waies but chiefly in death their dignitie doth vanish and they differ not from the beasts that perish as I alledged before Psalm 49. Therefore he saith the condition of the children of men and the condition of the beasts is euen as one condition to them as the one dieth so dieth y e other for they haue all one breath and there is no excellency of man aboue the beast for al is vanitie All go to one place saith he all was of the dust and all shall returne to the dust Thus we sée hée proueth them notwithstanding their dignitie to be as the beasts because the euent falleth out to be all one no difference at all appearing To day a iudge a ruler a mightie king to morrow all one in condition with the vilest beast Both die alike age or some sicknesse or hurt doeth cause the bodie to pine and languish strength faileth they abhorre meate and yéeld vp the breath The same also is a like for both haue nostrels to draw in the aire both man and beast gaspe and yéeld vp the same after one sorte the beast doeth rotte and turne to dust so doth the man for both were made of the dust and both returne to the dust In all these here is as he saith no excellencie of man aboue the beast for all is vanitie Thus we sée man is in honour but doth not coÌ„tinue he is like the beasts that perish The holy Scripture when it will abate mans high stomake doeth put him in mind that his breath is in his nostrels he is but dust and shall die and returne to dust Now because this foolish vaine glory that men haue in themselues and in the vanities of this world cleaueth so fast Solomon vrgeth the matter very sore when he maketh no difference at al nor no excellencie of man aboue the beast Let men consider well of this and it must néedes make them lesse estéeme the glorie of this worlde Now if they haue riches and be a steppe or two in honour aboue other it fareth with them as if they were of an other kindred yea as if they were petie gods But if it could enter into their mind to thinke I haue honour and dignitie and glorie here in the world I am set vp aboue the common sort but shal this differeÌ„ce betwéene me and them continue Surelie no I shall be made equall with the basest men yea which is more I shall differ nothing at all from the vilest beast I shall haue no excellencie aboue a dogge His breath is as my breath we draw in all one aire Hée and I shall yéeld it foorth a like I shall die as hée dieth My carcasse is now deintily ledde lieth softe is decked with rich apparell and is honoured It shall bée as vile and as rotten and lothsome as his wée both returne to dust that bodie which now is honoured within few dayes if a man come to it he must stoppe his nose Why doo I then séeke to glorifie my selfe in this vaine estate â— Why doo I not tread downe these vanities and séeke the glorie that is of God I say if wée could with this noble King enter throughly into such considerations the vayne worlde shoulde not so bewitch vs and carrie vs from God For who is so foolishe to labour moste for that which within a short time can not make him differre from the bruite beastes But it may be obiected that this is hard to say there is no excellencie at all of man aboue the beast when death commeth séeing the beast doeth wholy pearish but man hath a soule which doth not die but liueth though the bodie turne to dust This obiection doeth Solomon preuent when he saith who knoweth the spirit of man that it goeth vpward and the spirit of the beast that it goeth down ward to the earth As if he should say though it be most certaine that man hath a spirite which dieth not with the bodie but returneth to God that gaue it as he speaketh afterward in the last chapter of this booke and that the beast hath no other spirit or soul but such as dieth with the bodie yet this maketh no difference betwéene them touching this presentâ— worlde For whereby can any man gather in the death of maÌ„ that he differeth or hath an excellencie aboue the beast I there be it doeth not appeare neithâ—â— doeth it therefore touch the state of the world Such as die in the Lord are blesed and doo in that respect farre excell the beast But touching this world about the vanitie and miserie wherof Solomon disputeth there is no difference nor excellencie nor priuiledge aboue the beast For the men which haue imbraced this present world they haue a soule in deede that liueth but it were a thousand times better for them if they had not but did wholy perish as the beastes Here is no colour of matter in this sentence to vphold the wicked opinion of those detestable monsters which denis the immortalitie of the soule When they alleadge this saying of Solomon yée sée it is but wrested Againe here is no cause to moue vs for feare least we should strengthen that wicked opinion to take it that Solomon doeth here shew what hée iudged by humane wisdome for humane reason hath not so iudged that men differ nothing at all from beasts after death The humane reason is so blinde that it will not bée brought to make such a proofe as this that man doeth not differ from the beast because all is vanitie as we see he saith a litle before in this discourse I say therefore it is out of all doubt a matter propouÌ„ded by Solomon through the due contemplation wherof the proud and loftie mind of man may be brought downe that he may thirst for a better estate and séeke it that he may lesse regard these transitorie things in which his condition doeth fall out very soone to be all