Exposition of Proverbs 9-10, Exposition 2 · Verse 4
A deceitfull hand maketh poore: but the hand of the diligent Verſe. 4 maketh rich.
This verſe alſo containeth an anſwere to an other obiection, which might riſe out of the words immediately going before: if food and maintenance be the gift of God, and they that hauehave little ſhall be kept from want, and they that hauehave great ſtore ſhall bee ſtript of all, to what end ſhould men trauell and take paines? the wiſeſt way is to giuegive ouer all labour. Now this hee refuteth by ſhewing the meanes whereby righteous men vſe to receiue this food and prouiſion from Gods hand, and that is by ſedulitie and diligence in their vocations. And therefore he demonſtrateth the contrary effects of contrary men, namely, of ſlouthfull perſons, and ſuch as be induſtrious, and painefull. Slothfull perſons fall into two euills, the one is the practiſe of deceitfulneſſe, called heere a deceitfull hand, the other is the burthen of pouertie, which is a puniſhment inflicted vponupon them, both for fraud and idleneſſe. They that bee diligent hauehave their reward yeelded vntounto them, that they thriue, and proſper by the labour of their hands: and though their wealth bee not ſo great in quantitie, yet the ſmalneſſe thereof is recompenſed in qualitie, and good vſe of it, and therefore is called precious riches. Chap. 12. 27. And ſo they hauehave neither neede nor diſpoſition to giuegive themſelues to deceitfull ſhifts, as ſluggards.
A deceitfull hand, &c. Falſe dealing is no profitable trade Doct. 1 to gaine by, it rather hurteth then helpeth them that vſe it. Guiles bring no gaine.Tending to this purpoſe are many Parables in this booke, as Chap. 13. 11. The riches of vanitie ſhall bee diminiſhed, they may bee gotten, but not long kept, and though they periſh not, nor bee taken away all at once, yet they will conſume and bee waſted by degrees. And as this euent is heere declared to come vponupon euill gotten goods, ſo in an other place hee telleth the miſerie that ſhall ouertake the men themſelues, that ſo fiſh for them. Chap. 19. 15. A deceitfull perſon ſhall bee affamiſhed. As wealth will forſake them, ſo friends will faile them, and God will curſe them, and pouertie will oppreſſe them.
Firſt, the Lord doth hate, and curſe both deceit, and deceiuers, Reaſons. 1 as being abhomination vntounto him, and therefore his diſpleaſure will kindle a fire in their eſtate to conſume them.
Secondly, conſider from whence very often this deceitfulneſſe proceedeth, from idleneſſe and remiſneſſe of men in their callings, as many texts doe teſtifie, and the antitheſis eſpecially, and oppoſition in the two places before alleadged. Now if ſingle ſloathfulneſſe of it ſelfe will ſo eate vp a mans eſtate, as heereafter is to bee ſhewed, much more when it hath ſuch a companion to take part with it. And for experience heereof, looke vponupon gameſters, and conſoners, and ſhifters, and all ſuch kinde of people, and ſee whether their owne negligence, and vniuſt courſes doe not like hungry and greedy beaſtes deuour and ſwallow vp all their portions.
Thirdly, it is a righteous thing with God ſo to requite them with penurie, that by fraud, and falſehood ſeeke to bring other men to it.
Inſtruction, if wee bee viſited with beggerie or needineſſe Vſe. 1 (the burden of pouerty preſsing vsus ſo heauily that wee can not well beare it) let vsus examine our owne courſes, and call our waies to account, to ſee whether our owne fraud and guile hauehave not brought ſuch a gueſt to our houſes: and ſo doing, wee ſhall turne the poyſon vntounto a medicine, and that which is to others a iudgement, may bee to vsus a ſingular mercy to draw vsus to repentance, from ſuch vnrighteous behauiour.
Secondly, wee be yet ſpared from the ſtroak of God, that he hath not arreſted our ſubſtance being forfaited by falſehoode, nor depriued vsus of the ſame. Let vsus then ſpeedely preuent the puniſhment by breaking off the ſinne by repentance, by merciemercy, by reformation and reſtitution to the right owners, ſo far as poſsibly wee ſhall be able.
Reproofe of their folly which hope to inrich themſelues by deceit and wrongfull dealing, truſting to riſe by that which bringeth others to a fall, and to turne that to a gaine, which is to others a loſſe. But by triall they ſhall bee taught, that they may as well looke to thriue by vnthriftineſſe, as to increaſe their ſtock by deceit: or profit themſelues by rapine, and wrong doeing.
