Exposition of Proverbs 15-17, Biblical commentary · Chapter 16 · Verse 22 – Verse 26
Verſe 22. Vnderſtanding is a well-ſpring of life to them that hauehave it: but the inſtruction of fooles is follie.
VNderſtanding] The true knowledge of Gods holy will [is a well-ſpring of life] a precious poſſeſſion, as fountaines were in thoſe Countries; and a comfortable, conſtant, neceſſarie, and effectuall meanes of ſaluation, [to them that hauehave it] whoſe mindes are ſoundly illuminated, and their hearts graciouſly ſeaſoned therewith: [but the inſtruction of fooles] thoſe perſwaſions which ſinfull men vſe, and that aduice which they giuegive in ſtead of inſtructions, [is follie] corrupt and wicked for matter, and pernicious and hurtfull for effect.
Thus ſtandeth the oppoſition: Vnderſtanding is a Wellſpring of life to thoſe that poſſeſſe it, and therefore the counſell of wiſe men is wiſdome: and ignorance is the fountaine of death to them that are poſſeſſed of it, and therefore the inſtruction of fooles is follie.
Doct. Nothing is more needfull and profitable for the body, than grace is for the ſoule.
He taketh his compariſon from that which eueryevery man, beſides many other creatures, hath neceſſarie vſe of for preſeruation of life; and whereof the plants of the earth ſtand in need for growth and fruitfulneſſe, and the ground it ſelfe for moiſture and fertilitie. By the ſame ſimilitude the Lord Ieſus doth commend and ſet foorth the excellencie of his grace and Goſpell to the woman of Samaria, when he told her, that whoſoeuer ſhould drinke of the water that hee ſhall giuegive him, ſhall neuer be more athirſt: but the water that he ſhall giuegive him, ſhall be in him a Well of water ſpringing vp into euerlaſting life. And not much vnlike to this is that which he ſo ſolemnly proclaimed in a ſolemne aſſemblie, and that in the laſt and great day of a ſolemne feaſt, ſaying, Hee that beleeueth in mee, as ſaith the Iohn 7. 38.Scripture, out of his bellie ſhall flow riuers of water of life.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, the ſame God which hath appointed food and water to nouriſh the bodie, and by the vertue thereof to ſuſtaine the naturall life, hath alſo ordained grace and vnderſtanding to refreſh the ſoule, and by the efficacie of that to maintaine the ſpirituall life, ſo that the latter is no leſſe expedient and beneficiall than the former.
Secondly, this water of life that is in the ſoule, doth by many degrees ſurmount the materiall water that is to bee found in the fountaines. That iſſueth out of the ground, and commeth from the bowels of the earth: and this deſcendeth from heauen, and is deriued from the ſonne of God. That is communicated to all ſorts of creatures; the worſt partake of it as well as the beſt, and the beaſts as much as any men: but this is peculiar to Gods owne people, and no man can hauehave any portion of it beſide the elect. That is not eueryevery where to be had, for ſome places be deſtitute of it, and ſome ſeaſons do cauſe it to faile, as it came to paſſe in the daies of Ahab: but this accompanieth the owner whitherſoeuer hee goeth, and whereſoeuer he is; and no drought can poſſibly drie it vp. That hath no force to preſerue life againſt violence, or mortall diſeaſes, or fulneſſe of old age: but this hath power to protect the ſoule againſt all aſſaults, and ſuffereth not any maladie to kill it, and maketh it the more freſh and liuely, by the greater multitude of yeeres that it liueth.
Vſe 1 Inſtruction, to ſeeke for this heauenly vnderſtanding, ſithence it is for ſo good vſe, as we labour for the beſt earthly commodities, which cannot ſerue for better vſe: and by how much it doth eueryevery way exceed all worldly poſſeſſions, by ſo much to be the more induſtrious and diligent to poſſeſſe it. It is a well-ſpring of life to the owners of it, and not to the talkers and hearers of it. The enioying of wealth doth make a man rich, and the receiuing of food doth nouriſh him, and not the bare ſight of either of them. One may ſee meat dreſſed in other mens kitchins, and plate and iewels in other mens ſhops, and yet liue in hunger, and die a beggar.
