THE CHIEF MARK OF ALL The holy Scriptures.
SVNDRY wayes doth our heavenly father draw vs vnto the Kingdome of his sonne: But Man created of God plain wilbe searching out many conceites, to his owne over throw: by the sleight of Satan: as the Angels that kept not their place, fell to ruine. They being created the first day: & hearing the voice of God which dwelleth in light that none can come too; saw that the frame of the world was not for Spirites vse: the Sphaeres in their wonderfull greatnes & swiftenes: the starres in theyr most beawtifull order: the vapours, windes, & cloudes in most wise peise, the plantes, foules, fishes, beastes, all these benefite not the Angels. But after the making of all these, the holy trinity consulteth for making man, in iustice & plain holynes, & maketh his body of the earth: that all thinges may serve his vse: the starres, the Elementes, the plantes & all live thinges. And God doth breath into him a soule immortall, full of life, which might have kept the body allwayes alive: & sheweth vnto Angels mans wisdome, in that he nameth all beastes with termes defining theyr nature, & maketh a woman outo ef his side, & giveth them dominion over the Earth: and g tivth his Angels charge over them, to attend vpon them, & to kepe them. But one part mislikeh this charge, & by that rebellion extinguish their owne light, & lose their owne glory, & find misery vnrecoverable: & seke leave to try man, whether he can be deceaved, to [Page 2] cast of the obedience of God, & prevaileth, & bringeth them to death of the soule, & losse of that light which wold have kept the body alive for ever: & into sinne that draweth eternall woe vpon it. And this disobedience being wroght quickly the first day of man, brought all the world vnder corruption: and greved still the holy spirit, & his Angels. But then further counsell is shewed: that the ETERNALL Son of God will take Humanity of Eves Sede: and to him the world is subiectea, till an vncorruptible new world be made. But Satā withdrew belefe from this poinct; & rules as Prince of the darkenes of this world, so as it is hard for Adams Sonnes borne in sinne & blindnes extreme, to hold this world cursed: vvhich yet all serveth mans vse: and to hope for a world vnvisible, for the soule leaving this life: & of a new vvorld for the body & soule. Seing Adam cared not for Gods charge, being yet in life & Lordship, & beleeved not the word of him who spake & all thinges had theyr beynge: So the Sonnes of Adam will hardly beleve that the King of Glory must die to give life: and to lighte Adam by faith to life: and arise to raise Adam: and leave this world, to shew hope of an other world. Experience teacheth vs how far this is from vs.
To this none can come vnlesse the Father draw him. Yet Gods grace in governement condemneth all for not layng hand vpon this grace, and for not craving of grace truly so to doe. Now to shew that by death life should come, in Paradise a beast is killed: and with the skinne, our Parentes be clothed: and fyer from Heaven burneth the carcase: and the next day is appointed for a rest to meditate, on this: to whom able to governe, the creature [Page 3] is subiected: who by resting the Sabath in the graue: vvhich fell out after 39 60. yeares, fully endeth the Sabath, & rising vvith the light the first day, brings light vnto the vvorld: as in day, for death, his passion vvas fitted to Adams day & time of fall & sentence, against him. Thus redēption vvas taught: & anger by a curse pronounced to come by the flood. Novv Cains murther of Abel, sheweth what poyson Satan breathed into Eves soule to beare such a sonne: & further, Cains sonnes appeare bad in making Gods of starresTheir life & maners & contēpt of God [...]ob sette h forth: vvi [...]h their destruction▪ made to serve man: defying their Lord that made the world for them: & deifiing the creatures, to lose the creatour and creatures: vvhen the flood vvashed their bodies away: and their soules ascend to Gods Throne to have from it & before it, eternall flames. Yet then Christ shevved in Noah, how all beastes & Elementes & heavens obeyed him. Againe, they are told that Christ shall arise from Sem to be a King of iustice & peace. And, that, when the heathen receave the promesse, Iapheth his sonnes shall have the chiefest continuance of grace: And Noes families be named; & the Prophetes shew their nationes & stories with Gods people. That matter is expounded by the Prophetes, speaking still of the first families.
But now they make the sad blessing a skoph: and build a proud tower for worship to starres. Then GOD devided all their tongues, that they should no more heare his truth: to plead foolishly against it. And two thousand yeares all Heathen estranged from GOD perished for ever & ever. And in short speches to Abraham, he foretelleth, that of him one shall come that shall bless all nationess: & sheweth his death, & recouery from death in Isaak offred neare death, [Page 4] but only by Gods voice, reserved, as by a resurrection: & that Iacobs sonnes should not worship starres above, or any thing on earth, they are starres in Iosephs dreame: & precious stones in Aarons Brest lap, or Care of iudgement. And to shew what iustice God required, they have plain Lawes of perfect Equity: with a curse to all that kepe not every one: that men might know how sinne aboundeth: & to the poore in spirit the redeemer is declared in mysteries that the prophane should not skoff: yet plainly to such as mark how Adam & Abraham heard of him: & life of the soule is shewed by dwelling with God: as the second death for the soule, by anger from the face of God. Thus closly the world to come is shewed. Also the tabernacle, & appartenāces shewed Christ his dwelling with man: & by sacrifices & birdes escaped, his death & resurrectiō: that for iustice hence by faith men should not say: who can go vp to heaven to bring Christ downe, or who can goe to the depe of the earth to bring Christ from the dead, but might know that Iesus should be the Eternal, & that the Godhead should raise him frō the dead. And the saving of our soules appeared, in the Brasen serpent, when Moses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernes, & the stonged by serpentes weare healed. Many dout lesse asked him, what was meant therby: & he told that so the sun of man should be lifted vp: that they who beleved on him should not perish, but have life everlasting. Moses mynd shined with knowledge of all, as did his face shine with light: & Levies Sunlike Smaragd: & his Prophecies abridg all the holy stories: & he maketh the twelve dum stones tell much, from Aarons brest: And the Patriarkes lives, have the like revolutiones in their children: how for cleaving to the redeamer they should find glory, [Page 5] & againe shame in refusing their fathers God, & folowing the blindenes of the God of this world. Now in David God historically expresseth Christ his Kingdome. David cometh to his Kingdome by continuall afflictiones: & so all that will folow the religion of Christ shalbe persecuted. And by whom the covenant of God & his law shall be kept to vanquish Satan, David is told: evē that Christ shall come of his loynes to reigne vpon his throne for ever. Of him he shall come to be a man & a King in this world: but he shall have no Kingdome in this world, & the earth which God hath cursed: but to him is the world to come subdued: being the creator, & David sheweth how yet in his suffringes & death he was made inferior to Angels: but crowned with glory & honour, since he sate on the right hand of God. And when he came into the world, all the Angels of God worshipped him. And that Iuda should consider how by suffrings this glory cometh, David describeth as an Evangelist the suffringes of Christ. This David doeth. And telleth in Prophecies the overthrow of his nation, & theyr captivity, & retarne; & Antiochus persecutiones, & the Iewes reiection: even all their times: how God toke a time to plant them, & will pluck them vp: to seke them, & will destroy them: to kepe them & will cast them off: to love them, and will hate them. Now for experience that a Kingdome vnder the Sun was not promised in Christ, Salomon had all wisdome, wealth & pleasure, & found all to be vanitie: & by his pleasures fell from God: but returned, and teacheh in Ecclesiastes in all particular sortes, that all here is but vanitie & vexation of spirit: by mans dealinges, and by the sorowes of theyr handes: and closly warneth [Page 6] that his sonne shall not rule all his: foreseying how Iosephs Ieroboam vold leave only Iuda to be an whole tribe till Shiloh his childe by the Virgin the King Eternall came in the flesh. Part of Rachels house, and a litle, of Beniamin, because God built half Ierusalem and the Temple in his tribe, for that, part of Beniamin cleaved to Iuda: as a wolf though not a lion in Mardochai and Atossa the mother of Great Artaxerxes, that built the temple, which abode till our Lord came into it. And Salomon warneth the ten tribes, how they wilbe robbers making one purse, and refuse the love of the truth: and how God wold laugh at their destruction by Assur: and fitted Proverbes to have kept them from destruction: And the sonne of Thamar, of Rachab, of Ruth, of Bathsuagh in the Canticles turneth all ioy to the Kingdome of Christ: that Iosephs house should not despise the root of Iessai, though Iesus Son of Nun conquered the Land & made the Sun to stay. A matter shewing that which foloweth.
IESVS the Sonne of GOD, and the Sonne of David after the flesh, wold darken the Sun, and shake all the earth. And yeres nere a thousand, GOD still so governed Iuda that they should look for the Kingdome of heaven, alwayes opened by CHRIST, and still feele their state on earth to be full of sorow. That did they sone prove true.
