the vvordes of the mouth of the vvise doe beare grace as specially the speches in David for the Kingdome of Christ but the lippes of the foole Ieroboam svvalovved vp all his house vvhen he bade vvorship calves at Dan and Bethel and forbade to go vp to Ierusalem The begining of the vvordes of his mouth vvas foolishnes and the end of his mouth an evell madnes The other Kinges foolish before God multiplyed vvordes against Iudah but savv not their fall Great toyle they tooke familie after family and vvearied them selves in their Idoles being as men that knevv not the vvay to the city And such vvere all the Kinges of Israell and the vvicked of Roboams Kingdome And vvo be to the kingdome vvhere the Princes be given to feasting as the true noble and sobre bring happines A King dome is like an house vvher by slougth the timber vvork rotteth and by dissolute hād the house vvilbe dropped through vvhen they make feastes for laughter and that vvine chear the hart and mony must affordall And herein the meddlers vvith Kinges find their ovvne ruine this vanitie is comon But they that look to the kingdome of Christ vvill not in thought medle vvith Caesar for listeners vvill fly to report all that is once vttered But men should ambitiously seke to meddle vvith their ovvne matters and to do good for the hope to come as Pilgromes strangers This vvil be a casting of seede vpon moyst ground vvhich vvill fructifie that as one soovveth he shall reape Therfore vvhile vve have time vve should doe good to all lest God alter our ability or occasion The cloudes and trees teach that the cloudes fall to moysten the hearbes and vvher the trees fruct falleth gatherers vvilbe ready And herein vve should not be casting doubtes eyther for others successe or lest vve in time vvant our selves of our joyes The husbandman plovv eth in hope not loking to the cloudes for sovving or reaping as vve knovv not the vvindes vvay nor the Embryones grouth so vve knovv not hovv sone God altereth times from life to death from planting to vnrooting from building to breaches from laughter to vveping from seking to losing from spech to silence from love to hatred from peace to vvarre from youth to old age morning and evening vve should not be vveary doing good for in due tyme vve shall reape yf vve doe not faint It is a good thing for one to chere his ovvne life vvill mans hart say but long and mery life vvilbe nothing sauing vanity vvhen vve thinke vpon the tyme after this life hovv it shall never haue end This thought vvill make yong men litle joy in the morning of age considering that God vvill bring them into judgement And the vvekenes of our earthly tabernacle should put vs in mind hourely For dayes void of all delite vvill sone come vvhen our eyes ribbes armes stomake eares and tongue and all helpes of voice the legges faile graynes buddeth vve are shaken off like a grashopper and the chine liuer brain pan all vvil be rent and man returneth to his endlesse home mourners go about in the strete This may teach vs hovv all temporall thinges be vainesse teach from Scriptures to find out Christ his Kingdome that vvhen the outvvard man is corrupted the invvard man be fully renued For Christ is our life and to die in him that is all our gain And mans sone passage hence vp to Goddes throne to receaue according to the vvorkes done by the body good or evell should print this in our hartes And vve should giue more aboundant hede to Koheleth his vvordes lest they flovv aside from our eyes as they from Ephraim Prov. 3. and from the men of Ierusalem Eb. 2. vvhom sin platting about them entangled to destruction Koheleth as all the other Prophets hath vvordes of delite Scripture of right vvordes of truth as Goades to direct vs nailes fastened in the shepe foldes geuen from Christ the only Shepheard of vvhom Dauid spake Psa 72. his last vvordes therin these Blessed be the Eternall God the God of Israell blessed be his glorious name for euer and let all the earth be filled vvith his glory Amen yea amen A TREATISE OF THE Holy Trinity NOW for the trinity I will folow those textes at which the very Iewes be amased I will make my style alltogether from theyr wordes saving that their future for MESSIAS to come I will turne into the tyme passed In the Babylonian Thalmud in Sanedrin fol. 38. excellent places be cited for vnity plurality touching also MESSIAS from Dan. 7. wher Rabbi Sadaias speaketh matter worthy regard also from Ex. 23. wher Ramban writteth well I saak Ben Arama vpon Ex. bringeth the whole Thalmudique consent that MESSIAS is greater then the Angels inferreth therupō that he must be God which matter Koheleth toucheth for plura lity of Persones in Boreeicha Thy creatours I have ioined an Ebrew style to the English that the one may help the other OF THE VNITY IN GOD-HEAD AND PLVRALITY of Persons THE ETERNALL our God the Eternall is one his nature is made knovven by himself for the Persons the father the Sōne the holy Ghost vve must folovv marke the mystery of the Scriptures for the plurall number and for the Sonne òf God and for the holy Spirit In these there is a great mystery Let VS make man according to OVR image This for the persons And for the vnity of natures this God created man after his owne image So Come Let VS goe downe and Let VS confound there theyr Lippe And the Lord Went downe to see the city and the towre And For there Elohim WERE reucaled vnto him the God which heard me in the day of my distresse And who is like thy people Israel one nation on the earth for whom THEY went euen Elohim to redeme them vnto him selfe for a People And Vntill THRONES were set vp and the Euerlasting Sate what is to be said of that One for himself one for the Sonne of David as it is written behold with the cloudes of heauen one like the Sonne of Man came This is Messïas our righteousnes And is it not written of the Messias Meeke and riding vpon an Asse In deed he came in humblenes came not vpon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 horses with pride And wheras it was written with the cloudes of heaven They are the Angels of the host of heaven This is the great dignity which the Creatour gave Messias And to the Everlasting did they bring him as it is writtē The Eternall sayd vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hand c. A certen Saducie said to Rabbi Idith in the Babil Thal. San. fol. 38. It is written to Moses he said Come vp vnto the Eternall vnto me he should have said This is Matatron the Angel that led the People of whome it
