Exposition of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2
The ſecond Chapter.
Then ſayd I thus in my hart: go to, I will take myne eaſe, & hauehave good dayes. But loe, that is vanitie alſo.
The continuation of the former chapiter with this preſent.BEcauſe in the Chapiter before, he ſhewed that care, & thought, and mens forecaſtes, ſpecially ſuch as we prouide for our ſelues by, are vaine & of no force, teachyng vsus to be content, with the word of God, and his working, ſo that we ſhould preſume to do nothing, but that the word of God preſcribeth vsus, or his working enforceth vsus to doe, which yet many tymes is contrary to his word, as when hee oppreſſeth vsus with ſome euill, euen when we hauehave done accordyng to his worde, wherein we hauehave néede of faith and patience, that in theſe caſes we yeld not to our owne deuiſes & ſéeke to eſcape thereby, but cōmit our ſelues vntounto him, & to ſuffer his hand in his owne worke: now he turneth him to an other deuiſe.
I ſayd in my hart, I will take myne eaſe.
AS though he ſhould ſay.Mourning companion vntounto pleaſure. Seyng carefulnes, and myne owne deuiſes profite not, I will refraine from them, and and turne me to the right hand, and take to me a quiete and eaſie life, and delight in pleaſures: I will let all go as they come, and take my pleaſure. But this was alſo a vayne deuiſe, and proſpered no more then that firſt deuiſe of mans wiſedome and carefulnes. For euē herein alſo dyd God withſtād me. For quyetnes commeth not but of Gods word and working. And this doth experiēce it ſelfe teach vsus. Many tymes banquetes and feaſtes are appointed to prouoke mirth. Fine iunkets, enterludes, & games are deuiſed to cheare the gheſtes, but moſt times the contrary falleth out. And ſeldome doth any good collatiō or pittaunce come of it. For either there are preſent ſome ſad & ſeuere countenaūces, or els ſome other thing diſturbeth all the feaſt, and ſpecially when men deliberate to make ſuch mirth and paſtime long before. Many tymes it commeth to paſſe, that ſome caſualtie falleth out euen in the merieſt banquet, by Gods appointement. And ſo commeth it to paſſe alſo in other matters.
LoueLove is bitter.Some man ſéeketh his pleaſure in louelove, but by and by he féeleth the bitternes therof, which thing S. Auguſtine alſo complayneth of in his bookes of confeſſions, how he was miſerably ſcourged in the middle of his loues. Euen ſo, when we take our pleaſures, by and by the ſauce therof is bitter. Therfore there is no better thing, then to abide in Gods word and working, ſo to frame our hart that it may be at reſt and quiet, and contented with his preſent ſtate and condition.We muſt vſe Gods giftes with ye acknowledgyng & fearyng of hym. If God géeue vsus a wife, to take her as a preſent benefite, and to vſe her. If thou wilt paſſe theſe bounds, & encreaſe this benefite, thou ſhalt hauehave ſorrow & ſadnes in ſtéede of mirth and ioye. Wée muſt therefore doe onelyonly, that that God willeth and appointeth. If thou ſéekeſt for ioy and delight, thou muſt looke for it, at his hand. Therefore euen as God offereth thee ſuch occaſion, ſo take holde therof, and be meary with thoſe that are meary. And among thoſe that are meary, ſeeme not thou to be a father Sapience and ſeuere perſon, as doe theſe holy ones, which will daſhe and diſturbe that mirth that God geeueth vsus. OnelyOnly acknowledge thou them to come of gods gifte, and receaue them of his hand, and vſe them as his giftes.
To be ſhort,As God ſendeth thē ſo muſt we enioy with feare, either aduerſitie or proſperitie. we muſt not take and enioy our paſtimes or pleaſures, or deuiſes, nor any other thing, but euē ſo vſe them as God ſendeth them. Let men yelde vp all vntounto God. It is not our partes to preſcribe either place, perſon, or maner, for then we ſhall be deceaued. Therfore mirth is not condemned as any vayne or naughty thyng, but mans enterpriſe and counſell, whyle we wyll procure and ſéeke to be meary wythout the will of God, but muſt vſe them both as God ſendeth them. For euen as to procure ſorrow and care of our owne heades and deuiſes, is an offence: euen ſo, when God ſendeth them, not to beare and ſuffer them, is likewiſe an offence. So to auoyde mirth, and not to receaue it when God ſendeth it,The vſage of hypocrites. is a damnable thing, as theſe holy men forſooth which put vppon them their Cato his countenaunce, appointing tymes, places, perſons, and other rules of ſeueritie, which is the propertie of hipocrites, and but a vanitie. They wil hauehave vsus to mourne wt them that mourne, and they will not reioyce with them that reioyce. Sadnes, mirth, and all other like, both outward, and inward thinges, muſt not be meaſured by place, tyme. &c. but euē as God of his frée goodnes ſendeth them: ſo may we fréely vſe them. Therefore he ſayth:
I ſayd in my hart, I will goe, and and take my pleaſure.
THat is to ſay, I would hauehave meaſured the matter, by rule and by order, but this was nothing but vanitie. Here muſt we warne you againe,The errour of Hierome. that you ſwarue not from the Theame, as Hierome did, which fooliſhly glorieth, that he learned out of this booke, the contēpt of the world, and of all creatures, which afterward, the Monkes and Sophiſters imitated, being ignorant what thing it is to contemne the world, or what the world is. For this is ye very way to teach men to contemne Gods creatures, and to forbid mē the vſe of them, againſt the manifeſt wordes of holy Scripture.
