signifieth order Psal 110. 4. and Barar signifieth to chuse to purge to declare whereof commeth Berurim choyce men set vp in dignity namely Princes Rulers Gouernours Officers ordained of God for peaceable honest and happy life which abusing themselues and their places are to mans reason as but stronger and more subtile beasts preying vpon the weaker and more simple harmelesse Againe they may be translated thus that they might cleere or iustifie God and see that they themselues are beasts and therefore vanity it selfe euen out of measure vaine Lastly thus that God had purged them id est created them pure holy and righteous in his owne image in the beginning yet to see to in this state of degeneration or corruption they are in themselues as beasts accordingly as he saith Chap. 7. 31. God hath made man righteous but they haue sought out many inuentions and Psal 49. 20. Man that is in honour and vnderstandeth not is like the beasts that perish Which of these interpretations is the most genuine and naturall I leaue to euery mans iudgement Verse 19. For that which befalleth the sonnes of men befalleth beasts euen one thing befalleth them all as the one dyeth so dyeth the other yea they haue all one breath so that a man hath no preheminence aboue a beast for all is vanity THe apt coherence of these three verses following with the former intimate that the last interpretation is the most proper For they are a reason prouing the corruption vanity vilenesse and misery of proud man by comparing him to beasts whose frailety corruption or vanity is Gods iudgement vpon man In them may hee behold his sinne and his corporall punishments for sinne before his eyes if otherwise he be insensible which are the fore-runners and beginning of eternal torments and sencelesnesse is a iudgement of God vpon the reprobate This like condition of man and beast to carnall iudgement is set downe in these three verses which similitude or likenesse made the Epicures to thinke that the estate and condition of them both was all one and consequently that to eate drinke and play was the chiefe good or onely felicity of man For wee see by daily experience that man and beast are subiect to the like casualties and misfortunes how men vexe deuoure lye in waite insnare kill c. one another as beasts doe how they die as beasts doe hauing the same causes of corruption in them with beasts They haue the same breath whereby they liue the same spirit whereby they moue the same senses the same inward and outward members and in bodily shape many beasts come neere vnto him and he is subiect to deformities and all infirmities in his kinde as much and more then they So that in outward state hee hath no preheminence aboue the beast For he cannot longer vse the things of this World nor carry any thing away with him more then the beast doth The reason is because all is vanity Therefore there is no difference Verse 20. All goe vnto one place all are of the dust and all turne to dust againe A Commoration All goe to one place that is both men and beast are dissolued againe into their elements For God created all things of the dust and all turne to dust againe There is the same matter of man and beast Some thinke that beast was made of the earth and man of the dust of the earth to wit either of mire or else of the dust that lyeth on the sur-face of the earth But that is an idle contention For mire and dust and earth are all one and the same in essence or substance When the raine falleth on the earth it is mire when the Sunne extracteth the moisture out of it it is dust So that the whole earth is nothing but dust or mire whether you will Therefore man was not made of baser matter then beast as some say but rather of better For Adam signifieth red earth or red dust or red mire All is one without any difference And Solomon saith here all are of the dust or earth which by the figure Synecdoche signifieth all the elements whereof earth in earthly things is predominant and water in the creatures thereof No element is simple or pure but it hath a mixture of other elements also to be the Chaos or nurse of their sundry creatures which in their purity they could not be So that earthly things are most earth especially the more particular or simpler creatures as mettals stones trees c. Yet water ayre and fire also with which the element of earth is mixed By vertue of which mixture man and beast are made of the other elements as well as of the earth Verse 21. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpward and the spirit of a beast that goeth downe-ward to the earth A Continuance of the commoration figured by the preuention of an obiection thus There is great difference betweene man and beast For mans brutall nature and spirit is but the plasme or vessell of his soule which is not compound or mixed with it but onely vnited to it Therefore when this fraile vessell is broken or dissolued the immortall spirit or soule ascendeth to God that gaue it and the vessell againe is absumed into the elements whereof it was formed But the spirit of a beast is nothing but the quintessence the purest and prime of his body or his life which consisteth in the harmony or vnion of the elements and so not being another essence separable from the body it dyeth with the body Ans This is indeed the holy and diuine truth but now speaking of the worldly outward and miserable state of man as it appeareth to humaine senses and reason who can by any signe or token or skill of Anatomy find out any differing wayes of these spirits What man can shew me the ascending of mans spirit into heauen or the descending of the beasts spirit into the earth namely the dispersing thereof into the elements If a man say that the spirit of man ascends vpwards into the firmament how can he let me see that but if it doe then doth the beasts so also For the firmament is but the quintessence or prime of the elements as the spirit is of the body according to Plato And be it that by humaine reason a man may easily demonstrate the immortality of the soule as the learned heathen haue all done yet what is that to the outward worldly state of man liuing Man whiles hee is man and of man we onely speake not of spirits is no better then beast So that to conclude Seeing that it is with man as with beast there is no profit no contentment no rest no durable prosperity no happinesse at all in this cursed confused brutall world but all is vanity Verse 22. Wherefore I perceiue that there is nothing better then that a man should reioyce in his owne workes for that is his portion for who shall bring him
