"The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished."
The sentiment expressed in the first of these verses, according to the received translation, is this:-That it belongs to God, to furnish the heart with all wisdom and grace, by which it is prepared to dictate to the tongue the utterance of whatever is truly good and profitable.
Critics are agreed that the terms in the original will hardly bear this sense. The words are, literally, "To man the orderings of the heart; but from Jehovah the answer of the tongue." They have accordingly been rendered by one*1-"Man indeed forms his designs; but from Jehovah is the answer of the tongue:" and by another*2-" Man may prepare his thoughts; but the utterance of the tongue is from the Lord."
*1 Schulzius-"Homo quidem capit consilia, sed a Deo responsio linguae."
*2 Hodgson.
The meaning appears to be, that whatever thoughts and purposes are in a man's mind,-whatever sentiments it may be his intention to utter; if they are such as are likely to have any influence, or to produce effects of any consequence,-they are all under supreme control. We have an exemplification of the fact in the case of Balaam. The preparation of his mind and heart was his own. He left his country on the invitation of Balak, with a certain purpose; designing to utter what was in harmony with his "love of the wages of unrighteousness." But "the Lord God turned the curse into a blessing." He made the infatuated false prophet to feel his dependence; so that, bent as his heart was to utter one thing, his tongue was constrained to utter another.* Thus it often is-in ways for which the speakers and agents themselves cannot at the time account. One of these ways is, that, by imperative, unanticipated circumstances, men are brought to say the very contrary of what they intended. They have previously made up their minds. But either their memory fails them, in a manner they are at a loss to understand, and that which they had with pains prepared forsakes them in the time of need; or something different occurs suddenly to the mind just at the necessary juncture, which all their previous study had not suggested; or some incident-something it may be said or done by another, changes, in a moment, the current of their thoughts and the tenor of their words.
* The expression of this in the history is very pointed and strong. See Num_22:18; Num_22:38; Num_23:26; Num_24:12-13.
I have heard well-authenticated cases from ministers who were as far as possible from being canters or enthusiasts, of what they had prepared with much study unaccountably losing its hold of their minds, and another subject, they could not tell by what association, for they were sensible of none, so forcing itself upon their thoughts as to constrain them to speak upon it;-when subsequent results, in benefit to individuals who, in peculiar states of mind, were at the time among the number of their auditors, have shown the providential cause, and have rendered the occurrence a practical exemplification of the sentiment in the verse before us. In every case, there is complete divine control. A man may revolve in his mind or heart thoughts without number, but he cannot so much as lisp or whisper one of them without God:-" the answer of the tongue is from the Lord."
Verse Pro_16:2. "All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes: but the Lord weigheth the spirits."
The general truth stated in the former part of this verse has its source in another-the depravity of our nature. That depravity has an effect upon the conscience, perverting its dictates. We have this exemplified in the whole history of persecution. Our Lord, in warning his disciples of what they might anticipate, says, "They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service."*1 But did this false conviction absolve the actors from guilt? Far from it. The reason assigned in the very next verse shows this: " These things shall they do unto you, because they have not known the Father nor me."*2 The ignorance was thus without excuse, from which the conduct originated; could the conduct itself, then, be innocent? Look at a particular case-that of Saul of Tarsus. His own words accord with the words of Christ, respecting the dictates of conscience-" I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth," Act_26:9. Did Paul mean to acquit himself of criminality when he said this? His whole manner of speaking of himself afterwards strikingly shows the contrary. Let one passage decide: "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus," 1Ti_1:12-14. He here represents himself as having been "the chief of sinners" in the course he had before pursued; and the grace that had saved him as specially wonderful. He cannot mean, therefore, his having acted "ignorantly in unbelief" as an apology or palliation; seeing, otherwise than in unbelief he could not act, and seeing unbelief is ever represented as itself involving the most heinous guilt, on account of the principles of moral pravity to which it is invariably imputed. The probability is that the words "for I acted ignorantly in unbelief" are introduced parenthetically, rather as accounting for his conduct than apologizing for it.
*1 See Joh_16:1-2. rr
*2 Compare this verse with Joh_15:21-25.
Again: how very often does self-partiality prevent us from seeing the turpitude of particular actions or courses, which even to fellow-men-to neutral observers and judges-is flagrantly apparent! And further, whence comes it that men see themselves so very differently from the description given of them in the word of God? How come they to appear so right in their own eyes, when that word declares them "all gone astray"-"desperately wicked"-"hopeless"-"lost?" Comes it not from their applying to themselves and to their ways false standards of estimate-false weights and measures: not the all-perfect, spiritual, heart-searching law of the Holy God,-the God of light and love-but the current opinions of the world, the theories of human philosophy, the general average of character around them, the laws and usages of human governments, or the second table of God's law (and that very erroneously understood) to the exclusion of the first? Or comes it not from their looking to words and actions, without due regard to the principles and motives by which they are influenced and dictated?
