Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc24/v24600

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 9KB | 141 lines

24609
 #13-18 How diligent the tempter is, to seduce unwary souls into
 sin! Carnal, sensual pleasure, stupefies conscience, and puts
 out the sparks of conviction. This tempter has no solid reason
 to offer; and where she gets dominion in a soul, all knowledge
 of holy things is lost and forgotten. She is very violent and
 pressing. We need to seek and pray for true wisdom, for Satan
 has many ways to withdraw our souls from Christ. Not only
 worldly lusts and abandoned seducers prove fatal to the souls of
 men; but false teachers, with doctrines that flatter pride and
 give liberty to lusts, destroy thousands. They especially draw
 off such as have received only partial serious impressions. The
 depths of Satan are depths of hell; and sin, without remorse, is
 ruin, ruin without remedy. Solomon shows the hook; those that
 believe him, will not meddle with the bait. Behold the wretched,
 empty, unsatisfying, deceitful, and stolen pleasure sin
 proposes; and may our souls be so desirous of the everlasting
 enjoyment of Christ, that on earth we may live to him, daily, by
 faith, and ere long be with him in glory.
24615
 * Through the whole of the Proverbs, we are to look for somewhat
 beyond the first sense the passage may imply, and this we shall
 find to be Christ. He is the Wisdom so often spoken of in this
 book.

