therefore when Solomon repeats this saying so often,1 he calls for audience, as though he had some weighty and great matter to utter, such a point of wisdom is it for every man to know, that all is vanity, if we direct not things to their right end as when the holy Ghost would signify that God is all holy, he repeats thrice,2 holy, holy, holy: so when he should show that man is all vain, thrice he repeateth vanity, to show, how hardly man believes that he is vain:3 therefore he brings in three assertions as it were witnesses to prove it, all agree upon the same words, but that the last is more plain & saith, that all is vanity, that is, ⟨image 10⟩that man is not only changed and become vain, but for the vanity of man as the Apostle saith, the creatures are subject to vanity,4 & have not that glory & liberty that they should have for the sin of man: A spiritual eye doth see some vanity or other in every thing, as appeareth betwixt Christ and his Disciples at Jerusalem, 5they gazed upon the building of the Temple as a brave thing, and would have had Christ to behold it with them, but he did see that it was but vanity, and therefore said, are these the things that ye look upon? as if he should say, how vain are you to gaze upon this? If Christ thought the beauty of his Temple were but a vain thing, and not worth the sight which yet was built & beautified, so by his own prescript, how should Solomon express all the vanity of the world, to which all men have added more and more since the beginning? therefore as if he wanted words to express it, as he did see it, he breaks forth into an exclamation, and ⟨image 10⟩repeats the same often, Vanity of &c. as if he should say, I cannot speak how vain the world is, but vain it is, and very vain and nought but vain, speaking as if he had the feeling and sense of it, as though the world stood naked before him, & it grieved him to see it, he cuts his words in chiding manner, and makes short riddance, as if it grieved him to speak all that he knew: therefore that which he speaks, he speaks roundly, that if they read no more but sleep all the Sermon time after, yet the first sentence shall strike a sting into their hearts, & leave a sound behind to waken them when they are gone, as many (you know) remember this sentence, which remember no sentence in all this book besides:
therfore when Salomon repeats this saying so often,1 he calles for audience, as though he had some weighty and great matter to vtter, such a pointe of wisdome is it for euery man to know, that all is vanitie, if we direct not things to their right end as when the holy Ghost would signifie that God is all holy, he repeats thrise,2 holy, holy, holy: so when he should shew that man is all vain, thrise he repeateth vanitie, to shewe, how hardly man beleeues that hee is vaine:3 therefore he bringes in three assertions as it were witnesses to proue it, all agree vpō the same wordes, but that the last is more plaine & saith, that all is vanitie, that is, ⟨image 10⟩that man is not onely changed and become vaine, but for the vanitie of man as the Apostle saith, the creatures are subiect to vanity,4 & haue not that glory & libertie that they should haue for the sin of man: A spiritual eye doth see some vanitie or other in euery thing, as appeereth betwixt Christ and his Diciples at Ierusalem, 5they gazed vpon the building of the Tēple as a braue thing, and would haue had Christ to beholde it with them, but he did see that it was but vanitie, and therfore said, are these the thinges that yee looke vpon? as if he should say, how vaine are you to gaze vpon this? If Christ thought the beauty of his Temple were but a vaine thing, and not worth the sight which yet was built & beautified, so by his owne prescript, how should Salomon expresse all the vanity of the world, to which al mē haue added more and more since the beginning? therefore as if he wanted wordes to expresse it, as he did see it, he breakes forth into an exclamation, and ⟨image 10⟩repeates the same often, Vanitie of &c. as if he should say, I cannot speak how vaine the worlde is, but vaine it is, and very vaine and nought but vaine, speaking as if he had the feeling and sence of it, as though the world stood naked before him, & it greeued him to see it, he cuttes his wordes in chiding māner, and makes short ridāce, as if it grieued him to speake all that he knew: therefore that which he speakes, he speakes roundly, that if they read no more but sleepe all the Sermon time after, yet the first sentence shall strike a sting into their hearts, & leaue a sound behind to waken them when they are gone, as many (you know) remember this sentence, which remember no sentence in all this booke besides:
- 1Go. 41.32
- 2Esa. 6.3
- 3Job 15.3Iob 15.3
- 4Rom. 8 20
- 5Luk. 21.5.
