Bridges on Proverbs 15:24
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 15:24
 
 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 
 

24.  The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.
 
Another beam of light and immortality here shines upon the Old Testament Dispensation. For if the life above is beyond animal sensation, it must be the life eternal. The hell beneath, opposed to it, must stretch beyond the grave into eternity. But the way of life — the way in which alone life is found, the way to God, the way to glory — is but one. That way is Christ. (John 14:6.) If therefore I come to him, renouncing all other hope, casting all my hope on him, and every step of my way “looking unto him” (Hebrews 12:2) — am not I in this way? And if I follow him in “the obedience of faith,” is not my course, my daily walk, advancing in that way? (John 8:12.)
This way is above — of heavenly origin — the fruit of the eternal councils — the display of the manifold wisdom of God. Fools rise not high enough to discern it, much less to devise and walk in it. Their highest elevation is grovelling. God does not allow them even the name of life. (1 Timothy 5:6.) Cleaving to the dust of earth, they sink into the hell beneath. But this way of the wise is above. They are born from above; taught from above; therefore walking above, while they are living upon earth. A soaring life indeed! The soul mounts up, looks aloft, enters into the holiest, rises above herself, and finds her resting-place in the bosom of her God. A most transcendant life! to be “partaker of the Divine nature!” (2 Peter 1:4) the life of God himself (Ephesians 4:18); in humble sublimity, ascending above things under the sun, above the sun itself. Not only is it out of the reach of carnal men, but beyond the comprehension of all. (Job 11:7-9.) It is such a way as neither men nor angels could ever have cast up, such as can never be contemplated but with reverential faith. The wise in their most favored moments cannot fully conceive their present privileges; how much less the glorious unfolding, when the clouds shall never more be known.
The further we walk in this way above, the further we depart from hell beneath. Heaven and Hell are here before us. Soon will our state be fixed for eternity. — What then am I? Where am I? Those “who mind earthly things, their end is” the hell beneath. Those who walk in the way above — “their conversation is in heaven;” their hope is fixed on the Lord's coming from thence; their everlasting joy will be the complete transformation into his own image. There is no downward tendency. It is still upwards. It is all rising ground. Mount ever so high, the ascent is ever before us; an immense distance still appears, ere we gain the summit. Yet the moment we desire this heavenly state, we have begun to know it, and we shall rise higher and higher heavenward, till we take our place before the throne of God. Thus ‘he that is truly wise, in this holy way of obedience, walketh to eternal life.’
Children of God! walk like yourselves; with “your hearts lifted up in the ways of the LORD;” with a holy loftiness above the debasing pleasure of earth; “looking at the things that are unseen;” “having respect unto the recompense of the reward;” walking in the way above, where your hope is, where your treasure, where your home, above all — where your ascended Savior is; and where one golden ray of his favor, one reflected beam of his glory, will outshine all the glare of a shadowy world. Had we more of heaven in our hearts, we should have more of its spirit in our profession. We should think less of the roughness of the way, if we more fully realized the rest beyond. But except we know — in its measure — heaven as our state now, how can we hope to enjoy it as our everlasting home? ‘Grant, we beseech thee, that, like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell.’
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
John 14:6
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
 
 
Hebrews 12:2
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. {author: or, beginner}
 
 
John 8:12
12 ¶ Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
 
 
1 Timothy 5:6
6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. {in...: or, delicately}
 
 
2 Peter 1:4
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
 
 
Ephesians 4:18
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: {blindness: or, hardness}
 
 
Job 11:7-9
7 ¶ Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
 
 
Footnote:
Philippians 3:19-21. Compare Psalm 17:14, 15.
 

 
Philippians 3:19-21
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: {conversation...: or, we live or conduct ourselves as citizens of heaven, or, for obtaining heaven} 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
 
Compare
Psalm 17:14, 15
14 From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. {which are: or, by} {they...: or, their children are full} 15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
 
 
Footnote:
Bp. Hall.
 
 
Footnote:
2 Chronicles 17:6. Compare Isaiah 33:16; 40:31; 58:14.
 

 
2 Chronicles 17:6
6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah. {was...: that is, was encouraged}
 
Compare
Isaiah 33:16
16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. {high: Heb. heights, or, high places}
 
Isaiah 40:31
31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. {renew: Heb. change}
 
Isaiah 58:14
14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
2 Corinthians 4:18.
 

 
2 Corinthians 4:18
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
 
 
Footnote:
Hebrews 11:24-26.
 

 
Hebrews 11:24-26
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. {of Christ: or, for Christ}
 
 
Footnote:
2 Corinthians 5:1-5. Colossians 1:27.
 

 
2 Corinthians 5:1-5
1 ¶ For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
 
Colossians 1:27
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: {in: or, among}
 
 
Footnote:
Matthew 6:20.
 

 
Matthew 6:20
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
 
 
Footnote:
2 Corinthians 5:6-8. Hebrews 11:19; 13:14
 

 
2 Corinthians 5:6-8
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
 
Hebrews 11:19
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
 
Hebrews 13:14
14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
 
 
Footnote:
Colossians 3:1.
 

 
Colossians 3:1
1 ¶ If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
 
 
Footnote:
Collect for Ascension day.