Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 3 · Verse 3
VERSE 3. Let not mercy and truth forſake thee: bind them about thy neck, write them upon the Table of thine heart.
NOw follow particular duties to bee performed to God and Man, enterlarded with many excellent promiſes and rewards for encouragement to obedience. And firſt the wiſe man begins with two duties to men, ſetting the Exhortation to mercy and truth in this Verſe, and the encouraging promiſe in the next.
For the words.
Let not mercy and truth. Theſe two are oft enjoyned together in Scripture: and it is pitty, that they being ſo nearly joyned in themſelves ſhould ever be ſeparated. Sometimes they are jointly attributed to God. His mercy is everlaſting, and his truth endureth to all generations. Pſal. 100.5. His merciful kindneſs is great towards us, and the truth of the Lord eudureth for ever. 117.2. Sometimes to man. Mercy and truth preſerve the King. Chap. 20.28. When they are attributed to God, then Gods mercy is ſhewed in promiſing or giving man any good, that deſerves nothing but ill of him. His truh is ſhewed in performance of his promiſes: When they are ſpoken of man, then is mercy ſeen in giving freely to the poor, who deſerve nothing of us, yea to enemies, who deſerve ill of us. Truth is manifeſted in doing what we owe by promiſe, or debt to men. Miſericordia eſt gratia, qua ex noſtro libero animo benefacimus alteri, non ex debito, non ex paſſione. Veritas, quâ excluſa omni fictione adaequamus facta dictis, verba cordi, cordebitis: Gratia, qua gratuita, veritas, qua debita exhibemus. Cajeetan. Mercy is favour, whereby out of our own free mind we doe good to another man, not out of debt, not out of paſſion. Truth is that vertue, whereby ſhutting out all feigning, we do equall our deeds to our words, our words to our haart, our heart to our debts. Grace (or mercy) is, whereby we give free things; Truth, whereby we pay (or reſtore) things due to others. Some interpret the Text here of Gods mercy and truth, and that two waies.
1. So carry thy ſelf, that God may deal mercifully, and truly with thee. But this cannot be the ſenſe. For though a man may ſo carry himſelf, that God will not deal mercifully with him; yet he cannot carry himſelf ſo badly, that God will not deal truly with him, for that were a blemiſh to God. If he be upright, God will perform his promiſes to him: if not, God will execute his threatnings upon him: whichſoever God doth, he ſhewes forth his truth.
2. By way of promiſe, not of exhortation. And they read it, Mercy and truth ſhall not forſake thee. And they tie it to the former words, if thou forget not my Law, &c. then God wil deal mercifully with thee, and perform all his promiſes to thee. But
1. This croſſes the ordinary ſenſe of foreign for a prohibition, and that without need.
2. The words following are imperative.
3. In the firſt and ſecond Verſes ye have a prohibition, and promiſe. This method is alſo obſerved in the verſes following: and moſt likly ſo here in this Verſe, and the next. The word foreign ſignifies.
1. Mercy or favour, All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth. Pſal. 25.10.
2. By the contrary it is taken for reproch, or diſhonour. Sin is a reproach to any people. Chap. 14.34. So foreign ſignifies to bleſſe, and curſe: and other Hebrew words admit of contrary ſignifications. foreign Truth comes from a word, that ſignifies to be firm, and ſtable; for truth will abide, when all lies fail. And the Hebrew word for believing, comes from the ſame root, for truth is worthy to be believed, and relied upon. This is a faithfull ſaying, and worthy of all acceptation, 1 Tim. 1.15.
Forſake thee. See on Chap. 2.17. An Hypallage. Forſake not thou them, for then will they forſake thee. A great elegancy in it, intimating.
1. That their forſaking us is more then our forſaking them. Our forſaking them may come out of our weakneſſe, but their forſaking us comes out of our wilfullneſſe, and hardneſſe of heart, in not entertaining them.
2. It ſets out the eaſineſſe of the loſſe of them through our corruption. Fugax eſt natura boni, Good things naturally flye away.
3. It ſets out our great need of them. Neque verò dixit, ipſas ne deſeras, ſed ne deſerant te, oſtendens nos eſſe, qui illarum egea…us, non ipſas nostri, Chryſo…t. Hom. 1 in Philip. For he doth not ſay, Forſake not thou them, but l…t them not forſake thee, ſhewing, that we have need of them, but they have no need of us.
4. It imitates our great care, and paines needfull for the retaining of them. They are eaſily loſt, but hardly kept. An Hawk muſt be well tamed, before he be let flye: elſe he will return no more. Theſe graces muſt be as carefully kept as providently gotten, like riches. Non minor est virtus, quùm quarere, parta tueri. It is no leſſe vertue to keep wealth, then to get it. Non dicit, ſemel facias, aut ſecundo, aut tertio, neque decies, neque centies, ſed perpetuo, Non deſerant te Chryſost. He doth not ſay, Be carefull once, or twice, or the third time, no nor ten times, nor an hundred times, but take care perpetually, that they forſake thee not. And both mercy, and truth muſt be kept for ever. Difficile eſt ſimul nos miſereri, & ſapere. Sen. It is an hard task for us to pitty, and be wiſe both together. Elſe mercy may lie to do good, and truth may reveal without cauſe, what may do hurt. Therefore joyn both, as God doth, Mercy and truth are met together. Pſal. 85.10. Elſe Gods mercy would ſave all, or his truth damn all.
