Proverbs 3

Resp. 1. Because they are more holy (Hebrews 12:10). 2. Because they are more in God's favor (Proverbs 3:12). The goldsmith loves his gold, when in the furnace.

It is one thing to love our mercies, another thing to love the Lord: then a deliverance is in love, when it causes love. 2. Then a deliverance is in love, when we have hearts to improve it for God's glory: the wicked, instead of improving their deliverances for God's glory, impr…

God often displays the banner of his love in an ordinance, and pours in the oil of gladness into the heart. All God's ways are pleasantness, his paths are strewed with roses (Proverbs 3:17). 3. Serving the true God is beneficial; they have great vails here, the hidden manna, inw…

David tasted the Word sweeter than the honey and the honeycomb (Psalm 19:10). There is that in Scripture that may breed delight: it shows us the way to riches (Deuteronomy 28:5; Proverbs 3:16), to long life (Psalm 34:12), to a kingdom (Hebrews 12:28). Well then may we count thos…

Drive a trade of holiness. This merchandise is better than the merchandise of silver (Proverbs 3:14). Live in a calling, but especially live by faith.

Thirdly, Vain thoughts in hearing discover much want of love to God. Did we love God, we should listen to his words as oracles, and bind them upon the table of our heart (Proverbs 3:3). When a friend whom we love speaks to us, and gives us advice, we mind it with seriousness, an…

2. As may enable us to honor God with works of mercy. (Proverbs 3:9.) Honor the Lord with your substance. But all the danger is, when the world gets into the heart.

O let it never be said that the Devil's servants are more active than Christ's, that they serve him better, who rewards them only with fire and brimstone, than we do God who rewards us with a kingdom. 21. The labour we take for Heaven is a labour full of pleasure (Proverbs 3:17)…

Musicians love to sound their trumpets where there is the best echo, and God loves to bestow his mercies where there is the best echo of praise: and it is not only offering the calves of our lips that is enough, but we must show our thankfulness by improving the gifts which God…

It was Paul's heaven to serve God (Romans 7:22). The ways of wisdom are pleasantness (Proverbs 3:17). It is like walking among beds of spices, which cast forth a sweet perfume.

Second, a Father's hand correcting you in love and faithfulness. Proverbs 3:11: Whom the Lord loves he corrects, as a father the son in whom he delights. O if you could but see affliction as a rod in a Father's hand, proceeding from his love and intended for your eternal good —…

The man that deniseth mischief against his harmelesse brother that dwelleth peaceably by him, committeth a sin most odious unto God and man. Prov. 3 29. Psal. 7. 4.

2. There is a [reconstructed: delectation] in a communion with God. This is one general point — Proverbs 3:17. All wisdom's ways are ways of pleasure; to the spiritual soul, every step to heaven is a paradise. 1. What sweetness is in the sense of the love of Christ to delight al…

The way to have your Houses filled with Plenty, is to honor the Lord with your Substance, and with the first Fruits of all your Increase. Proverbs 3:9. And as it is your Duty and Interest well to support your pastor, so it concerns you to pray earnestly for him, and each one to…

Psalm 138:6. Though the Lord be High, he hath Respect unto the Lowly. Proverbs 3:34. He giveth Grace unto the lowly. Isaiah 57:15. Thus saith the high and lofty One who inhabiteth Eternity, whose Name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrit…

Look upon the ruined estates and bodies you may every where see, and behold the truth of the Scriptures evidently made good in those sad Providences. The Word tells you, that your departure from the way of integrity and simplicity, to make use of sinful policies, shall never pro…

An instance of the former you have in Genesis 17. 18, 20. On the contrary, you have the threatning, Zechariah 5:4 and both together, Proverbs 3:33 The Curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked, but he Blesseth the habitation of the just. True it is, that both these imply t…

Indeed there is nothing else can stand a man in stead to any purpose, if that be lost, all's lost. A man that is in danger of drowning will lay hold upon any thing, upon a straw, upon a rush, though it have no strength to support him: men in danger will lay hold upon somewhat; t…

You will find a new life, a new pleasure, a new satisfaction, in all that you doe. Have you yet ever understood that of the Wiseman, Proverbs 3:17. The wayes of wisdom are pleasantness, and her paths are peace?

These parts in men's bodies have not much beauty in them; and therefore, it seems, that by them the Lord points rather at what is inward and useful, in the spiritual complexion and constitution of believers, than what is outward and visible in their walk, that serving no less to…

There is added here a more express description of her posture: in this ascending, she is leaning on her beloved; that is, as they who are weak, make use of a staff, in climbing of a strait and steep ground, or ease themselves by leaning upon one that is strong, and especially on…

It is true, these are the arbitrary and immediate effects of the sanctifying and sealing Spirit, yet ordinarily comfort is dropped from Heaven into the believing soul in a way of duty and holy endeavor, the nearer we approach to the Sun, and the more light and heat, now exercise…

[reconstructed: It] is a sign of a man given over to the Devil. God scorns the scorner (Proverbs 3:34). And sure he shall never live with God, whose company God scorns.

And indeed it must be a very improper Use of Language, to speak of those as performing Acts of Religion with all their Hearts, whose Heart the Scriptures do abundantly represent as under the reigning Power of Sin and Unbelief, and as those that do not give God their Hearts, but…

One dram of grace is far beyond all the glory of this world; it's more precious than gold which perishes (1 Peter 1:7). The price of it is above rubies, and all that you can desire is not to be compared with it (Proverbs 3:15). There is a great deal of spirit and vigor in a litt…

What, now slack-handed, when so near to my everlasting rest (Romans 13:11)! Or have you found the work of God so unpleasant to you (Proverbs 3:17)? Or the trade of godliness so unprofitable (Psalm 19:11)?

