Exposition of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 4
The fourth Chapiter.
So I turned and conſidered all the oppreſsions that are wrought vnderunder the ſunne: & behold, the teares of the oppreſſed, and none cōforteth them, nor deliuered them out of the hādes of their oppreſſours, to comfort them.
A cōplainte of the miſerie of mans lyfe from which wt out ye helpe of God, hee can not be deliuered.HEtherto Salomon hath rekoned the vaine deuiſes of men. By reaſon that God hindreth and letteth them, namely how thoſe things onelyonly, which God doth and appointeth, atteine & come to their end, and can not be letted or hindred. Now henceforth he rekoneth the impedimēts of mens deuiſes, that is, the meanes and cauſes, whereby God vſeth to reuoke vsus from our counſels and deuiſes, compelling vsus to vſe thoſe thinges that we preſētly hauehave. I ſaw (ſayth he) that neither Princes nor Magiſtrates are hable to take awaye violence and iniurie from among men, yea God ſetteth naughty diſpoſed mē in their way, from whom they can not be deliuered. Dauid beyng a very good prince minded to profite and doe good to the commō weale, but Ioab and Abſolon did hinder & let him.Sclander, or reproche. He went about to make Ioab out of the way, but he was not able. Thus hauehave Princes their hinderers and diſturbers, whō yet they are compelled to ſuffer, and by whō God hindreth the deuiſes of the wiſe. I ſaw alſo how Iudges were corrupted & bribed,Oppreſſion of good mē. and how tyrantes oppreſſed the widowes, and fatherles children &c. And ſurely greater is the violence and fearcenes of man, then any man is able to rule and correct, but God alone.
Wherefore I prayſed thoſe that are dead, aboue thoſe that are lyuyng, and I coūted him that yet was vnborne better then them both. For he hath not ſeene the euill workes that are wrought vnderunder the ſunne.
HEre againe theſe fine witted mē diſpute,If ye godly had no conſolatiō, it were better not to be borne, then to lyue in ſo great miſerie. as though Salomon ſpoke like an vngodly man, that preferred the dead before the liuing. Albeit Auguſtine treating of ye place of S. Iohn: (It had been better for that man that he had neuer beene borne.) ſayth: It were better for a man to be in euill caſe, then to hauehave no being at all. Howbeit theſe men deale ſophiſtically. Damned & myſerable creatures thus thinke and iudge, as Salomon here ſayth: For vndoubtedly, they had rather not to be at all, then to be continually ſo tormented, and thys in déede were better for them. Therfore Salomon ſayth well in this place. If we conſider the miſeries & afflictions of mē, and hauehave reſpect onelyonly to this life, we ſhall praiſe the dead, rather then the lyuing. A man were better to be dead, then to ſée ſo great miſery and calamitie. He ſpeaketh nothing of ye iudgemēt to come, but of thinges done vnderunder the Sunne: where it is better not to be, then to ſée ſuch afflictions of men. Which thing alſo the Gentiles perceaued: which affirmed, that it was the best thing not to be borne, or being once borne, ſhortly to die. Therefore this place is to be vnderſtāded plainly by way of compariſon.
Alſo I beheld all trauayle and perfectiō of workes, that is in the enuie of a mā againſt his neighbour: This alſo is a vanitie and vexation of the mynde.
An other kynde of mans miſery, enuie, hatred, cō tention, vſed in this lyfe.HEre is another kynde of calamitie & impediment of mans deuiſes: Euen as among great men, and men of power raigne ſclaundering and oppreſſing. &c. So among the commōs is there nothing but enuy, emulation and hatred. &c.
Looke vponupon the comminaltie, and conſider the artificers, there thou ſhalt finde how euill diſpoſed they are, what naughtines, fraude, deceite, and backbiting is among them, and how they hate, and enuye one another to the death. If a man be cunning in any thing he is hated, and hath enemies. He that is a good workemā hath an hundred that hate hym: whereby it commeth to paſſe as the Poet ſaith, that the potter enuieth the potter, the Smith, the Smith, and the Poet the Poet. This is the caſe and courſe of all Artificers. Imagine there were one that woulde learne ſome craft or occupation,Men muſt not leaue their vocatiō becauſe of the euill will, or vnthākfulnes of others. wherby to get his liuing in tyme to come. If he ſhould learne it ſo exactely that he ſhould paſſe other therein, then would other a great many enuy and hate hym. What then: Shoulde he leaue of? Shoulde he learne nothing? No. But labour ſtyll to his power, and commit his worke vntounto God. What ſhall we doe at our ſtudye and bookes? Shall we geue ouer, becauſe our Schollers perceaue not this, or that thyng? or becauſe learned men are deſpiſed? No: goe forward with that thou haſt in hand. Waite ſtill for the houre. For thou knoweſt it is well done to teach other. Regarde not therfore the worlde, or thine owne deuiſes: Whereto ſoeuer thou applieſt thy ſelfe, thou ſhalt finde troubles.
