Bridges on Proverbs 11:2
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 11:2
 
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2.  When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
 
Pride was the principle of the fall (Genesis 3:5), and therefore the native principle of fallen man. (Mark 7:22.) When pride had stripped us of our honour, then — not till then — cometh shame.(Genesis 3:7, with 2:25.) This is the wise discipline of our God to scourge the one by the other. The Babel-builders (Genesis 11:4); Miriam (Numbers 12:2, 10); Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:16-21); Haman (Esther 5:11; 7:10); Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:29-32); Herod (Acts 12:22, 23); all are instances of shame, treading upon the heals of pride. Even in common life, a man will never attempt to raise himself above his own level — but then cometh shame (Luke 14:11) — the most revolting recompense. And thus our God puts to shame the man, who knows not his bounds, and who refuses to stand on the low ground, on which he has placed him. “Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased.” (Luke 18:14. Isaiah 2:17.)
Such is the folly of pride. With the lowly is wisdom. What a splendour of wisdom shone in the lowly child, “sitting at the doctors’ feet, astonishing them at his understanding and his answers!” (Luke 2:47.) And will not this spirit be to us the path of wisdom? For the Divine Teacher “reveals to the babes, what he hides from the wise and prudent.” (Ib. 10:21.) There is no greater proof of proud folly, than believing only what we understand. Faith is thus grounded on knowledge, not on testimony: as if the word of God could not be implicitly received, except as corroborated by other witnesses. Happy is that lowliness of spirit, that comes to God's revelation, as it were without any will or mind of our own; humbly receiving what he is pleased to give; but willing — yea thankful — to be ignorant, when he forbids us to intrude! (Colossians 2:18.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Genesis 3:5
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
 
 
Mark 7:22
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: {covetousness...: Gr. covetousnesses, wickednesses}
 
 
Genesis 3:7
7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. {aprons: or, things to gird about}
 
with
Genesis 2:25
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
 
 
Genesis 11:4
4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
 
 
Numbers 12:2, 10
2 And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it. 10 ¶ And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.
 
 
2 Chronicles 26:16-21
16 ¶ But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. 17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: 18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. 19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. 20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. 21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land. {several: Heb. free}
 
 
Esther 5:11
11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.
 
Esther 7:10
10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.
 
 
Daniel 4:29-32
29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. {in: or, upon} 30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? 31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
 
 
Acts 12:22, 23
22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
 
 
Luke 14:11
11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
 
 
Luke 18:14
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
 
Isaiah 2:17
17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
 
 
Luke 2:47
47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
 
 
Luke 10:21
21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
 
 
Colossians 2:18
18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, {beguile...: or, judge against you} {in a...: Gr. being a voluntary in humility}