foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in destruction perdition for the loue of monie is the roote of all euill which while some haue lusted after they haue erred from the faith and haue pearced themselues through with many sorrowes I say if a man be thoroughly persuaded in his hart that there is no profite of the trauaile vnder the Sunne he shal be frée from this daunger that all worldlings be in Let vs sée the proufes One generation passeth away and another generation commeth c. Here wee haue the first reason by which hee proueth that a man hath no profite of all his trauaile wherin he trauaileth vnder the sunne and ye sée it is drawen from the estate which man is in He is mortal his dayes are fewe his continuance is short vpon the earth for he hath but the time of his generation he geueth place and neuer returneth againe but another generation succéedeth Finally his estate is more vaine then the estate of other creatures as it is set forth by comparison in the verses following Therefore there remayneth to him no profite of al his sore trauaile wherin he trauaileth vnder the sunne Brethren we know it is in all mens mouthes we are mortall we must die there is no remedie we must make our bed and lie downe in the darke we haue but our time here Againe where shall we finde that foole which looketh to haue any portion after he is dead of all the thinges which are wrought vnder the Sunne Is there any which is perswaded he shall come againe to looke vppon his workes to take pleasure in them Doeth he thinke that his riches shal féed him or cloath him any more Doubtles we all know we must tarie here but a time and then death will cut vs off We are fully perswaded that we shall neuer haue vse of any thing which we possesse here How doeth it then come to passe that cleane contrarie vnto this their knowledge men set their heartes vppon this world and looke for profite by their labours There is somewhat that doeth seduce men and quench the light of this knowledge or els how could it be thus In déede there be diuers thinges which doe seduce men and quench the light of this knowledge so that although they know they be mortal yet can they not sée that this is a sufficient argument to proue that all their trauaile for earthlie things is to no profite but they set their heart vpon them and couet them as gréedelie as if they should liue vpon y e earth foreuer I will note vnto you somewhat which doeth make men â—â—d euen against their knowledge Here is one great cause that such a thicke darke miste doeth compasse men round about that they cannot sée a farre of but euen at â—and They be not able â—o behold eternity and to looke vpon that which continueth for â—uer â—â—d that doeth make them estéeme this world as if it were all in all Ten thousand yeres in respect of eternitie are but a momeÌ„t and as nothing if we could wel discerne and iudge aright And behold what account man maketh of thréescore and ten they be euen as a worlde vnto him For these and about these for to maintain his estate in them he bendeth all the powers of his minde applyeth all his studies and indeuoures laboureth toyleth and vexeth him selfe marueylously like a foole Then we sée that this naturall sparke of light wherby men doe perceiue they must after certain yeres die and depart from all their labours is not sufficient to make theÌ„ wise nor deliuer them because they are compassed about with darkenes most miserable which causeth them to erre and goe out of the way as much as if there were no sparke of knowledge at all in y e mind It is farre more easie and possible for a man to sée cléerly twenty mile with his bodily eyes through the thickest mist then with all the light of nature to looke beyond this world Here come the great wise men of the world to be fooles for with all the light of understanding which they haue they â—e not able to looke any further but vpon â—he riches and glory of this world They â—an not be perswaded that a man shall receiue no profite of all his labour because hée shall die It is not within the â—oÌ„passe of their vew to looke vpon things eternall to valew them and from them â—o descend to the things present and by comparison to find that the glory of this worlde though it were for ten thousand yéeres is vtterly vaine and hath no profite in it I say they be not able to doo this without speciall grace to méete with this and to recouer men from such folly Solomon vseth a comparison betwéene man and other creatures by which it appeareth that besides this that he is mortall his estate is the most vaine and transitorie of many other The earth that is â—nmoueable and standeth for euer One generation of men doth succéede another and for a little time as it were play their part vpon it as vpon a stage some hath â— longer part then other but none passeth his generation What is the life of one