MAn was not created to idlenesse , nor to any base or vile imployment : but enioyned labour to preserue by industrie what God himselfe had created . Adam in his integritie should haue wrought , but without wearinesse ; as the Angels now take pleasure in the diligent discharge of their offices . In idlenesse man seemes to be like Satan ; in action like God , his servant , his substitute , his coadjutor ; for it is said , Genesis . 2.15 . after the Creation of all things : Then the Lord tooke the man , and put him into the Garden of Eden , that he might dresse it and keepe it : God made it , he must dresse it and keepe it ; therefore he must worke . And to this end , that man might not performe actions casually or by contingency , but legally according to a rule , God hath giuen him both bodily strength to till the ground , and reason also to doe it seasonably . Yea he hath skill to direct the Creatures subjected to his gouernment , in their voluntarie obedience , and to make them seruiceable helpes , to the speedy accomplishment of his honest desires . Thus assoone as he saw them , Gen. 2.19 , 20. euen at the first sight , by the intellectuall facultie , he discerned their powers and vertues , and to what imployment they were apt ; and was able to giue them names , properly expressing their natures . But such was the precipitation of his fall , as therby he did not only lose his dignitie and wisdome , and equall himselfe with the beastes his naturall subjects , but cast himselfe vnder the basest creatures , as Samson , buried vnder the ruines of that house , which his owne hands pulled downe vpon his owne head : or rather , as when things are turned topsie-turvie , the highest becomes lowest ; even so heere , man the most excellent creature is cast vnder all ; the higher his standing , the greater his ruine , the more noble his nature , the more base his declension . All that he can now doe ( neither can he doe that of himselfe by nature , but by grace infused ) is by degrees to remoue the waight from himselfe , piece after piece , and from the backe of one creature , to clime vp on another , and so to looke towards God , and towards Paradise , from whence he was excluded for sinne . Eccl. 40.1 . He is prest downe to the earth and loaden with many difficulties , weakned with many infirmities , and yet hath this addition cast vpon him as a curse , euen now when he is least able to helpe himselfe , In the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread . Before thou wert to labour , O man , yet then thou didest it willingly without paine , without wearinesse , with pleasure and delight ; the Earth answered thy expectation , and preuented thy desires with overflowing fecunditie ; Now thou must labour by necessitie , by compulsion , in anguish and sorrow of spirit , in toyle and sweat of bodie ; and when all is done , thy hopes shal be frustrated ; the earth ( like an euill debtor ) will not pay the due vse , but ( like a cousening companion ) run away with the principall : Nay ( like an vngratefull wretch , like thy selfe , and worse it cannot bee , worse I cannot say ) shall in stead of flowers bring forth weeds ; in stead of corne , Cockle ; in stead of Roses to refresh thee , thornes to pricke thee , to crowne thee with curses ( as thou crownest thy Saviour ) and in stead of Manna to feed thee , it shal bring forth thistles to choke thee . If thou labourest not , thou canst not eate , sterue thou must of necessitie ; and if thou labourest , death comes to thee that way also ; yea oftentimes thou doest kill thy selfe with toyling . And yet O happie punishment ! O mercy in the middest of miserie ! O blessed curse , that leades thee the right and only way to happinesse ! for except thou labourest heere , thou canst not liue heere : and this doth teach thee , that except thou labourest spiritually and workest the workes of grace , thou shalt not liue eternally the life of glorie . In working thou maist obteyne , but thou doest not yet merit , thy daily bread ; thou beggest it , thou hast it by gift , by Gods blessing : And this will teach thee , that if all thy sweat be not able to purchase a crum of bread , all thy holinesse cannot merit Heauen ; worke yet thou must , first to shew thy penitencie , and how well thou wouldest behaue thy selfe , if now thou wert in possession of Paradise , as thou hast beene : secondly , to shew thy obedience to that commandement of his which thou hast broken , when it was in thy power to keepe it : thirdly , to shew thy faith in the assurance of that promise , which he that made neuer fayles to performe : fourthly , to shew thy thankefulnesse to that God , who notwithstanding thy sinne , hath not done execution vpon thee , but left thee meanes to liue heere , and to assure a better life hereafter , then that which thou hast lost . If thou diest not temporally , thou canst not liue eternally : O therfore happie transgression , which procurest this blessed curse ! O happie sinne , that art incountred with so much grace ! O joyfull and pleasant miserie , that hast mette with such abundant and ouerflowing mercie ! Consider Paradise was not thine by nature , but grace at the first ; God made thee without , he brought thee thither , he put thee into possession , vpon condition of thy good behauiour ; thou didst forfeit thy right by ill desert , which at first was giuen thee freely without desert ; thou canst much lesse lay claime to it now by merit , or hope to get it againe that way , since grace brought thee in at the first , and the same grace only can and will bring thee in againe , if thou wilt worke ; for in the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eate both thy temporall and spirituall bread . Now if thou hast forgotten how to worke , ( O thou great gouernor of all creatures , thou man , that wert made their schoolemaster to teach them their lessons ) doe not thinke scorne to refresh thy memorie by their examples , but now humble thy selfe to be taught of them : ( as doating fathers of their obedient children ) behold , the holy Ghost sends thee to learne of a most contemptible creature , a worme , a pismire ; Goe to the Pismire , O Sluggard , consider her waies and be wise ; Goe , for thou hast a body and legs ; Consider , for thou hast a soule and reason ; Goe and consider , vse both , joyne both in this businesse , stirre vp the faculties of the foule and body , that thou maist attaine by industrie , that which this silly worme retaines by nature , and learne to be wise for thy selfe ; seasonably wise ; wise to sobrietie , procuring thy selfe timely sufficiencie , both for this life and a better .