This last deception may be considered as specially meant here, from the antithesis in the verse-"But the Lord weigheth the spirits." His "weighing" signifies his perfectly ascertaining, by intuitive and unerring discernment, and exposing, to universal satisfaction, the good and the evil with the precise relative proportions of each. His "weighing the spirits" implies that here the moral good or the moral evil really lies. The mere action is, in itself, incapable of either, independently of what it indicates in the agent. When we speak of a moral action, we mean the action of a moral agent. A dog or a man may do the same action,-may carry off, for instance, for their own use respectively, what is the property of another. We never think of calling it a moral action in the dog; but we condemn the man for the commission of a crime against his neighbour, and a sin against his God. An action may even in its effects be beneficial, which, in regard to the doer of it, is inexcusably hail: it may be good in its results, but bad in its principle. It is the latter alone that constitutes its moral or immoral character. And oh! it is well for us to be constantly impressed with the solemn truth before us-that "the Lord weigheth the spirits." It gives us a lesson in the duty of self-examination. We should weigh our own spirits. In the remembrance that our hearts are "deceitful above all things," we should, in that duty, go carefully and faithfully to work; not satisfied with a mere surface-look; not regarding the word and the action merely, but jealously tracing each, as in the sight of God, to its secret source within; testing that source by the application of Bible criterions; desiring to detect not merely motives that are unmixedly evil, but every secret adulteration of motives that are in the main good-every alloy-every deteriorating ingredient; "keeping our hearts with all diligence;" and looking forward to that day, when the equal balances of heaven shall try-both in deed, and in principle and motive-" every man's work of what sort it is." That will be the great day of the "weighing of the spirits." What a day of strange revelations! when all hearts shall be laid open as they are in " the eyes of Him with whom we have to do!" How much that here appears genuine shall then be found "reprobate silver!" How much that by its superficial appearance deceived the eyes of men, shall be shown to have been but the gilding and lackering of corruption! How much that passed for virtue, but the counterfeit of vice! How much that seemed sterling, when "weighed in the balances" shall be " found wanting!" How many masks of imposing comeliness shall be torn from concealed deformity! Of how many "whited sepulchres" shall the "dead men's bones and all uncleanness" be thrown out to view! Let us anticipate that day of coming disclosure, when the Lord the Judge shall "bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts;" and let us faithfully "judge ourselves" that "we may not be judged."
And for the same reason which should make us faithful and severe in judging ourselves, we should feel it incumbent upon us to be charitable and cautious in our judgments of others. We cannot "weigh the spirits." Of actions and of words, in their nature and in their tendency, we are entitled to form our opinion, according to the principles and precepts of God's law. But there is often a great deal more freedom used, than there ought to be, with the motives and intentions of those by whom the actions are done and the words are spoken. We are apt to talk with as much confidence of the motives of others as if we had the divine prerogative of "searching the heart." Frequently, for instance, we conclude at once, from the actual result of what another has done, that such result was in his intention,-that the production of it was even the chief or only motive by which he was influenced. Whereas He who"weigheth the spirits" may know that the motive has been the very reverse; and that the actual result has arisen from an error in judgment, and may be grieving the well-intentioned agent even more than it does ourselves. Let us then while we search our own hearts to the very bottom, beware of usurping the divine right of pronouncing on the secrets of other hearts. To this, as to every thing else, the great law of Christian equity and charity clearly and fully applies-" Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."
Verse Pro_16:3. "Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established." The counsel here given implies the following things:-
1. That all our purposes and all our doings should be according to God's will. How is it possible for us to commit them to God otherwise? How can we look to God for a blessing on that which we know to be contrary to His mind, and displeasing in His sight? We ought not to form or to pursue any purpose, regarding which we are sensible that we cannot, without a consciousness of inconsistency and impiety, acknowledge God. We ought not, unless we can even do so with confidence. The maxim by which, as Christians, we should be regulated, is to be found in the words-"Whatsoever is not of faith"-whatsoever does not proceed, that is, from a full conviction of right-"is sin."
2. That none of our works can prosper without God. His providential blessing and superintendence are indispensable to success in any one of them. When His own counsels require it, God can bring to nothing the best, and crown with success the worst devised of human plans. This is a lesson of which the divine word is full.*
* See Psa_127:1; Dan_5:23; Jam_4:13-16.
