Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Scripture 17

Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture · Scripture 17

p. 245ECCLESIASTES.

CAP. I.

ALl these earthly things,2 Vanitie of vanities saith the Preacher, Vanity of vanities, all is vanitie. all that a man can either doe, or attaine, is utterly vaine and ineffectuall, in respect of any true and perfect contentment, or happinesse, which it can yeeld to the soule; since it is both fickle in the continuance, and unsatisfying in the nature, and worth thereof.

So farre is all the labour of man,3 What profit hath a mā of all the labour which he taketh under the sun? which he takes here on earth, unable to make him truly happy, as that it yeeldeth him no during profit at all; both he, and it, are swept away by death, as if they had never beene.

There is no stability here;4 One generation passeth away, and another generation commeth, but the earth abideth for ever. one generation of men goeth, another comes, none stayeth; whiles yet the earth the basest of all elements, and that from whence wee received this corruptible substance, continueth in her wonted estate, and abides to the end of the world.

All things are in motion; the sun,5 The sun also riseth, &c. and the winde whirle about the earth and returne around (after their circuition) to the very place,6 The winde goeth toward the south, and turneth about to the north, it whirleth, &c. whence they beganne their course.

So doe the waters also keepe the same course of motion; For all rivers run into the sea,7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whence the rivers come thither they return again. which againe empties it selfe, by secret convayances; through the channels of the earth, into those springs whereof the rivers arise; so as there is a continued circle in the moovings, and interchanges of these creatures; But man passeth away at once, and appeareth no more.

All these creatures doe (as it were) toile themselves in their motion; and all the world, wherein they are,1 All things are full of labour, man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing; nor the eare filled with hearing. is full of trouble and vexation; it is not in the power of man to expresse the particulars; no, the very eye of man can never have seene enough, the eare of man can never have heard enough of the miserable vanities, and irkesome conditions of this earthly life of ours.

The eye and the eare can never come to an end of their worke;9 The thing that hath been it is that which shall be, and that which is done is that which shal be done, and there is no new thing under the sun. for there is still an interchangeable succession of their objects, that which hath formerly beene, shall be againe, and that which now is done, shall, in the revolution of times, come about againe; and there is neither an end of old occurrences, nor a beginning of new.

p. 24611 There is no remembrance of former things, neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come; with those that shall come after them.We easily mistake the condition of all things; for those things which have beene, leave no remembrance behind them; and those things which are now present, and those which shall be hereafter, shall be so forgotten of our succeeding posterity, as if they had never beene.

That which is crooked, and perverse, cannot by any humane meanes be rectified,15 That which is crooked cānot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbred. and reformed; onelyonly the power of God, who made all things, can change the naturall misdisposition of them, & there are such store of defects, and enormities both in nature, and practice, that they cannot be numbred.

17 I gave my heart to know wisedome, and to know madnesse and folly.I addicted my selfe moreover to the disquisition and study of morality; and, therein, I did not onelyonly labor to know what pertained to wisedome, but also, on the contrary, to understand what belongs to folly and madnesse, that I might perfectly comprehend all the fashions and courses of men; and I found this to be no better then vexation of spirit.

18 For in much wisedome is much griefe, and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow.For whosoever gets much wisedome, shall be sure to have much sorrow to boote; since the more he knowes, the more cause of griefe shall he finde, for both he shall still see more that he cannot know, and in that which he doth know, he shall perceive so much vanity that shall pierce, and humble his soule.

CAP. II.

1 I said in my heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth.FRom that austere search of knowledge, I thought to divert my thoughts unto mirth, and pleasure.

When I had taken a full triall of the free jollities, and wilde delights of men,2 I said of laughter, It is mad; & of mirth, What doth it? I cast them off with scorne; and said of laughter; that it is both an effect and argument of a mad distemper of the minde; and of mirth, that it is a vaine and unprofitable passion, not fit for a wise mans intertainment.

3 I thought in my heart to give my selfe unto wine (yet acquainting my heart with wisedome) and to lay hold on folly till I might see what was that good, &c.I did yet further resolve to give my selfe over to the pleasures of the palate, and of the belly; to take my fill of wine, and delicates, for the chearing up of my dull and wearied spirits, yet so, as that I made account not to cast off the study of wisedome; but therewithall to mixe an experimentall knowledge of folly, and debauchednesse, till I might see whether any true contentment might be found therein.

7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants borne in my house.I bought, and procured servants, and maides, and had besides, a numerous issue of those bondservants which p. 247were borne and bred within my owne family.

If ever any man could have found out full contentment either in wisedome, or folly,12 For what can the man doe that commeth after the King; even that which hath already beene done. certainly I should have done it; for who can have the like meanes that I have had, for these ends? surely, he that will come after me, for a further disquisition of this matter, shall finde that he can neither doe, nor know ought but that which I have done, and knowne before him.

Wisedome is light, and folly is darknesse;14 The wise mans eyes are in his head, but the foole walketh in darknes; & I my selfe perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. the wise man therefore walketh in this light, having the eyes of his understanding cleare, whereas the foole walketh in darknesse; yet, for all this difference, I perceived that events, whether good or evill, fall alike unto them both.

To what purpose then,15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the foole, so it happeneth unto me; and why was I then more wise? then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. should I weary my selfe in the pursuit of wisedome, if (in respect of the events of things) I shall speed no better then a foole? And, at last, I concluded, that both this indifferencie of events, and this use, that I was apt to make of it, is vanity.