shall lodge with the Kid that is a parable and a dark spech The sense of the spech is That Israel shall dwell in safety among the wicked of the world which are Likened to the wolf Leopard As it is said the Euening vvoolf shall spoyle them the Leopard shall vvatch at their cities And they shall turne vnto the Law of truth and they shall not spoyle nor destroy but shall eat their store in quietnes as Israell as it is sayd The Lyon as the Oxe shall eat stravv And so in other matters the like which are written of Messias they are resemblances And in the dayes of Christ the King it shal be knowen to all what thinges were resembled and to what matters the hid meaning tended The Doctours say ther is no differēce betwixt this world the dayes of Christ but onely the service vnder the Kingdomes It may be sene by the propper sense of the prophets that in the begining of the dayes of Messias shal be the warre of Gog and Magog before the warres of Gog Magog a prophet shall stand vp to settle Israel to praepare theyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hartes as it sayd Behold I send vnto you Elias c. And he cometh not to Pollute the pure or to purifie the polluted nor to disable the fully allowable nor to allow the manifestly disallowable but to settle peace in the world as it is said he shall turne the harts of fathers vnto the Children And there be some of the Doctours who say that before the coming of Messias Elias shall come But all these matters such like doth no man know what they shal be vntill they be The matters are matters closed vp with the prophets also our Doctours haue no Kabala for these matters But with wresting of the textes And therefore they are at schisme for these matters And these matters are in no case for theyr order of being or particularities any foundation of Law Let not a man busie himselfe in the Agadoth or fables wittilypēned nor be long in Midrasoth cōmentaries of allusions which are spokē of these matters such let him not lay them for a foūdatiō For they teach neither faith nor Love So let not a man reckon the End Yet the Angell Gabriel Daniel did to the very houre Daniel 9 as our Doctours say Let their soule breath out who reckon the endes But let him expect and beleue according to the generall rule which wee haue expounded In the dayes of Messias the King when his Kingdome shal be settled all Israell shal be gathered vnto him all they shal be genealogized according to their familyes by his mouth from the holy Spirite which shall rest vpon him as it is vvritten hee shall sit he shall purifie and clense The sonnes of Levy first shall he clense and thus say This man is of the Priestes family this man of Levies genealogie he shall reiect them which are not of the Genealogie of Israel Behold a certayne One sayd And the Ambassadour said vnto them c vntil there standes Vp a Priest with Vrim Thummim Behold thou art taught that by the holy Spirit the Principall shal be referred to their Genealogie the genealogized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal be made knowen But he will not genealogize Israell that is them who are not of Levy but generally of what tribe they be shewing that this man and this man is of such a tribe But he will not tell that such a man is of speciall vertue such an one of an Heathen mother such an one a Slaue But of right will Let them sink that will haue their Sun to set The Doctours and prophetes desired not the dayes of Messias neither to rule over all the world nor to subdue the Heathen nor to be extolled of nations nor to drink make mery but to haue Leasure for the Law and wisdome and haue no taxe master and Hinderer that they may be worthy of life Eternall And in that time there shal be no hunger no warre no emulation nor strife for goodes shall flow plentifully And all delicates shal be found as Plentifull as dust And the world shall studie nothing cls but onely to know the Eternal Therfore there shal be great Doctours skilfull in hid speches they shall apprehend the knowledg of their Creatour according to the force of their strēgth as it is written For the Earth shtlbe full of the knowledg of the Eternall as the waters that cover the Sea The Ebreu that folovveth is the Ievves continued spech of theyr mistaken Messias But excedeth much the English translation in space because I vvold have a fayr and great Letter After shall come a short cēsure vpō the levves hope for theyr Messias then The Chaldy Paraphrastes ovvne argument of Coheleth the holy Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Censure vpon the Iew Rambam He speakeah truly that Balaam prophecieth of Christ but he litle marketh vvhat Balaam taught by that Messias shall vnvvall all the sonnes of Seth. Yffor destroying all their tovvnes vvall this vvere spoken that vvere no benefite Nether vvil Salomon suffer to hope for one age to haue any thing the like vvherof vvas not afore either for peace or vvarres Paul expoundeth the vnvvalling of Seth sonnes 2. Cor. 10. Our armour is not carnall but mighty for God to pull dovvne strong holdes This Balaā meant By more cities of refuge Rambam seeketh corners thus he reasoneth Yfvve had not yet all cities of refuge promised ther is a returning vnto our land of Chanaan to haue them But yet vve had not all promised Therfore there remayneth a returne to Chanaan The assumption is double vveake The Lavv gaue leaue to make more yf they conquered more as Ruben Gad Manasses conquered more Permissiōs be in Lavves no lesse then cōmaundements Besides vve may not say that Ruben Gad Manasses made no cities more of refuge because it is not recorded The vvitty Aben Ezra noteth vpon Gad Gen. 4. 9. that much is vnrecorded vvhich Iacob speaketh of him Thus Rambams hope is the vveb of a spider And concerning building of Ierusalem vvhat can that profit more then it profited in Salomons time vvhen sone all came to nothing And novv the vvorld is 5531. yeres old and their rule is that six thousand shall end it vvhich vvilbe at 469. vvhat can that time vvorke to change the vvhole vvorld Touching Elias He tottereth But vve knovv the case and he might learne Christ the heauenly Ierusalem of our N. Test the Chaldy vpon Eccles 1. v. 2. telleth that their Messias is but vanity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 KOHELETH Ecclesiastes 1. The wordes of Koheleth the Sōne of David King in Hierusalem 2. Vanity of vanityes saith Coheleth vanity of vanityes all is vanity 3. what permanent good hath man in all his labour which he taketh vnder
