Proverbs 18

It requires skill to get out every splinter, to meet with every scruple, and to set all straight again. It is also called the wounding of the spirit: 'A wounded spirit, who can bear?' (Proverbs 18:14). As the power of sin wounds, so also its guilt; and the one is as incurable as…

It is compared to the bruising of a reed — which when it is bruised, who can make it stand upright again? It is called 'the wounding of the spirit' (Proverbs 18), which no creature knows how to reach and heal — none but God who is the Father of spirits, who made them and knows h…

There rest — there die. To this purpose serves that of Solomon in Proverbs 18:10: 'His name is a strong tower, and the righteous flee to it and are safe.' Now what is the purpose and use of a tower in a city but that when all outworks are taken, the walls scaled, all fortificati…

In a word, faith carves not to God the way of salvation, but sweetly submits to the way He has carved out. A sixth expression is, hiding of ourselves in God, or in Christ, so the word trust in God, signifies, to hide ourselves in Him as in a place of refuge, according to that (P…

It is no wonder that wicked men, wrestling with everlasting vengeance, cannot endure it. The Devil's predominant sin being blasphemous despair, he tempts most to his own predominant sin; the issue and final intent of all his temptations is despair: because Devils are living and…

4. In the choice of these few friends we must use caution. 1. Such as are near to us, with whom we have frequent and familiar converse, and perform a mutual interchange of all offices of love (Proverbs 18:24). A man that has friends must show himself friendly, and there is a fri…

1. The great convenience there is in privacy for prayer, and the good providence of God, bestowing upon us private rooms which implicitly call us to the performance of that duty. For there is in retirement a great advantage for the managing of any work of wisdom (Proverbs 18:1).…

He that so accounts, doubtless understands that prayer engages providence (Isaiah 45:11), and providence so engaged is the surest protection (Job 1:10). Many great men enclose their dwellings with a high wall, but the foundation (as the wisest of men observes) is laid in their o…

Take an instance of both. The Scripture plainly asserts the dominion of Providence over this affair in Proverbs 19:14 A prudent Wife is from the Lord: and Proverbs 18:22 Whos. finds a Wife, finds a good thing, and obtains favor of the Lord. So for Children, see Psalm 127:3 Lo, C…

That where desires are true, they presently produce endeavors. He that longs for a thing will labor for it, they are digging presently (Proverbs 18:1): Through desire a man having separated himself, intermeddles with all wisdom. If it be death a man desires, he will be endeavori…

Revel. 2. 9. Thirdly, hence the poore must learne to carie themselues submissiuely towards the rich of whome they receive great helpe and comfort by their giving and lending: Prov. 18. 23. The poore (saith Salomon) vtters supplications: noting their humilitie, which reprooues ma…

It imports, 1. A privilege on the believer's part, to be admitted to special league of friendship with him, when others are slaves or enemies. 2. A special friendliness in Christ's carriage to them; familiarly, freely telling them all his mind, so far as is needful for them to k…

It's known also, that in nature, the navel has much influence on the child in the womb, which may be especially taken notice of here, as appears by the following commendation, namely, that it's like a round goblet, that is, well formed and proportioned (opposite to a navel not c…

First, that we are not to weigh sins by the opinion of men, but by the censure and sentence of God: he has no more allowed you to take his name in vain, than he has to blaspheme it: the irreverent using of it is as expressly forbidden, as the abjuring and cursing of it: and when…

Some put their trust in their wealth and riches. (Proverbs 18:11) The rich man's wealth is his city, and a high wall in his own conceit. God has by the fire, which has consumed so much of the wealth of the city, shown how insufficient a foundation wealth is for any man's confide…

Do not think you can hoard up in a crowd, Satan loves to fish in troubled waters, but so does not Christ: the noise of Cain's hammers in building cities drowns the voice of conscience. A man shall best enjoy himself alone: solitary recesses are of singular advantage, both for ge…

2. Is not this emptiness of good a dreadful sign of rejection? Solomon says, He that has a froward heart finds no good: nothing does him good, word, nor rod; but he says, the heart of the prudent gets knowledge (Proverbs 17:20; Proverbs 18:15); may not you sadly fear judicial ha…

To draw near to God is our safety. God is a strong tower (Proverbs 18:10). It is good in times of danger to draw near to a fort or castle (Habakkuk 3:4).

Etc. Other troubles a man may bear, but this he cannot bear (Proverbs 18:14). And therefore doubtless seasonable and gracious revivings will come.

We must show our meekness not only to those above us, that we stand in awe of, but to those below us, that we have an authority over. The poor indeed uses entreaties, but whatever is the practice, it is not the privilege of the rich to answer roughly (Proverbs 18:23). We must sh…

Thus is the power of the word in many, baffled by the power of prejudice. They do not believe, because they are resolved they will not: they conclude that no good thing can come out of Nazareth (John 1:46), and will not be persuaded to come and see: thus do they prejudge the cau…

As he is an abomination to God, so he is an abomination to men, Prov. 24:9 The scorner is an abomination to men; scornful spirits love to cast shame and ignominy upon others. And in Prov. 18:7 A fools mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul; we should th…

The second is this, it calls for a trembling heart from those that shall rejoice at the reproaches of Gods people: Perhaps you art one that will not reproach yourself, yet you mayest rejoice at the reproaches of Gods people: There is a great deal of evil in this: Surely you hast…

A help while both live together, and when one is by death taken from the other. In this respect it is said (Proverbs 18:22) whoever finds a wife, finds a good thing, which by the rule of relation is true also, of a husband. No such help can man have from any other creature as fr…

And it does indeed, fall first upon them. It is their task indeed to be diligent, and as the Apostle exhorts his Timothy, to attend on reading, but above all to study to have much experimental knowledge of God, and his Son Jesus Christ, and for this end, to disentangle, and free…

Salvation has God appointed for walls and bulwarks (Isaiah 26:1), what more safe than to be walled with salvation itself. So (Proverbs 18:10) The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous fly into it and are safe. Now the causes are two.