Doth not the wise man die as well as the foole?16 And how dieth the wise man? as the foole. doth he not die with as much paine, as the foole? is there not the same act, and manner of dissolution of both?

I was therefore utterly distasted with the present life;17 Therefore I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto mee. since it yeelded nothing, but anguish and vexation; even from the best workes that I could performe.

It doth not a little aggravate the vanity of these earthly contentments,18 Yea I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun; because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shal be a wise man or a foole? and my hatred of all my laborious and magnificent workes, that when I have done, I must leave them to a successour; at all uncertainties; For who knowes whether he shall be a wise man, or a foole?

Therefore I did bend my thoughts, what I might, to put my heart out of conceit,20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despaire of all the labour which I tooke under the sun. and hope of any good issue of all my earthly labours, and indeavours.

Yet of all vanities this is the best, since the life of man is attended with so much sorrow and care;24 There is nothing better for a man, then that he should eat and drinke, and that he should make his soule enjoy good in his labour, &c. what he may to put off all griefe and anxiety; to injoy the good blessings of God; to eate and to drinke; and to take all lawfull pleasure, and delight in the use of those good things he hath.

For,25 For who can eate? or who else can hasten hereunto more then I? is there any man living that can procure more excellent varieties of delicates, then I? Is there any, whose meanes will afford him opportunitie of providing them with more speed or ease, then my selfe?

p. 248CAP. III.

1 To every thing there is a season; & a time to every purpose under heaven.BOth God hath predetermined, in his most wise counsell, a time and season, wherein all events shall come to passe, and hath put this wisedome into man, to make choise of the times and oportunities for all his actions.

3 A time to kill.There is a time (whether in a just warre, or in a peaceable execution of justice) wherein it is seasonable and warrantable to kill, &c.

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew.A time to rend our garments in maine occasions of sorrow, and a time to make them up againe.

9 What profit hath he that worketh, in that wherein he laboureth?What stability or during profit therefore can a man expect from that which he doth; since there is such a changeable vicissitude in all actions and events.

11 He hath made every thing beautifull in his time, also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can finde the worke that God maketh from the beginning to the end.He that made all his creatures in excellent order, and proportion, and to singular use, in their proper seasons, though man is not able to looke into them; for God hath (in his justice) so given up men to the cares, and studies of these worldly affaires, that they being taken up therewithall, cannot finde out the wonderfull workes which God hath wrought from the beginning, and shall continue to worke untill the end.

13 And also that, &c.See cap. 2. 24.

14 I know that whatsoever God doth, it shall be for ever; nothing can be put to it; nor any thing taken from it; and God doth it that men should feare before him.I know that whatsoever God doth, it is, and shall bee for ever, no otherwise then he intended it to be; there is no altering of it, by ought which our power can adde to it, or detract from it; and this God doth, that men may learne to adore and reverence his infinite justice and wisedome and power.

15 And God requireth that which is past.Gods cals for (backe againe) both an account, and a renuing, of that which is already past.

17 For there is a time there, for every purpose and for every worke.For, howsoever here all things are carryed partially, and corruptly; yet there, before the just Tribunall of the Almighty, there, shall be a time, wherein every purpose, and every worke of man shall appeare as it is.

18 I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beastsI thought in my heart concerning the outward condition and wicked dispositions of the sons of men, that if God would but let them see themselves, they would easily perceive that they are no better then beasts.

19 For that which befals the sons of men, befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them; as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea they have all one breth so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast; for all is vanity.All outward events befall alike to men, and beasts; they b…eath alike; they part with their breath alike; they both die by the same meanes, with the same paine, and reluctation; neither is there any outward or apparant thing in man above the beast, that can shelter him from that common vanity, to which both of them are subject; or distinguish his condition from theirs.

p. 249Both, in respect of their bodily substance,20 All goe unto one place, all are of the dust; and all turne to dust againe. goe to one place; out of the earth were they taken, and to the earth they returne.

And howsoever,21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downeward to the earth? they are fully differenced by the soule or spirit, which informeth the man, whereof the beast is not capable; yet, in the very issue, and face of death, who can by his sense discerne this difference? no man can see, either the spirit of the man ascending to heaven, or the spirit of the beast that vanisheth together with the body; only this is discerned by rectified reason, and by the illumination of Gods spirit; which assureth, yea convinceth us of the severall, yea contrary condition of both.

Since such is the vanity of man,22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, then that a man should rejoyce in his own workes; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? and his condition in all outward things, so like to that of brute creatures, I know no better way for a man, then to make a cheareful use of Gods good blessings here; for this is all the fruit, and alleviation of all his painful labours, which the earth can afford him; without all anxious cares of those things, which shall be after him; for when he hath all done, who shal bring him to see how his heires wil spend or save the estate which he hath carked to leave unto them?

CAP. IIII.

I Did in this preferre the state of the dead before the living;2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead, more then the living which are yet alive. for that they are out of the reach of this cruelty and oppression, which the living groane under.

The foolish sloathfull man folds his hands together,5 The foole foldeth his hands together, and eateth his owne flesh. and will not worke; and affamisheth himselfe with wilfull idlenesse; rather choosing to starve then labour;

And is ready to say for himselfe;6 Better is an handfull with quietnesse, then both the hands full with travell and vexation of spirit. A little with ease is better then a great deale with toile and trouble.

