Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 2 · Verse 22
Verſ. 22. But the wicked ſhall be cut off from the earth, and the tranſgreſſors ſhall be rooted out of it.
If fair means will not ſerve, foul muſt be uſed. The Wiſeman having given a promiſe to allure, now concludes with a threatning, to drive ſuch as will not be drawn. The Writer proceeds in a right method; and having ſpoken many things of the differing wayes of godly and wicked men, now he concludes with their different ends. So he doth, ch. 1. onelyonly he puts the end of wicked men firſt. The turning away of the ſimple ſhall ſlay them, and the proſperity of fools ſhall deſtroy them. But who ſo hearkeneth unto me, ſhall dwell ſafely, and ſhall be quiet from fear of evill, ch. 1.32, 33.
For the words.
foreign, But, Heb. And. It is uſed ſometimes as a figne of connexion. Righteouſneſſe, and judgement, and equity, verſ. 9. Sometimes as a ſigne of oppoſition. But ye have ſet at nought all my counſel, ch. 1.25. Sometimes of aſſimilation. As a man pleadeth for his neighbor, Job 16.21. Sometimes of augmentation. I am their ſong; yea, I am their by word, Job 30.9. A proverb or by-word is more, and goes further then a ſong.
Here it is taken by way of oppoſition. Good men ſhall flouriſh, and bad men periſh in the end.
The wicked. Reſtleſſe and unquiet people. Such as are alwayes doing miſchief. The Heb. word foreign, comes from a word that fignifies motion, or unquietneſſe. Who then can make trouble? Job 34.29. The wicked are like the troubled Sea, Iſa. 57.20. Ahab, and ſuch like wicked men, accuſe Gods people for troublers of Iſrael, 1 King. 18.17. and of the City, Act. 16.20. and of all the world, Act. 17.6. But they may anſwer with Elijah, that wicked men are indeed the troublers of themſelves, and of the world, 1 King. 18.18.
Shall be cut off. As a bough from a tree, ſo that it ſhall grow no more. Adulterers, and ſuch like evill doers ſhall be deſtroyed. It ſignifies an untimely death, as a bough cut off before it withers. They ſhall be taken away in the midſt of their proſperity, and that ſuddenly.
From the earth. Not onelyonly out of that Land, but out of all the world. For the word ſee on, v. 21. on the word Land.
And the tranſgreſſors. The word ſignifies treacherous dealers. They have dealt treacherouſly with thee, Jer. 12.6. So it is alſo tranſlated, Iſa. 21.2. & 24.16. For tranſgreſſors, that go beyond the bounds that God hath ſet them, deal treacherouſly with God, to whom they owe all ſubjection.
Shall be rooted of it. If cutting them off will not ſerve to terrifie others, God will root them out, or pluck them quite out of the earth, and deſtroy their poſterity alſo.
Figures. A Metaphor from a Tree, in the words cutting off, and rooting out. If a wilde tree, and offenſive grow in a garden, and the Gardner cut off the top of it, if it ſend forth new ſprouts, as bad as the former, he digs up the root it ſelf. So doth God deal with wicked men. He takes them away; and if their poſterity follow their courſes, he proceeds to root out the whole name and family. Cut off, Rooted out, Metaphors from Trees.
Note
1. Gods judgement on wicked men.
2. On their memory and poſterity.
In the former obſerve,
1. The word of oppoſition, But.
2. The ſubject, the wicked.
3. The adjunct, ſhall be cut off.
4. The object, from the earth.
In the latter note,
1. The ſubject, And the tranſgreſſors.
2. The adjunct ſhall be rooled out of it.
1. Doct. God will ſometimes in this world, put a difference between good men and bad. Then ſhall ye diſcern between righteous and the wicked, Mal. 3.18. So God made a difference between the Iſraelites and the Aegyptians, in the darkneſs, and death of the firſt-born, and at the Red ſea, Exod. 10. & 12. & 14. So did he diſtinguiſh between the Iſraelites and Canaanites in rooting out the one out of the Land, and planting the other in it, Joſh. 10, &c. So he put a difference between Micaiah and Zedekiah, when the one durſt ſhew his face, and the other hid his, 1 King. 22.24, 25. Between Jeremiah and Paſhur, when one was a comfort to himſelfe and his friends, and the other a terror to both, Jer. 20.4. Between Ahaz and Hezekiah; the one made a prey to the enemy, the other delivered from Senacharib, 2 Chron. 28.5. & 32.21.