man coÌ„pared with the continuance of the earth therâ— be other creatures as the Sunne thâ— winde and the waters whose estate serueth to be vnconstant but yet man is noâ— to be compared with them for they returne againe into their former place hâ— passeth away and doth neuer returne any more The Sunne ariseth saith hée the Sunne goeth downe and hasteth tâ— his place againe Where it did arise thâ— win de goeth toward the South and compasseth about to the North compassing compassing about goeth the winde thâ— winde returneth by his circuites Aâ—â— flouds runne into the sea and yet the seâ— is not filled to the place whether y e floud runne from thence they spéedily returnâ— Touching the Sunne and the winde there is no difficultie we all sée they returne againe to their former estate buâ— this last of the waters néedeth exposition They be often displaced but they makâ— hast againe vnto their owne place as wâ— as the sunne and the winds but not sâ— apparantly But if we marke what thâ— Scripture teacheth we shall sée it In thâ— creation of the world God set the waters in two places Gen. 1. The waters vnder the firmament he layd vpon heapes and called them Seas The waters aboue the firmament he hath hanged alost in the clowdes these he carieth all ouer the worlde causeth them to drop downe and to water the earth They drop down in great plentie part of them fléete into vallies make a floud and with all spéede runne into the sea Another part sinke into the ground where they by little and little by drayning méete together and by hollow vaines of the earth from hillâ—s and mountaines breake foorth in springs and make riuers These also though a little stayed after their fellowes runne into
This would doo them much good they should not be drowned and swalowed vp in earthly cares and pleasures Now he cōmeth to the other part I turned saith he to behold wisdome and madnesse and follie It may be demaunded did he not behold wisdome before comparing her with madnesse and follie why doeth he then now turne to behold her againe He did behold wisdome before and did search her out by her selfe found much indignation and sorrow Now he doeth behold what commoditie he receiued by her beyng mixed with delights she guiding his hart through pleasures And because he speaketh of euery thing so resolutely before he doo procéede any further he preuenteth an obiection for it might be said who is Solomon that we should stand to his sentence is his experience so perfect aboue all others To this he maketh answere what shall the man doo which shall follow the king that is which will search out matters which he hath searched And he addeth euen that which they haue doone alreadie But the phrase of the Hebrew tongue doth beare to say euē that which is doone already As if he should say let any man what soeuer he be vnder heauen take vpon him to follow me and to make triall in any one thing he shall not go beyond me he shal doo no more then I haue already doone When he saith who is the man it is to shewe that he is not to be found All kings princes rich and wise men in the earth ioyning together can not match him God made him euen for the purpose such as hée neuer made any before nor after him Then I saw saith he that there is profit in wisdome more then in follie as there is profit in light more then in darknesse The wise mans eyes are in his head but the foole walketh in the darke He shewed before that to take delight in his trauaile his hart beyng guided in wisdome had some commoditie in it but yet all vanitie it was but his portion for the present time So now he declareth that he did also find profit in wisdome being thus tempered neuerthelesse all is but vanitie as he sheweth by reasons But first sée how he doth lay open the commoditie of wisdome aboue follie by a comparison It is so much more beneficiall and good as the light is aboue the darkenesse compare then these two the light and the darknesse and ye haue the difference of the other It is not in euery mans power to match wisdome and follie together for how shall men iudge of that which they know not nor neuer saw they are acquainted with follie but wisdome is hid from them For this cause he giueth a rule which is common All men can tell what profit there is in light aboue darknesse And hee sheweth that thereby wee may take a iust measure what profit there is in wisdome more then in follie when he saith it is as in the light aboue the darkenesse Well then let vs hold vs to the rule which he giueth to take the true measure and to scanne this matter withall because there is no man that possesseth wisdome but some hath one péece and some an other more then the common sort But we inioy the light and are depriued thereof eftsoones by the darke this is common to the foole and to the wise He that walketh in the light doth not stumble for it sheweth him his way He that