Solomon's Divine Arts

p. 1§. 1. Of Ethicks in common:

The description,

The chiefe end, which is Felicity.

ETHICKS is a Doctrine of wisedom and knowledge to liue wel, [Ecc. 1.17] [Ecc. 7.27.] and of the madness and foolishnesse of vice: or Instruction to p. 2doe wisely by iustice and iudgement and equitie, [1.1.3.] [Ec. 3.12.] and to doe good in our life. The end wherof is to see and attaine that chiefe goodnes of the children of men, [Ec. 2.3.] which they inioy vnder the sun, the whole number of the dayes of their life.

p. 2§. 2. Wherein Felicity is not.

Not in pleasure,

Not in wealth. For heerein is

1. No satisfaction

2. Increased expence,

3. Restlesnesse,

4. Want of fruition,

5. Vncertainty.

6. Necessity of leauing it.

[Ec. 2.1.] WHich cōsists not in plesure; for I sayd in mine heart, Go to now, I will prooue thee with ioy, therfore take thou p. 3pleasure in pleasant things; yea, [Ec. 2.10.] I with-drewe not my heart from any ioy: for my heart reioyced in all my labour: [Ec. 2.25] and who could eat, and who could haste to outwarde things more then I? and beholde, this also is vanitie. [Ec. 2.1.]

Not in riches. 1. [Ec. 5.9.] For he that loueth siluer shall not be satisfide with siluer, and hee that loueth riches shall be without the fruite of them: this also is vanity.

2. [Ec. 5.10.] When riches increase they are increased that eate them: and what good commeth to the owners thereof, but the beholding therof with their eies? yea, [Ec. 5.11.] much euill; for whereas the sleep of him that trauelleth is sweet, whether he eate little, or much; contrarily, p. 4The satietie of the rich will not suffer him to sleepe; [Ec. 5.12.] so there is an euill sickenesse, which I haue seene vnder the Sunne, riches reserued to the owners thereof, for their euill, and ofter, not for their good: [Ec. 6.1.] for there is another euill, which I haue seene vnder the Sunne, and it is frequent among men; [Ec. 6.2.] A man to whome God hath giuen riches and treasures, and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soule, of all it desireth; but God giueth him not power to eate thereof; and if hee haue that, yet how long? Riches remaine not alwayes, [Pr. 27.24.] but taketh her to her wings as an Eagle, [Pr. 23.5.] and flyeth to the heauens. And for their owner, [Ec. 5.14.] As he came p. 5forth of his mothers belly, hee shall returne naked, to goe as he came, and shall beare away nothing of his labour, which hee caused to pass by his hand: And this is also an euill sicknesse, [Ec. 5.15.] that in all points as hee came, so shall he goe: and what profit hath he, that hee hath trauelled for the winde?

p. 5§. 3. Not in magnificence

of estate

royaltie,

great attendance.

of works

planting,

gathering Treasures,

building, &c.

NOt in honor & magnificence. I the Preacher haue beene King ouer Israell in Ierusalem, [Ec. 1.12.] and I was great, [Ec. 1.16. Ec. 2.9.] and increased aboue all that were before me in p. 6Ierusalem, which also J showed in effect; [Ec. 2.4.] for I made me great works, I built me houses, I planted me vineyards, [Ec. 2.5.] I made me gardens, and orchards, & planted in them trees of all fruites; I made mee ponds of water, [Ec. 2.6.] to water therewith the woods that growe with trees; [Ec. 2.7.] I got me seruants, & maids; and had children borne in the house; also I had great possession of beeues, and sheep, aboue all that were before me in Ierusalem; [Ec. 2.8.] I gathered to me also siluer and gold, and the chief treasures of kings and prouinces▪ I prouided Men-singers, & Women-singers, and the delights of the sonnes of men, musicall conforts of all kindes: Yea, I King p. 7SALOMON made my selfe a Palace of the trees of Lebanon; [Cant. 3.9] [Cāt. 3.10.] I made the Pillars thereof of siluer, and the pauement thereof of golde; the hangings thereof of purple; whose mids was paued with the loue of the daughters of Israel: [Ecc. 2.11.] Then I looked on all my vvorkes that my hands had wrought, [Ecc. 2.12.] (as who is the man that will compare with the King in things which men now haue done? and on the trauell that I laboured to doe; [Ec. 2.11.] and beholde all is vanitie, and vexation of spirit; and there is no profit vnder the sunne.

p. 8§. 4. Long life and issue reiected, for

certaine end,

vnperfect satisfaction, remembrance and continuance of darkenesse.

NOt in long life, and plentious issue: for If a man beget an hundreth children, [Ec. 6.3.] and liue many yeares, and the dayes of his yeares be multiplyed; And his soule be not satisfide with good things, and hee be not buryed, I say that an vntimely fruit is better then he. For he commeth into vanity, [Ec. 6.4.] and goeth into darknesse, and his name shalbe couered with darkenesse: Also, hee hath not seen the sun, [Ec. 6.5.] nor knowen it; therefore, this hath more rest then the other: And if hee p. 9had liued a thousand years twise tolde, and had seene no good; [Ec. 6.6] shall not all goe to one place? and howsoeuer, the light surely is a pleasant thing, and it is good for the eyes to see the sunne; [Ec. 11.7.] yet tho a man liue many yeares, and in them all he reioice; [Ec. 11.8.] if he shall remember the dayes of darkenesse, because they are manie, all that commeth is Vanitie.

Tho better then folly;

yet reiected, vpon

experience,

indiferēcy of euēts,

imperfection.

NOt in learning, and humane knowledge. [Ec. 1.13.] I haue giuen my heart to search and find out wisdome, in all things that are done p. 10vnder the heauen, (this sore trauaile hath God giuē to the sons of men to humble them therby) yea, [Ec. …