Salomons diuine arts, of 1. Ethickes, 2. Politickes, 3. Oeconomicks that is; the gouernment of 1. Behauiour, 2. Common-vvealth, 3. Familie. Drawne into method, out of his Prouerbs & Ecclesiastes. With an open and plaine paraphrase, vpon the Song of songs. By Ioseph Hall.

SALOMONS COVNSAILOR.

Sect. 6. Coūsaile

• For the soule
  • How giuē:
    • The necessitie of it,
    • The qualitie
      • wise,
      • righteus
      • pleasant.
  • How receiued.
• For the State.

AS where no soueraigntie, so vvhere no counsell is, the people fall; and contrarily, where many Counsellers are, there is health; and more then health, Stedfastnes: Counsel for the soule, Where no vision is, the people perish: which requires both holi∣nesse and wisedome: The fruit of the righteous is as a tree of life, and hee that vvinneth soules is

is vvise; and the more vvise the Preacher (is) the more hee tea∣cheth the people knovvledge, and causeth them to heare, and searcheth forth, and prepareth many parables: & not only an vp∣right writing (& speaking) euen the word of truth; but pleasant words also; so that the sweetness of the lips increaseth doctrine; & not more delightfull, then effectual: for, The wordes of the wise are like goades, and nayles fastned by the masters of the assemblies, that are giuen by one Pastour: which againe, of euery hearer, chal∣lenge due reuerence & regard; who must take heed to his foot, when he entreth into the house of God, and bee more neere to heare,

thē to giue the sacrifice of fooles: for, He that despiseth the word, shall be destroyed: but hee that feareth the commaundement, shall be rewarded.

§. 7. In a Coun∣sellour of State, or Magistrate, is required

• Wisdom,
  • Discussing of causes,
  • Prouidence, and working according to knowledge.
• Pietie,
• Iustice, and freed from
  • Partialitie,
  • Bribes,
  • Oppression▪

WIthout Counsell, all our thoughts (euen of policie & state) come to nought: but in the multitude of Counsellors is sted∣fastnes: & no lesse in their goodnes; 〈…〉〈…〉 their wisdom, which alone giv's strength to the owner, aboue ten mighty princ. that are in the city;

a vertue, which tho it resteth in the heart of him that hath vnder∣standing, yet is knowne in the mids of fooles. For wisedome is in the face of him that hath vnderstanding, and in his lippes: for, howsoeuer he that hath know∣ledge spareth his words, yet the tongue of the wise vseth know∣ledge aright; and the foole can∣not open his mouth in the gate; and therefore is vnfit for authori∣tie. As snowe in summer, and raine in haruest; so is honor vn∣seemely for a foole. And tho it bee giuen him; how ill it agrees? As the closing vp of a precious stone in an heape of stones, so is he that giues glory to a foole. From hence, the good Iusticer both

carefully heareth a cause, knowing, that He which answereth a mat∣ter before he heare it, it is a folly and shame to him; and that rela∣ted on both parts▪ for Hee that is first in his owne cause is iust: then commeth his neighbour and maketh inquirie of him; and deepely sifteth it: else he loseth the truth; for The counsel of the heart of a man is like deepe wa∣ters: but a man that hath vnder∣standing will draw it out. From hence, is his prouidence for the common good; not onely in seeing the plague, and hiding himselfe, but in deliuering the city: and as hee foreseeth, so hee worketh by knowledge: and not in peace on∣ly; as, The words of the wise are

more heard in quietnesse, then the cry of him that ruleth among fooles; but in warre: A wise man goeth vp into the city of the mighty, and casteth downe the strength of the cōfidence there∣of. For, wisedome is better then strength, yea then weapons of warre▪ I haue seene this wisdome vnder the sun, and it is great vn∣to mee; A little citie and fewe men in it, and a great king came against it, and compassed it a∣bout, and builded forts against it; and there was found, in it, a poore and wise man, and he de∣liuered the city by his wisdome: neither can there be true wisedome in any Counsellour, without piety. The wise man feareth, & departs

from euill; being well assured, that there is no wisdome, nor vnder∣standing, nor counsel against the Lord; & that, Man cānot be esta∣blished by wickednes: and indeed bow oft doth God so dispose of estats that the euil shal bow before the good, & the wicked at the gates of the righteus? neither is this more iust with God, the•• acceptable with men▪ for, when the righteous re∣ioice, there is great glory, & whē they are in authority the people reioice▪ cōtrarily, whē the wicked comes on, and rises vp, & beares rule, the mā is tried; the good hide thēselues, & all the people sigh: & the righteous man falling down before the wicked, is like a trou∣bled Well, and a corrupt spring.

