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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20524	Bathshebaes instructions to her sonne Lemuel containing a fruitfull and plaine exposition of the last chapter of the Prouerbs. Describing the duties of a great-man, and the vertures of a gracious woman. Penned by a godly and learned man, now with God. Perused, and published for the use of Gods church, by Iohn Dod, and William Hinde.	Dod, John, 1549?-1645.; Hinde, William, 1569?-1629.; Cleaver, Robert, 1561 or 2-ca. 1625, attributed name.	1614 (1614)	STC 6935; ESTC S109713	33,460	85

euen Kings themselues are altogether without strength Psa 18 33 34 35 Iam. 1. sauing that God doth gird them with might whereof being depriued presently the become weake and feeble Sure it is that the strength of the body euen as euery good gift commeth from God aboue in whom we liue doe moue and haue our being yet so notwithstanding as God doth not exclude our endeauour no not so much as in the worke of sanctification Acts 17.28 1. Tim 8 16 Ia. 4 5 8 9 10. much lesse in the worke of this life for the performance whereof there remaineth not so great strength after the blot of sinne And first of all she may well be said to gird her loines and her armes with strength for that shee excerciseth her selfe and her body with labor for as by idlenes slothfulnes the strength is enfeebled in some sort as yron vnused is eaten with rust so by moderate exercise the strength is increased augmented Hereof is it that husbandmen laborors hauing their health the slothfull sluggish are oppressed with sundry diseases Furthermore in another respect shee may well bee said to strengthen her loines and her armes for that shee conceiueth great hope to perfect these things which shee taketh in hand For there are many which of a faint-hartednesse and base dispaire of their minde dare not enterprise any excellent thing or hauing begunne it out of an opinion of difficulty to finish that which they haue imagined to themselues doe cast it out of their hands vnexpected So comes it to passe that through a vile and base feare and distrust they doe as it were lay bands vpon themselues and being fettered hand and foote they become vnfit and vnable for any notable worke wherein there appeareth any shew of difficulty Hereof the Israelites setting before themselues the height of the wals of the land of Canaan the taulnes of the men reiecting alll hope of vanquishing that Country beganne to thinke of returning into Egypt Numb 13.32 Deut. 1. This cowardnesse and basenesse of minde in those that belong vnto the Kingdome of Heauen is greater for although there are some which haue found the way and life very easie yet many also are so discouraged with the difficulty thereof that they will not once enter into this course Which thing is manifestly declared in the words of Moses Deut. 30.11.12.13.14.15 Also 1. Iohn 5.3 and Math. 11.30 Heere the cause as often els where is inserted as well of this which hath gone before as of other effects which doe follow to wit that shee findeth the fruit of her labour to be good and to haue good speede in those things which shee hath labored And this hee amplifieth by a comparison of the like For as hee which tasteth good and delicate meates neuer proued before with the sweetnesse thereof is entised and egged on to procure the same againe although it bee with some hard and sharpe labor so this woman being taught by the experience of the fruit of her labour and industry doth the more cheerefully follow the same Those therefore which are sloathfull and idle for as much as they reape no fruit of their idlenesse are not stirred vp with any desire to labour Such also as with labour wearying both themselues and theirs doe notwithstanding receiue none at all or very small fruite of their paines because God not being called vpon by them refuseth to giue his blessing these men also must needes faint vnder the burden of their labours Psal 127 1 2 Hag. 1 6 ● As on the contrary this woman whose labours God by his blessing doth prosper making wonderfull gaine is encouraged to vndergoe her paines And no doubt but the Israelites when they had once tasted of the fruites of the land of Canaan did the more couragiously ioine battell with the inhabitants thereof Euen as also we see that good senting hounds with the onely sent of the beast which they doe course doe mend their pace and with greater swiftnesse doe chase their pray On the contrary it comes to passe in many who when as through the blessing of God vpon their honest labours they are grone to some wealth do giue themselues to idlenesse and to their pleasures till they haue wasted that which they had gotten with paine This in matters belonging to the life to come is more euidently perceiued for that so many hearers of the Gospell doe so coldly frequent the assemblies of the Church in the preaching of the Gospell administration of the Sacraments and other ordinary seruice of God it proceeds from no other cause but this that they haue not tasted the fruit of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes euen the peace of conscience Whereas if so be they had but tasted onely how good the Lord is it cannot be vttered with what feruentnesse and zeale they would runne vnto the meetings of the Church and would thirst after them Psal 42.1 Iam. 2.1.2 3. as the Hart chased by the dogges thirsteth after the waters