3. That it is, therefore, the obvious and imperative duty of intelligent creatures to own their dependence, and to seek, on all occasions, the divine countenance and blessing:-a counsel we have had more than once before us: one which pervades the Bible; and to which, despite of all the speciousness which a sophistical infidelity may give to its theories and speculations, natural conscience gives its sanction-harmonizing with the dictates of unsophisticated reason.
4. That what is our duty is, at the same time, our interest. The act of committing all things into the hands of God to be regulated as He may see fit, preserves the spirit from corroding anxiety; from carefulness, and sleeplessness, and torturing apprehensions about the result. It "keeps the soul in peace."*
* Psa_117:2; Isa_26:3-4; Php_4:6-7.
5. As before, a general truth is expressed,-namely, that God will graciously smile on the efforts, and accomplish the purposes and wishes of him who, in all that he does, piously and humbly acknowledges Him, and seeks His blessing. God will " establish his thoughts"-will second and prosper, and fulfil the purposes he forms, and the desires he cherishes, crowning his endeavours with success.
Verse Pro_16:4. "The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil."-This verse has occasioned no small difficulty to interpreters; and without doubt it is difficult.
The former part of it, indeed, regarded as a general truth, is involved in no perplexity. The perplexity lies in the latter. We can be at no loss to admit the proposition, that both in creation and in providence, all things must ultimately prove for the glory of the Maker and Ruler of the universe. And this, in reality, appears to be the great truth conveyed;-a truth which it would be as unreasonable to question, as it would be impious. There is, there can be nothing which God makes, and nothing which God either does, or permits to be done, which will not ultimately, in one way or another, be rendered instrumental to the furtherance of His glory. It is a truth, that all God's works praise him; and in the end, all God's ways shall praise him. He will bring a revenue of honour and adoration to himself from the whole, and from every part. The words have been rendered, "God hath made every thing for his purpose-or for its purpose." If we render them "for his purpose," the sense will be much the same as in our own translation. If we render them "for its purpose," the sense will be, (a very manifest truth) that every thing in nature is designed and adapted for some special purpose-to its appropriate end. And then there will be intended a comparison: that as God hath made everything for its purpose, so also has He made even "the wicked for the day of evil." Still here lies the difficulty-the perplexing knot. "What is the sense, in which the Lord, who has "made everything for Himself," is said to have made the wicked for the day of evil? There are two things which it cannot mean. The first is, that God ever made a wicked creature; that any rational creature ever came from His forming hand, imbued with the principles of evil. That God has made creatures who have subsequently fallen and become wicked, is a matter of fact. But God never either made a wicked creature, or made a creature wicked; never created a mind in a state of depravity; and never into a mind that was created pure, infused the principles of depravity. These things-as they are far from God, be far from all our conceptions of Him! The second is, that God ever made an intelligent creature for the purpose of rendering that creature miserable;-or, to use the common phrase, that God ever made any man, to damn him! The first end of God in creation is his own glory. It must be so, unless we can conceive anything to which that glory should give way as being of inferior consequence:-and the second is the gratification of his benevolence in the production of happiness. Why this benevolent God has permitted evil to enter into his creation, is an inquiry too high for us. The fact is certain; and we cannot hesitate in believing, that in the long-run, God will make this part of his providential scheme to produce the largest amount of both glory to his name and benefit to the universal frame of being. But that God's end, in bringing any intelligent creature into existence, was that creature's misery, it is blasphemy,-and to every mind that desires to cherish veneration and love towards the divine Being-it is agony to imagine.
Setting such ideas aside, I would remark, that much of the meaning of the whole clause depends on the sense we affix to "the day of evil."
1. It is generally understood, and I have myself been accustomed so to explain it, of the day of final visitation and suffering to the wicked themselves. Supposing this to be the meaning, the sentiment expressed will be, that Jehovah, having made and destined all things for Himself, will cause even wicked men, who for the time may seem to be exceptions to that truth, and to be counteracting the purpose of promoting his glory, to subserve that end at last, in "the day of evil"-by their righteous punishment-their final overthrow and destruction: and that there is the same fitness in His thus "reserving the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished," as there is in any adaptation in nature or in providence. The words, in this view of them, have been finely rendered by Archbishop Tillotson-"God hath ordained everything to that which is fit to it; and the wicked He hath ordained for the day of evil: that is, the wisdom of God hath fitted one thing to another, punishment to sin, the evil day to the evil-doer." And thus, we may add, God will provide for the honour of his name and government-"What," says Paul, "if God, willing to shew wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory?" Rom_9:22-23. Those, observe, who are "fitted to destruction" are not said to be so fitted by God, as it is said of the "vessels of mercy" that "he before prepared them to glory." No. The ungodly fit themselves for destruction; and God forbears the immediate infliction of their punishment,-allowing them to take their course, and to work out their principles of evil, with mad infatuation, to the uttermost, that in that punishment when it is inflicted, He may the more surely and effectually make His righteousness apparent.