For the Kinges of Iuda were all eyther worshippers of Devels with many of theyr people, or, in some feeling of great danger & distresse: or, in open hearing of Prophetes, and that, many at once, that Babel should end their state: and Salomons house: because they followed Babel built to make Gōddes of creatures. Salomons house vtterly perished. [Page 7] And in Babel, the Image, and other Pictures telles them in expositiones seaven times over how heathen shall withold Iudahs kingdome, even from Salathiel and Zoroba babel our Lords Fathers after the flesh vntill he came into the world And they saw how yet vnder Heathen they were defended. And when they saw not only the fall of Salomons race, temple, city, & kingdome, but of mighty Babel in 70. yeres reigne: then they were in fit case to be taught of Davids Throne that should stand for ever. Aethan, of Phares brother, Zarach, told it afore Psal. 89. But the Angel Gabriel telleth it more properly, even to the very yere and day: that all the world might reckon 490. yeres to gather how many yeres, monethes, and dayes they were from the end of Moses, & how nere to the work of redemption, by the sonne of God dwelling in our tabernacle. And poor Iewes from 120. nationes are sent to Ierusalem by Cyrus proclamation of the true God, who all could teach Heathen that the world was made, and also how longue then it had stode: wher still infidels will erre. And for receaving of Christ his Prophecy, the poore nation that returned to Ierusalem in hope of life by it, is recorded by the holy spirit which beautified the heavens, in high honour; how many theyr whole number to every man did make. This honor had the sainctes: & their poore state in Ezra & Nehemias is from God set downe & their defence, & affinity with the Persiā kinges also is pēned frō Gods wisdome, &, religion is expōded by Aggei, Zachary & Malachy, evē to Iohn Bap. & to the meke King, Christ himself. & to the destructiō of their natiō, which will not beleve that all kingdomes vnder the Sun are vanity: but doe and will still hope for a [Page 8] pompous belly blessing in this cursed earth. In due tyme our Lord cometh, to have his tabernacle in vs: for which his tabernacle or temple the world was made obedient vnto man. And though Moses tabernacle, were most diligently thrise described: & furnished with all dignity of matter & forme: yet God did sone leave it in smalle regard: & likewise Salomons temple. Yet against S. Stephens doctrine Act. 7. to this day Israel hopeth for a temple of stone, & city to be built on mount Syon, in Chanaan. But our Lord leaveth this world, to sit on Davids throne for ever: & Iewes perish in their lyes, and blindnes, & for our Lords brightnes, foure Evangelistes tell that: & one telleth how the Apostles taught that to the heathen; & holy Epistles comment vpon all Moses, to teach Israell the golden building, & how their Thalmudicall is straw: in all hope of Policy good on Earth. And when Ierusalem is destroyed to force an end of Moses Ceremonies: then more fully the nature of Davids throne is opened by Gracious Iohn, in obscure Patmos. He sheweth how all the goodly Iewels vsed through Moyses and the Prophetes tend hither, how the knowledge of Christ practised openly & rightly by his servantes, maketh the heavenly Ierusalem: the holy Iewes a ey-expectation. But this should have two hinderances: one by the prophane Caesares, whom the Lord wold pay for their partes: that all their world should be altered: the other by Christianes falling away, as Ismael & Ephraim did. So Mackmad of Ismael sone withdrew all the cō treys of Daniels Image, to their old Arabi (que) infidelitie: and Christ leaveth them to eternall blindnes, as he did the old builders of Babel. Also the city, that crucified Christ, setteth vp an earthly pompe, with corruption of all holy truth, & cariage [Page 9] in hope of life by the waters of Scripture, out of which he that is not borne againe by the Spirit, can never enter into the Kingdome of heaven. Yet against this Pompe Christ ruleth his common weales in perpetuall expectation of the Eternall Throne to be fully manifested. And this summe doth the holy Bible afforde. Which he that beareth in mynd shall soner see the driefte of every particular Booke. And now Ecclesiastes will shew, how this world can have no good Kingdome: wher all kind of Sortes flow with vanities and vexation of Spirit. But to consider his book with more clearnesse of light, his kindred, & life, & a popular spech of his royall and most witty closse spech, & divinity chief poinctes, yet resisted of his nation, these are to be layd forth somwhat familiarly, for the help of the vnacquainted with such matters.
A PARAPHRASE Abridging the book: VVITH OBSERVATIONES OF speches tovvching the holy Ttinity, & of Iudaisme, stumbling against Koheleth even vnto this day.
ALL this book of Coheleth or Salemon, tendeth, as vvas shevved, to open Nathans spech, 1 Chro. 17. touching the Eternall throne of David: And this sylogisme ariseth hence by the Ievves graunt: in the Chaldy vpon this place.
Yf all things vnder the sunne be subiect to extreme vanitie: the Eternall throne promised vnto David, must be of an other world.
But all thinges vnder the sunne be subiect to extreme vanitie:
Therfore this is all the Man, to looke vnto the iudgement of God for an other world, and vnto the throne of the better stay.
The proposition is omitted, as lapped in the Prophecy [Page 14] of Nathan closly: and not to be opened directly to the prophane: vvho vvold cōtemne all spech of the vvorld to come. And the humble vvold sone conceave it. The assumption is proved by a plentifull induction, going through all mans state. And these be the chief heades. The shortnes of mans life passing as a vapour. TheShortnes of life. Sun, vvind, and vvater, never resting in one place, picture our state, and cause our change: our eyes can never be contented nor our eares: & yet nothing is nevv: but forgetfulnes maketh thinges past to seme nevv. Andvvise policy cannot help common vveales so many be imperfectiōs to marke mens actions, Koheleth, that gathered all vvisdome by experience, being a King, and in Ierusalem the glory of the vvorld, should passe all that none coming after him should excede him. He considered the cariage of the vvise, and of the mad vvorld: and savv that the croked vvold not be streightened, and theChap. imperfect could not be made vp. He tryed pleasure in2. his great cheer, & his thousand vvomen. That became nothing vvorth. He joyned vvisdome and royall majestyPleasures, vvisdome, & royalty are but vanity. together, in all pompe, and stately vvorkes and delites. But all vvas vanity. Though vvisdome passe folly as darknes passeth light: yet this event have both, that both sone die, and theyr memorie. And vvhat the vvise by care never resting doth bring about, a foolish heyre, as Roboam and his house, almost all the race vnto their end in Iechonias, by vvicked madnes destroy. The best thing vvhich the vvisest vvold vvish is contentement, in vsing their present travell. But Gods variety in governing mans tymes & seasons in birth, [Page 15] death; planting, rooting out: seking, rejecting, love and hatred, this checketh all hope of resting in contentementChap. of vvelth goten. And God vsed this variety in3. his judgements that men should feare him. But the thorny cares & pleasure, choke the meditation vpon Gods vvorke. And thus the vvisdome of the best cannot bring any sound state. Novv folies be infinite. InOppressiō common. courtes of judgement, might overcometh right: and men are become beastes: and for all thinges vnder the sunne, as the one dieth so dieth the other. And vvho considereth the spirit of a man, that it ascendeth vnto God; scant any: But men live as not beleving, or not regarding the soules immortality. And the vvisest cannot look for vse of their ovvne, for oppressours vnresistable▪ [...] The heathen sentence vvas afore from God. are in every place: that the heathen savv hovv it vvas best never to have bene, & next, to dye quickly. Envy of life, bretheth in others slouthfulnes. vvherby the poore in all common vveales be infinite. And their misery bredes a contrarie, in some rich: that being vvithout kindred, yet they have none end of their labour. Yea the rich Kinges nether for them selves nor otherSlouth mother of poore folk x. have any happy case. A vvise child in prison, as Ioseph, is in better case then an old foolish King, as Ioas. AndCover senseles. Kinges vvere borne poore & naked: and may come to the same case: and people be still vvery of the present, &Cha. 5. men vnder Kinges had nede of continuall prayer: andThe preset is soon lothed. in prayer, much babling & rash vovving encrease vanities in the best busines. And for the oppression by the mighty, many are amazed: and knovv not hovv [Page 16] [...] the holy they the high God. as God thy creatoures. chap. 18. Husbandry full of cares. Riches be vncenten. Trinity is above all, & hath a tyme for judgement: But the most, think ther is no God. Novv tillage vvold seme a contented life: better then marchandise: vvher mony multiplyeth not: but by care and hazard. Here, as vvelth encreaseth, the servantes that spend it encrease: and the master hath no more then they, saving only the sight: and the servantes slepe is svvete: but care suffreth not the master to slepe. And often falleth the rich to be vvorth nothing: and onely contentement here is good: but to vse the goodes gotten, that is a gift of God. Often the vvelthy are cut offCh. 