There followeth another effect of the efficient cause before declared which is that her light is not put out by night It was said before that she preuenteth the day Now he addeth that she so abideth to her worke that she maketh not an end of her worke with the day but draweth it forth and continueth it a great part of the night Neither doth she as some doe labour by fits but persisteth and perseuereth constantly in her workes Hereof may be gathered that she breaketh her sweete sleepe For rising so early and going to bed so late especially when she hath beene painefull in her worke the sounder sleepe must needes fal vpon her so as she but with some violence doth not awake Which thing is to be obserued of all both men and women For as it is not lawfull to eate vnto a fulnes so likewise it is not lawful to sleepe so long till we haue satisfied our lust It hath bin said before how this woman of strength appointed maides their taske he now addeth further that she doth her selfe set her hands to worke Hitherto also pertaineth she busieth her selfe in the same kinde of worke with her maides handling the whele and the distaffe one after another Although it be not vnlikely that she did spinne finer and costlier woole and flaxe yet it is certaine that it was laboursome and painefull both the wheele the spindle whereto she was to put her strength and vse her might For to what end is it that it was sayd before that shee girdeth her selfe with strength but that she should haue need of strength to do her worke Wherto also pertaineth that which is spoken in this verse that she putteth both her hands to the spindle For it is a thing layde vpon all the posteritie of Adam not only to labour but to labour hardly and with paine For notwithstanding that God hath appointed vnto women such workes as haue lesse wearisomnes in them in

Bathshebaes INSTRVCTIONS to her Sonne LEMVEL Containing a fruitfull and plaine Exposition of the last Chapter of the PROVERBS Describing the duties of a Great-man AND The vertues of a Gracious Woman Penned by a godly and learned man now with God Perused and published for the vse of Gods Church By Iohn Dod AND William Hinde Printed at London by Iohn Beale for Roger Iackson and are to be sold at his shop neere the great Cunduit in Fleet-streete 1614. TO THE RIGHT Honorable VVILLIAM Lord SAYE and SEALE together with the religious Lady ELIZABETH his wife Grace and peace in Christ Iesus MY GOOD LORD I Present you here with a diuine Iewell which as it was found by a rich Merchant in his field so was it polished by the cunning skill of his owne most curious hand Jf you behold the quantitie it may seeme but as a Mite but if you consider the quality and vertue thereof it is farre to bee preferred aboue much refined gold For among others it hath this hidden vertue that whosoeuer contemplates the lustre thereof with a chaste eye it will reflect a sanctified illumination into his very heart And seeing that by Gods prouidence it came to my hands when as by the death of the Author it was like to haue been lost I thought my selfe bound in conscience to communicate it with the Church of God for the publike good rather then to keepe it still in my closet for my owne priuate benefit And howsoeuer the splendor of this Iewell will glad the heart of euery eye that seeth it yet being well considered you shall finde it belongeth by a more peculier right to such among the sonnes and daughters of men who are eminent for their birth and honourable for their place and condition And because the worth of the Iewel required a Patron of no meaner ranke then one of the sonnes of Nobles Eccles 10 17 I thought good to recommend this Iewell vnto your Lordships Patronage and protection and the rather that it might bee some testimonie of the fauours which I haue receiued from and of that duty wherein I acknowledge my selfe to be indebted vnto your Lordship It is now your owne oh let the light and lustre of euery beame therein shine in your Person and appeare in your practise that to the glorie of God the ioy of your friends and solace of your owne conscience Grace and Honour Godlinesse and greatnesse knowledge and sanctification may be seene in you amiably to embrace and beuatifully to adorne one another For when after a long account you shall at the last come to cast vp your Summa totalis you shall finde that Godlinesse will proue the greatest gaine Grace the richest treasure and Gods fauour the highest honour The Lord with his fauorable countenance blesse you and your vertuous Lady and euery branch of your vine Psal 92.13 14 that as the Lords planting you may so flourish in Gods courts that branches be neuer wanting to your stocke nor fruit vnto your braunches that men may see that verified of your honourable vine which the heathen man said of his golden tree Primo avulso non deficit alter Aureus simili frondescit virga metallo Bunbury in Cheshire Iuly 13. 1614. Your Honours in all christian duty to be commanded WILLIAM HINDE AN EXPOSITION vpon the last Chapter of the PROVERBS * ⁎ * PROVERBS Chap. 31. Verse 1. The words of King Lemuel the collection wherein his mother instructed him Verse 2. What my sonne and vvhat a sonne of my wombe and a sonne of my vowes THE scope and drift of the first verse is set forth vnto vs that it is the duety of Parents to teach and instruct their children and that it is the Childrens duty firmely to retaine in memory the instruction and precepts of their Parents The drift and scope of the second verse is to shew that children ought to be perswaded of the loue of their Parents to the end that they bee the better confirmed and strengthened in the doctrine vvhich they teach them IN this Chapter two things are to be obserued First the Title Secondly An Exhortation and admonition of * Called also Bathshua 1. Chron. 