We muſt follow our vocatiō although mē enuye, or hate vsus.We thought in theſe dayes, to hauehave done many good by meanes of the Goſpell, and hoped that all men would hauehave embraced it, but euen they whom wée benefited, in deliuering them from the Popes tyranny, doe foulely bewray vsus, and they at whoſe handes we looked for ayde and helpe, treade vsus vnderunder theyr feete. What ſhall we now doe? Shal we take indignation thereat? Shal we ceaſe of from all our doing? No. Let them enuie, deſpiſe and perſecute: we will holde on as long as we are able, teaching, labouring, writing, learning, for ſo is gods will we ſhould. For without enuye, no man that meaneth well to doe, ſhal lyue in this world. We muſt not appoint the tyme when our trauell ſhall doe good. Let God alone therewith. OnelyOnly, ſée thou labour, and doe that God appoynteth thée. And thinke not that thou art able to redreſſe all thynges, to ſée that all Officers be good, and all Artificers and craftes men at peace and vnitie. Thus therefore he ſayth:
I ſaw the induſtrie and perfection that is in workemen.
THat is,Warninges and comforted Euangelicall. I ſawe men well framed & diſpoſed to their duties and occupations, but they coulde bring nothing to paſſe according to their deſires, becauſe it was not in their power, the hatred of their neighbours was ſuch an hindrance to them. Therfore theſe be playnely admonitions and comfortes of the Goſpell, which call vsus frō the eares of this world. For many are the heapes of mans vanitie and miſerie, and eueryevery where at hand. When I firſt began to preach, I trauelled diligently to make all mē good, but it was ſayd to me, and that truely: he is to yong as yet to teach olde knaues to become honeſt men.
The ſame falleth out in all other profeſſions. This euill beſtyrreth it ſelfe in eueryevery kinde of lyfe. The beſt is therfore to enioy the thinges we hauehave, and to goe forward with that we hauehave in hand, and to let euill paſſe by vsus. And ſo ſhall we delude the worlde.
To be ſhort, he that will liue quietly,How a mā may lyue. muſt thinke with himſelfe, that he ſhall ſée nothing in the world but vanitie, and thē ſhal it not greue him, if any euil happen, & he ſhall reioyce in thoſe goods that God hath geuē him. And if yu be driuen to ſuch neceſſitie yt thou art cōpelled to prouide for thy ſelfe, doe that is lawfull for thée, and then let God doe what pleaſeth him. But if thou wilt wittingly geue thy ſelfe vntounto the worlde,All things can not be redreſſed. to correcte all that is amiſſe, and to remedy all incōuiences, and wilt driue Satan out of the worlde: thou ſhalt procure thy ſelfe trauell and ſorrow, and nought els, and ſhalt as little preuaile, as if thou wouldeſt goe about to ſtoppe the courſe of the riuer Albis from flowing. The affayres of thys world will not nor can not be gouerned at mās pleaſure, but he yt made them all, the ſame ruleth thē alſo as he ſéeth good.
This alſo is a vanitie and vexation of ſpirite.
IF for example thou wouldeſt remedye this enuie, and ſuch like euils. Let them enuie one another, lette and hynder one another, deale vniuſtly one with another: if God meane to vſe thy helpe and counſell, he will doe it in his tyme and place: waite thou for that. Euen ſo now, if it pleaſe him to preſerue ſtudies and ſchooles, he knoweth the tyme and perſons by whom to doe it. They whome we thinke fitte for this purpoſe, be many tymes moſt vnhandſome and vnfitte.
The foole foldeth his handes, and eateth vp his owne fleſhe.
