Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 12 · Verse 27 – Verse 28
Verſe 27. The deceitfull man roſteth not that which hee tooke in hunting; but the riches of the diligent man are precious.
THe deceitfull, &c. That is a prouerbiall kind of ſpeech, ſignifying that they ſhall not inioy nor hauehave the benefit of that which they get by craft and falſehood. If the whole ſimilitude be fully ſet downe, the meaning will the better appeare. Euen as hunters many times when they take a pray, yet taſt not of it, nor fare the better for it: (for dogges may eate it vp, or ſome other occurrent may fall out to depriue them of it, as many lets come betweene the mouth and the morſell) ſo vniuſt and deceitfull men, though they attaine to wealth and riches, may bee aſſured that they ſhall neuer hauehave any ſound profit or comfort by them. Where by the way, may be ſeene the different end of the hunting that was vſed in thoſe daies, and of this which is practiſed of many in our times. They made it an exerciſe for profit, & thereby, as it may appeare, prouided foode for themſelues, and the families wherein they liued, as is to be ſeene in the example of Eſau himſelfe, who vſed to bring home veniſon to his father. But it is ordinarie now with diuers to beſtow a great part of their time to hunt meerely for pleaſure, without any commoditie. They voluntarilie defraud themſelues of the pray which they take, their houſeholds hauehave not the better cheere by their hunting, but the worſe. They conſume themſelues, and waſt their goods, and impoueriſh their wiues and children, by following their ſports, and neglecting their eſtate: by feeding ſo many dogges, as that thereby they faile both of care and abilititie to prouide for their people. But the riches of the diligent are precious, that is, thoſe things which they that are both faithfull and induſtrious doe gaine and get by lawfull meanes, ſhall doe them good, and ſerue for their comfort.
Doct. Euill meanes of getting may bring goods to mens hands, but not to their vſe.
Riches may come according to their deſire, but either not to tarrie with them, or not to doe them ſeruice, ſo that they will turne to a vexation at their departure, or to clog & burden them whiles they remaine. As the Partridge layeth egges, which ſhe hatcheth not: Ierem. 17. 11.ſo, ſaith Ieremy, he that getteth riches, and not by right, ſhall leaue them in the middeſt of his dayes, and at his end ſhall be a foole. All deceitefull perſons fall into that abſurditie, which by our common prouerbe is derided; they count their chickens before they bee hatched, ſo ſoone as they hauehave egges in their neſt, they conclude of a brood of comfort and happineſſe, which God hath concluded that they ſhall neuer obtaine. Achan hunted after the conſecrated Ioſh. 7. 15.gold, and ſiluer, and execrable garment; but albeit hee caught them he roſted them not, but was burnt himſelfe, with all his, and whatſoeuer he had before.
The Amalakites which ſacked Ziglag, and tooke the ſpoile of the citie, with Dauids wiues and ſubſtance, were proſperous hunters in ſhew at the firſt, yet they roſted not their pray, but prouided it for Dauids vſe, and Dauid dealt with them, as with beaſts that are hunted into the net.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, the vſe and comfort of all things proceedeth onelyonly from Gods gift and bleſſing, and ſtandeth not in the meere getting, and poſſeſſion of thē: and all deceitfull perſons both in a generall reſpect, becauſe of their wickedneſſe, and in a ſpeciall regard for their fraudulent and guilefull behauiour, are ſubiect to malediction, and to be curſed in eueryevery thing that they deale in, or which belongeth vntounto them.
Secondly, though the vngodly hauehave many times power and abilitie to increaſe their goods, yet the vſe and fruition of al good things is appropriated peculiarly and intayled to the righteous, for whom the wicked are ſet on worke, and not for themſelues.
And ſo much doth the holie Ghoſt expreſſelie teſtifie: Surely to a man that is good in his ſight, God giueth wiſedome and knowledge, and ioy: but to the ſinner he giueth paine to gather, and to heape vp to giuegive to him that is good before God; Eccleſ. 2. 26.
Iob ſpeaketh to the ſame purpoſe, ſaying, Though hee ſhould heape vp ſiluer as the duſt, and prepare rayment as the clay, hee may prepare it, but the iuſt ſhall put it on, and the innocent ſhall diuide the ſiluer; Iob 27. 16. 17.