in Aarons Brest lap or Care of iudgement And to shew what iustice God required they have plain Lawes of perfect Equity with a curse to all that kepe not every one that men might know how sinne aboundeth to the poore in spirit the redeemer is declared in mysteries that the prophane should not skoff yet plainly to such as mark how Adam Abraham heard of him life of the soule is shewed by dwelling with God as the second death for the soule by anger from the face of God Thus closly the world to come is shewed Also the tabernacle appartenāces shewed Christ his dwelling with man by sacrifices birdes escaped his death resurrectiō that for iustice hence by faith men should not say who can go vp to heaven to bring Christ downe or who can goe to the depe of the earth to bring Christ from the dead but might know that Iesus should be the Eternal that the Godhead should raise him frō the dead And the saving of our soules appeared in the Brasen serpent when Moses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernes the stonged by serpentes weare healed Many dout lesse asked him what was meant therby he told that so the sun of man should be lifted vp that they who beleved on him should not perish but have life everlasting Moses mynd shined with knowledge of all as did his face shine with light Levies Sunlike Smaragd his Prophecies abridg all the holy stories he maketh the twelve dum stones tell much from Aarons brest And the Patriarkes lives have the like revolutiones in their children how for cleaving to the redeamer they should find glory againe shame in refusing their fathers God folowing the blindenes of the God of this world Now in David God historically expresseth Christ his Kingdome David cometh to his Kingdome by continuall afflictiones so all that will folow the religion of Christ shal be persecuted And by whom the covenant of God his law shall be kept to vanquish Satan David is told evē that Christ shall come of his loynes to reigne vpon his throne for ever Of him he shall come to be a man a King in this world but he shall have no Kingdome in this world the earth which God hath cursed but to him is the world to come subdued being the creator David sheweth how yet in his suffringes death he was made inferior to Angels but crowned with glory honour since he sate on the right hand of God And when he came into the world all the Angels of God worshipped him And that Iuda should consider how by suffrings this glory cometh David describeth as an Evangelist the suffringes of Christ This David doeth And telleth in Prophecies the overthrow of his nation theyr captivity retarne Antiochus persecutiones the Iewes reiection even all their times how God toke a time to plant them will pluck them vp to seke them will destroy them to kepe them will cast them off to love them and will hate them Now for experience that a Kingdome vnder the Sun was not promised in Christ Salomon had all wisdome wealth pleasure found all to be vanitie by his pleasures fell from God but returned and teacheh in Ecclesiastes in all particular sortes that all here is but vanitie vexation of spirit by mans dealinges and by the sorowes of theyr handes and closly warneth that his sonne shall not rule all his foreseying how Iosephs Ieroboam vold leave only Iuda to be an whole tribe till Shiloh his childe by the Virgin the King Eternall came in the flesh Part of Rachels house and a litle of Beniamin because God built half Ierusalem and the Temple in his tribe for that part of Beniamin cleaved to Iuda as a wolf though not a lion in Mardochai and Atossa the mother of Great Artaxerxes that built the temple which abode till our Lord came into it And Salomon warneth the ten tribes how they wil be robbers making one purse and refuse the love of the truth and how God wold laugh at their destruction by Assur and fitted Proverbes to have kept them from destruction And the sonne of Thamar of Rachab of Ruth of Bathsuagh in the Canticles turneth all ioy to the Kingdome of Christ that Iosephs house should not despise the root of Iessai though Iesus Son of Nun conquered the Land made the Sun to stay A matter shewing that which foloweth IESVS the Sonne of GOD and the Sonne of David after the flesh wold darken the Sun and shake all the earth And yeres nere a thousand GOD still so governed Iuda that they should look for the Kingdome of heaven alwayes opened by CHRIST and still feele their state on earth to be full of sorow That did they sone prove true For the Kinges of Iuda were all eyther worshippers of Devels with many of theyr people or in some feeling of great danger distresse or in open hearing of Prophetes and that many at once that Babel should end their state and Salomons house because they followed Babel built to make Gōddes of creatures Salomons house vtterly perished And in Babel the Image and other Pictures telles them in expositiones seaven times over how heathen shall withold Iudahs kingdome even from Salathiel and Zoroba babel our Lords Fathers after the flesh vntill he came into the world And they saw how yet vnder Heathen they were defended And when they saw not only the fall of Salomons race temple city kingdome but of mighty Babel in 70. yeres reigne then they were in fit case to be taught of Davids Throne that should stand for ever Aethan of Phares brother Zarach told it afore Psal 89. But the Angel Gabriel telleth it more properly even to the very yere and day that all the world might reckon 490. yeres to gather how many yeres monethes and dayes they were from the end of Moses how nere to the work of redemption by the sonne of God dwelling in our tabernacle And poor Iewes from 120. nationes are sent to Ierusalem by Cyrus proclamation of the true God who all could teach Heathen that the world was made and also how longue then it had stode wher still infidels will erre And for receaving of Christ his Prophecy the poore nation that returned to Ierusalem in hope of life by it is recorded by the holy spirit which beautified the heavens in high honour how many theyr whole number to every man did make This honor had the sainctes their poore state in Ezra Nehemias is from God set downe their defence affinity with the Persiā kinges also is pēned frō Gods wisdome religion is expōded by Aggei Zachary Malachy evē to Iohn Bap. to the meke King Christ himself to the destructiō of their natiō which will not beleve that all kingdomes vnder the Sun are vanity but doe and will still
