A Comment Upon Coheleth
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Project Note
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The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A COMMENT UPON COHELETH OR ECCLESIASTES: Framed for the instruction of PRINCE HENRI Our hope.
BY HVG BROVGHTON. Anno 1605
A COMMENT UPON COHELETH OR ECCLESIASTES: Framed for the instruction of PRINCE HENRI Our Hope.
By HVGH BROVGHTON.
Anno 1605.
TO THE MOST NOBLE, HENRY PRINCE OF great Britanie.
IN a former little book, (most noble Prince) speaking Hebrew and Latin, I shown the Persons of David's Family: the Kings race, and the Kinglier then the Kings, the house of our Lord after the flesh: a matter opened in few words: yet mistaken in England and almost everywhere, to the ruin of infinite millions: who finding Christians unable to settle their own narration, rejected all Christianity. That small work I dispersed in many thousand copies by Sea and Lande over Europe and Asia: where many have thought the gift not mean. Next, knowledge of the Persones that sprang from David's house: the quality of the Kingdom & perpetual Throne promised to David, 2. Sam. 7. and 1. Chron. 17. and Psal. 89. should be known. To manifest that Solomon David's son, and a King that hath all Royalties of this world, is chosen of God. He telleth upon his own long study and experience, that all things under the Sun be vain: So that the Throne promised to David, must be for the world to come: which the man Gabriel that appeared to Daniel to tell our Lord's death: and to Marie for his birth, doeth plainly expound what nature it hath: that it is the Kingdom of Christ by sufferings bringing joy. The whole book of Solomon herein spent, with helps to clearness, I join to the former: which, if God will, shall be accompanied with others, as the argument calleth for explication.
Your graces most humble Hugh Broughton.
THE CHIEF MARK OF ALL The holy Scriptures.
SVNDRY ways doth our heavenly father draw us unto the Kingdom of his son: But Man created of God plain will be searching out many conceits, to his own over throw: by the sleight of Satan: as the Angels that kept not their place, fell to ruin. They being created the first day: & hearing the voice of God which dwelleth in light that none can come too; saw that the frame of the world was not for Spirites use: the Sphaeres in their wonderful greatness & swiftenes: the stars in their most beawtifull order: the vapors, winds, & clouds in most wise peise, the plants, fowls, fishes, beasts, all these benefit not the Angels. But after the making of all these, the holy trinity consulteth for making man, in justice & plain holiness, & maketh his body of the earth: that all things may serve his use: the stars, the Elementes, the plants & all live things. And God doth breath into him a soul immortal, full of life, which might have kept the body always alive: & showeth unto Angels man's wisdom, in that he nameth all beasts with terms defining their nature, & maketh a woman outo ef his side, & giveth them dominion over the Earth: and g tivth his Angels charge over them, to attend upon them, & to keep them. But one part mislikeh this charge, & by that rebellion extinguish their own light, & lose their own glory, & find misery vnrecoverable: & seek leave to try man, whether he can be deceived, to cast of the obedience of God, & prevaileth, & bringeth them to death of the soul, & loss of that light which would have kept the body alive forever: & into sin that draweth eternal woe upon it. And this disobedience being wrought quickly the first day of man, brought all the world under corruption: and greved still the holy spirit, & his Angels. But then further counsel is shown: that the ETERNALL Son of God will take Humanity of Eves Sede: and to him the world is subiectea, till an incorruptible new world be made. But Satā withdrew belief from this point; & rules as Prince of the darkness of this world, so as it is hard for Adams Sons borne in sin & blindness extreme, to hold this world cursed: which yet all serveth man's use: and to hope for a world vnvisible, for the soul leaving this life: & of a new world for the body & soul. Seeing Adam cared not for God's charge, being yet in life & Lordship, & believed not the word of him who spake & all things had their being: So the Sons of Adam will hardly beleve that the King of Glory must die to give life: and to light Adam by faith to life: and arise to raise Adam: and leave this world, to show hope of another world. Experience teacheth us how far this is from us.
To this none can come unless the Father draw him. Yet God's grace in government condemneth all for not layng hand upon this grace, and for not craving of grace truly so to do. Now to show that by death life should come, in Paradise a beast is killed: and with the skin, our Parentes be clothed: and fire from Heaven burneth the carcase: and the next day is appointed for a rest to meditate, on this: to whom able to govern, the creature is subjected: who by resting the Sabbath in the grave: which fell out after 39 60. years, fully endeth the Sabbath, & rising with the light the first day, brings light unto the world: as in day, for death, his passion was fitted to Adams day & time of fall & sentence, against him. Thus redemption was taught: & anger by a curse pronounced to come by the flood. Now Cain's murder of Abel, showeth what poison Satan breathed into Eves soul to bear such a son: & further, Cain's sons appear bad in making God's of stars made to serve man: defying their Lord that made the world for them: & deifiing the creatures, to lose the creator and creatures: when the flood washed their bodies away: and their souls ascend to God's Throne to have from it & before it, eternal flames. Yet then Christ shown in Noah, how all beasts & Elementes & heavens obeyed him. Again, they are told that Christ shall arise from Sem to be a King of justice & peace. And, that, when the heathen receive the promise, Japheth his sons shall have the chiefest continuance of grace: And Noes families be named; & the Prophets show their nations & stories with God's people. That matter is expounded by the Prophets, speaking still of the first families.
But now they make the sad blessing a skoph: and build a proud tower for worship to stars. Then GOD divided all their tongues, that they should no more hear his truth: to plead foolishly against it. And two thousand years all Heathen estranged from GOD perished forever & ever. And in short speeches to Abraham, he foretelleth, that of him one shall come that shall bless all nationess: & showeth his death, & recovery from death in Isaac offered near death, but only by God's voice, reserved, as by a resurrection: & that Jacob's sons should not worship stars above, or anything on earth, they are stars in Joseph's dream: & precious stones in Aaron's Brest lap, or Care of judgment. And to show what justice God required, they have plain Laws of perfect Equity: with a curse to all that keep not everyone: that men might know how sin aboundeth: & to the poor in spirit the redeemer is declared in mysteries that the profane should not skoff: yet plainly to such as mark how Adam & Abraham heard of him: & life of the soul is shown by dwelling with God: as the second death for the soul, by anger from the face of God. Thus closely the world to come is shown. Also the tabernacle, & appartenāces shown Christ his dwelling with man: & by sacrifices & birds escaped, his death & resurrectiō: that for justice hence by faith men should not say: who can go up to heaven to bring Christ down, or who can go to the depe of the earth to bring Christ from the dead, but might know that Jesus should be the Eternal, & that the Godhead should raise him frō the dead. And the saving of our souls appeared, in the Brasen serpent, when Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, & the stonged by serpentes wear healed. Many dout less asked him, what was meant thereby: & he told that so the sun of man should be lifted up: that they who believed on him should not perish, but have life everlasting. Moses mind shined with knowledge of all, as did his face shine with light: & Levies Sunlike Smaragd: & his Prophecies abridg all the holy stories: & he maketh the twelve dum stones tell much, from Aaron's breast: And the Patriarchs lives, have the like revolutiones in their children: how for cleaving to the redeamer they should find glory, & again shame in refusing their fathers God, & following the blindness of the God of this world. Now in David God historically expresseth Christ his Kingdom. David cometh to his Kingdom by continual afflictions: & so all that will follow the religion of Christ shall be persecuted. And by whom the covenant of God & his law shall be kept to vanquish Satan, David is told: evē that Christ shall come of his loins to reign upon his throne forever. Of him he shall come to be a man & a King in this world: but he shall have no Kingdom in this world, & the earth which God hath cursed: but to him is the world to come subdued: being the creator, & David showeth how yet in his suffringes & death he was made inferior to Angels: but crowned with glory & honor, since he sat on the right hand of God. And when he came into the world, all the Angels of God worshipped him. And that Judah should consider how by sufferings this glory cometh, David describeth as an Evangelist the suffringes of Christ. This David doeth. And telleth in Prophecies the overthrow of his nation, & their captivity, & retarne; & Antiochus persecutiones, & the Jews rejection: even all their times: how God toke a time to plant them, & will pluck them up: to seek them, & will destroy them: to keep them & will cast them off: to love them, and will hate them. Now for experience that a Kingdom under the Sun was not promised in Christ, Solomon had all wisdom, wealth & pleasure, & found all to be vanity: & by his pleasures fell from God: but returned, and teacheh in Ecclesiastes in all particular sortes, that all here is but vanity & vexation of spirit: by man's dealings, and by the sorrows of their hands: and closely warneth that his son shall not rule all his: foreseying how Joseph's Jeroboam vold leave only Judah to be an whole tribe till Shiloh his child by the Virgin the King Eternal came in the flesh. Part of Rachel's house, and a little, of Benjamin, because God built half Jerusalem and the Temple in his tribe, for that, part of Benjamin cleaved to Judah: as a wolf though not a lion in Mordecai and Atossa the mother of Great Artaxerxes, that built the temple, which abode till our Lord came into it. And Solomon warneth the ten tribes, how they will be robbers making one purse, and refuse the love of the truth: and how God would laugh at their destruction by Assur: and fitted Proverbs to have kept them from destruction: And the son of Tamar, of Rachab, of Ruth, of Bathsuagh in the Canticles turneth all joy to the Kingdom of Christ: that Joseph's house should not despise the root of Iessai, though Jesus Son of Nun conquered the Land & made the Sun to stay. A matter showing that which followeth.
