A plain and familiar exposition of the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of the Proverbs…A plaine and familiar exposition of the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of the Prouerbs…

Verse 17. A wicked messenger falleth into evil but a faithful ambassador healeth.

Verse 17. A wicked messenger falleth into euill but a faithfull ambassadour healeth.

A Wicked messenger) or servant, which either undertaketh unlawful errands, or services, as Rabshakeh did, when he was sent by his master to blaspheme & defy the Lord & his Church: or dealeth untrustily with them that use him in a lawful business: or is injurious to them to whom he is sent, either by concealing any thing from them which were fit for them to hear, or adding any thing which were meet to be suppressed, or doing his message in undecent manner, or returning an answer so as may turn to their hurt, he shall fall into evil, Gods heavy hand and judgements by one means or other, shall sooner or later, light upon him, as the two churlish and imperious captains found with their fists, which were sent for Elijah. But a faithful ambassador or messenger, he that faithfully performeth his charge, whether public or private, doth heal, is a means and instrument of good to his master, whose mind he freeth from fears & griefs, & so healeth the maladies thereof, as a physician cureth the diseases of the body. He is also helpful to them, to whom he is sent, by delivering comforts comfortably, & lenifying that which is harsh and sharp, & mending that which is amiss, & by love and discretion pacifying contentions, & furthering peace; whereupon by consequence he also procureth his own comfort. So standeth the opposition: A wicked unfaithful messenger hurteth, & therefore shall fall into evil: but a godly faithful messenger healeth, & therefore shall receive good.

A Wicked messenger) or seruant, which either vndertaketh vnlawfull errands, or seruices, as Rabshakeh did, when he was sent by his master to blaspheme & defie the Lord & his Church: or dealeth vntrustily with them that vse him in a lawfull busines: or is iniurious to them to whom he is sent, either by concealing any thing from them which were fit for them to heare, or adding any thing which were meet to be suppressed, or doing his message in vndecent manner, or returning an answer so as may turne to their hurt, he shall fall into euil, Gods heauy hand and iudgemēts by one meanes or other, shall sooner or later, light vpon him, as the two churlish and imperious captaines found with their fistes, which were sent for Elijah. But a faithfull ambassadour or messenger, he that faithfully performeth his charge, whether publick or priuate, doth heale, is a meanes and instrument of good to his master, whose mind he freeth from feares & griefes, & so healeth the maladies thereof, as a physitiā cureth the diseases of the body. He is also helpfull to them, to whom he is sent, by deliuering cōforts comfortably, & lenifying that which is harsh and sharp, & mending that which is amisse, & by loue and discretion pacifying cō tentions, & furthering peace; wherupō by cōsequence he also procureth his owne comfort. So standeth the opposition: A wicked vnfaithfull messenger hurteth, & therfore shall fall into euill: but a godly faithfull messenger healeth, & therfore shall receiue good.