one with the beastes And here we may remember by the way how abiect and base the proud mindes of men be which know not God They be as loftie in conceit as if all fortitude and magnanimitie were in them yea they would séeme to be gloriouse and yet looke well vpon the matter and yée shall sée they haue bowed downe themselues to a base condition when their heart is set vpon earthly glorie which can not long lift them vp aboue the beast In déede this is the valiant mind to dispise to tread downe the vaine pomye of this world to estéeme basely of things transitorie to long for that blessed estate in which there shall no basenes approch And in which it shall not be saide man is in honour and shal not continue he is like the beastes that pearish If the sonnes of great Princes which are borne to honor and dignitie should be so basely minded as to let goe all regarde of their birth and place and choose rather to be shepheards or Plowmen it would be wondered at
yée are miserable looke vpon the creatures they are in such case as that they can not releeue yée looke for nothing new among them that may content yée settle your mind to say I am now eased it is a vaine studie there is nothing new there is nothing stable Therefore séeke after the blessed God to know him to lay hold vpon him and to possesse him he shal suffice to make yée blessed and to content your minde The end of the first Sermon The second Sermon Ecclesiastes Chap. 1. I Ecclesiastes was king ouer Israel in Ierusalem 13 I gaue my heart to inquire and make search in wisdome concerning al that is wrought vnder the heauens This euill trauaile hath God geuen to the sonnes of men to occupie them therein 14 I sawe all the workes which are wrought vnder the sunne and beholde all is vanitie and vexation of the Spirite 15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight and that which is wanting cannot be numbred 16 I spake in my heart saying I haue magnified and increased wisdome aboue all that were before me in Ierusalem and my heart hath seene much wisdome and knowledge 17 And I gaue my hart to know wisdome and the knowledge of extreme madnes and follie I know that euē this is affliction of spirite 18 For in the multitude of wisdome there is much indignation and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrowe Ecclesiastes Chap. 1. I Ecclesiastes was king c. In the former part of this Chapter we haue had two reasons the one drawen frō man himselfe the other from the things about which he laboureth to proue that a man hath no profite nor good at all which remayneth of all his sore trauaile vnder the sunne and therefore all is vanitie of vanities Now he procéedeth forward to shew that he himselfe made triall in all things vnder heauen and found by full and perfect experience that in déede in all those workes vnder the sunne wherein men doe séeke some good there is nothing els but vanitie miserie and vexation of spirite This his procéeding is a plaine demonstration that the disease I meane of setting our hearts vpon things transitorie hath not onely taken déep roote in vs but is also most pestilēt and deadly For if it might easilie be cured what néede should there be of heaping vp all manner of proofs and perswasions to draw away our hearts And if it were not most deadly why should there be such care taken about it Solomon did know right well by the holy spirite of the Lorde which guyded him that all which can be said is little enough in this case nay the most are so bewitched that it doeth not help them at all But the proofe which is brought frō one mans experience may séeme to be ouer weake and slender to moue all men in the world euen the Princes the riche the wise and valiant and to perswade them to cease from séeking good vnder the sunne for what is one man to try out all things to the full In déede least we should thinke thus before hee come to note what triall hee made and so deliuer vnto vs what hee found and what can be found he speaketh somewhat of his owne person what hee was and of what ablenes and diligence If it be such a man which setteth forth his owne experience as was throughlie able to search out euerie matter and also did it and that in such sort as all the men in the world if they woulde ioyne together cannot come nigh him then may we be perswaded by his experience For he is a foole that will thinke to finde that which he could not Nowe in very déede such a one was Solomon First he was a king as he saith I Ecclesiastes was king If any in the world be able and fitte for this worke they bée kings For they possesse the flower of all wherein there séemeth to bee any good There can be no experiēce of that which a man hath not He was king ouer Israel in Ierusalem This Israel was Gods chosen people which he had magnified aboue all nations vnder heauen and this was the citie of the great king euen Ierusalem Here is a king higher then all y e kings of the earth This man is not idle but geueth himselfe to search out the workes that are wrought vnder the sunne to see what was in them Yea but hee might finde naught in some yet in other some there might bee that which he sawe not Let no such thought rise in your minde for looke whatsoeuer is done or that all Princes in the worlde are able for to do yea and all mē whatsoeuer he did search it For so he saith that he gaue his heart to searche out all the workes which are wrought vnder heauen Doe not thinke that yee can light vppon any one thing