An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

Fourthly and lastly, God weigheth the very spirits of men. All the ways of man are clean in his own eyes, but the Lord weigheth the spirits (saith Solomon, Prov. 16.2.) The Lord doth not only weigh actions and paths, that is, the whole outward course and tenor of our lives, but he weighs our spirits, that is, the principles from which our actions flow, and by which we are carried on in our paths; he finds one man to be of a light, of a vain spirit, and another man to be of a proud high spirit, a third to be of a covetous, having, holding spirit; a fourth of an envious spirit, that cannot bear the good of another; and a fifth to be of a revengeful spirit, that will do another as much hurt as he can. Again, the Lord by weighing finds out them, whosoever they are, that have a weighty, serious spirit, that have an upright sincere spirit, that have a heavenly gracious spirit; God knows who they are that have a spirit for the things and ways of God in the midst of all contradictions of men; and having thus weighed the spirits of men, he disposeth of them and deals with them accordingly. And I may add this to the question in the text, Dost thou know the balancing of spirits? Surely no, for thou knowest not the balancing of the Clouds (which may be known much easier) The wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge.

Fourthly and lastly, God weigheth the very spirits of men. All the wayes of man are clean in his own eyes, but the Lord weigheth the spirits (saith Solomon, Prov. 16.2.) The Lord doth not only weigh actions and pathes, that is, the whole outward course and tenour of our lives, but he weighs our spirits, that is, the principles from which our actions flow, and by which we are carried on in our pathes; he findes one man to be of a light, of a vain spirit, and another man to be of a proud high spirit, a third to be of a covetous, having, holding spirit; a fourth of an envious spirit, that cannot bear the good of another; and a fifth to be of a revengful spirit, that wil do another as much hurt as he can. Again, the Lord by weighing finds out them, whosoever they are, that have a weighty, serious spirit, that have an upright sincere spirit, that have a heavenly gracious spirit; God knowes who they are that have a spirit for the things and wayes of God in the midst of all contradictions of men; and having thus weighed the spirits of men, he disposeth of them and deals with them accordingly. And I may add this to the question in the text, Dost thou know the ballancing of spirits? Surely no, for thou knowest not the ballancing of the Clouds (which may be known much easier) The wonderous works of him which is perfect in knowledge.