Works of Joseph Hall, Section 2 – Dedication 10
THE HVSBAND.
§. 2. Who muſt beare himſelfe
Wiſely,
Chaſtly,
Quietly, and cheerefully.
HE that findeth a wife; findeth a good thing, and receiueth fauour of the Lord:Pr. 18.22. Who muſt therefore behaue himſelfe, 1. wiſely, as the guide of her youth:Pr. 2.17. Pr. 12.4. Pr. 5.15. as the Head to which ſhe is a Crowne. 2. Chaſtly, Drinke the water of thine owne Ciſterne, and the riuers out of the middeſt of thine owne Well. The matrimoniall louelove muſt be pure and cleere, not muddy and troubled; Let thy fountaines flow forth,Pr. 5.16. and the riuers of waters in the ſtreets; the ſweet and comfortable fruits of bleſſed mariage, in plentifull iſſue: But let them be thine alone, and not the ſtrangers with thee.Pr. 5.17. This louelove abides no partners: for this were to giuegive thine honour vntounto others,Pr. 5.9. Pr. 5.10. and thy ſtrength to the cruell; ſo ſhould the ſtranger be filled with thy ſtrength, and (as the ſubſtance will be with the affections) thy labours ſhould bee in the houſe of a ſtranger;Pr. 5.11. and thou ſhalt mourne (which is the beſt ſucceſſe hereof) at thine end, when thou haſt conſumed (beſides thy goods) thy fleſh and thy body,Pr. 5.12. Pr. 5.14. and ſay, How hauehave I hated inſtruction, and mine heart deſp…ſed correction? I was almoſt plunged into all euill, of ſinne and torments; and that which is moſt ſhamefull, in the middeſt of the aſſembly, in the face of the world. Let therefore that thine owne Fountaine be bleſſed,Pr. 5.18. Pr. 5.19. and reioyce with the wife of thy youth: Let her be as the louing Hinde, and pleaſant Roe: let her breſts ſatisfie thee at all times, and erre thou in her louelove continually; For why ſhouldeſt thou delight, my ſonne, in a ſtrange woman;Pr. 5.20. Pr. 5.21. or (whether in affection, or act) embrace the boſome of a ſtranger? For the waies of man are before the eies of the Lord, and he pondereth all his paths: and if thy godleſneſſe regard not that, Pr. 6.25. Pr. 6.26. Pr. 6.26. Pr. 6.27. Pr. 6.28. Pr. 6.29.yet for thine owne ſake, Deſire not her beauty in thy heart, neither let her take thee with her eye-lids; for becauſe of the whoriſh woman, a man is brought to a morſell of broad, yea to the very huskes: and more then that, a Woman will hunt for the precious life of a man. Thou ſayeſt thou canſt eſcape this actuall defilement: Can a man take fire in his boſome, and his clothes not be burnt? Or can a man goe vponupon coles, and his feet not be burnt? So hee that goeth in to his neighbours wife, ſhall not be innocent, whoſoeuer toucheth her: This ſinne is farre more odious than theft: For, men doe not deſpiſe a Theefe when he ſtealeth to ſatisfie his ſoule,Pr. 6.30. Pr. 6.31. Pr. 6.32. Pr. 6.33. becauſe hee is hungry: But if he be found, he ſhall reſtore ſeuen-fold, or he ſhall giuegive all the ſubſtance of his houſe; and it is accepted. But he that commits adultery with a woman, is mad: hee that would deſtroy his owne ſoule, let him doe it: For, he ſhall finde a wound and diſhonour, and his reproach ſhall neuer be put away: Neither is the danger leſſe than the ſhame. Pr. 6.34.For, iealouſie is the rage of a man: therefore the wronged husband will not ſpare, in the day of vengeance.Pr. 6.35. Pr. 9.17. Hee cannot beare the ſight of any ranſome; neither will hee conſent to remit it, though thou multiply thy gifts. And though ſtolne waters be ſweet, and hid bread be pleaſant to our corrupt taſte; yet the adulterer knowes not that the dead are there:Pr. 9.18. Pr. 2.18, 19. Pr. 5.3. Pr. 5.4. Pr. 5.5. Pr. 23 27. Pr. 22.14. Pr. 15.17. Pr. 17.1. Pr. 19.11. and that her gheſts are in the deepes of hell, that her houſe tendeth to death; And howſoeuer her lips drop as an hony-combe, and her mouth is more ſoft than oile; yet the end of her is bitter as wormewood, and ſharpe as a two-edged ſword: her feet goe downe to death, and her ſteps take hold of hell: yea, the mouth of the ſtrange woman is a deepe pit, and he with whom the Lord is angry, ſhall fall into it.
