See here, 1. The good conduct of a wise and good man; he manages
himself well. It is not the wisdom of the learned, which consists only
in speculation, that is here recommended, but the wisdom of the
prudent, which is practical, and is of use to direct our counsels and
actions. Christian prudence consists in a right understanding of our
way; for we are travellers, whose concern it is, not to spy wonders,
but to get forward towards their journey's end. It is to understand our
own way, not to be critics and busybodies in other men's matters, but
to look well to ourselves and ponder the path of our feet, to
understand the directions of our way, that we may observe them, the
dangers of our way, that we may avoid them, the difficulties of our
way, that we may break through them, and the advantages of our way,
that we may improve them--to understand the rules we are to walk by and
the ends we are to walk towards, and walk accordingly. 2. The bad
conduct of a bad man; he puts a cheat upon himself. He does not rightly
understand his way; he thinks he does, and so misses his way, and goes
on in his mistake: The folly of fools is deceit; it cheats them into
their own ruin. The folly of him that built on the sand was deceit.