Works of Joseph Hall, Book 4 – Section 6
SALOMONS ETHICKS. THE FOVRTH BOOKE. TEMPERANCE and FORTITVDE.
Temperance is the moderation of our deſires: whether
in Diet; Sobrietie.
in words and actions,
Modeſtie, and
Humilitie.
in affections,
continencie,
refraining of anger.
§. 1.
Temperance in diet,
Exceſſe: how dangerous to
Body,
Soule,
Eſtate.
THe temperate in diet, is hee that refraineth his appetite,Pr. 25.28. Pr. 23.31. Pr. 23.2. Pr. 23.1. Pr. 25.16. Ec. 3.13. that lookes not on the wine when it is red, that puts his knife to his throat, when hee ſits with a Ruler; that when hee findes hony, eats but that which is ſufficient for him, leſt hee ſhould bee ouer-full. It is true, that a man eateth and drinketh, and ſeeth the commoditie of all his labour; this is the gift of God: yea, Ec. 5.17.this I hauehave ſeene good, that it is comely to eat and to drinke, and to take pleaſure in all his labour wherein hee trauelleth vnderunder the Sunne,Ec. 9.7. Ec. 3 22. Ec. 2 24. Pr. 21.2. Ec. 2.3. Ec. 2.10. Pr. 27.7. Pr. 30.21. Pr. 30.21. the whole number of the daies of his life which God giueth him, for this is his portion: God allowes vsus to eat our bread with ioy, and drinke our wine with a cheerefull heart, and there is nothing better than this; yea, there is no profit but this: But not that a man ſhould bee giuen to his appetite, that hee ſhould ſeeke in his heart to draw his fleſh to wine: or that whatſoeuer his eies deſire, hee ſhould not with-hold it from them: Such a man when hee is full, deſpiſeth an hony-combe: whereas to the hungry, eueryevery bitter thing is ſweet: and in his exceſſe is outragious: One of the three things, yea foure,Ec. 5.11. Pr. 23.29. for which the earth is moued, and cannot ſuſtaine it ſelfe, is a foole when hee is filled with meat. Neither doth this proſper with himſelfe. For his body: The ſatietie of the rich will not ſuffer him to ſleepe. To whom is woe? to whom is ſorrow? to whom is murmuring?Pr. 23.30. to whom are wounds without cauſe? and to whom is the redneſſe of the eies?Pr. 23.31. Pr. 23.32. Euen to them that tarry long at the wine: to them that goe and ſeeke mixt wine. For his ſoule: Looke not on the wine when it is red,Pr. 13.33. and ſheweth his colour in the cup, or goeth downe pleaſantly. In the end thereof, it will bite like a Serpent, and hurt like a Cockatrice: Thine eies ſhall looke vponupon the ſtrange woman,Pr. 23.34. Pr. 23.35. and thy lips ſhall ſpeake lewd things, and thou ſhalt be as one that ſleepeth in the middeſt of the Sea, and as hee that ſleepeth in the top of the maſt: they hauehave ſtricken mee (ſhalt thou ſay) but I was not ſicke: they hauehave beaten me,Pr. 25.28. Pr. 23.20. but I knew not when I awoke, therefore will I ſeeke it yet ſtill. For his eſtate: He is like a citie which is broken downe, and without walls: Keepe not company therefore with drunkards, nor with gluttons: for the glutton and drunkard ſhall bee poore,Pr. 20.1. and the ſleeper ſhall be clothed with rags; and in all theſe, Wine is a mocker, and ſtrong drinke is raging, and whoſoeuer is deceiued thereby, is not wiſe.
§. 2.
Modeſtie,
In words,
what it requires: that they be
few,
ſeaſonable.
what it profits,
argues wiſdome,
giues ſafetie.
in actions.
contrarie to it,
Loquacitie,
Ill ſpeech,
Immoderate mirth.
