Sermons in One Volume, Sermon 20
The Triall of Vanitie.
Eccleſ. 1. 2.
Vanitie of vanities ſaith the Preacher: Vanitie of vanities: All is vanitie.
THis booke begins with All is vanitie, Eccl. 12. 13and endes with Feare God and keepe his commandements. If that ſentence were knit to this which Salomon keepeth to the end, as the hauen of reſt, after the turmoyles of vanitie: it is like that which Chriſte ſayde to Martha: Luk. 10. 40.Thou art troubled about many things, but one thing is neceſſarie. That which troubleth vsus, Salomon calles Vanitie: That which is neceſſarie hee calles the Feare of GOD: from that, to this, ſhould be euerie mans pilgrimage in this worlde: we begin at Vanitie, and neuer know perfectly that we are vaine, vntill wee repent with Salomon. Therefore this is his firſt greeting and leſſon to all after his conuerſion, to warne them that All is vanitie, as if God had ſaid to him as he ſaide to Ezechiel, Ezec. 16. 2.Cauſe Ieruſalem to know her abhominations, Iob. 15. 31.as though men did not knowe their ſinnes how vaine they are, as Eliphaz ſaieth, He beleeueth not that he is vaine, which makes euerie man deferre his repentance, vntill the verie houre come that ſinne maketh preparation to leaue him, and then fainting hee is vnwilling to depart, becauſe he is not readie. Therfore I hauehave choſen this ſentence; which ſpeakes of nothing but vanitie, to ſhew how wee take the waie to miſerie for the waie to happines, and turne the day of ſaluation to the day of vanitie. Let euerie man thinke as I goe in this matter, why he ſhould louelove that which Salomon repented, if he think Salomon happier after he repented, thā he was before. This verſe is the ſumme or contentes of all this booke, and therefore Salomon beginnes with it, and ends with it, as if he ſhould ſaie, Firſt this is the matter which I will prooue, and after, this is the matter which I hauehave proued, now you ſee whether I tolde you true, that All is vanitie. I may call it Salomons Theame, or the fa…dle of vanities, which when he hath bound in a bundle, he bids vsus caſte it into the fire: for after hee hath done with them in his laſt chapter and thirteenth verſe as though hee would hauehave no more thought of them, he turnes away from them, as if hee had buried them & goes to another matter, ſaying, Now let vsus heare the end of all, Feare God and keeep his commaundements: for this is the whole dutie of man: as though hee were exceeding glad that after ſo many daungers through the rout of vanitie, yet GOD let him ſee the hauen of reſt, and brought him to the right end, and ſet him vponupon ſhoare, where hee might ſee his vanities,Exod. 14. 30. as Moſes looked back vponupon his enemies, & ſaw them drowned behind him.
The whole narration doth ſhew that Salomon wrote this book after his fall. When he had the experience of vanities, and ſeene the folly of the world, what euill comes of pleaſure, and what fruite groweth of ſinne, he was bold to ſay, Vanitie of vanities, &c. which he auoucheth with ſuch proteſtation, as though he would iuſtifie it againſt many aduerſaries: For all the world is in louelove with that which he calles vanitie. Therefore hee puts to his name in the middeſt of his ſentence, as if hee would defend it againſt all commers: if any man ask, who broched this ſtrange doctrine? the Preacher (ſaith Salomō ) To teſtifie his heartie conuerſion to God, he cals himſelfe a Preacher, in the witnes of his vnfained repentance, as if God had ſaid vntounto him Thou being conuerted, conuert thy brethren and be a Preacher, as thou art a King: ſo when we are conuerted, wee ſhould become Preachers vntounto other, and ſhew ſome fruits of our calling, as Salomon left this book for a monument to all ages of his conuerſiō. Therefore they which write, that Salomon dyed in his ſinne, and that ſuch a famous inſtrument of God went to the damned, doe great wrong to the worthie King which giues them ſuch an example to repent, and would correct their raſh iudgement, if they conſidered. Firſt, that he was the cleereſt figure of Chriſt (except Melchiſedec) which paſſed all Kings in proſperitie, and all men in wiſedome. Secondly that hee was inſpired by the Holie Ghoſt like the prophets,Pſal. 45. 7. to bee one of the pennes of God to write his holy word, the word of ſaluation, which was not fit for a reprobate. Thirdlie, that GOD promiſed to his father, that hee would not take his ſpirit and his merciemercy from him as he did frō Saule, 1. Cor. 17. 