Exposition of Proverbs 15-17, Biblical commentary · Chapter 16 · Verse 12 – Verse 13
Verſe 12. It is an abomination for Kings to commit wickednes: for the throne is eſtabliſhed by iuſtice.
IT is an abomination] an horrible and loathſome thing, wherwith the Lord is highly diſpleaſed, [for Kings] for great and mighty men, and Magiſtrates of eueryevery degree, [to commit wickedneſſe] to walke in impious, vncleane, and vnrighteous waies: [for the throne] their honour, and ſafety, and good eſtate eueryevery way, [is eſtabliſhed by iuſtice] made firme, and continued the longer, by their faithfull and vpright behauiour towards God and their people.
Doct. 1 The greater men be, the more grieuous their faults are when they fall into ſinne.
By this argument doth Hoſea exaggerate the offenſes, and iuſtifie the puniſhments of the Prieſts of his time. As they Hoſ. 4. 7.were increaſed (ſaith he) that is, growen richer, and exalted higher, they rebelled againſt me, therefore I will change their glorie into ſhame. And Ieremie, by way of compariſon, doth ſomewhat extenuate the naughtineſſe of the vulgar ſort, to aggrauate the wickedneſſe of the nobilitie, ſaying, They (this common people) are poore, they are fooliſh, for they know not the way Ier. 5. 4. 5.of the Lord, nor the iudgement of their God. I will get me vntounto the great men, and will ſpeake vntounto them, for they hauehave knowen the way of the Lord, and the iudgement of their God: but thoſe hauehave altogether broken the yoke, and burſt the bonds. Wherefore a Lion out of the Foreſt ſhall ſlay them, and a Wolfe out of the Wilderneſſe ſhall deſtroy them, &c.
Reaſon 1 Firſt, the more bountifull God hath beene to them, the more thankfull they ought to be to him; and as he hath increaſed their wages, they ſhould alſo mend their worke: large pay doth duly challenge large paines: and therefore contrariwiſe their great offenſes muſt needs deſerue the greater puniſhment.
The Lord was wont to ebbraid great perſonages, when they committed great tranſgreſſions, with the high places he had aduanced them vntounto, as Saul, and Ieroboam, and Eli, though better than they, and Dauid himſelfe, though beſt of them all.
Secondly, their ſinnes are very pernicious and peſtilent: they bring euill into requeſt, that men by their example will practiſe it for credit ſake. When Ieroboam is mentioned, hee is vſually deſcribed by this, that he made Iſrael to ſinne.
Thirdly, they draw downe plagues and iudgements vponupon the places and people that are vnderunder them, as Dauid did by his adulterie and murder: and when he committed a ſmaller fault, as was the numbring of the people. But the ſtrokes which the fearfull ſinnes of Manaſſe, Iehoiakim, and others, brought vponupon the City, Temple, and inhabitants of Ieruſalem and Iudah, were maruellous lamentable in thoſe daies, and very memorable ſtill in theſe times.
Vſe 1 Reproofe and terrour for ſuch as priuilege themſelues by thoſe prerogatiues which they hauehave aboue other men, whereas none are in ſo dangerous and miſerable eſtate as they.
They thinke their gentrie will warrant all impietie, and their dignitie aſſure them of impunitie, and their eminent places a protection from all puniſhments. And therefore ſo many are puffed vp with pride, and practiſe crueltie, and profeſſe adulterie, and breath out blaſphemies, and liue in voluptuouſneſſe, and ſcarſe forbeare any kinde of iniquitie.
Inſtruction, for honourable perſonages to take the right way to preſerue their honour, by keeping themſelues from thoſe corruptions whereunto this age of ours, and that ſtate of theirs are very prone. Let them therefore read the Scriptures conſtantly, as the King was commanded to doe all the Deut. 17. 19.daies of his life, that hee might learne to feare the Lord his God, and to keepe all the words of the Law. Let them meditate in the ſame with as great diligence as was required of Ioſhua, who was to apply himſelfe thereto both day and night, that he might Ioſh. 1 8.doe according to all that was written therein.
Let them hauehave faithfull Miniſters about them, which will ſhew them their ſinnes, and deale faithfully with their ſoules, as Gad and Nathan did with Dauid: and let them hearken to their wholeſome counſels, as Dauid did to Gads and Nathans.