The wordes are exhortatorie ; wherein wee behold , 1. the Admonitor , 2. the Admonished , 3. the Admonition . 1. The Admonitor is Salomon , 1. a King , 2. a Preacher , 3. the Preacher , 1. A king , and therefore deseruing reuerence and attention , for the dignitie of his person : for counsell partakes authoritie with the person that giues it , and is respected or sleighted accordingly ; Eccl. 13.24 ▪ When the rich man speakes ( saith Siracides ) euery one holdeth his tongue , and looke what he saith , they praise it vnto the clouds : but if a poore man speake , they say , what fellow is this ? Eccl. 9 , 16. and Salomon saith : The wisdome of the poore is despised , and his words are not heard . Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis ; whether he speake or no , they will doe as he doth . And therefore it is enough for such persons , with Gideon to say , Looke on mee and doe as you see mee doe . Iudg. 7.17 . But besides the dignitie and authoritie annexed to his person , and the force and sway of his example , he hath likwise power to compell and command , and therefore speakes in the imparatiue moode , Vade , Go to the Pismire , O sluggard ; who dares but goe , when Salomon the king commands him ? And yet if you had rather vnderstand this as an advise and counsell , then as a law or command , ( because wisdome perswades , but layes not violent hands vpon man to compell him to benefit himselfe against his will ) then heare the Preacher perswading , since you will not heare the King commanding , and goe to the Pismire , O Sluggard , consider her wayes and be wise .