hope for a pompous belly blessing in this cursed earth In due tyme our Lord cometh to have his tabernacle in vs for which his tabernacle or temple the world was made obedient vnto man And though Moses tabernacle were most diligently thrise described furnished with all dignity of matter forme yet God did sone leave it in smalle regard likewise Salomons temple Yet against S. Stephens doctrine Act. 7. to this day Israel hopeth for a temple of stone city to be built on mount Syon in Chanaan But our Lord leaveth this world to sit on Davids throne for ever Iewes perish in their lyes and blindnes for our Lords brightnes foure Evangelistes tell that one telleth how the Apostles taught that to the heathen holy Epistles comment vpon all Moses to teach Israell the golden building how their Thalmudicall is straw in all hope of Policy good on Earth And when Ierusalem is destroyed to force an end of Moses Ceremonies then more fully the nature of Davids throne is opened by Gracious Iohn in obscure Patmos He sheweth how all the goodly Iewels vsed through Moyses and the Prophetes tend hither how the knowledge of Christ practised openly rightly by his servantes maketh the heavenly Ierusalem the holy Iewes a ey-expectation But this should have two hinderances one by the prophane Caesares whom the Lord wold pay for their partes that all their world should be altered the other by Christianes falling away as Ismael Ephraim did So Mackmad of Ismael sone withdrew all the coÌ„treys of Daniels Image to their old Arabique infidelitie and Christ leaveth them to eternall blindnes as he did the old builders of Babel Also the city that crucified Christ setteth vp an earthly pompe with corruption of all holy truth cariage in hope of life by the waters of Scripture out of which he that is not borne againe by the Spirit can never enter into the Kingdome of heaven Yet against this Pompe Christ ruleth his common weales in perpetuall expectation of the Eternall Throne to be fully manifested And this summe doth the holy Bible afforde Which he that beareth in mynd shall soner see the driefte of every particular Booke And now Ecclesiastes will shew how this world can have no good Kingdome wher all kind of Sortes flow with vanities and vexation of Spirit But to consider his book with more clearnesse of light his kindred life a popular spech of his royall and most witty closse spech divinity chief poinctes yet resisted of his nation these are to be layd forth somwhat familiarly for the help of the vnacquainted with such matters AN ABRIDGEMENT OF SALOMONS LIFE DAVID had sonnes by many vvives The King and his brother Nathan tvvo more named in 1 Chr. 3. 5. by the daughter of Ammiel besides the first borne that sone died That his vvife vvas called Bath-Suagh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Daughter of nobility God closly disposing tongues to that vvhich in story should be most famous After Vrias the faithfull Hettean died for his people the cities of his God by good Davids vvicked sleight and David had made that Psalme of repeÌ„tance to the coÌ„fort of all that should by faith find justice David conforted Bath suagh and svvare that Salomon should reigne called her Bathshebagh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daughter of Oth. And he savv further that Salomons house vvold not be vpright vvith God but vvold overthrovv the temple nation Lev. 26. and Deut. 28. and that Nathans prophecy should come of Salomons next brother called him Nathan that his name should abridge the Prophecy Bath shebagh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also hath her honour from God Prov. 31. Being an holy teacher of holy truth and joying that Christ should come of her as of Thamar Rachab and Ruth the Moabite and not also of Roboams mother the Ammonite nor of any King aftervvardes SalomoÌ„ vvas borne about the time that Adoniah defloured Thamar as the story shevveth and is cast by the Rabbines and Grekes to be tvvelve yeres old vvhen David dieth His Father and his mother and the Prophet Nathan instructed him in the vvayes of God he craved vvisdome of God and had it above all Kinges and the more he increased in vvisdome he taught the people knovvledge and fitted many Proverbes Three bookes he left The Songe of Songes shevving the ioy of the Church that truly folovveth Christ and the Proverbes vvarning much the Tribes that they vvill fall avvay from God In the same booke he joineth the vvordes of Agur Ben Iakeh a vvise Prophet of his time vvho in fevv vvordes taught much of mans corruptioÌ„ and spake of God to dvvell in Christ named â—thiel and Vcal that is vvith me God euen the Mighty And Koheleth in his third book The K. had fovver names Salomon and Iedidiah 1 King 12. Lemoel Prov. 31. and Koheleth Eccl. 1. The notation of the last should here be opened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cahal the verb is Gather and the novvne Ecclesia a company gathered to one assembly as the 600000. vvhich at once denyed God Num. 13. called there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ghedah elsvvhere often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cahal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synagogue or Ecclesia Of Gathering the best thing that is vvisdome he is called Koheleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aben Ezr. Ecclesiast 1. That is He is called Koheleth by the terme of wisdome which was gathered in him finding by experience that all thinges vnder the sunne are vaine common vveales full of folly madnes that men should look to the Kingdome of Christ in heaven The LXX made a nevv terme of their ovvne Ecclesiastes a vvise Doctor And this book commenteth vpon Nathans Prophecy cited afore and teacheth closly that many Kinges of his posterity by foolishnes vvold breake the hedge that Serpentes should bite them vvold speak great vvordes as did Roboam so foolish as one that knevv not the vvay to the city And he himselfe vvas entangled by his vvives to build Idolea for them But he proclameth their vvickednes and hovv Iedidiah the beloved of God vvas delivered from them None should doubt but that he is in the Kingdome of heaven seing all the Prophetes be there Luc. 13. and he spent all his life to teach the vanities of this vvorld His posterity ended in Iechonias and the Ievves misse of all the Prophetes meaning vvhich say that Messias should come of Iechonias vvho left no child naturally Iere. 22. But sonnes to his Kingdome many 1 Chr. 3. Salathiel of Nathan Mat. 1. Luc. 3. This poinct should specially be noted of Christianes The Ievves vse all endevour to overthrovv S. Luk for our Lords Kindred mightily labour to prove that Salathiel vvas naturall sonne to Iechonias and not onely S. to the Kingdome as troupes of others 1 Chr. 3. but properly sonne as any other to his father in private spech And as they look for