worth the search which he hath not searched It may be further obiected he that searcheth so many things how can he doo them all well To this he saith that hee did search by wisdome He was not deceiued for wisdome guided him in euery part God gaue him both wisdome and honour and riches aboue all earthly creatures He is a man euen made fitte of God himselfe to find out and to tell vs what is in all the workes which are wrought vnder the Sunne Let vs beléeue him lette vs not follow the vayne fooles of the world which giue no credit vnto him but séeke to find good where he could find none He saith it is an euill trauaile which God hath giuen to the sons of men to be occupied in He saith also he beheld all and all is vanitie and vexation of spirite Do men I pray ye beléeue this Why doo they then set their whole heart night and day vpon things that be transitorie They labour but bring not any thing to passe worth their sore trauaile they be vexed and tormented in vaine God hauing in his iustice for sinne laid this euill trauaile vppon Adams children for hée saith that which is crooked cānot be made straight and that which is wanting cannot be numbred There is imbecillitie in mans workes and that so great that hée can not make that straight which is crooked there is such imperfection that the wants and defects are infinit If he looke vpon the creatures if he looke vpon him selfe or vpon the successe and euent of matters all is crooked he toileth but can not reforme it in any All the creatures are wearie subiect vnto vanitie and vnto the bondage of corruption they grone and trauaile in paine Man laboureth in them to builde and set vp some sure worke but it will not be for they decay alter and perish He can by no means withstand or remedie this crookednes his skill his power doo vtterly faile him herein Man him selfe is more crooked his mind depraued full of vtter blindnesse the passions affections most vile and corrupt the bodie base and subiect vnto
all diseases and incombrances yea both mind and body euery way in such crookednesse as is vnspeakeable There is nothing straight in him all goeth crooked and peruerse hée worketh vpon himselfe and can make no part straight For all the humane Science and wisdome vnder the heauens if it were possible for one man to attaine and possesse it is not able to giue him any sparke of true light and knowledge of God nor to clense or rid his soule from any one drop of that diuelish poison wherwith it is infected depraued Wise men might well and did séeme to haue made themselues much straighter then the cōmon sort but in very déed their crookednesse remained still within I speake not of such as are regenerate by Gods holy spirite but of those who were ledde onely by the light of nature All their riches their honour and power not able they imploing their trauaile to ease or recouer their bodies to rescue thē from the gout or from an ague The successe of things is so crosse and vnlucky they foreseing what they can their ignorance by which they take many times the wrong course mans skil being so imperfect doth cause such infinite defectes that Solomon beholding this in all the works wrought vnder the sunne he doth pronounce that all is vanitie vexation of spirit How cléere is this man hath such imperfections wantes and errours in his workes as can not be numbred all is crooked within him without him and about him and he can make no one thing straight therfore all his labours are lost they be vaine miserable carying with them so sore affliction and vexation of the minde Thus hath hée in generall pronounced what he found in al the deuices studies and workes which are wrought vnder heauen Now he procéedeth vnto particuler declaration for hée goeth from point to point shewing that in all the excellentest things vnder heauen wherein there is any appéerāce or hope of good to be found there did he make search And he did begin first of all with wisedome Because in very déede of all things transitorie she is the flower It is she that maketh men to differre most one from another and to excel It falleth out oftentimes that starke fooles are riche and in place of great honour The bruite beastes doe enioy delight and pleasures as wel as men but neither beast nor foole can possesse wisdome but onely the wise man If there be any true worthines felicitie excellencie or good to be found in the creatures vnder the sunne it is in wisdome therefore he saith I applyed my hart to know wisdome It may be said that wisdome euen humane wisdome of which he now speaketh is high and déepe who can searche into her treasures who shall finde or be able to value what she can affoord Most true it is that wisdome is no easie thing to try He must be no foole nor simple person but he must possesse her and that in excéeding great measure which will discerne what her riches and pleasures be Marke therefore what hée saith before he doeth tell that he applyed his hart to know wisdome I said in mine heart saith he behold I haue magnified and increased wisdome aboue all that haue béen before me in Ierusalē Also my hart hath séen much wisdom and knowledge because God had indued him with greater wisdome and knowledge than any man vnder heauen he doeth gather therby that hee was the fittest for this purpose He doeth encourage himselfe and maketh it knowen vnto all that he was thus set forward He searcheth not at aduenture he searcheth not in the darke he hath his rule and his