good in this vale of misery is imperfect yet in continuall motion and progresse to perfection though the whole engine with all the furniture thereof man and euery condition and state of life ethike politike ecclesiastike groane vnder the burthen of vanity Here then is wisedome and worke for the curious Alchymist who surpasseth common capacities Here is the skill that extracteth gall out of hony and hony out of gall Here is the Phylosophers stone that turneth yron that base mettall into gold the purest mettall euen the soueraigne good that ouercommeth euill yea that turneth things in their natures cursed into blessings the beginnings of endlesse torments into eternall glory the light that expelleth darknesse the life that swalloweth vp death the spirit that weareth out the leprosie canker and rottennesse of the spirit of the vessell of the person of the outward state To omit the many learned dotages of the worldly wise and madnesses of selfe-willed Idiots some man thinketh himselfe happy if he knoweth the euils of this life and with all hath knowledge to auoid them and in procuring of good vnto himselfe for his bodily ease comfort and pleasure thinkes that by this wisedome he hath obtained the chiefe good and so kisseth his hand and sacrificeth to his net his subtle sound pate as he iudgeth Here is his vttermost extent in this sphere is he rowled as the Sow in the mire Secondly some man againe esteemeth such a one but brutishly subtle because he doth not good to others as well as to himselfe as the principle of humanity requireth Quod tibi vis fieri fac alijs Doe as thou wouldest be done to Therefore because he is cautelous and prouident for himselfe and communicateth to others also he iudgeth himselfe to be that happy man He excelleth indeed the former brute as he againe doth that vegetable one Eccles. 4. 8. euen as the ayre excelleth the water and that the earth But the wisedomes of these three conioyned by vnion into one indiuiduall are but as an excellent vessell or receptacle for this last Lastly another who is truly wise indeed excludeth this man from happinesse yet because he is but as a beautifull body without a quickning spirit which is pietie the soule or supernaturall spirit enlining the rest So that neither the wise vegetable nor the wise brutall or sensible nor the wise reasonable or humane but the wise spirituall organized with the rest as I may say is onely capable of this soueraigne good of Solomon This onely knoweth what is good in euill things and states what euill in good things and States what is good for himselfe in both in this vaine life according to that line and measure that God dealeth to man This wisedome ordereth and enliueth the other wisedomes being a supernaturall gift the diuine influence of the sanctifying Spirit For they being seuered from this are but an eye without the optike spirit which indeed is no eye but a dead member The like we see in the structure of mans vessell id est in the vegetable and brutall spirits but the reasonable soule enliueth moueth and ordereth them both or rather her selfe in and by them by vertue of her vnion with them whereby they become rationall The degrees of this good to be gathered out of Solomons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or positiue doctrine are briefly these 1. To be in a calling according to Gods generall decree Gen. 3. 19. Otherwise a man is a belial a sluggard a dissolute disperst incompact member out of fauour with God and man and his owne conscience and lyeth open to many miseries as he is the fittest subiect to be sentina malorum the sinke of euils 2. To labour in that lawfull calling to exercise his talent that his Lord may receiue his owne with aduantage 3. To labour with diligence Chapter 9. 10. of this booke Hereby many bodily miseries and occasions of spirituall temptations also are auoyded For a man to be negligent in his businesse is to be brother to a waster as Solomon saith else where 4. To comfort and solace the body with the fruits of our labours all the creatures from the highest heauen to the centre of the earth seruing to no other purpose then the reparation conseruation of the soules fraile corruptible vessell For the soule her self is enliued fed conserued by another World the Word of God effectuall by the spirit that speaketh therein The body is ex limo terrae of the slime or seede of the vniuerse but the soule is ex alia propagine progenie 5. As we haue receiued good so to be faithfull dispensers thereof viz. to communicate to others wherein the essence of charity consisteth Communicating of mutuall duties is the bond of ciuill or sociable life whereby a man in any condition of life in harmefull occurrences and vnfortunate accidents is preserued helped relieued and the beneuolous aspect of neighbours congratulating his prosperous state is a lightsome pleasant and comfortable thing Moreouer danti dabitur qua mensura metimini vobis metietur But this communicating is of all gifts and duties towards equals superiours and inferiours euen of euery one in their place and calling towards others in oeconomike ethike politike state Thus farre the Heathen man goeth but here he makes a stand he cannot transcend his Orbe All things are made for man saith Cicero and man is borne for man to be seruiceable and comfortable one to another in sociable life Therefore all these degrees doe but as it were constitute the vessell of the quickning spirit 6. The sixt and last degree therefore of felicity is piety towards God sincerity in diuine worship briefly shut vp in this word Feare God and keepe his Commandements It is totum hominis or totus homo the whole man without which he is but praestantissimum brutum What this feare and obedience is is set downe in the Law of Moses at large which is more largely and plainely expounded by the Prophets and they againe by the life and doctrine of our Sauiour Christ and that againe by the Apostles and they by Pastors and Teachers to the Worlds end This is that compleate soueraigne good of soule body and state positiuely taught in this Treatise Which in a word is this the wise demeanor of a man towards himselfe towards others towards God in things concerning his owne body and person concerning communicating or sympathising others concerning diuine worship according to the direction of Gods Word These degrees must not be sundered but kept intire of him that would be compleatly happy so farre forth as happinesse can be obtained in this confused enormous World Men being ignorant of this sixe-fold vnion fall into many errours run out into many extremities and plunge themselues into a gulfe of miseries yea and digladiate among themselues praysing dispraysing blaming excusing they know not what euen tossed in a labyrinth But he that builds on this ground and walketh in this light riddeth himselfe and others