3. Quietly and louingly: for, Better is a dinner of greene herbes where louelove is, than a ſtalled Oxe, and hatred therewith: Yea, Better is a dry morſell, if peace be with it, than an houſe full of ſacrifices with ſtrife. And if hee finde ſometime cauſe of blame, The diſcretion of a man deferreth his anger, and his glory is to paſſe by an offence: and onelyonly Hee that couereth a tranſgreſſion,Pr. 17.9. Ec. 9.9. ſeeketh louelove: Reioyce with thy wife, whom thou haſt loued all the daies of the life of thy vanity, which God hath giuen thee vnderunder the Sun. For this is thy portion in this life, And in the trauels wherein thou laboureſt vnderunder the Sunne.
THE WIFE.
§. 3. Shee muſt be
1. Faithfull to her husband, not wanton.
2. Obedient.
3. Diſcreet.
4. Prouident and houſe-wife-like.
Pr. 12.4. Pr. 31.10.A Vertuous wife is the Crowne of her husband: Who ſhall finde ſuch a one? for her price is farre aboue the pearles. She is true to her husbands bed; ſuch as the heart of her husband may truſt to,Pr. 31.11. Pr. 2.27. as knowing that ſhee is tyed to him by the Couenant of God; not wanton and vnchaſte: ſuch one as I once ſaw from the window of my houſe:Pr. 7.6. I looked thorow my window, and ſaw among the fooles, and conſidered among the children a young man wanting wit,Pr. 7.7. Pr. 7.8. Pr. 7.9. who paſſed thorow the ſtreet by her corner, and went toward her houſe, in the twi-light, in the euening, when the night began to be blacke and darke, ſo as he thought himſelfe vnſeene; and behold, there met him (the ſame he ſought for) a woman with an harlots faſhion,Pr. 7.10. and cloſe in heart, as open in her habit. Pr. 7.11.She is babbling and peruerſe; whoſe feet (contrary to the manner of all modeſt wiues, which onelyonly attaine honour) cannot abide in her houſe, but are euer gadding. Pr. 11.16. Pr. 7.11. Pr. 7.12. Pr. 23.28. Pr. 9.14. Pr. 7.13. Pr. 7.14. Pr. 7.15.Now ſhe is without the gates, now in the ſtreets, and lieth in wait in eueryevery corner; or at the leaſt, ſitteth at the doore of her houſe, on a ſeat in the high places of the City: ſo ſhee (not ſtaying to be ſollicited) caught him by the necke, and kiſſed him, and with an impudent face ſaid vntounto him, I hauehave the fleſh of peace-offerings, (both good cheere and Religion pretended) this day hauehave I paid my vowes: therefore I came forth, on purpoſe to meet thee, that I might earneſtly ſeeke thy face, of all others; and now, how happy am I, that I hauehave found thee! I hauehave decked my bed with ornaments, with curtaines,Pr. 7.16. Pr. 7.17. and ſtrings of Egypt: I hauehave perfumed my bed with Myrrh, Aloes, and Cinnamon, that wee may lie ſweet; Come goe, let vsus take our fill of loues, vntill the morning,Pr. 7.18. Pr. 7.19. let vsus take our pleaſure in dalliance; feare nothing, For my husband is not at home, hee is gone a iourney farre off, neither needeſt thou to doubt his returne; Pr. 7.20. Pr. 7.21. Pr. 7.22. Pr. 7.23.for hee hath taken with him a bag of ſiluer, and will come home at his ſet day: ſooner he cannot; this ſhe ſaid: what followed? By the abundance of the ſweetneſſe of her ſpeech, ſhe cauſed him to yeeld: and with the flattery of her lips, ſhe entiſed him; and ſtraight waies he followes her, as an Oxe goeth to the ſlaughter, and a foole to the ſtockes for correction, till a Dart ſtrike thorow his Liuer, the ſeat of his luſt: or as a bird haſteneth to the ſnare, and knoweth not that it is againſt his owne life: thus ſhe doth, and when her husband returnes, ſhe wipeth her mouth,Pr. 30.20. Ec. 15.1. Pr. 30.21, 23. Pr. 19.13. Pr. 27.51. Pr. 25.24. Ec. 4.9. Pr. 27.19. and ſaith, I hauehave not committed iniquity. (2.) She is dutifull and obedient; by a ſoft anſwer appeaſing wrath: not hatefull; for whom, a whole world is moued; not ſtubborne, not quarrellous: for the contentions (and brawlings) of a wife, are like a continuall dropping in the day of raine: a diſcomfort to the husband, a rotting to the houſe. So, It is better to dwell in a corner of the houſe top, than with a contentious woman in a wide houſe. And though, for ſociety, Two bee better than one; yet It is better to dwell alone in the Wilderneſſe, than with a contentious and angry woman. For herein as his griefe cannot be auoided, ſo his ſhame cannot be conceiued. For, Hee that hideth her, hideth the wind;Pr. 27.16. and ſhe is as oile in his right hand, that vttereth it ſelfe.
