Exposition of the Moral Law, Book 2 · Commandment 9 · Exercitation 10
EXERCITAT. X. Of Rebukes. Commandement. IX.
Levit. 19.17. Thou ſhalt rebuke thy brother, and not ſuffer ſinne to lie upon him.
The affirmative part of this Commandement.AS the Commandement forbiddeth us to hurt our neighbour with our tongues: ſo it commandeth us to rebuke him, and not to ſuffer ſinne to lie upon him.
In rebukes conſider theſe things: firſt, who muſt rebuke: ſecondly, what ſinnes are to be rebuked publikly: thirdly, who are to rebuke: fourthly, the manner of rebuke: fiftly, the time; and laſtly, the end and ſucceſſe.
Firſt, who muſt rebuke;To rebuke belongs to every Chriſtian. it is a duty which is laid upon every Chriſtian; Increpando increpabis eum, Levit. 19.17. Admoniſh one another, 1. Theſſ. 3.15. If our enemies beaſt goe aſtray, wee are bound to bring it home againe, Exod. 22. much more our neighbour.
This duty eſpecially concerneth preachers,To rebuke belongeth eſpecially to preachers. it is a part of their miniſtery to rebuke and comfort: and amongſt Chriſts Diſciples, there was one who was the ſonne of thunder, Mark. 3. And looke through all the old Teſtament,foreign Liber obiurgationum. foreign Sectio obiurgationum. and yee ſhall ſee that the moſt of their propheſies were rebukes, and threatnings: and the Iewes called Deuteronomie [Sepher tocahhoth] the booke of objurgations, and that ſection which beginneth, Deut. 28.14. they call it [Paraſhath tocahhoth] Sectio objurgationum.
The neceſſity of this duty is ſuch, that he will require the blood of the people at the hands of their Paſtor if he reprove not: The Lord is vindex ſanguinis, and hee will require the blood of their ſoules eſpecially from them. The ſheepheard was bound to make good that which was ſtolne, as Iacob did to Laban, Gen. 31.39. So is the Preacher if it periſh through his default; it is a neceſſary duty then of the Paſtor to reprove, that he may reclame his people from ſinne, and ſave them.
The Preacher when hee reproveth a ſinne in others, hee muſt take heed hee be free from that ſinne himſelfe, Math. 7.5. Take out the beame out of thine owne eye, before thou take out the mote out of thy neighbours eye. Rom. 2.21. Thou therefore that teacheſt another, A preacher muſt labour to be free of that ſinne which he reproveth in others.teacheſt not thou thy ſelfe? A preacher when he reproveth ſinne in others, he cannot be without ſinne altogether, as was the angell who did flie in the midſt of the heaven, when hee reproved Babylon, Revelat. 14.17. neither can bee ſtand in the Sunne as the angell did when he denounced judgement againſt the Princes of the earth, yet he muſt ſtrive to be free of thoſe groſſe ſinnes which he reproveth in others.
Secondly, what ſinnes eſpecially are to be reproved?
There are ſundry ſorts of ſinne, Vitium ſaeculi, vitium gentis, vitium perſonae.
What ſinnes a preacher muſt reprove.That which is vitium ſaeculi, the preacher may deplore it rather then reprove it, Polygamie was a ſinne which was generally practiſed through the world, and yet the Prophets ſpake little thing againſt it.
Secondly, Vitium gentis, when a nation is general…y given to ſuch a ſinne, as Egypt is called Rahab, pride, Pſalm. 87.4. So an Arabian is called a theefe, Ierem. 2. a Canaanite a conſener, Ezek. 17.4 Zach. 14.21. ſorcery and witchcraft was the ſinne of the Chaldeans, Eſay. 2. Thou art full of the manners of the caſt; that is, of the ſorceries of the Chaldeans.
