Exposition of Proverbs 15-17, Biblical commentary · Chapter 16 · Verse 10 – Verse 11
Verſe 10. A ſage ſentence ſhould be in the lips of the King: his mouth ſhould not tranſgreſſe in iudgement.
A Sage ſentence] The word ſignifieth a diuination, being vſed very often in the euill part for the predictions of the Soothſayers and Aſtrologers, and ſo is forbidden in the Law, Deut. 18. 10. And ſometimes in good part, as Iſa. 3. 2. The Lord will take from Hieruſalem the ſtrong man, and the man of warre, the Iudge and the Prophet, the Diuiner or prudent man, (who by obſeruation of cauſes can foreſee what effects are like to follow) and the aged. And in Micah 3. 6. there is a threatning, that night and darkneſſe (meaning Gods iudgements vponupon their mindes, or bodies, or both) ſhall keepe them from viſion and diuination. And ſo heere it is preſcribed as the Kings dutie, and commended as his vertue, and not reprooued as his fault. And heereby is intimated, that a wiſe equall manner of proceeding in all cauſes [ſhould bee in the lips of the King] in the words and ſayings of the Ruler, and ſoueraigne Gouernour, and of the ſubordinate Magiſtrates vnderunder him, who are deputed to ſupply his place for him: [his mouth ſhould not tranſgreſſe in iudgement] neither he nor they ought to paſſe or award any vniuſt ſentence, or otherwiſe vtter vnrighteous ſpeeches, but deale vprightly towards eueryevery man in euerie matter.
Doct. They that be in great authoritie, hauehave need to be well furniſhed with wiſdome and iuſtice.
The praier which Salomon made to God at the beginning of his raigne, doth argue that he knew both theſe graces to be neceſſarie for him. GiueGive (ſaith he) to thy ſeruant an vnderſtanding 1. King 3. 9.heart to iudge thy people, that I may diſcerne betweene good and euill. Now that which hee asked, God was well pleaſed to grant; and that end which he propoſed, God alſo much reſpected; that he would therefore, hee did afterwards in the caſe of the two victualing women or harlots about the childe. And it is ſaid, that al Iſrael heard the iudgement, and ſaw the wiſdome 1 King. 3. 28.of God to be in him to doe iuſtice.
Reaſon 1 Firſt, the Magiſtrate is made the Lords Lieuetenant and Deputie: he ruleth for him, and occupieth his place, and therefore muſt not onelyonly approoue himſelfe to his preſence, but endeuour ſo to proceed, as he verily thinketh God himſelfe would, if he were perſonally in the ſame caſe, there and then to ſit vponupon the ſame cauſes.
This was the ground of Iehoſhaphats admonition to his Iudges, whereby he perſwaded them to be faithfull in the execution of their offices. Take heed (ſaith he) what yee doe, for 2 Chron. … 6 7.yee execute not the iudgements of man, but of the Lord and he will bee with you in the cauſe and iudgement. Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be vponupon you: take heed, and doe it, for there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God, neither reſpect of perſons, nor receiuing of rewards.
Secondly, the ſubiects ruled are alſo the Lords ſubiects, ſheepe, and people, as Salomon confeſſed in his praier before mentioned. God is the maſter and owner of the flocke: the Prince his principall ſhepheard, and next vntounto him; and the ſubordinate Miniſters of iuſtice inferiour ſhepheards vnderunder the Prince.
Thirdly, where the Magiſtrate faileth of vpright dealing, much miſchiefe ariſeth, both to the innocent, in regard of his ſtate and bodie; and to the offender, in regard of his ſoule and conſcience; and to the Common-weale, in regard of the manifold euils that enſue vponupon vniuſtice: all which, for the moſt part, are preuented, or healed, by the wiſdome and faithfulneſſe of righteous Gouernours.
Vſe 1 Inſtruction to all that hauehave authoritie committed vntounto them, or are like heereafter to beare rule ouer others, ſo to ſtore their mindes with knowledge, that their lips may ſpeake not only equally, but admirablie and diuinely, and to bee as farre before other men in wiſdome and vnderſtanding, as they are aboue them in place and dignitie. Theſe two vertues comoined, and ſeaſoned with pietie and godlineſſe, will adde daily increaſe of honour to them that are moſt honourable and excellent.
And as they are much behoouefull for their reputation, ſo are they very neceſſarie for their conſciences, becauſe they muſt yeeld an account to God of the manner of their adminiſtration and gouernment. In which reſpect, eueryevery ſentence which they paſſe, and eueryevery worke of their office which they performe, doth more neerely concerne themſelues, than the parties whoſe cauſes they deale in. If they doe iuſtice, and decree that which is right, they ſhall hauehave praiſe for the ſame from the moſt righteous Iudge at the laſt day: but if they hauehave peruerted iudgement, if they condemne the innocent, and if they confirme the wicked in their wicked waies, they doe all this againſt their owne ſoules: thoſe matters will bee called into queſtion againe at that time, and then they ſhall hauehave ſhame before the iudgement ſeat of Chriſt, in the preſence and hearing of all the world.
Verſe 11. The weight and ballance of iudgement are of the Lord: all the weights of the bagge are his worke.
THE weight and ballance of iudgement] Iuſt, euen, and equal meaſures, and all vpright and faithfull dealing in euerie reſpect, [are of the Lord] commanded and appointed by him, according as it is ſaid in the Law, Thou ſhalt hauehave a right and Deu 25. 15. 16iuſt weight: a perfect and a iuſt meaſure ſhalt thou hauehave, that thy daies may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee. For all that doe vnrighteouſly are abomination to the Lord thy God. [all the weights] the great and the ſmall, and of the middle ſize [of the bagge] which men vſe to put into the bagge for the better and ſafer keeping of them, [are his worke] his ordinance, found out and inuented by his ſpecial prouidence and direction, and warranted by his word for the benefit of humane ſocietie, and the preſeruation of equitie in the trafficke of one man with another. Heerein is a ſecret admonition contained by conſequence, that no man peruert them to fraud and deceit, becauſe that man is not only thereby damnified, but Gods owne ordinance is thereby violated. See Chap. 11. verſe 1.