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eth him betimes, before ill habits are contracted. Parents who do not keep their children under strict difcipline, are 25 ́really cruel to them. The righteous eateth to the fatisfying of his foul; a little ferves him, he does not defire dainties and elegancies: but the belly of the wicked fhall want; fome of them ruin themselves by debauchery, others pine away thro' covetousness; worldly men are never fatisfied.-On the whole, we fee that godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come.

'EV

CHA P. XIV.

VERY wife woman buildeth her house; by prudence and good management, fhe promotes the order, profperity, and credit of the family, which is a mark of true wifdom: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands; by her pride, prodigality, and idleness, fhe contributes to the ruin of it, agreeable to our proverb, a man must ask his 2 wife's leave to grow rich.' He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD, proves that he does fo: but [he that is] perverfe in his ways, unjust, intemperate, and irregular, defpifeth him, whatever pretenfions he makes 3 to devotion. In the mouth of the foolish [is] a rod of pride; they often bring upon themselves deferved correction : but the lips of the wife fhall preferve them; their prudent, peaceable, and pleafing words, conciliate the friendship of 4 others, and preferve them from danger. It is true Where no oxen [are,] the crib [is] clean: but much increase [is] by the strength of the ox; and one must be fet over against the other. Perfons fhould not be averfe to the fatigues and the meanest labours that a life of bufinefs exposes men to. There is a good equivalent in the increase of their fubftance. Guard therefore against that exceffive delicacy, which makes men neglect their proper duty becaufe of fome inconveniences. 5 A faithful witness will not lie: but a falfe witness will utter lies; when we know a man's general character, we 6 may know how far to credit what he fays. A fcorner, one that is critical, and cavils at inftructions, feeketh wif

dom,

7

dom, and [findeth it] not: but knowledge [is] eafy unto him that understandeth; to a well difpofed, humble, and teachable mind. Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceiveft not [in him] the lips of knowledge; if he has no relish for pious and useful difcourfe, leave S him, and feek better company. The wisdom of the prudent, the best and most useful wisdom, [is] to understand his way; what course he must take to be truly happy: but the folly of fools [is] deceit; to play the knave is the 9 greatest folly. Fools make a mock at fin; it is one of the Jureft marks of wickedness to make light of fin, or speak of it in a trifling manner: but among the righteous [there is] favour, charity and compassion to the fouls of others, and 10 they are favoured of God and man. The heart knoweth his own bitterness: and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy; we are not to judge of perfons entirely by external circumstances, without examining their tempers and paffions. Others little know either the forrow of a penitent, 11 or the joy of a believer: we are not to judge rafhly. The fineft, firmeft houfe of the wicked fhall be overthrown: but the tabernacle, or little tent, of the upright fhall flourish: who would not then choose it, as a much more de12 firable habitation! There is a way which feemeth right unto a man, he may think his opinion and practice right and good, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death. Let us therefore be cautious, fince ignorance will not always ex13 cufe a man for ill behaviour. Even in laughter the heart is forrowful; there is oftentimes inward pain under the appearance of cheerfulness; and the end of that mirth [is] 14 heaviness; this is true of all vain and fenfual mirth. The backflider in heart, who declines his duty from the fear of danger, fhall be filled with his own ways; he shall have trouble and forrow enough, yea, everlasting terror and torment: and a good man [fhall be fatisfied] from himfelf; ball have prefent fatisfaction and an abundant `reward. 15 The fimple believeth every word; credits every common report, and trufts every man's promifes: but the prudent [man] looketh well to his going; confiders and obferves it, to fee that he has good ground for what he does. Policy without piety has too much of cunning to be good; picty

without

without policy is too fimple to be safe. The great fecret is to maintain an eafy air with those with whom we converse; but resolutely to maintain fuch a referve as shall not put us 16 into the power of any. A wife [man] feareth, and departeth from evil; keeps out of harm's way and avoids the appearance of evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident; runs rafhly on, and, confident he fhall do right, defpifes and 17 refents the kindest and mildeft cautions. [He that is] foon angry, of a hafty, paffionate fpirit, dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated; a deliberate villain is 18 univerfally detefted. The fimple, giddy, extravagant people, inherit folly, and will quickly have nothing else to inherit: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge; it 19 is both their ornament and fupport. The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous; therefore they should not defpife and infult them in their prof 20 perity. The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich [hath] many friends, who hope to get fomething by them. This is a motive to frugality and diligence. 21 He that defpifeth his neighbour, because he is low or mean, and will not relieve him, finneth; a remarkable phrafe, intimating, that if we confidered the dignity of the rational nature, we should do our utmost to relieve others: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy [is] he, both in the benevolence of his temper, (which affords the greatest 22 pleasure) and in the approbation of God. Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth [shall be] to them that devise good; divine mercy fhall be their fecurity, their 23 portion, and their joy. In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips [tendeth] only to penury: a man had better employ himself in the meanest labours, than go talking about, wafting his own time and that of others in impertinence and folly. Some men of natural good fenfe and wit thus prove fools in conduct, and by thefe means bring 24 their families to poverty. The crown of the wife [is] their riches; as they have great honour, and advantages for doing good: [but] the foolishness of fools [is] folly; when riches fall into the hands of a fool, he only displays his 25 folly the more; fo that wisdom is better than riches. A true witness delivereth fouls, lives and reputations: but a deceitful

