Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 11 · Verse 30
Verſe 30. The fruit of the righteous is as a tree of life, and hee that winneth ſoules is wiſe.
THe meaning of theſe words is, that a godly man is very plentifull in bringing forth fruit, and his fruite exceeding profitable to them that receiue it. Eſpecially his inſtructions, conſolations, prayers, & other ſpirituall meanes that he vſeth, to conuert, or confirme the hearts of his brethren. And he himſelf alſo is not without the fruit of his owne fruit, which is intimated here by pronouncing him wiſe that winneth ſoules, that is, which with deſire, and indeuour faithfully and diſcreetly, by Gods owne meanes, according to his place and calling either doth draw men out of their ſinnes and ignorance, or elſe faileth of ſucceſſe therein, not by his negligence, and want of louelove, but rather by their ſtubborneſſe and want of will. And herewith the Prophet doth ſatiſfie himſelfe, whatſoeuer ſhould bee the iſſue of his miniſterie. Now ſaith the Lord that formed me from the wombe to bee his ſeruant, that I may bring Iacob againe to him, though Iſrael be not gathered, Iſai 49. 4.yet ſhall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord: and my God ſhall be my ſtrength. On the other ſide wee dare not take vponupon vsus to iuſtifie the hearts and ſtates of all thoſe which hauehave been occaſions of any mans conuerſion, if it bee not their fruite: nor to extenuate the efficacie of eueryevery vnregenerate mans miniſterie, that his doctrine ſhould winne none to ſaluation. It is graunted without queſtion, or gaineſaying, that he may prepare before, and build vp after, and we remember not any ſuch ſtint or reſtraint ſpoken of, but that he may alſo cōuert, eſpecially before his life is ſtained with any ſinfull behauiour, that might bring his miniſterie into contempt. The power of preaching ſtandeth in the ordinance of God, by the worke of his ſpirit, and not in the perſon of the meſſenger, that doth publiſh it.
Doct. Of all people, none doe ſo much good as the godly. Looke how farre the tree of life, which was the beſt in paradiſe, excelled all the brambles and briers which are the worſt on the wild waſt, ſo farre doe ſuch as feare God ſurmount the godleſſe in goodnes. In the firſt Pſalme, religious men which giuegive themſelues to the exerciſe of pietie are compared to trees, that yeeld the moſt, and beſt and ripeſt fruite; and ſinful men which giuegive themſelues to the practiſe of vanity are likened to chaffe, or rather the duſt of chaffe, Pſal. 1. 3.which is good for nothing. In the ſecond of the Canticles the godly are reſembled to the moſt beautifull and pleaſant lilies Cant. 2. 2.which yeeld delight to thoſe that gather them; and the wicked to thornes or thiſtles which doe annoy thoſe that meddle with them. In other places of ſcripture the ſeruants of God are called ſheepe; which for lambe, and fleece, and fleſh, and eueryevery other way, are commodious, inſomuch that they make the very ground the better which they fit vponupon; and the ſlaues of ſinne are called by the names of Wolues, and Foxes, and ſuch kinde of beaſts, which are very hurtfull, and be readie to doe miſchiefe whereſoeuer they come. In what reſpect the fruite of the righteous is ſo profitable, it will appeare by the proportion it hath with the tree of life whereunto it is compared. Reaſons. 1 Firſt in regard of the cauſe, it is ſaid that it groweth by the riuer of life, whoſe waters feede the roote Reue. 22. 22.thereof, and the roote ſendeth vp the ſap, and the ſap ſendeth out the fruite. And ſo the good which a good man doth, ariſeth not from his wit, nor naturall diſpoſition, nor fleſhly wiſedome, but ſpringeth from the word, and ſpirit of God in his heart, Gal. 5. 22.
