Bridges on Proverbs 10:4

Charles Bridges on Proverbs 10:4


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4. ¶ He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack (deceitful, marg.) hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Every day's observation confirms the fact, that a slack hand impoverishes (Chapter 19:15; 20:4; 23:21; 24:30-34. Ecclesiastes 10:18), and the hand of the diligent enriches (Chapter 13:4; 21:5) the harvest's lord. Justly is the slothful condemned as deceitful; because he pretends to serve his Master, when in truth he has been doing nothing. (Matthew 25:26. Jeremiah 48:10. M.R.) He becometh poor by wasting his trust. (Chapter 18:9. Compare Matthew 25:28, 29.) His life, which might have been a continued feast, is a continual vexation. Industry was the law of Paradise (Genesis 2:15); and though now it bears the stamp of the fall (Ib. 3:19), it is overruled as a blessing; and in the ordinary course of Providence maketh rich. (Chapter 12:24, 27; 22:29.) The Lord's visits of favor were never given to loiterers. Moses and the Shepherds of Bethlehem were keeping their flocks. (Exodus 3:1, 2. Luke 2:8, 9.) Gideon was at the threshing-floor. (Judges 6:11.) ‘Our idle days’ — as Bishop Hall observes — ‘are Satan's busy days.’ Active employment gives us a ready answer to his present temptation — “I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down.” (Nehemiah 6:3.)

Is then the man of God waxing low in his store? Has there not been a slack hand in drawing upon the sacred treasury? Has not he gazed upon the heavenly treasures, with “his hand in his bosom”? (Chapter 19:24.) Has he not become poor by slighting his rich consolations? The Lord gives his blessing, as he gives the fruits of the earth, not to those that wish (Chapter 13:4; 20:4), but to those that “labour” (Verse 3 with 4. John 6:27); not to sentimental indolence, but to Christian energy and perseverance. The trade of the world is uncertain. The trade of godliness is sure. There are no bankrupts here. The diligent servant is honoured with an increase of his grace (Matthew 25:29), and the enlargement of his confidence.†

Proverbs 19:15

15 ¶ Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

Proverbs 20:4

4 ¶ The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. {cold: or, winter}

Proverbs 23:21

21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Proverbs 24:30-34

30 ¶ I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. {considered...: Heb. set my heart} 33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man. {an...: Heb. a man of shield}

Ecclesiastes 10:18

18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

Proverbs 13:4

4 ¶ The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

Proverbs 21:5

5 ¶ The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

Matthew 25:26

26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

Jeremiah 48:10. M.R.

10 Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. {deceitfully: or, negligently}

Proverbs 18:9

9 ¶ He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

Compare

Matthew 25:28, 29

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

Genesis 2:15

15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. {the man: or, Adam}

Genesis 3:19

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Proverbs 12:24, 27

24 ¶ The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. {slothful: or, deceitful} 27 ¶ The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.

Proverbs 22:29

29 ¶ Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. {mean...: Heb. obscure men}

Exodus 3:1, 2

1 ¶ Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

Luke 2:8, 9

8 ¶ And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. {watch: or, the night watches} 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

Judges 6:11

11 ¶ And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. {Gideon: Gr. Gedeon} {to hide...: Heb. to cause it to flee}

Nehemiah 6:3

3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

Proverbs 19:24

24 ¶ A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

Proverbs 13:4

4 ¶ The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

Proverbs 20:4

4 ¶ The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. {cold: or, winter}

Proverbs 10:3

3 The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked. {the substance...: or, the wicked for their wickedness}

with 4

4 ¶ He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

John 6:27

27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. {Labour not: or, Work not}

Matthew 25:29

29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

Footnote:

2 Peter 1:5-11. Bp. Sanderson's Sermon on 1 Corinthians 7:24.

2 Peter 1:5-11

5 ¶ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. {barren: Gr. idle} 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 7:24

24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.