Exposition of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 8
The viij. Chapiter.
Keepe the kynges Commaundement I warne thee, and the othe that thou haſt made to God.
SAlomon ſéemeth in this booke to fray men from intermedling with worldly affayres:Salomons counſell in this booke. wherewith he hath as much néede agayne to exhort them to be doing. As we while we preach faith, doe vtterly dehort men from working, to ſet forth the true Sabboth. Againe, whē faith is once plā …ed, we muſt labour to ſhewe Chriſtians how buſie they muſt be to doe well to their neighbours, and how in this behalf they muſt keepe no Sabboth, but muſt be zelous in doing good workes, ſeruent in charitie toward their neighbours, and kéepe the Sabboth onelyonly before God. So Salomō teacheth vsus in this place, to doe nothing after our counſelles and deuiſe, but all thinges according to the worde of God. And thus he is occupyed as it were through halfe the chapiter.
Obedience to the magiſtrate commaunded.Where therfore he ſayth: I marke or take heede to the kinges mouth or cōmaundement, he exhorteth mē to ciuile obedience. For this muſt be vnderſtanded of a politike kinge or kingdome, although it may alſo be vnderſtanded of God, but not of a ſubiecte. I (ſaith he) would keepe and obſerue the kings commaundement. I counſel you to be in ſubiectiō to the kyng, and not to follow your owne wayes. You hauehave inough to doe in the common weale, if you obſerue that the kyng commaundeth, whom god hath ordeyned for you to heare. It is notably ſayd of him ye kyngs mouth: becauſe he will binde vsus to ye obedience of his word. Whatſoeuer the magiſtrate commaundeth ſtanding with the lawes, that doe thou (ſayth he) and kéepe the othe of god. Vnderſtād ſuch an othe as thou ſweareſt by to God, and not God vntounto thée. Obey (ſayth he) the magiſtrate, as thou haſt ſworne vntounto God. For he that ſweareth to the magiſtrate, ſweareth not to man, but vntounto God. Here mayſt thou ſée obedience to the magiſtrate trimly compriſed in the obedience to God. Euen as Paule will hauehave ſeruauntes obey their maiſters, not as men, but as God.
Be not haſty to goe out of his ſight, nor ſtand not in an euill thing, for he will doe whatſoeuer pleaſeth him. Where the word of the king is, there is power. And who ſhall ſay vntounto him, what dooſt thou?
TO goe from the face,What it is to depart from the kyngs face. is an Hebrewe phraſe, much vſed in the Scriptures. In Ionas, in Iob, and alſo in Math. 18. chap. The ſeruant went foorth frō his Maiſters face, and founde his fellowe ſeruaunt. &c. Now to goe from ones face, is nothing els, but to deny, forſake, or refuſe ye obedience we owe to another.
Stand not in an euill matter.
COntinue not in diſobedience, but abyde in obedience, as if he ſhould ſay: Although the matter ſuccéede not by and by as the king commaundeth, although the kyng fall or fayle, yet holde thou on, and ſee that the kynges commaundemēt remayne in his maieſtie & force, and doe not againſt it, becauſe thou ſhalt not eſcape vnpuniſhed.
For he doth what pleaſeth hym.
We muſt obey the magiſtrate.THat is to ſay, in his Realme & kingdome: For he ſpeaketh of ciuile gouernement. He will defende iuſtice: for he is ordeyned of God to this ende: therfore fo…e him. It is euen the ſame that Paule ſayth to the Romaines the 13. They that reſiſt purchaſe to thē ſelues damnation. Neither is it poſſible that he ſhall eſcape iudgement, that reſiſteth the magiſtrate. Therfore the ſafeſt way is to obey the magiſtrate without any more adoe. And he declareth the power of the kyng.
Whatſoeuer lyketh hym, that wyll he doe.
HE is ordeyned of God, therfore thou ſhalt not preuaile, nor be able to reſiſt hym, though thou rayſe tumulte, or make any inſurrectiō againſt him. Therfore eyther obey hym to thy profite and commoditie, or els flye from him to thy loſſe and incommoditie.
