Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 2 · Verse 4
Verſ. 4. If thou ſeekeſt her as ſilver, and ſearcheſt for her as for hid treaſures.
The Wiſe-man is now come to the top of the Ladder, which doth bring us to true wiſdome. The loweſt ſtep was a docible heart, v. 1. The next, humane inſtruction, v. 2. The next above that, prayer to God, v. 3. The laſt, ſtudy and painfull endevour through Gods bleſſing to obtain it in this v. We muſt not lie in a ditch, and cry, God help. We muſt not ſo truſt to our prayers, that we give over our endevours.
For the words.
If. See on chap. 1.10.
Thou ſeekeſt her. If thou uſe all diligence, labour, care and coſt to finde wiſdome, as men do to finde things they have loſt, or have need of. This word intimates,
1. A loſſe or want of ſomething. Elſe men ſeek not for it.
2. A knowledge of this want or loſſe. Elſe men fit ſtill.
3. Some goodneſſe indeed, or in our opinion, in the thing loſt or wanting. Men are or ſhould be content to loſe what is evill.
4. Some benefit to our ſelves in it. Elſe few will ſeek it, though good in it ſelf.
5. An earneſt deſire to find it. Elſe men have no heart to ſeek it.
6. A conſtant enqu…ry after it, whereſoever there is any hope to finde it. Elſe we ſeek in vain. So it is in ſeeking after wiſdome, we muſt want it, and know that we want it, and ſee good in it, and that to our ſelves, and ſeek it earneſtly and conſtantly, if we would find it.
As ſilver. The word foreign, comes from a word which ſignifies to deſire, becauſe all men deſire mony, and it can help them to all outward deſirable things, if they be to be had, as meat, drink, cloaths, &c.
1. It ſignifies ſilver in the oar, or lump. The ſilver is mine, Hag. 2.8.
2. When it is joyned with words of number, it ſignifies ſilver coyned, or money made of ſilver. Four hundred ſhekels of ſilver, Gen. 23.16.
Here it is taken in the firſt ſenſe. For the ſeeking here ſpoken of, is not taken from covetous men, toyling to get money, but from Miners digging for ſilver oar, as the words following declare. This may be taken either for mens care in digging in divers places, till they find a vein of ſilver, or for their labour in digging to the bottome, when they have found it. So when men want knowledge, they will wander from Sea to ſea, and from the North even to the Eaſt, they will run to and fro to ſeek it, Amos 8.12. Many will run to and fro, that knowledge may be increaſed, Dan. 12.4. From one Book to another, from one Sermon to another, and they will be diligent in the uſe of all good means, till wiſdome be found out. They know, that ſurely there is a vein for the ſilver, Job 28.1. Yet they are not ſatisfied with that, but enquire further, Where ſhall wiſdome be found? Job 28.12. It may well be, that ſeeking for a mine may be meant by this firſt part of the verſ. Cunning men, when they ſee ſprings iſſuing from the bottome of mountains, know by the ſand, or by the taſte of the water, where ſilver mines are. So muſt men gueſſe by goodneſſe of doctrine and life, where wiſdome is likelyeſt to be gotten. Men are not content to ſeek in one place for a mine, but if they ſpeed not there, they dig in another. So muſt we for wiſdome.
And ſearcheſt for her. The word foreign, ſignifies ſearching in generall, which yet is ſomewhat more then ſeeking. A man may ſeek that looks onelyonly in ſome likely places, but ſearching is looking in every room and corner of an houſe. They ſhall ſearch thine houſe, and the houſes of thy ſervants; and it ſhal be, that whatſoever is pleaſant in thine eyes, they ſhall put it in their hand, and take it away, 1 King. 20.6. This was a through ſearch indeed, ſo muſt the ſearch of knowledge be. Now there is no way to ſearch for ſilver, but by digging. Miners dig on, till they have got all the ſilver out of the mine. So muſt we dig for wiſdome as long as we live, for the vein of it is bottomleſſe.
As for hid treaſures. Not hid in the cheſts, which theeves hunt after, nor in the ground, to be ſaved in times of war from the enemy, which Souldiers ſearch for, but in Mines, in the bottome of the earth, which men dig deep ſo. Such pains ſhould we take for wiſdome.