JESUS the Son of GOD, and the Son of David after the flesh, would darken the Sun, and shake all the earth. And years nere a thousand, GOD still so governed Judah that they should look for the Kingdom of heaven, always opened by CHRIST, and still feel their state on earth to be full of sorrow. That did they sone prove true.
For the Kings of Judah were all either worshippers of Devels with many of their people, or, in some feeling of great danger & distress: or, in open hearing of Prophets, and that, many at once, that Babel should end their state: and Solomon's house: because they followed Babel built to make Gōddes of creatures. Solomon's house utterly perished. And in Babel, the Image, and other Pictures tells them in expositions seven times over how heathen shall withhold Judah's kingdom, even from Salathiel and Zoroba babel our Lord's Fathers after the flesh until he came into the world And they saw how yet under Heathen they were defended. And when they saw not only the fall of Solomon's race, temple, city, & kingdom, but of mighty Babel in 70. years reign: then they were in fit case to be taught of David's Throne that should stand forever. Aethan, of Phares brother, Zarach, told it afore Psal. 89. But the Angel Gabriel telleth it more properly, even to the very yere and day: that all the world might reckon 490. years to gather how many years, months, and days they were from the end of Moses, & how nere to the work of redemption, by the son of God dwelling in our tabernacle. And poor Jews from 120. nations are sent to Jerusalem by Cyrus proclamation of the true God, who all could teach Heathen that the world was made, and also how long then it had stood: where still infidels will err. And for receiving of Christ his Prophecy, the poor nation that returned to Jerusalem in hope of life by it, is recorded by the holy spirit which beautified the heavens, in high honor; how many their whole number to every man did make. This honor had the saints: & their poor state in Ezra & Nehemiah's is from God set down & their defense, & affinity with the Persiā kings also is pēned frō God's wisdom, &, religion is expōded by Aggei, Zacharias & Malachi, evē to John Bap. & to the meek King, Christ himself. & to the destructiō of their natiō, which will not beleve that all kingdoms under the Sun are vanity: but do and will still hope for a pompous belly blessing in this cursed earth. In due time our Lord cometh, to have his tabernacle in us: for which his tabernacle or temple the world was made obedient unto man. And though Moses tabernacle, were most diligently thrice described: & furnished with all dignity of matter & form: yet God did sone leave it in smalle regard: & likewise Solomon's temple. Yet against S. Stephens doctrine Act. 7. to this day Israel hopeth for a temple of stone, & city to be built on mount Zion, in Canaan. But our Lord leaveth this world, to sit on David's throne forever: & Jews perish in their lies, and blindness, & for our Lord's brightness, four Evangelistes tell that: & one telleth how the Apostles taught that to the heathen; & holy Epistles comment upon all Moses, to teach Israel the golden building, & how their Thalmudicall is straw: in all hope of Policy good on Earth. And when Jerusalem is destroyed to force an end of Moses Ceremonies: then more fully the nature of David's throne is opened by Gracious John, in obscure Patmos. He showeth how all the goodly Jewels used through Moses and the Prophets tend hither, how the knowledge of Christ practiced openly & rightly by his servants, maketh the heavenly Jerusalem: the holy Jews a ey-expectation. But this should have two hindrances: one by the profane Caesar's, whom the Lord would pay for their partes: that all their world should be altered: the other by Christians falling away, as Ishmael & Ephraim did. So Mackmad of Ishmael sone withdrew all the cōtreys of Daniel's Image, to their old Arabi{que} infidelity: and Christ leaveth them to eternal blindness, as he did the old builders of Babel. Also the city, that crucified Christ, setteth up an earthly pomp, with corruption of all holy truth, & carriage in hope of life by the waters of Scripture, out of which he that is not borne again by the Spirit, can never enter into the Kingdom of heaven. Yet against this Pomp Christ ruleth his common weals in perpetual expectation of the Eternal Throne to be fully manifested. And this sum doth the holy Bible afford. Which he that beareth in mind shall sooner see the driefte of every particular Book. And now Ecclesiastes will show, how this world can have no good Kingdom: where all kind of Sortes flow with vanities and vexation of Spirit. But to consider his book with more clearness of light, his kindred, & life, & a popular speech of his royal and most witty close speech, & divinity chief points, yet resisted of his nation, these are to be laid forth somewhat familiarly, for the help of the unacquainted with such matters.
AN ABRIDGEMENT OF SALOMONS LIFE.
DAVID had sons by many wives. The King and his brother Nathan, & two more named in 1 Chr. 3. 5. by the daughter of Ammiel: besides the first borne that sone died. That his wife was called Bath-Suagh 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Daughter of nobility: God closely disposing tongues to that which in story should be most famous. After Uriah the faithful Hettean died for his people & the cities of his God, by good David's wicked sleight, and David had made that Psalm of reap̄tance to the comfort of all that should by faith find justice, David conforted Bath suagh, and sware that Solomon should reign: & called her Bathshebagh 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 daughter of Oth. And he saw further that Solomon's house would not be upright with God, but would overthrow the temple & nation Lev. 26. and Deut. 28. and that Nathan's prophecy should come of Solomon's next brother: & called him Nathan: that his name should abridge the Prophecy. Bath shebagh 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 also hath her honor from God. Prov. 31. Being an holy teacher of holy truth, and joying that Christ should come of her, as of Tamar, Rachab, and Ruth the Moabite: and not also of Roboams mother the Ammonite, nor of any King afterwards. Salomō was borne about the time that Adonijah deflowered Tamar: as the story showeth: and is cast by the Rabbin's and Greeks to be twelve years old when David dieth. His Father and his mother and the Prophet Nathan instructed him in the ways of God: & he craved wisdom of God, and had it above all Kings: and the more he increased in wisdom, he taught the people knowledge, and fitted many Proverbs. Three books he left; The Songe of Songes showing the joy of the Church that truly followeth Christ: and the Proverbs, warning much the Tribes that they will fall away from God. In the same book he joineth the words of Agur Ben Iakeh: a wise Prophet of his time, who in few words taught much, of man's corruptiō: and spake of God to dwell in Christ, named • thiel, and Vcal, that is with me God, even the Mighty. And Koheleth in his third book. The K. had four names Solomon, and Jedediah, 1 King. 12., Lemoel, Prov. 31. and Koheleth: Eccl. 1. The notation of the last should here be opened: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Cahal the verb is, Gather, and the noun Ecclesia, a company gathered to one assembly: as the 600000. which at once denied God: Num. 13. called there 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ghedah: elsewhere often 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Cahal. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Synagogue, or Ecclesia. Of Gathering the best thing, that is, wisdom, he is called Koheleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Ibn Ezr. Ecclesiast. 1. That is: He is called Koheleth, by the term of wisdom which was gathered in him: finding by experience that all things under the sun are vain: & common weals full of folly & madness: that men should look to the Kingdom of Christ in heaven. The LXX. made a new term of their own Ecclesiastes: a wise Doctor. And this book commenteth upon Nathan's Prophecy, cited afore: and teacheth closely, that many Kings of his posterity by foolishness would break the hedge, that Serpentes should bite them: & would speak great words, as did Roboam, so foolish as one that knew not the way to the city. And he himself, was entangled by his wives to build Idolea for them: But he proclameth their wickedness: and how Jedediah, the beloved of God was delivered from them. None should doubt but that he is in the Kingdom of heaven; seeing all the Prophets be there Luc. 13. and he spent all his life to teach the vanities of this world. His posterity ended in Jeconiah: and the Jews miss of all the Prophets meaning, which say: that Messias should come of Jeconiah: who left no child naturally: Jer. 22. But sons to his Kingdom many. 1 Chr. 3. & Salathiel of Nathan Mat. 1. Luc. 3. This point should specially be noted of Christians. The Jews use all endeavor to overthrow S. Luk for our Lord's Kindred: & mightily labor to prove that Salathiel was natural son to Jeconiah: and not only S. to the Kingdom: as troupes of others 1 Chr. 3. but properly son, as any other to his father, in private speech. And as they look for a pompous Kingdom: so they continue against God's oth, the line of Solomon: in Sanedr. fol. 18. Perec 10. atticle 12. in these words.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
This rule is a foundation: that no King may be accepted for Israel, but of the house of David & of the seed of Solomon only: & who so is a schismatic against this family, denieth the name of the blessed God, & the words of his prophets. Thus expressly they teach that Messias must come of Jeconiah: & know that S. Luke & our Gospel falleth where that is granted: whom I answer in mine Hebrew treatise to Prince Henry. And I have shown of the grosnes of our table elsewhere.