3.5 Bathsheba the mother vnto Salomon her sonne The title is described by a double efficient cause First by Bathsheba the author which is noted by her relatiue to wit the mother of Salomon And Secondly by Salomon the reporter who also is declared by another relatiue to wit the title of King It is further also described by the finall cause which is that the mother should instruct her sonne Salomon Afterwards is declared the duty of children which is faithfully to retain the wholsome precepts and admonitions of their parents and rather then they should be forgotten to commit them to writing to the end that they may in their practice of life by their deedes expresse them for the obedience of children dooth not so much consist in bowing the knees to their Parents in giuing them outvvarde honour and reuerence and in asking their blessing c. as in obseruing the lessons and instructions vvhich are deliuered to them by their Parents And as Salomon kept and preserued those precepts not for his owne vse onely but also for the profit of the posteritie of the Church So it behooueth children after they haue applied them first to their owne vse to haue care to teach them to their children begotten by them In Bathsheba the other efficient cause is to bee noted the duety of Parents in generall and in speciall of mothers which is Eph. 6 4 to bring vp and instruct their Children euen their sonnes in the feare of God 1. Chron 28.9 Exo. 12 26 27 and to endewe them vvith lessons and precepts which may bee of vse vnto them not onely whilest they are vnder their nurturing gouernment and ouersight but also may bee necessary and profitable vnto them for the framing and gouerning the vvhole course of their life 2. Tim. 1 5 and that euen from their * Tim. 3.15 Pro. 4.3 cradles which appeareth by her louing manner of speech toward him calling him Lemuel a thing obserued by mothers to their children whilest they are in their tender yeeres Then it is also to be noted in what things chiefly is seene the loue of parents which is lawfull to wit that by how much the more they loue their children by so much the more plentifully and abundantly they should enforme them in the feare of God For whereas Bethsheba held her sonne Salomon most deere vnto her as doth very manifestly appeare by the fourth chapter of the Prouerbs verse 31 and by the second verse of this chapter shee did witnesse and testifie this her loue by a most diligent and religious education of him contrary to that which parents and mothers especially in these dayes doe which doe expresse their loue to their children in cloathing them in gay apparell feeding them with delicate meates allowing them

bee sought for from the vtmost parts of the kingdome Psal 101 2 6 much more wiues which are ioyned in a more straight and inuiolable band for which cause Gen. 24 3 4 we see that Abraham sent his seruant vnto another country to take a wife for his sonne Isaac And if Assuerus for the beauty of a woman Est 2 3 did cause all his kingdome to bee sought and surueyed How much more ought Christian Princes to seeke her for her vertue And if wee shall well examine the matter this is one and a chiefe cause of this rarenesse because there are so few men which doe seeke after such women For if they were oftentimes and of many men sought for no doubt but there would be greater plenty of such women But now when women doe consider in themselues that vertue and piety is not regarded but beauty nobility and riches and that if onely they haue them they please their wooers Therfore are they so carefull for them and doe set their rest vpon them Whereof also it is that the chiefe care of Parents is to make them most beautiful most rich altogether neglecting piety and good huswiferie Howbeit in their words there is so great vanity in their countenance so deepe dissembling and in their manners for the time so much counterfaiting and hypocrisie that no man although of the sharpest wit is able to iudge soundly and perfectly of them Wherefore they which doe take this in hand trusting vnto their owne wit are most grossely deceiued vnlesse the helpe of God first craued by praier doe prosper and giue good successe vnto their labors Wherefore Salomon in another place saith Pro. 19.14 18.22 that Inheritance is left vnto children by their Parents but a prudent wife is the gift of God And in Ecclesiastes making mention of the great mischiefe of a wicked woman he saith that he which is good in the sight of the Lord Eccles 7.26 is deliuered from her but that the sinner is snared by her Shee is further described by another adiunct of her price which is often wont to arise from the former rarenesse for those things which are rare are good and that which is rare is deere But her price or worth is set forth by a comparison of the lesser to wit of carbuncles not one but many vvhich also is amplified by a comparison of the greater for he doth not only say that her value is a aboue carbuncles but that it is far aboue them So as it should seeme an vniust thing to bring them