Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 12 · Verse 22
Verſe 22. The lying lippes are abomination to the Lord: but they that deale truely are his delight.
THe ſenſe is plaine enough of it ſelfe, if the ſupplie bee made of that which is vnderſtood in both the clauſes. The Lord abhorreth lying lips, that is, thoſe perſons that abuſe their lippes to lying, which will alſo bee falſe in their deedes: and hee is well pleaſed with them that deale faithfully, which will likewiſe bee true in their words.
Doct. EueryEvery lyer is a loathſome perſon, God doth neuer hate any thing that is not hatefull, and that muſt needes bee odible which hee abhorreth, and eſpecially when it is abomination, which is in hie degree abominable vntounto him. And that hee is ſo affected towards lyers, his owne word in other places doth teſtifie. As when he ſaith in this booke, Theſe ſixe things doth the Lord hate: Prou. 6. 17:yea his ſoule abhorreth ſeuen: the hautie eyes, and a lying tongue, and the hands that ſhed innocent bloud, &c. Yee may know by their companions among whom they are marſhalled, what account he maketh of them. And ſo in the reuelation of S. Iohn, he declareth his deteſtation of them by reckoning vp their fellowes, and deſcribing their grieuous puniſhment. The fearefull and vnbeleeuing, and the abominable, and murtherers, and whoremongers, Reuel. 21. 8.and ſorcerers, and idolaters, and all lyers ſhall hauehave their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimſtone, which is the ſecond death.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, nothing is more contrarie to the nature of God, who is infinitely true, and trueth it ſelfe, then guile and falſehood is. And nothing maketh men more like to ſathan, and workers of his will, then lying. So our Sauiour told the wicked vnbeleeuing Iewes: Yee are of your father the diuell, and the luſtes of your father ye will doe. He abode not in the trueth, becauſe there is no trueth in Iohn 8. 44.him. When he ſpeaketh a lie, then he ſpeaketh of his owne: for hee is a lier, and the father thereof. It is his mother tongue, and natiue language to lie; when he vttereth any true ſentence it is but borrowed, and that alſo he cannot truely deliuer, without groſſe deceit and diſſimulation.
Secondly, lying is a worke of the old man, and that which misbecommeth the children of God, and lyers ſuch as giuegive themſelues Col. 3. 9.vntounto it, are vnregenerate, and as yet the children of wrath and ſubiect to damnation.
Thirdly they are iniurious to them whom they miſ-informe, making them to beleeue errors, and many times, many euill conſequents in ſue vponupon it.
And therefore the Apoſtle exhorteth all that are effectuallie regenerate, to cast off lying, and to ſpeake eueryevery man trueth vntounto his neighbour, becauſe we are members one of another.Eph 4. 25.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction, to worke vponupon our owne hearts ſo, as that we comming alſo to hate lying, God may louelove vsus for trueth, and not hauehave vsus in deteſtation for falſehood. If we cauſe him to abhorre our lippes for our vntrueths to men, he will abhorre our prayers and thankeſgiuing, and whatſoeuer ſhall proceede out of our lippes to him. And it is not enough to leaue lying in reſpect of hereafter, but to lothe the ſinne of it that hath been committed by vsus heretofore. When Iob knew that his words were diſpleaſing to the Lord, though they were few, and onelyonly raſh and vnaduiſed, Iob 42. 6.and he himſelfe by error was deceiued in them, he abhorred himſelfe, and repented in duſt and aſhes: how much more then ought wee to doe it, which hauehave more prouoked God with innumerable falſe ſpeeches, and that knowingly and with purpoſe of deceiuing, and hee doth profeſſe that they hauehave been, and are abominable to him? And what though wee hauehave ſometimes kept our ſelues from blame by telling of lies? What though wee hauehave delighted others, and obtained fauour to our ſelues thereby? What though we hauehave made our gaine and commoditie of it? Will all this, if this were the winning of all the world, be able to counteruaile the high diſpleaſure of God, and the loſſe of his fauour, together with the forfaiting of our owne ſaluation? And hereby ſhall we know that we bee ſoundlie purged from lying, if we doe not onelyonly forbeare to lie, but bee vtterly vnwilling that any other ſhould tell a lie for vsus. For that is the note of a righteous man that he hateth lying words, as well as Prou. 13. 3.forbeareth to ſpeake them. And they ſhall bee ſhut out of the kingdome of heauen together, which louelove, and which make lies, Reuel. 22. 15.
Conſolation, to them that louelove the trueth and exerciſe it: the ſame God that hateth liers ſo deadly, is as well pleaſed with true men that affect, and practiſe that which he loueth ſo dearely. Be it therefore that they are maligned for ſaying that which true is, and haſt not onelyonly purchaſed euill will, but hard dealing, and that at their hands which ſeeme to be able to beare downe all before them; yet know and remember that God maketh account of thee: for thou art his delight: and thoſe that bee his fauourites ſhall find his fauour effectuall againſt all aduerſaries, for ſafetie and protection.
Doct. But they that deale truely, &c. That trueth which is acceptable to God conſiſteth both in ſpeaking, and doing.
Nothing can pleaſe him but the image of that which is in him, and the ſtreames which flow from him, as doth this reall and operatiue trueth, and not that which is verball and in word onelyonly.
This is teſtified of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt the deerely beloued ſonne of God, who is propoſed to vsus for a perfect example to imitate, that he did no wickedneſſe, as no deceit was found in his Iſa. 53. 9.mouth.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, his word in many places doth commaund both, and that equally, and no where doth diſpence with the want of either.
Secondly, his ſpirit doth infuſe both, and that inſeparablie, and maketh eueryevery man that hath attained to the one to be able to vſe the other. That which S. Iohn ſetteth downe in a more generall manner doth ſtrongly confirme this particular point. If anie man ſinne not in word, he is a perfect man and able to bridle all the bodie. His meaning is not that ſome bee abſolute without ſinne in word, and perfect, without infirmitie in goodnes: but that many be gracious without ſinfulneſſe, though they hauehave their ſlips, in ſpeeches: and ſincere, without wickednes, though they hauehave their frailties, in behauiour.
Thirdly, both are infallible, and eſſentiall fruites of regeneration: and the Apoſtle doth perſwade vsus thereby to declare our ſelues to be of the number of the ſaints, and faithfull, ſaying; Caſt off lying, and let him that ſtole, ſteale no more, Epheſ. 4. 25. 28.
Fourthly, both are required of them, that would know, and manifeſt themſelues to be naturall members of the Church in this life, and inheriters of ſaluation in the life to come. Lord, ſaith Dauid, who ſhall dwell in thy Tabernacle? who ſhall reſt in thy holy Pſal. 15. 1. 2.mountaine? He, ſaith God, that walketh vprightly, and worketh righteouſnes, and ſpeaketh the trueth in his heart.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction, 1. if we would hauehave the conſtant credit of honeſtie among men, or the comfort of it in our owne ſoules, or the allowance of it in Gods preſence, that wee bee not more ſmooth in words, then faithfull in workes: that men may not more beleeue vsus to be true in ſpeeches, then the Lord ſhall diſcerne vsus to bee truſtie in actions.
Not to be ouerhaſtie to receiue their reports, whom we are able to conuince of vnfaithfulnes in behauiour. If God giuegive vsus a caueat to looke to them, and beware of them, if he commend none to vsus for credible, but ſuch as are righteous, why ſhould wee ſet light by his certificate, and be credulous to hearken to ſinfull perſons? eſpecially ſithence of all others, they are moſt readie to fill mens eares with pernicious and hurtfull informations.