§. 4. The good houſewife (Prou. 31.) ſet forth by her
Actions,
In her owne perſon;
Labours, Bargaines.
Liberall prouiſion for
Her ſelfe, The poore.
Her family,
Husband,
Seruants.
In the ouerſight of her family.
Speeches, Diſpoſitions.
3. SHe is moreouer prudent, and diſcreet. A wiſe woman buildeth her houſe,Pr. 14.1. Pr. 11.22. but the fooliſh deſtroyeth it with her owne hands: and As a ring of gold in a ſwines ſnout, ſo is a faire woman which lacketh diſcretion. 4. Laſtly, ſhee is carefull and houſe-wife like; ſo as She doe her husband good; and not euill,Pr. 31.12. all the dayes of her life: For as for her actions in her owne perſon, whether you looke to her labours: Shee ſeeketh wooll and flax, and laboureth cheerfully with her hands.Pr. 31.13. Pr. 31.15. Pr. 31.17. Pr. 31.19. Pr. 31.16. Pr. 31.14. Pr. 31.18. Pr. 31.24. She riſeth while it is yet night: She girdeth her loines with ſtrength, and ſtrengthneth her armes. She putteth her hands to the wheele, and her hands handle the ſpindle: or whether, to her bargaines; She conſidereth a field, and getteth it, and with the fruit of her hand ſhee planteth a Vineyard. She is like the ſhip of Merchants, ſhe bringeth her food from far: ſhe feeleth that her merchandiſe is good, her candle is not put out by night: ſhee maketh ſheets and ſelleth them, and giueth girdles vntounto the Merchants; or whether to her liberall prouiſion; For her husband, Pr. 31.23.who is knowne in the gates (by her neat furniſhing) when hee ſits with the Elders of the Land: 2. For her ſelfe, She maketh her ſelfe carpets,Pr. 31.21. Pr. 31.21. fine linnen and …urple is her garment: 3. For her ſeruants, She feareth not the ſnow for her family, for all her family is clothed with Scarlet:Pr. 31.20. For the poore, She ſtretcheth out her hands to the poore, and putteth forth her hands to the needy: For her ouer-ſight of her family, She giueth the portion to her houſhold,Pr. 31.15. and the ordinary (or ſtint of worke) to her maids: ſhe ouer-ſeeth the waies of her houſhold,Pr. 31.27. Pr. 31.26. Pr. 31.25. and eateth not the bread of idleneſſe. For her ſpeeches; ſhe openeth her mouth with wiſdome, and the law of grace is in her tongue. Laſtly, Strength and honour is her clothing, and in the latter Day ſhe ſhall reioyce. So worthy ſhe is in all theſe, Pr. 31.28. Pr. 31.29.that her owne children cannot containe, but riſe vp and call her bleſſed, and her husband ſhall praiſe her, and ſay, Many daughters hauehave done vertuouſly, but thou ſurmounteſt them all:Pr. 31.30. Fauour is deceitfull, and beauty is vanity; but a woman that feareth the Lord, ſhe ſhall be praiſed: Since therefore ſhe is ſo well deſeruing, GiueGive her of the fruit of her owne hands,Pr. 31.31. and let her owne workes praiſe her.
PARENTS.
§. 5. Who owe to their children,
Prouiſion.
Inſtruction.
Correction.
