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13 forms, but guilty of grofs immoralities in fecret. [There is] a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up; their pride difcovers itself in their countenance, and they difdain to look on their inferiors; do 14 not learn their haughty, fenfeless manners. [There is] a generation, whofe teeth [are as] fwords, and their jaw teeth [as] knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from [among] men; tyrannical, arbitrary people, who opprefs and grind the poor; have ng connection with fuch men as thefe. The next question is, What is most infatiable?

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The horseleach hath two daughters, a forked tongue, which greedily feeketh blood, [crying,] Give, give. There are three [things that] are never fatisfied, [yea,] four [things] fay not, [It is] enough; are as infatiable: 16 The grave, that fwallows every fucceeding generation; and the barren womb, that is eagerly defirous of children; the earth, particularly in hot countries, [that]-is not filled with water; and the fire [that] faith not, [It is] enough, but devours all that is thrown into it. He then adds the doom of the disobedient children mentioned in the eleventh verfe.

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The eye [that] mocketh at [his] father for his infirmities, and defpiseth to obey [his] mother, the ravens of the valley fhall pick it out, and the young eagles fhall eat it; his body fhall be expofed as a malefactor, or he fhall die in fome defolate place; the vengeance of God fhall find him abroad, tho' the tenderness of his abufed parents may spare him at home.

To the next question, What is moft obfcure and unaccount18 able? he answers, There be three [things which] are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: 19 The way of an eagle in the air, that flies high and strong ; the way of a ferpent upon a rock, that without feet climbs up rocks; the way of a fhip in the midst of the fea, that fometimes finks and fometimes rifes, and moves very fwiftly along; and the way of a man with a maid, the artifices of a man to gain the woman he is courting. 20 Such [is] the way of an adulterous woman; fhe eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and faith, I have done no

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wicked.

wickedness: this is a modeft way of expreffing a deteftable allion; she puts on an artful appearance, behaves outwardly like an honest woman and a kind wife. We have then an anfwer to the question, What things are most intolerable? 21 For three [things] the earth is difquieted, and for four 22 [which] it cannot bear: For a fervant when he reigneth, when he gets into power and authority; and a fool when he is filled with meat, a petulant, rude fellow when 23 he is drunk; For an odious [woman,] that is, a cross, ill tempered woman, when she is married, a happiness too great for her to expect, and yet which only shows her ill temper the more; and an handmaid that is heir to her miftrefs, to whom her mistress leaves her eftate, or who hath fupplanted her mistress and married her mafter.

In answer to the query, What things are small and con24 temptible in themfelves and yet wife, he replies, There be four [things which are] little upon the earth, but they 25 [are] exceeding wife: The ants [are] a people not

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ftrong, yet they prepare their meat in the fummer, and 26 thus teach us to prepare against a time of adverfity; The conies, or Arabian mice, [are but] a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks, and thus teach us caution 27 in avoiding thofe dangers we cannot refift; The locufts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands, and their numbers make them terrible, which should teach us 28 union in profecuting good defigns; The fpider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces; and by indefatigable diligence repairs her web; which should teach us perfeverance, and not to be difcouraged. The question then is, What things are most stately and majestick?

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There be three [things] which go well, yea, four 30 are comely in going: A lion [which is] ftrongest 31 among beafts, and turneth not away for any; A greyhound, or horfe prepared for the battle; an he goat alfo; and a king, against whom [there is] no rifing up, a king that reigns in the hearts of his people, this gives him a confcioufnefs which adds dignity to his appearance. Having thus advised his pupils to be innocent and pious in order to be happy, he adds the two laft verfes, upon a fuppofition that they fhould fay or do any foolish things.

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If thou haft done foolishly in lifting up thyfelf, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] thine hand upon thy mouth; humbly acknowledge that thou hast done wrong, and make a proper apology, rather than, from an infolent temper, 33 defend what is wrong becaufe thou haft done it. Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: fo the forcing of wrath bringeth forth ftrife; the one is not more natural than the other. He that would live peaceably and happily, and be esteemed among men, should behave himself with modefty and humility; for he that lifteth up himself, tho' he may think himself a wife man, does very foolishly, and all about him will despise him.

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T

CHA P. XXXI.