2 ▪ A Preacher , & therefore deserving reverence & attention , that being a King he would descend to take paines to instruct his people , by way of exhortation as a Preacher , Ioan. 21.19 was admirable ; they should doe ill not to hearken and obey such a Pastor . This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to feed and rule indeed , not as the Pope doth , but as Christ did . Art thou not ashamed ( O Antichrist ) whilst Salomon painfully and carefully acts the Princes part , and the Pastors part , ruling and teaching his people aright , that thou whose profession it is to teach and to preach , doest scorne to be Christs Vicar as he was a Prophet , and wilt vsurpe authoritie to be his Vicar as he was a king only ? Art thou not ashamed to say that Salomon is damned notwithstanding his diligent discharge of his duty , and thou art saued ? nay , hast the power of Salvation in thine owne hand , whilest thou neglectest thine ? And are ye not ashamed , O all yee Wolues in sheepes cloathing , to neglect the flocke , ouer which the Holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers , to become Courtiers , and leaue the care of the Church to others ? Pro. 27.23 . whilst you heare Salomon say , Be diligent to know the state of your flocks , and take heed to the herds : And whilst you see him leaue the Court , and apply himselfe like a Preacher , to instruct his people in all necessarie knowledge ? Eccles. 12.9.10 . The more wise the Preacher was , the more he taught the people knowledge , and caused them to heare , and searched forth and prepared many parables : The Preacher sought to finde out pleasant wordes , and an vpright writing , euen the wordes of truth . But the lesse you teach the people , the more wise you thinke your selues ; and the more you know , the lesse ye labour to profit other men , especially the people . You studie indeed to finde out pleasant wordes and parables , as Apothecaries , picke sallads euery Spring ; These you vent once euery yeere , out of the hearing of your owne Cures ; the Court only must pertake your parables , which are farre more precious ( if rare things be so ) then euer was Salomons . But Salomon heere applyes his wisedome to countrie capacities , he speakes and sings in their key ; 1. Reg. 4 ▪ 34. therefore he deserues serious attention , and he had it .

3. The Preacher by way of excellencie ; for so he beginnes his booke called Ecclesiastes , or the Preacher . The words of the Preacher the sonne of David the King : and after in the 12 verse , I the Preacher haue beene king ouer Israel in Ierusalem , and I haue giuen my heart to find out wisdome , by all things that are done vnder the Sunne . As if he should say , I lay by my Prerogatiue royall , my scepter , my crowne , my sword : I betake mee to my booke , to my penne , to my prayers , to fitte my selfe to teach you . I haue beene king ; that office and dignitie I lay off ; I am the Preacher ; and that I may be a profitable one , I haue giuen my heart to studie and contemplation , to finde out wisedome by all the creatures , to instruct man ( the chiefe commander and king of all creatures ) to make my subjects wise , that euery man may be a king to himselfe . For as the vegetables are nourished by the Elements , and things inanimate , and the sensitiue , by the things vegetatiue : so reasonable man doth not only receiue corporall nourishment , but spirituall instruction , from the sensible creatures . And therefore Salomon takes paines in these ; so that he spake three thousand Prouerbs : and his Songs were a thousand and fiue : 1 , King ▪ 4.32 , 33 , 34. Sapient . 7.17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22. And he spake of trees , from the Cedar tree that is in Libanon , euen to the hyssope that springeth out of the wall : hee spake also of beastes , and of fowles , and of creeping things , and of fishes : And there came of all people to heare Salomon from all kings of the earth , which had heard of his wisdome . So he had a continuall auditorie , and he deserued it ; he tooke paines to speake pleasantly , but his principall ayme was to speake profitably : for he knew , that which pleaseth not somthing , Eccl. 12 , 10 profits nothing ; & therfore he would not preach extempore , but he sought to find out pleasant words , and an vpright writing , Sapien. 7 , 7. Sapie . 8 , 21. euen the wordes of truth : and he found what he sought , whilst he sought it as he should , from a right person , and in a right manner ; from the right person , he sought it of God ; It is no shame for a king to seeke there . Sap. 7 , 7. Wherfore I prayed , and vnderstanding was giuen mee ; I called , and the spirit of Wisdome came vnto me ▪ In a right manner , by prayer ; by prayer on his knees , to honour God publiquely . Kings cannot honor themselues by any meanes more , then by honouring God after this manner , by an humble , holy , and reuerend deportment in publique worship .

Thus his example teacheth vs as well as his wordes ; and he is a Preacher , and the Preacher , the most excellent Preacher , in thus seeking , in thus finding , and in thus teaching vs to seeke what wee want , that wee may finde , whilst wee seeke as wee should , as he did .

