Exposition of Proverbs 15-17, Biblical commentary · Chapter 16 · Verse 7 – Verse 8
Verſe 7. When the Lord is pleaſed with the waies of a man, hee will make his enemies at peace with him.
WHen the Lord is pleaſed with the waies of a man] When any perſon leadeth a holy and righteous life, with faith and integritie, according to the rule of his word, [hee will make his enemies at peace with him] hee will cauſe his aduerſaries to lay aſide their hatred, and beare good will to him, and deale friendly with him.
This commeth to paſſe often, but not alwaies: neither would the Holy Ghoſt hauehave it taken for a perpetuall rule; for how then ſhould that be verified which our Sauiour told his Diſciples, that they ſhould be betraied of their parents, and Luke 21. 16.brethren, and kinſmen, and friends, and be hated of all men for his names ſake: which wee ſee vſually come to paſſe alſo in our times? But this is the beſt meanes to reconcile them vntounto vsus, and winne their louelove either ſooner or latter, as experience diuers times declareth. And this procureth protection from God, though malice be nothing diminiſhed in them. And this may occaſion them now and then to doe vsus a good turne in a fit, as the Egyptians did to the Iſraelites; or before they are ware, as Hamon did to Mordecai, though they beare no good affection to vsus.
The beſt way to hauehave mans fauour to doe vsus good, is to get Gods fauour. Iacob was vndoubtedly perſwaded of this, when his brother Eſau, whoſe wrath he feared, was comming with a band of men to meet him: and that made him ſo indefatigable in his praier and wraſtling with the Lord. And the anſwer which he receiued, with the ſucceſſe that he found, was ſutable to the meanes which hee vſed. Becauſe thou haſt had power (ſaith the Angell) with God, thou ſhalt alſo preuaile Gen. 32. 28.with men.
The ſame courſe tooke Mordecai and Hester to procure the fauour and helpe of Ahaſhueroſh; and Nehemiah to obtaine Heſter 4. Neh. 1. 11.his ſuit of King Artahſhaſhte. And it is ſaid of the Iewes that were in Babel and other places, that when the Lord remembred his couenant towards them, and repented according to the multitude Pſal. 106. 46.of his mercies, that hee gaue them fauour in the ſight of all them that lead them Captiues.
Reaſon 1 Firſt, hee hath the affections of all men at his diſpoſition: Hee deriueth their louelove and liking to whom it pleaſeth him: and he incenſeth their wrath and hatred againſt whom he appointeth it. He made Ahaſhueroſh to caſt off Vaſhti, whom he doted on before; and to embrace Heſter, whom hee neuer knew before. Hee cauſed the ſame King in a moment to abhorre and hang Haman, which had beene his minion and principall fauorite; and to admire and promote Mordecai, whom he had formerly preſcribed and deſtinated to death.
Secondly, hee doth bleſſe the vertuous and amiable behauiour of his ſeruants, that it ſhall be obſerued of their enemies, and that to the pacifying of their diſpleaſures, and reconciling of their good wils: as their mildneſſe and merciemercy, their humilitie and patience, their diligence in their callings, their faithfulneſſe to their friends, their louelove to their enemies, their innocencie towards all, and readineſſe to doe good to eueryevery one. By theſe and ſuch like, though ſome be mooued to more enuy, yet many will bee allured to better liking of them.
Vſe 1 Inſtruction, that when wee hauehave many aduerſaries to oppreſſe vsus, and few friends to releeue vsus, we examine our waies, whether they doe offend, or pleaſe the Lord. If hee be at variance with vsus for that wee hauehave prouoked his anger, it is his diſpleaſure that hath procured vsus ſo many foes, and it is our repentance that muſt obtaine deliuerance from them. But if he be at peace with vsus, they ſhall not long warre, nor at all preuaile againſt vsus: either their hearts will be changed, and they turned to be our friends, or their power reſtrained, that they ſhall be but weake enemies. Either they will deſiſt from their malice, or others will protect vsus from their miſchiefe, or God himſelfe will be our refuge, that wee ſhall not be hurt by their violence.
Confutation of their follie that curry fauour with men by ſinning againſt God, as by flatterie, and telling of falſe tales, and ſeruing their turnes in all other vnlawfull practiſes. Who is able to recount all the particular courſes of this kinde, they are ſo many? There is no euill worke that they dare omit when they are required to doe it, if it be in requeſt; nor any good dutie that they will aduenture to performe, if it bee in diſgrace, leſt they ſhould make their friends become their foes.
Let them know, that the friendſhip that is ſo gotten or retained, is either vnconſtant and mutable, and is like to bee loſt as ſoone as it is found; or vnprofitable and barren, that will doe them no good at their greateſt need; or dangerous and noiſome, that wil turne to the hurt either of their hearts or bodies. For many of them whoſe fauour they hauehave paid for with the hazzard of their ſoules, doe at length become their mortall enemies for the ruine of their preſent eſtate: but which of them all will ſhew his kindneſſe in helping them to Heauen, and ſeeking the happines of their ſtate to come?
Verſe 8. Better is a little with righteouſneſſe, than great reuenues without equitie.
BEtter] More comfortable and profitable [is a little] ſmall ſubſtance or maintenance [with righteouſneſſe] when the man himſelfe is iuſt and godly, and his poſſeſſions are well gotten and vſed [than great reuenues] either a large ſtocke, and ſtore of money, or any kinde of riches, or lands, or penſions, or commings in, whatſoeuer, [without equitie] which are vniuſtly come by, vnrighteouſly kept, or vnlawfully ſpent. See Chap. 12. verſe 27. and 15. verſe 16.