Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/4_400.lzh/4_404.TXT

Text File | 1994-09-15 | 7KB | 127 lines

of the above things is the best preservative from all
errors and heresies which corrupt and destroy the souls
of men, to be found in that apostate church, or
elsewhere.
Ver. 10. lVhen it goeth well with the righteous, the
city rejoiceth, &c.] As it always does, even in the
worst of times; in times of public calamity and dis-
tress, and when enemies rise up on all hands; it is well
with-them in life, in death, and to all eternity; see
Isa. iii. 10. but there are particular times when it goes
well with them, which is matter of joy to others; when
they prosper in the worM, increase in riches and ho-
hour, and are advanced to places of authority and
trust; just magistrates in a city or commonwealth are
a blessing, and so cause joy; see ch. xxix. 2.. and when
it goes well with them in spiritual things, they increase
in gifts and grace, the humble hear of it and are glad;
th.e .city or church of God, the community of the saints,
rejoice: and as it went well with them in Constantine's
time, when Paganism was destroyed and persecution
ceased; and at the time of the reformation, when the
pure doctrines of the Gospel were revived, which were
both times of joy to the city of God; so in the latter
day, when the Lord's people will be righteous, the
church will be the joy of many generations; and when
the kingdom shall be given to the saints of the most
High, and the kingdoms of the world become the
Lord's and his Christ's, there will be great voices in
heaven, rejoicings in the church, and a new song
sung, Isa. Ix. o. 1, 15. Rev. xi. 15, 17. and xiv. 3, 4.
.4nd when the wicked perish, there is shouting; as there
will be great rejoicings, shoutings, and hallelujahs,
when Babylon is fallen, Rev. xviii. 20, 21. and xix.
1, c2.
Vet. 11. By the blessing of the upright the city is ex-
alted, &c.] That is, either by the blessings with
which they are blessed; and these are either temporal
or spiritual: when good men are blessed with tempo-
ral blessings, the place where they live is the better
it; and especially the poor, for they do not eat their
morsel alone; and where there are many of these, and
in prosperous circumstances, it is the exMtation and
glory of a city taken in a literal sense; and which is
the more blessed for their sakes, as well as they them-
selves are a blessing to it: and as the upright are
blessed with spiritual blessings, with blessings indeed,
with the gifts and graces of the spirit of God; when
they are fi'uitful and flourishing in grace, the city or
church of God is in an exalted state: or rather this is
to .be understood of the blessings with which the up-
right bless others; and may be interpreted of the
blessed deeds or good works which they do, and which
are profitable to men; or of their blessed counsel and ad-
vice which they give on emergent occasions, and which
proves salutary, and for the good of the city; or rather for
their blessed prayers which they put up for the peace
and prosperity of it, and which succeed. So bv the
blessing of the Gospel of Christ, or by the blessed doc-
trines of his apostles, those upright and sincere mini-
sters of the word, the city of the living God was greatly
exalted in their times; as it also was in the times of
Constantiue, and at the reformation; and this now is
a reason why the city rejoices at its going well with
the righteous, whether in temporals or spirituals. So
Aheu Ezra thinlos the words have a connexion with
tile former. But it is overthrown by the mouth oJ' the
wicked; by the corrupt communication which pro-
ceeds out of tlieir months; by their obscene and filtlty
talk tile inhabitants of a place are corrupted; evil com-
munications corrupt good manners; by their swearing
and cursing, their oaths and itnprecations, by their
lying an, l perjury, they bring the judgments of God
upon a city, to the overthrow of it. So by false doc-
trines, as the faith of particular persons is subverted.
so whole cities, or visible congrcgatcd churches, have
been corruptcd and destroyed, as with the Arian heresy
and others.
Ver. 12. Ite that is void of wisdom ,lespiseth his
n,:'ig'hbour, &c.] Not only in his heart, but by giviitg
him opprobrious language; he speaks contemptibly of
him, eitlier because he thinks he is wiser than his
neiglibour, and therefore calls him fool at every tnrn;
as those who are most destitute of wisdom conceit they
have the largest share of it, and despise others; or else
becanse he is richer than his neighbout, as the poor is
generally despised by the rich; or because he thncies
he is holier than he, as the Pharisee who trusts in him-
self that he is righteous, and despises others: or a man
that .wants a, heart {K}, as it may be rendered; that wants
a good one, or wants grace iu his heart; he despises
the counsel and advice, the aclmonitions and instruc-
tions, which his neighbonr gives him for liis good..
But a man of understandiug holdeth his peace: and will
not despise Iris neighbout, or give hini ill language,
because he is not so wise, or so rieti, or so righteous
as he; if he cannot speak any good of hitn, he will not
speak evil of him; or lie holds his peace, is silent, and
will not answer the man void of wisdom, that despises
and reproaches him; he will not render rail:tug
railing; when he is reviled he will revile not again;
and by so doing he shews hiinself to he a man
understanding, or of intellects; a wise and prudent.
Ver. 13. A talebearer revealeth secrets, &c.] The
Arabic version adds, in the congregation, openly and
publicly; that goes about witli tales from place to
place, who is like a walking merchant or pedlar, as the
word {l} signifies; who takes np iris wares at one place,
and exposes them to sale, and vends them at another;
so a talebearer, he goes from tiouse to house, and picks
up tales at one place anti carries them to another and
tells them; and as by his going about he gets into the
secrets of persons and families, or iS intrusted witIt
them, his character not being known, he reveals them.
to others, and so breaks the trust committed to him
see 1 Tim. v. 13. The Targum and Syriac version
render it an accuser; and the same name is given to
the devil in the New Testament, a-nd indeed such a
man is no better. But he that is of a faithful spirit
concealeth the matter; that is .faithful to tiiS friend,
that trusts him with his secrets, of which there are
but few; he conceals the matter he is intrusted with:

{k} \^bl rox\^ carens corde, Montanus, Mercerus, Gejerus, destitutus
est corde, Schultens.
{l} \^lykr Klwh\^ obambulat ut mercator, Tigurine version; qui incedit
nundinator, Schultens.