7 rank, nor affect a higher place than becomes thee. For better, more honourable, [it is] that it be faid unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be put lower in the prefence of the prince whom thine eyes have 8 feen, which must be very mortifying, (Luke xiv. 9) Go not forth hastily to ftrive without due confideration, either in-battle, or at law, left [thou know not] what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to 9 fhame. Debate thy cause with thy neighbour [himfelf;] and discover not a fecret to another, that is, a fecret quarrel: a maxim particularly to be regarded by huf10 bands and wives if they should have any differences: Left

he that heareth [it] put thee to fhame, and thine infamy turn not away; left by telling the story he expofe thee" 11 to contempt. A word fitly fpoken [is like] apples of gold in pictures of filver, or rather, like oranges in a basket of wrought filver,' which must look extremely beautiful. Such words as thefe have a rich and valuable meaning, 12 befides the handsome manner in which they are spoken. [As] an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, [fo is] a wife reprover upon an obedient ear; far from thinking himself wronged or being provoked by it, he 13 esteems it precious. As the cold of fnow, or a cooling breeze, in the time of harvest, [fo is] a faithful meffenger to them that fend him: for he refresheth the foul of his mafters, who were ready to faint under the appre14 henfion of ill fuccefs. Whofo boasteth himself of a falfe gift, of fine compliments not answered, and fine promises not performed, [is like] clouds and wind without rain, which 15 disappoint the expectation. By long forbearing is a prince

perfuaded, whereas by violent oppofition he is more incenfed; and a foft tongue breaketh the bone, overcomes 16 the most stubborn refolution. Haft thou found honey? eat fo much as is fufficient for thee, left thou be filled therewith, and vomit it: this is applicable to all worldly 17 delights, use them with moderation. Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; left he be weary of thee, and [fo] hate thee; do not frequently prefs in upon him, or tarry too long, for that is hindering his business and thy own. There is fuch a thing as making ourselves too cheap; a cau

tion which minifters fhould attend to above all other perfons. 18 A man that beareth falfe witness against his neighbour [is] a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow; a complicated inftrument of mischief, it fmites and bruifes like a maul, it pierces like a fword, when near at hand, and at a diftance it wounds like a sharp arrow, so that a man is 19 never out of its reach. Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble [is like] a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint; they are not only useless but troublesome, when 20 there is occafion to use them. [As] he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, which is very unfeasonable, [and as] vinegar upon nitre, which makes a great ferment, fo [is] he that fingeth songs to an heavy heart; 21 it makes him more melancholy than before. If thine enemy

be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, 22 give him water to drink: For thou fhalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD fhall reward thee; the human mind is fo formed as to be won by kindness, and is as fenfible of it as the body is of burning coals applied to 23 the tendereft part. The north wind driveth away rain: fo [doth] an angry countenance a backbiting tongue; if it be proper no other way to reprove it, an angry countenance may testify our strong diflike, and make the flanderer unwilling to vent his illnature in our prefence. This is ap24 plicable to hearing prophaneness, &c. [It is] better to dwell in the corner of the house top, than with a 25 brawling woman and in a wide houfe. [As] cold waters to a thirsty foul, fo [is] good news from a far country, from which it is hard to get intelligence. We have reafon to bless God for the art of writing, for the convenience of pofts, and fuch eafy conveyance of intelligence from our 26 abfent friends; efpecially for good news from heaven. A righteous man falling down before the wicked, being oppreffed and trampled upon by him, [is as] a troubled 27 fountain, and a corrupt fpring, a publick calamity. [It is] not good to eat much honey tho' very pleasant: fo [for men] to fearch their own glory [is not] glory; te hunt after applause is dishonourable, it counterbalances and 28 leffens all the other beauties of a man's character. He that [hath] no rule over his own fpirit, that cannot bear VOL. V.

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affronts and provocations with meekness, and afflictions with patience, [is like] a city [that is] broken down, [and] without walls; he is liable to every furprize, is very contemptible, and is expofed to innumerable mischiefs. Let us labour after the government of ourselves; and learn of Chrift, who was meek and lowly in heart; fo fhall we find honour, fecurity, and peace to our fouls.

CHAP. XXVI.

