Therefore, Solomon speaks thrice, like a Crier, Vanity of vanities: as the mother which would fain make her son to hear, she doubles and trebles her words: What my son and what the son of my womb, 1and what the son of my desires? So when GOD would stir us up to hear, he crieth thrice to the earth and saith, Earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord: 2so when Solomon would dissuade from the company of the wicked: read Proverbs 4. 1▪ 4: how often he repeats the charge: Enter not into the way of the wicked, walk not in it, avoid it, go not by it, turn from it, and pass by, as though he would never have done, or as though we would never hear. So Christ when he taught Peter what was his duty, rehearsed it thrice:3 Feed: Feed: Feed. Joseph showeth the reason of these repetitions, when he tells Pharaoh why his dream was doubled,4 because the matter was important and certain. Therefore when Solomon repeats this saying so often, he calls for audience, as though he had some weighty and great matter to utter. Such a point of wisdom it is 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 repeated thrice, holy, 5holy, holy: So when he should show ⟨p. 831⟩that man is all vain thrice he repeateth vanity, to show how hardly man believes that he is vain: therefore he brings in three assertions,6 as it were three witnesses to prove it. All agree upon the same words, but that the last is more plain, and sayeth that All is vanity: that is, that man is not only changed and become vain: but for the vanity, of man,7 as the Apostle sayeth, The creatures are subject to vanity, and have not the glory and liberty which 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. They gazed upon the building of the Temple as a brave thing,8 and would have 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 a vain thing, & not worth the sight, which yet was beautified and built by his own prescription:
Therefore, Salomon speakes thrice, like a Cryer, Vanitie of vanities: as the mother which would faine make her sonne to heare, she doubles and trebles her wordes: What my sonne and what the sonne of my wombe, 1and what the sonne of my desires? So when GOD would stirre vs vp to heare, he crieth thrice to the earth and saith, Earth, earth, earth, heare the word of the Lord: 2so when Salomon would disswade from the companie of the wicked: reade Prouerbs 4. 1▪ 4: how often he repeates the charge: Enter not into the waie of the wicked, walke not in it, auoid it, goe not by it, turne from it, and passe by, as though hee would neuer haue done, or as though wee woulde neuer heare. So Christ when hee taught Peter what was his duetie, rehearsed it thrice:3 Feede: Feede: Feede. Ioseph sheweth the reason of these repetitions, when hee telles Pharaoh why his dreame was doubled,4 because the matter was important and certaine. Therefore when Salomon repeates this saying so often, he calles for audience, as though hee had some waightie and great matter to vtter. Such a point of wisedome it is for euerie man to knowe that All is vanitie, if we direct not things to their right end, as when the Holy Ghost would signifie that God is all holie, he repeated thrice, holie, 5holie, holie: So when hee shoulde shewe ⟨p. 831⟩that man is al vaine thrice he repeateth vanitie, to shew how hardlie man beleeues that he is vaine: therefore he brings in three assertions,6 as it were three witnesses to prooue it. All agree vppon the same words, but that the last is more plaine, and saieth that All is vanitie: that is, that man is not onely changed and become vaine: but for the vanitie, of man,7 as the Apostle saieth, The creatures are subiect to vanitie, and haue not the glory and libertie which they should haue, for the sinne of man. A spirituall eie doth see some vanitie or other in euery thing, as appeareth betwixt Christ and his Disciples at Ierusalem. They gazed vpon the building of the Temple as a braue thing,
- 1Pro. 31. 1
- 2Jere. 22. 39.Iere. 22. 39.
- 3Joh. 21. 16.Ioh. 21. 16.
- 4Gen. 41. 32.
- 5Isaiah. 6.Esay. 6.
- 6Job. 15. 31.Iob. 15. 31.
- 7Rom. 8. 20
- 8Luk. 21. 5.