6. from vse of their ovvne; long life & many children cā notMany children: in Arabian poverty are a misery. one in Iustin had 600. in poverty make one better then the vntimely birth: yea though a man live in poverty tvvo thousand yeares. All must come to one place. And this befalleth all men that the soule is never satisfied. By this the vvelthy vvise man or foole hath no sound preeminence, nor the poore of knovvledge, infericritie, inAdam the name [...]elle [...]h man of his frailty. vvalking afore the living. The notation of Adam should teach of his nature: for the first names expressed the natures of the thinges named: and it is evident, that he is but earthly Adam, and is not able to strive vvith his stronger: and vvho knovveth vvhat is good for man in the dayes of his life that are but a shadovv, & vvho can tell him vvhat shall befall him. ThereforeSad meditation of death is the best thing. ther is no true joy in this life: but a good name before God is better then any vvelth: vvherin precious oinctmentes in the East, vvere the chiefest, and better is the day of death, then the day of birth, and the house of [Page 17] mourning then the house of feasting: for the mourning house is the end of all, and the liuing vvill take it to hart. The practise of vvise & foolish shevv this. For the vvise goe to the house of mourning, the fooles to the house of banqueting. So the check frō the vvise is better then the songes of fooles. For as the voice of thornes is vnder the pot, such is the laughter of fooles. And because oppression from the stronger driueth men to madnes: & bribes again destroy their hartes, the good end is better then the good begining, and patience better then anger. A man must be slovv to anger: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles. As this proceedeth not of vvisdome to aske: vvhy vvere the former dayes better then these. VVisdome is good vvith vvelth, vvhile men liue. Both bring a sheltre. But vvisdome is the better, it saueth him that hath it. And here vvisdome shevveth it selfe: euen in hamblenes not hoping to streighten that vvhich God hath made croked: rejoyce vvith the rejoycing: and vvepe vvith the vveping dayes. God hath so set one by the other, that none can finde fault. The just perisheth in too straite justice, & the toylesome holdeth one long in his toyle. Be not toylsome to much nor too vvise: and play not the foole: it vvill bring death before the ordinarie course. It is good to kepe betvvixt both: as they that feare God vvill. VVisdome vvill strengthen more then ten rulers: though in many thinges all stumble. And this poinct of vvisdome hath great vse, not to regard all evel tongues: for all speak evell of others & the tōgue cā not be bridled. This Kohe [Page 18] leth tried: & sought still to find reasons for all cariages. But that vvas far off. Novv the far off and the depe vvho can find out. But in trying the madnes of folk, Koheleth found by his thousand vvives, that an evell vvomā Even vvomen a comon mischief [...] vvorse thē death. Salomon [...] Ieremies age. felt [...]at. vvas bitterer then death. This he found: examining one thing by an other to find out devises. But this he could not find out: though in men one of a thousand, Koheleth vvold find out the subtilest devises, yet of a subtile vvomans devises in all that number, he could not. They made him build houses to strange Gods: vvhervpon the Kingdome first rented, aftervvardes, perished. And this, Koheleth found generally true: that God made Adam plain, but they found out many invē tiones.Cha. 8. And so doe their children in all folly. And vvho is as the vvise man? vvho is like him that knovveth the nature of matters. VVisdome lighteth the face of a man: and the hardenes of his face vvilbe changed. AsKinges offenses are very hard to be cured & 2 voided: vnlernednes bredeth boldnes: and judgement, lothnes to be medling. And it avoideth the calamities that come from governoures oppression. Herein visdome vvold kepe the Kinges lavves, in the Lord: and not resist auctority: for he earieth not the svvord in vain. But he that doth vvell shall have praise of the King. But here men brede them selves much sorovv, not knovving vvhat vvill befall them. And this vanitie is comon, that men consider not, rulers nor subiectes, hovv sodenlyPall death knocketh poore cotages, aud Kings Pal lates vvith an equall foote. death vnexorable, (against vvhich ther is no striving) ceaseth vpon men. By vvant of vvisdome herein men vvilbe ruling men, to their ovvne harme. In that case [Page 19] Koheleth savv the vvicked buried: vvhen they vvent avvay, and passed from the holy place of judgement, & vvere forgottē in the citie vvher they had so done. And this vanitie might teach, that no throneacceptable vnto God, can be found in this vvorld. But by not knovving Gods dealing herein, men fill this vvorld vvith vanity. Because judgemēt is not shevved quickly vpon evel vvorkes, mens hartes be fully caried to doe mischief. But the vvise Koheleth vvould tell, though the vvicked doeThese tovves of the last in this vvorld, a hevv that all Good is to be hoped in an other vvorld. vvickedly an hundreth fould, and live long: yet it shal be vvell vvith the Godly: & not vvith the vvicked vvhose dayes are but a shadovv. An other secret government of God, teacheth the vanity of this life, that the just are plagued, and the vvicked prosper. This teacheth that ther is an other vvorld of recompense: as in the Parable of Lazarus and Dives. In this diversity quiet enioyng of the present vvelth is all that a man can have of his travell. And for mans busines restles and slepelesse, not the vvisest can see the reason of Gods vvorkes. By outvvard prosperity, the just and vnjust are not discoveredEpienres fill kingdomes b [...] blindnes herein. & as fish & foules men are snared, often tymes. Hence Epicures exhort one an other vvith longe orationes to present pleasures: vvhile not the svvift have the gool: nor the valiant the victory, nor the vvise, the bread, nor the cunning, favour, but a tyme and occurrant befalleth all. And men knovv no more their time, then fish or foule that be caught in a net, and snare. VVithout speciall vvisdome, this vvill not be shunned. VVisdome is soone contemned. This example may be pregnant. A litle citie besieged of a great [Page 20] King, by a poore mans vvisdome hath ben saved. Butvvisdome is in cities in the best desert sone forgotten. that poore man is soone forgotten, yet vvisdome is better then strength: though the vvisdome of the poore is contemned, & his vvordes are not heard. The vvordes of the vvise in quietnes are heard, more then the cries of Lordes over fooles. VVisdome is better then armour of vvarre: and one that misseth of it, as a Lord over fooles, vvill lose much good. As one dead flye putrifieth much precious oinctement, so a little folly marrethFolly in one & in one thing doth mach harme. a man precious for vvisdome & glory. VVisdome is rare: and to have the hart on the right hand. But to have the hart on the left hand, that is comon to the foole: vvhose hart faileth in the plain vvay, and he telleth all that he is a foole. And in such a vvorld, vvhat study of the Lavv can brede a blessed throne on earth. The Spirit of rulers often riseth against a dutifull subiect:Hatted from rulers makes many leave the care of their place to their harme. as did Salomons against Ieroboam: he left his place and fled to Egipt: and became the ruine of Salomons throne. Here a soft cure might have delayed much sinne. An other evel is great and comon: appearing notably in the vnlavvfull kingdome of Ephraim. The fooles of the ten tribes vvere set on high, and false Prophetes; and the truly rich sate dovvne lovv. Servantes sate on horseback & Princes vvalked vpon the ground. This people might knovv that great is the vanity of governements here. Roboam in Iuda likevvise payd the price of that, extolling foolish yonge men, and contemning old sages. And King Ioas most notably: yelding from his rich counsellers, to the foolish Idoleservers. [Page 21] And his grandfather Ioram greatly vvanted vvisdome that lost all Edoms subjection, and advaunced fooles to kill his ovvne bovvels, and to dye by torment of bovvels. And as Saul by folly hoping to defeate David, digged a pit vvhich him self fell into: So King Ochozias joyning vvith Israel, brake an hedge, that the Serpent Iehu stange him. And of all Kinges vvanting vvisdome, and of all in high place, and of ill bent, avvay from God, these Proverbes vvilbe verified, he that removeth stones vvilbe greved by them, and he that cleaveth vvood, shalbe indangered by it, yf the iron be blunt, and a man vvhett not the edge, but be vehemēt in strength: vehemency in a blunt cause, vvill cause dā ger. VVisdome from Gods vvordes of right, vvill only bring good successe: teaching to bevvare of Satans deceites, vvher a sting at the first is past cure. All the Kings of Israel folovved Ieroboams vvorshipping of calves: being so sttong at the first: vvithout vsing holy aduise: that aftervvardes ther could be no vse of enchanters. All the Prophetes vvarninges vvere nothinge: all that Ionas vvhale, and Nineuie taught: all that Osec, Amos, Esai, and Micha told, vvroght litle good. As deaf adders they stopped their eares: and vvold not heare the voice of any inchanter. Yet the vvordes of the mouth of the vvise doe beare grace: as specially the speches in David for the Kingdome of Christ: but the lippes of the foole Ieroboam svvalovved vp all his house, vvhen he bade vvorship calves at Dan and Bethel, and forbade to go vp to Ierusalem. The begining of the [Page 22] vvordes of his mouth vvas foolishnes, and the end of his mouth an evell madnes. The other Kinges foolish before God, multiplyed vvordes against Iudah, but savv not their fall. Great toyle they tooke, familie after family, and vvearied them selves in their Idoles: being as men that knevv not the vvay to the city. And such vvereHoseas, Amos, & Esai blame Israel for this. all the Kinges of Israell, and the vvicked of Roboams Kingdome. And vvo be to the kingdome, vvhere the Princes be given to feasting: as the true noble and sobre bring happines. A King dome is like an house: vvher by slougth the timber vvork rotteth, and by dissolute hād, the house vvilbe dropped through: vvhen they make feastes for laughter, and that vvine chear the hart, and mony must affordall. And herein the meddlers vvith Kinges find their ovvne ruine; & this vanitie is comon. But they that look to the kingdome of Christ, vvill not in thought medle vvith Caesar: for listeners vvill fly to report all that is once vttered. But men should ambitiouslyCha. 