Pr. 17.27. Pr. 10.19. Pr. 17.27. Pr. 18.4. Pr. 10.31. Pr. 10.21. Pr. 12.14. Pr. 13.2. Pr. 18.20. Pr. 12.23. Pr. 11.12. Pr. 10.19. Pr. 17.28. Pr. 21.23. Pr. 13.3. Ec. 5.2. Pr. 15.2. Pr. 15.14. Pr. 18.2. Pr. 12.23. Ec. 10.14. Pr. 10.19. Pr. 11.2…. Pr. 15.32. Pr. 12.6. Pr. 14.3. Pr. 13.3. Pr. 27.20. Pr. 10.31. Pr. 15.4. Pr. 18.7. Pr. 11.16. Ec. 2.2. Ec. 7.5. Ec. 7.6. Ec. 11.9.THe modeſt (for words) is a man of a precious ſpirit, that refraineth his lips, and ſpareth his words. The words of a modeſt man are like deepe waters, and the well-ſpring of wiſdome like a flowing Riuer: but when hee doth ſpeake, it is to purpoſe: for, The mouth of the iuſt ſhall be fruitfull in wiſdome: and the lips of the righteous doe feed many, yea himſelfe: A man ſhall be ſatiate with good things by the fruit of his mouth: and with the fruit of a mans mouth his belly ſhall be ſatisfied: but ſtill he ſpeaketh ſparingly: A wiſe man concealeth knowledge, and a man of vnderſtanding will keepe ſilence, which as it argues him wiſe, (for euen a foole, when hee holdeth his peace is counted wiſe; and he that ſtoppeth his lips, as prudent) ſo it giues him much ſafetie: Hee that keepeth his mouth, and his tongue, keepeth his ſoule from affliction; yea he keepeth his life: where contrarily, The mouth of the foole is in the multitude of words, it babbleth out fooliſhneſſe; as it is fed with it: neither hath hee any delight in vnderſtanding, but that which his heart diſcouereth; and while he bewraieth it, The heart of fooles publiſheth his fooliſhneſſe: And as he multiplieth words, ſo in many words there cannot want iniquitie: his mouth (ſtill) babbleth euill things, for either hee ſpeaketh froward things, or how to lie in wait for bloud, or in the mouth of the fooliſh is the rod of pride; and what is the iſſue of it? Hee that openeth his mouth, deſtruction ſhall be to him. And he that hath a naughtie tongue, ſhall fall into euill; for, both it ſhall be cut out, and the frowardneſſe of it, is the breaking of the heart. Laſtly, a fooles mouth is his owne deſtruction, and his lips are a ſnare for his ſoule.
For actions: The modeſt ſhall hauehave honour: And though we need not ſay, Of laughter, thou art madde, and of ioy, what is this thou doeſt? yet Anger is better than laughter: for by a ſad looke the heart is made better. The heart of the wiſe therefore is in the houſe of mourning, but the heart of fooles is in the houſe of mirth. Reioice then, O young man, in thy youth, and let thine heart cheere thee in the daies of thy youth, and walke in the waies of thine heart, and in the ſight of thine eies; but know, that for all theſe things God will bring thee to Iudgement.
§. 3.
Humilitie,
Pride,
Ouerweening,
Wherein it is,
How abſurd,
How dangerous.
Scornfulneſſe.
Pr. 29.23. Pr. 30.2.NExt to the modeſt; is the humble in ſpirit: He ſaith, Surely, I am more fooliſh than a man, and hauehave not the vnderſtanding of a man in me; for I hauehave not learned wiſdome, and hauehave not attained to the knowledge of holy things:Pr. 30.3. Pr. 11.2. Pr. 13.31. Pr. 16.19. Pr. 15.33. Pr. 18.12. Pr. 28.13. Pr. 29.23. Pr. 22.24. But doth hee want it ere the more? No: With the lowly is wiſdome, and The eare that harkneth to the corrections of life, ſhall lodge among the wiſe: Better it is therefore, to be of an humble minde with the lowly, than to diuide the ſpoiles with the proud: for before honour goeth humilitie; and hee that confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſinnes, ſhall hauehave merciemercy, yea, the humble of ſpirit ſhall enioy glory: and the reward of humilitie, and the feare of God, is riches, and glory, and life.
