Ecclesiastes, othervvise called The preacher Containing Salomons sermons or commentaries (as it may probably be collected) vpon the 49. Psalme of Dauid his father. Compendiously abridged, and also paraphrastically dilated in English poesie, according to the analogie of Scripture, and consent of the most approued writer thereof. Composed by H.L. Gentleman. Whereunto are annexed sundrie sonets of Christian passions heretofore printed, and now corrected and augmented, with other affectionate sonets of a feeling conscience of the same authors.

Chap. 9.

[verse 1] All this I know that wise & iust are Gods, whose loue showes not, [verse 2] By hap they haue: wise, fooles, good, bad, are subiect to like lot.

1.

I haue surely giuen mine hart to all this, and to declare all this, that the iust, and the wise, and their workes are in the hand of God: and no man knoweth either loue or hatred of all that is before them.

IT resteth now my part to perfect that, I in my former speeches haue begunne, That I may hit the marke I aymed at, And so my course vnto your comfort runne, That I may see that some, haue profit wonne.

Which I will do by laying plaine to thee, The proofes which both by good and bad I make, Their weale, nor woe, no perfect markes to bee Of loue or hate of God, from whom we take All powre, and all successe: and vaine are they That mens intentions by their issue way.

2.

Al things come a like to all: and the same condition is to the iust, and to the wicked, to the good and to the pure, & to the polluted, and to him that sacri••iceth, and to him that sa∣crificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner, he that swea∣reth, as he that feareth an oth.

For much a like, you all mens states shall find, And like euents to good and bad befall, To wisest men, as men most grossely blind, To rich, as poore, and wretchedst man of all, For in this life you none can happie call.

Obserue the man that is of honest mind, And marke the most deceitfull man aliue, Looke on the Athiest most profane by kind, And holy man, and you shall see them thriue, Both oft a like, the foule blaspheming wight, As he that prayes, and serues God day and night.

[verse 3] All during life to folly sold: a like all go to graue. [verse 4] In life is hope, liue dogs, more price (then once dead) Lyons haue.

3.

This is euill a∣mong all that is done vnder the sunne, that there is one cō∣dition to all, & also the heart of the sonnes of men is full of euill, and mad∣nesse is in their hearts whilest they liue, and after that they go to the dead.

And sure of all the things that I do know, It is the thing that seemes most strange to me, That maketh wise men most amazed grow, And best men most discouraged to bee, When they their states, as hard as others see.

And that like others is their death in show, As subiect vnto paine as wicked men, Forgotten, be they once in graue below, Their vertues (as not done) vnthought of then: So that their cares, and fooles vnquiet dayes, Both madnesse seeme, both die deuoide of prayse.

4.

Surely who so euer is ioyned to al the liuing, there is hope: for it is better to a liuing dog, then to a dead Lyon.

Hence doth proceede (no doubt) the prouerbe old, That liuing dogge, dead Lyon doth excell, With princely beast of noble courage bold, Then, euery barking curre dare ••ausly mell, That liuing, durst not come within his smell.

The reason is right easie to be told, Because he liuing could himselfe relieue: Life doth in time new hopes and haps vnfold, But death no hope or earthly hap doth giue; Time worketh wonders (if our time we take) Occasion (at our death) doth vs forsake.

[verse 5] The liuing know that they must die, but dead things are forgot: [verse 6] Their loue & hate is quēcht, the earth more fruit affords thē not.

5.

For the liuing know that they shall die, but the dead know nothing at all: neither haue they any more reward: for their remem∣brance is for∣gotten.

And so accordingly do wise men vse, Whilst yet they liue (and liuing haue the powre To worke their wils) they proper times do chuse, To perfect their intent, least death deflowre Their sweetest hopes, who all things doth deuowre.

For well they see and may (it is no newes) The man that now triumphes, to morne to die, That dead, the foole the wisest will abuse, And that the wisest then do senslesse lie, And what vnperfected they left behind, Neglected, and themselues soone out of mind.

6.

Also their loue, and their ha∣tred, and their enuy is now perished, and they haue no more portion for euer, in all that is done vn∣der the sunne.