Reaſon 1. That men may ſee that there is a God. While they ſee no difference between good and bad men, they think there is no over-ruling God. The Heathen man confeſſes it. Sollicitor nullos eſſe putare Deos: I am ſollicited to think there is no God. Ovid. In a Common-wealth, or in an Army, where no difference is made between good and bad people and ſouldiers, men think there is no Magiſtrate or Generall there. So in the Church. But when God puts a difference, they cry out, Verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth, Pſal. 58.11.
2. That men might ſee by this fore-running providence, a pattern and proof of the generall judgement to come.
Ʋſe. When God ſhall do ſo with us, let us acknowledge Gods mercy to us. He might deſtroy us like wicked men. Are there not with you, even with you, ſins againſt the Lord your God? 2 Chr. 28.10. See Gods diſtinguiſhing mercy in it, and proclaim it.
2. Doct. Wicked men are reſtleſſe in evill. The wicked are like the troubled ſea, when it cannot reſt, whoſe waters caſt up mire and dirt, Iſa. 57.…0. He deviſeth miſchief upon his bed, he ſetteth himſelfe in a way that is not good, he abhorreth not evill, Pſal. 36.4.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe they have a body of ſin in them, which hath many active members upon earth, fornication, uncleanneſſe, &c. Col. 3.5. A fountain will run, and fire will burn.
2. They have objects of ſin in the world in abundance, in all places, to feed their eyes, ears, and all their ſenſes. A fountain will run, if it find a river. Fire will burn, if it meet with fuel.
3. God hath not healed wicked men by his ſanctifying Spirit: Bad humours will work in mens bodies, till they be purged away. And the more purged away, the leſſe they work.
4. God is pleaſed ſometimes not to reſtrain wicked men, but to let them run on to their own perdition, and the hurt of many others. So an unruly horſe with the bridle out of his mouth runs furiouſly, till he overthrow himſelf, and his rider.
Ʋſe 1. Marvell not, that men are never weary of ſinning. The drunkard is never weary of the Alehouſe. The adulterer of places of wantonneſſe. Is it marvell that birds fly, or fiſhes ſwim? why elſe have they wings or fins?
2. Let us be provoked to be reſtleſſe in good. Elſe wicked men the children of this generation reſtleſſe in their wayes to give themſelves content, are wiſer then we, that profeſſe our ſelves to be the children of light, Luk. 16.8. And the Queen of Sheba, who came ſo far to hear Solomon's wiſdome, will condemne us at the day of judgement, Matt. 12.42.
3. Doct. Wicked men lives are often cut ſhort by their wicked courſes. Bloudy and deceitfull men ſhall not live out half their dayes, Pſal. 55.23.
Reaſon 1. Drunkenneſſe breeds dropſies, gluttony breeds feavers, wantonneſſe foul diſeaſes, all murderers, and ſhorten mens lives, as the floud drowned many young men in the world. When the ſtrength of the body is worne by drinking and whoring, men muſt die. All the Phyſicians in the world cannot put in new marrow into dead bones.
2. Trouble of conſcience ſometimes ends their dayes. Sin of betraying his Maſter made Judas hang himſelf. Spira would have killed himſelf, and did waſte his body to death for his Apoſtaſie. Some in our times have ended their dayes in pangs of conſcience for ſin.
3. By Gods juſt judgements, who like a Gardiner pulls up weeds, roots out unfruitfull trees, and like a wind blows out the candle; or like a ſtorm, lodges the corn before it be ripe.
4. By enemies, and thoſe often of their owne ſtamp. One drunkard kills another in his drink, even his neereſt friend, as Alexander murdered Clitus. One adulterer kills another, becauſe the ſtrumpet loves him better.
Ʋſe 1. Gaze not too much at the proſperity of ſinners, leſt thou be tempted to do like them. The common people are like boyes, who when they ſee knaves upon the ſtage, gorgeouſly apparelled, and acting Kings, think them happy, and could wiſh to be like them; but they conſider not the poverty and miſery that may befall them, when they are ſtript of their gay clothes. So the common people are bewitcht with the riches of ſinners, not confidering they may die, or loſe all before their age.
2. Grudge not at their proſperity. They may die ſooner then meaner men. Every plant (ſaith our bleſſed Saviour) which my heavenly Father hath not planted, ſhall be rooted up, Mat. 15.13. Who would be a flouriſhing tree, to be rooted out? or an oxe fatted, to be killed? A brutiſh man knows not, neither doth a fool underſtand this. When the wicked ſpring as the graſſe, and when all the workers of iniquity do flouriſh; it is that they ſhall be deſtroyed for ever, Pſal. 92.7. They ſhall be cut off certainly, ſuddenly, utterly. Tum ferè auferuntur à terra, cum maximè velint vivere. Then are they for the moſt part taken away from the earth, when they are moſt deſirous to live in it. Baine. When they have feathered their neſt, and reckon upon long life, as the fool in the Goſpel, Luk. 12. God will deſtroy them, when they leaſt look for it. Therefore, Fret not thy ſelf, becauſe of evill doers, neither be thou envyous againſt the workers of iniquity. For they ſhall ſoon be cut down like the graſſe, and wither as the green herb, Pſal. 37.2.
