vp in their steade He demandeth what it is that hath béene and maketh answere that which is now and y t which shalbe is that that hath béene for God requireth that which is past All thinges are either past present or to come Men in times past did labour they are all set a work that liue now and those that rise vp after vs shall doe the like They that went before their workes are decaid and fallen we doe but the same again Those that come last and fall to it a fresh when our workes are vanished shall doo nothing but that which hath béene done before Thus all turneth round as a whéele which hee expresseth further in these wordes God requireth that which is past This is not Fortunes whéele it is God when men turmoyle which so ordereth the matter that they can doe no more but that hath alreadie béene done For when he saith God requireth it is as much as to say God bringeth back againe that which is past Oh poore creatures what do ye Open your eyes and behold with déepe meditation that which is here set before you Consider the workes of the ages that are past what is become of them what shall then become of your workes hereafter God hath decréed and no man can alter it that this estate of things shal continue to the end Turne then vnto him feare him and forsake these vanities and yée shall be blessed for euer The end of the fifth Sermon The sixth Sermon Ecclesiastes Chap. 3. MOreouer I haue seene vnder the sunne the place of Iudgement there is iniquitie the place of iustice there is wickednes 17 I said in my hart God will iudge the iust and the wicked for there is a time for euery purpose and ouer euery worke there 18 I said in my hart concerning the order of the children of men that God hath giuen them dignitie and to see to they are beastes to themselues 19 For the condition of the children of men and the condition of the beastes is euen as one condition to theÌ„ As the one dieth so dieth the other for they haue all one breath and there is no excellencie of man aboue the beast for all is vanitie 20 All goe to one place all was of the dust all shall returne to the dust 21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that it goeth vpward the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the erth 22 Therefore I see there is nothing good but that a man reioice in his own workes because that is his portion for who shal bring him to see what shall be after him Chapter 4. SO I turned and behelde all the oppressions that are wrought vnder the sunne and beheld the â—eates of the oppressed and none comforteth them and loe the strength is of the hande of those that oppresse them and none coÌ„forteth them 2 Wherefore I praysed the dead which are now dead aboue the liuing which are yet aliue 3 And I count him better thaÌ„ them both which hath not yet beene for he hath not seene the euill workes which are wrought vnder the sunne 4 And I saw all trauaile and all perfection of the worke that this is the enuie of a man from his neighbor This is also vanitie and affliction of spirit Ecclesiastes Chap. 4. MOreouer I haue seene vnder the sunne the peace of c. I noted the last time that he wold shew some particulars of the euils and mischéefes which hee obserued to fall vpon others which doe increase the miseries of this life Now hee commeth to them and first beginneth with the oppressors and the oppressed God hath made all the inhabitants of the earth of one bloud He willeth them to dwell together in concord and loue to deale iustly vprightly and with equitie and none to hurt but to doe good each to other But all this is gone through the corruption of our nature and wee are geuen to oppresse to spoyle and deuoure one another like sauage beastes For to méete with this and for y e preseruation of mankind the Lorde hath ordeyned the ciuill power hee hath erected the seate of iudgement and iustice vppon earth he hath put his sword into y e hands of Iudges and ruler â— to right that which is amisse They are by duetie of their office and place to rescue the innocent to deltuer the oppressed and to punish the wrong doers This doeth bring much ease and quiet vnto the Inhabitantes of the earth for without it no societie or common wealth can stand There wold be nothing but théeuing killing and spoyling If this were not some what at all times peruerted there might be much more comfort and reléef to the oppressed But it falleth out as he saith I haue seen vnder the sunne the place of iudgemeÌ„t there is iniquitie the place of iustice there is wickednes The wicked should there be punished and the innocent rescued and it falleth out contrarie The Lord complayneth of this Psal 82. How long will ye iudge vniustly and accepts the person of the wicked He crieth vnto them to iudge the fatherles and poor but they heare not I know some take it that Solomon doeth not