Therfore to forſake the world,What it is to forſake ye worlde. is not to abſteine from Gods creatures, but from our owne deuiſes. Thus myght Hierome well hauehave taught his beloued Bleſilla: Contemne not the creatures of this world, but thine owne deuiſes, coū ſels, cares, and affections, wherby thou ſéekeſt through thine owne wit to bryng all thinges to paſſe. Honour, and the delight we hauehave in thinges, is not euyll, but carefulnes in matters, and thyne owne wayes and fetches, are to bée ſet naught by. Neither is this to contemne the worlde, to goe courſely apparelled, to ſubdue the fleſhe with watchyng, to bring it vnderunder with faſting. &c. but to vſe theſe matters as occaſion offreth. If God ſend meate, to eate it: if none, to ſuffer hunger: If he call vsus to honour, to accept it: if he ſend loſſe & hinderaunce to beare it. If he caſt vsus in priſon, to take it patiently. If he will aduaūce vsus to a kingdome, to follow his calling. If he depoſe vsus frō one, not to care for it. Euē as Dauid gouerned his kingdome, & tooke hys baniſhment both in good part: a true deſpiſer of this world. Such therefore are right deſpiſers of the world, as take all thinges in good part, as God doth ſend it vntounto them, and vſe all things in this world with thankes geuing, while they hauehave them, and cā willingly want them, when God taketh them away.
I ſayd vntounto the man geuē to laughter, thou art mad, and to the man geuen to mirth, what dooſt thou?
No pleaſure dureth with a man alwayes.VNderſtand all theſe thinges of mans wayes and intentes. Thus hee meaneth, I thought by art to deuiſe me good dayes, to ſéeke my pleaſure and paſtime: but this cogitation was a mere madnes, which two wayes troubled me. For firſt the trauell of deuiſing and ſearching vexed my minde. Then when I thinke I hauehave attained to my purpoſe, by and by ſome ſorrow or grief falleth out, that cauſeth me to loſe both my labour, & ioy. This is it that he ſaith, the laughter that I ſeeke for, and the ioy, which I go about to procure, what auaileth it me? For I cā neuer attaine to it, but alwayes ſome grief or trouble happeneth betwéene. Therfore that ioy & mirth is beſt, which is not ſought for but which God ſendeth vnlooked for, without thy cares and deuiſes. So the outward mirth is good, but with thoſe yt vſe it well. The wicked although they liue in neuer ſo much pleaſure, yet theirs is no true ioye, becauſe, they acknowledge it not for Gods gift, but ſtraitway loth it, and inuent other delightes, being neuer content with that which is preſent.
And I thought in myne hart to abſteine from wyne,Agaynſt Monkiſh lyfe. and to gouerne my hart wiſely, and to comprehēd fooliſhnes, vntill I might perceaue what was good for the children of men, to doe vnderunder heauen as long as they lyued.
HEre now the third tyme, he deuiſeth an other way, minding to prooue, if happely this way would ſuccede. For aſmuch as in this life, which I leade in the world amongeſt men, neither the cares wherewith I breaking my ſelfe, to profite others, nor yet pleaſures ſuccede, but are all in vayne: I wil take to me an vnpleaſaūt, and auſtere life, vtterly to liue in abſtinence and hardely &c. I maruell that theſe falſe contemners of the world and the Creatures therin, hauehave not marked this place of Salomon, where hee calleth this auſtere and ſeuere kinde of life a vanitie. Here therefore he condemneth thoſe ſtraight rules of the Monkes, ſpecially of the Charterhouſe mē, which yet the worlde wondreth at, and holdeth for godlynes and holines. The ſentence is as it were a thunderbolte againſt all rules, and Monkiſh religions, whereby they make thoſe thinges in ſubiection to them and their deuiſes, whiche are not theirs. Not that abſtinence is an euill thing, but to ſéeke it of our own deuiſes, and to binde our ſelues to them as vntounto thinges neceſſary. For tyme, creature, place &c. are the giftes of God, which yet theſe mē will captiuate with their rules and preſcriptions. Howbeit they get nothing therby, but ſorrow & miſery while they afflict their body, & vexe thēſelues in vaine. For thus doe the Charthuſians preſcribe: Eate no fleſhe although thou ſhouldeſt dye therfore. But this is of all other thinges the worſt, that they ſéeke and ſet holynes in theſe doynges. As though the deuill him ſelfe could not on this wiſe bee holy. Whiche neither drinketh wine, nor weareth purple &c.
He ſaith therefore.Agaynſt workes of mās choyce and deuiſe. All theſe thinges would be good for me in déede, either to abſteine, either to eate and drinke, but then are they euill when I put myne owne deuiſe thereto. God appointed neither place, time, meate, nor abſtinence, & we fooles appointe them. One while, I will eate fleſh, an other while I wil not. God him ſelfe ſayth, when yu haſt meate, eate it, when thou haſt none abſteine. Wherfore, if thou wilt vſe abſtinence, abide the Lordes deuiſe. For hee can caſt thée in priſon, he can ſend thée hunger, & ſickeneſſe &c. Here vſe thou abſtinence, here haſt thou a rule not preſcribed of thy ſelfe but of God. Now through thine own deuiſes, thou counterfeiteſt a forme of abſtinence, contrary to Gods appointment. And theſe godly contemners of the world doe ſo refraine from thinges, that they want no maner of thing, and ſo order the matter that they abſteine from nothyng. To be ſhort, euen as by their owne righteouſnes they aduaunce them ſelues aboue God: ſo by their owne conſtitutions, they aduaunce them ſelues aboue all his creatures.
And to gouerne my hart wiſely.
Wiſedome is to want, or be free from fooliſhnes.THat is to ſay, I thought to gouerne my ſelfe, by mine own counſell wiſely, and in abſteining to ſeme a wiſeman, that I might comprehend wiſedome (or fooliſhneſſe) for the Hebrue worde is of doubtfull ſenſe, ſignifiyng ſome tyme wiſdome, ſome time fooliſhnes, but moſt commonly fooliſhnes, ſo the ſenſe is, that I might comprehend what was fooliſhnes, namely, that I might know how to tell other what was wiſe, what fooliſh: that I might comprehend it, to ſhunne and auoyde it. For it is the part of wiſedome, not onelyonly to knowe that that is good, but alſo to auoyde that that is euill.