A PARAPHRASE Abridging the book: WITH OBSERVATIONES OF speeches touching the holy Ttinity, & of Judaism, stumbling against Koheleth even unto this day.
ALL this book of Coheleth or Salemon, tendeth, as was shown, to open Nathan's speech, 1 Chro. 17. touching the Eternal throne of David: And this sylogisme ariseth hence by the Jews grant: in the Chaldee upon this place.
If all things under the sun be subject to extreme vanity: the Eternal throne promised unto David, must be of another world.
But all things under the sun be subject to extreme vanity:
Therefore this is all the Man, to look unto the judgment of God for another world, and unto the throne of the better stay.
The proposition is omitted, as lapped in the Prophecy of Nathan closely: and not to be opened directly to the profane: who would contemn all speech of the world to come. And the humble would sone conceive it. The assumption is proved by a plentiful induction, going through all man's state. And these be the chief heads. The shortness of man's life passing as a vapor. The Sun, wind, and water, never resting in one place, picture our state, and cause our change: our eyes can never be contented nor our ears: & yet nothing is new: but forgetfulness maketh things past to seme new. And to mark men's actions, Koheleth, that gathered all wisdom by experience, being a King, and in Jerusalem the glory of the world, should pass all that none coming after him should exceed him. He considered the carriage of the wise, and of the mad world: and saw that the crooked would not be streightened, and the imperfect could not be made up. He tried pleasure in his great cheer, & his thousand women. That became nothing worth. He joined wisdom and royal majesty together, in all pomp, and stately works and delites. But all was vanity. Though wisdom pass folly as darkness passeth light: yet this event have both, that both sone die, and their memory. And what the wise by care never resting doth bring about, a foolish heir, as Roboam and his house, almost all the race unto their end in Jeconiah, by wicked madness destroy. The best thing which the wisest would wish is contentment, in using their present travel. But God's variety in governing man's times & seasons in birth, death; planting, rooting out: seeking, rejecting, love and hatred, this checketh all hope of resting in contentment of wealth goten. And God used this variety in his judgments that men should fear him. But the thorny cares & pleasure, choke the meditation upon God's work. And thus the wisdom of the best cannot bring any sound state. Now folies be infinite. In courts of judgment, might overcometh right: and men are become beasts: and for all things under the sun, as the one dieth so dieth the other. And who considereth the spirit of a man, that it ascendeth unto God; scant any: But men live as not beleving, or not regarding the souls immortality. And the wisest cannot look for use of their own, for oppressors irresistible are in every place: that the heathen saw how it was best never to have been, & next, to die quickly. Envy of life, bretheth in others slothfulness. whereby the poor in all common weals be infinite. And their misery bredes a contrary, in some rich: that being without kindred, yet they have none end of their labor. Yea the rich Kings nether for them selves nor other have any happy case. A wise child in prison, as Joseph, is in better case then an old foolish King, as Joash. And Kings were borne poor & naked: and may come to the same case: and people be still weary of the present, & men under Kings had need of continual prayer: and in prayer, much babbling & rash vowing increase vanities in the best business. And for the oppression by the mighty, many are amazed: and know not how 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the holy Trinity is above all, & hath a time for judgment: But the most, think there is no God. Now tillage would seme a contented life: better then merchandise: where money multiplieth not: but by care and hazard. Here, as wealth increaseth, the servants that spend it increase: and the master hath no more then they, saving only the sight: and the servants sleep is sweet: but care suffereth not the master to sleep. And often falleth the rich to be worth nothing: and only contentment here is good: but to use the goods gotten, that is a gift of God. Often the wealthy are cut off from use of their own; long life & many children cannot in poverty make one better then the untimely birth: yea though a man live in poverty two thousand years. All must come to one place. And this befalleth all men that the soul is never satisfied. By this the wealthy wise man or fool hath no sound preeminence, nor the poor of knowledge, infericritie, in walking afore the living. The notation of Adam should teach of his nature: for the first names expressed the natures of the things named: and it is evident, that he is but earthly Adam, and is not able to strive with his stronger: and who knoweth what is good for man in the days of his life that are but a shadow, & who can tell him what shall befall him. Therefore there is no true joy in this life: but a good name before God is better then any wealth: wherein precious oinctmentes in the East, were the chiefest, and better is the day of death, then the day of birth, and the house of mourning then the house of feasting: for the mourning house is the end of all, and the living will take it to heart. The practice of wise & foolish show this. For the wise go to the house of mourning, the fools to the house of banqueting. So the check frō the wise is better then the songs of fools. For as the voice of thorns is under the pot, such is the laughter of fools. And because oppression from the stronger driveth men to madness: & bribes again destroy their hearts, the good end is better then the good beginning, and patience better then anger. A man must be slow to anger: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. As this proceedeth not of wisdom to ask: why were the former days better then these. Wisdom is good with wealth, while men live. Both bring a sheltre. But wisdom is the better, it saveth him that hath it. And here wisdom showeth it self: even in hamblenes not hoping to straighten that which God hath made crooked: rejoice with the rejoicing: and weep with the weeping days. God hath so set one by the other, that none can find fault. The just perisheth in too strait justice, & the toilsome holdeth one long in his toil. Be not toilsome to much nor too wise: and play not the fool: it will bring death before the ordinary course. It is good to keep betwixt both: as they that fear God will. Wisdom will strengthen more then ten rulers: though in many things all stumble. And this point of wisdom hath great use, not to regard all evel tongues: for all speak evell of others & the tongue cā not be bridled. This Kohe leth tried: & sought still to find reasons for all carriages. But that was far off. Now the far off and the depe who can find out. But in trying the madness of folk, Koheleth found by his thousand wives, that an evell womā was bitterer then death. This he found: examining one thing by another to find out devises. But this he could not find out: though in men one of a thousand, Koheleth would find out the subtilest devises, yet of a subtle woman's devises in all that number, he could not. They made him build houses to strange God's: whereupon the Kingdom first rented, afterwards, perished. And this, Koheleth found generally true: that God made Adam plain, but they found out many invētiones. And so do their children in all folly. And who is as the wise man? who is like him that knoweth the nature of matters. Wisdom lighteth the face of a man: and the hardenes of his face will be changed. As vnlernednes bredeth boldness: and judgment, lothnes to be meddling. And it avoideth the calamities that come from governoures oppression. Herein visdome would keep the Kings laws, in the Lord: and not resist authority: for he earieth not the sword in vain. But he that doth well shall have praise of the King. But here men brede them selves much sorrow, not knowing what will befall them. And this vanity is common, that men consider not, rulers nor subjects, how suddenly death vnexorable, (against which there is no striving) ceaseth upon men. By want of wisdom herein men will be ruling men, to their own harm. In that case Koheleth saw the wicked buried: when they went away, and passed from the holy place of judgment, & were forgottē in the city where they had so done. And this vanity might teach, that no throneacceptable unto God, can be found in this world. But by not knowing God's dealing herein, men fill this world with vanity. Because judgment is not shown quickly upon evel works, men's hearts be fully carried to do mischief. But the wise Koheleth would tell, though the wicked do wickedly an hundredth fold, and live long: yet it shall be well with the Godly: & not with the wicked whose days are but a shadow. An other secret government of God, teacheth the vanity of this life, that the just are plagued, and the wicked prosper. This teacheth that there is another world of recompense: as in the Parable of Lazarus and Dives. In this diversity quiet enioyng of the present wealth is all that a man can have of his travel. And for man's business wrestles and slepelesse, not the wisest can see the reason of God's works. By outward prosperity, the just and unjust are not discovered often times. Hence Epicures exhort one another with longe orationes to present pleasures: while not the swift have the gool: nor the valiant the victory, nor the wise, the bread, nor the cunning, favor, but a time and occurrant befalleth all. And men know no more their time, then fish or foul that be caught in a net, and snare. Without special wisdom, this will not be shunned. Wisdom is soon contemned. This example may be pregnant. A little city besieged of a great King, by a poor man's wisdom hath ben saved. But that poor man is soon forgotten, yet wisdom is better then strength: though the wisdom of the poor is contemned, & his words are not heard. The words of the wise in quietness are heard, more then the cries of Lord's over fools. Wisdom is better then armor of war: and one that misseth of it, as a Lord over fools, will lose much good. As one dead fly putrifieth much precious oinctement, so a little folly marreth a man precious for wisdom & glory. Wisdom is rare: and to have the heart on the right hand. But to have the heart on the left hand, that is common to the fool: whose heart faileth in the plain way, and he telleth all that he is a fool. And in such a world, what study of the