Exposition of Proverbs 9-10, Exposition 2 · Verse 32
The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the Verſe 32 mouth of the wicked ſpeaketh froward things.
The meaning of theſe words is, that a righteous man knoweth & regardeth what is beſt pleaſing to God for him to ſpeak, and what is moſt gratefull to good men to heare, & what doth deſerue acceptation at any mans hand for faithfulnes & truth, and therefore he will vſe his lips to vtter it: but the wicked neither knoweth nor regardeth theſe things, and therefore he vomiteth out onelyonly peruerſe ſpeeches, ſuch as tend to rebellion againſt God, the damnifying of men, and the annoyance and hurt of his owne ſelfe.
The lips. It is a point of godly wiſdome for a man ſo to ſpeak Doct. as his words may be accepted for his beſt aduantage. This appeareth He ſpeakes wiſely whoſe words make moſt for his aduantage.by manifold examples of holy men in the Scriptures of God, when the Ephraimites were imbittered againſt Gedeon, and chide with him ſharply, how eaſily did he ſtill them, abating their ſpirits with a mild and modeſt anſwere? Iudg. 8. 2. When Dauid was in a great rage, comming with a purpoſe to deſtroy Nabal & his whole familie: how readily was Abigails mind inſtructed with vnderſtanding, and her lips prouided of prudent ſpeeches, wherby ſhe preſently pacified his diſpleaſure? 1. Sam. 25. 23. 24. This skill alſo had Dauid himſelf to win the harts of his people, & to hold them faſt vntounto him by the wiſdome of his words: yea by the force and efficacie thereof he made the heart of bloudy Saul his cruell and implacable enemie for a time to relent. What ſhall we ſay of Paul, who knew what words would draw his mortal foes to turne after a ſort to be his friends, his perſecuters to preſerue him, the Prieſts and Phariſes to ſtand for the defence of th'apoſtle of Chriſt?
Firſt, the word and ſpirit of God doth informe his ſeruants Reaſons. 1 in this knowledge, and giuegive them diſcreation to apply themſelues to the ſtate of the perſons and ſeaſon. Iſa. 50. 4.
Secondly, the vſe & exerciſe of gracious & religious ſpeeches doth bring a dexteritie to iudge what is moſt meete to be ſpoken, and to deliuer the ſame in the apteſt manner: and ſo (as trained ſouldiers) they are in a continuall readineſſe, vponupon due occaſion, to deale with God and all ſorts of people. Col. 4. 6.
Confutation of all Popiſh praiers which are offred without Vſe. 1 any aſſurance of acceptance, and conſequently it conuinceth all Popiſh perſons to be vnrighteous men, becauſe they know not what is acceptable: for ſo much they plainelie declare, when they pronounce they know not what, in a ſtrange language, when they call vponupon the dead which hear them not at all: when they intertaine ſtrange aduocates to vſurp Chriſt his office: when they aske things needleſſe, as the ſaluation of ſuch as are actually and abſolutely ſaued: when they aske things which are boteleſſe, as the deliuerance of ſuch as are irrecouerablie damned. And their beſt apologie for theſe things is, that if they doe no good, they will doe no harme, whereby they make profeſsion that they are vncertaine whether their prayers bee like to pleaſe God, or otherwiſe be vaine and idle.
Reprofe, with terrour for them whoſe mouthes ſpeake froward things, which may know that their words are gratefull to none but the diuell, and damnable men, who wittingly and willingly, and ſpitefully with greedy deſire, doe belch out ſuch bitter blaſphemies, and other curſed ſpeeches, as may offend the maieſtie of God, and grieue the hearts of his children: which they doe of purpoſe to profeſſe that they are neither ſeruants to the one, nor members of the other, but vowed enemies of both: but doe they prouoke the Lord to wrath, and not themſelues to the confuſion of their owne faces? doe they aſſault the glorious name of god, & ſtrike at him with their virulent & venemous tongues, and ſhall not he ſet vponupon them, and deſtroy their ſoules and bodies with his grieuous plagues and fearefull iudgements? Euen this is a principal cauſe, together with whordome, and other ſinnes of death, that caſteth ſo many into the magiſtrates hand, and bringeth them to an ignominious end, for ſtealth, and robberies, for murthers, and moſt helliſh and abhominable treaſons.
Conſolation to them that order their lips aright, they ſhote not at an vncertaine marke: they may as well know how they ſhall ſpeede, as how they ſpeake, though their counſels or rebukes be not ſometimes well taken of men, yet at all times they are pleaſing to the Lord, who will alſo requite them with a glorious and bleſſed reward.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Dod, Exposition of Proverbs 9-10 (1606)