How a preacher is to rebuke a nation.When a Preacher reproveth the ſinne of a nation, firſt hee may reprove them from the contrary: Righteouſneſſe exalteth a people, but ſinne is the reproach of a nation, Prov. 14.34. See how famous nations are made by the Goſpell, Capernaum was lift up to the heavens by the preaching of the Goſpell, but ſinne did caſt them downe to hell, Matt. 11.23. Eſay. 19.18. In that day ſhall five cities ſpeake the language of Canaan, and one of them ſhall be called the city of the Sunne: What is that to ſpeake the language of Canaan? that is, ſincerely they ſhall worſhip the Lord, and one of them ſhall be the city of the S…nne; that is, Alexandria, it was famous becauſe the Sunne of righteouſneſſe did ſhine upon it; ſo people when they want the Goſpell, they ſit but in the ſhadow of death, Eſay 9.1.
Secondly, he may reprove the nationall faults comparing them with other countries, Hath any nation changed their gods, yet ye have changed me. Ier. 2.11. Ezek. 57.
But what if a Preacher cannot point particularly at the ſinne of the land, Queſt. and bring it out in the owne colours of it?
Then he may ſay after this manner, Anſw. of old the foure Monarchies were repreſented by foure beaſts; the firſt by a lion, the ſecond by a beare, and the third by a goat buck, and the laſt by a terrible and fearefull beaſt that had no name: ſo I cannot in particular deſcribe the ſin of this nation for the ſinnes of it make up ſuch a monſter, that it hath no name.
Thirdly, there is Vitium perſonae, the perſonall ſinnes of men, and here regard is had to the perſons who are to be reproved, Iude. verſ. 22. calleth this putting of difference, there is ſome ſtiffer graine, and ſome weaker graine, and therefore the husband man for the one, hath the wheele, and forthe other hee hath the ſtaffe, to beat out the fitches: Eſay. 28.27. ſo the preachers ſhould have ſundry ſorts of reproofes for ſundry ſorts of ſinners.
Sinners are either infirme or weake ſinners,Diverſe ſorts of ſinners are to be reproved diverſely. How weake ſinners are to be reproved. craftie obſtinate ſinners, or malitious ſinners.
The firſt ſort of ſinners who are to be reproved are weake and infirme ſinners the Apoſtle willeth us when wee deale with ſuch, To reſtore them with mildneſſe. Galat. 6. foreign, is a ſpeech taken from bone ſetters, who ſet the bones after diſlocation very warily; when a man taketh a mote out of a mans eye, hee taketh it out very warily, leſt hee put out the eye alſo, and when wee pull downe old houſes which joyne with Churches, wee pull them downe warily, leſt wee pull downe ſome of Gods houſe with them: ſo take heed that thou pull not out ſome grace of God with the ſin in the child of God, preſerve Gods worke, and deſtroy the divells, and before that thou reprove ſuch a one, it is neceſſary that thou inſinuate thy ſelfe, that thou doſt love him, and commend him in ſomething, before thou reprove him and as the ſmith heateth the iron firſt, and then beateth it: ſo after thou haſt ſoftened thy infirme brother, thou mayſt the more freely rebuke him. And as a good phyſitian had rather cure his patient with good diet and ſleepe, then with cutting and fearing; ſo ſhouldſt thou with gentle admonitions cure thy weake and infirme brother.
How crafty ſinners are are to be reproved. foreignThe ſecond ſort of ſinners who are to be reproved, are crafty ſinners, Prov. 14.9. Fooles make a mocke of ſins, [Evilim jalitz aſham;] ſtultorum quiſque deridet reatum: that is, with faire ſpeches they cover their ſinne, but here the Preacher ſhould follow the example of the Lord, Who is froward with the froward, Pſal. 18.22. So ſhould hee be craftie with the crafty, and diſcover theſe figge leaves, wherewith hee goeth about to hide his ſinne;foreign Permutare nomen. wee have an example of this 1. Cor. 5.6. Paul by a figure transferred the faults of other men upon himſelfe and Apollo, and would not expreſſely nominate them, that they might the more eaſily take up their owne faults, for wee diſcerne other mens faults better then our owne, and then, per reflexam cognitionem, wee looke backe to our owne ſinnes.
