Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 3 · Verse 12
VER. 12. For whom the Lord loveth, he correcteth, even as a father the ſon, in whum he delighteth.
BEcauſe as it is a hard thing to part with our ſubſtance for God, ſo it is as hard, if not harder, to endure Gods correcting hand, which we are alwaies ready to ſuſpect to come out of hatred; therefore Solomon takes away that thought, and aſſures us, that ſuch corrections come from Gods love, and tend to our good. For the words.
For. See on Chap. 1.9.
Whom the Lord. See on Chap. 1.7.
Loveth. See on Chap. 1.22.
He correcteth. The word foreign ſignifies,
1. To reaſon a caſe by arguments, and anſwers. How forcible are right words? But what doth your arguing reprove? Job 6.25 Should he reaſon with unprofitable talk? Job 15.3.
2. To convince, confute, or reprove ſuch as are in the wrong. Do ye imagine to reprove words? Job 6.26.
3. To correct, or ſcourge one for ſin. O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chaſten me in thy hot diſpleaſure. Pſal. 6.1. And in that ſenſe it is taken here. See more on Chap. 9.7.
Even as a father. See on Chap. 1.8.
The ſon. See on Chap. 1.1.8.
In whom he delighteth. With whom he is wel pleaſed.
The ſum of the verſe is, as if Solomon had ſaid, Thou muſt not deſpiſe, nor be weary of Gods correction, becauſe it comes not out of anger, but from abundance of love. For as a godly Father ſeeks by correction to amend his child, or a wiſe Phyſitian to cure his patient by bitter potions, ſo doth God uſe by afflictions to keep every one in order, whom hee loves, or to call him back, if he have ſinned, leſt he grow worſe, and loſe the comfortable ſenſe of Gods favour. For as Parents according to the fleſh uſe to correct their children according to their offence, when they neglect their duty, or do evill, ſo doth God exerciſe his children with croſſes, that they may not be proud; or live looſely, but more warily, and wiſely for time to come.
Figures none. Note 1. The truth nakedly ſet down.
2. By Smilitude.
In the former note
1. The word of coherence. For.
2. The Agent. The Lord.
3. The Act. Correcteth.
4. The Patient. Whom he loveth.
In the latter note.
1. The Note of ſimilitude. Even as.
2. The Corrector. The Father.
3. The corrected ſet out.
1. By his relation. The Son. Not the ſervant onelyonly.
2. By his Fathers affection. In whom he delighteth, Abraham muſt offer Iſaac, whom he loves. Gen. 22.2. God offers up his Son Chriſt, in whom he is well pleaſed. Math. 3.17. Though God chaſtiſe his children ſorely, yet he takes pleaſure in them.
1. Doct. God gives reaſons of his proceedings, that need not give any at all. So in the preface to the commandemens. Exod. 20.1. &c. Ye muſt obey, for I am Jehovah, that gave you your being, I am your God, in convenant with you, and I ſhewed my love to you in bringing you out of Aegypt.
In the ſecond Commandment God reaſons from his jealouſie to idolaters, and his kindneſſe to true worſhippers, and their poſterity long after them. For I the Lord thy God, am a jealous God viſiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third, and fourth generation of them, that hate me: And ſhe wing mercy unto thouſands of them that love me; and keep my Commandments. In the third Commandement hee argues from his judgements on ſuch as abuſe his name. For the Lord will not hold him guiltleſſe, that taketh his name in vain. In the fourth from his liberall allowance of ſix daies to us for our own occaſions, who may well therefore afford him one in ſeven. Six daies maist thou labour, & do all thy work. For ſo indeed it ſhould be tranſlated, being a permiſſion, not a command: for labour in our callings belongs to the eighth Commandement. And from his own example, who after ſix daies worke reſted one day. For in ſix daies the Lord made Heaven, and Earth, the Sea, and all that in them is, and reſted the ſeventh day: Wherefore the Lord bleſſed the ſeventh day, and hallowed it. In the fifth Commandment from the good that comes by honouring Parents; A long, and comfortable life, which all men deſire, That thy daies may be long in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee. There are no reaſons given for the reſt, becauſe mans reaſon can tell him, that his own life, the comfort of his marriage, his eſtate, his credit, his content are wrapt up in them.
Reaſon. 1. That God may work upon mans judgement, that ſo if his command will not work upon mans will, as it ſhould, reaſon may convince their judgement.