Salomons exerciſes.He rehearſeth almoſt a whole beaderolle of his workes, that he exerciſed to teach others. I beganne (ſaith he) to aſſay many wayes, whereby to occupy my ſelfe, in abſtayning from wynes & pleaſures, ſo that other by my exāple might learne to liue the better, and the wiſelyer to abſteyne, and to gouerne their houſholde. He ſpeaketh of a worldly and ciuile wiſdome, not of the heauenly & ſpirituall, wherby we vnderſtand what dutie we owe vntounto God. I began to build, to plant vineyards, I omitted no labour and trauell. &c. but of all my laboures, I reaped nothing but vanitie. Becauſe I would gouerne my ſelfe after mine own rule and deuiſe.
And for a man to rule himſelfe after his owne deuiſe, is but a vanitie,It is vanitie for a man to gouerne hym ſelfe after his owne deuiſe. nay he two maner of wayes hurteth himſelfe. Firſt he troubled himſelfe with his own deuiſes. Secondly, he attayneth not to that he would, or if he attaine to it, ſome ſorrow fauleth out, that daſheth his deuiſe. Thus Nero buylded a princely Court of great magnificēce, but he could not enioy it. For thus it commeth to paſſe commonly, that one buildeth, and an other poſſeſſeth & enioyeth that that is builded,Princes deuiſes are vayne. and as the parable in the goſpell ſpeaketh, one ſoweth and an other reapeth. So our Prince Frederike of famous memory, builded very much, but others hauehave it in poſſeſſion. He had a reſpect to tymes cōming, and was not content with thinges preſent. When he had builded one houſe, by and by hee ſought to builde an other. This Prince that now is, enioyeth not ye houſes builded, but buildeth other, fenceth Cities, and hath vtterly a diuerſe deuiſe. And his ſucceſſour will vndoubtedly be delighted with an other.
Ouermuch care to encreaſe ryches is reprehended.Theſe thinges therefore are ſurely a great vanitie and miſery, to be vexed in our workes, with ſorrow and care, vntill they be accompliſhed. When they are ended, to dye, or fall ſicke, or ſome other way to bee depriued of the vſe and commoditie of them. And he that ſuccéedeth vsus oftentimes, not to vſe that we hauehave done, or to pull it downe. This is the whole courſe of mans life. God alwayes ſtriueth againſt mans deuiſes, and we agayne cōtrary to his. But it is eaſie for him to deſtroy whatſoeuer we beginne, yea ſo great is the vanitie of our hart, that it neuer agréeth long with it ſelfe, neither can it be ſo ſtable, to reſt & abyde in his preſent ſtate. When man hath aſſaied, and brought his deuiſe to paſſe, yet his curioſitie in doing ſtill remayneth, he ſtraight wayes miſliketh that he hath done, and proueth an other way, euen as he ſayd before: what thing is that that hath beene. &c. Such is the mynde of man after his purpoſe gotten, as it was before, alwayes vnconſtant, and vnquiet. If a man hauehave one péece of golde,The more thou drinkeſt water, the more thou deſireſt it. he looketh and coueteth for tenne more. He that hath tenne, deſireth an hundred, he that hath a hundred, a thouſand. &c. If a Prince hauehave one Caſtle commodiouſly builded, he will hauehave two. If he hauehave one kingdome, he ambitiouſly deſireth an other. To be briefe, Alexander deſireth to hauehave many worldes.
So commeth it to paſſe in mens houſes, in mariage,A mās vocation muſt be applyed, and good ſucceſſe deſired and looked for of God. and bringing vp of children. Thou deuiſeſt to marry a wyfe, well manered, honeſt, for thy commoditie, a good houſwyfe: but it may chaunce thée to finde a naughty one, altogither of contrary conditions, or els though ſhée be very honeſt, that thou mayſt wāt many other good properties in her. Thou thinkeſt how to bring vp thy childrē that they may be honeſt, & profitable for theyr countrey. But loe, otherwiſe then they looked for, they become murtherers, or otherwiſe wicked, and vnprofitable burthens of the earth. Shall we therfore forſake ye charge of houſekéeping? Becauſe I ſée nothing ſuccéedeth according to my diligence, nor aunſwerable to my labour and trauels? No. What then? Thou muſt gouerne thy houſe, inſtructe thy familie, bring vp thy children, rule thy wife, but ſo as it muſt be without thy appointment & meaſure, that thou truſt not too much in thine owne wiſdome. If thy ſonne be apte to his booke, let him learne it: if to ſome handy craft, let him learne it likewiſe. OnelyOnly paſſe thou not thy boundes, but committe the ſucceſſe thereof to God. Otherwiſe thou ſhalt perceaue the two incommodities ſpoken of before. Now by theſe premiſſes, may eaſely be vnderſtanded the thinges that follow.
I made gorgeous fayre workes, I buylded me houſes, and planted vineyardes. I made me orchardes and gardens of pleaſure, and planted trees in thē of all maner frutes. I made pooles of water to water the greene & frutefull trees withall. I bought ſeruātes and maydēs, & ſome I had borne at home. I bought cattle and ſheepe & had more ſubſtance then all they that were before me in Hieruſalem. I gathered togither ſiluer and golde, euen a treaſure of kynges and landes. I prouided mee ſingers and women that playde on inſtruments, to make men mirth and paſtime. I gat me Pſalteries & ſonges of Muſike, and I was greater and in more worſhippe, then all my predeceſſours In Hieruſalem. For wiſdome remayned with me, and looke whatſoeuer myne eyes deſired, I let them hauehave it, and whatſoeuer my hart delyted, or had any pleaſure in, I withheld it not from it. Thus my hart reioyſed in all that I did, and thys was my portion of all my trauell. But when I cōſidered all my workes that my handes had wrought, and all the labour that I had taken therein, loe, all was but vanitie and vexation of mynde, and nothyng of any value vnderunder the Sunne.