For the kinges worde is myghty.
THe worde or commaundement of the kyng, is a very Solda…. It commeth of this worde Salith, which ſignifieth to beare rule. All this is ſayd to the ende to exhort vsus to be obedient, and to abyde in the thinges enioyned vsus of the kinge, although matter fall not ſtraight way as we wiſhe.
He that keepeth his commaundement ſhall know none euell thing.
THis is a concluſion of the thinges gon before.They that obey, eſcape puniſhmēt. And it may be expounded two wayes. Firſt thus: He that kéepeth his commaundement will know none euell, that is, taketh héede and is well ware, ye he doe none euill. Secondly: He that kéepeth his commaundement, ſhall ſuffer none euill. Both theſe ſences are good, but I lyke the firſt better.
The harte of the wicked diſcerneth tyme and iudgement.
THis worde Iudgement when it ſtandeth alone,Iudgemēt. commonly ſignifieth reuengement, puniſhmentes. So in the xiij to the Romanes: They procure their owne dānatiō, (that is) they remaine not vnpuniſhed. So is it here takē. The wyſe man knoweth there is a tyme appointed of reuengement agaynſt thoſe ye are diſobedient, & no man ſhould be able to eſcape that tyme. Therefore he ſtandeth in feare of God and worketh none euill.
For to eueryevery purpoſe there is a time and iudgement: for great is the miſery of man vpō him. For he knoweth not that which ſhall be, & Who can tell him when it ſhall be?
He threateneth with puniſhment thoſe that obey not ye magiſtrate.THis is a commination and threatening of the diſobedient with the puniſhmentes that ſhall followe, as though he ſhould ſay: I counſell you to be obedient and in ſubiection to the Magiſtrates. And if any will not be obedient to them let him goe, but this vauntage he ſhall hauehave thereby that he ſhall wrap himſelfe in many troubles, and incurre many miſeries & calamities, He ſhall eueryevery houre ſtand in feare and neuer eſcape. Therefore the beſt for him is ſimplie to obeye. For what ſhall it profit him to be diſobedient, ſéeing he cā not eſcape puniſhmēt, as it fell out with the country men and Bowers. Thus ought preachers to exhort thoſe that are ſeditious & rebellious. For God hath ordeyned and appoynted a Iudgement,God puniſheth them that obey not magiſtrates. and a reuenge and puniſhment for all diſobedient perſons, which none ſhall eſcape. And this is a ſingular comfort to all Magiſtrates, howſekepers and ſchoolemaſters, which hauing donne that in them lieth, and yet finde thoſe vnderunder their tuition obſtinat and incorrigible and eſcape from them, that they take it in good parte, knowing ye they ſhall not ſtill eſcape vnpuniſhed.
For great is the miſery of hym (that obeyeth not the kinges commaundement) for he knoweth not that which ſhall be.
BY a generall ſentence, he prooueth a ſpeciall, as if he ſhould ſay: The diſobedient turneth his eyes aſyde and ſéeth not the thing before his face. He ſeeeth not what he doth, nor how greate an euell diſobedience is. And he knoweth not what is to come. &c. that is, ye diſobedient foreſéeth not what is lyke to fall. His diſobedyence cauſeth him to deſier many thinges, he hopeth to attaine to great matters, and is deceaued. He promiſeth him ſelfe all kinde of ſafetye, but whē he thinketh leaſt thereon his iudgement and howre is at hand, and he peryſheth in his diſobedience. To be ſhorte. The wicked contenmeth preſent obedience, and looketh not on the puniſhment to come. But the wyſe man doth not ſo. For he knoweth what miſchief followeth the diſobedient, and therefore he obeyeth.
For man is not Lorde ouer the Spirit, to retayne the ſpirit, neyther hath he power in the day of death, nor deliueraunce in the battel, neither ſhall wickednes deliuer the poſſeſſers thereof.
