Works of Joseph Hall, Metrical Psalter – Proem 1
❧ Some few of DAVIDS Pſalmes Metaphraſed.
PSALME. 1.
In the tune of the 148. Pſalme. GiueGive laud vntounto the Lord.
WHo hath not walkt aſtray,
In wicked mens aduice,
Nor ſtood in ſinners way;
Nor in their companies
That ſcorners are,
As their fit mate,
In ſcoffing chaire,
Hath euer ſate.
verse 2 But in thy lawes diuine,
O Lord ſets his delight,
And in thoſe lawes of thine
Studies all day and night;
Oh, how that man
Thrice bleſſed is!
And ſure ſhall gaine
Eternall bliſſe.
verse 3 He ſhall be like the tree
Set by the water-ſprings,
Which when his ſeaſons be
Moſt pleaſant fruit forth brings:
Whoſe boughs ſo greene
Shall neuer fade,
But couered beene
With comely ſhade.
So, to this happy wight,
All his deſignes ſhall thriue:
verse 4 Whereas the man vnright,
As chaffe which winds doe driue,
With eueryevery blaſt
Is toſt on hie,
Nor can at laſt
In ſafetie lie.
verse 5 Wherefore in that ſad doome,
They dare not riſe from duſt:
Nor ſhall no ſinner come
To glory of the iuſt.
For, God will grace
The iuſt mans way;
While ſinners race
Runs to decay.
PSALME 2.
In the tune of the 125. Pſalme, Thoſe that doe put their confidence.
WHy doe the Gentiles tumults make,
And nations all conſpire in vaine,
verse 2 And earthly Princes counſell take
Againſt their God; againſt the Raigne
Of his deare Chriſt? let vsus, they ſaine,
verse 3 Breake all their bonds: and from vsus ſhake
Their thraldome, yoke and ſeruile chaine.
verse 4 Whiles thus (alas) they fondly ſpake,
Hee that aloft rides on the skies,
Laughes all their lewd deuice to ſcorne,
verse 5 And when his wrathfull rage ſhall riſe,
With plagues ſhall make them all forlorne,
And in his furie thus replies;
verse 6 But I, my King with ſacred horne
Anointing, ſhall in princely guiſe
His head with royall Crowne adorne.
VponUpon my Sions holy mount
His Empires glorious ſeat ſhall be.
And I thus rais'd ſhall farre recount
The tenour of his true degree.
verse 7 My Sonne thou art, ſaid God, I thee
Begat this day by due account:
Thy Scepter, doe but aske of me,
All earthly kingdomes ſhall ſurmount.
verse 8 All nations to thy rightfull ſway,
I will ſubiect from furtheſt end
verse 9 Of all the world, and thou ſhalt bray,
Thoſe ſtubborne foes that will not bend,
With iron Mace (like Po…ters clay)
verse 10 In pieces ſmall: yee Kings, attend;
And yee, whom others w…nt obey,
Learne wiſdome, and at laſt amend.
verse 11 See, yee ſerue God, with greater dread
Than others you: and in your feare
Reioice the while; and (lowly ſpread)
verse 12 Doe homage to his Sonne ſo deare:
Leſt he be wroth, and doe you dead
verse 13 Amids your way. If kindled
His wrath ſhall be; O bleſſed thoſe,
That doe on him their truſt repoſe.
PSALME 3.
As the 113. Pſalme, Ye children which, &c.
AH Lord! how many be my foes!
How many are againſt me …oſe,
verse 2 That to my grieued ſoule hauehave ſed,
Tuſh, God ſhall him no ſuccour yeeld;
verse 3 Whiles thou, Lord, art my praiſe, my ſhield,
And doſt aduance my carefull head!
verse 4 Loud with my voice to God I cry'd:
His Grace vntounto my ſute reply'd,
From out his holy hill.
verse 5 I laid me downe, ſlept, roſe againe.
