Exposition of Proverbs 9-10, Exposition 2 · Verse 25 – Verse 27
As the whirle winde paſſeth, ſo is the wicked no more: Verſe. 25 but the righteous is an euerlaſting foundation.
The meaning of the words is, that vngodly men, howſoeuer they flouriſh for a time, yet doe ſodainely come to ruine, and deſtruction, as the whirle-winde ſwiftly bloweth ouer, and is leſſe conſtant, and permanent then the ordinary winde is, though there bee no ſtabilitie in any. But when it is ſaid, they are no more, he doth not intimate any mortalitie of their ſoules, as though they ſhould be wholy diſſolued as brute beaſts: for their ſoules are euerlaſting as well as Gods peoples, and their bodies ſhall be raiſed vp againe at the day of the Lord aſwell as the Saints: but it is their hope and happineſſe, and not their being that periſheth, they ſhall neuer recouer any good eſtate any more. Now againſt theſe are ſet the righteous, whoſe ſoule, and body, and bleſſedneſſe hauehave a ſetled ſafetie as a foundation that can neuer be remoued: So that this is the oppoſition: the wicked are as a whirle-winde, and ſo are no more: but the righteous are like a firme foundation, and ſo perpetually remaine.
Though the ſtate of the vngodly be more ruffling, then the Doct. ſeruants of God, yet the ſtate of Gods ſeruants is more certaine Vngodly men hauehave fare ſhowes: but good men hauehave a firme foundation.and ſtable then the vngodly ones. The whirle winde mounteth aloft, and toſſeth vp hay, and ſtraw, and ſtubble, and filleth mens eyes with duſt, and commeth violently vponupon them with a bluſtering blaſt, but immediately it is gone, & paſſed far away: the foundation lyeth low in the ground, and is neither ſeene, nor heard, yet there it continueth immoueable for many generations. The vnconſtant, and tickle eſtate of wicked men is fitly expreſſed by liuely compariſons in the propheſie of Hoſea. They ſhall be as the morning cloud, and as the morning dew Hoſ. 13. 3.that paſſeth away as the chaſſe that is driuen with a whirle winde out of the floore, and as the ſmoake that goeth out of the chimney. The contrary ſtimitude, and ſtabilitie of the Godly is by our Sauiour himſelfe likened to an houſe that is built on a rocke: and the raine fell, and the flouds came, and the windes blew, and Mat. 7. 25.beat that houſe, and it fell not: for it was grounded on a rocke.
Firſt, the one ſort hauehave beene as vnconſtant in their waies, Reaſon. 1 and as eaſily blowen from ſin to ſinne, as the chaffe, and duſt, and withered leaues hauehave beene carried vp and downe with the winde, and if they hauehave entred into any good courſe, there hauehave beene no more ſtedfaſtneſſe in them, then is in the mornnig cloud, and morning dewe. Iſa. 64. 6. Hoſ. 6. 4. The other hauehave rooted and ſetled aſwell in faith, as in all faithfull behauiour: and for theſe cauſes the one ſide ſlitteth away, and is gone to miſery, & the other remaine happy & bleſſed for euer.
Secondly, the one ſort hauehave God, and his Angells to purſue, and puſh them away: the other hauehave God, and his Angells to vphold, and confirme them, that they be not moued from the fruition of his fauour.
Terrour, for ſinfullmen whoſe ſhort and momentanie proſperitie Vſe. 1 ſhall ſo ſpeedily and ſodainely be turned into miſerie.
Inſtruction, firſt, not to affect the pleaſures of ſin, wherein may be a continuall expectation of ſuddaine deſtruction. Secondly, not to repoſe affiance in any wicked perſon, for though there were ſome conſtancie in their hearts, or mouthes, which ſeldome or neuer falleth out, yet there is none in their life and eſtate. Pſal. 146. 3. 4.
Conſolation to ſuch as are moleſted with the boyſterous tempeſts of wicked men: though they rore lowd, they ſhall not rage long, the Lord will put a ſpeedie end to their crueltie. Iſa. 29. 19. 20. & 51. 13. 14.
As vineger is to the teeth, and ſmoake to the eyes, ſo is the Verſe. 26 ſlothfull to them that ſend him.
