Exposition of Psalm 25, Commentary 2 · Verse 6
Verſe 6. Behold, thou loueſt truth in the inward affections: therefore haſt thou taught me wiſedome in the ſecret of mine heart.
THis is the fift argument which he vſeth perſwading God to forgiue him, taken from the ſinceritie of his repentance, that it was not counterfeit or diſſembled, which is very acceptable to God. Yea in all the actions of religion and parts thereof, there is nothing more pleaſing to God then ſinceritie and vprightneſſe. He cannot abide hypocriſie and diſſimulation, and to put ouer with faire words and an outward ſhew. It is a mocking of God to looke vp with our eyes to the heauens,Hypocriſie in religion is a mocking of God to bow with our knees, to folde our hands, to knocke on our breaſts, if we want vprightneſſe and ſoundnes of heart. We muſt ſerue God in faith, louelove, repentance, humilitie, vnfainedly from our heart, as true Nathaniels, Ioh. 1.47.in whom there is no guile.
The parts of this verſe are theſe: 1. who loueth, Thou. 2. where and what he loueth, truth in the inward affections. 3. the conſequent following vponupon this louelove, therefore haſt thou taught me wiſedome in the ſecret of mine heart.
Behold. Before he enter to any of theſe, he vſeth the particle of admiration Behold; which he neuer vſeth but in ſome remarkable matter, thereby the more to raiſe vsus vp to the contemplation of ſuch great matters to be told, as, Behold how good and how comely a thing it is, Pſal. 133.1brethren to dwell euen together. And, Behold the Lambe of God, that taketh away the ſinnes of the world. Ioh. 1.29.And this he doth, that he might moue God, that as he beheld his miſerie, being conceiued and borne in ſin, ſo he might behold his ſincere and vnfained repentance. And this is the happineſſe of man, when God beholds him mourning, as he beheld him ſinning. This ſecond ſight is as delightſome to the Lord, as the firſt was tedious. So, God ſeeth all our ſins,No…. as he ſeeth our repentance. Sin not becauſe he ſeeth thee, but repent vnfainedly, that he may take pleaſure in beholding thee.
Thou loueſt. The perſon who loueth, is God. The Creator becometh a louer of the creature; euen God becometh a louer of his image in him. Doth he then louelove? Aboue all things let vsus ſeeke to depend vponupon this his lone. In our religion we ſhould trauell to know what he loueth moſt,God aboue all things loueth ſinceritie. what he reſpecteth moſt, what beſt pleaſeth him; for otherwiſe we loſ… our time in his ſeruice: he loueth ſinceritie beſt, and that we ſhould preſent to him. We enquire what eueryevery man loues beſt, and we frame our ſelues to ſeeke after it: then I beſeech you, among the reſt, ſearch out what God loueth beſt, ſeeke after it, and preſent it to him; and if there were no other argument to moue vsus to ſinceritie, this may be ſufficient, becauſe God loueth it. LoueLove that which God loueth, hate that which he hateth; louelove ſinceritie, that he loueth; hate hypocriſie, that he cannot abide.
Truth. By truth is meant ſinceritie and vprightneſſe in his Maieſties ſeruice; that we do not gloſe him by faire words and ſhewes: he loueth not ſhadowes but ſubſtances, no colours or couerts, but the bodie it ſelfe. For he pierceth with his eye to the loweſt part of mans heart, and ſtayeth not vponupon the outward picture of man-actions, howſoeuer plauſible to man, God looketh not as man looketh.
In eueryevery action of religion, let vsus remember to keepe ſinceritie. Who would deſire to be called rich, if he want riches; eſteemed valia…t, if he hauehave not ſtrength? and ſhall we thinke it ſufficient to be called religious, and not to be ſo?Better to be religious, then to be thought religious. Better to be rich, then to be called rich; better to be religious, then to be thought or called religious.
God loueth truth as he hateth all falſehood; for he is truth. Ego ſum veritas, via & vita. Ioh. 14.6.He loueth truth in our profeſſion, truth in our ciuill life: truth in our profeſſion, is that which he hath commanded in his word; truth in our ciuill life, is that which agreeth with dutie of ciuill conuerſation, without fraud, deceit or guile, which is different from Gods nature, and reſembleth the diuell who is a deceiuer.
In the inward affections. It is not a ſuperficiall or ſcroofe-worſhip which God regardeth. For Cains ſacrifice outwardly was as pleaſant as Abels; Gen. 4.4.…but God looked to their hearts, accepted the one, and reiected the other. God aboue all things craueth the heart: My ſonne giuegive me thine heart. God wil be worſhipped in ſpirit and veritie.Pro. 23.26
Therefore haſt thou taught me wiſedome in the ſecret of mine heart. He amplifieth his ſin by this circumſtance, that he did it not as an ignorant, but as one who was enlightned with knowledge; and beſides he had priuate informations and intelligence from God in his heart, and taſted of the heauenly doctrine, yea it was rooted and fixed in his heart, yet like a bruite beaſt he was caried to that filthy luſt, and ſo was inexcuſable, and ſuffocated the light of the Spirit which he had receiued. He had informations giuen by God, but he had not grace to follow them, which ſo much the more made him inexcuſable, that he was taught,Chriſtians periſh not for want of informatiō, but for contemning the warnings they get. God muſt teach vsus. and would not obey. So Chriſtians ſhal not periſh for lack of information, but becauſe they do not obey the warnings which they get. This age hath heard many leſſons, and God hath manifeſted his whole will vntounto them; but becauſe they obey them not their knowledge ſhal augment their paines. God he muſt be our great Doctor and Teacher, we muſt be Theodidactoi, taught of God. Neither nature, learning, experience, practiſe or age can teach vsus wiſedome, onelyonly Gods word muſt teach vsus.
Nature preuailed among the Philoſophers, but that neuer led them to God. For all the principles of our faith are contrary to nature, ſenſe and reaſon. What is more againſt naturall reaſon, then theſe points of our religion: God was made man; a virgin hath borne a childe; a crucified man ſaued the world; a dead man aroſe, &c. in theſe and ſuch we muſt be taught from aboue by God.
God teacheth by the miniſterie of his wordGod he teacheth by the miniſtery of his word, which whoſoeuer contemneth, refuſeth the meanes of his ſaluation; but that miniſtery will not be ſufficient without diuine inſpiration.1. Cor. 3.6. Paul may plant, Apollo may water, but God giueth the increaſe.
Bellarmine tranſlateth the Hebrew word (which he granteth ſignifieth abſcondita) incerta, and ſo doth Lorinus; thoſe doubting Doctors would hauehave the myſteries of the Scriptures vncertaine and doubtfull.Not….
There is great diuerſitie of iudgements among men what is true wiſedome;Theſe are of the Lord is true wiſdome. Eccleſ. 1.2. but if ye would enquire at the wiſeſt man that euer liued, he will tell you that hauing examined all things vnderunder heauen, he found all things to be but vanitie and vexation of ſpirit; and that true wiſedom conſiſted only in the feare of God, and keeping his commandements. The feare of the Lord is the inſtruction of wiſedome; Pro. 15.33all other wiſedome is fooliſhneſſe.