Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 2 · Verse 5
Verſ. 5. Then ſhall thou underſtand the fear of the Lord, and finde the knowledge of God.
The way to true wiſdome hath been ſet down before, now follow the benefits of it, to allure us to take pains, and obſerve the former directions to get it, and thoſe are ſet down,
1. Pofitively, to verſ. 10.
2. Privatively, to the end of the chap.
For the firſt. It contains promiſes of good things to be gotten by ſearching for wiſdome. After the precepts and inſtructions, followeth the promiſe of good ſucceſſe to every one which is tractable, and perſwaded to obſerve the directions propoſed. Here is promiſed,
1. Wiſdome to direct us how to carry our ſelves toward God, v. 5, 6, 7, 8.
2. Towards men. v. 9.
In the firſt part note,
1. The things promiſed, verſ. 5.
2. The reaſons why we may expect them.
1. From Gods liberality, v. 6.
2. From divine inſtruction, v. 6. alſo.
3. From his plentifull proviſion, v. 7.
4. From his defence of them againſt errors and follies, v. 7. alſo.
5. From his direction in matters of truth, v. 8.
6. From his preſervation of them that are his in practicall duties of Religion, v. 8. alſo.
The ſumme is: They ſhall underſtand how to know and fear God aright, becauſe God will give them light and fight, and ſtore of it; and power to avoyd errors in judgement and practiſe, and to keep truth and piety. For the things promiſed in this verſ.
For the words.
Then. When thou haſt uſed all the former means. But if thou go any other way to ſeek true wiſdome, then God hath appointed, thou art ſure to go without this heavenly treaſure. For the word ſee on ch. 1.28.
Thou ſhalt underſtand. See on ch. 1.6.
The fear of the Lord. See on ch. 1.7.
And find. See on ch. 1.13.
The knowledge. See on ch. 1.4.
Of God. The word foreign, comes from a word that ſignifies power. For all power is from God. It is uſed,
1. For the true God. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, Gen. 1.1. And it is the firſt name that is given to God in Scripture.
2. It is attributed to Idole, and falſe gods, as the picture of a man is called a man. So are they called gods, becauſe they ſeem ſo to men, though they be utterly unworthy of that name, and have no divine power in them at all. All the gods of the Nations are idals, Pſa. 96.3. They have caſt their gods unto the fire, for they were no gods, Iſa. 37.19.
3. It is put for the images of the true God. Theſe be thy Gods, O Iſrael, Exod. 32.8. The Galf was made for an image or repreſentation of the true God, as appears by what ſollows, which have brought thee up out of the Land of Aegypt. Such were Jeroboam's Calves, not Images of Bual, but of the true God, 1 King. 12.28.
4. For the Angels, which are neereſt to God in glory and power, far excelling all earthly and bodily creatures in both. Thou haſt made him a little lower then the Angels, Pſa. 8.5.
5. For men that come neereſt to God in ſtate and power, eſpecially Magiſtrates and Judges. I have ſaid, Ye are gods, Pſ. 82.6.
6. It is uſed to ſet out the greatneſſe or excellency of a thing, though unreaſonable, in that wherein it excells all other things of the ſame kinde, and ſo comes neerer to God then they do. Nineveh was an exceeding great City, Hebr. a great City of God. Here it is taken in the firſt ſenſe for the true God, for the knowledge of other gods will do us no good, without the knowledge of him, but hurt rather. Their ſorrows ſhall be multiplyed that haſten after another God, Pſa. 16.4.
The ſumme of all is: That he which conſcionably uſeth all the former means, ſhall experimentally be acquainted with true piety and religion, and ſoundly ſeaſoned with an holy illumination, and made judicious in Scripture truths, and matters of faith; ſo that he ſhall be well able to diſcern between light and darkneſſe, between truth and errors, in meaſure competent for his ſalvation.
Figures. The fear of the Lord Syneed. Speciei. Hereby is meant true religion and piety, which beſides the fear of God requires many other graces, but this is one of the principall, and put for all the reſt.
Finde. A Metaphor from Seekers. The benefits to be gotten are two.
1. The fear of God.
2. The knowledge of God.
In the firſt note,
1. The time, Then.
2. The act, thou ſhalt underſtand,
3. The ſubject, the fear.
4. The object, of the Lord.
In the ſecond note,
1. The act, And find.
2. The ſubject, the knowledge,
3. The object, of God.
Here the Ifs end, and the ſentence is compleated thus: If thou do all the former things, thou ſhalt have heavenly knowledge.
Then, is to be taken,
1. Incluſively, when thou haſt uſed all the former means, thou mayſt expect it.
2. Excluſively. Never look for it, till thou have uſed them all.
1. Doct. Men that conſcionably uſe all means of getting true wiſdome, appointed by God, may expect good ſucceſſe from him. So did Solomon ſpeed, who records his Fathers inſtructions, from ch. 4.4. to ch. 9. end, and his Mothers, ch. 31. He alſo uſed ſtudy, and gave his heart to it, Eccl. 1.13. He prayed for it, 2 Chr. 1.10. and ſo got a great meaſure of it. Meditate upon theſe things, give thy ſelf wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all, 1 Tim. 4.15.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe elſe Gods promiſe is voyd, and then his truth will be queſtioned. Men may fail of performing promiſes, for want of wit to foreſee inconveniences, and power to effect what they ſay. But God wants neither.