old house or corrupt body that one part being repaired another falleth downe and one soare being cured two breake out in another place Hee therefore that laboureth to make this apt concurrence of things to obtaine his imagined happinesse doth but goe about to gather together wilde beasts of all sorts that runne out on euery side and being with infinite labour gotten together will deuoure one another or else all set vpon him and to bring many men together to effect a worke that are at variance among themselues and all opposite to him Concerning humaine affaires they are full of alterations and changes Common-wealths priuate states publike businesses domesticall workes and actions are full of inconstancie vncertaintie crossenesse trouble and griefe Such crossenesse is there in euery thing so manifold euents contrarie to mans intendments that the best gamester hath commonly the worst lucke And euen those things whereof mans wisedome and prouidence seeme to haue most power and command doe fluctuate vpon vncertaine issues in so much that he is altogether vncertaine whether his intents shall succeede at all and how and whether they shall turne to his benefit or hinderance to the raising vp of himselfe or ouerthrow of himselfe and that which to day hee hath resolutely determined is to morrow through vnknowne occurences changed and quite disanulled To conclude Of all these vanities there is a constant reuolution Man cannot vtter it An illustration by a comparison of the Lesse The reuolution instabilitie vncertaintie and vanitie of man in himselfe in his estate in all his wayes and imaginations and also of the creatures with him is more than man by word or writing is able to expresse How vncertaine and vnknowne are the ordinances of Heauen And who hath set the dominion thereof in the earth Iob 38. 33. Who can foretell the seasons of the yeare by the variable configurations of the starres Yet hath God set them for times and seasons And one vnseasonable Summer or Winter Seed time or haruest turneth all mens states vpside downe inriching one and impouerishing another Now the seede rotteth with too much moisture than both grasse and graine is scorched with heat and how slipperie is monie and cattle vncertaine Man and his estate therefore standing vpon such foundations is altogether instable and vncertaine And how sure a foundation is that of the windes and the waters Yet the Marriner must apply and commit himselfe to them he must obey them Whether he shall returne home againe he knoweth not nor when nor which way whether poore or rich And whether the Sea or Land be the safer habitation hee cannot determine As the water swalloweth vp so the fire deuoureth danger is euery where The continent is inconstant as the waters For the earth is full of darkenesse and cruell habitations All the foundations of the earth are out of course High-wayes bye-wayes and hedges are full of robbers wilde beasts and serpents A man is safe no where One lyeth in waite for his tongue another for his purse another for his body Againe things profitable and good in their kinde sometimes afford no profit to the owner and sometimes hurt Contrarily things of least account and that are as it were made for euill doe a man the most good What is good what ill for a man by all his wisedome he cannot certainly know no not for a moment and blinde hope is doubtfull and fearefull Whence then is ioy and full contentation How long could it last if a man had it The heathen shewed forth this instabilitie and vncertaintie of mans estate in their card-play and dice-play For these playes are nothing but a sportfull imitation of Gods prouidence vnder the names of chaunce and fortune with a wise disposing of those chances for the most good and least losse that fortune dealeth The best play so the best course hath oft times the worst euent and contrarily So chancefull changeable and vncertaine are all worldly things The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing The former comparise figured by a gradation Man can neither vtter by voyce nor by his owne obseruation perceiue nor by relation of others attaine to the depth of Gods wisedome in his workes nor yet of the corruption that is in them Although the wisest and most exercised in the contemplation of the creatures and humane affaires striue neuer so much to satisfie his curiositie in searching out the vnknowne paths of God in all things yet can he neuer finde it out nor comprehend in minde the firme foundation of God in such infinite contingencies casualties inconstancies appearances disparences courses and recourses of all things Yea the counsels of God are so deepe and his waies past finding out that man imagineth that there is no knowledge nor gouernement at all or that he swayeth great matters onely which maketh him so trust to his owne wisedome and prouidence and thereby to worke out this happinesse conceiued in his vaine minde Moreouer the frailety of all creatures in themselues and mischieuous dispositions one against another and all against man are infinite Euery thing is but a Lyon in the grate their obedience is outward compulsion not inward affection as in their creation But the frailty of mans body instabilitie of his estate the malice of his heart the wickednesse of his actions against God and man are wonderfull his inuentions are innumerable The wicked subtilties of a woman in insnaring the foolish and the madnesse of fooles is endlesse Salomon saith that hee could not comprehend it Chapter 7. God onely is able to deliuer a man The miseries troubles disquietnesse vexations of man in the best common-wealth are manifold and great Euery one is suspitious and afraid of other the hearts of men are so deceitfull their simulations and dissimulations so many their dispositions so variable All things are carried by extremity neither doth reason rule nor good affection moue And this is a common deceit in euery one in euery matter to make an alledgement shew of reason and good will when it is nothing but the awe of the Magistrate or some other compulsion or that one may make vse of another for the time In which case euery one loueth himselfe but neuer one another Mischiefe enuy and destruction is in the heart of euery one naturally And a politicke regiment is a grate for wilde beasts euery one hauing an habitation by himselfe and Lawes are iron chaynes for madde men If the chaynes were broken and the grate broken vp we should be as wilde beasts in a forrest How many headie beasts are there craftie Foxes subtle Serpents that by monie fauour and all deuices seeke to wrest and cracke these chaynes How many violent and moody beasts rushing against the sides of the grate making the house to shake in the parts and sometimes in the whole euer waiting watching wishing trying now and then to breake all open This is the qualitie of euery wilde thing in hold Surely if
