'TIS evident, that the nine first verses of the Chapter, are spent in Reciting the most Prudent and winning Lessons of Bathsheba to her Solomon. But it is conceived that the rest of the chapter is only Solomons Reciprocation in the praises of Bathsheba. It is indeed a most lovely thing to see such Correspondencies of Desert and Duty, as make Children to count their Mothers worthy of their honour: Noble Romans have sometimes made Florid speeches a• the Funerals of their Mothers, and professed, That th•y had never in their Lives been reconciled unto them, inasmuch as (they ⟨p. 8⟩meant) they had never fallen out: It is the Happiness of a Mother sometimes to have such Sons as Nazia•zen and Austin were unto theirs, whose Names are by their means forever Celebrated: although for the most part we see in mens Readiness to Slight their Mothers, the Reason why the Mother is put first in that Charge of our God, Ye shall fear every man his Mother, and his Father. It is the Opinion of others, That the Conclusion of the Chapter, is also the Composure of Bathsheba; and that which confirms them in this Opinion is, The Skill in Household Affairs here manifested, which Carries a Little of a Female Aspect with it. However it be, we have here the Description of, A Virtuous Woman, in twenty two Verses, according the Number and Order of the Letters, in the Hebrew Alphabet; Every letter in due sequence beginning a several Verse. Tis reported, that Children among the Jews of old Learning to Write, had their Copies usually given them from those Portions of the Scriptures, which were drawn up wi•h such an Alphabet of the Hebrew Letters in them; whether that were so, or no I am sure that Women among the Gentiles in our Days, Learning to Live, cannot easily find better Copies to follow, than those which are in our Context here set before them. It were to be wished, That the Sex which so often looks into the Glass, would sometimes cast an eye upon this part of that Sacred Word, which is Compared unto a Divine Glass; that they may see whether they have the Features, or ⟨p. 9⟩Habits of, The Virtuous Women, on them. And I pray, let no Woman count her self s• great a Lady as to put in her Exceptions, against tha• stroke in the Character of the Virtuous Woman here▪ She seeks Wool and Flax, and Works willingly with her Hands;
'TIS evident, that the nine first verses of the Chapter, are spent in Reciting the most Prudent and winning L•ssons of Bathshebah to her S•lomon. But it is conceived that the rest of the chapter is only Solomons Reciprocation in the praises of Bathshebah. It is indeed a most lovely thing to see such Correspondencies of Desert and Duty, as make Children to count their Mothers worthy of their honour: Noble Romans have sometimes made Flo•id speeches a• the Funerals of their Mothers, and prof•ssed, That th•y had never in their Lives been reconciled unto them, inasmuch as (they ⟨p. 8⟩meant) they had never fallen out: It is the Happiness of a Mother sometimes to have such Sons as Nazia•zen and Austin were unto theirs, whose Names are by their means forever Celebrated: although for the most part we see in mens Readiness to Slight their Mothers, the Reason why the Mother is put first in that Charge of our God, Ye shall fear every man his Mother, and his Father. It is the Opinion of others, That the Conclusion of the Chapter, is also the Composure of Bathsheba; and that which confirms them in this Opinion is, The Skill in Houshold Affairs here manifested, which Carries a Little of a Female Aspect with it. However it be, we have here the Description of, A Vertuous Woman, in twenty two Verses, according the Number and Order of the Letters, in the Hebrew Alphabet; Every letter in due sequence beginning a several Verse. Tis reported, that Children among the Jews of old Learning to Write, had their Copies usually given them from those Portions of the Scriptures, which were drawn up wi•h such an Alphabet of the Hebrew Letters in them; whether that were so, or no I am sure that Women among the Gentiles in our Dayes, Learning to Live, cannot easily find better Copies to follow, than those which are in our Context here set before them. It were to be wished, That the Sex which so often looks into the Glass, would sometimes cast an eye upon this part of that Sacred Word, which is Compar'd unto a Divine Glass; that they may see whether they have the Features, or ⟨p. 9⟩Habits of, The Vertuous Women, on them. And I pray, let no Woman count her self s• great a Lady as to put in her Exceptions, against tha• troke in the Chacter of the Vertuous Woman here She seeks Wool and Flax, and Works willingly with her Hands;
