John Trapp on Proverbs 30:9

Verſ. 9. Leſt I be full and deny thee, &c.] Fulneſs breeds forgetfulneſs, ſaturity ſecurity, Deut. 32.15. See the note there, and 1 Tim. 6.17. with the note; Every grain of riches hath a vermin of pride and ambition in it. A man may deſire them, as one deſires a ſhip to paſſe over the Sea, from one Country to another. But to many they prove hinderances to Heaven, remora's to religious practices. Many in their low eſtate could ſerve God, but now reſemble the Moon, which never ſuffers eclipſe but at her full; and that is by the earths interpoſition between the Sun and her ſelf. Even an Agur full fed may grow wanton, and bee dipping his fingers in the Devils ſauce: yea ſo farre may he forget himſelf, as to deny the Lord (or as the Hebrew hath it, belye him) diſgrace his houſe-keeping, and caſt a ſlur upon his work and wages by his ſhameful apoſtacy; yea (as Pharaoh-like) to ask, who is the Lord? as if ſuch were petty-gods within themſelves, and could by the help of their Mammon doe well enough without him. Salomons wealth did him more hurt than his wiſdome did him good, Eccleſ. 2. It was his abundance that drew out his ſpirits, and diſſolved him, and brought him to ſo low an ebbe in grace.

Or, leſt I be poor and ſteal] Neceſſity is an hard weapon; wee uſe to ſay, Hunger is an evil Counſellour; Neceſſitas durum telum. Fames maleſuada, audax paupertas. and Poverty is bold or daring, as Horace calls it. The baſer ſort of people in Swethland doe alwayes break the Sabbath, ſaying, that it is only for Gentlemen to keep that day. And the poorer ſort amongſt us (ſome of them I mean that have learned no better) hold theft in them, Petrilarceny at leaſt, a peccadillo, an excuſable evil; for either we muſt ſteal, ſay they, or ſtarve: the belly hath no ears, our poor children muſt not pine and periſh, &c. And truly men doe not deſpiſe (i. e. not ſo much deſpiſe) a Thief, if he ſteal to ſatisfie his ſoul when he is hungry, ſaith Salomon (Prov. 6.30.) in his argument that an Adulterer is worſe than a Thief: though a Thief be bad enough, ſhut out of Heaven, 1 Cor. 6.9. But if he ſteal for neceſſity ([non-Latin text not transcribed], ſaith the Greek Proverb, there is no remedy but a barking ſtomack muſt be quieted) men doe the more excuſe him,Job 36.21. à tanto, though not à toto. But God ſaith flat and plain, Thou ſhalt in no caſe ſteal. Let him that ſtole ſteal no more, but let him labour with his hands, and depend upon Gods Providence: let him preferre affliction before ſin, and rather dye than doe wickedly. But want is a ſore temptation, as Agur feared, and that good man felt, mentioned by Maſter Perkins, who being ready to ſtarve, ſtole a Lamb: and being about to eat of it with his poor Children, and (as his manner was afore-meat) to crave a bleſſing, durſt not doe it: but fell into a great perplexity of conſcience, acknowledged his fault to the Owner, and promiſed reſtitution; if ever able to make it.

And take the name of my God in vain] Hee ſaith not, leſt I being poor, ſteal and be fined, burnt in the hand, whipped, &c. No; but leſt I take thy name in vain; that is, cauſe thy name to ſtink among the ungodly, open their mouths, break down the banks of blaſphemy, by ſuch a baſe ſin committed by ſuch a forward Profeſſor. Good men take Gods Name in vain, no way ſo much, as by confuting and ſhaming their Profeſſion, by a ſcandalous converſation, ſuch as becometh not the Goſpel of Chriſt; Moreover, they count ſin to bee the greateſt ſmart in ſin; as being more ſenſible of the wound they therein give the glory of God, than of any perſonal puniſhment.