Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 11 · Verse 17
Verſe 17. He that is a mercifull man rewardeth his owne ſoule: but he that is cruell troubleth his owne fleſh.
BY a mercifull man, is ment ſuch a one, as with a tender and pitifull heart doth good both to the bodies and ſoules of men according to their neede, and his owne abilitie. And freely alſo remitteth wrongs, and paſſeth by offences without reuengement. Where it is ſaid that he rewardeth his owne ſoule, the ſenſe is, that he procureth to himſelfe both ſoule and bodie a reward from God, and that as certaine, as large, and continuall, as if the fulneſſe of power were in his owne hand, to beſtow vppon himſelfe as much happineſſe for as long time as his heart could poſſiblie deſire.
But he that is cruell] Which either in violence or rigour vſeth to offer men hard meaſure, or ſhutteth vp his compaſſion from them that are in affliction, that he will no way releeue or ſeeke to comfort, troubleth his owne fleſh, that is, hurteth his owne bodie, and in like manner his ſoule alſo.
Doct. 1 EueryEvery mans dealing with others ſhall rebound to himſelfe, whether it be in cruelty, or kindnes. Mercifull men ſhall receiue mercy from Gods owne hand, and from their brethren, whom he will ſtirre vp to ſhew louelove and fauour vntounto them: and thoſe which are fierce and boiſterous to others, ſhall not faile to be recompenced in time: the Lord will be as ſeuere as they are cruell; and as ſtrict in iuſtice to them, as they are rigorous in extremitie to others. And this ſhall not alwaies be reſerued to the laſt day, or to their death, or to the torments in the world to come, but ſpoilers be many times ſpoiled in this life, oppreſſors bee oppreſſed, and tyrants be ouerthrowne by tyrannie. And therefore our Sauiour giueth an admonition, that they which would not bee iudged, ſhould not iudge: they which would not bee condemned, ſhould not condemne: they which would be forgiuen, ſhould be readie to forgiue: they which would hauehave giuen vntounto them, ſhould giuegive vntounto others. For with what meaſure yee mete, ſaith hee, ſhall men meaſure to you againe; Luk. 6. 37. 38. To ſpare to ſpeake of ſuch arguments as may be gathered from the eſtate, and name of mercifull men, and the contrarie, becauſe they follow hereafter in this chapter, and wee would not foreſtall our ſelues, we wil hold our ſelues to the words as they are literally fet downe in the text, and make it appeare that eueryevery mans owne ſoule receiueth moſt good by the goodnes which hee exerciſeth towards others.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, it is a forcible meanes for grace to be increaſed in him, and Gods ordinances to be bleſſed to him. Hee heareth the word of God delightfully, and it worketh effectually in him. No people were more ready to diſtribute to the reliefe of their brethren, then the poore Churches of Macedonia, and Paul had neuer greater 1. Cor. 8. 1. 2.effect and comfort of his miniſterie then in the Macedonian Churches. So doe they pray with feruency and boldnes, and good hearts, then with merciemercy and fauour. Dauid had incouragement Pſalm. 86. 2.to call vponupon God for the preſeruation of his ſoule, when he could truely pleade that he was mercifull. Cornelius loſt not his labour in praying, but found a comfortable and bleſſed ſucceſſe when the Angell could tell him, that his almes came vp together with Acts 10. 4.his praiers in remembrance before God.
Secondly, it maketh way for comfort in feares, temptations, and afflictions: it inuiteth godly men to repaire vntounto vsus, it maketh them deſirous to refreſh our hearts: it ſtrengtheneth their hope in their ſupplications to God: it miniſtreth arguments for perſwaſion to our ſelues. Or if they ſhould not come at vsus, or hope ſo well of vsus, or deale ſo well with vsus, yet out owne conſciences with the teſtimony of Gods ſpirit would ſupport our ſoules in greateſt extremitie, as Iob did find by happie experience.Iob 31.
It is a treaſure that is ſafely layed vp in heauen for our glorie, whereof much will be giuen vsus when we ſhall be diſſolued, and goe to Chriſt, but moſt of all, when we ſhall be reſtored, and Chriſt come to vsus. At his glorious appearance, ſhall they appeare in glorie which hauehave been pitifull to his members, and fruitfull in merciemercy. They ſhall ſtand at his right hand, and to them ſhall he ſay, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world. But all goeth Matth. 25. 34.croſſe with carnall perſons. The Lord giueth them no grace by his word and other ordinances, but challengeth them for comming into his houſe with bloodie hands. As he hath ſtopped his Iſa. 1eares at the crie of the poore, ſo he ſhall crie himſelfe and not bee heard. Miſerie will miſerably torment him; his houſe is not a ſafe Prou. 21. 13.place for Chriſtians to reſort vntounto; Lions dennes ſeldome fit for Lambes to be in: when good men be preſent, what can they ſay to mitigate his feares, or to leſſen his ſorrowes? If others be ſilent, will his owne conſcience ſpeake for him? Nay of all, that and the lawe of God will bee moſt forward and forcible to accuſe and condemne him. And then at his death he commeth into the caſe of the rich man ſpoken of in the Goſpell, that was tormented with flames: at the reſurrection that ſentence ſhall be Luk. 16.pronounced vponupon him, which was indited long agoe, Depart from me ye curſed into euerlasting fire, which is prepared for the diuell and his angels, Matth. 25. 41. All this, vnleſſe he repent, is vndoubtedly belonging to him, beſides the continuall perill of ſtroakes and iudgements to light vponupon his bodie, which eueryevery moment may iuſtly be feared.
