Exposition of Proverbs 9-10, Exposition 2 · Verse 3
The Lord will not famiſh the ſoule of the righteous, but Verſe. 3 hee caſteth away the ſubſtance of the wicked.
Theſe words bee inferred vponupon the former, as an anſwere to a ſecret obiection, that might bee made againſt them: why ſhould it bee thought that men get no good by gathering riches in what manner ſoeuer? They ſtand them in ſteade in time of dearth & ſcarcety▪ when others that want them, though neuer ſo iuſt, are like to periſh. Now heere hee ſheweth the caſe to bee otherwiſe, good men are not vnprouided of foode becauſe they are vnfurniſhed with wealth: and ſinfull men hauehave no aſſurance of prouiſsion though they hauehave riches: for the Lord will not famiſh the ſoules of the righteous, that is, will not ſuffer the men themſelues to ſtarue, though they hauehave neuer ſo little. But will caſt away the ſubſtance of the wicked, that is, he will depriue them of the poſſeſsion or vſe, or vertue of it when they are in greateſt neede.
The Lord will not, &c. Poore Chriſtians be in better eſtate Doct. then wealthie wicked men, euen in reſpect of bodily prouiſion A poore Chriſtian better then a rich worldling.and maintenance. Such a compariſon is made Pſal. 34. 10. that lyons, that is, mightie, ſtrong, and boyſterous men ſuffer hunger, and ſuſtaine want (as was notably ſeene in the caſe of Nabucadnezzer, who in the middeſt of his greateſt power, his duplicate page duplicate page ample dominions, and large poſſeſsions, was yet turned a graſing like a beaſt, amongſt the beaſts) But they that ſeeke the Lord ſhall want nothing that is good. They may ſometimes bee without that which they wiſh for, becauſe they may wiſh for that which will not well agree with their ſafetie. But whatſoeuer is good, and there neede requireth it, that ſhall vndoubtedly be miniſtred vntounto them.
Obiect. But may not a godly man dye of hunger? ſhall wee condemne all that are afamiſhed.
Anſw. There is no doubt but many men: euen faithfull ſeruants of god in ſieges, & extreame dearthes &c. be brought to their ends, through penury and want of food, but then it is good for them ſo to come to their end. The Lord doth call them home to heauen by ſuch a meſſenger. In the like ſence it is ſaid in the former Pſal. 34. 20. that not one of their bones is broken, that is, to their hurt, or through neglect of gods prouident care ouer them. But one may hauehave his bones broken, & be hewed or ſawed aſunder, in great merciemercy. Heb. 11. 37. So there is a promiſe to Gods people to preſerue them from the peſtilence, Pſal. 91. 7. and yet many bleſſed ſaints bee taken away by it to euerlaſting glory. Elſe Dauid would not hauehave giuen them that teſtimonie who ſo dyed at that time calling them poore harmeleſſe ſheepe: or hauehave offred himſelf to that kinde of death to preſerue them aliue. The meaning is then that religious men ſhall neuer bee plagued with the venome and ſting of ſcarcetie and famine, hauing it executed as a curſe vponupon them as it falleth out with ſinners.
Firſt, they hauehave the good prouidence of God continually Reaſons. 1 for them: his eyes are open, to ſee their neede, his eares are open to heare their prayers, his hand is open to releeue their neceſsities, his treaſury and rich ſtore houſe is open and able to ſupply all their wants. They hauehave his louelove and fauour, they hauehave his power and ſufficiencie, they hauehave his word and promiſe, they hauehave his truth and fidelitie, that the will neuer faile them. Heb. 13. 5.
Secondlie the wealthie miſers of the world hauehave the hand of God againſt them to conſume that which they hauehave augmented, to ſcatter that which they hauehave gathered together, and to caſt away that, as a curſed thing, which they hauehave laid vp as a precious treaſure. They truſt not in him, but make that their hope, and therefore hee will make that to deceiue them when they hauehave greateſt neede of helpe. They doubt not but it ſhall goe well with them, when others be in extremitie, and therefore they ſhall bee brought into ſtraits, when it ſhall goe well with others. And ſo much the rather beecauſe they doe not onelyonly glory in their wealth, and lift vp themſelues aboue poore Chriſtians, but arme themſelues therewith and make it a weapon of oppreſsion.
Conſolation to good men that hauehave inward ſtore of grace, Vſe. 1 though their outward ſtate of money, or other ſubſtance bee very ſlender and ſmall: And though their friends ſhould alſo faile as well as their wealth, yet they bee neither deſtitute of friendſhip, or welfare. Becauſe the Lord himſelfe is all ſufficient in himſelfe and moſt neerely vnited, and knit vntounto them by the bond of fatherhood. The Prophet profeſſed, and publiſhed his aſſurance to all the world, that he ſhould want nothing, in this regard that God was his ſhepheard. Pſal. 23. 1. And how can he poſsiblie then bee forlorne, that hath him to his father? Euen wicked men will be tender of their children, and the Beares and Dragons will be carefull of their young ones. Lam. 4. 3. and ſhall the God of all goodneſſe withdraw his hand to helpe his ſonnes and daughters? eſpecially ſithens hee teacheth it out to miniſter foode to eueryevery liuing creature, and amongſt them to his very enemies? And from his owne kindneſſe he can bow mens affections to be kinde, and make their very enemies, friends, and friendly vntounto them. And let that fall out that the times ſhould bee heard, and the prices of victuals high, yet Gods ſtore is not diminiſhed, nor his plentie abated, but he can afford his familie ſufficient allowance as well in the deareſt yeares, as when things bee at the cheapeſt. And then indeed his prouidence is moſt ſeene, and his goodneſſe moſt felt, and the truth of his word moſt clearely manifeſted. For ſo he promiſeth. Pſal. 37. 19. They ſhall not be confounded in the perillons times, and in the dayes of famine they ſhall hauehave enough. Whereof Iacob had experience in a ſpeciall manner, he neuer fa…ed better then in the yeares of dearth, when all others wanted, he abounded: when the Egiptians themſelues that lowed the corne were ready to periſh for want of corne: he with his houſehold was plenteouſly prouided for amongſt them, and that for nothing.
Terror for them whoſe whole happineſſe doth hang on their riches, though they bee full now, they may quickly bee emptied, and though they ſeeme to want nothing, the curſe of god may ſpeedily bring them to be deſtitute of eueryevery thing. So did Mary ſing by the ſpirit of God in her ſong of reioycing. Luke 1. 53. Hee hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich hee hath ſent emptie away. And ſo did Hanna alſo praiſe the Lord for the ſame. 1. Sam. 2. 5. They that were full, are hyred foorth for bread, and the hungry are no more hired. A great alteration was made in their ſtates on both ſides. The poore which laboured in other mens woorke for wages were ſufficiently prouided for at home, and the rich and wealthie which were maiſters ouer many, were compelled by need to frame themſelues to bee other mens ſeruants.