13nor forſake him as he did Saule but correct him in another ſort. Fourthlie, that GOD is ſaid to louelove him,2. Sā. 7. 13. therefore as Paule concludes that Iacob was elected,2. Sam. 12. becauſe,Nehe. 13. 6 God ſaith,Rom. 9. Iacob hauehave I loued: Gen. 27.So we may conclude, that Salomon was elected, becauſe God ſaith; Salomon hauehave I loued. Fiftly, that in Luke 13. 28. Al the Prophets of God are ſaid to be in heauen: and therefore Salomon being an holie Prophet muſt beholden to be in heauen. To ſhew that he was a holy prophet, in 2. Pet. 3, 2. Peter calleth all the Prophets which wrote the Scripture, Holie Prophets. Laſtly we may gather out of the ſeauenth Chapter of this booke and the thirtieth verſe, and out of the 5. of the Prouerbes, and the fourteenth verſe that Salomon had left his concubines and vanities before he wrote this booke.1 King. 11. 45 Therefore to ſay that the figure of Chriſt,2 Cor. 9. 31 the penne of the holie Scripture, the man whom God loued, the wiſeſt man that euer was, and one of the holie prophets died a reprobate, is preſumption againſt the Word, impietie againſt God,1. King. 11. 4. 5 and wrong to the dead. Although, becauſe of his grieuous fal in Idolatrie,1. Cor. 10. 12. and vncleanneſſe, GOD left him in diſgrace, and makes no mention of his repentance, where hee ſpeakes of his death, that they which ſtand, may take heed leſt they fall, and ſee how eaſie it is to ſlip, by the exāple of him which was wiſer than they. Salomon being wicked and yet ſaued, was a figure of the Church whoſe ſinnes are forgiuen. Thus hauing found as it were the Mine: now let vsus digge for the treaſure. Vanitie of vanities, &c. This is Salomons concluſion, when hee had gone through the whole world & tried all thinges like a ſpye ſent into a ſtraunge country, as if he were now come home from his pilgrimage, they gather about him to inquire what he hath heard and ſeene abroad, and what he thinks of the world, and theſe things which are ſo loued among men, like a man in admiratiō of that which he had ſeen and not able to expreſſe particularly one after another, hee contracts his newes into aword: you aſke me what I hauehave ſeene, and what I hauehave heard: Vanitie ſaith Salomon: & what els? Vanitie of vanities: and what els? All is vanitie. Eccl. 2. 11This is the hiſtory of my voyage, I hauehave ſeen nothing but vanitie ouer the world. Carrie this for the newes from the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, Al is vanitie, as if hee ſhould ſay Vanitie, and greater Vanitie, and more than Vanitie: ſo the further hee did goe, the more Vanitie hee did ſee, and the nearer he looked, the greater it ſeemed: till at the laſt he could ſee nothing but vanitie.
When he was come to this, that he did ſee all things vaine, vponupon which men ſet their heartes, he was moued with compaſſion and could be ſilent no longer, but needes hee muſt write to them which ſeeke felicitie (as he did in tranſitorie things, to warne them that they ſeek it not any longer in theſe fooliſh things, which hauehave no ſtability nor contentation, but flie from them to The feare of God, which hath the promiſes of this life and the life to come.2. Tim. 3. 8. Therefore he beginnes with All is vanitie, 1. Ioh. 2. 15.as if he ſhould ſay: LoueLove not the world nor the things of the world, For I hauehave tryed that there is no certaintie in them.
Thus hee withdraweth them, Firſt, from the wrong way,Eccl 12. 13 and then ſets them in the right way to happines, which he defineth at laſt, to Feare God and keepe his Commaundements. When he had gone through a thouſand vanities, then that comes in at the ende, euen like our repentance which ſtaies till death: So his drift is to ſhew that mans happineſſe is not in theſe things which we count of, but in thoſe which we deferre: his reaſon is, they are all vanitie: his proofe is, becauſe there is no ſtabilitie in them, nor contentatiō of minde: his concluſion is, therfore contemne the world, and looke vp to Heauen from whence ye came, and whither yee ſhall goe.
This is the ſcope which Salomon aymes at, as though wee did all ſeeke happineſſe: but we goe a wrong waie vntounto it: Therefore he ſounds a retyre, ſhewing that if wee holde on our courſe, and goe forwards as we hauehave begun, wee ſhall not finde happineſſe, but great miſerie, becauſe we goe by vanitie. Therefore to fright vsus out of this way, hee breakes forth into an exclamation, Vanitie of vanities, All is vanitie.