For thou, O Lord, doſt me ſuſtaine,
And ſau'ſt my ſoule from feared ill.
verse 6 Not if ten thouſand armed foes
My naked ſide ſhould round encloſe,
Would I be thereof ought a-dred.
Vp, Lord, and ſhield me from diſgrace:
verse 7 For thou haſt broke my foe-mens face,
And all the wickeds teeth haſt ſhed.
verse 8 From thee, O God, is ſafe defence;
Doe thou thy free beneficence
VponUpon thy people largely ſpread.
PSALME 4.
As the ten Commandements, Attend my people.
THou witneſſe of my truth ſincere,
My God, vntounto my poore requeſt
Vouchſafe to lend thy gracious eare:
Thou haſt my ſoule from thrall releaſt.
verse 2 Fauour me ſtill, and d…igne to heare
Mine humble ſute. O wretched wights,
verse 3 How long will yee mine honour deare
Turne into ſhame through your deſpights?
Still will ye louelove what thing is vaine,
verse 4 And ſeeke falſe hopes? know then at laſt,
That God hath choſe, and will maintaine
His fauorite, whom yee diſgrac't.
God will regard my inſtant mone.
verse 5 Oh! tremble then, and ceaſe offending;
And on your ſilent bed alone,
Talke with your hearts, your waies amending.
verse 6 Offer the trueſt ſacrifice
Of broken hearts; on God beſetting
verse 7 Your onelyonly truſt. The moſt deuiſe
The waies of worldly treaſure getting:
But thou, O Lord, lift vp to me
The light of that ſweet looke of thine;
verse 8 So ſhall my ſoule more gladſome be,
Than theirs with all their corne and wine.
verse 9 So I in peace ſhall lay me downe,
And on my bed take quiet ſleepe;
Whiles thou, O Lord, ſhalt me alone
From dangers all ſecurely keepe.
PSALME 5.
In the tune of 124. Pſalme, Now Iſrael may ſay, &c.
BOw downe thine eare,
Lord, to theſe words of mine,
And well regard
the ſecret plaints I make.
verse 2 My King, my God,
to thee I doe betake
My ſad eſtate:
oh doe thine eare incline
To theſe loud cries
that to thee powred bin.
verse 3 At early morne
thou ſhalt my voice attend:
For, at day breake,
I will my ſelfe addreſſe
Thee to implore,
and wait for due redreſſe.
verse 4 Thou doſt not, Lord,
delight in wickedneſſe;
Nor to bad men
wilt thy protection lend.
verse 5 The boaſters proud
cannot before thee ſtay:
Thou hat'ſt all thoſe
that are to ſinne deuoted:
verse 6 The lying lips.
and who with bloud are ſpotted,
Thou doeſt abhorre,
and wilt for euer ſlay:
verse 7 But I vntounto
thine houſe ſhall take the way.
And through thy grace
abundant ſhall adore,
With humble feare
within thy holy place.
verse 8 Oh! lead me, Lord,
within thy righteous trace:
Euen for their ſakes
that malice me ſo ſore,
Make ſmooth thy paths
my dimmer eies before.
verse 9 Within their mouth
no truth is euer found:
Pure miſchiefe is
their heart: a gaving toome
verse 10 Is their wide throat;
and yet their tongues ſtill ſound,
verse 11 With ſmoothing words.
O Lord, giuegive them their doome.
And let them fall
in thoſe their plots profound.
In their exceſſe
of miſchiefe them deſtroy
verse 12 That Rebels are;
ſo thoſe that to thee flie,
Shall all reioyce
and ſing eternally:
verse 13 And whom thou doſt
protect, and who louelove thee,
And thy deare name,
in thee ſhall euer ioy;
Since thou with bliſſe
the righteous doſt reward,
And with thy grace
as with a ſhield him guard.
PSALME 6.
As the 50. Pſalme, The mighty God, &c.