11. seke to meddle vvith their ovvne matters, and to do good for the hope to come: as Pilgromes & strangers. This vvil be a casting of seede vpon moyst ground: vvhich vvill fructifie: that as one soovveth he shall reape. Therfore vvhile vve have time vve should doe good to all: lest God alter our ability, or occasion. The cloudes and trees teach that: the cloudes fall to moysten the hearbes, and vvher the trees fruct falleth, gatherers vvilbe ready. And herein vve should not be casting doubtes, eyther for others successe, or lest vve in time vvant our selves, of our joyes. The husbandman plovv [Page 23] eth in hope: not loking to the cloudes for sovving or reaping: as vve knovv not the vvindes vvay, nor the Embryones grouth, so vve knovv not hovv sone God altereth times from life to death: from planting to vnrooting,In this variety vve should serve the tyme. & omit no occasion, and Israel had experiēce of all these vvher the elected fathers had often sō nes rejected, and fathers lost left sonnes to be found o [...]t: [...]ill vvhole apostasie rooted out the natiō. from building to breaches: from laughter to vveping, from seking, to losing: from spech to silence, from love to hatred, from peace to vvarre: from youth to old age, morning and evening vve should not be vveary doing good: for in due tyme vve shall reape, yf vve doe not faint. It is a good thing for one to chere his ovvne life, vvill mans hart say: but long and mery life vvilbe nothing sauing vanity: vvhen vve thinke vpon the tyme after this life, hovv it shall never haue end. This thought vvill make yong men litle joy in the morning of age: considering that God vvill bring them into judgement. And the vvekenes of our earthly tabernacle should put vs in mind hourely. For dayes void of all delite vvill sone come: vvhen our eyes, ribbes, armes, stomake, eares, and tongue, and all helpesChap. 12 of voice & the legges faile: & graynes buddeth, & vve are shaken off like a grashopper: and the chine & liuerall ioy falleth: & sorovv vpō sorovv befalleth. & brain pan all vvil be rent, and man returneth to his endlesse home, & mourners go about in the strete. This may teach vs hovv all temporall thinges be vainesse, & teach from Scriptures to find out Christ his Kingdome: that vvhen the outvvard man is corrupted, the invvard man be fully renued. For Christ is our life: and to die in him, that is all our gain. And mans sone passage hence vp to Goddes throne, to receaue according to [Page 24] the vvorkes done by the body, good or evell should print this in our hartes. And vve should giue more aboundant hede to Koheleth his vvordes: lest they flovv aside from our eyes, as they from Ephraim, Prov. 3. and from the men of Ierusalem: Eb. 2. vvhom sin platting about them entangled to destruction. Koheleth, as all the other Prophets, hath vvordes of delite, & Scripture of right: vvordes of truth: as Goades to direct vs, & nailes fastened, in the shepe foldes, geuen from Christ the only Shepheard, of vvhom Dauid spake Psa. 72. his last vvordes: & therin these. Blessed be the Eternall, God, the God of Israell, & blessed be his glorious name for euer: and let all the earth be filled vvith his glory. Amen, yea amen.
A TREATISE OF THE Holy Trinity
NOW, for the trinity, I will folow those textes at which the very Iewes be amased, & I will make my style alltogether from theyr wordes, saving that, their future, for MESSIAS to come, I will turne into the tyme passed. In the Babylonian Thalmud in Sanedrin fol. 38. excellent places be cited for vnity & plurality: touching also MESSIAS from Dan. 7. wher Rabbi Sadaias speaketh matter worthy regard: also from Ex. 23. wher Ramban writteth well: & I saak Ben Arama vpon Ex. bringeth the whole Thalmudi (que) consent, that MESSIAS is greater then the Angels & inferreth therupō that he must be God: which matter Koheleth toucheth for plura lity of Persones, in Boreeicha Thy creatours. I have ioined an Ebrew style to the English: that the one may help the other.
OF THE VNITY IN GOD-HEAD AND PLVRALITY of Persons.
THE ETERNALL, our God, the Eternall is one: & his nature is made knovven by himself: for the Persons, the father, the Sōne, & the holy Ghost, & vve must folovv & marke the mystery of the Scriptures for the plurall number, and for the Sonne òf God: and for the holy Spirit. In these there is a great mystery: Let VS make man according to OVR image: This for the persons. And for the vnity of natures this: God created man after his owne image. So, Come Let VS goe downe, and Let VS confound there theyr Lippe. And, the Lord Went downe to see the city, and the towre. And, For there, Elohim WERE reucaled vnto him: &, the God which heard me in the day of my distresse: And, who is like thy people Israel, one nation on the earth for whom THEY went, euen Elohim, to redeme them vnto him selfe, for a People, And, Vntill THRONES were set vp: and the Euerlasting Sate: what is to be said of that, One for himself, & one for the Sonne of David: as it is written: behold with the cloudes of heauen one like the Sonne of Man came: This is Messïas our righteousnes. And is it not written of the Messias? Meeke and riding vpon an Asse? In deed he came in humblenes, & came not vpon [Page 26] [...] [Page 27] horses with pride. And wheras it was written with the cloudes of heaven: They are the Angels of the host of heaven. This is the great dignity which the Creatour gave Messias. And to the Everlasting did they bring him: as it is writtē: The Eternall sayd vnto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand; &c. A certen Saducie said, to Rabbi Idith in the Babil. Thal. San. fol. 38. It is written: & to Moses he said: Come vp vnto the Eternall: vnto me: he should have said. This is Matatron (the Angel that led the People) of whome it is written. My name is in him. It is written: rebell not against him, he will not beare with your sinnes. Mark also the commentary of Ramban vpon these wordes; Behold, I send myne Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, & to bring thee into the place which I have prepared: regard him, & obey his voyce. Provoke him not, for he will not for bear your Sinnes: for my name is in him. Thus there speaketh Ramban. In the propriety of the text, this Angell which is promised here, is the Angell the redemer in whom the great Name (God) is For in Iah Iehova is the Rock Everlasting. And the same said: I am the God of Bethel. It is the manner of the King to tary in his house. And the Scripture calleth him Angel because the world is governed by this Person. And vvordes of the generall Rabines concerning Christ are these: in Isaak Ben Arama vpon the Lavv fol. 76. Our Doctours say, who art thou great mountayne? This is Christ. Ana wherfore is his name called greate? because he shalbe greater then the Fathers, as it is written: Behold my servant that prosper, he shalbe high & exalted; Ile shalbe higher then Abraham & exalted above Moses: & he shalbe farre above the Angels [Page] [...] [Page] of ministery: of whom it is written Ezek. [...]. They had height, & they had terrour. And if they mark & vnderstand this, they doo know that the dignity of Messias is above the Angels of ministery. In that sense should not he be God him self: as they appropriate vnto him this honorable title. This hath Ben Arama. And most playnly doth the same mans vvordes say, that God spake this of Messias: ps. 89. I wilbe his father, & he shalbe my sonne. As Aben Ezra saith of, Kisse the Sonne: This is Messias. And of the holy Spirit. Gen. 1. 2. they say: This is the Spirit of Messias the King: Zohar vpon Gen: and comonly from Ieremy 23: as in Bathra. sect. 5. fol. 75. B. That he is, Iehouah our righteousnes. And thus they doe in vvordes agree vvith our holy Apostles. But they turne aside like a vvarping bovv: vvherof I vvil novve speake by the helpe of God.
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OF IVDAISME DISANNVLLING COHELETH AND ALL the Bible.
One great Rabbin who lived 42 3 yeeres agoe, who gathered the Ierusalem Thalmud and the Babylonian into an easier order, & translated what he bringeth into familiar Ebrew: (they be rare Iewes that vnderstand the Ierusalemy, or the Babylonian specially) He endeth his volumes in the common place of Messias: who shalbe translated & cited in his own wordes: to shew howe the whole nation misseth extreamely of Christ, the end of the law: though in toung, they agreed with the Apostles.
Rambam, or R. Moses Ben Maymony in Misnaioth Tom. 4. tract. Kinges Sect. 11. & 12 thus writeth.