in comparison together and as it were so weigh them together in balance That wife therefore may bee sufficiently endowed which is well nurture and that not onely because vertue of it selfe is a certaine treasure but because God doth most commonly follow such a woman with the blessing of riches But the iudgment of men is farre otherwise for except a woman be endowed either vvith a great stocke or large rents shee is no more esteemed for her piety then a flint or any other contemptible stone vvhich lieth abroad in the streets and high-vvaies But vvhat things are here spoken of a woman of strength the same may also by a little turning of the word bee fitly carried and applied vnto such a man After that he hath generally described this excellent woman he deuideth her duty into two parts whereof the former is concerning her duety towards her husband the other towards the whole family Both which being briefly comprehended in this verse are afterwards more largely vnfolded And that which concerneth the former doth seeme rather to belong to the praise of the husband then of the wife For it is the commendation of the husband to trust his wife not to be ouer iealous towards her neither to suspect her faithfulnesse towards him which many men doe who vndeseruedly doe suspect their wiues But hee which shall more throughly enter into this matter shall finde it rather to bee referred to the praise of the wife For he teacheth that so great and so absolutely perfect is her faithfulne● both in words and behauiour alone and in company that her husband may surely rest vpon her For it is otherwise with this woman Pro. 7.10.18 19.20 then with that which is spoken of otherwhere Whereof also that doth appeare that it is not sufficient that women doe keepe themselues chaste and vntouched of vicious men vnlesse also they be of that integrity and vprightnesse that they minister not so much as the least occasion of suspition For you may see many women which although sometimes they be farre from the crime of adultery not onely in act but also in consent notwithstanding by reason of their gesture and behauiour they are not free from all markes and notes of immodestie Wherein the sincerity of elder times may condemne the loosenesse of this age Gen. 26 8 9.10 whereas by the sporting onely of Isaac with Rebecca their mariage contrary to that which they pretented was coniectured which is so much the more worthy the noting in as much as it was not lawfull for the brother to sport with his owne sister For whereas Rebecca by the aduise of her husband Gen. 26.7 had carried her selfe as Isaacs sister and Isaac had carried himselfe as Rebeccaes brother the counterfeiting of them both was by this sporting discouered Amongst prophane heathen in times past such great honesty of manners was obserued that it was accounted an vnhonest thing Alex. Gen. lib. 4. c. 20. p. 243. for Parents with their children and Fathers in law with their sonnes in law to be bathed together in one bath But how much good and quietnesse there is in this faithfulnesse and chastity of the wife whereby the husband is free from all suspicion of dishonesty may bee easily discerned by the contrary torment of such men as are vexed with the spirit of iealousie And this by a little turning of the words may be drawne to the duety of the man towards his wife The other duety is prouiding for her familie and it is declared by the effect of a woman of strength to wit procuring of plenty especially of houshould furniture which is set forth by likning her to those which hauing obtained the victory and slaine their enemies doe bring the spoiles home to their houses By which metaphor hee sheweth that shee doth by her labour and industry helpe very much for the maintaining of their estate But hereof more shall be spoken in the rest of the Chapter Verse 12. He afterwards returneth to the description of her duety towards her husband which first is propounded by the effect that is that shee will doe good vnto her husband which is amplified by denying of the contrary By which manner of speech he declareth that shee will doe nothing but that which shall be good and commodious vnto him for shee is giuen him of God for a helper Gen. 2 18. He teacheth therefore

that it is the part of a good wife to please her husband in all things so farre as it may agree with the duty of a good and godly woman for if for his good shee doth sometimes that which may displease him shee doth not against her duty Hitherto therefore shee ought to bend her endeauor that shee may be praised without all exception But there are to bee found many women of whom it is said shee is a faithfull and chast woman but yet a froward peece shee is a good wife but curst and somewhat too talkatiue and hasty to answere But of this woman it is generally said that shee is loiall gentle perfect in euery iust good duty Afterwards this duty is amplified by the adiunct of the length of time that is to say all the daies of his life It is growen to a common Prouerbe amongst vs to call the first moneth after mariage the hony moon Wherby men wil shew that the beginnings of mariage are pleasant but that there follow after many bitter yeeres By another similitude also they do compare the ioy of a widow desiring mariage to a fire of thornes which after a short blaze is presently put out and quenched But this duty of a godly woman is not comprehended in lesse then the whole