Contrary whereto; There is a generation, whoſe eies are haughtie,Pr. 30.13. Pr. 30.12. and their eye-lids are lift vp; There is a generation, that are pure in their owne conceit, and yet are not waſhed from their filthineſſe. Yea, All the waies of a man are cleane in his owne eies:Pr. 16.2. Pr. 21.2. Pr. 20.6. Pr. 25.27. Pr. 27.2. but the Lord pondereth the ſpirits; and not ſo onelyonly, but Many men will boaſt of their goodneſſe: but It is not good to eat much honey, ſo to ſearch their owne glory is not glory: Let another man praiſe thee, and not thine owne mouth; a ſtranger, and not thine owne lips. This ouer-weening is commonly incident to great men. Pr. 28.11.The rich man is wiſe in his owne conceit, but the poore that hath vnderſtanding, can trie him: Hence it is that hee affects ſingularitie; According to his deſire, hee that ſeparates himſelfe,Ec. 18.1. Pr. 16.12. Pr. 14.3. will ſeeke, and occupie himſelfe in all wiſdome: but ſeeſt thou a man thus wiſe in his owne conceit? there is more hope of a foole than of him: yea, he is a foole in this: In the mouth of the fooliſh is the rod of pride: I thought, I will be wiſe, but it went farre from mee;Ec. 7.25. it is farre off, what may it be? and that a wicked foole; A haughtie looke,Ec. 7.26. Pr. 21.4. Pr. 30.32. Pr. 6.17. Pr. 16.5. and a proud heart, which is the light of the wicked, is ſinne: If therefore thou haſt beene fooliſh in lifting vp thy ſelfe, and if thou haſt thought wickedly, lay thy hand vponupon thy mouth, for God hateth an haughtie eye; yea, he ſo hateth it, that all that are proud in heart, are an abomination to the Lord; and though hand ioine in hand, they ſhall not bee vnpuniſhed; and what puniſhment ſhall he hauehave? Pr. 15.25. Pr. 18.22.The Lord will deſtroy the houſe of the proud man; and his very pride is an argument of his ruine: Before deſtruction the heart of a man is haughtie: Pride goeth before deſtruction, and an high minde before the fall:Pr. 16.18. Before it? yea, with it: when pride commeth, then commeth ſhame. Now the height of pride is ſcornefulneſſe: Hee that is proud and haughtie, ſcornefull is his name,Pr. 11.2. Pr. 21.24. who worketh in the pride of his wrath: and this man deſpiſeth his neighbour, and therefore is deſtitute of vnderſtanding: when the wicked commeth, then commeth contempt;Pr. 11.12. Pr. 18.3. and with the vile man is reproch: but of all, him that reproues him: Hee that reproueth a ſcorner, purchaſeth to himſelfe ſhame; and hee that rebuketh the wicked, getteth himſelfe a blot: therefore Iudgements are prepared for the ſcorners,Pr. 9.7. Pr. 19.29. Pr. 29.8. Pr. 21.11. and ſtripes for the backe of fooles; ſo as others are hurt by his ſinne; for a ſcornefull man bringeth a whole Citie into a ſnare: ſo they ſhall be likewiſe bettered by his iudgement: when the ſcorner is puniſhed, the fooliſh is wiſe.
§. 4. Continencie
of Luſt,
of Anger,
with their Contraries.
OF the firſt kinde, is he that drinkes the waters of his owne Ciſterne;Pr. 5.15. Pr. 6.25. that deſires not the beautie of a ſtranger in his heart; neither lets her take him with her eyelids: contrarily, the incontinent is hee that delights in a ſtrange woman,Pr. 5.20. Pr. 2.17. Pr. 23.28. Pr. 23.27. Ec. 7.28. See more of this vice, Oeco…. ſect. 2. and 3. Pr. 16.32. Pr. 14.29. Pr. 19.11. Pr. 14.29. Pr. 29.8. Pr. 16.23. Pr. 20.3. Ec. 7.11. Ec. 7.11. Pr. 14.17. Pr. 14.29. Pr. 27.4. Pr. 29.22. Pr. 22.24. Pr. 22.25. and embraces the boſome of a ſtranger; or ſhe that forſakes the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the couenant of God; ſhe lieth in wait for a prey, and ſhe increaſeth the tranſgreſſors amongſt men. For a whore is as a deepe ditch, and a ſtrange woman as a narrow pit: Yea, I finde more bitter than death the woman whoſe heart is as nets and ſnares, and whoſe hands as bands: he that is good before God, ſhall be deliuered from her, but the ſinner ſhall be taken by her.
Of the ſecond, is he that is ſlow to anger, ſlow to wrath; whoſe diſcretion deferreth his anger, and whoſe glory is to paſſe by an offence: which moderation, as it argues him to be of great wiſdome (for wiſe men turne away wrath) ſo it makes him better than the mightie man, and procures him iuſt honour; for It is the honour of a man to ceaſe from ſtrife; contrary to which, is he that is of an haſtie ſpirit to be angry; which as it proues him fool…ſh, (for anger reſteth in the boſome of fooles, and he that is haſtie to anger, not onelyonly committeth folly, but exalteth it) ſo it makes him dangerous: Anger is cruell, and wrath is raging; and a furious man aboundeth in tranſgreſſions: wherefore make no friendſhip with an angry man, leſt thou learne his waies, and receiue deſtruction to thy ſoule.
