Bridges on Proverbs 14:2
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 14:2
 
 1 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 5 
 6 
 7 
 8 
 9 
 10 
 11 
 12 
 13 
 14 
 15 
 16 
 17 
 18 
 19 
 20 
 21 
 22 
 23 
 24 
 25 
 26 
 27 
 28 
 29 
 30 
 31 
 32 
 33 
 34 
 35 
 
2.  He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
 
There can be no stream without the fountain. Grace in the heart is the spring of the upright walk. (Chapter 4:23. Matthew 12:33-35.) The proof that we believe the reality of religion is that we walk in the power of it. The proof of the influence of the fear of God is, that we “are in it all the day long” (Chapter 23:17); not saints in our prayers, and worldlings in our conduct; not substituting active zeal for personal devotedness; not teaching our families half of religion, to read and pray; but “whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, to think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8.) Man may boast of his moral uprightness, that he would scorn a mean action. But the heart-searching Savior lays open the root of worldly selfishness, and shews his way to be perverse before him. (Luke 16:14, 15.) Does he remember, or does he know, while he slumbers in the delusion of external decency, that the allowed supremacy of any earthly object (1 Samuel 2:29, 30), or the indulgence of a secret lust (2 Samuel 12:9, 10), brings him under the fearful guilt of despising God?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proverbs 4:23
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. {with...: Heb. above all keeping}
 
Matthew 12:33-35
33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. 34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
 
 
Proverbs 23:17
17 ¶ Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
 
 
Philippians 4:8
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. {honest: or, venerable}
 
 
Luke 16:14, 15
14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. 15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
 
 
1 Samuel 2:29, 30
29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people? 30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
 
 
2 Samuel 12:9, 10
9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.