Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 2 · Verse 20
Verſ. 20. That thou mayeſt walke in the wayes of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
So much for the deliverance: Now for the generall application of all for the good that will come to thoſe that avoid the ſociety of evill men and women. Which is,
1. Set out in this verſe to be a preſervation in ſuch wayes.
2. Illuſtrated,
1. By the benefit of ſuch wayes, verſ. 21.
2. By the miſeries that contrary wayes bring, v. 22.
For the firſt in this verſ. This is the laſt part of the Chapter, wherein Solomon having before exhorted the young man to the ſtudy of wiſdome, now ſhewes the laſt benefit of it. The end of our ſtudy of wiſdome ſhould be to walke in good wayes. The benefit of all ſpoken before is here ſummed up together. So that this verſe depends upon v. 11, 12, 16. in this manner wiſdome will deliver thee from all evill wayes, words, men, and women, that thou mayeſt more freely converſe with good men in good wayes, whereby much good may be learned.
For the words.
That. It teaches us, that Solomons end in teaching men how to get Wiſdome to avoid all the former inconveniences, was not that they ſhould be idle, but that they ſhould go on in good wayes without interruption or incumbrances. So the word is uſed, Joſh. 4.24. That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.
That thou mayeſt walke. See on ch. 1.15.
In the way. See on ch. 1.15.
Of good men. That thou mayeſt follow the godly, and virtuous examples of Patriarchs, and Prophets, and others that fear God and walke in his wayes.
But, Where ſhall we finde theſe good men? Our bleſſed Saviour tels us, There is none good but one, that is God, Mat. 19.17.
We anſwer, God'y men though they be not perfectly good, but have many imperfections, yet being ſincere are good in Gods account. For men are counted good or bad in Scripture language, not according to ſome particular act, but according to their conſtant courſe and ſcope.
And keep. See on v. 8.
The paths. See on ch. 1.19. on the word wayes.
Of the righteous; or, Of the juſt. The word is taken,
1. For one perfectly juſt, that is not guilty of any ſin before God. How ſhould man be juſt with God? Job 9.2. God hath made man upright, Eccl. 7.29.
2. For one juſt or righteous in his own opinion, or the opinion of other men. He that is first in his own cauſe ſeemeth juſt, ch. 18.17.
3. For one truly juſt, though not perfectly, who intends in all things to deal juſtly and righteouſly with God and man. And this is the common acception of the word in Scripture, for there are none perfectly juſt upon earth. So Neah was a juſt man, Gen. 6.9.
4. For one juſt in ſome particular cauſe. They turn aſide the juſt for a thing of nought. Iſa. 29.21. She hath been more righteous then I, Gen. 38.26. Here it is taken in the third ſenſe, for one truly juſt and righteous, though not perfectly.
Figures. Walke, wayes, paths, Metaphors from travellers.
Keep. A metaphor from Watch-men, arguing care and conſtancy in walking in Gods wayes. For men do not uſe to ſtand ſtill to look upon wayes, but to go on in them. Therefore the ſame thing is ſet down in two different expreſſions of walking in, and keeping Gods wayes.
In the former note,
1. The act, That thou mayeſt walke.
2. The object, in the way.
3. The ſubject, of good men.
In the latter obſerve likewiſe,
1. The act, and keep.
2. The object, the paths.
3. The ſubject, of the righteous.
1. Doct. Men cannot walke in good wayes, unleſſe they leave bad. It is as hard for men accuſtomed to do evill, to do good, as for an Ethiopian to change his …kin, or a Leopard his ſpots, Jer. 13.23. No man can ſerve two Masters. Ye cannot ſerve God, and Mamnon. Mat. 6.24.
Reaſon 1. In generall. Becauſe good and evill being contraries the one will keep out the other. So cold keeps out heat, and heat keeps out cold till it be overcome. Foul water in a bottle keeps out good wine, till it be poured out.
2. In particular. Evill thoughts keep out all thoughts of doing good. The mind like the Smith can hammer but one iron at once.
