Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 3 · Verse 31
VER. 31. Envy thou not the oppreſſour, and chuſe none of his waies.
THE Dehortation is not needleſſe. It comes to paſſe ſometimes in the world, that many men thrive, and grow very rich by wicked plots. Then proud men envy them. Why ſhould not I thrive, as well as they? They were of as meane Parentage as I, and it may be, of meaner. Covetous men imitate them. If theſe waies will make them rich, they will make me rich alſo. I am not a fool, I can paly my game as well as they to go beyond others. There was need therefore to warn the young man, that he erre not on the right hand out of pride, nor on the left hand out of covetouſneſs. This precept is fitly joyned to the former. For as we muſt not abuſe other mens ſimplicity, nor innocency to do them hurt, ſo wee muſt not abuſe their proſperity to envy them, nor imitate their wicked waies of gain. For the words.
Envy thou not. The word foreign is taken ſometimes in a good ſenſe, and then it is conſtrued with foreign for. He was zealous for his God. Numb. 25.13. And then it ſignifies to grieve, that a perſon, or thing dear unto one, ſhould be abuſed by another, and to ſeek to defend, or vindicate him, or it. Then it is tranſlated zealous. Sometimes it is taken in a bad ſenſe. I the Lord thy God am a jealous God. Exod. 20.5. And then the verb is ordinarily conſtrued with foreign. Rachel envied her fister. Gen. 30.1. And it imports a grieving, and envying, that another ſhould enjoy what we deſire, or think to belong to-us. Then it is tranſlated to be jealous, or to envy. And ſo it is taken here for envying, that others are richer then we.
The oppreſſour. or, Be not envious againſt the oppreſſour. So foreign is tranſlated. Surely there is no inchantment against Jacob, Numb. 23.23. Heb. The man of violence. That is, an ungodly man, that grows rich by oppreſſing others. Men may diſlike him for his cruelty, but they would not envy him, unleſſe hee were rich. Invidus alterius rebus macreſcit opimis. The envious man grows lean to ſee other mens eſtates grow fat. Be not troubled, that wicked men thrive by wicked waies. Look not on ſuch as happy men to be envied, nor applaud the courſes they take, nor follow them to get wealth by thoſe unlawfull waies. The word foreign is uſed.
1. For a man by nature, whither male, or female, as oppoſed to a beaſt. I am God, and not Man. Hoſ. 11.9.
2. For any man. None ſhall deliver out of my hand. Heb. Not aman. That is, not any man. Hoſ. 2.10.
3. For a male oppoſed to a female. The male, and his female. Gen. 7.2.
4. For an husband. She gave alſo unto her Husband. Gen. 3.6.
5. For an excellent man for ſtrength, or nobility. Art not thou a valiant man? 1 Sam. 26.15. Heb. Art not thou a man? Here it is taken in the firſt ſenſe for a man oppoſed to a beaſt.
And chuſe none of his waies. Do not do wickedly, as hee doth, that thou maiſt be as rich as he. Although ſome of his evill waies may be fairly covered over with vizards, that the evill of them may not be ſeen, or be more gainfull then other, yet ſhew, that thou haſt more wiſdom, then to prefer any way above good waies, or to chuſe one wicked way, though thou refuſe other, for they are all to be refuſed. Regard not worldly wickedneſſe joyned with greatneſſe, neither bee wicked as they are, that thou maiſt be great as they are. Be not allured by the ungodly mans example, however he ſpeed in the world, to follow him in the ſame ſteps. For as wicked mens proſperity makes other men to envy them at the firſt, ſo it makes them to imitate them at laſt, that they may be rich alſo. For chuſe, ſee on Chap. 1.29. For None, or Not any, ſee on Chap. 1.13. on the word All. For Waies, ſee on Chap. 1.15.
