Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 1 · Verse 33
Verſ. 33. But who ſo hearkneth unto me, ſhall dwell ſafely, and ſhall be quiet from fear of evill.
Wiſdome having ſent forth three ſore threatnings to terrifie ungodly men from following their vain and dangerous wayes, now concludes her ſpeech with a comfortable promiſe to perſwade them to hearken to her wholeſome counſels.
For the words.
foreign, But. It often ſignifies And, and joyns like things together. But ſometimes it is a note of oppoſition, as verſ. 25. See there. The proſperous condition of thoſe that hearken to Wiſdomes wholeſome counſels, is oppoſed to the ruine of thoſe that deſpiſe them.
Whoſo hearkeneth. See on v. 5. Here it is taken for regarding Wiſdomes counſell, and obeying it.
Ʋnto me. To me Wiſdome, and thoſe counſels that I have given, or ſuch like other given in Gods Word, or by his Miniſters agreeable to it.
Shall dwell. Shall perpetually abide in ſafety. As a man that lives quietly in his owne houſe.
foreign, Safely. Free from danger, or confidently. Free from fear; as follows. Knowing he ſhall be ſafer and therefore need fear no evill. After that he hath hearkened to my counſel, and gotten wiſdome according to my advice, God will keep him ſafe within the compaſſe of his protection. He ſhall be out of danger of deſtruction.
foreign, And ſhall be quiet. The word ſignifies,
1. One that is quiet outwardly, and inwardly, in ſtate, and minde. One dieth in his full ſtrength, being wholly at eaſe and quiet, Job 21.23.
2. One that lives ſecurely in ſin, and fears no danger, though he have cauſe. Woe to them that are at eaſe in Sion, Amos 6.1.
3. One that is proud and inſolent, for proſperity and quietneſſe makes men ſecure and proud. The ſcorning of thoſe that are at eaſe, and the contempt of the proud, are joyned together, Pſal. 123.4. Here it is taken in the firſt ſenſe, for a good ſecurity or quietneſſe.
From fear. See on v. 26. He ſhall lead a moſt quiet life, being free not onelyonly from evill it ſelf, but from the very fear of it. He ſhall not need ſo much as to fear adverſity.
foreign, of evill. Sometimes it fignifies evill of ſin, which is committed by man. Mans thoughts are onelyonly evill continually, Gen. 6.5. Sometimes evill of puniſhment inflicted by God. Shall there be any evill in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? Amos 3.6. So it is taken here. He ſhall need fear no hurt at all. Figures none.
Note 1. The condition required. 2. A double promiſe.
In the condition note,
1. The word of oppoſition, But.
2. The perſon, who ſo.
3. The act, hearkeneth.
4. The object, unto me.
In the firſt promiſe note,
1. The thing promiſed, Shall dwell.
2. The adjunct, ſafely.
In the ſecond promiſe note,
1. The good promiſed, And ſhall be quiet.
2. The object, from fear of evill.
1. Doct. All men ſhall not be in a ſafe condition. There is no peace, ſaith my God, to the wicked, Iſa. 57.21. When they ſhall ſay, Peace and ſafety, then ſudden deſtruction cometh upon them, 1 Theſſ. 5.3.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe many remain yet in their natural condition, as children unregenerate, and there is no ſafety in being born ſubject to Gods wrath, Eph. 2.3.
2. Many are drencht deeper in that eſtate of condemnation, by innumerable actuall ſins, as young men who follow the luſts of their owne eyes, and conſume the cream of their time in vanity.
3. Men are deeper in it then they, as men that have made ſome ſhew of goodneſſe, and afterwards either return with Demas to the world, 2 Tim. 4.10. or with the dog to the vomit, or the ſow to the mire, 2 Pet. 2.21.
Ʋſe. Let us examine our ſelves whether our condition be ſafe, or no. There is no ſafety to be had, unleſſe we be reconciled to God by Jeſus Chriſt. It is not wit, nor wealth, nor ſtrength that can ſave thee, nor multitude of friends. OnelyOnly Chriſt can ſhelter thee from Gods wrath. He ſhelters none but his owne members, and that not in profeſſion onelyonly, but in truth. Cyphers in his Arithmetick, neither advance themſelves nor other numbers. Try if thou be a true member of Chriſt by theſe notes:
1. If thou have another heart, as Saul had, when God made him a King. That heart becomes not a member of Chriſt, that became a limbe of Satan.
2. What haſt thou done or ſnffered to honour Chriſt? This was the Philippians mark. Your ſufferings are unto you an evident token of ſalvation, and that of God, Phil. 1.28. They muſt look for no ſpoyls, that will not fight for their Generall.
