Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 12 · Verse 20 – Verse 21
Verſe 20. Deceit commeth to the heart of them that practiſe miſchiefe, and ioy to the counſellers of peace.
DEceit commeth to the heart, &c, that is, ſorrow and griefe commeth to the hearts of them that plot miſchiefe againſt others by aduiſe, or attempt, when they ſhall finde themſelues deceiued in their deuiſes. But ſuch as vſe their thoughts and words to moue men to be at peace with God and their neighbours, and to walke in the way of peace and good propſeritie, ſhall not faile of the comfort of their faithfull and wholſome counſell.
Doct. 1 Craftie perſons ſhall feele the ſmart and woe of their owne ſubtill practiſes.
When their hearts take pleaſure in inuenting of euill, they muſt be put to the paine to beare the burden of their euill inuentions. Vexation and mourning are not ſo meete for any, as for them that ſtudie how they may vexe their brethren, and bring them to mourne. As we hauehave alreadie ſhewed that wicked workes deceiue them that doe them, ſo for the ſame cauſes it will appeare Chap. 11. 18.that the warping of ſinfull courſes will turne to their hurt that imagine them.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, their ſucceſſe will not anſwere to their expectations, they ſhall faile of that which they fullie aſſure themſelues of: as it is ſaid, Doe they not erre that imagine euill? Where the queſtion is Prou. 14. 22.not propoſed in way of doubting, but of certeintie, as of a thing that is cleere and manifeſt, and in no wiſe to bee gaineſaied. Neuer any man of an hurtfull heart had his will ſatiſfied, and his deſire fulfilled to his contentment, and conſequently according to his hope. Women commonly hauehave paine in breeding of child, and pangs in trauell, and comfort when they are deliuered: but malitious men conceiue ioy all the time that they goe great with their purpoſes, and moſt when they are bringing forth, and nothing but anger, and ſorrow, and ſhame, when they ſee nothing but a miſhapen monſter, to be borne vntounto them.
Secondly, though they ſeeme to preuaile for a time, and effect their purpoſes ſo as their hearts wiſhed, yet ſomewhat hindreth their full comfort for the inſtant, as it did Hamans, and Achabs, and all be ouerturned in the ende, and themſelues be ouerwhelmed therewith, as the caſe of Haman and Daniels aduerſaries teſtifieth.
Thirdly, though they ſhould worke their willes, and bring their purpoſes to paſſe and eſcape vnpuniſhed, as long as they liue, yet becauſe there is a iudgement to begin when life is ended, they are nothing the better for being ſpared ſo long. All their cunning, all their craft, all their wiles and ſhifting will not ſerue the turne to wind themſelues out of the woe that is denounced againſt them, and the wofull puniſhments that ſhall bee executed vponupon them.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction, that we vſe our thoughts and mindes to better meditations and ſtudies, then to nouriſh that by art which groweth too faſt by nature. Our fleſh breedeth an aptneſſe and inclination to doe euill, and become hurtfull, that we ſhall not neede to beare our braines about it, but rather hauehave cauſe with all carefulneſſe to bethink vsus how we may ſhun and auoyd it. Let vsus leaue that craft to the diuell which is the maſter and teacher of it, who laboureth to hauehave all to be his apprentices, and is moſt ready to informe eueryevery one to be moſt expert and skilfull in that damnable trade of craftines. But neither himſelfe from the beginnig of the world to this day hath gained any thing by it, but deſperate madnes and vexation, beſides euerlaſting damnation to come, neither any one of his ſeruants of all the millions of millions that hauehave learned of him, hath in any one thing bin the better by it, but eueryevery way vnutterablie the worſe.
Conſolation to the poore, ſimple, and harmeleſſe ſeruants of God, againſt whom the euill is intended, that it ſhall rebound vponupon the authors, and returne vponupon the practiſers, and neuer light vponupon them. Many hearts are wiſhing their hurt; many minds are muſing how to worke it: many tongues are conſulting who ſhall doe it: many hands are readie to execute it: many mouthes inſulting ouer them that ſhall ſuffer it, and all this while the only watchman of Iſrael, and the keeper of the Church doth laugh them to ſcorne. He maketh their minds to miſtake that which they looked at: he maketh their hearts to bee filled with teares: he maketh their tongues to beſpeake their owne miſerie: he maketh their hands to be hurtfull to themſelues: and he maketh his people to ſit ſafely in the midſt of them. And this is truely affirmed by Eliphaz, and warranted by the ſpirit of God in the booke of Iob. He ſcattereth the deuiſes of the craftie: ſo that their hands cannot accompliſh that which they doe enterpriſe. He taketh the wiſe Iob 5. 12. 13.in their craftineſſe, and the counſell of the wicked is made fooliſh. They meete with darkeneſſe in the day time, and grope at noone day as in the night. But he ſaueth the poore from the ſword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the violent man.