Messias the King shall stand vp & restore the Kingdome of the house of Dauid to the old state of the first gouerment: & he shall build the temple, & gather the dispersed of Israel, & the Lawes shalbe restored. They shall offer their offringes, and keepe the seauenth yeeres rest, according to euery commaundement deliuered in the Law. And euery one that beleueth not in him, and he that looketh not for his comming, he denieth not onely all the other prophets but also the Law, & Moses our Doctour. For behold the Law testifieth of him: as it is said: And the Eternall thy Elohim shall restore thy captivity and pity thee, and gather thee againe, &c. After thy dispe [...]ion shalbe into the extremity of the heauens: Yet the Eternall will bring thee againe. And these speche set fourth in the Law, they are abridgements of all the speches which are spoken by all the prophets. And specially in the [Page] [...] [Page 33] Section of Balaam as is spoken, and there he speaketh of two Messias: of the first Messias which is David which saued Israell from the hand of their enemies: And of the latter Messias, which shall stand vp of his children: which shall teach Israel in the end. And in the former place he saith: I shall see him: But not now: I shall view him, but not neare: This is King Messias. A star from Iacob: This is Dauid: & a scepter: That is King Messias: And He shall smit the Lordes of Moab, He, is David: as it is said: And he stroke Moab, And measured them by corde: And he shall vnwall all the sonnes of Seth: He is Christ the King: as it is said: And he shall rule from sea to sea. And Edom shalbe an inheritance: Euen to David as it was said. And Edom became servants to David. And Seyr shalbe an inheritance: &c. This is to Messias the King. As it said: And Sauiours shall arise on mount Siō &c. Also concerning the cities of refuge he saith: thou mayst adde yet three cities &c. But this hath neuer bene done. And the Lord did not commaund any thing in vaine. But the case standeth according to the wordes of the Prophets: & it needeth no disputing for all bookes are full of this matter.
And Let it neuer come to thy minde that Messias the King needeth to worke by signes and wonders: For beho [...]h Rabbi Akiba was a great Doctor among the Doctours of the Thalmud: & he was Harnes bearer to Ben Coziba, the King, & he thought that he was the King Messias. Both he deemed, and all the Doctours of his age, that he was King Messias, vntill he was killed for Sinne. when he was killed, they knew he was not: And the Doctours asked of him, for no signe for no wonder. And the groūd of the matters thus standeth: That the Law, that the statutes & rightes of it, stād for euer, yea for euer & euer. And nothing maye be added, nothing may be taken away. And if a King stand vp from the house of David studieng the Law, & busiedin the cō maundementes [Page 34] [...] [Page 35] as David his father, according to the written Law, & the Law of traditions, and compel Israel to walk in it, & to repair the ruins of it, & to fight the warres of the Eternall, behold this is sure, that he is the Messias, yf his doing prosper & he build the temple in place, & gather the dispersed of Israel, behold that man is Messias out of all doubt. And he will settle al the world, to serue the Lord togeither: As it is said: then I will turne vnto nations pure Lippes, that all may call vpon the name of the Eternall & serue him with one accord. Perek: or Section 12. & the last of all his Thalmud. Let it not come into thy hart, that in the dayes of Messias, any thing shalbe abrogated from the custome of the world, or that any newnes shalbe in the frame of the world. Nothing so. The world goeth on in the same rate and that which is said in Esay And the wolf shal dwell with the Lambe: & the Leopard shall lodge with the Kid, that is a parable and a dark spech. The sense of the spech is: That Israel shall dwell in safety, among the wicked of the world: which are Likened to the wolf & Leopard. As it is said: the Euening vvoolf shall spoyle them, & the Leopard shall vvatch at their cities. And they shall turne vnto the Law of truth: and they shall not spoyle, nor destroy, but shall eat their store in quietnes: as Israell. as it is sayd: The Lyon as the Oxe, shall eat stravv. And so in other matters the like which are written of Messias, they are resemblances. And in the dayes of Christ the King it shalbe knowen to all, what thinges were resembled: and to what matters the hid meaning tended. The Doctours say ther is no differēce betwixt this world, & the dayes of Christ, but onely the service vnder the Kingdomes. It may be sene by the propper sense of the prophets, that in the begining of the dayes of Messias shalbe the warre of Gog and Magog, & before the warres of Gog & Magog, a prophet shall stand vp, to settle Israel, & to praepare theyr [Page 36] [...] [Page 37] hartes, as it sayd: Behold I send vnto you Elias &c. And he cometh not to Pollute the pure, or to purifie the polluted, nor to disable the fully allowable, nor to allow the manifestly disallowable, but to settle peace in the world: as it is said, & he shall turne the harts of fathers vnto the Children. And there be some of the Doctours who say, that before the coming of Messias, Elias shall come: But all these matters & such like doth no man know, what they shalbe vntill they be: The matters are matters closed vp with the prophets: also our Doctours haue no Kabala for these matters, But with wresting of the textes. And therefore they are at schisme for these matters: And these matters are in no case, for theyr order of being, or particularities, any foundation of Law. Let not a man busie himselfe in the Agadoth: (or fables wittilypēned) nor be long in Midrasoth cōmentaries of allusions which are spokē of these matters, & such: & let him not lay them for a foūdatiō: For they teach neither faith, nor Love. So let not a man reckon the End. (Yet the Angell Gabriel & Daniel did to the very houre Daniel. 9) as our Doctours say Let their soule breath out who reckon the endes. But let him expect and beleue according to the generall rule which wee haue expounded. In the dayes of Messias the King, when his Kingdome shalbe settled, & all Israell shalbe gathered vnto him, all they shalbe genealogized according to their familyes, by his mouth from the holy Spirite, which shall rest vpon him: as it is vvritten, hee shall sit & he shall purifie and clense: The sonnes of Levy first shall he clense, and thus say: This man is of the Priestes family: & this man of Levies genealogie: & he shall reiect them which are not of the Genealogie of Israel. Behold a certayne One sayd: And the Ambassadour said vnto them &c vntil there standes Vp a Priest with Vrim & Thummim. Behold thou art taught, that by the holy Spirit the Principall shalbe referred to their Genealogie, & the genealogized [Page 38] [...] [Page 39] shalbe made knowen. But he will not genealogize Israell, that is, them who are not of Levy, but generally of what tribe they be: shewing that this man and this man, is of such a tribe. But he will not tell, that such a man is of speciall vertue, such an one, of an Heathen mother: such an one, a Slaue: But of right, will Let them sink that will haue their Sun to set.
The Doctours and prophetes desired not the dayes of Messias, neither to rule over all the world nor to subdue the Heathen, nor to be extolled of nations, nor to drink & make mery, but to haue Leasure for the Law and wisdome, and haue no taxe master and Hinderer, that they may be worthy of life Eternall. And in that time there shalbe no hunger, no warre, no emulation, nor strife, for goodes shall flow plentifully. And all delicates shalbe found as Plentifull as dust: And the world shall studie nothing cls, but onely to know the Eternal. Therfore there shalbe great Doctours, & skilfull in hid speches, & they shall apprehend the knowledg of their Creatour, according to the force of their strēgth; as it is written: For the Earth shtlbe full of the knowledg of the Eternall, as the waters that cover the Sea.
The Ebreu that folovveth is the Ievves continued spech of theyr mistaken Messias; But excedeth much the English translation in space, because I vvold have a fayr and great Letter, After shall come a short cēsure vpō the levves hope for theyr Messias: & then: The Chaldy Paraphrastes ovvne argument of Coheleth, & the holy Text.
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A Censure vpon the Iew Rambam.
He speakeah truly that Balaam prophecieth of Christ: but he litle marketh vvhat Balaam taught: by that: Messias shall vnvvall all the sonnes of Seth. Yffor destroying all their tovvnes vvall this vvere spoken, that vvere no benefite. Nether vvil Salomon suffer to hope for one age to haue any thing, the like vvherof vvas not afore: either for peace or vvarres. Paul expoundeth the vnvvalling of Seth sonnes. 2. Cor. 10. Our armour is not carnall but mighty for God: to pull dovvne strong holdes: This Balaā meant By more cities of refuge, Rambam seeketh corners. thus he reasoneth:
Yfvve had not yet all cities of refuge promised, ther is a returning vnto our land of Chanaan to haue them. But yet vve had not all promised:
Therfore there remayneth a returne to Chanaan.
The assumption is double vveake. The Lavv gaue leaue to make more, yf they conquered more: as Ruben Gad & Manasses conquered more. & Permissiōs be in Lavves no lesse then cōmaundements. Besides vve may not say that Ruben Gad & Manasses made no cities more of refuge: because it is not recorded. The vvitty Aben Ezra noteth vpon Gad, Gen. 4. 9. that much is vnrecorded, vvhich Iacob speaketh of him. Thus Rambams hope is the vveb of a spider. And concerning building of Ierusalem, vvhat can that profit more then it profited in Salomons time: vvhen sone all came to nothing: And novv the vvorld is 5531. yeres old: and their rule is: that six thousand shall end it: vvhich vvilbe at 469. & vvhat can that time vvorke to change the vvhole vvorld. Touching Elias: He tottereth: But vve knovv the case: and he might learne Christ & the heauenly Ierusalem of our. N. Test. & the Chaldy vpon Eccles. 1. v. 2. telleth that their Messias is but vanity.
