Title page of An exposition of Solomons book called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seen and allowed, London, 1573

A06504:554

An exposition of Solomons book called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seen and allowedAn exposition of Salomons booke called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seene and allowed

Name: An exposition of Solomons book called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seen and allowed
Author: Martin Luther

An exposition of Solomons book called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seen and allowed.An exposition of Salomons booke called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seene and allowed.

Martin Luther 1483–1546London: printed by John Daye, 1573London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1573

181 [i.e. 187] leaves · 71k words · STC 16979 · ESTC S105591

Title page typeset from the transcription.

Chapter 8 › ¶There is a vanity also which is done upon the Earth: that is, the…: ¶There is a vanity also which is done upon the Earth: that is, there be righteous men…Chapter 8 › ¶There is a vanitie also which is done vpon the Earth: that is, the…: ¶There is a vanitie also which is done vpon the Earth: that is, there be righteous men…

Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.

[ Earlier:554–566 of 797

:554p. 142

¶There is a vanity also which is done upon the Earth: that is, there be righteous men to whom it happeneth as if they did the works of the wicked: and there be also wicked to whom it cometh as if they did the works of the just, & I said: This also is a vanity.

¶There is a vanitie also which is done vpon the Earth: that is, there be righteous men to whom it happeneth as if they did the workes of the wicked: and there be also wycked to whom it commeth as if they did the workes of the iust, & I sayd: This also is a vanitye.

:555p. 142

These two things greatly offend the mind of man, that the punishment ⟨image 146⟩of the unthankful is differed and the good are entreated and dealt with all,¹ as if they were wicked: good men hated and envied, and the wicked had in estimation and reverenced. And yet daily so it cometh to pass. Heretofore men gave the wicked Priests all things, but now the Godly have scarce any living. They that teach scholars are not maintained: those that travel most to set the world at liberty, have no thank but are trodden under foot. But they that destroy and drown the world in naughtiness want nothing. For now a days Soldiers are more dearly waged then good teachers. These things for this end are repeated so often to inform mans mind, & to instruct the good to learn what the world is: Namely a furious beast and an unkind, which waxeth fierce through benefits, exalting always the wicked, and oppressing the good. And other thing then this, must we not look for.

THese two thinges greately offend the mynde of man, that the punishment ⟨image 146⟩

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The book

Title as printed

An exposition of Solomons book called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seen and allowed.An exposition of Salomons booke called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seene and allowed.

Author

Martin Luther 1483–1546

Place

London

Printer

John DayeIohn Daye

Year

1573

Size

181 [i.e. 187] leaves

Words

71,187

Catalogue

STC 16979 · ESTC S105591

Text

EEBO-TCP A06504

Passages

797

Sections

334

Title page

An exposition of Solomons book called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seen and allowedAn exposition of Salomons booke called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seene and allowed

¶There is a vanity also which is done upon the Earth: that is, there be righteous men to whom it happeneth as if they did the works of the wicked: and there be also wicked to whom it cometh as if they did the works of the just, & I said: This also is a vanity.

¶There is a vanitie also which is done vpon the Earth: that is, there be righteous men to whom it happeneth as if they did the workes of the wicked: and there be also wycked to whom it commeth as if they did the workes of the iust, & I sayd: This also is a vanitye.

Therefore I praised mirth & gladness because a man hath no better thing under the sun, then to eat and drink, & to rejoice. For this ⟨p. 143⟩is all he hath of his labour, all the days of his life, that God giveth him under the Sun.

Therefore I praysed myrth & gladnes because a man hath no better thing vnder the sonne, then to eate and drinke, & to reioyce. For this ⟨p. 143⟩is all he hath of his labour, all the dayes of his lyfe, that God geueth him vnder the Sunne.

And I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to behold the business that is done on the earth, that neither day nor night the eyes of man take sleep.

And I applyed my mynde to know wisedome, and to beholde the busines that is done on the earth, that neyther daye nor night the eyes of man take sleepe.

Then I considered all the works of God, how man can not find out the work that is wrought under the Sun. But the more he laboureth to search it, the less he findeth, yea and although he think himself wise enough, yet he can not find it.

Then I consydered all the workes of God, how man can not fynd out the worke that is wrought vnder the Sun. But the more he laboureth to searche it, the lesse he findeth, yea and although he thinke himself wise inough, yet he can not finde it.

The nineth Chapter.

The nineth Chapiter.

All these things I cast in mine hart to understand. There are righteous ⟨image 148⟩men and wise, whose servants are in the hand of God, and yet no man knoweth the love or the hatred of that that is before him.

All these thinges I cast in mine hart to vnderstand. There are righteous ⟨image 148⟩men and wise, whose seruaunts are in the hand of God, and yet no mā knoweth the loue or the hatred of that that is before him.

And yet no man knoweth whether he is loved or hated.

And yet no man knoweth whether he is loued or hated.

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

¶There is a vanity also which is done upon the Earth: that is, there be righteous men to whom it happeneth as if they did the works of the wicked: and there be also wicked to whom it cometh as if they did the works of the just, & I said: This also is a vanity.

¶There is a vanitie also which is done vpon the Earth: that is, there be righteous men to whom it happeneth as if they did the workes of the wicked: and there be also wycked to whom it commeth as if they did the workes of the iust, & I sayd: This also is a vanitye.

Therefore I praised mirth & gladness because a man hath no better thing under the sun, then to eat and drink, & to rejoice. For this ⟨p. 143⟩is all he hath of his labour, all the days of his life, that God giveth him under the Sun.

Therefore I praysed myrth & gladnes because a man hath no better thing vnder the sonne, then to eate and drinke, & to reioyce. For this ⟨p. 143⟩is all he hath of his labour, all the dayes of his lyfe, that God geueth him vnder the Sunne.

And I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to behold the business that is done on the earth, that neither day nor night the eyes of man take sleep.

And I applyed my mynde to know wisedome, and to beholde the busines that is done on the earth, that neyther daye nor night the eyes of man take sleepe.

Then I considered all the works of God, how man can not find out the work that is wrought under the Sun. But the more he laboureth to search it, the less he findeth, yea and although he think himself wise enough, yet he can not find it.

Then I consydered all the workes of God, how man can not fynd out the worke that is wrought vnder the Sun. But the more he laboureth to searche it, the lesse he findeth, yea and although he thinke himself wise inough, yet he can not finde it.

The nineth Chapter.

The nineth Chapiter.

All these things I cast in mine hart to understand. There are righteous ⟨image 148⟩men and wise, whose servants are in the hand of God, and yet no man knoweth the love or the hatred of that that is before him.

All these thinges I cast in mine hart to vnderstand. There are righteous ⟨image 148⟩men and wise, whose seruaunts are in the hand of God, and yet no mā knoweth the loue or the hatred of that that is before him.

And yet no man knoweth whether he is loved or hated.

And yet no man knoweth whether he is loued or hated.