Forsake the foolish
Foolish men and their company; not men of weak abilities in
things natural and civil, or who are reckoned foolish by the
world; for so the saints are, whose company is not to be
neglected and forsaken; but such who are wickedly foolish, who
are ignorant of divine things, and make a mock at sin and at
religion; such company is very unsuitable for Wisdom's guests;
such as turn in to her house ought to forsake these; it is quite
out of character for Wisdom's followers to be the companions of
fools; it is very unprofitable to keep company with such vain
men, yea, very pernicious and hurtful, and of very bad
consequence; it corrupts good manners, and causes grief, and
breaks peace, sooner or later; it is quite unbecoming them to
converse with them; they are called out from among them by
Christ, and should obey: and, besides, they have better company
to attend unto: and they should also forsake "foolish"
F13 things; the Septuagint version
renders it, "foolishness"; and the Arabic version, "imprudence";
the Targum and Syriac version, "want of understanding", or
"judgment"; foolish lusts, which are hurtful, and war against the
soul, and which should be denied and abstained from; and all
foolish ways, their own or others', which are dangerous and lead
to ruin; and all foolish doctrines, such as are contrary to the
Scriptures, to the doctrine of Christ and his apostles; that tend
to degrade any of the Persons of the Trinity, to obscure or
lessen the grace of God in man's salvation, or to exalt the
creature; all such are to be forsaken, shunned, and avoided, and
by no means countenanced and encouraged; and
live;
which may be considered either as an exhortation, as the
foregoing; live on the provisions of Wisdom's house, on her bread
and her wine; live on Christ himself by faith; live not as the
foolish do, but as the wise; live not to yourselves, nor to the
lusts of men, but to the will and glory of God; live not in sin,
but unto righteousness; live not to the flesh, nor after it, but
to and after the spirit: or as a promise by way of encouragement,
and as enforcing the preceding exhortation, "and ye shall live"
F14; honourably, and not scandalously,
as they do that keep company with the foolish; comfortably and
delightfully, as they do that turn into Wisdom's house, and are
her guests; such live in communion with Christ, and with his
people; they live a spiritual life now, and shall live an eternal
one hereafter; and go in the way of
understanding;
as such do that quit the conversation of foolish men, and become
the guests of Wisdom; such are in, and go in the way of
understanding, who frequently attend the throne of grace, and ask
wisdom of the Father of lights; the Spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of divine things, which they that ask
have; Solomon got all his wisdom and understanding this way: such
are in the way of it, and go in the way of it, who constantly and
carefully read the Scriptures, which are able to make a man wise
unto salvation; who go up to the house of the Lord as often as
they have opportunity, that they may be taught by trim; who sit
under the ministry of Gospel preachers, that feed men with
knowledge and understanding; who submit to Gospel ordinances, and
keep the commandments of Christ; for such are said to have a good
understanding; they show that they have, and by these means get
and increase it; see ( Psalms
111:10 ) ( 119:104 ) ;
and who also converse with knowing and experienced Christians;
for "he that walketh with wise men shall be wise", ( Proverbs
13:20 ) .
F13 (Myatp) "imperitiam", Tigurine version; "stultitias", Vatablus; "fatuitates", Piscator, Schultens; "stoliditates", Gejerus, Gussetius, p. 703.
F14 (wyxw) "et vivetis", Pagninus, Vatablus, Piscator, Mercerus, Michaelis.