PArents and Children are the next paire; which doe giuegive much ioy to each other: Childrens children are the crowne of the Elders,Pr. 17 6. and the glory of the children are their fathers: To which purpoſe, the Parent oweth to the Childe, 1. Prouiſion. A good man ſhall giuegive inheritance to his childrens children.Pr. 13.22. Ec. 2.18. Ec. 2.19. All the labour wherein hee hath trauelled, he ſhall leaue to the man that ſhall bee after him. And who knoweth whether he ſhall be wiſe or fooliſh? yet ſhall he rule ouer all his labour wherein he hath laboured, and ſhewed himſelfe wiſe vnderunder the Sunne. Here are therefore two groſſe vanities,Ec. 4.8. which I hauehave ſeene: the one, There is one alone, and there is not a ſecond, which hath neither ſonne nor brother: yet there is none end of his trauell, neither can his eie be ſatisfied with riches; neither doth he thinke, For whom doe I trauell, and defraud my ſoule of pleaſure? The other contrary; riches reſerued to the owner thereof for their euill. And theſe riches periſh in his euill buſineſſe;Ec. 5.12. Ec. 5.13. Pr. 1.8. Pr. 17.21. Pr. 22.6. and he begetteth a ſonne, and in his hand is nothing. 2. Inſtruction and good education: for, Hee that begetteth a foole (whether naturally, or by ill breeding) begetteth himſelfe ſorrow, and the father of a foole can hauehave no ioy. And therefore, Teach a childe in the trade of his way, and when he is old, he ſhall not depart from it. 3. Correction: He that ſpareth his rod, hateth his ſonne: but hee that loueth him chaſteneth betime;Pr. 13.24. Pr. 22.15. for fooliſhneſſe is bound in the heart of a childe: the rod of correction ſhall driue it from him: yea, there is yet great benefit of due chaſtiſement; Pr. 29.15.for, The rod and correction giuegive life: but a childe ſet at liberty, makes his mother (who is commonly faulty this way) aſhamed;Pr. 23.13. Pr. 25.14. Pr. 4.3. Pr. 29.17. yea, more than ſhame, death and hell follow to the childe vponupon indulgence: (only) If thou ſmite him with the rod, he ſhall not die: If thou ſmite him with the rod, thou ſhalt deliuer his ſoule from hell. Though thy ſonne therefore be tender and deare in thy ſight; Correct him, and he will giuegive thee reſt, and will giuegive pleaſures to thy ſoule:Pr. 19.18. wherefore, Chaſten him while there is hope; and let not thy ſoule ſpare,Pr. 19.19. to his deſtruction. The ſonne that is of a great ſtomacke, ſhall endure puniſhment: and though thou deliuer him, yet thou ſhalt take him in hand againe.
CHILDREN.
§. 6. Their duties
Obedience to
Inſtructions,
Commandements.
Submiſsion to correction.
Care
of their Parents eſtate,
of their owne carriage.
Pr. 1….20 Pr. 10 1. Pr. 24.24. Pr. 19.13.A Wiſe Sonne reioyceth the father, and the father of the righteous ſhall greatly reioyce; whereas. The fooliſh is the calamity of his Parents: Contrarily, if thou be a wiſe ſonne, or loueſt wiſdome, thy father and thy mother ſhall be glad,Pr. …9.3. Pr. 23.15. Pr. 31.1. Pr. 1.8. Pr. 23.22. Pr. 6.20. and ſhee that bare thee ſhall reioyce. Such an one is, firſt, obedient; for, A wiſe ſonne will heare and obey the inſtruction of his father, and not forſake his mothers teaching; yea in eueryevery command, he will obey him that begot him, and not deſpiſe his mother when ſhee is old; not vponupon any occaſion curſing his Parents (as there is a generation that doth:) for, He that curſeth his father, or mother, his light ſhall bee put out in obſcure darkneſſe;Pr. 30.11. Pr. 20.20. Pr. 15.20. Pr. 30.17. Pr. 2.1. Pr. 15.5. Pr. 6.23. Pr. 15.10. Pr. 28.24. not mocking and ſcorning them; for, The eie that mocketh his father, and deſpiſeth the inſtruction of his mother, the Rauens of the Valley ſhall picke it out, and the young Eagles eat it: and not obedient to counſell onelyonly, but to ſtripes, Hee that hateth correction, is a foole: and he that regardeth it, is prudent. For, thoſe corrections that are for inſtruction, are the way of life: therefore, he that hateth them ſhall die. Secondly, carefull both 1. of their eſtate: He that robbeth his father and mother, and ſaith it is no tranſgreſſion, is a companion of a man that deſtroyeth; and 2. of his owne cariage: Pr. 19.26.for a lewd and ſhamefull childe deſtroyeth his father, and chaſeth away his mother.Pr. 20.11. Let therefore euen the childe ſhew himſelfe to be knowne by his doings, whether his worke bee pure and right: ſo his fathers reines ſhall reioyce, when he ſpeaketh, and doth righteous things.Pr. 23.16.
