Exposition of Proverbs 9-10, Exposition 2 · Verse 18 – Verse 19
Hee that hideth hatred, is a man of deceitfull lippes: and Verſe. 18 hee that vttereth ſlander is a foole.
Hauing in the former words declared the perill of them that refuſe admonition, hee deſcribeth heere the perſons that vſe to doe it, and they are of two ſorts: ſome are hipocrites, that pretend, and make a ſhew of fauour, and good liking, and yet nouriſh deadly hatred in their hearts: others are profeſſed contemners of that which is taught, but yet picking a quarrell againſt the man that deliuereth it, as though the fault were wholy in him, and iuſt occaſion were giuen to reiect all that hee teacheth. But the Lord which knoweth the ground and roote of their calumniations, and cauils, imputeth them to their proper cauſe, and that is the ſinfulneſſe, and folly of thoſe malicious deſpiſers.
The Lord hath hipocriticall diſſemblers in deteſtation. The Doct. 1 Prophet Dauid maketh mention of ſuch, Pſal. 28. 3. 4. Draw A plaine heart pleaſeth God.mee not away with the workers of iniquitie, which ſpeake friendly to their neighbours, when mallice is in their hearts. Reward them according to their deedes, and according to the wickedneſſe of their inuentions. His earneſt prayer to God is to eſcape their hands; for they were very ſubtile, and readie to take him; and verie cruell and violent if he ſhould come into their clouches. Their trade and occupation was to worke iniquitie, and therefore alſo their wages, and hire ſhall bee deſtruction. By all which circumſtances it manifeſtly appeareth, that there is enmitie beweene God and them.
Firſt, they are exceeding dangerous, becauſe they treacherouſlie Reaſons. 1 in trap them that truſt them. They know their counſels, and purpoſes, and hauehave all meanes of aduantage againſt them, whereas they would take heede of a profeſſed aduerſarie, and keepe them out of his company, and hide themſelues from him. And that made Dauid to cry out vponupon the execrable fact of Achitophell in conſpiring againſt him. Pſal. 55. 12. And ſo doth hee finde himſelfe much grieued with them that had ſmooth tongues, as ſoft as oyle, and butter, and yet were as ſharpe and hurtfull as any ſwords.
Secondly, the iudgements of God will declare his hatred againſt ſuch perfidious Iudaſes, not onelyonly in executing other puniſhments vponupon them, but euen in bringing to light the falſehood, and hidden malice of their wretehed hearts. As it is ſaid that hatred may be couered by deceit: but the malice thereof ſhall bee diſcouered in the congregation. Prou. 26. 26. Though Saul made a faire ſhew to Dauid, cloking his ſecret miſchieuous purpoſe to hauehave him killed, by giuing his daughter to bee his wife: yet now it is notiſied, and made knowen to all nations, 2. Sam 18. 17.and poſterities.
Inſtruction, firſt to auoide this curſed ſin, that bringeth the Vſe. curſe of God vponupon the ſinners. Let vsus learne to bee plaine hearted towards our brethren, …nd if ought bee amiſſe in them, let our lippes faithfully admoniſh them in louelove, and not flatter them in hatred. It may bee a courtly tricke to diſſemble, but not an honeſt part to practiſe it: it may bee agreeable to carnall pollicie, but it is altogether contrarie to Chriſtian wiſedome. Secondlie, to bee wary how wee conuerſe with ſuch cunning diſſemblers, and if wee cannot auoide their companie, yet ſuffer not our ſelues to bee deceiued by them. It is not want of Charitie, not to giuegive credite vntounto them, but an holy diſcreation which the holy Ghoſt himſelfe perſwadeth vsus to: Hee that bateth will counterfait with his lippes, but in heart hee layeth vp deceit. Though hee ſpeake fauourably beeleeue him not: for there are ſeauen abhominations in his heart. Prou. 26. 24. 25.
And he that vttereth ſlander, &c. It is a note of a ſinfull foole, Doct. 2 to hauehave a bitter, rayling, and ſlanderous tongue. Our Sauiour Raylers are fooles.reckoneth this amongſt many other foule ſinnes, proceeding from a corrupt heart, whereby wicked men are defiled: Out of the heart, ſaith he, come euill thoughts, murthers, adulteries, fornications, theftes, falſe teſtimonies, and ſlanders. Mat. 15. 19.
Firſt, they grieuouſly wrong the partie whoſe name they Reaſons. 1 traduce: for if a mans eſtimation be of greater value then gold or ſiluer, Prou. 22. 1. then a greater iniurie is offred by them which depraue him in that, then by thoſe that ſhall robbe him of his goods, and ſpoyle him in his eſtate. Nay many times the violence that is offered to ones perſon is leſſe hurtfull then to bee reproched in his name; and therefore they that ſhew that indignitie are compared to hammers, and ſwordes, and ſharp arrowes. Prou. 15. 18.
