Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 11 · Verse 11
Verſe 11. By the bleſſing of the righteous the citie is exalted: but it is ſubuerted by the mouth of the wicked.
THe meaning is, that iuſt men are very beneficial to the ſocieties of men by their religious, prudent, and profitable ſpeeches: for ſo the word bleſſing ſignifieth in many places: and ſo it is here meant as the antitheſis ſheweth; and ſo a poore man in aduerſitie, may as well be an inſtrument of good to his countrie, as a rich man in proſperitie, as Salomon teſtifieth, Eccle. 9. 15. On the other ſide, the wicked with his mouth and hurtfull words, doth worke miſchiefe among whom he conuerſeth.
Doct. By the bleſſing, &c.] A godly man will alwaies do good to the place where he dwelleth, that many ſhall fare the better for him.
The land of Iudah found the trueth of this by comfortable experience in the daies of their good Kings, and Prophets, as Iehoſaphat, Hezechias, Iſaiah and others, who obtained wonderfull deliuerances for their people at the hand of the Lord. The land of Iſrael found the truth of it in the daies of their holie Prophets Eliah, and Eliſha who procured helpe againſt drowth, famine, and enemies, and therefore were called the chariots, and horſemen of Iſrael. What ſhould I ſpeake of Ioſeph, of Moſes, and Samuel, and Dauid, of Nehemiah, and Ezra, of Hester, and Mordecai, and many others, among whom S. Paul muſt be of the Quorum, as one of eminent note, ſpecially for that marueilous preſeruation of all that ſailed in the ſhippe with him, notwithſtanding they were very infidels.
Reaſons. Firſt, hee will preferre the welfare of the publike ſtate, before his owne priuate aduantage and profite. When Moſes might hauehave continued a fauourite, hee voluntarily for his commoditie ſake incurred the Kings diſpleaſure: when he might hauehave been great in Aegypt, hee rather forſooke Aegypt: when hee might hauehave liued in credit, pleaſure, and plentie like a prince, hee choſe to liue obſcurely, painefully, and hardly as a ſhepheard. When Hester was bid to aske, and hauehave to the halfe of an ample and large empire, ſhe ſet aſide all reſpect of lands and liuings, and onelyonly craued the liues of her people.
Secondly, he will apply his tongue to all thoſe meanes whereby hee may beſt effect his deſire, and profit his neighbours: by prayers, by counſels, by exhortations, and incouragements, and ſpecially by ſtriuing againſt the ſinnes that are among them.
Gods bleſſing vponupon him, doth make his bleſſing proſperous to others. For wicked men many times doe ſpeede the better for the fauour of the Lord which doth accompanie his ſeruants. Laban knew, and acknowledged, that therein hee was much beholden to Iacob, not onelyonly for his faithfulnes and paines, but for the good effect and ſucceſſe of them. Ioſephs maſter, and Ioſephs keeper, and Pharaohs houſe, and all the land of Aegypt ſped the better for the goodnes of God towards Ioſeph. On the other ſide, in the ſinfull perſon, eueryevery thing is otherwiſe. His tongue and talke is hurtfull and noyſome. Hee is wholy carried with ſelfe louelove, and priuate lucre. All his endeuours be to accompliſh his owne wicked purpoſes, and his meanes thereunto be vnlawfull and hurtfull. As hee by rebellion hath prouoked the wrath of God againſt himſelfe, ſo is the curſe ſent out after him, and bringeth a iudgement many times vponupon the place where he is, and the people that are about him, and the countrie wherein hee liueth.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction to vſe all kindnes to godly men, ſince we enioy ſo great a bleſſing by them. If they helpe to exalt the citie, let them be alſo exalted in the citie, or be well ſpoken of, or hauehave good affection borne vntounto them: at the leaſt beware that they be not iniuriouſly oppreſſed. The vnreaſonable creatures which are commodious to the owners, will eueryevery wiſeman bee willing to hauehave, and carefull to keepe well. The inſenſible trees which bring forth plentie of good fruite, are husbandly dreſſed, and heedefullie preſerued, that nothing doe barke the bodie, nor browſe vponupon the branches, nor breake downe the boughes. And ſhall not faithfull men be regarded, which doe more good in better manner, to greater numbers, for longer continuance? God forbid that we ſhould be ſo vnthankefull, as to requite euill for good: or ſo improuident, as to hinder our good by requiting of euill? or ſo fooliſh and franticke as to ouerturne our former good, and change it wholy into euill and miſchiefe. For that is the euent that commonly enſueth vponupon ſuch as deale vnkindly with thoſe who deale kindly with them. This cauſed Ieremie to turne his petitions, and accuſations, and his interceſſions into imprecations. Shall euill be recompenced for good? for they hauehave digged a pit Ierem. 18. 20.for my ſoule: Remember that I ſtood before thee to ſpeake good for them, and to turne away thy wrath from them. Therefore deliuer vp their children to famine, and let them drop away by the force of the ſword, &c.
Reprehenſion of ſuch as are ſpoilers of their cities, and not exalters; which ruinate townes, and cities, and countries, but erect nothing but their owne houſes (habitations they are not properlie to be called, becauſe they ſeldome dwell in them) and thoſe they make ſumptuous for pride and oſtentation. Of ſuch the Prophet ſpeaketh when he ſaith, that deſolation and deſtruction are Iſa. 59. 7.in their pathes: they make hauocke of all that commeth within their walke, and lay all waſte before them. And here the Ieſuits, and Seminaries, and the whole crue of theſe vnnatural, barbarous, and cruell Papiſts are to be condemned, which doe as greedily thirſt after the bloud of their King, and countrimen, and the ſubuerſion of the kingdome and countrie, as any forraine enemies in their greateſt hoſtilitie are poſſibly able.