Vſe. Admonition to withhold our hands from direption, that wee take not from others that which will turne to no good for our ſelues. Wee bring griefe, and peraduenture alſo want vponupon them, but we bring ſinne with greater ſorrow and miſery vponupon our ſelues: it may bee their hindrance, but it will bee our owne vndoing, vnleſſe we leaue off and repent, and as much as wee are able, make reſtitution. So that our pray will not onelyonly not come to our diſh, but deuoure the reſt of our meate, which otherwiſe might be for our nouriſhment: and by this meanes our neighbour is hurt, our labour is loſt, our conſcience is wounded, our ſtate is curſed, our ſoules indaungered, and that which is worſt of all, our God is offended, and prouoked to diſpleaſure. And therefore let not other mens ſucceſſe in this vnthriftie manner of gayning, allure vsus to follow the ſame trade with them, ſithence we foreknow the vnhappy euent that will fall out in the end. Though ſpoile and crueltie, though rapine, and robberie, though filching, and ſtealing, though gaiming, lying, falſehood, or any indirect courſes doe ſet vp men for a time, yet downe they muſt, and be driuen to confeſſe that all their ſinfull gettings were vanitie and loſſe, and all their vnlawfull commodities pernitious and hurtfull to them.
Doct. 2 But the riches, &c. Wealth well gotten by good men, is great in value, whatſoeuer it be in quantitie.
As the bread of deceit is ſweeteſt, ſo the riches of iniquitie ſeeme beſt to vnrighteous perſons: and ſluggards like nothing ſo well, as that which commeth with leaſt trauell, and without much paines taking. Better, ſay they, is an handfull with eaſe, then Eccleſ. 4. 6.two handfuls with labour and vexation of ſpirit. And eueryevery thing is a vexation of their ſpirit which putteth them to any paines of bodie. But the Lord teſtifieth the contrary and teacheth his people both by word and effect, that that onelyonly is of worth and eſtimation which his ſeruants obtaine by lawfull means, and his bleſſing vponupon them. And becauſe this point is moſt true, and the world beleeueth not that any trueth is in it, hee confirmeth the ſame in diuers places: as Chap. 15. 16. Better is a little with the feare of the Lord, then great treaſure and trouble therewith. That is, with feare, care, ſorrow, or the checke of an euill conſcience. So in the Pſalme. 37. 16. A ſmall thing vntounto the righteous, is better then great riches to the wicked and mightie.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, in reſpect of the giuer thereof, it is the Lords hand that beſtoweth it vponupon them as a teſtimonie of his louelove, and an earneſt of more excellent treaſures. Now an Angell from the Kings owne hand in fauour, is more regarded then a pound from an other, vponupon other occaſions. And how great a ſubſtance may a man hauehave conueyed to him by receiuing a ſhilling, or teſter for poſſeſſion of all that is paſſed ouer to him by deede of gifture? And how large demeanes may a man bee eſtated in by taking a turfe in way of lyuerie, and ſeiſon? Now though euerlaſting life be principally confirmed to vsus by the ſpirit of adoption, yet the Lord would hauehave his eternall fauour to his Saints to bee ſeene and acknowledged euen in his earthly benefits.
Secondly, it is ſanctified vntounto them by the word of God, with prayer, and thankeſgiuing. 1. Tim. 4. 5.
Thirdlie, his bleſſing maketh it to ſerue and ſuffice them for all needefull vſes: it ſatiſfieth their hearts: it is competent for their bodies: it is ſufficient for their families. And as their ſtate is increaſed, ſo their hands are opened to diſtribute to the poore, and to contribute to the ſeruices of God, and eueryevery way to ſhew their readines to doe good, ſo as God may hauehave glorie, his ſeruants refreſhing, and their owne ſoules an euerlaſting recompence of immortalitie.
Vſe. Conſolation to all godly, faithfull, and induſtrious perſons, that they are eueryevery way wealthie and rich: rich in glory which is reſerued for them in heauen: rich in weldoing: rich in ſpirituall graces: rich in earthly ſubſtance, if enough of that which is deare and precious may make a man to be rich. That ſaying which is in the fifteenth Chapter of this booke, is not to be reſtrained to any Prou. 15. 6.one, but holdeth true for eueryevery one that feareth God, that the houſe of the righteous hath much treaſure. Things that are coſtly and of great price, are not to bee rated by compariſon with the meaſure of baſer matters, nor according to the roome which they fill vp. A little gold ouerualueth much leade or iron, many great pebbles are not matchable in worth with one pearle which is farre leſſe then they are, a boxe full of rich diamonds, is better then a houſe full of woode, and ſtraw, or other ſtuffe that is courſe or common. And ſo ſtandeth the caſe with good mens poſſeſſions; the bleſſing of God with his merciemercy and fauour doth conuert them into iewels for their vſe and benefit, and worketh ſuch comfortable effects by them, as all the treaſures of the wicked can neuer yeeld vntounto them.
