Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 11 · Verse 18
Verſe 18. The wicked worketh a deceitfull worke: but hee that ſoweth righteouſneſſe, ſhall receiue a ſure reward.
THe wicked worketh a deceitfull worke] He is continually practiſing of ſome euill, which will neuer faile, to make his expectation to faile. But he that ſoweth righteouſnes, which conſtantly, and conſcionably is exerciſed in doing good, ſhall hauehave a ſure reward, partly in this life, with a competent meaſure of comfortable proſperitie, and perfectly in the life to come, with glorious immortalitie. The ſenſe will bee the better diſcerned, if the oppoſition be ſet downe in this manner: The wicked worketh a deceitfull worke by ſowing of iniquitie, and therefore ſhall bee deceiued in his reward: but the godly worketh a faithfull worke by ſowing of righteouſneſſe, and therefore ſhall receiue a ſure reward.
Doct. 1 Vngodly men ſhall bee ſure to finde their ſinnes more dangerous and hurtfull then they looked for. Their familiar friend whom they louelove ſo deerely, and make ſo much of, which is moſt in their mouthes, in their hearts, and in all their waies, it will ſurely ſhew them a ſlipperie tricke at the laſt. Saint Paul can ſay as much to this point, as any man, by the experience he had of it. Few had neerer acquaintance with it then hee at the beginning, and none had a greater breach with it in the ende then hee. And then he keepeth no counſell, but telleth all that hee found (and God auerreth all that he telleth) that ſinne had deceiued him, and Rom. 7. 11.ſlaine him.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, it putteth them in vaine hope to effect many exploites which they can neuer bring to paſſe, but al their indeuours recoile vponupon themſelues. How many ſtones did Saul caſt vp to braine Dauid? which all lighted on his owne pate. How ſmall a matter did Haman thinke it to kill Mordecay? yea to deſtroy all the Iewes? which fell on his owne perſon, with his familie, and other friends. How ſure were trayterous Papiſts, and vndoubtedly affured to blow vp the Parliament, and all eſtates of the kingdome? and yet of themſelues diuers were blowne vp to the gallows, and all the reſt, vnleſſe they repent, are likely to be blowne downe to hell.
Secondly, they dreame of a greater felicitie and happines in their ſinfull courſes, then euer they can attaine vntounto. When Abimelech was aſpiring to the kingdome, when hee was perſwading the Sichemites, when hee was murdering his brethren, and making them out of the way, what did he once thinke of, but of cap, and knee, of honor, peace, & ſafetie? He had concluded that there would bee no moleſtation and trouble, no breach of couenant, and diſloyaltie, at leaſt no perill of life, eſpecially by the hand of a woman: that all his authoritie ſhould bee brought to ſuch an ebbe, as onelyonly to hauehave power remaining to commaund his page to runne him through with his ſword. The fit and paſſion of diſtemper that Ahab fell into when Naboth denied him his vineyard, declareth euidentlie how happie a man hee made reckoning to be when he ſhould get it. And yet the occurrents which fell out at his taking of poſſeſſion ouerturned all his happineſſe. He intruded himſelfe thereinto with iolity and mirth, but Elijah ſent him out againe with heauineſſe and griefe.
They preſume of ſecreſie, that their ſhameful facts ſhall be hidden, and neuer brought to light, whereas they cannot poſſiblie be concealed. For God himſelfe doth ſee and obſerue them, and who ſhall forbid him to reueile and diſcouer them? Adam was away when Caine ſlew his brother, and Eue was not there, and Abel was made ſure enough for complaining, and Caine himſelfe was ſilent enough from boaſting of it, and no bodie elſe was in the fields, either to ſee Caine ſtriking, or to heare Abel crying, and yet out it came, and knowne it is, and eueryevery man can ſpeake of it. Geheſi made not all the town of his counſell whē he followed Naaman for the monie, he asked not his maiſter leaue, to goe after him, nor made report of his dealing, and ſucceſſe afterward; and yet Eliſha could tell him, and hath declared to vsus, and all others whither he went, and how hee ſpeed, and what his intent was in the diſpoſing of his monie, namely, to buy oliues, and vineyards, and ſheepe, and oxen, and men-ſeruants, and maid-ſeruants, and to become a great man. What ſhould wee ſpeake of the plotting of Ananiah and Sapphira, and of Dauids adultery, and murder, which were ſo cloſely contriued as they imagined, that neuer any man ſhould hauehave had intelligence of them?
Fourthly, they hauehave taken ſecuritie for impunitie. Either they hope to eſcape all puniſhment, or elſe that it will be ſo light that they may eaſily beare it, or ſo ſhort that they ſhall quickelie paſſe thorough it. Whereas the Law of God threatneth the contrarie, That the Lord will make their plagues wonderfull, euen great plagues, Deut. 28. 59.and of long continuance, and ſore diſeaſes of long durance. And if they will appeale from threatnings to promiſes, from the Law, to the Goſpell, from Moſes, to Chriſt, let them heare the ſentence that Chriſt paſſeth vponupon ſuch manner of perſons: They ſhall goe into hell, into the fire that neuer ſhall be quenched. Where their worme Mark. 9. 44.dieth not, and the fire neuer goeth out.
Fiftly, they hauehave conditioned and indented with ſinne, before they entered into the groſſe practiſe of it, that they would leaue it againe after a time, and ſo by repentance preuent both the ſhame and puniſhment. But they know not that all ſinfulneſſe is craftie, and cruell: when it hath them, it will hold them, and that faſt by the heart, and keepe them in perpetuall bondage and thraldome.
