Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 3 · Verse 28
VER. 28. Say not unto thy neighbour, go, and come again, and to morrow I will give, when thou haſt it by thee.
IN the former verſe, Solomon had ſtirred up the young man to a work of juſtice, to pay his debts; now he ſtirrs him up to a work of mercy, to do good to the poor, if he be able, and that ſpeedily. When men are in want, pittileſſe men turn them away with the unprofitable almes of vain breath, that need ſpeedy ſuccour, ſaying, Friend, I cannot help you now, go away and come another time: yet they have no mind to help at any time, but only to put off at this time: this delay is here forbidden. For the words.
Say not. See on Chap. 1.11. Put him not off with ſo vain an excuſe.
Unto thy neighbour. The word foreign comes from feeding, and ſignifies ſuch as are known one to another, as cattell that feed together; it is ſometimes tranſlated a friend, O friends drink. Cant. 5.1. Sometimes a neighbour, If I have laid wait at my neighbours door. Job 31.9. Yet it is not to be reſtrained to acquaintance, as if we were tyed to do good to them only, but extends to all in need, although ſtrangers: So it is uſed in the ninth commandement, Thou ſhalt not bear falſe witneſſe against thy neighbour.
Go. Depart for the preſent. See on Chap. 1.11. on the word, come; it is the ſame in the originall.
And come again. Return another time. See on Chap. 1.23. on the word Turn, the ſame word is uſed for turning, returning, and turning away. The Hebrews have no compound verbs.
And. See on Chap. 2.22. on the word, But.
To morrow. Another time. But the neereſt time is named to make him more willing to go away, in hope of ſpeedy payment. Sometimes the word foreign ſignifies the next day punctually. Tomorrow get you early on your way. Judg. 19.9. Otherwiſe it ſignifies time to come, long after. When thy ſon asketh thee in time to come. Exod. 13.14. Here it is uſed in the firſt ſenſe for the next day, elſe were it no encouragement for the man to go away, nor no direction, when to return.
I will give. I will relieve thy wants. For the word, ſee on Chap. 1.4.
Wh…n. Heb. And. But it is thus tranſlated elſe where. When as yet the…e was none of them. Pſal. 139.16.
Thou haſt it by thee. Heb. It is with thee. Thou haſt that in thy power, which he needs and deſires; for it is no ſin to deny that a man hath not to give. Some make theſe words a part of the denyers ſpeech, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give, for thou hast it by thee. As if he had ſaid, why doſt thou trouble me now? thou haſt enough to keep thee at preſent; come another time when thou wanteſt, and I will relieve thee.
Figures none. Note
1. An uncomfortable repulſe.
2. A requiring of a double labour:
3. A frivolous promiſe.
In the firſt, obſerve
1. The act prohibited, Say not.
2. The object, To thy neighbour.
3. The injunction, Go.
In the ſecond, note, a reinvitation, including a double labour, And come again.
In the third, a ready offer, and therein
1. The time. And to morrow.
2. The act, I will give.
3. His hypocriſie, When thou haſt it by thee. He might do it now, and ſhould, but will not.
Doct. 1. There is an unwillingneſſe in able men to give to the poor. It appears by this mans delaying here, and by Nabals churliſh anſwer, Who is David, and who is the ſon of Jeſſe? 1 Sam. 25.10. Lazarus, ready to ſtarve, could not get the crumbs that fell from the rich mans table. Luke 16.21.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe we love the world too well, and would gladly keep as much of it as we can, and more then we need.
2. Becauſe we love our luſts, and they are very coſtly; Nature is content with little, Grace with leſſe, but gluttony, drunkenneſſe, wantonneſſe, coſt much, and hinder us from relieving others.
3. Becauſe we think it is enough to provide for our own, eſpecially, if we have great families, then we think we are not tyed to ſupply others wants.
Uſe. Marvail not at rich mens backwardneſſe in relieving the poor, it is a weed that growes in corrupted natures Garden, and will hardly be rooted out.
Doct. 2. We are ready to flatter our ſelves, and to excuſe this our unwillingneſſe. So doth he in the Text. The wicked man flattereth himſelfe in his own eyes. Pſal. 36.2. This is true in generall of all wickedneſſe, but in particular, Nabal thinks he doth right in denying Davids ſuit, elſe he ſhould maintain runawaies, and fail his own labourers. 1 Sam. 25.10, 11. The excuſes of covetous men will prove the point; one, though rich, objects the weakneſſe of his eſtate, ſuch an one worth much more then I, gives little or nothing; as if the others greater neglect could excuſe his leſſer. Another ſaith, the poor are idle, and he will not give to maintain them in their idleneſſe; He forgets, that it is better to give to two that need not, then to deny to one that needs. Another ſaith the times are naught, trading is dead, and he may live to want himſelfe: as if he durſt not truſt God for the future, who never failed him in all his life. Theſe things argue ſelfe flattery.
Uſe. Away with fond excuſes. Flatter not thy ſelfe to maintain thy covetouſneſſe. Say with Paul, Neither at any time uſed we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetouſneſſe, God is witneſſe. 1 Theſſ. 2.5.
Doct. 3. We are tied to relieve others ſpeedily, according to their wants, and our abilities. To do good, and to communicate forget not, for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed. Heb. 13.16. Chriſt, the great judge, at the great day, will commend, and reward liberall givers, and condemn the contrary, Math. 25.34. &c.
Reaſ. 1. We are tyed to relieve them, becauſe we are Gods ſtewards; He gives us more then we need, that like conduit pipes, we might powre out to others.
2. We muſt do it ſpeedily, for thou maieſt ſuddenly die, or they, and then thou canſt not do it. Thou knoweſt not what a day may bring forth. Chap. 27.1. Or, they may be relieved by others, and that is no thanks to thee, and thou maiſt periſh for thy neglect. So Mordecai tells Heſter, that if ſhe neglected to help Gods people, God would ſet up others to do it, and ſhe, and her fathers houſe ſhould be deſtroyed for neglecting ſo fair an opportunity of doing good, put into her hands by God. Eſt. 4.14. A gift in ſeaſon is beſt, and double worth to that which is long deferred. Qui citò dat, his dat. Give quickly, and thou giveſt twice. Gratia tarda ingrata eſt. Ingratum eſt beneficium, quod diu inter manus dantis haefit. Seneca. Slow favour is no favour. It is an unpleaſing benefit that sticks long between the hands of the giver. As we have opportunity, let us do good to all men. Gal. 6.10.
3. We muſt do it comfortably according to their wants; to give a dying man one meal, or a naked man one hoſe, will not keep him alive.
4. We muſt do it liberally, according to our ability. Plentifull fountains, give plenty of water. To whomſoever much is given, of him ſhall be much required. Luke 12.48.
Uſe. It condemnes unwilling givers: For ſuch 1. Put off all till death, like hogs good for nothing till they die. 2. They give ſparingly, and with long intreaty, if at all. Often drawing makes the Well fuller, and ſweeter. Standing ſtill makes it ſtink. So in giving almes: Baſil. Opportunity loſt may be irrecoverable. Thou maiſt be as poor as Job to morrow, and have nothing to give. God gives the creatures their meat in due feaſon. Pſal. 145.15. Job did not withhold the poor from their deſire, nor cauſe the eyes of the widdow to fail. Job 31.16. His almes was alwaies ready when they needed it. They need not wait long for it. Go thou, and do likewiſe. So maiſt thou expect, that God in mercy will not make thee wait long, but will ſoon anſwer thy prayers.