2. That he may work upon their affections. Upon their love by recording former benefits, and promiſing more, as to David, I annointed thee King over Iſrael, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul, And I gave thee thy Masters houſe, and thy Maſters wives into thy boſome, and gave thee the houſe of Iſrael, and of Judah, and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee ſuch, and ſuch things. Wherefore haſt thou deſpiſed the Commandement of the Lord. 2 Sam. 12.7. &c. Kindneſſe breeds love. God works upon fear by judgements, and threatning more. Upon hatred by ſeting out the uglineſs of ſin, and the hurt it brings on all the World, and in particular on our ſelves. Upon confidence by ſetting out his great power, and infinite mercy, which are the two main Pillars of confidence
Uſe To lament our wretched ſinfull diſpoſition, that have by nature ſo far caſt off Gods ſoveraignty, that he is, as it were forced to uſe reaſons to perſwade us to obey his Commands, which we ſhould do without any reaſon given. Yea, which is more, that we will not be perſwaded by a world of reaſons laid down in ſcripture, but remain diſobedient: who would keep a ſervant that neither of himſelf, nor by perſwaſion would be obedient? God keeps thouſands of ſuch in the World. Yea, the beſt of men are guilty of diſobedience to the Commands of God againſt duty, and known reaſons. David knew, that though he were a King, yet he might not commit adultery, nor murder, and therefore is ſaid not to be ignorant of, but to deſpiſe Gods Commandement. 2 Sam. 12.9. And it coſt him dear. Hee paid for it in both kinds by the ſword, and the abuſe of his own Concubines. Let every one of us lay it to his own heart, and mourne for his own known diſobedience.
2. Doct. Teachers ſhould not onelyonly informe, but perſwade alſo. So Paul exhorts wives to do their duty from their ſubjection to the husband, as to the head, and from the Churches exampl…. Wives ſubmit your ſelves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church, and he is the Saviour of his body. Therefore as the Church is ſubject unto Christ, ſo let the wives be unto their own husbands in every thing. Eph. 5.22. 23, 24. Husbands are preſt to their duty from Chriſts example. Huſbands love your wives, even as Chriſt alſo loved the Church. Eph. 5.25. From marriage union. So ought men to love their wives, as their own bodies. Eph. 5.28. From leaving Parents for a wife. For this cauſe ſhall a man leave his Father, and Mother, and ſhall be joyned to his wife, and they two ſhall be one fleſh, Eph. 5.31. Children are urged to their duty from right, and Gods promiſe. Children obey your Parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy Father, and Mother (which is the firſt Commandement with promiſe) That it may be well with thee, and that thou maiſt live long on the earth. Eph. 6.1.2.3. Servants from reward. Servants be obedient to them, that are your Maſters, &c. Knowing that whatſoever good thing any man doth, the ſame ſhall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond, or free. Eph. 6.5. 8. Maſters from their account to God. And ye maſters doe the ſame things unto them, forbearing threatning, knowing that your Master alſo is in heaven, neither is there reſpect of perſons with him. Eph. 6.9. See the like duties preſſed with reaſons, Col. 3.18. and 4.1.
Reaſ. 1. That the hearers may be brought to believe what is taught, which bare information will not do.
2. That they may be brought to obey it; perſwaſive arguments are weights to draw to obedience.
Uſe. Think not much that Miniſters do not coldly deliver divine truths, but earneſtly preſſe them, it were eaſier for them to do otherwiſe, but ye have need of it, and it is for your good.
Doct. 3. Correction comes from Gods love. Thou ſhalt alſo conſider in thine heart, that as a man chastneth his ſon, ſo the Lord thy God chaſtneth thee. Deut. 8.5. As many as I love, I rebuke, and chaſten. Rev. 3.9. You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore will I puniſh you for all your iniquities. Ames 3.2.
Reaſ. 1. God doth it to prevent much evill that might otherwiſe befall them, and that is a ſign of love, as not correcting is of hatred. I will not puniſh your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your ſpouſes when they commit adultery, therefore the people that do not understand ſhall fall. Hoſ. 4.14. So a tender father by timely correction keeps his children from untimely ends. A Phyſician keeps his patient from death, by putting him to pain. Gregory the great afflicted with the gout, and other bodily infirmities, cries out, In hoc mi…i placent, quod nihil in ho… mundo placere permittunt. Herein they pleaſe me, in that they ſuffer nothing in this world to pleaſe me. By correction, God keeps his children from many ſins, or brings them to repentance. Eſt in eo, qui corripitur à Domius aliquid, quod diſplicet, id ſc: propter quod eum caſtigat, et quod emendatum cupit. Janſen. in Text. There is in him, that is chastned by the Lord, ſomething that diſpleaſeth God, to wit, that for which he corrects him, and which he would have amended. God alſo by correction, keeps his from eternall perdition. Afflietions are a bridle, that keeps the horſe from falling, and the rider from breaking his neck: So doth God by them, keep his children from many ſins, that might bring on them ſpeedy deſtruction. The child of God may ſay to God with Auguſtine in Pſal. 98. Et cum blandiris, pater es, & cum caedis, pater es. Blandiris, ne deficiam, caedis, ne peream. Both when thou strokeſt, and when thou ſtrskest, thou art afather: Thou ſtrokest, that I ſhould not faint, thou ſtrikest that I ſhould not periſh. And on the ſame Pſalm. Illi Deus iraſciter quem peccantem non flagellat. Nam cui verè propitius eſt, non ſolum donat peccata, ne noceant ad futurum ſeculum, ſed etiam caſtigat, ne ſemper peccare delectet. God is angry with him, whom he doth not ſcourge for ſin. For whom he favours indeed, to him he not only forgives ſins, that they may not hurt him in the world to come, but alſo chaſtens him, that he may not delight to be alwaies ſinning.
