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
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
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
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ob ſette h forth: vvi
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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,
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,
& 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
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.
And in Babel, the Image, and other Pictures telles them in expoſitiones ſeaven times over how heathen shall withold Iudahs kingdome, even from Salathiel and Zoroba babel our Lords Fathers after the flesh vntill he came into the world And they ſaw how yet vnder Heathen they were defended. And when they ſaw not only the fall of Salomons race, temple, city, & kingdome, but of mighty Babel in 70. yeres reigne: then they were in fit caſe to be taught of Davids Throne that should ſtand for ever. Aethan, of Phares brother, Zarach, told it afore Pſal. 89. But the Angel Gabriel telleth it more properly, even to the very yere and day: that all the world might reckon 490. yeres to gather how many yeres, monethes, and dayes they were from the end of Moſes, & how nere to the work of redemption, by the ſonne of God dwelling in our tabernacle. And poor Iewes from 120. nationes are ſent to Ieruſalem by Cyrus proclamation of the true God, who all could teach Heathen that the world was made, and alſo how longue then it had ſtode: wher ſtill infidels will erre. And for receaving of Chriſt his Prophecy, the poore nation that returned to Ieruſalem in hope of life by it, is recorded by the holy ſpirit which beautified the heavens, in high honour; how many theyr whole number to every man did make. This honor had the ſainctes: & their poore state in Ezra & Nehemias is from God ſet downe & their defence, & affinity with the Perſiā kinges alſo is pēned frō Gods wiſdome, &, religion is expōded by Aggei, Zachary & Malachy, evē to Iohn Bap. & to the meke King, Chriſt himſelf. & to the destructiō of their natiō, which will not beleve that all kingdomes vnder the Sun are vanity: but doe and will still hope for a
pompous belly bleſsing in this curſed earth. In due tyme our Lord cometh, to have his tabernacle in vs: for which his tabernacle or temple the world was made obedient vnto man. And though Moſes tabernacle, were most diligently thriſe deſcribed: & furnished with all dignity of matter & forme: yet God did ſone leave it in ſmalle regard: & likewiſe Salomons temple. Yet against S. Stephens doctrine Act. 7. to this day Iſrael hopeth for a temple of ſtone, & city to be built on mount Syon, in Chanaan. But our Lord leaveth this world, to ſit on Davids throne for ever: & Iewes perish in their lyes, and blindnes, & for our Lords brightnes, foure Evangeliſtes tell that: & one telleth how the Apoſtles taught that to the heathen; & holy Epistles comment vpon all Moſes, to teach Iſraell the golden building, & how their Thalmudicall is straw: in all hope of Policy good on Earth. And when Ieruſalem is destroyed to force an end of Moſes Ceremonies: then more fully the nature of Davids throne is opened by Gracious Iohn, in obſcure Patmos. He sheweth how all the goodly Iewels vſed through Moyſes and the Prophetes tend hither, how the knowledge of Chriſt practiſed openly & rightly by his ſervantes, maketh the heavenly Ieruſalem: the holy Iewes a ey-expectation. But this should have two hinderances: one by the prophane Caeſares, whom the Lord wold pay for their partes: that all their world should be altered: the other by Christianes falling away, as Iſmael & Ephraim did. So Mackmad of Iſmael ſone withdrew all the 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
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 Ko
heleth even vnto this day.
ALL this book of Coheleth or Salemon, tendeth, as vvas shevved, to open Nathans ſpech, 1 Chro. 17. touching the Eternall throne of David: And this ſylogiſme ariſeth hence by the Ievves graunt: in the Chaldy vpon this place.
Yf all things vnder the ſunne be ſubiect to extreme vanitie: the Eternall throne promiſed vnto David, muſt be of an other world.
But all thinges vnder the ſunne be ſubiect to extreme vanitie:
Therfore this is all the Man, to looke vnto the iudgement of God for an other world, and vnto the throne of the better ſtay.
The propoſition is omitted, as lapped in the Prophecy
of Nathan cloſly: and not to be opened directly to the prophane: vvho vvold cōtemne all ſpech of the vvorld to come. And the humble vvold ſone conceave it. The aſſumption is proved by a plentifull induction, going through all mans ſtate. And theſe be the chief heades. The shortnes of mans life paſſing as a vapour. 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,
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
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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
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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
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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
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
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
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vvorſe thē death. Salomon
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Ieremies age. felt
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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
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
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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
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.