The Preacher , and such a one as did not think himselfe wise enough to gouerne the whole world , like a Catholike King , to rule the whole Church like an Vniversall Bishop , or to rule his owne kingdome , for all his wisdom , without wise Councelors : but acknowledged himselfe too weake to gouerne a kingdome lesse then Spaine , 1. Reg. 3 , 9. lesse then Italy ; and therefore he saith humbly vnto God , Giue vnto thy servant an vnderstanding heart , to iudge this people , that I may discerne betweene good and badde : for who is able to Iudge this mightie people ? O ignorant Salomon , art not thou able ? knowst not thou who is able ? I can resolue thee ; St. Peters Successor cannot only rule that people , but all the people of the world . And yet he is no Preacher , and yet he sits still in one place , and yet he labours not to find out pleasant words , and an vpright writing , and the words of truth , as Salomon the Preacher did .

The Preacher , who speaking thus humbly to God , had the honour to heare God speaking to him , in this gracious manner : Because thou hast asked this thing , 1. Reg. 3 ▪ 11 , 12 , 13. and hast not asked for thy selfe long life , neither hast asked riches for thy selfe , nor hast asked the life of thine enemies , but hast asked for thy selfe vnderstanding to heare Iudgement : Behold , I haue done according to thy words ; Lo , I haue giuen thee a wise and vnderstanding heart , so that there hath beene none like thee before thee , neither after thee shall arise the like vnto thee . I doubt not , had the Bishop of Rome beene licensed to aske , as Salomon was , he would haue desired long life , that his Cardinals might not poyson him in hope to succeed ; or riches , that he need not begge Peter-pence through the world ; or the life of his enemies , that he need not send Iesuits to murther them , or Iudasses to blow them vp . Therefore he misseth of what he would wish , and pretends to haue ; whilest Salomon had what hee desired , and more too ; for God saith , I haue also giuen thee that which thou hast not asked , both riches and honour , so that among the kings there shal be none like vnto thee in all thy daies : None like him for honour and wealth : heare therefore Salomon the king ; none like him in wisdome ; heare therefore Salomon the Preacher ; for he is best able to informe you , and comes neerest vnto that perfection of wisdome , wherein Adam was created ; he discernes the natures of plants , birds , beasts , and fishes ; he takes paines to extract observations from them for thy instruction ; wrong not thy selfe therefore so much , as to lose this oportunitie of bettering thy knowledge : heare what he saith , obey what he bids , goe whether he commands thee ; Goe to the Pismire , O Sluggard , consider her wayes and bee wise .

