Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 12 · Verse 6
Verſe 6. The talking of the wicked is to lie in waite for blood: but the mouth of the righteous will deliuer them.
THeſe words are not to be vnderſtood to meane all ſorts of wicked men, but ſuch as are malitious; and their ſpeeches too, of ſuch as they maligne, doe principally tend to the inſnaring and catching of them, and that to their deſtruction, ſo farre as they can effect it: if not by violence vponupon their bodies to the taking away of their liues, yet by oppreſſion otherwiſe to the ruine of their eſtate. Now the contrarie is to bee found in the godly, who vſe their lips, as much as in them is, to ſuccour ſuch as the wicked lie in waite for; either as Pauls nephew did, by diſcouering the practiſes againſt them, or being ſuiters for them, or cleering their innocencie. And this is ſpoken of their endeuour, and not of the euent, for that is many times otherwiſe.
Doct. 1 Lie in waite, &c. It is the propertie of violent men to mixe their crueltie with craftineſſe.
Their tongues worke as well as their hands, and their hearts and heads giuegive direction to their tongues: and hands, and tongues, and hearts, and heads doe all conſpire and combine themſelues againſt poore innocents. Such the Prophet complaineth of in the Pſalmes: He lieth in waite ſecretly, euen as a lion in Pſal. 10. 9. 10.his denne: he lieth in waite to ſpoile the poore: he doth ſpoile the poore, when he draweth him into his net. He croucheth and boweth: and therefore heapes of the poore doe fall by his might.
Many deuices deceitfull tongues hauehave, to bring their purpoſes to paſſe. Sometimes by flatterie, or otherwiſe to draw aduantages from him whom they practiſe againſt, according as our Sauiour was ſundrie times dealt with. Sometimes by incenſing, or Luk. 22. 21.perſwading others, whoſe diſpleaſure and power may worke that which themſelues could neuer effect, as Haman did, and Amaziah, and Daniels aduerſaries alſo, though in another manner: Dan. 6. Sometimes by taking opportunitie of the time, when it Amos 7. 10.ſerueth them, as Doeg did againſt the Prieſts, when Saul himſelfe was offended with Ionathan, for fauouring Dauid. Who can reckon all when there are ſo many, and eueryevery day new inuentions of moe?
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, the diuell is their director, and teacheth them what courſe to take, and all the world knoweth and feeleth that hee is both fierce and ſubtill, being a bloodie red dragon for crueltie, and hauing ſeuen heads for craft.
Secondly, their owne ſtudie and exerciſe hath made them expert and skilfull in their helliſh trade: and the taſte of blood hath made them as hungrie as hounds after it.
Vſe. Inſtruction to auoide as much as wee may, both conuerſation and conference with them. Of receiuing harme, we ſtand in great perill; of effecting good, we can hauehave little expectation. It is no hard matter for the foxe or lion to make the lambe to feele their wilineſſe or violence: but it is not eaſie for the lambe to teach the lion, or foxe, his innocencie.
Doct. 2 But the mouth &c. It is a note of a good man to hauehave his good word readie to helpe them that are oppreſſed.
There be many that refraine from traducing, accuſing, and intrapping their neighbours, which yet goe not farre enough to ſhew themſelues mercifull and righteous: there are many that will ſpeake in the praiſe of godly men, free from troubles and moleſtations, and yet declare not ſufficient louelove to God and his people: but here is louelove, here is courage, here is faithfulnes, herein they make it appeare that they are not accepters of perſons, when they applie their wits, and tongues, and countenance in their places, for the defence of harmeleſſe men that are helpleſſe. In this ſenſe doth the Holy Ghoſt call vponupon men in the foure and twentith chapter: Deliuer them that are drawne to death: and wilt Prou. 24. 11.not thou preſerue them that are led to be ſlaine?
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, they are the members of our owne bodie, and therefore their communion and neereneſſe with vsus, ſhould moue vsus to it. Who would not open his lips for a father, or brother, or friend, (as did that faithfull Ionathan) but chiefly for himſelfe? Who would not doe his beſt to ſhew the equitie of his owne cauſe? Who would not intreate hard to ſaue his owne head, or hand, or foote, or any other part of him? So doe all good men that deale in the behalfe of any iuſt and righteous perſon, the caſe is their owne.
Secondly, they are the members of Chriſt who is head to vsus, and therefore ſince he ſpared not to ſpeake, and ſuffer for vsus: ſince he prayed, and pleaded, and payed euen his owne life and naturall bodie for our deliuerance, is it much for vsus to beſtow our words, or to beare a rebuke to deliuer thoſe that hauehave a place in his myſticall bodie?
Thirdly, it is the way to prouide helpe from God, and good men, againſt our owne troubles, to be helpfull to others in theirs: and the contrarie befalleth them that are ſlacke and remiſſe in this dutie.
Fourthly, we doe after a ſort make our ſelues acceſſarie to the wrongs and iniuries which are offered to the righteous, when they either come vponupon them by our negligence, or fearefulnes.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction for eueryevery degree to be diligent and carefull in the performance of this dutie. Art thou a Magiſtrate? Remember what leſſon Salomons mother beſtowed vponupon him: Open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cauſe of all the children of deſtruction. Prou. 31. 8. 9.Open thy mouth: iudge righteouſly, and iudge the afflicted, and the poore. Art thou a priuate man, yet thou maiſt giuegive aduice, or teſtifie the truth, or ſolicite friends, or at leaſt thou maiſt call vponupon God for them that bee purſued by oppreſſors.
Conſolation to all good patrones of poore diſtreſſed mens cauſes; which take to heart their wrongs and burthens, and ſeeke reliefe and remedie for them. They would not ſo faithfully labour for righteouſneſſe, vnleſſe themſelues were righteous: they could not ſhew ſuch pitie to good men, vnleſſe they loued goodneſſe, and God loued them: for effectuall compaſſion and merciemercy is neuer found in any that is not vnderunder merciemercy. 2. To them that hauehave enemies lying in waite for their blood; if they be innocent and godly, the Lord will ſtirre them vp friends, that will fauour their cauſe, and ſtand in their defence. Some Iob or other wil deliuer them, though they be poore and fatherleſſe, and hauehave Iob 29. 12.none to helpe them. Or if there be none that fauour them at the bench, yet there be that will obtaine fauour for them from heauen. The prayers of Gods people aſcend vp. to Gods preſence for his helpe: and thoſe mouthes preuaile mightily that ſeeke for redreſſe of wrongs at his hands. Herod thought that it would be too late for all the friends which Peter had to miniſter helpe vntounto him when hee had clapt him vp in ſo ſure a priſon. But hee remembred not how ſwift the godly be to prayer: and how ſoone a prayer can come to God: and in what readines God hath his Angels: and what ſpeede an Angell can make to ſuccour them that are in danger. Yet this is not the greateſt comfort of Gods afflicted ſeruants, but this that the Lord Ieſus Chriſt is infinitely more righteous and mercifull than any man, or all men poſſiblie can be, and he will vndertake their cauſe, and either miniſter help to their ſtate, or grace to their ſoules, to beare their troubles, till the fitteſt time of freedome from them. He will preſerue them from ſinne and Satan which lie in waite for their eternall deſtruction. The ſpirit of God is large in one of the Pſalmes in ſetting foorth the tender care which he hath of his people: He ſhall deliuer the poore when he crieth: the needie alſo, and him that hath no helpe. He ſhall be mercifull to the poore and needie, and ſhall preſerue the ſoules of the poore. He ſhall redeeme their ſoules from deceit and violence, and deare ſhall their blood be in his ſight: Pſal. 72. 12. 13. 14.