Bind them. The word foreign ſignifies.
1. To bind one thing to another, as a yoke is bound about an Oxes neck. Thou ſhalt bind a stone to it. Jer. 51.63.
2. To bind men together in love. His life is bound up in the lads life. Gen. 44.30.
3. To bind them together in a plot, or conſpiracy. The ſervants of Amnon conſpired againſt him, 2 King. 21.23. Here it is taken in the firſt ſenſe for putting them, and the neck together, yet not without a figure, as will appear anon. By them is not meant the Law, and Commandments. ver. 1. But Mercy and truth, as in this.
About thy neck. See on Chap. 19. Hereby is meant.
1. To have them faſt, ſo that they may not be loſt; as men tie their Jewels about their necks.
2. To have them ready to uſe, when occaſion is offered, as a jewell about the neck, that hath vertue in it, is at hand for uſe.
3. To keep ſome externall memorialls to put us in mind of theſe vertues upon the beholding of them, as jewells on the neck, may put us in mind of buſineſſes, being ever in fight.
4. To delight in them, as men doe in jewells which they hang about their necks.
5. To count it an ornament to us to deale mercifully, and truly with others. The children of Nobles, when they were little, were wont to wear ſome jewell about their neck, that they might be known to be of high birth. So ſhould wee make our heavenly parentage known by works of mercy, and truth.
And write them upon the Table of thine heart. Have them in perpetual all remembrance, as things not written in Tables of ſtone, as Moſes Law was, but in thy heart, as in a Table of perpetuall memory, as Gods Law was written at firſt in Adams heart, and as we write in our Tablebooks thoſe things, of which wee would keep a preciſe memorandum. They ſhould be moſt dear unto us. So Queen Mary ſaid, They that ſhould rip her, ſhould find Callis at her heart. Some have the images of their deareſt friends in form of an heart, which they hang upon their breaſt the ſeat of the heart. So mercy and truth ſhould have ſo deep an impreſſion upon the underſtanding, that they never go out of the memory. Some underſtand by binding them about the neck, ſpeaking of them, and teaching them to others, for the throat is the inſtrument of ſpeaking. And by writing them on the Table of the heart th'inking of them, and remembring them. But the former interpretation is more ſolid.
For heart. See on ver. 1. and on Chap. 2.2. Here is one thing ſet out by divers ſimilitudes in an eminent gradation like three ſteps of a ladder one above another. Mercy and truth are compared.
1. To companions, that muſt not depart from us.
2. To a chain about the neck, which is nearer then a companion.
3. To a thing written in a Tablebook, which is nearer to the book, then a chain, that hangs looſe about the neck.
Figures. A double metaphor, wherin keeping mercy and truth, or exerciſing them outwardly is compared to tying a gold chain about the neck for Ornament. And retaining them in the heart is compared to things written in a Tablebook, that they may not be forgotten.
Note
1. The duty ſet down plainly.
2. Figuratively.
In the former note.
1. The double ſubject. Let not mercy and truth.
2. The adjunct. Forſake thee.
In the latter note.
1. The fimilitude from a chain.
2. From a Tablebook.
In the firſt obſerve.
1. The act, Bind them.
2. The object, about thy neck.
In the ſecond, note
1. The act, write them.
2. The object, upon the table of thy heart.
Doct. 1. Duties to men are to be made conſcience of, as wel as duties to God: See the firſt enjoyned, the ſecond conjoyned. Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the ſecond is like unto it, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. Mat. 22.37, 38, 39. Though the Phariſees did dutie to God, yet are they blamed for neglect of dutie to men. Wo unto you Scribes and Phariſees hypocrites, for ye devour widowes houſes, and for a pretence make long prayer; therefore ye ſhal receive the greater damnation. Mat. 23.14.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe God hath a care of the preſervation of his Image; In all the world, no creature ſo like God, as man.
2. God made laws to that purpoſe, as good rulers make laws, not for their own honour only, but for their ſubjects peace and wealth alſo.
3. God appointed Magiſtrates to execute thoſe laws, to be custodes utriuſ que tabulae, keepers of both tables: And he gave to them more honour and power then to other men, for that purpoſe.
4. He himſelfe wil puniſh thoſe wrongs done to men, at the day of judgment, which his deputies do not puniſh here, and wil puniſh them alſo for not doing it.
Uſe. To condemn hypocrites, who profeſſe religion, but want humanity: of ſuch the beloved Apoſtle ſaith, If a man ſay I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God, love his brother alſo. 1 John 4.20.21.
Doct. 2. Mercy and Truth ſhould alwaies go together. If ye wil deal kindly and truly with my Master, tell me, Gen. 24.49. Lie not one to another. Put on bowels of mercies. Col. 3.9.12.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe both are ornaments to us: Men wear lace on good clothes, ſo doth mercy adorn truth.
