1.
The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
2.
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.
PRINCIPLES TURN THE SCALE
‘All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.’
Proverbs 16:2
Whether it be from the condition in which man is placed in this world, closely surrounded on all sides by what is visible and tangible, or because our understandings have been darkened in consequence of the fall, it is certain that we experience the greatest difficulty in forming any notion of things spiritual. The finite intellect sinks exhausted by the vain endeavour to picture to itself the infinite. Who can ‘by searching find out God’?
I. Now the natural consequence of this aversion and incapacity of our nature for spiritual ideas is a strong tendency to materialism in religion.
II. There is a class of errors resulting from this principle, against which we have all need to be on our guard.—I mean false views of the nature of God’s law and of the principle upon which His sentence is awarded.
III. What is the sin of which a spirit can be guilty against God?—Clearly it cannot be any of these gross transgressions of the letter of the law, which are commonly called sins. To commit these it must be joined to a body. It must be a sin in that faculty which is exclusively spiritual; that is, in the will. The very lightest transgression proves, as clearly as the very greatest, the innate lawlessness of the perverted and therefore sinful will.
IV. It is true that you have to pass a spiritual ordeal, searching and terrible as the consuming fire of a sevenfold-heated furnace.—But you may pass through it unscathed if in the midst of it the Son of Man be your companion.
—Archbishop Magee.
Illustration
‘Just take these two thoughts, that the same actions which we sometimes test, in our very defective and loaded balances, have also to go into the infallible scales, and that the actions go with their interpretation in their motive. “God weighs the spirits.” He reads what we do by His knowledge of what we are. We reveal to one another what we are by what we do, and, as is a commonplace, none of us can penetrate, except very superficially and often inaccurately, to the motives that actuate. But the motive is three-fourths of the action. God does not go from without, as it were, inwards; from our actions to estimate our characters; but He starts with the character and the motive—the habitual character and the occasional motive—and by these He reads the deed. He ponders, penetrates to the heart of the thing, and weighs the spirits.’
3.
Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
4.
The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
5.
Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
6.
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
7.
When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8.
Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
9.
A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
10.
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.
11.
A just weight and balance are the LORD's: all the weights of the bag are his work.
12.
It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.
13.
Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.
14.
The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.
15.
In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
16.
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
17.
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
18.
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
19.
Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20.
He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.
21.
The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
22.
Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.
23.
The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.
24.
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
25.
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
26.
He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.
27.
An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.
28.
A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
29.
A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.
30.
He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.
31.
The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.
32.
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
33.
The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.