Now, Salomon full of wiſedome, and ſchooled with experience, is licenſed to giuegive his ſentence of the whole world.1. Cor. 2. 15 For the ſpirituall man iudgeth all things, his iudgement is ſo certaine, that it runnes before the Euidence, and condemnes al for Vanitie, before he conuince them to be vaine, whereas wee prooue firſt and condemne after, becauſe our words are no authorities: hee concludes firſt and prooues after: neuer any iudge did condemne ſo manie together. Salomon reſolued all the queſtions of the Queene Shebah, 2. Cor. 9. 2.yet Salomon neuer aunſwered ſo many queſtions at once as now: for what can you enquire, but heere you hauehave an anſwere? Aske him as the Souldiers, and harlots, and Publicans asked Iohn, What is ſinne? Vanitie ſaith Salomon. What is Pleaſure? Luk. 12. 14.Vanitie too. What is Beautie? Vanitie too. What is Riches? Vanitie too. What is Honour? Vanitie too. What is Long life? Vanitie too. This is the ſtate of all things after the fall, all turne to Vanitie. This is no reproch to the things, but ſhame to him which ſo abuſed them, that all things ſhould be called Vanitie for him. What a teſtimonie is this of him which ſhould bee the onelyonly ſeruant of God on earth, whome hee created in holines and righteouſnes whom he framed to his owne Image, whom he placed in Paradiſe, and woulde hauehave raiſed to heauen to heare that he hath ſo polluted his life with euerie ſinne, that now there is nothing but Vanitie? That is a lamentable ſong which will make him weepe that tunes it, if hee thinke what he ſaith, how his ſtate is chaunged ſince Adam his father died. Once God ſaith,Gen. 1. that all was good, and now he ſaith that all is nought and vaine, as though he forbad man, that which he created for man. That is not Salomons meaning to debarre men from the vſe of creatures:Rom 8. 20. although all things changed with man, & became worſe than they were: yet hee dooth heere rather ſhewe, that man reapes nothing but Vanitie out of theſe things, by reaſon of his corruption, than that the things themſelues are vaine, if they were well vſed. For euen ſince the creation, Paule ſaith 1. Tim. 4. That euerie creature of God is good, and nothing is to be reiected, if it be receiued, or vſed with thankeſgiuing, for it is ſanctified by the worde of God and praier. That is it, which maketh them profitable to vsus, which becauſe it is wanting for the moſt part, therfore Salomon ſaith that all are vaine to vsus, not vaine of themſelues, but becauſe they are not ſanctified as they ſhould be, therefore in the 2. 24. the 3. 12. and 22. the 5. 17. the 8. and 15. he ſhewes a way how we may make profit of all, and reioyce in our labours and finde a lawfull pleaſure in earthly things, ſo often he cals to the vſe leſt wee ſhould erre as the Monkes and Eremits hauehave done before, miſtaking theſe wordes, when he ſaith that All is vanity, they hauehave forſaken all companie, & gouernement and office and trade, and got themſelues into the wildernes amongſt beaſts, to liue in quiet and ſilence, ſaying, that men could not liue in the world, and pleaſe God, becauſe All is vanitie: ſo while they counted all things vaine, they became vain themſelues, and left thoſe bleſſings which Salomon inioyed after his knowledge, more than he did before. Therefore it is vaine man which Salomon reproueth, which is not onelie called Vanitie, but lighter thā Vanitie. Pſal. 62. 9.If he did not things vainely, nothing ſhould bee vaine in the worlde, whereas now by abuſe we may ſe ſometime as great vanitie in the beſt things, as in the worſt: For are not many vaine in their knowledge, vaine in their pollicies, vaine in their learning, as other are vaine in their ignorance? Was not the wiſedom of Achitopel a vaine thing? The ſwiftnes of Hazael a vaine thing? The ſtrength of Goliah a vaine thing? The treaſures of Nabuchadnezzar a vaine thing? The honour of Ammon a vaine thing? The beautie of Abſolon a vaine thing? The knowledge of the Scribes a vaine thing? The deuotion of the Phariſies a vaine thing. And ſo is the learning of all thoſe a vaine thing, that do no good with it, but either it lies vnderunder a buſhell and mouldes, or elſe it prattles like Tertullus alwaies againſt Paul: Act. 24. 5.ſtriuing to make warre betweene them which louelove dearer than any brethren.
By this you may ſee that vanitie is bolde when ſhe breaks into houſes and Churches and Pallaces, and ſometime vanitie may come to infect, where Trueth may not come to reprooue: Is it not high time then to ſounde this Alarum againe, Vanitie of vanities? &c.
If we could heare how vehementlie, and how pittifullie Salomon pronounced this outcrie, happilie it would moue vsus a little to heare how hee did exclame of his owne life and condemned himſelfe, as it were by the ſounde of a Trumpet that all might heare: For we are all by nature ſuch deafe Adders, that whether the Prophets come piping, or mourning, or crying, they goe away from vsus againe mourning like Ieremie, Iere. 5. 9.we would hauehave cured Babel, but ſhe would not be cured. Nay the Citie of Ieruſalem would not (ſaith our Sauiour Chriſt) when hee wept for his Iſraelites.
