Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 3 · Verse 5
VERSE 5. Truſt in the Lord with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own underſtanding.
HEre follow certain precepts concerning our carriage to God, with promiſes annexed to ſome of them. In this Verſe truſting in God, is commended to us: and ſelf-confidence the contrary to it, is forbidden. For the words.
Trust. Put confidence in God, and reſt on him, and repoſe thy ſelf on this fatherly providence for deliverance from all evill, and the fruition of all good here, and hereafter. Truſt may be oppoſed to doubting, and fear, and ſo may intimate not onelyonly relying on God, but waiting with aſſurance of a good event, eſpecially if we wait upon the right perſon, and that upon good grounds. Some writers make a coherence here. Some of them tie it to the firſt verſe, as if it had reſpect to the keeping of the Law, thus, Do not be affraid, that by reaſon of thy weakneſſe thou canſt not keep Gods commandments; neither think on the other ſide, that thou canſt know them by thy naturall wit, or do them by thy natural ſtrength: but truſt in the commander, and hee will make thee able in ſome good meaſure to do what he enjoines: others knit theſe words to the third Verſe. Becauſe thou art not able to keep mercy and truth, truſt in God, and he will make thee able: others tie it to the fourth verſe. Shew that thou haſt good underſtanding indeed by truſting in God, and not in thine owne wiſdom. Others to the words following, If thou truſt in God, and not to thine own wit, thou wilt wiſely and readily perform all the duties following to God, and man. But it is better to take the words without any coherence according to the former interpretation. Believe that God will not fail thee in any neceſſity; but thy own wit may; and act accordingly. Some reſtrain this truſting in God to matters of ſalvation, but that is too ſtrait, for we muſt truſt in God for earth, as well as for Heaven.
In the Lord. Heb. on the Lord. Not in any creature. Faith, and confidence ſhoud have no meaner object, then God. For the word ſee on Chap. 1.7.
With all. See on Chap. 1.13.
Thine heart. Not in word onelyonly, but in truth: not in part, but wholy. Not partly on Gods care, and partly on thine own wit; but altogether on him. For Heart, ſee on Chap. 2.2.
And lean not. As a man leans upon a ſtaffe to ſupport him from falling. Preſume not upon thine own wit. Truſt not to it.
Unto thine own understanding. Think not thy ſelf ſo wiſe, that thou knoweſt all means of providing good things, or freeing from evill. Some reſtrain it to carnall wiſdome, which is corrupt, and ſinfull. But it reaches alſo to naturall wit, deepe reach, and policy: which though it may lawfully be uſed, ye… muſt it not be reſted upon, ſo as to diſparage Gods overruling providence. He mentions onelyonly wiſdom, or underſtanding, becauſe men are more ready to lean to that, then to ſtrength or riches. Yet theſe are excluded all ſo figuratively here, and expreſly in other places of ſcripture from being objects of our confidence: neither muſt a man reſt on any of them any more, then on underſtanding. And leſſe reaſon to truſt on them, for wit can do no more in war, or peace, then ſtrength, or riches. For the word ſee on Chap. 1.2. The ſum is, Take heed thou be not high-minded, becauſe of mens favour, nor arrogate too much to thy ſelf, becauſe of thy ſubtil pate: but think meanly of thy ſelf, and truſt in God, not faintly, nor in part, but with thy whole heart, and ſoul.
Figures. 1. A metaphor from an old, or ſick man leaning on his ſtaffe, who elſe muſt fall intimating, that if all our truſt bee not in God, we are ſure to periſh. Lean not, &c.
2. A figure of the part for the whole, The understanding for all things, that men uſe to relie on, beſides God.
Note. 1. An injunction.
2. An inhibition.
In the injunction obſerve.
1. An act. Truſt.
2. An object. In the Lord.
3. The manner, With all thine heart.
In the inhibition note.
1. The act prohibited. And lean not.
2. The Obiect. To thine own underſtanding.
1. Doct. Our happineſſe is not from our ſelves, but from God. Elſe needed we not truſt in him. O Iſrael, thou hast deſtroyed thy ſelf, but in me is thy help, Hoſ. 13.9. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God, that ſheweth mercy. Rom. 9.16.
Reaſon. 1. It is not from our ſelves.
1. Becauſe our unhappineſſe is from our ſelves, therefore our happineſſe is not. No Foun tain can both yield falt water, and ſweet. Iam. 3.12. A bad husband that waſts all, cannot make himſelfe rich.
