Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 11 · Verse 1
Verſe 1. Falſe balances are an abomination to the Lord: but a perfect weight pleaſeth him.
VNderUnder falſe balances are comprehended all vniuſt weights, lines, and meaſures. And therewithall is condemned whatſoeuer kinde of guile, and deceit may bee found either in the buyer, or ſeller. As when that which is ſold is defectiue either in quantitie, or qualitie, not being fit for the vſe that it is bought for, or not correſpondent to the price that is paid for it, or not anſwerable to the teſtimonie that is giuen of it. And with theſe doth Amos charge the wicked wealthy men of his age: They make the Epha, or meaſure ſmall, and the ſhekell, or price great, Amos 8. 5.and falſifie the weights of deceit. That they may buie the poore for ſiluer, and the needie for ſhooes, and ſell the refuſe of their wheate. So on the other ſide in the buyer, when he ſhall faile of all meete proportion betweene the price that he payeth, and the commoditie that he buieth, giuing farre leſſe than the worth and valew of it. And where it is ſaid, They are abomination to the Lord, it is not ment that his quarrell is againſt the inſenſible creatures, but he is diſpleaſed with the iniquitie of the perſons, which make, vſe, keepe, or allow them. Whereby the other clauſe may bee better vnderſtoode, that the Lord is pleaſed with ſuch as doe vprightly vſe them, and with louelove of equitie exerciſe it in their traffique and couenants.
Doct. 1 All inſtruments and meanes of falſehood are hatefull to God. If God ſpeake this but once, and in one place, and no where elſe but in this place, yet he is of ſufficient authoritie to require credit to his word, becauſe he that cannot lie hath ſpoken it, who alſo knoweth beſt both what doth offend, and pleaſe him: but hee doth often confirme it in the ſcriptures, that the multiplicitie of teſtimonies may the more forcibly perſwade vsus to beleeue. The ſelfe ſame words in effect are not only repeated, but redoubled in this booke, and that ſometimes in one chapter. Diuers weights, and diuers meaſures, both theſe are euen an abomination to the Lord. Diuers weights are abomination to the Lord, and falſe ballances are not good: Cap. 20. 10. 23.
Reaſons. Firſt, his commandement is hereby violated: for he hath expreſſely forbidden ſuch vnrighteous dealing: Thou ſhalt not hauehave Deut. 25. 15. 16.in thy bagge two manner of weights, a great and a ſmall, neither ſhalt thou hauehave in thine houſe diuers meaſures, a great, and a ſmall; but thou ſhalt hauehave a iuſt weight: a perfect, and a iuſt meaſure ſhalt thou hauehave, &c. For all that doe ſuch things, and all that doe vnrighteouſlie, are abomination to the Lord thy God. Which is not ſo to be vnderſtood, as though it were abſolutely vnlawfull to hauehave diuers ſorts of weights or meaſures, as ounces and pounds, as yards and elles, as peckes and buſhels, &c. Neither yet to hauehave many of the ſame ſort: for many may be needefull, according as men hauehave manifold occaſions to vſe them: but to hauehave them vnequall each to other, which ought to be of the ſame ſize, as ſome of larger content to buy with, and others of leſſer quantitie to ſell with, this is that which is here prohibited.
Secondly, his ordinance by this is inuerted: for he hath inſtituted the vſe of negotiation, market and exchange, for the mutuall benefit of both ſides; and this is for the good of neither: for the one is endamaged in his purſe, and the other in his conſcience. He would hauehave commerce and traffique to proceede from louelove, to be exerciſed in louelove, and more to increaſe louelove: and this courſe is altogether contrarie to louelove, and a meanes to ingender vnkindnes and hatred. Hee requireth that iuſtice and equitie ſhould moderate theſe affaites, and that no man ſhould oppreſſe or 1. Theſ. 4. 6.defraude his brother in any matter: but here is filthie lucre moſt reſpected and followed, and our brethren wronged and beguiled.
Thirdly, this ſinne is ſo much the more lothed of God, by how much it is better liked of them that practiſe it. Their cloſenes and cunning in acting of it, doth for a time augment their wealth, and not impaire their credit, and therfore they count their courſe lawfull, and themſelues happie for ſuch proſperous ſucceſſe: becauſe man findeth no fault with them, they thinke that God findeth no falſehood in them: and ſeeing yet they hauehave no puniſhment inflicted vponupon them, they dreame alſo that no wickedneſſe is committed by them. For ſo the Prophet complaineth: Hee is a Hoſ. 12. 7. 8.Merchant; the ballances of deceit are in his hand: hee loueth to oppreſſe. And Ephraim ſaid, notwithſtanding I am rich: I hauehave found me out riches in all my labours: they ſhall finde no iniquitie in me, that were wickedneſſe.