a deceitful [witness] fpeaketh lies in judicial caufes, and 26 therefore does great mifchief. In the fear of the LORD [is] ftrong confidence, in the greatest danger: and his children, the children of those who fear God, fhall have a place of refuge. How great an encouragement is it to real piety, that it entails a bleffing upon our families! and how 27 comfortable a thing to be the children of good men! The fear of the LORD [is] a fountain of life, to depart from the fnares of death; it gives continual refreshment, and 28 fecures from the greatest dangers. In the multitude of people [is] the king's honour: but in the want of people [is] the deftruction of the prince: this should teach princes not to confume them by war, or drive them out by 29 perfecution and oppreffion. [He that is] flow to wrath [is] of great understanding: but [he that is] hafty of fpirit exalteth folly; lifts it up as a ftandard, and teaches 30 every body to defpife him. A found heart, a quiet, gentle, contented mind, [is] the life of the flesh: but envy the rottennefs of the bones; it is its own punishment, wafting 31 the fpirits and confuming the ftrength. He that oppreffeth the poor reproacheth his Maker for making him poor; he contemns God's promifes, and forgets his commands: but he 32 that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor. The wicked is driven away in his wickedness; in the midst of it, fometimes in the very act; he is driven away against his will in agony and confufion: but the righteous hath hope 33 in his death; hope of a better state beyond this. Wisdom

refteth in the heart of him that hath understanding; he knows when to conceal it: but [that which is] in the midst of fools is made known; there is no concealing of a fool, the 34 abundance of his loquacity shows his emptiness. Righteousnefs exalteth a nation, by its natural confequences fecuring the divine bleffing: but fin [is] a reproach to any people. 35 The king's favour [is] toward a wife fervant: but his wrath is [againft] him that causeth fhame; he shall be difgraced and banished the court. We may obferve from hence, that Solomon every where estimates the understanding by prudence and meekness, caution and circumfpection, not by learning or wit. May we be ambitious to act upon these maxims, as they are necessary to our happiness in both worlds. CHAP.

CHAP. XV.

SOFT, a mild and fubmiffive answer turneth away

A wrath but grievous words ftir up anger; raise

paffion where there was none, and heighten it where there 2 was. The tongue of the wife ufeth knowledge aright; fets it off by a proper manner of introducing it: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishnefs, fome filly stuff, or fome good thoughts in a confused, oftentatious manner. 3 The eyes of the LORD [are] in every place, beholding 4 the evil and the good. A wholefome tongue [is] a tree of life; the tongue which speaks comfort and heals breaches, is the greatest bleffing to thofe it converfes with: but perverfenefs therein [is] a breach in the fpirit; lying, calumny, and ill-natured language, tend to grieve and break the heart; the one cheers a broken fpirit, the other makes a 5 breach in one that is found. A fool defpifeth his father's inftruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent; 6 is in the way to improve in knowledge. In the house of the righteous [is] much treasure, tho' but little wealth, because he has content and joy: but in the large revenues of the wicked is trouble; he has no comfort in them, his bad 7 paffions Spoil all. The lips of the wife difperfe knowledge, fcatter it wide, like feed: but the heart of the foolish [doeth] not fo; he has neither ability nor inclination to do 8 good. The most coftly facrifice of the wicked [is] an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the up9 right [is] his delight: and the reason is, The way of the wicked [is] an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteoufnefs; who is fincere in the pursuit of righteousness, who hungers and 10 thirfts after it. Correction [is] grievous unto him that forfaketh the way of religion: [and] he that hateth reproof fhall die. We here fee why many hate reproof; but, to die for want of attending to it, is infinitely worse than 11 any prefent mortification. Hell and deftruction, the

grave

and the invifible world, [are] before the LORD: how 12 much more then the hearts of the children of men? A fcorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will VOL. V. E

he

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