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utters is of weight and worth: the heart of the wicked [is] little worth, confequently his fpeech is fo, even when he has 21 ftudied what to say. The lips of the righteous feed many, make others wife: but fools die for want of wifdom; they lose their very lives and their eternal happiness 22 too. The bleffing of the LORD on the hand of the diligent, it maketh rich, and he addeth no forrow with it; ill gotten riches are attended with regret, cares, and difcontent, an evil confcience, and fear of difcovery and a future reckon23 ing., [It is] as fport to a fool to do mifchief; it is a pleasure to him, he does it with a gay air and without refléction: but a man of understanding hath wifdom; or, fo is wisdom to a man of understanding, he taketh pleasure in it. The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him; he hath his fears, but not more than he has reafon for; let his imagination be ever fo lively, all that he fears shall come upon him: but the defire of the righteous fhall be granted, that is, his grand, leading defire, the favour of God 25 and eternal happiness. As the whirlwind paffeth, fo, [is] the wicked no [more;] tho' he may for a while make a great bustle, like a whirlwind: but the righteous [is] an everlasting foundation; his hope and happiness is in the 26 divine righteousness and faithfulness. As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, which is troublesome and painful, fo [is] the fluggard to them that fend him; he neither delivers his message faithfully, performs his bufiness 27 exactly, nor haftens back again. The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked fhall be 28 fhortened, naturally and judicially. The hope of the righteous [fhall be] gladness; fhall be answered, and occafion joy: but the expectation of the wicked fhall perish; Shall be disappointed, and give fo much the more forrow on 29 that account. The way of the LORD [is] ftrength to the upright, that goes on fecurely and courageously; his work is eafy and delightful: but deftruction [fhall be] to 30 the workers of iniquity. The righteous fhall never be removed; his foul fhall be kept in peace, and his happiness be fecure: but the wicked fhall not inhabit the earth. 31 The mouth of the just bringeth forth wifdom: but the 32 froward tongue fhall be cut out, or cut off. The lips of

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the righteous know what is acceptable; he knows the proper time and manner of speaking, what is acceptable to men, and not difpleafing to God; he ftudies to please as far as is confiftent with truth and friendship: but the mouth of the wicked [fpeaketh] frowardness; he loves to vent his own spleen, tho' very distasteful to others.-Let us avoid this, and remember, that thefe feveral maxims relating to the government of the tongue, how its importance, and how carefully it should be attended to.

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CHA P. XI.

FALSE balance [is] abomination to the LORD; it is peculiarly abominable, as it is cheating under a pretence of doing right: but a juft weight [is] his delight. 2 [When] pride cometh, then cometh fhame, being shameful in itfelf, and expofes them to fhame: but with the lowly [is] wifdom; which is pleafing to God and man, and makes 3 them eafy and comfortable in themselves. The integrity of the upright fhall guide them: but the perverseness of tranfgreffors fhall destroy them: if a man comes to a refolution to preferve ftrict integrity, that will direct him, and make his way plain; it is eafy to determine what is fair and honourable. But when the question is, What mean, difhonourable things may be done without discovery? a scene is open for perplexity; and men of great fubtlety and refinement 4 are ofteneft entangled, expofed, and ruined. Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death; from fecond death, and makes the first com5 fortable. The righteousness of the perfect fhall direct his way, fo as to bring all his defigns and endeavours to a happy iffue: but the wicked fhall fall by his own wick6 edness. The righteousness of the upright fhall deliver them out of that fin and mifery they might fall into: but tranfgreffors fhall be taken in [their own] naughtiness, 7 and irrecoverably deftroyed. When a wicked man dieth, [his] expectation fhall perish; all his hope of pleasure and happiness in temporal things, and his expectation of escaping eternal mifery: and the hope of unjuft [men] perisheth,