speake here of the iudgement seate but by the word place vnderstandeth as much as to say in steade Then is it thus that the people in place that is in steade of iustice doe iniury wrong one another I could yeald vnto this but that hee speaketh in this manner the place of iudgement there is iniquitie which agréeth rather to a very place theÌ„ to say in steade But it may be obiected and saide where did Solomon behold this corrupting of iustice in the very seate of iudgement was not hée the chéefe Iudge in his kingdome Did hée or coulde hee beholde such a thing in his his owne daies and not remedy it I answere that he speaketh not of that which he had séene in one kingdome or at one time or which he behelde so much with outward sight But by an inward light and knowledge he beheld this great euill in all dominions vnder the sunne and at all times He did know right wel the great corruption of man that tyrants should ofteÌ„ sitte vpon the highest seates of iudgemeÌ„t And moreouer that though the king him selfe be iust yet his substitutes and such as are put in trust vnder him would peruert iudgement many times For when they should look vprightly into the cause they be drawen awrie by manyrespectes for there be many thinges which haue force and strength in them to draw a man awrie from ministring true instice Sometime a gift doeth blinde their eyes for the Lord saith a gift doeth blind the eyes and peruert the iudgement of the wise Sometime they accept the person of the wocked for some friendship if not toward them yet for some friend which intreateth that fauor may bee shewed as it is vsuall in waightie causes that great men write vnto Iudges and then downe
continuall vexation of minde and no good remayneth What shal we thinke then of such as get their goods vnlawfully Manie doe scrape and catch on all sides so they may lay holde they care not how whether it be by violence or by fraude Yea they pluck it euē from the poore and néedie from the fatherles from the widow for such wretched men there be many in these daies Now beside all such miseries and sorrowes as he hath spoken of accursed are such riches yea the heauie curse of God hangeth ouer those men which clime to wealth and honour that way For sake it people forsake it deale vprightly euerie man with his neighbor If ye haue either house or land y t commeth not rightlie or any goods euill gotten restore all to the true owners Wilt thou appeare before thy iudge or darest thou come into his presence to holde vp giltie handes Wilt thou damne thine owne soule for a little worldly wealth For how wilt thou escape damnatiō if thou hast hidden stolne gooddes among thy stuffe If thou hast not repented how wilt thou be saued If thou reserue that which thou knowest to bee none of thine how doost thou repent At this I cānot but wonder how men dare when they die make gifte to their children of euill gotten goods I doe not maruaile to see men deceiue and defraude one another while they liue The nature of man is so licourish of gaine and the deuill leadeth men on in a forgetfulnesse that they shal euer be brought to make any reckoning Againe they be so afraide that they shall want to serue their necessities before they die But when they lie sicke and can sée no remedie but death knowing they must come to iudgement and would faine be saued and therefore doo crie for mercie I saie it is verie strange that they will then depart and carrie the stolen goods before the iudge and damne their owne soules For many a one doth remember euen at that time this same house or such a péece of land is none of mine My father gatte it and held it vnlawfullie in my knowledge it is such a mans if he had his right I remember I did deceiue many and oppressed them I haue hindred them for to enrich my selfe I haue taken vnlawfull gaine I haue griped the poore that sold for néed I haue sold them hard peniworthes Well God haue mercie vpon mée I will not restore it I will giue it to mine heire How horrible is the estate of these men How wretched are they which grow great and féede vpon bryberie it is best to kéepe thy hands vnspotted from one penie of wrong gottē goods but if thou hast dealt vniustly repent restore it leaue it not behind thée among thy substance when thou goest to iudgement For the iudge will send to thy tent and fetch it and lay it before thée thou shalt be found guiltie and not able to answere Thus I conclude then there is no good remaineth to a man of al his works wherein he hath dealt wisely vprightly though his goods so gotten be manie his honour great yet after al his sorrowfull daies he must forgoe all an other must haue that which he hath trauailed in those goods and honours euill gotten are much worse Vpon occasion of these former reasons he doth repeat againe what is all the good which a man can haue of his