2. D…ct. Wiſdomes counſels are worth hearkening to. Hitherto tend Wiſdomes earneſt perſwaſions, verſ. 22, 23. ch 9.4. In both which places ſimple perſons are earneſtly ſolicited to give audience to Wiſdomes precepts. Hitherto tend her ſweet promiſes of communicating excellent and right things, ch. 8.6. & 9.5.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe they are ſafe. There may be danger in following other counſels. None in following Wiſdomes. It is in Religion as in the State; folly ruling overthrows it, and not wiſdome. The fooliſh Pilot overthrows the ſhip, not the wiſe.
2. All ſafe things are not honorable, but Wiſdomes counſels are like Achitophel's, as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God, 2 Sam. 16.23. or like Solomon's wiſe ſayings, which men came from far to hear. And there came of all people to hear the wiſdome of Solomon, from all the Kings of the earth which had heard of his wiſdome, 1 King. 4.34.
3. All things honorable are not profitable. Many die honorably in fighting for their Countrey, that get nothing by it; but Wiſdomes wayes are profitable alſo. Godlineſſe is profitable to all things, having promiſe of the life that now is, and of that which is to come, 1 Tim. 4.8. Wiſdome brings happineſſe, and many particular comforts, Prov. 3.13, &c. We ſee wiſe men thrive in Trades, when fools ſpend their patrimony.
4. All things profitable, are not comfortable, as Matches made for money, but Wiſdomes counſels are comfortable alſo. Her wayes are wayes of pleaſantneſſe, and all her paths are peace, Prov. 3.17.
Ʋſe. Let us open both our hearts and ears to ſuch counſels as theſe ſcattered in the Book of God, the fountain of wiſdome. We are too prone to hearken to fooliſh counſels, as Abſalon was to give ear to the unſafe counſell of Huſhai, 2 Sam. 17.14. And to the ſinfull counſel of Achitaphel, to go in to his Fathers Concubines, 2 Sam. 16.21, 22. The whole world fooliſhly hearkens to the unprofitable counſell of ſome idle ring-leaders at the Tower of Babel, Gen. 11.4. The Jews to the uncomfortable counſell of their Captains, to go back into Aegypt, Jerem. 43.5. Let us for time to come, rather hearken to Wiſdomes counſels, which are ſafe to the Soul, honorable to the Body, profitable to the State, comfortable to the whole man. And of ſuch counſell we ſhall never need to repent. It is ſtrange that the World ſhould call, and men run; the Devill call, and men fly; but when God calls, they will not creep.
3. Doct. Conſtant ſafety is prepared for good men. Truſt in the Lord, and do good, ſo ſhalt thou dwell in the Land, and verily thou ſhalt be fed, Pſal. 37.3. Great peace have they which love thy Law, and nothing ſhall offend them, Pſal. 119.165. Thou ſhalt ſee the good of Jeruſalem all the dayes of thy life. Yea, thou ſhalt ſee thy childrens children, and peace upon Iſrael, Pſ. 128.5, 6. For I, ſaith the Lord, wil be a wall of fire unto her round about, Zec. 2.5.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe they have a guard of Angels ſet about them by God. He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy wayes, Pſal. 91.11.
2. God himſelf is their guard. He that dwelleth in the ſecret place of the moſt high, ſhall abide under the ſhadow of the Almighty, Pſal. 91.1. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation, 1 Pet. 1.5.
Ʋſe. Let us learn ſpirituall policy in theſe dangerous times. Who would not be glad to be ſafe in theſe ſtorms? Follow Wiſdomes counſel. Labour for piety, and thou ſhalt be ſafe.
4. Doct. Quietneſſe alſo is the portion of Gods ſervants. When he giveth quietneſſe, who then can make troubles, Job 34.29. 1. Quietneſſe outwardly, if God ſee it fit for them. O that thou hadſt hearkened to my commandements! then had thy peace been as a river, Iſa. 48.18.
2. Quietneſſe inwardly. Being juſtified by faith, we have peace with God, Rom. 5.1. Quietneſſe in life. The meek ſhall inherit the earth, and ſhall delight themſelves in the abundance of peace, Pſal. 37.11. Quietneſſe in death. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace, Pſal. 37.37. In the grave, which is their bed. He ſhall enter into peace; they ſhall reſt in their beds, each one walking in his uprightneſſe, Iſa. 57.2. After death for ever. None can paſſe the great gulf between them and hell, to moleſt them, Luk. 16.26. They rest from their labours, Rev. 14.13.