Law can brede a blessed throne on earth. The Spirit of rulers often riseth against a dutiful subject: as did Solomon's against Jeroboam: he left his place and fled to Egypt: and became the ruin of Solomon's throne. Here a soft cure might have delayed much sin. An other evel is great and common: appearing notably in the unlawful kingdom of Ephraim. The fools of the ten tribes were set on high, and false Prophets; and the truly rich sat down low. Servantes sat on horseback & Princes walked upon the ground. This people might know that great is the vanity of governements here. Roboam in Judah likewise paid the price of that, extolling foolish young men, and contemning old sages. And King Joash most notably: yielding from his rich counselors, to the foolish Idoleservers. And his grandfather Joram greatly wanted wisdom that lost all Edom's subjection, and advaunced fools to kill his own bowels, and to die by torment of bowels. And as Saul by folly hoping to defeat David, digged a pit which himself fell into: So King Ochozias joining with Israel, brake an hedge, that the Serpent Jehu stange him. And of all Kings wanting wisdom, and of all in high place, and of ill bent, away from God, these Proverbs will be verified, he that removeth stones will be greved by them, and he that cleaveth wood, shall be endangered by it, if the iron be blunt, and a man whett not the edge, but be vehement in strength: vehemency in a blunt cause, will cause danger. Wisdom from God's words of right, will only bring good success: teaching to beware of Satan's deceits, where a sting at the first is past cure. All the Kings of Israel followed Jereboam's worshipping of calves: being so sttong at the first: without using holy advise: that afterwards there could be no use of enchanters. All the Prophets warninges were nothing: all that Jonah whale, and Nineuie taught: all that Osec, Amos, Isaiah, and Micah told, wrought little good. As deaf adders they stopped their ears: and would not hear the voice of any enchanter. Yet the words of the mouth of the wise do bear grace: as specially the speeches in David for the Kingdom of Christ: but the lips of the fool Jeroboam swallowed up all his house, when he bade worship calves at Dan and Bethel, and forbade to go up to Jerusalem. The beginning of the words of his mouth was foolishness, and the end of his mouth an evell madness. The other Kings foolish before God, multiplied words against Judah, but saw not their fall. Great toil they took, family after family, and wearied them selves in their Idols: being as men that knew not the way to the city. And such were all the Kings of Israel, and the wicked of Roboams Kingdom. And woe be to the kingdom, where the Princes be given to feasting: as the true noble and sobre bring happiness. A King dome is like an house: where by slougth the timber work rotteth, and by dissolute hand, the house will be dropped through: when they make feasts for laughter, and that wine cheer the heart, and money must affordall. And herein the meddlers with Kings find their own ruin; & this vanity is common. But they that look to the kingdom of Christ, will not in thought medle with Caesar: for listeners will fly to report all that is once uttered. But men should ambitiously seek to meddle with their own matters, and to do good for the hope to come: as Pilgromes & strangers. This will be a casting of seed upon moist ground: which will fructify: that as one sooweth he shall reap. Therefore while we have time we should do good to all: lest God alter our ability, or occasion. The clouds and trees teach that: the clouds fall to moisten the herbs, and where the trees fruct falleth, gatherers will be ready. And herein we should not be casting doubts, either for others success, or lest we in time want ourselves, of our joys. The husbandman plow eth in hope: not looking to the clouds for sowing or reaping: as we know not the winds way, nor the Embryones growth, so we know not how sone God altereth times from life to death: from planting to vnrooting, from building to breaches: from laughter to weeping, from seeking, to losing: from speech to silence, from love to hatred, from peace to war: from youth to old age, morning and evening we should not be weary doing good: for in due time we shall reap, if we do not faint. It is a good thing for one to chere his own life, will man's heart say: but long and merry life will be nothing saving vanity: when we think upon the time after this life, how it shall never have end. This thought will make young men little joy in the morning of age: considering that God will bring them into judgment. And the wekenes of our earthly tabernacle should put us in mind hourly. For days void of all delight will sone come: when our eyes, ribs, arms, stomach, ears, and tongue, and all helps of voice & the legs fail: & graynes buddeth, & we are shaken off like a grasshopper: and the chine & liver & brain pan all will be rent, and man returneth to his endless home, & mourners go about in the strete. This may teach us how all temporal things be vainesse, & teach from Scriptures to find out Christ his Kingdom: that when the outward man is corrupted, the inward man be fully renewed. For Christ is our life: and to die in him, that is all our gain. And man's sone passage hence up to God's throne, to receive according to the works done by the body, good or evell should print this in our hearts. And we should give more abundant hede to Koheleth his words: lest they flow aside from our eyes, as they from Ephraim, Prov. 3. and from the men of Jerusalem: Eb. 2. whom sin platting about them entangled to destruction. Koheleth, as all the other Prophets, hath words of delight, & Scripture of right: words of truth: as Goades to direct us, & nails fastened, in the sheep folds, given from Christ the only Shepherd, of whom David spake Psa. 72. his last words: & therein these. Blessed be the Eternal, God, the God of Israel, & blessed be his glorious name forever: and let all the earth be filled with his glory. Amen, yea amen.
A TREATISE OF THE Holy Trinity
NOW, for the trinity, I will follow those texts at which the very Jews be amazed, & I will make my style altogether from their words, saving that, their future, for MESSIAS to come, I will turn into the time passed. In the Babylonian Talmud in Sanhedrin fol. 38. excellent places be cited for unity & plurality: touching also MESSIAS from Dan. 7. where Rabbi Sadaias speaketh matter worthy regard: also from Ex. 23. where Ramban writeth well: & I saak Ben Arama upon Ex. bringeth the whole Thalmudi{que} consent, that MESSIAS is greater then the Angels & inferreth therupō that he must be God: which matter Koheleth toucheth for plura lity of Persones, in Boreeicha Thy creatours. I have joined an Hebrew style to the English: that the one may help the other.
OF THE VNITY IN GOD-HEAD AND PLVRALITY of Persons.
THE ETERNALL, our God, the Eternal is one: & his nature is made known by himself: for the Persons, the father, the Sōne, & the holy Ghost, & we must follow & mark the mystery of the Scriptures for the plural number, and for the Son of God: and for the holy Spirit. In these there is a great mystery: Let VS make man according to OUR image: This for the persons. And for the unity of natures this: God created man after his own image. So, Come Let VS go down, and Let VS confound there their Lippe. And, the Lord Went down to see the city, and the tower. And, For there, Elohim WERE reucaled unto him: &, the God which heard me in the day of my distress: And, who is like thy people Israel, one nation on the earth for whom THEY went, even Elohim, to redeem them unto him self, for a People, And, Until THRONES were set up: and the Euerlasting Sate: what is to be said of that, One for himself, & one for the Son of David: as it is written: behold with the clouds of heaven one like the Son of Man came: This is Messïas our righteousness. And is it not written of the Messias? Meeke and riding upon an Ass? In deed he came in humbleness, & came not upon 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 horses with pride. And whereas it was written with the clouds of heaven: They are the Angels of the host of heaven. This is the great dignity which the Creator gave Messias. And to the Everlasting did they bring him: as it is writ̄: The Eternal said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand; &c. A certain Saducie said, to Rabbi Idith in the Babil. Thal. San. fol. 38. It is written: & to Moses he said: Come up unto the Eternal: unto me: he should have said. This is Matatron (the Angel that led the People) of whom it is written. My name is in him. It is written: rebel not against him, he will not bear with your sins. Mark also the commentary of Ramban upon these words; Behold, I send mine Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, & to bring thee into the place which I have prepared: regard him, & obey his voice. Provoke him not, for he will not for bear your Sins: for my name is in him. Thus there speaketh Ramban. In the propriety of the text, this Angel which is promised here, is the Angel the redeemer in whom the great Name (God) is For in Yah Jehovah is the Rock Everlasting. And the same said: I am the God of Bethel. It is the manner of the King to tarry in his house. And the Scripture calleth him Angel because the world is governed by this Person. And words of the general Rabines concerning Christ are these: in Isaac Ben Arama upon the Law fol. 76. Our Doctors say, who art thou great mountain? This is Christ. Ana wherefor is his name called great? because he shall be greater then the Fathers, as it is written: Behold my servant that prosper, he shall be high & exalted; I will shall be higher then Abraham & exalted above Moses: & he shall be far above the Angels 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of ministry: of whom it is written Ezek. • . They had height, & they had terror. And if they mark & understand this, they do know that the dignity of Messias is above the Angels of ministry. In that sense should not he be God himself: as they appropriate unto him this honorable title. This hath Ben Arama. And most plainly doth the same man's words say, that God spake this of Messias: ps. 89. I will be his father, & he shall be my son. As Ibn Ezra saith of, Kiss the Son: This is Messias. And of the holy Spirit. Gen. 1. 2. they say: This is the Spirit of Messias the King: Zohar upon Gen: and commonly from Jeremiah 23: as in Bathra. sect. 5. fol. 75. B. That he is, Jehovah our righteousness. And thus they do in words agree with our holy Apostles. But they turn aside like a warping bow: whereof I will now speak by the help of God.