I have noted a man that is single & solitary;8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea he hath neither child nor brother; yet is there no end of his labour, &c. that hath neither wife, nor child, nor brother to whom he might leave his estate, and yet this man toiles and drudges incessantly, &c.

Society is a thing of much comfort and benefit;9 Two are better then one, because they have a good reward for their labour. upon every occasion two are better then one; Two are able to undertake, and performe that which one cannot; and therefore may well expect a good issue of their labours.

And if an adversary be too strong for a man alone,12 And if one prevaile against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not easily broken. yet if the weaker be assisted by the strength of a second, hee shall be able to withstand and overcome; And as it is thus in the society of two; so it holds in a proportion of p. 250more; a cord of two twists is strong; but if it be treble twisted it is not easily broken.

13 Better is a poore and wise child, then an old and foolish King who will no more be admonished.There is great difference betwixt a child, and an old man, betwixt a King and a begger; yet a poore child, if he be wise, is better then an old King if he be foolish; and perversly setled in wickednesse.

14 For out of prison he commeth to raigne; whereas also he that is borne in his Kingdome becommeth poore.For that poore wise man may from a base and miserable condition, be advanced to highest dignity; whereas the foolish commander that was borne great, may become needy and wretched.

15 I considered all the living which walke under the sunne, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.I have noted it to be the common practice of the world, even generally of all living men, that they are apt still to regard the successour, and to neglect the father, though of great desert, in comparison of the sonne that shall inherite the crowne after him.

16 There is no end of all the people; even of all that have beene before them, they also that come after, shall not rejoyce in him.The world hath ever beene, and ever will be thus inconstant, & disaffected to the present government; how wise and just soever; still they (as impatient of the yoake) will be complaining of that command under which they are; and not yeeld so chearefull and thankfull obedience as they ought.

CAP. V.

1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to heare then to give the sacrifice of fooles, &c.WHen thou goest up to the Temple of God, looke carefully with what affections thou presentest thy selfe there; see that thou have a minde free from worldly cares, and distractions; and thinke not that the very outward worke of a sacrifice, formally offered, can serve thy turne; this imagination is for a foolish and ignorant heart; but know that God lookes for a carefull and diligent attendance upon his ordinance, and requires an attentive eare to his word, &c.

2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few.Be not thou rash and over-hasty in the ingaging of thy selfe by vowes unto God; but be well advised, both what thou undertakest, and how thou shalt performe it; and let those prayers which thou shalt poure forth unto God be well digested in thy thoughts, for thou hast to doe with a pure and holy, as also, with a glorious and omnipotent God, who dwelleth in the heaven; whereas thou (a base silly creature upon earth) art open to his all-seeing eye, and obnoxious to his Almighty power; let therfore thy vowes be both rare and solemne, and thy prayers free from loquacity and idle bablings.

3 For a dreame commeth through the multitude of busines; and a fools voice is knowne by multitude of words.For as in a multitude of businesses there will be troublesome and confused dreames, so in a multitude of p. 251words there will be futility, and errour.

It is the part of a foole to vow that which either hee cannot, or will not performe;4 For he taketh no pleasure in fooles. and God takes no pleasure in those that are thus impiously foolish.

Suffer not thy tongue,6 Suffer not thy mouth to make thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the Angel, that it was an errour; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the worke of thine hands? through the rashnesse of thy vow, to make it, and thy whole selfe guilty of a sin before God, and obnoxious to judgement; neither think to excuse it before God and his Angels, by a plea of error. Why shouldst thou draw Gods anger upon thee by the sinfull temerity of thy vow, so farre, as that hee should plague thee with an utter destruction?

For as there are many vaine fantasies in the multitude of dreames, so surely there are many hatefull,7 For in the multitude of dreames and many words, there are also divers vanities; but feare thou God. and dangerous vanities in the multitude of hasty vowes; But thou, settle thou the feare of God in thy heart; and that shall ever both guide and preserve thy tongue.

Be not amazed and dismaid,8 If thou, &c. Marvell not for the matter; for he that is higher than the highest regardeth, and there bee higher then they. as if all things were let loose, and as if these earthly things were not orderly swayed by a wise and just providence; for as God hath appointed Kings and Princes over men, so he hath appointed his spirituall creatures, in a degree above them; and himselfe is infinitely above all the degrees of them.

Surely,9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all; and the King himselfe is served by the field. there is excellent and necessary use of husbandrie; whence have wee the good things whereby our life is preserved, but from the fruitfull bounty of the earth? Even the states of Kings cannot wel subsist without a due culture of the earth.

If a man have great store of lands,11 When goods increase, they are increased that eate them; and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding thereof with their eyes? and much stocke in his hands, there must be many hands imployed in the managing of it, so that as his meanes are greater, so the mouthes that spend it are more; and what gaineth the owner hereby, above the servant, more then this, that he sees his goods both brought in, and wasted; whereof himselfe can take no more part, then to feed, and cloth him?

I have noted those riches,13 Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. which men account blessings, to turne to the great harme and mischiefe of the owners; both of their bodies, and soules, and lives, and estates, for, besides their difficulty in getting, and care in keeping, how ordinarily are they the occasions of violence offered to their persons, of unjust suggestions of capitall crimes against their lives, &c.

