Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 3 · Verse 11
VER. 11. My Son, deſpiſe not the chaſtning of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction.
HEre is an anſwer to to an objection, that might be made out of the former verſe. It might be ſaid, good men have not alwaies the plenty you ſpeak of, they are many times in want and poverty. A. Then muſt they be patient, if wants and croſſes come upon them from God, for it is for their good: If God do not proſper, but croſſe us, we muſt not be offended. Before Solomon had taught his ſon the doctrine of reverence, to have higher thoughts of God then of himſelfe, Verſe 5, 6, 7. here he teacheth him the doctrine of patience; he had before perſwaded him to ſhew reall thankfulneſſe to God in his coſt for Gods worſhip, Verſe 9.10. now he moves him to ſhew his real patience in bearing croſſes from God: That precept belonged principally to rich men, that want nothing; this to poor men, that live in want, or to ſuch as are otherwiſe afflicted by the hand of God. For the words.
My ſon. A kind appellation to pierce the deeper into our hearts. To whom will he hearken that will not hearken unto his father? For the word, ſee on Chap. 1.18.
Deſpaſe not. Count not ſleightly of it, but obſerve well for what end it is ſent; ſeek not to caſt it off with contempt, and hatred, count it not a burden inſupportable. Some ſerve God in proſperity, and leave him in adverſitie: Therefore the wiſe-man exhorts him, whom he had before taught how to live in proſperity, not to faint in adverſitie, that ſo when infirmity, or poverty, or the like triall comes, he may not loſe that piety which he ſeemed to have in his tranquillity.
The chaſtning. See on Chap. 1.2. on the word inſtruction: the ſame word in the original ſignifies both, and it belongs equally, to a loving father to inſtruct, or correct, as occaſion is offered.
Of the Lord. See on Chap. 1.7.
Neither be weary. Faint not under the burden of Gods correction; let it not be like meat upon the ſtomach, that overcharges it, and the man is never well, till he be rid of it, and can endure no more of it.
Of his correction. Remember it is but correction, not wrath. See on Chap. 1.25. on the word Reproofe, for it fignifies both: The ſum of this verſe is, as if Solomon had ſaid to the young man, My ſon, God will give thee proſperity, if thou obey him: but if God ſhall ſee it fitter for thee to give thee fickneſſe for health, and dry bones for marrow, and make thee full of paines, and weakneſſes, do not make a light account of his correcting hand, neither if thou think his ſtroak to be too long, or heavy, be thou offended with him, but bear it patiently
Figures none. Note. 1. The Exhortation in this verſe.
2. The reaſon inforcing it, verſe 12.
In the former obſerve
1. The perſon ſpoken to. My ſon.
2. The ſpeech, wherein note a double exhortation, or rather dehortation. And in the former.
1. The act diſſwaded. Deſpiſe not.
2. The Object. The chaſtning of the Lord.
In the latter note.
1. The Act forbidden. Neither be weary.
2. The Object. Of his correction.
1. Doct. Arguments, or titles of love ſhould often be repeated. My little Children. 1 Ioh. 2.1. Brethren. 1 Ioh. 2.7. Beloved. 1 Ioh. 4.1.7.11.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe of all arguments they are the moſt pierceing. They go from heart to heart. They will work, when arguments of terror will not.
2. Becauſe as they quickly pierce the affection, ſo they laſt till death in the memory, and work love back again, as the ſunbeams beating on a wall reverberat, and cauſe heat in the air near it.
Uſe. 1. To blame ſtrangeneſſe, and ſharpneſſe of carriage in Chriſtians, eſpecially in words, when reproofes, and admonitions ſavour rather of height of ſpirit, then of love. Little good comes by them.
2. To teach all ſuperiours, Miniſters eſpecially to breath forth words full of affection, eſpecially to thoſe, that are godly, though differing from them in matters of leſſer moment. Loving carriage is glue, it will unite. Strangeneſſe is a thaw, of a ſevering quality, and will breed enmity.
2. Doct. Afflictions come from God. Shall there be evill in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? Am. 3.6. The Lord hath troden under foot all my mighty men in the midſt of me: hee hath called an aſſembly againſt me to cruſh my young men; The Lord hath troden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a wine preſſe. Lam. 1.15.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe ſome are ſuch as none elſe can inflict, as the plague, and deadly diſeaſes, the infection of the air, pangs of conſcience.