Figures. Seek, Search. Metaphors from men that hunt up and down for things miſſing. It intends to ſet out our continued pains, which we ſhould take to get heavenly wiſdome.
Here are two ſimilitudes.
The firſt taken from Miners care to find veins of ſilver.
The ſecond from their pains in digging it out of the earth.
In the firſt note,
1. The act, If thou ſeek her.
2. The manner of performing it, as ſilver.
In the ſecond note,
1. The act, And ſearcheſt for her.
2. The manner, as for hid treaſures.
1. Doct. Heavenly wiſdome is of great price. Like ſilver, and hid treaſures. More to be deſired then gold; yea, then much fine gold, Pſal. 19.10. Yea, then jewels, or precious ſtones, Job 28.16, &c.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe as wiſdome is more excellent then riches, or ſtrength, ſo heavenly wiſdome far exceeds all other wiſdome; yea, the moſt curious Arts. All things that excell other in their kinde, are of greateſt price. Beſt books are deareſt: Scholars know it. Beſt food is deareſt: Citizens know it. Beſt clothes are deereſt: Gentlemen know it. So ſhould the beſt knowledge be of beſt account. All the earth ſought to Solomon, to hear his wiſdome, 1 King. 10.24.
2. It is moſt uſefull. Other wiſdome tends to, and ends in the comforts of this tranſitory life, for to get houſes, food, apparell, which muſt periſh. This wiſdome looks after eternity.
Ʋſe 1. To prize this above all other Arts. Things of greateſt price ſhould be moſt prized, and of higheſt account with us.
2. To take moſt pains for it, as men do for things that are of greateſt price. Scholars take great pains in the Univerſity for one Art. So do Tradeſ-men in the ſhop for one Trade. How much more pains ſhould we take for the chiefeſt wiſdome?
2. Doct. Heavenly wiſdome is far remote and hidden from us. As mines buryed deep in the earth. It is hid from the eyes of all living, &c. Job 28.20. It is to the Jews a ſtumbling block, and unto the Greeks fooliſhneſſe, 1 Cor. 1.23.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe it is beyond our invention. Many witty things have been invented by men, but no man ſo wiſe, that could ever ſtumble upon the way to heaven. No man hath ſeen God at any time; the onelyonly begotten Son, which is in the boſome of the Father, he hath declared him, Joh. 1.18.
2. It is beyond our apprehenſion. Senſe and reaſon without illumination cannot conceive of divine truths manifeſted to us in Scripture. Thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto babes, Matth. 11.25. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 2.14.
Object. The commandement is not hidden from us, neither far off.
Anſw. It is neer in regard of Gods revelation, though not in regard of our acceptation, as the Sun ſhines on a blinde man, that ſees it not.
Ʋſe. Bleſſe God for any meaſure of heavenly truth made known to thee. He gave both light and ſight.
3. Doct. We muſt ſearch for the means of obtaining heavenly wiſdome. As they that will dig for ſilver, muſt get Mattocks, and Spades, and finde out mines. Come, and ſee, Joh. 1.46. The people follow Chriſt by ſhipping to be taught, Joh. 6.24.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe God doth not work by miracle now, as he did, when he gave tongues, and healing power, Act. 2.3, 4.
2. Becauſe wiſdome grows not every where. Non omnis fert omnia tellus. Severall Lands have ſeverall Hearbs, Trees, living Creatures.
Ʋſe. Seek to live under godly Miniſters, where Gods Word drops like dew from Sion, to make the valleys fruitfull. There are the Indies, where mines of golden truth are to be found. And men ſpare for no coſt to travell to the Indies, nor fear no perill.
4. Doct. We muſt uſe the means when we finde them. So men dig when they have found a mine. Cornelius is at coſt to ſend to Joppa for Peter to inſtruct him, as God enjoyned him, Act. 10.32, 33. The next Sabbath day came almost the whole City together, to hear the Word of God, Act. 13.44.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe God hath appointed them. And his will is a law to us, to uſe them, although we had no need of them, or thought other means better, as Naaman thought his Syrian rivers better then Jordan, 2 King. 5.12.