2. But I am now inclined to doubt whether "the day of evil" has here this meaning at all. There is another, of which it is alike susceptible, and which, in the Scriptures, it frequently bears-namely, the day of punitive visitation, in the infliction of judicial vengeance, in the course of God's providential administration. I question if the suffering of the wicked be intended, and am disposed to refer the phrase to the instrumental agency of the wicked. The expression, "The Lord hath made all things for himself," will thus mean, that He employs all as instruments in effecting his purposes; and that thus He makes the wicked as a part of his agency; employing them, without at all interfering with their freedom and their responsibility, as the executioners of wrath, "when He cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;"-thus rendering their very passions the means of accomplishing his designs; making "the wrath of man to praise him, and restraining the remainder of wrath."
Verse Pro_16:5. "Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished." It is of vast importance that we bear in mind what is the "pride of heart that is abomination to the Lord."
1. There is a gentleness and condescending affability, that springs from mere natural disposition; and which may exist while pride, in the sight of God, is cherished and indulged in all its ungodly loftiness. While possessing such a disposition in the highest degree, a man may hate with his whole heart the humbling representations of the gospel, and the unconditional grace which it reveals. He may disdain the lowly, self-abasing language of the "broken and contrite heart," as language not at all befitting his lips. He may assume the portly self-justifying attitude of the Pharisee, and cast the side-long look of scorn at the penitent publican. But a man of this stamp, whatever his fellow-men may think of him, is of "the proud in heart whom the Lord abhorreth."
2. There are some, again, who are full of the language of the deepest self-condemnation:-no terms are strong enough to express their sense of their own vileness and unworthiness. Yet they are of "the proud in heart," after all. They are lowly in words but high in spirit. Pride dictates their very humiliation. They wish to be commended for their lowliness, and to be assured that they think worse of themselves than others do; that they are by no means the worthless wretches they make themselves; that they possess excellencies to which their humility makes them blind. Then, again, when thus flattered, they shake their heads and protest against it in terms of still stronger self-loathing; while all the time they are pleased with it, and only wish to draw out a little more of what falls so sweetly upon the ear of their vanity, and feasts their inward self-elation. They want a character for humility, while yet they are the very opposite of humble. They will show this at once, if you only agree with the ill they say of themselves; and come to close quarters with them as to actual bona fide faults. And not a few, moreover, who are all lowliness before God, are high and irritable, touchy and resentful in their intercourse with men.
I must then afresh urge on you the truth, that the first ingredient in true humility before God, is a heart-breaking conviction of sin, and exposure to wrath, with the deep feeling and the lowly confession of entire dependence on God’s mercy, and of owing all to the riches of His grace. Every other feature and modification of Christian humility must germinate from this. And from such a truly humble state of heart many are the descriptions of pride that keep sinners of mankind:-the pride of self-righteousness; the pride of wisdom; the pride of station; and what appears to be especially alluded to in the verse-the pride of rebellion-obstinate, daring rebellion, in which men combine and encourage one another:-" Though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished." The proud of all sorts may encourage one another in such rebellion-in holding out against all terms of submission not in accordance with what they affect to think due to themselves! O the mad presumption! Due to themselves! What is it that is due to them? Is it not just what is due to all, as having " sinned, and come short of the glory of God?" Yes; and where shall their pride be, in the day when God riseth up? There shall be a vast assembly on the left hand of the Judge. Will they then unite against him? Will they then join hand in hand to resist the execution of His sentence? O the felt impotence-the trembling helplessness-of that multitude! Every heart shall quail before those eyes that, "as a flame of fire," shall search their inmost souls;-before the purity and the power of Him whose mercy they have despised till it was too late to find it;-the purity and the power of Him whom they refused as their Saviour, but who, having exchanged the cross for the throne, shall then, as Judge, vindicate, in the destruction of his enemies, the righteousness of the divine government, and the insulted honour of the divine name. "O be no longer mockers, lest your bands be made strong." "Humble yourselves." Come to God as sinners, and as suppliants for mercy. He will "in no wise cast you out." Come in pride-you perish. Come in your own name-you perish. But come with a broken and contrite heart, in the name of Jesus, and as sure as He is the true God and the God of truth, he will stretch forth his arms to welcome you!
