Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 11 · Verse 29
Verſ. 29. He that troubleth his owne houſe ſhall inherite the wind, and the foole ſhall be ſeruant to the wiſe in heart.
HE is ſaid to trouble his houſe, which doth miſpend his goods, and miſguide his affaires, and miſgouerneth his people that dwell with him. That either doth corrupt them with ſinfulnes, or moleſt them with frowardnes, or afflict them with miſerie. When he either maketh them patients to beare the burthen of his follie, or agents to commit follie with him. He ſhall inherite the winde, that is, ſhall bring al to nothing. His ſubſtance ſhal flie vp like ſmoake into the aire, and nothing be left to maintaine him on earth. And when all his goods are gone, his libertie muſt goe after. This foole ſhall be ſeruant to the wiſe in heart, that is, to one who is more prouident, diſcreete and carefull for his ſtate and houſehold. They were wont in great wants to ſell themſelues for ſeruants, as the Egyptians did in Ioſephs time. And Gen. 47. 19.for great debts to bee taken by the creditours, and either made their bondmen, or elſe ſold to others. And one of theſe, ſaith he, Matth. 18. 25.is like to be the caſe of this vnthriftie trouble-houſe.
Doct. He that would not vndoe himſelfe, let him not diſorder his familie and domeſticall affaires. It neerely concerneth an houſeholder to know, that his houſe is laden with his whole eſtate, that his people ſaile together with him in the ſame veſſell, for his vſe. And if he will neither play the good Pilot himſelfe in his owne place, nor ſuffer them to be good Mariners in theirs, how ſoone ſhall he runne his barke vponupon the Rockes? how quickly ſhall hee make ſhipwracke of all that he hath?
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, he takes the way to bring a curſe vponupon all, by due deſert. The Lord hath made him a ſteward, and in diuers reſpects committed a truſt vntounto him, which hee doth vnfaithfully diſcharge. He hath put his goods into his hands, to be orderly diſpoſed of, as may be moſt for his glorie; and thoſe he expendeth vponupon his owne luſts, and to Gods diſhonour: and is it not iuſt then that they ſhould be taken from him? He hath made him an ouerſeer of the perſons that liue vnderunder him, that he ſhould be an example and guide vntounto them in all vertuous behauiour, and he groweth to be a diſſolute Maſter of Miſrule; is it not equall that another ſhould take his place of ſuperiority, & he be made an vnderling?
Secondly, either his houſehold is diſcouraged from diligence by his crooked peruerſenes, or elſe withdrawne from faithfulnes by learning to be ſinfull, and both of theſe tend one way, namely, to the ouerthrow of his eſtate.
Vſe. 1 Admonition to bee good gouernours of our families, and good husbands for our eſtates, not onelyonly in conſcience to obey God for our euerlaſting ſaluation, but in Chriſtian prouidence for our preſent condition; if not to get, yet to ſaue, as to preſerue our goods, ſo to retaine our freedome. For albeit that villenage and bondage be not now in vſe among vsus, yet impriſonment is not altogether out of vſe. And eueryevery one is ſo farre in ſeruitude, and in the creditours power, as hee wanteth abilitie to pay his debts. He may well be ſaid to be another mans ſeruant, whoſe ſtate and libertie doth ſtand at another mans curteſie.
Terror for them that giuegive ouer themſelues to ſuch ſinnes as be not onelyonly troubleſome, but trouble it ſelfe to their houſes. Thoſe wee meane which cauſe the Gouernours to lay burthens vponupon their inferiours, and God to lay iudgements vponupon the Gouernours. Wee will not make mention of many, nor inſiſt long vponupon them which wee mention. Pride muſt hauehave the firſt place, becauſe it is predominant and carrieth a great ſway among the reſt. From it groweth contempt, and diſdaine, contentions, railings, and all manner of imperious inſolencie. And for recompence thereof, and of all the curſed effects which it produceth againſt God and man, the Lord threatneth to deſtroy the houſe of Prou. 15. 25.proud men. Whoredome and incontinencie alſo worke much miſchiefe to families, and moſt of all to the heads themſelues. The holy Ghoſt in this booke, is very frequent in this point. As, the ſtranger ſhall be filled with thy ſtrength, and thy labours ſhall be Prou. 5. 10. Prou. 6. 26.in the houſe of a ſtranger. And, becauſe of the whoriſh woman a man is brought to a morſell of bread. And Iob ſaith, that if hee ſhould that way hauehave defiled himſelfe, it would hauehave bin a fire deuouring Iob 31. 12.to deſtruction, & which would hauehave rooted out all his increaſe. Gaming, riot, and vnthriftines ſo apparantly ſhew themſelues in this ranke, that it ſhall be needleſſe to diſcourſe of them. OnelyOnly Couetouſnes we will conclude with, which ſeemeth to be an help to raiſe vp an houſe, and yet vndermineth the very foundations of it. This maketh men fierce, and violent, bitter and cruell, like Beares and Lions among their people. And this the Lord himſelfe hath reckoned for one of theſe turbulent ſinnes, and ſo would hauehave vsus to account of it. He that is greedie of gaine Prou. 15. 27.troubleth his owne houſe: but he that hateth gifts, ſhall liue. As if he ſhould ſay, If men be not wearie of this wretched greedines, it will make them in all corrupt manner to purſue their commodities, to the annoyance of theirs, till Gods wrath purſue them to death and vndoing.
And whereas many proud perſons, and vncleane, and couetous, hold vp their heads ſtill, and decay not in ſtate, they come not into other mens dangers, but hauehave many others fallen into their hands; yet let not men thinke there is a poſſibilitie of impunitie, becauſe they are not ſcourged with the leaſt rod, but reſerued to a greater: for pouertie is one of the eaſieſt puniſhments. What though they come not to inherit the wind here? yet if they inherit damnation in the world to come, what gaine they by the change? what though they bee not brought to bee ſeruants to men? yet if they bee ſeruants to ſinne, preſently, and ſhall receiue the wages of ſinne hereafter, how much is their caſe the better?