Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 3 · Verse 16
VER. 16. Length of daies is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour.
LEſt any man ſhould think, that wiſdom were needy and beggarly her ſelf, and could not beſtow upon her fellows the riches promiſed, ſhe ſhews now, that ſhe knows, what humane infirmity moſt needs, and what men moſt deſire, and hath in a readineſſe to beſtow on them. Thou feareſt death, poverty, diſhonour. Wiſdome hath long life, riches, honour to beſtow upon thee, if thou entertain her. Wiſdom, or the Lord Ieſus Chriſt is here ſet out unto us like ſome ſtately Queen, ſitting on a Throne with both hands full of good things to reward her faithfull ſervants. The particular rewards ſhall be expounded in the words.
Length of daies. A long life, ſee on Verſe 2. This is the firſt thing promiſed, becauſe it is the principall; and riches and honour are but acceſſaries, and can afford no comfort, if life be taken away, and but little, if life be ſhort. And therefore alſo it is ſaid to be in the right hand, as the principall gift ſhe hath to beſtow. Men moſt of all deſire long life, and riches and honour in the ſecond place; they could be content to live, though poorly, though in pain, rather then to die; they deſire long life more then riches, and fear death more then poverty. There is no merchandiſe in the world, how good ſoever, nor pearles, how pretious ſoever they be, that can aſſure us of long life. But the greateſt traders are moſt affraid to die, as having more to loſe then other men; and their death is more deſired then other mens: yea, many lie in wait to kill them, for their riches: But wiſdome will bring long life with it.
Is in her right hand. This is ſaid to be in the right hand, becauſe the right hand is preferred before the left, and that for theſe reaſons.
1. Becauſe it is ordinarily, and in moſt men the ſtrongeſt, and nimbleſt.
2. Motion begins at the right hand. Porters lay their burden on the left ſhoulder, becauſe the right leg moves firſt. Ariſtot. de greſſu animal.
3. The right hand is for defence, we fight with it.
4. It is the place of honour. Bathſhebah was ſet on Solomon right hand. 1. King. 2.19.
5. It is uſed as a token of faithfulneſſe, we give it in marriage and contracts.
6. It is uſed to ſet out good ſucceſſe, as the left hand for bad. Saepe ſinistra cava praedixit ab ilice cornix. The Raven often fortold left-handed (that is, bad) things from the hollow Oak. Though in the Greek foreign the left be uſed, for good ſucceſſe. It ſeemes the faſhion of thoſe countries was to prefer the left hand, as Xenophon reports, who ſaith, they uſed to place their gueſts at the left hand, as being neereſt the heart. Now in the Law, earthly comforts were types of heavenly: So was long life to an obedient child in the fift commandement a type of heaven, elſe it were but a ſmall bleſſing to live long here, and then go to hell for ever. Longitude dierum …ter…itas est, Non enim hic aliquid longum eſſe poteſt in tanta brevitate. Length of daies is eternity. For nothing can be long here in ſo much brevity. Recuperus. With long life will I ſatisfie him, and ſhew him my ſalvation. Pſal. 91.16. In ſenceleſſe creatures, long continuance is but a continuance of being,, not of comfort, as in man, but not in rocks; the one is aeternitas, the other aeviternitas. foreign, Iſid. Peluſ. l. 3. ep. 149 Eternity is eternal life. foreign is uſed.
1. For a right hand. Though Coniah were the ſignet upon my right hand. Jer. 22.24.
2. For power and ſtrength, which is exerciſed commonly with the right hand. Thy right hand, O Lord, hath daſhed in pieces the enemy. Exod. 15.6.
3. For the South; becauſe a man ſtanding with his face to the riſing Sun, hath the ſouth on his right hand: And ſouthern countries are more fertile, northern, on the left hand more barren. Omne malum ex Aquilone. All evil out of the North. The North, and the South, thou haſt created them. Pſal. 89.12.
4. For Oaths or Covenants, which were confirmed with the right hand. Their right hand is a right hand of falſhood. Pſal. 144.8. That is, they kept no covenants. Here it is taken in the firſt ſenſe.
