Works of Joseph Hall, Character 26 – Title page 12
Of the Enuious.
HE feeds on others euils, and hath no diſeaſe but his neighbours welfare: whatſoeuer God doe for him, he cannot be happy with company; and if he were put to chuſe, whether he would rather hauehave equals in a common felicitie, or ſuperiours in miſerie, he would demurre vponupon the election. His eie caſts out too much, and neuer returnes home, but to make compariſons with anothers good. He is an ill prizer of forraine commoditie; worſe of his owne; for, that hee rates too high, this vnderunder value. You ſhall hauehave him euer inquiring into the eſtates of his equals and betters; wherein he is not more deſirous to heare all, than loth to heate any thing ouer-good: and if iuſt report relate ought better than he would, he redoubles the queſtion, as being hard to beleeue what he likes not; and hopes yet, if that be auerred againe to his griefe, that there is ſomewhat concealed in the relation, which if it were knowne, would argue the commended partie miſerable, and blemiſh him with ſecret ſhame. He is readie to quarrell with God, becauſe the next field is fairer growne; and angerly calculates his coſt, and time, and tillage. Whom he dares not openly backbite, nor wound with a direct cenſure, he ſtrike ſmoothly with an ouer-cold praiſe; and when he ſees that he muſt either maliciouſly oppugne the iuſt praiſe of another, (which were vnſafe) or approue it by aſſent, he yeeldeth; but ſhewes withall that his meanes were ſuch, both by nature and education, that he could not, without much neglect, be leſſe commendable: ſo his happineſſe ſhall be made the colour of detraction. When an wholſome law is propounded, he croſſeth it, either by open, or cloſe oppoſition; not for any incommoditie or inexpedience, but becauſe it proceeded from any mouth beſides his owne. And it muſt bee a cauſe rarely plauſible, that will not admit ſome probable contradiction. When his equall ſhould riſe to honour, hee ſtriues againſt it vnſeene; and rather with much coſt ſuborneth great aduerſaries; and when hee ſees his reſiſtance vaine, he can giuegive an hollow gratulation in preſence; but in ſecret, diſparages that aduancement; either the man is vnfit for the place, or the place for the man: or if fit, yet leſſe gainfull, or more common than opinion: whereto he addes, that himſelfe might hauehave had the ſame dignitie vponupon better tearmes, and refuſed it. He is wittie in deuiſing ſuggeſtions, to bring his Riuall out of louelove, into ſuſpition. If he be courteous, he is ſeditiouſly popular; if bountifull, he bindes ouer his clients to a faction; if ſucceſſefull in warre, he is dangerous in peace; if wealthy, he laies vp for a day; if powerfull, nothing wants but opportunitie of rebellion. His ſubmiſſion is ambitious hypocriſie; his religion, politike inſinuation; no action is ſafe from a iealous conſtruction. When hee receiues a good report of him whom he emulates, he ſaith, Fame is partiall, and is wont to blanch miſchiefes; and pleaſeth himſelfe with hope to finde it worſe; and if Ill-will hauehave diſperſed any more ſpightfull narration, he laies hold on that, againſt all witneſſes, and brocheth that rumour for trueſt, becauſe worſt: and when he ſees him perfectly miſerable, he can at once pitie him, and reioyce. What himſelfe cannot doe, others ſhall not: hee hath gained well, if he hauehave hindred the ſucceſſe of what hee would hauehave done, and could not. Hee conceales his beſt skill, not ſo as it may not be knowne that he knowes it, but ſo as it may not be learned; becauſe he would hauehave the world miſſe him. He attained to a ſoueraigne medicine, by the ſecret Legacy of a dying Empericke, whereof he will leaue no heire, leſt the praiſe ſhould be diuided. Finally, he is an enemy to Gods fauours, if they fall beſide himſelfe; the beſt nurſe of ill Fame; a man of the worſt diet; for he conſumes himſelfe; and delights in pining; a thorne-hedge couered with nettles; a peeuiſh Interpreter of good things, and no other than a leane and pale carkaſe quickned with a Fiend.
FINIS.
SALOMONS DIVINE ARTS, OF
1. ETHICKS.
2. POLITICKS.
3. OECONOMICKS.
THAT IS, THE GOVERNMENT OF
1. BEHAVIOVR.
2. COMMON-WEALTH.
3. FAMILIE.
DRAWNE INTO METHOD, OVT of his PROVERBS and ECCLESIASTES.
With an open and plaine Paraphraſe vponupon the SONG OF SONGS.
By IOS. HALL.
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, AND HOPEFVLL LORD, ROBERT, Earle of Eſſex, my ſingular good Lord, all increaſe of Grace and true HONOVR.
RIGHT HONOVRABLE,
WHileſt J deſired to congratulate your happy returne with ſome worthy preſent; I fell vponupon this: which I dare not onelyonly offer, but commend; the royalleſt Philoſopher and wiſest King, giuing you thoſe precepts, which the Spirit of God gaue him. The matter is all his: nothing is mine, but the method, which I doe willingly ſubmit to cenſure. In that, hee could not erre: in this, J cannot but hauehave erred, either in Art, or application, or ſenſe, or diſorder, or defect: yet not wilfully. I hauehave meant it well, and faithfully to the Church of God, and to your Honour, as one of her great hopes. If any man ſhall cauill, that I hauehave gone about to correct Salomons order, or to controule Ezekias ſeruants: I complaine both of his charity, and wiſdome; and appeale to more lawfull iudgement. Let him as well ſay, that eueryevery Concordance peruerts the Text. J hauehave onelyonly endeuoured to be the common place-booke of that great King, and to referre his Diuine rules to their heads, for more eaſe of finding, for better memory, for readier vſe. See how that God, whoſe wiſdome thought good to bereaue mankinde of Salomons profound Commentaries of Nature, hath reſerued theſe his Diuine Morals, to out-liue the world; as knowing, that thoſe would but feed mans curioſitie, theſe would both direct his life, and iudge it. He hath not done this without expectation of our good, and glory to himſelfe: which if we anſwer, the gaine is ours. J know how little need there is, either to intreat your Lordſhips acceptation, or to aduiſe your vſe. It is enough to hauehave humbly preſented them to your hands, and through them to the Church: the deſire of whoſe good is my good; yea, my recompence and glory. The ſame God, whoſe hand hath led and returned you in ſafetie, from all forraine euils, guide your waies at home, and graciouſly increaſe you in the ground of all true honour, Goodneſſe. My praiers ſhall euer follow you:
Who vow my ſelfe your Honours in all humble and true dutie, IOS. HALL.
SALOMONS ETHICKS, OR MORALS, JN FOVRE BOOKES.
The
1. Of FELICITIE,
2. Of PRVDENCE,
3. Of IVSTICE,
4. Of
TEMPERANCE,
FORTITVDE.
By IOS. HALL.
SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS
Io 3.
ANCHORA FIDEI:
LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.