Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 11 · Verse 21
Verſe 21. Though hand ioyne in hand, the wicked ſhall not be vnpuniſhed, but the ſeede of the righteous ſhall eſcape.
THough vngodly men hauehave many friends, and ſuch as bee mightie: though they ioyne all their forces together to aide and defend one another, or all of them one, yet they ſhall not bee able to miniſter any helpe or ſuccour when the Lord taketh them in hand to plague them. On the other ſide, though righteous men ſeeme to be in great perill, and hauehave fewer friends, and thoſe alſo poore and feeble, yet they ſhall get out and be deliuered, and not onelyonly ſo, but their children and poſteritie alſo ſhall be preſerued: So that whereas many ſtrong wicked men cannot deliuer one, one weake godly man ſhall deliuer many.
Doct. 1 Vngodly men are nothing the better for all the friends they hauehave: their plotting together and combination is of no force at all for their preſeruation, but rather for their ruine. The Lord by the Prophet Iſaiah doth deridingly challenge, and after a ſort dare the enemies of the Church to attempt any thing againſt his people vponupon their perill: Gather together on heapes O ye people, and Iſai. 8. 9.ye ſhall be broken in peeces: gird your ſelues, and ye ſhall be broken in peeces: take counſell together, yet it ſhall be brought to nought: pronounce a decree, yet it ſhall not ſtand. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid: Make your ſelues as ſtrong as ye can, with multitude, leagues, armour, conſultations, authoritie, and by what meanes ye can, and as oft as ye will; yet all ſhall doe your ſelues no good, and nothing ſhall doe my ſeruants harme. When the Canaanites and other inhabitants of that land were to be puniſhed, how many Kings with their people banded themſelues together againſt Ioſhua and the Iſraelites? and yet it was to no purpoſe: they did but offer themſelues to the ſword: that ſtood Ioſhua in good ſteede; for it would hauehave been long before hee could hauehave found them out, and ſlaine them ſingly man by man.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, this aſſociation and confederacie doth not breake off Gods reſolution, either by pacifying his anger, or daunting his courage: it rather incenſeth him to greater diſpleaſure, becauſe they will ſtand at defiance with him, and offer to make head againſt him. And that more incourageth him (as wee may ſpeake to the capacitie of men) to take the opportunitie of their inſolencie, and puiſſant aſſiſtance, becauſe their ouerthrow will be ſo much the more for his glorie.
Secondly, it is impoſſible for them, be they neuer ſo many, to diminiſh his power and make him the weaker. When al Sodome and the other cities by it were vngodly and wicked, hee could as eaſily deſtroy them with fire and brimſtone, as though they had been but a few. When the whole world was giuen ouer to ſinfulnes and rebellion, he could as eaſily deſtroy it with raine and water, as if it had been but one man.
Thirdly, they cannot thereby increaſe their owne power, to make themſelues able to incounter with him, and ſo to auoide his ſtroakes by reſiſtance: for ſtrength and might conſiſts not in the multitude of men, but is limited by Gods hand, who onelyonly hath the beſtowing of it, becauſe it is his owne; and to whomſoeuer he giueth it, from the ſame he can at his pleaſure take it, when it is abuſed by them. Were it not ſo, the diuell and all his hoſte about him would trie what they could doe, before they would be caſt into that miſerable and deſperate torment at the laſt day. There was neuer ſo great an armie, as that will be of reprobate men and angels, and if any thing would make them to ſtriue, it would be the damnable eſtate whereunto they ſhall bee adiudged then preſently to enter: but they ſhall ſenſibly ſee and feele it to be bootleſſe, and therefore they will neuer attempt any ſuch matter.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction to vſe better meanes to be freed from puniſhment, and that is to take heede before how we fall into ſinne. So did Iob prouide for his impunitie, by preſeruing his eyes, his heart and Iob. 31.his hands from luſt and lewdnes, from violence and crueltie, from Idolatrie and couetouſneſſe, and all ſuch miſbehauiour, as might prouoke Gods wrath againſt him. And if that be paſt, wee hauehave done ſuch things alreadie: runne not from God to friends for to ſaue vsus: let vsus not ſeeke the helpe of their hands, vnleſſe it be to be lifted vp with ours in prayer, but runne to God by faith and holy humiliation. No other courſe wil ſecure vsus from iudgements deſerued; neither the multitude of friends, nor the meanes they can make, nor their tender affection towards vsus, will preuaile to ſuccour vsus, if we fall into the hands of the liuing God. Haman in all mens iudgement was ſurely backt, and ſo were Baals prophets, and yet committing ſinnes of death, they receiued the ſentence of death, and felt the execution of death in the preſence of thoſe 1. King. 18. 40.whom they moſt depended vponupon.
