Proverbs 16

2. To be settled in religion is both a Christian's excellence and honor; it is his excellence, when the milk is settled it turns to cream; now he will be something zealous for truth, walk in close communion with God. And his honor (Proverbs 16:31). The hoary head is a crown of g…

God is not only our benefactor, but our founder; the rivers come from the sea, and they empty their silver streams into the sea again. 2. Because God has made all things for his own glory (Proverbs 16:4). The Lord has made all things for himself; that is, for his glory.

Response 1. It is the crown and glory of a Christian to persevere, In Christianis non initia sed fines laudantur. (Proverbs 16:31) The hoary head is a crown of glory, if found in the way of righteousness. When gray hairs shine with golden virtues, this is a crown of glory.

3. God will set men's friends against them; where they used to have honey they shall have nothing but aloes and wormwood. When a man's ways please the Lord, he shall make his enemies to be his friends (Proverbs 16:7). But when he opposes God, he makes his friends to be his enemi…

He who loves not his wife, is the likeliest person to embrace the bosom of a stranger. (13.) Labor to get the fear of God into your hearts (Proverbs 16:6). By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.

Now for the clearing of this point, I shall: 1. Show you that there is a Providence. 2. What that Providence is. 3. Lay down some maxims or propositions concerning the Providence of God. 1. That there is a Providence: There is no such thing as blind fate, but there is a Providen…

To consider how odious and base a thing sin is, would be a means to keep us from sinning. 3. If you would be kept from actual sins, get the fear of God planted in your hearts; Proverbs 16:6. By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. Cavebis si pavebis; fear is a bridle to si…

Behold, the Church of God is the school of Christ: and if a man have lived long therein (as twenty, or forty years) and yet be no wiser in religion, than a young child; is it not a shame unto him? and shall we not condemn him of great negligence? Wherefore, let all aged persons…

Answer. Because God's glory must be preferred before all things, because it is the end of all creatures and of all the counsels of God. Proverbs 16:4. The Lord has made all things for his own sake: indeed even the wicked for the day of evil. And from the order of the petitions h…

Commit your way to the Lord, and trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass (Psalm 37:5). Commit or roll your works upon the Lord, and your thoughts shall be directed (Proverbs 16:3). Whereby we are admonished to take pains in our callings to get meat and drink, etc.

Therefore when we see any want, defect, or deformity in any of them, we must have recourse back again to the apostasy of our first parents, and remember our fall in them, and say with a sorrowful heart, this comes to pass by reason of man's most wretched sin, which has defiled h…

Lastly, that we might ease our minds by pouring out our hearts before the Lord: for to this end has he made most sweet and comfortable promises. Proverbs 16:3. Psalms 37:5. Objection: What need men use prayer, considering God in his eternal counsel has certainly determined what…

Means 4. Consider how sweet a thing it is for a Christian to conquer his corruptions and carry away the spoils of them. 'He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that rules his spirit, than he that takes a city' — Proverbs 16:32. Is there any contentment in ind…

When Abraham is willing that glory to the Lord should be written with the ink of his son Isaac's blood; and the Martyrs, that their pain may praise God, they then level at the right end; for that must be the most perfect intention, that comes nearest to the most perfect. This is…

In your book were all my members written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there were none of them. He that works all things according to the counsel of his will, as (Ephesians 1:11), he of whom, and through whom, and for whom are all things, as (Romans 11:36), h…

No; angels are made of God, and for God, and to God; then by the Apostle's reason, they could not give first to God, to engage the Almighty to a recompense, they could not first set their free-will to work their own standing in court, before God did with his grace separate them…

And you shall have it with contentment (Proverbs 15:6): "In the house of the righteous is much treasure, but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble." And better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with sin (Proverbs 16:8). And you have it so as not to lose other…

Trust in the Lord (says the Prophet) and you shall be assured (2 Chronicles 20:20). And Solomon says, Roll your care on the Lord (Proverbs 16:3). By means of this faith the heart of the righteous is fixed and established (Psalm 112:7-8).

An old man is to be regarded: but specially, a good old man, who is more to be respected than twenty of younger years. Now aged persons when they grow in age, and not in the spirit, they lose their honor, for age is a crown of glory when it is found in the way of righteousness (…

And to say the truth, look where the fear of God bears sway, there must needs be steadfastness. For the power and thrones of kings is established by justice; as Solomon says (Proverbs 16:16). Neither does it serve to comfort princes only, to the end they may be able to pass thro…

But this phrase is worthy of observation, it would have been good for that man if he had never been born; for though the condition of Judas was wretched, yet to have created him was good in God, who, appointing the reprobate to the day of destruction, illustrates also in this wa…

Therefore that frivolous evasion or refuge, which the schoolmen have of foreknowledge, does fall down. For Paul does not only say, that the ruin of the wicked is foreseen of the Lord, but is ordained by his counsel and will: as Solomon also teaches, that the destruction of the w…

The Strength of the good Soldier of Jesus Christ, appears in nothing more, than in steadfastly maintaining the holy Calm, Meekness, Sweetness, and Benevolence of his Mind, amidst all the Storms, Injuries, strange Behavior, and surprising Acts and Events of this evil and unreason…

The great End for which we were made, for which we were brought forth by the Power of God into this World, is to Worship him and to give glory to him. For he made all things for himself or his own Glory (Prov. 16. 4.) to be rendred to him according to the Abilities and Capacitie…