Figures. A Metaphor in the word waies. Men that oppreſſe, do not now and then do an unjuſt action, but walk on conſtantly in ſuch courſes to their death, as travellers do in their way; till they come to their journies end. Two ſins are here forbidden
1. Envying of evill rich men.
2. Imitating of them. In the firſt, note
1. The Sin forbidden. Envy not.
2. The Object. The oppreſſour.
In the ſecond obſerve
1. The Sin forbidden. And chuſe not.
2. The Object. Any of his waies.
1. Doct. Many live by oppreſſing others. So vild beaſts and great birds and fiſhes live on the weaker, and ſmaller; By reaſon of the multitude of the oppreſſions they make the oppreſſed to cry. Job. 35.9. I conſidered all the oppreſſions, that are done under the Sun. Eccl. 4.1.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe it is an eaſie way of living, when men need not work themſelves, but make others to work for them, as men go eaſily in a Coach, or by water, where they ſit ſtill, and others work: but it is harder, and more weariſom to go on foot.
2. Becauſe it is a profitable way, for many things may be gotten by indirect waies, that cannot by lawfull means. There may be couſenage in Wares, Weights, Titles, and many other waies, that few can prevent, for …o man is exerciſed in all trades. And it is an eaſie thing for a skilfull ſeller to coſen an unskilfull buyer. It is the ones trade, not the others. And trades are called myſteries, as having many ſecrets in them concealed from others.
Uſe. Marvail not, that ſo many complain of injuries, and wrongs. Where there are many ſuits, there is much injury. And where there are many oppreſſours, there are many oppreſſed. There are many worſhippers of Mammon in the World, and all his worſhip is falſe worſhip.
2. Doct. Men may grow rich by oppreſſion. They covet fields, and take them by violence, and houſes, and take them away: ſo they oppreſſe a man, and his houſe, even a man, and his heritage. Mic. 2.2. Some remove the land-marks, they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof. Job 24.2. &c.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe they quickly get away a great part of other mens eſtates. A poor man may labour long to get a little. An oppreſſour ſweeps a way much at once.
2. They get all away from others, and great heirs are oftentimes wiped by them of all they have. That which is true of poor oppreſſours, is alſo true of many rich ones, who never think themſelves rich enough, Like a ſweeping rain, they leave no food Chap. 28.3.
Uſe. Take heed of oppreſſion. If there were no bait, no bird, nor fiſh would meddle with an hook. If no gain, no man would oppreſſe.
3. Doct. Such as grow rich by oppreſſion muſt not be envied by us. David the Father, and Solomon the Son joyn in this inſtruction. Solomon here in the text. David in the Pſalmes. Fret not thy ſelf becauſe of evill doer, neither be thou envious againſt the workers of iniquity. Pſal. 37.1. Aſaph confeſſes his fault, I was envious at the fooliſh, when I ſaw the proſperity of the wicked. Pſal. 73.3.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe hereby we ſhall wrong God, and cenſure his proceedings, as dealing better with bad men, then with good, whereas wee ſhould acknowledge Gods wiſdome in it, who gives the beſt things, as the graces of his ſpirit to good men, and riches, which will periſh, hee gives often to bad men. Heaven he gives to godly men, and the world to ungodly. Fathers make them fare harder then ſtrangers, for whom they provide an inheritance. Hereby he ſhews, that grace is good, ſin evill, and riches of a middle condition, good, or bad, as they are uſed. Haec bona ne putentur mala, dantur & bonis, ac rurſus, ne putentur ſumma, dantur & malis. Item auferuntur iſta bonis, ut probentur, & malis, ut crucientur. August. Epiſt. 7. Theſe good things, that they may not be thought evill, are given to good men alſo, and that they may not be thought the chiefest good things, are given to evill men alſo. Again, theſe things are taken away from good men, that they may be proved, and from bad men, that they may be vexed. And what art thou, that by thy envy, and diſcontent cenſureſt the deep wiſdom of God?