The expense of your sweat fills your purses, you get estates by your diligence and labor; but what are your gains to the gains of Christians? They can get in an hour, that which they will not part with for all the gold and silver on earth (Proverbs 3:14). So that compare these l…

So graciously has God been pleased to twist interests with us, as to enjoin the same thing under the notion of a duty, which he proposes and promises under the notion of a privilege. Justly may we say, that we serve a good Master, whose yoke is easy (Matthew 11:30) — it is [non-…

Ask your father and he will show you, your elders and they will tell you (Deuteronomy 32:7), that the fear of the Lord that is wisdom, and to depart from evil, that is understanding (Job 28:28). They will tell you, that religion's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths…

NOw that you may be further convinced that in the choice of the ways of godliness, you shall not lose, but change pleasures; you shall finde pleasures sweet and satisfying, of a higher nature in them then ever before your souls were acquainted with; consider what Solomon says of…

It is the speech of an Ancient, That a reproacher is beneath a man, but the reproached that bear it well, are equal to the Angels. The Hebrew word that signifies scorners, has many other significations which set out the vileness, the dangerous evil there is in a scornful spirit;…

The Scripture speaks of the familiar converse that God has with his people here, that they are called friends: Abraham was called The friend of God, and the Disciples were called friends, but hereafter the friendship shall be much more full and sweet; Job shall have his desire,…

Wo to that wretched Family into which this flying Roll shall enter; Wo, I say, to the wretched Inhabitants thereof. The Curse of the Lord (says Solomon) is in the house of the wicked; but He blesses the [habitation] of the just, Proverbs 3:33. Tuguriolum, (i. e.) says Mercer, hi…

But now when once Christ appears to the soul, when he is known in his excellency, all these things as without him have their paint washed off, their beauty fades, their desirableness vanishes, and the soul is not only contented to part with them all, but puts them away as a defi…

Their wisdom will be folly, their love hatred. Upon these grounds it is taken for a thing granted, that parents (who tender the good of their children as they should) do chastise their children as need requires: for it is said, that the Lord corrects whom he loves, as a father t…

First: because it empties the soul of its own wisdom, understanding, and fullness, that it may act in the wisdom and fullness of Christ. The only advice for preservation in trials and temptations lies in the words of the wise man: 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean…

Now for supply of our brethren's necessities, one good help is, the retrenching of our own superfluities, turn the stream into that channel where it will refresh your brethren, and enrich yourself; and let it not run into the dead sea. Your vain excessive entertainments, your ga…

They are good, as they make us more useful for God and man. For God, as having more advantages for the honoring of God: (Proverbs 3:9) Honor the Lord with your substance, and with the first-fruits of all your increase. And of doing good to others: That we may have to distribute…

(1.) It is necessary for his honor, that God may still be acknowledged; that the creature may be kept up in a constant dependence upon God, and may go about nothing, but may ask his leave, counsel, and blessing. Proverbs 3:6. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct…

2. The Fear of God is a main branch of wisdom. 'Tis called, the Head of wisdom, Proverbs 1:7. Wisdom is more precious than Rubies, Proverbs 3:15. No Jewel we wear, does so adorn us as wisdom; now the fear of God is our wisdom: Job 28:28.

So far as any nation was touched with a sense of a divine power, they would never venture upon anything without consulting with their gods. And it is enjoined as a piece of religious good manners, to own God upon all occasions (Proverbs 3:5): In all your ways acknowledge him. It…

2. There is a sweetness found in the way of God's testimonies, which arises from the conscience of practical obedience, not from contemplation only; and it is best to be found when we come to practice and perform what we know. It is said of Wisdom (Proverbs 3:17), All her ways a…

Rational memory belongs to the mind or understanding; therefore we keep the word in our minds, when it is ever ready with us, either to check sin, or warn us of our duty (Psalm 119:9). Forgetfulness is an ignorance for the time (Proverbs 3:1). My son forget not my law; and let y…

Man proposes, but God disposes, and carries on the event either further than we intended, or else contrary to what we intended. 2. We must declare our ways to God, that we may take God along with us in all our actions, that we may ask his leave, counsel, blessing (Proverbs 3:6).…

David is often pressing God with this request, Lord teach me, which plainly shows that not only novices, but men of great holiness and experience need new direction every day. The shameful miscarriages of God's wisest people are enough to show the necessity of this, and the many…

4. There is needful too some experience; for besides the joy of God, there is the inward pleasure of a good conversation. The ways of God are all ways of pleasantness to them that walk in them (Proverbs 3:17). They which will make trial will find Christ's yoke easy; indeed they…

What do men aim at, pleasure, honor, or profit? For pleasure, (Proverbs 3:17): Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. None have such a sweet life, as they that live virtuously, and as God has commanded.

In the general, scoffing comes from pride. What is (Proverbs 3:34): He scorns the scorners, and gives grace to the lowly; is (James 4:6): He resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. 2. Observe the kind or nature of the temptation; he was had in derision.

Or thirdly, as to the management of our civil actions; as the pillar of the cloud went before the Israelites in their journeys, so does God still guide his people in all their affairs both as to duty and success. As to duty (Proverbs 3:6): In all your ways acknowledge him, and h…

The admirableness and comely variety of God's works does easily offer it to our thoughts. In the frame of the work you may easily find out a wise workman (Psalm 136:5): "Sing praises to him that by wisdom has made the heaven and the earth, for his mercy endures forever" — so als…