Exposition of Proverbs 15-17, Biblical commentary · Chapter 16 · Verse 28 – Verse 30
Verſe 28. A froward perſon ſoweth ſtrife, and a tale-teller ſeparateth chiefe friends.
A Froward perſon] A man of frowardneſſe (ſaith the originall text) he that is giuen to vnquietneſſe, and to bee a buſie body, peruerting other mens words and waies, and nouriſhing peeuiſhneſſe and ſinfulneſſe in himſelfe, [ſoweth ſtrife] raiſeth contentions, and cauſeth debate betweene man and man which agreed well together before: [and a tale-bearer] a pickthanke, which vnderunder colour and pretence of louelove doth ſecretlie whiſper in mens eares, and maliciouſly informe them againſt their innocent and faithfull well-willers, [ſeparateth chiefe friends] the word that often ſignifieth a Prince, a Guide, or Captaine, is ſometimes taken alſo for a principall friend, or, as we ſay, a Prince of friends, as heere and in the next Chapter following, verſe 9. and Pſalme 55. verſe 13. It was thou, O man, euen my companion, my eſpeciall friend, and my familiar. And Micah 7. verſe 5. Truſt yee not a friend, &c. The meaning then is, that he ſetteth variance betweene thoſe that were inward together, and ſingularlie affected one towards another.
Doct. No bonds of friendſhip and kindneſſe will hold, where make-bates may hauehave hearing.
One falſe-hearted lying ſycophant will cauſe many truſtie friends to ſeeme vnfaithfull and treacherous, as Doeg did Ahimelech, and the other Prieſts to Saul. It is eaſie for a makebate to incenſe a maſter againſt his beſt ſeruants, as Potiphars wife did her husband againſt Ioſeph: or a Prince againſt his loyalleſt ſubiects, as Haman did Ahaſhueroſh againſt the Iewes: or the father againſt his deareſt ſonne, as ſome of Sauls Courtiers did Saul againſt Ionathan: or the husband againſt his moſt kinde and louing wife, as daily experience declareth.
A make-bate will prouoke any degree of ſuperiours to reiect and caſt off their inferiours that depend vponupon them: A make-bate will ſtirre vp euerie kinde of inferiours to grudge and murmur at their ſuperiours that are carefull for them: A make-bate will ſet all ſorts of equals at variance, that earſt were vnited together with louelove and hearty affection.
Reaſon 1 Firſt, there is guiltineſſe in his conſcience, which worketh waiwardneſſe in him; and ſo there being no peace betweene God and his owne ſoule, hee ſeeketh to interrupt that peace and amitie which is betweene others, like as when the winde diſquieteth the Sea, the waues thereof doe toſſe the ſhips.
Secondly, there is pride and enuie in his heart, which maketh him to repine at the louelove and beneficence which is ſhewed among friends, for that he would alone be well eſteemed, and much made of, as the falſe Apoſtles for that cauſe laboured to alienate the hearts of the Galathians and others from the Apoſtle S. Paul.
Thirdly, there is venome in his mouth, and a peſtilent breath proceeding from him, by meanes whereof, they that hearken to him are ſoone perſwaded by him, that there is falſhood in fellowſhip, and moſt fraud where in truth is greateſt vprightneſſe. If Dauid will entertaine the report of Ziba, hee will make him beleeue that faithfull Mephiboſheth is turned to be a perfidious Traitor. Such a poiſon there is in a ſlanderous tongue, to ſend out infection; and ſuch an aptnes in a credulous eare to receiue it. As the coale maketh burning coales, and wood a fire, ſo the contentious man is apt to kindle Prouer. 16. 21ſtrife.
Vſe 1 Admonition, to beware of frowardneſſe, leſt we grow to be backe-biters; and of backe-biting, leſt we ſhew ourſelues froward; and of both, leſt either of them draw downe Gods iudgements vponupon vsus.