S fnow in fummer, and as rain in harveft, which prevent reaping and gathering in the fruits of the earth, fo honour is not feemly for a fool; tho' he may look grand, he knows not how to use it, and does mifchief 2 with it. As the bird by wandering, as the fwallow by flying, fo the curfe caufelefs fhall not come; a man is in no more danger from the causeless curse of others, than from the flying of a bird over his head, it fixes nowhere except upon 3 him that uttered it. A whip for the horse, a bridle for the afs, and a rod for the fool's back; a foolish wicked man must be taught and restrained by fevere methods; no 4 others will do. Answer not a fool according to his folly, 5 left thou also be like unto him. Anfwer a fool according to his folly, left he be wife in his own conceit; do not anfwer every impertinent speech or accufation of a clamorous fool; it is the better way to defpife him: but if he should grow infolent from your filence, a wife man may condefcend to mortify him. A person must judge for himself which is most proper; but it is beft in general to be filent, there is no 6 furer way to mortify a fool. He that fendeth a meffage by the hand of a fool, cutteth off the feet, [and] drinketh damage; fuch a messenger will make lame work of his meffage, and bring inconveniences on him that employs him. 7 The legs of the lame are not equal, which gives a man a difagreeable air, especially if he affects agility: fo [is] a parable in the mouth of fools; fo ridiculous is it for wicked men to applaud and recommend virtue; it only makes their own wickedness the more confpicuous. As he that bindeth a stone in a fling, which is prefently thrown out,

fo [is] he that giveth honour to a fool; it will not con9 tinue with him. [As] a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, fo [is] a parable in the mouth of fools; a drunkard when stumbling catcheth hold of a thorn to fupport him, which wounds him. Thus wicked men, when they talk of religion, meddle to their hurt. A wicked man thinks to fupport himself by it; but he only hurts his character the 10 more, tho' his parable be ever fo fine. The great [God] that formed all [things] both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth tranfgreffors, tho' he may fuffer them to go on 11 a great while. As a dog returneth to his vomit, [fo] a fool returneth to his folly; he commits the fame errors for which he formerly fmarted and professed to repent of, and 12 fo becomes odious to God and man. Seeft thou a man

wife in his own conceit? [there is] more hope of a fool than of him, that is, of one that has hardly common fenfe; he is a fool of God's making, the other makes himself fo. 13 The flothful [man] faith, [There is] a lion in the way; a lion [is] in the treets: thus idle people frighten themfelves from bufinefs; raise imaginary difficulties and aggravate real ones. Many of these lions ftand in the way on the 14 Lord's day. [As] the door turneth upon his hinges, 15 fo [doth] the flothful upon his bed. The slothful hideth his hand in [his] bofom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. A beautiful gradation; he does not care to ftir or rise out of his bed: when he is up, he does not care to stretch out his hand to feed himself, and would be glad to eat by proxy. Thus habits of idleness grow; 16 the less a man doth, the less he is difpofed to do. The fluggard [is] wifer in his own conceit than feven men that can render a reafon; as stupid a creature as he is, he has a great conceit of his own abilities, tho' he has nothing 17 to fay in defence of his opinions or practices. He that paffeth by, [and] meddleth with ftrife [belonging] not to him, [is like] one that taketh a dog by the ears; he gets the difpleasure of both parties, and is often hurt in the 18 quarrel. As a mad [man] who cafteth firebrands, 19 arrows, and death, So [is] the man [that] deceiveth his neighbour, who leads him into fin, or impofes upon him, and faith, Am not I in fport? pretends that he

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means no harm, only to make himself and others merry; while vice is thus encouraged, guilt contracted, and great mif20 chief is done. Where no wood is, [there] the fire goeth out: fo where [there is] no talebearer, the ftrife ceafeth, therefore when you meet with fuch persons frown upon 21 them. [As] coals [are] to burning coals, and wood to fire, kindling one another, fo [is] a contentious man to kindle ftrife; he is easily enflamed himself and quickly 22 kindles others. The words of a talebearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermoft parts of 23 the belly, do fecret, yet deep, and incurable injury. Burning lips and a wicked heart, illnatured, fatyrical terms, efpecially when used to expofe what is virtuous and good, and to countenance vice, [are like] a potsherd, or piece of broken pot or crucible covered with filver drofs, in which filver has been melted, and is fpread over it; fo contemptible is wicked wit. Many of the fatyrical productions of our 24 celebrated poets are of this nature. He that hateth dif fembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; he intends a man's ruin when he makes a profeffion of 25 friendship; When he fpeaketh fair, believe him not: for [there are] feven abominations in his heart; when you have once difcovered a man to be of that difpofition, you have need of the greatest caution in dealing with him; he is 26 a most dangerous enemy. [Whofe] hatred is covered by deceit, his wickednefs fhall be fhowed before the [whole] congregation; he will probably be expofed to mankind, and become univerfally contemptible; and certainly be exposed to the view of the whole world at the judgment day. 27 Whofo diggeth a pit, with an evil design, shall fall there

in: and he that rolleth a ftone, to injure others, it will 28 return upon him, and hurt himself. A lying tongue hateth [those that are] afflicted by it; it is hard for those who have done an injury to respect the perfon wronged, they fill go on to do more; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin; perfons by being courted and applauded are often ruined. Hence we fee what mischief deceit, falfehood, and flattery do in the world, and bring on thafe who practise them. Let it then be our ambition to be chriftians indeed, in whom there is no guile.

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