candle in his hand euen the light and direction of wisdome her selfe The wisest man vnder heauē searcheth out wisdome yea I may say more let the wisdome of al the wise men in the world be laid together it commeth short of his Some haue béene greatly wise in the course of the heauens some in the knowledge of nature in all creatures here belowe some subtile Logicians some eloquent Orators to perswade some politike in making lawes to gouerne Cities and commonwealths Others haue béen famous and renowmed for the skill of other noble sciences as euery mans heart led him some to one and some to another In all these he hath surmounted thē far if they were layde together Hee sawe more he did know more and coulde tell more then all they He was in déede the wonder of the world The Quéen of Saba wondered at his wisdome vntil there was no spirite in her 1. Kings 10. Confessing that she did not beléeue that which she heard of him vntill she came and saw it with her eyes and moreouer that the one halfe was not tolde her Hée excelled the fame that went of him Then behold here is the man which must tell vs what good is to be found in all the wisdome and skill of this worlde He did abound in al manner of wisdome thereby gaue his heart to know her Moreouer as he was wise so he tooke a good and perfect way to make a full search It is expressed in these words I gaue my hart to know wisdome and the knowledge of extreme madnesse and follie This is certaine that euery thing is most perfectly manifested and knowen by the contrarie As for example A man could neuer find so well the comfort and benefit of the light if he were not sometimes compassed about with darkenesse We best féele the swéete when we haue first tasted the sower Health is more cōfortable after gréeuous sicknesse the pure white sheweth the brighter when it is set by the blacke euen so wisdome sheweth the greater glory whē extreme madnesse and follie are set by her For this cause Solomon to the end he might behold this goodly lady wisdome in her full beautie and commoditie setteth by her extreme madnesse and follie For together with the sight of this euill fauoured and deformed bedlem with all her inconueniences the vew of wisdome doth set her out most excellently All her brightnesse all that she hath to delight or to benefit are displayed We may sée then what ladde him to applie his hart to know extreme madnesse or all kindes of madnesse for he vseth the word in the plurall number and foolishnesse It was not any loue that he bare vnto them but to finde out the perfection of wisedome through the knowledge of these For by the vglines of madnesse follie the pleasant countenance of wisdome is more delightsome and amiable The harmes the inconueniences and mischiefes which grow from those to the annoyance of all mad raging fooles doo make knowen and manifest what good what treasures and cōmodities this wisdome doth bring vnto him that doth possesse her May we not thinke that Solomon did now beholde as it were an Angell in brightnesse and glorie which might fill the mind with consolation happinesse but marke what hée pronounceth in the next words following I
next he doeth in generall expresse which is the right way and which is the wrong The one is in these words draw neare to heare The other in these rather then to offer the sacrifice of fooles for they perceiue not that they do euill Solomon doeth in a worde set downe that which Moses and the Prophetes doo so much and so often vrge namely that the true worship of God hath for the ground foundation sincere obedience Harken to the voice of the Lord thy God in all that he commandeth thée thou shalt walke in his commandements his statutes ordinances and lawes Thou shalt adde nothing vnto his word thou shalt take nothing therfro In this place he saith draw neare to hearken that is to be vnderstood that we must giue eare vnto y t which God speaketh for there ought to be no voice in Gods house but his owne It is high sacriledge for any other voice but Gods to be vttered there And Christ saith hée is the true shéepeheard his shéepe heare his voice but a stranger they will not heare The true and faithful pastors when they preach vttering nothing but Gods word it is not their owne voice but his There is one lawe giuer which is able to saue and to destroy wée haue then one soueraigne Lord and King euen the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and first wée must begin with this to giue eare vnto his voice We know not how to worship him we may not worship him after our owne deuises for of such hée saith they worship me in vaine teaching for doctrines mens precepts he hath prescribed fully and perfectly in euery point how we shall worship him We are therfore willed to draw neare to heare For if we faile in this and will be worshippers not regarding to hearken we faile in the foundation and goe awrie out of the waie in all that we doo Therefore herein take heed to thy feet when thou goest to Gods house to heare and not to doo is not worth ought Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your selues Iam. 1. And our sauiour saith if any heare my words doo them not I will liken him to a man that buildeth his house vpon the sande great is the fall of that house Matth. 