Their loue, their solace, and their chiefe delights, Euen with their liues, expired and at end, Their hate, their plots of high reuenge and spights, And euery action that they did pretend, Dead into graue with them each one descend.

Into that cabbin of eternall nights, Where they no more the gladsome beames shall see, Of shining sunne, the comfort of the wights That in this mortall life yet lingring bee, Those perturbations ryfe with humane kind, Their now exchanged state no more shall find.

[verse 7] With bread & wine, cheere then thy hart, the pledges of gods loue, [verse 8] With comely'aray cloth thou thy corps, thou pleasant balmes maist proue.

7.

Go, eate thy bread with ioy, and drinke thy wine with a cheereful hart: for God now accepte••h thy workes.

Thy part of earthly things, that lawfully Thou mayst inioy, I therefore thee aduise, Vse whilst thou mayest, for death comes speedily, And crosses vnsuspected oft arise, As euery mans experience daily tries.

Vse thou thy owne with plentie'and cheerefully, Hurt not, but helpe thou others to thy powre, And (if God gaue thee meanes aboundantly) Do not thy selfe the same alone deuoure: But as God gaue, so freely do thou giue, Those almes best please, we vse whilst yet we liue.

8.

At all times let thy garments be white and let not oyle be lacking vpon thine head.

Thou needst not in thy dyet be precise, As some perswade, and onely eat to liue, Where choyse is set, to chuse in thee it lies, All things were made for man, God all doth giue, By bounty vs to thankfulnesse to driue.

Yea all the rich attyres thou canst deuise, For different states of men ordayned were: For Princes purples, for to please the eyes, And all the precious gems that earth doth beare; Yea sweet perfumes, for delicace ordaynd, (If thou mayst haue them) need not be refraynd.

[verse 9] Reioyce in thy chast spouses bed: since God her to thee gaue, [verse 10] What so thou woldst atchiue dispatch, no works are don in graue.

9.

Reioyce with thy wise whom thou hast loued all the dayes of the life of thy vanitie, which God hath giuē thee vnder the sunne, all the dayes of thy vanitie: for this is thy portion in the life, and in thy trauell wherein thou labourest vnder the sunne.

If that thy eyes behold a beautie rare, Which doth delight thy hart, and loue inflame, If that in lawfull band she proue thy share, And that vnto thy loue, her loue she frame, Thou mayst with comfort ioy thee in the same.

A comfort sure, to mitigate the care, Which worldly troubles may on thee inflict, The sweetest, God or nature could prepare, Or out of all earths beauties could be pickt, So great as none can iudge that are vnkind, And on a single life do set their mind.

10.

All that thine hand shall find to do, do it with all thy power: for ther is neither work, nor intention, nor knowledg, nor wisedom in the graue whi∣ther thou goest.

And (at a word for all) what else beside In all the world, thou hast a mind vnto, (So that in vse thereof a measure guide) Thou art no whit restraind the same to do, But do it quickly, least death all vndo.

For death diuerteth all, who can abide The fury of his force, if once he smight? To do (what thou woulst do) then take thy tide, For in the darkesome graue of deadly night No knowledge, wisedom, powre, there doth remaine, All is forgot, all purposes are vaine.

[verse 11] The worthy want, the wise, the strōg haue oft times guerdon smal. [verse 12] None knows his houre, as birds in snare are caught, so mē do fall.

11.

I returned and saw vnder the sunne that the race is not to the swift, nor the battell to the strong, nor yet bread to the wise, nor also riches to men of vnder∣standing, nei∣ther yet fauor to mē of know∣ledge: but time & chance commeth to them all.

By these obseruances I sought to win, The happinesse which I did in part attaine, But all gaine not the goale, the running bin, Nor haue the spoyle that fight the field to gaine, Nor to the wise doth alwayes wealth remaine.

Nay many needy sterne, and new begin The world, whose wits and industries were good, Their best indeuours stand on tickle pin, And consterd are as they are vnderstood, By such on whom the common wealth doth stay, And time and chance in each thing beares a sway.

12.

For neither doth mā know his time, but as the fishes, which are ta∣ken in an euill net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, so are the children of mē snared in the euill time when it falleth vpon them suddenly.