§. 5. Fortitude.
In generall,
The ſpecials of it,
Confidence,
Patience
in Gods afflictions,
in mens iniuries.
Pr. 18.14. Pr. 28.1. Pr. 24.10. Pr. 29.25. Pr. 18 14. Pr. 28.1. Pr. 3.5. Pr. 3.6. Pr. 16.3. Pr. 14.32. Pr. 13.12. Pr. 28.25. Pr. 16.3. Pr. 3.6. Pr. 30.5. Pr. 21.31. Pr. 18.12. Pr. 16.20. Pr. 28.26. Pr. 27.1.FOrtitude is that, whereby The ſpirit of a man ſuſtaines his infirmities; which makes the righteous bold as a Lion: contrarily, the weake of ſtrength is hee that is faint in the day of aduerſitie; whoſe feare bringeth a ſnare vponupon him; and that deſperate: A wounded ſpirit who can beare? which is often cauſed through guiltineſſe: The wicked fleeth, when none purſueth him. Confidence is, to truſt in the Lord with all thine heart, and not to leane to thine owne wiſdome; but in all thy waies to acknowledge him, and to commit thy workes to the Lord, and to hauehave hope in thy death: and though in other things, The hope that is deferred, is the fainting of the heart; yet in this, he that truſteth in the Lord, ſhall be fat; for, from hence, not onelyonly his thoughts and waies are directed, but he receiueth ſafetie and protection: He is a ſhield to thoſe that truſt in him. The horſe is prepared for the day of battell, but ſaluation is of the Lord. Yea, The name of the Lord is a ſtrong tower: the righteous runneth to it, and is exalted. So that, He that truſteth in the Lord, he is bleſſed; whereas He that truſteth in his owne heart, is a foole: and it is a vaine thing to boaſt thy ſelfe of to morow; for thou knoweſt not what a day will bring forth.
Pr. 3.11. Ec. 7.16.Patience is, not to refuſe the chaſtening of the Lord, neither to bee grieued with his correction: The patient man, in the day of wealth, is of good comfort, and in the day of affliction conſidereth, God alſo hath made this contrarie to that, that man ſhould finde nothing after him whereof to complaine: knowing that the Lord correcteth whom hee loueth;Pr. 3.12. Pr. 10.28. Pr. 19.3. Ec. 6.10. Pr. 29.1. and that the patient abiding of the righteous ſhall bee gladneſſe: Contrarily, The heart of the foole fretteth againſt the Lord; he is careleſſe and rageth: but to what purpoſe? Man cannot ſtriue with him that is ſtronger than he: yea rather, the man that hardeneth his necke when he is rebuked, ſhall ſuddenly bee deſtroied, and cannot be cured:Pr. 20.22. in reſpect of mens iniuries, Hee ſaith not, I will recompence euill; but waits vponupon the Lord, and hee ſhall ſaue him. In which regard, the patient in ſpirit that ſuffers, Ec. 7.10.is better than the proud of ſpirit that requites.
SALOMONS POLITICKS, OR COMMON-WEALTH.
THE FIRST BOOKE.
His
KING,
COVNCELLOVR,
COVRTIER,
SVBIECT.
By IOS. HALL.
SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS
Io 3.
ANCHORA FIDEI:
LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.
SALOMONS POLITICKS, OR Common-Wealth. And firſt, HIS KING.
§. 1. Degrees
muſt be, and are
ſubordinate,
higheſt,
not many,
but one.
and thoſe from God.
IN all well ordered gouernments there are degrees, And higher than the higheſt, and yet an higher than they: and theſe, Ec. 5.7.of Gods appointment; not onelyonly in the inferiour ranks, The rich and poore meet, and the Lord is the Maker of them all: but in the ſupreme, Pr. 2.22.By me Kings raigne (ſaith Wiſdome) and Princes decree Iuſtice:Pr. 8.15. Pr. 8.16. Pr. 30.27. and not they onelyonly, but the Nobles and all the Iudges of the earth; ſo it is a iuſt wonder, that the Graſhoppers hauehave no King, yet they goe forth by bands. And as no King is a iudgement; ſo many: for Becauſe of the tranſgreſſion of the Land, there are many Princes; many, Pr. 28.2.not onelyonly in frequent ſucceſsion, but in ſociety of regiment.
§. 2. In a King are deſcribed
Quality of his perſon
Naturall,
Morall.
Actions.