A rolle or regiſter of Salomons workes.SAlomon reciteth in this place, a beadrolle, as I ſayd of his workes, that he did to procure hym mirth and pleaſure, and to well gouerne his houſe and familie. They are eaſie to vnderſtand by that is aforeſayd. I made great or gorgious workes. Which our interpreter ſpeaketh thus by Magnificacie, that is to ſay, I made notable and great workes, of the which we read the 3. of ye kynges, the 3. and 7. chapiters. &c. What profit had I therof? none but paine and trauel, and others the fruite and commoditie.
Paradiſes, or gardēs of pleaſure. The Hebrew worde ſignifieth A pleaſaunt garden, wherein bee faire plottes of floures and moſt noble rootes.
Seruaūts borne in their maiſters houſes.Vernaculos, that is ſeruaunts borne at mine houſe. For the children of bondmen, which were borne at home, were called Vernaculi, which alwayes dyd ſeruice to that maiſter, whoſe bondman their father was, whether he were bought with money, or howſoeuer els he became bond. I bought ſeruaunts and maydens, that is to ſay, I was a notable huſband in gouernaunce of houſe & familie. I thought to rule my houſe according to mine owne phantaſie and deuiſe. I gathered ſubſtaunce and treaſure. Whatſoeuer ornamentes and precious apparellings were to be gotten in any countrey, that I furniſhed my ſelfe with, to declare the pompe of my kyngdome, as great & rich kings vſe to doe.
I prouided me ſingers, and women playeng on Inſtrumentes, to make myrth and paſſe tyme.
HEre is a great variaunce amōg Grā mariens what Schida, and Schidoth is. I trāſlated it, men and women daū ſers, but I like it not. I folow them in ye meane ſeaſon, that thinke they are inſtrumentes of muſike, and that becauſe of that is ſaid before, where he thus writeth: I prepared me men ſingers and womē ſingers, and things that might cheare and ſollace men, that is to ſay, noyſes of inſtruments. He doubleth this word Schida, Veſchidoth, becauſe perhaps hee would expreſſe the mutuall conſent and ſingyng by courſe that is amōg Muſitians. I was in great auctoritie or worſhyp &c. That is to ſay, all theſe thinges were moſt commodiouſly ordered and diſpoſed afterward.What wiſdome Salomon vnderſtādeth in this place. And wiſedome remayned with me. He vnderſtandeth not ſpeculatiue wiſedome, but that wiſedome that conſiſteth in good ordering and gouerning theſe worldly affaires, wherein is included the diuine wiſedome. He confeſſeth that he had not onelyonly abundaunce of thinges, but wiſedome alſo therwith, to adminiſter, rule, and gouerne all thinges well, which is the greateſt gift that God giueth man. But it had no ſucceſſe, becauſe he would hauehave all thinges, which he had ſo wiſely ordeined procéede after his owne deuiſe &c. where notwithſtandyng, this is the ſaying of all men in the world. It is not as it ought to be, becauſe they ſée many thinges wiſely appointed and ordeined & yet hauehave no ſucceſſe &c. The greateſt pointe of wiſedome therefore is to know this, that ſucceſſe foloweth not, but when God appointeth & that things are gouerned neither by counſell of the wiſe, nor by temeritie of the fooliſh.
And whatſoeuer myne eyes deſired, I let them hauehave it.
The impediments of pleaſures.THat is to ſay, I went yet farther, and thought to enioye all the thinges. I had prepared, but I was not permitted. I ment to make this my portion in this life, but God would not ſuffer me to order theſe pleaſures after mine owne deuiſe, hee alwayes put many ſtumbling blockes in my way. Whē I would hauehave enioyed my deſires, my gardens, the affaires of the kingdome called me backe, I was faine to ſit downe and giuegive ſentence accordyng to law and right, I had matters in ſuite to arbitrement, and to determine and take vp &c. Thus I was not able to take my paſtime as I deſired. This ſame very thing happeneth in our Princes, that when they purpoſe to take their delightes, ſome heauy occurrēce falleth out that diſturbeth their ioy, and cauſeth them to ſorrow. Thus doth God alwayes, to ſtoppe and hinder our deuiſes and appointementes. He giueth vsus inough to vſe and make mery with, but hee will therewith hauehave vsus to kéepe his Creatures purely and ſincerely in their owne libertie.
Loe all this was but vanitie, and vexation of mynde.
IS not this a great vanitie, for a kyng that hath ſuch abundaunce of goodes, and plenty of all things, and can not yet enioye any one thing of ſo many according to his owne deuiſe.We muſt enioye thynges preſent. And if he chaūce to enioye any of them, yet it is but by ſtealth. So vnable we are to gouerne, or comprehend thinges after our owne deſire. Let eueryevery man therfore fréely enioy the thinges preſent euen as God ſendeth them. Let him ſuffer them to be taken away, and to be giuen him, to goe & to come, according to the Lordes pleaſure, when it is good. Let him thinke It may agayne turne to euill, and contrarywiſe, that hee wallow not and bee drowned in pleaſures, as the wicked vſe &c.
Nothyng of any value vnderunder the Sunne.
OF his own deuiſes man reapeth nothing but trauaile and miſery. The Creatures are good, but our deſires and deuiſes are vayne, which preſcribe vntounto them boundes and rules, whereas they will not be ruled by vsus.
Then dyd I turne me, to conſider wiſedome, errour, and fooliſhnes. For what is hee among men, that might be cōpared to me the kyng, in ſuch workes? And I ſawe that wiſedome excelleth fooliſhenes, as farre as light doth darkenes. For a wiſe man hath his eyes in his head, but the foole goeth in darkeneſſe. I perceaued alſo that they both had one end.
