Works, Part 4 · Biblical exegesis 3 – Religious instruction
A BRIEFE SVMME of Ecclesiastes.
FOr the vnderstanding of Ecclesiastes, because the things therein contained depend of an historie, we must know that Salomon, from the beginningSalomō how qualified in his youth. of his dayes was a well disposed young man, endued with most excellent gifts of regeneration and gouernment. Afterward from one well giuen, and in a good way, hee fell to bee a riotous and a prophane person: and yet obtaining grace by extraordinarie priuiledge (I call that an extraordinarie priuiledge which either implieth a particular commaundement against a generall precept, or a particular practise against some generall rule dispensed of by GOD) he became sorrowfull for his folly, and being desirous to leaue to the world a testimonie of his sorrowe, hee taketh vponupon him in this booke the person of a publike Penitentiarie, professing it to bee a monument of his vnwise dealing: and therefore it may be called Salomons retractations. And surely it is verily to bee supposed, that the Lord hath set vp this man as a signe, in whom hee would by proofe and experience shew, that men can neuer be happie, for these things which most men account to be happines. Wee say in schooles, that practicall and reall syllogismes are farre aboue speculatiue and imaginarie reasons. And we knowe that in all histories the proofe and experience of the reporter affoordeth great credit. Salomon sheweth in this booke that heePracticall & reall syllogismes far aboue imaginarie. prooued all, and yet this is his conclusion, That to feare God, in reuerent regard to keepe his commandements, is all a man can come to, the onelyonly way to find peace of conscience, and to assure vsus of the fauour of God. This is the assurance of our countrie, that wee shall one day enter into it; when we hauehave a purpose to this, we neede seeke no further This had I (saith Salomon) notwithstanding hee was not content, but hee imagined some thing else might be found out which hee had not, and being a man of wisedome hee thought there might besome better kinde of life inuented than this was. Well, hee trieth mirth, wiues, building, &c. which might seeme to content him: but when twentie yeeres were spent in trying conclusions, he was as neere then as he was at the first: nay, without the speciall indulgence of the Lord, he was further off too. And as a horse in a mill, when hee had gone in his circuite, hee was at last where he began first. Well (saith he) whatsoeuer I tried beside the conclusions of the faithfull, all deceiued me in the fruition. And that which is more, eueryevery purpose of mine heart being vaine, left a sting and pricke behinde in conscience, which did counteruaile and surpasse all the former delights. So then, Salomon returning into the fauour of God, condemneth all externall things to be but vanitie, and hee would teach vsus this lesson, that ruina pracedentium must be admonitio sequentium. If any man will trie conclusions against Gods conclusions, hee shall trie nothing in the end but himselfe to be a foole: and by how much the more examples might hauehave forwarned vsus, the more we are to excuse the Lord, and to accuse our selues if wee fall.