Ʋſe. Woe to thoſe that ſeek to diſquiet the people of God. They go about to croſſe Gods will, and he will croſſe theirs.
5. Doct. A good man need not fear any trouble. Thou ſhalt not be afraid of destruction, when it cometh, Job 5.21. Thou ſhalt not be afraid of the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flyeth by day, Pſal. 91.5. He ſhall not be afraid of evill tydings, his heart is fixed, truſting in the Lord. This fearleſneſſe proceeds,
1. From ſome inward principles. A good man may be like a ſhip at Sea, in ſuch a ſtorm, that he hath no anchorroom abroad, nor haven neer, all that ſuſtains him muſt be within: As,
1. An equall and proportionable ballancing by ballaſt, or goods. So a good man may have peace of conſcience, which may make him fearleſſe. He that knows himſelf at peace with God, what need he fear the wrath of all the creatures? Such may glory in tribulation, Rom. 5.3. and take delight in them, as in ſweet ſmelling roſes.
2. The skill of the Ship-maſter makes them not to fear. God gives ſpiritual wiſdome to his, how to carry them in and get out of any trouble. Wiſdome onelyonly can teach men how to keep an eternall Sabbath of reſt in the ſoul.
3. Labour of ſhip-men is needfull to preſerve the ſhip. Except theſe abide in the ſhip, ye cannot be ſaved, Act. 27.31. So God gives ſpirituall courage and grace to his, to hold up their heads in all troubles.
2. From outward helps: As,
1. Gods protection. I will give peace in the land, and ye ſhall lie down, and none ſhall make you afraid, Lev. 26.6. They know that God who hath undertaken to deliver them, hath many wayes to doe it, and they reſt upon that, and are quiet and fearleſſe.
2. He hath a guard of Angels about him. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them, Pſ. 34.7. But it may be objected, that good men have a paſſion of fear as well as others, and at ſome times are afraid of troubles. It may be anſwered, that becauſe no man can perfectly obey Wiſdomes counſels, they beſt in infirmity may be perplexed, but not quite overcome with fear; they will recover, Fides non tollit omnem dubitationem, ſed vincentem. Faith takes not away all doubting, but prevailing doubting. Scotus in Sentent. He that walketh uprightly, walketh ſurely, Pr. 10 9. Perfect freedome from fear is reſerved for them in heaven. Wicked men dwel in fear, as ſtrangers; good men in hope, as inhabitants. Further it may be objected, Good men had need to fear troubles, for the world hates them, and doth often perſecute them. Anſw. Troubles may befall a good man, but he need not fear any hurt by them. Surely in the flouds of great waters, they ſhall not come nigh unto him, Pſal. 32.7. They can detract nothing from his felicity. He ſhall be happy in proſperity and adverſity. Trouble ſhall not be evill to him, but doe him good, and lead him to good. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. It may be God may ſometimes try his ſervants, but ordinarily they change their manners, before God changes their proſperity. Fortunam ſui cui que fingunt mores. Cornelius Nepos in vita Pompeij. Every mans manners carve out his owne condition. Fortune is a conſtant wife to good men, and an inconſtant ſtrumpet to bad men, ſaid Heathen Plutarch. Apophthegm. She is nailed to good men, not well faſtned to bad men. Evill mens troubles will be endleſſe, good mens not ſo.
Ʋſe. Behold a great encouragement to hearken to Wiſdomes counſels, and to be pious. We ſhall attain to a condition that need not fear any troubles. I will not fear, though the earth be removed; and though the mountains be carried into the midſt of the Sea. Though the waters thereof roar, and be troubled, though the mountains ſhake with the ſwelling thereof, Pſal. 46.2, 3. Si fractus illabatur orbis, Impavidum ferient ruinae. Horat. A godly mans Ark is pitched within, and without, toſſed it may be, but not drowned; ſhaken, but not ſhivered. No Kingdome in the world, no Empire hath ſuch a priviledge.
6. Doct. Trouble is evill in it ſelf. The yeers wherein we have ſeen evill, Pſal. 90.15. Shall there be any evill in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? Amos 3.6.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe it is evill to the body, helping to confume it by diſeaſes.
2. It is evil to the ſoul, helping to vex it with grief and diſquietneſſe. It makes a man cry out, Why art thou caſt downe, O my ſoul, and why art thou diſquieted within me? Pſal. 43.5.
Ʋſe. Let us bleſſe God our heavenly Phyſician, that turns our troubles to our good, and makes an antidote of poyſon.