A Foole in this place ſignifieth not (as we commonly vnderſtand it) a dyſſarde or natural,Whom Salomon calleth fooles. but a wicked man and a naughty, whom in the Dutch toung we call, a lewde vngodly perſon: ſuch as are thoſe enuious bodyes, who beyng not able to doe any thing themſelues, doe yet diſturbe and hinder other. Such men being of no accompt themſelues, and without wit and induſtrie, doe no good whyle they liue, but be greeuous vntounto others. Euen like thoſe yt teach or learne naughtely, fooliſhe and vnlearned preachers: ſo are there among artificers, ſuch drones, as we call pelters or counterfectours, which onelyonly be impedimentes to other, and can doe no good them ſelues. Such there are among the magiſtrates, hynderers of the common weale, ſo that they moſt diſturbe the common weale, good ſtudies, and other vertuouſnes, who we hoped woulde moſt hauehave furthered the ſame. So many fooliſhe preachers more hynder the Goſpell, then the profeſſed enemies of the ſame.
¶The foole therefore foldeth hys handes.
HE is no earneſt labourer, no wakefull perſon, but a ſluggard and ſleper, which careth not for his labour, but hindreth contemneth, and backbiteth other. This is to fold the hands: to doe nought him ſelfe, but to hinder and let other. The like phraſe is in the vj. of the Prouerbes. Fold thy handes, and pouertie ſhall come on thee as one that trauelleth by the waye. To folde the handes together, a ſigne of ſome euill lucke.Hereof it ſéemeth to come that Pliny ſaith: It bodeth ſome euill lucke to fold the handes together, which was very well ſayd of them but not vnderſtanded. Contrarywiſe of a diligent and good houſewife it is ſayd: Her handes layd hold on the ſpyndle, that is, She doth earneſtly meane it. Such fooliſh and naughty men doth God raiſe vp to hinder and let our deuiſes.
He eateth his owne fleſh.
AGaine this is an Hebrew phraſe, for he conſumeth him ſelfe. The like is in Hiob. To eate ones owne fleſh, is to vexe hym ſelfe.I teare my fleſhe with my teeth. This he meaneth. Such fooliſhe men profite not them ſelues, but hurt & withſtand other men. He enuyeth at other men, and fretteth him ſelfe awaye. Such a man in a common weale is lyke vntounto ruſt and wormes, hurtfull both to him ſelfe and to other. And therefore do they likewiſe continue as patches.
¶Better is one handful with quietnes, then two handes full with labour and vexation of mynde.
THis may be vnderſtode to be ſpoken either of the foole by way of imitation,Men muſt be content wt meane eſtate. or els plainely and by way of affirmatiō of Salomon. If by way of imitation thē muſt it be taken as a wiſe counſell of a fooliſh man, which abuſeth a very good ſaying, after his doltiſh ſorte, as ſuch as he is vſed to doe. As if he ſhould ſay: why ſhould I take ſuch paynes, as doth this mā, wearyeng and toyling him ſelfe with ſuch labour and trauell? Why ſhould I weare my ſelfe away? I ſhal receaue aſmuch as an other, ſo excuſing his ſlouthfulnes, as a certeine Monke ſayd, affirming there was no reaſon why he ſhould conſume him ſelfe awaye by ſtudying, conſidering he receaued as large a portion as the Doctour. Amongeſt ſuch felowes we hauehave to liue, although they be intollerable euen as when we are cō ſtrayned to walke thorough woodes and thickettes, where we muſt ſtriue to get out, although the brambles and thornes ſtay and hinder vsus neuer ſo much. For this worlde is nothyng but thornes. If thou wilt take them affirmatiuely as the wordes & counſel of Salomon, which ſence pleaſeth me beſt, then this is the meaning. Seyng in all affaires there be lettes & impedimentes, what ſhal a man doe? Freat not thy ſelfe, though ſuch fooles hinder thée. And if the foole will fret him ſelfe, yet hold thou on in thy labour, and enioye that thou haſt gotten mearily. If thou cāſt not hauehave both thine handes full, take in good part that God giueth thée, though it be but an handfull. And although thy gaine be but ſmall, yet content thy ſelfe, and liue chearefully therewith.
I turned my ſelfe, and ſaw an other vanitie vnderunder the Sunne. There is one alone, and not a ſecond, which hath neither ſonne nor brother: yet is there no ende of his trauell, neyther can his eyes bee ſatiſfied with riches, nether doth he thinke, for whom doe I trauell, & defraude my ſelfe of pleaſure? This alſo is vanitie, and an euill trauell.
SAlomon goeth on,The couetous are reprooued. in reckonyng the cares that follow the vanities of men, among the which he accompteth this couetous Euclio, which gathereth & hourdeth vp heapes, and yet can enioy none. All the worlde for the moſt part is entāgled with this vice. All men ſéeke that is their owne, and prouide for the belly, yet chiefely he reprehendeth ſuch as breake their braynes to enriche themſelues, and onelyonly gather for others, neither abydyng a tyme to get them, neither to enioy thē.