LEt me not, Lord,
be in thy wrath reproued:
Oh! ſcourge me not
when thy fierce wrath is moued.
verse 2 Pity me, Lord,
that doe with languor pine:
Heale me whoſe bones
with paine diſſolued bin;
verse 3 Whoſe weary ſoule
is vexed aboue meaſure.
Oh Lord, how long
ſhall I bide thy diſpleaſure!
verse 4 Turne thee, O Lord,
reſcue my ſoule diſtreſt;
verse 5 And ſaue me of thy grace.
'Mongst thoſe that reſt
In ſilent death,
can none remember thee:
And in the graue
how ſhouldſt thou praiſed be?
verse 6 Weary with ſighes,
All night I caus'd my bed
To ſwim: with teares
my couch I watered.
verse 7 Deepe ſorrow hath
conſum'd my dimmed eyne,
Sunke in with griefe
at theſe lewd foes of mine:
verse 8 But now hence, hence,
vaine plotters of mine ill:
The Lord hath heard
my lamentations ſhrill;
verse 9 God heard my ſuit
and ſtill attends the ſame:
verse 10 Bluſh now, my foes,
and flie with ſudden ſhame.
PSALME 7.
As the 112. Pſalme. The man is bleſt that God, &c.
ON thee, O Lord my God, relies
My onelyonly truſt: from bloudy ſpight
Of all my raging enemies
Oh! let thy mercy me acquite:
verse 2 Leſt they like greedy Lyons rend
My ſoule, while none ſhall it defend.
verse 3 O Lord, if I this thing hauehave wrought,
If in my hands be found ſuch ill:
verse 4 If I with miſchiefe euer ſought
To pay good turnes; or did not ſtill
Doe good vntounto my cauſeleſſe foe,
That thirſted for my ouerthrow;
verse 5 Then let my foe in eager chace,
Ore-take my ſoule, and proudly tread
My life below; and with diſgrace
In duſt lay downe mine honour dead.
verse 6 Riſe vp in rage, O Lord, eft-ſoone
Aduance thine arme againſt my fo…ne:
And wake for me, till thou fulfill
verse 7 My promis'd right; ſo ſhall glad throngs
Of people flocke vntounto thine hill.
For their ſakes then reuenge my wrong's,
verse 8 And r…uſe thy ſelfe. Thy iudgements be
O're all the world: Lord, iudge thou me.
As truth and honeſt innocence
Thou find'ſt in me, Lord, iudge thou me.
verse 9 Settle the iuſt with ſure defence:
Let me the wicked's malice ſee
verse 10 Brought to an end. For thy iuſt eye
Doth heart and inward reynes deſcry.
verse 11 My ſafety ſtands in God; who ſhields
The ſound in heart: whoſe doome each day
verse 12 To iuſt men and contemners yeelds
verse 13 Their due. Except he change his way,
His ſword is whet, to bloud intended,
His murdering Bow is ready bended.
verse 14 Weapons of death he hath addreſt
And arrowes keene to pierce my foe,
verse 15 Who late bred miſchiefe in his breſt;
But when he doth on trauell goe,
verse 16 Brings forth a lie: deepe pits doth delue,
And fals into his pits himſelue.
verse 17 Backe to his owne head ſhall rebound.
His plotted miſchiefe; and his wrongs
verse 18 His crowne ſhall craze: But I ſhall ſound
Iehouah's praiſe with thankfull ſongs,
And will his glorious name expreſſe,
And tell of all his righteouſneſſe.
PSALME 8.
As the 113. Pſalme, Yee children which, &c.