Conſolation to them whoſe hearts are taught of God, and whoſe mindes are enlightned with the ſpirit of reuelation, whereby they hauehave attained vntounto this heauenly vnderſtanding: they bee not without a teſtimonie of regeneration, nor want aſſurance of perſeueration. Whoſoeuer is once a partaker of the water of life, can neuer bee after defeated of euerlaſting life. No enemie within or without can ſtop vp this Well, as the Philiſtims maliciouſly did fill vp Iſaacks Wels: and this Well is neuer empty of water, and this water neuer wanteth an effectuall vertue for conſeruation of the ſoule.
Doct. 2 But the inſtruction, &c.] Good counſell is not to bee expected from ſinfull and ignorant mens mouthes: they are full of vanitie and fooliſhneſſe, as ſinkes and puddles be of muddy water and filthmeſſe; and therefore it is not likely that they ſhould ſend foorth the pure ſtreames of wholeſome inſtructions. They know no good: they learne no good: they louelove no good: and is it poſſible then for them to giuegive exhortations, and precepts of goodneſſe? When Rehoboam left the iudgement of the prudent, aged, and leaned on the ſentences of the wilde headed yoongſters, the aduice that hee tooke, was ſutable to the Counſellers that gaue it; namely, raſh and dangerous, exceeding pernicious and hurtfull. We ſhall ſee in the 29. verſe, that a wicked man deceiueth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good. And there we ſhall hauehave better occaſion to handle this point more at large.
Verſe 23. The heart of the wiſe guideth his mouth aright, and addeth doctrine to his lips.
THE heart of the wiſe] His knowledge and iudgement, his prudence and diſcretion, [doth guide his mouth aright] direct him when to ſpeake, and when to hold his peace, and what to ſay, and what to conceale. His louelove to goodneſſe induceth him to declare that which is good; and his hatred of naughtineſſe doth cauſe him to refraine from all words that are naught: [and addeth Doctrine to his lips] miniſtreth matter of wholeſome leſſons for them to deliuer. It getteth knowledge, and keepeth it, and they being ſtored therewith, doe vtter the ſame for the inſtruction of others. See Chap. 15. verſe 28.
Verſe 24. Faire words are as an hony combe: ſweetneſſe to the ſoule, and health to the bones.
GOdly and comfortable ſayings rightly grounded on the holy Scriptures, and fitly applied to the vſe of well prepared hearts, whether publikely or priuately, [are as an honycombe, ſweetneſſe to the ſoule] they bring great ioy and gladneſſe to an vpright heart, as hony or other ſweet things doe much delight the taſte, [and healeth the bones] are meanes of good to the whole body, for conſeruation of health, or reſtitution to it, by the cheerefulneſſe of the minde, and the fauour and bleſſing of God.
Doct. Nothing is more pleaſant and profitable than gracious ſpeeches to godly perſons.
In this place they are compared to honie by Salomon, as being equall to it in deliciouſneſſe: but in the Pſalmes they are preferred before hony by Dauid, as being euerie way more Pſal. 19. 10.delightfull than that is.
Neither was hee ignorant of the operation thereof, when he beſought the Lord to make him heare ioy and gladneſſe, that Pſal. 51. 8.the bones which he had broken might reioice.
Reaſon 1 Firſt, God himſelfe doth put vertue into them, and maketh them effectuall for the comfort and helpe of his people, according as himſelfe teſtifieth, ſaying, I create the fruit of the lips to be peace: peace vntounto them that are farre off, and to them that are neere, ſaith the Lord, for I will heale them.
Secondly, the matter of theſe faire words, directed from God to the ſoules of his faithfull ſeruants, is ſuch as farre ſurpaſſeth all things which are ſubiect to any of the ſenſes. His owne louelove and fauour is thereby declared vntounto them: remiſſion of ſinnes is thereby aſſured vntounto them: euerlaſting glorie is thereby confirmed vntounto them, and the Lord Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe, with his holineſſe, merits, and graces, is thereby exhibited to them. EueryEvery one of which, as it is incomparably more delectable and ſweet than any thing that is ſenſible and for corporall vſe, ſo it is alſo infinitely more durable, as being for eternitie, and making him eternally happie that enioieth it.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction, to chuſe to liue, if wee may, where our ſoules may taſte of, and be often refreſhed with theſe heauenlie and gladſome ſpeeches, though our bodily food bee there more ſcant and homely, rather than to conuerſe in places where we ſhall be without them, though our fare ſhould bee neuer ſo plentifull and daintie. And let all them that louelove hoſpitalitie, learne to prouide, that their friends and gueſts may not only hauehave the choice of toothſome diſhes, but alſo the means of wholeſome conference; for ſo a poore man may keepe a liberall table.
