Bridges on Proverbs 19:18
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 19:18
 
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18.  Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. {for...: or, to his destruction: or, to cause him to die}
 
Christian parents! carefully study the word of God. See here our Father's wise and loving discipline with his children. “Like as a Father, he pitieth his children.” “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you.” Yet when his children need chastening; though the flesh cries — Spare; though every groan enters into his heart, he loves so well, that his soul spares them not for their crying. He uses the rod; yea, if need be, heavily. He will wither their brightest comforts, children, or property, if they turn them to idols; and this, “not for his pleasure, but for their profit.” And what child has not blessed him, that he did not refrain his discipline, till it had done “its perfect work”?
Is not this then our pattern and our standard; setting out the sound principle of a Christian education? “Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; lest they be discouraged.” (Colossians 3:21.) But let not the rule — chasten — spare not — be “a hard saying.” Is not tenderness for the child a cover for the indulgence of weak and foolish affections? There is much more mercy in what seems to be harshness, than in false tenderness. (Chapter 23:13, 14.) Let the child see, that we are resolved; that we are not to be diverted from our duty by the cry of weakness or passion. Far better that the child should cry under healthful correction, than that parents should afterwards cry under the bitter fruit to themselves and children, of neglected discipline. ‘Eli could not have devised which way to have plagued himself and his house so much, as by his kindness to his children's sin. Parents need no other means to make themselves miserable than sparing the rod.’ Yet much less of it would be needed, did they govern, as they ought to do, by the steady decision of a word, a frown, or a look.
But the great force of the rule is its timely application — while there is hope. For hopeless the case may be, if the remedy be delayed. The cure of the evil must be commenced in infancy. Not a moment is to be lost. “Betimes” (Chapter 13:24; 22:15) — is the season, when the good can be effected with the most ease, and the fewest strokes. The lesson of obedience should be learnt at the first dawn. One decided struggle and victory in very early life, may, under God, do much towards settling the point at once and to the end. On the other hand, sharp chastening may fail later to accomplish, what a slight rebuke in the early course might have wrought.
But is there not too often a voluntary blindness, that does not choose to see what it is painful to correct? The false notion — ‘Children will be children’ — leads us often to pass over real faults, and consider their tempers and waywardness as too trifling to require prompt correction. And thus sin, winked at in its beginnings, hardens in all the strength of deep-rooted corruptions. Whereas — who would neglect their most trifling bodily ailment, which might grow into serious results? If they cannot be argued with, they must be controlled. How often have we found in after-life the evil of fixed habits, which early correction might have subdued with far less cost of suffering! (1 Kings 1:6; 2:24.) Oh! what grace and wisdom is needed to discipline our minds, judgment, and affections to that tone of self-government, which will enable us to train our children practically for the service of God, and for their own happiness!
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 103:13. Isaiah 66:13.
 

 
Psalm 103:13
13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
 
Isaiah 66:13
13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
 
 
Footnote:
Exodus 2:23, 24
 

 
Exodus 2:23, 24
23 ¶ And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
 
Judges 10:16
16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. {strange...: Heb. gods of strangers} {grieved: Heb. shortened}
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 89:30-32.
 

 
Psalm 89:30-32
30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; 31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; {break: Heb. profane} 32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
 
 
Footnote:
Ib. 39:10. 1 Peter 5:6.
 

 
Psalm 39:10
10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand. {blow: Heb. conflict}
 
1 Peter 5:6
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
 
 
Footnote:
Hebrews 12:10. Compare Lamentations 3:33.
 

 
Hebrews 12:10
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. {after...: or, as seemed good, or, meet to them}
 
Compare
Lamentations 3:33
33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. {willingly: Heb. from his heart}
 
 
Colossians 3:21
21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
 
 
Proverbs 23:13, 14
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. 14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
 
 
Footnote:
Bishop Hall's Contemplations, Book xi. xii.
 
 
Proverbs 13:24
24 ¶ He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
 
Proverbs 22:15
15 ¶ Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
 
 
1 Kings 1:6
6 And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom. {at any...: Heb. from his days}
 
1 Kings 2:24
24 Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.