life of time For she will not onely do good to her husband whilest he is young but when he is old also not only in health but also in sicknesse not only in prosperitie but also in aduersitie And these duties are also to be performed of the husband toward his wife and so much the more grieuously doth hee offend if hee swarne from his dutie in as much as God hath made him more strong and furnished him with greater gifts Verse 13. She seeketh wooll and flaxe and worketh it according to the willingnesse of her hands Verse 14. Shee is like the ships of the Merchant Shee fetcheth her foode from farre Verse 15. And rising vvhile it is yet night shee giueth the portion to her house and the ordinary to her maids Verse 16. She thinketh of a field which she taketh of the fruites of her hand she planteth a Vineyard THis care for prouiding of wool and flaxe seemeth little to agree with the wife of Salomon so magnificent a King for whom it should seeme to bee more fit to be carefull to deck and trimme her selfe by the glasse that her beautie might be the more gracious and pleasing vnto the King but especially it seemeth to differ much from the roiall dignitie and Princely maiestie that she should with her owne hands handle the distaffe and as it followeth after in the 19. verse that shee should put her hands to the wheele her hands hold the spindle For it seemeth she should sufficiently discharge the dutie of a mother of a family if she do cause her maidens and seruants to doe this But howsoeuer things may seeme to vs and our carnall iudgement iudging of duty according to the present shewe notwithstanding the wisedome of God hath thought this to agree with the Maiestie of the greatest Princes that they should exercise themselues both in these and other duties belonging to women Wee read of Sara Gen. 18 6 7 who beeing a great Princesse yet shee kneaded dough Gen. 27 9 17 and dressed meate Of Rebecca wee read how by her cunning in cookery she was able to counterfait meates to cause that to appeare to be venison which indeed was not 2. Sam. 13 5 6 9 Of Thamar the Kings daughter how shee was so well practiced in cookery that shee was able to make daintie and pleasant meates for her brother faining himselfe sicke In this our age if any woman be of more noble birth or haue riches aboue others their manner is to bee so proud and disdainefull that they thinke nothing may beseeme their greatnesse but what is ioined with notable idlenesse and ceasing from all honest businesse they may handle nothing which may make their hands hard do nothing which may impaire their beauty Gen. 20 1 It appeareth by holy Scriptures that Sara and Rebecca euen in their olde age kept the traces and features of their beautie they had in their youth and therfore no doubt but they had a care to continue their beauty that they might be most gracious and pleasing to their husbands but that through this care of their beauty they did cease from all honest labour and businesse it neither can agree with their duty nor with those excellent vertues wherewith they were endued But if to Princesses and honorable women it be not allowed to be idle and to cease from honest businesse whereas they notwithstanding in regard of the weakenesse of their sexe both are and ought to bee fauoured aboue others can it bee lawfull for men to take vnto them this licence to liue at their pleasure without any imployment Wherein the men of our age doe more grieuously offend then the women For what man is there that hath rents and possessions aboue the common sort which by this bountifulnesse of God towards him doth not thinke himselfe freed and discharged from all honest imployment so as hee thinketh he is in good state if abstaining from doing wrong to others he doe in the meane time giue himselfe to all loosenes of minde spending his time both in hunting hauking and other pleasures of this life Furthermore whereas shee doth her selfe seeke wooll and flaxe not staying till they should be prouided by her husband hereby is set forth her readinesse to labor which is proued by the words following for whereas he saith that shee doth these things according to the willingnesse of her hands hee doth thereby teach that shee doth readily and cheerefully goe about her worke wherein aboue all things her strength is declared For such things as are laid vpon vs by reason of our calling ought to be done merrily and with a cherefull minde for like as the sunne like a giant doth gird it selfe that it may in 24. houres runne his whole circuit about the world so likewise ought wee to stirre and raise vp our selues to that worke which is laid vpon vs. Men therefore which haue a minde of more courage and are of greater strength of body may bee ashamed to lye downe vnder the burden of such labors as are enioyned them And this cherefulnesse is therefore propounded that he may shew that thereby the worke is the more easily and speedily dispatched Verse 14. It is though that the wife hath sufficientlie performed her duty if shee doe safely preserue and keepe those things which her husband hath brought in But the holy Ghost teacheth vs that it is the wiues duety to prouide those things wherewith the familie is fed and not such things onely as are neere at hand but which also are brought from farre countries from whence hee sheweth that shee fetcheth them in marchants ships because shee bringeth her foode from farre Wherein seemeth some