Vſe 1 Admonition, not onelyonly to forbeare all fraudulent and wrongfull dealing, but with hatred to deteſt it, and with horror to flie farre from it. That which is hurtfull to our brother is hatefull to God, and therefore can neuer bee helpefull to vsus. If he iudge it vnrighteous we ſhall finde it vnprofitable: if it be damnable in his ſight, and therefore his ſoule doth hate it, it will at laſt bee in our ſenſe, and our ſoule ſhall rue it. It may bring monie and wealth, and raiſe vp mens ſtate and familie, but it will draw downe iudgements vponupon familie, ſtate, and wealth, and monie, and make all to be execrable. For that which is ſpoken in another caſe, is alſo verified in this: Bring not abomination into thine houſe, leſt thou bee Deut. 7. 26.accurſed like it, but vtterly abhorre it, and count it moſt abominable, for it is accurſed. As the gold, and ſiluer, and other coſtly matter, whereof the idols were made, and wherewith they were adorned, was execrable in reſpect of impietie; ſo is this trade of getting, and riches ſo gotten in regard of iniquitie. And therefore both are very offenſiue to the Lord: both are peſtilent to mens families: both are perilous to their ſtate: both are pernicious to their ſoules. For a curſed poſſeſſion may make the perſon accurſed, and bring the whole houſe to deſolation. Which ſhould perſwade men not onelyonly to make ſtay of getting goods vniuſtly, but to make no ſtay of ridding their hands iuſtly thereof. For as they ſinne grieuouſlie which indirectly receiue that which is none of their owne; ſo doe they alſo that retaine it, and reſtore it not to the right owner. And therefore in Micah it is ſet as a note of ſinners, and ſuch as are obſtinately ſinfull, and which conceiue of God as a patron of their ſinfulneſſe, that vponupon admonition giuen vntounto them from the Lord, would not reforme their falſehood. Are yet the treaſures of wickedneſſe in the houſe of the wicked, and Micah. 6. 10.the ſcant meaſure that is abominable? Shall I iuſtifie the wicked ballances, and the deceitfull weights?
Reproofe and terror of gameſters, and thoſe that make Dice, Cardes, and Boules, with ſuch like inſtruments of iniury, to be the meaſures of their trade, and the meanes of their maintenance. Thereby are they made as odious to God, as infeſtuous to men, and as great aduerſaries to equitie, as they which by falſe weights doe wrong their chapmen. They being aſhamed to appeare in their practiſe, doe ſecretly defraud men like theeues that filch in a corner: but theſe impudently glorying in their ſinfulneſſe, doe openlie profeſſe their purpoſe, like robbers that commaund mens purſes by the hie way ſide. They take the way to bring ſome part of their neighbours goods to their hands, by receiuing much for a little: but theſe ſtriue to draw eueryevery part to themſelues, by getting all for nothing. And for this cauſe whatſoeuer ſucceſſe they hauehave, howſoeuer the world goeth with them, they ſpeed vnhappily. If they winne other mens mony, they loſe their bleſſednes, and Gods gratious fauour: If they loſe their owne monie, they get a curſe, and Gods grieuous diſpleaſure.
Doct. 2 But a true weight, &c. The Lord doth not onelyonly reſpect the pietie which is vſed in his owne worſhip, but the truth and iuſtice that is performed to men.
When the Lord himſelfe is asked what manner of men ſhould dwell in his tabernacle, and reſt in his holy mountaine, that is, which ſhould hauehave a good eſtate here, and an habitation for euermore in heauen, he deſcribeth them by their innocent, and harmeleſſe behauiour towards their brethren. Hee that walketh vprightly, and Pſalm. 15. 2.worketh righteouſlie, and ſpeaketh the trueth in his heart. Hee, certenlie, regardeth that worke which hee ſo largely rewardeth with ſuch wages: and hee is well pleaſed with that perſon in this life, whom he will receiue to life euerlaſting: and equall it is with him, that they which conuerſe with earthly people in righteouſneſſe, ſhould alſo continue with heauenlie ſaints in glory.
Reaſons. Firſt, they doe ſeruice herein to God himſelfe; for in conſcience of his will, and obedience to his word they giuegive themſelues to this vprighteneſſe.
Secondly, it is his owne worke, and proceedeth from himſelfe: for all righteouſneſſe is the grace, and fruite of his holie ſpirit. As fleſh and bloud, with nature, and reaſon did neuer yet beget any ſound pietie, and religion; ſo it neither will, nor euer can direct any mans heart to true iuſtice, and righteouſnes.
Thirdlie, trueth both in word and deed is a part of his glorious image, whereby his people are confirmed, and made like vntounto him, and therefore he cannot but take delight in that which is ſo agreeable with his owne nature, and a liuely repreſentation of himſelfe.
Vſe. Conſolation to them that doe conſtantly, and conſcionablie addict themſelues to the exerciſe of equitie. None hath truely learned this, but ſuch as hauehave been apprentices in heauen, whom the Lord hath informed in the myſterie of this trade. Ob. But manie others gaine more monie, and thriue faſter, and grow greater then they doe. Sol. But they gaine more comfort, and thriue better, and grow happier then all others doe. For howſoeuer it fareth with their ſtate for quantitie of earthly poſſeſſions, it cannot but goe well with their ſoules, for plentie of heauenlie graces, and though paraduenture they hauehave preſently but little ſubſtance in their houſes, yet there remaineth from them an ample treaſure in the heauens: and that which is beſt for thē, is moſt firmely aſſured to them, which is Gods euerlaſting louelove and fauour. Albeit therfore thy vocation bee meane and of no great account, and thy ſtocke ſlender and of no great value, thy returne ſeldome, and of no great commoditie; yet if thou bee faithfull in a meane trade, with a ſmall ſtocke, and a ſlow returne, all ſhall bee acceptable, all ſhall be profitable, all ſhall be comfortable. So often as thou haſt mans cuſtome to buy or ſell with thee, thou haſt Gods companie to reward and bleſſe thee; and whenſoeuer thou dealeſt well with any, he taketh notice of it, to deale better with thy ſelfe.