Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 3 · Verse 23
VER. 23. Then ſhalt thou walke in thy way ſafely, and thy foot ſhall not ſtumble.
NOw the wiſe man ſhews, how wiſdom brings to a man ſecurity from all evills, and that at all times, and in all places, in this verſe and the next. For all a mans time is ſpent either in buſineſſe in the day, or reſt in the night, at home, or abroad: and wiſdom ſecures him in all theſe from evill of ſin and puniſhment. Mans actions are waking, or ſleeping. Having ſpoken of life before he goes on in the ſame way. Thou ſhalt neither be blind, nor careleſly ſtumble in the way. Wiſdom ſecures a man waking, or ſleeping. It makes him do his buſineſſe quietly in the day, and afterwards to ſleep ſecurely at night.
For the words.
Then. When thou haſt gotten, and while thou keepeſt and obeyeſt wiſdom and diſcretion.
Shalt thou walk. Go on conſtantly. For the word ſee on Ch. 1.15.
Safely. Confidently and boldly. Not onelyonly without hurt, but without fear of hurt ſhalt thou go about thine affairs. See on Chap. 1.33.
And thy foot ſhall not stumble. No ſtumbling block ſhall be in thy way. Nothing to hinder thee or hurt thee. Thou ſhalt comfortably effect all thy buſineſſe. For Foot, ſee on Chap. 1.15.
Figures. Walk in thy way. Do all thy buſineſſe A figure of the part for the whole. For man hath many works to do beſides travelling. And it is oppoſed to ſleeping in the night: & therefore muſt comprehend all the buſineſſe of the day. Elſe the enumeration is unperfect; and a wiſe man might be unſafe in ſome of his lawfull waies. Thy foot. Thou thy ſelf. A figure of the part for the whole expreſſed by that member, which uſeth to ſtumble. As the eye is ſaid to ſee, and the ear to hear; yet the man doth it by them. The eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor the ear with hearing. Eccl. 1.8. Stumble, A metaphor. Thy buſineſſe ſhall not be hindred.
Note. 1. The ſafety of the way.
2. The preſervation in it.
In the former obſerve
1. The Agent. Then ſhalt thou.
2. The Act. Walk.
3. The Object. In thy way.
4. The Adjunct. Safely.
In the latter note
1. The Agent. And thy foot.
2. The Act. ſhall not ſtumble.
1. Doct. A godly wiſe man may be quiet in all conditions. I laid me down and ſlept; I Awaked, for the Lord ſuſtained me. Pſal. 3.5. God is our refuge, and strength: a very preſent help in trouble. Therefore wil we not fear, though the earth be removed. and though the Mountains bee carried into the midſt of the Sea. Though the waves thereof roar, and be troubled, though the Mountains ſhake with the ſ…elling thereof. Selah. Pſal. 46.1, 2, 3. And well might he put his Selah to it, for the leaſt of theſe might make an other man tremble.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe he knows the worſt, that can befall him, as ſickneſſe, poverty, death, and the like.
2. He knows how to bear all theſe, and to make a good uſe of them.
3. Hee knows they will have an end, and therefore is not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. Luk. 12.4.
4. He knows much good will come after, and that his light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for him a far more exceeding, and eternall weight of glory. 2 Cor. 4.17.
Uſe. To ſhew us the vaſt difference, that is between the condition of the wiſe man, and the fool, the godly, and the ungodly. The one is like a flouriſhing tree that bears fruit in ſummer, and keeps leaves and greenneſſe all the winter: the other not ſo, but like chaffe ſcattered by every wind. Pſal. 1.3, 4. The one hath proſperous daies, and quiet nights, in this verſe and the next: the other hath troubleſom labour in the day, and unquiet reſt in the night. It is vain for you to riſe up early, to ſit up late, to eat the bread of ſorrows. For he rightly giveth his beloved ſleep. Pſal. 127.2. So it ſhould be tranſlated, as the ſame particle foreign is uſed elſe where. The daughters of Zelophchad ſpake right. Numb. 27.7. The one hath peace of conſcience to quiet him within, and Gods protection to ſecure him without. Being juſtified by faith he hath peace with God. Rom. 5.1. And he is kept by the power of God unto ſalvation. 1 Pet. 1.5. The other hath no peace within, nor ſafety without. The wicked are like the troubled Sea, when it cannot reſt, whoſe waters caſt up mire, and dirt, There is no peace, ſaith my God, to the wicked. Iſa. 57.20.21. And if he ſay ſo, it muſt needs be ſo; chuſe your condition. None but fooles will prefer the worſer.