Admonition to beware how wee take vponupon vsus the defenſe of ſinful men to keepe thē from ſuch correction as is due vntounto them; for we loſe our labour if wee ſeeke to ſtay them from all puniſhment: many by eſcaping the parents rodde doe come vnderunder the Magiſtrates whip, and many by eſcaping the whip doe come to the gallows, and many by eſcaping the gallows doe fall into damnation: for they are depriued of thoſe medicines which might hauehave wrought a cure in their ſoules. And what doe wee in this caſe but withſtand the diſcipline of God himſelfe? How would the Magiſtrate take it if the offenders whom he is to puniſh ſhould be pluckt away and reſcued out of his hands? do not they which make ſuch attempts bring themſelues into the compaſſe of the ſame faults which the malefactors were to ſuffer for? whatſoeuer the others were condemned for, theſe hauehave now made themſelues acceſſarie vntounto, whether it be fellonie or treaſon or any other grieuous offence: and yet it is a thing little feared of men: they which hauehave neither merciemercy nor courage to deale in the cauſe of a poore oppreſſed innocent are readie and bold to protect and maintaine thoſe, which are impious and ſinfull and walke in ſuch lewde and wicked waies as are offenſiue and abominable to God and man. How many are kept from their condigne puniſhment by the countenance of great mens cloath and ſeruice? How many doe words and letters preuaile for? how many are cleered by corrupt Iurors, who lay the guiltines of many ſoule and fearefull faults vponupon their owne conſciences?
Doct. 2 But the ſeede of the righteous, &c. The beſt way for any man to doe his children good, is to bee godly himſelfe. Hee that ſetteth himſelf to ſerue God, & to ſeek euerlaſting ſaluation, is buſily occupied in prouiding for his poſteritie: & that which his ſoule ſhall find to bee moſt comfortable to him, his ſeed ſhall find to be moſt profitable to them. The ſame ſpirit of trueth which here doth affirme this, doth in diuers other places confirme it, as in the twentith Chapter of this booke: He that walketh in his vprightnes is Prou. 20. 7.iuſt, and bleſſed ſhall his children be after him. He needed not to ſay that he himſelfe is bleſſed, though he knew it to bee ſo, and ſo likewiſe meant it: for true iuſtice is euer ioyned with true bleſſednes: but to prooue the fulnes of his owne happie eſtate, he ſheweth that it ſhall flow ouer alſo to his children. So is it ſaid in the Pſalmes both concerning himſelfe and his: Bleſſed is the man that Pſal. 112. 1. 2.feareth the Lord, and delighteth greatly in his commaundements: his ſeede ſhall be mightie vponupon the earth: the generation of the righteous ſhall be bleſſed.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt he himſelfe is become the ſonne of God, and ſo his are Gods ſonnes children, and then conſider the abundant louelove euen of earthly parents to the ſeede of their ſonnes and daughters: Manaſſe and Ephraim were as deere to Iacob as if he had been their immediate parent, and ſo were Ephraims and Manaſſes children Gen. 48.to Ioſeph: though Naomi was but mother in law to Ruth, yet how acceptable was Obed the ſonne of Ruth vntounto her? though Moſes was but the adopted ſonne of Pharaohs daughter, though of another nation, though of ſuch a nation whom they held as bondſeruants, though of a people that was an abomination to him and his people, though ſuch a people as he feared and ſought to deſtroy; yet Pharaoh loued him and preferred him, and ſhewed all kindnes to him for his daughters ſake, when ſhe had taken him to be hers.
Secondly, a Chriſtian parent is moſt fit and competent to deale with his children to bee ſeruiceable to God: and to deale with God to be mercifull to his children: great is the force of a fatherly admonition, when a godly father admoniſheth: and marueilous is the efficacie of a parentlike bleſſing, when a holy parent doth bleſſe the fruite of his bodie. So much doth Iacob intimate to Ioſeph for his exceeding great comfort: The bleſſings of thy father Gen. 49. 26.ſhall be mightie with the bleſſings of my elders: vntounto the end of the hils of the world, they ſhal be on the head of Ioſeph. That prophane Eſau, as wicked as hee was, did aſſure himſelfe that he ſhould be the better for his father Iſaacks bleſſing, if he could obtaine it, and therefore wept for ſorrow when he went without it.
Thirdly, the children of religious and faithfull parents are intituled to the promiſes and bleſſings of God both for ſoule and bodie, as appeareth in the holy records, by that argument S. Peter perſwaded them to beleeue, whoſe hearts were pricked at his doctrine: To you is the promiſe made (ſaith he) and to your children, Act. 2. 39.and to all that are a farre off, euen as many as the Lord our God ſhall call. And by the like reaſon the ſeruants of the Lord who giuegive themſelues to pietie and merciemercy, are comforted notwithſtanding their great afflictions, and the floriſhing ſtate of the wicked: The righteous is euer mercifull and lendeth, and his ſeede enioyeth the Pſal. 37. 26.bleſſing.