Therefore, Salomon ſpeakes thrice, like a Cryer, Vanitie of vanities: as the mother which would faine make her ſonne to heare, ſhe doubles and trebles her wordes: What my ſonne and what the ſonne of my wombe, Pro. 31. 1and what the ſonne of my deſires? So when GOD would ſtirre vsus vp to heare, he crieth thrice to the earth and ſaith, Earth, earth, earth, heare the word of the Lord: Iere. 22. 39.ſo when Salomon would diſſwade from the companie of the wicked: reade Prouerbs 4. 1▪ 4: how often he repeates the charge: Enter not into the waie of the wicked, walke not in it, auoid it, goe not by it, turne from it, and paſſe by, as though hee would neuer hauehave done, or as though wee woulde neuer heare. So Chriſt when hee taught Peter what was his duetie, rehearſed it thrice:Ioh. 21. 16. Feede: Feede: Feede. Ioſeph ſheweth the reaſon of theſe repetitions, when hee telles Pharaoh why his dreame was doubled,Gen. 41. 32. becauſe the matter was important and certaine. Therefore when Salomon repeates this ſaying ſo often, he calles for audience, as though hee had ſome waightie and great matter to vtter. Such a point of wiſedome it is for euerie man to knowe that All is vanitie, if we direct not things to their right end, as when the Holy Ghoſt would ſignifie that God is all holie, he repeated thrice, holie, Eſay. 6.holie, holie: So when hee ſhoulde ſhewe that man is al vaine thrice he repeateth vanitie, to ſhew how hardlie man beleeues that he is vaine: therefore he brings in three aſſertions,Iob. 15. 31. as it were three witneſſes to prooue it. All agree vppon the ſame words, but that the laſt is more plaine, and ſaieth that All is vanitie: that is, that man is not onelyonly changed and become vaine: but for the vanitie, of man,Rom. 8. 20 as the Apoſtle ſaieth, The creatures are ſubiect to vanitie, and hauehave not the glory and libertie which they ſhould hauehave, for the ſinne of man. A ſpirituall eie doth ſee ſome vanitie or other in eueryevery thing, as appeareth betwixt Chriſt and his Diſciples at Ieruſalem. They gazed vponupon the building of the Temple as a braue thing,Luk. 21. 5. and would hauehave Chriſt to behold it with them: but he did ſee that it was but vanitie, and therfore ſaide: Are theſe the things that yee looke vponupon? as if he ſhould ſay: How vaine are you to gaze vppon this? If Chriſt thought the beauty of his Temple a vaine thing, & not worth the ſight, which yet was beautified and built by his owne preſcription: how ſhould Salomon expreſſe all the vanitie of the world,Mat. 24. 1 to which all men hauehave added more and more ſince the beginning?Iohn. 21. 5. Therefore as if he wanted wordes to expreſſe it, as hee did ſee it, hee breakes foorth into an exclamation, and repeates the ſame often, Vanitie of vanities: as if hee ſhould ſay I cānot ſpeak how vain the world is, but vaine it is, and very vaine, and nought but vaine, ſpeaking as if hee had the feeling and ſenſe of it, as though the worlde ſtoode naked before him, and it grieued him to ſee, he cuts his words in chiding maner, & makes ſhort riddance, as if it irked him to ſpeake all that he knewe, therefore that which hee ſpeakes he ſpeakes roundly, that if they read no more, but ſleepe all the Sermon after: yet the firſt ſentence ſhall ſtrike a ſting into their heartes, and leaue a ſounde behinde to waken them when they are gone, as manie (you know) remember this ſentence, which remember no ſentence in all his booke beſide. Who hath not heard Vanitie of vanities &c. Though fewe hauehave conceiued it? This is the phraſe of Scripture, when the holy Ghoſt would commende the ſong of Salomon aboue all other ſongs, hee calles it the ſong of ſonges, ſo called in the Hebrewe and mentioned 1. King. 4. 32. When he woulde exalt the heauenly king aboue all, hee calles him the King of kings, ſo when he woulde note a greate vanitie, and yet a greater, and a greater than that, which is the greateſt of all, he calles it Vanitie of vanities, as when we would note a great foole, we will ſay a foole of fooles, a ſin of ſins, a ſeruant of ſeruantes, Theſe are ſcornefull names to the worlde, and homelie titles, to giuegive our pleaſures, to call them Vanitie of vanities, and againe Vanitie of vanities, and yet againe Vanitie, as though wee woulde prouoke them to fall out with vsus, like a man which ſharpens his enemie with taunts, when he woulde egge him to fight. Hee might hauehave mollified his tearmes, before hee condemned the worlde thriſe, but the worlde is no changling that Salomon ſhoulde change his iudgement, but vaine it was, vaine it is, and vaine it will bee, and therefore a thriſe vaine worlde hee may call it: Firſt, Vanity, ſtraight Vanity of vanities, and ſodainelie All is vanitie What a tranſcendent is this? as though it increaſed while he ſpake, ſo faſt groweth this weede to worſe and worſe, like the Image which appeared to Nabuchadnezzar, Dan. 2.the firſt part was of Golde, the ſecond of Siluer, the third of Braſſe, the fourth of Iron, the fifth of clay, ſo by many changes the world growes worſe and worſe, and all they which folow it. When a man begins to like of pleaſure, & opens the doore to one vanitie which hee loues, ſtraight as many vanities floch to him, as Salomon had Concubines, till the Temple of God be like a den of theeues. Therefore when Salomon beheld ſuch apluralitie, and Totquot of Vanities,1. Kin. 11. … like Surges comming one vppon another in pleates and in foldes, he ſpake as though he would ſhewe vsus Vanity hatching vanities, Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity. The firſt ſaying dooth paſſe without let, but the laſt rubs and ſinks not into the heartes of men ſo eaſilie as it is ſpoken. Me thinkes I heare ſome diſpute for Baal, and bid Salomon ſtay before he come to All is Vanity. It may bee that ſinne is vanity, and pleaſure is vanitie: but ſhall we condemne all for ſinne and pleaſure? What ſay you to Beautie which is natures dowrie, and cheareth the eie, as ſweete meate doeth the taſte? Beautie is like a faire picture, take awaye the colour and there is nothing left. Beautie in deede is but a colour and a temptation, the colour fadeth, and the temptation ſnareth. But what ſaie you to Riches which make men Lordes ouer the reſt, and allow them to goe braue, and lie ſoft, & fare daintilie, and hauehave what they liſt? Riches are like painted grapes, which looke as though they would ſatisfie a man, but doo not ſlake his hunger, nor quench his thirſt, Riches in deede to make a man couet more, and get enuie, and keepe the minde in care. But what ſay you to Honour, which ſets a man a loft, and makes the knee bowe, & the tongue ſooth and the heade ſtand bare, as though they were other kinde of creatures aboue them?