HE words of king Lemuel," the prophecy that his mother taught him. What, my fon? and. what, the fon of my womb? and what, the son of my vows? An abrupt and beautiful form of speech; as if he had faid, What inftruction shall I give thee, how shall I express my love to thee, thou fon of my womb, thou fon of my vows, whom I have prayed for, and devoted to God be3 fore thou waft born? Give not thy ftrength unto women, nor thy ways to that which deftroyeth kings; do not waste the vigour of your years in effeminate, finful pleasures like other eastern princes; by which their conftitutions are broken, and their reigns difhonoured. Happy had it been for him had 4 he taken this advice. [It is] not for kings, O Lemuel, [it is] not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes ftrong drink, that is, immoderately; which would not only 5 injure themselves, but their fubjects. Left they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

VOL. V.

H

6 Give

I take it for granted, with the generality of commentators, that Lemuel is Solomon, a name which fignifies one belonging to God; it is nearly of the fame import with Jedediah. These are the divine leffons his mother Bathsheba taught him to com mit to memory.

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Give ftrong drink unto him that is ready to perifh, and wine to those that be of heavy hearts; when perfons are in deep diftrefs, they need, and can bear cordials to fup7 port their spirits. Let him drink, and forget his pover8 ty, and remember his mifery no more. Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all fuch as are appointed to deftruction; who are in danger of fuffering 9 confiderable damage either in body, credit, or eftate. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the caufe of the poor and needy; pronounce a bold and just fentence.

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Who can find a virtuous woman, prudent, good natured, and religious: for her price [is] far above rubies; above all things advifing him to take heed in the choice of a wife; or rather, it may refer to the character of a good wife II in general. The heart of her husband doth fafely trust in her, in her chastity, prudence, and fidelity; he has no jealousy, nor uneafy apprehenfions; fo that he fhall have no need of fpoil; he shall have no need of spoiling others to enrich himself, and no fear of being plundered, as fome are 12 by their wives. She fhall do him good and not evil all the days of her life; he will take the greatest care to en•gage and keep his affections, study to oblige and please him;

and this, not only in fudden fits of good humour, but all her 13 days. She feeketh wool, and flax, and worketh wil

lingly with her hands; he provides employment for her 14 fervants, and fets them a good example. She is like the

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merchants' fhips; fhe bringeth her food from afar. 15 She rifeth alfo while it is yet night, before break of day, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens; fhe giveth food to thofe that go abroad to work, and to her maidens at home: fhe rifes early to attend to her 16 domeftick cares. She confidereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands fhe planteth a vineyard; by the commodities fpun and woven in the family fhe buys land 17 and plants vineyards. She girdeth her loins with ftrength, and strengtheneth her arms; he does not make little dif18 ficulties an excufe for indolence, but acts refolutely. She perceiveth that her merchandize [is] good: her candle goeth not out by night; fhe takes as much of the night as 19 can conveniently be spared from necessary fleep. She layeth

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her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. Ladies of the highest quality in the east were thus employed, as we find from many paffages in Homer, and other heathen writers; and a much better employment it was than most 20 modern ones. She ftretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, fhe reacheth forth her hands to the needy; he is not fuch a housewife as to lay up every thing, but relieves 21 the poor. She is not afraid of the fnow for her household for all her household [are] clothed with fcarlet, 22 or double garments. She maketh herfelf coverings of tapestry; her clothing [is] filk and purple; the more 23 glorious because her own work. Her husband is known in the gates, when he fitteth among the elders of the land, who congratulate him upon his happiness in having fo prudent a wife; and her wife converfation increafeth his 24 wisdom, and makes him more fit to advise others. She maketh fine linen, and felleth [it;] and delivereth 25 girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour [are] her clothing; he has a great deal of courage and refolution, and laughs at thofe difficulties by which others are difcouraged; and fhe fhall rejoice in time to come; maintain a 26 cheerful spirit even in old age and death. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue [is] the law of kindness; she discourses prudently and judiciously on the most ferious and important fubjects; avoids a pettish way of Speaking; there is kindness, softness, and tenderness in every thing fhe fays, which is obliging, like a law; one of the most 27 effential qualifications of a good wife. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread

of idleness; he examines the conduct of her fervants," and how they perform their duty: fhe neither fuffers them to gad abroad, or to be idle at home; fhe fees that her children be well educated and behave themselves aright, and fets them all an example of diligence: and in confequence of this, 28 Her children arife up, and call her bleffed; her huf

band falfo,] and he praifeth her: they fet themselves to 29 commend her, and fay, Many daughters have done vir30 tuously, but thou furely excelleft them all. Favour [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain; a graceful behaviour and beautiful features are trifling in themfelves, have often H 2 covered

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