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Ecclesiastes.
1. The wordes of Koheleth, the Sōne of David, King in Hierusalem.
2. Vanity of vanityes saith Coheleth, vanity of vanityes, all (is) vanity.
3. what permanent good hath man in all his labour which he taketh vnder the Sonne;
4. An age passeth, and an age cometh: though the earth abideth still.
5. Both the Sonne ariseth, & the Sōne goeth downe: and to his place doeth he breath: there he ariseth.
6. He walketh vnto the South, & compasseth vnto the North: The wynde whirleth, whirleth, walketh, & into his circuits returneth the wind.
7. All the riuers go into the sea, yet the sea is not full: vnto the place whither the riuers goe, they returne to goe
[Page 46]8. All thinges trauel, man cannot vtter it. The ey is not satisfied with seing: nor the eare filled with hearing.
9. That which hath bene is the same which shal be: and that which hath bene done, is the same which shal be done: and there is nothing new vnder the sunne.
10. Is ther any thing of which one may say: Behold this, it is new? it hath bene already, in the old time that hath bene before vs.
11. There is no remembrāce of the former, also of the latter which shal be there shal be no remēbrance of them with those that shal be after.
12. I Koheleth was King ouer Israel in Hierusalem.
13. And I did apply my mind to search and try the wisdome of all, which is done vnder heauen. This is a sore occupation whidh GOD hath given to the sonnes [Page 47] of man, to be occupyed therin.
14. I considered all the vvorks that are done vnder the sunne: & behold, all is vanity, and vexation of spirite.
15. The crooked cānot be made streight & that vvhich is vvātīg cānot be made vp.
16. I thought in my hart, saying: behold, I haue amplified & augmented wisdome aboue all which have bene afore me in Hierusalem: Yea my hart saw much wisdome, & knowledge.
17. And I applyed my heart to know wisdome & knowledg, madnes & foolishnes: I knew that this also was a vexation of spirite.
18. For in much wisdō is much griefe: & he that increaseth knowledg, increaseth sorrow.
Chapter. 2.
1. I sayd in mine hart, come now, I wil try thee with mirth. Therefore vse good-, [Page 48] cheere. But behold also this vvas vanity.
2. Of laughter I sayd, thou art mad: & of mirth, vvhy doest thou this?
3. I consulted in my hart to continue my flesh in good cheer: (yet I applyed my mind vnto vvisdome) and to lay hold vpon folly; vntill I might see vvhat vvere best for the sōnes of man, to do vnder the heauens, the number of the dayes of their life.
4. I made me great vvorks: I built me houses: I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens & orchards: and I plāted in them trees of all fruite.
5. I made me pooles of vvater, to vvater vvith them the vvood grovving vvith trees.
7. I bought seruants and maydes: and I had such borne in my house: also I had great possession of oxen, and sheepe, aboue all that vvere before me in Ierusalem.
[Page 49]8. I gathered me also silver & gold, & the peculiar jewels of Kinges, & coūtries: I provided me singers, men & women: and the delightes of the sonnes of men, instrumentes of all sortes:
9. which as I was great I increased above all that were before me in Ierusalem. Also my wisdome remayned with me.
10. And whatsoeuer my eyes desired, I witheld it not from them: I withdrew not my hart from any joy. For myne hart reioyced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my trauayle.
11. Then I looked vpon the workes which my handes had made, and vnto the labour which I had laboured to do: & behold, all was vanity and a vexing of spirit: and there is no permanent good vnder the sunne.
12. Then I looked to see wisdome and madnes, and folly, And what can a man [Page 50] do that would try after the King; only that vvhich hath bene done already.
13. Then I saw that vvisdome excelleth folly, as light excelleth darknes.
14. The wise man hath his eyes in his head & the foole vvalketh in darknes. But I saw that the same happ should happen vnto them all▪
15. Then said I in my hart, as it happeneth vnto the foole shall it happen vnto me also. And to what end then should I more study for wisdome. Then I said in my heart that this also vvas vanity.
16. For there shalbe no remēbrance of the vvise, as none of the foole for euer. Because things past in the dayes to come are all forgotten.
17▪ And how dyeth the vvise man as the foole? Therfore I hated life. For I vvas grieved at the vvork vvhich vvas vvrought vnder the sunne. Bicause all vvas vanity & [Page 51] a vexing of spirite.
I hated also all my labour, wherin I had laboured vnder the sunn: which I must leave to the man that shalbe after me.
19. And who knoweth vvhither he shalbe wise or foolish: and shall rule all my labour, wherin I haue laboured, & wherin I have shewed my selfe wise vnder the sunne; This also was a vanity.
20. Therfore I went about to make my hart weary, of all the labour wherein I had laboured vnder the sunne.
21. For there is a man whose labour is in wisdome & in knowledge and in good dealing: yet to a man which hath not laboured therein, shall he give his portion. This also is vanity & great griefe.
22. For what hath man for all his labour, & for the vexation of his hart, that he laboureth vnder the sunne.
23. For all his dayes are sorrowes, and & his occupatiō disquietnes, & euen in the [Page 52] night his hart taketh no rest. This also is a vanity.
24. Ther is nothing so good for a man as that he eat, and drink, & cheere his soule by his labour▪ Though this allo I saw that from the hand of God, it cometh.
25. For who should eat, or who should quickly doe that, rather then I: for my labours?
26. Now, to the man which is acceptable before him God giveth wisdome and gladnes: but to the sinner he giueth occupation to gather & to store to giue to him that is acceptable before God. This also is a vanity & a vexing of spirite.
Chapter. 3.
1. All thinges have a time▪ and all have a season vnder the heaven.
2. A time to be borne, & a time to dye: [Page 53] a time to plant, and a time to pluck vp the planted.
3. A time to slay, and a time to heale: a time to break downe, & a time to build.
4. A time to weepe & a time to laugh: a time to make lamentation & a time to dance.
5. A time to cast away stones, & a time to gather stones: a time to imbrace & a time to be farr from imbracing.
6. A time to seeke & a time to lose: a time to keepe, & a time to cast away.
7. A time to rent, & a time to sow: a time to be silent, & a time to speak.
8. A time to love, & a time to hate: a time of warr, & a time of peace.
9. what permanent good hath the doer wherein he laboureth.
10. I have seene the busines that God hath given to the sonnes of men to occupie them therin.
11. He hath made every thing goodly [Page 54] in his time. but he hath sett the world in ther hart, that a man cannot find out the work which God doth, from the beginning to the end.
12. I know that ther is nothing good in them, but to rejoyce & doe good whiles one liveth.
13. Also that any man eateth & drinketh, and jnioyeth the good of all his labours, this is the gift of God.
14. I know that all which God doth it wilbe sure for ever: and God doth all that men should live in feare before him.
15. That which hath ben is now▪ and that which is to be, now hath bene: & God will bring a gaine, that which is now passing away.
16. Moreover, I marked vnder the sunn the place of judgement: ther was injurye. & the place of justice: ther was jnjury.
17. I sayd in my hart: the just & the vnejust God will judge, for ther is a time for every thing & for every deede, there.
[Page 55]18. I sayd in my hart, after the maner of the sonnes of man, when God made them knowen, that I saw how they are beastes: they to themselves▪
19. An happe befalleth the sonnes of man, & an happe befalleth the beast: and they have one happe: as the one dieth so dieth the other: and man excelleth not the beast. For all is vanity.
20. All came from the dust, & all returneth vnto the dust.
21. For who considereth the spirit of man which doth ascend vpward: and the spirit of the beast which doth descend downe-wards, vnto the earth.
22. Then I saw that ther is nothing better then that a man joy of his workes. For that is his portion. For who can bring him to see what shalbe after him.
Chap. 4
1. But whē I cōsidered all the oppressed ones which were greved vnder the sunn: & behold the oppressed had the teares, but they had no cōforter, for the oppressors had the strong hand., [Page 56] and the other had no conforter.
2. Then I commended the dead which already are dead, above the living, which are alive yet▪
3. And above them both him that as yet hath not bene: because he hath not seene the wrong doing which is vnder the sunne.
4. For I marked all labour, & all industrie of workes: how it bringeth envy to a man from his neighbour.
5. The foole foldeth his hands, & eateth vp his owne flesh. Saying.
6. Better is an hādfull with ease, thē two fistfulls with labour & frettīg of spirite.
7. Againe I marked a vanity vnder the sunne.
8. Ther is one & none the second: and he hath neyther sonne nor brother: and ther is no end of all his labour; and his eye cannot be satisfyed with riches. And for whom should I labour and defraud my [Page 57] soule of good? This also is a vanity & a grievous toyle.
9. Couples are better then one. For they haue a good reward for their labour.
19. For if they fall, the one will lift vp his fellow: & woe is the one which falleth, and hath not a second to lift him vp.