And those very riches have I seen to vanish away under the owners hand; in the midst of all his toile,14 But these riches perish by evill travell; and he begetteth a sonne, and there is nothing in his hand. and travell; so as the sonne whom he begets shall have nothing at all left him of that wealth, wherewith his father seemed to abound; neither shall the father have ought to leave him.

p. 25217 All his daies also he eateth in darknesse, and he hath much sorrow and wrath in his sicknesse.He abridgeth himselfe of all comfort through his too eager pursuit of wealth; and both pincheth his body, and tortureth his minde with many vexations, and discontentments.

20 For hee shall not much remēber the daies of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.His daies goe away merily, and seeme short, for that God gives him chearfulnesse, and contentment in the fruition of what he hath.

CAP. VI.

2 Yet God giveth him not power to eate thereof; but a stranger eateth it.YEt God hath not given him a free heart to take comfort and benefit in the use of his riches; but rather hath given him up to such a besottednesse therewith, that he cannot finde in his heart to bestow any good thing upon himselfe; but saves it for a stranger that shall come after him.

3 If a man beget an hundred children, and live many yeares, &c. and his soule be not filled with good, and also that he have no buriall, I say that an untimely birth is better then hee.Let a man live to never so faire and full an age, (as long life is indeed a blessing of God,) and let him be as full of children, as of yeares (as children also, are the gift of God) yet, if that man scant and abridge himselfe of all his due comforts here, through his owne miserablenesse, and after his death be debarred of an honest and comely sepulture; I say that an untimely birth is in a condition lesse ill, then he.

4 For hee commeth in with vanity; and departeth in darknesse, and his name shall be covered with darknesse.For that abortive birth comes into the world without all noise, or use, and passes away obscurely without notice, and as it lived not to have a name, so the name and memory of it vanisheth into darknesse, and oblivion.

5 This hath more rest then the other.He hath been freed by so early a death from those vexations, which the old covetous man puts himselfe unto.

6 Yea, though he live a thousand yeares twise told, yet hath he seene no good; Doe not all goe to one place?Yea, though he have lived a thousand yeares twise told, yet when it is past, what is he the better for that? Is he not now in the same state with the abortive; do not both of them goe alike unto dust?

7 All the labour of man is for his mouth; and yet the appetite is not filled.Indeed, all the labour of man should be, and ordinarily is, for the preservation of his life; but the covetous man toiles, he knowes not for what; and though nature be content with a little, yet his appetite of having is never satisfied.

8 For what hath the wise man more then the foole? what hath the poore that knoweth to walk before the living? q.d. But the same with the rich?In respect of the outward maintenance of this life, what can the wise man have, which the foole may not; both of them may, and must live by meate; either of them may come to abound, or want; what hath the rich, more then the poore man, that knowes how to live? his superfluity is nothing to his life.

6 Better is the sight of the eyes, then the wandring of the desire.It is farre better for a man to injoy that present good p. 253which is before his eyes, then to discruciate and rack his thoughts with an insatiable desire of what he hath not, or perhaps cannot have.

There is a wise and infinite providence of God,10 That which hath been, is named already, and it is knowne to bee man, neither may he contend with him that is mightier then he. under which, eminently amongst the other creatures, man is; whom God hath noted, and designed out, with all his qualities and indowments; and hath determined to him all his conditions, and events; neither can hee thinke to struggle himselfe out from the mighty, and over-ruling power of his Creator.

As man is vanity,11 Seeing there bee many things that increase vanity; what is a man the better? so are those things which he affecteth; where there are many things therefore, there must needs be an increase of vanity; what is a man the better therefore, for having more vanities besides his owne?

We are commonly subject to mistakings in our opinions, concerning good things;12 For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the, &c. as a shadow; for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun? we oft times take that for good, and profitable, which is indeed harmefull to us, either in the kind, or quantity of it; and if in this fleeting and vanishing life we be thus ignorant, in present things, how much more in future? Who can tell a man what shall be after him?

CAP. VII.

THe day of a good and faithfull mans death, is much better then the day of his birth;1 And the day of death better then the day of ones birth. for his death puts an end to those miseries, which his birth begins, and begins those happinesses, which the present life is not capable of.

For that death which is the occasion of such mourning is the end of all men;2 For that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart. and those that are wise amongst the living, will carefully bethinke themselves of it, and make due preparation for it.

A fire of thornes under a pot makes a loud noyse with the crackling thereof for a time,6 As the crackling of thornes under a pot, so is the laughter of fooles. but the blaze is soone out; so doth the mirth and laughter of a foole; after some short semblance of joy, it vanisheth to nothing.

Extremity of oppression is enough to distemper a very wise man;7 Surely oppression makes a wise man mad; & a gift destroyeth the heart & bribes are enough to corrupt & destroy the heart of him that receives them.

There is much doubt and uncertainty in the beginning of things; whereas there is full assurance in the end;8 Better is the end of a thing then the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better then the proud in spirit. the end therefore of a thing is better then the beginning; for indeed, both the beginning and proceeding of all affaires, doe but drive at a good end; and a meek and patient-spirited man, that can quietly wait for the end and p. 254event of things, is better then he that is proud and impetuous, who violently rusheth upon all enterprizes, and will needs force his owne termes.