We must acknowledge it in very deed, The ordinance of God it should be so, For well I know, that none can take such heed, But headlong he into the snare may go, (Say yea who will) if God alone say no.

Like harmelesse fish, that in the waters breed, And fearelesse fowle that in the ayre are free, Whose innocencies serue to little steed, When nets and snares by fraud extended bee: So man, by time and chance intrapped is, (If wicked will) though nothing his amis.

[verse 13] This thing in wisdome I haue markt, which seemeth strāge to me, [verse 14] A city weake of strength and men, by Monarke sieg'd to be.

13.

I haue also seene this wise∣dome vnder the sunne, and it is great vnto me.

Which being (as we see the Lords decree) Improperly we attribute to chance, His will in time, produceth that to thee Which thou supposest, fortune did aduance, So wide, mans wisedome from the truth doth glance.

True wisedome rather, sure will let thee see How to apply thy state, to each euent, With no aduerse incounter quaild to bee, But all things take and vse, as God them sent, And seeing this ingratefull peruerse age, (By view of others wrongs) thy griefe asswage:

14.

A litle citie and few men in it, and a great king came a∣gainst it, and campassed it about, & buil∣ded fortes a∣gainst it.

As I my selfe haue done, who sometimes saw, A weake vnfortified citie sieg'd, By powrefull Prince, who armies great did draw T'ingirt their wals, and libertie abridge, That none could scape, though wings were nere so flidge.

The towne not populate to scape their iaw, By any skirmishes of saly out, His raised bulwarkes kept them so in awe, And forside trenches compast so about, As if the Eagle houering ouer pray, At pleasure readie were his talents lay.

[verse 15] Which one wise mā though poore relieu'd, yet was his worth forgot [verse 16] Yet (say I) wisedome more auaild then force: yet boots it not.

15.

And there was found therein a poore and wise man, and he deliuered the citie by his wisedome: but none remem∣bred this poore man.

When yet I saw (a worthy thing to see) A man of small account for wealth or state, But yet (indeed) both bold and wise was hee, Who raysd the siege, and so did foes abate, That towne and people, thereby freedome gate.

But when they were miraculously free, (Lo strange vngratitude but common sin) This worthy man began neglect to bee, And deeds forgot, as they had neuer bin: Though all did tast the fruit of his desart, Not one layd vp his vertues in his hart.

16.

Then said I, better is wise∣dome then strength: yet the wisedome of the poore is dispised, and his words are not heard.

Yet this, his worthy prowesse in my sight Was such, as I could neuer but admire, And makes me thinke that they in vaine do fight, That haue all wealth and powre they can desire, If pollicie they want, if cause require.

And them vnwise (I hold) that iudge a wight By his apparance outwardly or pealth, In poore mens words the rich haue small delight, For they account them fooles that haue not wealth, Yet at their need, their helpe perforce they vse, Their owne turne seru'd, to helpe them they refuse.

[verse 17] Yet wise mens words the good regard: though fooles aduise reiect. [verse 18] And wisedome passeth powre of armes, & sin brings woes effect.

17.

The words of the wise are more heard in quietnesse, then the cry of him that ruleth a∣mong fooles.

But these my words I know that some will hold, To be a partiall speech of litle wit, For tales vnto the foolish wisely told, Can scarce haue hearing, and small fauour git, Vnlesse vnto their humors it do fit.

Vnto the wise I speake, of such I would Haue credit, euen as they the truth do know, I might grow hoarce with preaching if I should, Seeke some to win to bend vnto my bow: Few words among the wise, haue greater place, Then long orations, with vnskilfull race.

18.

Better is wise∣dome then weapons of warre: but one sinner destroy∣eth much good

To such I say (as this example proues) That wisedome is a thing of greater powre, And that a solid reason sooner moues, If well applyed, in conuenient howre, Then Cannons shot, that batters on a towre.

And that one action more then well behoues, (Mistaking or neglecting of his due) All former wisedome of a man reproues, And maketh many errors more insue: For as one bitter herbe the broth doth spill, So one misdeed may worke to many ill.