7. The holy Scripture doth not account it worth the name of hearing vnles a man be a doer Moreouer this is to be wel obserued when he saith drawe neere to hearken for it teacheth that the true worshippers must haue a readie and chearefull minde to hearken Loue and reuerence to their God doeth make them delight in his voyce and not that onely but the benefit which we receiue by his worde he doeth beget vs by it to be his children as S. Peter saith We are borne not of mortall but of immortall séede the worde of God which indureth for euer Of his owne good will saith S. Iames hath hée begotten vs with y e word of trueth therfore let euery man be swift to heare By hearing the holy word wee become the sonnes and daughters of God If wée be swift to heare and kéepe happie are we For our Sauiour saith Blessed are they â—hat heare the word of God and kéepe it To make this yet more plaine why wée â—hould drawe nigh to hearken I will speake some what more of the new birth which is wrought thereby We are all dy nature the children of wrath in as much as we be borne in sinne All that is in vs is but flesh that is to be crucified with the lusts and concupiscences This mortification of the flesh through the spirite is called the putting off the old maÌ„ This is wrought by learning God hath appointed his worde for to purge vs. All our vncleannes is to be cleansed away by the pure word Ignorance heresie errors darkenes and vnbeléefe are expelled by it Then further there is the true image of God to be set vp which is called the putting on of the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines The blessed spirite of grace breathing life and all good thinges into our soules doeth it by hearing the word It is therefore the swéete foode of our soules the Preachers are called Shepheards which féede the Lords flock We may well see there is no comming to séek God and to worship him but this way This is the right way take héede to thy féet for to walke in it draw néere to harken Learne by the word of the Lorde how thou mayst worship him aright I will come now to the other parte which is the worshippe disalowed called the sacrifice of fooles In olde time before the comming of Christ God instituted many ceremonies sacrifices which did shadow things to come These was the Church then to be exercised in Not that he estéemed the doing of those outward things so much or accounted his worship to consist therein but he regarded the inward faith and integritie of heart Those outward ordinances were but for helpes to further faith and true godlines When they offered slayne beasts in sacrifice Christ was represented and withall the offerer did declare his faith and repentance thereby This was forgotten or not regarded of many and so they offered their sacrifices omitting the chiefe vse as though they had doone the Lord a pleasure This wee may sée by the Psalm 50. And many are the complaints of the prophets against such worshippers They neglect the holy doctrine of God and be ignorant and vnskilfull in his waies for which he calleth theÌ„ fooles in this place He doth wish men to take héed of it because these fooles doo nothing but sinne when they come to worship God Al that they doo is accursed and abominable yea euen their praiers whols worship yet he saith they doo not perceiue that they doo euill Their blind deuotioÌ„ to séeke God séemeth to themselues a goodly ie well and that is one great part of their follie Thus we sée the sense of his wordes Now will I come to apply this doctrine more particularly that wée may know who they be that erre how miserable their estate is And first I will beginne with the church of Rome and all Papists This doctrine doth ouerthrow them for this beyng true they can not be the Church of God There is no drawing néere to hearken to the word of God among them they haue banished it and buried it God speaketh not in their synagoges but the deuises of men are set vp therefore all their worship is the sacrifice of fooles They do sinne they be abominable and accursed in all their doings It is a vaine excuse when they alledge wée worship none but the true God we worship Christ When ye sée it plaine that a man may goe to Gods owne house where his worde is purely taught and séeks to worship the very true God and yet offer the sacrifice of fooles if he giue not eare to be taught in
know also that this is affliction of spirite What can be more plaine There is a shew of good to be attained by humane wisdome men are wonderfullie allured and drawen in hope thereof but when it commeth to the proofe they haue lost all their labour there is naught but a méere illusion the good is vanished What doe they find in stéed thereof Looke what he fonnd euen affliction of spirite shall they find any better It may séeme very strange absurd that this wisdome which hath alwaies beene so extolled magnified and honored of all nations in the world so loued and imbraced of kings so set forth and bewtified with all the iewels and ornaments that might be by the skilfull and learned of all sortes should thus be abased as to be made but an illusion and a vaine deceipt which in stéed of good so sought and hoped for doth bring nothing but afflictioÌ„ of the spirit The wise men of this world haue in all ages thought their labours aboundantly recompensed by wisdome Solomon which had more then they all pronounceth that it hath nothing but affliction of spirite How commeth such contrarietie of iudgement Doubtlesse from their blindnesse they saw not that which he saw Their eyes were daseled with present glory and commodities he beheld that it could not further a man vnto true blessednesse in the