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.

§. 2.

• Modestie
  • In words
    • what it requires: that they be few, sea∣sona∣ble.
    • what it profits
      • argues wisedome,
      • giues safetie.
  • In actions.
• Contrarie to it,
  • Loquacitie,
  • Ill speech,
  • Immoderate mirth.

THe modest (for wordes) is a man of a pretious spirit, that refraineth his lippes, and spareth his words. The wordes of a modest man are like deepe waters, and the welspring of wis∣dome like a flowing riuer: but when he doth speak, it is to purpose; for, The mouth of the iust shalbe fruitfull in wisdom: & the lips of the righteous do feed many, yea himself; A man shalbe satiate with

good things by the fruite of his mouth; & with the fruit of a mans mouth his belly shal be satisfied: but still bee speaketh sparingly; A wise man concealeth know∣ledge, and a man of vnder∣standing will keepe silence: which as it argues him wise (for euen a foole when hee holdeth his peace is counted wise; and hee that stoppeth his lippes, as prudent); so it giues him much safetie. Hee that keepeth his mouth, and his tongue, keepeth his foule from affliction; yea, he keepeth his life; where contrari∣ly, The mouth of the foole is in the multitude of wordes, it bab∣bleth out foolishnesse; as it is fedde with it: neither hath hee

any delight in vnderstanding, but that which his heart discoue∣reth; and while he bewrayeth it, The heart of fooles publisheth his foolishnesse: And as he mul∣tiplieth words, so in many words there cannot want iniquity: his mouth (still) babbleth euill things; for either he speaketh fro∣ward things, or how to lie in wait for blood, or in the mouth of the foolish is the rod of pride; And what is the issue of it? He that o∣peneth his mouth, destruction shall bee to him. And hee that hath a naughty 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 de∣struction,

and his lips are a snare for his soule.

For Actions: The modest shall haue honour: And tho wee need not say, Of laughter, thou art mad, & of ioy, what is this thou doest; yet Anger is better then laughter, for by a sadde 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. Reioyce then, O yong man, in thy youth, and let thine heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth, & walke in the wayes of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know, that for all these things God will bring thee to iudgement.

Notes

• 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. 11.28.
• Pr. 15.32.
• Pr. 12.6.
• Pr. 14.3.
• Pr. 13.3.
• Pr. 17.20.
• Pr. 10.31.
• Pr. 15.4.
• Pr. 18.7.
• Pr. 11.16.
• Ec. 2.2.
• Ec. 7.5.
• Ec. 7.6.
• Ec. 11.9.