And in her left hand. Riches and honour are ſaid to be in wiſdomes left hand, becauſe though uſefull, yet not ſo uſefull, or good, as life it ſelfe. The word foreign ſignifies
1. The left hand. Toward Iſraels left hand. Gen 48.13.
2. The North, becauſe it is on the left hand, if ones face be toward the riſing Sun. On the left hand of Damaſcus. Gen. 14.15. that is, on the North ſide of it. Here it is taken in the firſt ſenſe.
Riches. Money, and lands, and temporal poſſeſſions. Theſe alſo are types of all ſufficiency in heaven, as Canaan, the land flowing with milk and honey was.
And honor. The word foreign ſignifies reſpect from others: it comes from a word that ſignifies to be heavy, or weighty, for honour, as it ariſes from the weight of good qualities in men, ſo it addes weight to men perſons, and makes them of greater account then others; and this alſo may be a type of heavenly glory. Yet good men oftentimes neither have long life, riches, nor honour. Temporall promiſes are conditional, and to be performed, as they may ſtand with Gods glory, and our good, and what is wanting, ſhall abundantly be made good in heaven. Wiſdome doth not beſtow theſe earthly bleſſings alwaies on her followers, yet oftentimes ſhe doth: wiſdome is the ready way to obtain theſe, and many thereby come from a poor & low eſtate, to a plentiful and high condition, and enjoy it long in this world. The ſum of all is, God rewardeth his with both hands, promiſing eternall life, and competent means in this life. Chriſt, the wiſdome of the Father is immortall, he hath overcome death, and with his immortall hand, holds forth immortality to us. If thou wilt have riches and honour, be wiſe, and he will hold out his left hand and beſtow them on thee, if they be fit for thee.
Figures. The whole verſe is metaphorical in the principall ſcope of it, though verified literally to ſome wiſe and good men: It intimates, that as a Queen hath greater or leſſer rewards for her ſervants, ſo hath wiſdome for hers: For ſhe hath no right hand nor left, but diverſity of gifts, ſome greater, ſome leſſer, ſome in this world, ſome in the world to come.
Note. 1. The greater gift.
2. The leſſer.
In the former obſerve
1. The gift. Length of daies. Long life.
2. The worth of it, Is in her right hand. It is a right handed gift.
In the latter, note
1. The gift it ſelfe, which is double, And riches, and honour.
2. The valew of it, In her left hand. It is a left-handed gift, uſefull, but of leſſer valew then the former.
Doct. 1. Many good things attend upon true wiſdome. This is proved in this Chapter, from Verſe 14. to verſe 18.
1. Comparatively, it is better then ſilver, yea then fine gold, yea then Rubies, yea then any thing imaginable, or deſirable.
2. Particularly, ſhe brings long life, and riches to ſweeten that, and honour to make it more acceptable, and pleaſantneſs to comfort againſt croſſes, and peace for quiet enjoyment of what we have; and life after death, when all worldly comforts fail.
3. Summarily. It brings happineſſe, which contains all good things in it. So he concludes. ver. 28. as hee began. ver. 13. with happineſſe attending on true wiſdom, if it be not onelyonly laid hold on, but retained.
Reaſon. Many good things attend on wiſdom.
1. By way of concomitancy. As beads, and pearles hang many on one ſtring, and many leſſer attend upon one greater, ſo other good things are joyned with, and attend upon wiſdom.
2. By what way of efficiency. Wiſdome hath a plotting head. If any good thing be to be had, it will find it out, and reach it.
3. By way of remuneration from God. So God rewarded Solomons deſire of wiſdom with riches, and honour. 2 Chron. 1.7. &c.
Uſe. Who would not enjoy many good things? Go then the neareſt way to the wood: get true wiſdom. Hee that knew, what would be dear, need be a Merchant but a year. If one told you of a commodity would make you rich, ye would get ſtore of it quickly. Do ſo of wiſdom.
2. Doct. Wiſdom brings long life. See on ver. 2. and on ver. 8.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe wiſdome foreſees, what is profitable to prolong, or hurtfull to ſhorten mens daies, and carefully provides the one, and avoids the other.
2. Becauſe it rules our unruly paſſions of fear, grief, anger, which overrule many men, that want wiſdom, and bring them early to their grave, by murtherers, robberies, wantonneſſe, gluttony, drunkenneſſe, ſurfets, palſies, gouts, pluriſes, Apoplexies, and afterwards ſend them to Hell for ever. But wiſdom makes men ſtout, cheerfull, patient, which vertues help to prolong mens daies.
