Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 11 · Verse 26 – Verse 27
Verſe 26. He that withdraweth corne, the people will curſe him: but bleſſing ſhall be vponupon the head of him that ſelleth corne.
IT is not vnlawfull to keepe in corne, as Ioſeph did in the time of plentie to bee prouided againſt ſcarcitie and dearth: but when we may ſpare it, and others neede it, then to with hold the ſelling thereof in hope to raiſe the price, this tendeth to a common hurt, and therefore will cauſe a common complaint of the people againſt vsus. But on the other ſide; bleſſing ſhall be on his head that ſelleth corne, he ſhall not only hauehave the good teſtimonie and prayers of men beneath, but the bleſſing of God himſelfe from aboue deſcend vponupon him. Prouided that his heart be vpright therein, not ſo much reſpecting the price in ſelfe-louelove, as the profiting of his brother in Chriſtian charitie: and that he vſe all other due circumſtances accordingly. As to ſell that which is good at a reaſonable rate, and performe it in due ſeaſon, and full meaſure, and ſuch like.
Doct. 1 They are after a ſort publique enemies of the countrie, that procure, or ſeeke for a dearth. The Lord would hauehave vsus to collect and deeme what harme they doe by the effects that enſue thereupon. The exclamation and outcrie, not of one perſon, or familie, but of the multitude of the people, doth intend in this caſe ſome grieuance among them. Scarcitie of foode is one of the moſt grieuous iudgements wherewith the Lord is wont to plague a nation, and how can we then take them for our friends, which wiſh ſo grieuous a puniſhment? Salomon by prayer made 1. Reg. 8. 38.a way for the prayers both of the whole people, and the particular friends and members thereof, to come to God for remouall of ſuch a miſerie; then what are they to be accounted that ſend forth deſires, and put forth endeuours to call for it, and bring it?
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, they are heauie aduerſaries of the poore, and practiſe to adde ſorrow to them that are alreadie in ſorrow. The greateſt weight of this burthen is like to light vponupon their backes, becauſe they are leaſt prouided of armour to keepe it off. An example thereof is to be ſeene in the prophecie of Amos, where the ſelfeſame effect is wrought by the ſelfe-ſame meanes which wee are now in hand with: Heare this, O ye that ſwallow vp the poore, that Amos 8. 4. 5. 6.ye may make the needie of the land to faile, ſaying, When will the new Moone be gone, that we may ſell corne? and the Sabbath, that we may ſet foorth wheate, and make the Epha ſmall, and the ſhekell great, and falſifie the weights by deceit? and buy the poore for ſiluer, and the needie for ſhooes: yea and ſell the refuſe of the wheate. They had long kept vp the corne for this purpoſe to hauehave it grow deare, and now the time ſerued the turne, and it muſt bee opened in all the haſte, they thought the daies of the Lords owne ſeruice too long, vntill they were at it. And now woe to the poore, for the plot is laid to pray vponupon them. They ſhall buy the refuſe deare, which is little worth, and ſell themſelues cheape to pay for it.
Secondly, they are pernicious to men of all ſorts and conditions, vnleſſe it be to a few of thoſe few which hauehave corne to ſell. And to this point let them ſpeake which can ſpeake by experience, and experience hath taught, not long ſithence, the greater number of houſekeepers, that the higher the prices of corne doe riſe, the lower the ſtates of families fall. And the ſellers of victuals do the more fill their purſes with mony, the leſſe the poore ſeruants fill their bellies with meate. Aske the traueller by the way; aske the labourer in the countrie; aske the tradeſmen in the towne; aske the common ſort, yea almoſt any ſort of inhabitants in the citie, and which of all theſe will ſay, or truly may ſay, it is no burthen to vsus that things are no cheaper? A great part of their care is to make prouiſion for houſehold: a great part of their labour is ſwallowed vp in prouiſion: a great part of time is too little for their labour. So that their care is more, their labour greater, their commons ſhorter, and ſtate much weaker. Many be reſtrained from doing further good: many be compelled to leſſen former familie: many thereby be brought to manifold inconueniences, more than we expreſſe or thinke of.