Kinges hauehave long handes.NOwe he declareth what he meaneth by that he ſayd before touching obedience to the kinge. The kinges woorde is of great power, For it is Gods ordynaunce, that he ſhall not eſcape vnpuniſhed that deſpiſeth to be obedient. Man is not of ſuch power ye he is able to withſtand the king. Why therfore doth he not obey him? he cā not forbyd the ſpirit, ye is life, or ye breath of lyfe. He muſt ſtand to it, he ſhall not eſcape: He hath no power in the day of death, nor ſhall not eſcape in the day of battell. To be bréefe, God hath ſo many iudgmentes & ſo many wayes to puniſhe, that no man is able to eſcape his hands. And although he eſcape all other thinges, yet he ſetteth him out to the battell, to periſhe there. He concludeth therefore that:
Wickednes can not deliuer the poſſeſſours thereof.
THat is, therefore be thou obedient, and doe thy dutie, for there is no way of eſcape in being diſobedient, leaſt any mā ſhould thinke that I teach any rebellion, or ſlacknes in doing our duetye.
All theſe things hauehave I conſidered, and hauehave geuen my mynde vntounto eueryevery worke that is vnderunder the ſūne, and I ſawe how one man hath lordſhipp ouer an other to his owne harme.
NOw returneth he to his Regiſter,He returneth to hys roll of vanities. repeating againe the miſeries of mans vanitie. Among all theſe thinges that I hauehave rehearſed, I hauehave ſéene this, ye man hath power ouer man to his owne hurt. This is to be referred to ye perſon yt is ſubiect, that is, it commeth to paſſe many tymes, that Tyrantes beare the rule, and their rule tendeth to the afflicting of the ſubiectes.We muſt obeye euen naughty magiſtrats. And yet notwithſtanding, their commaundement muſt be fulfilled, and no tumult or buſines to be made, for although the Prince were a good man, yet hath he no thanke, and not onelyonly he is not thanked, but men alſo become the worſe, euen lyke as the commons in theſe dayes, being deliuered from ye Byſhop of Rome his lawes and bondage. All men deſire to hauehave tyranny taken away, but when they are deliuered, they can not abyde in that ſtate neyther. He graunteth therefore that magiſtrates are euill in puniſhing of ſubiectes, but that they are notwithſtanding to be borne and ſuffered.
Lykewiſe I ſawe the wicked buryed, which walked in the holy place, and they were forgotten, that they had ſo behaued themſelues. This alſo was a vanitie.
The vnthākfulnes of men whē they hauehave good princes to ſucceede euill.THe like place is in Amos the 6. chap. Woe be to the riche in Sion, which proudly enter into the houſe of Iſraell. To enter into the Church or houſe of God, is an Hebrew phraſe, ſignifiyng one that beareth office or rule ouer the people of God, as in the 22 of Deuteronomy, the Ammonites are forbidden to enter into the houſe of God, that is, to beare any rule in ye cōmon weale of the Iewes. For the Ammonites were ſuffered to be among the Iewes, but not to beare any office. So likewiſe in this place. They were in the holy place, that is to ſay, they were rulers in the commō weale. Therefore he ſayth:
I ſaw the wicked buryed.
THat is, how tyrauntes dyed,Frederike Duke of Saxony, a very good Prince. and good Princes ſuccéeded, as Dauid did, after Saule was dead. But the wicked once deliuered from their tyrāny, forget their deliuery. Thus men acknowledge not their benefites. So we by and by had forgotten our good Prince Frederike the author of peace. No man remembreth what benefites they got by him, & from what miſchiefes he deliuered them. We alwayes deſire chaunge, neglecting and forgetting thinges preſent. All theſe thinges Salomon ſpeaketh to this ende, that we may learne to know this world, and wyſely to vſe the fooliſhnes therof.
