Section 1215
III. To the end, or use, of the eyes of the Lord running to and fro throughout the whole earth
It is to shew himself strong on the behalf of those whose heart is perfect towards him. Here we shall
1. Consider the descriptive character of those who are so peculiarly the objects of his care and special providence. They are described as having their hearts perfect towards God.
2. The exertion of divine power on their behalf. He will shew himself strong on the behalf of those whose heart is perfect towards him.
1. The descriptive character given of them who are the care of providence in a special way of grace, mercy, and love: they are such whose heart is perfect towards God. What! is it possible any man’s heart should be perfect towards God? It seems, we read of several persons, concerning whom this testimony is borne. It is said of Solomon, that his heart was not perfect, as was the heart of his father, David; which plainly implies, that the heart of David was perfect; and yet that great and good man had many blemishes in his life: but it seems his heart was sound and perfect. Song of Solomon it is said of Asa, even to this very Asa to whom our text has an oblique respect, that his heart was perfect all his days; and yet here is an intimation of some imperfection in him. Which may be reconciled thus: The bent of his heart was, in the main, towards God;and his heart was perfect, as to the outward worship of God;but not as to the inward exercise of grace, particularly faith, in as much as he relied not upon the Lord as he should have done, but upon the king of Syria. Hezekiah appeals to God himself, and says, Lord, remember how I have walked before thee with a perfect heart: and David, in the strength of divine grace, resolves to walk in his house with a perfect heart; but how are we to understand this phrase, a perfect heart?
No man’s heart is so perfect in the present state, as to be entirely free from sin. The apostle Paul, speaks of sin dwelling in him; It is not I, but sin that dwelleth in me. When I would do good, evil is present with me. I find a law in my members warring against the law of my mind. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? This great, this good, this holy man, who had as perfect a heart, I am persuaded, as ever any man upon earth had, excepting our Lord Jesus Christ, was not so perfect, as to be free from indwelling sin. The beloved disciple, the apostle John, that lay in our Lord’s bosom, and enjoyed so much fellowship with him, bears testimony to this, and says, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. And long before this great and good man, Solomon, the wisest of men, had made this observation, that there is not a just man upon earth, who doeth good, and sinneth not. In many things we all offend. A man may he justified from all sin, and in that sense, be free from it; so all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by thelaw of Moses. In that sense, a man may be perfectly righteous. So Noah was, of whom this character is given. He was a just man, and perfect in his generation. How was he perfect? not by his own righteousness; no; he was a preacher of righteousness by faith; and no doubt he was justified by the righteousness he was a preacher of: and that was the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. In and by this righteousness, men are made perfectly comely. All their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake;so that when they are sought for they shall not be found. God sees no iniquity in them:they are without fault before the throne:but in themselves they are not perfect. The heart of man is extremely, is desperately wicked; and therefore every sensible sinner prays as David did, that God would cleanse him from secret faults, and keep him from presumptuous sins. Though God sprinkles clean water upon his people, in justifying and pardoning them;cleansing them from all their filthiness and abomination;yet, with respect to themselves, who can say they are pure, and free from sinful thoughts? No man is perfect in this sense.
No man is perfectly holy. Though the work of holiness and grace is begun in them by the Spirit of sanctification, it is but begun;it is not perfected. The God of peace will but wholly those who are in any measure justified; but as yet they are not perfectly sanctified. Nor are the graces of the Spirit of God, wrought in their hearts, perfect. Faith is not perfect;there is something wanting in the faith of the strongest believer. The disciples of our Lord had reason to pray, Lord increase our faith. Love also is imperfect in the best of saints. There is room always to pray, that their love to God, Christ, and one another, may abound yet more and more. Hope is imperfect; sometimes very low, as it was with the church, when she said, My hope and my strength are perished from the Lord. Patience likewise is not perfect, in submission to the will of God, under afflictive dispensations of providence. Therefore, says the apostle, Let patience have its perfect work. Knowledge is imperfect. The path of the just, is indeed, as the shining light, which shines, more and more unto the perfect day; but the perfect day is not yet come. We know but in part. There is such a thing as growing in grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. Whereas there would be no room for it, if this were perfect. No man’s heart is perfect in this life. None are free from sin, completely holy; nor are the graces of the Spirit of God in them, arrived at perfection. But when the heart is said to be perfect, the meaning, I apprehend is, sincere and upright. When the ten tribes came to make David king over all Israel, it is said, they came with a perfect heart; that is, in the uprightness and sincerity of their souls. They were quite cordial in what they came about. So David and his people express their great admiration, that they should be enabled, by the Lord, to offer so willingly, with a perfect heart, for the service of God. They did what they did heartily, sincerely, and without any grudging. In this sense we are to understand it here; whose heart is perfect. Such in whom God has created a right spirit, are styled in Scripture the upright in heart (Psalm 97:11). Their faith is unfeigned, their hope is without hypocrisy, and their love without dissimulation.