laboures that is to eat and drinke and to delight his soule with the profit of al his labour He saith before in this chapter that hée withheld his heart from no ioy and that was his portion of all his labour He had nothing else And now he telleth that it is al which any man can haue by his trauaile For by eating and drinking and delighting his soule he meaneth all the vse of mans works and of his riches Let a man take part of them while he liueth and vse them in such sort as that his sorrowes and dexations may be mitigated We may not take it that he stirreth men vp here vnto excesse vnto gluttonie and drunkennesse or to become belligods and Epicures Neither is it his mind to shew here what the flesh iudgeth for the next words doo shew that he speaketh of a good thing For else how should it be said I law that this is of the hand of God it is Gods gift vnto a man when he can eat and drinke and delight his soule with the good of his trauaile Yee haue séene before how he condemned eating and drinking and pleasures when a man doth power forth him selfe vnto thē riotously they make men mad to become beasts But God hath made ordeined many things not only to serue necessitie but also for pleasure delight of his children which they be to vse moderately and wisely They differ much from the carnal man For he doth delight his soule in eating and drinking forgetting God and drowned in these things But they solace themselues so in these thinges that their hartes delight is not drawen from God For they beholde his blessing fauour and good will in the creatures of which they take their part And this in déed is of the hand of God The delight which the Epicure hath in filling his belly is nothing beyng cōpared with this It is but as the beasts doo God must be our delight we may not delight in the creatures further then thus that he hath giuen them vs as our portion here Wée reioyce in the Lord when wée reioyce in them so The other sort are far from this For they doo delight themselues and imagine that they take their part as Solomon saith but if the remēbrance of God come in the way all is marred their pleasure is in vanities and sinnes Do but speake of death of the day of iudgement or of Gods displeasure against sinners they take it euill and be angrie They say it is no time nor place to speak of such matters they came to be merie Kuffians and riotous beasts solace themselues and are merie but yet it cōmeth not nigh this gift of God This is in no mans power but where the giuer doth bestow it Some man hath great plentie and doeth grudge at his owne bellie this man is miserable couetous if clay would nourish him he would eate it to spare his substance yea he would eat worse for need Another hath aboundance and saith to his soul eate drinke and be merrie thou hast goods inough laide vp for many yeres Why doeth not this man right He is couetous and stayeth vpon the riches he delighteth in them Read the 12. Chapter of S. Luke and there ye shall sée how our Souiour setteth him out pulling downe his barnes building greater This then is Gods gift with peace of conscience with ioy in God for a man to take his part and to delight himselfe in his labours This is not in euery man which hath riches For if a man stay vpon them their
goeth the innocent very often vnles the Iudge be of great courage and feare God Sometime there is hatred toward the person for religion When the iudge is corrupt in opinion that way as it falleth ont often because many iudges are so addicted to the studie of worldly matters and so wise in their owne estimatiō that they must haue Gods matters squared by their rule the wisdome of the flesh is their rule Somtime feare carieth awrie whē as some great person of honour doth speake or write in fauour of the guiltie The Iudges would be loth to displease such so in the place of iudgement there is iniquitie iudgement commeth foorth wrested as the Prophet complaineth This increaseth greatly the miserie of the life present when as we lie open cōtinually vnto a thousand oppressions where our refuge should be there we oftentimes find discouragement The prophane and wicked man doeth deale with the innocent euen at his pleasure the rich doth iniurie the poore and when they rome before the iudges or those that should minister iustice euen as if the power were set vp for countenance of the vngodly they are praised the other are rebuked and checked Alas what shall men doo where shall they séeke comfort is not this life miserable the world is euer full and neuer more then at this day of oppressions iniuries wrongs and violence the place of iustice that should right it doeth often increase the same Who is he that hath a peaceable minde but had rather lose a great part if he might choose then goe to the law for to séeke iustice how many are vndoone by going to law