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
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
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
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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
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
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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
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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
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of ministery: of whom it is written Ezek.
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. 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 DISAN
NVLLING COHE
LETH 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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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KOHELETH.
Eccleſiaſtes.
1. The wordes of Koheleth, the Sōne of David, King in Hieruſalem.
2. Vanity of vanityes ſaith Coheleth, vanity of vanityes, all (is) vanity.
3. what permanent good hath man in all his labour which he taketh vnder 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
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
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-,
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.
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
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 &
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
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:
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
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.
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.,
and the other had no conforter.
2. Then I commended the dead which already are dead, above the living, which are alive yet▪
3. And above them both him that as yet hath not bene: becauſe he hath not ſeene the wrong doing which is vnder the ſunne.
4. For I marked all labour, & all induſtrie of workes: how it bringeth envy to a man from his neighbour.
5. The foole foldeth his hands, & eateth vp his owne fleſh. Saying.
6. Better is an hādfull with eaſe, thē two fiſtfulls with labour & frettīg of ſpirite.
7. Againe I marked a vanity vnder the ſunne.
8. Ther is one & none the ſecond: and he hath neyther ſonne nor brother: and ther is no end of all his labour; and his eye cannot be ſatisfyed with riches. And for whom ſhould I labour and defraud my
ſoule of good? This alſo is a vanity & a grievous toyle.
9. Couples are better then one. For they haue a good reward for their labour.
19. For if they fall, the one will lift vp his fellow: & woe is the one which falleth, and hath not a ſecond to lift him vp.
11. And if a couple ſlepe they 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
any that is over them. Alſo the later will not rejoyce in the ſame. So this alſo is vanity & vexation of ſpirite.
17. Looke to thy feete when thou goeſt into the houſe of God. For he is neerer to heare, then to ſacrifice. Ther the gift of fooles. For they know not that they doe evill.
Chap. 5
1. Be not raſh with thy mouth, nor let thy hart be haſty to vtter any thing before God. For God is in the heavens, & thou art on the earth. Therfore lett they wordes be few.
2. For as dreames come by much buſines, ſo the voyce of a foole hath much babling.
3. when thou voweſt a vow to God, differ not to pay it. For he deliteth not in fooles. what thou doſt vow, pay.
4. Let not thy mouth make thy fleſh ſinne, neyther ſay before the Angel, that it was an errour. wherfore ſhould God be angry
for thy voyce, and deſtroy the workes of thy handes?
5. For as in many dreames be vanityes: ſo in many wordes. But feare thou God.
6. If oppreſſiō of the poore, & robbery of judgemēt & juſtice, thou behold in a 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.
12. And the riches periſh by ſome evill buſines: & he begett a ſonne and nothing cometh to his hand.
13. As he came out of his mothers womb naked, he returneth to goe as he came: & he cannot cary away any thing of his labour, which he may beare in his hand.
14. This alſo is a ſore ſicknes. Euen as he came ſo he goeth away: and what permanēt good hath he that he laboured for the wynd?
15. Alſo all his dayes in darknes doth he eat & much anger and by his owne ſicknes & payning.
16. Behold what I haue ſeene: it is a good-thing to eat & to drinck, & to enjoy the good, in all a mans labour which he taketh vnder the ſūne the number of the dayes of his life which God giueth him: for this is his portion.
17. Though to euery man to whome God hath given riches & treaſures, & giveth him power to eat therof, & to take his part, & to enjoy his labour: this is a gift of God.
18. For, he will not much think vpon the dayes of his life: whome God buſieth in the cheering of his hart.
Chapter. 6.
There is an euill which I ſaw vnder the ſunne, & it is much among men:
2. Some man, to whom God hath giuē riches, & wealth, & honour, & he wanteth nothing for his ſoule of all that he deſireth: yet God giveth him not power to eat therof, but a ſtrange man ſhall eat it vp. This is vanity, & this is an euill ſicknes.
3. If a man 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,
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
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
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:
& 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
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
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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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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?
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
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.
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.
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
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