BY an other experience he prooueth all thinges are but vaine,Wiſe mens deuiſes fruſtrated. I meane mans counſels and enterpriſes. Euen (ſayth hee) as it hath happened to me: ſo ſee I it happeneth to others alſo. My deuiſes, & wiſedome were fruſtrate & in vayne, and could not attayne to that ſucceſſe yt I wiſhed. The ſame I perceaued in others likewiſe. I looked vponupon other mens wiſedome and folly, and compared them togither. I ſaw how ſome mē dealt very wiſely, & went about matters very prudently. I ſaw alſo fooliſh men and hare-braynes working without counſell, and yet their folly and temeritie was ſometime fortunate and had good ſucceſſe. Where the counſels of the wiſe came to no effect, and the wiſe men were moſt infortunate, in ſo much that this foole hardynes became a Prouerbe, Fortune fauoreth fooles.
Examples.Cicero and Demoſthenes were moſt wiſe men, & had notably appointed their common weales, and made very good lawes, they thought alſo, yt they ſhould hauehave had good ſucceſſe, but it fell out otherwiſe, in ſomuch that the one ſayd of him ſelfe: O I that was neuer wiſe, and ſometyme iudged in vayne to be that I was not. O Citizēs, how much hath your opiniō of me deceaued you. &c. The other broken and worne with age and trauell, ſayd, that he wiſhed death rather, then to bee combred agayne with charge of publike affaires, him ſelfe hauing well tried that matters goe not according to the good counſels of the wiſe. Cōtrariwiſe Iulius and Octauius Caeſars, not alway followyng wiſe, but bold counſels, were much more fortunate. Philip kyng of Macedonia procéeded againſt Demoſthenes deuiſes, beyng him ſelfe alſo more fortunate then wyſe.The ſucceſſe is not aunſwerable, to wiſe mens deuiſes.
Surely their deuiſes and counſels were good, but ſo to vrge thē, to appointe ſo certeine a ſucceſſe of thē, was a vaine deuiſe. For matters will not be taken in hand by mans deuiſe. To be brief matters goe not according to the counſell of ye wiſe, nor according heddynes of fooles, that the counſels of the wiſe might bée prooued fooliſh, that we ſhould not glory in our ſelues. Thus in warre ſtraitway the victory is not gotten, albeit the army be neuer ſo well appointed, & all thinges moſt wiſely forecaſt and deuiſed. As not many yeares ago, ye Frēch kyng thought to hauehave had a great victory agaynſt the Emperour, but it fell out contrary.
This hee ſaith therefore?Deuiſes are of men, but ſucceſſe of God. Thou ſéeſt that matters ſuccéede aſwel with fooles, as with wiſe men, ſo yt it might appeare there were no difference betweene a foole and a wiſeman, as touching ſucceſſe, yea that it might ſeeme there were no God that ſuffreth matters ſo vnaduiſedly to paſſe. But Salomon aunſwereth, no, but that wiſedome farre paſſeth fooliſhneſſe. True it is that mans wiſedome bryngeth not thinges to paſſe, but God doth it. God by his wiſedome can bring to paſſe what he will, but man can not. For God hath not onelyonly wiſedome, but alſo a power to doe it, ſo that the thing which hee commaundeth muſt néedes ſuccéede. This man can not doe. To conclude: Gods counſell is not deceaued but mens coūſels how wiſe ſoeuer they be, are deceaued. Therfore he ſayth very well:
And I ſaw that wiſedome excelleth fooliſhneſſe as farre as light doth darkenes.
WIſdome is very good, but becauſe it lacketh power and ſtrength, it can not bring thinges about, nor rule the ſucceſſe of them.
A wyſe man hath his eyes in hys head, but the foole. &c.
We muſt not put truſt in our owne deuiſes, and commit the ſucceſſe of them to God.I Sée verely that the lyke happeneth to them both. Our wiſedome deceaueth vsus, our fooliſhnes deceaueth vsus: yet wiſdome paſſeth fooliſhnes. To hauehave the eyes in the head, is an Hebrew phraſe, which wee commonly doe vſe to expreſſe thus. Hee that will playe at cheaſtes muſt not hyde his eyes in his purſe. Wherby we ſignifie that he muſt not onelyonly be ſkilful in that play, but alſo hauehave a diligent eye and care to his play: So he ſayth here:
A wiſe man hath his eyes in his head.
THat is, they are not onelyonly wiſe handlers of their matters, but alſo circumſpect and carefull about them, and ſée in déede how thinges ſhould be ordred, but can not perfourme and accompliſhe the effect. The foole hath not his eyes in hys forehead, becauſe he procéedeth raſhely, and at all auentures. Howbeit in déede on both ſides ye matter goeth by fortune, and chaunce, that is, God ruleth the ſucceſſe, & not according to our circumſpection or negligence. Sometimes they fall both, ſometyme they proſper both. But God will not that wee ſhall make any certayne rule thereof. For the creatures are not in our power, but in Gods, who graunteth vsus the vſe of them, and by our meanes doth what pleaſeth hym. That we of our ſelues adde hereto, in going about to rule the vſe of them by our counſels and enterpriſes, is vayne. He ſchooleth vsus therfore, not to truſt in our owne wyſdome and counſels, but to doe as occaſion ſerueth, and if it ſuccéede not, to commit it vntounto God.
For what man is able to imitate the kyng that made him before. &c.
Hee that made vsus, gouerneth vsus.HEre by a goodly and apt paraphraſis, he deſcribeth god, as if he ſhould ſay: God is our king, he hath not onelyonly made vsus, but alſo continually gouerneth vsus, ſo that all thinges happen to vsus according to his will. He alone reacheth from the beginning to the end, neyther can any man hinder or ſtoppe his will & counſell. For this cauſe thought Salomon to call him a king rather then God. Some men hauehave wiſdome, ſome fooliſhnes, but no man can imitate his king, nor do that he doth. For what he appointeth commeth to paſſe, his will and counſell taketh effecte.
And made vsus before (to ſay) that we were.
