Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 11 · Verse 10
Verſe 10. In the proſperitie of the righteous the citie reioyceth, and when the wicked periſh there is ioy.
IN the proſperitie of the righteous] that is, when things goe well with thē, the citie reioyceth, that is, the honeſt and well diſpoſed citizens, and countrie men be inwardly glad, and outwardly declare their ioy, by cheerfull countenance, and ſpeeches, and other meanes, as opportunitie ſerueth to expreſſe the ſame. And ſo doe they alſo at the death, and ouerthrow of oppreſſours, and tyrants, and other wicked perſons, by whoſe fall the people riſe, and whoſe ruine is the repaire of the citie.
Doct. 1 Good men hauehave not onelyonly Gods hand to giuegive them good things, but godlie mens hearts to bee ioyfull for them. When Mordecai was aduanced the citie of Shuſhan reioyced, and was Heſt. 8. 15.glad. And when the Lord ſhewed his great merciemercy on Zacharie, and Elizabeth in giuing them a ſonne, their kinſfolke and neighbours Luk. 1. 58.came and reioyced with them.
Reaſons. Firſt, the prouidence of God hath the diſpoſing of all mens affections: he deriueth their louelove, and their hatred, their liking, and loathing to eueryevery one, as ſeemeth beſt to his owne wiſedome. And he hath appointed by decree in his counſell: by precept in his word; and by working of his ſpirit that godly men ſhall bee well affected towards the godly, and Chriſtians ſhall bee tender hearted one towards another.
Secondly, they are all members of one bodie, and therefore a ſympathy, and fellow feeling of one anothers ſtate is mutually among them; If one ſuffer, all ſuffer with it: if one member be had in honour, all the members reioyce with it. 1. Cor. 12. 26.
Thirdlie, it is well knowne that righteous men will make their brethren commoners with them in their proſperitie. When they are aduanced, others ſhall not bee diſgraced thereby but honoured: when they are inriched, others ſhall not bee impoueriſhed thereby, but relieued: when they are made mightie, others ſhall not be weakned thereby, but ſupported. And ſo it is ſaid concerning Mordecai, that when the royall apparell was on his backe, and the crowne of gold on his head, that vntounto the Iewes was come light, and ioy, and gladnes, and honour. Heſt. 8. 16.
Now all this is contrary in the ſtate of harmefull perſons, when God declareth his anger by caſting them downe, the people publiſh their ioy by clapping their hands at them. At the leaſt Gods ſeruants for Gods glorie, their owne peace, and the publike ſafetie, take comfort in this merciemercy that is ſhewed to the Church, in taking away ſuch enemies. God inclineth their hearts to do this, and the crueltie of the enemie hath procured it, as the effects of both did manifeſt at the drowning of Pharaoh, and deſtruction of Siſera.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction to them that bee deſirous to poſſeſſe the hearts of honeſt men, that they gaine them by iuſtice, and vpright behauiour, by merciemercy, kindnes, and goodnes. This courſe will draw their deſires to wiſh well vntounto them: this will put arguments into their mouthes to ſpeake well for them: this will giuegive them incouragement to further their aduancement: this will make their promotion acceptable to them, and then deſirous of the continuance and increaſe of the ſame. Now many men deſire to be popular, but few to be righteous: it is eaſie to affect the greatneſſe of Mordecai, who was ſecond to the King, and great among his people, and accepted among the multitude of his brethren: but it is hard Heſt. 10. 3.to follow his goodnes in procuring their wealth, and ſeeking their peace, and proſperitie. Good liking is not gotten by pompe and power, and fauour is not gained with wealth and riches, and louelove is not commaunded by authoritie, and dignitie: theſe may be allured with goodnes, but neuer compelled by violence.
Reproofe of enuious perſons, that maligne the good eſtate of godlie Chriſtians: they reioyce not at their proſperitie like worthy Citizens, but grieue, and vexe at it, like barbarous aliants: Either they labour to keepe them vnderunder that they ſhall not riſe, or to vndermine them that they ſhall not ſtand, as appeareth in the example of Daniels aduerſaries. But all is in vaine: they ſhall Dan. 6.be fruſtrate of their purpoſe, they ſhall be foiled in their practiſe, they ſhall be ſhamed, and curſed, and plagued for their malitious hearts, and miſchieuous enterpriſes. They that hate Zion, ſhall all be aſhamed and turned backeward. They ſhall be as the graſſe on the houſe tops, which withereth afore it commeth forth. Pſal. 129. 5. 6.
Doct. 2 The citie reioyceth, &c.] Godly men are the chiefe inhabitants whereſoeuer they dwell.
They that reioyce at the proſperitie of the righteous, are called the citie, the place hath denomination from them: and it is certaine that neither all, nor the moſt, nor in many places the greateſt are ſo wel affected, but contrary minded. So it is ſaid in the booke of Heſter that when the decree was gone forth, whereby all the Iewes were proſcripted and deſtinated to death, that the citie of Shuſhan was in perplexitie. Who was this citie there, but the poore condemned Iſraelites, who from their firſt comming thither were but ſtrangers and captiues? Ahaſhuerus, and Haman were not of the number: for they were merily drinking of wine; and a great number both in the Court, and Citie, as it may appeare, were glad of their miſerie. So ſaith the Apoſtle to the Rom. 1. 8.Romanes, Your faith is publiſhed throughout the whole world, meaning thereby in all the Churches.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, they hauehave a good eſtate in their goods, and hold their liuings by a right tenure, through Ieſus being inheritors of the earth: whereas none elſe are ſo much as tenants at will by any right or warrant from God, but meere vſurpers intruding themſelues without any allowance into his poſſeſſions.
Secondly, all others are aliants in Gods account, and only their vnderlings and ſeruants. For ſo he ſpeaketh of ſuch as hold themſelues to bee maiſters and commaunders of many others: The ſtrangers ſhall ſtand and feede your ſheepe, and the ſonnes of ſtrangers ſhall be your plow-men, and dreſſers of your vines: Iſai. 61. 5.
Vſe. Conſolation to them that hauehave the teſtimonie of the faithfull, and approbation of godly Chriſtians in their behauiour. It is as good as if all the towne and countrie did commend them. And that was S. Iohns meaning when hee ſaid that Demetrius had a 3. Ioh. verſ. 12.good report of all men. All wicked men would neuer ſpeake well of him, or if they ſhould, it had been little for his credit: but foraſmuch as the Apoſtle teſtifieth of him, and the trueth it ſelfe alſo, it muſt needes be that thoſe all men were all good men which knew his goodnes.
Terror for them that hauehave the complaint of Gods ſeruants againſt them. Though they be magnified of the multitude, and applauded of neuer ſo many wicked, they ſhall neither hauehave true honour, nor ſound comfort thereby. The voices of Chriſtians will carrie the cauſe, and their verdict is that which will caſt the faultie, if they conuict, the Lord will condemne: for they neuer agree all to finde any guiltie, but where the word of God, and his ſpirit hauehave firſt giuen in euidence againſt them. It went hard with Zanecherib when God told him that Zion deſpiſed him, and Iſa. 37. 22.laughed him to ſcorne, and ſhooke her head at him. But what cared he for that? Did not he deſpiſe her as much? True it is, that he deſpiſed her as much, but not with ſo much danger to her. His was a vaine, fooliſh, abſurd, and contemptible contempt, like paper ſhot againſt a ſtrong bulwarke: but hers was mightie, and effectuall carrying force with it, like a Cannon againſt a weake cottage which will ſhake it to peeces in a moment.