Bridges on Proverbs 20:24
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 20:24
 
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24.  Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
 
God's uncontrollable power and sovereignty; man's absolute dependence and helplessness — let these be foundation principles. Here is no infringement of liberty on the one side; no excuse for indolence on the other. Man often acts as if he were the master of his own purposes; as if his goings were of himself. Or else, in the crude notion of the predetermination of every event, instead of diligently working out the LORD's purposes, he fancies “his strength is to sit still.” (Isaiah 30:7.) But the humble, heaven-taught Christian exercises free agency in the spirit of dependence. Though utterly powerless for obedience, he is ever putting forth the effort as the exercise in which he looks for the strength. The consciousness that his goings are of the LORD, gives energy to his faith. It is written again — “This is the way; walk ye in it.” (Isaiah 30:21.) Thus does Scripture guard against Scripture. Here is dependence without passive inertion; diligence without presumption or self-confidence. Antagonal principles thus work together in harmonious combination.
The true liberty of the will is the power of acting according to choice, without external restraint. Divine agency, so far from hindering its freedom, removes the obstacle of a corrupt and tyrannizing bias. This let [obstacle] removed, it acts more freely, and more powerfully. The man is not moved as a machine, unconscious of its operations and results, but acted upon by intelligent principles. He is not carried along the way, but enabled to walk. He is “drawn,” not driven, “with the cords of a man,” not of a beast; and those cords are so wisely applied, that they are felt to be “bands of love.” (Hosea 11:4.) He is enlightened, so that he sees; softened, so that he turns; “drawn, so that he runs.” (Song of Solomon 1:4. Psalm 119:32.) He is moved effectually, but willingly; invincibly, but without constraint. Divine grace acts, not as in a lifeless machine, but as in a purposing, willing, ever-working creature. Nothing is therefore distorted. There is no unnatural violence. It is “the day of the LORD's power,” who “worketh in him to will and to do of his good pleasure.” His goings are of the LORD, who at once inspires the effort, and secures the success.
The world of Providence shews the same over-ruling agency. Man determines and acts freely in the minute circumstances of the day. Yet the active pervading influence, disposing every step at the right time and place, makes it plain, that his goings are of the LORD. Rebekah came to the well just at the moment that Abraham's servant was ready to meet her. “He being in the way, the LORD led him.” (Genesis 24:27.) Pharaoh's daughter goes out to bathe just at the crisis, when the infant Moses was committed to the water. (Exodus 2:1-5.) Was this the working of chance, or some fortunate coincidence? Who can doubt the finger or the leading of God? A curse of extermination was pronounced against Eli's house. The word was fulfilled by a combination of apparently casual incidents. David fled to Abimelech for relief. That very day Doeg was there; not in the ordinary course, but “detained before the LORD.” He gives information to his cruel master, and in a moment of anger the curse was accomplished. Who can doubt but the goings of Doeg and of David meeting together were of the LORD? All parties acted freely. What was false in Doeg was righteous in God, whom we adore as a sin-hating God, even while, as in the crucifixion of Christ (Acts 2:23), he makes use of sin for the fulfillment of his own purposes.
Man's goings therefore being of the LORD, they must often be enveloped in mystery. How then can he understand his own way? Often does it run counter to his design. The Babel-builders raised their proud tower to prevent their dispersion: and it was the very means of their dispersion. (Genesis 11:4-9.) Pharaoh's “wise dealing” for the aggrandizement of his kingdom issued in its destruction. Haman's project for his own glory was the first step of his ruin. (Esther 6:6-13.) Often also is the way, when not counter, far beyond our own ken. Little did Israel understand the reason of their circuitous way to Canaan. Yet did it prove in the end to be “the right way.” As little did Ahasuerus understand the profound reason, why “on that night could not the king sleep;” a minute incident, seeming scarcely worthy to be recorded, yet a necessary link in the chain of the LORD's everlasting purposes of grace to his Church. (Esther 6:1.) Little did Philip understand his own way, when he was moved from the wide sphere of preaching the gospel in Samaria, to go into the desert, which ultimately proved a wider extension of the gospel. As little did the great Apostle understand, that his “prosperous journey” to see his beloved flock at Rome, would be a narrow escape from shipwreck, and to be conducted a prisoner in chains. Little do we know what we pray for. “By terrible things wilt thou answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation.” (Psalm 65:5.) We go out in the morning not understanding our way; “not knowing what an hour may bring forth.” (Chapter 27:1.) Some turn, connected with our happiness or misery for life, meets us before night. (John 4:7.) Joseph in taking his walk to search for his brethren, never anticipated a more than twenty years’ separation from his father. (Genesis 37:14.) And what ought those cross ways or dark ways to teach us? Not constant, trembling anxiety, but daily dependence. “I will bring the blind by a way that they know not: I will lead them in paths that they have not known.” But shall they be left in the dark perplexity? “I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” (Isaiah 42:16.) Often do I look back amazed at the strangeness of my course, so different, so contrary to my way. But it is enough for me that all is in thine hands; that “my steps are ordered of thee.” (Psalm 37:23. Compare chapter 16:9.) I dare trust thy wisdom, thy goodness, thy tenderness, thy faithful care. Lead me — uphold me — forsake me not. “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory.”
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Isaiah 30:7
7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.
 
