Exposition of Proverbs 9-10, Exposition 2 · Verse 16 – Verse 17
The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: but the reuenues Verſe. 16 of the wicked, to ſinne.
The labour of the righteous tendeth to life, &c. That is, the goods which good men vſually get by trauell, (though many times they are deſcended to them by inheritance, or beſtowed vponupon them by gift, or by ſome other lawfull meanes brought to their hands) tendeth to life, viz. both of ſoule, and body, in this world, and for the world to come: whereas the riches of vngodly men are alwayes abuſed by them, and made the occaſions, and meanes of vnrighteouſneſſe. The oppoſition is this: the riches of the righteous do tend to goodneſſe, and ſo to their life: but the wealth of the wicked doth tend to ſin, and ſo to their death.
Riches are either profitable or hurtfull according to the Doct. owners, and vſage of them. The proſperitie of Abraham, Iob, Wealth is good, or bad, as it is vſed.and other holy men is commended in the word of God, for the great good that they did, and receiued thereby: and the Prophets, and other holy writings doe aſmuch condemne the opulencie, and wealth of the enemies of God, as making them to be moſt miſchieuous and miſerable. Iob. 21. 16. Iac. …. 1. 2. 3. 4. &c.
Firſt, the one ſort doe honor the Lord with their ſubſtance, Reaſon. 1 beholding the hand of his prouidence, confeſsing the truth of his promiſes, aſcribing the glory to his name, and conſecrating themſelues and their wealth to his will: the other make Idols of their gold and ſiluer, and all their poſſeſsions: or elſe dedicate them to other Idols, as pride, and luſt, and voluptuouſneſſe, &c.
Secondly, the one ſort giuegive bread to the hungry, and drink to the thirſtie, and clothing to the naked, and are eueryevery way readie to releeue the neceſsitie of their poore diſtreſſed brethren: the other abuſe their power and riches to tirannie and crueltie, oppreſsing them that are alreadie in affliction, or contemning them that are their inferiours, or withholding the goods from the needy, whom God hath made the right owners of them. Prou. 3. 27. or elſe feeding gluttons, and dronkards, and otherwiſe ſinfull and vnthriftie perſons.
Thirdly, the one hauehave for themſelues the prayers of poore Chriſtians, whoſe bellies hauehave beene filled, and their loynes clothed and kept warme by them: the others hauehave the ſighes, and teares, and grones, and ſorrowes of them that be wronged, aſcending to heauen, and making a continuall cry in the eares of the Lord againſt them.
Fourthly, the one ſort receiue the bleſsings of God with thankeſgiuing, and ſo they are not only wholeſome vntounto them, but holy alſo, being ſanctified by the word, and prayer: 1. Tim. 4. 4. 5. The other deuoure, and ſwallow vp the good creatures, like brute beaſts, led altogether by ſenſualitie.
Fiftly, and laſtly, the one ſort hauehave laid vp a treaſure in heauen, and ſhall hauehave the full fruition of it, with greateſt glory, at the appearance of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: and the other hauehave treaſured vp wrath againſt the day of wrath, when all their violence, and crueltie ſhall be made manifeſt, and puniſhed, and all their neglect of merciemercy, and compaſsion ſhall bee publiſhed to their ſhame and confuſion, before the whole world.
Inſtruction, to eueryevery man that he doe not onelyonly ſuruey his Vſe. 1 ſtate to ſee what he hath; but eſpecially to know what hee is: let him not ſo much regard the value and quantitie of his poſſeſsions, as the faithfull, and fruitfull imployment of them. If the happineſſe of Iob had conſiſted in hauing much hee could not but hauehave felt much miſerie, when ſo much wealth was conſumed to nothing: but now hee could recount with comfort, how wealthie and mightie he had formerly beene, becauſe he could truely relate alſo, how righteous, and mercifull hee had beene.
Hee that regardeth inſtruction is in the way of life: but Verſe. 17 hee that refuſeth correction goeth out of the way.
Hee that regardeth inſtruction. That is, which yeeldeth reuerence, attention, and obedience to the miniſtery of Gods holy word, is in the way of life, hee taketh the right courſe to obtaine euerlaſting ſaluation: but hee that refuſeth correction, which will not indure to heare his ſinnes rebuked, goeth out of the way, both depriueth himſelfe of eternall life, and walketh towards deſtruction.
The doctrine of this is fit to bee handled in the firſt Chapter, where it is more largely ſet downe by the holy Ghoſt.