their actions equally upon both. There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. Foolishly and wretchedly done, to do that, or think that, that we would hide from the Lord, and then to think that we can hide it! the prophet speaks woe to such. Woe to them that dig deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say who seeth us, and who knoweth us? And this is the grand principle of all wickedness, not, it may be, expressly stated, but secretly lying in the soul, an habitual forgetting of God and his eye, not considering that he beholds us, ye that forget God, says the, thence all impiety proceeds; and on the other side, the remembrance of his eye is a radical point of piety and holiness, in which the is large and excellent. ap But, as the Lord doth thus equally see both, so as his eye and countenance imports his mind concerning them, and towards them, the manner of beholding them is different, yea contrary. And from the other, beholding in common, knowing their ways, arises this different beholding, which (as usually words of sense signify also the affection) is the proving and disliking, the loving and hating them, and their ways: so he peculiarly knows the righteous and their ways', and knows not, never knew, the workers of iniquity, even those that by their profession would plead most acquaintance, and familiar converse, eating and drinking in his presence, and yet I know you not, whence are you? It is not a breaking off from former acquaintance; no, he doth not that, he disavows none that ever were truly acquainted with him; so the other evangelist hath it, of those that thought to have been in no small account, I never knew you, depart from me, and the convincing reason lies in that, Ye workers of πέτε *Job xxxiv. 22. P cxxxix Psalm Psal. i. 6. n Isa. xxix. 15. • Psal. 1. 22. 9 Verba sensus connotant affectus. • Luke xiii. 26. Matth. vii. 29. ། iniquity; none of his favourites and friends are such. Thus here, his eye, his gracious eye for good, is on the righteous; and his face, his angry looks, his just wrath against evil-doers. In the xith Psalm we have this expressed much after the same way, First, what we spoke of his knowing and beholding in common the righteous and wicked, and their ways, is represented by his sitting on high, where he may mark, and see clearly throughout all places and all hearts, his throne is in Heaven, his eyes behold, his eye-lids try the children of men. He sits in Heaven, not as in a chair of rest, regardless of human things, but on a throne, for governing and judging; though with as little uneasiness and disturbance, as if there were nothing to be done that way. His eyes behold, not in a fruitless contemplation or knowledge; but his eyelids try, which signifies an intent inspection, such as men usually make with a kind of motion of their eye-lids. Then upon this is added the different portion of the righteous and wicked, in his beholding them and dealing with them; he tries the righteous, approves what is good in them, and by trial and affliction doth purge out what is evil; and in both these, is love; but the wicked, and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth, and therefore, as here, his. face is against them. His soul and face are all one, but these things are expressed after our manner. He looks upon them with indignation; and thence come the storms in the next verse, snares rained down', the wariest foot cannot avoid such snares, they come down upon them from above; Fire and brimstone, and burning tempest, alluding to Sodom's judgment, as an emblem of the punishment of all the wicked; this is the portion of their cup. There is a cup for them; but his children drink not with them. They have another cup, the Lord himself is the portion of their cup', his favor, as the xith Psalm closes, The righteous Lord loveth Psal. xvi. 6. ver. 4. * ver. 5. y ver. 6. righteousness, his countenance doth behold the upright; that is another beholding than the former, gracious, loving beholding, as here, his eyes are upon the righteous. Now the persuasion of this truth is the main establishment of a godly mind, amidst all the present confusions that appear in things; and it is so here intended, and in the Psalm I have mentioned, and throughout the scriptures, To look upon the present flourishing and prosperity of evil-doers, and on the distresses and sorrows of the godly, is a dark obscure matter in itself; but the way to be cleared and comforted, is to look above them to the Lord, They looked unto him and were lightened"; that answers all doubts, to believe this undoubted providence and justice, the eye of God that sees all, yea rules all these things. And in the midst of all the painted happiness of wicked men this is enough to make them miserable, the Lord's face is against them; and they shall surely find it so. He hath wrath and judgment in store, and will bring it forth to light; will execute it in due time; he is preparing for them that cup spoke of, and they shall drink it. So in the saddest condition of his church and a believing soul, to know this, that the Lord's eye is even then upon them, and that he is upon thoughts of peace and love to them, is that which settles and composes the mind. Thus in that Psalm before cited, it was such difficulties that did drive David's thoughts to that for satisfaction, If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? In the time of such great shakings and confusions, the righteous man can do nothing to it, but the righteous Lord can do enough; he can do all: The righteous Lord that loveth righteousness. While all seems to go upside down, he is on his throne, he is trying and judging, and will appear to be judge. This is the thing that faithful souls should learn to look to, and not lose view and firm belief of, and should desire the Lord b Psalm xi. 2. a Psalm xxxiv. 5. himself to raise their minds to it, when they are like to sink. Natural strength and resolution will not serve the turn; floods may come that will arise above that; something above a man's own spirit must support him: therefore say with David, "When my spirit is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. They think sometimes it is so hard with them, he regards not, but he assures them of the contrary, I have graven thee upon the palms of mine hands. I cannot look upon my own hands, but I must remember thee: And thy walls are continually before me. This is that the spouse seeks for, set me as a seal upon thine arme. Now a little more particularly to consider the expressions and their scope here; how is that made good which the former words teach, that they that walk in the ways of wickedness can expect no good, but are certainly miserable? Thus, the face of the Lord is against them. Prosper they may in their affairs and estates, may have riches, and posterity, and friends, and the world caressing them, and smiling on them on all hands; but there is that one thing that damps all, the face of the Lord is against them. This they feel not indeed for the time, it is an invisible ill, out of sight and out of mind with them but there is a time of the appearing of this face of the Lord against them, the revelation of his righteous judgment, as the Apostle speaks, sometimes precursory days of it here, but however one great prefixed day; a day of darkness to them indeed, wherein they shall know what this is, that now sounds so light, to have the face of the Lord against them; a look of it is more terrible than all present miseries combined together; what then shall the eternity of it be? to be punished (as the Apostle speaks) with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his powers! Psalm 1xi. 2. d Isa. xlix. 16. e Cant. viii. 6. Are we not then impertinent foolish creatures, that are so thoughtful how our poor businesses here succeed with us, and how we are accounted of in the world, and how the faces of men are towards us, and scarce ever enter into a secret serious enquiry how the countenance of God is to us, whether favourably shining on us or still angrily set against us, as it is against all impenitent sinners? The face of the soul being towards God, turned away from the world and sin, argues for it, that his face is not against it; but that he hath graciously looked upon it, and by a look of love hath drawn it towards himself; for we act not first in that, non amatur Deus nisi de Deo. It is, he that prevents us, and by the beams of his love kindles love in our hearts. Now the soul that is thus set towards him, it may be, doth not constantly see here his face. shining full and clear upon it, but often clouded. Nay, it may be, such a soul hath not yet at all seen it sensibly; yet this it may conclude, seeing my desires are towards him, and my chief desire is the sweet light of his countenance, though as yet I find not his face shining on me, yet I am persuaded it is not set against me to destroy me. Misbelief, when the soul is much under its influence, and distempered by it, may suggest this sometimes too; but yet still there is some spark of hope that it is otherwise, that the eye of the Lord's pity is even in that estate upon us, and will in time manifest itself to be so. To the other question, What assurance have the godly for that seeing of good, these blessings you speak of? This, the eyes of the Lord are upon them, and his ears open to their prayer. If you think him wise enough to know what is good for them, and rich enough to afford it, they are sure of one thing, he loves them; they have his good will, his heart is towards them, and therefore his eye and his Can they then want any good? If many days, and outward good things be indeed good for them, they cannot miss of these. He hath given them al ear. |