ing prefents when they wait upon their superiors, is still retain= 17 ed in the east. [He that is] firft in his own cause [feemeth] juft; but his neighbour cometh and fearcheth him; one ftory is good till another is told, therefore we should not be rafb and hafty in our determinations, but hear both fides. 18 The lot caufeth contentions to ceafe, and parteth between the mighty. Solomon here advises to refer troublesome matters to lot, and to fit down contented with the event; this 19 may be very useful ftill, if not fuperftitiously performed. A brother offended [is harder to be won] than a strong city and [their] contentions [are] like the bars of a caftle: the nearness of the relation heightens the provocation, therefore we should be careful not to offend or defpife our near 20 relations or friends. A man's belly fhall be fatisfied with the fruit of his mouth; [and] with the increase of his lips fhall he be filled; he shall have pleasure or uneafi21 nefs, as he speaks well or ill. Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue; a great deal of good or evil is done by it, and they that love it, that love life, and give converfation a wife turn, fhall eat the fruit thereof. 22 [Whofo] findeth a wife, or (as fome antient versions render it) a good wife, findeth a good [thing,] and obtaineth favour of the LORD, and he ought to acknowledge the goodness of God in giving him a fuitable com23 panion. The poor ufeth intreaties, are forced to make fubmiffions and ufe intreaties, even for what is their due; but the rich anfwereth roughly; riches are a temptation to haughtiness and arrogance, which very much lessen 24 the value of them. A man [that hath] friends must fhow himself friendly: and there is a friend [that] fticketh closer than a brother; friends are worth keeping, and may in many circumstances be more useful to us than near relations; therefore they must be used well, we must love and ferve them, and behave friendly to them, if we defire they fhould behave fo to us.

CHAP.

'B

CHA P. XIX.

ETTER [is] the poor that walketh in his integrity, than [he that is] perverfe in his lips, and is a fool; an honest poor man is more honourable, eafy, and fecure, than a fly wicked man, tho' he may get rich by his 2 artifices. Alfo, [that] the foul [be] without knowledge, [it is] not good; the want of understanding and deliberation proves an occafion of great mifchief: and he that hafteth with [his] feet finneth; if a man of good fenfe runs rafhly and inconfiderately on, it will be as fatal to him 3 as the want of understanding. The foolishness of man perverteth his way, brings him into troubles and ftraits: and his heart fretteth against the LORD; he lays the blame 4 upon providence. Wealth maketh many friends, if not to his perfon, yet to his circumftances; but the poor is feparated from his neighbour; is neglected by thofe who should 5 help him. A falfe witness fhall not be unpunished, and [he that] fpeaketh lies fhall not escape; he who speaketh lies privately, tho' not confirmed by an oath, fhall not escape 6 the divine judgment. Many will intreat the favour of the prince, because great things are in his power: and every man [is] a friend to him that giveth gifts; to a man whofe circumftances enable him and whofe temper inclines him to be liberal. What a ftrong argument is this to feek the di7 vine friendship! All the brethren of the poor do hate him, as a difgrace and burden to them how much more do his friends go far from him, that is, those who profelfed themselves fuch? he purfueth [them with] words, he intreats them, and puts them in mind of former promises, 8 [yet] they [are] wanting [to him.] He that getteth wifdom loveth his own foul: he that keepeth underftanding, who conducts his life by prudent counfel, fhall 9 find good. A falfe witness fhall not be unpunished, and [he that] fpeaketh lies fhall perifh; this is repeated be10 caufe it is an important maxim, fee v. 5. Delight is not feemly for a fool; he knows not how to behave in profperity; he ufeth the delights of life to dishonour God, and for his own mischief; much less for a fervant to have rule over princes; if fuch an one be in power, he is intolerable, and