3. Evill words draw from good actions, and corrupt good manners, 1 Cor. 15.33.
4. Evill deeds, and practiſes keep from good courſes. They give a double impediment,
1. By ſatisfying corrupt nature they ſteal away the affection from all good.
2. By imploying it in evill they leave no time for good, for men by nature never have pleaſure enough in fin.
Ʋſe. 1. For diſcovery. It ſhews us a reaſon, why many are ſtrangers to all good wayes, becauſe they are verſt in evill, and cannot leave it. Can an husbandman look for a crop if he plow not up thornes and thiſtles? Can a Gardiner look for good herbs, if he weed not his Garden? Will not Ivie, if it be let grow, overtop and kill trees? No marvell then, if evill doers follow not that which is good.
2. For direction. Let us by leaving evill wayes ſeriouſly ſhew, that we intend to do good. When one puls down an old houſe, men think he means to build a new, not elſe, though he talk often of it. Who will believe, that a man means to live ſoberly, or chaſtly, that dayly haunts Taverns, and wanton places? Pythagoras his letter Y ſhewed, that men going alike in their childhood, afterwards, if they followed evill, forſook good; foreign. Ceaſing from evill is the beginning of motion to virtue, Chryſoſt. foreign. Alienation from evill is an appropinquation to good, Chryſoſt.
2. Doct. It is not enough to avoid evill, but we muſt alſo do good. Ceaſe to do evill, learn to do well. Iſa. 1.16, 17. Depart from evill, and do good. Pſal. 34.14.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe forſaking evill is but a foundation for a greater building, and no man can dwell in a foundation.
2. Juſtice in all Common-wealths requires as many good offices, as doing no harme. So alſo in Gods Church.
3. God gives us wiſdome as to direct us how to avoid evill, ſo to do good: and that is the principall office of wiſdome; elſe none ſhould be the better for it.
4. The reward for avoiding evill is but privative, eſcaping miſery: but the reward of doing good is poſitive, eternall happineſſe. A beaſt, nay a ſtone goes not to hell.
Ʋſe. Here is a leſſon of ſpirituall ambition to teach us not to be content only to leave ſin, but to be in love with good wayes. Not to be not miſerable, and avoid hell, but to lay up for our ſelves treaſures in heaven, Mat. 6.20.
3. Doct. One chief and principall end of wiſdome is weldoing. Keep therefore, and do them, for this is your wiſdome, Deut. 4.6. Theſe Commandements the Lord commanded to teach you, that ye might do them. Deut. 6.1.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe elſe no bleſſing attends upon our knowledge, no more then upon a man that knowes what is good to preſerve his life, and by neglect thereof dies. So do knowing, and not doing men loſe heaven. If ye know theſe things, happy are yee if ye do them, Joh. 13.17. Not elſe.
2. Becauſe a curſe followes upon knowledge without practiſe. Curſed is he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them, Deut. 27.26. That ſervant which knew his Lords will, and prepared not himſelf, neither did according to his will, ſhall be heaten with many ſtripes, Luk. 12.47.
Ʋſe 1. To blame thoſe, that uſe their knowledge to do evill, they can never get good by it, but the more harme. They only know how to undoe their ſoules. So the Adulterer hath wit to b…naught, which others want. foreign. Apollodorus. And let the door be ſhut with barres. But no workman can make the door ſo ſtrong, that a cat, or an Adulterer cannot enter. So the Adulterer takes advantage of day and night. In the darke they dig through houſes, which they had marked for themſelves in the day time, Job 24.16.