Secondly, they take the way to poyſon the hearts of all that ſhall heare their obloquy, to alienate them from all good inſtructions, when they ſhall raiſe vp rumors, and falſe reports of ſcandulous behauiour againſt the miniſters of the word, and by this meanes they worke a publick miſchiefe to keepe many from euerlaſting ſaluation.
Thirdly, they are moſt iniurious to their owne ſoules, excluding themſelues from the priuiledge of gods people in this life, & the bleſſed ſtate of glory in the life to come. Pſal. 15. 3.
Inſtruction, if we deſire the credit of wiſedome, let vsus vſe better meanes, to obtaine it, then obtrectations, and artificiall Vſe. 1 diſgracings of our brethren; for that commeth not from aboue, it is no gift of God: it is ſenſuall, carnall, and diuelliſh. Secondly, not to hearken to the reports of ſuch wicked perſons that ſeeke to defame others, and detract from their good name: they are but fooliſh and baſe pedlers, that vtter ſuch infectious wares; and therefore they cannot be wiſe chapmen that trafficke with them, and receiue them at their hands. It is the propertie of the wicked to giuegive heede to falſe lips, and lyars hearken to naughtie tongues. Prou. 17. 4.
Conſolation, for them that are moleſted, and vexed vniuſtly, for the Goſpels ſake by clamorous and falſe accuſers: let them conſider what account God maketh of their malicious aduerſaries: he calleth them fooles, and derideth their practiſes: and therefore in the end it ſhall be ſeene, that when they hauehave ſpat all their venome, they hauehave but ſhotte a fooles bolt, and procured ſhame and ſorrow to themſelues.
The ſinne ceaſeth not by the multitude of words: but hee that refraineth his lips is wiſe. Verſe. 19
He ſeemeth ſtill to proceede in the proſecution of the matter ſpoken of in the ſeauententh verſe: that men take an euill way for themſelues, which refuſe to be reprooued. The words immediately going before theſe, declare how ſome reiect it, by inward hatred and bitternes of heart, and yet outwardly make ſemblance of great louelove, and friendſhip: others breake out into open profeſsion of their diſcontentiment, and malice, by reproching thoſe that would help them out of their ſinnes: and heere commeth a third ſort, which would ſhift off all rebukes, by denying, defending, cloaking, or colouring their faults, by excuſing, and extenuating matters that are charged vponupon them. But all is in vaine, the ſinne will not bee blowen away with breath: and therefore hee ſheweth that it is a poynt of wiſedome to giuegive place by ſilence, and to take the blame vponupon them.
The ſinne ceaſeth not, &c. The multiplying of words doth make a bad cauſe rather worſe then better. So Ieremie telleth the impenitent people, that were very forward to cleare themſelues Doct. of their ſinnes whereof they are accuſed: Thou ſayeſt, A fault excuſed is oft times inrceſed. Ier. 2. 35.becauſe I am guiltleſſe, ſurely his wrath ſhall turne from mee: behold I will enter with thee into iudgement, becauſe thou ſayeſt I hauehave not ſinned: Their excuſes were accuſations, their denials, were conuictions, their ſeeking impunitie without repentance, did haſten and augment their puniſhment.
Firſt, when they defend, or make things ſmall trifles, which are vnlawfull to be done, they contradict the word of God, and his truth, which no wit, nor art, nor eloquence ſhalbe able to preuaile againſt.
Secondly, when they hide their facts by deniall, or labour to ſupply their omiſsions, by aſſuming that to themſelues which they neuer performed, the eye of the Lord doth beehold their falſehood, his eares doe heare how vntruly they iuſtifie themſelues: he knoweth all their guiltineſſe, and he will make the world to know their guilfull haulting. Though Saul failed of obedience, to the will of God, yet hee arrogated the praiſe of fulfilling it: though Samuel by demonſtration declared his ſinne, yet he ſought to make an Apologie for himſelfe and to lay all the offence vponupon the people: but that courſe tooke none effect; it did him no good for body or ſoule; it nothing preſerued his honor, or ſtate: he was conuicted, and cenſured, & ſentenced, and vtterly caſt off, notwithſtanding all his excuſes.
Thirdly, their owne conſciences apprehend eueryevery action, and word, and intent of the heart, and the mouer of their whole life: and they will not bee illuded by the fraud of the lips, but take occaſion thereby to paſſe a more heauie ſentence vponupon them.
Fourthly, it is a ſinne of it ſelfe to bee giuen to ouer much talke, as hauing ſelfe liking and raſhneſſe for the rootes thereof: and therefore it cannot poſsibly be a medecine to cure other ſinnes.
Inſtruction, to leaue off ſpeaking to men for the mitigation Vſe 1 of our tranſgreſsions, and to ſpeake to our owne hearts for iudging, and aggrauation of them to the Lord, by acknowledgement, that we may be pardoned. Prou. 28. 13.
Conſolation, to them that humbly yeeld to a rebuke without replies, that their ſtate is good, though their actions were bad: they are wiſe now in reſtrayning their lippes from ſpeaking of ſinne, though they were fooliſh before to commit it.