HOw noble is thy mighty Name,
O Lord, o're all the worlds wide frame,
Whoſe glory is aduanc't on high
Aboue the rowling heauens racke!
verse 2 How for the graceleſſe ſcorners ſake,
To ſtill th'auenging enemy,
Haſt thou by tender infants tongue,
The praiſe of thy great Name made ſtrong,
While they hang ſucking on the breſt!
verse 3 But when I ſee the heauens bright,
The moone and glittering ſtarres of night,
By thine almighty hand addreſt,
verse 4 Oh! what is man, poore ſilly man,
That thou ſo mind'ſt him, and doſt daine
To looke at his vnworthy ſeed!
verse 5 Thou haſt him ſet not much beneath
Thine Angels bright; and with a wreath
Of glory haſt adorn'd his head.
verse 6 Thou haſt him made high ſoueraigne
verse 7 Of all thy works, and ſtretcht his raigne
VntoUnto the heards, and beaſts vntame,
verse 8 To Fowles, and to the ſcaly traine,
That glideth through the watry Maine.
verse 9 How noble each-where is thy Name!
PSALME 9.
To the tune of that knowne ſong, beginning, Preſerue vsus, Lord.
THee, and thy wondrous deeds, O God,
Wi…h all my ſoule I ſound abroad:
verse 2 My ioy, my triumph is in thee.
Of thy dread name my ſong ſhall be,
verse 3 O higheſt God: ſince put to flight.
And fal'ne and vaniſht at thy ſight
verse 4 Are all my foes; for thou haſt paſt
Iuſt ſentence on my cauſe at laſt:
And ſitting on thy throne aboue,
A rightfull Iudge thy ſelfe doeſt proue:
verse 5 The troupes profane thy checks hauehave ſtroid,
And made their name for euer void.
verse 6 Wheres now, my foes, your threatned wrack?
So well you did our Cities ſacke,
And bring to duſt; while that ye ſay,
Their name ſhall die as well as they.
verse 7 Loe, in eternall ſtate God ſits:
And his high Throne to iuſtice fits:
verse 8 Whoſe righteous hand the world ſhall weeld,
And to all folke iuſt doome ſhall yeeld.
verse 9 The poore from high finde his releefe;
The poore in needfull times of griefe:
verse 10 Who knowes the Lord, to thee ſhall cleaue,
That neuer doeſt thy clients leaue.
verse 11 Oh! ſing the God that doth abide,
On Sion mount; and blazon wide
verse 12 His worthy deeds. For he purſues
The guiltleſſe bloud with vengeance due:
He mindes their cauſe, nor can paſſe o're
Sad clamors of the wronged poore.
verse 13 Oh! mercy Lord: thou that doſt ſaue
My ſoule from gates of death and graue:
Oh! ſee the wrong my foes hauehave done:
verse 14 That I thy praiſe, to all that gone
Through daughter Sions beauteous gate,
With thankfull ſongs may loud relate;
And may reioyce in thy ſafe aide.
Behold, the Gentiles whiles they made
A deadly pit my ſoule to drowne,
Into their pit are ſunken downe;
In that cloſe ſnare they hid for mee,
Loe, their owne feet intangled be.
verse 16 By this iuſt doome the Lord is knowne,
That th'ill are puniſht with their owne.
verse 17 Downe ſhall the wicked backward fall
To deepeſt hell, and nations all
verse 18 That God forget; nor ſhall the poore
Forgotten be for euermore.
The conſtant hope of ſoules oppreſt
verse 19 Shall not aye die. Riſe from thy reſt,
Oh Lord, let not men baſe and rude
Preuaile: iudge thou the multitude
verse 20 Of lawleſſe Pagans: ſtrike pale feare
Into thoſe breſts that ſtubborne were:
And let the Gentiles feele and finde,
They beene but men of mortall kinde.
PSALME 10.
As the 51. Pſalme, O God, Conſider.
WHy ſtand'ſt thou, Lord aloofe ſo long,
And hidſt thee in due times of need,
verse 2 Whiles lewd men proudly offer wrong
VntoUnto the poore? In their owne deed,
And their deuice let them be caught.
verse 3 For loe, the wicked braues and boaſts
In his vile and outragious thought,
And bleſſeth him that rauines moſt.
verse 4 On God he dares inſult: his pride
Scornes to enquire of powers aboue.