They may with as good ſafetie drink vp ſtrong poiſon, and preſcribe it a meaſure how farre it ſhall worke: or caſt themſelues into the raging ſea with limitation how deepe they will ſinke, and how long they will make their ſtay there. All the ſeruants of ſin and Satan are chained vp in priſon and not at libertie to depart at their owne wils: for the will it ſelfe is kept in hold, and neuer releaſed, before the Lord with a forcible hand of grace doe deliuer it.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction, not to ſuffer our ſelues to be abuſed by ſuch a couſening companion. If a ſhifter ſhould carrie about a pack of counterfeite wares, it were a poynt of wiſedome to refuſe to buie of him, eſpecially if they were infections, and ſuch as would indanger our houſes with the peſtilence. Now there is not vnderunder heauen any Conicatcher that liueth ſo much by his wit, as ſinne and wickednes doth by wiles: which doth not defraude men of their money, but of their ſaluation; which bringeth not plaguie ſtuffe to kill the bodie onelyonly, but moſt pernicious corruptions to deſtroy both ſoule and bodie for euer.
And ſith the workes of iniquitie be all ſo deceitfull, let vsus hearken to the words of God, and the counſell of godly men, which we ſhall be ſure to finde very faithfull. The perſwaſion of Satan ſeemed more plauſible to Eue, than did the commandement of the Lord; but ſhe had eſcaped the venome and poiſon of Satans perſwaſion, if ſhe would hauehave giuen heed to the Lords commandement.
The note of wilfull vnchaſt perſons in their miſerie, will be the ſong of all other ſinners that refuſe to receiue admonition: How hauehave I hated inſtruction, and mine heart deſpiſed correction! and hauehave Pro. 5. 12. 13.not obeyed the voice of them that taught me, nor inclined mine eare to them that inſtructed me! Within a little ſpace I am in all euill in the midſt of the congregation and aſſemblie.
Reproofe of them that vndertake the defence of ſubtill ſinne, that offer themſelues to be compurgatours for her; if ſhe ſay that ſhe is honeſt and vpright, they will ſweare, they thinke it true. What euill is there, of Idolatrie, ſuperſtition, ſwearing, Sabbath-breaking, crueltie, wantonnes, yea abominable whoredome, pride and riot, but it ſhall hauehave proctors to pleade for it, and giuegive countenance to it? And moſt commonly they are the men, that of all others eueryevery way for ſoule and bodie, for ſubſtance and credit, hauehave been moſt plagued by her. Her craftines hath ſo inchanted them, that by her vſage ſhe hath gotten their harts for euer. Their wits, their tongues, their pennes, their practiſe of life, and all ſhall be altogether for her againſt God and his word, againſt all godly men, againſt all ciuill men, againſt their owne eſtimation and ſtate, comfort and ſaluation.
Doct. 2 God is a ſure paimaſter to all that labour faithfully in his ſeruice. Though their ſtrength bee not great, nor their worke very much, yet if their deſires be ſound, and their endeuours vpright, their recompence will alſo bee certaine. The Prophet Azariah knew that he ſpake aſwell to poſteritie as to thoſe of his owne age, and as truly to Gods people as to King Aſa and his people: Be ſtrong, and let not your hands be faint: for your worke ſhall hauehave a 2. Chro. 15. 17.reward.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, the couenant is plaine and without all doubtfulnes: there is no equiuocation in it, there is no mentall reſeruation to peruert the meaning of it.
Secondly, the couenant maker is abſolutely perfect, and eueryevery way all ſufficient. His wiſedome foreſeeth what things are fit to promiſe: his truth doth binde him to doe all that is promiſed: his merciemercy doth moue him to doe more than he promiſeth: and his power doth ſerue him to performe whatſoeuer his wiſedome ſeeth meete, his truth hath vndertaken, or his merciemercy willeth vntounto his ſeruants.
Vſe. 1 Inſtigation to ſhew all diligence in doing good, and let no time ſlip away without ſome fruitfull exerciſe. Of men ſome hire their workfolks by the yeere, ſome by the half yeere, ſome by the monethmonth, ſome by the week, and ſome by the day: but God giueth vsus wages for eueryevery minutes worke, for eueryevery moments worke, for eueryevery gracious ſpeech, for eueryevery holy thought, for imployment in our beds, for patience in our ſicknes, for good vſage of recreations: there is no ſeaſon, no ſtate, nor place, wherein a good man may not be well occupied, for the increaſe of his wages. The ſame reaſon doth S. Paul vſe to incite the Corinthians, and all other godly Chriſtians, to bee very laborious and painfull in all good ſeruices continually, ſeeing there will be a reſurrection, and a retribution to eueryevery man according to their waies. Therefore my beloued brethren (ſaith he) be ye ſtedfaſt, vnmoueable, abundant alway 1. Cor. 15. 58.in the worke of the Lord, foraſmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord.
Incouragement to patience, though we ſeeme not to hauehave preſent pay for our obedience. Our wages is in a ſure hand, and will not faile to be yeelded vntounto vsus when our neede requireth it, or any vſe may bee made of it, for our beſt aduantage. Our wages is better than ordinarie; the whole crop that we ſow is giuen vsus for our labour, and therefore let vsus not be too haſtie to reape it before it bee readie. Good Farmers, indeede, pay the ploughmen ſooner than the corne is ripe, but cheaper thā the corne is worth: whereas God beſtoweth freely vponupon his labourers all that they hauehave ſowen, it is their owne, and therefore let them tarrie till harueſt, and they ſhall finde their hire will farre ſurmount their trauels. This is the ground of the Apoſtles perſwaſion to the Galathians: Let vsus not be wearie of well doing: for in due ſeaſon we ſhall reape, if we faint not.Gal. 6. 9.