Reproofe of them that finde hony and ſugar in filthie, wanton, or any kinde of ſinfull and foule words; but gall and wormewood in godly diſcourſes, and a loathing of all faire and fruitfull ſpeeches. The diſtaſting of well-reliſhed and ſauourie meat, doth argue a ſicke and fouleſome ſtomacke: and the deteſtation of godly and ſeaſonable talke doth bewray an euill and guiltie conſcience.
Verſe 25. There is a way that ſeemeth right to a man: but the iſſue thereof are the waies of death.
THere is a way] an vngodly, but a common courſe of life, which all vnregenerate perſons doe take, [that ſeemeth right to a man] wherein he pleaſeth himſelfe; and being either blindfolded by luſt, or miſled by carnall reaſon, cuſtome, or companie, thinketh it not to be very diſpleaſing to God, or dangerous to himſelfe: [but the iſſue thereof are the waies of death] in the end it will bring them to deſtruction, toward which they hauehave beene trauelling all their life time before. See Chap. 12. verſe 15. and Chap. 14. verſe 12. where the ſelfe ſame words hauehave beene expounded.
Verſe 26. The troubleſome perſon bringeth trouble to himſelfe, for his mouth doth recoile vponupon himſelfe.
THE troubleſome perſon] which taketh a delight, and ſeeketh occaſions to moleſt others which hauehave done him no hurt, [bringeth trouble to himſelfe] procureth his owne hurt or vexation of minde: [for his mouth recoileth vponupon himſelfe] his falſe or malicious ſpeeches, whereby hee diffameth his neighbours, or otherwiſe ſeeketh to worke their ſorrow, turne to his owne ſhame and diſcredit, if not loſſe, or further puniſhment.
Doct. No turbulent man can keepe himſelfe ſafe from trouble and miſerie.
It is a righteous thing with God (ſaith S. Paul to the Theſſalonians) 2. Theſſ. 1. 6.to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you.
Pharaoh with the cruell Egyptians felt this true, and Saul with his malicious Courtiers, and Haman with thoſe violent men that attempted the ruine of the Church in Heſters time. Though Achan minded not to moleſt Iſrael, nor had a purpoſe to doe them harme, yet becauſe hee did it in deed, and drew downe a plague and iudgement vponupon them, therefore ſaid Ioſhua to him, In as much as thou haſt troubled vsus, the Lord Ioſhua 7. 25.ſhall trouble thee this day.
Reaſon 1 Firſt, God taketh the matter in hand for the wronged, and repaieth the wrong-doers according to their owne meaſure wherewith they mete to others, as appeareth by the former teſtimonies and examples.
Secondly, an vnquiet and contentious perſon doth commonly make himſelfe hatefull and odious to the people, and ſo that befalleth him which was ſpoken concerning Iſmael, His hand ſhalbe againſt eueryevery man, & eueryevery mans hand againſt him.Gen. 16. 12.
Thirdly, their bodies vſually are put to trauell, by going or riding: their purſes to charges, for fees or other expences: their hearts to torment, with diſappointments and repulſes: for their ſucceſſe will not be anſwerable to their expectation and deſire, as Haman found, to his diſcontentment, euen whiles Mordecai was vnderunder him; but felt to his anguiſh and deſtruction when Mordecai was ouer him.
Vſe. Inſtruction, to preſerue our owne peace by liuing peaceably with our brethren; and rather to ſuffer iniuries with quietneſſe, than to reuenge them vncharitably with ſtrife and contention: and eſpecially, than to offer them with moleſtation and diſturbance of any man. Or if we hauehave faulted too farre already that way, before wee heard, or well harkened to this counſell, that ſhall be our wiſdome, prouidently to preuent the hurts that may enſue, by a timely remedie thereof: and that is, as wee hauehave vniuſtly brought griefe to other mens hearts, and hindrance to their ſtates, ſo we afflict our owne hearts with griefe for the ſame; and as much as in vsus is, procure them reſt, and make them recompence.