Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 3 · Verse 30
VERSE 30. Strive not with a man without cauſe, if hee have done thee no harm.
IN the former verſe, ſinfull plots againſt others were condemned: here ſinfull words and actions are blamed. In a word, all unlawfull contentions are forbidden. Here is a prohibition of all manifeſt violence, and ſecret deceitfulneſſe.
For the words.
Strive not. Neither in judgement by ſuits of Law, nor by harſh words out of judgement.
With a man. See on ver. 13.
Without cauſe. Being provoked by no injury. This forbids not complaints or ſuits upon juſt grounds, but raſh and cauſeleſſe ones: For the word, ſee on Chap. 1.17. on the word, In vain.
If he have done thee no harme. The word foreign ſignifies to do good or evill, as well without deſert, as with it. To begin, as well as to repay. Our tranſlators take it in the firſt ſenſe, as an expoſition of thoſe words, without cauſe. That is, if he have not firſt wronged thee. Bain a great Hebrician, and a learned Commenter takes it in the ſecond ſenſe, for requiting, and reads it thus, If he do not requite thee. And makes it the forme of an oath, underſtanding theſe words, Then ſay, I am a liar, or believe me no more. Meaning, hee will certainly be revenged on thee, and do like for like. Thou pickeſt a quarrell with him without a cauſe, and muſt expect the like meaſure from him. See the like expreſſion, If he do not curſe thee to thy face. Iob 1.11. Then ſay, I am a liar. The meaning is, as it is well tranſlated there, And he will curſe thee to thy face. So it may be here, Strive not with a man without a cauſe: then, or, elſe he will do thee harm. To wit, if thou vex him cauſleſly. For harm, ſee on Chap. 1.33. on the word Evill.
Queſt. May wee then ſtrive with a man, that hath done us harm?
Anſ. Yes lawfully before a Magiſtrate, and without ſharpe words. The ſum of this Verſe then is, Contend with no man, if thou canſt chuſe. But if neceſſity or publick profit require it, thou maiſt do it, yet take heed, thou exerciſe not publick or private contention with any man, that hath not offended thee, or done thee wrong.
Figures none. Note. 1. The Act forbidden. Strive not.
2. The Object. With a man.
3. The Adjunct of qualification, ſet out
1. Generally. Without cauſe.
2. Particularly. If he have done thee no harm.
1. Doct. Mans nature is very apt to contend cauſleſly. What cauſe had Ahab, or Jezebel, or the elders to contend with Naboth? 1 King. 21. What cauſe have wicked men to contend with Gods people? Juſt as much, as Wolves have to contend with ſheep. Math. 10 16, 17.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe men are naturally proud: and pride cauſeth contention. Yea there is ſome pride and defire of victory in every contentation. OnelyOnly by pride cometh contention. Chap. 13.10.
2. Becauſe we are naturally covetous: and we know, that earthly mindedneſſe breeds a world of ſuits, and contentions.
Uſe. It teacheth us not to wonder, that men love to go to Law without cauſe, eſpecially with ſimple men, whom they think they can eaſily overcome. Such men are proud of their wit, and brag, that they can eaſily bring under others, though their cauſe be never ſo unjuſt. An Abbat, being asked, why he went to Law ſo often, eſpecially knowing his cauſe was not alwaies juſt, anſwers, that hee did as boyes going by a nut-tree, who fling ſtones and ſticks at it, to ſee what nuts will fall. It is as naturall for ſinfull men to contend, as for birds to fly, or for worms to creep. And therefore it is no matter of admiration.
Doct. 2. Cauſeleſſe contention is not allowed by God, or wiſe men. If I have rewarded evill to him that was at peace with me, let the enemy perſecute my ſoul and take it. Pſal. 7.4, 5. Without cauſe have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cauſe they have digged for my ſoul. Pſal. 35.7. The Aſſyrian oppreſſed them without cauſe. Iſa. 52.4.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe they know the iniquity and unfitneſſe of it, and that there is no juſt ground of cauſeleſſe ſtrife.
2. They know the danger of it, and neither God nor wiſe men will allow that in others, that brings them to utter ruine.
Uſe. To reprove thoſe that are ſtill in contentions, whether they have cauſe or no: they are like Salamanders, that cannot live out of the fire, they forget that Conſilium malum conſultori peſſimum, ill counſells are worſt for the counſellors. They think to ruine others, but are ruined themſelves: As if a man ſhould throw a ſtone at another, and it ſhould recoile, and wound himſelfe; or dig a ditch for another, and fall into it, Pſal. 7.15, 16. or hide a net for another, and himſelfe be caught in it Pſal. 35.8. How many have been undone by needleſſe lawſuits? How can they thrive, whoſe courſes are abhorred by God, and all wiſe men?
Doct. 3. Contention without juſt provocation is a great ſin. David complaines of it, Falſe witneſſes did riſe up, they laid to my charge things that I knew not. They rewarded me evill for good, to the ſpoiling of my ſoul. Pſal. 35.11, 12.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe it is againſt the law of charity, which requires good to be done to others freely, much more not to hurt them by cauſeleſſe contentions.
2. It is againſt the law of equity: for ſuch not only do not, as they would be done by, but do not as they are done by: they trouble others that trouble not them.
3. It is againſt the law of humanity, and ſociety, which is preſerved by concord, and deſtroyed by diſcord.
4. It is againſt the law of piety, which bids do good for evill, and then much more forbids doing evill without a cauſe. A Chriſtian ſhould abhor nothing more, then unprofitable contentions. Non contentio, ſed collatio debet eſſe inter chriſtianos. There ſhould be no contention, but communication among Chriſtians. Recuperus. Inſont is tutor, aut vindex eſt judex, ant certè Deus. The tutor, or revenger of the innocent man, is the Judge, or certainly God. Lapide. If the Judge will not right them, ſurely God will.
Uſe. Take heed therefore for time to come of cauſeleſſe contentions. Continuance in known ſins certainly damns men. The heathen man could ſay, Cum pari contendere anceps eſt, cum ſuperiore furioſum, cum inferiore ſordidum. Seneca. To contend with an equall is a doubtfull buſineſſe, to contend with a ſuperiour a mad prank, to contend with an inferiour is ſordid. It is madneſſe for a man to delight in needleſſe contentions. It may become Papiſts to do ſo, as Cardinal Wolſey, when he was Lord Chancellor, paid home Sir James Paulet without any provocation then, onelyonly becauſe hee had laid him by the heeles, when he was a ſchoolmaſter. Cranmer would not ſtrive with them, that gave him cauſe, when hee was Archbiſhop. It was a proverb then, Do the Biſhop of Canterbury a ſhrewd turn, and you ſhall have him your friend ever after. And Robert Holgat Archbiſhop of York, though he was a Papiſt, being, when he was a Prieſt, ſued by Sir Francis Askew; when he was Lord Preſident of the North, ſhewed him all lawfull favour in a ſuit, ſaying, He was much beholdden to him, for had not he been, hee muſt have lived a poor hedge-Prieſt all the daies of his life: yet may a godly man by lawfull means keep off injury, maintain his right, and puniſh ſin. This is not cauſeleſſe contention.