OF IVDAISME DISANNVLLING COHELETH AND ALL the Bible.
One great Rabbin who lived 42 3 years ago, who gathered the Jerusalem Talmud and the Babylonian into an easier order, & translated what he bringeth into familiar Hebrew: (they be rare Jews that understand the Yerushalmi, or the Babylonian specially) He endeth his volumes in the common place of Messias: who shall be translated & cited in his own words: to show howe the whole nation misseth extremely of Christ, the end of the law: though in tongue, they agreed with the Apostles.
Messias the King shall stand up & restore the Kingdom of the house of David to the old state of the first government: & he shall build the temple, & gather the dispersed of Israel, & the Laws shall be restored. They shall offer their offringes, and keep the seventh years rest, according to every commandment delivered in the Law. And everyone that believeth not in him, and he that looketh not for his coming, he denieth not only all the other prophets but also the Law, & Moses our Doctor. For behold the Law testifieth of him: as it is said: And the Eternal thy Elohim shall restore thy captivity and pity thee, and gather thee again, &c. After thy dispe •• ion shall be into the extremity of the heavens: Yet the Eternal will bring thee again. And these speech set fourth in the Law, they are abridgements of all the speeches which are spoken by all the prophets. And specially in the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Section of Balaam as is spoken, and there he speaketh of two Messias: of the first Messias which is David which saved Israel from the hand of their enemies: And of the latter Messias, which shall stand up of his children: which shall teach Israel in the end. And in the former place he saith: I shall see him: But not now: I shall view him, but not near: This is King Messias. A star from Jacob: This is David: & a scepter: That is King Messias: And He shall smit the Lord's of Moab, He, is David: as it is said: And he stroke Moab, And measured them by cord: And he shall vnwall all the sons of Seth: He is Christ the King: as it is said: And he shall rule from sea to sea. And Edom shall be an inheritance: Even to David as it was said. And Edom became servants to David. And Seyr shall be an inheritance: &c. This is to Messias the King. As it said: And Saviors shall arise on mount Siō &c. Also concerning the cities of refuge he saith: thou mayst add yet three cities &c. But this hath never been done. And the Lord did not command anything in vain. But the case standeth according to the words of the Prophets: & it needeth no disputing for all books are full of this matter.
And Let it never come to thy mind that Messias the King needeth to work by signs and wonders: For beho • h Rabbi Akiba was a great Doctor among the Doctors of the Talmud: & he was Harnes bearer to Ben Coziba, the King, & he thought that he was the King Messias. Both he deemed, and all the Doctors of his age, that he was King Messias, until he was killed for Sin. when he was killed, they knew he was not: And the Doctors asked of him, for no sign for no wonder. And the ground of the matters thus standeth: That the Law, that the statutes & rightes of it, stand forever, yea forever & ever. And nothing may be added, nothing may be taken away. And if a King stand up from the house of David studieng the Law, & busiedin the commandments 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as David his father, according to the written Law, & the Law of traditions, and compel Israel to walk in it, & to repair the ruins of it, & to fight the wars of the Eternal, behold this is sure, that he is the Messias, if his doing prosper & he build the temple in place, & gather the dispersed of Israel, behold that man is Messias out of all doubt. And he will settle all the world, to serve the Lord togeither: As it is said: then I will turn unto nations pure Lips, that all may call upon the name of the Eternal & serve him with one accord. Perek: or Section 12. & the last of all his Talmud. Let it not come into thy heart, that in the days of Messias, anything shall be abrogated from the custom of the world, or that any newness shall be in the frame of the world. Nothing so. The world goeth on in the same rate and that which is said in Isaiah And the wolf shall dwell with the Lamb: & the Leopard shall lodge with the Kid, that is a parable and a dark speech. The sense of the speech is: That Israel shall dwell in safety, among the wicked of the world: which are Likened to the wolf & Leopard. As it is said: the Euening woolf shall spoil them, & the Leopard shall watch at their cities. And they shall turn unto the Law of truth: and they shall not spoil, nor destroy, but shall eat their store in quietness: as Israel. as it is said: The Lyon as the Ox, shall eat straw. And so in other matters the like which are written of Messias, they are resemblances. And in the days of Christ the King it shall be known to all, what things were resembled: and to what matters the hid meaning tended. The Doctors say there is no difference betwixt this world, & the days of Christ, but only the service under the Kingdoms. It may be seen by the propper sense of the prophets, that in the beginning of the days of Messias shall be the war of Gog and Magog, & before the wars of Gog & Magog, a prophet shall stand up, to settle Israel, & to praepare their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hearts, as it said: Behold I send unto you Elias &c. And he cometh not to Pollute the pure, or to purify the polluted, nor to disable the fully allowable, nor to allow the manifestly disallowable, but to settle peace in the world: as it is said, & he shall turn the harts of fathers unto the Children. And there be some of the Doctors who say, that before the coming of Messias, Elias shall come: But all these matters & such like doth no man know, what they shall be until they be: The matters are matters closed up with the prophets: also our Doctors have no Kabala for these matters, But with wresting of the texts. And therefore they are at schism for these matters: And these matters are in no case, for their order of being, or particularities, any foundation of Law. Let not a man busy himself in the Agadoth: (or fables wittilypēned) nor be long in Midrasoth commentaries of allusions which are spokē of these matters, & such: & let him not lay them for a foūdatiō: For they teach neither faith, nor Love. So let not a man reckon the End. ( Yet the Angel Gabriel & Daniel did to the very hour Daniel. 9 ) as our Doctors say Let their soul breath out who reckon the ends. But let him expect and believe according to the general rule which we have expounded. In the days of Messias the King, when his Kingdom shall be settled, & all Israel shall be gathered unto him, all they shall be genealogized according to their families, by his mouth from the holy Spirit, which shall rest upon him: as it is written, he shall sit & he shall purify and cleanse: The sons of Levy first shall he cleanse, and thus say: This man is of the Priests family: & this man of Levies genealogy: & he shall reject them which are not of the Genealogy of Israel. Behold a certain One said: And the Ambassador said unto them &c until there stands Up a Priest with Vrim & Thummim. Behold thou art taught, that by the holy Spirit the Principal shall be referred to their Genealogy, & the genealogized 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 shall be made known. But he will not genealogize Israel, that is, them who are not of Levy, but generally of what tribe they be: showing that this man and this man, is of such a tribe. But he will not tell, that such a man is of special virtue, such an one, of an Heathen mother: such an one, a Slaue: But of right, will Let them sink that will have their Sun to set.
The Doctors and prophets desired not the days of Messias, neither to rule over all the world nor to subdue the Heathen, nor to be extolled of nations, nor to drink & make merry, but to have Leasure for the Law and wisdom, and have no tax master and Hinderer, that they may be worthy of life Eternal. And in that time there shall be no hunger, no war, no emulation, nor strife, for goods shall flow plentifully. And all delicates shall be found as Plentifull as dust: And the world shall study nothing cls, but only to know the Eternal. Therefore there shall be great Doctors, & skillful in hid speeches, & they shall apprehend the knowledge of their Creator, according to the force of their strength; as it is written: For the Earth shtlbe full of the knowledge of the Eternal, as the waters that cover the Sea.
The Ebreu that followeth is the Jews continued speech of their mistaken Messias; But excedeth much the English translation in space, because I would have a fayr and great Letter, After shall come a short censure vpō the Jews hope for their Messias: & then: The Chaldee Paraphrastes own argument of Coheleth, & the holy Text.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉A Censure upon the Jew Rambam.
He speakeah truly that Balaam prophecieth of Christ: but he little marketh what Balaam taught: by that: Messias shall vnwall all the sons of Seth. Yffor destroying all their towns wall this were spoken, that were no benefit. Nether will Solomon suffer to hope for one age to have anything, the like whereof was not afore: either for peace or wars. Paul expoundeth the vnwalling of Seth sons. 2. Cor. 10. Our armor is not carnal but mighty for God: to pull down strong holds: This Balaā meant By more cities of refuge, Rambam seeketh corners. thus he reasoneth:
Yfwe had not yet all cities of refuge promised, there is a returning unto our land of Canaan to have them. But yet we had not all promised:
Therefore there remaineth a return to Canaan.
