Section 1213
I. What we are to understand by the eyes of the Lord
These words are not to he understood literally, or in a corporal sense; for though the various parts of a human body are, in Scripture, attributed to God; yet we are not to entertain such a gross notion of the divine Being, as if he had a body consisting of parts like ours. When, therefore, any thing of this kind is ascribed to him, it is only expressive of some power, or action done by him, which is similar thereunto. Hast thou eyes of flesh, or seest thou as man seest? No, Jehovah has not eyes of flesh; he does not see as man sees. Man can only see things that are near him, not at any great distance; but the eyes of the Lord, as in our text, run to and fro throughout the whole earth. Man’s eyes can only see and observe objects, one after another; but the eyes of the Lord behold altogether; all objects throughout the whole universe, at one and the same time. The eyes of man can only see when there is light; but light and darkness are both alike to the Lord. Only external objects are to be seen by the eyes of men; but the eyes of the Lord discern internal things; the heart of man, and the recesses of it. The eyes of men are often deceived; but the sight of God never. His are not eyes of flesh; nor does he see as man sees. But this is to he understood figuratively of him; and in our text, designs his all-seeing providence and that, as concerned in a special manner with his own people; who are described as having their hearts perfect towards him.
This phrase, The eyes of the Lord, designs sometimes his general providence, as it respects every individual person. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, throughout the whole universe, beholding the evil and the good; evil men and good men; their dispositions and actions, whether good or bad; but here, and elsewhere, the eyes of the Lord, intend his all-seeing providence, as concerned in a special manner with his people. So we find in the prophecy of Zechariah, seven eyes are said to be upon one stone, laid before Joshua;which stone seems to be none other than that cut out of the mountain without hands, the stone which the builders refused, and is made the head of the corner; the foundation and chief corner stone, our Lord Jesus Christ. The eye of God, in its full perfection, signified by seven eyes, is said to be upon that stone. It is also upon every one that is laid upon that stone; built upon that sure foundation which is matter of joy, as it is said, in the fourth chapter of that book. They shall rejoice when they see the plummet in the hand of Zerubabel, with those seven: they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro throughout the whole earth. The very phrase used in our text.
The eyes of the Lord are pure and holy. He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. Sin is the abominable thing which his righteous soul hateth; being contrary to his nature, repugnant to his will, and a breach of his righteous law. It makes men abominable in the sight of God. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water. He is not a God that takes pleasure in sin, neither shall evil dwell with him. He hates all the workers of iniquity, who make a trade and business of sinning. His eyes, as they are set upon the wicked, are upon them for evil, I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good, And again. The eyes of Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, to destroy it (8). The eyes of she Lord, as they are set upon his own people, are like the eyes of doves expressive of mildness, gentleness, tenderness, and love: but as they are set upon wicked men, his eyes are as flames of fire; expressive of wrath and vengeance; sparkling with rage and fury. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil; his countenance is a terrible one, and the effect of it is to cut them off from the face of the earth. But his eyes are set upon the righteous in a favorable way. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry (Psalm 34:15). His eyes of providence are upon them, attended with love, mercy, and kindness. He takes delight in them, as they are clothed with the righteousness of his Son; for none are righteous, but such who are made so by his righteousness. No man is justified in his sight by the works of the law; but such as are clothed with the righteousness of Christ are accepted before him. He beholds them with pleasure, and he never turns his eyes from them. They are upon them for good. The eyes of some are full of envy; but his eyes are full of goodness. Is thine eye evil (envious) because I am good, kind, and bountiful? Such is the eye of the Lord towards his people, his righteous ones. It is good and bountiful. His eye is upon them to bestow all needful good; to cause all things to work together for good. His eye is an eye of love, grace, and mercy unto them. The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, and upon them that hope in his mercy. This is no other than his grace and mercy, which are from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him; and that according to his sovereign will and pleasure, who hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and is gracious to whom he will be gracious, He looks upon his people with complacency and delight. His countenance beholds the upright. His own people are his Hephzibah, in whom he delights; his Beulah, to whom he is married:and as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so does he over them:yea, he rests in his love towards them, and rejoices over them with abundance of joy.
