e Becauſe by his Idleneſs he avoids thoſe Troubles and Dangers to which other Men by their Aivity expoſe themſelves,forgerting 1N the mean time whar Reproach and Lofs,and how much greater Miſ- ciiefs, both here and hereafter,are brought upon him by his floth= fulneſs f To wit, a fatisfatory Reaſon of all their Ations, i:e.who are truly wiſe Men, ; L
17 He that paſſeth by g, and || meddleth with ſtrife belenging not to him b, is like one that taketh a Dog by
the EA4TsS "Xe eWho is going upon the way, and about his buſineſs : But this Word is by ſome referred to the laſt clauſe is like one that taketh a dog by the ears as he ts paſſmg byhnim,withour any t 10ught of doing him herm ; which agrees very well both with the order of the Words in th: Hebrew Text, and with the Matter of the other Clauſe to whica this Similitude is referred. þ In which he is not concerned nor any way obliged to meddle. #Expoſerh himſelf to great and nvedleſs Hazards, as a Man that cauſlcily provoketh. a Maſtiff dog againſt himſelf. | 18 As + a mad man k whocaſteth F fire-brands 7, ar-
" k As one feignerh himſelf mad, that under that pretence he may do Miſchief with Impunicy, 1 To hurt his Neighbout's Perſon, or to conſume his Houſe or Goods. m Any Inſtruments of Death.
19 So is the man rhat deceiveth his neighbour, * and faith, Am nor I in ſport » ?
"2 Thatwrongs him under a falſe pretence of Kindneſs and Fami. liariry.
"20. | Where no wood is.there the fire goeth out, fo * where there -is no || tale-bearer o, the Þ {trife ceaſeth.
e To carry ſuch Reports from one to another, as may provoke them ro murual Rage and Strife. =
21 * As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire, ſo is a contentious man p to kindle ſtrife.
p Heb. a man of Contentions, that loveth and giveth himſelf up to Contentions.- if : 22: Tne words ofa tale-bearer are as wounds, and they go down intothe | innermoſt parts of the belly g.
9 This was delivered before, Chap: 18: 8, and is here repeated as being a Point of great Concernment to the Peace and Welfare of all S-"cicties, & fit to be oft and earneſtly preſſed upon the Conſciences of Mean,becauſe of their great and general pronenefſs to this Sin,
* 23 Burning r lips, and a wicked heart,are like a pot- ſheard covered withfilver droſs s.
r Either 1. With Love. Words delivered with fhew of true and fervent Affe&ion, Or rather 2. With Malice or Hatred.A flande- rous or evil Tongue: For this Werd is conſtantly uſed in a bad Senſe, and notes the heat ofRage and Perſecution. 5 Such a Tongue and Heart are of no real worth, although ſometimes they make a fhew of it, as Droſs doth of Silver. :
24 He that hateth ||difſembleth » with his lips, and
layeth up deceit within him. Q
: Or, carrieth bimſelf like. another man,pretends Love and Kindneſs: which Senſe ſeems to agree beſt both with the next Clauſe of this Verſe, and with the two following Verſes. :
* 25 When he 7 ſpeaketh fair, believe him not, for there are ſeven abominations in his heart.
--26 || Fheſe hatred is covered by deceit «, his wicked-
# With falſe Profeſſions of Love. x Inſtead of that Secrecy and Impuniry. which by this Arr he deſizned and promiſed to himſelf,
27 * Whoſo diggerh a pir y ſhal fall therein, and he
» That another may fall into ir. It is a Metaphor from Hunters who uſed ro vig deep Pits, and then ro cover them ſlightly with
ED F756. BS,
. and elſewhere ) all ( to wit, all, that are ſubje& ro him,or all that ſtand in his way ) he hireth(as this, Word moſt commonly ſignifies ) the fools, he hireth alſo Tranſgreſſors; So the Senſe is,It is the manner of many Princes to vex and oppreſs their Subje&s, which becauſe they cannot do by themſelves alone, they hire others,voth Fools, who do not know or conſider what they do, and Tranſzreſſ5rs,, who are ready ta execute all their Commands
11 * As adog returneth to his vomit ,/o a fool + re-
he had Jately vomited, forgetting how Impu-
12 * Seeſt thou a man wiſe in his own conceit 4 ?
hand in his boſom, || it | Or, ke grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth 4.
ſometimes in the heat of purſuit fell ito them themſelves. z To wn the Hill with deſign ro do miſchief to fome Perſon or Thins with it.
28 A lying tongue hateth thoſe that are afflicted by it |, and a flattering mouth F worketh ruine.
|| Becauſe by his Calumnies he hath made them KEis Enemies, T Which though it be more ſmooth and plauſible than a ſlandering Mouth, yer is in truth no leſs pernicious, betraying others either to Sin, or to Danger and Miſchief. | C H AP. XXVIL Counſel againff Selfecon-eitedneſs, 1, 2: The evil Eferof Envy, q The Praiſes of a Faithful Friend, 5 lo. The different Fruits of Prudence and Folly, 11, 12, Sundry Rules and Cautions, 13, — 27.
Oaſt not thy ſelf of Fro morrow 4, for thou know-
. eſt not what a day may bring forth 5, #@ Of any good thing which thou purpoſeſt to do,or hopeſt to re- ceive to morrow,or hereafter : the time being here put Metonymie cally for things done or had in the time, as Deut; 4: 3 2. Eccleſ: 2. 23. Theſame caution is given, Jam: 4: 13, &c- b What may hape pen in the ſpace of one day, which may binder thy deſigns or ex. peQtations, Theday is ſaid to bring forth what God by his Almighty Power and Providence doth ejther cauſe or ſuffer to be brought forth or done in it.
2 Let another man praiſe thee, and not thine own mouth c 2 a ſtranger, and not thine own lips.
c Except it be really neceſſary,cither for thy own juſt vindication or for the honour of God, or for the edification of others, in which Caſes this hath been allowed & praQtiſed by wiſe and virtuous men, as particularly by St. Paul, 2 Cor; 11: 12.
3 A itone 3s + heavy,and the ſand weighty;but afaols + wratlr is heavier 4 than them both.
a More grievous and iatollerable, zz being without cauſe, without meaſure, and without end.