case of religion their darke hearts neuer rightly conceiued what either extreames or middles were For this common meane is a mixture of light with darkenesse good with euill sweet with sowre wisedome with sensuality pretious with vile religion with carnality But such indifferences are hatefull and loathsome before God and vpright men This the Scriptures tearme folly and such wise ones fooles and hypocrites Matth. 23. Vnderstand therefore the deceitfulnesse of the heart and the delusion of Sathan euen that deepe sophistrie by which whole multitudes doe perish yea euen all except the very Elect For what is that common wisedome reason indifference honesty of men but a certaine mediocrity or meane mixt of linnen and woollen of sowre with sweet of religion with fleshly morality as though that all things religion and all should onely tend and ayme at a happy worldly state or glorifying of the flesh or outward man or to approach as neere to this marke as may be This was the sinne of Saul He did not aime at the sole glory of God but mingled the holy commandement and his owne lust euen his vaine-glory together He would not loose his owne glory in that triumph Therefore Samuel told him that hoe was become a foole 1 Sam. 13. 13. Such fooles were the Israelites 1 Kings 18. 21. and Exod. 31. 1. Such fooles were the Pharises Princes people of the Iewes The disciples being yet but rude and weake were tainted with this folly Ioh. 12. 22. Yet in them it was but infirmity because they were in Gods election and actually beleeued and followed him in sincerity Euery professour of the Gospel not inwardly renued by the spirit of sanctification is a foole but we must take heed of iudging and censuring For the worke of the spirit in the regenerate is not to make a mixture of heauenly carnall things but by mortification to sub due all things to himselfe euen to conuert the whole man inward and outward into spirit to bring euery thought and imagination euery word and worke into captiuity vnder Christ which is true wisedome and liberty So that whereas it is said that in state of grace we are partly flesh partly spirit in all our actions and affections it is not meant of mixture for where there is mixture there is no sound no sauing conuersion but the Foxe will to his kinde but that we are as the rusty Iron in the fire the menstruous or filthy rag in the fullers soap nay rather Lazarus dead in the graue into whom the soule being re-entred causeth motion of the spirits first in the heart than of the pulses and bloud then of a leg or arme c. till at length he be risen wholly out of the graue and at last brought to his former state of life and so is death ouercome of life But what this meaneth our common honest reasonable wise indifferent minded men neither will nor can conceiue For they know not through the hardnesse of their hearts that the ground of their Christian profession is the vtter denyall of themselues or the vtter destruction of the flesh and the best things thereof as enmity to the grace of Christ Rom. 8. 7. Phil. 3. 7. that they might be wholly in him and for him 1 Cor. 6. 19. 20. which is the maine scope of this present treatise of Solomon To redresse this beautifull but fundamentall euill let vs remember and lay to heart these two Texts of Scriptures The first is Dauids charge to Solomon his sonne 2 Chron. 28. 9. And thou my sonne Solomon know thou the God of they father and serue him with a perfect heart and willing minde for the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts The second is the ground and life of euery word and worke which maketh it acceptable in the sight of God Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne He that wanteth true faith shall perish euerlastingly whatsoeuer how great soeuer his workes be Lastly Solomon here confirmeth his experiments with the considerate and iudicious view thereof by the conscience of his sufficiency in wisedome and experience which is figured by a Prelepsis or preuention of an obiection thus It may be that thou hast not perfectly knowne the difference of wisdome and madnesse and folly and so hast not iudged and determined rightly of things and the vse thereof Ans I haue sufficiently knowne and tryed the truth of that which I haue spoken concerning these things and the vanity thereof This assertion is amplyfied by an argument of the Greater denyed No man can know or try more than I haue done The words are figured by a communication What can the man doe Haadam â— the greatest learnedest and most experienced for the demonstratiue article noteth eminence or excellence That commeth after the King This testimony of himselfe is confirmed by the dignity and excellency of his person King amplified by a comparison included in the demonstratiue article noting eminence hammelek the King the most excellent King As if he should say If Kings that haue power to get the knowledge and experience of things are to be beleeued then much more the most eminent King is sufficient to know trie and determine the truth of all this that hath beene saide therefore to be beleeued Verse 13. Then I saw that wisedome excelleth folly as farre as light excelleth darkenesse A Determination or censure vpon his iudicious reuiew of the two former wayes in the commendation of wisedome and dispraise of folly figured by a prolepsis thus Thou seemest to put no difference betweene wisedome and madnesse and folly in that thou canft finde no profit no content in any of them but onely vanity and vexation Ans Although that true felicity is not to be found in wisedome neither in the wisedome of this World nor in the literall knowledge of the Gospell yet it altogether excelleth folly yea is contrary to folly The proposition hee illustrateth by a comparison of things contrary Euen as light excelleth darkenesse not in degrees but in nature so doth wisedome excell folly not in degrees but in nature hauing no fellowship or communion with it but mortifieth it as light excelleth darkenesse and water extinguisheth fire By folly he meaneth the crooked actions and conuersation of wicked idiots and crafty colts vnaduised fooles and cunning fooles whose wisedome is worldly sensuall and diuellish Iames 3. 15. separated from all feare of God and grounds of naturall goodnesse and exercised in euill as Tamar saide to Amnon intising her to incest Thou shalt be a foole in Israel Such a foole as he here meaneth was Nabal Verse 14. The wise mans eyes are in his head but the foole walketh in darkenesse and I my selfe perceiued also that one euent happeneth to them all A Confirmation of his determination in the commendation of wisedome dispraise of folly and also a reuiew of the euent of wisedome and the wise The wise mans eyes are in his head The