a pompous Kingdome so they continue against Gods oth the line of Salomon in Sanedr fol. 18. Perec 10. atticle 12. in these vvordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This rule is a foundation that no King may be accepted for Israel but of the house of David of the sede of Salomon only who so is a schismatique against this family denyeth the name of the blessed God the wordes of his prophets Thus expressely they teach that Messias must come of Iechonias knovv that S. Luke our Gospell falleth vvher that is graunted vvhom I ansvvear in myne ebrevv treatise to Prince Henry And I have shevved of the grosnes of our table elsvvhere A PARAPHRASE Abridging the book VVITH OBSERVATIONES OF speches tovvching the holy Ttinity of Iudaisme stumbling against Koheleth even vnto this day ALL this book of Coheleth or Salemon tendeth as vvas shevved to open Nathans spech 1 Chro. 17. touching the Eternall throne of David And this sylogisme ariseth hence by the Ievves graunt in the Chaldy vpon this place Yf all things vnder the sunne be subiect to extreme vanitie the Eternall throne promised vnto David must be of an other world But all thinges vnder the sunne be subiect to extreme vanitie Therfore this is all the Man to looke vnto the iudgement of God for an other world and vnto the throne of the better stay The proposition is omitted as lapped in the Prophecy of Nathan closly and not to be opened directly to the prophane vvho vvold cōtemne all spech of the vvorld to come And the humble vvold sone conceave it The assumption is proved by a plentifull induction going through all mans state And these be the chief heades The shortnes of mans life passing as a vapour The Sun vvind and vvater never resting in one place picture our state and cause our change our eyes can never be contented nor our eares yet nothing is nevv but forgetfulnes maketh thinges past to seme nevv And to marke mens actions Koheleth that gathered all vvisdome by experience being a King and in Ierusalem the glory of the vvorld should passe all that none coming after him should excede him He considered the cariage of the vvise and of the mad vvorld and savv that the croked vvold not be streightened and the imperfect could not be made vp He tryed pleasure in his great cheer his thousand vvomen That became nothing vvorth He joyned vvisdome and royall majesty together in all pompe and stately vvorkes and delites But all vvas vanity Though vvisdome passe folly as darknes passeth light yet this event have both that both sone die and theyr memorie And vvhat the vvise by care never resting doth bring about a foolish heyre as Roboam and his house almost all the race vnto their end in Iechonias by vvicked madnes destroy The best thing vvhich the vvisest vvold vvish is contentement in vsing their present travell But Gods variety in governing mans tymes seasons in birth death planting rooting out seking rejecting love and hatred this checketh all hope of resting in contentement of vvelth goten And God vsed this variety in his judgements that men should feare him But the thorny cares pleasure choke the meditation vpon Gods vvorke And thus the vvisdome of the best cannot bring any sound state Novv folies be infinite In courtes of judgement might overcometh right and men are become beastes and for all thinges vnder the sunne as the one dieth so dieth the other And vvho considereth the spirit of a man that it ascendeth vnto God scant any But men live as not beleving or not regarding the soules immortality And the vvisest cannot look for vse of their ovvne for oppressours vnresistable are in every place that the heathen savv hovv it vvas best never to have bene next to dye quickly Envy of life bretheth in others slouthfulnes vvherby the poore in all common vveales be infinite And their misery bredes a contrarie in some rich that being vvithout kindred yet they have none end of their labour Yea the rich Kinges nether for them selves nor other have any happy case A vvise child in prison as Ioseph is in better case then an old foolish King as Ioas. And Kinges vvere borne poore naked and may come to the same case and people be still vvery of the present men vnder Kinges had nede of continuall prayer and in prayer much babling rash vovving encrease vanities in the best busines And for the oppression by the mighty many are amazed and knovv not hovv 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Trinity is above all hath a tyme for judgement But the most think ther is no God Novv tillage vvold seme a contented life better then marchandise vvher mony multiplyeth not but by care and hazard Here as vvelth encreaseth the servantes that spend it encrease and the master hath no more then they saving only the sight and the servantes slepe is svvete but care suffreth not the master to slepe And often falleth the rich to be vvorth nothing and onely contentement here is good but to vse the goodes gotten that is a gift of God Often the vvelthy are cut off from vse of their ovvne long life many children cānot in poverty make one better then the vntimely birth yea though a man live in poverty tvvo thousand yeares All must come to one place And this befalleth all men that the soule is never satisfied By this the vvelthy vvise man or foole hath no sound preeminence nor the poore of knovvledge infericritie in vvalking afore the living The notation of Adam should teach of his nature for the first names expressed the natures of the thinges named and it is evident that he is but earthly Adam and is not able to strive vvith his stronger and vvho knovveth vvhat is good for man in the dayes of his life that are but a shadovv vvho can tell him vvhat shall befall him Therefore ther is no true joy in this life but a good name before God is better then any vvelth vvherin precious oinctmentes in the East vvere the chiefest and better is the day of death then the day of birth and the house of mourning then the house of feasting for the mourning house is the end of all and the liuing vvill take it to hart The practise of vvise foolish shevv this For the vvise goe to the house of mourning the fooles to the house of banqueting So the check frō the vvise is better then the songes of fooles For as the voice of thornes is vnder the pot such is the laughter of fooles And because oppression from the stronger driueth men to madnes bribes again destroy their hartes the good end is better then the good begining and patience better then anger A man must be slovv to anger for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles As this proceedeth not of vvisdome