A sermon (Number 491) delivered on Lord's Day Evening, October 26th, 1862, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, by C. H. Spurgeon. “The name of the Lordis a strong tower: the righteous runs into it, and is safe.” {safe: Hebrew set aloft}—— Proverbs 18:10. Strong towers wer…

“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor is humility.” —Proverbs 18:12. Almost every event has its prophetic prelude.

A sermon (2494) intended for reading on Lord's Day, December sixth, 1896, delivered by C. H. Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington on Thursday Evening, April sixteenth, 1885. “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?”—Prover…

A sermon (No. 120) delivered on Sabbath Morning, March 8, 1857, by C. H. Spurgeon at The Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens. “There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”—Proverbs 18:24. Cicero has well said, “Friendship is the only thing in the world concerning the use…

A man is known what country he belongs to by his Language. He who belongs to the Jerusalem above speaks the Language of Canaan; none of Gods children are dumb; their mouth is a well-spring of Wisdom, Proverbs 18:4. Here I may draw up a bill of Indictment against five sorts of Pe…

(Luke 9:44) Let these things sink down into your hearts; let them go to the quick. (Proverbs 18:1) Through desire a man having separated himself, intermeddles in all wisdom. Then is a man fit for these pure and holy thoughts, for intermingling in all wise and divine matters, whe…

4. Rather undergo the greatest calamities, than commit the smallest sin (Hebrews 11:25): Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. 5. That all crosses are nothing to desertions of God, and terrors of conscience…

The good and evil of the spiritual life is greater than the good and evil of any other life whatever. As their joys are unspeakable and glorious, so their sorrows are sometimes above expression: A wounded spirit who can bear? (Proverbs 18:14). Common natural courage will carry a…

Riches and worldly greatness make men insolent, and despisers of others, and care not what burdens they impose upon them; they are entrenched within a mass of wealth and power, and greatness, and so think none can call them to an account. Solomon speaks of two sorts of people (P…

This will hold out till all probabilities be spent. (Proverbs 18:14) "The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear?" Till a man be struck at the heart, his reason will support him.

If we must give an account of idle, what account shall we give of filthy and ill-working words! of words that are corrupt, and do corrupt others! Solomon upon this account tells us (Proverbs 18:21), death and life are in the power of the tongue; a man shall be judged and sentenc…

Omissions make way for commissions (as it did in our first parents) and it will be worth our while to observe a few texts that speak of sluggards (from where sins of omission generally arise) (Ecclesiastes 10:18): by much slothfulness the building decays, and through idleness of…

3 Sin is against man's health: Hence come all diseases and sicknesses, till sin there were no such things: For this cause (in general) many are weak and sick among you: Let a man take the best air he can, and eat the best food he can, let him eat and drink by rule, let him take…

In these perplexities the sinner as a man under his burden would shift shoulders, try all conclusions, turn every stone, wind every way, if any way he could get ease or relief. And if the counsel of carnal friends can lessen the trouble, company allay it, false reasonings of his…

That it is so, appears two ways. 1. By the testimony of Scripture (Proverbs 18:14): "A wounded spirit who can bear?" A wound in the name, in the estate, in the body, is sad; but a wound in the conscience, who can bear?

Gregory compares the Saints in their sad differences to two cocks, which Satan the Master of the pit sets on fighting, in hope, when kill'd to sup with them at night. Solomon says, Proverbs 18:6. The mouth of the contentious man calls for stroakes.

Christs carnal friends bid Christ show himselfe; pride loves to climbe up, not as Zaecheus, to see Christ, but to be seen himself. The fool (Solomon tells us) has no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover it self, Proverbs 18:2. Pride would be some body, and t…

It is expressed by flying for Refuge, Hebrews 6:18. Who have fled for Refuge, to lay hold on the hope set before us, Proverbs 18:10. Hence some have defined faith to be perfugium animae, the flight of the soul unto Christ for Deliverance from sin and misery.

A godly man by Faith lives in Christ, as the beam lives in the Sun, Galatians 2:20. I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me. A Christian by the power of Faith sees above Reason, trades above the Moon; by Faith his heart is finely quieted; he trusts himself, and all his affairs…

3rd Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord, etc. He breaks this commandment: who does irreverently use God's titles in his talk (Philippians 2:10); who swears to do a thing lawful and good and yet does it not (Matthew 5:23); who swears rashly (Jeremiah 4:2); who us…

He kindles a secret fire in them, that consumes their bones, dries up their marrow, and scorches their entrails, and such is the spreading rage of it, that oftentimes it smokes out at their mouths in despairing outcries. The spirit of a man, (says Solomon, (Proverbs 18:14)) will…

What person is it that grieves? It is the spirit and heart of a man, which is not ordinarily afflicted, but wounded, and only wounded with this stroke (Proverbs 18:14), wounded for sins against God and Christ, and who can bear that? That mourning is an unsupportable mourning: an…

See Job 40:21. Proverbs 18:23. Dan.

(2.) Faith and confidence are excited and acted unto a due Frame thereby. For Prayer is our betaking ourselves unto God as our shield, our Rock, and our Reward, Proverbs 18:10. Wherefore a due previous consideration of those Holy properties of his Nature, which may encourage us…