Bridges on Proverbs 11:30
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 11:30
 
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30.  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. {winneth: Heb. taketh}
 
Here is the fruit of the flourishing branch. (Verse 28.) The whole course of the righteous — his influence, his prayers, his instruction, his example — is a tree of life. What the tree of life was in paradise; what it will be in heaven, that he is in this wilderness, fruitful (Revelation 22:2, with chapter 10:11, 31, 32), nourishing (Revelation 2:7, with chapter 10:21), healing. (Chapter 12:18; 15:4.) ‘And surely he, who by these means winneth souls to righteousness and salvation, is wise indeed.’† He only, who purchased them by his blood, can win them to himself (and who that knows the work, but will give him all the praise!); yet has he set apart men for the work of ‘drawing souls to God, and to the love of him; sweetly gaining, and making a holy conquest of them to God.’† This was the wisdom of our Divine Master. He “taught the people as they were able to hear it” (Mark 4:33); accommodating himself to their convenience (Ib. 6:31-34), and their prejudices (Matthew 11:16-19), if that he might win their souls. And truly were these opportunities “his meat and drink.” For when “wearied with his journey, he sat down on the well,” thirsting for water; far more intensely did he thirst for the soul of the poor sinner before him; and, having won her to himself, he forgot his own want in the joy of her salvation. (John 4:6, 32-34.) In close walking after this pattern of wisdom, did the great Apostle “become all things to all men, that he might by all means gain some.” (1 Corinthians 9:20-22; 10:33.) God grant that no Minister of Christ may spend a day, without labouring to win at least one soul for heaven!
But — blessed be God! — this fruit — this wisdom — is not confined to the Sacred calling. Do we love our Lord? Arise; let us follow in this happy work, and he will honour us. The righteous wife wins her husband's soul by the wisdom of meekness and sobriety. (1 Peter 3:1, 2.) The godly neighbour wins his fellow-sinner by the patient energy of faith and love. (James 5:19, 20.) “No man” in the true Church of God “liveth unto himself.” (Romans 14:7.) The Christian who neglects his brother's salvation, fearfully hazards his own. He is gone back to his native selfishness, if he does not exhibit that “love and kindness of God, which hath appeared unto men.” We should be diamonds in the luster of grace, loadstones for our attractive power in winning souls. How poor is the mitre or the crown; how debasing the wisdom of the philosopher, the scholar, or the statesman, compared with this wisdom! For wise indeed we must be to win souls; so hard are they to be won! If only one soul be taken, the honour passes thought. ‘A soul is a kingdom. As many as we can bring back to God are so many kingdoms reconquered.’† No ambition so great, no results so glorious. “They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3.) Every soul won by this wisdom, will be a fresh jewel in the Savior's crown; a polished stone in that temple, in which he will be honoured throughout eternity.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proverbs 11:28
28 ¶ He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
 
 
Revelation 22:2
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
 
with
Proverbs 10:11, 31, 32
11 ¶ The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life; But {1} violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. {1) Or the mouth of the wicked covereth violence} 31 ¶ The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. 32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness. {frowardness: Heb. frowardnesses}
 
 
Revelation 2:7
7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
 
with
Proverbs 10:21
21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. {of wisdom: Heb. of heart}
 
 
Proverbs 12:18
18 ¶ There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
 
Proverbs 15:4
4 ¶ A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. {A wholesome...: Heb. The healing of the tongue}
 
 
Footnote:
Bishop Horne's Sermon on the Tree of Life.
 
 
Footnote:
Diodati.
 
 
Mark 4:33
33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
 
 
Mark 6:31-34
31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. 32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. 33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. 34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
 
 
Matthew 11:16-19
16 ¶ But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. 19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
 
 
John 4:6, 32-34
6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
 
 
1 Corinthians 9:20-22
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
 
1 Corinthians 10:33
33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
 
 
1 Peter 3:1, 2
1 ¶ Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
 
 
James 5:19, 20
19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
 
 
Romans 14:7
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
 
 
Footnote:
Quesnel. Luke 15:6.
 
 
Luke 15:6
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
 
 
Daniel 12:3
3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. {wise: or, teachers}