2. The admonished ; that is , the Sluggard : he is the person to whom Salomon saith , Goe to the Pismire . The Sluggard , what 's he ? surely he is a longer that is neuer satisfied . Pro. 13.4 . Pro. 14 , 23 The Sluggard lusteth , but his soule hath nought : He is a prater that neuer doth any thing . In all labour there is abundance , but the talke of the lips bringeth only want : He is alieni avidus , Pro. 21 , 25 26. sui profusus ; The Sluggard coueteth euermore greedily , but the righteous giueth and spareth not . He is a moouer without proficiencie ; As the doore turneth vpon the hinges , Pro. 26 , 14. so doth a slothfull man vpon his bedde . He is a niggardly prodigall ; niggardly of his paines , and prodigall of his time . Pro. 18 , 9. He that is slothfull at his worke , is euen the brother of him that is a great waster . He is a couragious coward ; a coward , for hee dares not goe out , but saith , Pro. 22.13 a lyon is in the way I shal be slaine in the street : and yet couragious ; for whilst he will not goe out for feare the Lyon should eate him , he remaines within , folds vp his armes , Eccl. 4 , 5. keepes his knife in the sheath , and eates vp his owne flesh : Hee is a wise foole ; wise in his owne conceipt , a foole in Salomons . Pro. 26 , 16. The Sluggard is wiser in his owne conceipt , then seuen men that can render a reason . And therefore there is more hope of a foole then of him . He is a resolute wauerer , Pro. 13 , 4. a constant changeling : vult & non vult , ( saith the vulgar . ) By this description of Salomons we see , he is a longing , prating , prodigall , cowardly , slow , self-conceipted , certaine vncertaine foole , who sleepes away his time , and thinks all men are borne to worke , that he might play ; conceipt hath dam'd vp his eares ; for he thinks himselfe wiser then seuen men that can render a reason : and therefore will not heare , or will not beleeue , or will not obey the doctrine that is taught ; his owne opinion is still wisest and truest , his owne way is still best and rightest , he hateth to be reformed , and doth sooth vp him selfe in folly , opposing all that can be said , with a silent and self-wil'd obstinacie and contempt , sleeping out his life in solitarie retirement , and brutish sensualitie , as if a Lethargie had seised vpon him , and bound vp his cold braine in forgetfulnesse both of himselfe and of God also . He is socors , that is , sine corde ; for he hath a head and wit enough , but he wants a heart , affection , courage , constancie to doe what he knowes . He is Piger , that is pede aeger : he lackes a foote to conuey him to any honest and honourable vndertaking . The Ambassage of Sparta was without head or foote ; this man ( if hee be worthy to be called a man ) hath neither heart nor foote : but rockt asleepe in desperate securitie , with a lullabie of peace and safetie , hee derides all happie admonition , and shutting his eyes against the knowledge of danger , he cares not who kils him , so hee sees not his death .

To this man it is that Salomon the Preacher lifts vp his voyce like a trumpet , and rowseth him vp from that sleeping-stoole of his , with this acclamation , O Sluggard Goe to the Pismire , consider her waies , and be wise .

3. The Admonition : Goe to the Pismire , consider her wayes and be wise : Here wee finde three things advised : 1. An action , Goe to the Pismire . 2. A Consultation ; Consider her wayes . 3. A Conclusion or profitable extraction from the consultation ; and be wise .

1. In the action , there is terminus à quo implyed , and terminus ad quem expressed : first , goe from thy bedde , where thou sleepest in securitie ; goe from thy selfe-conceited opinion and imagination ; goe from thy sensuall pleasures , thy bewitching pastims , thy brutish passions , thy beastly companions ; goe from thy customarie coldnesse and stupiditie ; go from thy fearefull cowardise and infidelitie ; goe from thy blinde and superstitious folly , wherin thou art mis-led , brought vp , and rockt a sleepe , as in a cradle , supposing there is nothing good , but that which thou knowest , no house commodious but thine owne , no ayre to liue in , but where thou breathest , no life like that which thou leadest in darknesse and ignorance . O Sluggard , goe from all those thoughts , and goe to the Pismire ; goe in thy body , exercise that ; for surfets are bred for lacke of exercise , and thy body so weakned and made vnfit for any imployment ; Nay , that wherein thou placest thy chiefe felicitie ( which is sleepe ) would bee sweeter to thee , if thou wouldest take paines to exercise thy selfe with labour ; Eccl. 5 , 12. For the sleepe of him that trauelleth is sweete whether he eate litle or much ; but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleepe . Exercitium dicitur sanum , eo quod conseruat sanitatem ; It is compounded of ex and arceo , because it driues out all diseases ; and an army is termed Exercitus , quod exercitando fit melior , because it is much bettered by exercise ; This the Romans knew well , and therefore were not only carefull to exercise their owne persons and the people at home , but their armies abroad ; and to that end , in the time of truce or cessation of Armes , did euer imploy them in making of cawseys , or walles , or draines , or fortifications , or such like profitable workes ; knowing well , that as water corrupts and stinks by standing still , but is preserued by agitation , so the bodies and mindes of men are corrupted by sloth , and inabled and preserued by action ; Go therfore , O Sluggard , goe to the Pismire , if it were for nothing else , but to exercise thy body and preserue it from diseases .