2. Becauſe we have great need of them, and cannot attain true wiſdome without them.
Ʋſe. It cryes down thoſe that cry down Gods ordinances. They had need put this text out of the Bible. It will be a ſtrong witneſſe againſt them elſe at the day of judgement. Men will dig in Gold mines, yea in Coal mines, while any thing is left. They can never dig the Scripture dry. But men of this generation are wiſer for the world, then for heaven.
5. D. We muſt take pains in the uſe of the means of knowledge. So do men in digging for ſilver. We muſt watch daily at Wiſdomes gates, and wait at the poſts of her dores, ch. 8.34. Give attendance to reading, 1 Tim. 4.13.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe worldly men take ſo much pains for wealth, which is not to be compared to knoweldge. Miners take great care, ſtudy, pains, and are at great coſt; and ſpend much time to get gold and ſilver out of the earth, and afterward to purge it from the droſſe. Merchants are at much coſt, and run many dangers by ſtorms and Pirats to get gain. All their heart runs after it. So ſhould ours after wiſdome. Omnis cupiditas in illam tendatur. We ſhould ſeek it with as vehement deſire, as covetous men ſeek after money. Not that covetouſneſſe is to be commended, but that we ſhould be aſhamed not to ſeek after wiſdome ſo earneſtly, as they do after riches. See how patiently they that love money, labour and ſweat for it, forbear pleaſure, and delight, take all occaſions of gain, avoid all occaſions of loſſe. And we do not ſo much for heavenly wiſdome, which is far better. For riches diminiſh by uſe, wiſdome encreaſes. So Chriſts coming is ſet out by a theeve's in the night, 1 Theſſ. 5.2. We are ſpoken to here after the manner of men, Rom. 6.19. For wiſdome ſhould be ſought with more diligence then riches.
2. Becauſe though God could give it us without our labour, yet he will not, that we may the more eſteem it, being hardly gotten. So Husbandmen, Shepherds, Gardiners, Labourers, Inkeepers, Merchants, learn Languages, Arithmetick, incur many dangers. Per mare pauperiem fugiens, per ſaxa, per ignes, Impiger extremos currens Mercator ad Indos. Horat. The greedy Merchant runs to the Indies through ſea, rocks, and fires to avoyd poverty. The unjuſt Steward cannot dig. It requires no great skill, but is too great a labour for him, Luk. 16.3.
3. Becauſe we muſt not fodere only, but effodere; not only dig, but dig out. All the Diggers labour is loſt, if he dig not till he dig the oar out of the ground. Yea, men dig till they dig it all out. So muſt we labour till we attain the height of knowledge.
4. The pleaſure and profit will anſwer all the pains. It brings happineſſe and better profit then merchandiſe of gold and ſilver, chap. 3.13, 14. It will make amends if a man ſell all he hath for it, Matth. 13.44. The fruit is anſwerable to the labour. The treaſure anſwers the Miners pains, and fills him with joy, when his labour is done. He fares the better for it all his life long.
Ʋſe. Let us be aſhamed that we have taken no more pains in the uſe of the means to get heavenly wiſdome. We may ſay of Knowledge, as Simonides ſaid of Virtue, Fertur in rupibus aditu difficilibus habitare: It is reported to dwell in rocks hardly acceſſible. Sudor ante virtutem poſitus: Sweat goes before virtue. Clem. Strom. l. 4. A man muſt climbe or dig for it, if he will have it. Worldly men dig where they have hope of a Mine, though with much uncertainty. We may be aſhamed of doing ſo little, where there is certainty of finding wiſdome. Viſcera terrae extrahimus, ut digito geſtiatur gemma, quam petimus. Quot manus afferuntur, ut unus niteat articulus? Simili ſtudio, induſtriâ, conſtantiâ, ſapien iae inquiſitioni incumbendum erat. Plin. l. 2. c. 65. We draw out the bowels of the earth to get a jewell we deſire to wear on a finger. How many hands are worn out, that one finger may ſhine? The like ſtudy, induſtry, conſtancy, ſhould we uſe in ſearching for wiſdome. We may then marvell at, and bewail our ſlothfulneſſe in ſeeking wiſdome, who all our life long are ſo diligent to ſeek for wealth.