It is further said of the eyes of the Lord, that they try the righteous. His eyes behold, and his eye-lids try the children of men. The Lord tries the righteous; he distinguishes them from others, even in the way of his providence;for though he is the Saviour of all men, yet especially of them that believe. He distinguishes them by the gifts of his grace; which he makes them partakers of, while others ale not: so that they have abundant reason to say, with admiration Who hath made us to differ? In this sense are we to understand the eyes of the Lord, as they are concerned with his own people; which are no other than his all-seeing providence, accompanied with his love and mercy towards them.
Now these eyes of his love and mercy were set upon them from everlasting, in his eternal councils and decrees. He loved them with an everlasting love. He looked upon them and chose them, in his Son, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and happy. He blessed them with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ. Jesus. He gave them grace in Christ before the world began. He put them into the hands of his Son, made them his care and charge;and said unto him, as their surety, Feed the flockof slaughter. To which he agreed, and said, I will feed the flock of slaughter;even ye, O poor of the flock.
His eyes are upon them in time, even as soon as they are brought into the world. He takes them under his special protection, from their mother’s womb; so says the apostle, Who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace. Not that he called him by his grace as soon as he was born;but so early he distinguished him by a special providence over him, in order to his being effectually called by grace in due time. This he observes concerning others, as well as himself. Who hath saved us, and called us; saved us to be called;saved us, in a special providential way. The Lord’s eyes are upon all his people in a peculiar manner, as soon as they are born;and all the while they are in a state of unregeneracy. This is remarkably manifest in the case of the apostle Paul, I am now speaking of. What notice is taken of him in the sacred history, before he was effectually called by grace! When Stephen, the proto-martyr, was stoned, it is said, the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul: and, further it is observed, that Saul was consenting unto his death. There were multitudes consenting unto his death besides Saul;but he is particularly taken notice of, that the grace of God might be magnified in his conversion. It is further said, Saul made havoc of the Church. Saul was breathing out threatening and slaughter against the disciples of Christ. Thus you see what notice was taken of him; how God’s eye was upon him, even before he was called by grace; and that because he was a chosen vessel of salvation. So our Lord said to Nathaniel, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee. Before he was called either in a ministerial way, or effectually by the grace of God, the eye of the Lord was upon him. The Lord’s eyes are upon all his people, even in this state, until the time comes in which they are to be effectually called. There is a time for every purpose under heaven; and there is a time for God’s calling his people by his grace; for they are all of them called according to his purpose. Now till this time Jehovah waits; waits to be gracious to them; waits as it were with longing eyes, till the time is up; and with respect to some, he waits even till the eleventh hour: and his long-suffering towards his people, whether it be longer or shorter, always ends in salvation; for the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is willing that all should come to repentance. When the set time is come, he passes by them, looks upon them; and his time is a time of love. He looks upon them not with loathing and contempt; but with commiseration. When no eye pities them, he looks upon them;and shews mercy to them. He looks upon them, while in their blood, and says unto them, live; and washes them from all their pollutions and defilements. He looks upon them, when in the hands of Satan;and snatches them from thence: observes them to be as brands in the burning, and takes them from thence. He looks upon them, and sees them in a pit, wherein is no water; in the mire and clay; and taking them from thence, he sets their feet upon a rock and establishes their goings. Thus he looks upon them with an eye of pity and compassion.
The Lord’s eye still continues upon his people after conversion. He watches over them night and day, lest any hurt them. They are en graven upon the palms of his hands, and their walls are continually before him. As the Lord said concerning the temple at Jerusalem, Mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually (1 Kings 9:3); so his heart and his eyes are perpetually upon them: and, as it is said of the land of Canaan, The eyes of the Lord are always upon it, from the beginning of the year, even to the end of the year: so the eyes of the Lord are upon his people, not only from the beginning of one year, to the end of it, but from the beginning of their life, unto the end of their days. Let us now inquire,