9 Be not hasty in the spirit to be angry, for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles.Doe not give way to a rash, and sudden anger; for this techie and cholericke disposition argues much folly and mis-government in the man that is swayed with it.

Be not thou discontentedly querulous at the present condition;10 Say not thou, what is the cause why the former daies were better thē these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. as to complaine how bad these times are, in respect of the former; and to murmure at the providence of God, as if there were some slacknesse, or neglect therein; for, this is a foolish thought of thine, and an unjust; Rather doe thou in an humble thankfulnesse and submission, make use of the present.

11 Wisedome is good with an inheritance.If a man have a great estate, and wisedome to use it, he may doe great matters, and is very happy therein.

12 For wisedome is a defence, and money is a defence; but the excellencie of wisedome giveth life to them that have it.Many a one hath beene preserved by his wisedome, and many have beene preserved by their money; so as both together must needs be an excellent defence; but if they must be severed; wisedome and knowledge must needs be the better, as that which both can safegard the present life, and give a better unto the owner of it.

13 Consider the work of God, for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?Doe not complaine of times, and events; but consider well the wise, and just and powerfull proceedings of God; for when he hath thought good, for the punishments of mens sins to give them up to disorder, and perversenesse, it is not in the power of humane meanes to rectifie them.

14 But in the day of adversity consider; God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should finde nothing after him.In the day of adversity, bethinke thy selfe of the author of thine affliction, and of the manifold grounds of patience, which God hath laid before thee; for God hath given interchanges of wel-fare, and adversity, that man might finde no just cause to complaine of his proceedings.

15 There is a just man that perisheth in his righteousnesse.There is a just and innocent man that mis-carrieth, notwithstanding his righteousnes; through the cruelty, and injustice of oppressors.

16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thy selfe over-wise; why shouldst thou destroy thy selfe?Be not thou too rigid, and rigorous in exacting the extremity of justice upon every occasion; neither do thou affect too much semblance, and ostentation of more justice and perfection, then thou hast, or canst attaine. Neither doe thou arrogate more wisedome to thy selfe, then is in thee; nor curiously seek and search into those mysteries, which God would not have revealed; for why shouldest thou bring upon thee the displeasure and judgements of God, by this proud and sinfull affectation?

17 Be not over-much wicked, neither be thou foolish; why shouldst thou die before thy time?As I would not have thee too just, and too wise, so I would not have thee run into the other extreame; every p. 255degree of wickednesse is too much; doe not let thy selfe loose to any evill; neither yeeld thy selfe over to a willing ignorance and foolish neglect of wisedome; for why shouldst thou provoke God to hasten his just judgements upon thee, to thine untimely destruction?

It is good and sure to walke in a meane betwixt both these extreames; so to beware of severity,18 It is good that thou shouldst take hold of this, yea also from this withdraw not thine hand: For he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. and too much profession of wisedome, that thou neglect not the other charge of avoiding loosnesse, and folly; he that feareth God shall by him be kept in an holy meane betwixt both these sinfull and dangerous excesses.

He that would live in peace must put up many injuries especially of the tongue;21 Also take no heed unto all the words that are spoken, lest thou heare thy servant curse thee. be not too eagerly inquisitive after the words that are spoken concerning thee, lest thou heare those of thine owne family speake evill of thee.

I thought to make all these observations and experiments,23 All this have I proved by wisedome. I said, I will be wise, but it was farre from mee. and made account to gaine a great measure of wisedome; but the more I knew, the lesse I was satisfied, and the more I found that I wanted.

So deepe is wisedome hid,24 That which is far off and exceeding deepe, who can finde it out? and so farre off from our reach, that it is not in the power of man to finde it out.

As also to note the wicked courses of foolish, yea,25 And to know the wickednesse of folly, even of foolishnes and madnes. of mad sinners; both in their actions, and in their events.

And I have found by wofull experience the mischiefe and deadlinesse of an alluring beauty, &c.26 And I finde more bitter then death the woman whose, &c.

Curiously searching, and examining of both sexes, as it were, by the pole; one by one;27 Counting one by one to make up the account. to give a just account of the estate of them both.

Which yet still I doe earnestly seeke;28 Which yet my soule seeketh, but I finde not; one man among a thousand have I found, but a woman among all those have I not found. but finde no cause to alter my judgement herein; this I professe to be the issue of all my inquisition; that though it be very rare and hard to finde one good of either sexe; yet more difficult and strange to finde such a one in that weaker sexe; a good man is rare, but a good woman more.

Now this pravity and corruption which I finde in both sexes, I doe not cast upon their first creation, no,29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions. rather I doe herein justifie God; as finding and professing that it pleased him to make man holy and upright; all our depravation is from our selves; our first parents, created in perfect innocencie, would needs follow the devices of their owne hearts, and the suggestions of the common enemie, and we their sinfull posterity doe nothing but devise further meanes of our owne ruine.

p. 256CAP. VIII.

1 Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A mans wisedome maketh his face to shine; and the boldnesse of his face shall be changed.WHat creature under heaven is so excellent as a wise man? he only can finde out the riddles of nature, and the secrets of art; it is his wisedome that makes him gracious, and reverently respected of all men; it is that which alters and changes both his disposition, and carriage; and of rude and harsh makes him gentle and ingenuous.

2 And that in-regard of the oath of God.For that thou hast, by the sacred name of God, sworn homage and allegeance to him.