11. And if a couple slepe they shalbe warme: but how can one alone be warme.
12. And if some one be stronger then one, two will stand against him, & a threefold thred will not sone be broken.
13. A poore & wise child is better then a King that is old and foolish: which cānot abide to be advised any more.
14. For out of the prison he commeth forth to reigne: when as he that is borne in his kingdome is made poore.
15. 3. I saw all the living which walk vnder the sūne, attend vpon the child which shall stand vp the others place.
16. Ther is no end with any people, for [Page 58] any that is over them. Also the later will not rejoyce in the same. So this also is vanity & vexation of spirite.
17. Looke to thy feete when thou goest into the house of God. For he is neerer to heare, then to sacrifice. Ther the gift of fooles. For they know not that they doe evill.
Chap. 5
1. Be not rash with thy mouth, nor let thy hart be hasty to vtter any thing before God. For God is in the heavens, & thou art on the earth. Therfore lett they wordes be few.
2. For as dreames come by much busines, so the voyce of a foole hath much babling.
3. when thou vowest a vow to God, differ not to pay it. For he deliteth not in fooles. what thou dost vow, pay.
4. Let not thy mouth make thy flesh sinne, neyther say before the Angel, that it was an errour. wherfore should God be angry [Page 59] for thy voyce, and destroy the workes of thy handes?
5. For as in many dreames be vanityes: so in many wordes. But feare thou God.
6. If oppressiō of the poore, & robbery of judgemēt & justice, thou behold in a cō try, marveyle not at the matter. For an higher then the high one doth marke: & ther be high above them.HIGH The Tri nity.
7. The commodity of ground is for all. The King is made servant to the field.
8. He that loveth money, cannot be fed with money: or he that loveth any wealth which hath not fruite.
9. when this good is much, they be many to eat it: & what good commeth to the owners, but the view of ther eyes.
10. The sleepe of the labourer is sweet, whether he sleepe little or much but the fulnes of the rich suffreth him not to sleepe.
11. Ther is a sore sicknes which I have seene vnder the sunne: riches kept of the owner, to his owne harme.
[Page 60]12. And the riches perish by some evill busines: & he begett a sonne and nothing cometh to his hand.
13. As he came out of his mothers womb naked, he returneth to goe as he came: & he cannot cary away any thing of his labour, which he may beare in his hand.
14. This also is a sore sicknes. Euen as he came so he goeth away: and what permanēt good hath he that he laboured for the wynd?
15. Also all his dayes in darknes doth he eat & much anger and by his owne sicknes & payning.
16. Behold what I haue seene: it is a good-thing to eat & to drinck, & to enjoy the good, in all a mans labour which he taketh vnder the sūne the number of the dayes of his life which God giueth him: for this is his portion.
[Page 61]17. Though to euery man to whome God hath given riches & treasures, & giveth him power to eat therof, & to take his part, & to enjoy his labour: this is a gift of God.
18. For, he will not much think vpon the dayes of his life: whome God busieth in the cheering of his hart.
Chapter. 6.
There is an euill which I saw vnder the sunne, & it is much among men:
2. Some man, to whom God hath giuē riches, & wealth, & honour, & he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that he desireth: yet God giveth him not power to eat therof, but a strange man shall eat it vp. This is vanity, & this is an euill sicknes.
3. If a man beget an hundred childrē, and liue many yeares, and though the dayes of his yeares be multiplyed and his soule be not satisfied with good things, [Page 62] and he have not wherwith to be buryed. I say that an vntimely fruite is better then he.
4. For he cometh into vanity, and goeth into darkenes: and his name shalbe covered with darkenes.
5. He also hath not seene, nor felt the sunn: he was in better case then the other.
6. Yea though he had lived a thousand yeeres, twise told, and see no good. Doe not all men goe to one place?
7. All the labour of mā is for his mouth: yet the soule is not filled.
8. Then what hath the wise more then the foole? and what lesse hath the poore mā of knowledge; to walk afore the living?
9. The eye-sight is better then the walking of the soule. Also that is vanity and vexing of the spirit.
10. whatsoever one be, his name was [Page 63] given of old: and it is known that he is earthly man, and is not able to contend with him that is stronger then he.
Chapter. 7.
1. VVhen there be many thinges that increase vanity what permanent good thing can a man have?
2. For who knoweth what is good for a man in life, the number of dayes of the life of his vanity which he shall spend as a shadow; for who can shew vnto man what shall be after him vnder the sunne?
3. A good name is better then a good oyntment, and the day of death then the day that one is borne.
4. It is better to goe to the house of mourning then to goe to the house of feasting, because this is the end of all men: and the living shall lay it to his hart.
5. Sadnes is better then laughter [Page 64] For vnder heavynes of countenance the hart may be mery.
6. The hart of the wise in the house of mourning: But the hart of fooles is in the house of mirth.
7. Better it is to heare the rebuke of a wise man, then that a man should heare the song of fooles.
8. For as the noyse of thornes is vnder the pott, so is the laughter of fooles. This also is vanity.
9. Because oppression may make the wise madd▪ and rewards destroy the heart:
10. The end of a thing is better thē the begining: The pacient in spirite is better then the hauty in spirite.
11. Be not rash of spirite to be angry. For anger lodgeth in the bosome of fooles.
12. Say not, how cometh it to passe that the former days were better thē these. For thou canst not aske that frō wisdome.
13. wisdome is good with possessions: [Page 65] & an excellent commodity for men while they behold the sunn.
14. For wisdome bringeth shadow: money bringeth shadow▪ but knowledge hath the preeminence▪ wisdome keepeth alive them that have it.
15. Cōsider the work of God. And who can make streight that which he hath made crooked?
16. In the day of good, vse the good▪ & in the sore time, consider it. God hath so set the one by the other that man cannot find no blame in him.
17. I have seene all thinges in the dayes of my vanity. Ther is a just man that perished in his justice, & ther is a wicked man that continueth long in his malice.
18. Be not thou just much: and be not too wise: wherfore shouldest thou vndoe thy self.
19. Be not too wicked: neither be a foole. wherfore shouldest thou perish before [Page 66] thy ordinary time.
20. It is good that thou lay hold on this: but yet vvithdraw not thy hand from that. And he that feareth God shall come out of them all.
21. wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mighty Princes that are in the city, can give strength.
22. Though there is no man just in all the [...] Iam. 3. 2. earth, that doth good & misseth not.
23. Take not heede to all the words that men speake, least thou do heare thy seruant speak euill of thee.
24. For often times also thy hart knoweth that thou also hast spoken euil of others.
25. All this have I tryed by wisedome. I thought, I vvillbe wise: but it wēt farr frō me.
26. That which is farr off, & deepe, depe, who can find it out.
27. I turned me hartely, to know and to espy, and to seeke wisedome & conceytes & to know the mischiefe of folly & foolishnes of madnes.
28. And I find one thing bitterer then [Page 67] death: Euen the woman, who is nettes, and her hart snares: & her handes be bands. He that pleaseth God shalbe saved frō her: but the sinner shalbe caught by her.
29. Behold, saith Koheleth, this have I found, examyning one by another, to find out conceyts.
30. But this which further my soule sought, I found not out.
The conceytes of a man one of a thousand IKoheleth blameth not wom [...] kind: as wold translate him many: but theyr de [...]e slights: as experiē ced in his owne vvives vvho deceaved him. found out, but of a woman with all these qualityes, I found not out.
31. Only behold this have I found out, that GOD made Adam playne: but they sought out many conceytes.
Chap. 8.
1. VVho is like the wise? & how rare is he that knoweth the nature of matters? VVisdome in a man will lighten his face: & the hardnes of his face wilbe altered.
2. I say, regard the Kings mouth yet after the oth to God.
3. Be not rash to goe out of his sight: stād not in an evil matter. For he can doe whatsoever he will.
[Page 68]4. wher the word of the King is, powerS. Paul R. 13. hādleth this place agaīst Iewes which wold not obey heathen: & preventing the Popesty ranny, that should a rise in Rome. is. And who may say vnto him, what wilt thou doe?
5. He that keepeth the law shall feele no evill thing: & the wise hart will know time & judgment.
6. For euery thing hath his time & jugment: But the mischief of man is much vpon him:
7. Because he knoweth not what is to come. & how things wil fall out, who cā tel?
8. Man is not ruler over the spirit, to reteine the spirite: neither hath he power in the day of death: nor armour for the battel: & no striving will helpe them that vse it.
9 All this have I seene, setting my hart toward every worke that is wrought vnder the sunne: That ther is a time when a manFrom auctority & governmēt represē ting Gods presence. ruleth over men to his owne harme.
10. And in that sort I saw the wicked come to the grave, & they passed away, and went from the holy place, & they were forgotten in the citye wher they had so dealt. [Page 69] So this was a vanitye.
11. Bicause sentence vpon evill dealing is not executed quickly, therfore the hart of the sonnes of man is fully bent in them to doe evill.