Sodomites that all men may see what horrible filth lyeth in the heart of euery man which God restraineth for the preseruation of man-kinde for his Elect sake otherwise the Diuell is come downe and rideth vpon mans appetite The appetite multiplyeth it selfe infinitely For of all the millions of the liuing among whom the World is diuided euery one hath an appetite of all which sheweth it selfe in the vehemency and extreamity of mens striuings and aspirings higher and higher one roaring waue or billow beating forward another to ouerflow the banks and to conuert all into sea if God had not limited their line within which euery man is bounded when hee hath inhiated striuen and done what he can His might shall neuer be to his moode For God hath set hill against dale and contrarily But what the appetite of him that hath but one acre of ground to liue on and but one wife is in the nature and kinde thereof without outward restraint or inward grace and indeed both plainely appeareth by these two examples which may serue for all Therefore all the labour of man is for his body and bodily state but the appetite is not filled Moreouer if the bodily appetite should be satisfied with meate drinke apparrell with the delights of the sonnes of men and pleasures of the eyes and that the personall appetite were also satisfied with honor and Soueraignty which happened neither to Alexander nor to Heliogabalus nor to any naturall man yet cannot the soule be satisfied with infinite worlds For the food of the soule is not the world but God in the world The excellent beauty of Gods wisedome shining forth in all things enamoureth the soule with the loue thereof And the more that a man knoweth the more he thirsteth and longeth for knowledge But this appetite is not filled for it worketh on an infinite obiect which cannot be comprehended nor contained in the soule at least while it worketh by earthly organes So that neither Alexander nor yet his Master Aristotle nor Plato Aristotles Master could be satissied herewith Their appetites could not be stanched Hee that goeth about it maketh God an Idoll because he limiteth the infinite But if he be comprehended of any creature in heauen or earth then is he limited I conclude though the appetite of the body should be filled yet the appetite of man could neuer be filled Then full contentment or felicity is not to be found in this world nor by this world and the appetite that will not be filled with a little shall neuer be filled howsoeuer men commonly deceiue themselues thinking that if they had but this or that they would set vp their rest Yea euen as Diues would haue set vp his rest if he had gotten but one drop of water to quench his feruent thirst The truth is the more fuell the fire hath the more hot it burneth But the spirit of Christ is the water that cooles this heate and quencheth this thirst his body and blood satisfieth this hunger When the appetite the attractiue retentiue digestiue powers worke on this foode the other becommeth an excretion or expulsion But againe though we enioy Christ and the kingdome of glory by faith yet so long as we are here in the flesh wee haue not the full possession thereof 1. Ioh. 3. 1. and therefore desire to be with him 2 Cor. 5. 1. 2. To conclude Neither the appetite of the brutish man nor of the animall or carnall man nor of the spirituall man is here filled And what shal fill the vegetable man or locomotiue tree which desireth not meat drinke cloathing women children buildings c. Eccle. 4. 8. And yet is there none end of his labour Men now a dayes grow as thinne as Oakes begin to grow and all is filled with brutes and vnprofitable vegetables Verse 8. For what hath the wise more then the foole What hath the poore that knoweth to walke before the liuing A Confirmation of his former proposition concerning the insufficiency and weakenesse of earthly things to satisfie the appetite in their vse figured by a prolepsis and that by a Communication What can the wise man doe more with these worldly things then the foole And what can the rich man in all his abundance doe more with it then the poore doth without it The Hebrew is thus What more excellent or better thing by them is to the wise man then to the foole and what other thing is to the poore then to him that knoweth to walke before the liuing Then to him that can put forth himselfe put himselfe in prease make a shew or crackling noise carry a good account for doing good vnto himselfe Psal 49. 18. This I thinke the Hebrew directly intendeth Neither the wise man by his wisedome nor the rich man by his power strength and skill to order them for the best can doe more with them then bring their bodies to the ground in the full period of their times But this the foole and the poore doe as well as they andwhen they are all in the graue what difference is there of their bones And if there were any what is of their dust If the rich and the wise can do no more with them then the poore and the foolish then is there no strength in riches to full contentation or felicity Verse 9. Better is the sight of the eyes then the wandring of the desire This is also vanity and vexation of spirit AN amplification of the former reason further figured by another prolepsis thus Seeing that God hath giuen the earth and worldly goods to men for the sustenance and pleasures of the body they are a blessing and tokens of his loue and the beholding of them with the eye affordeth some contentment and satisfieth the desire of the soule And although perfect happinesse consisteth not therein yet it is much better then a wandring desire which longeth after many things and wanteth necessaries which the body naturally calleth for and prouoketh a man to seeke for though he would neuer so much inforce himselfe to restfull contentation He that hath a good competency and sufficiencie to cheere his body with comfortable things and to liue in good account and credit among the better sort is of a more stayed desire and hath loy in himselfe aboue him that hath lesse and is alwayes wishing complaining crauing c. Ans Be it so yet in these things that he possesseth there is vanity and vexation of spirit There is no soundnesse but rottennesse Misery may be mitigated but it can neuer be cured Verse 10. That which hath beene is named already and it is knowne that it is man neither may he contend with him that is mightier than hee A Confirmation of his iudgement or censure deliuered in his former briefe answere This is also vanity c. by two arguments The former whereof is drawne from the notation of mans name That which hath beene whatsoeuer it is for outward respects is already named
