Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 12 · Verse 17
Verſe 17. He that ſpeaketh trueth, will ſhew righteouſneſſe: but a falſe witneſſe vſeth deceit.
HE that ſpeaketh, ordinarily in his common ſpeech that which is true, will ſhew righteouſneſſe, that is, will carie himſelfe iuſtlie, and further righteouſneſſe with his teſtimonie, when hee ſhall bee publikely called thereunto. But a falſe witneſſe, a falſe man becomming a falſe witneſſe, will vſe deceit, will make a ſhew of trueth, and peraduenture vtter ſome part thereof, but with ſuch craft and cunning, as ſhall be contrarie to righteouſnes, and hurtfull to any good cauſe.
Doct. 1 He that ſpeaketh the trueth, &c. They that vſe not their tongues to the trueth in priuate, can hardly be brought to deale truelie in publike.
There muſt be as well a trayning of that to make it fit for equitie and iuſtice, as of the hands, and other parts of the bodie to make them skilfull in handling a weapon, and bearing of armes, and doing of other feates that belong to a ſouldier. As no man is meete to be made a publike perſon, and to be called to eminent place either of magiſtracie or miniſterie, that hath not before declared his worthineſſe by ſhewing forth thoſe vertues, and excellent qualities which the holy Ghoſt preſcribeth in the ſcriptures: ſo likewiſe is not any competent for any worke that is publicke, vnleſſe his former conuerſation vpright and honeſt, commend him vntounto it, but leaſt of all if the contrarie be found common and ordinarie with him. The rule which our Sauiour giueth in another caſe, will hold as firmely in this. Hee that is faithfull in the Luk. 16. 10.leaſt, he is alſo faithfull in much: and he that is vniuſt in the leaſt, is alſo vniuſt in much.
Reaſons. Firſt, the mouth of the man is the mouth of the mans treaſure: that which he ſpeaketh he beſt loueth: that which is moſt in the lippes, hath greateſt place in the heart. If therefore the trueth be deere vntounto him, he will aſſuredly ſhew it forth, when hee ſhall ſtand for that purpoſe before God, and his ſubſtitute, and doe ſo good a ſeruice of louelove and pietie: but if hee hauehave any fellowſhip with falſehood, he will now take part with it, beeing voide of the feare of God, and affraide to diſpleaſe man, and hauing ſo fit opportunity to gratifie his fleſhly friends, and to procure thanks, and recompence to himſelfe.
Secondly, no man exerciſeth the truth at any time conſcionably but by the ſpirit of trueth, and that directing mens hearts at other times in matters of leſſe weight, will not faile them at their greateſt neede, when they are to performe a duetie of ſo great importance: and ſo on the other ſide Sathan hath the diſpoſing of their tongues that giuegive themſelues to lying: he is their father, he teacheth them their trade, and tasketh them in their worke, and they be wholy at his commaundement: and who doubteth but that he will commaund them to be on his ſide, and to take againſt the truth ſo farre as the knowledge of the truth ſhall make againſt his practiſes?
Vſe. Inſtruction, for them that would not fall to falſewitneſſe bearing, that would not incurre the diſpleaſure of God, and hazard the loſſe of their owne credit, that they acquainte themſelues with true ſpeaking in all their words, ſo as it may bee familiar with them when they are in any cauſe to bee diſpoſed: that they deale ſoundly in the company of few, leſt they ſhew their falſehoode in preſence of many: that they hate all lying among the meaneſt, and thereby auoide it among the greateſt. 2. To iudges, and magiſtrates, and all miniſters of iuſtice, that they be very circumſpect, ſo farre as in them is, what manner of perſons they admit for Iurours, and Queſt-men to deliuer vp verdicts: or to be accuſers, or witneſſes for giuing in of euidence: and well to ſift the teſtimonie of thē that are wont to faile of fidedelitie, leſt as they vſe to fill mens eares with vntruths, ſo they alſo defile the place of iudgement with periurie, and vniuſtice. How many righteous men may a few ſuch deceiuers turne out of the right way? what wrong may they offer, what hurt may they doe, what miſchiefe may they worke both in oppreſſing them that are innocent, and clearing of the wicked?