Vſe. 1 Reproofe of all that affect ſuch a miſchiefe, liuing in hope, for their owne priuate lucre, that ſo great an hurt will grow to the publike ſtate of the land: but ſpecially of ſuch as take the way, and vſe the meanes to effect this euill, and to draw vponupon it ſuch a iudgement. And of this ſort are they which practiſe that which is here declared to be a noiſome ſinne, namely to ſtore vp their corne that no man ſhall hauehave any benefit by it, whiles there is any good ſubſtance in it. They are much more kinde hearted to Rats, and Mice, and Weſils, than they are to their brethren: for they ſhall hauehave all freely giuen them for nothing, and men cannot buy any of it for their mony. And therefore what can they ſay for themſelues why they ſhould not be as much liable to the woe and curſe which S. Iames doth denounce, as thoſe whoſe other riches were corrupt: whoſe garments were moath-eaten for want of wearing: whoſe gold and ſiluer was canckred and ruſtie for want of vſage? But worſe are they which not onelyonly hoord vp their owne corne, that it ſhall neuer come foorth ſeaſonably to preuent a dearth: but ingroſſe other mens alſo for the ſame purpoſe, that they may make their gaine thereof to the detriment and hurt of many others. But of all others, worſt are they which not onelyonly keepe back corne from the marker, but from the barne: not from ſale, but from ſowing: which refuſe to yeeld tillage and ſeed to the ground: which yet further, by force or fraud, extort the ground from other men that they ſhall neither till nor ſow it. Theſe drie vp the ſprings of the Market, that the ſtreames of plentie ſhould be reſtrained from flowing to it: theſe bring a curſe vponupon the earth, and make it barren in compariſon of the Iſai. 5. 9. 10.ſtore it was wont to yeeld. Theſe labour for depopulation of houſes, and townes, and fields, and people.
Conſolation to them that bring an vpright heart to ſelling, though they cannot be ſo large in giuing: therein they doe a ſeruice to God; therein they performe a worke of louelove to their neighbours: and therefore they ſhall be better ſatisfied at Gods hand than at the buyers: and his pay will be better in grace and goodnes, than the other can be in gold and ſiluer.
Doct. 2 The people will curſe him, &c. It is a grieuous plague to be purſued iuſtly with the cries and clamours of the people. True it is that Ieremy and others of the moſt faithfull ſeruants of God hauehave been ſpoken euill of, and curſed by the multitude. And ſo it is Iere. 15. 10.true that as the ſparrow by flying, and the ſwallow by flying eſcape, ſo Prou. 26. 2.the curſe that is cauſeleſſe ſhall not come. And it is moſt true, they whom men reuile and perſecute, and ſay alll manner of euill for Chriſt his ſake falſely, are bleſſed. But this is alſo very true, that to be ſpoken againſt for ſins ſake, truly, is not a matter of bleſſednes, but miſerie: the wings of a mans name & reputation will be clipt ſo ſhort that it ſhall not auoide the ſtroke and ſhot of a curſe, if it be dulie cauſed. In this ſame manner are hurtfull men threatned, which flatter, or countenāce, or beare out wicked perſons in their ſinfull courſes. He that ſaith to the wicked, thou art righteous, him ſhall the people curſe, and the multitude ſhall abhorre him. Pro. 24. 24.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, if a good name be a thing moſt deſireable, and a treaſure to be preferred before gold and ſiluer, and other precious commodities, then it muſt needes he that an euill name, and infamie is a thing very loathſome, and worſe then the loſſe of any earthly thing, yea then very needines and beggerie.
Secondly, they which by their owne deſert hauehave ſtirred vp complaints againſt themſelues, are not onelyonly ſmitten with the breath of mans mouth, but with the ſtroake of Gods hand. Hee purpoſeth it in his counſell: he threatneth it in his word: hee effecteth it in his prouidence: he hearkeneth thereunto, in pitie to them that be oppreſſed: and in anger, againſt them that are oppreſſors. Neither is this the caſe of violent men alone, and ſuch as heare euill for hard dealing, but of all ſorts of ſinners which blemiſh themſelues with any kinde of misbehauiour.