6. Doct. We muſt be conſtant in our pains in the uſe of the means of getting wiſdome. So are men unweariable in digging for treaſure. This Book of the Law ſhall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou ſhalt meditate therein day and night, Joſh. 1.8. The bleſſed man meditates in Gods Law day and night, Pſal. 1.2.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe the Miniſters are to preach conſtantly. Preach the Word in ſeaſon, out of ſeaſon, 1 Tim. 4.2. And if Schoolmaſters muſt keep hours, it is fit Scholars do ſo alſo.
2. We ſhall not be perfect in knowledge while we live, no not if we had attained to Paul's ſtature. We ſhould know but in part, till that which is perfect come, 1 Cor. 13.9, 10. And we muſt not give over means, till we attain to a full meaſure of knowledge. As a ſick man gives not over phyſick and diet, till he be fully recovered.
Ʋſe. Let ſuch take it to heart, who have found ſweetneſſe in Gods ordinances, and now finde none. Where is their conſtancy? Qui theſaurum effod…nt in mundo, licèt infinitas capiant divitias, non priùs abſiſtunt. quàm totum exhauſerint. Non enim ut multa tollant, ſed ut nihil relig…uant haec eos praecipuè cura tenere ſolet. Multo magìs hoc nos in divinis facere theſauris opertet tamdiù effodere quoad totum exhauſerimus apparens. Apparens autem dixi, quoniam omnia exhaurire non datur. Chryſoſt. in Homil. ſuper orat. Annae. They that dig out treaſures in the world, although they get infinite riches, yet ceaſe not till they have drawn the Mine dry: For this is their chief care, not to get out much, but to leave none behinde. Much more ſhould we do thus, dig ſo long, till we draw out all that appears. Now I ſay that appears, becauſe no man hath power to draw out all. Arborem quam ſumma conſpicis viriditate laetari, niſi fimo & humore ſubterraneo foveatur, continuè exareſcet, nec viror corticis quicquam valet, niſi virtus stipitis humorem continuum ſibi trahat. Sic & homo, quantumcunque in ſapientia vireſcat, ſi novum humorem continuè ſibi non trahat per ſtudium, acquiſita viriditas facilitèr exareſcit. Caſſiodor. l. 2. The tree which thou ſeeſt enjoy the moſt greenneſſe, unleſſe it be continually cheriſhed with dung, and underground moysture, will be dryed up; neither is the greenneſſe of the bark worth any thing, unleſſe the force of the trunk draw moyſture to it continually. So a man, how green ſoever he be in knowledge, if he draw not daily new moyſture to himſelf by ſtudy, his greenneſſe gotten will eaſily be dryed up. The cauſe why many get not ſaving knowledge, is, becauſe diſcouragement makes them give over labour. But ſeek and ye ſhall find, Matth. 7.7. Plantin the curious Printers Motto was, Labore & conſtantia: By labour and conſtancy.
But what are thoſe means that we muſt uſe to get knowledge?
Anſw. Light and ſight. So in worldly things, light of the Sun, and our eyes muſt be uſed to diſtinguiſh objects. The light is manifold:
1. Of Creatures, which muſt be uſed by obſervation of Gods power, wiſdome, goodneſſe characteriſed in them. Rom. 1.20. The inviſible things of God are ſeen from the creation of the world.
2. Of Scriptureuſed by reading. Nihil invenitur, niſi quod per viam ſuam quaeritur: Nothing is found, unleſſe ſought in the right way.
3. Of the Word preached, uſed by hearing.
4. Of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, uſed by receiving.
5. Of good parts given to others, uſed by conference.
6. Of principles in our ſelves, uſed by meditation.
The fight is twofold. As the body hath two eyes, ſo likewiſe hath the ſoul.
The firſt is Reaſon, whereby man muſt ſeek to underſtand all the former means of knowledge truely.
The ſecond is Illumination, whereby he is made able to underſtand ſuch things as Reaſon could not reach. This is the cleerer eye of the twain.
Theſe muſt be continually poring upon the former grounds, that we may underſtand the words of Wiſdome. Theſe are the means to attain true wiſdome, a docible mind, inſtruction by others, prayer to God, and diligent ſtudy. Where all theſe are joyned, there is no doubt of good ſucceſſe. Uſe them all then, and fare well: one tool will never build an houſe.