2. Doct. A wiſe man may boldly go about all his affairs. I am continually with thee, thou haſt holden me by my right hand. Pſal. 73.23. Why ſhould not Aſaph then go on boldly? Thou ſhalt tread upon the Lion and Adder, the young Lion and the Dragon ſhalt thou trample under feet. Pſal. 91.13. Why ſhould ſuch an one fear any danger?
Reaſ. 1. His integrity towards God and man gives him peace and comfort within, and ſo makes him bold in his waies; he goes on, like the water of a cleer fountain, that hath no dirt mingled with it. A fooliſh ſoul is like a pudly ſtream, it finds many impediments.
2. Leſt any ſhould ſay, though he give men no cauſe, yet wicked men may do him hurt, he hath God to protect him: ſo he hath a double guard, Gods peace within to keep his heart and mind. Phil. 4.7. And Gods power without. 1 Pet. 1.5. And his faith in theſe promiſes of God, confirmes him againſt all doubtings, and againg all fear of dangers; and by ſtaying him, ſelfe upon this word of God, he overcoms all lets, and rubs that the fleſh, the world, or the devill can caſt in the way.
3. He hath a guare of Gods Angells, and though in unknown waies men fear many evills, yet he need not fear ſo much as the daſhing of his foot againſt a ſtone. Pſal. 91.11, 12. If devills and ungodly men encamp againſt them, they need not fear, for the angell of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. Pſal. 34.7.
4. He hath a ſmooth way, no rubs in it, while he keeps in wiſdomes way. The way of the righteous is made plain. Chap. 15.19. The enemy laies rubs cloſe by the way, if he go never ſo little out of it, but there are none in the way: And therefore the promiſe of ſafety in the Text is made to us, while we keep in the right way, and if we go but out of that, it belongs not unto us.
5. He is in league with all creatures, defenſive, and offenſive. At deſtruction and famine thou shalt laugh, neither shalt thou be affraid of the beasts of the earth. For thou shalt be in league with the ſtones of the field, and the beaſts of the field shall be at peace with thee. Job 5.22.23. What need he then be affraid to travail any where about his lawfull buſineſſe?
6. He knows nothing can hurt him; for he hath ſuch a command over all the faculties of his ſoul by Gods grace, and the wiſdom given him from above, that he can make them harken unto reaſon.
Vſe. To encourage good men in troubleſome times, to go about their affairs without fear. He that hath ſo many, and ſo ſtrong guards, why ſhould he fear? Let Adam's children fear, who are yet in their naked condition; but let the righteous be bold as a Lyon. Chap. 28.1.
Doct. 3. Nothing can hinder a godly wiſe man from good ſucceſſe. Whatſoever he doth ſhall proſper. Pſal. 1.3. He ſhall eat the labour of his hands. Pſ. 128.2.
Reaſ. 1. In regard of the things themſelves, there is great probability of good ſucceſſe; for wiſdome is of more force then power to effect any great deſign in peace or war. And diligence is not wanting to a godly wiſe man, who ſtudies practicall divinity, as well as theoricall; and Gods bleſſing attends him, which crowns every good action.
2 In reſpect of the perſon; he is he unto whom God hath engaged himſelfe to do good in the end, though he afflict him in the way. Speed well in the end, and ſpeed well ever.
Vſe. to teach us a leſſon of policy. Who would not have good ſucceſſe in what he undertakes? Riches, ſtrength, power, friends, carnall policy, may fail him, but godly wiſdome will never fail him. Strange things have been effected by human policy, what may not be effected by heavenly wiſdome? Good ſucceſſe in the way may be croſſed again, what is crowned with good ſucceſſe in the end can never be croſſed. Be therefore godly wiſe, and proſper to eternity.