truth 11. The wordes of the wise are like prickes and as nailes driuē in of the maisters of gatherings the which are giuen by one pastor 12. And more then these my sonne take heede thou seeke not there is no end of making many bookes and much doctrine is an affliction or trouble vnto the flesh 13 The end of al the word hath ben heard feare God and keep his commaūdements for this is the whole mā 14 For God will bring euery worke vnto iudgemēt which shal be vpon euery secret thing whether it bee good or euil The Exposition and Doctrine 8 Vanitie of Vanities c. A breefe sum of al things handled at large in this discourse before The treatise of the vse of Godlinesse being ended now he maketh an ende of this whole disputation or discourse orderly and breefelye comprehending the summe effect of those thinges the which he hath at large declared before Wee haue shewed that the same was conteined in 3 parts especially The first by maner and way of confutation did teach That happinesse is not in the whole life of man The second That happines is in the feare of God that is in the true knowledge of the true God the thirde did at large and excellently set out the vse of godlinesse These three parts of this disputation he doeth plainely note in this breefe rehersal repetition Vanity of vanities It is as much as if he shold say By the former discourse disputatiō therfore it is proued that felicitie or happines is no where in the whole life of man And hee sayeth that he taught not this rashly or vnaduisedly 9. And the more wise Not as if hee woulde win authoritie vnto his doctrine by the authoritie of his own person when as rather the autority dignity of his persō depēdeth vpō the doctrin but by the things considered with wise and graue study learned experiēce He sayth then that he taught not these things as one vnprepared and vnfurnished but that he dealt in the searching out of so great weightie matters wisely and diligently and hee doeth flatly witnesse that hee bringeth not any thing of himselfe Solomon bringeth nothing of himself but out of the word of God but out of the worde of God whose interpreter onely hee was and that hee applyed the generall doctrine in it contained For this is the meaning of these wordes 10 The preacher thought to finde out wordes that might please that is to saye the which shoulde bee receiued with the consent of all men and whose authoritie shoulde bee autenticall and to bee beleeued of it selfe This hee calleth The right scripture and The wordes of trueth the which namely were committed to writing by Moses at the certaine commaundement of God and by the instinct and mouing of the holie Ghost Of these wordes God is the author Moses the minister the Prophets the interpreters Hee calleth therefore that the right scripture the which the Apostle called The scripture inspired by God He teacheth that this pure and right scripture is the foundation of al pure and sound doctrine The general doctrine of the word must particularlye be applied according as time place persons doth require 11 The wordes of the wise For in the worde of God are principles and generall doctrine contained the which the sounde doctors and teachers of the Church doe applye vnto the circumstances of persons places and times and doe conuey and fetch as it were riuers from thense Therefore hee sayeth That the wordes of the wise are as it were prickes or goades and nayles driuen in to sharpen and prickeforwarde the mindes of men which at the generall doctrine are dull and without feelinge and therefore the doctrine must bee applyed particularlye Therefore hee calleth the doctors and teachers of the Church the wise and lordes or masters of gatherings because they write bookes out of the pure worde of God for the vse and profit of the Church not that they are the authors of the doctrine but ministers onely Therfore hee addeth The which are giuen by one pastor As if hee shoulde saye Albeit there bee in the Church many teachers yet they haue receiued their doctrine from one on whome all of vs also ought to depende and staye And by these wordes one pastor they vnderstand Moses One pastor who was the minister of the lawe But wee must ascende vp from Moses and the Prophets vnto Christ the true teacher of his Church from whome alone both Moses and the Prophets by the holie Ghost haue drawen their doctrine who as hee is author of the holy scriptures so is hee also the interpreter as Peter sayth that no scripture of the Prophets is of any priuate interpretation Hee therefore will haue all the faithfull to depende vpon one Pastor and as to beware of strange doctrin so also many doctrins for there is one waye trueth and life Therfore hee sayeth 12 And more then these Bee not carried about with the winde or tempest of diuerse doctrines but rest thy selfe vpon certain doctrine Rashnesse and vnconstancie is no doubt to bee condemned in all sciences but especiallye in the knowledge of our saluation The onelye worde of God is the staye and foundation of our knowledge The same is the onely beginning of true wisedome to be wise without it is to bee starke foolish He therefore teacheth that wee ought diligently to beware and take heede of many and strange teachers Many and strange teachers ought heedefully to be auoyded and findeth fault with the euill custome or itch that is to saye vaine glorious desire of writing many bookes For manye vnhappie wittes practise to imitate or followe good writers and vnto the great hurt of the Church doe make huge heapes or cartloades of foolish bookes This disease therefore of vaine glorious writing hath beene in vre for manye yeares agoe being not only great trouble vnto the writers but also great hurt vnto the readers or hearers 13 The ende of the worde The other parte of this discourse True happinesse consisteth