The assumption is double weak. The Law gave leave to make more, if they conquered more: as Reuben Gad & Manasseh conquered more. & Permissiōs be in Laws no less then commandments. Besides we may not say that Reuben Gad & Manasseh made no cities more of refuge: because it is not recorded. The witty Ibn Ezra noteth upon Gad, Gen. 4. 9. that much is vnrecorded, which Jacob speaketh of him. Thus Rambams hope is the web of a spider. And concerning building of Jerusalem, what can that profit more then it profited in Solomon's time: when sone all came to nothing: And now the world is 5531. years old: and their rule is: that six thousand shall end it: which will be at 469. & what can that time work to change the whole world. Touching Elias: He tottereth: But we know the case: and he might learn Christ & the heavenly Jerusalem of our. N. Test. & the Chaldee upon Eccles. 1. v. 2. telleth that their Messias is but vanity.
KOHELETH.
Ecclesiastes.
1. The words of Koheleth, the Sōne of David, King in Jerusalem.
2. Vanity of vanityes saith Coheleth, vanity of vanityes, all (is) vanity.
3. what permanent good hath man in all his labor which he taketh under the Son;
4. An age passeth, and an age cometh: though the earth abideth still.
5. Both the Son ariseth, & the Sōne goeth down: and to his place doeth he breath: there he ariseth.
6. He walketh unto the South, & compasseth unto the North: The wind whirleth, whirleth, walketh, & into his circuits returneth the wind.
7. All the rivers go into the sea, yet the sea is not full: unto the place whither the rivers go, they return to go
8. All things travel, man cannot utter it. The ey is not satisfied with seeing: nor the ear filled with hearing.
9. That which hath been is the same which shall be: and that which hath been done, is the same which shall be done: and there is nothing new under the sun.
10. Is there anything of which one may say: Behold this, it is new? it hath been already, in the old time that hath been before us.
11. There is no remembrance of the former, also of the latter which shall be there shall be no remembrance of them with those that shall be after.
12. I Koheleth was King over Israel in Jerusalem.
13. And I did apply my mind to search and try the wisdom of all, which is done under heaven. This is a sore occupation whidh GOD hath given to the sons of man, to be occupied therein.
14. I considered all the works that are done under the sun: & behold, all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
15. The crooked cannot be made straight & that which is wātīg cannot be made up.
16. I thought in my heart, saying: behold, I have amplified & augmented wisdom above all which have been afore me in Jerusalem: Yea my heart saw much wisdom, & knowledge.
17. And I applied my heart to know wisdom & knowledge, madness & foolishness: I knew that this also was a vexation of spirit.
18. For in much wisdō is much grief: & he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow.
Chapter. 2.
1. I said in mine heart, come now, I will try thee with mirth. Therefore use good-, cheer. But behold also this was vanity.
2. Of laughter I said, thou art mad: & of mirth, why doest thou this?
3. I consulted in my heart to continue my flesh in good cheer: (yet I applied my mind unto wisdom) and to lay hold upon folly; until I might see what were best for the sonnes of man, to do under the heavens, the number of the days of their life.
4. I made me great works: I built me houses: I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens & orchards: and I planted in them trees of all fruit.
5. I made me pools of water, to water with them the wood growing with trees.
7. I bought servants and maids: and I had such borne in my house: also I had great possession of oxen, and sheep, above all that were before me in Jerusalem.
8. I gathered me also silver & gold, & the peculiar jewels of Kings, & countries: I provided me singers, men & women: and the delights of the sons of men, instruments of all sortes:
9. which as I was great I increased above all that were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
10. And whatsoever my eyes desired, I withheld it not from them: I withdrew not my heart from any joy. For mine heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my travail.
11. Then I looked upon the works which my hands had made, and unto the labor which I had labored to do: & behold, all was vanity and a vexing of spirit: and there is no permanent good under the sun.
12. Then I looked to see wisdom and madness, and folly, And what can a man do that would try after the King; only that which hath been done already.
13. Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as light excelleth darkness.
14. The wise man hath his eyes in his head & the fool walketh in darkness. But I saw that the same happ should happen unto them all▪
15. Then said I in my heart, as it happeneth unto the fool shall it happen unto me also. And to what end then should I more study for wisdom. Then I said in my heart that this also was vanity.
16. For there shall be no remembrance of the wise, as none of the fool forever. Because things past in the days to come are all forgotten.
17▪ And how dieth the wise man as the fool? Therefore I hated life. For I was grieved at the work which was wrought under the sun. Bicause all was vanity & a vexing of spirit.
I hated also all my labor, wherein I had labored under the sunn: which I must leave to the man that shall be after me.
19. And who knoweth whither he shall be wise or foolish: and shall rule all my labor, wherein I have labored, & wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun; This also was a vanity.
20. Therefore I went about to make my heart weary, of all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun.
21. For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom & in knowledge and in good dealing: yet to a man which hath not labored therein, shall he give his portion. This also is vanity & great grief.
22. For what hath man for all his labor, & for the vexation of his heart, that he laboreth under the sun.
23. For all his days are sorrows, and & his occupatiō disquietness, & even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is a vanity.
24. Ther is nothing so good for a man as that he eat, and drink, & cheer his soul by his labor▪ Though this allo I saw that from the hand of God, it cometh.
25. For who should eat, or who should quickly do that, rather then I: for my labors?
26. Now, to the man which is acceptable before him God giveth wisdom and gladness: but to the sinner he giveth occupation to gather & to store to give to him that is acceptable before God. This also is a vanity & a vexing of spirit.
Chapter. 3.
1. All things have a time▪ and all have a season under the heaven.
2. A time to be borne, & a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to pluck up the planted.
3. A time to slay, and a time to heal: a time to break down, & a time to build.
4. A time to weep & a time to laugh: a time to make lamentation & a time to dance.
5. A time to cast away stones, & a time to gather stones: a time to embrace & a time to be far from embracing.
6. A time to seek & a time to lose: a time to keep, & a time to cast away.
7. A time to rent, & a time to sow: a time to be silent, & a time to speak.
8. A time to love, & a time to hate: a time of war, & a time of peace.
9. what permanent good hath the doer wherein he laboreth.
10. I have seen the business that God hath given to the sons of men to occupy them therein.
11. He hath made everything goodly in his time. but he hath set the world in there heart, that a man cannot find out the work which God doth, from the beginning to the end.
12. I know that there is nothing good in them, but to rejoice & do good whiles one liveth.
13. Also that any man eateth & drinketh, and jnioyeth the good of all his labors, this is the gift of God.
14. I know that all which God doth it will be sure forever: and God doth all that men should live in fear before him.
15. That which hath ben is now▪ and that which is to be, now hath been: & God will bring a gain, that which is now passing away.
16. Moreover, I marked under the sunn the place of judgment: there was injurye. & the place of justice: there was jnjury.
17. I said in my heart: the just & the vnejust God will judge, for there is a time for everything & for every deed, there.
18. I said in my heart, after the manner of the sons of man, when God made them known, that I saw how they are beasts: they to themselves▪
19. An hap befalleth the sons of man, & an hap befalleth the beast: and they have one hap: as the one dieth so dieth the other: and man excelleth not the beast. For all is vanity.
20. All came from the dust, & all returneth unto the dust.
21. For who considereth the spirit of man which doth ascend upward: and the spirit of the beast which doth descend down-wards, unto the earth.
22. Then I saw that there is nothing better then that a man joy of his works. For that is his portion. For who can bring him to see what shall be after him.
Chap. 4
1. But whē I considered all the oppressed ones which were greved under the sunn: & behold the oppressed had the tears, but they had no comforter, for the oppressors had the strong hand., and the other had no conforter.
2. Then I commended the dead which already are dead, above the living, which are alive yet▪
3. And above them both him that as yet hath not been: because he hath not seen the wrong doing which is under the sun.
4. For I marked all labor, & all industry of works: how it bringeth envy to a man from his neighbor.
5. The fool foldeth his hands, & eateth up his own flesh. Saying.
6. Better is an hādfull with ease, thē two fistfulls with labor & frettīg of spirit.
7. Again I marked a vanity under the sun.
8. Ther is one & none the second: and he hath neither son nor brother: and there is no end of all his labor; and his eye cannot be satisfied with riches. And for whom should I labor and defraud my soul of good? This also is a vanity & a grievous toil.
9. Couples are better then one. For they have a good reward for their labor.
19. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: & woe is the one which falleth, and hath not a second to lift him up.