while the expectation of a good man is answered and outdone. 8 The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his ftead, to that mifery he had formerly 9 occafioned to the righteous. An hypocrite with [his] mouth destroyeth his neighbour, by flattering and deceiving him but through knowledge, or prudence, fhall 10 the just be delivered from his fnares. When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, [there is] fhouting; men have fuch a regard for their own intereft, and fuch a fenfe of what is decent and right, that they rejoice both in the one and in the other. 11 By the bleffing of the upright the city is exalted; by their prayers, counfels, and admonitions: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked; by their blafphemy, 12 perverse oppofition, and evil communications. He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour; whatever a man thinks, it is foolish in him to speak contemptuously of his neighbour, because it is provoking him, and he may return it: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace; if 13 he can fay no good, he will fay no harm. A talebearer revealeth fecrets; pries into the fecrets of families, and carries ftories from one to another: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter; an upright man concealeth that which may be hurtful to another, tho" he has 14 no express charge about it. Where no counfel [is,] the people fall; they are influenced by private intereft, and ast rafhly: but in the multitude of counsellors [there is] 15 fafety. He that is furety for a ftranger shall smart [for it;] he does not know his circumstances, and therefore he is in danger: and he that hateth furetifhip is fure; it is 16 most prudent to avoid it. A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong [men] retain riches; fhe is as careful of her reputation, as a strong man of his riches; or, will as effectually fecure a good reputation, as a strong man his 17 wealth. The merciful man doeth good to his own foul; while he doeth good to others, he equally does good to himself; fuch is the connection between man and man: but [he that is] cruel troubleth his own flesh; his own envy and malice tear him to pieces. This may refer to the pleasure which arifes from the exercife of benevolent affections, and

the anguish and remorse which are infeparable from cruelty.. 18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work; that which will deceive his expectations: but to him that foweth righteoufnefs [fhall be] a fure reward; tho' it may tarry, it will 19 not disappoint him. As righteousness [tendeth] to life, in its natural confequence, fo he that purfueth evil [purfueth 20 it] to his own death. They that are of a froward heart, perfons of double dealing, who are perverfe and ill-natured, [are] abomination to the LORD: but [fuch as are] up21 right in [their] way [are] his delight. [Though] hand [join] in hand, tho' they form a potent alliance, and Strengthen and countenance one another, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the feed of the righteous fhall be delivered from their confederacies, by the help of God 22 alone. [As] a jewel of gold in a fwine's fnout, which is more taken notice of, and more defpifed on that account, [fo is] a fair woman which is without difcretion; without tafte, without judging what is right and wrong, and not 23 confidering confequences. The defire of the righteous [is] only good; either to do or get good, and it shall be granted them: [but] the expectation of the wicked [is] wrath; whatfoever happiness they promise themselves, the iffue will 24 be wrath and deftruction. There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and [there is] that withholdeth more than is meet, not providing for their families, fparing necessary expenfes in trade, and showing a covetous temper in every thing, but [it tendeth] to poverty; by a strange 25 train of providences they are frequently beggared. The liberal foul fhall be made fat, comfortable and happy and he that watereth fhall be watered alfo himself; it shall 26 rain upon him bleffings as copiously as showers. He that withholdeth corn in dear times, in hopes of a higher market, and will not fell it at a reasonable price, and for a moderate profit, the people fhall curfe him: but bleffing from God, as well as his neighbour, [fhall be] upon the head 27 of him that felleth [it.] He that diligently feeketh good, or to do good, procureth favour from God and man: but he that feeketh mischief, it fhall come unto him; he draws upon himself the evils he defigned against others. 28 He that trusteth in his riches fhall fall like a withered

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leaf: but the righteous fhall flourish as a branch; shall 29 grow stronger and stronger, and be more fruitful. He that troubleth his own house, who ruins his family by extravagance, or makes it unhappy by ill nature, fhall inherit the wind; he ball have nothing but air to live upon; or, he fball raife a dreadful storm which shall fall upon his own head: and the fool [fhall be] fervant unto the wife of heart; those who are foolish, shall be brought fo low, that they shall be glad to become fervants to those who fet out in life with less than themselves, but by prudence and diligence 30 have rifen in the world. The fruit of the righteous [is] a tree of life, is the means of much good; and he that winneth fouls to God and goodness, [is] wife, tho' his 31 method may not be fo judicious as that of others. Behold, the righteous fhall be recompenfed in the earth: much more the wicked and the finner fhall be corrected for their fins, in this world, or in another.-See how much religion confifts in juftice, humanity, good temper, and zeal to do good. May we not only hear these things, but apply our minds to do them.

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CHAP. XII.

HOSO loveth inftruction loveth knowledge; is in the way to be wife and good: but he that hateth reproof [is] brutish; wants fenfe as well as grace. 2 A good [man] obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man 3 of wicked devices will he conderan. A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous fhall not be moved; he shall be established by righ4 teousness. A virtuous woman, a diligent, active woman, as the word fignifies, who applies clofe to family business, [is] a crown to her husband, an ornament and a bleffing to him: but fhe that maketh ashamed [is] as rottenness in his bones; tho' he does not show it publickly, it is a 5 continual and incurable vexation to him. The thoughts of the righteous [are] right; it is his conftant purpose to deal justly with God and man: [but] the counfels of the wick6 ed [are] carried on by deceit. The words of the wicked D 4 [are]