How obſtinate ſinners are to be reproved.The third ſort of ſinners are the obſtinate ſinners: In reproving ſuch to move them to repentance, it is fit to bring a long induction of the judgements of God which lighted upon other ſinners round about them, for as an arrow the farther it be drawne the deeper it pierceth; ſo the farther that the threatning be enlarged the more it woundeth; wee have a notable exanple of this Amos, 1. before the Lord would threaten Iſrael, For three tranſgreſsions and for foure; firſt hee threatned Damaſcus upon the north, verſ. 3. ſecondly, hee threatned Gaza upon the South, verſ. 6. thirdly, hee threatned Tyrus upon the north-weſt, verſ. 9. fourthly, he threatned Edome upon the ſouth, verſ. 11. fiftly, he threatned Ammon upon the eaſt, verſ. 13. ſixtly, hee threatned Moab upon the ſouth-eaſt: ſeventhly, hee threatned Iuda. cap. 2.4. and came nearer to them; and laſt of all hee threatned Iſrael, ſo that by fetching a compaſſe about them, they might the more eaſily be brought to confeſſe their ſinne.
Secondly,The ſinnes of obſtinate ſinners in reproofe are to be exaggerated from the leaſt to the greatest. it is fit to exaggerate the ſinne of obſtinate ſinners, to goe from their leaſt ſinnes to their greateſt, as Amos doth to Iſrael; For three tranſgreſſions, the Lord would have pardoned theſe nations whom he threatened, but when it cometh to the fourth then hee will not ſpare them.
Firſt hee beginneth with Damaſcus, verſ. 3.What was Damaſcus fourth ſinne. they had many ſinnes, but their fourth and great ſinne was this, that they threſhed Gilead with threſhing inſtruments of yron, here they breake the law of nations; when they had taken Gilead captive, to threſh them with inſtruments of yron, even as the husband man threſheth his corne, their puniſhment is ſet downe, verſ. 4, 5. anſwerable to their ſinne.
Secondly, he cometh to Gaza; What was Gaza's fourth ſinne.the ſin of Gaza was greater then the ſin of Damaſcus their fourth ſinne was this, they carried away the whole captivity to deliver them to Edome: they were not content to deſtroy the cities of Iuda and Iſrael, but as many of the Iſraelites as they tooke captive they ſold them to the Idumeans who were a fierce nation, their puniſhment is ſet downe verſ. 7.8.
Thirdly, he cometh to Tyrus, What was Tyrus fourth ſinne.their ſinne was greater then the ſinne of Gaza, their fourth ſinne was this, they delivered up the whole captivitie to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant: Salomon and Hiram made a covenant together which they brake, there was no covenant betwixt Gaza, and the Iſraelites, and therefore the ſin of Tyrus was greater then the ſinne of Gaza: they alſo ſold the children of Iuda and the children of Ieruſalem unto the Grecians, Ioel. 3.6. their puniſhment is ſet downe, verſ. 10. anſwerable to their ſinne.
What was Edom; fourth ſinne.Fourthly, hee cometh to Edom; their ſinne was greater then the ſinne of Tyrus: his fourth ſinne was this, hee did purſue his brother with the ſword, and did caſt off all pittie, and his anger did laſt perpetually, and kept his wrath for ever: this ſinne of Edom was greater then Tyrus ſinne, there was but onelyonly a covenant of friendſhip betwixt Tyrus and Iuda, but Edom was his naturall brother, (for he was Iacobs brother) and for him to caſt off the bowels of compaſſion, and to corrupt his affections was a moſt unnaturall ſinne: and moreover to keepe perpetuall hatred, what a deteſtable ſinne was this: his puniſhment is ſet downe, verſ. 12. anſwerable to his ſinne.
What was Ammons fourth ſinne.Fiftly, he cometh to Ammon, their ſinne was greater then the ſin of Edom, their fourth ſin was this, they ript up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their borders; their hatred was againſt Gilead, not for any wrong which Gilead had done to them, but only for to ſatisfie their covetous heart, if they would not have ſpared the men, yet they ſhould have ſpared the women, & if they would not ſpare the women they ſhould have ſpared the young infants; the Lord forbideth to kill the dam ſitting upon the young ones, how much more will he have the children ſpared who are in the mothers belly: ſo that this ſinne was greater then the ſinne of Edom, therefore his judgement is ſet downe, verſ. 14.