is written My name is in him It is written rebell not against him he will not beare with your sinnes Mark also the commentary of Ramban vpon these wordes Behold I send myne Angel before thee to keep thee in the way to bring thee into the place which I have prepared regard him obey his voyce Provoke him not for he will not for bear your Sinnes for my name is in him Thus there speaketh Ramban In the propriety of the text this Angell which is promised here is the Angell the redemer in whom the great Name God is For in Iah Iehova is the Rock Everlasting And the same said I am the God of Bethel It is the manner of the King to tary in his house And the Scripture calleth him Angel because the world is governed by this Person And vvordes of the generall Rabines concerning Christ are these in Isaak Ben Arama vpon the Lavv fol. 76. Our Doctours say who art thou great mountayne This is Christ. Ana wherfore is his name called greate because he shal be greater then the Fathers as it is written Behold my servant that prosper he shal be high exalted I le shal be higher then Abraham exalted above Moses he shal be farre above the Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of ministery of whom it is written Ezek. â— They had height they had terrour And if they mark vnderstand this they doo know that the dignity of Messias is above the Angels of ministery In that sense should not he be God him self as they appropriate vnto him this honorable title This hath Ben Arama And most playnly doth the same mans vvordes say that God spake this of Messias ps 89. I wil be his father he shal be my sonne As Aben Ezra saith of Kisse the Sonne This is Messias And of the holy Spirit Gen. 1. 2. they say This is the Spirit of Messias the King Zohar vpon Gen and comonly from Ieremy 23 as in Bathra sect 5. fol. 75. B. That he is Iehouah our righteousnes And thus they doe in vvordes agree vvith our holy Apostles But they turne aside like a vvarping bovv vvherof I vvil novve speake by the helpe of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OF IVDAISME DISANNVLLING COHELETH AND ALL the Bible One great Rabbin who lived 42 3 yeeres agoe who gathered the Ierusalem Thalmud and the Babylonian into an easier order translated what he bringeth into familiar Ebrew they be rare Iewes that vnderstand the Ierusalemy or the Babylonian specially He endeth his volumes in the common place of Messias who shal be translated cited in his own wordes to shew howe the whole nation misseth extreamely of Christ the end of the law though in toung they agreed with the Apostles Rambam or R. Moses Ben Maymony in Misnaioth Tom. 4. tract Kinges Sect. 11. 12 thus writeth Messias the King shall stand vp restore the Kingdome of the house of Dauid to the old state of the first gouerment he shall build the temple gather the dispersed of Israel the Lawes shal be restored They shall offer their offringes and keepe the seauenth yeeres rest according to euery commaundement deliuered in the Law And euery one that beleueth not in him and he that looketh not for his comming he denieth not onely all the other prophets but also the Law Moses our Doctour For behold the Law testifieth of him as it is said And the Eternall thy Elohim shall restore thy captivity and pity thee and gather thee againe c. After thy dispeâ—â—ion shal be into the extremity of the heauens Yet the Eternall will bring thee againe And these speche set fourth in the Law they are abridgements of all the speches which are spoken by all the prophets And specially in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Section of Balaam as is spoken and there he speaketh of two Messias of the first Messias which is David which saued Israell from the hand of their enemies And of the latter Messias which shall stand vp of his children which shall teach Israel in the end And in the former place he saith I shall see him But not now I shall view him but not neare This is King Messias A star from Iacob This is Dauid a scepter That is King Messias And He shall smit the Lordes of Moab He is David as it is said And he stroke Moab And measured them by corde And he shall vnwall all the sonnes of Seth He is Christ the King as it is said And he shall rule from sea to sea And Edom shal be an inheritance Euen to David as it was said And Edom became servants to David And Seyr shal be an inheritance c. This is to Messias the King As it said And Sauiours shall arise on mount SioÌ„ c. Also concerning the cities of refuge he saith thou mayst adde yet three cities c. But this hath neuer bene done And the Lord did not commaund any thing in vaine But the case standeth according to the wordes of the Prophets it needeth no disputing for all bookes are full of this matter And Let it neuer come to thy minde that Messias the King needeth to worke by signes and wonders For behoâ—h Rabbi Akiba was a great Doctor among the Doctours of the Thalmud he was Harnes bearer to Ben Coziba the King he thought that he was the King Messias Both he deemed and all the Doctours of his age that he was King Messias vntill he was killed for Sinne. when he was killed they knew he was not And the Doctours asked of him for no signe for no wonder And the grouÌ„d of the matters thus standeth That the Law that the statutes rightes of it staÌ„d for euer yea for euer euer And nothing maye be added nothing may be taken away And if a King stand vp from the house of David studieng the Law busiedin the coÌ„maundementes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as David his father according to the written Law the Law of traditions and compel Israel to walk in it to repair the ruins of it to fight the warres of the Eternall behold this is sure that he is the Messias yf his doing prosper he build the temple in place gather the dispersed of Israel behold that man is Messias out of all doubt And he will settle al the world to serue the Lord togeither As it is said then I will turne vnto nations pure Lippes that all may call vpon the name of the Eternall serue him with one accord Perek or Section 12. the last of all his Thalmud Let it not come into thy hart that in the dayes of Messias any thing shal be abrogated from the custome of the world or that any newnes shal be in the frame of the world Nothing so The world goeth on in the same rate and that which is said in Esay And the wolf shal dwell with the Lambe the Leopard