Honour is like a King in a play: when his part is done, his ornamentes are taken from him, and hee which helde the baſon to him is as good as hee. Honour in deed may commaund all but life: hee makes a faire ſhewe now: but when death comes, all is one.
But what ſay you to profound Knowledge in deepe myſteries, which makes men ſought vntounto,2. Sam. 11. and called deepe Clarkes, and great Doctours? Knowledge is like the Letters which Vriah carried againſt himſelfe: ſo Knowledge draweth a greater iudgement, and oftentimes condemnes the bearer. Knowledge without Vertue, leaues a man without excuſe, and is a witnes againſt him, becauſe hee vnderſtandes what is good, and will not doe it. Yet there is another darling of account behinde:Pſal. 128. what ſay you to Long life, which cauſeth a man to ſee his childrens children, and makes him reuerent before the people? Long life is like a long night, when a man cannot ſleepe: ſo age is weariſome with ſicknes, and ſtriues with it ſelfe becauſe it cannot walke, nor talke, nor heare, nor ſee, nor taſte, nor ſleepe, as it was wont: therfore wiſheth often the night were gone, that the paine were paſt. Indeede hee that ſees many daies, ſees many miſeries: and therefore what is not vayne in life, ſith life it ſelfe is vayne? Shewe mee the light which will not darken, ſhewe mee the flowre which will not fade, ſhewe me the fruite which will not corrupt, ſhewe mee the garment which will not weare, ſhew mee the beauty which will not wither, ſhewe mee the ſtrength which will not weaken, ſhewe mee the time which will not paſſe, and I will reclaime that All is vanitie? but if all things vaniſh, then all things are vaine, yet this will not goe for truth, before men hauehave ſmarted for the triall. Some are ſo vaine that they count nothing vanitie. but that which is vainer than the reſt delightes them moſt,Pro. 12. 12. for there is as it were acommon weale of vaine perſons,Pro. 14. 9. and hee which can bee vaineſt, is like a King of the reſt. Some are of this minde, that they thinke all is vanitie but that which they louelove, and therefore they call them vaine,Pro. 28. 4. and curious, and phantaſticall, which ſpeake againſt their vanities, and ſay that it is neceſſarie to bee vaine, for they cannot liue vnleſſe they deceiue, they cannot pleaſe vnles they flatter, they cannot bee beleeued vnles they ſweare they cannot be eſteemed vnles they roiſt, as Demetrius thought that hee ſhould beg vnleſſe he might ſell Images.Act. 19. 24. There is another ſort like the buier in Pro. 20. which ſayth. It is naught, it is naught, but when hee is gone apart hee boaſteth. So they will ſay of the worlde, It is naught, It is naught, before men and ſweare that all is vanitie, but when they are gone apart, they reconcile themſelues vntounto it and kiſſe it, and promiſe to be vaine ſtill, but they cannot abide to be counted vaine, the vaineſt man that is. This ſhewes that the follie of the worlde is ſo open and ſhamefull, that her loues muſt needes condemne her. You ſhall heare them ſay often times: It is a vaine world, a wicked world, a naughty world, yet they will not forſake it to die, like daſtard ſouldiers, who raile againſt the enemie, but dare not fight againſt him. Al is vanitie, but this is vanitie of vanities, that men wil follow that which they cōdemne. But this is that eueryevery ſinner might cōdemne himſelfe: for the conſcience muſt iudge firſt and then God,1. Ioh. 3. 20 as our Sauiour ſaieth: Out of thine owne mouth, and ſo out of thine owne heart I wil condemne thee, naughty ſeruaunt, Shewing that the wicked condemne themſelues before they are condemned of God. Theſe are the worldes fooles, which care not what is their end, ſo that their way be pleaſant.