There is one alone. &c.
THis vice the Poets alſo condenme, and worthely deride in their fables. For the couetous man enioyeth not hys golde, he onelyonly looketh on it, and yet his eyes are not ſatiſfied, euen as the Poets fayne of Tantalus. For thus wryteth Horace:
The thirstie Tantalus doth ſtande, in water vp to chinne:
And faine woulde of the Riuer drinke, that glydeth by full thynne.
Laugh not (I ſay) for chaunge the name, and then the tale is tolde:
Of thee that heapſt and ſleepſt vppon, thy bagges of gathered golde.
Or as a man that feares to touch, ſome holy thyng, art fayne,
To looke and gape vppon thy golde, or els from it refraine.
It is better therefore there be two then one, for of their labour commeth ſome profite. For if one fall, his fellow will lift him vp. Wo vntounto him that is alone. For when he falleth there is none to lift hym vp. And whē two ſleepe together, they ſhall one warme an other. But how ſhal one becom whot. And though one may ouercome one, yet two may make reſiſtaunce: a threefolde corde is not eaſely broken.
THis is the counſel of Salomon commendyng ſocietie and fellowſhyp of goodes, and commaundyng vsus to vſe things preſent,A commē dation of cōmunitie of goodes, for goodnes will communicate it ſelfe. and not to labour for our ſelues onelyonly, but for others behoofe alſo. Fellowſhyp is profitable for the preſeruatiō of goodes. The couetous body will hauehave no partener or fellow and condemneth the communitie of goods gathering to him ſelfe onelyonly, beyng a very dogge at the hey ſtacke. Theſe ſolitary perſons, and ſcrapers, no men but beaſtes, Salomon in this place condemneth. It is better ſaith he to liue in ſocietie and fellowſhip of goodes, for if one fall. &c.
This place they racked to ſinne and confeſſion,The deprauyng of this place. thus vnderſtanding and expounding this text. If any mā had fallen in ſinne, and had had no holy mā to hauehave made his confeſſion to, he had not béene able to hauehave riſen into the way of grace and godlines. Howbeit we hauehave declared that Salomon ſpeaketh of the courſe of mans life vnderunder the ſunne, agaynſt mās vayne vexing of him ſelfe. For he commendeth the ſocietie and fellowſhyp of mā in enioyeng their goodes, agaynſt the ſolitary life of the couetous. This is that he ſayth. The couetous mā profiteth neither him ſelfe, nor other. No man féeleth any commoditie by him, as he that liueth not with any man, but kéepeth his goodes onelyonly to him ſelfe, yea in hauyng them, hath them not. But who ſo leadeth not his life in ſuch ſolitary wiſe, of him commeth ſome commoditie, beyng profitable to him ſelfe, and receauing cō moditie of others. For this ſocietie maketh to the preſeruyng and encreaſing of goodes. This is it, that he afterward addeth: hee hath none to helpe him. Agayne: how ſhall one become warme? He hath no helpe, no counſell, no comfort in affliction. What hath he when he alone gathereth for him ſelfe? he is onelyonly a beholder of his money, as it were of ſome painted table.
¶ A threefolde corde is not eaſely broken.
Cōmunion of benefites is a band of humane cōſolation.HE entermedleth a feate Prouerbe, as he doth oftentimes hereafter, and that according to the manner of a good preacher. The meaning is, It is better to hauehave fellowes, and to enioye thinges in commune, then to be a couetous body, ſolitary, rapyng and reuyng onelyonly for him ſelfe. In fellowſhip there is mutual helpe, ayde and comforte, where the couetous mans life is miſerable, vayne & full of affliction, beyng at length compelled to dye like a miſer. This thing he cō firmeth by a Prouerbe, borowed as it may ſeeme hereof. A certaine wiſe father ready to depart this worlde, called hys ſonnes vntounto hym, deliueryng them a bundle of roddes to breake, which when they could not breake, beyng bounde faſt together, yet being taken in ſunder, they brake. Therby teaching his ſonnes, that their force and power ſhould be inuincible as long as they liued in vnitie together, and would one helpe an other. For thorough concorde ſmall thinges would grow & encreaſe, where through diſcorde they would loſe and fall in ſunder.
Better is a poore and wiſe childe, thē an old and fooliſh kyng, which will no more be admoniſhed.