kingdome of God He did behold the weakenesse and imperfection which is in it being vnable to make that straight which is crooked especially in the depraued heart of man So then let all her fréends set her out to the vttermost of their skill paint forth her prayses in the freshest colours that they can yet shall the sentence of this one man preuaile against them He did know her more perfectly then all they he giueth the right sentence they are deceiued They say there is great good he saith I know that this also is affliction of spirit And he rendreth a reason thus for in the aboundance of wisdome there is aboundance of indignation and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow He that would be in felicitie must not séeke it in sorrowes and griefes of minde and bodie but in things that are swéete and pleasant Happinesse is in ioy consolation bitternesse and anguish are contrarie thereunto Then must it néeds follow that all those are deceiued vtterly which séeke felicitie in humane wisdome Because the more wisdome aboundeth the more doth indignation abound as he did féele and he that increaseth his skill it is with sore trauaile and it is full of sorowes There may be many causes of trouble and disturbance of the mind with indignatioÌ„ where wisdome doth abound For he shall sée that there is no end but an infinite trouble question vpon question will arise the wants the auknesse of matters will torment Againe with what infinite trauaile and care of mind and bodie is knowledge come by how haue men studied and wearied themselues all the daies of their life to get knowledge who is able to expresse the paines which the Philosophers did take and yet none of them able to excell in all but in some péeces as their affections chiefly drew them He that will be a perfect Logician to haue the full vse of naturall reason in perfect rules it is not the worke of a few daies nor yet of a few yeares It must be with long trauaile euen all his life yet he shal come short Cosmographers in describing all partes of this world the heauens the earth and the things that be in them haue no small worke in hande Come to these which search to knowe the nature properties of all creatures where shall they euer come to sée towarde an ende of their trauaile They be in a bottomlesse sea with out shoare How must those studie how many histories volumes bookes must they turne ouer which will come to bée sound Politikes to be furnished for the gouernment of Cities and Common-weales and for the warres Looke vnto all others which trauaile in any science and the paines of such as will excell in déede are wonderfull Here is trauaile here is care here is indignation here is wearines and gréefe vpon gréefe here is no ende here is no perfection attayned here is no setling or quieting of y e minde all doeth vanish as smoke there remayneth no good at all Thus we sée the sentence of the wise man himselfe concerning all the skil and knowledge vnder the sunne I knowe flesh and bloud will here rise vp Wisdome will not suffer this disgrace but will pleade for her selfe First it will be obiected that this is a weak reason there is no wisdome attayned vnto but with sorrowes therefore wisdome is vanitie and vexation of spirite Men may goe through infinite labours and gréefes willingly to enioy so precious a iewell Their laboures are wel spent they be fully recompenced To haue the estimation and honor of a wise man is no small benefite Knowledge filleth the minde with delight so that it forgetteth the sorowes sustayned in trauayling I answere that there are no labours nor sorrowes sustained for true felicity which can any thing impaire the same the ioy of that will surmount them all it is most happie labour that is so spent But in these things there is no true ioy but a shadow It is the loue of vainglory that hath caried meÌ„ forward to take such paines and so sore to vexe and torment themselues All their ioy and comfort resteth in this that they may haue fame glorie in this worlde If this glory bee â—aine and transitorie how doth it recomâ—ence their labours and gréefes If there â—emaine no good is not all vanitie vexation of spirite Let vs examine it in some particuâ—ars Cicero and Demosthenes were eloquent Orators how wise and how swéet was their spéech They could delight the â—are and perswade the minde But can their eloquence now perswade to haue their torments mitigated or to be let out of the prison of hell Alas what can their smoothe tongues benefite them now their fame doeth them no good Solon and Lycurgus could make wise lawes and make men partakers of great fréedomes but they can purchase no infranchisemeÌ„t to themselues from the miserable bondage of eternall destruction Aristotle could dispute subtillie let him now shew his cunning to acquitte himselfe Iulius Caesar Scipio and Hanniball were expert and valiant warriors but what can their sharpe swordes helpe them nowe They coulde ouercome men but not deuils We may sée that all the paynes anâ— vexations to attaine worldly skil are nâ— way recompensed but vtterly lost Thâ— parties haue but deceiued themselueâ— with vaine glory and pride they haue made great account of that which is nothing worth For it is not any good thaâ— they haue found which made the Philosophers and great wise men so to labour but an opinion that their glory should neuer be darkened that this glory was the chiefe thing to
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