Doct. 2 But to the counſellers] Holeſome counſell is comfortable to them that giuegive it, aſwell as profitable to them that take it.
If the tongue perſwade to that which is right, and the heart agree with the perſwaſion of the tongue, whatſoeuer ſucceſſe his words doe find in others, he is ſure to finde ioy and gladneſſe in his owne ſoule. The ſame bleſſing which Dauid pronounced vponupon Abigail, for procuring of peace by her counſell, the Lord doth promiſe and pronounce, and will perfome to eueryevery one whoſe affection and behauiour is like to Abigails. Bleſſed, ſaith hee, bee 1. Sam. 25 33.thy counſell, and bleſſed be thou, which haſt kept me this day from comming to ſhed bloud. And our Sauiour extendeth it generallie to all that labour vprightly, and in due manner to make peace, ſaying, Bleſſed are the peace makers, for they ſhall be called the children of God, Mat. 5. 9.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, no man can ſoundly ſeeke to reconcile man to God, or one man to another, or giuegive direction for his neighbours welfare, vnleſſe he himſelfe be reconciled to God, and peaceable towards men, and hauehave Chriſtian louelove in his heart; and thoſe graces are neuer ſeparated from holy comfort and gladnes. For the ſame ſappe that ſendeth forth the one, doth in like manner alſo yeeld the other, as the Apoſtle teſtifieth: The fruite of the ſpirit is louelove, ioy, peace, &c. And in another place; The kingdome of God is not Gal. 5. 22. Rom. 14. 17.meate and drinke, but righteouſneſſe, and peace, and ioy in the holie Ghoſt.
If their counſell be imbraced and followed, the good effect thereof with Gods bleſſing, will miniſter cauſe of reioycing, beſides thankes and kindneſſe which the parties holpen by their counſell will yeeld vntounto them: as Dauid to Abigail, and Naaman to Eliſha, and the Iaylor and Lydia to Paul: Act. 16. 17. 33. 34.
Thirdly, though their aduiſe bee reiected, yet as Iſaiah ſaith, their reward is with the Lord, and they ſhall bee glorious in his Iſa 49. 4. 5.eyes. And their faithfull dealing will bring them both comfort and praiſe, as Ionathan found in ſeeking to pacifie his fathers diſpleaſure vniuſtly kindled againſt Dauid.
Vſe. Inſtruction to moue vsus to be frequent and diligent in ſo good a ſeruice, whereof there is ſo much neede, and opportunitie of imployment (for worke may be had eueryevery where) and ſo good a recompence for our trauell, as ioy is, and therefore Gods fauour, and therefore Gods bleſſing with eternall glorie. And what though there be oppoſitions againſt vsus, as all faithfull peacemakers ſhall meete froward perſons that will bee vnpeaceable, yet if the God of peace be at peace with vsus, and protector of vsus, what cauſe hauehave we to ſtand in any feare? he would not promiſe vsus ioy, vnleſſe he were reſolued to performe it: and he would not incourage vsus to be ioyfull, vnleſſe our ſtate were ſafe and happie. And why then are we ſo timerous to ſpeake when wee ſee diſſenſion among equals, contempt of ſuperiours, oppreſſion of inferiours, ſinning againſt mens owne ſoules, and warre againſt the Lord himſelfe? Is it becauſe we would not giuegive offence? It is an offence to be ſilent at the offences committed againſt God, and the hurt that men doe to themſelues and their neighbours. Is it becauſe we would auoide trouble and diſpleaſure, and keepe our ſelues from griefe and ſorrow? The way to doe that is to pleaſe God, who can make them whoſe anger wee feare, to fauour vsus, and be meanes of our peace and conſolation. But in counſelling of peace we muſt looke to theſe things, firſt, that we be iuſtly called to deale in that particular caſe, leſt medling with the ſtrife that Preu. 26. 17.belongeth not vntounto vsus, we be as one that taketh a dog by the eares. Secondly, that we make no attonement betweene wicked men in their wickedneſſe, as Hester would not make Haman and Aſhuerus friends when they were fallen out: for how much concord had beene betweene Haman and the King, ſo much diſcord would hauehave bin betweene the King and the Church. So that in ſetting agreement betweene man and man, it is good to ſet variance betweene a man and his ſinne, and to leaue ſinfull men at variance, whoſe reconciliation doth tend to the diſhonour of God, and the hurt of his people.
