The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

A BRIEF SUM of Ecclesiastes.

A BRIEFE SVMME of Ecclesiastes.

For the understanding of Ecclesiastes, because the things therein contained depend of an history, we must know that Solomon, from the beginning¹ of his days was a well disposed young man, endued with most excellent gifts of regeneration and government. Afterward from one well given, and in a good way, he fell to be a riotous and a profane person: and yet obtaining grace by extraordinary privilege (I call that an extraordinary privilege which either implieth a particular commandment against a general precept, or a particular practise against some general rule dispensed of by GOD) he became sorrowful for his folly, and being desirous to leave to the world a testimony of his sorrow, he taketh upon him in this book the person of a public Penitentiary, professing it to be a monument of his unwise dealing: and therefore it may be called Solomons retractations. And surely it is verily to be supposed, that the Lord hath set up this man as a sign, in whom he would by proof and experience show, that men can never be happy, for these things which most men account to be happiness. We say in schools, that practical and real syllogisms are far above speculative and imaginary reasons. And we know that in all histories the proof and experience of the reporter affordeth great credit. Solomon showeth in this book that he² proved all, and yet this is his conclusion, That to fear God, in reverent regard to keep his commandments, is all a man can come to, the only way to find peace of conscience, and to assure us of the favour of God. This is the assurance of our country, that we shall one day enter into it; when we have a purpose to this, we need seek no further This had I (saith Solomon) notwithstanding he was not content, but he imagined some thing else might be found out which he had not, and being a man of wisdom he thought there might besom better kind of life invented than this was. Well, he trieth mirth, wives, building, &c. which might seem to content him: but when twenty years were spent in trying conclusions, he was as near then as he was at the first: nay, without the special indulgence of the Lord, he was further off too. And as a horse in a mill, when he had gone in his circuit, he was at last where he began first.