As vineger, &c. That is, too much vineger, or other things Doct. that be ſharp, and ſoure, doe ſet the teeth an edge, and ſmoake We muſt bee carefull who… we imploy in our affaires.doth bring both ſmart, and hurt to the eyes: ſo doth the ſlothfull perſon, or he that is giuen to any other lewd behauiour, doth worke vexation of heart to them that ſend him, or commit matter of moment vntounto him.
He that imployeth in any ſeruice, vnworthie and careleſſe perſons, ſhall bring ſorrow and moleſtation vponupon himſelfe.
There is another prouerbe which tendeth to the ſame purpoſe, though the ſimilitude be different: As though he ſhould cut off his meſſengers feete, ſo hee drinketh violence, or hurt, that ſendeth a meſſage by a foole. Prou. 26. 6. He doth as much iniurie to himſelfe, as if he ſhould maime his meſſenger of his feete, or make him lame of his legs: for as the one in that caſe ſhould not be able to diſpatch his iourney, ſo neither can the other well performe the things that are committed to his care and wiſedome. It is a ſpeech that is ordinarie in vſe, that hee muſt neuer looke to ſpeede well that ſendeth a foole on his errand.
Firſt, there is perill of falſehood, and treachery, or of much Reaſons. 1 remiſſeneſſe, and negligence, or want of diſcreation, and skilfulneſſe, by all which there groweth hurt, or loſſe, or trouble to him that put him in truſt with his affaires, as Mephiboſheth, and Benhadad found by the ſeruices of Ziba and Hazaell.
The curſe of God doth vſually accompany the actions and waies of curſed ſinners, and therefore they that aduenture to entertaine them, hauehave many times a part of the puniſhment with them.
Thirdly, all the faults, and abſurdities in word, or worke, of fooliſh and ſinfull ſeruants are imputed to the reproch of their maiſters that imploy them, and ſo the ſorrow is cauſed by ſhame and infamie.
Fourthly, the contrary will cleare the truth of this point. For if good ſeruants and faithfull meſſengers, be for the comfort, and credit, the ſafetie & profit of ſuch as do vſe them, then they that are altogether of an other manner of affection, and diſpoſition, cannot but worke an other manner of effects, and conſequents.
Admonition, to bee very heedefull to auoide that noiſome Vſe. 1 ſinne of ſlothfulneſſe which bringeth ſo many michiefes with it, both to our ſelues, for ſoule, and body, and ſtate, and name: and to others alſo, and thoſe eſpecially whom in ſpeciall manner we owe dutie vntounto. Secondly, to make a wiſe choiſe prouidently of ſuch as wee hauehave occaſion to vſe in any buſineſſe, that their induſtry and diligence, their prudencie and diſcreation, their faithfulneſſe and ſound dealing, may bee a refreſhing and not a torment to vsus. Prou. 25. 13. 3. If wee hauehave obtained ſuch as bee not as ſmoake to offend our eyes, but our eyes may behold them, and their good behauiour with delight, let vsus not bee vineger to their teeth, or ſmoake to their eyes: let not our ſoureneſſe and diſcontentment, our niggardlineſſe and ouermuch ſparing, be any meanes of their diſcouragement. Deale kindely with them, and bee liberall to them, that thou maiſt not onelyonly retaine them ſtill to be thy ſeruants, but giuegive all good furtherance to the continuance of their vprightneſſe.
The feare of the Lord increaſeth the daies: but the yeares Verſe. 27 of the wicked are cut ſhort.
The feare of the Lord, &c. That is true pietie and religion, with the exerciſe alſo of iuſtice, and righteouſneſſe, increaſeth the dayes, That is, as a meanes it preſerueth thoſe that are indued with it, from an vntimely death: but the yeares of the wicked ſhall bee cut off. Their vngodly and ſinfull courſe of life is ſometimes an inſtrument to bring them ſpeedily to their end, as by ſurfets, and euill diſeaſes, or falling into the hands of the magiſtrate, or by quarreling, and ſuch like. Sometimes it prouoketh the Lord to ſtay them in the middeſt of their race, and not to ſuffer them to come to that age which by their ſtrength and conſtitution of body they might hauehave attained vntounto. And in this ſence the Prophet ſaith in the Pſalmes, that the wicked Pſal. 55. 23.ſhall not liue out halfe their dayes. This doctrine of this verſe hath beene handled already in the eleauenth verſe of the former Chapter.