Ver. 1. The preparations of the heart in man.] He saith not ‘of man’ as if it were in man’s power to dispose of his own heart, but “in man,” as wholly wrought by God; for our sufficiency is not in ourselves, but “in him (as we live, so) we move” (Acts 17:28) -understand it of the motions of the mind also. It is he that “fashioneth the hearts of men,” (Psalms 33:13) shaping them at his pleasure. He put small thoughts into the heart of Ahasuerus, but for great purposes. And so he did into the heart of our Henry VIII about his marriage with Katherine of Spain, the rise of that Reformation here, Quam desperasset aetas praeterita, admiratur praesens, obstupescet futura, as Scultetus hath it, which former ages despaired of, the present admireth, and the future shall stand amazed at. And the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.] For though a man have never so exactly marshalled his matter in hand, as it were in battle array, -as the Hebrew word here imports, and as David, using the same word, saith, he will marshal his prayer, and then be as a spy upon a watch tower to see what became of it, whether he got the day, (Psalms 5:3) -though he have set down with himself both what and how to speak, so that it is not only scriptum in animo, sed sculpture etiam, as the orator said, yet he shall never be able to bring forth his conceptions without the obstetrication of God’s assistance. The most eloquent Demosthenes being sent various times in embassy to Philip, king of Macedonia, thrice stood speechless before him, and thrice more forgot what he intended to have spoken. Likewise Latomas of Lovain, a great scholar, having prepared a set speech to be made before the emperor, Charles V, was so confounded when he came to deliver it that he uttered nothing but nonsense, and thereupon fell into a fit of despair. So Augustine, having once lost himself in a sermon, and wanting what else to say, fell upon the Manichees (a point that he had well studied), and by a good providence of God converted one there present, that was infected with that error. Digressions are not always useless. God’s Spirit sometimes draws aside the doctrine to satisfy some soul which the preacher knows not. But though God may force it, yet man may not frame it; and it is a most happy ability to speak punctually, directly, and readily to the point. The Corinthians had elocution as a special gift of God. And St Paul gives God “thanks for them, that in everything they were enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge.” (1 Corinthians 1:5) Scult. Annal. dec. 2 ep. dedic. ךרע disponere, ordinare, et aciem instruere, significat. πρις αφονος εγενετο, τρισακις διελαθε τουτων α λαλειν εσκοπει.
Ver. 2. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes.] Every man is apt to think well of his own doings, and would be sorry but his penny should be good silver. They that were born in hell know no other heaven; neither goes any man to hell but he hath some excuse for it. Quintilian could say, Sceleri nunquam defuisse rationem. As covetousness, so most other sins go cloaked and coloured. Sed sordet in conspectu iudiciis quod fulget in conspectu aestimantis. All is not gold that gliters. A thing that I see in the night may shine, and that shining proceed from nothing but rottenness. Melius est pallens aurum, quam fulgens aurichalcum. “That which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15) But the Lord weigheth the spirits.] Not speeches and actions only, as Proverbs 5:21, but men’s aims and insides. Men see but the surface of things, and so are many times mistaken, but God’s fiery eyes pierce into the inward parts, and there discover a newly found world of wickedness. He turns up the bottom of the bag, as Joseph’s steward did, and then out come all our thefts and misdoings that had so long lain latent. Augustine. Bernard.
Ver. 3. Commit thy works unto the Lord.] Depend upon him alone for direction and success; this is the readiest way to a holy security and sound settlement. Hang not in doubtful suspense, as meteors do in the air. Neither make discourses in the air, so one renders it, as those use to do, whose hearts are haunted with carking cares. Let not your thoughts be distracted about these things; so the Syriac hath it. But “cast your burden upon the Lord,” (Psalms 55:22) by a writ of remove, as it were. Yea, “cast all your care upon God, for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) I will be “careless” according to my name, said John Careless, martyr. “Commit the matter to God, and he will effect it.” (Psalms 37:5) And thy thoughts shall be established.] Never is the heart at rest till it repose upon God; till then it flickers up and down, as Noah’s dove did upon the face of the flood, and found no footing till she returned to the ark. This is certain, saith a reverend divine, yet living, so far as a soul can stay on and trust in God, so far it enjoys a sweet settlement and tranquillity of spirit. Perfect trust is blessed with a perfect peace. A famous instance for this we have in our Saviour, “Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour; but for this cause came I to this hour. Father, glorify thy name.” (John 12:27,28) All the while the eye of his humanity was fixed upon deliverance from the hour of temptation; there was no peace nor rest in his soul, because there he found not only uncertainty, but impossibility; “For this cause came I to this hour.” But when he could come to this, “Father, glorify thy name”—when he could wait on, acquiesce in, and resign to the will of his Father—we never hear of any more objection, fear, or trouble. Thus he. Mr Case.