But his ſtout thoughts hauehave ſtill deni'd
verse 5 There is a God; His waies yet proue
… proſperous: thy iudgements hye
Doe farre ſurmount his dimmer fight.
verse 6 Therefore doth he all foes defie:
His heart ſaith, I ſhall ſtand in ſpight,
Nor euer moue; nor danger 'bide.
verse 7 His mouth is fill'd with curſes foule,
And with cloſe fraud: His tongue doth hide
verse 8 Miſchiefe and ill: he ſeekes the ſoule
Of harmeleſſe men in ſecret waite,
And in the corners of the ſtreet
Doth ſhead their bloud; with ſcorne and hate,
His eies vponupon the poore are ſet.
verse 9 As ſome fell Lyon in his den,
He cloſely lurkes the poore to ſpoyle:
He ſpoyles the poore and helpleſſe men,
When once he ſnares them in his toyle.
verse 10 He croucheth low in cunning wile,
And bowes his breſt; whereon whole throngs
Of poore, whom his faire ſhowes beguile,
Fall to be ſubiect to his wrongs.
verse 11 God hath forgot (in ſoule, he ſaies)
He hides his face to neuer ſee.
verse 12 Lord God, ariſe; thine hand vp-raiſe:
Let not thy poore forgotten be.
verse 13 Shall theſe inſulting wretches ſcorne
Their God; and ſay, thou wilt not care?
verse 14 Thou ſee'ſt (for all thou haſt forborne)
Thou ſee'ſt what all their miſchiefes are;
That to thine hand of vengeance iuſt
Thou maiſt them take: the poore diſtreſſed
Rely on thee with conſtant truſt,
The helpe of Orphans and oppreſſed.
verse 15 Oh! breake the wickeds arme of might,
And ſearch out all their curſed traines,
And let them vaniſh out of ſight.
verse 16 The Lord as King for euer raignes.
From forth his coaſts, the heathen ſect
verse 17 Are rooted quite: thou Lord attendſt
To poore mens ſutes; thou deo'ſt direct
Their hearts: to them thine eare thou bendſt;
verse 18 That thou maiſt reſcue from deſpight,
The wofull fatherleſſe, and poore:
That ſo, the vaine and earthen wight
On vsus may tyrannize no more.
FJNJS.
CHARACTERS OF VERTVES AND VICES:
JN TWO BOOKES.
By IOS. HALL.
SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS
Io 3.
ANCHORA FIDEI:
LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, MY ſingular good Lords, EDWARD LORD DENNY, BARON of WALTHAM, AND JAMES LORD HAY, HIS RIGHT NOBLE AND WORTHY SONNE IN LAW, I. H. HVMBLY DEDICATES HIS LABOVR, DEVOTETH HIMSELFE, Wiſheth all Happineſſe.
A PREMONITION, OF THE TITLE AND VSE of Characters.
READER,
THe Diuines of the old Heathens were their Morall Philoſophers: Theſe receiued the Acts of an inbred law, in the Sinai of Nature, and deliuered them with many expoſitions to the multitude: Theſe were the Ouerſeers of manners, Correctors of vices, Directors of liues, Doctors of vertue, which yet taught their people the body of their naturall Diuinitie, not after one manner: while ſome ſpent themſelues in deepe diſcourſes of humane felicitie, and the way to it in common; others thought it beſt to apply the generall precepts of goodneſſe or decency, to particular conditions and perſons. A third ſort in a meane courſe betwixt the two other, and compounded of them both, beſtowed their time in drawing out the true lineaments of euerie vertue and vice, ſo liuely, that who ſaw the medals, might know the face: which Art they ſignificantly tearmed Charactery. Their papers were ſo many tables, their writings ſo many ſpeaking pictures, or liuing images, whereby the ruder multitude might euen by their ſenſe learne to know vertue, and diſcerne what to deteſt. J am deceiued if any courſe could be more likely to preuaile; for herein the groſſe conceit is led on with pleaſure, and informed while it feeles nothing but delight: And if pictures hauehave beene accounted the bookes of Jdiots, behold here the benefit of an image without the offence. It is no ſhame for vsus to learne wit of Heathens; neither is it materiall, in whoſe Schoole we take out a good leſſon: yea, it is more ſhame not to follow their good, than not to lead them better. As one therefore that in worthy examples hold imitation better than inuention, J hauehave trod in their paths, but with an higher and wider ſteppe; and out of their Tablets hauehave drawne theſe larger portraitures of both ſorts. More might be ſaid, I deny not, of eueryevery Ʋertue, of eueryevery Ʋice: J deſired not to ſay all, but enough. Jf thou doe but reade or like theſe, J hauehave ſpent good houres ill; but if thou ſhalt hence abiure thoſe Vices, which before thou thoughteſt not ill-fauoured, or fall in louelove with any of theſe goodly faces of Vertue; or ſhalt hence finde where thou haſt any little touch of theſe euils, to cleare thy ſelfe, or where any defect in theſe graces to ſupply it, neither of vsus ſhall need to repent of our labour.