 #1 The comfort of parents much depends on their children; and
 this suggests to both, motives to their duties. #2,3|. Though
 the righteous may be poor, the Lord will not suffer him to want
 what is needful for spiritual life. #4|. Those who are fervent
 in spirit, serving the Lord, are likely to be rich in faith, and
 rich in good works. #5|. Here is just blame of those who trifle
 away opportunities, both for here and for hereafter. #6|.
 Abundance of blessings shall abide on good men; real blessings.
 #7|. Both the just and the wicked must die; but between their
 souls there is a vast difference. #8|. The wise in heart puts
 his knowledge in practice. #9|. Dissemblers, after all their
 shuffling, will be exposed. #10|. Trick and artifice will be no
 excuse for iniquity. #11|. The good man's mouth is always open
 to teach, comfort, and correct others. #12|. Where there is
 hatred, every thing stirs up strife. By bearing with each other,
 peace and harmony are preserved. #13|. Those that foolishly go
 on in wicked ways, prepare rods for themselves. #14|. Whatever
 knowledge may be useful, we must lay it up, that it may not be
 to seek when we want it. The wise gain this wisdom by reading,
 by hearing the word, by meditation, by prayer, by faith in
 Christ, who is made of God unto us wisdom. #15|. This refers to
 the common mistakes both of rich and poor, as to their outward
 condition. Rich people's wealth exposes them to many dangers;
 while a poor man may live comfortably, if he is content, keeps a
 good conscience, and lives by faith. #16|. Perhaps a righteous
 man has no more than what he works hard for, but that labour
 tends to life. #17|. The traveller that has missed his way, and
 cannot bear to be told of it, and to be shown the right way,
 must err still. #18|. He is especially a fool who thinks to hide
 anything from God; and malice is no better. #19|. Those that
 speak much, speak much amiss. He that checks himself is a wise
 man, and therein consults his own peace. #20,21|. The tongue of
 the just is sincere, freed from the dross of guile and evil
 design. Pious discourse is spiritual food to the needy. Fools
 die for want of a heart, so the word is; for want of thought.
 #22|. That wealth which is truly desirable, has no vexation of
 spirit in the enjoyment; no grief for the loss; no guilt by the
 abuse of it. What comes from the love of God, has the grace of
 God for its companion. #23|. Only foolish and wicked men divert
 themselves with doing harm to others, or tempting to sin. #24|.
 The largest desire of eternal blessings the righteous can form,
 will be granted. #25|. The course of prosperous sinners is like
 a whirlwind, which soon spends itself, and is gone. #26|. As
 vinegar sets the teeth on edge, and as the smoke causes the eyes
 to smart, so the sluggard vexes his employer. #27,28|. What man
 is he that loves life? Let him fear God, and that will secure to
 him life enough in this world, and eternal life in the other.
 #29|. The believer grows stronger in faith, and obeys with
 increased delight. #30|. The wicked would be glad to have this
 earth their home for ever, but it cannot be so. They must die
 and leave all their idols behind. #31,32|. A good man discourses
 wisely for the benefit of others. But it is the sin, and will be
 the ruin of a wicked man, that he speaks what is displeasing to
 God, and provoking to those he converses with. The righteous is
 kept by the power of God; and nothing shall be able to separate
 him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.
24647
 #1 However men may make light of giving short weight or measure,
 and however common such crimes may be, they are an abomination
 to the Lord. #2|. Considering how safe, and quiet, and easy the
 humble are, we see that with the lowly is wisdom. #3|. An honest
 man's principles are fixed, therefore his way is plain. #4|.
 Riches will stand men in no stead in the day of death. #5,6|.
 The ways of wickedness are dangerous. And sin will be its own
 punishment. #7|. When a godly man dies, all his fears vanish;
 but when a wicked man dies, his hopes vanish. #8|. The righteous
 are often wonderfully kept from going into dangerous situations,
 and the ungodly go in their stead. #9|. Hypocrites delude men
 into error and sin by artful objections against the truths of
 God's word. #10,11|. Nations prosper when wicked men are cast
 down. #12|. A man of understanding does not judge of others by
 their success. #13|. A faithful man will not disclose what he is
 trusted with, unless the honour of God and the real good of
 society require it. #14|. We shall often find it to our
 advantage to advise with others. #15|. The welfare of our
 families, our own peace, and our ability to pay just debts, must
 not be brought into danger. But here especially let us consider
 the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in becoming Surety even for
 enemies. #16|. A pious and discreet woman will keep esteem and
 respect, as strong men keep possession of wealth. #17|. A cruel,
 froward, ill-natured man, is vexatious to those that are, and
 should be to him as his own flesh, and punishes himself. #18|.
 He that makes it his business to do good, shall have a reward,
 as sure to him as eternal truth can make it. #19|. True holiness
 is true happiness. The more violent a man is in sinful pursuits,
 the more he hastens his own destruction. #20|. Nothing is more
 hateful to God, than hypocrisy and double dealing, which are
 here signified. God delights in such as aim and act with
 uprightness. #21|. Joining together in sin shall not protect the
 sinners. #22|. Beauty is abused by those who have not discretion
 or modesty with it. This is true of all bodily endowments. #23|.
 The wicked desire mischief to others, but it shall return upon
 themselves. #24|. A man may grow poor by not paying just debts,
 not relieving the poor, not allowing needful expenses. Let men
 be ever so saving of what they have, if God appoints, it comes
 to nothing. #25|. Both in temporal and spiritual things, God
 commonly deals with his people according to the measure by which
 they deal with their brethren. #26|. We must not hoard up the
 gifts of God's bounty, merely for our own advantage. #27|.
 Seeking mischief is here set against seeking good; for those
 that are not doing good are doing hurt, even to themselves.
 #28|. The true believer is a branch of the living Vine. When
 those that take root in the world wither, those who are grafted
 into Christ shall be fruitful. #29|. He that brings trouble upon
 himself and his family, by carelessness, or by wickedness, shall
 be unable to keep and enjoy what he gets, as a man is unable to
 hold the wind, or to satisfy himself with it. #30|. The
 righteous are as trees of life; and their influence upon earth,
 like the fruits of that tree, support and nourish the spiritual
 life in many. #31|. Even the righteous, when they offend on
 earth, shall meet with sharp corrections; much more will the
 wicked meet the due reward of their sins. Let us then seek those
 blessings which our Surety purchased by his sufferings and
 death; let us seek to copy his example, and to keep his
 commandments.