11. He hath made every thing goodly in his time but he hath sett the world in ther hart that a man cannot find out the work which God doth from the beginning to the end 12. I know that ther is nothing good in them but to rejoyce doe good whiles one liveth 13. Also that any man eateth drinketh and jnioyeth the good of all his labours this is the gift of God 14. I know that all which God doth it wil be sure for ever and God doth all that men should live in feare before him 15. That which hath ben is now and that which is to be now hath bene God will bring a gaine that which is now passing away 16. Moreover I marked vnder the sunn the place of judgement ther was injurye the place of justice ther was jnjury 17. I sayd in my hart the just the vnejust God will judge for ther is a time for every thing for every deede there 18. I sayd in my hart after the maner of the sonnes of man when God made them knowen that I saw how they are beastes they to themselves 19. An happe befalleth the sonnes of man an happe befalleth the beast and they have one happe as the one dieth so dieth the other and man excelleth not the beast For all is vanity 20. All came from the dust all returneth vnto the dust 21. For who considereth the spirit of man which doth ascend vpward and the spirit of the beast which doth descend downe-wards vnto the earth 22. Then I saw that ther is nothing better then that a man joy of his workes For that is his portion For who can bring him to see what shal be after him Chap. 4 1. But whē I cōsidered all the oppressed ones which were greved vnder the sunn behold the oppressed had the teares but they had no cōforter for the oppressors had the strong hand and the other had no conforter 2. Then I commended the dead which already are dead above the living which are alive yet 3. And above them both him that as yet hath not bene because he hath not seene the wrong doing which is vnder the sunne 4. For I marked all labour all industrie of workes how it bringeth envy to a man from his neighbour 5. The foole foldeth his hands eateth vp his owne flesh Saying 6. Better is an hādfull with ease thē two fistfulls with labour frettīg of spirite 7. Againe I marked a vanity vnder the sunne 8. Ther is one none the second and he hath neyther sonne nor brother and ther is no end of all his labour and his eye cannot be satisfyed with riches And for whom should I labour and defraud my soule of good This also is a vanity a grievous toyle 9. Couples are better then one For they haue a good reward for their labour 19. For if they fall the one will lift vp his fellow woe is the one which falleth and hath not a second to lift him vp 11. And if a couple slepe they shal be warme but how can one alone be warme 12. And if some one be stronger then one two will stand against him a threefold thred will not sone be broken 13. A poore wise child is better then a King that is old and foolish which cānot abide to be advised any more 14. For out of the prison he commeth forth to reigne when as he that is borne in his kingdome is made poore 15. 3. I saw all the living which walk vnder the sūne attend vpon the child which shall stand vp the others place 16. Ther is no end with any people for any that is over them Also the later will not rejoyce in the same So this also is vanity vexation of spirite 17. Looke to thy feete when thou goest into the house of God For he is neerer to heare then to sacrifice Ther the gift of fooles For they know not that they doe evill Chap. 5 1. Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thy hart be hasty to vtter any thing before God For God is in the heavens thou art on the earth Therfore lett they wordes be few 2. For as dreames come by much busines so the voyce of a foole hath much babling 3. when thou vowest a vow to God differ not to pay it For he deliteth not in fooles what thou dost vow pay 4. Let not thy mouth make thy flesh sinne neyther say before the Angel that it was an errour wherfore should God be angry for thy voyce and destroy the workes of thy handes 5. For as in many dreames be vanityes so in many wordes But feare thou God 6. If oppressiō of the poore robbery of judgemēt justice thou behold in a cōtry marveyle not at the matter For an higher then the high one doth marke ther be high above them 7. The commodity of ground is for all The King is made servant to the field 8. He that loveth money cannot be fed with money or he that loveth any wealth which hath not fruite 9. when this good is much they be many to eat it what good commeth to the owners but the view of ther eyes 10. The sleepe of the labourer is sweet whether he sleepe little or much but the fulnes of the rich suffreth him not to sleepe 11. Ther is a sore sicknes which I have seene vnder the sunne riches kept of the owner to his owne harme 12. And the riches perish by some evill busines he begett a sonne and nothing cometh to his hand 13. As he came out of his mothers womb naked he returneth to goe as he came he cannot cary away any thing of his labour which he may beare in his hand 14. This also is a sore sicknes Euen as he came so he goeth away and what permanēt good hath he that he laboured for the wynd 15. Also all his dayes in darknes doth he eat much anger and by his owne sicknes payning 16. Behold what I haue seene it is a good-thing to eat to drinck to enjoy the good in all a mans labour which he taketh vnder the sūne the number of the dayes of his life which God giueth him for this is his portion 17. Though to euery man to whome God hath given riches treasures giveth him power to eat therof to take his part to enjoy his labour this is a gift of God 18. For he will not much think vpon the dayes of his life whome God busieth in the cheering of his hart Chapter 6. There is an euill which I saw vnder the sunne it is much among men 2. Some man to whom God hath giuē riches wealth honour he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that he desireth yet God giveth him not power to eat therof but a strange man shall eat it vp This is vanity this is an euill sicknes 3. If a man
