Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/spurgeon/ps10.7

Text File | 1993-03-21 | 4KB | 66 lines

                           EXPOSITION.

        Let us now hear the witnesses in court. Let the wretch
speak for himself, for out of his own mouth he will be condemned.
"_His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud_." There is
not only a little evil there, but his mouth is full of it. A
three-headed serpent hath stowed away its coils and venom within
the den of his black mouth. There is _cursing_ which he spits
against both God and men, _deceit_ with which he entraps the
unwary, and _fraud_ by which, even in his common dealings, he
robs his neighbours. Beware of such a man: have no sort of
dealing with him: none but the silliest of geese would go to the
fox's sermon, and none but the most foolish will put themselves
into the society of knaves. But we must proceed. Let us look
under this man's tongue as well as in his mouth; "_under his
tongue is mischief and vanity_." Deep in his throat are the
unborn words which shall come forth as mischief and iniquity.

              EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS.

        Verse 7.--"_Under his tongue is mischief and vanity_."
The striking allusion of this expression is to certain venomous
reptiles, which are said to carry bags of poison under their
teeth, and with great subtlety to inflict the most deadly
injuries upon those who come within their reach. How affectingly
does this represent the sad havoc which minds tainted with
infidelity inflict on the community! By their perversions of
truth, and by their immoral sentiments and practices, they are as
injurious to the mind as the deadliest poison can be to the
body.--^John Morison.

        Verse 7.--Cursing men are cursed men.--^John Trapp.

        Verses 7-9. In Anne Askew's account of her examination by
Bishop Bonner, we have an instance of the cruel craft of
persecutors: "On the morrow after, my lord of London sent for me
at one of the clock, his hour being appointed at three. And as I
came before him, he said he was very sorry of my trouble, and
desired to know my opinion in such matters as were laid against
me. He required me also boldly in any wise to utter the secrets
of my heart; bidding me not to fear in any point, for whatsoever
I did say within his house no man should hurt me for it. I
answered, 'For so much as your lordship hath appointed three of
the clock, and my friends shall not come till that hour, I desire
you to pardon me of giving answer till they come.'" Upon this
Bale remarks: "In this preventing of the hour may the diligent
perceive the greediness of this Babylon bishop, or bloodthirsty
wolf, concerning his-prey. 'Swift are their feet,' saith David,
'in the effusion of innocent blood, which have fraud in their
tongues, venom in their lips, and most cruel vengeance in their
mouths.' David much marvelleth in the spirit that, taking upon
them the spiritual governance of the people, they can fall into
such frenzy or forgetfulness of themselves, as to believe it
lawful thus to oppress the faithful, and to devour them with as
little compassion as he that greedily devoureth a piece of bread.
If such have read anything of God, they have little minded their
true duty therein. 'More swift,' saith Jeremy, 'are our cruel
persecutors than the eagles of the air. They follow upon us over
the mountains, and lay privy wait for us in the wilderness.' He
that will know the crafty hawking of bishops to bring in their
prey, let him learn it here. Judas, I think, had never the tenth
part of their cunning workmanship.'" ^John Bale, D.D., Bishop of
Ossory, 1495-1563, in "_Examination of Anne Askew." Parker
Society's Publications.