Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 3 · Verse 27
VER. 27. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
SOlomon having encouraged the young man to ſearch for wiſdom by ſetting out the great benefits it brings, now returnes to give him particular rules of wiſdom to direct him how he may carry himſelf in the courſe of his life. As he had in the beginning of the Chap. inſtructed him how to carry himſelfe towards men, Verſe 3. and towards God, Verſe 5. &c. ſo now hee teaches him how to forbeare injurying men.
The words are variouſly read. The vulgar thus. Forbid not him to do good, that can; but if thou cauſt, do good alſo. And this way runne the Popiſh writers, but farre from the Hebrew words.
For the words in particular. Withhold not. Keep it not unjuſtly in thy hands, that belongs to another againſt the owners will. For the word ſee on Chap. 1.15. on the word Refreine.
Good. Any thing profitable, which thou oweſt him. For the word, ſee on Chap. 2.9.
From them to whom it is due. Heb. From the Maſters thereof. That is, from them that have a right to it, and power over it to diſpoſe of it. Moſt interpreters underſtand it of giving to the poor, and trouble themſelves much to know, how the poor are owners of other mens goods. An hard phraſe, and not to be found in Scripture in this ſenſe, which uſually calls it giving freely, and Almes, and poor men are taught to ask for mercy, not to demand it as due. And they who make them owners of other mens goods open a great gap to them to take it by foul means, if they cannot have it by intreaty, and to ſay, May I not take mine own goods, where I find them? what ſhould hinder? Some ſay, poor men have an intereſt in other mens goods, becauſe of their goods, becauſe of their wants; others, that they have it by nature, being men as we are; others, becauſe God bids us relieve them. But theſe titles will hardly make them to be maſters of what is not theirs. The interpreters run this way, becauſe the next Verſe mentions giving to the poor. But as this interpretation anſwers not well to the Hebrew words, ſo it confounds two duties, paying debts in this verſe, and giving to the poor in the next. Neither will it ſerve to ſay, This Verſe requires giving, and the next doing it ſpeedily, for the word, of not withholding in this Verſe requires ſpeedy payment: eſpecially joyned to the words following, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. I conclude therfore, that paying of debts to creditors, or labourers is here meant, who ought to have, what others injuriouſly keep from them. And this is a work of juſtice, not of mercy. For the word ſee on Chap. 1.17. on the word Bird. Heb. Master of a wing.
When it is in the power of thine hand to do it. When thou art able to pay it. For if God lay loſſes, and poverty on a man, hee cannot pay his debts then: neither is it his ſin, if his loſſes came not by his own negligence. Others underſtand it, when thou haſt power to keep it away from him. Do not coſen thy creditour, though thou couldſt do it by force, or fraud. The hand in the Heb. is uſed
1. For the member of the body ſo called. The one put out his hand Gen. 38.28.
2. For power, and ſtrength, for the hand is uſed in ſtrong actions. Whom God had delivered from under the hand of the Egyptians. Exod. 18.9.
3. Help, and aſſiſtance, which is often afforded by the hand. Their hand alſo is with David. 1 Sam. 22.17.
4. A blow, or plague inflicted by the hand. My ſtroke. Heb. hand, is heavier then my groning. Job. 23.2.
5. A place. Thou ſhalt have a place alſo without the camp. Deut. 23.12.
6. The man himſelf, whoſe hand it is. He leaneth on my hand. 2 King. 5.18. So here In the power of thine hand, that is, in thy power.
To do it. The word ſignifies
1. To do a thing. What hast thoudone?
2. To make a thing. God ſaw every thing, that he had made, Gen. 1.31.
3. To bring forth. The Earth brought forth by handfulls. Gen. 41.47.
4. To prepare, or dreſſe. Hee haſted to dreſſe it. Gen. 18.7.
5. To advance, or make great, It is the Lord that advanced Moſes. 1 Sam. 12.6.
6. To Get. The ſoules, that they had gotten in Haran. Gen. 12.
5. Here it is is taken in the firſt ſenſe for doing.
Figures. Hand. For the man. A figure of the part for the whole.
Note. 1. An Act forbidden. Withhold not.
2. The Object. Good.
3. The ſubject. From them to whom it is due.
4. The Adjunct of time When it it in the power of thine hand to do it.
1. Doct. Outward comforts are good in themſelves. It is reckoned as a great favour for man to have dominion over the creatures, Thou madſt him to have dominion over the works of thine hands. Pſal. 8.6. Sure it is then a bleſſing. And Pſalns 104. begins, and ends with praiſing God for outward proviſions. This is beſt proved by particulars. Aske a hungry man if meat be a bleſſing? He will tell you it is, otherwiſe he muſt die: Ask a thirſty man if drink be a bleſſing? He will ſay, he muſt choak elſe: So for clothing, cattle, fruits of the earth, and of trees.
Uſe. To blame thoſe, that by abuſe of theſe comforts, turn bleſſings into curſes; ſo doth the glutton, and the drunkard. It is a ſad thing for a man to go to hell for thoſe comforts, which he may have and go to heaven.
2. Theſe outward comforts may be lent, and convayed from one man to another; lending is a Chriſtian dutie as well as giving. The righteous man is ever mercifull, and lendeth. Pſal. 37.26. Do good, and lend. Luke 6.35. So is trading, exchange, buying, and ſelling lawfull; Abraham bought a field, and the trees of it. Gen. 23.17. The father of the faithfull thought it lawfull, and knew how to drive a bargain.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe we may have ſomething to ſpare, that other … may need, and they may have ſomewhat we may need, which may be communicated from one to another without loſſe: And then, both humanity, and communion of Saints, teach us to communicate to others.
2. Men may want that at preſent, which afterwards they may repay, or requite, and need not to receive of gift.
Uſe. It teacheth us a willingneſſe to lend to others, and to trade with others; the time may come, we may need to borrow of them, or trade with them; ſo we may help both them, and our ſelves.
Doct. 3. Conſcience is to be made of paying debts, and reſtoring things to the right owners. If a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall ſurely make it good. Exod. 22.14. Render to all their dues. Owe nothing to any man, but to love one another. Rom. 13.7.8.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe nature teacheth, that debts muſt be paid. Why do we look for dutie from children or ſervants, but becauſe it is a debt?
2. Becauſe elſe we prejudice others, with whom we have to doe, and expoſe them to want, who have by trading, or lending relieved our wants, which is to doe evill for good.
Uſe. It ſerves to ery out againſt unconſcionable men, that make no conſcience of paying debts; it will ſtick as a ſpot upon our religion; many among the Turks are ſaid to be more juſt in this particular: I have heard a Turky merchant of good Note ſay, that when he was to come away from Conſtantinople, ſome of the Turks came to him, not ſent for, to pay their debts: And a Morocco Merchant affiming, that when the King died there, who traded much with the Engliſh Merchants, the Queen ſent for them to Court, and paid them every penny. But eſpecially, this ſhould trouble their conſciences, who, though rich, and able, yet detain poor labourers wages; they would be loth to be ſo dealt withall themſelves, if they were in want. Behold the cry of the labourers which have reap…d down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, cryeth, and the cries of them which have reaped, are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. I…me. 5.4. Conſcience alſo is to be made of reſtoring things found, committed to our truſt, or borrowed; and that with ſpeed, without delaying men: for juſtice requires not only due payment, but in due ſeaſon alſo, leſt deteriment come to the owners; and the Text requires it preſently, if there be power in thy hand to do it.