whether both shal be alike good 7. Surely the light is a pleasant thing and it is a good thiÌ„g to the eyes to behold the suÌ„n 8. But though a maÌ„ may live many days and in them all be mery yet let him remember the dayes of darknes that they be the many whatsoeuer commeth will be vanity 9. Rejoyce O yong maÌ„ in thy childhood let thine hart chear thee in the days of thy youth walke in the wayes of thy hart and in the sight of thyne eyes But know that for all these thinges God will bring thee to judgment 10. Put away Gods anger from thine hart remove evil from thyflesh For childhood and yonghead is vanity Chap. 12. 1. Therfore remember thy Creatours in the dayes of thy youth Before the evill dayes come the yeares approch of which thou wilt say I have no pleasure in them 2. Before the sunn is dark the light the moone the starres and the cloudes returne after the rayne 3. when the keepers of the house shal treÌ„ble and the stroÌ„g men shall bow themselves and the grinders shall ceasse bicause they are few they waxe darke that looke out by the windowes 4. And the dores shal be shut by the streat with the base sound of the grinding a man shall stand vp at the voyce of the bird and all the daughters of Musick shal be brought low 5. And men will dread every high place feares wil be in the way the Almond tree will flourish the Grashopper wil be a burthen to it selfe and all lust wil be dissolued a man goeth vnto his long home and mourners go about in the streete 6. Before the silver cord is loosed and the golden ewer broken and the pitcher burst at the well and the wheele brokeÌ„ at the cestern 7. And dust returne to the earth as it was the spirit returne to God that gave it 8. Vanity of vanities saith Koheleth all is vanity 9. And this is a matter of excellency As Koheleth was wise stil he taught the people knowledg and weighed and examined and fitted many parables 10. Koheleth studyed to finde wordes delightfull scripture rightfull 11. The wordes of the wise as goades as nayles fastened in the sheepefoldes being giuen from one shepheard 12. And my sonne give all diligent heede to them There is no end in making many bookes much reading is a wearynes of the flesh 13. The summe of the matter is all being heard Feare God keepe his commaundements For this is all the man 14. For God will bring every deed vnto judgment with every hid thing whether it be good or euill The summe of the matter is all being heard Feare God keepe his Commaundements for this is the man The Mossorite note I. Th. K. K. Esay Malachy Lam. Eccl. by the Eb. first letter Four rare sentences in the heauenly Ebrew are repeated in the end of the booke that men should euermore thinck vpon them Lam. 5. TVRNE VS O ETERNAL VNTO THEE AND WE SHALL BE TVRNED RENEW OVR DAYES AS OF OLD This sheweth that all cometh from God that pitieth So this v. of Koheleth moved S. Paul to abide all griefe to keepe men from Daniels flames So Esay 66. FROM MONETH TO MONETH AND FROM SABBAT TO SABBAT SHAL ALL FLESH COME TO WORSHIP BEFORE MEE SAYTH THE ETERNAL This sheweth an vtter abrogating of Moses seing all nations cannot come every weeke to Ierusalem The last is Malachi v. last saue one BEHOLD I SEND VNTO YOV AN ELIAS A PROPHET BEFORE THE GREAT AND FEARFVLL DAY OF THE ETERNALL COMETH From that speech closing the prophets the Angell Gabriel beginneth the New Testament in his speech to Zachary of his Malachy Iohn So sweetly both Testaments Kisse one the other that none of wit or grace should euer thinke Tobies foolish fable or Iudithes ridiculous ly to be from any sad purpose of a writer To the reader In this emptie space a spech worthy of place every where may be added which Gregor Nazian speaketh vpon Chapt. 3. who cosidereth the spirit of man which ascendeth Thus he sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is I saw in the low places a dongeon of punishment receaving the wicked and an other place appointed for the Godly Thus the father who knew that AbrahaÌ„ such were in heaven yet speaketh as heathen did This sentence giveth light for the vnderstanding of the Greke fathers Finis Faultes escaped in this edition of Ecclesiastes Eccles Chap. 2. ver 26. Read it thus God giueth vvisdome and knowledg gladnes Chap. 3. ver 14. for euer to it nothing can be added and from it nothing can be diminished and God c. Ver. 19. the other and they all haue one spirit and man c. Ver. 20. All goe to one place all come c. Chap. 4. ver 3. his neighbour Thus also is vanitie and vexation of spirit Ver. 17. the house of God be neerer to heare then to give the sacrifice of fooles c. Chap. 5. ver 4. It is better that thou shouldest not vow then that thou shouldest not pay it Ver. 5. Let not thy mouth c. And so change the figures in all the other verses follovving to the end of the Chapter Ver. 8. as it is here but ver 9. being corrected read it thus hath not fruite This also is vanity Ver. 11. being corrected Read thus vvhether he eate litle c. Chap. 8. ver 15. Read thus no better thing vnder the sunne then c. Chap. 9. ver 18. vveapons of vvarre but one vncircumspect c. Chap. 10. ver 6. Folly is set in great height c Chap. 12. ver 10. righful wordes of truth Their life maners conteÌ„pt of God â—ob sette h forth vviâ—h their destruction Shortnes of life vvise policy cannot help common vveales so many be imperfectioÌ„s Chap. 2. Pleasures vvisdome royalty are but vanity Chap. 3. OppressioÌ„ common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The heathen sentence vvas afore from God Slouth mother of poore folk x. Cover senseles Cha. 5. The preset is soon lothed a they the high God as God thy creatoures chap. 18. Husbandry full of cares Riches be vncenten Ch. 6. Many children in Arabian poverty are a misery one in Iustin had 600. Adam the name â—elleâ—h man of his frailty Sad meditation of death is the best thing Even vvomen a comon mischief 〈◊〉 vvorse theÌ„ death Salomon 〈◊〉 Ieremies age felt â—â—at Cha. 8. Kinges offenses are very hard to be cured 2 voided Pall death knocketh poore cotages aud Kings Pal lates vvith an equall foote These tovves of the last in this vvorld a hevv that all Good is to be hoped in an other vvorld Epienres fill kingdomes bâ— blindnes herein as fish foules men are snared vvisdome is in cities in the best desert sone forgotten Folly in one in one thing doth mach harme Hatted from rulers makes many leave the care of their place to their harme Hoseas Amos Esai blame Israel for this Cha. 11. In this variety vve should serve the tyme omit no occasion and Israel had experieÌ„ce of all these vvher the elected fathers had often soÌ„nes rejected and fathers lost left sonnes to be found oâ—t â—ill vvhole apostasie rooted out the natioÌ„ Chap. 12 all ioy falleth sorovv vpoÌ„ sorovv befalleth HIGH The Tri nity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 3. 2. Koheleth blameth not womâ— kind as wold translate him many but theyr deâ—e slights as experieÌ„ced in his owne vvives vvho deceaved him S. Paul R. 13. haÌ„dleth this place agaiÌ„st Iewes which wold not obey heathen preventing the Popesty ranny that should a rise in Rome From auctority governmeÌ„t represeÌ„ting Gods presence not manifested by outward thinges yet sure of reward to life eternall in paradise wheÌ„ they coÌ„meÌ„d theyr soule to the hands of God It is evident that these wordes are spoken in the person of the wicked and should be pronounced as imitating theyr person So have I printed them in another character