Oh that here were a full ende or concluſion of Vanities, but beholde, a greater Vanitie is behind:Mat. 23. 27 for our Religion is Vanitie, like the Scribes and Phariſies, as Mathew ſaieth in the 23. Chapter, and 27. verſe hauing a bare ſhew of holines, as hee ſaieth, he could call it but a ſhew of holines, & ſcarce that: our vanitie is vanitie, but our holines is but a ſhew of holines not worthie to be called holines but like holines: yet the moſt part hauehave not ſo much as the ſhew of holines, as the Phariſies had, but are vaine in ſhew, inſide and outſide too. Thus wee finde nothing yet but vanitie. I cannot leade you from one vntounto another, to ſhew you the ſeuerall vanities of euerie perſon, or eueryevery thing, becauſe Salomon ſaith, All is vanitie. How many ſins then hauehave we to condemne vsus, whoſe vanities are ſprinkeled in euerie thing? Which hauehave not onelie ſo many vanities as there be things, but many vanities in eueryevery thing. As in our fare, how many vanities be there, which makes vsus riſe ſomtime ſicke, ſometime ſleepy, ſometime drunke? Yet are there more vanities: in our ſportes, our laughing, and ſwearing and ieſting, and ſcoffing, and dallying, and playing with the Scriptures, which oftentimes leaues ſuch a ſting behinde, that we had rather hauehave loſt our ſport, than feele the worme that gnaws vsus for it. And yet there bee more vanities in our apparrel, ruffe vponupon ruffe, lace vponupon lace cut vponupon cut, 24. orders to the 3. and 4. degree, as though our apparrell were apparelled, vntil the woman be not worth ſo much as her artire, that if we would ſee vanitie her ſelfe how ſhe would goe if ſhe did weare apparrel, ſhe would euen goe like our women: for ſhe could not goe, nor ſpeake, nor looke vainer. Who dooth not know that theſe are vanities, and that they might leaue them, if they would? But that ye might ſee there is a heart within vainer than the apparel is without. Therefore when theſe vanities re worn out, they wil hauehave new, and ſtill new, til all be ſpent vponupon vanitie, and then they begin like the prodigall childe to ſee how vaine they were,Luke. 15. 12 when they hauehave bought Wiſedome with ſorrow. What would Salomon ſay, if he ſhould ſee how vanitie is growen ſince his time, what a hight ſhe is mounted, what a traine followes her, that there is no prince in the world hath ſo many attendants as vanitie? She was but an Impe then, but now ſhe is a mother, and who can number her ſonnes and daughters: the child is vaine in playing the mother vaine in dandling, the father vaine in giuing, the Courtier vaine in ſpending, the ſouldier vaine in boaſting, the ſuter vaine in ſtriuing, the trauailer vaine in talking, the merchant vaine in ſwearing, the gentleman vaine in building, the huſbandman vaine in carking, the olde man vaine in coueting, the Seruingman vaine in ſoothing, the young man vaine in ſporting, the Papiſt vaine in ſuperſtition, the proteſtant vaine in conuerſation. EueryEvery vanitie is ſo pleaſant to one or other, that they cannot miſſe one. So ſhe gads by Sea & by land, and ſtill mo diſciples flock vntounto her of gamſters & ſwearers and players, and tiplers, and hakſters, and Courtiers, as thicke as the flies of Aegipt, which buzzed in their eares, and their eies, and their necks before,Gen. 8. 30. and behind, that a man cannot ſet his foot but vponupon Vanitie. As the waters couered the earth, when but eight perſons were ſaued:Gen. 7. 27. ſo vanitie hath couered it again, a worſe deluge than the firſt, becauſe it hath not ſuffered eight perſons to eſcape, but eueryevery man is tainted with ſome vanitie or other, which God ſeeing in that place and Citie which ſhould be beſt in the world,Eſa. 24. 10. (that all men in the citie were vaine) cals it the Citie of vanitie: So wee may ſay the world of vanitie, becauſe ſhe hath an intereſt in eueryevery perſon of it, ſhee ſits vponupon the earth like a Serpent, and hatcheth all the ſinnes which you ſee amongſt men. As ful as Heauen is of bliſſe, ſo the world is fraught with vanitie, Court, Citie & countrey, whither doth not vanitie goe, but to Heauen? Seeing then that vanitie is ſo extolled amongeſt men,Luk. 10. 40 Salomon giues his ſentence, that all is vanitie. Chriſt like a Mediatour concludes vponupon it that there is but one thing neceſſarie: therefore let our ſentence be like theirs: For ſure, if wee had Salomons repentance, we ſhould ſee ſuch an image of vanity before vsus, as would make vsus crie againe and againe as often as Salomon: Vanitie of vanities, vanitie of vanities, and all is vanitie. What a ſweet ſentence is this from a King, who may liue as they liſt by authority, to ſay, that all is vanitie? Oh, that we might heare Kinges ſpeake ſo againe: for it is a ſpeech which had neede of ſome to countenance it, for none are counted vaine now but they that ſpeake againſt vanitie. Then Salomon cryed it, but now we muſt whiſper it. You may ſee how times are changed: Once this was ſounde diuinitie, now it is flat railing: to ſay that all is vanitie, is euen the vpſhot of a diſturber. If ye aske the Athieſt or Epicure, or theſe rogiſh plaiers, what is a diſturber? you ſhall ſee that they will make Salomon one, becauſe he ſpeaketh againſt vanitie: for this is their definition, hee which will not allowe men to prophane the Saboth but ſaith, that Cardes & dice, & ſtage plaies, & Mai-games & May poales, & May fooles, and Morris-dauncers are vanitie, is a pratler, a diſturber, and an Arch-puſtan,Iohn. 19. … by the lawe which the Iewes had to kil Chriſt. The reaſon is,Pro. 13. 