Exposition of Proverbs 15-17, Biblical commentary · Chapter 16 · Verse 1 – Verse 2
Verſe 1. The preparations of the heart are in man: but the anſwer of the tongue is from the Lord.
IT is farre from the meaning of the holy Ghoſt, to aſcribe heere free-will to man, as though hee had any abſolute power to diſpoſe of his owne heart, though by conceſſion, according to the vulgar opinion, that ſeeme to be granted: for no man can thinke an euil thought without Gods prouidence, much leſſe a good thought without his grace: but the drift is to ſhew, that albeit men deuiſe much, and hauehave whole armies (as the word ſignifieth) of cogitations in their mindes, and thoſe placed in exact order, as it were in battle aray, ſo that they ſet downe with themſelues both what and how to ſpeake, yet [the anſwer of the tongue is from the Lord] they ſhall vtter that which God appointeth, and not alwaies what themſelues doe purpoſe.
Doct. The Lord hath the diſpoſing of eueryevery mans tongue at his owne will. It was more than Eſau minded (as it is probable) or than euer Iacob did looke for (as it is certaine) that Eſau ſhould greet Iacob with ſo great kindneſſe, and offer ſo much Gen. 32.courteſie to him. And Balaams voyage to Balak was not with Num. 23.intent to bleſſe Iſrael, but to curſe them. Neither was Saul euer purpoſed to commend Dauid for his faithfulneſſe and 1. Sam. 24. 18.innocencie, but to accuſe him of diſloialtie and treaſon. Neither was it in Caiaphas thought to prophecie how happie all Gods children ſhould be made by the death of Chriſt, but to conſpire his deſtruction: but God compelled all theſe in that manner to beſtow their ſpeeches, and therefore eueryevery one of them formed them accordingly.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, the heart of man is in his hand, and the minde and memorie, with all the faculties of the ſoule: and he in a moment doth either further, or hinder, or alter the motions of the ſame, as ſeemeth beſt to his owne wiſdome.
Secondly, he hath made the mouth of man, and giuen it to him, and therefore is the principall owner of it, and conſequently, hath the chiefe commanding of it.
Vſe 1 Inſtruction, that when we are to ſpeake of matters of moment, wee bee more carefull to craue Gods direction, than confident of our owne abilitie. When wee would wiſh others ſo to ſpeake vntounto vsus, or for vsus, as whereby wee may receiue any benefit, that we intreat the Lord to open their lips, that they may ſeaſonably vtter their words to doe vsus good. When we deſire to hauehave our enemies ſilent towards vsus, and not ſpeake ſuch things as may turne to our hurt and dammage, that we beſeech him to mouſell their mouthes, and reſtraine them from dangerous and noiſome ſpeeches.
When we are defamed, and euill ſpoken of, that wee more looke to the hand of the righteous God, to be humbled, than to the lips of vnrighteous men to bee vexed, according as Dauid did, when he was railed vponupon and curſed by Shemei.2. Sam. 16. 10.
Conſolation for innocent perſons, whoſe conſciences are vpright, how witty and eloquent, how leaud and lying, how bitter and clamorous ſoeuer their aduerſaries bee, ſithence their tongues are not to be diſpoſed at their owne wils, but by Gods appointment, who doth neuer appoint ought that ſhall be pernicious to his people. If Hamons accuſations, and Ahaſhueroſh his ſentence againſt the Iewes, had beene to bee executed to the deſtruction of the Iewes, they ſhould neuer hauehave beene vttered by them. And why ſhould any man therefore omit good duties for feare of euill tongues? and forbeare to performe that which he ought to doe, becauſe he dreads that which others will ſay? The ſame Lord which promiſeth his ſeruants defenſe from the ſtroake of violent hands, doth alſo warrant them ſafety from the ſcourge of virulent tongues, Iob 5. 21.
Verſe 2. All the waies of a man are cleane in his owne eies: but the Lord pondereth the ſpirits.
ALL the waies] The purpoſes, courſes, and proceedings: the deeds that are done, the words that are ſpoken, and the thoughts that are conceiued [of a man] of him that is vnregenerate, and hath an ignorant minde, a proud heart, and a ſleepie conſcience, [are cleane in his owne eies] ſeeme commendable vntounto him: he iuſtifieth and applaudeth himſelfe in them: [but the Lord pondereth the ſpirits] ſearcheth narrowlie, not only into the behauiour, but the hearts alſo of all men, as it were putting them into the ballance, and examining them by number and weight, whether they bee pure and vpright, as proceeding from ſinceritie; or prophane and hypocriticall, as growing from corruption and guile.
The doctrine that the former part of this ſentence would yeeld, hath beene handled in the twelfth Chapter, and fifteenth verſe: and that which would ariſe out of the other, hath beene intreated of in the fifteenth Chapter, verſe 3. 11.