11. And if a couple sleep they shall be warm: but how can one alone be warm.
12. And if someone be stronger then one, two will stand against him, & a threefold thread will not sone be broken.
13. A poor & wise child is better then a King that is old and foolish: which cannot abide to be advised anymore.
14. For out of the prison he cometh forth to reign: when as he that is borne in his kingdom is made poor.
15. 3. I saw all the living which walk under the sūne, attend upon the child which shall stand up the others place.
16. Ther is no end with any people, for any that is over them. Also the later will not rejoice in the same. So this also is vanity & vexation of spirit.
17. Look to thy feet when thou goest into the house of God. For he is nearer to hear, then to sacrifice. Ther the gift of fools. For they know not that they do evil.
Chap. 5
1. Be not rash with thy mouth, nor let thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God. For God is in the heavens, & thou art on the earth. Therefore lett they words be few.
2. For as dreams come by much business, so the voice of a fool hath much babbling.
3. when thou vowest a vow to God, differ not to pay it. For he delighteth not in fools. what thou dost vow, pay.
4. Let not thy mouth make thy flesh sin, neither say before the Angel, that it was an error. wherefor should God be angry for thy voice, and destroy the works of thy hands?
5. For as in many dreams be vanityes: so in many words. But fear thou God.
6. If oppressiō of the poor, & robbery of judgment & justice, thou behold in a cōtry, marveyle not at the matter. For an higher then the high one doth mark: & there be high above them.
7. The commodity of ground is for all. The King is made servant to the field.
8. He that loveth money, cannot be fed with money: or he that loveth any wealth which hath not fruit.
9. when this good is much, they be many to eat it: & what good cometh to the owners, but the view of there eyes.
10. The sleep of the laborer is sweet, whether he sleep little or much but the fullness of the rich suffereth him not to sleep.
11. Ther is a sore sickness which I have seen under the sun: riches kept of the owner, to his own harm.
12. And the riches perish by some evil business: & he beget a son and nothing cometh to his hand.
13. As he came out of his mothers womb naked, he returneth to go as he came: & he cannot carry away anything of his labor, which he may bear in his hand.
14. This also is a sore sickness. Even as he came so he goeth away: and what permanēt good hath he that he labored for the wynd?
15. Also all his days in darkness doth he eat & much anger and by his own sickness & payning.
16. Behold what I have seen: it is a good-thing to eat & to drink, & to enjoy the good, in all a man's labor which he taketh under the sūne the number of the days of his life which God giveth him: for this is his portion.
17. Though to every man to whom God hath given riches & treasures, & giveth him power to eat thereof, & to take his part, & to enjoy his labor: this is a gift of God.
18. For, he will not much think upon the days of his life: whom God busieth in the cheering of his heart.
Chapter. 6.
There is an evil which I saw under the sun, & it is much among men:
2. Some man, to whom God hath givē riches, & wealth, & honor, & he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth: yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a strange man shall eat it up. This is vanity, & this is an evil sickness.
3. If a man beget an hundred childrē, and live many years, and though the days of his years be multiplied and his soul be not satisfied with good things, and he have not wherewith to be buried. I say that an untimely fruit is better then he.
4. For he cometh into vanity, and goeth into darkness: and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5. He also hath not seen, nor felt the sunn: he was in better case then the other.
6. Yea though he had lived a thousand years, twice told, and see no good. Do not all men go to one place?
7. All the labor of mā is for his mouth: yet the soul is not filled.
8. Then what hath the wise more then the fool? and what less hath the poor mā of knowledge; to walk afore the living?
9. The eye-sight is better then the walking of the soul. Also that is vanity and vexing of the spirit.
10. whatsoever one be, his name was given of old: and it is known that he is earthly man, and is not able to contend with him that is stronger then he.
Chapter. 7.
1. When there be many things that increase vanity what permanent good thing can a man have?
2. For who knoweth what is good for a man in life, the number of days of the life of his vanity which he shall spend as a shadow; for who can show unto man what shall be after him under the sun?
3. A good name is better then a good ointment, and the day of death then the day that one is borne.
4. It is better to go to the house of mourning then to go to the house of feasting, because this is the end of all men: and the living shall lay it to his heart.
5. Sadnes is better then laughter For under heavynes of countenance the heart may be merry.
6. The heart of the wise in the house of mourning: But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
7. Better it is to hear the rebuke of a wise man, then that a man should hear the song of fools.
8. For as the noise of thorns is under the pott, so is the laughter of fools. This also is vanity.
9. Because oppression may make the wise mad▪ and rewards destroy the heart:
10. The end of a thing is better thē the beginning: The patient in spirit is better then the haughty in spirit.
11. Be not rash of spirit to be angry. For anger lodgeth in the bosom of fools.
12. Say not, how cometh it to pass that the former days were better thē these. For thou canst not ask that frō wisdom.
13. wisdom is good with possessions: & an excellent commodity for men while they behold the sunn.
14. For wisdom bringeth shadow: money bringeth shadow▪ but knowledge hath the preeminence▪ wisdom keepeth alive them that have it.
15. Cōsider the work of God. And who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?
16. In the day of good, use the good▪ & in the sore time, consider it. God hath so set the one by the other that man cannot find no blame in him.
17. I have seen all things in the days of my vanity. Ther is a just man that perished in his justice, & there is a wicked man that continueth long in his malice.
18. Be not thou just much: and be not too wise: wherefor shouldest thou undo thyself.
19. Be not too wicked: neither be a fool. wherefor shouldest thou perish before thy ordinary time.
20. It is good that thou lay hold on this: but yet withdraw not thy hand from that. And he that feareth God shall come out of them all.
21. wisdom shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mighty Princes that are in the city, can give strength.
22. Though there is no man just in all the earth, that doth good & misseth not.
23. Take not heed to all the words that men speak, least thou do hear thy servant speak evil of thee.
24. For often times also thy heart knoweth that thou also hast spoken evil of others.
25. All this have I tried by wisdom. I thought, I willbe wise: but it went far frō me.
26. That which is far off, & deep, depe, who can find it out.
27. I turned me heartily, to know and to espy, and to seek wisdom & conceytes & to know the mischief of folly & foolishness of madness.
28. And I find one thing bitterer then death: Even the woman, who is nets, and her heart snares: & her hands be bands. He that pleaseth God shall be saved frō her: but the sinner shall be caught by her.
29. Behold, saith Koheleth, this have I found, examyning one by another, to find out conceyts.
30. But this which further my soul sought, I found not out.
The conceytes of a man one of a thousand I found out, but of a woman with all these qualities, I found not out.
31. Only behold this have I found out, that GOD made Adam plain: but they sought out many conceytes.
Chap. 8.
1. Who is like the wise? & how rare is he that knoweth the nature of matters? Wisdom in a man will lighten his face: & the hardness of his face will be altered.
2. I say, regard the Kings mouth yet after the oth to God.
3. Be not rash to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil matter. For he can do whatsoever he will.
4. where the word of the King is, power is. And who may say unto him, what wilt thou do?
5. He that keepeth the law shall feel no evil thing: & the wise heart will know time & judgment.
6. For everything hath his time & jugment: But the mischief of man is much upon him:
7. Because he knoweth not what is to come. & how things will fall out, who cā tell?
8. Man is not ruler over the spirit, to retain the spirit: neither hath he power in the day of death: nor armor for the battle: & no striving will help them that use it.
9 All this have I seen, setting my heart toward every work that is wrought under the sun: That there is a time when a man ruleth over men to his own harm.
10. And in that sort I saw the wicked come to the grave, & they passed away, and went from the holy place, & they were forgotten in the city where they had so dealt. So this was a vanity.
11. Bicause sentence upon evil dealing is not executed quickly, therefore the heart of the sons of man is fully bent in them to do evil.
12. Though a sinner do evil an hundredth times and long continue: yet I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which reverence his presence.
13. But it shall not be well with the wicked: neither can he long continue days, which are but a shadow: he which liveth not in fear before God.
14. Ther is a vanity which is done upon the earth, that there be just men, to whom it cometh according to the work of the wicked: & there be wicked men to whom it cometh according to the work of the just: I thought that this also is vanity.
15. And I praised joy. For a man hath no better thing then to eat & to drink and to rejoice▪ for this will stick to him of his labor, the days of his life that God hath given him under the sunn.
16. When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, & to behold the business that is done on the earth, how day & night a man would not see sleep with his eyes,
17. Then I marked all works of GOD that man cannot find out the work which is done under the sun, Though man labor never so much to seek, yet he cannot find it: yea although the wisest think to know it, he cannot find it.
Chap. 9.
1. FOR all this have I applied unto mine heart: even to try out all this; that the just & the wise, & there works are in the hands of God: neither love nor hatred doth men discern, by all that is before them.