Neither is iustice lesse essentiall, then either; for to do iustice and iudgement is more acceptable to the Lord, then sacrifice: To know faces, therefore (in a iudge) is not good; for that man will transgresse for a peece of bread; much lesse to accept the person of the wicked, to cause the righte∣ous to fall in iudgement: Hee that saith to the wicked thou art righteous, him shall the people curse, and the multitude shall abhorre him: Yea yet byer; Hee that iustifieth the wicked, & con∣dēneth the iust▪ both are an ab∣omination to the Lord. Where∣fore, howsoeuer. The wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosome, to wrest the wayes of iudgemēt;

and commonly, A mans gift inlar∣geth him, and leadeth him (with approbation) before greatmen: yet he knoweth, that the reward destroyeth the heart; that the acceptance of it is but the robbery of the wicked; which shall de∣stroy them, because they haue refused to execute iudgement: he hateth gifts, then, that he may liue, and it is a ioy to him to doe iudgement: He doth vnpartial∣ly smite the scorner, yea seuerely punish him, that the wickedly foolish may beware and become wise. And wheras Euery way of a man is right in his owne eyes, and a false record will speake lies, and vse deceit; he so maketh inquirie, that a false witnes shall

not be vnpunished: and he that speaketh lies shall perish: Lastly, his hand is free from oppression of of his inferiors: which as it makes a wiseman mad; so the actor of it, miserable: for Hee that oppres∣seth the poore, reproueth him that made him; and if the affli∣cted bee opprest in iudgement, the Lord will defend their cause, & spoile the soule▪ that spoyleth them; and vpon all occasions, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so determineth, that they shal kisse the lippes of him that answereth vpright words.

Notes

• Pr. 11.14
• Pr. 24.6
• Pr. 15.22
• Pr. 29.18
• Pr. 11.30
• Ec. 12.9
• Ec. 12.10
• Pr. 16.21
• Ec. 12.11
• Ec. 4.17
• Pr. 13.13.
• Pr. 15.22.
• Pr. 24.5.
• Ec. 7.2.
• Pr. 14.33.
• Pr. 17.24.
• Pr.
• Pr. 15.2.
• Pr. 24.7.
• Pr. 26.1.
• Pr. 26.8.
• Pr.
• Pr. 18.17.
• Pr. 20.5.
• Pr. 22.3.
• Ec. 9.15.
• Pr. 13.16
• Ec. 9.17.
• Pr. 21.22.
• Ec. 9.16.
• Ec. 9.18.
• Ec. 9.13.
• Ec. 9.14.
• Ec. 9.15.
• Pr. 14.16.
• Pr. 21.30.
• Pr. 12.3.
• Pr.
• Pr. 28.12
• Pr. 29.2.
• Pr. 28.••••.
• Pr. 28.28.
• Pr. 29.2.
• Pr. 25.26▪
• Pr.
• Pr. 28.21 Pr. 24.23
• Pr. 18.5.
• Pr. 24.24.
• Pr. 17.15.
• Pr. 17.27.
• Pr. 18.16.
• Ec. 7.9.
• Pr. 21.7.
• Pr. 15.27.
• Pr. 21.15.
• Pr. 19.25.
• Pr. 21.11.
• Pr. 21.2.
• Pr. 14.5.
• Pr. 12.17. Pr. 18.17. Pr. 19.5.
• Pr. 19.9.
• Pr.
• Pr. 14.31.
• Pr. 22.22.
• Pr. 24.26.