Secondly, as touching the manner thereof it is ſaid that it is continually bearing without ſtay, or failing, not once a yeere, but once in a monethmonth, not in ſommer only, but in winter alſo, and eueryevery time new kinds of fruit, and not of one ſort alone (as it falleth out commonly with other trees, for in them the ſame branch neuer varieth the kind) and that rotteth not, nor droppeth downe Ezech. 47. 12.with ripeneſſe. In like ſort doth the ſpirit of grace make Gods children conſtant in well doing, and that alſo in performance of many dueties, according to the varietie of occaſions and opportunities offered. They ioyne vertue with their faith: and with vertue knowledge: and with knowledge temperance: and with temperance 1. Pet. 1. 5. 6.patience: and with patience godlines: and with godlines brotherlie kindnes: and with brotherly kindnes louelove. If they ſee the members of Mat. 25. 35. 36Chriſt hungrie, they giuegive them meate; if thirſtie, they giuegive them drinke: if naked, they clothe them: if they bee ſtrangers, they lodge them: if they be ſicke, they viſite them: if they be in priſon, they come vntounto them, &c.
Thirdly for the effect, the tree of life was for meate, and the leaues for medicine, and both for life: and no leſſe vertue proceedeth from righteous perſons, their lippes doe feede many: their tongues are whole ſome, their inſtructions are as a welſpring of life, to Prou. 10. 21.turne away from the ſnares of death. Pro. 13. 14.
Vſe. 1 Admonition for eueryevery one to ſearch his wayes, and to trie his ſtate by this rule. If thou be a fruitefull tree, thou art a righteous man: if thou be giuen to ſhew merciemercy, thou canſt not be vnfruitfull; if thy labour bee to kill ſinne, and to helpe mens ſoules to euerlaſting life, then who can denie thee to bee truely mercifull? In this caſe though the diuell come roaring with grieuous accuſations; though he would perſwade thee, that thou art an hypocrite; and they would perſwade others, that thou art an arrogant proud perſon; yet be not diſmaied at the matter. Satan ſaith, that thou beareſt a diſſembling heart; but god ſeeth that thou liueſt a ſincere life. They impute thy ſpeeches, and other behauiour, to pride and vaine glorie: but thine owne ſoule knoweth that they proceede from louelove and vnfained faithfulneſſe. And let this be ſpoken for thy comfort, that ſhall neuer faile thee, that thoſe which are trees of life to men, are trees of delight to God himſelfe; and he is nothing leſſe pleaſed with them, than his people are benefited by them. And ſo the Apoſtle ſaith, they pleaſe God in all things, which are fruitfull in all good workes. And ſo doth Col. 1. 10.Chriſt ſpeake of his Church, and the members thereof in Salomons ſongs: My ſiſter, my ſpouſe, is as a garden incloſed. Thy plants Cant. 4. 12. 13. 14.are as an orchard of Pomegranets, with ſweete fruits, as Camphire, Spikenard, and Saffron, Calamus, and Cinamon, with all trees of Incenſe, Myrrhe, and Aloes, with all the chiefe ſpices. But if thou bee fruitleſſe, thou art voide of righteouſnes, and ſo deſtitute of Gods fauour, and thine owne ſafetie. For vnfruitfull trees hath God marked out to be hewen down for fire wood. But worſe are they, Matth. 3. 10.by farre, and in more dangerous caſe, that bring foorth too much fruite, but it is of the fleſh, and to the fleſh, works of pride, works of crueltie, curſed blaſphemie and ſwearing, notorious riot, and vnthriftines, drunkennes, filthines, contempt of Magiſtrates, contempt of Miniſters, contempt of preaching, and malice againſt all godly Chriſtians. Their vine is the vine of Sodom, and of the Deut. 32. 32. 33.vincs of Gomorah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their cluſters be bitter. Their wine is the poiſon of dragons, and the cruell gall of aſpes.
Reproofe of them that make leſſe account of theſe trees of life, than of a thornic hedge, than of nettles, than of moſt vnſauourie weedes, than of plants that bring foorth deadly poiſon. They diſtaſte no men ſo much as good men, and the better they are, the worſe they like them. Ieremy came and offered his fruit to a people that ſtood in great neede to eate of the tree of life: for they were readie to periſh with death. But they practiſed to aboliſh that fruit which was offered for their preſeruation, and to take away his life, which ſought to ſaue theirs. For ſo hath the Lord declared their conſpiracie: Let vsus deſtroy the tree with the fruit thereof, Ierem. 11. 19.and cut him out of the land of the liuing, that his name may be no more in memorie. Which almoſt of all the Prophets ſped better? How much more fauourably was Paul dealt with? And eſpecially Chriſt Ieſus, the very tree of life, and Lord of life, and life it ſelfe, whom all the reſt did but reſemble? His perfect fruit they trampled on, & laboured to dig him vp by the roote. And ſo they dealt ſtill with his meſſengers and ſeruants, not making vſe of their companie, but abhorring it: not deſiring to be partakers of their knowledge, and wiſedome, and other graces, but to ſuppreſſe them.