This booke woulde be redd of new choſen gouernours.Therfore this booke, new rulers ought chiefely to reade on, who hauing theyr heades troubled with diuers opinions, thinke to rule the world after their owne deuiſes, and will exacte the vttermoſt of all men. But theſe men ought firſt to hauehave learned to know the worlde, namely, how it is vniuſt, ſtubborne, diſobedyent, vngracious, and to cōclude, vnkinde. Let them geue God thankes, if they can bryng but the hundreth parte, to the obſeruing of their lawes. So our Sectaries are not content with the preſent goodnes of God, with the preaching of fayth, and grace of the goſpell, but will diſturbe all the worlde with newe and vayne opinions. Therefore Salomons counſell is to teach vsus their vanity,Salomons counſell. and to withſtand it as much as in vsus lyeth. Howbeit thoſe whom we are not able by our admoniſhmentes to conuerte vntounto the fayth, and to kéepe in the ſame, we muſt bid a dieu. For the euill are made euen obſtinate, and the worſe with continuall puniſhement. Therfore he ſayth:
Becauſe ſentence agaynſt an euyll worke is not executed ſpeedely, therfore the hart of the children of mē is fully ſet in them to doe euill.
THis may be two wayes expounded. Actiuely thus, that is: the wicked holde on in doing euil, becauſe their puniſhement is deferred. Becauſe God taketh not vengeaunce by and by, as men doe, therefore they waxe the prouder. Paſſiuely thus: we that ſée how ſuch goe vnpuniſhed, are filled with many euils, we take indignation, we are ouercome with tediouſnes, and ceaſe from doyng well. For both theſe thinges puniſhmēt put of, bringeth to paſſe. Firſt it maketh vsus obſtinate and the worſe: nexte, it maketh other alſo that ſée theſe thinges, the ſlacker to doe their duties. Both ſenſes are good.
But though a ſinner offend an hundreth tymes, and God prolong hys dayes, yet I know that it ſhall goe well with them that feare the lord, and doe reuerence before him. But it ſhall not be well to the wicked, neyther ſhall he prolong his dayes: he ſhall be lyke a ſhadowe, becauſe he feareth not God.
NOw he comforteth not man, but the godly hart. For man can not abyde this, nor ſuffer ſuch ingratitude. Neither could Dauid beare with fooliſhe Nabat, but purpoſed to kill him in his cogitatiō, in the firſt of the kinges the .25. He ſaith therfore, learne onelyonly to know ye world. Thou canſt not redreſſe or amende it, ſhee will not yelde to thee, thou muſt yelde to her, that thou mayſt know it is ingratefull, and vnmyndefull of all pleaſures and benefites: knowing thys, thou ſhalt doe well.
Puniſhmēt commeth once, or at length.This therefore is that he woulde ſay by theſe wordes: though a ſinner offēd an hundreth tymes, that is, though his puniſhment be deferred, and his vniuſt dealing not reuenged, yet ſhall he be puniſhed in tyme to come. It cā not be choſen, but ſuch vngrateful perſons muſt be puniſhed. Therfore be not thou ſo haſty to iuſtifye and make good the worlde, or to be reuenenged of all men. Holde thy ſelfe well apayde, if thou canſt conuerte but the thouſandth parte thereof, and make it thankefull. Let the worlde ſinne, and not thou. For it ſhall not eſcape vengeaūce, no more then ye Iewes, which murthered ye Prophetes & Chriſt, eſcaped the puniſhment of Veſpaſiane.
¶ And his dayes ſhall not be prolonged.
IT ſéemeth the puniſhment of the wicked is long differred, ſpecially to thoſe that are afflicted: but when the day and puniſhmēt of the wicked commeth, it ſéemeth thē to vsus all to ſoone. As Iob ſaith: That the day of the wicked commeth ſuddenly. And in the 54. Pſalme. Wicked men ſhall not lyue out halfe theyr dayes: that is, where they alwayes take enterpriſes in hand, and hope after many thinges, they dye before they bringe halfe their purpoſes to paſſe.
¶There is a vanitie alſo which is done vponupon the Earth: that is, there be righteous men to whom it happeneth as if they did the workes of the wicked: and there be alſo wycked to whom it commeth as if they did the workes of the iuſt, & I ſayd: This alſo is a vanitye.