of men so much differing as light from darkenesse heauen from hell there should be made no difference in the dispensation of worldly things as though there were neither wisdome nor iustice in the world but plaine chance and blinde fortune seruing all alike Yea also the heart of the sonnes of men is full of euill c. A continuation of the comparison figured by a Climax or gradation As it is a most vaine and grieuous thing that the same euent should be to all men so doth this aggrauate their miserie that the hearts of men all the time of their life are full of griefe sorrow wrath enuy angu sh â—eare despaire euen a lumpe of miseries vexing and tormenting the whole body and breaking forth into incurable madnesses and follies to the disquieting and vexing one of another and then after all to be buried and roâ—te in the earth and to consume iâ—tâ— slime and dust as though they neuer were or had any being in the world This is a thing most vaine and grieuous to bee thought that of a vaine life there should be a more vaine end yea that life and death should be nothing but a crackling nothing sodainely vanishing Vers 4. For to him that is ioyned to all the liuing there is hope for a liuing Dogge is better then a dead Lion A Reason why that death augmenteth this grieuous vanitie For to him that is ioyned to all the liuing c. The Hebrew is Ki mi a sher jebuchar quia vter sit qui eligatur First because whether of them he be that is chosen that is to say whether the iust or the vniust he that maketh conscience of his wayes or he that liueth in his lusts be approued of thee whose wayes and maner of life thou best likest and most followest when he is dead there is an end of all and vse of all both good and euill But to him that is yet remayning amongst the liuing there is euer still some pleasing hope and delightfull expectation of better things to the contentation of a mans minde As he hath a present fruition of good things so hath hee still an hope of more and if of euill things as crosses and troubles dabit Deus his quoque finem they shall haue an end and the remembrance of euills past shall affect the minde in time to come I know not with what delight The remembrance and relation of things past euen of troubles and dangers delight the aged as a desire of hearing seeing and looking into the world tickleth the young that are vnexperienced For the world promiseth to the young man great matters it putteth them in great and proude hopes but it performeth I know not what â—t beateth him home that will needes rauen and range He therefore that hath euaded out of many dangers and euills is better then he that knoweth not the difference Therefore to the liuing there is still a feeding hope of a better condition in this inexhaust treasure-house of the variable world replenished with innumerable blessings and benefits of all sorts For a liuing Dogge is better than a dead Lion The former speach is figured heere by a prouerbiall sentence He that is but poore and of meane estate is better then the man of authoritie strength wealth and honour that is dead who hath lost the societie of the liuing the good things and pleasures of this life whatsoeuer they be or howsoeuer mixed and is cut off from all hopes and ioyfull complacence in the fruition of things desired Verse 5. For the liuing know that they shall die but the dead know not any thing neither haue they any more a reward for the memorie of them is forgotten A Reason why that the poore man liuing is better then the corpse of the noble For the liuing know that they shall die They know that they cannot alwayes liue here but while they liue they enioy the blessings of God here which all men do desire and in hope and possibilitie the poore man yet liuing enioyeth all things For God sheweth forth many examples of exalting and humbling that the meanest may hope and the greatest may feare For they rise and fall by him not by themselues The carelesse oft times attaineth to great wealth and the wrestling niggard commeth to pouertie but neither of them can describe how Likewise the remembrance of death doth put them in mind of their end and their account to refraine from euill and to prepare themselues to die in ioy and comfort by purging their hearts and consciences more and more through daily renouation of faith and repentance For which cause a man at the point of death desireth to liue but one houre longer thinking himselfe for that better then him that is dead alreadie the lifting vp of his heart and hands once more giueth great contentment to him and if after that he is dead in the iudgement of his friends he reuiue againe but to looke vp on them and to speake two or three words it giueth them wonderfull satisfaction But the dead is depriued of all There is no knowledge of any thing in the graue no more hope no repentance Neither haue they any more a reward They can adde nothing further to themselues in any respect neither can any good thing more be hoped for being cut off from all possibilities Againe as the time of labour is here so is the meanes of reward here as he here worketh so shall his reward be increased as he soweth so shall he reape in this world and in the world to come For the memorie of them is forgotten Whatsoeuer they haue said and done here though they haue striuen to draw all eyes and eares after them alone yet now is there not any thought of them but they are as though they had neuer bene borne into the world in respect of the liuing Both their future hopes and their glorie past is vanished away as smoake in the aire as the bodie into dust and dust into the winde which disperseth it all ouer the earth and the waters Verse 6. Also their loue and their hatred and their enuie is nâ—w perished neither haue they any more a portion for euer in any thing that is vnder the Sunne AN amplification by an enumeration of some particulars Also their loue and their hatred c. These words are to be taken actiuely whether in the good or euill sence thus Their loues kindnesses liberalities one towards another their feastings and reioycings one with another c. for which they were praised and extolled of men here is perished Their hatred opposition contention reuenge their glorie in ouerthrowing and vanquishing their aduersaries which also is a blessing promised to the godly though the godly glorie not herein carnally as the wicked do but as the wicked are enemies first to the Lord and to them for the Lord. In this sence the Saints in heauen reioyce at the vengeance of the wicked which persecute he Church and waite for the