2. We irrecoverably undoe our own ſelves in regard of our own help. We are not like a man, that makes himſelf lame, or ſick, and may heal himſelfe again, but like a man that puts out his eyes, or kills himſelfe, who cannot recover his ſight or life. It is from God.
1. Becauſe no earthly creature can give happineſſe. Nil dat, quod non hab…t. Nothing can give what it hath not. If the conduit pipe hath no water, it can give no water.
2. No heavenly creature can give it, for they are like ſtanding pooles, top-ful of water, not like well-ſprings running over. Therefore God muſt give it, or we can never have it.
Vſe 1. Seek not for happineſſe in any thing in your power, as in honour, wealth, pleaſure: this is but to waſh a black. Moor.
2. Seek to God for it, if you deſire it, you muſt mount above earth and heaven, and ſue to the throne of Grace for it, or never have happineſſe.
Doct. 2. God is the only object of ſafe confidence. O Lord of hosts, bleſſed is the man that truſteth in thee. Pſal. 84.12. Put not your truſt in Princes, nor in the ſon of man, in whom there is no help. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whoſe hope is in the Lord his God. Pſal. 146.3, 5.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe all other confidence may fail us in ſome caſes; as in deliverance from ſin, pangs of conſcience, hour of death and hel: put men or angels to it, they are at a ſtand, they can go no-further then natural ſtrength, fenſe, or reaſon wil reach, and all theſe are infinitely ſhort in the former caſes: if they had power, yet would fail ſometimes, they might be ſo provoked, they would not do what they could, nor what they promiſed.
2. There is no caſe, in which God cannot, or will not help his: He need not fail his, becauſe he is omniſcient, and omnipotent: He will not, becauſe he is merciful and true; we are certain, that God will not, nor cannot go againſt his promiſes of proviſion, and protection, and deliverance, made to his, for he is the infallible truth, and no power can let him to keep promiſe: He is the Almightie, who ſaith, My counſel ſhal ſtand, and I wil do all my pleaſure. Iſa. 40.10.
Uſe 1. Let us not truſt in wit, wealth, ſtrength, friends, good intantions, merits; all theſe will fail us in things that concern this life, or a better: As no man can paſſe the Sea, without a light ſhip, that can ſail over the waters, for if he walk on them, he will be drowned; ſo no man can eſcape perils of ſoul and body by his ſtrength, he muſt have Gods ſpirit to make him light, that he may walk on theſe waters. Macar. Hom. 44.
2. Let us take notice, that all our ſtrength is in God, in whom we may ſecurely truſt, and not in our own prudence, or ought elſe. Among the firſt precepts of wiſdome, humilitie is commended, and confidence in God, whom to have alwaies before our eyes, and to call for his help is the higheſt wiſdome, as on the contrary, to lean to our own prudence is the greateſt folly. For what haſt thou that thou didſt not receive? 1 Cor. 4.7. Let us uſe means, but place all our truſt in God, when all means in heaven and earth fail us, he wil ſupply us. If a man had a ſhip with ſailes, mariners, all proviſions needful, yet if the wind fail, he cannot go on in his voyage. If that ſerve, worſe tackling wil ſerve. So nothing can do good without Gods bleſſing, any thing wil do good with it. Baſil. Hom. de ſpirit. Sanct. Deo dante nil poteſt livor, eo negante nil poteſt labor. Greg. Naz. If God give, envy cannot hinder, if he deny, labour cannot further. Elinandus, Lib. 4. mentions a tree, which protected creatures from Dragons while they were under the ſhadow of it, but when they went out, they were devoured. An emblem of Gods providence. He that dwelleth in the moſt ſecret place of the most high, ſhal abide under the ſhadow of the Almighty. Pſal. 91.1. Valerius Maximus, lib. 3. c. de fiducia, reports, that one telling a ſouldier, going to war againſt the Perſians, that they would hide the Sun with their Arrowes, he anſwered, We shall fight baſt in the shade. Truſt God for deliverance from troubles, and ſupply of help, when all means fail, he never fails his: confidence is the leaſt, and yet the beſt we can render to the Lord; for hereby we acknowledge his ſoveraignty, and as it were, ſet the crown upon his head, if we put truſt in his ſhadow. Judg. 9.15. Remember then that of the Prophet, In quietneſſe, and in confidence shal be your ſtrength. Iſa. 30.15. And that of the Pſalmiſt, They that truſt in the Lord shal be as mount Sion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. Pſal. 125.1.
Doct. 3. God muſt be reſted on heartily. My heart truſted in him. Pſal. 28.7.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe God knowes the heart, which men does not.