Obiect. But it appeareth that their ſucceſſe is correſpondent to their expectation, the euent proueth that they make a gaine of it. The Prophet teſtifieth, that as a cage is full of Birds, ſo their houſes are full of deceit, and thereby they are Ierem. 5. 27.become great, and waxen rich.
Anſwere, They may get things into their hands, and yet be preuented of the fruition of them. They may hauehave them for a time, and loſe them at the laſt, as the ſame Prophet alſo teacheth: as the Partridge gathereth, or layeth egges, and hatcheth Ier. 17. 11.not, ſo he that getteth riches, and not by right ſhall leaue them in the middeſt of his daies, and in the end dye like a foole. They hauehave not a broode of comforts, ſo ſoone as they ſit vponupon their neſt of riches, they may be trodden vponupon, or addle, or eaten vp. Euill may befall them beefore they can doe them any good, or if their goods remaine, themſelues may ſoone be remoued from their goods: and in the meane time hauehave the croſſe of God on ſoule, & bodie, which is much more grieuous, then to be ſmitten in outward eſtate.
But the hand of the diligent, &c. They greatly help their Doct. 2 owne eſtate that are painefull, and faithfull in their vocations. A man faithfull in his calling betters his eſtate.Among many teſtimonies whereby this point is confirmed, that is to be noted which is in the 13. Chapter of this booke. The ſoule of the diligent ſhall hauehave plentie, or be made fat, as the Prouerb. 13. 4.word ſignifieth. Where though by ſoule he vnderſtandeth the whole man, yet that part is not named in vaine. Their bodie, and outward man ſhall hauehave inough, and the ſoule and inward man ſhall be content and ſatisfied with inough, and much refreſhed by it.
Firſt, it is appointed to man by the decree of God, not onelyonly Reaſons. 1 as a dutie to trauell, and labour, but alſo as a portion to eate his bread thereby, and inioy the fruit of his labour, Gen. 3. 19. Pſal. 128. 2.
Secondly, diligence, and painefulneſſe, is a ſeruice to God, and they that here hauehave the promiſe made to them, are ſuch as performe their works in conſcience, and obedience to his will, & therfore may wel be aſſured of allowance to maintain them. As for ſuch as work for the worlds ſake, in pride, and couetouſneſſe, or vponupon coaction and neceſsitie, or for any other ſiniſter reſpect, they may be ſaid to be great doers that medle in much dealing, but nothing diligent: and therefore it is no maruell, though all their toyle and trauell doe ſeldome take any good effect.
Thirdly, their paines and labours are for the common good, they ſerue for the vſe and profit of mankinde, (for they that ſpinne the ſpiders web, and are more buſie then well occupied, are not to be counted in the number of theſe) and therfore ſhall not faile of the benefit of it themſelues.
Fourthly, faithfull imployment, and paines taking is a medicine againſt pride, and helpeth to worke humilitie, and Eccleſ. 1. 13.therefore maketh ready the way for all good proſperitie.
Fiftly, by this meanes they are kept from vicious companions, and ſinfull exerciſes, and all kinde of ſuch vnthriftie courſes, as whereby the ſtates of many men come to vtter ruine and ouerthrow.
Inſtruction to all degrees from the higheſt that ſitteth on Vſe. the throne, vntounto the loweſt that clenſeth the chanels, or grinddeth at the mill, that eueryevery one attend with heedefulneſſe to the duties of his calling without remiſneſſe, or negligence. Art thou great, and ſubſtantiall, as we vſe to ſay? take this way to increaſe thy greatneſſe, and inlarge thy ſubſtance, and as the multitude of riches and titles doth not diminiſh thy liking and eſtimation of them, ſo let it not abate thy induſtrie and diligence in any ſeemely ſeruices. And thou which art poore, and of inferiour place, let it not repent thee to trauaile in woorkes that others peraduenture would diſdaine to exerciſe, but proceede in hope, and know for thy comfort that in all labour there is abundance. Chap. 14. 23. And albeit now thou art at the commandement of others, and according to their wils art wholy vſed in their workes, yet remember that the hand of the diligent ſhall beare rule. Chap. 12. 14. From a ſeruant thou maiſt grow to bee a maſter, from a labourer or hireling, thou maiſt attaine to be an officer, and hauehave others at thy commandement. But whatſoeuer thy ſtate proue to be amongſt men, aſſure thy ſelfe of the reward of inheritance from God, for thou ſerueſt the Lord Chriſt. Col. 3. 24.