Doct. 2 Will ſhew righteouſneſſe, vſeth deceite, &c. The ſpeaking of true words is no note of a faithfull man, vnleſſe it bee in due manner, and plaine meaning.
Falſe witneſſes doe not alwaies vtter flat lies, and palpable vntrueths: for then they would be ſoone eſpied, and quicklie conuinced, and eaſily confuted: they would bee cenſured of eueryevery man, and credited of no man: but their fraude is couered with a faire ſhew of veritie, as ſlips of copper appeare to be good coine, when they are gilded ouer. The promiſe of euerlaſting life is not giuen to all that ſpeake the trueth, but onelyonly to them that ſpeake Pſal. 15. 2.the trueth in their hearts, that is, in ſinceritie and vprightneſſe. The diuell himſelfe did ſpeake that which was true, and euen the words of holy trueth to Ieſus Chriſt, when he ſaid that God had giuen a charge to his Angels to hold his people in their hands, Matth. 4. 6.that they ſhould not daſh their foote againſt a ſtone: but it was guilefully deliuered, a materiall part being ſuppreſſed, and the reſt peruerted to draw him to ſinfull preſumption. It was a true information that was giuen to Saul by Doeg, that Ahimelech the 1. Sam. 22. 10. & 23. 19.Prieſt had miniſtred both foode, and weapon to Dauid: and by the Ziphims that Dauid hid himſelfe in the wood by them: It was a true informatiō that was giuen to Nebuchadnezzar by the Chaldeans, that Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego would not ſerue his Gods, Dan. 3. 12.nor worſhip the image that he had ſet vp: and it was a true information that was giuen to Darius by his princes, that Daniel regarded not the decree that he had ſealed, but made his petition three times a day: but all theſe true informations were made by falſe men, of Dan. 6. 13.deceitfull lipes and malitious hearts for wicked purpoſes.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, God heareth our words, beholdeth all our proceedings, he looketh to the heart eſpecially, and obſerueth likewiſe the manner of our teſtimonies, not onelyonly what is vttered, but how much, whether all that ought to be, or more then ſhould bee, or the iuſt meaſure that is required, and onelyonly they that can approue themſelues to him, for ſinceritie and vprightneſſe, are to be reputed faithfull, and the reſt are but craftie diſſemblers.
Secondly, if true words alone would paſſe for currant without further reſpect of drift, and manner, thoſe things would be many times ſeparated which God would hauehave alwaies ioyned together, and thoſe things would be made oppoſite, which hee appointeth to be ſubordinate one to another: trueth is oftentimes ſpoken without louelove that will peruert iuſtice and true dealing, and ſtirre vp oppreſſion and violence, as is to be ſeene in the former examples. But ſo it muſt not be, a breach muſt not be made among thoſe that are euer to be knit together with an vnſeparable bond of vnion. Thou ſhalt ſweare, ſaith the Prophet, the Lord liueth, Ierem. 4. 2.in truth, in iudgement, and in righteouſneſſe; that is, thou ſhalt truly, rightly, and righteouſlie profeſſe him, and take an oath by him, when thou haſt a cauſe, and calling to ſweare, and accordingly diſpoſe of all the reſt of thy ſpeeches.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction ſo to order and guide our lippes in all that we ſay, that men may finde nothing but veritie in the matter which wee declare, and God may ſee nothing but ſinceritie in the end which we propoſe. And ſo though we be ſifted, yet we ſhall not bee ſhamed: and though there bee accuſations (as the trueth muſt looke to be quarrelled withall) yet there will bee no conuictions, ſo long as an vpright heart doth cleere vsus.
Reproofe of guilefull perſons whoſe trade is to be painters of bad cauſes. If any man hauehave ragged, torne, and rotten matters in hand, which eueryevery honeſt man reiecteth, let him come to them, and they will ſet ſuch colours and pictures thereupon, as ſhall make them appeare very beautifull. But let them know that they ſhall make themſelues to be baſe, and God will bring ſuch cunning deceiuers (as hee hath alreadie dealt with diuers aequiuocant ſophiſters) to ſhame and contempt.