HEre is an other kynde of lyfe after theſe couetous perſons and vnprofitable to others.He reprehendeth ambition. Euen as he ſayd there was vanitie in couetouſnes, ſo now he ſaith there is the ſame in ambition. For many are borne to be kinges, and yet remaine not ſo. Many come out of the priſon and become kinges and richmen. Other forgoe their kingdomes and become ſeruaunts, becauſe we ſhould know, that our deuiſes are nothing. Our counſell, our endeuour doth nothyng. Therefore ſome of captiues become kinges, and gouerne well, becauſe God proſpereth thē, and ſome that be borne kynges gouerne naughtely. I hauehave ſéene many children godlyly brought vp, and very well inſtructed, whiche when their tutor hath béene gone, and they come to their inheritaunce, hauehave prooued very vngracious and wicked graftes. And other without any education and inſtructiō hauehave made good men, what then? Shall we neglect our childrē? Shall we not inſtruct them? Shall we ſet all at ſix and ſeuen? No.
Labour is cōmaunded but care forbidden.This booke ſéemeth vtterly to teach vsus negligence & ſlacknes in thynges, but it doth nothyng leſſe. It teacheth vsus in déede to ſet naught by our owne deuiſes, and cares, wherewith we trouble & vexe our minde. So while the Goſpell reiecteth the righteouſnes of workes, it ſetteth not our hand at liberty, but our conſcience, becauſe God hath commaunded the worke, but forbiddē the care. So our children muſt be inſtructed, but touching their profite therein the care muſt be cō mitted to God. Euen as the huſbandmā muſt ſow his ſéede, but commit the care of his crop vntounto God. Euen as God by his law that he gaue this people, omitted nothing that might belong to the gouerning of them, although it tooke not ſuch effect as it ought, and fell out euill wt a great many: ſo muſt the Magiſtrate hauehave a diligēt care, that the cōmon weale may be well gouerned, and defended, but yet not truſt to his owne induſtrie and counſell. He muſt do his diligence and take paynes &c. But he muſt put away cares and vexation of mynde. For we muſt not preſcribe God any meanes, place, or tyme. As the huſbandman throweth his ſéede into the grounde, afterwarde he goeth his way, and taketh hys reſt, nothing carefull for the encreaſe, for els he ſhould neuer hauehave any reſt. Therfore let no man thinke that Salomon cō dēneth mēs labour. He forbiddeth cares & anxieties, but labour he requireth.
For out of the priſon he commeth forth to reigne, where he that is borne a kyng loſeth the ſame.
The affayres of man paſſe wōderfully and are not ruled by our deuiſes.THis ſaying agréeth with the premiſſes in this wyſe: therfore is a wyſe childe better then an olde foole, becauſe many tymes it cōmeth to paſſe, that ſome commeth out of the priſon to a kingdome, & ſome other of kings fal to be ignominius and fooliſh, as Manaſſe, Zedechias. But contrariwyſe Ioſeph being deliuered out of priſon, became ye chief ruler in Aegipt. And in our dayes Matthias kyng of Hū gary being brought out of the priſon was made a mighty kyng. Such thynges many tymes come to paſſe in the world, as the Romaine hiſtories declare. Valerianus none of the worſt Emperours, being taken priſoner, ſerued for a ſtoole to the kyng of Perſia to get on horſebacke by all the dayes of his life. How happened it ſo vntounto him? Becauſe his houre appointed of God was come. Wherfore then take we ſuch cares: Sufficient to the day, is the care and trauel therof.
The education of a kyng.Therefore a kynges ſonne muſt be enfourmed, and brought vp like a kyng, but to preſcribe him what he ſhall doe in tyme to come, and how good a kyng he ſhall be, is but an afflicting of the minde. This muſt be committed vntounto the determination and will of God, and we muſt ſay: Lord God I enſtruct and teach thys childe in déede, but make thou hym a kyng, at thy will and pleaſure.
I beheld all the lyuing which walke vnderunder the Sunne, with the ſeconde childe, which ſhall ſtand vp in hys place. There is none ende of all the people, and of all that were before them, & they that come after ſhall ſhall not reioyce in hym. This is alſo vanitie and vexation of ſpirit.
SAlomon calleth the lyuing, thoſe that lyue gorgiouſly, and as though they ſought for no other lyfe, but that ye world had béene created for their ſake onelyonly, as the Gallaunts of the court vſe to doe. He cōtinueth in the example of a kings education, whether it be to gouerne at home, or in the fielde. Education (ſayth he) is a good thing, but mans will & ſtudie bringeth not to paſſe that he would. The deuiſes of education are deceitfull, the trauell is neceſſary, but the ſucceſſe and care oftentimes beguileth vsus.Our deuiſes deceaue vsus. Therfore he teacheth vsus that our deuiſes are vayne. For if care and counſell deceaue vsus in a kings education, how much more wyll it deceaue in education of the cōmons, where is leſſe care, and ſlenderer education.
