st Course we can take to accustom
ourselves to that which is best.

_Eu._ Read us something, Boy, and speak out distinctly.

_Boy._ Prov. xxi. _The King's Heart is in the Hand of the Lord; as the
Rivers of Waters, he turneth it whither soever he will. Every Man is
right in his own Eyes, but the Lord pondereth the Hearts. To do Justice
and Judgment, is more acceptable to the Lord than Sacrifice_, ver. 1, 2,
3.

_Eu._ Hold there, that's enough; for it is better to take down a little
with an Appetite, than to devour more than a Man can digest.

_Ti._ 'Tis better, I must confess, in more Cases than this: _Pliny_
would have one never have _Tully's_ Offices out of ones Hand; and in my
Opinion, it were well if all Persons, but especially Statesmen, had him
every Word by Heart: And as for this little Book of Proverbs, I have
always look'd upon it the best Manual we can carry about with us.

_Eu._ I knew our Dinner would be unsavoury, and therefore I procured
this Sauce.

_Ti._ Here is nothing but what is very good; but if you had given us
this Lecture to a Dish of Beets only, without either Pepper, Wine or
Vinegar, it would have been a delicious Treat.

_Eu._ I could commend it with a better Grace, if I did but perfectly
understand what I have heard. And I would we had some able Divine among
us, that did not only understand it, but would thoroughly expound it.
But I don't know how far it may be lawful for us Laymen to descant upon
these Matters.

_Ti._ Indeed, I see no Hurt in't, even for a _Tarpawlin_ to do it,
abating the Rashness of passing Sentence in the Case. And who knows but
that _Christ_ himself (who has promis'd to be present, where two or
three are gathered together in his Name) may vouchsafe his Assistance to
us, that are a much larger Congregation.

_Eu._ What if we should take these three Verses, and divide 'em among us
nine Guests?

_Guests._ We like it well, provided the Master of the Feast lead the
Way.

_Eu._ I would not refuse it; but that I am afraid I shall entertain you
worse in my Exposition, than I do in my Dinner: But however, Ceremony
apart, that I may not seem to want much Persuasion, omitting other
Meanings that Interpreters put upon the Place: This seems to me to be
the moral Sense; "That private Men may be wrought upon by Admonition,
Reproofs, Laws and Menaces; but Kings who are above Fear, the more they
are opposed, the fiercer their Displeasure; and therefore Kings, as
often as the