goeth in the darke knoweth not whether he goeth he steppeth into the ditch The light is comfortable and sheweth vnto a man many chéerefull and delightsome things Darkenesse is dolefull and vncomfortable couering the bewtie of all goodly things when a man is in the middest of them By the light men sée to order their worke and doo it well In the darke they cā doo nothing but marre that they take in hand We sée that the eyes are y e light of the bodie they be placed aboue in the head as in a watch to wer and so behold round about and a farre of If there be any good to be gotten they shew where the way lieth toward it If any daunger approch they tell how to shunne and auoid the same To this he cōpareth the wisdome of the wise whē he saith the wise mans eyes are in his head but he likeneth a foole to a blind man the foole saith he doth walke in darknesse Then we may sée his minde is this a wise man touching y e matters of this world for he speaketh here but of the worldly wisdome which can sée no iotte beyond worldly affaires hath his skill and knowledge for a light euen as y e eies be in a mans head The benefit hereof is such that it ordreth all his waies He doth eschew dangers mischiefs inconueniences and euery hurtfull thing He procureth cōmodities on all sides He hath delight pleasure in the worke of his hands The foole is blind if he haue not one which hath eies to lead him falleth into the ditch on euery side he dasheth his head against euery post he wrappeth himselfe among bushes and briers and is rent and torne If he struggle out he is neuer the néere because he is by and by in new dangers Thus we may sée what is the prosite of wisdome aboue follie Let vs note here then first that Solomon doeth not condemne humane wisdome but commendeth it as a thing profitable when it is rightly vsed as conteyning it selfe within the compasse of worldly matters For when she medleth with heauenly spirituall thinges she is aboue her reach shée doth steppe out of her owne shop though she be as a cléere eye for this present world yet for heauenly things shée is starke blinde and a very madde bedlem condemning the wisdome of God spirituall mysteries to be follie because they agrée not with her Let vs also marke in this place that it is little maruaile though the wise men of this world make wonderfull account of their wisdome they take pleasure in the commodities which they reape thereby They laugh slilie to sée others in the briers and plagued through their follie But this is aboue their skill and herein they erre that when a man for to kéepe a good cōscience falleth into dāgers miseries in this world they iudge him a foole Al their wisdom is to kéep this world the losse of it they estéem madnes It is far of frō the wisdome of flesh bloud to teach a mā to deny himself to renounce y e world and to take vp his crosse And this is the only way vnto true blessednesse For the sonne of God said that such as will be his disciples must doo that Math. 16. The great wise men of this world whose wisdome doeth abound and ouerflow euen as the waters in the sea delighting in the excellencie of things present doo together with the foolish hate and persecute extremely Christes true disciples For the wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God
is to bee estéemed from our disposition how rude how vnreuerent how vnmannerly our hearts be when we speake to the Lord. We dore not in such sort speake vnto an earthly prince no noâ— to a man of meane worship But to auoide this rudenes and to come with due reuerence yea euen with feare and trembling before so high a Maiestie hée willeth each man not to be rash with his mouth nor to let his heart make haste to vtter a thing before God where reuerence is set a part of him to whoÌ„ he speaketh a man dooth hastely and rashly babble whatsoeuer commeth into his mind But when he doth carrie great reuereÌ„ce hee doeth not speake but with feare and treÌ„bling aduisedly waying whatsoeuer he doeth vtter When we come to speake vnto y e God of glory how wicked a thing is it to come vnreuerently and yet men doe it and as boldly as it were to come before the meanest man vpoÌ„ earth Nay there is no man would take it well but thinke he were mocked and despised as a foole if men should speake so vnto him as they do vnto God It is true that there be some outward signes of reuerence as knéeling or vowing which is méete but God doth looke vpon the hart They babble and vtter wordes with their mouth which they vnderstand not or speaking them their mind is vpon other matters This is a foule contempt of Gods maiestie a sinne which shall be punished with the vengeance of eternall â—re He that is rash with his mouth doeth let his hart make hast to speake vnto God doeth not reuerence his glorious maiestie and yet ye sée how such blind grosse hypocrites doo glory in their vaine babbling euen when