contempt any thing is enough for a Priest they must want necessaries in their greatest labours as the Israelites did in Egypt But Bel and Iezebel lay Impropriators aresuperfluous enough but wherein they sinne therein shall they be punished let all men obserue how they prosper or whether he depriue them of his grace at least of continuance of temporall blessings as they with-hold his coate from him and share it among them Let I say euery man of wisdome note this and then tell me how many escape vengeance Ministers must worke on the weeke day for necessary food to make their title of Gentlemen ridiculous earne with great pains the other halfe of their gowne if they can and spend their strength on the Sabbath day while greedy Bel is all for his body to make it fat and shining and Iezebel for the shew yet they sit with bookes in their hands as in Ezechiels time they can reade and talke to pride in their wits their talking is but the crackling of thornes vnder a pot For the one taketh away the Ministers food to giue it to dogs and feed horses and for voluptuous liuing and the other plucks off his coate to further the beautifying of a carrion-Idoll But if he will please Bel and admire Iezebel for she lookes about to see who lookes on her then he shall be allowed somewhat the crummes vnder their table a dinner or a supper to see and praise their finenesse and to be blinded with Marthaes courtesie Bel and Iezebel are the moderators and censurers of his Sermons if the style and phrase be right that is nothing to the purpose the good seruant shall enter into the ioy of his maister and mistresse Stat fixum the corpse is the Idoll that now must be adored and glorified The Priest must stoupe and yeeld his necke why because the Frier domineered Is there no difference betweene staring and starke mad Stulti dum vitant vitia in contraria currunt tandem coincidunt As good the Frier as the Atheist as good Baal still as the Calues of Bethel and Bel as good the better extreame as the worse if we must needs be in extreames as good and better Superstition then Atheisme If we beate the diuell out at the fore doore and let him in at the backe doore what are we the better There must be a Iudas and an Antichrist euen so must there be an Atheist that can vse the Scripture politickly or Turklike frame a religion and conscience to himselfe according to his lusts out of all opinions For that he will bee a Papist for this a Puritan for that a Brownist for this an Anabaptist or Familist c. and for all a foole and a beast But time and chance commeth to them all The time of rising falling aduancement deiection fauour disgrace plentie scarcitie c come to all euen to the wisest and most prouident according to the appointment of God in his prouidence whose wayes and meanes of effecting his workes are vnsearchable The old world knew not their time of visitation Sodome knew not her time Ierusalem knew not her time Babylon knew not her time the Whore of Babylon knoweth not her time till she be troden vnder foote as dung neither shall the last end of the world know their time And as it is in visitations and indgements so is it also in mercies and deliuerances that men might hereby be taught to feare God and depend wholly on him And chance commeth to them all It is chance in respect of vs who are ignorant of causes and improuident not in respect of God who doth all his workes in wisedome according to the eternall counsell of his will and from whom no secret is hid himselfe being the orderer euen of all euill secrets to his owne glory and good of his elect Therefore to God there is nothing chancefull or sudden but to vs all things are vncertaine and chance bringeth to passe such effects as by all our owne strength and wisedome could neuer haue bene effected yea oft times what we by our silly wisedome and insufficient strength are plodding about chance notably effecteth Yet are we not to despise the meanes and gifts of God no more then the husbandman neglecteth the times tooles and meanes of earing and reaping But we are hereby taught that although a man hath all gifts and meanes yet he must commit the blessing and successe thereof to God Verse 12. For man also knoweth not his time as the fishes that are taken in an euill net and as the birds that are caught in the snares so are the sons of men snared in an euill time when it falleth suddenly vpon them A Confirmation or reason of the former example of induction For man also knoweth not his time These words seeme to be a comparison from the equals Man is so farre from hauing any power or command of himselfe in the things aforesaid that he knoweth not what shall happen to him in any time day or houre no more then other creatures This he illustrateth by a similitude the protasis or proposition whereof is double As the fishes are taken in an euill net and as the birds that are caught in the snare the apodosis or redition So are the sonnes of men snared in an euill time The fishes in their kinds are wise and prouident suspitious and cautelous dreading many euils and auoiding many dangers For as they are cunning to insnare and deuoure one another so are they subtill to preuent euils and defend themselues and to prouide and gather foode for the preseruation of their kinde The like may bee also saide of birds But whereas all things are vnder the power and dominion of man created for his seruice and therefore hath also vnderstanding and knowledge giuen him to serue himselfe of the creatures though they be high in the aire aboue him and deepe in the waters beneath him and farre in the forrest from him all out of his reach giuing him as it were the farewell and bidding defiance to him as being in their owne power and hauing nothing to do with him nor he with them as they imagine yet can they not escape his hand nor auoide his power because the decrre must stand Gen. 1. 28. Be fruitfull and replenish the earth and subdue it and haue dominion ouer the fish of the sea and ouer the fowle of the aire and ouer euery liuing thing that moueth on the earth Therfore cannot that which is in the depth of the aire nor in the height of the seas nor in the far corners of the wildernesse nor that buildeth in rockes and tops of trees nor that is hidden in the thicke bushes and hollow trees nor that lurketh in dens and caues of the earth nor which is bedded in the mud and rootes of flags nothing can escape his nets grins hookes bates but they are taken vnawares they know not how nor by whom they willingly runne their heads into the net their feete into