Verſe 28. Life is in the way of righteouſnes, and in that path way there is no death.
LIfe, &c. The meaning is, that they which are righteous men iuſtified by the merites of Chriſt, and ſanctified by his ſpirit, and obedient to his will in working that which is agreeable to his word, are in ſtate of life euerlaſting. The life of grace they hauehave poſſeſſion of alreadie; the life of glory is aſſured to them by the life of grace: whoſoeuer hath the one, can neuer faile of the other. And therefore it is ſaid that there is no death in that path. They are deliuered from the firſt death, which hath power ouer all ſinfull men, in this world: and they ſhall neuer come into the ſecond, which is the portion of reprobates in the world to come. And this is confirmed by the teſtimonie of Chriſt himſelfe, ſaying; Verily, verily, I ſay vntounto you, he that heareth my word and beleeueth Iohn 5. 24.in him that ſent me, hath euerlaſting life, and ſhall not come into condemnation, but hath paſſed from death to life. The doctrine which the words would miniſter, hath been declared, and proſecuted in the nineteenth verſe of the former chapter, where it is ſaide that righteouſnes leadeth to life, and therefore it is needeleſſe to handle it againe in this place. OnelyOnly let thus much be ſpoken, that the holy Ghoſt doth not in vaine ſo often promiſe life to them that ſeeke, and ſerue him. He doth repeate it more then twentie times in this one booke, beſides the mention that the other parts of ſcripture doe make of it, almoſt eueryevery where. It is therefore a point of certentie to them that lay hold on it: It is a point of difficultie, and not eaſilie beleeued: ſithence God to helpe our hearts doth againe, and againe redouble it: and it is a point of great importance, requiring a ſerious and conſtant meditation, without which men grow barren, and careleſſe in doing all good dueties: and by which they are made rich and plentifull in all holy ſeruices. The conſideration of life, and of ſuch a life will incourage the heart, and open the mouth, and ſtrengthen the hands, and make the feete nimble to runne in the waies of righteouſnes: all that they can doe in obedience, they will account too little, and nothing that they ſuffer for wel-doing, they will thinke to much.
FINIS.
The Author to the Reader.
THou art to be aduertiſed, good Reader, that ſundrie faults hauehave eſcaped in this Treatiſe, moſt by ouerſight of him that copied it out and made it readie for the Preſſe; and ſome few were committed in the printing: the greateſt part, and I think all, are here collected for thee in briefe; I pray thee take notice of them, and reforme them in their places according to this direction.
Pag 13. lin. 2. reade, and their ſoules alſo flexible. pag. 30. l. 10. r. their perſwaſions. p. 36. l 29. for commoditie reade brethrens. pag. 38 l. 3. r. into accuſations. p. 39. l. 30. r. offer of it to others. p. 41. l. 31. put out owne. pag 42. l. 23 r. aggrauate. pag. 43. l. 20 r bond. p 46. l. 35. r often. p. 50. l. 14. r. faſt. ibid. 34. r. what cauſeth. p. 51. l. 5. r. preſerueth. ibid. 12. r. meannes. p. 53. l. 27. r. God heareth them with merciemercy and fauour. p. 57. l. 9. r. fence. p. 66. l. 36. r. deſcried. p. 69 l. 14. r. greatly. pag. 78. l. 26. r. deprauation. p 86. l. 6. r. good ſprings. p. 91. l. 34. r. as. pag. 94. l. 5. r. ſpoken. p. 95. l. 11. r. was an. p. 108. l. 1. r. ſharpe. p. 139. l. 16. r. deeme. p. 143 l. 29. r. degree. p. 144. l. 2. r. crueltie. pag. 156. l 28. r. couetous. p. 160. lin. 37. r. depoſed. p. 166. l. 14. r. but to the. p. 196. l. 26. r. feares. p. 280. l. 22. r. moueth.
End of the text · John Dod, Exposition of Proverbs 11-12 (1607)