THe like phraſe hath S. Paule: Who firſt gaue vntounto him, and he ſhal be recompenced? Euen therfore as thys kyng ruleth and gouerneth, all thynges fall out. Hereby therfore he ſheweth that our deuiſes are of no value, becauſe we be made, and be not the kyng. God will not hauehave vsus and his creatures to be ruled by our ſelues, but contrariwiſe, or els we ſhould be kynges and rulers ouer God. Nothing ſuccéedeth after our wiſdome, or fooliſhnes, but many incurre diſpleaſure by fooliſhnes, and more by wiſdome, as euen the wyſeſt of all other men, Dion, Cicero, Brutus, Demoſthenes. &c. Becauſe God doth fruſtrate and delude mans counſels and deuiſes, to prouoke vsus by all meanes to feare him, and to learne to let him alone with the gouernaunce of all thinges, and in nothing to preſcribe hym.
And I ſaw that the ſucceſſe of both theſe men were alike.
THat is, I ſawe, they had both lyke fortune, that as little preuayled the wyſe man as the foole. That thinges are gouerned neither by wiſedome,Both wiſdome and temeritie, without Gods gouernaunce, is vnhappy nor fooliſhnes, although God ſuffer thinges to be done by them both, but no rule muſt be made thereof. For if our coūſell were of force, then ſhould it alway proſper. If fooliſhnes did hurt alwayes, then ſhould it neuer proſper. Marius, Antonius, & diuers other preuayled more by their temeritie and raſhnes, then Cicero dyd with his wiſdome. And a man ſhall no where finde more examples of mans fooliſhnes and wiſdome, then among the Romaines and Gentiles. For among ye Iewes, warres were taken in hand for the moſt part, according as the prophets appointed, and God commaunded.
Then ſayd I in my mynde, if it happen vntounto the foole as it doth vntounto me, what neede I labour then any more for wiſdome? So I ſayde in myne hart, that this alſo was but vanitie.
We muſt not truſt in our own deuiſes.ANd theſe wordes tende to this ende, that we ſhould abſteine from affiaūce in our owne deuiſes. I (ſaith Salomon) gouerned my kingdome moſt wiſely, & I had a Lieftenant or preſident, which gouerned not ſo prudently as I, and yet had he good ſucceſſe. Since therfore I ſée fooles hauehave as good ſucceſſe, or better then I, why truſt I to myne owne counſell and wiſdome, encreaſing but my labour and ſorrow.
So I ſayd in mine hart this alſo was but vanitie.
I Founde by experience, that neither wiſdome, nor raſhenes was to be truſted. For before it was declared, that wiſdome paſſeth fooliſhnes, although things be gouerned neither by fooliſhnes nor wiſdome.Our affayres muſt be cōmended to ye kyng that made vsus. We muſt holde therefore a meane betwéene both, we muſt commit our matters to the king which made vsus. If he offer vsus any commoditie, wée muſt vſe it: if he geue vsus ought, we muſt take it: if he take ought from vsus, we muſt ſuffer it. &c. Doe that thou art able, what thou canſt not doe, that let alone. Looke what thou canst not lift, let it lye. So my wiſdome ſhall be profitable vntounto me, if I doe that I know pleaſeth God, and leaue to his ordering that he will doe by me. If we would thus doe, then ſhould we be wiſemen in déede.
For the wyſe are euer as little in remembraunce as the fooliſhe. For the dayes ſhall come, when all ſhal be forgotten.
BOth that the wiſe man hath done and deuiſed by this counſell,All things through obliuion, are buryed & forgottē. and that the foole hath done through his fooliſhneſſe, whether it ſuccéeded well or euill, ſhal be forgotten. For neither they themſelues, nor other ſhall be the better for it, that they may learne to committe all thinges vntounto God, but their poſteritie ſhall follow their owne wayes, and not be content with the ordinaunces of their Aunceſtors, but ſéeke new deuiſes, lothyng that they hauehave, and ſéeking for that they hauehave not, dreaming thus. If it once ſucceeded well with me, it will doe ſo once agayne. If it did not before ſuccéede, it will now ſuccéede. We wil doe wiſelyer then they hauehave done before vsus. &c.
Nothyng is of continuaunce in this world.Beholde the Romaines cōmon weale, how the Conſulles alwayes, and the Emperours afterwarde ſtill repealed their Predeceſſours Actes, diſdayning thinges preſent and paſt, and lookyng on thinges to come. Why therefore doeſt thou take ſuch care, as though thy poſteritie would like or allow that thou dooſt. It will not be. For that men hauehave, they reiecte as vnprofitable. &c. Therfore it is impoſſible, that thinges ſhould remaine in the ſame eſtimation wyth poſteritie, that they were in before.
Lycurgus.Lycurgus thought he had geuen ſuch lawes to the Lacedemonians, as they would hauehave kept till he had come backe agayne, that is, for euer. According to the which deuiſe, he went his wayes, mynding to returne backe no more, hoping by this meanes, that his lawes ſhould be alwayes obſerued, but he nothing preuailed.
Auguſtus ſayd he had layd ſuch foundations of a common weale,Auguſtus. as he hoped ſhould ſtand for euer, but they that came after, turned all vp ſet downe. The people of Rome wiſhed the death of Nero, Nero.hoping they ſhould hauehave had a better cō mon weale. But afterward it went neuer the better with their commō weale. Salomon ſo gouerned his Realme that he thought it ſhoulde hauehave ſo continued ſtill,Salomon. and by and by after his death it was deuided.Roboam. For Roboam which ſuccéeded him, not content with his fathers wyſe gouernaunce of the kingdome, rent it in two partes.
And it commeth not onelyonly thus to paſſe, in externe and ciuile matters, where ſuch fooliſhnes is the more tollerable, becauſe there is but the loſſe of thinges corporall, but alſo in religion,Alteration of common weales and religions. and in the word of God, where poſteritie alway neglecting the puritie of the doctrine left by our predeceſſours, ſéeke newe inuentions, euen as they, which now the Goſpell is publiſhed, not content with the puritie of fayth, & doctrine of the Goſpell, raiſe newe diſputations about the Sacramentes, which when it hath béene of any continuaunce, newe ſectes will ariſe without ende. For the fleſhe can not be cōtēted with one plaine and true doctrine.