1. becauſe men cannot abide to be controlled of their pleaſures. Therefore they hold it is an offence, to ſpeake againſt their ſports, or their cuſtoms, or their follies, or their pleaſures, or their titles, or their toyes: and they which woulde not be counted preciſe in theſe times, muſt take heede that they goe not ſo farre as Salomon to tearme all Vanitie. But they muſt ſay, that the vanities of great men are neceſſarie recreations, & the vanities of the people are meanes to make vnitie. Greater bookes are written to maintaine this than Salomon made to refute it, ſo they hauehave made their wit and their learning Vanitie, and are vaine in Printe. But they that would knowe nowe of what ſtanding ſuch preciſe reproouers are, and how ancient this reproofe is, may ſee heere, that if this bee a crime to call Vanitie, Vanitie: the wiſeſt man that euer was before Chriſt was herein criminate, not when hee ſtrayed, but when hee repented, in his beſt minde (when he became like a Preacher) he preached this firſt, Vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie: yet many had rather trie it with Salomon, then beleeue it of Salomon: and while they are wondring with him, ſome are taken out of their way, and cut ſhorte of the time which they ſet to repent: from others God taketh away his grace,2. King. 17. 13 ſo they neuer returne becauſe their guide is gone. This the holie Ghoſt pointed at, when he ſaith, They followed vanitie, & became vaine, ſhewing that the things wee followe, will make vsus like themſelues, and lead vsus whether they belong, to heauen or hell. In Rom. 8. 20. vanitie is put for deſtruction, but it is neuer put for ſaluation. If other creatures are ſubiect to a kinde of deſtruction for the ſinne of man, as Paul ſheweth, what deſtruction ſhall light vponupon man for his owne ſinne? Therefore let our ſentence runne with Salomon, Vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie. Wee coulde affoord the worlde better wordes and fairer titles, than Vanitie of vanities: but call it what we will, Salomon ſhewes what it is, and what we will ſay in the end when we hauehave tried it, then Vanitie of vanities: yet it is comfort of comforts, glory of glories, and life of liues. But as Laban ſhewed himſelfe at parting:Gen. 31. ſo at parting you ſhall ſee how it will ſerue you, They ſeeme pleaſant vanities, and honeſt vanities, and profitable vanities: Pſal. 31. 6.but Dauid cals them deceiptfull vanities. Iona. 2. 8.Ionas comes after & cals them lying vanities, that is, which promiſe pleaſure, and profite, and all, but deceiue all, when they ſhould performe. They play Laban which gaue Leah for Rachel. If they be lying vanities and deceiptfull vanities, then are they wofull & miſerable vanities. Therefore, if we be not come to Salomons concluſion, to thinke that All is vanitie, it is becauſe our owne vanitie will not ſuffer vsus to ſee the vanitie of other things. When we hauehave proued like Salomon, as faſt as eueryevery man groweth in knowledge, and experience, ſo he beginnes to crie vanitie, and after Vanitie of vanities, and at laſt, All is vanitie: ſo wee contemne not all at once, but one ſin after another, one pleaſure after another, till at laſt we count All is vanitie, and then we are come home with Salomon and may be Preachers vntounto other. Thus I hauehave ſhewed vntounto you as it were a limme of vanitie, you may looke about you and ſee the whole bodie: for if ſhe be any where in this land, this is her pontiſical ſeat, where ſhe is neuer nonreſident: now I will leaue you to examine theſe ſayinges, whether all things hauehave not beene in vaine vntounto you yet. If they hauehave been vaine to you and yet are good in their owne nature, then think how vaine you are who hauehave turned ſo many good things to vanitie. Yet to ſet you in the way before I ende, I will anſwer them which aske, if All things be vanitie: As Salomon ſaith,Luk. 10. Tell vsus what wee ſhould chooſe, that we be not vaine? Chriſt ſaith, that one thing is neceſſarie. Is Salomon contrary to Chriſt? No, therefore one thing Salomon excepts too, to feare God & keepe his commandements. Therefore if all be vaine but this,Math. 4. let the Tempter take thee vp againe, and ſhewe thee the Kingdomes of the world, when hee ſaith, All theſe will I giuegive thee, thou maiſt ſay, All theſe I contemne, for all is vaine.
