Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 11 · Verse 24
Verſe 24. There is that ſcattereth, and is more increaſed; but hee that ſpareth more then right, commeth ſurely to pouertie.
THey that diſperſe their goods, this way and that, beſtowing them vponupon ſuch as are in want and neceſſitie, or otherwiſe imploying them for the publike benefit of many, they that are readie and willing to part with their goods or monie for the relief of ſuch as are in want or neceſſitie, or to any other good vſes, are ſaid to ſcatter them: and ſuch take the beſt courſe to increaſe them, as ſowing of corne is a meanes to helpe a man more and more.
And this he deliuereth with great wiſedome and warineſſe, ſaying, that ſome are more increaſed, and not all: for many ſcatter vponupon dice, and cardes, and dogges, and whores, and ſuch like, and they may looke to bee ſtript of all the reſt, rather then to adde to that which they hauehave. On the other ſide hee that keepeth in that which he ought to lay out, and ſpareth that which duetie requireth him to ſpend, doth play the euil husband for the impoueriſhing of his owne eſtate.
Doct. True liberalitie and merciemercy is not an hurt, but a furtherance to mens eſtates. Neuer any man was made the poorer by one penie for giuing of many, in due manner, but diuers hauehave bin the richer. The ſame rule holdeth in this caſe, as in all other the good gifts of God; that the good vſage of them doth vſually bring an augmentation of them. So it is to be found in learning and knowledge, and in what good thing is it not ſo to be found? we neede not trauell farre for proofe of our point in hand, but onelyonly ſteppe ouer to the next verſe following, and there wee ſhall hauehave a confirmation of the ſame. There we ſhall ſee that they which feede others ſhall be fat themſelues (for ſo is the ſenſe) and they which are as good ſtreames to ſend out ſtreames, ſhall hauehave ſuch ſupply, as that they ſhall not be dried vp, but bee as well able to flow at the euening, as they were in the morning, and to morrow as much as to day, and the next yeere no leſſe than in this.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, they hauehave the promiſe of bleſſing from God which imploy their ſubſtance to the glorie of God, and the benefit of his poore ſeruants which are in want. Honour the Lord, ſaith he, with thy riches, and the chiefe of all thine increaſe. So ſhall thy barnes bee Prou. 3. 9. 10.filled with abundance, and thy preſſes ſhall burſt with new wine. And the Apoſtle S. Paul giueth as large an incouragement to the Corinthians in the new Teſtament. Hee that miniſtreth ſeede to the ſower, will miniſter likewiſe bread for food, and multiplie your ſeed, and 2. Cor. 9. 10.increaſe the fruites of your beneuolence. No field is more fertile to ſow in, then the poore members of Ieſus Chriſt: no ſeede is better then merciemercy, and Chriſtian liberalitie: no weather or watering is more ſeaſonabe then Gods bleſſing: no crop of corne is ſo commodious and profitable as is the reward which God giueth both to ſoule and bodie.
Mercifull men procure praiſes to God to be plentifully offered, and prayers for themſelues for all good happineſſe: and therefore how can they but thriue and proſper? That reaſon doth Paul preſſe in many words to the Corinths, that they might know that their liberalitie was not in vaine. He will increaſe the fruites of your beneuolence, that in eueryevery ſort ye may bee made rich to all liberalitie, which cauſeth, through vsus, thankſgiuing to God, 2. Cor. 9. 11. He dwelleth vponupon the argument, and vrgeth it in eueryevery verſe to the end of the chapter.
Thirdly, the merciemercy of God towards other of his people which are in neede, doth often cauſe mercifull men the more to abound in riches. Since their deſire is to be helpers of their afflicted brethren, their power ſhall ſerue to performe it: and ſince they hauehave begun it ſo well alreadie, they ſhall be able to doe it better hereafter. And for this cauſe they are promiſed all ſufficiencie in all things, that they may abound in eueryevery good worke. As it is written, He hath ſparſed abroad and giuen to to the poore: his beneuolence remaineth for euer, 2. Cor. 9. 8. 9. He ſheweth by the teſtimonie of the Pſalme, that their communicating to the poore did not bring them to pouertie, that they ſhould be compelled to giuegive vp giuing, but did eſtabliſh their ſtate, that they might continue their beneuolence as long as they liued: for ſo much doth euer ſeeme to import in this place.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction, to ſtriue againſt infidelitie which hindreth mens hearts from the cheerefulnes of merciemercy, and ſtaieth their hands from many good contributions, and keepeth them wholly from the exerciſe of liberality. They loſe by theſe meanes the opportunitie of much gaine, they debarre themſelues from that plentie which they might enioy. They will not receiue ſo much good as God will affoord them, becauſe their hearts wil not affoord them leaue to beleeue, that there is ſo good a reward prouided for them that affoord reliefe to poore Chriſtians. The Holy Ghoſt in the booke of Eccleſiaſtes aſſureth vsus that nothing is loſt that is beſtowed in goodnes. He willeth men to caſt their bread vponupon the waters, and after many daies they ſhall finde it againe. It is a kinde of Eccleſ. 11. 1. 2.prouerbiall ſpeech with vsus, for fruitleſſe charges, to ſay, I might as well hauehave throwne my mony downe the riuer. But in this caſe though we ſeeme to throw our mony, or foode, into the riuer, or ſea it ſelfe, wee ſhall hauehave it reſtored with aduantage, yea, and when wee thinke all is forgotten. And therefore he proceedeth to incourage men that they ſhould lay about them, and not ſpare, in the exerciſe of liberalitie. GiueGive (ſaith he) to ſeuen, and alſo to eight. Beſtow vponupon many, and when thou haſt done that, make not an end, but giuegive to more than thou didſt before. As if hee ſhould hauehave ſaid, beſtow as much ſeede as thou haſt land to lay it on: and get as much land as thou haſt ſeede to ſow it with. But infidelitie can hold no longer in hearing this, but out commeth her worthie queſtion: How ſhall I liue my ſelfe hereafter, if I giuegive away all now? who knoweth what hard times be comming? Now he ſtoppeth her mouth with retortion of her owne reaſon. No man knoweth what euill daies may come, and therefore wiſedome would that we ſhould make prouiſion for our ſelues before hand. And nothing is ſurer laid vp, then that which is charitablie laide out; that will ſerue for a deere yeere, and a rainie day, as wee are wont to ſpeake in our prouerbe.
Reproofe of the follie of miſerable niggards, who being greedie of getting more, know not how to vſe that which they hauehave, and therefore take the way to conſume all. The one halfe of our text is a threatning againſt them, and all the reaſons which did confirme the good eſtate of liberall perſons, do as much conclude the hard caſe of pinching neere miſers, by the contrary. They put their talent to no good vſe, and therefore may daily looke to hauehave it taken away from them. They intitle themſelues to the threatnings and curſes of the law, and therefore cannot auoide the iudgements, whereof the ſtroake of pouertie and needines is one among others. Sighes and complaints goe vp to God againſt them, but few prayers, and no thankſgiuing at all for them. Their beneuolence and goodnes doth not ſtand the poore Saints in ſuch ſteed, as that the Lord for their ſakes ſhould commit any part of his ſubſtance to their hands, or leaue that with them, which they hauehave fingred alreadie.