Ver. 1. A soft answer turneth away wrath.] It is easier to stir strife than to stint it. Hard to hard, will never do; but lay a flint upon a pillow, and you may break it with ease. “Frangitur ira gravis quando est responsio suavis.” What is more boisterous than the winds? tamen iidem imbribus sopiuntur, saith Pliny, yet are they laid with soft showers. How soon was David disarmed by Abigail’s gentle apology, and made as meek as a lamb! So were the hot and hasty Ephraimites by Gideon’s mild and modest answer. (Judges 8:1-3) “By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.” (Proverbs 25:15) Howbeit, some persons must be more roughly dealt with, or they will never have done—nettles hardly handled sting not as they will if gently touched—in some eases especially, as when God’s glory is engaged. When Servetus condemned Zuinglius for his harshness, he answers, In aliis mansuetus ero, in blasphemiis in Christum non ita: In other cases I will be mild; but in case of blasphemies against Christ, I have no patience. So Luther, in a letter to Staupicius, Inveniar sane superbus, &c., modo impii silentii non arguar dum dominus patitur: Let me be counted proud or passionate, so I be not found guilty of sinful silence when the cause of God suffereth. Madness, in this case, is better than mildness: moderation here is mere mopishness, nay, it is much worse. But grievous words stir up anger.] Heb., Make it to ascend—viz., into the nostrils, as fire in a chimney, when blown up with bellows. Some men have quick and hot spirits; yea, some good men, as those two brethren, “sons of thunder,” how soon was their choler up. (Luke 9:55) Now, hard and harsh words do cast oil upon the flame, and set their passions afloat; and then there is no ho with them. Fertur equis auriga, nec audit currus habenas. How was Saul enkindled by Doeg, and David by Nabal’s currishness! Rehoboam, with one churlish breath, lost ten tribes; and Adrian the emperor, gave the crier great thanks, who, when he was bidden to quiet the tumultuous people with an imperious Σιωπησατε, Hold your tongues, he held out his hand only; and when the people listened with great silence (as the manner was), to hear the cry, Hoc vero, inquit, princeps vult; - This is that, said he, that the emperor requires of you—viz., to be silent. The best answer to words of scorn and petulance (saith one), is Isaac’s apology to his brother Ishmael, patience and silence, η σιγαν χρη, η κρεισσονα σιγης λεγειν: η ηχιστα η ηδιστα. Either reply not at all, or else so that all may be well between you. Ep. ad Servet. Dio in vit. Adr.
Ver. 2. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright.] Heb., Deals kindly with her; offers her no abuse, by venting her unseasonably, and making her overly cheap, and little set by. Eloquence wisely ordered is very commendable, and avails much: but what a poor praise was that to the Duke of Buckingham, that speaking to the Londoners in the behalf of that usurper, Richard III, he gained the commendation, that no man could deliver so much bad matter in so good words and quaint phrases. Here was eloquentiae satis, sapientiae parum. The tongue was given us for better purpose; it was David’s “glory,” and he used it accordingly. But the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.] Heb., Bubbleth it out; blurteth it out, as a fountain casteth out its waters, with a great force and swiftness: non quid, sed quantum, is all their care, being talkative above measure, and forward to utter whatsoever comes into their chaps: quicquid in buccam. Daniel’s Hist.
Ver. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place.] He is πανοφθαλμος, all-eye: and his providence like a well drawn picture, that vieweth all that come into the room. I know thy works, and thy labour; (Revelation 2:2) not thy works only, but thy labour in doing them. And as for the offender, though he think to hide himself from God, by hiding God from himself, yet God is nearer to him than the bark is to the tree; “for in him all things subsist,” (Colossians 1:17) “and move”; -understand (Acts 17:28) it to be the mind’s motions also. And this the very heathen saw by nature’s rush candle. For Thales Milesius being asked, Whether the gods knew not when a man doth ought amiss? Yea, said he, if he do but think amiss. Deus intimior nobis intimo nostro, saith another, God is nearer to us, than we are to ourselves. Repletively he is everywhere, though inclusively nowhere. Nusquam est, et ubique est. As for the world, it is to him as “a sea of glass”; (Revelation 4:6) corpus diaphanum -a clear transparent body; he sees through it. Beholding the evil and the good.] The evil are first mentioned, because they make question of this truth. But what saith a worthy divine, yet alive: Think not that he who is invisible cannot see; God, like the optic virtue in the eye, sees all, and is seen of none. No man needs a window in his breast (as the heathen Momus wished), for God to look in at; every man before God is all window. (Job 34:22) The eyes of Christ are “as a flaming fire.” (Revelation 1:14) And the school of nature teacheth that the fiery eye needs no outward light, that sees extra mittendo, by sending out a ray, &c. Vide Sen. Ep. ad Lucil. 34. Interest animis nostris et cogitationibus. -Sen.