Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 3 · Verse 10
VERSE 10. So ſhall thy barnes be filled with plenty, and thy preſses ſhall burſt out with new wine.
IN this Verſe is the ſuitable, yea, exceeding reward of thoſe, that to their coſt maintain Gods worſhip. It containes an anſwer to a ſecret objection. Many men are timerous, and fear, leſt by this liberality, they ſhould hinder themſelves, and theirs, and not have enough left to maintain them in a comfortable faſhion, and ſo may be much hindred, yea, it may bee want neceſſaries for themſelves, and after much hard labour for poſterity, leave little to their children. The text anſwers by adding a ſweet promiſe ſuitable to the duty. It ſhall bee ſo farre from diminiſhing your eſtate, that God will fill your barnes, and Winepreſſes, ſo that ye ſhall receive far more then ye give away. Fear not what ſhall become of you, your Wives, and Children, God will give you much more to leave them. Thou needſt not ſuſpect, that thy pious liberality, will bring thee to want: it wil rather increaſe thy wealth, and fill thee with all things needfull, and comfortable. Seeing God cannot well be honoured in the way, that he hath appointed without coſt, and no charge goes ſo neare a carnall heart, as that which is ſpent to maintain Gods worſhip, by reaſon of that naturall ſtrangeneſſe, and emnity that is between God us, & God gives us encouragement to bear this coſt by a promiſe of a greater reward hyperbolically ſet out, intimating, that wee ſhall be ſo far from being impoveriſhed by it, that we ſhall grow richer, and have as much corn, as our barnes can hold, and ſo much wine, that oue Winepreſſes, and Veſſells cannot hold it, and other comforts anſwerable; and this is the ſum of this Verſe.
Now for the words.
So. Heb. And. Te meaning is Therefore, or for that reaſon, as that particle often ſignifies, and Lira wel hints upon the text. Se on Chap. 2.22. on the word But.
Shall thy barnes. The receptacles of thy Corn, Barnes, or Granaries.
Be filled. More then formerly, ſo that thine eyes ſhall ſee that thy coſt beſtowed upon God is not in vain. For the word ſee on Chap. 1.13.
With plenty. With abundance of Gorn, ſo that both thine eye and thy belly ſhall be ſatisfied, and thy family plentifully nouriſhed. In a word, Thou ſhalt have a very plentifull Harveſt.
And thy Preſſes. Thy Winepreſſes, wherein the grapes are troden to ſcruze out the Wine.
Shall burſt out. They ſhall be ſo full, that they ſhall run over. Thou ſhalt have ſo great a vintage, that thy Preſſes, and tubs ſhall not be able to hold thy wine. The wine ſhall burſt out of the preſſes for abundance. The word foreign ſignifies
1. To break down a thing, as a wall or the like. A time to break down. Eccl. 3.….
2. To break out, or make a breach. Hence Pharez had his name. How haſt thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee. Therefore his name was called Pharez. Gen. 38.29.
3. To break forth into plenty, or multitude, as a river overflowing the banks, or a man having many children. The flould breaketh out from the inhabitant, Job. 28.4. And thy ſeed ſhall be as the duſt of the earth, and thou ſhalt ſpread abroad (Heb. break forth) to the Weſt, and to the Eaſt, and to the North, and to the South, Gen. 28.14.
4. To break out by way of urging, or compelling another. And he urged him. 2 King, 5.28. Here it is taken in the third ſenſe for breaking forth into plenty.
foreign With new wine. It hath its name in the originall from a word, that ſignifies to expell, or poſſeſſe, for it drives all the wit out of the drunkards head, and takes poſſeſſion of the fort of his heart.
Figures. Plenty. Heb. Satifaction, which comes from plenty. A figure of the effect for the cauſe. Burſt out. That is, run forth, as things do, that break out. A figure of the cauſe for the effect. Here is a double promiſe.
1. Of a plentifull Harveſt.
2. Of an abundant Vintage.
In the former note
1. The Subject. So ſhall thy barnes
2. The Adjunct. Be filled.
3. The Object. With plenty. To wit, of corn, which uſeth to be lodged in barnes.
In the latter, note
1. The ſubject, and thy preſſes.
2. The adjunct, ſhal burſt out.
3. The object, with new wine.
Doct. 1. To do, pay, or give what God appoints, is not the way to impoveriſh men, but to enrich them. This in general, if man obey Gods commandements, appears by the bleſsings following, Deut. 28.1. &c. whereof theſe things are part.
1. If men do what God requires, they loſe not by it, as in not hoarding up corn to make it dear, but ſelling it. He that witholdeth corn, the people ſhal curſe him, but bleſſing ſhal be on the head of him that ſelleth it. Prov. 11.26. Vox populs, vox Dei, the voice of the people is Gods voice in this kind, and God will curſe them alſo.
2. In paying dues, and not denying, or putting men to trouble to ſue for them. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouſe, and I wil rebuke the devourer for your ſakes, and he ſhal not deſtroy the fruits of your ground, neither ſhal your vine caſt her fruit before the time in the field, ſaith the Lord of hoſts. Mal. 3.10.11.
