Bridges on Proverbs 17:7
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 17:7
 
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7. Excellent speech (a lip of excellency, marg.) becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
 
Men naturally speak as they are. The lip is the organ of the heart. The lip of excellency, to speak suitably of high and lofty things, evidently becometh not a fool.† A grave discourse on godliness becometh not an ungodly man.† It carries no weight, and, so far from doing good, it often brings contempt.† Christ would not accept even a sound confession from the lips of Satan, lest it should bring an occasion of stumbling.† So unseemly was excellent speech from so corrupt a source!
Much less do lying lips become a prince — the Minister and Guardian of truth. (Chapter 16:10.) Yet in a world where self reigns supreme, such inconsistencies are but too prevalent.† The pure doctrine of our Divine Master alone secures Christian consistency in heart, lip, and life. Never let us forget, that, if excellent speech becometh not a fool, it does become the gospel of Christ — the “saints of God.” (Philippians 1:27.) And oh! let it be fully manifested in all its gracious unction and power, for “the edifying” of the Church (Ephesians 4:29), and for the conviction of gain-sayers.” (Colossians 4:6.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 26:7, 9. Compare Ecclesiasticus 20:20.
 
 
Proverbs 26:7, 9
7 The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools. {are...: Heb. are lifted up} 9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
 
Compare
Ecclesiasticus 20:20
20 A wise sentence shall be rejected when it cometh out of a fool's mouth; for he will not speak it in due season.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 50:16, 17.
 
 
Psalm 50:16, 17
16 ¶ But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? 17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Matthew 7:3-5. Romans 2:21-24.
 
 
Matthew 7:3-5
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
 
Romans 2:21-24
21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Mark 1:34. Compare Acts 16:16-18.
 
 
Mark 1:34
34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. {to speak...: or, to say that they knew him}
 
Compare
Acts 16:16-18
16 ¶ And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: {of divination: or, of Python} 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proverbs 16:10
10 ¶ A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment. {A divine...: Heb. Divination}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Heathen morality from the lips of one of her wisest teachers allowed the lying lips of princes, because they governed for the public good. ‘All others’ — he adds — ‘must abstain.’ Plato, De Repub. ‘Qui nescit dissimulare, nescit negnare’ — has been too often a royal maxim. Far more becoming a prince was the saying of Louis IX. of France — ‘If truth be banished from all the rest of the world, it ought to be found in the breast of princes.’ Alphonsus of Arragon declared (Lavater in loco) that ‘one word of a prince should be a greater security than a private man's oath.’ Undoubtedly the royal character ought to display a grandeur and dignity of principle, that should shine through every dark cloud of trial and perplexity.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Philippians 1:27
27 ¶ Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ephesians 4:29
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. {to...: or, to edify profitably}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Colossians 4:6
6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.