Hee that raiſeth vp contentions among brethren, maketh warre betweene the Lord and himſelfe; for the doing of that is one of the greateſt of thoſe abominations which the ſoule of the Lord is ſaid to abhorre; and whomſoeuer the Scripture chargeth to hauehave beene offendors in this, are noted either to hauehave carried miſerie with them when they died, as Doeg, and Daniels aduerſaries, and Haman; or to leaue infamie behinde them after their death, as Ioſephs miſtriſſe, Rehum, Shimſai, Tabnai, the accuſers of Chriſt before Pilate, and they that complained on Paul to Felix and Feſtus. The naming of them prouoketh a loathing of them, and the reading of their malicious practiſes reuiueth the memoriall of their miſchieuous behauiour.
2 To eſteeme of a bate-maker, and ſo to deale with him, as the Holy Ghoſt teſtifieth of him, and giueth direction: Caſt out the ſcorner, and ſtrife ſhall goe out; ſo contention and reproch Prouer. 22. 10.ſhall ceaſe. Hee that will whiſper an vncharitable tale againſt his brother in ſecret, is well rewarded if hee be ſharplie rebuked in publike. Nay Dauid, after a ſort, vowed to doe more than that, which hee might very well hauehave performed vponupon Ziba. Him that priuilie ſlandereth his neighbour (ſaith Pſal. 101. 5.he) will I deſtroy. It is a great wrong that thou offereſt vntounto thy friend, but greater to thy ſelfe, when thou giueſt leaue and incouragement to thy friends enemie to traduce him, and conſpireſt with him to robbe thy ſelfe of an vnfained well-willer.
Verſe 29. A wicked man deceiueth his neighbour, and leadeth him into a way that is not good.
A Wicked man] He that is head-ſtrong, and wilfully giuen to tranſgreſſe the lawes of God, in regard whereof the originall text calleth him, a man of violence, [deceiueth his neighbour] infecteth the mindes of thoſe with whom he conuerſeth, with errors, perſwading them of the lawfulneſſe of that which is vnlawfull, and of ſafetie where is perill; and that that is euill which is good and laudable, and ſometimes neceſſarie, [and leadeth him into a way that is not good] corrupteth his conuerſation with vices, and draweth him vntounto ſuch courſes as are both ſinfull and hurtfull.
Doct. It is the propertie of vngodly men to ſeeke to make others as bad as themſelues.
S. Paul knew their diſpoſition, what was to bee looked for from them, and what alwaies will be found in them, ſaying, That euill men and deceiuers ſhall grow worſe and worſe, deceiuing 2. Tim 3. 13.and being deceiued. And our Sauiour Chriſt noteth it in the Scribes and Phariſeis, that they would compaſſe ſea and land to Matth. 23. 15.make one of their profeſſion; and when he was made, they would make him twofold more the childe of hell than themſelues.
Reaſon 1 Firſt, they hate righteouſneſſe, and louelove iniquitie, as Chriſt and Chriſtians doe louelove righteouſneſſe, and hate iniquitie: and therefore they like not that any man ſhould delight in that which they hate, but wiſh that eueryevery one would accompanie them in doing that which they louelove.
Secondly, they thinke that ſinne will lie the lighter vponupon their owne conſciences, if others can be drawen into guiltineſſe with them; and that they ſhall be the leſſe blemiſhed by that wherewith their neighbours are ſo much blotted, though they make their burden heauier, and their faults fouler by ſeducing their brethren.
Thirdly, they are of their father the diuell, and the luſts of their father they muſt and will doe. He hath beene a deceiuer from the Iohn 8.beginning, and ſinfull wretches will be factors for him vntill the end: they can no way elſe ſo much reſemble him, or ſo well content him.