Doct. 2 He that winneth ſoules is wiſe, &c. It is the note of a wiſe man, to ſhew merciemercy to mens ſoules. Fooles cannot eaſily finde out the maladie of ſinne; fooles faile of all experience of good medicines that may cure a ſinfull heart; fooles feele not the burthen of their owne iniquities, and therefore cannot be compaſſionate towards others for theirs. Only wiſedome doth ſhew the diſeaſe, and the remedie, and moueth mens hearts in pitie to helpe them that are infected with it. That which Salomon profeſſeth to bee true of himſelfe, is alſo verified of eueryevery good man in his meaſure; The more wiſe Eccleſiaſtes was, the more he taught the people Eccle. 12. 9.knowledge. And to conuert it the other way: the more any man teacheth the people knowledge, the more wiſe he is.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, he performeth an acceptable ſeruice to God, which no foole can euer doe. He is a diligent and profitable husbandman for ſeeding, weeding, and harueſt worke. He is a valiant and skilfull ſouldier to diſcomfit Satan his ſtrongeſt enemie; to winne his holds from him, and to reſcue his ſpoyle and captiues out of his hand. Yea not onelyonly to ſet his priſoners at libertie, but to winne away the hearts of his owne ſouldiers; that they ſhal both forſake him, and ſet themſelues in battell againſt him.
Secondly, he is very prouident for his owne good, and prepareth a bleſſed reward for himſelfe, againſt the appearance of Ieſus Chriſt. And of ſuch men, and of that ſtate, ſpeaketh the Prophet Daniel: They that make men wiſe ſhall ſhine as the brightnes of the firmament: and they that turne many to righteouſnes, ſhall ſhine Dan. 12. 3.as the ſtarres, for euer and euer.
Vſe. 1 Incouragement, to gaine mens ſoules to God, and ſaluation to mens ſoules, though we ſhould loſe that liking and fauour which was wont to be ſhewed to our ſelues. What though wee be tearmed buſie fooles for our labour? doth not God cleere vsus, and ſay that we are wiſe men, and well exerciſed? What though wee bee cenſured for ſillie creatures, that make our friends to be our foes? doth not God commend vsus for our good prouidence in making him to be our friend? What though wee draw vponupon our ſelues, contempt, diſpleaſure, and perſecution from wicked perſons for the preſent? doth not God tell vsus that wee ſhall obtaine glorie, and fauour, and peace at his hands for euermore hereafter? The godly eſteeme vsus to be wiſe; the holy Scriptures pronounce vsus to be wiſe; our reward in time will ſhew vsus to be wiſe: and ſhall the reproch of fooliſh men diſcourage vsus from our wiſedome?
Terror for them that corrupt mens ſoules, and labour with all their might to keepe men from comming to God. It is a bleſſed calling to be a fiſher for God, as Peter was, and to catch men with the net of the word: but of all trades it is the worſt to fiſh for Satans turne, and to kill men with the baites of ſinne. Therefore is the caſe of the diuell the moſt miſerable of all creatures, becauſe he hath done more miſchiefe this way than all the reſt. And that cauſeth the Lord ſo grieuouſly to threaten the falſe Prophets that kept men from repentance: and the falſe Apoſtles that hindred the worke of the Goſpell; and Elymas, and any that hauehave ſought to peruert mens hearts, or behauiour. It is not ſafe to depraue the Miniſterie, to weaken the power of it. It is not ſafe to intice men to Poperie and ſuperſtition. It is not ſafe to perſwade men to prophaneneſſe and neglect of Gods worſhip. If the naturall Serpent being but a beaſt was ſo plagued for being an inſtrument of Satan vnknowingly, and without deſire to bring the woman into ſinne; what ſhall become of them that applie their wit, and tongue, and heart, and whatſoeuer they can, to doe him ſeruice herein?