Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 12 · Verse 24
Verſe 24. The hand of the diligent ſhall beare rule: but the deceitfull ſhall be vnderunder tribute.
THe hand of the diligent, that is, diligent men who vſe their hands, or other members of their bodies, or elſe their minds to ſome honeſt and profitable trauell according to their calling, ſhall beare rule, and attaine to ſome good place of eſtimation. But idle perſons whom want and other occaſions draw to deceitfull courſes to ſhift for themſelues, as wee hauehave ſhewed in the fourth verſe of the tenth chapter, ſhall be made vnderlings, and brought into ſubiection and ſeruilitie.
Doct. They which are laborious and faithfull in meane places, doe take the way to riſe to an higher degree.
True it is that diuers attaine not to ſuch greatneſſe as others doe, and yet be no leſſe diligent then others are, but the Lord maketh their inferioritie a ſtep towards their heauenly aduancement: and they are not without eſtimation in that low eſtate: and God ſeeth their fruite to bee better, and their comfort to bee more there, than if they were raiſed vp to higher preferment. Otherwiſe, they that ſerue God in what place ſoeuer, are ſure to grow greater. The Scripture propoſeth examples hereof, and ſheweth how the point hath been verified in former ages. Iacob at the firſt ſet himſelfe to ſeruice, and was at the commandement of an other man, but at the laſt, being painful and true, he was able to keep ſeruants himſelfe, and other men were at his commandement. Ioſeph when hee came into Aegypt was bought and ſold as a poore bondman, but being faithfull in eueryevery place that hee came into, hee was promoted in eueryevery place that hee came into. When hee was a ſeruant, when hee was a priſoner, and eſpeciallie when he was Prince. Dauid had once the charge of a flocke of ſheepe, and thereof was not a little heedefull: but afterwards hee had the leading of an armie of men, and laſtlie, was exalted to the throne of a glorious kingdome.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, promotion is from the Lord, and hee ſetteth vp; and putteth downe, according to his owne will. And therefore when he hath fitted men to authoritie, by humbling them with labour, he aſſigneth their places wherein they ſhall ſtand, and by his providence preferreth them to the ſame: ſome to bee Magiſtrates, ſome to be Captaines, ſome to be Miniſters, ſome to be Maiſters, ſome to bee Stewards, ſome to hauehave one office, and ſome another.
Secondly, the hand of the diligent maketh rich, and riches cauſe them that are wiſe and honeſt to be put into authoritie, and imployed in the townes and places wherein they dwell: or at leaſt they grow to be houſekeepers and beare rule in their owne families.
Thirdly, painefulneſſe with wiſedome and faithfulneſſe doth cauſe great perſonages to looke after them. They entertaine them into ſeruice: they put them in truſt with their affaires: they giuegive countenance vntounto them: and they many times are meanes of their riſing and preferment. And in this ſenſe is that ſaying: Thou ſeeſt that a diligent man in his buſineſſe ſtandeth before Kings, and ſtandeth not before the baſe ſort; Prou. 22. 29.
Vſe. Reproofe of their follie that are aſhamed and diſdaine to take any paines vnleſſe it be in ſeruing of ſinne and luſt, and thereto they make themſelues ſlaues and drudges. And what is it that meaneth them to ſuch niceneſſe, that they will not voutchſafe to put their hands to any worke, or ſet their mindes to ſeeke for knowledge whereby they may bee fit for ſome good profeſſion? The feare of contempt: the doubt that they ſhall bee little regarded, if they applied themſelues to ſuch a baſe kinde of life. It is not according to their birth and bringing vp, to ſpend their time in labour, or ſtudie: it will bee a hinderance to their preferment that they looke for. But will they thus contrarie the word of God, and croſſe the trueth of his holy ſpirit? Will they ſay that diligence doth make men contemptible, when he ſaith, the diligent hand ſhall beare rule? will they ſay that idlenes doth bring men to promotion, when he ſaith, that the idle ſhall be vnderunder tribute? He will as well croſſe and contrarie them in their ſtate, and deſires, and make them feele his words to be true. Who ſeeth not what beggerie, and want, and miſerie, they caſt themſelues into? Are they not driuen to ſell away, and depart with that inheritance and patrimonie which their parents hauehave left them? Are they not compelled to borrow and ſhift, and to ſincke deepely into debt? And it is a true prouerbe; that the borrower is ſeruant to the man that lendeth. For further vſe of this Prou. 22. 7.point, ſee the fourth verſe of the tenth chapter, in the application of the ſecond doctrine.