3 Be not hasty to goe out of his sight; stand not in an evill thing, for hee doth whatsoever pleaseth him.Doe not offer to fling out from him, as in a fury or chafe; neither thinke thou to face out an evill action before him; for he hath power in his hand to revenge these insolencies at pleasure.

5 The heart of the wise man discerneth both time and judgement.The heart of the wise man discerneth both the time when every thing should be done, and the best way how it should be done.

6 Because to every purpose there is a time & judgement; therefore the misery of man is great upon him.For certainly there is both a proper time for all our actions, and a meet way for the doing of them; which because men ordinarily doe neither understand nor observe, they run themselves into great inconvenience.

8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war, neither shall wickednesse deliver those that are given thereto.No man hath power to keepe his soule when God cals for it; neither hath he power to protract the day of death any longer; there is no possibility of avoiding that last conflict; the bold and presumptuous wickednesse of men cannot deliver them from it, yea rather shall bring the evill day upon them.

It falleth out sometime, that that soveraignty which was ordained for the good of the people,9 There is a time wherin one man ruleth over another to his owne hurt. turnes unto their hurt; and withall to the no lesse harme of the unjust manager thereof.

10 I saw the wicked buried, who had comne & gone frō the place of the holy, & they were forgotten in the city where they had so done.Such a wicked ruler I have seen pompously buried, who had comne and gone from the sacred seat of Judicature, with great state; and with no lesse to his grave, yet I have knowne him utterly forgotten (if not odiously remembred) in the city, where he had exercised authority.

14 To whom it hapneth according to the worke of the wicked.Which speed ill, and are outwardly punished, as the wicked deserve to be.

15 Then I commended mirth, because, &c.I resolved that it was good for man to bee chearefull in his calling, and the good and holy use of Gods blessings.

p. 257CAP. IX.

NO man can by the successe of these outward things,1 No man knoweth either love or hatred, by all that is before them. judge, and know whether he be in the love, or hatred of God.

Their heart is resolved to goe madly,3 And madnesse is in their heart whiles they live, and after that, they goe to the dead. and desperately forward in their wickednesse, whiles they live, and when they have done thus leudly, they drop into the grave, if not into hell.

If we compare the estate of the living, and the dead,4 For to him that is joyned to all the living there is hope; but a living dog is better then a dead Lion. whether in it selfe, or in respect of the present world, no doubt that of the living is better; for whiles we live here we may be still in hope, either of amending, or of receiving further graces and blessings; both which are in regard of this life, cut off from the dead; and as our common proverb runs, the most vile and contemptible of all creatures (the dog) that is alive, is better then the most generous of all beasts (the lion) which is now dead.

How ever in respect of a better life,5 For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward. and the glorious estate of the soule, the case is quite contrary, yet in reference to our present and sensible condition, the living know something; if no more but this, that they must die, but the dead know nothing at all, of these earthly occurrences; neither have they any more part or interest in these affaires, or any sense of their increase, or diminution.

Also together with their senses,6 Also their love and their hatred, and their envie, is now perished, neither have they any more a portion in any thing that is done under the sun. their affections are ceased, their love, and their hatred of their wonted objects, are now perished, their envie, and their desires are gone; neither have they ought to doe with any thing that is done here below.

Testifie the joy of thy heart, by the nearnesse,8 Let thy garments be alwaies white; and let thy head lack no ointment. and brightnesse of thy garments, and let thy head lack no store of sweet, and precious oyles, to cheare thy spirits, and perfume thy skin.

What ever occasion of honest delight offer it selfe unto thee, take it,10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe, doe it with thy might: For there is no worke, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisedome in the grave whither thou goest? and what ever oportunity is offered thee of doing good, embrace it gladly; and doe it accordingly, with all thine heart; for thou hast but a while to doe it, or to injoy it, since that in the grave whither thou goest, there is no worke to be done, no device to be contrived, no use of knowledge, or wisedome.

I saw and observed that here on earth,11 I returned and saw under the Sunne, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strōg neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to mē of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill, but time & chance happeneth to them all. all things doe not fall out according to the probability of second causes, but by an over-ruling of providence; The swiftest man doth not alwaies win the race, nor the strong prevaile p. 258in battell; the wise man doth not alwaies get maintenance, nor the prudent wealth, nor the skilfull approbation and favour; but every one in his time, hath a severall issue, and event, according to the predetermination of the Almighty, beyond, or contrary to his owne hopes.

12 For man also knoweth not his time, as the fishes that are taken in an evill net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sonnes of men snared in an evill time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.For man cannot fore-know the time of his death, or danger, but even as the heedlesse fish runs unawares into the net, and the silly bird into the snare, so are we wretched men caught in the net, and snare of evill occurrents, in the time, which God hath secretly set, and surprized suddenly with unavoidable calamities.

There were many men in it, yet but one wise man, the number of the other was helplesse, if not burdenous; that wise man was poore;14 There was a little city, and few men within it, and there came a great King against it and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it. and that poore man by a stratageme, unthought of by the rest, found meanes to rescue and deliver that city; yet when he had done, no man regarded that man, because he was poore in estate, though rich in wisedome.

17 The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more then the cry of him that ruleth among fooles.The words of a wise poore man, though spoken softly out of a fearefull and lowly kinde of bashfulnesse, are worthy of more respect, then the imperious loud clamours of him that rules among fooles.

