Exposition of Proverbs 9-10, Exposition 2 · Verse 21
The lippes of the righteous doe feede many: but fooles die Verſe. 21 for want of wiſedome.
Before was declared the excellencie of a good tongue, and well ſeaſoned ſpeech, and heere are the effects of it commended, namely the good that is wrought by it, the ſoules of many being edified therewith, and receiuing grace, and groweth for ſaluation, and comfort, as the body doth obtaine ſtrength, and nouriture, and refreſhing, by their meanes that miniſter wholeſome foode vntounto it. And this is illuſtrated by the contrarie effect of wicked, and ignorant perſons, that they are ſo farre from feeding others with knowledge and wiſedome, that they ſuffer themſelues to be ſtarued to death, & diſtruction through the want of it.
The lippes of the righteous, &c. It is the note of a faithfull Doct. man to vſe his knowledge, and other good gifts for the benefit Hee is the beſt man that doth others moſt good.of his brethren. In this ſence the Apoſtle ſayth that though he were poore, yet he made many rich. 2. Cor. 6. 10. His meane eſtate would not permit him, to beſtow mony, or ſuch kinde of gifts as wealthie men vſe to diſtribute, becauſe he had no great plentie himſelfe: but that which hee had moſt of, and others had moſt neede of, that he moſt liberally communicated to all that would receiue it, whereſoeuer hee came.
Firſt, godly men doe prouide themſelues of theſe celeſtiall Reaſons. 1 graces, and thereby are made able to participate them to others. They hauehave a learning eare, & therefore alſo a teaching tongue: Iſa. 50. 4.they be couetous of ſpirituall gifts, and therefore alſo liberall of them: they are great eaters, and as we may ſay, hauehave an appetite to deuoure all, and therefore would hauehave eueryevery man to take part with them. In earthly commodities, men are of a contrary diſpoſition: for as they are the more greedie of getting to themſelues, ſo are they more niggardly in witholding from others: and as any one doeth ſwallow vp more, the leſſe is left for the reſt of the company: but in heauenly things it commeth to paſſe that none be ſo frank and free, as they whoſe deſires be moſt greedie of hauing, and none doe ſaue, and leaue ſo much for the vſe of their brethren, as they that take their full meale, and eate as much as poſsibly they can. To take the fruition of the graces of God, is the way to make prouiſion of them for our neighbours: and to beſtow vponupon others is the meanes to retaine and augment them to our ſelues.
Secondly, they hauehave an vnderſtanding heart, and holy diſcretion to giuegive to eueryevery one ſuch a portion, as is ſitteſt for the health of his ſoule: ſome are ignorant, and hauehave need of inſtruction: ſome are vnruly, and hauehave neede of rebuke: ſome are weake, and hauehave neede to be confirmed: ſome are fearefuil, and feeble, and hauehave neede of comfort, and incouragement. All theſe duties will a wiſe and righteous man exerciſe, according to the proportion, meaſure, and degrees of his wiſdome, and righteouſneſſe.
Thirdly, their lips will ſend a meſſage to heauen, & deale with the Lord to releeue them, whoſe wants themſelues are not able to ſupply. And ſo they do not onelyonly feed the ſoules, but euen the bodies of very many. When their prayers and prayſes are accepted of God, and made effectuall, for the fruitfulnes of the earth: Pſal. 67. 5. 6. Ioel, 2. 17. 19. And by this meanes Eliah did feede all Iſraell, by procuring rayne, for want whereof they were like to periſh. All Achabs wealth, and the riches and power of the whole kingdome, were inſufficient for ſuch a work.
Reproofe, of them that neuer miniſtred any thing, but infection Vſe. 1 to their people for their ſoules. No child, no ſeruant, no not the wife of their owne boſome, had euer any help by them to ſaluation. Their houſes be nurceries, & ſeminaries of ſwearing, and gamning, and drinking, and all kindes of ſinfulneſſe. An ignorant and vngodly family ſo allowed, and continued, doth conuince the gouernour to be a ſinner, a foole, and a kind of murtherer of himſelfe, as the other part of the verſe ſheweth, which ſhall bee paſſed ouer now, beecauſe it hath beene partly handled already, and muſt bee againe heereafter.
Secondly, Inſtruction to make choyſe of habitation, and ſocietie with iuſt men: for much commoditie is to bee had in their company, by the benefite of their fruitfull tongue.