What was Moabs fourth ſinne.Sixtly, hee cometh to Moab, his ſinne was greater than the ſinne of Ammon, his fourth ſinne was this, he burnt the bones of the king of Edoms ſonne into lime; hee tooke the kings ſonne whom he had taken captive, and ſhould have ſpa…d, hee tooke the kings eldeſt ſonne who ſhould have ſucceeded to the crowne, he did not onelyonly kill him and then burne him, to give him the buriall of a King, but hee burnt him to lime, and as the Iewes ſay, incruſtavit parietes, he ſparged the walls with his lime; what could hee have done more with a dogge; here his cruelty exceeded the cruelty of Ammon, his puniſhment is ſet downe cap. 2. verſ. 2. anſwerable to his ſinne.
Seaventhly, he commeth to Iuda; What was Iuda's fourth ſinne.his ſinne was greater than the ſinne of Moab, their fourth ſinne was this, they deſpiſed the law of the Lord, they had not kept his commandements, and their lies cauſed them to erre, after which their fathers have walked; they ſinned not onelyonly againſt men, as Moab and Ammon did, but they ſinned againſt the mighty God, caſting off his covenant, and ſuffering themſelves to bee deceived by idols; and here by the way, wee may ſee what a great ſinne idolatrie is, the greateſt cruelty committed againſt man is not like it, and the breach of any naturall or civill covenant is not like the breach of the covenant with God:Looke how the ſinnes and puniſhments jumpe together. their puniſhment is ſet downe. cap. 2. verſ. 5. I will ſend a fire upon Iuda, and it ſhall devoure the palaces of Ieruſalem, that is, Nebuchadnezzar ſhall burne the citie of Ieruſalem, and carry them captive to Babylon.
Laſtly, he commeth to Iſrael, that is,What was the fourth ſinne of Iſrael. to the Iſraelites that were in Chriſts time; for this is a prophecy of their cruelty, and their ſinne was greateſt of all; their fourth ſinne was this, They ſold the righteous one for ſilver, that is, Ieſus Chriſt for thirty peeces of ſilver. By this gradation wee may ſee that this is the greateſt ſinne, and that it is meant of the ſelling of Chriſt, this is a greater ſinne to crucifie the Lord of glory, than to commit idolatry; and for this their fourth ſinne, the Lord rootes them out, that they were no more a people.
After this the Prophet beginneth at the greater ſins and deſcendeth to the leſſer, for after that they had ſold the righteous one, and crucified him; then they oppreſſed the people, ſelling them for old ſhooes, they pant over the heads of the poore, and caſt them downe into the duſt.
Here a Preacher muſt admoniſh his hearers to beware of the fourth ſinne, for if they adde that fourth tranſgreſſion to the former three; then the Lord will not turne away his puniſhment from them.
When the plaine and open rebuke may doe more evill than good to the Church; it is more fit to give the rebuke covertly than plainely; wee have an example of this; when the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of the comming of the Antichriſt. 2. Theſ. 4. hee ſaith, that the Antichriſt ſhall not bee revealed till hee that withholdeth be taken out of the way; he would not ſay expreſſely, untill the Roman Emperor bee taken out of the way, for then he would have drawne upon the Church at that time the wrath of the Roman Emperor. So Ier. 25. When the Prophet had threatned all the Kings that they ſhould drinke the cup of Gods wrath; the King of Egypt, the King of Moab, and the Kings of Arabia, and the Medes; then hee commeth to the King of Sheſhak, that hee ſhall drinke after them; he ſaith not expreſſely that the King of Babel ſhall drinke of this cup, for that open and plaine rebuke would have done more harme to the Iewes at that time than good, for now they were to bee led captive to Babylon to live there; therefore he would not ſay expreſſely that this King ſhould drinke the cup of Gods wrath, but yet cloſely hee inſinuateth this, when he nameth him here Sheſhak, where he alludeth to the drunken feaſt which the Babylonian Kings kept, called Sheſhak; here wee muſt take heed that wee follow not the Iewiſh curioſitie,foreign who by their Ethbbaſh, or alphabetum inverſum finde out Sheſhak in Babel, taking the laſt letter for the firſt, and the penult for the ſecond; and contrarywiſe the firſt for the laſt, and the ſecond for the penult; as may be ſeene here.