12. Though a sinner doe evill an hundreth times and long continue: yet I know that it shal be wel with them that feare God, which reverence his presence.
13. But it shall not be well with the wicked: neyther can he long continue dayes, which are but a shadow: he which liveth not in feare before God.
14. Ther is a vanity which is done vpon the earth, that ther be just men, to whom it cometh accordīg to the work of the wicked: & ther be wicked men to whom it cōmeth according to the work of the just: I thought that this also is vanitye.
15. And I praysed joy. For a man hath no better thing then to eate & to drinke and to rejoyce▪ for this will stick to him of his labour, the dayes of his life that God hath given him vnder the sunn.
[Page 70]16. VVhen I applyed myne hart to know wisdome, & to behold the busines that is done on the earth, how day & night a man would not see slepe with his eyes,
17. Then I marked all workes of GOD that man cannot find out the worke which is done vnder the sunne, Though man laboure never so much to seeke, yet he cannot find it: yea allthough the wisest thinke to know it, he cannot find it.
Chap. 9.
1. FOR all this have I applied vnto myne hart: even to try out all this; that the just & the wise, & ther workes are in the handes of God: neither love nornot manifested by outward thinges: yet sure of reward to life eternall in paradise: whē they cōmēd theyr soule to the hands of God. hatred doth men discerne, by all that is before them.
2. Euen all they finde, as if all had one happ, the iust & the vniust: the good & the cleane, and the vncleane, the sacrificing, & he that sacrificeth not: the good & the bad have alike: the swearer as he that reverenceth an oath.
[Page 71]3. This is the most grievous of all that is done vnder the sunne, that all have one hap. Also the hart of the sonnes of man is full of euill, and madnes is in their heartes whiles they live, and afterward they go to the dead.
4. For all that be yet accompanied vnto all the LivingIt is evident that these wordes are spoken in the person of the wicked: and should be pronounced as imitating theyr person. So have I printed them in another character. (say the men of an euill hart) they have assurance. For it is better vvith the dog alive, then vvith the Lion that is dead.
5. For the living knovv that they shall dye: but the dead knovv nothing at all: neither have they any more a revvard. For their remembrance is forgotten.
6. Also their love, and their hatred & their envy is already gone & they have no more portion for euer, in all that is done vnder the sunne.
7. Goe, eat thy bread vvith joy, & drinke thy vvine vvith a cheerefull hart. For God novv accepteth thy vvorkes.
8. At all times let thy garments be vvhite & let not oyle be lacking vpon thine head.
9. Enjoy life vvith the vvife vvhich thou doest love, all thy dayes of vaine life: vvhich HE hath given thee, vnder the Sunne: all thy vaine dayes. For this is thy portion in life, & in thy Labour vvhich thou doest take vnder the sunn.
10. All that thy hand can finde to doe, do it; as thou canst. For there is nether vvorke, nor invention, nor knovvledg, not vvisdome in the grave vvhither thou goest.
11. Againe I marked vnder the sunne: That the suift winne not the race: nor the valiant the victory: nor the wise the bread: nor [Page 72] nor the subtile, riches▪ nor the cunning, favour: But a time & occurrent happeneth to them all.
12. For assuredly man knoweth not his time. As fishes are taken in a mischevous net, & as birdes are caught in the snare▪ So they, the sonnes of man are intangled, at the evill time when it falleth vpō them suddēly.
13. I have also seene this wisdome vnder the sunne▪ & me thought it great.
14. A little city had few men in it, and a great King came against it; & compassed it about, & builded fortes against it.
15. And there was found therein a poore & wise man: & he saved the city by his wisedome. But none remembred this poore mā.
16. Then sayd I. Better is wisdome then strength, yet the wisedome of the poore is despised, & his words are not heard.
17. The words of the wise are more heard in quietnes then a Lords cry over fooles.
18. Better is wisedome then weapons of [Page 73] warre as one vncircūspect destroyeth much good.
Chapter. 10.
1. One dead fly putrifieth, & corrupteth much precious oyntment▪ so doth a little folly, him that is in estimatiō for wisdome, for glory.
2. The hart of a wise man is at his right hand▪ but the hart of a foole is at his left hād.
3. And also when the foole goeth by the way his hart fayleth, and he telleth vnto all that he is a foole.
4. If the spirite of him that ruleth, riseth vp against the, leave not thy place. For a soft cure pacifieth great sinnes.
5. There is an euill that I have seene vnder the sunne: as an errour that proceedeth from the face of him that ruleth.
6. Folly is great height▪ and the rich sitt in low place.
7. I have seene seruants on horses, and princes walking as seruants on the ground.
[Page 74]8. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it: And he that breaketh dovvne a hedge, a serpent shall sting him.
9. He that removeth stones shal find sorrow therby▪ And he that cleaveth wood shal be heated therby:
10. when the Iron is dul, & the mā whetteth not the Edge, but vseth might. But the best helpe to bring a thing to good passe, is wisedome.
11. when the serpēt hath bit before charming then the cūning charmer profiteth nothing.
12. The words of the mouth of a wise mā give grace: but the lippes of a foole devour himself.
13. The begining of the wordes of his mouth is foolishnes and the later end of his mouth is wicked madnes.
14. And the foole will multiply wordes. But the man knoweth not what shalbe. And who can tell him what is following him?
[Page 75]15. The labour of the foolish doth weary him. For he knoweth not how to go into the city.
16. woe to the O land whose King is a childe: & whose princes eat in the morning▪
17. Blessed art thou O land, whose King is the sonne of nobles: and whose Princes eat in time, for strength, & not to drink.
18. By slothfulnes beames come to decay: by holding downe the hands the house droppeth thorow.
19. Men making feastes to be merry, that wine make glad the living & mony must affoard all.
20. Curse not the King no not yet in thy thought, neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber: for the foule of the heauen will cary the voice, & the winged bird will declare the matter.
Chapter▪ 11.
1. Cast thy seede vpō the moist groūd: for after many dayes thou shalt [Page 76] finde it.
2. Give a portion to seauē, & also to eight. For thou knowest not what evill shalbe vpō the earth.
3. If the cloudes be full, they will poure fourth rayne vpon the earth: And if the trees fruite fall toward the South, or toward the North, ī the place that the trees fruict falleth, there fruite gatherers will be.
4. He that looketh vpon the winde, will not sow: & he that looketh vpon the cloudes shall not reape.
5. As thou knowest not the way of the winde, as nor of the bones in the belly of her that is with childe▪ so thou knowest not the worke of God that worketh all.
6. In the morning sow thy seede, & in the euening remit not thy hand. For, thou knowest not whether will come to good: this or that: or whether both shalbe alike good.
7. Surely the light is a pleasant thing: and it is a good thīg to the eyes to behold the sūn.
[Page 77]8. But though a mā may live many days, and in them all, be mery, yet let him remember the dayes of darknes, that they be the many. whatsoeuer commeth will be vanity.
9. Rejoyce, O yong mā, in thy childhood, & let thine hart chear thee, in the days of thy youth, & walke in the wayes of thy hart, and in the sight of thyne eyes. But know that for all these thinges God will bring thee to judgment.
10. Put away Gods anger from thine hart & remove evil from thyflesh. For childhood and yonghead is vanity.
Chap. 12.
1. Therfore remember thy Creatours in the dayes of thy youth, Before the evill dayes come, & the yeares approch, of which thou wilt say, I have no pleasure in them.
2. Before the sunn is dark, & the light, & the moone, & the starres, and the cloudes returne after the rayne.
[Page 76]3. when the keepers of the house shal trē ble, and the strōg men shall bow themselves, and the grinders shall ceasse bicause they are few, & they waxe darke that looke out by the windowes,
4. And the dores shalbe shut by the streat, with the base sound of the grinding, & a man shall stand vp at the voyce of the bird: and all the daughters of Musick shalbe brought low:
5. And men will dread every high place, & feares wilbe in the way, & the Almond tree will flourish, & the Grashopper wilbe a burthen to it selfe: and all lust wilbe dissolued: & a man goeth vnto his long home; and mourners go about in the streete.
6. Before the silver cord is loosed: and the golden ewer broken, and the pitcher burst at the well, and the wheele brokē at the cestern:
7. And dust returne to the earth as it was, & the spirit returne to God that gave it.
8. Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth, all is vanity.
9. And this is a matter of excellency, As Koheleth [Page 79] was wise, stil he taught the people knowledg: and weighed and examined and fitted many parables.
10. Koheleth studyed to finde wordes delightfull, & scripture rightfull:
11. The wordes of the wise: as goades, & as nayles fastened in the sheepefoldes▪ being giuen from one shepheard.
12. And my sonne give all diligent heede to them. There is no end in making many bookes & much reading is a wearynes of the flesh.
13. The summe of the matter is, all being heard: Feare God & keepe his commaundements. For this is all the man.
14. For God will bring every deed vnto judgment: with every hid thing, whether it be good or euill