2. God corrects his children to do them Good; hereby he exerciſeth and increaſeth many graces in them, as faith, and patience: he alſo fits them for glory hereafter, as ſouldiers by pains and perills are fitted for ſpoiles, and trophies; and Merchants paſſing through many ſtormes get riches to live on in their old daies. 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.
3. That God may take more delight in them, when the droſſe of their corruption is purged away by the fire of affliction, and they made wiſer, purer, and better. So a tender father ſends his ſon beyond Sea, that he may come home better bred, and be deerer to him.
4. It appears by Gods loving expreſſion of himſelfe to them, and ſmiles afterwards, like a kind father, ſhewing that his heart was with them before, though he frowned and ſmote them; he makes them to know, that he is the health of their countenance, and their God. Pſal. 43.5. That he hath dea't bountifully with them, what ever they thought of him in their afflictions. Pſal. 116.7.
Uſe 1. To reprove many good people, who as they take too much liberty in proſperity, ſo are too much dejected in adverſitie, as if God had quite forſaken them. Duos habet filies pater, alter peccat, et non caeditur, alter ſimulac movet ad peccandum, caeditur. caeſo haeredit as ſervatur, alter exhaeredatus dimittitur. videt pater eum non habere ſpem, et dimittit eum facere quod vult. Auguſtin. in Pſal. 93. A father hath two ſons, the one ſins, and is not ſmitten, the other, aſſoon as he moves to any ſin is ſmitten: the inheritance is kept for him that is ſmitten; the other is ſent away diſinherited: the father ſees him hopeleſſe, and lets him looſe to do what he list. Servus offendens dominum non flagellatur, ſed dome ejicitur. Filius autem patrem offendens flagellatur, ſed è domo non pellitur. Auguſtin. contempl. l. 2. c. 21. The ſervant offending his Maſter, is not ſcourged, but caſt out of doo…s; but the ſon offending his father, is ſcourged, but not turned out of doores.
Uſe 2. Let us look upon afflictions as tokens of Gods fatherly love, and then we ſhall bear them comfortably, and get much good by them. This meditation will be oile to mollifie the pain of our afflictions: think with thy ſelfe, God corrects me for my ſins, but lets others periſh in their ſins: What a mercy is this? Gods love is ſweet to his children, even when they ſuffer the bitterneſſe of his chaſtning; the moſt tender father ſmites ſometimes. David confeſſes, that God had afflicted him in faithfulneſſe. Pſal. 119.75. The leſſe reaſon we have to murmur at Gods correcting us, the more certainly we know that corrections are a pledge of his fatherly love toward us, for he corrects the ſon, quem unicè diligit, whom he loves above the reſt. Qui excipitur à numero flagellatorum, excipitur à numero filiorum; He that eſcapes affliction may well ſuſpect his adoption. Theophylact. So ſaith the Apoſtle, If ye be without chaſtiſement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye baſtards, and not ſons. Heb. 12.8.
Doct. 4. Gods proceedings may be ſeen in ours, he deals with us, as we do with our children. Hence comes it, that the names of men in office are given to God; he is called a Judge: Judges right ſuch as are wronged, and puniſh ſuch as do wrong. He is called an husband I; husbands love their wives, yet be angry with them for their miſcarriage. He is called a father; fathers correct their children for their faults, yet are tender over them, when they are ſick, He is called a Maſter; Maſters employ their ſervants, and provide for them.
Uſe. Let the world be our looking glaſs, to ſee Gods way in the commendable courſes of our ſuperiors, for our direction in proſperity, and conſolation in adverſity.
Doct. 5. Pac… cerrect their deereſt children, elſe they love them not. He that ſpareth his rod, hateth his ſon, but he that loveth him, chastneth him betimes. Chap. 13.24. They can do it, though they love them, yea they do it becauſe they love them: So they force them to take bitter pills for their health, and regard not their tears.
Uſe. Children muſt not think their parents love them not; becauſe they ſtrike them; but commend their wiſe love, that ſtrike them for their good.
Doct. 6. Correction, and dilection may go together. See the place quoted for the proof of the laſt Doctrine.
Reaſ. Becauſe both are for the childs good.
Vſe. To reprove fond Parents, who think it want of love to ſtrike offending children.