2. To exhort us to make the beſt advantage of our knowledge for well doing. Then we hit the marke, otherwiſe we miſſe it. This is the concluſion of this Chapter, and ſhewes the end of the former Precepts of avoiding hurt by bad men, and women, that we might do good. Artium omnium finis est benè viverdi diſciplina, quam vitâ magis quàm literis nobiles ſunt ſecuti. The end of all arts is the diſcipline of living well, which noble perſonages have followed more in life, then in learning. Tuſc. qu. l. 4. Optimus quiſque maluit facere, quàm dicere. Every excellent man had rather be doing, then talking, Saluſt. At Athens a grave man coming into the Theater, no man roſe to give him place, though they knew, they ought to have done it by the City law. The Lacedemonian Ambaſſadors being there, the old man coming toward them, they riſe, and give him the chief place. At which the people gave a great ſhout, and one of the Lacedemonians to their ſhame ſpake thus, Ergo Athenienſes, quid ſit rectum ſciunt: at illud facere ex toto negligunt. Belike then the Athenians know, what is right: and yet altogether neglect to do it, Valer. l. 10. c. 5.
4. Doct. Wiſdome not only ſhewes a man how to avoid evill, but alſo how to do good. If thou encline thine ear unto wiſdome, then ſhalt thou underſtand righteouſneſſe, and judgment, and equity, yea, every good path, Ch. 2.29. I have ſet before you life and death, bleſſing and curſing; therefore chuſe life, that both thou, and thy ſeed may live, That thou mayeſt love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayeſt obey his voice, &c. Deut. 30.19.20.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe it perfectly ſhewes us the difference between good and evill, that we may not miſtake the one for the other. So cannot naturall principles, civill education, nor morall Philoſophy.
2. It ſhewes us the means of eſcaping the one, and purſuing the other, what occaſions are to be avoided, or taken, what helpe to do both is to be had from Gods word and Spirit.
Ʋſe. Let us labour to get this true wiſdome. Men give much money with their children, and children ſerve many years to learne a Trade to avoid poverty, and get wealth. We then ſhould ſpare for no coſt nor labour to get true wiſdome to direct us to flie all evill, and doe all good.
5. Doct. It is ſafer to imitate good men, then bad. Looking unto Jeſus the authour, and finiſher of our faith, who for the joy that was ſet before him, endured the croſſe, deſpiſing the ſhame, and is ſet down at the right hand of the throne of God, Heb. 12.2. Follow the faith of your teachers, conſidering the end of their converſation, Heb. 13.7.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe the way of good men, is better then the way of bad men. A fair way of piety excels a dirty way of licentiouſneſſe.
2. Their end is better. Heaven is far better then hell. Remember, There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, who walke not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit, Rom. 8.1.
Ʋſe 1. To condemne thoſe that follow the worſt perſons, where they live. If but one drunkard, or ſtrumpet in a pariſh, others will follow them, not regarding ſuch as live better, whoſe converſation is in heaven. Phil. 3.20.
2. Shew that ye have the ſame ſpirit by following godly men, and walking in their wayes, that ſo ye may come to the ſame bleſſed end the ſalvation of your ſouls. And why ſhouldeſt thou not rather follow the example of Abraham, Job, Joſeph, David, then of Iſhmael, Eſau, and other profane perſons? Sheep will not follow wolves, but they will follow one another. So do thou follow good men to heaven, rather then bad men to hell.
6. Doct. Good example ſometimes prevailes to draw others to piety. The people ſerved the Lord all the dayes of Joſhua, and all the dayes of the Elders that outlived Joſhua, Judg. 2.7.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe ſhame is taken away by good examples going before.
2. Fear is taken away. If a man ſee another go over a frozen river, he dares go over the ice.
Ʋſe. Set the beſt examples before you to imitate. Prudentis viri eſt magnâ menſurâſe metiri, atque ad excellentium virorum imitationem ſe componere. Nazianzen Epiſt. ad Nicobul. It is the part of a wiſeman to meaſure himſelf by a great meaſure, and to compoſe himſelfe to the imitation of excellent men. Ignari locorum cum ſolertibus viarum iter adoriri geſtiunt. Ambroſ. Offic. l. 4. c. 47. They that know not the places deſire to travell with ſuch as are skilfull in the ways. Columbam avolantem ſequuntur omnes, equum generoſum totum armentum, ovem totus grex. Chryſoft. de continent. Joſephi. All the doves follow one, that flies away, all the drove followes a generous horſe, all the flock followes one ſheep. So ſhould we follow the choiſeſt examples for goodneſſe.