Ed Walsh
Puritan Board Senior
I read this comment by Bridges as part of my morning devotions today and thought it would be good to share.
Every thing around us reads an useful lesson to an observant eye. Every particle of creation may be taxed to furnish its quota to our store of knowledge. We can extract good even from evil, and “gather grapes of thorns, and figs of thistles.” Solomon describes with his usual vigor of thought and strength of coloring, an affecting sight, that had passed before his eyes—the field and vineyard of the slothful—grown over with thorns and nettles, and the wall utterly broken down. Instead of turning away, he considered it well and received instruction. The slothful by strange delusion conceives himself to be wise.6 Yet how manifestly is he void of understanding; without heart to improve his many advantages! He might enrich himself by his field and vineyard. But he has never cultivated or weeded it. The broken wall leaves it a prey to any invader; while he lives as a mere animal in sensual indulgences, bringing himself gradually, but irresistibly to poverty.1 Not that he means to come to beggary. He only wants yet a little sleep, a little slumber more—and then he will bestir himself. But this little insensibly increases. Every hour’s indulgence strengthens the habit, and chains the victim in hopeless bondage. His efforts for exertion are only the struggles of the paralytic, without energy or effectiveness. If his dependence is upon his own industry—manual or mental, sloth must hasten on his ruin. In a higher station it deprives him of the means of using his influence aright, or of employing his talents to any valuable purpose. This is poverty to himself, impoverishing the springs of solid happiness, and frittering away the true ends of life.
But let us look at the spiritual sluggard. If a neglected field is a melancholy sight, what is a neglected soul! a soul—instead of being cultivated with the seeds of grace, left to its own barrenness; overgrown with the native produce of thorns and nettles.2 Time, talents, opportunities have been vouchsafed; perhaps the blessing of a godly education added—every encouragement for hopeful promise. But if diligence is needed; if the man must “labor and strive,”3 then his field must be left—at least for the present. He must have a little more sleep first.
And thus he sleeps on, and shuts both eyes and ears against every disturbance of his fatal slumber. Nothing is done or attempted for God, for his own soul, or for his fellow creatures. His vineyard is left open. All his good purposes are the stone wall broken down. Satan “goes out and returns at his will.”5 All is devastation and ruin.
Christian! is there no danger of this evil creeping into our religion? No habit is so ruinous. It enervates, and at length stops, the voice of prayer. It hinders the active energy of meditation. It weakens the influence of watchfulness. It checks every step of progress in the Divine life; so that “the soul,” instead of being “a well-watered garden,”6 sending forth refreshing fragrance and grateful fruits—relapses into its former wilderness state; laid open to every temptation; and too often ultimately a prey to sensual appetites.7
Let our Father’s voice be instantly heard—“Son, go work today in thy vineyard.”8 Dost thou not see that it is overgrown with thorns? Look forward—not backward. Not complain, but decide. Not pray only—but strive. Always connect privilege with practice. Prove the principles of moral character as well as spiritual experience. Aim at every active exercise, that may strengthen religious habits. ‘Surely if we look to stand in the faith of the sons of God, we must hourly, continually, be providing and setting ourselves to strive. It was not the meaning of our Lord and Saviour in saying—“Father, keep them in thy name”—that we should be careless to keep ourselves. To our own safety our sedulity is required.’
Bridges, C. (1865). An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (pp. 390–392). New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.
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6 Proverbs 26:16
1 Proverbs 6:10, 11
2 Gen. 3:18
3 John 6:27, Luke 13:24
5 Matt. 12:45, 2 Tim. 2:26.
6 Jer. 31:12
7 Proverbs 23:21; 2 Sam. 11:2; Ezek. 16:49
8 Matt. 21:28
Proverbs 24:30-34
30. I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31. And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 32. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. 33. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep; 34. So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
30. I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31. And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 32. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. 33. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep; 34. So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
Every thing around us reads an useful lesson to an observant eye. Every particle of creation may be taxed to furnish its quota to our store of knowledge. We can extract good even from evil, and “gather grapes of thorns, and figs of thistles.” Solomon describes with his usual vigor of thought and strength of coloring, an affecting sight, that had passed before his eyes—the field and vineyard of the slothful—grown over with thorns and nettles, and the wall utterly broken down. Instead of turning away, he considered it well and received instruction. The slothful by strange delusion conceives himself to be wise.6 Yet how manifestly is he void of understanding; without heart to improve his many advantages! He might enrich himself by his field and vineyard. But he has never cultivated or weeded it. The broken wall leaves it a prey to any invader; while he lives as a mere animal in sensual indulgences, bringing himself gradually, but irresistibly to poverty.1 Not that he means to come to beggary. He only wants yet a little sleep, a little slumber more—and then he will bestir himself. But this little insensibly increases. Every hour’s indulgence strengthens the habit, and chains the victim in hopeless bondage. His efforts for exertion are only the struggles of the paralytic, without energy or effectiveness. If his dependence is upon his own industry—manual or mental, sloth must hasten on his ruin. In a higher station it deprives him of the means of using his influence aright, or of employing his talents to any valuable purpose. This is poverty to himself, impoverishing the springs of solid happiness, and frittering away the true ends of life.
But let us look at the spiritual sluggard. If a neglected field is a melancholy sight, what is a neglected soul! a soul—instead of being cultivated with the seeds of grace, left to its own barrenness; overgrown with the native produce of thorns and nettles.2 Time, talents, opportunities have been vouchsafed; perhaps the blessing of a godly education added—every encouragement for hopeful promise. But if diligence is needed; if the man must “labor and strive,”3 then his field must be left—at least for the present. He must have a little more sleep first.
And thus he sleeps on, and shuts both eyes and ears against every disturbance of his fatal slumber. Nothing is done or attempted for God, for his own soul, or for his fellow creatures. His vineyard is left open. All his good purposes are the stone wall broken down. Satan “goes out and returns at his will.”5 All is devastation and ruin.
Christian! is there no danger of this evil creeping into our religion? No habit is so ruinous. It enervates, and at length stops, the voice of prayer. It hinders the active energy of meditation. It weakens the influence of watchfulness. It checks every step of progress in the Divine life; so that “the soul,” instead of being “a well-watered garden,”6 sending forth refreshing fragrance and grateful fruits—relapses into its former wilderness state; laid open to every temptation; and too often ultimately a prey to sensual appetites.7
Let our Father’s voice be instantly heard—“Son, go work today in thy vineyard.”8 Dost thou not see that it is overgrown with thorns? Look forward—not backward. Not complain, but decide. Not pray only—but strive. Always connect privilege with practice. Prove the principles of moral character as well as spiritual experience. Aim at every active exercise, that may strengthen religious habits. ‘Surely if we look to stand in the faith of the sons of God, we must hourly, continually, be providing and setting ourselves to strive. It was not the meaning of our Lord and Saviour in saying—“Father, keep them in thy name”—that we should be careless to keep ourselves. To our own safety our sedulity is required.’
Bridges, C. (1865). An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (pp. 390–392). New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.
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6 Proverbs 26:16
1 Proverbs 6:10, 11
2 Gen. 3:18
3 John 6:27, Luke 13:24
5 Matt. 12:45, 2 Tim. 2:26.
6 Jer. 31:12
7 Proverbs 23:21; 2 Sam. 11:2; Ezek. 16:49
8 Matt. 21:28
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