Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 11 · Verse 7
Verſe 7. When a wicked man dieth his expectation periſheth, and the hope of his power ſhall periſh.
THe meaning is, that eueryevery ſinfull mans affection of hoping, and happineſſe hoped for, and ſtrongeſt meanes to attaine to his hope, ſhall end with his life, and die at his death, and vaniſh away at the time of his deſtruction. The ſubſtance of the point hath been handled in the eight and twentith verſe of the former chapter, and therefore in this place we wil onelyonly note the circumſtance of the time.
Doct. The confidence of vngodly men is diſappointed at their greateſt neede.
He neuer had good by any hope, which hath not the fruition of his hope at his death. Then either it ſetteth a man in poſſeſſion of his bleſſednes, or elſe caſteth him off into miſery, woe, and perdition for euer. Though a man ſhould neuer obtaine his deſire in any earthly thing during his life, yet if he inioy ſaluation after this life, he hath failed of nothing. Though a man ſhould miſſe of nothing that his heart could wiſh for, whiles breath is in his bodie, yet if hee bee damned when the ſoule goeth out of his bodie, hee hath neuer gained any thing. And this is the ſcope of Iob his ſpeech, when he ſaith, What hope hath the hypocrite though he hath Iob 27. 8.heaped vp riches, when God taketh away his ſoule? Euen now in his deepeſt aduerſitie, hee would not change ſtate with the moſt plauſible wicked, in their higheſt proſperitie. For hee is ſure that the end of his life will finiſh his ſorrow, and begin his felicitie, and therefore is willing to reſigne vp his ſpirit into the hands of God: but their hope doth depart with their breath, and their damnation doth come with their death, and therefore God muſt wreſt away their ſoules from them.
Reaſons. Firſt, they ſhall then ſtand before the iudgement ſeate of God himſelfe, and that which hee ſpeaketh they muſt heare, and that which they heare, they muſt ſee, and that which they heare and ſee, they muſt alſo ſuffer: for execution will accompanie the ſentence. Heere they would not beleeue his teſtimonie, that their caſe was ſo bad as his word declared: there they ſhall feele it to bee worſe then they could conceiue of. Heere when hee denounced plagues againſt their ſinnes, they proclaimed peace to their ſoules; there they ſhall finde the plagues according to their ſinnes, and faile of the peace which they promiſed to themſelues. Here he ſpake vntounto them in goodnes, that vponupon their repentance they might obtaine euerlaſting merciemercy: there hee will Pſalm. 2. 5.ſpeake vntounto them in anger, and for want of repentance will puniſh them eternally with iuſtice.
Secondly, the fearefull iudgement of God vponupon their hearts, that they ſhould not ſee how they were illuded in their expectation, vntill their death: when the caſe is remedileſſe. If the vanitie of their hope were diſcouered to them before, they might caſt it off ſooner, and lay a new foundation of a better; whereas reſting ſtill vponupon the ſtabilitie of that, it breaketh, when it cannot be repaired; and they fall, when they can neuer riſe againe. If the fiue Matth. 25.fooliſh Virgins had found their want of oile before the bridegrome was comming, they might in time hauehave prouided themſelues, and be readie to enter with him to the wedding, before the dore was ſhut. If they which preſumed ſo much of Chriſt his acquaintance (becauſe they had eaten & drunk in his company, and Luk. 13. 26, 27.heard him preach amongſt them) had knowne before hand what ſmall account hee would hauehave made of them, they might hauehave vſed better meanes whiles time ſerued, to grow into his fauour.
Thirdly the prerogatiue and priuiledge of Gods people would be much infringed, if wicked men ſhould hauehave hope with them in the life to come, for therein ſtandeth the contrarietie between them. The wicked, ſaith the Scripture, ſhall bee caſt away for his lewdnes: but the righteous hath hope at his death, Prou. 14. 32. For the preſent it commeth to paſſe commonly, that bad men are full, and good men are hungrie, the one ſort doe laugh, and the other waile and weepe, as our Sauiour teſtifieth, Luk. 6. 25. and therefore hereafter their conditions ſhall bee changed on both ſides: the pleaſure of the one ſhall bee turned into paine, and the ſorrowes of the other into endleſſe comforts. As it is ſaid by the Apoſtle concerning the godlie, that if in this life onelyonly they had hope, they were of all moſt miſerable; ſo it may be ſpoken touching the godleſſe, that if in the life to come alſo they had hope, they were of all men moſt happie.
Vſe. 1 Reproofe of their folly which liue in hope, that the time of their death will beget them hope, and not deſtroy it. They know that now they are ſinfull perſons, without all grace, and goodnes; but they truſt that then they ſhall be conuerted, and brought in a moment to repentance. They know that now they ſtand in ſtate of damnation, and if they ſhould preſently come to iudgement, they muſt needes periſh; but they truſt at the laſt gaſpe to call vponupon God for merciemercy, and thereby get pardon for all their ſinnes, and ſo their ſoules ſhall bee ſaued. As though death, and the pangs thereof were appointed for the preferment of Gods vngodly enemies. They hauehave beſtowed themſelues in the ſeruice of ſinne, and ſpent their daies in rebellion againſt the Lord, and doe they looke for reward thereof to bee crowned with glory? Are theeues, and robbers, are cutpurſes, and other malefactours therefore bound ouer to the Aſſiſes, that they may bee put in commiſſion, and called vp to the bench?
Inſtruction to confirme our hope by putting our ſoules out of all perill of periſhing afore our death or ſicknes, or any other danger, leaſt our euidence be to ſeek when our cauſe is to be tried. Let eueryevery one of vsus vponupon apparance of election, by faith, and the fruits of ſanctification, be able to ſay as trulie, though not with as much feeling of aſſurance as the Apoſtle did: I am perſwaded that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things Rom. 8. 38.preſent, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, ſhall ſeparate vsus from the louelove of God which is in Chriſt Ieſus. This will make our life truely proſperous, and profitable, and our death bleſſed and comfortable, and our ſtate in the world to come immortall, and glorious.
Conſolation to ſuch as feare God that death will deliuer them from the hopes, and the liues of their ſinfull enemies. Away muſt their ſoules goe, and downe muſt their carkaſſes, and where then are their purpoſes, and what becomes of their power? Though they were as mightie as Leuiathan, and as miſchieuous as dragons, yet when they bee dead, as die they muſt, what cauſe hath any man to be afraid of them? Achab minded great matters againſt Micaiah, at his returne in peace from Ramoth Gilead; 1. King. 22.but God minded to preſerue Micaiah by defeating Achab of a peaceable returne from thence. Let Hezechiah, and all his people, ſaith Zanecherib, truſt to it, that I will ſpeede them at my next comming to Ieruſalem: but God had appointed that hee ſhould come no more that way, but be drawne by the ſnowte like a fiſh, Iſai. 36. 12. and 37. 29.or led with a bridle like a beaſt to the ſhambles, and ſlaughter at Nineue. The Egyptians were reſolued to purſue Iſrael vntill they ouertooke them, and to put them to the ſword when they caught them, and to take the ſpoile of their goods, when they had ſlaine them: but the waters were firſt to purſue themſelues, and death to ouertake them, and the ſea to hauehave the ſpoile of their bodies, and hell to make a pray of their ſoules.