Their faith is unfeigned. The end ofthe commandment is love, out of a pure heart, and faith unfeigned. Such an unfeigned faith Timothy is said to have. Now there is a faith, which is feigned;such as that of Simon Magus, who said he believed, when he was in the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity. But faith is unfeigned, when a man with the heart believes unto righteousness. Hope also is unfeigned, where it is true. There is, indeed, the hope of the hypocrite; which will be of no avail when God takes away his soul. But true hope is unfeigned. It is a good hope through grace. It is founded on the person, blood, and righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. The true grace of love is without dissimulation. It is not in tongue only, or in word;but in deed, and in truth. Love to Christ is in sincerity of heart;and love to the brethren, is with a pure heart fervently, as the apostle says. Now, where these graces are unfeigned, free from all guile and hypocrisy, the heart may be said to be perfect. The worship of God also, should be from the heart, and in a spiritual manner. In some, indeed, it is merely formal and customary: they draw nigh to God with their mouths, and honour him with their lips, when their hearts are removed far from him. In others it is otherwise: they draw nigh to God with their hearts;they call upon him in truth, in the uprightness of their souls;their worship is performed under the influence of the Spirit of God;and their hearts con-concerned therein. Now such, in a gospel sense, may be said to have a perfect heart. But I proceed to consider,
2. The exertion of divine power on their behalf. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro in behalf of such persons, to shew himself strong; or (as in the margin of some of your Bibles), strongly to hold with such; to be on their side, or take their part to relieve and protect them. The Lord is, in himself, strong. He is the mighty God:the Almighty. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong. If I speak of mighty men on earth, or of mighty angels in heaven, they are nothing in comparison of God. Who is a strong Lord, like unto thee? and to thy faithfulness round about thee? He hath a mighty arm: strong is his hand, and high is his right hand, to do things exceeding great and wonderful. He hath, in a variety of ways, shewn himself to be strong; as in creating all things out of nothing; in upholding all things by the word of his power; in the redemption of lost sinners; in delivering their souls out of the hands of Satan, who is stronger than they: in all these, and in other instances, he has shewn himself to be strong. But particularly in a way of providence; as it is concerned for his people. His eyes run to and fro through the whole earth, to shew himself strong on the behalf of those whose heart is perfect towards him. He shews himself strong in supplying their wants, whether spiritual or temporal;for he is able to supply all their need, according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ. He is able to do more for them than they are able to ask or think. He shews himself strong, in supplying them with every thing needful for time and eternity: in supplying and supporting them under all their afflictions and temptations. He will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able to bear; but will, with the temptation, make a way for their escape. He who hath encouraged them to cast their burden upon him, hath promised to sustain them:hath said, that the righteous shall never be moved: and he is as good as his word. He upholds his people with the right hand of his righteousness; puts underneath everlasting arms, and shews himself to be the mighty God, by supporting them under such trials and exercises, which otherwise, would be intolerable. His eyes run, to and fro throughout the whole earth, on the behalf of his people, in strengthening them under all their weaknesses. They are poor weak creatures. Sensible are they of it, and cry unto him for strength. He hears their cries, strengthens them with strength in their souls, with might in their inner man;and makes them strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might: strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. He strengthens them to perform every duty required of them, and to exercise every grace wrought in them; to withstand every temptation which besets them, and every corruption which arises up in their hearts, to bear what he is pleased to lay upon them; and to do the work appointed for them in their day and generation.
The eyes of the Lord run to and fro, to protect and defend them. Sin, Satan, and the world, are too strong for them. They would never be able to stand their ground, were it not for the assistance and protection which they have from God, in a way of special providence and grace. But he not only places his angels as guards over them, but he likewise appoints salvation to be walls and bulwarks for them. Yea, he himself is a wall of fire round about them, and a glory in the midst of them. Thus does he shew himself strong in their behalf. Happy are the persons that are under his special care in all these instances.
Let us now praise and adore the grace of our God, if we have any reason to hope and believe, that we have been under his special providential care ever since we have had a being: and especially if he has distinguished us by the blessings of his grace and goodness. Truly we have abundant reason to bless and praise his holy name, if he hath dealt with us after this manner. In how many instances must it have been bad with us, if his eyes had not been over us;if they had not run to and fro, to shew himself strong on our behalf, in things temporal? And how sad would have been our condition, if he had not expressed his love to us, in calling us by his grace? Let what he hath done for us encourage us to put our trust in him for the future. Let us not rely upon the creature. This was Asa’s sin who, notwithstanding all that God had done for him, distrusted his providence: relied upon the creature, and not upon his God. O let us take warning, and not act after this manner;but trust in the living God. Our great concern, under a sense of all should be, to live to his honour. Let us now attend to the advice that Solomon gives at the dedication of the temple, Let your hearts be perfect with the Lord your God; to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.