Vſe. 1 A reproofe of their follie and foule impietie that are ſo farre deuoted vntounto their children, and carried with ſuch a deſire of their aduancement, that they caſt off all deuotion towards God, and neglect the good care of their owne ſaluation. They feare not to caſt themſelues deepe into hell, ſo that they may raiſe vp their name and their houſes high vponupon carth. And for this cauſe they giuegive ouer themſelues to miſerable niggardlines and pinching, to burdenous vexations and trauels, to ſhamefull iniuſtice and falſehood, to violent oppreſſion and crueltie. They hauehave a good peniworth, as they thinke, and buy very cheap, when they can gaine worldly wealth by loſſe of their heauenly happineſſe: when they can purchaſe liuings to their poſteritie, by paſſing away the life of their ſoules. But hearken a little ye ſillie wretched creatures: O fooliſh men when will you begin to learne wiſedome? your thriuing is waſtfulnes; your riſing is falling; in purchaſing you forfeite; in ſemblance of louelove you practiſe hatred; in ſeeking to ſet vp your ſeede by ſuch vnlawfull courſes, you take the way to pluck them down, and vtterly to vndo them for euer. No man but Ieroboā could euer hauehave wrought ſo much miſchiefe to Ieroboams familie: and Ahab and Iezabel were moſt mortall enemies of their race and linage: and Nebuchadnezzar prouided woe and miſerie to his iſſue that was yet vnborne when he died. And by what meanes did all theſe perſons bring all this hurt vponupon their ſeede? by relinquiſhing religion and the true ſeruice of God: by exerciſing tyrannie againſt the ſeruants of God, and greedie getting of goods to make themſelues and their children great: that which in taunting manner is charged vponupon one of them, is eueryevery way verified vponupon eueryevery one of them: Ho, he that coueteth an Hab. 2. 9. 10.euill couetouſnes to his houſe, that he may ſet his neſt on hie, to eſcape frō the power of euill. Thou haſt conſulted ſhame to thine owne houſe, by deſtroying many people, and haſt ſinned againſt thine owne ſoule.
Conſolation to religious parents whether they bee rich or poore: whether their children be dead or liuing, whether the liuing be godly or ſinfull: If they hauehave wealth, they may hope it ſhall be for the vſe of their ſonnes or daughters: if not, that the al-ſufficient God will prouide for them ſufficiently without their helpe or ſubſtance. If they be dead, they hauehave great incouragement to comfort themſelues in the perſwaſion of their ſaluation. If they liue, though wee ſhould die and depart hence, yea and leaue them in afflictions and diſtreſſes, yet this comfort we hauehave, that as the merciemercy of God to our ſelues was not aſſured vntounto vsus for tearme of life, but eternally for euermore: no more is his goodnes to ours to ceaſe with our life, or bee determined at our death. Poore lame Mephiboſheth had a father liuing, yea an euerliuing father that appointed him to be well prouided for, and maintained, when good Ionathan that begot him was ſlaine and gone. The godly poore Prophet that left his wife ſo far in debt, that neither ſhe was able to ſatiſfie it, nor the creditor willing to bee ſatiſfied, without taking of her ſonnes to bee his bondmen; yet had taken order before his death for the payment of debt, for libertie of ſonnes, for maintenance of familie, namely by poſſeſſing the conſtant fauour of God, which both conueyed him to 2. King. 4.heauen, and remained with his houſhold here in earth. If they ſhould be wicked, yet the Lord hath grace enough and power enough to make them good. It is without trouble or charge to himſelfe, or hurt to his creatures, and why ſhould they not then both earneſtly pray for it, and conſtantly waite for it? what if it be not wrought at firſt? yet it may bee effected at the laſt: and ſo long as they hauehave a naturall life, ſo long may their friends hope for their euerlaſting life. Iacobs ſonnes were not all godly the firſt yeere, nor in many yeeres, and yet not without goodnes in their latter yeeres. And ſo ſtood the caſe with Manaſſe the ſonne of Ezekiah, and many other holie Chriſtans.
To godly children of religious parents, who beſides the ſtate they hauehave in the promiſes of God in regard of their owne faithfulneſſe, hauehave alſo a portion therein by right of their progenitours, and ſo they hauehave a double portion, and may warrantably take double comfort, if withall they can yeeld to God his double praiſes.
It was a ſtrong and mightie prayer that Iacob made and full of aſſurance of hearing, and happie ſucceſſe, when hee remembred that the Lord was the God of his father Abraham, and the God of his father Iſaac, and had promiſed to doe him good, and formerly performed, it and would yet be more mercifull to him and his Gen. 32. 9. 10. 12.ſeede after him: it is not a trifle or matter of ſmall conſequence to bee able truely to pleade before God ones owne faith and integritie, and the pietie or godlines of their father or mother, or others of their anceſtors.