dreame and as but a dreame And so doth olde age wonder at the change of the world hee longeth after the former generation and desires to be dead All is vanity vexation and wearinesse But the yong generation thinketh not so Their endeuors expectations and hopes are strong and possible but the aged despaireth and sorroweth and is vexed to see vanities and foolish presumptions To conclude that which to his youth was a pleasure is to his age a paine that which was a delight is a wearinesse and anger and the Pallace is but a prison house Verse 2. While the Sunne or the Light or the Moone or the Starres be not darkened nor the Cloudes returne after the raine HEere hee beginneth the particular description of olde age drawing it out in liuely shape and colours to represent it to the eyes of the young men that being now young hee may see himselfe olde before his eyes And this he doth allegorically by manifold similitudes drawne from common and vsuall things continually obuious to the eies and eares the more firmely to fixe it in the memorie to the end that considering the shortnesse of time and weakenesse of age and certainty of death hee might the more diligently and carefully bâ—stirre him to his worke and in his worke euen doing good while time serueth to finish his worke before Sune-set to inne his fruits before winter While the Sunne or the Light c. quasi dicat before the sight of thine eyes be dimme through the weaknesse of the spirites drinesse of the sinewes and humour of the eyes and through vapours which arising out of the body into the head through coldnesse of the braine are clouded into rheume which trickleth downe the nose and eyes and being done away quickely returneth agayne as cloudes after raine in a moist season and waters into an emptyed fountaine which causeth olde age to weare his napkin at his girdle to keepe his head and feete warme that colde strike not vp into his head and being there may not congeale but euaporate forth through the poares and seames of the head and for the same purpose to weare a cloth about his necke to keepe the poares open that the vapours may there breake forth quâ— data porta ruant to preuent head-ach tooth-ach joynt-ach rheume in the eyes nose c. The ayre to aged eyes seemeth duskie and mistie and the Sunne wadeth as the Moone in a foggie euening and the Starres are out of sight Let the ouer-shadowing cloudes drisling miâ—â—es thicke fogges watrish ayre dewing moisture dropping of trees in a mist the dullnesse of the darke day the sluggishnesse of the rainie day the dropping of the eaues the siping through of waters into the house put vs in minde of the irkesomnesse and annoyances of olde age and to doe our dueties while wee haue the vse of our sight which once failing wee are disabled from innumerable things wherein we might be profitable to man gainfull to God and furtherers of our saluation Verse 3. In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselues and the grinders cease because they are few and those that looke out of the windowes be darkened By the Keepers of the house are meant the hands The hand sayth Aristotle is the organ of organes or instrument of instruments For whereas other members haue their seuerall offices the office of the hand is manifold and generall seruing all the rest The body is an house or city or kingdome in it selfe the king or chiefe ruler is the head the hands are the keepers or guard Euery creature hath his weapons for defence man hath his hands his hands are all weapons euen as he is a little world What all particular creatures can doe with their weapons that can hee doe with his hands yea what suttleties or meanes of getting foode is in them all is in him humano more When the keepers of the house shall tremble that is with the palsie caused of cold binding or of heate consuming or of humors stopping the sinewes And the strong men shall bow themselues When the thighs shal be weake standing loose in the bases or sockets of the knees the spirit languishing the sinews withring the bloud setling and thickning in the veines as riuers in the drought of summer For strength is attributed to the bones thighs or legges Psal 147. 10. He delighteth not in the strength of an horse he taketh not pleasure in the legges of a man Old mens knees buckle or bend forward like an elbowe through the weakenesse of their joynts and sinewes as drunkards goe staggeringly when they are top-heauy nimio solutus Iaccho and their sinewes dissolued and heat euaporated with loud talking vehement contending and much drinke And the grinders cease that is when the tâ—eth are worme-eaten or moskered or mildered away or stand wedshodde in slimie humour standing like weather-beate stakes and mosâ—e begrowne rootes hollow and stumpie falling out one after another as the cogges of a mill worne thinne and narrow at the toppe or else rotten in the roote which partly are troublesome to the aged and partly they are afraid to break those odde straglers remayning And those that looke out at the windowes be darkened That is the eyes which are as ones head looking out at an hole or window the body is an house or tower the eye-holes are windowes through which the soule looketh out into the Cittie of the world The eyes of the aged are like an olde dustie window Verse 4. And the doores shall be shut in the streetes when the sound of the grinding is low and hee shall rise vp at the voice of the bird and all the daughters of musicke shall be brought low BY doores is meant the lips The wind-pipe is the entry the mouth is the doore-gate the lips are the two-leafed doore of the heart or soule as our Sauiour saith Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Euill thoughts come out of the heart passing by the entry of the throate through the doore The lips of old people are often pendulons and tremulous they keep them shut to stay the daily distillation of rheume neither haue they what to speake among strong men because their vnderstanding and memory faileth them they are testie morose cholericke and passionate their voice is weake and breath short and the state of all things is so altered since they were yong that they cannot tell what to thinke or say Children and olde men are neither Counsellours nor Actors the one committeth both these to the elder 1. King 3. 7. 9. the other to the yonger 2. Sam. 19. 35. 37. The strength of the one is to come the other is gone When the sound of the grinding is low because the teeth stand thin or loose or moskerd at the roote or that they are fallen out and he cheweth with his gummes and the grinding cannot be heard And he shall rise vp at the noise of