Bridges on Proverbs 28:22
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 28:22
 
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22.  He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him. {hasteth...: or, hath and evil eye hasteth to be rich}
 
Another warning word! “Take heed, and beware of covetousness.” (Luke 12:15.) “The lust of the eye” (1 John 2:16) is a deadly blast upon the soul. Abraham was rich without haste, with God's blessing. (Genesis 13:2.) Little did Lot consider that his haste to be rich was the highroad to poverty. But step by step he “entered into temptation.”† Every worldly prospect was blasted; and he ends his days, a poor, forlorn, degraded tenant of the desolate cave of Zoar. (Ib. 19:30.) Thus he who sought the world, lost it; he who was ready to lose it, found it. When Ahab's evil eye envied Naboth the enjoyment of his vineyard; when Jehoiakim was grasping by unjust means all that came into his reach, little did they consider, how this haste to be rich would end in disgrace.† But many and loud are the warnings against covetousness, ending in shame, and filled with the curse of an avenging God.†
“Man of God! Make a covenant with thine eyes;”† else thou canst never hold thy covenant with thy God. Remember — Not he who knows, but who loves most the things of heaven, will be most deadened to the riches of earth. The evil eye fixed on earth, can never look above. So much as thou lovest earth, thou losest of heaven. Is it not thy shame, that if heaven be thy possession, thou shouldest have so much interest there, and yet so few thoughts, so little love? Keep down most carefully thine anxiety to rise in the world. For in its highest glory there is nothing worthy of thine heart. Keep the things of earth as thy outer garment, which thou canst “lay aside,” when it entangles thee in the heavenly race. (Hebrews 12:1.) But keep heaven next to thine heart — thy treasure — thy love — thy rest — thy crown. Happy to be of the mind of the holy Bishop, who, when he heard of the ruin of all his property by the plunder of the Goths — looked up — ‘Thou knowest where my treasure has long been’!†
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Luke 12:15
15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
 
 
1 John 2:16
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
 
 
Footnote:
Genesis 13:2
 
 
Genesis 13:2
2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
 
 
Footnote:
Genesis 13:10-13; 14:12.
 
 
Genesis 13:10-13
10 ¶ And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

Genesis 14:12.
12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
 
 
Genesis 19:30
30 ¶ And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
 
 
Footnote:
1 Kings 21:2, 18, 19. Jeremiah 22:13-19.
 
 
1 Kings 21:2, 18, 19
2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. {seem...: Heb. be good in thine eyes}
18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.
19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
 
Jeremiah 22:13-19
13 Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work; 14 That saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion. {large: Heb. through-aired} {windows: or, my windows} 15 Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him? 16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the LORD. 17 But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it. {violence: or, incursion} 18 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah; They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah lord! or, Ah his glory! 19 He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 23:5, with Job 20:18-22; 27:16, 17. Jeremiah 17:11. Luke 12:19, 20.
 
 
Proverbs 23:5
5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. {set...: Heb. cause thine eyes to fly upon}
 
with
Job 20:18-22
18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein. {his...: Heb. the substance of his exchange} 19 Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not; {oppressed: Heb. crushed} 20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired. {feel: Heb. know} 21 There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods. {none...: or, be none left for his meat} 22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him. {wicked: or, troublesome}
 
Job 27:16, 17
16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; 17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
 
Jeremiah 17:11
11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. {sitteth...: or, gathereth young which she hath not brought forth}
 
Luke 12:19, 20
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? {thy...: Gr. do they require thy soul}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Job 31:1. Psalm 119:36, 37.
 
 
Job 31:1
1 ¶ I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
 
Psalm 119:36, 37
36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. 37 ¶ Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. {Turn...: Heb. Make to pass}
 
 
Hebrews 12:1
1 ¶ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
 
 
Footnote:
Paulinus, Bishop of Nola, in the fifth century.