THE MASTER, AND SERVANT.
§. 7.
The Maſter muſt bee
Prouident for his ſeruant.
Not
too ſecure.
too familiar.
The Seruant muſt be
Faithfull,
Diligent.
THe ſeruant is no ſmall commodity to his Maſter. He that is deſpiſed,Pr. 12.9. and hath a ſeruant of his owne, is better than he that boaſts (whether of Gentry, or wealth) and wanteth bread. The Maſter, therefore, Pr. 27.27.muſt prouide ſufficiency of food for his family, and ſuſtenance for his maids: who alſo as he may not bee ouer-rigorous in puniſhing, or noting offences; ſometimes not hearing his ſeruant, that curſeth him: ſo not too familiar; Ec. 7.23. Pr. 29.21.for he that delicately bringeth vp his ſeruant from his youth, at length he will bee as his ſonne. He muſt therefore be ſometimes ſeuere, more than in rebukes; (For, Pr. 29.19.A ſeruant will not be chaſtiſed with words: and though hee vnderſtand, yet hee will not regard) yet ſo, as he hauehave reſpect euer to his good deſeruings: A diſcreet ſeruant ſhall rule ouer a lewd ſon:Pr. 17.2. and he ſhall diuide the heritage among his brethren. In anſwer whereto, the good ſeruant muſt be faithfull vntounto his Maſter; As the cold of ſnow in the time of harueſt,Pr. 25.13. ſo is a faithfull Meſſenger to them that ſend him, for he refreſheth the ſoule of his Maſter. A wicked Meſſenger falleth into euill: but a faithfull Ambaſſadour is preſeruation; and 2.Pr. 13.17. diligent, Whether in charge; Be diligent to know the eſtate of thy flocke (or rather, Pr. 17.23.the face of thy cattell) and take heed to the heards: or in his attendance, Hee that keepeth his Fig-tree, ſhall eat of the fruit of it;Pr. 27.18. ſo he that carefully waiteth on his Maſter, ſhall come to honour; where contrarily, in both theſe, As vineger to the teeth, and ſmoke to the eies:Pr. 10.26. ſo is a ſlothfull Meſſenger to them that ſend him.
FINIS.
AN OPEN AND PLAINE PARAPHRASE, VPONUPON THE SONG OF SONGS, Which is SALOMONS.
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 SINGVLAR GOOD LORD, and Patron, EDVVARD Lord DENNY, Baron of Waltham, All Grace and Happineſſe.
RIGHT HONOVRABLE,
WHen I would hauehave withdrawne my hand from diuine Salomon, the heauenly elegance of this his beſt Song drew mee vntounto it, and would not ſuffer mee to take off mine eies, or pen. Who can reade it with vnderſtanding, and not be tranſported from the world, from himſelfe? and bee any otherwhere ſaue in Heauen, before his time? I had rather ſpend my time in admiration, than Apologie. Surely, here is nothing that ſauours not of extaſie, and ſpirituall rauiſhment; neither was there euer ſo high and paſsionate a ſpeculation deliuered by the Spirit of God, to mankinde: which by how much more diuine it is, by ſo much more difficult. It is well, if theſe myſteries can be found out by ſearching. Two things make the Scripture hard: Prophecies, Allegories; both are met in this: but the latter ſo ſenſibly to the weakeſt eies, that this whole Paſtorall-mariage-ſong (for ſuch it is) is no other than one Allegorie ſweetly continued: where the deepeſt things of God are ſpoken in Riddles, how can there be but obſcuritie and diuers conſtruction? All iudgements will not (I know) ſubſcribe to my ſenſes; yet I hauehave beene fearefull and ſpiritually nice, not often diſſenting from all Jnterpreters; alwaies, from the vnlikelieſt. It would bee too tedious to giuegive my account for eueryevery line: let the learned ſcan and iudge. What-euer others cenſures be, your Honours was fauourable; and (as to all mine) full of louelove and incouragement. That, therefore, which it pleaſed you to allow from my pen, vouchſafe to receiue from the Preſſe; more common, not leſſe deuoted to you. What is there of mine that doth not ioy in your name, and boaſt it ſelfe in ſeruing you? To whoſe ſoule and people, I hauehave long agone addicted my ſelfe, and my labours, and ſhall euer continue
Your Lordſhips, in all humble and vnfained dutie, IOS. HALL.