A King muſt be high; as in place, ſo in bloud: Bleſſed art thou, O Land,Ec. 10.17. when thy King is the ſonne of Nobles; not of any ſeruile condition; Pr. 19.10. Ec. 10.17.for nothing can be more vncomly, than for a ſeruant to hauehave rule ouer Princes: and it is a monſter in State, to ſee ſeruants ride on horſes, and Princes (of bloud) to walke as ſeruants on the ground; neither more monſtrous than intollerable. There are three things for which the earth is moued,Pr. 30.21. Pr. 30.22. yea foure which it cannot ſuſtaine: whereof one is, A ſeruant when he raigneth.
§. 3. Morall qualities
Negatiue;
what one he
Not laſciuious,
Not riotous,
Not hollow and diſſembling,
Not childiſh,
Not imprudent,
Not oppreſsing.
may not be:
Affirmatiue.
ANd as his bloud is heroicall, ſo his diſpoſition; not laſcinious, What,Pr. 31.25. Ec. 2.10. O my ſonne of my deſires, giuegive not thy ſtrength to women, nor thy waies: But why, ſhould he withhold from his eyes whatſoeuer they can deſire,Ec. 2.8. Can. 6.7. Pr. 31.3. Ec. 7.28. and withdraw his heart from any ioy? why may he not hauehave all the delights of the ſonnes of men: as women taken captiue; as Queenes and Concubines, and Damoſels without number? This is to deſtroy Kings; He ſhall finde more bitter than death the woman whoſe heart is as nets and ſnares. Not riotouſly exceſsiue; Pr. 31.4.whether in wine: for It is not for Kings to drinke wine, nor for Princes ſtrong drinke:Ec. 9.7. What not at all? To him alone is it not ſaid, Goe eat thy bread with ioy, and drinke thy wine with a cheerefull heart? who ſhould eat or drinke, or haſte to outward things more than he?Ec. 2.25. Pr. 31.5. Ec. 10.16. Pr. 23.2. Pr. 23.3. Not immoderatly: ſo as he ſhould drinke and forget the decree, and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction: Or in meat; for, Woe be to thee, O Land, when thy Princes eat in the morning: and if he be not the maſter of his appetite, his dainty meats will proue deceiueable. Not hollow, not double in ſpeeches, in profeſsion: Pr. 17.7. Ec. 10.16.The lip of excellency becomes not a foole; much leſſe, lying talke a Prince. Not childiſh; Woe to thee, O Land, whoſe King is a childe: not ſo much in age, which hath ſometimes proued ſucceſſefull; Pr. 23.16.but in condtion: Not imprudent, not oppreſsing; two vices conioyned; A Prince deſtitute of vnderſtanding, is alſo a great oppreſſor; And to conclude, in all or any of theſe, Ec. 4.13.not wilfully inflexible: A poore and wiſe childe is better than an old and fooliſh King, that will no more be admoniſhed.
§. 4. Affirmatiue; what one he muſt be:
To others
Iuſt,
Mercifull,
Slow to Anger,
Bountifull.
In himſelfe
Temperate,
Wiſe,
Valiant,
Secret.
Ec. 10.17. Pr. 11.1.COntrarily he muſt be Temperate, Bleſſed art thou, O Land, when thy Princes eat in time, for ſtrength, and not for drunkenneſſe: Iuſt and righteous, for falſe ballances (eſpecially in the hand of gouernment) are an abomination to the Lord: but a perfect weight pleaſeth him:Pr. 16.12. Pr. 14.34. Pr. 29.2. A vertue beneficiall, both 1 to himſelfe (for the Throne is eſtabliſhed by Iuſtice) and 2. to the State. Iuſtice exalteth a Nation; than which nothing doth more binde and cheare the hearts of the people: for When the righteous are in authority, the people reioyce, but when the wicked beares rule, the people ſigh: and with truth and iuſtice, Pr. 20.18.muſt mercy be ioyned inſeparably: for Mercy and truth preſerue the King: and his Throne ſhall be eſtabliſhed, alſo, by mercy. And all theſe muſt hauehave wiſdome to menage them: Pr. 8.16. Pr. 20.26. Pr. 28.16. Pr. 29.4.By it, Princes rule, and are terrible to the ill-deſeruing. A wiſe King ſcattereth the wicked, and cauſeth the wheele to turne ouer them. To all theſe muſt bee added bounty: A Prince that hateth couetouſneſſe, ſhall prolong his daies; where contrarily, A man of gifts deſtroyeth his country: and yet further, a conqueſt of his owne paſsions; a princely victory: Pr. 16.32.for He that is ſlow to anger, is better than the mighty man; and hee that ruleth his owne minde, better than he that winneth a City; becauſe of all other, The Kings wrath is like the roaring of a Lion:Pr. 19.12. and what is that but the meſſenger of death? and if it may be, Pr. 30.29. Pr. 30.31.a conqueſt of all others, through valour. There are three things, that order well their going, yea foure are comely in going: whereof the laſt and principall is, A King againſt whom no man dares riſe vp.Pr. 25.3. Laſtly, ſecrecie in determinations: The Heauen in height, and earth in deepneſſe, and the Kings heart can no man (no man ſhould) ſearch out:Pr. 21.1. neither ſhould it be in any hands but the Lords; who as he knowes it, ſo he turnes it whitherſoeuer it pleaſeth him.
