Proverbs 14:14

The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways,.... One that is a backslider at heart, whose heart departeth from the Lord; in whom there is an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the

The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

The backslider in heart; he who departeth from God and from the way of his precepts with all his heart, which implies the doing it upon deliberation, with free choice, and full purpose, and customary practice, as ungodly men commonly do, and is opposed to the slips of human frailty; for otherwise every sin is a revolt from God. With his own ways; with the fruit of his ways or doings, the punishment of his sins. From himself, i.e. from his ways, as appears by the opposition; from the pious temper of his own heart, which cleaveth to the Lord, when the hearts of sinners forsake him; and from the holy and righteous course of his life, from which he shall receive unspeakable comfort and satisfaction both here and hereafter to all eternity.

Proverbs 14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man [shall be satisfied] from himself.Ver. 14. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways.] He hath made a match with mischief, he shall soon have enough of it; he hath sold himself to do wickedness, and he shall be sure of his payment; he hath drawn back to perdition; he hath stolen from his colours, run away from his captain (υποστειληται), he shall have martial law for it. God will serve such odious apostates as Theodoric, king of Goths, did a deacon, that, to ingratiate with this Arian prince, turned Arian: instead of preferring him, he cut off his head. Or as that Turk served the traitor that betrayed the Rhodes: his promised wife and portion were presented, but the Turk told him that he would not have a Christian to be his son-in-law, but he must be a Moslem - that is, a believing Turk, both within and without. And therefore he caused his baptized skin, as he called it, to be taken off, and him to be cast in a bed strawed with salt, that he might get a new skin, and so he should be his son-in-law. But the wicked wretch ended his life with shame and torment. But a good man shall be satisfied from himself.] For he hath a spring within his own breast, he needs not shark abroad; he hath an autarchy, a self-sufficience. Hic sat lucis, Here is enough light, said Oecolampadius, clapping his hand on his breast, when sick, and asked whether the light did not offend him? Another, being likewise sick, and asked how he did; answered, ‘ My body is weak, my mind is well.’ A third, when the pangs of death were upon him, being asked by a very dear friend that took him by the hand, whether he felt not much pain; ‘ Truly no,’ said he, ‘ the greatest I find is your cold hand.’ These good men "knew within themselves that they had in heaven a better and a more enduring substance"; within themselves they knew it - not in others, not in books, but in their own experience and apprehension, in the workings of their own hearts. Their knowledge was non in codicibus, sed in cordibus: They could feelingly say, that "in doing of God’ s will" - not only for doing it, or after it was now done, but even while they were doing of it - "there was great reward." Righteousness is its own reward, and is never without a double joy to be its strength: Gaudium in re, gaudium in spe, gaudium de possessione, gaudium de promissione, gaudium de praesenti exhibitione, gaudium de futura expectatione: Joy in hand, and in hope, in present possession, and in certain reversion. Mr Bolton. Bernard.

(14) The backslider in heart—i.e., who turns away from God. (Psalms 44:19.) Shall be filled with his own ways.—(Comp. Proverbs 1:31, and Matthew 6:2, &c: “They have their reward.”) They get to the full what they look for, though it is but swine’s husks, instead of food fit for God’s children. A good man.—See above on Proverbs 13:22. Shall be satisfied from himself.—His own work. (Comp. Isaiah 3:10.)

Verse 14. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways] 1. Who is the backslider? סוג sug. 1) The man who once walked in the ways of religion, but has withdrawn from them. 2) The man who once fought manfully against the world, the devil, and the flesh; but has retreated from the battle, or joined the enemy. 3) The man who once belonged to the congregation of the saints, but is now removed from them, and is set down in the synagogue of Satan. 2. But who is the backslider in HEART? 1) Not he who was surprised and overcome by the power of temptation, and the weakness of his own heart. 2) But he who drinks down iniquity with greediness. 3) Who gives cheerful way to the bent of his own nature, and now delights in fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and of the mind. 4) Who loves sin as before he loved godliness. 3. What are his own ways? Folly, sin, disappointment, and death; with the apprehension of the wrath of God, and the sharp twingings of a guilty conscience. 4. What is implied in being filled with his own ways? Having his soul saturated with folly, sin, and disappointment. At last ending here below in death, and then commencing an eternal existence where the fire is not quenched, and under the influence of that worm that never dieth. Alas, alas! who may abide when God doeth this? And a good man shall be satisfied from himself.] 1. Who is the good man? (איש טוב ish tob.) 1) The man whose heart is right with God, whose tongue corresponds to his heart, and whose actions correspond to both. 2) The man who is every thing that the sinner and backslider are not. 2. He shall be satisfied from himself - he shall have the testimony of his own conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, he has his conversation among men. 3. He shall have God's Spirit to testify with his spirit that he is a child of God. He hath the witness in himself that he is born from above. The Spirit of God in his conscience, and the testimony of God in his Bible, show him that he belongs to the heavenly family. It is not from creeds or confessions of faith that he derives his satisfaction: he gets it from heaven, and it is sealed upon his heart.

Shall be satisfied - These words are not in the original. Repeat the verb from the first clause, “He who falls away from God in his heart, shall be filled with his own ways; and the good man (shall

14. The backslider in heart — Hebrew, the drawn back of heart. Geneva Bible: “The heart that declineth.” Our word backslide conveys the idea. A good man… from himself — From that which is in himself.