3. In giving. The righteous ſheweth mercy, and giveth, for ſuch as are bleſſed by him, ſhal inherit the earth. Pſal. 37.21, 22.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe of Gods command, who doth not uſe to command his to their loſs; or if to temporal loſſe, yet he requites it in grace, or in glory. There is no man that hath left houſe, or brethren, or ſiſters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my ſake, and the Goſpels, but he ſhal receive an hundred fold now in this time, houſes, and brethren, and ſiſters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with perſecutions, and in the world to come eternal life. Mat. 10.29.30.
2. Becauſe of Gods promiſe, which he never failes to perform, in that kind, or a better, as in the place laſt quoted.
3. Experience proves it; we ſee many bleſt outwardly, that are conſcionable in theſe things, and many undone, that doe otherwiſe.
Uſe. It condemnes thoſe that make no conſcience of hoarding up corn, till it be naught, to the endangering of many mens lives, whoſe blood they muſt needs be guilty of, and though it be the blood of poor men, yet God will require the blood of poor men, as wel as rich: When he maketh inquiſition for blood, he remembereth them, he forgetteth not the cry of the humble. Pſal. 9.12. And ſuch alſo are here condemned, as care for paying no debts without ſuits, nor to part with any thing for the poor: Oh, ſay they, what ſhal our wives and children do, if we be ſo free and conſcientious? Anſ. God wil give thee much more: So the Prophet anſwers Amaziah, asking, What ſhall we doe for the hundred Talents? the Lord is able to give thee much more then this. 2 Chron. 25.9. All creatures have gotten much by him, no creature ever loſt by him.
Doct. 2. To maintain Religion, and Gods worſhip with coſt, doth not impoveriſh men, but inrich them. Witneſs Davids coſtly preparations for building the Temple, and Selomons great charge in building it. The Jews daily coſt in ſacrifices encreaſed rather then diminiſhed their cattle. Since the people began to bring the offerings into the houſe of the Lood, we have had enough to eat, & have left plenty; for the Lord hath bleſsed his people, and that which is left is this great ſtore. 2 Chron. 31.10.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe this coſt to maintain Gods worſhip, is a ſanctified uſury, it is a diſpoſing of money in a lawful way, with expectation of great gain: other uſury is unlawful, and often hurtful, this is lawful and profitable.
2. Ic is a bleſſed uſury; for as in giving to the poor, men lend unto the Lord, Prov. 19.17. ſo in maintaining Gods worſhip, God is the borrower, and he uſeth to pay with increaſe. Vile eſt, quod datur, ubi tam grande eſt, quod recipitur, That is of little worth which is given, where ſo great a reward is received. Salv. contra. avar.
3. It is a politick uſury: Gods ſervants muſt be wiſe as ſerpents. Mat. 10.16. This is the wiſeſt way to beſtow money, and brings in greateſt increaſe, Gods glory muſt be our chiefe end herein, but we may alſo expect Gods bleſſing on our trading in this kind; and Gods people are the more likely to trade with us, and do us good, if we be at coſt for Gods ſervice: which they like as well as we: but this muſt be an inferiour end, leaſt of all regarded.
Uſe. To exhort us to exerciſe this bleſſed uſury, and to think nothing loſt, that is lent to God. Riches and tithes have the ſame letters in Hebrew, they differ only by a ſtop on the top of a letter, as appears in the Hebrew proverb foreign, pay tithes that thou maiſt be rich. Auguſtin ſpeaking of thoſe who had their corn ſmitten with blaſting, and mildew, who would not willingly pay their tythes, ſaith, Reckon now, O covetous wretch: nine parts are withdrawn from thee, becauſe thou wouldſt not give the tenth: And he addes this reaſon, Dei enim juſta conſuetudo est, ut ſi es decimam non dederis, tu ad decimam revoceris, novem partibus ſc. detractis. For this is Gods juſt custom, if thou wilt not give the tenth to him, thou ſhalt be brought to the tenth, nine parts being taken away. So Landlords enter on all, when their rent is not paid. Men take care how to uſe their money to their beſt advantage by ſea, or buying land or cattle, or by uſury, an eaſie trade: thy beſt trade wil be to maintain Gods worſhip; the Jews have a proverb to this purpoſe, to wit, foreign T. thes are the hedge of riches. Pirke Aboth. cap. 3. Fig. 13.
Doct. 3. Abundance of good things follow upon coſt beſtowed on Gods worſhip. Bring ye all the Tithes into the ſtore-houſe, that there may be meat in mine houſe, and prove me now herewith, ſaith the Lord of hosts, if I wil not open you the windowes of heaven, and powre out a bleſſing, that there ſhal not be room enough to receive it. Mal. 3.10.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe God hath abundance and gives accordingly. Fountaines abound in water, and therefore communicate it more freely then ſtanding pooles. It becomes great men to give largely, though receivers deſerve it not.
2. God wil ſhew hereby what a great price he ſets upon his worſhip, when he ſo liberally rewards the furtherers of it.
Uſe. Obſerve ye that are large in giving to pious uſes, how God deals with you; I doubt not but ye will find it in your books at the years end, if no ſinful courſe of life make obſtructions.
Doct. 4. Proviſions of all ſorts attend upon this coſt. See the place quoted before, Mal. 3.10.11.
Reaſ. Becauſe God is both able and willing to beſtow all ſorts of good things on them that love and maintain his worſhip.
Uſe. Obſerve what varietie of good things God beſtows on you for upholding his worſhip, and be thankful.