CAP. X.

1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisedome and honour.LEt the ointment be never so fragrant, yet if dead flies be suffered to corrupt in it, the sweet smell thereof will be turned to a loathsome stench; so let a man be in never so good reputation for wisedome, and honour, yet some one foolish humour, and weake mis-carriage of his, marres, and staines his estimation.

2 A wise mans heart is at his right hand, but a fooles heart at his left.A wise mans heart is apt to give meet counsels, and to suggest dextrous and ready waies for the performance of any enterprise; whereas the fooles heart, and hand, goes sinisterly to work, and is utterly unapt to all good uses.

3 Yea also when he that is a foole walketh by the way, his wisedome faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a foole.Yea, let the foole but walke by the way, and his very motion, and gesture shewes what he is; and proclaimes his want of wit; much more doe his words, and actions bewray him.

If the Prince be angry with thee, doe not in a stomach or froward pettishnesse give up thine office;4 If the spirit of the Ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yeelding pacifieth great offences. but yeeld way humbly to that displeasure, and seeke by submission to satisfie his indignation.

As an errour that proceeds from Princes in the ill choice which they make of those whom they promote.5 As an errour which proceedeth frō the Ruler.

p. 259That foolish and vnfitt men are advanced to places of dignity and imployments in publique affaires,6 Folly is set in great dignity: and the rich sit in low place. whiles those that are truly able, both for their parts and estate, and are well worthy of eminent places, are neglected, and disregarded.

Which what is it other,7 I have seene servants vponupon horses: and princes walking as servants vponupon the earth. then as if servants shold ride on horse-back, whiles Princes walke by their stirrops, as their groomes on foot, in a servile attendance?

It is a dangerous matter to attempt any thing against authority and established government;8 He that diggeth a pit shall fal into it, & who so breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. whoso ever doth so, doth but digge a pitt whereinto himselfe shall fall; and whiles he is breaking vp an old hedge, is vnawares stung with an adder that lay vnderunder those bushes.

Such a one doth as the man, who,9 Who so removeth stones shall be hurt therewith: and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. whiles he labours to remove an old heape of stones, bruiseth his feet; or, as he, who cleaving of wood, cuts himselfe with the axe, or receives some of the splinters into his eye.

Strength without wit prevailes not;10 If the yron be blunt, and he doe not whet the edge, then must hee put to more strength: but wisdome is profitable to direct. if the axe be blūt and want an edge, there needs much force to be put to it in vaine; wisedome doth as it were whet the edge of the axe, and directs to doe that, with ease, which otherwise cannot be atchieved with much labour.

As the Serpent which is not charmed,11 Surely the Serpent will bite without inchanmēt, & a babler is no better will bite or sting the passenger, so will a busie and babling detractor wound the absent, with his malicious tongue.

The words of a foole will be the occasion of his owne vndoing.12 But the lipps of a foole will swallow vp himselfe.

A Foole is full of words,14 A foole also is full of words, a man cannot tell what shall be, and what shall be after him, who can tell him? a man cannot tell what he would have; or what he would say; and what the end of his speech, or drift will be, no man can tell.

Fooles tire out themselves with laboursome & needlesse circuitions; and out of simplicity fetch large compasses ouer untracked wayes,15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to goe to the Citie. because they do not so much as know the beaten road to the City; which is both easie and short.

Wo to thee, O Land, whose King being vnmeet for age, or impotency,16 Woe to thee O Land, when thy King is a childe, & thy Princes eate in the morning. to sway the publique government is not assisted with temperate, and orderly Peeres; but such as spend that time which they should set apart to iustice, in riot and revelling.

Blessed art thou, O Land,17 Blessed art thou O Land, when thy King is the Sonne of Nobles, and thy Princes eate in due season, for strength: and not for Drunkennesse. whose King is royally descended; and whose Princes are sober and temperate; eating and drinking seasonably, and without excesse, as those that would nourish their health, and not their luxury, and disorder.

Feasts are for iollity, and pleasure,19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh maketh merry: but money answereth all things. and wine is for mirth; but it is money that must provide these, and all p. 259other helpes, whether for delight or necessitie.

Do not intertaine so much as an vndutifull thought in thine heart,20 Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, & curse not the rich in thy bed chamber: for a bird of the aire shall carrie the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. concerning thy soveraigne; neither do thou speake evill of great persons that are in authoritie, so much as in thy bed chamber; for God wil find meanes to bring it out, & revenge it; and rather then it should not bee revealed, God will cause the very foules of the aire to disclose it.

CAP. XI.

1 Cast thy bread vponupon the waters: for thou shalt finde it after many daies.BEstow thy beneficence vponupon them which are vtterly vnlikely ever to returne it; for he that seeth in secret, will, when thou hast forgotten it, restore it vntounto thee with an happy increase.

2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowst not what evill shall be vponupon the earth.Be not straight handed in thine almes; but give them liberally to all that hauehave need; for thou knowst not how soone thou maist have need of others bounty, nor how soone thou shalt be bereaved of an oportunity to give thine owne.

3 If the cloudes be ful of raine, they emptie thēselves vponupon the earth: & if the tree fall toward the South, or toward the North, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.As the cloudes which are full of raine, empty themselves vponupon earth; so the liberall heart that is full of bounty empties it selfe in seasonable contributions; and which way soever thou castest thy beneficence, whether to the South or North, thou shalt be sure there to finde it, through Gods gracious remuneratiō with advantage.