2. We ſhall condemn the generation of the righteous, and think wickneſſe better then goodneſſe. Pſal. 73.15.
3. We do not conſider the end of theſe men, that God doth ſet them in ſlippery places, and will caſt them down into destruction. Pſal. 73.17.18. Gods curſe will eat out all their ſubſtance. Malè parta, malè dilabuntur. Ill gotten goods are ill ſpent. De malé quaeſitis non gaudet tertius haeres. Of ill gotten goods the third heir never joyes. If they that get them, ſpend them not, their children will. The world runs upon wheeles. A covetous Father begets a prodigall Son. He that knows not with what pains it was got, knows with what eaſe it may be ſpent. Hadſt thou rather have riches, that will end in poverty, or poverty, that will end in riches? No great witneedfull to chuſe, yet envious perſons ſhew themſelves fooles in chuſing the worſt.
4. We look not at the great account they have to give for getting their goods by oppreſſion, for deteining relief from the poor, or for prodigall ſpending what they have gotten by oppreſſion.
Uſe. Let this pull down our ſpirits, that they riſe not up againſt rich oppreſſours. Nature thruſts us forward to envy. Do ye think the Scripture ſaith in vain, The ſpirit that dwelleth in us, luſteth to envy? Jam. 4.5. Wee think we are as good as they, and why ſhould we not fare as well? The Heathen man could ſee this fault in morall men: Socrates being asked, what was moſt troubleſome to good men? anſwered, The proſperity of wicked men. And grace cannot keep this envy alwaies out of good men, as was ſhewed before out of Aſaphs caſe in Pſal. 73. who ſhews by his own experience, what force there is in bad mens proſperity to trouble good mens minds; and how perilous this trouble is to pervert their waies, as appears in that Pſalm at large. It is no eaſie thing then for good men to behold the proſperity of bad men without vexation. Take heed therefore of this envy; wilt thou envy a Porter, or an Aſſe, that carries heavy burdens of gold and ſilver, but is never the better for it in the end? wilt thou envy a viper, or a ſerpent, that is full of poyſon? So riches prove to wicked men through their corruption. Chryſoſt. in Rom. Hom. 7.44.
4. Doct. The Devill hath more waies then one to undo us. If he cannot get good men to envy at the proſperity of rich men, he will get bad men to follow their evill waies. Hee had three temptations for Chriſt. Math. 4. Many ſnares of perſecution for Paul. 2 Cor. 11.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe he works according to mens predominant affections. He draws proud men to envy others, covetous men to imitate the waies of rich worldlings, angry men to revenge, looſe men to wantonneſſe. So hee puts fuell to the fire, which quickly takes.
2. Becauſe of his long experience in temptation for five thouſand years. If a ſouldier could live ſo long, hee would be very skilfull.
Uſe. Be alwaies ſuſpicious, and watchfull. Hee that goes where many blocks are, or ſnares, had need look to his feet. A ſnake may bee among roſes. A ſnare amongſt the beſt things.
5. Doct. Men are ready naturally to follow bad examples. So bad men do. From the ſins of Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, who made Iſrael to ſin, Jehu departed not. 2 King. 10.29. So good men do. Peters diſſimulation carries away the other Jews, and Barnabas alſo. Gal. 2.13.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe of the corruption of nature, which remains in the beſt. Many diſpoſitions not ſo bad as others are ruined by following others.
2. Becauſe in thoſe waies there is gain, pleaſure, or ſafety. And all men look after ſome of theſe.
Uſe. Let us … ſet good examples before us, even the beſt, and be aſhamed to follow thoſe, that are worſe then our ſelves.
6. Doct. None of the oppreſſours waies muſt be imitated, no not the moſt cleanly, pleaſurable or profitable. One would think, it were ſafe to follow a multitude in evill; yet that is forbidden. Exod. 23.2. He that followeth vain perſons, is void of understanding. Prov. 12.11.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe their waies, though never ſo pleaſing to themſelves, are perverſe, and croſſe to all men. They care not whom they wrong, ſo they ſatisfie their own luſts.
2. Becauſe their waies are deſtructive. They undo many, and will lead us cloſely to hell, though men may approve of them.
Uſe. Regard not worldly greatneſſe joyned with wickedneſſe, and be not wicked as others are, that thou maiſt be great as they are. Thoſe waies may bring pleaſure, or gain, and be cunningly carried, ſo that no man can ſee the iniquity of them, but God ſees it, and will take pleaſure to ruine them, whom men cannot ruine.