The proverbs of Solomon paraphrased with the arguments of each chapter, which supply the place of a commentary / by Symon Patrick ...

THE PREFACE.

I. NExt to the Psalms of David, which are an admirable Col∣lection of Devotion, follow the Proverbs of Solomon, which contain most excel∣lent Rules of life. They are commonly called his Ethicks; correcting mens er∣rours, and teaching them how to con∣duct themselves in all relations: but may as well be called his Politicks also, comprehending under that word, Rules for the Government of Families, Cities and Kingdoms as well as of particular Persons. For, as S. Basil speaks, this Book is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an universal instruction and direction for all men, and for the whole life: containing fre∣quent

documents, of what is to be done on all occasions.

II. And there being two ways of tea∣ching; one by brief Sentences, and A∣phorisms, which are delivered also pro∣miscuously without any great care about the order of them; the other by metho∣dical Discourse, according to the Rules of Logick, proceeding orderly from one thing to another, till all that belongs to the matter in hand, be reduced to one body, and make as it were an intire building: Solomon hath chosen the first way, which was the most ancient; as it would be very easie to shew, were there any necessity of it; and were not the great Antiquity of this sententious way of speaking, apparent enough from that passage of David's 1 Sam. XXIV. 13. As saith the Proverb of the An∣cients; wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: which is much like that Greek Adage 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. For it was very usual with the Wise men of

old (as the Lord Bacon observes in his Eighth Book of the Advancement of Learning) when their observation light upon any thing, that might prove bene∣ficial unto common life, to reduce it im∣mediately and contract it, either into some short sentence or parable; or else into a Fable. As for Fables they were onely the substitutes, and supplements of Examples; to serve instead of them, while they were wanting, and no longer: when the world abounded with Histo∣ries, they became unnecessary, because the shadows of things are usefull onely where the substance cannot be had; and because the aim is more exact, and more pleasant, when the mark is alive. Then those Fables were to give place to this Sententious way of Instruction, com∣prising wise observations in a few words: which could be illustrated and inforced by a multitude of examples.

III. And therefore in the fabulous times, we find those even among the

Poets, who forsook Fables and betook themselves to this more profitable way of Instruction: particularly Phocylides and Theognis, whom Julian the Apo∣state is bold not onely to compare with Solomon, but to prefer before him. To whom S. Cyril of Alexandria very judiciously answers (Lib. VII. adv. Jul.) that as Solomon's Work is of far grea∣ter Antiquity; he being contemporary with Homer himself, and they living a long time after, with Solon and Tha∣les in the reign of Croesus: so it is infinitely more weighty than theirs. Who said indeed some pretty, spruce things, but so weak and shallow in com∣parison with the manly and deep sense of Solomon's Proverbs; that they were fit onely for the use of Nurses to prattle to their Babes; or at the most for Pae∣dagogues to teach little Boys. There is not, for instance, such a wise instruc∣tion to be found in all their Books, as the very first of all in Solomon's, which he lays as the ground of all wisedom

(but they alas! did not think of) that the Fear of the Lord is the begin∣ning of Wisedom. This as S. Basil observes, is that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (which their Philosophers so much talkt of, but did not understand) the onely thing that can purge the soul, and prepare it to be capable of Instruction: which it is as improper, says he, to give to a man of impure affections, as it is to pour a pre∣tious ointment into a sordid, filthy Ves∣sel.

The like I might say of another most admirable Precept in this Book, to dis∣pose the soul for wisedom, viz. trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding. There is no such word in all their Wri∣tings; nor in Isocrates neither (whom that Apostate Prince vainly magnified likewise above Solomon) who may be praised for some profitable lessons he gave to youth, but must stoop, as S. Cy∣rill speaks, to this great person; who as he wrote long before him, so far out∣went

him in all sort of wisedom, for the instruction both of young and old. Nor doth he onely give precepts of manners, but many excellent admonitions about rewards and punishments: together with lively descriptions of the events of hu∣mane actions; which serve much for our information. Many things also he dis∣covers of mens most secret affections; of the causes and grounds of the grea∣test changes in humane affairs; of the principal things, that are of greatest moment in Government; of the way to avoid all manner of dangers, and to preserve our selves, our fame, our estates: with so many other things of like na∣ture, that the Son of Syrack justly said of him XLVII. Ecclus. 14, 15. He was as a floud filled with understanding. His Soul covered the whole earth, and he filled it with dark Parables.