4 He that observeth the winde, shall not sowe; and he that regardeth the clouds, shall not reape.Let not every circumstance of vaine feare discourage thee from doing good, and distributing; he that is too curious to observe every winde that blowes, shall never finde oportunity to sow;

5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones doe grow in the wombe of her that is with childe, even so thou knowest not the worke of God who maketh all.As thou knowest not how, or when the soule comes into the body; or how and by what degrees the childe is formed, in all the severall parts thereof, within the wombe of the mother; so, much lesse canst thou know those secret workes of God, which he will doe in time to come.

6 In the morning sowe thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether &c.Be thou constant, and assiduous in doing good, and desist not at any time; if one of thy indeavours succeed not, yet another may; and thou knowest not which of them may speed the best.

Indeed life is sweet, and light gives cheerfulnesse vntounto our life; it is a comfortable thing to inioy the benefit thereof,7 Truely the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eies to behold the sunne. which our eye sends into our soule.

But let a man live, and inioy both the light, and all the pleasures and delights of this life, never so many yeeres;8 But if a man live many yeares, and rejoyce in them all, yea let him remember the dayes of darkenesse, for they shall be many; all that commeth is vanity. yet let him bethinke himselfe of that darknes p. 261of death, and the grave whereinto he is entring, and consider the long continuance of that darknesse, in comparison of this short and momentany life, and light; he shall have no lust to surfet of these things, but shall confesse that all that comes is vanity.

Go to then, O thou vaine young man,9 Rejoyce, (O young man,) in thy youth, and let thy heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth. take thy full scope of pleasure in thy youth, &c.

Denie nothing to thy selfe that either thine eye seeth or thy heart desireth; live wantonly and jocondly; but be thou assured, that a day of reckning will come, when for all these wild and lawlesse courses of thine, God will call thee to a just and severe judgement.

Therefore strive to refraine all thine headstrong passions,10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, & put away evill from thy flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity. and rid thy selfe of those vicious affections and dispositions, whereto thou art subject; for thy childhood and youth, wherein thou now vainely rejoycest, are momentanie things, gone and passed, ere thou canst finde thou inioyest them.

CAP. XII.

BEfore thine eies grow dim with age,2 While the Sunne, or the light, or the Moone or the starres, be not darkned, nor the clouds returne after the raine. so as thou dost not clearely discerne the Sun, the Moone, or Starres, and before the evills and miseries of age succeed one another in thee, in a woefull vicissitude;

Before the time that thine armes, which are the gard of this thine house of clay, shall tremble with palsies;3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease, because they are few, and those that looke out of the windowes be darkned. & thy legges, which were thy strong supporters, shall bow thēselves; and thy teeth grind slowly and difficutly, because they are few; and thine eyes, which are as glasses in the windowes of the head, be dusky and darkened.

When the street doores shall be shut upon thee, as now retired to thine owne home, without care of others visitations, or affaires; when thy slow feeding shall have made thee vnfit for other mens tables;4 And the doores shall be shut in the streets, whē the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low. when every little noyse, but of a bird, shall wake thee out of thy sleepe: and when thy spirits shall bee so dull and dejected, that thou shalt take no pleasure in the hearing of the most melodious musicke.

When thy decrepit age shall make thee so unfit to move, that thou shalt be afraid of every rubbe,5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and feares shall bee in the way, & the Almond tree shall flourish, and the grashopper shall bee a burden, and desire shall saile, because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners goe about the streetes. or clod that lies in thy way; when the white blossoms of age shall cover thine head; and every light thing (though it be but of the weight of a grashopper) shall seeme burdensome to thee; and all those lusts and desires, which haunted thy stronger times, are now gone and past; For p. 262there is no way but this one; man goeth to his long home, the grave; and the mourners, in an hired formality, goe about the streets.

Before everall thy naturall, and vitall spirits be utterly exhausted,6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the goldon bowle be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountaine, or the wheele broken at the cisterne. and all the functions and offices of life bee quite discharged; which shall be in the last act of death; for as when the cord is loosed, and the bucket broken, and the pitcher broken at the well, or the wheele at the cisterne, no water can any more be drawne; so when these vitall parts faile, can there be no longer protraction of life.

10 The Preacher sought to finde out acceptable words, & that which was written was upright, even words of truth.The Preacher sought to finde out excellent and divine sentences, and matters of high and singular use; and such he hath indeed attained unto; for that which is written by him, is full of admirable wisedom and truth.

12 The words of the wise are as goades, and as nailes fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepheard.The words of the wise and holy prophets of God are of singular benefit; for they are as goads to pricke us forward to all good duties; yea they goe yet deeper, they are as nailes driven up to the head, by gracious teachers; so as they cannot easily be pulled out; which words, however they be delivered to us, by severall messengers, yet they come all originally from one hand, even from the great Pastor of his Church, the Word of his Father.

By these divine words, O my sonne, doe thou content thy selfe to be admonished;12 And further, by these, my sonne, be admonished: of making many bookes there is no end, & much studie is a wearines of the flesh. not roving in thy desires after multitude of other volumes, whereof there is no end; in the compiling and reading of which there is much toyle and wearinesse of the flesh, and much expence of the spirits.