THeſe two thinges greately offend the mynde of man, that the puniſhment of the vnthankfull is differred and ye good are entreated and dealte with all,A conſolation againſt the offence that ye godly take when the vngodly perſecute them. as if they were wicked: good men hated and enuied, and the wicked had in eſtimation and reuerenced. And yet dayly ſo it commeth to paſſe. Heretofore men gaue the wicked Prieſtes all thinges, but now the Godly hauehave ſcarce any lyuing. They that teach ſchollers are not mainteined: thoſe that trauell moſt to ſet the worlde at libertie, hauehave no thanke but are trodē vnderunder foote. But they that deſtroy and drowne the world in naughtines want nothinge. For now a dayes Souldyers are more déerely waged then good teachers. Theſe thinges for this ende are repeted ſo often to enfourme mans mynde, & to enſtruct ye good to learne what ye world is: Namely a furious beaſt and an vnkinde, which waxeth fierce through benefites, exalting alwaies the wycked, and oppreſſing the good. And other thing then this, muſt we not looke for.
Therefore I prayſed myrth & gladnes becauſe a man hath no better thing vnderunder the ſonne, then to eate and drinke, & to reioyce. For this is all he hath of his labour, all the dayes of his lyfe, that God geueth him vnderunder the Sunne.
THis is a repetition but very neceſſary, becauſe he had declared ſo many ſorrowfull thinges,He concludeth with his ſentēce ſo often repeated. that he might ſéeme to hauehave forgottē his purpoſe. The world is vnkinde, looking euer an other way. It lotheth things preſent, although they be good. It ſuffereth to toyle and weary thy ſelfe, and deſpiſeth and perſecuteth thée. Therefore mocke thou the worlde as it mocketh thée. Dooe thine endeuour and duety, and let goe cares and ſorrowfulnes. Be of good cheare & meary, knowing that the world vſeth not to rewarde & conſider the good.
And I applyed my mynde to know wiſedome, and to beholde the buſines that is done on the earth, that neyther daye nor night the eyes of man take ſleepe.
THat is, while I was thus occupied, and vexed my mynde, and deuiſed how to gouerne & order all thinges prudentlye vponupon earth, I gat nothing but ſleaples nightes. And euen ſo ſhall it happen vntounto thée, if thou wilte not be meary, but weary thy ſelfe in thine owne wayes and deuiſes, for herein thou dooſt but as that foole did, which would beare all the worlde on his ſhoulders, ye is, would order and rule it, by his owne induſtry and lawes of his owne apointing. Why dooſt thou not rather commit all matters to God, & ceaſe thy curyoſitie in other mens doinges?
Then I conſydered all the workes of God, how man can not fynd out the worke that is wrought vnderunder the Sun. But the more he laboureth to ſearche it, the leſſe he findeth, yea and although he thinke himſelf wiſe inough, yet he can not finde it.
THis is Salomons copiouſnes. The ſentence is lyke to that that wente before: Conſider the workes of God, how no man can make ſtraight that he hath crookened. Euen ſo here. Let no man take vponupon him to redreſſe and amende all thinges. For this is the onelyonly worke of God, and not mans. And impoſſible it is to bring man to doe yt which God alone doth. For man looketh not on thinges preſent, neither is ſatiſfyed with them, but looketh onelyonly on thinges to come. Mans harte is fylled with dyuerſe deſyres. But God hath all thinges bounded and appointed, thinges preſent, and thinges to come.Vnhappye is the wiſedome of mā not ruled by God. But we are neuer quyet with thinges preſent, nor ſatiſfied with thinges to come, which is nothing els but to make thinges preſent, not preſent, and things to come, not to come, This thing made the Poetes to ſay, that all thinges were ruled by deſtenye, and imagine ye the goddeſſes called Parcae brake of the webbe of our lyfe, euen when we would fayneſt lyue. So Iulius Caeſar founde not, that is, accompliſhed not his deuyſe, he was cut of from his purpoſe in ye middle of his conſultation. For as he deuiſed to eſtabliſh, or rather to reſtore the Roman publike weale he dyed, as he toke the matter in hande. Abſolon caſtinge howe to compaſſe and get the kingdome, periſhed moſt miſerably.