What then?Pſal. 119. Turne away my eies (ſaith the Prophet Dauid) and my eares, & my heart too from vanitie. Trie and proue thou no longer, for Salomon hath proued for thee, it is better to beleeue him than trie with him. Therefore now it remaineth that as they brought forth their vaine bookes ofter Pauls preaching,Act. 19. 19. & caſt them into the fire: ſo ye ſhould caſt out all your vanities this day, and ſacrifice them to God, for they hauehave been your Idols, therefore burie them as Iacob did the Idols,Gen. 35. 4. that neuer man ſaw them after. And as God gaue Iob other children, ſo they will giuegive you other pleaſures, feare not that your ioyes will goe way with your vanities, as many thinke they ſhall neuer bee merry againe, if they ſhould be cōuerted to religion. But as Dauid daunced before the Arke as merily as Herodias daunced before the King:2. Sam. 6. 14 ſo knowe vndoubtedlie that the righteous finde more ioy in goodnes, than euer the wicked found in filthines. Nay (ſaith Dauid) more than they can finde in riches or honours, Pſal. 47.when their wheate and wine abound. Pſal. 53. 17.As a horſe is a vaine thing to ſaue a man: ſo all theſe things are too vaine to make a man happie. I appeale to your ſelues, if ye hauehave tried the pleaſures of vanitie alreadie, (as I knowe ye hauehave) whether yee may readilie ſay with Saint Paule, What profit hauehave we of theſe things whereof we are aſhamed? no profit but ſhame and griefe, and guilt, & a dreadful expectation of iudgement:Pro. 14. 18. As Salomon cals folly the inheritaunce of follie, ſo vanitie is the inheritaunce of vanitie. Ten times Laban changed Iacobs wages, but ten thouſand times ſinne hath changed your wages, and deceiued you with other ſucceſſe than you looked for, like Shebna which built his Sepulchre in one Countrey, and was buried in the other:Eſay. 22. and yet how many changes are behinde, you knowe not, for if you did you woulde make inquiſition now and baniſh them at firſt, for whenſoeuer ye goe about to caſt them out, they will ſay ſtill like the Diuels, that thou tormenteſt them before the time. It ſeemes that manie are touched with compaſſion of this, & therfore repriue their vanities, and ſlack the execution, as though they were affraid to offend the Diuell:Mat. 8. 29 euen we perhaps are in the trace of vanitie, hunting with Salomon to finde that which we louelove, and finde it not: becauſe we ſeeke it out of the way. What is the remedy, So runne, ſaith Paul, that ye may obtaine, you hauehave tried the euil way to happines, now try the good way,1. Cor. 9. 24 and then that which yee louelove nowe, ſhall not onelyonly ſeeme vaine, but Vanitie of Vanities: that ye wil maruaile how ye could louelove them ſo long, and would not bee in that dotage of thē again for all the world. Vntill theſe earthlie things ſeeme vaine, no heauenlie things ſhal ſeeme precious, therefore loſe no more time the daie comes when Vanitie of vanities ſhall be turned to miſerie of miſeries, and All is vanitie, to All is miſerie. There is a certain place called Hel, where God keepes generall Seſſions, there Iuſtice ſhall ſit to examine vanity, who hath embraced her and who hath forſaken her God, and he which made his pleaſure of ſinne, ſo ſoone as he heares this doome, Depart from me yee wicked, ſhall goe downe by a blacke waie with many a ſigh and … from God from the Angels from the Saints, from ioie, from glory, from bliſſe with the fiends of hell, to … Pallace of darkenes with the Princes of horror, at the table of vengeance, in the … of calamitie, with the crowne of death vponupon his head: & he which tempted him to ſinne, ſhall plague him for ſinning vntil he crie like Gam, My puniſhment is greater than I can beare for all the griefes, and feares, and cares, and troubles, which fed vppon him while he liued ſhall meete in an houre, and exceede them ſo farre, that he ſuffers for all, and maruaile how any torment can bee left for other. What faith or feare hauehave they, that go dauncing & leaping to this fire, as it were to a banquet, like a foole which runneth to the ſtocks? How happie were it for men as we liue in theſe daies, if there were no iudgment at all? What will we anſwere when he which made Salomon to write this,2. Sam. 11. 26. ſhall aske why we would not beleeue it? what ſhall we ſay when he which came from his kingdom to bring vsus vntounto it, demaunds why we did turne the day of ſaluation vntounto the date of vanitie? if ye cannot excuſe it here, how will ye defend it there we were borne in vanitie, and we liue in vanitie, but wee would not die in vanitie, becauſe no man lookes for any good of his ſinnes after he is paſt this world, therefore let vsus remember that whither the vaine men are gone, thither vaine men ſhall goe. There be not two endes for ſinners, but one: what a wofull bargaine will it ſeeme then to remember that thou didſt ſell they ſoule for vanitie? If any thing wil reclaime vsus, this wil… be a terrour in our heartes, to thinke that we ſhal giuegive account vntounto him, which will meaſure to vsus as much miſerie as wee hauehave taken vanitie, 2. Sam. 13. 15.therefore as Abner ſaide to Ioab, knoweſt thou not that it will be bitternes in the latter ende? So let eueryevery man conſider with himſelfe, though his vanities be ſwee… now, yet they will bee bitter in the ende As Ammon after hee had fulfilled his luſt did hate Thamar (which defied her) more than he loued her before, ſo when the ſport is paſt, and Death lookes vsus in the face, wee ſhall hate our vanities more, than wee louelove …. All this … conclude that our Sauiour ſaid to Martha, Luk. 10. 40.but one thing is neceſſarie. Which God graunt wee may chooſe for his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, and then wee hauehave learned this leſſon.
FINIS.