§. 5. His actions
common,
ſpeciall to his place: To
iudge righteouſly
1. according to the truth of the cauſe.
2. according to the diſtreſſe of the party, vnpartially.
remit mercifully.
Pr. 16.12. Pr. 16.7.HIs actions muſt ſuit his diſpoſition, which muſt bee vniuerſally holy: for, It is an abomination to Kings (of all other) to commit wickedneſſe. Which holineſſe alone is the way to all peace: When the waies of a man pleaſe the Lord, he will make his enemies at peace with him: Peculiarly to his place; hee muſt firſt iudge his people: Pr. 20.8.a King that ſitteth in the Throne of iudgement, chaſeth away all euill with his eies;Pr. 29.4. Pr. 16.10. and by this hee maintaines his country: and while he doth ſit there, A diuine ſentence muſt be in the lips of the King, and his mouth may not tranſgreſſe in iudgement. For, Pr. 29.14.a King that iudgeth the poore in truth, his Throne ſhall be eſtabliſhed for euer: Neither may his eare be partially open: which diſpoſition ſhall be ſure to be fed with reports; for, Pr. 29.12.Of a Prince that harkneth to lies, all his ſeruants are wicked: nor his mouth ſhut, eſpecially in caſes of diſtreſſe: Open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cauſe of all the children of deſtruction:Pr. 31.8. Pr. 31.9. open thy mouth, iudge righteouſly, and iudge the afflicted and the poore: yet not with ſo much regard to the eſtate of perſons, as the truth of the cauſe; Pr. 17.26.for Surely it is not good to condemne the iuſt in what euer condition; nor that Princes ſhould ſmite ſuch for equity: wherein he ſhall wiſely ſearch into all difficulties. The glory of God is to paſſe by infirmities,Pr. 25.1. but the Kings honour is to ſearch out a thing; yet ſo, as he is not ſeldome mercifull in execution, Deliuering them that are drawne to death,Pr. 24.11. Ec. 8.9. and preſeruing them that are drawne to be ſlaine. Theſe obſerued, it cannot be, that man ſhould rule ouer man to his hurt.
SALOMONS COƲNSAILOR.
§. 6. Counſaile
For the ſoule,
How giuen:
The neceſsity of it,
The qualitie
wiſe,
righteous,
pleaſant.
How receiued.
For the State.
AS where no ſoueraignty, ſo where no counſell is, the people fall; and contrarily, Pr. 11.14. Pr. 22.6 Pr 15.22. Pr. 29.18. Pr. 11.30. Ec. 22.9.where many Counſellors are, there is health; and more than health, Stedfaſtnes: Counſell for the ſoule. Where no viſion is, the people periſh: which requires both holineſſe and wiſdome: The fruit of the righteous is as a tree of life, and he that winneth ſoules, is wiſe; & the more wiſe the Preacher (is) the more he teacheth the people knowledge, and cauſeth them to heare, and ſearcheth forth, and prepareth many parables: and not only an vpright writing (and ſpeaking) euen the word of truth;Ec. 12.10. but pleaſant words alſo, ſo that the ſweetneſſe of the lips increaſeth doctrine; and not more delightfull, than effectuall: for, Pr. 16.21.The words of the wiſe are like goads and nailes faſtned by the maſters of the aſſemblies, that are giuen by one Paſtor:Ec. 12.11. which againe of eueryevery hearer challenge due reuerence and regard; who muſt take heed to his foot, when he entreth into the Houſe of God,Ec. 4 17. and be more neere to heare, than to giuegive the ſacrifice of fooles: for, Pr. 13.13.He that deſpiſeth the Word ſhall be deſtroyed: but he that feareth the Commandement, ſhall be rewarded.