Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 11 · Verse 20
Verſe 20. They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord: but they that are vpright in their way, are his delight.
BY froward in heart, he meaneth not onelyonly ſuch as are inclined to anger and bitterneſſe, which are of a crabbed, ſowre and churliſh diſpoſition; but all that are wilfull in any ſinfull courſe, though with neuer ſo great mirth and laughter. Yea many times exceſſiue pleaſure, and ſporting, and merriment, with good fellowſhip, as men account it, is the very ſubiect of their frowardnes, and that which they ſo obſtinately ſtand in. And though they pretend reaſon for their doing, and ſeeme ſmoothly to defend it, without peruerſenes, yet the heart being ſetled in reſolution of it owne purpoſe, the Lord taketh notice of it, and therefore abhorreth them for the preſent, and will make his iudgements to manifeſt his deteſtation of them hereafter. But they that are vpright in their way and heart, (as the other are froward in heart and behauiour) are greatly beloued of God now, & ſhall more fully ſee, and feele, and enioy the comfort and happineſſe of his fauour in time to come.
Doct. 1 Whoſoeuer is giuen to frowardnes, is wholly voide of vprightnes. A ſincere hearted Chriſtian may through infirmitie, fall into a fit of frowardnes for a time, as Aſa did, when he caſt the Prophet into priſon, for reprouing his ſinne: but to hauehave the habite of it to be froward, is oppoſed as contrarie to being vpright. So were the qualities one ſet againſt another in the third verſe of this chapter: The vprightnes of the iust ſhall guide them: but the frowardnes of the tranſgreſſors ſhall destroy them. So are the perſons contrarily dealt with as contraries by the teſtimonie of Dauid: With the vpright man thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe vpright: with the pure thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe pure; and with the froward thou wilt ſet thy ſelfe to wrestle. Pſal. 18. 25. 26.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, the vpright man hath a reſpect to all the Commandements of God, with deſire and endeuour to keepe them, as Dauid profeſſeth of himſelfe: All his lawes were before me, and I did not cast away his commandements from me. So was I vpright with him, and hauehave kept me from my wickedneſſe, Pſal. 18. 22. 23. Whereas the froward perſon doth either reiect the whole law of God, or elſe retaineth, yea maintaineth at leaſt ſome one ſinne wittingly, becauſe he may know, and willingly, becauſe hee refuſeth to obey, againſt ſome one commandement.
Secondly, they which are vpright doe ground their actions and waies vponupon arguments and reaſons, and therefore they ſtriue to hauehave them as plaine and ſound as may be: and they which are froward doe ground their reaſons and arguments vponupon their waies and actions, and therfore they labour to hauehave them as craftie and ſubtill as may be.
Thirdly, they which are vpright will deſire to hauehave the truth reueiled to them, and yeeld to it when it appeareth, and louelove them the better that ſhall informe them in it. And they which are froward will deſire to hauehave the truth ſuppreſſed, and contend againſt it though it bee manifeſt, and like them the worſe that ſhall ſhew it vntounto them.
Vſe. Inſtruction, not to giuegive too much credit to froward men, nor too large a teſtimonie of them. If wee ſee that they will not bee brought to a Chriſtian conuerſation without, we may know alſo that they hauehave an vnchriſtian conſcience within: for their heart is neuer better than they are willing their waies ſhould bee. And why then ſhould we eſteeme them to be men of plaine meaning, when God himſelfe telleth vsus that there is no plaine meaning in them? Why ſhould we praiſe them whom he doth diſcommend? why ſhould we cleere them whom he conuinceth? why ſhould we iuſtifie them whom he condemneth? And yet it is a fault, though much againſt pietie, that carrieth a great colour and gloſſe of louelove and charitie. He is a very honeſt man (ſay they) but yet giuen to gaming too much, no man can diſſwade him from it. It is his only fault (ſaith another) that he is a great ſwearer, and cannot be brought to leaue it. He is a right good man (ſaith a third) and eueryevery way deſerueth praiſe, ſauing that hee is no bodie at Church: he cannot abide thoſe ſermons, and Preachers: ſay all what they can, he is ſtill at defiance with them all: and ſo they, as much as in them is, ſtand for them that go about to trauerſe their inditement againſt the Lord and all his faithfull Miniſters.