IV. By that name some call these short Sentences, which we call Pro∣verbs: though the word Parable pro∣perly

signifies onely a comparison or simi∣litude. The original of which name is this (as Grotius hath observed in his Prolegomena to Stobaeus) that the most ancient Authours delivered their precepts about manners, or about go∣vernment, by comparisons: either full and at length (which the Rhetoricians properly call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, parable) or cur∣tail'd, as we speak, and shortned. And these taken either from things plainly fabulous (as that of the Fruit-trees and the Bramble in IX. Judges, and that of the Thistle and the Cedar, 2 Chron. XXV. 18. of the Hawk and Nightin∣gale in Hesiod; the Wolfs, Dogs and Sheep in Demosthenes; and the fa∣mous parable of Menenius about the Members of our Body) or else from things likely and probable, as that of Nathan to David, and most of our blessed Savi∣our's.

V. But Solomon's Sentences in this Book are not of this Nature, and there∣fore

the LXX. use another word, signi∣fying a saying as trite and common as the high way; worn, as we say, thred∣bare (to use S. Basil's phrase) by every bodies constant use. And so doth the Latin and our English word Proverb, denote some ancient common Saying, which every body hath in his mouth. But the word in the Hebrew, denotes onely any acute and excellent Saying; which is as worthy to be known by all, and to be in every ones mouth, as common Proverbs are. And thus it is used in the most ancient Book of Ho∣ly Scripture, for an eloquent speech, much exceeding those that had been made before; in the beginning of the XXVII. and XXIX. of Job. And so the Doctours of the Church explain it. A Proverb, saith S. Basil, is a profitable Saying, delivered with a moderate conceal∣ment of the sense, &c. or a pithy Sen∣tence; in a few words expressing much sense.

This is the first signification of the word: though in after-times, every Say∣ing that was never so little out of the way of vulgar speech, began by the He∣brews to be called Mashall; as may be seen in XX. Ezek. 49. And whether it was figurative, or simple and plain, if it did contain any profitable Instruction, it was called by the same Name; as we learn from the Sentences in this Book.

VI. Which consists of a Preface, and of the Book it self. The Preface is in the nine first Chapters: seven of which seem to be an Admonition what is to be done, and what to be avoided, to make a man capable of Wisedom: which in the eighth and ninth Chapters sets forth her own praises.

Then begins, as you find in the front of the tenth Chapter, the Proverbs of Solomon: which consist of three Parts, or Books. The first Part from the be∣ginning of the Xth Chapter, to the 17th verse of the XXII. where a new form of

speech, any body may discern, begins (as I have there noted) and continues to the XXVth Chapter: which may be called the second Part. And then from the XXVth to the XXXth (which is the last Part) follow such Sentences as were col∣lected afterwards out of his Writings, or the Writings of those who had recorded them; by some persons whom Hezekiah employed to search the ancient Records. For we are told in 1 King. IV. that he spake in all three thousand Proverbs: which Josephus seems to think were so many Books that perished in the Capti∣vity; but S. Hierom takes for so ma∣ny Sentences contained in this Book: that is, some of them, for there are in all but 800 verses. And some of them are not Solomon's; for in the end of the Book are added certain Sayings of Agur to his Scholars, and the Instruc∣tions of a pious Mother to her Son Le∣muel: of all which I have given an ac∣count in their proper places.

VII. And therefore must intreat all those that would profit by this Book to reade the Argument of each Chapter, before they proceed to the Paraphrase: or at least to consult the References which I have made to such passages in it, as will help to make the sense clearer, or to explain difficult places: which sometimes are capable of more senses than one; and therefore if I have not represented them all in the Paraphrase, I doe it in the Argument: designing all along this alone, to give the fullest and properest explication of every phrase; upon which as I have not dilated, so I have expressed the meaning in the plai∣nest words, I could find. For as Saint Hierom speaks concerning his own Com∣mentaries upon Ezekiel (in the Preface to the Vth Book) my business was not to study the Art of Rhetorick, nor of exact composition, and gracefull language; but to use a carefull dili∣gence to hit the sense: resting con∣tent

with this praise alone, if the Wise-man's words be understood by my means. And indeed it ought to be the design of every good man, in such Works as these, that the Holy Books (as he speaks in another place) may be made more intelligible and ac∣ceptable by his endeavours; and not that his own Writings may be commended, by occasion of those Books.