2. The means appointed by God would be ſlighted. Who would ever ſtudy Law or phyſick, if after all his pains he could not attain to the profitable knowledge of them?
Ʋſe. Let this encourage you to ſtudy for true wiſdome. Here is a fair promiſe, God will not fail us, if we take pains to get wiſdome. Many of the people fooliſhly complain, that they cannot know the way to true wiſdome. Great Scholars cannot agree upon it. Sure if they ſought as diligently by reading the Scriptures and Prayer, and other good means, as they and others labour for wealth, they would find wiſdome. The rich young man came to Chriſt, as defirous to learn, yet preferring his wealth before true wiſdome, went without it. When men ſee Merchants returne home rich, and Husband-men have great crops, they are encouraged to thoſe Trades. So ſhould we be encouraged to ſeek wiſdome by what others have got. Try the means, and let what you get encourage you to ſeek for more; as men work ſtill, and harder in their Trades, when gain comes. Salomon finding his Ophir trade for gold to thrive, 1 King. 9.28. ſent thither every three yeers, 1 King. 10.22. So let us be encouraged by what we have got already, to get more wiſdome.
2. Doct. There is no expectation of attaining true wiſdome, without a conſcionable uſe of all good means. The Kings of Iſrael could not obtain true wiſdome, nor the wicked Kings of Judah, becauſe they uſed not the means preſcribed to them to cauſe the Law to be written out for them, and to read therein all the dayes of their life, Deut. 17.18, 19, 20.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe God will not bleſſe their labours, that go not his way. They may as well expect ſtrength without food, health without phyſick, warmth without clothes or fire, crops without plowing or ſowing.
2. God will croſſe thoſe that go their owne wayes to get wiſdome. For they aſcribe to themſelves a power above God, and a wiſdome ſutable, that pull down his way to ſet up another.
Ʋſe. It ſhews us a reaſon why many have not true wiſdome, becauſe they ſeek it not in Gods way, and God will not give it in theirs. They have no mind to learn it, hear ſeldome, pray ſeldomer, never ſtudy.
3. Doct. Much wiſdome is needfull to find out the true religion. Timothy from a childe had learned the holy Scriptures, which were able to make him wiſe to ſalvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. The wiſdome that is from above, is firſt pure, then peaceable, &c. Jam. 3.17.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe it is high above us; ſenſe nor reaſon cannot reach it.
2. There are many ſhews of falſe religions to deceive us. As voluntary humility, and worſhipping of Angels; a ſhew of wiſdome in will-worſhip, &c. Col. 2.18.23. All is not gold that gliſters.
Ʋſe. Marvell not that men are ſo ready to imbrace falſe religions, Popery, Idolatry, Herefie. It is for want of true wiſdome. They think themſelves wifer then they are. Vainman would be wiſe, though man be born like a wild Aſſes colt, Job 11.12. The name here given to God is Jehovah, which ſignifies being.
4. Doct. We muſt look upon God as the fountain of all being. In him we live, and move, and have our being, Act. 17, 28. Of him, and through him, and to him are all things, Rom. 11.36.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe this will be glorious to God when we ſee him in all things.
2. It will be pleaſing to us, as to men, to read their genealogies; and to children, to ſee their parents love in their clothes, victuals, &c.
3. It will be profitable to others, and keep us from wronging others. He who made them, will right them.
Ʋſe. Let us, as ſee God in our being, ſo praiſe him while we have any being, Pſal. 146.2.
5. Doct. The knowledge of God is worth the finding. Let him that gloryeth, glory in this, that he underſtandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, Jer. 9.24. I count all things but loſſe for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, Phil. 3.8.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe Acquaintance with good men brings much good; much more with God, who can do us more good then all the creatures can.
2. Heaven is not to be had without it. This is life eternal, that they might know thee the onelyonly true God, Joh. 17.3. No admiſſion to live in a palace without the owners acquaintance. Heaven is Gods palace.
Ʋſe. Woe be to them that ſeek ſo much to get acquaintance on earth, but never look after acquaintance with God. They may ſeek it when it is too late. When they come to die, and would ſcrape acquaintance with God, he will ſay, I never knew you: Depart from me, Matt. 7.23. Therefore acquaint thy ſelf now with him, and he at peace, thereby good ſhall come unto thee, Job 22.21.
6. Doct. We muſt look upon God as moſt powerfull. God hath ſpoken once; twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God, Pſal. 62.11.
Reaſon. Becauſe we may have need of more then a created power, which is not to be found but in God.
Ʋſe. When men over-power you, look up to Gods power. This may eaſe your ſpirits.