| ל | ב | |||||||||
| ב | י | ט | ח | ז | ד | ה | ר | נ | ב | א |
| ל | מ | נ | ס | ע | פ | צ | ק | ר | ש | ת |
| ב | ש |
Fiftly, the time of reproofe;The time of reproofe. every time is not a fit time to reprove. When Nabal was drunke Abigail ſpake nothing to him, Will yee catch the wilde aſſe but in her monethmonth. Ier. 2. When ſhe is bigge with foale, then it is a fit time to catch her; ſo wilde ſinners when they are loaden with afflictions, then it is time to catch them; although they have ſnuffed up the winde like the wilde aſſe before. Prov. 25.11. Words fitly ſpoken are like apples, of gold in pictures of ſilver. Firſt, words are like apples; an apple if ye pull it before it be ripe, then it is ſowre; and if it hang too long then it rotteth; ſo a word ſpoken out of ſeaſon, is either bitter or unſavory; and as gold put in a caſe of cut-worke of ſilver appeareth the more glorious, ſo are words kept till due time and fit occaſion;foreign and when a word is ſpoken in ſeaſon it is verbum datum, [Gnal aphnau] ſuper rotis ſuis, upon the wheeles of it.
The laſt thing to bee conſidered here is the end of reproofe,The end wherefore reproofes are given. if thou reclaime thy brother then thou ſaveſt both thine owne ſoule and his; if thou reclaime him not, yet thou ſaveſt thine owne ſoule, but if thou reprove him not, then thou doeſt hazard thine owne ſoule and likewiſe his ſoule; in the firſt thou giveſt a good account of good ſheepe, in the ſecond thou giveſt a good account of bad ſheepe, but in the third thou giveſt a bad account of bad ſheepe.
Oftentimes the ſucceſſe is not anſwerable to his paines, for they continue ſtill in their ſinnes after he hath reproved them. Prov. 29.9. If a wiſe man will contend with a foole, whether he rage or hee laugh, there is no reſt. that is, whatſoever way he dealeth with the fooliſh and wicked man, he is never a whit the better; if hee ſpeake mildely to him, then he laughes and ſcorneth; if hee rebuke him then he rageth, this is that which Chriſt him. ſelfe ſaith, Mat. 11.17. when hee piped to the Iewes they would not dance, and when hee mourned to them they would not lament; and the Iewes illuſtrate it by theſe examples, I was angry with Ahaz, and gave him into the hand of the King of Damaſcus, and he ſacrificed to their gods. 2. Chron. 28.23. I played againe with Amaziah, and gave the King of Edom into his hands; but what better was hee, for when he had taken the King of Edom and his gods, yet he fell to worſhip them. 2. Chron. 25.14. So neither when I piped to them or when I lamented, was I the better.
Concluſion.The concluſion of this is: Levit. 19.17. In rebuking thou ſhalt rebuke; in the originall it ſignifieth to convict with arguments, as to reaſon with him. Iob. 13.3. To convince him. Iob. 32.12. To reprove him. Eſay. 11.4. oppoſite to this is, when men hold their peace & rebuke not, as David ſaid neither good nor bad to Adonijah, ſo to flatter them in their ſinnes. Prov. 28.23. Thou ſhalt not ſuffer ſin [Gnalau] upon him, or Thou ſhalt not beare ſinne for him. Levit. 22.9. Num. 18.32. or Gnalau, is for his ſake. Pſal. 49. For thy ſake are wee killed all the day. If thou rebuke not thy neighbour thou ſhalt beare his ſin, if thou rebuke him, Thou ſeekeſt to ſave his ſoule from death. Iam. 5.20.