Doct. 2 The louelove of God is not according to that which men hauehave of outward things, but to that which they are in hart and behauiour. Many froward men are great in the world, and yet are all gentlie abhorred of him: and moſt vpright men are of the meaner ſort, and yet nothing the leſſe in his fauour. And this is Dauids meaning when he ſaith, The Lord will trie the righteous, but the Pſal. 11. 5.wicked and him that loueth iniquitie doth his ſoule hate. The righteous are his gold, and therefore he will refine them vntill they bee perfectly purged from al droſſe: yet he loueth them as well in the fornace as in the treaſurie: but as for the vngodly, howſoeuer hee ſeeme to ſpare them, yet he doth not like them: and though the might of his hand bee not yet vponupon them, yet the hatred of his heart is ſtrongly againſt them.
Reaſons. 1 The righteous ſtand before him in the merits and glorious righteouſneſſe of Ieſus Chriſt: he is his welbeloued ſonne, and in Matth. 3. 17.him he is well pleaſed with all his members: and the froward and wicked ſtand in their owne impure and filthie nature, hearts, words and actions.
Secondly, the righteous are his owne obedient ſonnes that do faithfully ſerue him: and the froward are his rebellious enemies that fight continually againſt him.
Thirdly, he cannot looke on the righteous, but he muſt behold the gracious worke of his owne hands in their new birth and ſecond creation: but in the froward he ſeeth the work of the diuell, whereby they are depraued and made moſt vile and ougleſome.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction, that wee conforme our ſelues to the example of God in this behalfe: if froward perſons bee abomination to him, let them not be in eſtimation with vsus: if he loath them, as we doe ſnakes, and toads, and all kind of ſerpents, let vsus not louelove them as delectable things, wherin men reioyce and take pleaſure: but let vile men be vile in our eyes, and let ſuch as feare the Lord bee regarded of vsus. Far bee it from vsus that we ſhould grace and countenance thoſe whom God doth proclaime to be odious and abominable: that we ſhould aſſociat our ſelues and bee found companions with thoſe whoſe ſight is offenſiue vntounto him, that wee ſhould receiue them into our ſeruice which refuſe to enter into Gods: and God reiecteth thē as altogether vnfit for his family. But well is it with our ſoules, whē we can truly ſay with the Prophet, All my delight is in the Saints, and in them which are excellent. Pſal. 16. 3.Pſal. 101. 6.Mine eyes ſhall be to the faithfull in the land, that they may dwell with mee: he that walketh in a perfit way, he ſhall ſerue me.
Terror for thoſe obſtinate wicked perſons which truſt that by ſtiffe ſtanding to their tacklings they ſhall grow into credit and good account with the world, as indeed their ſucceſſe is very oftē anſwerable to their expectation. But what gaine they by getting mans fauour and Gods diſpleaſure? when baſenes and follie did ſmile vponupon them for a moment, and glorie and wiſedome doe frowne on them for euer? It was the caſe of the Scribes and Phariſes, they iuſtified themſelues before men, all did praiſe them; but though they were ſo highly eſteemed among men, yet they were abomination in the ſight of God: our Sauiour told them ſo in their prime and full bloſſome, but they little thought it to be Luk. 16. 15.true. But what is become of al their ſalutations and titles, and praiſes now? hath not the Lord ſent a blaſt vponupon them, and cauſed their glory to wither away? is not all their excellencie turned into contempt, and their names made a by-word of reproach in all Churches?
Conſolation to vpright hearted men, how poore ſoeuer they be, & how baſely ſoeuer the world thinketh of them, it is enough for them that the Lord taketh pleaſure in them. Whē Ahaſhueroſh had but once graced Mordecai, al the citie quickly took notice of it, & he was preſently great, notwithſtanding he was a captiue and a condemned man, and of a nation that was eueryevery where deſpiſed: and was there more force in the fauour of a mortall man to make him honorable whom he bare no great affection vntounto, than there is in the louelove of God being ſo tender and large to his owne children? what then though they ſhould bee dealt with, as S. Iames ſpeaketh, that in reſpect of gold rings and goodly apparell, which Iam. 2. 3. 5.rich men preſent hauehave on, they ſhould bee put vnderunder the footeſtoole, or thruſt out at dores? yet let them know yt God hath choſen them to bee rich in faith, and heires of the kingdome, which he hath promiſed to them that louelove him. What though they ſhould not onelyonly be diſpiſed, but maligned of them that be ſtronger than themſelues? yet let them not bee diſouraged at their power that are againſt them, but comforted in his good prouidence that is for them. If this be true that they bee Gods delight, then this will be alſo as true, that God will be their defenſe. Ahab was an heauie friend to Micaiah, and profeſſed his hatred towards him, and threatned miſchiefe to him: and yet Gods fauour preuailed more for his ſafetie, than Ahabs diſpleaſure could doe for 2. Chron. 18.his hurt.