2. Even all they find, as if all had one happ, the just & the unjust: the good & the clean, and the unclean, the sacrificing, & he that sacrificeth not: the good & the bad have alike: the swearer as he that reverenceth an oath.
3. This is the most grievous of all that is done under the sun, that all have one hap. Also the heart of the sons of man is full of evil, and madness is in their hearts whiles they live, and afterward they go to the dead.
4. For all that be yet accompanied unto all the Living (say the men of an evil heart) they have assurance. For it is better with the dog alive, then with the Lion that is dead.
5. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know nothing at all: neither have they anymore a reward. For their remembrance is forgotten.
6. Also their love, and their hatred & their envy is already gone & they have no more portion forever, in all that is done under the sun.
7. Go, eat thy bread with joy, & drink thy wine with a cheerful heart. For God now accepteth thy works.
8. At all times let thy garments be white & let not oil be lacking upon thine head.
9. Enjoy life with the wife which thou doest love, all thy days of vain life: which HE hath given thee, under the Sun: all thy vain days. For this is thy portion in life, & in thy Labor which thou doest take under the sunn.
10. All that thy hand can find to do, do it; as thou canst. For there is nether work, nor invention, nor knowledge, not wisdom in the grave whither thou goest.
11. Again I marked under the sun: That the suift win not the race: nor the valiant the victory: nor the wise the bread: nor nor the subtle, riches▪ nor the cunning, favor: But a time & occurrent happeneth to them all.
12. For assuredly man knoweth not his time. As fishes are taken in a mischevous net, & as birds are caught in the snare▪ So they, the sons of man are entangled, at the evil time when it falleth vpō them suddēlie.
13. I have also seen this wisdom under the sun▪ & me thought it great.
14. A little city had few men in it, and a great King came against it; & compassed it about, & built fortes against it.
15. And there was found therein a poor & wise man: & he saved the city by his wisdom. But none remembered this poor mā.
16. Then said I. Better is wisdom then strength, yet the wisdom of the poor is despised, & his words are not heard.
17. The words of the wise are more heard in quietness then a Lord's cry over fools.
18. Better is wisdom then weapons of war as one vncircūspect destroyeth much good.
Chapter. 10.
1. One dead fly putrifieth, & corrupteth much precious ointment▪ so doth a little folly, him that is in estimatiō for wisdom, for glory.
2. The heart of a wise man is at his right hand▪ but the heart of a fool is at his left hand.
3. And also when the fool goeth by the way his heart faileth, and he telleth unto all that he is a fool.
4. If the spirit of him that ruleth, riseth up against the, leave not thy place. For a soft cure pacifieth great sins.
5. There is an evil that I have seen under the sun: as an error that proceedeth from the face of him that ruleth.
6. Folly is great height▪ and the rich sit in low place.
7. I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking as servants on the ground.
8. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it: And he that breaketh down a hedge, a serpent shall sting him.
9. He that removeth stones shall find sorrow thereby▪ And he that cleaveth wood shall be heated thereby:
10. when the Iron is dull, & the mā whetteth not the Edge, but useth might. But the best help to bring a thing to good pass, is wisdom.
11. when the serpent hath bit before charming then the cunning charmer profiteth nothing.
12. The words of the mouth of a wise mā give grace: but the lips of a fool devour himself.
13. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness and the later end of his mouth is wicked madness.
14. And the fool will multiply words. But the man knoweth not what shall be. And who can tell him what is following him?
15. The labor of the foolish doth weary him. For he knoweth not how to go into the city.
16. woe to the O land whose King is a child: & whose princes eat in the morning▪
17. Blessed art thou O land, whose King is the son of nobles: and whose Princes eat in time, for strength, & not to drink.
18. By slothfulness beams come to decay: by holding down the hands the house droppeth thorough.
19. Men making feasts to be merry, that wine make glad the living & money must afford all.
20. Curse not the King no not yet in thy thought, neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber: for the foul of the heaven will carry the voice, & the winged bird will declare the matter.
Chapter▪ 11.
1. Cast thy seed vpō the moist ground: for after many days thou shalt find it.
2. Give a portion to seauē, & also to eight. For thou knowest not what evil shall be vpō the earth.
3. If the clouds be full, they will pour fourth rain upon the earth: And if the trees fruit fall toward the South, or toward the North, ī the place that the trees fruit falleth, there fruit gatherers will be.
4. He that looketh upon the wind, will not sow: & he that looketh upon the clouds shall not reap.
5. As thou knowest not the way of the wind, as nor of the bones in the belly of her that is with child▪ so thou knowest not the work of God that worketh all.
6. In the morning sow thy seed, & in the evening remit not thy hand. For, thou knowest not whether will come to good: this or that: or whether both shall be alike good.
7. Surely the light is a pleasant thing: and it is a good thing to the eyes to behold the sūn.
8. But though a mā may live many days, and in them all, be merry, yet let him remember the days of darkness, that they be the many. whatsoever cometh will be vanity.
9. Rejoice, O young mā, in thy childhood, & let thine heart cheer thee, in the days of thy youth, & walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment.
10. Put away God's anger from thine heart & remove evil from thyflesh. For childhood and yonghead is vanity.
Chap. 12.
1. Therefore remember thy Creatours in the days of thy youth, Before the evil days come, & the years approach, of which thou wilt say, I have no pleasure in them.
2. Before the sunn is dark, & the light, & the moon, & the stars, and the clouds return after the rain.
3. when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders shall cease because they are few, & they wax dark that look out by the windows,
4. And the doors shall be shut by the streat, with the base sound of the grinding, & a man shall stand up at the voice of the bird: and all the daughters of Music shall be brought low:
5. And men will dread every high place, & fears will be in the way, & the Almond tree will flourish, & the Grasshopper will be a burden to it self: and all lust will be dissolved: & a man goeth unto his long home; and mourners go about in the street.
6. Before the silver cord is loosed: and the golden ewer broken, and the pitcher burst at the well, and the wheel brokē at the cestern:
7. And dust return to the earth as it was, & the spirit return to God that gave it.
8. Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth, all is vanity.
9. And this is a matter of excellency, As Koheleth was wise, still he taught the people knowledge: and weighed and examined and fitted many parables.
10. Koheleth studied to find words delightful, & scripture rightful:
11. The words of the wise: as goads, & as nails fastened in the sheepefoldes▪ being given from one shepherd.
12. And my son give all diligent heed to them. There is no end in making many books & much reading is a weariness of the flesh.
13. The sum of the matter is, all being heard: Fear God & keep his commandments. For this is all the man.
14. For God will bring every deed unto judgment: with every hid thing, whether it be good or evil
The sum of the matter is, all being heard: Fear God & keep his Commandments; for this is the man. The Mossorite note I. Th. K. K. Isaiah. Malachi. Lam. Eccl. by the Eb. first letter.
Four rare sentences in the heavenly Hebrew are repeated in the end of the book, that men should evermore think upon them:
Lam. 5.
So
Isaiah 66.
The last is,
Malachi v. last save one:
To the reader.
In this empty space, a speech worthy of place everywhere, may be added: which Gregor. Nazian. speaketh upon Chapt. 3. who cosidereth the spirit of man which ascendeth, Thus he saith: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That is I saw in the low places: a dongeon of punishment, receiving the wicked: and another place appointed for the Godly. Thus the father, who knew that Abrahā & such were in heaven, yet speaketh as heathen did. This sentence giveth light, for the understanding of the Greke fathers.
Faultes escaped in this edition of Ecclesiastes.
Eccles. Chap. 2. ver. 26. Read it thus, God giveth wisdom and knowledge & gladness.
Chap. 3. ver. 14. forever: to it nothing can be added and from it nothing can be diminished: and God &c.
Ver. 19. the other: and they all have one spirit: and man &c.
Ver. 20. All go to one place: all come &c.
Chap. 4. ver. 3. his neighbor: Thus also is vanity and vexation of spirit. Ver. 17. the house of God, & be nearer to hear then to give the sacrifice of fools &c.
Chap. 5. ver. 4. It is better that thou shouldest not vow, then that thou shouldest not pay it.
Ver. 5. Let not thy mouth &c. And so change the figures in all the other verses following to the end of the Chapter.
Ver. 8. as it is here, but ver. 9. being corrected, read it thus, hath not fruit: This also is vanity.
Ver. 11. being corrected, Read thus, whether he eat little &c.
Chap. 8. ver. 15. Read thus, no better thing under the sun then &c.
Chap. 9. ver. 18. weapons of war; but one vncircumspect &c.
Chap. 10. ver. 6. Folly is set in great height: &c
Chap. 12. ver. 10. righful; words of truth.