4. Doct. Tranſgreſſors deal treacherouſly with God. The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherouſly, Iſa. 21.2. The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherouſly; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherouſly, Iſa. 24.16. They are all adulterers, and an aſſembly of treacherous men, Jer. 9.2.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe they fail in the truſt committed to them, as a Servant or Steward deceiving his Maſter is treacherous. So was he that had received one talent, though he had not ſpent it, becauſe he did not improve it. Thou wicked and ſlothfull ſervant, &c. Mat. 25.26.
2. Becauſe they act againſt their truſt, which is an higher degree of treachery. As if a Servant or Steward ſhould riſe up againſt his Maſter, in ſtead of obedience. So Judas is called the traitor, Luk. 6.16.
3. Becauſe they betray Gods honour, as much as in them lies. An Embaſſador is treacherous, that diſhonors his Prince in ſtead of honoring him.
4. Becauſe they labour to undoe Gods Church. Is not a ſervant treacherous, that ſhould go about to poyſon all the family? So are wicked men, endevouring to ruine the Church by bad counſel and example.
Ʋſe. Let us hate all ſinfull courſes. Treaſon is odious. Men that love the Treaſon, hate the Traitor. God hates both it and them. Many fair promiſes are made by men to Traitors, but an Halter or an Axe is their end. So Satan promiſes much to ſinners, but will bring them to hell.
5. Doct. Sin roots out the poſterity of wicked men. He ſhall neither have Son nor Nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwelling, Job 18.19. So it did Jeroboam's. His poſterity muſt loſe the Kingdome, and his good Son muſt die, 1 King. 13.34. & 14.10, &c. So Ahab's numerous poſterity muſt die for his Idolatry, 2 King. 10.7, &c.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe ſin goes by propagation; and no wonder then if the Serpents brood be cut off. We kill young Snakes for the poyſon they have from the old ones.
2. Sin goes by imitation. If children of godly parents will imitate other men in evill, rather then their parents in good, no wonder if children of ungodly parents be evill like their parents, and periſh with them. We read not of one good among all the Kings of the ten Tribes. All were idolatrous, like their predeceſſors.
Ʋſe. Hate ſinfull courſes, which God ſo much hates, that he will puniſh them in children to the fourth generation; as in the ſecond Commandement. And no wonder if God hate finfull courſes, as being contrary both to his nature and will. Let us therefore ſhew our love to God, in hating what he hates. Ye that love the Lord, hate evill, Pſal. 97.10.
6. Doct. If men will not for their owne ſakes forſake ſin, they ſhould do it for their childrens ſake. God promiſes good to children, if their parents be obedient. O that there were ſuch an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep my commandements alwayes, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever, Deut. 5.29. Therefore they muſt take heed they bring not evill on their children by diſobedience. Manaſſeh brings deſtruction on Jeruſalem after his death, though he repented in his life. Surely at the commandement of the Lord came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his ſight for the ſins of Manaſſeh, according to all that he did, 2 King. 24.3. And Ahab brought Gods judgement on his poſterity, though he humbled himſelf. Seeſt thou how Ahab humbleth himſelf before me? Becauſe he humbleth himſelf before me, I will not bring the evill in his dayes, but in his Sons dayes will I bring the evill upon his houſe, 1 King. 21.29.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe much evill may come on our poſterity for our ſins; as hereditary diſeaſes, poverty, loſſes, croſſes.
2. Our affection is great to our children. We prefer them before friends, and many times before our ſelves. Why then ſhould we doe any thing to hurt them?
Ʋſe. It teacheth us to bewail the madneſſe of thoſe parents, that are ſo fond of their children, that they love the ground the better they tread on, and yet live in thoſe ſins that ſhorten their childrens dayes, and lay them under ground before their time by nature. They give them bad examples, and no correction for their ſins, and ſo are acceſſary to their ruine. Let us be wiſer, and give good example and correction to our children, and then may we look to ſee much good of them. Which God grant to all godly parents, through Jeſus Chriſt our onelyonly Lord and Saviour, Amen.