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

Be merry therefore O young man in thine youth, and let thine hart be glad in thine young days.

Be meary therfore O young man in thine youth, and let thine hart be glad in thine young daies.

After that he hath described a rare kind of bird,¹ namely such a man as hath lived all his life with a merry heart, and hath laughed at the troubles & malice of the world, then he joineth to a kind of exhortation: Thou young man therefore (saith he) that hast little experience of the world, if thou wilt live merely, hearken what I write for thee, and teach thee, that thou pass not thy bounds. Live so as thou mayst contemn the world and overcome the naughtiness thereof. And here mayest thou see what Solomon calleth contempt of the world, not to forsake our selves, or other men, but to be ⟨image 181⟩conversant in the world, in the middle of the broils thereof, but so as we must keep, a quiet and peaceable heart in all manner of adversities. This it is therefore that he saith: If thou wilt attain to this goal or mark to have a quiet hart, in the middle of all troubles, enure thy self with troubles, & that from thy childhood: For so shalt thou safely stand all storms and dangers.

AFter that he hath described a rare kinde of byrde,¹ namely such a man as hath lyued all his life with a meary harte, and hath laughed at the troubles & malice of the world, then he ioyneth to a kinde of exhortation: Thou young man therefore (sayth he) that hast litle experience of the world, if thou wilt lyue mearely, harken what I write for the, and teach thée, that thou passe not thy boūdes. Liue so as thou mayst contemne ye world and ouercome the naughtines thereof. And here maist thou sée what Salomon calleth contempt of the world, not to forsake our selues, or other men, but to be