2. both are profitable to others: ſometimes truth alone ties us to do good to other men, when we are by dutie or promiſe, engaged to them: but certainly mercy will ſupply others wants, where no particular engagment is.
3. The want of the one, buries the commendation of the other; ſuch an one is a merciful man to the poor, but there is no truth in him, no man can build upon his word; ſuch a man is very juſt in all his dealings, but as hard as flint; he hath a good eſtate, but the poor fare never the better for it.
4. Both are together in God, elſe could we look for no favour from him, nor expect the performance of any promiſe made by him for we daily give him cauſe to break them all.
Uſe 1. To blame ſuch as brag of one of theſe, but want the other; one brags of his charity to the poor, and thinks at his death he muſt needs go to heaven for it, though he got all his wealth by fraudulent dealing: Another boaſts of his juſt dealing, no man can ſay, black is his eye, though no poor man ever taſted of his cup: One is no ſign of ſalvation, when the other leads to hel. In Logick, Concluſio ſemper ſequitur partem debiliorem, The concluſion alwaies followes the weaker part. So here, hel claim her own.
Uſe 2. Be not content with one of theſe alone, make a marriage of them in your heart, and life: Thoſe whom God hath joyned together, let no man put aſſunder; then may you ſay with David, I wil ſing of mercy and judgment, unto thee O Lord wil I ſing. Pſal. 101.1.
Doct. 3. Good muſt be done to them to whom we owe nothing. This is to be a true neighbour in Chriſts judgment, and mens; Which now of theſe three thinkest thou ſaith our Saviour to the Lawyer) was neighbour unto him that fel among the Th…eves? And he ſaid, he that ſhewed mercy on him. Then ſaid Jeſus unto him, go thou, and do likewiſe, Luk. 30.36.37. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou amay. Mat. 5.42. This muſt be done,
1. For the creatures ſake, we are Gods creature, ſo are they, God would not have us neglect them, we ſhould not do it.
2. For mans ſake, they are not beaſts, but men, as well as we; and while we are men, we may need others: no man can ſtand wholly on his own bottom.
3. For Gods ſake, who requires it, and to whom we can ſhew no other real requital, for he needs not us, nor ours, but enjoynes us to do good to others freely, for his ſake.
4. For pitties ſake, every facultie of the ſoul muſt be exerciſed, elſe it is in vain placed there.
Uſe. To condemn hard hearted perſons, who ſay to the poor, What do I owe you? Theſe are Cains generation, who taught them their leſſon long ſince. Am I my Brothers Keeper? Gen. 4.9. And they may expect Cains reward, A fugitive, and a vagabond ſhalt thou be in the earth. Gen. 4.12.
4. Doct. Truth is required in all our dealings. Abimelech expects it from Abraham. Swear unto me here by God, that thou wilt not deal falſly with me. Gen. 21.23. God likes it, and abhors the contrary. Lying lips are abomination to the Lord, but they that deal truly, are his delight. Chap. 12.22.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe then wee ſhall bee like God, who never breaks his word, though thoſe he deales withall, deal falſly with him, as the beſt of men do. This is his glory, let us imitate him, and it will be our credit.
2. All men will be willing to deal with us, if they finde truth in our words, and deeds. Elſe they will more willingly deal with poorer men.
Uſe This ſerves to cry up the forgotten trade of truth, when men ſeek evaſions to avoid contracts, and if themſelves ſee but a finger of gain, care not for a handfull of truth.
5. Doct. We ſhould have outward mementoes of our duties to men. This heap be witneſſe, and this pillar be witneſſe, that I will not paſſe over this heap to thee, and that thou ſhalt not paſſe over this heap, and this Pillar to me for harme. Gen. 31.52. Pauls chain put him in mind of Oneſiphorus his kindneſſe. Hee was not aſhamed of my chain. 2. Tim. 1.16.
Reaſon. 1. The creatures may put us in mind of it. See how kind Heaven i…to Earth, that affords it ſhine, and ſhowers to ripen the fruits of it; yet gets nothing by it. Graſſe feeds beaſts; beaſts feed us.
2. Mens faces, and habits put us in mind of true, and mercifull dealing with them. The poores ragges, and pittifull words, other mens kind lookes and carriage mind us of both.
Uſe Make uſe of ſuch glaſſes, as theſe. How can ye look up to the Heaven, or down to the Earth, or the ragges of the poor, or faces of the rich, and yet deal falſly, or harſhly with others.
6. Doct. We muſt be hearty in duties to men. Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart. 2 King. 10.15. The ſoul of Jonathan was knit with the ſoul of David. 1 Sam. 18.1.
Reaſon. 1. We would have men deal ſo with us: we care not for their outſides.
2. We can then give a good account, not to men onelyonly with whom we deal, but alſo to God, who knows, how wee dealt with them.
Uſe. To blame ſuch as doe good offices, but unwillingly, grudgingly, and as it were by conſtraint. Theſe are dead, and heartleſſe kindneſſes. Such forget, that God loveth a chearfull giver. 2 Cor. 9.7. And therefore muſt not look for any reward from him.