Salomon ſpeaketh not of perſons, but of thoſe things that men doe.Thou muſt vnderſtand that Salomō ſpeaketh not here of the perſons but of the things that men do, whether they be wiſe or fooliſh, becauſe they be neglected. The remembraunce of men indureth in bookes, but not in ordering of the commō weale, and matters are regiſtred and put in Recordes, but no mā careth or taketh héede to them, neither is poſteritie moued with the examples of their predeceſſours. Still they deuiſe new wayes and faſhions. That lyeth before them, is lothed, that they hauehave not is deſired. Briefly, to be content with thinges preſent, is playnely a gift of the holy ghoſt, a thyng impoſſible to the fleſhe, which alwayes forſaketh thinges preſent for thinges to come, and whiles it purſueth the one, it loſeth the other, defrauding it ſelfe of the vſe of both. A couetous man lacketh aſwell that hee hath, as that hee hath not. And as it fareth with the couetous in money, ſo fareth it with all mankind in pleaſures and deuiſes &c. that is to ſay, they hauehave nothing though they hauehave all thing. Let Alexander Magnus ſtand for an example, whoſe mynde was not ſatiſfied after hee had conquered all Aſia. If this be true in outwarde thinges, what maruell is it in matters of the Goſpell? That we hauehave we hauehave not, becauſe our affection is not ſettled, but are deſirous of other thinges. On the other ſide Chriſtians hauehave all things, though they hauehave nothyng.
And the wyſe man dyeth as well as the foole.
THe lyke ſaying is in the Pſalme 49. Wiſe men alſo dye and periſhe togither aſwel as the ignoraūt and fooliſh, and leaue their riches for other. &c. This alſo is to bee vnderſtanded of things that men doe. The wiſe mā dyeth for all his doynges aſwell as the foole. No man regardeth what they well ordeined. And when thou haſt done aſwell as is poſſible, for thy reward, are all thy doynges diſdayned, or els thou art haniſhed or put to death &c. Yea many will contemne thine Actes and repeale them.
Wherefore I was weary of my lyfe becauſe I ſaw that all thinges done vnderunder the ſunne were naught. For all was but vanitie and vexation of mynde.
THat is, whatſoeuer was done vnderunder the Sunne did much diſpleaſe mee, foraſmuch as it was naught elles but vaine labour and vexation. Not that Salomon wiſhed his death, but for that hee thought it was a miſerable caſe to leade a mās life in ſuch doings. Thus he meaneth: I became weary of it and ouerladen therewith. For who can ſuffer to hauehave nothing but labour in diuiſing and contempt after he hath done.What this phraſe, to lyue, ſignifieth. To liue, or life, after the phraſe of Scripture, ſignifieth to liue well and at eaſe. To leade a perfect life. Pſalme 22. No man hath quickened his owne ſoule, yt is whoſe ſoule liued not well. Thoſe that liue euill and a hard lyfe, as poore men that are oppreſſed and in miſery, and appointed to dye. Of theſe it is ſayd in the ſcriptures, they liue not. Therefore he ſayth not, he deſireth death, but that this trade of life wherein men are ſo wearyed and vexed with their owne deuiſes, diſpleaſeth him.
Salomon meaneth that wee ſhould ſtand in a readines whether life or death betyde,How we muſt lyue. and calleth vsus backe to the vſe of thinges preſent, becauſe we ſhould bee content with them without care of hereafter, and commit all thinges vntounto God, who will worke by vsus, as it were vnwitting to vsus. Euē as the Oxe that treadeth out the corne and eateth, knoweth not what he doth, nor is carefull for his liuing or labour: ſo muſt wee doe, that God offreth vsus, and ſuffer that hee will hauehave done. Yet all theſe thinges muſt be but as a morſell of bread, which we hauehave here on earth, that we looke not by our owne deuiſes to garniſhe this life, for then ſhall we alwayes bee vnquyet, as foloweth:
And I was weary of all my labour which I had takē vnderunder the ſunne, becauſe I ſhould be fayne to leaue them to an other man that commeth after me, who whether hee ſhal be a wiſe mā or a foole I know not. And yet ſhall he be Lord of all my labours.
The life of man is miſerable.THis ſentence is all one with yt aboue. Salomon floweth in wordes, & copiouſly treateth of this place. Thus (ſayth he) I am weary of my life: for albeit I hauehave ordered all thinges after the beſt way that can be deuiſed, yet know I not whether mine heyre ſhall be wiſe or fooliſh. If he happen to be wiſe, hee will ſet light by that I hauehave done, and inuent an other thyng, ſeeyng I my ſelfe many times miſlike mine owne doinges, & am deſirous of other. If he be a foole, he will deſtroy that I hauehave done, and take as much paynes in pullyng downe, as I tooke in ſetting vp, according to the Prouerbe, One buildeth, another pulleth down. So Octauius Caeſar beautified the Citie of Rome, Nero defaced it. Pompey brought great maſſes of money into the treaſure houſe, meaning it ſhould ſerue for the benefite of the common weale. Caeſar after that tooke it away, and it became rather a deſtruction then any benefite to the commō weale. Therfore whether mine heyre ſhall be wiſe or fooliſh, in vaine hauehave I trauelled, and ſpent my lyfe in vayne cares, hauyng an eye to thinges to come, and not vſing thinges preſent, and therfore he addeth:
So I turned me to refrayne my mynde, from ſuch trauell as I had takē vnderunder the ſunne. For ſo much as a man ſhould weary hym ſelfe with wiſedome, with vnderſtandyng, and induſtrie, & yet be fayne to leaue his labours to an other, that neuer ſwet for them. This alſo is a vayne thyng and great miſerie. For what getteth a man of all the labour & trauell of his mynde, that hee taketh vnderunder the ſunne, but heauines, ſorow, and diſquietneſſe all the dayes of his lyfe. In ſo much that his hart can not reſt in the night. This is alſo a vayne thyng.