Doct. 2 The throne is eſtabliſhed, &c.] The goodneſſe and iuſtice of men in authoritie doth better vphold their eſtate than greatneſſe and riches.
The Lord by Ieremiah declaring how happy Ioſiah the father had beene, and how wretched Iehoiakim the ſonne ſhould be; and why the one did ſpeed ſo well, and wherefore the other could thriue no better, ſaith, Shalt thou raigne becauſe Ier. 22. 15.thou cloſeſt thy ſelfe in Cedar? Did not thy father eat, and drinke, and prosper, when hee executed iudgement and iuſtice? When hee iudged the cauſe of the afflicted and poore, hee prospered. Was not this becauſe he knew mee, ſaith the Lord? But thine eies and thy heart are only for thy couetouſneſſe, and for oppreſſion, &c. And ſo his ruine and deſtruction is ſhewed in the words following.
Reaſon 1 Firſt, there; and no where elſe, is ſtabilitie and aſſurance, where God is a refuge and defenſe: they ſtand all firme whom he protecteth, and downe they muſt whom he neglecteth: And whom doth hee preſerue but the righteous? And what righteous man was euer forſaken? Eſpecially, what righteous and godly Prince can poſſibly bee deſtitute of his aid and ſuccour?
Secondly, equal and vpright adminiſtration of iuſtice doth knit the hearts of the people to their gouernours: and the louelove of the ſubiects is a ſtrong foot, and a mighty munition for the ſafety of the Ruler.
Thirdly, when the Magiſtrate doth right to all, and wrong to none, eueryevery good and indifferent man will reuerence him, and ſtand in the greater awe of his lawes: his authoritie will command the very heart, ſo that none but ſuch as are deſperately rebellious, will dare to attempt any thing againſt him. It is noted, that when all Iſrael had heard the wiſe and righteous ſentence that Salomon paſſed for the deliuerie of the childe to the right mother, they feared the King: and the reaſon is added, becauſe they ſaw the wiſdome of God was in him to doe iuſtice.1. King. 3. 28.
Vſe. Reproofe of their folly that make fraud and oppreſſion the pillars and buttreſſes of their eſtates, to vphold them from decay, and meanes and inſtruments to erect them higher. And this is to bee found almoſt in all ſorts of ſuperiours; as in many maſters, which are as fierce as Lions in offering iniuries, and preying vponupon their apprentiſes and ſeruants. So in ſundry Land-lords, who are as hungrie as Beares to ſwallow vp and deuoure the labors and ſubſtance of their poore tenants. So in diuers Magiſtrates and Officers, who ſmite with the fiſt of wickedneſſe, and lay heauy burdens vponupon the backes of their inferiours. But let them bee intreated to remember, that God doth heare all, and ſee all, and will iudge all; and that whiles they go about to make themſelues great, they make themſelues guiltie of great iniquitie, and liable to great puniſhments, which no title, nor price, nor power can preuent. They vndermine the very foundation of their honour and poſteritie, when they take that courſe for the aduancing of their names, and the raiſing vp of their houſes.
Verſe 13. Righteous lips are the delight of Kings: and the King loueth him that ſpeaketh right things.
THE latter clauſe ſheweth what is the ſenſe of the former, that when it is ſaid, [Righteous lips are the delight of Kings] is meant, that Kings and great perſonages will affect ſuch as ſpeake with truth, wiſdome, and faithfulneſſe. This often commeth to paſſe, but oftener faileth, more mightie men fauouring flatterers and Sycophants, than ſuch as are vpright in their ſpeeches. And yet is there no vntruth in the ſentence, becauſe the purpoſe thereof is to ſhew what is done by ſome, and ought to bee done by all. It is therefore giuen as a precept to Princes and ſuperiours, to make much of them that ſpeake plainly with iudgement and diſcretion: and an incouragement to ſubiects and inferiours, to vſe their lips ſo, with expectation of fauour thereby, if not from mighty men in the earth, yet from the Almighty God in Heauen.
Doct. Faithfulneſſe and honeſtie is the directeſt way to preferment and honour. Wee ſee it verified in Joſeph, in Daniel, in Mordecai, and others. And there is to the ſame purpoſe a like ſaying in another Chapter: Hee that loueth pureneſſe of Prouer. 22. 11heart, for the grace of his lips the King ſhall be his friend. See more for this point in the 14. Chapter at the laſt verſe.