VIII. And in his time nothing was commended, he saith, but onely that which men fancied to be Eloquence. In this the Latins were then altogether delighted; but nauseated the understan∣ding of the Holy Scriptures. Which provoked God, in his just judgments, to deliver them into the hands of those rough Nations, who, in his days, broke in like a floud upon them; and turned their vain affectation of neatness and elegance of speech, into rudeness and Barbarism: which ought to be a cau∣tion

unto us, not to give up our selves, to the admiration onely of the language and of the wit of the Stage; lest our minds thereby be so depraved, that we have no relish of the most serious, no not of the sacred Writings, but reject them as insipid things: with which disease if any be infected, they might, by God's Grace, be cured; if they would be pleased to apply their mind, with due attention to the study of this one Holy Book: which wants nothing to en∣tertain the minds of all men, though of the widest capacity, with the grea∣test variety of pleasure; if they have not perfectly lost their taste, of that which will doe them good, and make them truly happy.

IX. It is recorded by Suetonius of Caesar Augustus, that in his reading all sort of Greek, as well as Latin Au∣thours, he chiefly observed, and trans∣scribed such wholsome precepts or ex∣amples, as might serve him either for

publick or private use: which upon oc∣casion he produced, for the Instruction of his own domesticks, or of the Com∣manders of his Armies, or the Gover∣nours of Provinces, or the Magistrates in his several Cities; according as he thought every one had need of Admo∣nition: whom if any man have the heart to imitate, Solomon hath saved him the labour, which that great Per∣son underwent. He need not turn over many Volumes, to search for all manner of wise instructions; but be furnished here (and that at an easie rate) out of the vast treasure of Learning, he hath left us in this small Book, with the best Advices that can be given, either to Princes, Counsellours, Judges, and other publick Ministers; or to all sorts of Subjects in their several rela∣tions, and in every condition: to make them both pious and politick: to di∣rect them in the choice of their Con∣sorts; in the education of their Chil∣dren; in the management of domestick

affairs, and in their transactions with other men; in contracting or conduc∣ting their Friendships; in giving or taking good counsel and reproof; in making or preserving peace; in judg∣ing of men, and of the event of their designs; and in short (for it would be a new Book to mention every thing particularly) to instruct every one in all sorts of vertue; especially in the Government of the Tongue: wherein men offend, and whereby they suffer so much, that there is no part of pru∣dence more necessary than that, and therefore none more insisted on in this Book.

X. Which contains the Wisedom of that excellent Prince, who could rea∣dily resolve all Questions and doubts; penetrate into the nature of all things; and had his own Family and King∣dom, in such admirable order, that it astonished her who came from the ends of the earth, to discourse with him.

And it was composed, if we may rely upon the judgment of the Jewish Wri∣ters, in his best and most judicious years; when his Kingdom also was in perfect peace, and there was no distur∣bance in his affairs.

For the Book of Canticles, say they, was wrote in his youth; the Proverbs, when he was of riper years; the Ec∣clesiastes when he was old, and repen∣ted of the sins he had been drawn in∣to by the snares of Women: who had made this Admirable person, as great an example of folly, as he had been before of wisedom: whence that com∣mon saying of theirs; men compose Songs, when they are young, Pa∣rables, when they are grown to be perfect men; and Discourses of the vanity of things when they are old.

XI. But the time of his writing these Books is not so material as the design: which is excellently expressed by S. Basil,

in a discourse of his upon the Beginning of this Book. (Tom. I. Hom. XII.)

"The Book of Proverbs, saith he, is an Instruction of manners, and a Cor∣rection of the passions; and an intire direction of the whole life, containing abundance of precepts about well-doing. The Ecclesiastes touches upon the Na∣ture of things; and evidently shews the vanity of every thing in this world: that so we may not think it worth our pains, to be so solicitous as we are about things that swiftly pass away from us; nor waste the thoughts and cares of our mind about empty and vanishing enjoyments. The Song of Songs shews the manner of perfecting Souls. For it contains the happy concord of the Bridegroom and the Spouse: that is, the familiarity of the Soul, with God the WORD."

XII. I conclude this Preface, as that Great man doth that discourse.

"He is wise, not onely who hath arrived at

a compleat habit of Wisedom but, who hath made some progress towards it; nay who doth as yet but love it, or desire it, and listen to it. Such as these, by the reading of this Book, shall be made wiser; for they shall be instructed in much Divine, and in no less Humane learning: it expelling Vice divers ways; and, with as great variety, introducing all manner of Vertues. It bridles the injurious tongue; corrects the wanton eye; and ties the unjust hands in chains. It persecutes sloth; chastises all absurd desires; teaches Prudence; raises mens Courage; and represents Temperance and Chastity after such a fashion, that one cannot but have them in venera∣tion."

Let a man but consent to one thing, which this Book desires, to make these Precepts familiar to his mind, saying unto wisedom (as you find the words VII. 4.) thou art my sister, and

calling understanding his kinswo∣man: and he will not fail to be happy. For this is the sum of all, in a few words,

Love her, and she shall preserve thee.