how many are there which with long suite great expences cā neuer attaine to their right If he be rich or mighty that doeth the wrong let him take away house or land wrongfully we doo account it follie for a meane mā to seeke for iustice The world is miserably corrupted this way now what remedie what comfort Doubtles none but that Solomon doth set foorth in the next verse I said in my heart God will iudge the iust and the wicked for there is a time for euery purpose and ouer euery worke there The Lord hath made all men to dwell together vpon the face of the earth hée is the iudge of the whole world hée is a iudge by nature he is iustice and truth it selfe he can not doo wrong vnto any he must néedes rescue and deliuer the iust and execute vengeance vpon the wicked Herevpon Solomon doth gather beholding withall the confusion of matters vnder the sunne that there shall be a day of generall iudgement when as all both good and bad shall come to their account and when as euery man shall receiue according to his déedes It shall not euer be thus Violence oppression and iniuries haue but their time and there is also the time for iustice as he saith there is a time for euery purpose The last clause of this sentence may be taken diuers waies as namely that the iudgement shall be ouer euery worke or thus he that is ouer euery worke is there The sense both waies is true and tendeth to one purpose for it is most certaine by the scriptures that euery worke both good bad shalbe brought vnto iudgement and it is God who is ouer al that shall iudge Let vs here learne of the wise man when we behold oppression and peruerting of iustice to gather assuredly that there is a time when things shal be set in better frame Let vs not be cast downe discouraged when wée suffer wrong and can find no help at the seats of iudgement and places of iustice for the time commeth when the high iudge will take our cause into his hand Because matters now go so farre awrie be sure there is a day appointed for better order It cā not stand with Gods iustice that matters should thus go cléere away The wicked doo not reason thus but because the Lord doth let them alone and men doo escape with foule factes they be the bolder euen as if God did not regard the thing at all This I say is a wrong collection for that God now winketh at oppression and at y e peruerting of iudgement it is a strong reason to proue that he hath set a time vnto which he doth reserue all causes wée shall all come there both the oppressor and the oppressed Let vs proceed to that which followeth I said in my heart concerning the order of the children of men that God hath giuen them dignitie and to see to they are beastes to themselues This sentence is hard difficult by reason of some words in it which may bée construed diuers waies and therefore no meruaile though it be vnderstood diuersly But to let passe how it is translated in others I will shew the cause why I take it thus as I haue set it downe First here is one word Dibrath which in the Psal 110. is vsed for order in this sentence of the Psalme the Lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech This I take here to signifie the state and order of y e children of mē Here is an other word that is Barar which signifieth to choose to purge to declare I take it here in the first sence or the second that God hath chosen men or purged thē that is to say he hath set them vp adorned them with dignitie and honour and yet to sée to they be beasts to themselues For choise men set vp in dignitie are called in the holy scripture Berurim which cōmeth of the same word Barar And the Scripture saith Psal 49. Man is in honour but shall not continue he is like the beastes that perish So then touching the state or order of the children of men God hath giuen them dignitie and honour but yet they be but as the beasts to themselues as he sheweth by reasons afterward This is spoken to pull downe the pride and loftines of mans nature which doth so glory of an excellencie here in y e world For looke wel vpon it and we shall sée that this honour and dignitie doth not cōtinue but man becommeth euen as the beasts The beasts haue no order among them they haue no magistracie no seats of iustice or such like But the stronger doo oppresse the weaker the wild do pray vpon the tame there is no place of refuge or succour among them Among men this is a goodly dignitie a goodly order that God giueth the ciuill power princes and iudges and men of honour There are lawes there be orders there is authoritie to restrayne wrongs and oppressions that they may not be as y e beasts to deuour one another Yet do they partly in this become beasts to themselues when the stronger do push the weaker and when the seat of iudgement doth vphold wickednes Men are cruell and sauage beasts one to an other many