And till our hearts come to the like resolve, we can have no peace within. Commit your works unto the Lord, and your thoughts shall be established, Proverbs 16:3 By works he means not only every enterprize and business we undertake, but every puzzling, intricate, and doubtful ev…

See Isaiah 54. 15, 16, 17. and 8. 8, 9, 10. expounded by 2 Kings 18:17 & seq. See you at any time a rub of Providence diverting the course of good men from falling into evil, or wicked men from committing evil; how loudly do such Providences proclaim the truth and certainty of t…

Fifth Consideration. How great and sure an expedient have the saints ever found it to their own peace, to commit all doubtful issues of Providence to the Lord, and devolve all their cares upon him, Proverbs 16:3 Commit your works unto the Lord, and your thoughts shall be establi…

Some have observed how Providence has doubled all they have laid out for God, in ways unexpected to them. The Word assures us, that the best expedient for a man to settle his own interest in the consciences and affections of men, is to direct his ways, so as to please the Lord,…

This is not the method in which those mercies are bestowed. Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenews without right, Proverbs 16:8 better upon this account, that it comes in Gods way, and with his blessing, which never follows the way of sin. God has cursed the…

O how long did these hang upon him, with many serious and weighty, with many pious and divine (much misapplied) discourses: he could not get rid of these, whose words were as drawn swords, often making his wounded soul bleed and breath out sad complaints; and yet they came to co…

It is therefore natural and necessary unto God to do all things for himself. It is impossible he should have any other end; and he has done so accordingly, Proverbs 16:4. The Lord has made all things for himself.

Againe, of those which concerne God, the first concernes Gods glorie it selfe, the other two the meanes whereby Gods glorie is manifested and inlarged among men: for Gods name is the[] glorified among men, when his kingdome does come, and his will is done. Now this petition for…

The first is her lips: which are commended from this, that they drop as the honeycomb: By lips, as verse 3, and frequently in the Song (and so in the Proverbs, a man of lips is taken for a man of talk) is understood her speech, words or discourse, especially to others. These her…

Both these in the result come to one; and this being a special piece of Christ's loveliness to his people, contributing exceedingly to the Bride's scope here, and the analogy being clear, and lips being frequently made use of in Scripture to signify speech or words, we conceive…

Besides, the fear of detection, and the shame and punishment which will follow upon it, must needs be a continual disturbance to them: Whereas what is gotten with a good conscience, and in an honest and lawful calling, whether it be more or less, it brings this contentment with…

Thirdly; magistrates ought to distribute justice impartially, to maintain the cause of the poor oppressed, and to restrain the insolence of their proud oppressors; to crush them by his just authority, who would crush others by their unjust tyranny. This is a truly royal and prin…

Secondly, There is a more secret and sly conveyance of slander; and that is, by back-biting, whispering, and carrying up and down of tales, like those busy tongues (Jeremiah 20:10) that would gladly find, or make themselves some employment; saying, Report, and we will report: An…

God resists the proud (1 Peter 5:5), [illegible], he does as it were set himself in battle array against them. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Pride was one of Sodom's sins, which city was burned with fire from heaven (Ezekiel…

And by making lies their refuge to be secured from wrath. But alas, the God of heaven sees their false coin and self-flattering hearts; (Proverbs 16:2) "All the ways of man are clean in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits." Oh, how many hearts and ways would be found l…

What have I done now in comparison of you? — magnifying their achievements, and lessening his own, speaking honorably of them, and humbly of himself; Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim, better than the vintage of Abiezar? In which reply it's hard to say whether there w…

How is their conduct, their valor, and their success more than either cried up and celebrated? But if we will believe the Word of Truth, and pass a judgment upon things according to the rules of that, He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that rules his spir…

And the malice of mens hearts, when it cannot vent its self by open persecution, then it will vent its self by the persecution of the tongue; malice makes men very watchful, to observe any thing whereby it may gain matter of reproach, and malice will make men exceeding inventive…

It gives a man a victory over himself, which is better than the most noble actions among the sons of men. (Proverbs 16:32) He that overcomes his own spirit, is more than he that takes a city. There is a spirit in us, that is boisterous, turbulent, and revengeful, apt to retaliat…

In all regular desires, the end is first intended, and then the means. But now the glory of God, that is the end of all things: (Proverbs 16:4) The Lord has made all things for himself; that is, for his own glory, for the manifesting of his excellency. And so our redemption, (Lu…

Christ, as a King, punishes; and as a King, rewards. (Proverbs 16:14) The wrath of a king is as messengers of death. When a king is angry, it is as if a messenger should come and tell us, we must die.

The great thing that is put into the balance of the sanctuary, when God comes to weigh the actions of men, what does he consider? He weighs the spirits; (Proverbs 16:2) All the ways of man are right in his own eyes; but the Lord weighs the spirits: That is, he considers with wha…

A sermon (Number 849) delivered on Lord's Day morning, January 10th, 1869, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, by C. H. Spurgeon. “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.”——Proverbs 16:2. During the last two years some of the mo…

A sermon (Number 392) delivered on Sunday Morning, May twelfth, 1861, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, by C. H. Spurgeon. “He who handles a matter wisely shall find good: and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.”—Proverbs 16:20. Wisdom is man's true path—that which…

God uses the creature in subserviency to his own glory. So it is said (Proverbs 16:4), God made all things for himself. His happiness lies in knowing himself, in loving himself, in delighting in himself.

It's a sign we have gotten the riches of understanding; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. So (Proverbs 16:23): The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips. When our speech has weight and worth in it, and we are ready upon all occa…