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Yea, the Darkness is no Darkness with thee, but the Night is clear as the Day: the Darkness and Light to thee are both alike.

For my Reins are thine: thou haft covered me in my Mother's Womb.

I will give Thanks unto thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my Soul knoweth right well.

My Bones are not hid from thee: though I be made fecretly, and fashioned beneath in the earth; thine Eyes did fee my Substance yet being imperfect; and in thy Book were all my Members written; which Day to Day were fashioned, when there was none of them.

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How dear are thy Counfels unto me, O God: O how great is the Sum of them!

If I tell them, they are more in number than the Sand: When I awake up, I am present with thee.

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Try me, O God, and feek the Ground of heart. Prove me and examine my Thoughts. Look well, if there be any way of wickedness, and lead me in thy way everlasting.

LESSON IV. Of moral, relative, and religious Duties. The Proverbs of Solomon, the Son of David, King of Ifrael.

To know Wisdom and Inftruction, to perceive the Words of Understanding.

To receive the Inftruction of Wisdom, Justice, and Equity.

The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge; but Fools defpife Wisdom and Inftruction.

My Son, hear the Instruction of thy Father, and forfake not the Law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of Grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

My Son, if Sinners entice thee, confent thou not

If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for Blood; let us lurk privily for the innocent without Cause. Cast in hy Lot amongst us, let us all have one Purse.

My Son, walk not thou in the Way with them, refrain thy Foot from their Path; for their Feet run to Evil, and make haste to fhed Blood...

Enter not into the Path of the Wicked, and go not in the Way of evil Men.

For the Wicked shall be cut off from the Earth, and the Transgressors fhall be rooted out of it.

But the Upright shall dwell in the Land, and the perfect fhall remain in it.

LESSON V. Of Advice.

My Son, attend to my Words, incline thine Ear unto my Sayings.

Let them not depart from thine Eyes; keep them in the midst of thy Heart.

For they are Life unto those that find them, and Health unto all their Flesh.

Keep thy Heart with all Diligence, for out of it are the Iffues of Life.

Put away from thee a froward Mouth, and perverfe Lips put far from thee.

Turn not to the Right Hand nor to the left; remove thy Foot from evil.

For the Ways of a Man are before the Eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.

These fix'l hings doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an Abomination unto him.

A proud Look, a lying Tongue, and Hands that fhed innocent Blood;

A Heart that deviseth wicked Imaginations, and Feet that be swift in running to do Mischief.

A falfe Witness that fpeaketh Lies and he that weth Difcord among Brethren.

TABLE XV. CONTAINS SOME USEFUL FABLES.

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FABLE I. Of the Boy that stole the Apples.

Nold Man found a rude Boy upon one of his Trees stealing Apples, and desired him to come down, but the young Sauce-box plainly told him he would nos. Won't you? fays the old Man, then I will fetch you down; so he pulled up fome turfs of Grafs, and threw at him; but this only made the Youngster laugh, to think the old Man should pretend to beat him out of the Tree with Grafs only.

Well, well, fays the old Man, if neither Words nor Grafs will do, I must try what virtue there is in Stone; fo the old Man pelted him heartily with Stones, which foon made the young Chap haften down from the Tree, and beg the old Man's pardon.

MORAL.

If good Words and gentle Means will not reclaim the Wicked, they must be dealt with in a more severe Man

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FABLE II. Of the Prieft and the Jefter.

Merry jefting Fellow being half drunk, went to the Houfe of a Romish Prieft, and asked him to give him a Guinea. Give you a Guinea! fays the Priest. Why furely the Fellow is mad, to think I give my Money away in such a Manner.

Then, faid the Jefter, please to give me a Crown, Sir: Not I, indeed, fays the Priest, pray be gone. So I will, fays the Fellow, if you will give me a Shilling. I will give you no Shilling neither, faid the Prieft. Why then, faid the Jefter, pray give me one Farthing only. I will give you nothing at all, replied the Priest, so be gone, I say.

Pray, Reverend Father, be not angry, fays the Jefter, for though I asked you for Money, it was only to try you; for it is your Bieffing I want, and hope you will not deny it me. That I will give thee, my Son, said the Priest, with all my Heart-Come, kneel down, and receive it with Humility.

I thank you, Reverend Father, fays the arch Wag; but upon fecond Thoughts, I will not have thy cheap Blessing; for I find, that if it were worth but one fingle Farthing, you would not bestow it on me.

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Some Men are willing to part wils that which is good for Zothing, but cannot be prevailed upon to do a free and ge merous Action, to belp the Needy or inhrul the Ignorant.

FABLE III. Of the Lion and Mouse.

HERE was a Lion that was once very kind to a Mouse,

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after this, the Lion was caught in a Net, in fuch a Manner, that he lay there struggling till he was half Dead.

The Mouse coming by at that time, was very forry to find the Lion in fuch a Condition, and was refolved to use all the Means he could to release him.

The Lion feeing the Moufe fo bufy, thanked him for his good Will, but he told him, it was impoffible for such a little Creature as a Mouse, to release him out of so strong a Net.

Be ealy, fays the Mouse, what Strength cannot do, Art and Refolution often effect; you faved my Life, and gratitude obliges me to return the Favor, if I can.

The Mouse therefore, though not capable of breaking the Net, yet fet about to gnaw it afunder in feveral Places, which, after great Pains, he completed, and fet the Lion free.

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Since no one knows what may befall him, nor who may be a means of ferving him, it is the highest Wisdom to behave, kindly and civillyt o all Mankind.

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