Bridges on Proverbs 22:24-25
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 22:24-25
 
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24.  Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25.  Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
 
Sin is contagious. Alas! our corrupt constitution predisposes us to receive it in any form in which it may be presented to us. The unlovely passions of a furious man rather repel than attract. But sin never loses its infectious character. Friendship blinds the eye; and where there is no light in the mind, no true tenderness in the conscience, we can see hateful things done by those we love, with blunted sensibilities. Common intercourse with a furious man is like living in a house that is on fire. His unreasonable conduct stirs our own tempers. One fire kindles another. Occasional bursts of passion soon form the habit. The habit becomes the nature. Thus we learn his ways, and get a snare to our soul. (Psalm 106:35, 36.) How soon does a young person, living with a proud man, get the mold of his society, and become imperious and overbearing! (Ecclesiasticus 13:1.) Evil ways, especially when they fall in with our natural temperament, are much sooner learnt than good, and are much more powerful to “corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33), than good manners to amend the evil. We learn anger easier than meekness. We convey disease, not health. Hence it is the rule of self-preservation, no less than the rule of God — Make no friendship with an angry man.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 21:24; 25:28; 27:4.
 

 
Proverbs 21:24
24 ¶ Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. {in proud...: Heb. in the wrath of pride}
 
Proverbs 25:28
28 ¶ He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
 
Proverbs 27:4
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? {Wrath...: Heb. Wrath is cruelty, and anger an overflowing} {envy: or, jealousy?}
 
 
Psalm 106:35, 36
35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. 36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.
 
 
Ecclesiasticus 13:1
1 He that toucheth pitch, shall be defiled with it: and he that hath fellowship with the proud, shall put on pride.
 
 
1 Corinthians 15:33
33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.