Bridges on Proverbs 27:20
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 27:20
 
 1 
 2 
 3-4 
 5-6 
 7 
 8 
 9 
 10 
 11 
 12 
 13 
 14 
 15-16 
 17 
 18 
 19 
 20 
 21 
 22 
 23-27 
 
20.  Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. {never: Heb. not}
 
A striking picture of the two great devourers — hell and destruction (Chapter 15:11) — never full! Hell — the grave — ever since Adam's sin, has been insatiable. It has opened its mouth to receive countless millions; and still it yawns, craving for more.† Generations have sunk into destruction, doing the work, and earning “the wages, of sin.” Still the pit is not full. The broad mouth still opens for more.
Thus insatiable are the eyes — the desires (1 John 2:16) — of man, always requiring new gratification. “He enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied.” His “eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor his ear filled with hearing.”† Curiosity, love of novelty, covetousness, ambition — all these desires, like thirst in the dropsy, are aggravated in their indulgence. (Ecclesiastes 6:7.) Man is always seeking for what he can never find, satisfaction in earthly things. He toils after his object, and when he has grasped it, he toils still; the possessor of abundance, not of happiness.† His best efforts only bring him a meager enjoyment, not deserving the name. The summit of ambition, when reached, is not his resting-place; only the point whence he stretches after something higher. All the affections of fallen man are filled with unquenched thirst. He may fancy his desires to be moderate. He may set bounds to them, and flatter himself, that he shall never overpass them. But give him a world, and, like the far-famed conqueror, he will weep for another, and sink at last into a wretched eternity of unsatisfied desires.
Nor is this altogether the effect of his depravity. Corruption indeed leads us to seek rest in something short of God. But it is our nature not to find it. How can an immortal being quench his thirst but from an infinite source? The soul was originally created to find a suitable and infinite gratification in the love of its Creator. And now that it is turned aside by the fall, it has an immortal depth, that craves to be filled. Nor do we speak here of refined and educated minds. The most unlettered being, awakened to a sense of his consciousness, might breathe out Augustine's confession — ‘Thou hast made us for thyself; and our heart can have no rest till it rests in thee.’† And here the gospel meets the case — “Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden; and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28.) So often as the eager question starts up — “Who will shew us any good?” (Psalm 4:6) — listen to the voice — “Ho! Every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that cometh to me shall never thirst.”† Here our desires are at once increased and satisfied. A fountain of infinite fullness is at our door. We are bid welcome to a haven of rest, to a bosom of peace and love. And when new-created in the image of God, and made capable of communion with him in grace, and of enjoying him in glory, can our desires be satisfied with anything less, with anything beside? Is he not now our supreme delight, our satisfying object, never leaving us without complete satisfaction for a single moment? (Psalm 16:5. Lamentations 3:24.)
Now let me ask — Have I seen God, as that which alone is sufficient for my soul? Have I made the important discovery, that all my uneasy cravings from morning to night arise from not seeking him as my only satisfaction? Let me sit down to the richest banquet of life, and every dish will be tasteless and without nourishment, if he is not above all, and in all. To delight in anything independent of him (Psalm 73:25), is as if we cast him down from his throne. All is misery and delusion. Delighting in him, all ministers to our comfort, flowing from this great center. At the grand consummation how will the satisfaction of the eyes and heart be complete! — The eternity of being will be an eternity of joy — “Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake, with thy likeness.” (Isaiah 33:17. Psalm 17:15.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proverbs 15:11
11 ¶ Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 30:15, 16. Isaiah 5:14.
 
 
Proverbs 30:15, 16
15 ¶ The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: {It is...: Heb. Wealth} 16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
 
Isaiah 5:14
14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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:
Habakkuk 2:5. Ecclesiastes 1:8. Compare 2:1-11.
 
 
Habakkuk 2:5
5 ¶ Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: {Yea...: or, How much more}
 
Ecclesiastes 1:8
8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
 
Compare Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
1 ¶ I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. 2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. {to give...: Heb. to draw my flesh with wine} {all...: Heb. the number of the days of their life} 4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: {servants born...: Heb. sons of my house} 8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. {musical...: Heb. musical instrument and instruments} 9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ecclesiastes 6:7
7 ¶ All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. {appetite: Heb. soul}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Ecclesiastes 5:10-12.
    ‘Crescit amor nummi, quantum ipsa pecunia crescit.’ — Juv. Sat. xiv. 139.
    ‘Crescentem sequitur cura pecuniam,
    Majorumque fames.’ Hor. Carm. iii. 16. Comp. ib. 24.
 
 
Ecclesiastes 5:10-12
10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. 11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? 12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Confess. book 1. Chap. i.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Matthew 11:28
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Psalm 4:6
6 ¶ There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Isaiah 55:1, 2. John 7:37; 6:35.
 
 
Isaiah 55:1, 2
1 ¶ Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. {spend: Heb. weigh}
 
John 7:37
37 ¶ In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
 
John 6:35
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Psalm 16:5
5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. {of mine...: Heb. of my part}
 
Lamentations 3:24
24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Psalm 73:25
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Isaiah 33:17
17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off. {that...: Heb. of far distances}
 
Psalm 17:15
15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.