Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 11 · Verse 25
Verſe 25. The liberall ſoule ſhall waxe fat, and hee that giueth plentifullie ſhall powre forth.
THeſe words hauehave affinitie with the former part of the verſe next before, and are ioyned to it partly in way of explication, and partly in way of illuſtration. And therfore firſt he ſheweth who obtaine that bleſſing to increaſe by ſcattring, & that is they whoſe liberalitie beginneth at their hearts: and then he declareth the proſperous ſucceſſe thereof by a ſimilitude from wel-ſprings which receiue as much water inwardly, as they ſend forth outwardly, which, if they ſhould faile of iſſue, would alſo faile of fulnes, the waters diuerting their courſe ſome other way, where they might hauehave better paſſage, or elſe infuſing themſelues in the earth, and mould of the adiacent places round about, and ſo make a quagmire. The ſame compariſon doth Iſaiah vſe for the ſame purpoſe: The Lord ſhall ſatiſfie thy ſoule continually in drought, Iſai. 58. 11.and make fat thy bones: and thou ſhalt bee like a watred garden, and like a ſpring of water, whoſe waters faile not.
Doct. He that expecteth comfort for ſound merciemercy, muſt not onelie applie his hand, but his ſoule to the exerciſe of well doing. That is the ſeate of louelove, which giueth life to all good actions, and without which in regrad of themſelues, it is as good neuer a whit, as neuer the better. For though a man ſhould feede the poore with 1. Cor. 13. 3.all his goods, and hauehave not louelove, it profiteth him nothing. Eſaias conditioneth with thē who would hauehave the Lord to powre forth his mercies and bleſſings vponupon them, that they ſhould not onelyonly powre out their foode and victuals, but their ſoules alſo to the hungrie. Iſa. 58. 10.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, there is required a needefull worke of the ſoule in this ſeruice, and that is wiſedome and diſcretion. So is a mercifull man commended in the Pſalmes: A good man is mercifull and Pſal. 112. 5.lendeth, and will meaſure his affaires by iudgement. And ſo is a liberall man deſcribed by the Prophet Eſaias, That he will deuiſe of Iſai. 32. 8.liberall things. He will meditate where his gifts may beſt be placed: what is fitteſt to be giuen: how much is meete for him to contribute: in what manner he ſhould performe it.
Secondly compaſſion muſt be ioyned with it, that the helper, and the partie holpen, may mutually communicate their caſes each with other: he that is in proſperitie bearing a part of his brothers burthen, and he that is in aduerſitie receiuing a portion of his neighbours bleſſings. This could Iob truly teſtifie of himſelfe, that he vſed to weepe for them that were in trouble, and his Iob 30. 25.ſoule was in heauineſſe for the poore.
Thirdly, it muſt be ſeaſoned with cheerefulnes, that it may bee more comfortable to man that ſhall receiue it, and likewiſe more acceptable to God that will reward it. Hereof doth the Apoſtle admoniſh the Corinthians to an eſpeciall regard, ſaying; As eueryevery man wiſheth in his heart, ſo let him giuegive, not grudgingly, nor of 2. Cor. 9. 7.neceſſitie, for God loueth a cheerefull giuer.
Vſe. 1 Reproofe of them whoſe ſoules hauehave neuer any dealing in doing of good, vnleſſe it be to peruert all with Phariſaicall hypocriſie and vaine glorie. They giuegive hand ouer head to tagge and ragge, without difference of any, except they ſhut out the beſt, and beſtow on the worſt, frowning on them that are the moſt honeſt, and feeding of them that of all others are the moſt vnworthie. They contribute to good vſes with no leſſe difficultie, than if a diſtreſſe of a fine or amercement were to bee extorted from them. Commiſeration and pitie are meere ſtrangers vntounto them, their hearts hauehave no acquaintance at all with them.
Conſolation to poore men, that they are not excluded from the grace and bleſſedneſſe of being merciful, though they attaine not to the ſtate and abilitie of being wealthie. MercieMercy is not placed with mony in the purſe, but dwelleth with louelove and kindnes in the heart. He that can mourne with ſuch as doe mourne, hee that can pray for them that bee in diſtreſſe, he that can any way ſeeke to comfort the afflicted, may truly be ſaid to hauehave a ſoule of bleſſing, and is of God himſelfe eſteemed mercifull. The ſucceſſe which mercifull men ſhall finde for their owne eſtate, hath been alreadie declared in the former verſe, and therefore in this may be paſſed ouer.