 
Isaiah 30:21
21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
 
 
Hosea 11:4
4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
 
 
Song of Solomon 1:4
4 Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee. {the upright...: or, they love thee uprightly}
 
Psalm 119:32
32 I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 110:3. Philippians 2:13. Compare Daillè in loco, and Disputation between Eck and Carlstadt. — D'Aubigne’s History of Reformation, Book v. chap. 4.
 

 
Psalm 110:3
3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
 
Philippians 2:1
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
 
 
Genesis 24:27
27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.
 
 
Exodus 2:1-5
1 ¶ And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. 5 ¶ And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
 
 
Footnote:
1 Samuel 2:30-32, with 21:6, 7; 22:9-18.
 

 
1 Samuel 2:30-32
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. 31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house. 32 And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever. {an enemy...: or, the affliction of the tabernacle, for all the wealth which God would have given Israel}
 
with
1 Samuel 21:6, 7
6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. 7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.
 
1 Samuel 22:9-18
9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. 12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. {Here...: Heb. Behold me} 13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house? 15 Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more. {less...: Heb. little or great} 16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house. 17 And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD. {footmen: or, guard: Heb. runners} 18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Acts 2:23
23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
 
 
Genesis 11:4-9
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. 5 ¶ And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. {Babel: that is, Confusion}
 
 
Footnote:
Exodus 1:8-10, with 14:30.
 

 
Exodus 1:8-10
8 ¶ Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. 9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
 
with
Exodus 14:30
30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
 
 
Esther 6:6-13
6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself? {whom the king...: Heb. in whose honour the king delighteth} 7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour, {whom the king...: Heb. in whose honour the king delighteth} 8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head: {Let...: Heb. Let them bring the royal apparel} {which the king...: Heb. wherewith the king clotheth himself} 9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour. {bring...: Heb. cause him to ride} 10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. {let...: Heb. suffer not a whit to fall} 11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour. 12 ¶ And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered. 13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Exodus 13:17, 18, with Psalm 107:7.
 

 
Exodus 13:17, 18
17 ¶ And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: {harnessed: or, by five in a rank}
 
with
Psalm 107:7
7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.
 
 
Esther 6:1
1 ¶ On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.
 
 
Footnote:
Acts 8:5-12, 26, 27.
 

 
Acts 8:5-12, 26, 27.
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. 6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city. 9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: 10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. 11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. 12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 26 ¶ And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
 
 
Footnote:
Ib. 27.; 28:20, 30, with Romans 1:10.
 

 
Acts 27.
1 ¶ And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band. 2 And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. 3 And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself. 4 And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein. 7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone; {Crete: or, Candy} 8 And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea. 9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, {the fast: the fast was on the tenth day of the seventh month} 10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. {hurt: or, injury} 11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul. 12 ¶ And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west. 13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete. 14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. {arose: or, beat} 15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. 16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat: 17 Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven. 18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; 19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. 20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. 21 ¶ But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. 22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. 25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. 26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island. 27 But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country; 28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms. 29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. 30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, 31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. 32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. 33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. 34 Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. 35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat. 36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. 37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. 38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea. 39 And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship. 40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. {taken...: or, cut the anchors, they left them in the sea} 41 And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. 42 And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. 43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land: 44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
 
Acts 28:20, 30
20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. 30 ¶ And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
 
with
Romans 1:10
10 making request, if by any means now at length I may be prospered by the will of God to come unto you.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Psalm 65:5
5 By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:
 
 
Proverbs 27:1
1 ¶ Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. {to...: Heb. to morrow day}
 
 
John 4:7
7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
 
 
Genesis 37:14
14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. {see...: Heb. see the peace of thy brethren, etc.}
 
 
Isaiah 42:16
16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. {straight: Heb. into straightness}
 
 
Psalm 37:23
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. {ordered: or, established}
 
Compare
Proverbs 16:9
9 ¶ A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 73:24. Augustine mentions the weeping prayers and deprecations of his godly mother, on account of his voyage from Carthage to Italy. Her anxiety was grounded probably on his absence from her control, and the natural apprehension, that, when removed from her influence, he would plunge deeper into sin. But it proved in the end to be the Providential purpose for his conversion — ‘In thy deep and hidden counsel’ — writes the pious Father — ‘listening to the cardinal point of her desire, thou regardest not what she then implored, in order to accomplish in me what she ever implored.’ — Confess. Lib. v. c. 8.
 

 
Psalm 73:24
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.