That he ſayth the liuing, or all ye ſtates vnderunder the Sunne, kéepe company wyth the ſecond childe, he meaneth not all ſimply, but the moſt part of the kingdome: ſo that the ſence is, all the company that be about the kyng, waite and attende vppon the kinges ſonne his becke. EueryEvery one cleaueth vntounto him, hauing cōceaued ſome great hope of him. For this younge Prince is the ſecond youth or ſpringall, which ſtandeth in ſtéede of another king, that is, which ſhall be kyng, and ſucceede in the kyngdome after his Father: Before whome, and behinde whom is there a great company of people, that is to ſay, he is waited on with a great multitude of people behinde & before, garding him, as though he were kyng. There is a great hope in this young man, that he ſhould paſſe his father in power and authoritie. All mē déemed and iudged very well of him, and yet they reioyced not in him. Why ſo? Becauſe he aunſwered not their expectation, becauſe he prooued ſuch a foole and dullard, accordyng to the prouerbe, ſaying: eyther a king, or a foole borne.
Thus Nero in great hope and ioye of the people was made kyng,Nero. in ſo much as the firſt fiue yeares of his raigne is of great fame and renowne. But the yeares after prooued moſt vnlyke.Heliogabalus. Cōmodus. So Heliogabalus and Commodus alſo were choſē Princes and Emperours, wyth great expectation of the people that they woulde be good men, but they deceaued all men of their hope and looking. For one of thē degenerated into a moſt filthy man, yea into a beaſt, rather then a man: the other fell out to be moſt incommodious, and ye third prooued Nero. Good princes are rare & ſeldeom.Wherefore a good Prince is a moſt rare Phoenix. For mēs counſels are deceaueable, in ſo much that he of whom we conceaued many tymes ſome ſingular hope, him we moſt repent vsus of. So Roboam, Roboam did degenerate.the ſonne of a moſt wiſe father, of whom ſurely ye people cō ceaued a very good hope, as one brought vp godlyly vnderunder his father: yet prooued he moſt vnlike to his father. If therfore mens counſels ſo faile in the hyeſt degrée of lyfe, they will much more fayle in the life of priuate perſons, in thy houſe, in thine office &c. For euen there alſo thou ſhalt hauehave thy childe eyther an artificer, and workeman, or a foole. &c.
In déede he ſpeaketh of kynges, for in honorable perſonages are honorable exploytes and déedes, that is, ſuch as are apparaunt. The déedes of priuate perſōs commonly are eyther neglected, or leſſe obſerued and marked: but according to the Duch prouerbe, A wiſe man committeth no ſmall follie. If a Commonner offende, or committe ſome fooliſhe facte, it is not much regarded. Otherwiſe, ye ſtate and condition of priuate men and kings is all like.
Labour & endeuour are not condemned, but mens owne deuiſe and carefulnes.Therfore Salomon condemneth not the paines taken in education of a kyng, in enriching of a childe, in gouerning of a familie and houſholde, but our deuiſes, whereby we will rule and order all the matter. He commaūdeth the worke, but he forbiddeth thée the care. Trauell thou inſtantly, but committe the ſucceſſe and effecte to God. Remember the example of the king diligently brought vp and enfourmed, & yet altered, that thou mayſt know how thynges goe not by our deuiſes and endeuours, but by the will of God, which hath appointed a tyme and ſeaſon for eueryevery thing, out of the which nothing can at any tyme ſucceede. Therfore if he aunſwere to his education, thankes muſt be geuen vntounto God, not to our ſtudie and care, but vntounto Gods bleſſing. If our corne grow well, we hauehave to thanke God for it, not our ſelues. For how is man able to defende his corne eyther from byrdes, or beaſtes, or wormes, or from the enuy of Satan. Therefore it lyeth not in our care and carke, but in the fauour and bleſſing of God, to the ende we ſhould thanke him onelyonly, which worketh all in all, according to his good will and pleaſure. So falleth it out in the education of our children. If thou haſt a good childe, ſay the Lord hath geuen him and brought it ſo to paſſe: If not, ſay, this is the proofe and ſtate of mans life, I did my diligēce, the Lord would not hauehave it ſo: hys name be bleſſed.