Vſe. Reproofe and terror of makebates, which are counſellours of contention, of ſinfulneſſe, and wrong doing; which ſhall be handled in a fitter place, when we come to theſe words: Without wood the fire is quenched, and without a talebearer ſtrife ceaſeth, Chap. 26. 20. In the meane time let them bee admoniſhed that incenſe great men, as Landlords, and Magiſtrates, and Maiſters againſt their poore, weake inferiours that liue vnderunder them. The Lord will heare their cries and groanes, not onelyonly againſt the mightie ones that lay too heauie burdens vponupon them, but alſo againſt all thoſe that hauehave been meanes and cauſers of it. And be this remembred withall on both ſides, aſwell on their part that bee ſo eaſily perſwaded to rigour and crueltie, as of theirs that moue them to it, or incourage them in it, that this aduiſe doth not onelyonly imbitter them againſt their vnderlings, who ſeeme to bee altogether in their power, but alſo imboldeneth them againſt their maker, who onelyonly hath all power and ſoueraignetie ouer them.
Verſe. 21. The puniſhment of iniquite ſhall not befall the iuſt: but the wicked are full of euill.
AFflictions and corrections may come vponupon the righteous, but no reuenging curſe tending to deſtruction, as if they were abiects. But the wicked are full of euill both of guiltines, and continuall practiſe, according to the corruption of their hearts, which the righteous are purged from, and therefore alſo of thoſe puniſhments which the righteous eſcape.
Doct. Though the Lord afflict the godly, as well as the godleſſe, yet it is done in farre different manner.
He commeth as a father in merciemercy and mildnes to the one, and dealeth as a Iudge, or rather an enemie, in wrath and ſeueritie with the other. He commeth with his pruning knife to cut off the ſuperfluous ſprigges and braunches of the one, and with a keene axe in his hand to hew downe by the rootes the ſtockes and bodies of the other. And this difference is ſpoken of in the foureteenth chapter of this booke, verſ. 32. The wicked ſhall be cast away for his naughtines: but the righteous hath hope in his death. And this difference is ſpoken of in the ſeuen and twentith of Iſaiah, verſe 7. Hath he ſmitten him, as hee ſmote thoſe that ſmote him? or is hee ſlaine according to the ſlaughter of them that were ſlaine by him? That is, hath the Lord plagued Iſrael his Church and people in ſuch a grieuous manner as he hath deſtroyed their enemies? it is manifeſt he hath not. And this difference is ſpoken of in the eight chapter to the Romans, verſe 1. that there is no damnation to them that are in Chriſt Ieſus that walke after the ſpirit, as there is to them that walke after the fleſh.
The foure reaſons wherewith the laſt doctrine of the former Chap. 11. 31.chapter was proued, doe euidently confirme this point: and therfore to auoide prolixitie, and vnneceſſarie repetitions, wee referre the reader to that place.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction, to labour to be vnlike to ſinfull men in behauiour, as we are deſirous to hauehave a better condition. Let vsus ſet our ſelues as enemies againſt the dominion and kingdome of iniquitie, as they doe yeeld themſelues to be ſubiects and ſlaues vntounto it: let vsus ſeeke to cleanſe our ſelues from all filthineſſe both of the fleſh and ſpirit, and be filled with the graces of the holy Ghoſt, and the fruites of the ſame, as they are full of ſinnes, and vnrighteouſneſſe.
For the wicked not to conceiue the better of their owne caſe, nor the godly to like the worſe of theirs, becauſe externally all things ſeeme to happen alike to both ſides: for there cannot bee ſo great a diſparitie betweene any earthly things, though neuer ſo contrarie one to another, as there is betweene their eſtates, notwithſtanding that in ſhew and appearance they are alike.