Vſe. Reprehenſion of impudent perſons which hauehave hardned their faces, that they cannot bluſh, or bee aſhamed, nor deſiſt from their ſhamefull miſdemeaners, howſoeuer they are thought of, or ſpeake againſt. If they bee exhorted to any good dutie which carrieth no credit among ſuch as are carnall, or diſſwaded from any euill cuſtome which carrieth no diſgrace among them that are ſinfull, their preſent anſwere is, What will men ſay? But let them heare that their pride, or vnthriftines, or couetouſneſſe, or vnconſtancie, or faithleſneſſe in couenants, &c. is much cenſured, many take great exceptions againſt them, they ſhift their hands and goe quite on the other ſide: Say all what they will, I care not for it: better men then I hauehave been ſpoken againſt, Chriſt himſelfe had ſcarſe a good word of the moſt. But the queſtion is not how good men hauehave been dealt with, but how they deſerued to be dealt with. True it is and we confeſſe it, that many refuſed to ſpeake good words of Chriſt; but did Chriſt euer prouoke them to it, by euill deedes to them? But words (ſay they) are winde, and reports a wonder for nine daies. But their crimes, ſay we, are more then winde, and their guiltines will not be blowne away in nine thouſand yeeres. That which men ſpeake truely againſt them, God will charge more fully vponupon them at the laſt day: and his wordes will be as fire, and his ſentence will not vaniſh away at all, but continue to their ſhame and torment for euet.
Verſe 27. He that diligently ſeeketh good, ſhall get fauour: but he that ſeeketh euill, it ſhall come to him.
Doct. HE that ſeeketh carefully with an vpright heart to benefit thoſe among whom he liueth, in any good manner, taketh the beſt way to win the hearts of the people: and is like to hauehave the hearts of good men knit vntounto him, and certaine to obtaine and inioy Gods fauour and louing kindneſſe. And he that plotteth, or practiſeth miſchiefe againſt others, of all others ſhall be moſt hurt thereby himſelfe.
He that would bee well thought of, muſt not onelyonly wiſh well but indeuour to do good to his brethren. To beare good affection to mankind, but eſpecially to Gods Church and people is a thing pleaſing to God, and godly men; but men ſee not the affection to be good, further then it is manifeſted by effects: and God ſeeth that affection not to be good, which is voide of a working vigour and fruitfulnes. By what ſteps did Nehemia aſcend to that eſtimation which is had of him, in the Church in the Scriptures, and in Gods owne preſence now in heauen? He inquired of the ſtate of his brethren, he mourned for them, he faſted for them, he prayed to God for them, he ſpake to the King for them, he vndertooke a iourney for them, he was indaungered, he was reproched, he was traduced and all for their ſakes. And therfore it an was effectuall petition which hee offered to God: Remember me O my God in Nehem. 5. 19.goodnes, according to all that I hauehave done for this people. How came Oneſiphorus to be ſo deere to Paul, and ſo much beloued of God himſelfe, who hath regiſtred his name in an euerlaſting record, euen in his owne holy ſcriptures? by ſhewing himſelfe kind, and bold, and bountifull to the Apoſtle. He did not onelyonly deſire that Paul might doe well, but tooke the paines to come to Rome, and 2. Tim. 1. 16.there alſo viſited him in the priſon, and ſo prouided that by his meanes, he might doe the better.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt it is the nature of louelove, to expreſſe it ſelfe by teſtimonies of beneficence and goodnes. For it is not a louelove in trueth if it bee not in deede, aſwell as in word and tongue. 1 Ioh. 3. 18.
Secondly, there is no ſincerity where is no exerciſe of weldoing, and therefore it will do no more good to our ſelues to thinke, or ſay we deſire well to them whom we ſet our ſelues no way to doe good vntounto, then it doth to an hungrie perſon to bid him eate, and Iam. 2. 15.giuegive him no meate, or to one that is cold, to wiſh him warmth, and miniſter to him neither fire nor clothing.
Vſe. Reproofe of them that take a contrarie courſe to get louelove and good liking. As for Gods fauour they either count it to be ſo little worth, as they regard it not at all, but thinke the leaſt well doing too great a price for it; or elſe to be ſo common and ordinarie, as that it will be found without ſeeking: or els ſuch an excellencie to be in themſelues, as that God cannot but take delight in them, howſoeuer he be diſpoſed towards others. And for mens affections and good opinion, they hope to come by them by eaſier meanes: and that is by making themſelues popular in practiſe of ſome plauſible ſins, in yeelding libertie for all licentious courſes to them that liue vnderunder them, in procuring impunity to diſordered perſons. So that whereas God in his word here ſaith, hee that ſeeketh good ſhall get fauour, they in their deedes ſay, hee ſhall get fauour that exerciſeth euill.
For the other part of this verſe, looke the ſeuenteenth verſe.