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My Text greets you▪
Prov. 4. 14. in the end.Goe not in the way of Evil Men.
THe Vulgar Edition delivers it, * 1.1 Nec tibi placeat malorum Via: Neither let the way of evil men please thee.
This Reading is more restrictive; and indeed narrows the sense, and binds it even to the denial of all delight, pleasure, or complacence in the ways of evil men.
The Context in the Latine Bible, especially touched with the Original, gives us to know what manner of Evil men these are, and that they have sulphureous hearts, and that their holy work is to supplant and destroy Princes.
The Text is a negative Exhortation, moving us to decline the crooked way and evil example of such profane men as are Sup∣planters of their Brethren.
We must not goe in this way, because it is the way of evil men: that is to say, it is not the way of the Saints and Servants of God, to which we are called.
Assuredly Jacob was a Saint of God, and the same, a Sup∣planter of his Brother: But he supplanted him irrationally, that is, when he had not as yet the use and exercise of Reason; and he pre-occupied his Brothers Blessing, instructed by his Mo∣ther, who now acted according to the Regulation of a super∣natural Principle: and all this was mysterious, and designed for the signification of Things afterwards to come, by him who only is able to make Things foresignifie Things.
And the two Brethren now growing to some ripeness of age, are briefly characteriz'd, Gen. 25. 27. And the Boyes grew; and Esau was a cunning Hunter, a man of the field, and Jacob was a plain man dwelling in Tents. * 1.2 The Latine sayes, Vir simplex, a simple man. * 1.3 The word in the Hebrew Basis is Tam: * 1.4 which the Septuagint render, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, not feigned, or daubed o∣ver; that is, exempt of guile and fraud. * 1.5 Symmachus reads 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, without fault, or blemish, irreprehensible. * 1.6 Aquila gives 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a plain man, that had nothing of duplicity in him. Where Simplici∣ty it not opposed to Prudence, but to Craft and Falsehood.