Vſe. 1 Incouragement to goe cheerefully about the works of merciemercy, ſince they are ſo profitable to our ſelues. Some of them ſeeme to be very chargeable, and cannot be performed without expenſes: yet we gaine more than we giuegive, we receiue more than we lay out, we doe good to other mens bodies, but make the beſt match for our owne ſoules. Others ſeeme very painefull and require both trauell and patience, and many be altogether vnpleaſant to our nature: yet our wages doth counteruaile, and ouerpoiſe all our worke and labour: for we cannot put our bodies to ſo much toyle and trouble in any ſeruice of Chriſtian louelove, as we ſhall obtaine to our hearts, delightfull pleaſures with reſt, and peace, and ioy and gladnes.
Conſolation to them that are fearefull of themſelues, and doubtfull of the ſtate of their ſoules, they feele not themſelues to beleeue, they finde not the pearcing of godly ſorrow, and therefore they call into queſtion their faith and repentance. But are they mercifull men? Doe they beare a burthen with the afflicted members of Ieſus Chriſt? They dare not ſay ſo directly, but their owne hearts tell them that they would mourne more with them, and doe more for them if they were able. Their deſires then and willingnes exceede their abilitie, and what ſurer note can there be of true merciemercy?
Doct. 2 Rewardeth his owne ſoule, troubleth his owne fleſh, &c.] They are the beſt husbands which beſt prouide for the good of their owne perſons. To bee carried with carnall ſelfe-louelove is a vice which is worthie to be condemned: to be lead with Chriſtian louelove of ones ſelfe, is a vertue which is much to be commended. The one draweth a man to wickednes, the other driueth him from it, to goodneſſe: the one cauſeth him to be hurtfull to his neighbours, the other maketh him helpefull vntounto them: the one ſeruing himſelfe ſinfully, doth vtterly vndoe himſelfe, the other applying himſelfe to the ſeruice of God faithfully, doth procure his owne bleſſednes for euer. When the Apoſtle would bring an argument that ſhould be perſwaſiue and forcible, and moſt likely to preuaile with rich men to worke merciemercy and liberalitie in them, he chuſeth this, That they ſhould lay vp for themſelues a good foundation against 1. Tim. 6. 19.the time to come, that they might obtaine eternall life. It were to no purpoſe to lay vp onelyonly for children, for heires, executors, or adminiſtrators, though they were ſure to hauehave children, and friends, and their children, and friends were ſure to inioy their poſſeſſions: but to inrich themſelues, is truely to be rich; and to hauehave ones wealth perſonally in himſelfe, and for himſelfe, and not onelyonly about him, is to he rich in deede.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, the current or ſtreame of all the promiſes, and threatnings, runneth this way: the reward of all obedience, and the puniſhment of all iniquitie tendeth to this purpoſe. Bleſſings vponupon goods and cattell, vponupon grounds, and fruite trees, vponupon children and familie, are but appendances to the ſubſtantiall bleſſings which are conferred vponupon ſoule and bodie, eſpeciallie for the eternall ſtate of both. And ſo when curſes fall on the outward things of wicked men, it is, that they may gather weight by the way to preſſe the heauier vponupon their owne perſons.
Secondly, though one hauehave neuer ſo great plentie of earthly things, and abundance of all kinde of proſperitie, yet if himſelfe be not his owne, but deſtructions, what treaſure can doe him good? What doth it profit a man to winne the whole world, if he loſe his owne ſoule? Matth. 16. 26. So, though one hauehave neuer ſo great penutie of earthly things, and abundance of all kinde of afflictions, yet if he preſerue his quicke ſtocke, that is, himſelfe from being a ſpoyle to ſinne and Satan, no creature can hurt him, his miſerie will droppe off from him, his croſſes and ſorrowes will vaniſh away, and come to nothing.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction to be diligent in all thoſe meanes whereby we may beſt benefit our ſelues, with commodities of greateſt valew. As firſt, to labour for true pietie and religion: to be well acquainted with God, and his holy word: to receiue inſtruction, to hauehave it in eſtimation, to obey it in conſtant exerciſe. And hereof the holie Ghoſt ſpeaketh in the ninth chapter, If thou bee wiſe, thou ſhalt be wiſe to thy ſelfe, and if thou bee a ſcorner, thou alone ſhalt ſuffer. Secondly, the performance of the dueties of merciemercy, is a gainefull trade for the ſoule to thriue by: it bringeth in good ſtore of comforts for preſent vſe, and helpeth men to a ſtocke of ioy and happines for an other day. And therefore our Sauiour doth perſwade vsus to vſe it, and giueth vsus libertie to make our vſe of it. Sell that yee hauehave, ſaith he, and giuegive almes; make to your ſelues, bagges which waxe not old, a treaſure that can neuer faile in heauen, where no theefe commeth, neither moath corrupteth; Luk. 12. 33. It is dangerous, and ſinfull to hoord vp much gold, and to keepe it too long; but ſafe and commendable to heape vp good workes in abundance, and neuer depart with them while the world ſtandeth: they ſhall be ſure to take no harme, and we ſhall bee ſure to want no good.
Reproofe of them that are frugall and thriftie, and neate, and husbandly for eueryevery thing but for themſelues. Their carable is dunged, and tilled, and ſowne: their paſtures are mounded, banked, and trenched: their trees are pruned, their gardens are weeded, their cattell are carefully looked vntounto: and all this while they ſuffer their hearts to be ouergrowne with ſinnes, as the wild waſt is with weedes and briars: there is no fence to keepe the diuell out of their ſoules: they grow like nettles and brambles to be cut vp, and caſt into the fire. EueryEvery one of their horſes, eueryevery ſheepe, eueryevery cowe, eueryevery ſwine and pig is in better caſe then themſelues. They deale, as if they ſhould trimme their haire, but wound their head: or be heedfull to their nailes, but let their fingers rot off: or keepe their garments whole, but permit their skin to be rent, and torne into peeces.