2. If we only make ſhews of truſting in him, he wil only make ſhewes of helping us, but fail us, as we do him. He wil do to men as they beleeve. Mat. 8.13.
Uſe 1. To ſhew us that there are but a few that truſt in the Lord as they ought, for the greateſt part of the World, ſet their hearts on other things, by reaſon of their ignorance of the inſufficiency of all creatures, and contempt of Gods word, which abundantly ſets forth the ſufficiency of the Almighty. The heart rules our words and deeds, and therefore an heartleſſe profeſſion of truſting in God is to no purpoſe.
2. Look that your confidence in God be hearty, and ſincere, els look for no good from God; if you queſtion his ſufficiency, or fidelity, you ſhal get no good by either.
Doct. 4. God muſt be reſted on entirely, and univerſally. Bleſſed is the man that maketh God his truſt. Pſal. 40.4. Thou art my hope O Lord God, thou art my trust from my youth. …al. 72.5. To ſuch as truſt in God wholly, God is made their truſt, and is their truſt.
Reaſ. Becauſe God will have all or none, as in our love, which muſt be with all the heart, all the ſoul, and all the mind. Mat. 22.37. And with all our ſervice, Ye cannot ſerve God and Mammon. Mat. 6.24. So with all our confidence, and in all things: He will allow no partner, but will be truſted in alone, and wil not give kis glory to another, Iſa. 42.8. nor have his ſole-ſufficiency queſtioned.
Uſe. See your confidence be not divided, part on God, part on men; ſuch a confidence may keep you from the Lions, 2 King. 17.25. but it cannot keep you out of hel. An houſe built partly on firm ground, partly on ſand, or propt on one ſide, not on the other wil fall. To truſt on God then, is to be unbottomed of thy ſelfe, and of every creature, and ſo to lean upon God, that if he fail thee, thou ſinkeſt.
Doct. 5. Selfe-confidence cannot ſtand with truſting in God. Solomon makes an oppoſition here between leaning on our underſtanding, and truſting in the Lord. Say not in thine heart, my power, and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth. But Thou ſhalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth their power to get wealth. Deut. 8.17.18. Curſed be the man that truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arme, and whoſe heart departeth from the Lord. Jer. 17.5.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe it undermines our truſt in God. For while we think we have help in our ſelves ſufficient, we think it needleſſe to look for help from God.
2. It oppoſeth truſting in God; ſelfe-confidence is an act of pride, truſting in God is an act of humility. We conceive God an enemy naturally, and who wil truſt in an enemy?
Vſe. It ſhewes us the way that ruines many, that we may avoid it; they truſt in themſelves, and cannot help themſelves; and God wil not help them, becauſe they truſt not in him.
Doct. 6. It is a dangerous thing for the wiſeſt man in the world to truſt in his own brain. Witneſſe Achitophel, whoſe policy brought him to hang himſelf, 2 Sam. 17.23.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe it is a ſtaffe of reed, which wil both fail and hurt; as a man, or houſe falling, when ſtaffe or props fail, are left helpleſſe, and hurt themſelves or others.
2. This was the great cauſe of Idolatry, leaving ſcripture direction, and leaning to ſelfe-underſtanding. A refined Idolatry, Saint-worſhip came in from Court-ſtate.
Uſe. Take heed of this Rock of being ſelfe-conceited, as if thou thoughtſt thy ſelfe the wiſeſt man in the world, and all events of thine actions depended on thy brain: What a vanity, madneſſe, dangerous error is it, for a man, mortal, ſubject to a miſerable life, changeable in Soul and body, loaden with ſo many ſins, in danger of ſo many temptations, and corruptions, and eternal pains, and by nature deſtitute of underſtanding, to truſt to his own skil? He muſt needs fall, the faireſt bloſſomes of mens endeavours wither, and the unproblableſt things come to paſſe, where men truſt to their own wiſdome: One ſaith of General Counſcels, they ſeldome were ſucceſsful, becauſe men came with confidence, leaning to their own underſtanding, and ſeeking for victory rather then verity. Take then the Apoſtles counſel, Become a fool that thou maiſt be wiſe, 1 Cor. 3.18. A purſe ful of counters muſt be emptied, before it can be filled with gold: A veſſel muſt have water powred out that is in it, before it can be filled with wine: a Table-book muſt be cleared of all unprofitable ſcriblings, before learned obſervations can be written in it. Thou muſt caſt off all ſelf-confidence, before thou canſt depend on divine providence: Thou muſt pull down thy proud ſailes of ſelf-confidence: elſe they will ſink thee in a ſea of miſery.