Vſe. Inſtruction, to be ſo farre from ſhewing our ſelues wicked perſons in deceiuing of our neighbours, that wee declare our ſelues righteous in directing of them: ſo ſhall we be aduerſaries to Satan, and ſeruants to the Lord: ſo ſhall wee exerciſe mercy, in being helpfull towards the ſaluation of Gods elect, and not crueltie in being contagious and hurtfull to the ſoules of any. 2. To get vnderſtanding and skill, whereby wee may diſcouer the practiſes of deceiuers, and ſo eſcape them. We hauehave ſeene already, Chap. 9. verſe 16. that their call is, Whoſo is ſimple, let him come hither, and he that is deſtitute of wiſdome. And Chap. 11. verſe 9. that an hypocrite with his mouth corrupteth his neighbour, but the righteous ſhall bee deliuered by knowledge. In which places ſee both the point and vſes intreated of more at large.
Verſe 30. He ſhutteth his eies to deuiſe wickedneſſe: he moueth his lips, and bringeth euill to paſſe.
HE] The wicked man formerly ſpoken of, [ſhutteth his eies to deuiſe wickedneſſe] ſeriouſly ſetteth his minde vponupon miſchiefe, and would not hauehave his thoughts diſtracted and drawne away from it, by looking heere and there vponupon any obiects; meaning that hee is very intentiue to inuent that which may doe hurt: [he moueth his lips] hee ſpeaketh ſoftlie, and whiſpereth; he dealeth cloſely, and would not be knowen in his practiſes, leſt he ſhould be preuented, [and bringeth euill to paſſe] by his induſtrie and ſecrecie doth many ſhrewd turnes, and worketh much villanie.
Doct. A wicked man is neuer ſo ſtudious and cunning about any thing, as he is in working miſchiefe.
His minde, and his members, and the whole man ioine together in the ſeruice of ſinne, as Iſaiah inſtanceth in the niggard: He will ſpeake of niggardneſſe, and his heart will worke iniquitie, Iſa. 32. 6.and doe wickedly, and ſpeake falſly againſt the Lord, to make empty the hungrie ſoule, and to cauſe the drinke of the thirſtie to faile. And Micah his teſtimonie tendeth to the ſame purpoſe, when he ſaith, that they imagine and worke wickedneſſe vponupon their Micah 2. 1.beds, and when the morning is light, they practiſe it.
Reaſon 1 Firſt, they delight in nothing ſo much as that which is worſt, and moſt pernicious: their meat and drinke and reſt doe not ſo much refreſh them, as leaud behauiour doth affect them: For they cannot ſleepe, except they hauehave done euill; and their Prouer. 4. 16.ſleepe departeth, except they cauſe ſome to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedneſſe, and drinke the wine of violence.
Secondly, they are wholly bent to their deſignements, and fully reſolued in their purpoſes, and therefore muſe and meditate of all ſuch proiects as bee for their furtherance, and auoid all the lets and impediments that any way may hinder them.
Inſtruction for all that feare God (for againſt them commonly moſt hurt is intended) to be as watchfull and wiſe for their owne preſeruation, as the other are painfull and craftie to vndermine them. When the one ſort ſhut their eies, and fall to plotting, it concerneth the other to open their eies, and fall to praier, that God would behold how their enemies winked wiles, and by his good prouidence preuent them. Then let them ſpeake out, and crie aloud to the Lord for direction, helpe, and deliuerance, when ſuch as ſeeke their ruine begin to fal to muttering, and to conſpire together againſt them in ſecret. And for further vſe of this point, it is not to be paſſed ouer, that the ſtudiouſneſſe of theſe malicious men is imitable, though the matter which they ſtudy for bee odious and damnable. If they caſt about how to fulfill their wicked wils, ſhall not wee meditate how to accompliſh our godly deſires? If they beat their braines to finde out deuices for the ſeruice of Satan, the hurt of their neighbours, and their owne perdition, ought not we to bend our thoughts to learne the beſt meanes for the glory of God, the good of our brethren, and our owne ſaluation? The Prophet Iſaiah condemneth the Churle for deuiſing wicked counſels to vndoe the Iſa 32. 7. 8.poore with lying words. And the ſame Prophet in the ſame place commendeth the liberall man for deuiſing of liberall things: and this man (ſaith he) will continue his liberalitie.