they know not what they say Let vs coÌ„sider beloued how to eschew this euill how shall a man frame himselfe that he may not vnaduisedly rashly speake vnto God but with reuerence which is due yea with feare trembling I will shew ye First consider déepely of that he saith God is in heauen Consider I say what a great and glorious God hee is His maiestie and power are aboue the heauens He is iust holy and good a hater of all iniquitie and vncleannesse the fountaine and giuer of all good things louing to the faithfull and a most terrible God to the wicked Then looke vpon thy selfe remember that he saith here thou art vpon earth Thou art weake base sinfull and miserable What art thou to come before him how wilt thou speake vnto him wherein shalt thou be regarded consider thine vnworthinesse cast downe thy selfe in humilitie with y e sense and féeling of thy sins and beggerlinesse Looke what he doeth promise to giue craue it earnestly with stedfast faith and with a groning spirite Not thus when they come to speake vnto God are rashe foolish they imagine that the very babling of words is a seruice of God and as the blind Papistes thought if a man did one day say more then his ordinarie stint God was in his debte and wée sée how the foolish pardons are granted from the bishop of Rome with condition that a man shall say ouer seuen or ten Aue Maries and so many Pater nosters Solomon giueth warning to beware of this Be not rash with thy mouth neither let thy heart make hast to vtter a thing before God To performe this there is néede of déepe meditation before a man pray the vnskilfull and vntaught in Gods holy word can not meditate any thing but corruptly and after the rotten braine of flesh and bloud in vaine imagination and therefore they can not pray aright they cast forth their words and desires vnaduisedly they come rudely before God because they know not him nor yet themselues By his heauenly word the Lord doth reueale himselfe vnto vs by the knowledge and light thereof we behold his glory we are caried vnto a wonderment and admiration of his excellencie we reuerence him we tremble before him As by the worde we behold God that in him is life and all good things so by the same wée sée and know our selues that we be very corruption miserie we be poore naked and void of all good things He is the bottomles fountaine of holines life and ioy if we will haue ought we must draw it from him This may lead vs to humilitie to hunger thirst for his heauenly gifts hunger and thirst be such things as no man can endure but will spéedily crie out for reliefe The hungrie and thirstie soule doth make as great hast vnto God and doth vehemently crie out to be refreshed such doth God call for such onely doth he heare all other doo not pray but babble The prophet Iesay chapt 55. doth in the name of the Lord proclaime Come to the waters all that be a thirst The blessed virgin in her song saith that he filleth the hungrie with good things and the rich he sendeth away emptie Those be called rich which féele not their miserie And Christ saith Come vnto mée all yée that trauaile and be heauy laden and I will refresh ye Math. 11. Againe by the word of the Lord we sée what he hath promised vs. For we must aske according to his will and not after our owne fantasies destres we must also aske in faith not wauer or else we shall receiue nothing Iam. 1. Which can not be but where we haue his promise wée must giue him thankes and praise with vnfained harts All this is to be done as he willeth in fewe words for it followeth after he had said God is in heauen and thou art vpon the earth therfore let thy words be few The faithful soule doth crie continuallie vnto God for being in continuall néede it watcheth vnto prayer But yet the words are fewe On the other side the blinde and foolish as our Sauiour sheweth Mat. 6. vse many words much babbling and vaine repetitions for which they thinke to be heard They wish and desire euen as their blinde fantasie doeth leade them they speake they knowe not what they multiplie words vpoÌ„ words babbling vpon babbling supposing that they do a great good thing to please God We are warned ye sée to take héede of such rashnes What are now all the prayers the vowes and thanks geuing of the Popish Church What is all the babbling of long prayers either publike or priuate where the word of the Lorde is not opened to the people Can they haue those former things which I noted Is it possible that they should not be rash in speaking vnto God They think if they haue tumbled ouer their stinte and full number of prayers all is well they laye on tongue they cannot tell what neither doo they much care their heart is blind and wicked When they haue cast behinde their backes the word of the Lord haue filled themselues with lustes and vayne pleasures forgetting God yet they must for fashion sake haue halfe an