3. Becauſe it teacheth a man temperance, and moderation, in the uſe of meat, and drink, which keeps men from ſurfet, and is the mother of health, and long life. Experience ſhews, that temperate men live longeſt.
4. Becauſe of Gods promiſe of long life to ſuch as are wiſe, as in the text.
Uſe. Let this particular mercy alſo ſtirre us up to ſeeke after true wiſdom. Long life is a ſweet mercy, and generally deſired Seek it in the waies of wiſdom. Folly brings many to untimely ends.
3. Doct. Wiſdom brings riches alſo. Abraham Iſaack, Jacob, Joſeph, David were both wiſe, and rich.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe wiſdom teacheth a man to make conſcience to labour in his calling, which is the high way to riches. He knows that God requires it, and his family, the Church; and the Commonwealth.
2. Gods bleſſing follows it. For when he gives one bleſſing, he gives another. If hee give wiſdom, hee can afford riches.
Uſe. To blame thoſe, that would be rich, but care not for being wiſe. Wiſdom can make men rich; but riches cannot make men wiſe. It is often obſerved, that the elder brotheri carry away the land, and the younger the wit. So God divides his gifts, when he pleaſe. They that ſeek mony before wiſdom, count learning the way to beggery. But God reckons otherwiſe.
4. Doct. Wiſdom brings honour alſo. Wee ſee it in Joſeph, who for his wiſdom was made ruler over the land of Aegypt. Gen. 41.38, 39. And Daniel for the ſame reaſon was made ruler over the whole Province of Babylon. Dan. 2.48.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe God hath cut out ſuch, and ſtamped them for honour, which he will not give to fooles, that know not how to uſe it, or to carry themſelves ſuitably. Honour is not ſeemly for a fool. Prov. 26.1. He will do hurt with it, as a ſtone in a ſling. Prov. 26.8.
2. God cauſeth great men, and ſtates to advance ſuch, for they know, they will be fit inſtruments for their ſervice, and the publick good.
3. Good men will honour wiſe men, who know beſt, what belongs to honour.
Uſe. To blame thoſe who look not after that honour, that wiſdom brings, but ſeek to get honour by baſeneſſe, flattery, and humouring others in ſinfull waies. This honour hangs on a rotten bough. It will ſurely fall. Seek rather by wiſdom to get honour, which will laſt for ever.
5. Doct. Long life is better then riches, or honour. Therefore it is mentioned as the greateſt promiſe. With long life will I ſatisfie him, and ſhew him my ſalvation. Pſal. 91.16. This crownes all the former mercies mentioned in that Pſalme. This is commended in good men at their death, when no mention is made of riches, or honour: Abraham died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years. Gen. 25.8. It is there doubled, yea, trebled in different expreſſions as a ſingular mercy, never to be fogotten.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe long life is the baſis, and foundation of the comfort of both the other. Riches and honour doe little good, or bring little comfort, where life is ſhort. Life is an internall principle, without which there is no comfort in externall things, no more then to a jewell ſet in gold.
2. Becauſe long life may bee comfortable without either riches or honour. Many live very cheerfully too, and in old age, that never had any great means, or preferment.
Uſe. To comfort us againſt the croſſes, and infirmities of old age. Many are dejected, becauſe they are not ſo much reſpected, nor ſo rich as others. Think with thy ſelf, long life is better. Theſe could do thee no good, if life were gone, and thou maiſt have comfort without them.
6. Doct. Riches and honour are bleſſings in themſelves, though by many abuſed. They are wiſdoms gift. Riches, and honour are with me. Chap. 8.18. They are Gods gift. I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour. 2 Chron. 1.12.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe they are reckoned up amongſt thoſe bleſſings, that God gives to them, that obey him. Them that honour me I will honour. 1 Sam. 2.30. It comes in among bleſſings promiſed to Gods obedient people. Deut. 28.2. &c.
2. The contraries are reckoned amongſt Gods curſes. See Deut. 28.17.33.44.
Uſe. To reprove thoſe, that turn bleſſings into curſes: Of whom we may ſay, it had been good for them, if they had never been rich, nor honorable. There is a ſore evill which I have ſeeen under the Sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. Eccl. 5.13. And the like had Solomon obſerved concerning honour, There is a time', wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt Eccl. 8.9. Such riches and preferment be far from Gods people. Amen.