2. Becauſe none elſe can bring any affliction on us without his leave. Satan cannot touch any thing of Jobs without a commiſſion from God. Iob. 1.12.2, 6. Nor the devills enter into ſwine, if Chriſt permit not. Mat. 8.31, 32.
Uſe 1. It taxeth worldly men, who in their afflictions look altogether unto outward means, not eying God the ſtriker, neither do they come to him for remedy. If they be ſick, they blame their diet, or the air, and ſeek onelyonly to the Phyſician for help. If they be wronged, they blame their neighbours, and fly to the Lawyer for help. If they be impoveriſhed, they blame their oppreſſors, and flie to their rich friends for reliefe, but leaſt ſee God in their affliction, upon whom they ſhould moſt of all look. Therefore afflictions rather do them hurt, then good. They make them full of ſpleen againſt the inſtruments: they work confidence in men; but do not humble them before God, nor make them amend their waies. The end is like to be miſerable. Afflictions are burdens, and whom they do not bow, they break: look up then to the firſt mover in troubles.
2. It teacheth good men in all their afflictions to look up to God. This will make us patient. Weak Chriſtians, when they ſee wicked men proſper, and godly men afflicted, are tempted with impatience, as appears at large. Pſal. 73. This Verſe is an Antidote againſt ſuch temptations. Wee muſt receive afflictions from the hand of God with all patience, as from him, that doth all things juſtly. This will make us cheerful in afflictions alſo, if we remember, they are Gods Phyſick to cure the diſeaſes of the ſoul. Every wiſe man takes Phyſick willingly, as overloooking the bitterneſſe of the pill, and faſtning his eyes on the health enſuing. So ſhould we do in afflictions ſent by God. O ſervum illum beatum, cujus emendationi Dominus inſtat, cui dignatur iraſci, quem admonendi diſſimulatione non decipit. Tertullian, in lib. de Patientia. Oh bleſſed is that ſervant, for whoſe amendment God is earneſt, with whom God vouchſafes to be angry, and whom he doth not deceive by concealing admonition.
3. Doct. Afflictions are ordinarily chaſtiſements for ſin, There is no ſoundneſſe in my fleſh becauſe of thine anger: neither is there any rest in my bones becauſe of my ſin. Pſal. 38.3. When thou with rebukes doſt correct a man for iniquity, thou makeſt his beauty to conſume away like a moth. Pſal. 39.11.
Reaſon. 1. In reſpect of God, that he may ſhew forth his diſlike of ſin really, not in words alone, but in deeds. If he ſhould never ſmite ſinners, both they, and others wouldthink, he liked their ſinfull waies. Theſe things haſt thou done, and I kept ſilence: thou thoughtſt, that I was altogether ſuch an one as thy ſelf. Pſal. 50.21. To drive them out of this fooliſh conceit, God threatens to reprove them, to make them ſee their ſins, and to tear them in pieces, if they repent not. ver. 21, 22. there.
2. In reſpect of ſinners, that they may be brought to repentance, as the prodigall child was by want. Luk. 15.
Uſe. Take your afflictions then as corrections. Look not upon them alwaies, as tryalls of grace, leſt ye be proud: but ordinarily look at them, as chaſtiſements for thy ſins, and be humbled. Ranſack thy life, look what thou haſt done amiſſe, confeſſe with forrow, give glory to God, and amend. So ſhall thy afflictions be both inſtructions, and corrections. Whereſore doth a living man complaint a man for the puniſhment of his ſins. Lam. 3.39.
4. Doct. Such chaſtiſemenes muſt not be ſlighted. Behold happy is the man, whom God correcteth: therefore deſpiſe not thou the chaſtning of the Almighty. Job. 5.17. See the words of the text quoted. Heb. 12.5.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe then God, himſelf is ſlighted, and his power, and juſtice contemned. God is to be feared in the leaſt of his works, yea, in his word. He hath a whole forreſt of rodds to correct them withall, that ſin againſt him, if few, or ſmall ones will not work upon us.
2. Becauſe they come out of love, and love-tokens ſhould not be deſpiſed: The father ſtrikes not the child to break a limb, or an arme, or to kill him, but to beat down his ſtubborn heart, not to make him run away, but return.