a judgment

11 a judgment on mankind. The discretion of a man deferreth his anger till he is cool, and has confidered the matter: and [it is] his glory to pass over a tranfgreffion, not to revenge it; tho' the perverfe judgment of the world is con12 trary. The king's wrath [is] as the roaring of a lion, but his favour [is] as dew upon the grafs. This is defign13 ed to promote loyalty. A foolish fon [is] the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife [are] a continual dropping; make the house uncomfortable and unfit to be inhabited, and fo tempt a man to extravagance abroad. A wicked fon and a fcolding wife, are two of the faddeft 14 plagues in a family. Houfe and riches [are] the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife [is] from the LORD, She does not come by hereditary right; his providence 15 therefore should be acknowledged in this favour. Slothfulnefs cafteth into a deep fleep; it has a ftupifying faculty, and makes men unfit for bufinefs; and an idle foul fhall 16 fuffer hunger; fhall be reduced to poverty and want. He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own foul; fecures his peace and happiness; [but] he that despiseth his ways fhall die; he that never thinks or minds how he alts, who follows his own inclination and the fashion, goes 17 the direct way to deftruction. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again; it is in a fafe hand, and he fball have good intereft. A delightful thought, and of more force than a thousand volumes to recommend liberality. 18 Chaften thy fon while there is hope, and let not thy foul spare for his crying; it should be rather rendered, "Do not lift up thy foul to his deftruction, that is, correct 19 him, but not immoderately. A man of great wrath shall fuffer punishment; he will have a deal of perplexity and uneafinefs, quarrels, and law fuits: for if thou deliver [him,] yet thou must do it again; he will foon bring himfelf into fome other fcrape by his paffion and perverfeness. 20 Hear counfel, and receive inftruction, that thou mayeft be wife in the latter end; confider the final confequences of 21 things; fuch wisdom will be wisdom indeed. [There are] many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counfel of the LORD, that fhall ftand in spite of them all. A comfortable

22 comfortable thought to a good man at all times. The defire of a man [is] his kindness; it is agreeable when perfons mean well, tho' it is not in their power to do much: and a poor man [is] better than a liar; a poor man who gives good evidence of a kind, benevolent difpofition, is more esteemed and refpected than a liar, that is, than a rich man who makes great profeffions and promifes, and does not answer them, has nothing at the fervice of his friends but compliments. 23 The fear of the LORD [tendeth] to life: and [he that hath it] fhall abide fatisfied; he shall not be vifited with 24 evil, with any deftructive evil. A flothful [man] hideth his hand in [his] bofom, and will not fo much as bring it to his mouth again; when floth prevails it makes a man 25 unwilling to do the most neceffary things. Smite a fcorner, a profligate finner, and the fimple will beware; if it does him no good it may be a warning to others: and reprove one that hath understanding, [and] he will understand 26 knowledge; a wife man will be better for reproof. He that wafteth [his] father, [and] chafeth away [his] mother, [is] a fon that causeth fhame, and bringeth reproach to his parents and himself; but we very feldom fee fuch things in children who have been wifely and religiously 27 educated. Ceafe, my fon, to hear the inftruction [that caufeth] to err from the words of knowledge; do not hearken to any who would prejudice you against religion, or 28 weaken your regard to it. An ungodly witnefs fcorneth judgment, that is, reafon, equity, fcripture, and the judgment of God against perfidious perfons: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity; he fwallows down greedily the greatest crimes, and is glad of any opportunity of com29 mitting them. Judgments are prepared for fcorners, and ftripes for the back of fools; they are fometimes punished in this world, but fhall certainly be fo in another. --This fhould engage us to feek wisdom, that we may avoid thefe judgments, and obtain fecurity, peace, and everlafting happiness.

CHAP.

I

3

W

CHA P. XX.

INE [is] a mocker, ftrong drink [is] raging: and whofoever is deceived thereby is not wife; it makes a man abufive and quarrelfome, leads him to fay and do foolish things. Let him have ever fo much fenfe, he reduceth himself to a level with an idiot; yea, with a brute. It is ftrange that drunkennefs fhould be the fault of fo many fenfible people, whom one would think pride should keep from it, 2 if they had no religion. The fear of a king, an arbitrary monarch, [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whofo] provoketh him to anger finneth [againft] his own foul, expofes his life to manifeft danger. [It is] an honour for a man to ceafe from ftrife, cautiously to avoid it, and be the first to give it over: but every fool will be meddling where he 4 has no bufiness, and fo ftir up ftrife. The fluggard will not plough by reason of the cold; the most inconfiderable difficulties affright him from labour: [therefore] fhall he beg in harvest, and [have] nothing when others have 5 plenty. Counsel in the heart of man [is like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out by prudent difcourfe and diligent obfervation, as human induftry 6 finds methods to fetch water out of the earth. Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? the generality pretend to great 7 generofity, but it is difficult to find common honefty. The juft [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] bleffed after him; he entails a blessing on his pofterity; it 8 is happy to be the children of fuch a parent. A king that fitteth in the throne of judgment fcattereth away all evil with his eyes; a man of integrity will have a natural authority in any fuperior relation. If a king, he will exert himself as he ought; iniquity will fly before him, and fcarce 9 bear his look, for it is a cowardly thing. Who can fay, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my fin? I am free from guilt in heart and life? Therefore let us be humble before God, and not expect perfection in others. 10 Divers weights, [and] divers meafures, both of them [are] alike abomination to the LORD; they are very deteftable to him, tho' men may think it a fmall matter to

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