THE SVMME OF THE WHOLE.
FIRST BOOKE.
THe Prooeme. Page. 171
Character of Wiſdome. Page. 173
Of Honeſtie. Page. 174
Of Faith. ibid.
Of Humilitie. Page. 175
Of Valour. Page. 176
Of Patience. Page. 177
Of True-Friendſhip. ibid.
Of True-Nobilitie. Page. 178
Of the good Magiſtrate. Page. 179
Of the Penitent. Page. 180
Of the Happy Man. Page. 181
SECOND BOOKE.
THe Prooeme. Page. 185
Character of the Hypocrite. Page. 187
Of the Buſie-Bodie. Page. 188
Of the Superſtitious. Page. 177
Of the Profane. ibid.
Of the Male-content. Page. 189
Of the Inconſtant. Page. 191
Of the Flatterer. Page. 192
Of the Slothfull. ibid.
Of the Couetous. Page. 193
Of the Vaine-glorious. Page. 194
Of the Preſumptuous. Page. 195
Of the Diſtruſtfull. Page. 196
Of the Ambitious. Page. 197
Of the Vnthrift. Page. 198
Of the Enuious. ibid.
THE FIRST BOOKE.
CHARACTERISMES OF ƲERTVES.
By IOS. HALL.
SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS
Io 3.
ANCHORA FIDEI:
LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.
THE PROOEME.
VErtue is not loued enough, becauſe ſhe is not ſeene; and Ʋice loſeth much deteſtation, becauſe her vglineſſe is ſecret. Certainly, my Lords, there are ſo many beauties, and ſo many graces in the face of Goodneſſe, that no eye can poſsibly ſee it without affection, without rauiſhment: and the viſage of Euill is ſo monſtrous through loathſome deformities, that if her louers were not ignorant, they would be mad with diſdaine, and aſtoniſhment. What need we more than to diſcouer theſe two to the world? This worke ſhall ſaue the labour of exhorting, and diſſwaſion. J hauehave here done it as I could, following that ancient Maſter of Morality,Theophraſtus. who thought this the fitteſt taske for the ninety and ninth yeere of his age, and the profitableſt monument that he could leaue for a fare-well to his Grecians. Loe here then Ʋertue and Ʋice ſtript naked to the open view, and deſpoiled, one of her rags, the other of her ornaments, and nothing left them but bare preſence to pleade for affection: ſee now whether ſhall finde more ſuters. And if ſtill the vaine mindes of lewd men ſhall dote vponupon their old miſtreſſe, it will appeare to be, not becauſe ſhe is not foule, but for that they are blinde, and bewitched. And firſt behold the goodly features of Wiſdome, an amiable vertue, and worthy to leade this Stage: which as ſhe extends her ſelfe to all the following Graces, ſo amongst the reſt is for her largeneſſe moſt conſpicuous.