The Christian Governor in the Commonwealth and Private Families, Exposition 1 · Part 14 – Part 15
His Neighbour.
THe obiect of the Slanderers tongue is his Neighbour. And it aggrauateth his sinne, because it is against a neighbour, that is, a Christian, his nearest neighbour. A Neighbour (properly) is he that dwelleth neere vsus, or next vntounto vsus, or in the same streete. Commonly, by participation of Nature in the image of God, all men are neighbours. By a figure and strictly, they are our neighbours who are of one houshold of faith with vsus, in the louelove and profession of the same Gospell. And, heere hee is called our neighbour, whatsoeuer he be, with whom wee hauehave any dealings in our fellowship and trade of life. Luc. 10.36.37. Hee that slandereth such an one, and (consequently) any one, is worthie to be punished; Dauid saith by death, his meaning is, if he offend vntounto death. But some thing may be gathered from the word, which here the Prophets vseth, to the conuiction of the Slanderer. For, whom will he slander? euen his neighbour, one who is neerest to him in societie and common vse of life: one that dwelleth before him, or at the next dore to him: Then, whom will he not slander?
Doct.The Doctrine from hence is: a slanderer is false to all men. So the Prouerb… saith, that speaketh of the slanderer: Prou. 11.13. for, it maketh him a geer about with tales, and a discouerer of secrets; that is, one that will be as readie to defame them whom he speaketh vntounto, as whom hee speaketh against: for, hee trafiques altogether by exchange. He will not goe emptie, and if hee deliuer any thing vntounto you, it shall be on condition to receiue something from you. As hee telleth you secrets, so he will blaze your secrets. And who can trust him? Prou. 20.19.
The reasons.
The slanderer is true to Satan, who is false to mankinde; and his worke they doe, whose worke they cannot doe, and doe well. Secondly, that that moueth the slanderer to relate other mens affaires to thee, cannot but induce him to discouer thine to others; which is want of louelove, and a desire that he hath to serue the Market of an itching eare. Thirdly, the slanderer is Satans Gun-powder, and if Satan put fire vntounto him, he cannot chuse but take it. Iam. 3.6. But Satan will not faile to giuegive fire where he is sure it will burne, seeing he is a continuall make-bate betweene God and man, and man and man, and a friend, and his neerest friend.
Vses.
Vse. 1.This sheweth how vnnaturall the sin of slander is, which maketh a man cruell against his owne kinde, vide: Man; and the nighest, in dwelling to him, his Neighbour. I may adde, the neerest of all, his Mothers Sonne. Psal. 50.20. The Lion rageth not against his fellow-Lions, but maketh his prey of beasts of another kinde. The venemous Serpent spetteth not his poison at wormes of his owne shell, but at the enemies of his life. But a man teareth a man in pieces with words of crueltie: Men at Man, the brother at his brother spetteth the venome of a Dragons tongue, and destroyeth those by falshood, whom he should preserue by grace in his lips.
Vse. 2.An instruction, not to hang any thing vponupon the report of a deprauing tongue. For, hee that is false to one, will betray another. And, who will trust him that is false to all? Slanderers are such. They will speake faire, and protest as friends, but their sweet counsels are as an infusion of Wormewood, and their delicacies more bitter then the bitternesse of death. Therefore, when such shall offer friendship to vsus, and the sweet bait of good will, Let not their Balmes breake our heads. Psal. 141.4.5. Insteede of opening their mouthes, let vsus shut our owne eares, and the doores of our lips against them, be they our friends, or counsellours, or yoake-fellowes: For, their commoning is not for peace, and either they hauehave alreadie betrayed vsus, or are about to doe it. Surgeons heale when they inflict paine and cause smart: but flatterers, that is, flatterers of vsus, and slanderers of their neighbour, kill, when they pretend to please, and offer to delight. So much for the slanderers offence, his punishment followeth.
I will destroy.
THE punishment threatned to the slanderer, is destruction, or cutting off, if the case so require: as Deut. 19.19. And where the Prophet thus minaceth the slanderer, his meaning is, that he will prosecute him with all the extreamitie he can shew, though it be vntounto death if the qualitie of the offence deserue it. And he will not so doe onelyonly, when himselfe shall be slandered, or it shall be his friend, or neere kinsman who is slaundered; but if any Neighbour, or Subiect, kinsman, or other man, friend or not friend be so slandered, hee will cut off the slanderer.
Doct.The point to be learned is; Gods Magistrates must indifferently administer punishments and rewards. As men sin, so they must be punished, and as they doe well, so they must hauehave praise for well doing. This the Lord commanded by Moses, Deut. 25.2.3: Where he that deserued chastisement was to be beaten according to his trespasse: for, according to the qualitie of his offence; he was to receiue moe, or fewer stripes. From the Throne proceeded lightnings and thunders. Apoc. 4.5. So from earthly thrones should come lightnings, that is, warnings; and thunders, that is, strokes and claps, and sometimes, and for some faults, the bolt it selfe, which is present death. In Rome-heathen, the Magistrates had caried before them a bundle of roddes, and an Axe: the roddes for lesser faults, the Axe for greater. And this equitie should be obserued by all those to whom is committed the power of life and death.
The reasons.
As in the last iudgement, eueryevery one shall receiue the things that he hath done in his bodie, according to that which he hath done, good or euill. 2 Corinth. 5.10: so in mans iudgement, the qualitie must be considered of that good or euill that shall be rewarded, or must be corrected by him. Secondly, as the Lord iudgeth according to right, Gen. 18: so ought they also, who are his Ministers. Now, it is right that eueryevery one should beare his sinne, that is, hauehave the punishment that it deserueth, and that he who soweth iniquitie, should reape the same. Ioh. 5.29. Thirdly, iudgement is to be giuen in respect of matter, without respect of persons, Deuter. 1.17. Magistrates must not further the euill cause of a good man, nor hinder the good cause of an euill man. Though hee be a good man, if his cause be naught, they must iudge it, and though he be an euill man, if his cause be iust, they must heare it. In a stranger, they must consider iustice, which is the friend; and in a friend, proceede against wrong, which is the stranger.
Vses.
Vse.An admonition to Magistrates to be men of such courage in their iudgements, and of such experience in matters, that they may discerne what is right, & knowing what is iust, no consideration mortall may draw them from it. But more was spoken to this purpose (before) vponupon the first verse. So much for the first kinde of euill persons: the second followeth.