Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 11 · Verse 23
Verſe 23. The deſire of the righteous is only good, but the hope of the wicked is indignation.
WE muſt beware here that we iuſtifie not al the wiſhes and deſires to be good, which righteous men conceiue, not condemne all to be vnrighteous which conceiue any wiſhes and deſires that be not good: for then ſhould Dauid be excluded out of the number of the righteous, or elſe his deſire of hauing Bathſheba, or wiſhing to know the number of the people ſhould be allowed. But he vnderſtandeth the maine ſtreame of their deſires, the courſe and current of their hearts is to godlineſſe and goodneſſe, though ſometimes they corrupt nature in themſelues, and the tempeſtuous temptations of Satan doe violently driue their thoughts another way; which is wholly contrarie in the wicked. For they deſire nothing but miſchiefe and euill, and therefore in the end they ſhall receiue nothing but miſerie and puniſhment, which will be ſo great and ſo grieuous, as will make them raue and rage with madnes and furie, eſpecially becauſe they looked for a better ſtate. Thus then ſtandeth the oppoſition: the deſire of the righteous is onelyonly good, and therefore their hope ſhall end in conſolation: but the deſire of the wicked is onelyonly euill, and therefore their hope ſhall end in indignation.
Doct. Godly men are moſt deſirous to pleaſe God, and God doth as graciouſlie accept of their deſires in the beſt manner. They are not willing to allow a thought in themſelues that ſhould not be lawfull, and he is not willing to looke vponupon, or ſpeake of their vnlawfull thoughts. Though diuers things be many times amiſſe in their minds, and in their mouthes, and in their deedes, yet there is faithfulnes, and therefore he paſſeth by their faults. So he teſtifieth of Dauid, that he kept his commaundements, and followed 1. King. 14. 8.him with all his heart, and did onelyonly that which was right in his eyes.
And ſo he teſtifieth of all the godly Iſraelites in the booke of Numbers: He ſeeth none iniquitie in Iaacob, nor any tranſgreſſion in Numb. 23. 21.Iſrael. And ſo he teſtifieth of all vpright hearted people whomſoeuer in the Pſalmes: Surely they worke none iniquitie, but walke Pſal. 119. 3.in his waies.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, he imputeth that to eueryevery man, and counteth it his, which proceedeth from the predominant power in him. In the regenerate nothing is theirs but their fruite, and nothing is their fruite, but the worke of the ſpirit. And ſo though the vnregenerate doe many good things, yet nothing is theirs but their fruite, and nothing is their fruit, but that which groweth from the fleſh.
Secondly, he ſeeth the force and violence of originall corruption, how it aſſaulteth them, how it woundeth them, how it taketh them captiues againſt their willes, and therefore rather pitieth them, than accuſeth them. And hence it is that S. Paul by good warrant, for example to all other good Chriſtians, doth once and againe diſclaime all that euill from being his, which he was vnwllingly drawne vntounto: If I do that which I would not, I conſent to the law which is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but ſin that dwelleth in me, Rom. 7. 16. 20.
Thirdly, he knoweth that they will purſue their owne ſinfull actions, and thoughts with hue and crie: and if any deſire breake out from them that is not good, they will ſend out many others after it, for humiliation, and pardon, and purging of their hearts. And therefore ſince themſelues be ſo ready to complaine to him, he will be ſparing of complaints againſt them.
Vſe. 1 Conſolation to the poore innocent ſeruants of God who yet are defamed with all kinde of falſe accuſations. They are called hypocrites, heretickes, rebels, traytors, and all that naught is. Dauid was ſo charged by Saul & his courtiers: Paul was ſo charged by the malitious Iewes: the godly Iewes ſo charged by Hamon: Chriſt himſelfe was ſo charged by the Prieſts, Scribes, and Phariſes: all good men muſt looke to bee ſo charged by all ſorts of ſinners. Well it is for them that their hearts can witneſſe that their deſires are onelyonly good, and better that the Lord ſeeth it, and beſt of all that they hauehave ſuch a God as will openly publiſh it. If he knew as much by vsus as the wicked ſay againſt vsus, or would refuſe to teſtifie that hee knoweth for vsus, as eueryevery one of vsus were more righteous, ſo ſhould hee be of all others moſt ignominious. For no creature that euer God made (the diuell not excepted) is ſo much ſpoken againſt, as good men are, neither any ſo bad a name as they, if the violent tongues of malitious perſons may make a good mans name to be bad. If ſentence ſhould paſſe vponupon the godlie at the laſt day, according to the verdict of them that are not friends or parties, we ſhould be all caſt, and condemned, not one man would be acquited. But here is an helpe againſt all theſe ſurmiſes of purpoſes within, and accuſations of behauiour without: let appeale be made to him that beholdeth all, and he will cleare the righteous from all theſe imputations. This brought Iob to ſpeake ſo confidently of his cauſe; Oh that I had ſome to heare me; behold my ſigne that the Almightie will witnes for Iob 31. 35.me: though mine aduerſarie ſhould write a booke againſt mee. This brought Dauid with ſuch affiance to repoſe himſelfe vponupon God: Iudge me Lord according to my righteouſneſſe, and according to the Pſal. 7. 8.innocencie that is in me. And this brought Iſaiah to vſe ſuch liberty and boldnes in challenging his quarellous enemies. Hee is neere that iustifieth me: who will contend with me? Let vsus ſtand together: Iſai. 50. 8. 9.who is mine aduerſarie? Let him come neere to me. Behold the Lord will helpe me: who is he that can condemne me? And yet this is not all the comfort that a iuſt man hath, though it be great, but is increaſed by the teſtimionie which God giueth of their deſires, that ſeeing they are good, they ſhall eaſily be graunted, and ſeeing he taketh notice of no more then of thoſe which are good, their other infirmities ſhall be no impediment. And therefore if they aske euerlaſting life, why ſhould they make queſtion whether they ſhall hauehave it? If they ſeeke ſpirituall graces at his hands, what ſhould hinder the finding of them? If they craue the good bleſſings for themſelues and theirs, for greater experience of his fauour in things of this life, what ſhould ſtay them from comming? When his iuſtice pronounceth their deſires to be good, will not his goodneſſe bee readie to fulfill them, eſpecially his trueth hauing promiſed the performance thereof?Pſal. 14 5. 19.
Terror for vngodly men which hauehave many ſinfull deſires in their hearts againſt Gods glorie, and ſeruices, and people. Their ſoules wiſh nothing ſeriouſly, but that which God hateth, and godly men feare, and pray againſt. Libertie for lewdneſſe they deſire as life, & thoſe that like not of wicked waies, they abhorre as much as death. Nothing pleaſeth them ſo well as to heare of the ſinnes or ſorrowes of profeſſours, and nothing grieueth them ſo much as to heare that wicked perſons are either reclaimed from their diſſolute behauiour, or puniſhed for their ſhamefull offences. Surely theſe men are not righteous, their deſires are not good, and therefore whatſoeuer is in them, or commeth from them is euill, and diſpleaſing to God, and dangerous, and damnable to their owne ſoules. As touching the other clauſe, for the euent of wicked mens hopes, ſee the ſecond doctrine of the tenth chapter, and the firſt doctrine of the eightenth verſe of this chapter.