Uſe 1. To reprove ſuch as ſleight, not only mens blows, but Gods: Some take no notice of any judgment that lights upon them, as coming from God, but by chance, and therefore regard it not; they ſay with the Philiſtines, It was a chance that happened unto us. 1 Sam. 6.9. Others attribute it to inferiour cauſes, and think them eaſie so be avoided, forgetting, that they have to do with the mighty God; others are ſenceleſſe, and think it a goodly thing to bear out a croſs by head and ſhoulders, as if they were armed againſt all Gods arrowes: of theſe a man may ſay with Auſtin, Perdidiſtis fructum afflictionis, meſerrimi facti estis & peſſimè permanſiſtis. De civit. Dei. l. 1. c. 33. Ye have loſt the fruit of affliction, ye are made very miſerable, and ye remain very bad. Theſe are paſt ſhame, fear, or ſorrow: eſpecially, men are ſenceleſſe in leſſer blowes, which devour like a moth inſenſibly; and ſometimes in greater. Jonah could ſleep in a ſtorm. Drunken men feel no blowes, theſe are ſpiritually drunk.
2. Let us not ſleight Gods corrections, as things of no force or uſe, but rather ſtoop at the firſt, and leaſt blow, and fear the very ſhaking of his hand at us; elſe we cauſe God as it were to loſe his labour in nurturing of us. A child is graceleſſe that ſheds no tears, when he is corrected. It argues want of grace in us, if we melt not when God himſelfe corrects us. A great mans anger is feared, Gods wrath is much more to be feared.
Doct. 5. Gods chaſtiſements are for our correction and good. Before I was afflicted, I went aſtray, but now have I kept thy word. Pſal. 119.67. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy ſtatutes. Pſal. 119.71.
Reaſ. 1. It is for our good here, to draw us from ſin to repentance. Foris per flagellum tundimur, ut intus in templum Domini diſponamur. Greg. Past. We are beaten with the ſcourge without, that we may be made the Temple of God within.
2. It is for our good hereafter, that we may not periſh eternally. When we are judged, we are chaſtned of the Lord, that we ſhould not be condemned with the world. 1 Cor. 11.32.
Uſe 1. Be not over-fearful of afflictions; there may come more good to thy Soul, then by proſperity. Bitter phyſick is better then ſweat-meats.
2. Here is ground for an exhortation to patience, a vertue very needful in this old age of the world, in which one breach followes another, like waves in the Sea; we are all impatient by nature, but grace ſhould make us patient, when for our good we are corrected.
Doct. 6. We muſt not be weary of afflictions, though they be great and frequent. Conſider him that endured ſuch contradiction of ſinners, lest ye be weary, and faint in your minds; ye have not yet reſisted unto blood, striving against ſin. Heb. 3.4. Thou hast born and haſt patience, and for my names-ſake haſt laboured, and haſt not fainted. Rev. 2.3.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe we are Gods creatures. He hath ſupream and abſolute power over us, and therefore may lay on us what he will. Say with the Jews, We are the clay, and thou our potter. Iſa. 64.8.
2. Fainting makes us unfit for all good duties, either of religion or of our callings: we can do nothing truly good, or acceptable to God, without cheerfulneſſe. A weary man cannot walk or work with comfort, his ſpirits are ſpent already.
Uſe 1. To reprove ſuch as are weary and faint under afflictions, ſome bear little ones, or great ones a while, and then give over; ſome utterly deſpair of help, and conclude they are quite undone; others mur mur againſt God; others ſeek freedome by unlawfull meanes, as Saul by a Witch. All theſe faint under Gods hand, and ſin againſt him. This is the other extream, we heard before that ſome made light of afflictions, and ſleighted them; now we ſee that others deſpair & ſink under them. Non quia dura, ſed quia molles patimur. Not becauſe the things are hard, but becauſe we that ſuffer are tender. Seneca. Though it be profitable for us to be arflicted, yet our fleſh is impatient, and deſires nothing but pleaſure and eaſe, and ſo diſcourages us under affliction, as if God intended to deſtroy us: the Devill tells us as much, and we are ready to believe him. But we ſhould not forget the exhortation, which ſpeaketh unto us as unto children, My ſon, deſpiſe not thou the chaſtning of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. Heb. 12.5.
2. Reſolve ſtill to bear while God afflicts, remember it is for correction, not for confuſion: And that we are naturally impatient, and had need of patience, which as Nazianzen calls it, is Nervus animae, the ſinew of the ſoul. Say with Tertullian, Totus mundus mihi pereat, dum modo patientiam lueis faciam: Let me loſe all the world, ſo I may get patience. Lib. de patientia. If that ſhrinks, all failes; if afflictions, like waves of the ſea, come rouling one in the neck of another, expoſtulate not with God, but pray, and wait for deliverance: be ſuch as the Apoſtle bids you to be, Rejoycing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer. Rom. 12.12.