I Ceaſſed (ſayth hee) to take any more care for theſe worldly affaires.we muſt not be carefull for to morrow. This is the ſaying of a wiſe man whiche calleth backe his minde from cares, to reſt and quyet. I will be content with things preſent, and I will doe and ſuffer forthwith that God willeth me, neither will I care for to morow. This is the concluſion which afterward he amplifieth copiouſly, ſaying:
For when a man hath wearied him ſelfe, with wiſedome, vnderſtandyng, and diligence &c.
HEre you ſée what he vnderſtādeth by wiſedome, not ſpeculation, but the rule and gouernaunce of matters, induſtrie, or congruence of doing, Induſtry or dexteritie in doyng of thyngs. When all things are done in order and in time. Euē as he appointed twelue Captaines ouer the land, their dyet, and horſes &c. This hee calleth to weary him ſelfe in wiſedome. This wearyſomnes and portion he leaneth to a man that hath taken no paines in the ſame, yea that more vnhappie is, to a man that careth not for it, and forgetteth it. When I hauehave taken all this paine ſaith hee, I leaue it to one that contemneth it, or ſpoileth it, which thing ſurely is a great vanitie.
For what getteth a man of all hys trauell &c. This is but copy &c. Nor can reſt in the night.
HIs hart is not at any reſt, no not in the night while he paineth him ſelfe, not onelyonly in ye day time to bring his deuiſe trimely to paſſe, but when he hath finiſhed it, ſtudieth in the night, how to preſerue and encreaſe it.
Is it not better therefore for a man to eate and drinke, and his ſoule to be mery in his labour?
THis is the principall concluſion,The principall concluſion of the whole booke. yea the coūſell of the whole booke, which he often hereafter repeateth. And this is a notable place for the expoūding of that is gone before, and that that followeth. Thus he cōſenteth with that that is ſayd afore. Theſe pleaſures are to bee cōdemned that we of our owne heades and deuiſe prepare for the time to come. Thoſe trauels and paines to be condēned which we vndertake of our owne phātaſie and braine. But the pleaſures and trauels that God ſendeth are good, & to be vſed as they come without care of pleaſure, or vexation after to enſue. But who cā thus doe. It is very well ſayd, but we doe not that that is ſo wiſely proponed, we heare it as though we heard it not, and ſée it as though we ſaw it not, and no man followeth it. For we are drowned in ye care of making preparation and compaſſing of our owne affaires. Our hart cā brooke no good counſell, but is vexed eueryevery day more and more. The godly caſt frō them all cares. All other men leade a diſquiet life, euen till they dye. He ſaith therfore:
I ſaw that this was a gift of God.
True mirth or ioye is the gift of god.A Notable ſaying & ſingular doctrine, but yet he leſſe vrgeth this ſaying thē that before. Which commeth to paſſe by reaſon the affirmatiue mooueth vsus not ſo much as the negatiue, euen as this affirmatiue: I am the Lorde thy God which brought thee out of the land of Aegipt, it is quickly ſayd, but it doth not much mooue vsus. In the negatiue there is greater force. Thou ſhalt hauehave none other Gods in my ſight. &c. So in this place, he briefely handleth this affirmatiue. It is good for a man to eate and drinke. &c. but in the negatiue, he is very long to ſhewe and prooue vntounto vsus our folly; namely, that we nothyng preuaile with all our trauels & deuiſes, becauſe we are troubled with cares, and vſe not thinges preſent. So vntounto theſe groſſe headed men, it is requiſite he ſpake groſſely, and at large. For vntounto wiſe men, all might be ſayd in one worde: The Lord himſelfe is thy God. &c.
For who hath eaten, or done more thinges abroad then I?
HE alleageth his experience. For if I which hauehave done ſo great thynges, and hauehave ſo abounded in all maner of riches, hauehave not atteyned to my wyſhe & deſier, how much leſſe ſhall other doe ſo, if God geue not mirth and ioye?
God geueth to the mā that is good before him, wiſdome, vnderſtanding, and gladneſſe. But vntounto the ſinner he geueth wearines and ſuperfluous care, that he may gather and heape togither the thyng that afterward ſhalbe geuen vntounto hym, whom it pleaſeth God. Wherfore, this alſo is a vanitie and vexation of the mynde.
THat it is the gift of God to be cōtent with thinges preſent, he prooueth. Becauſe it is geuen without any merits of ours going before,The godly vſe their goodes wt peace and myrth: but the vngodly hauehave no peace. to that man whom God lyketh. He deuideth the world into godly and vngodly. VntoUnto the godly, beſide the giftes that they hauehave lyke vntounto others, chiefly prudence and wiſedome, is geuen mirth alſo, becauſe they be content with thinges preſent, they are not troubled with thoughtes and deſires of the minde as the wicked are. That they hauehave knowledge, and are wiſe in doyng their buſines. &c. their knowledge is in mirth and peace, but the wicked hauehave trouble and vexatiō, alwayes gathering togither more and more, and neuer be ſatiſfied. Moreouer, although they hauehave wiſdome and induſtrye, yet it is ſo mixt with ſorow, that they are rather a paine to them, ſo that they can not enioy their trauell, but till the ground and buylde, and other receaue the pleaſure and commoditie of it. But that the wicked trauell in and buylde, none vſeth well but the godly. So thoſe thinges that Princes gather togither, are the goods of the godly, becauſe they onelyonly vſe them mearily and with thankes geuing, although they hauehave but a litle. The wicked hauehave much, and yet they vſe it not, but hauehave therwith great care and vexation. To be ſhort, the godly truely hauehave the whole worlde, becauſe they hauehave ioye and tranquilitie. The vngodly in hauing it, hauehave it not. This is the vanitie that the vngodly hauehave.