Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 12 · Verse 25
Verſe. 25. Heauines in the heart of a man doth bring it downe: but a good word reioyceth it.
HEauines of heart, that is, ſuch ſorrowes or feares, as are not godly, and effects of faith, but proceeding from infidelity, or carnall reſpects, eſpecially being exceſſiue, doth bring down the heart, not humbling it kindely, ſo as pride may be taken away, but either filling it with diſcouragement, or diſtemper, againſt which the Prophet wreſtled with ſundry conflicts: Why art thou caſt down my ſoule, and art vnquiet, or tumultuous within me? Pſal. 42. 5. Now withall he preſcribeth the remedie whereby this diſeaſe of hurtfull ſorrow and penſiuenes may be cured, and that is with good words. For the comfortable ſpeech of a friend, but eſpecially the holeſome word of God, declaring the remiſſion of ſinnes, and the fauour of God, expelleth the heauines of the heart, and refreſheth it with ioy and comfort.
Doct. Immoderate griefe doth turne men to great hurt and annoyance. As fleſhly mirth doth much corrupt mens minds, and ſtirre them vp to vanitie; ſo worldly ſorrow doth greatly weaken their hearts and dull their ſpirits, whereby they are hindred from the performance of many good duties. And ſo much is meant in that place, where it is ſaid that by the ſorrow of the heart, the mind is Prou. 15. 13.heauie. When Ioſhua was inclining to too much feare and diſcomfort, for the loſſe of his men at their going vp againſt Ai, and the euill conſequents that were likelie to follow, the Lord would not ſuffer him to giuegive place thereunto, ſaying, Get thee vp: wherefore Ioſh. 7. 10.lieſt thou thus vponupon thy face? He tooke notice, and gaue a cenſure of this inward affection of his heart, ſomewhat exceeding meaſure, by the geſture of his bodie.
Reaſon. 1 Firſt, the health and ſtrength of the bodie is thereby impaired and the life it ſelfe is many times ſhortned by that meanes. A ioyfull heart cauſeth good health, but a ſorrowfull mind drieth the bones, Prou. 17. 22. It pearceth to that which is within, and bringeth weakeneſſe vponupon the ſtrongeſt parts.
Secondly, ſuch as are oppreſſed with cares and griefe are made vnmeete for the ſeruices of God, who indeede doth require feare, but commaundeth likewiſe to reioyce with trembling: Pſal. 2. 11. How can they call vponupon God in any feruency, when deadnes hath wholy poſſeſſed them? How can they be thankefull, and offer acceptable praiſes to God when they are voide of al ioy and cheerefulneſſe? And how can they attend vntounto his word, when their thoughts are altogether buſied in the contemplation of their owne miſerie? The meſſage was very comfortable which Moſes brought to the Iſraelites in Aegypt, when the Lord told them, that he would deliuer them from the burdens and bondage of the Aegyptians, and would take them for his people, and be their God, &c. but it is ſaid they harkened not to him for anguiſh of ſpirit, and cruell bondage, Exo. 6. 9.
Thirdly, it maketh men leſſe diligent and profitable in their callings, whether it be in their ſeuerall trades, or in places of ſuperioritie to gouerne, or of inferioritie to obey.
Fourthly, it bereaueth them of the benefite and comfort of any Chriſtian ſocietie wherein they are neither apt to doe good, nor receiue good. It taketh away their cheerefulnes: it diſableth their tongues of ſpeaking fruitfully: it ſtoppeth their eares from hearkning attentiuely: their preſence is not very delightfull to others, and the companie of others is not much regarded of them.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction, 1. to preuent this worldy ſorrow by preſeruing of godly ioy, and that is by keeping the peace of a good conſcience with an vpright heart, and holy behauiour, either ſhunning of ſinne that we runne not into it, or ſoundly ſorrowing for it, when we hauehave committed it. Looke how much innocencie and ſinceritie any man hath, ſo much comfort his heart ſhall inioy, and according to the meaſure of guiltineſſe there will bee an inward, ſecret biting griefe and fearefulneſſe.
When anguiſh and ſorrow, when feare and troubles aſſault vsus ſo ſtrongly that we cannot repell them, let vsus then obſerue that holy counſell which God, that can make it effectuall, doth offer here in this place vntounto vsus, and that is to hauehave a recourſe to faithfull comforters. He ſendeth vsus to them, he incourageth vsus to go, he aſſureth vsus of ſucceſſe, hee hath alwaies performed, that neuer any was left vnholpen, that ſought helpe at his hand according to this his direction. Elihu ſpeaketh of this to Iob, that when a man is ſtriken with ſorrow vponupon his bed, and griefe of his bones is ſore, ſo that his life cauſeth him to abhorre bread and his ſoule daintie meate, that his fleſh is conſumed, and his bones chatter, and his ſoule draweth to the graue, and his life to the buriers, yet a faithfull Iob. 33. 19. &c.meſſenger of God, one of a thouſand deliuering his meſſage faithfullie from God, will heale all this in them that giuegive credit to him, and ſet them in as good caſe as euer they were before. For God which can doe all things and formed all things, hath vndertaken to giuegive ſuch a bleſſing to the words of his ſeruants, and chiefly them by whoſe miniſterie he ſpeaketh to his own people. I create (ſaith hee) the fruite of the lips to bee peace, peace, that is, (true, perpetual, and moſt conſtant comfort) vntounto them that are far Iſai. 57. 19.off, and to them that are neere: for I will heale him. Hereof the keeper of the priſon, whom Paul and Silas conuerted, had happie experience, Act. 16. 28.and thereby was preſerued from deſtroying himſelfe. Hereof three thouſand at once, whom Peter conuerted, had happie Act. 2. 37.experience, being deliuered both from their feares, and ſinfulneſſe.
To collect all good arguments whereby wee preuaile againſt our dread and ſorrowes that grow from our afflictions and troubles. As who impoſeth them vponupon vsus but the Lord? And to what end doth the Lord ſo impoſe them, but in merciemercy and wiſedome, as a moſt skilfull and faithfull phyſition, for our profit? HaueHave not our betters endured more, and yet were beloued and bleſſed of God both for the preſent, and afterwards? HaueHave not we deſerued farre greater iudgements, euen deſtruction it ſelfe, and is it much if wee bee onelyonly ſcourged ſo fauourablie with ſuch ſmall ſtripes of eaſie rodes, by a louing father who doth prepare vsus thereby to ſo great comfort and glorie?