Ed Walsh
Puritan Board Senior
Greeting Pilgrims,
2. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter. 3. The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable (there is no searching, Marg.)
The great King of heaven and the puny kings of earth are here finely contrasted. The glory of each is opposite—of God to conceal; of kings to search out. Whether “he dwelleth in his pavilion of thick darkness,”1 or whether “clothed in his garment of light, and dwelling in unapproachable light”2—it is the glory of God to conceal a thing. What glory indeed could belong to a God, whose name, and ways, and works were open to the view, and within the comprehension of worms of the earth? What he has brought to light only shows how much is concealed. We look at his works—“Lo! these are parts of his ways; but how little a portion is heard of him!”3 We study the dispensations of his Providence—“Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters; and thy footsteps are not known!”4 We ponder the great purposes of his grace; and our hearts only find vent in reverential adoration—crying—“Oh! the depth!”5—‘rather standing on the shore, and silently admiring it, than entering into it.’6 To be wading in those depths is the sure way to be overwhelmed in them.
Thus does he educate his children in mystery, that he may exercise them in the life of faith,7 coming to his revelation without any mind or will of their own. And is not this shade of mystery our highest joy, as the dwelling-place of our adorable God and Saviour? Are not the clouds of his concealment the effulgence of his glory,8 as the most simple—yet the most incomprehensible Being, whom the mightiest intellect can never “by searching find out to perfection?”9 ‘As there is,’ says Bishop Hall, ‘a foolish wisdom, so there is a wise ignorance. I would fain know all that I need, and all that I may. I leave God’s secrets to himself. It is happy for me, that God makes me of his court, though not of his council. O Lord! let me be blessed with the knowledge of what thou hast revealed. Let me content myself to adore thy Divine wisdom in what thou hast not revealed.’10
The highest glory of earth is at an infinite remove—God conceals. For who could bear his full irradiation?1 But the honor of kings is to search out a matter.2 They must not affect to be like God. By themselves they know nothing beyond their people. Yet as all depends upon them, they must, by searching out, avail themselves of all stores of wisdom. Hence the Divine command, that they should write out a copy of the law, for their daily study and direction.3 This wise king had himself attained singular discernment in searching out a matter, even without external evidence, and with all the perplexity of conflicting testimony.4 The lawgiver must however often frame his councils with much caution and reserve. Many of his purposes are far beyond the comprehension of the great mass of his people, so that to their minds the heart of kings is unsearchable, and they might as soon think of measuring the heaven for height, or fathoming the earth for depth. Ought not this to teach forbearance in pronouncing judgment? Are not the “presumptuous and self-willed, who are not afraid of speaking evil of dignities,” convicted of the guilt of “speaking evil of the things that they understand not?”5 Is not “prayer for kings and for those in authority,” a far more fruitful and “acceptable” exercise?6
Bridges, C. (1865). An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (pp. 393–394). New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.
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1 1 Kings 8:12, Ps. 18:11; 97:2.
2 Ps. 104:2, 1 Tim. 6:16.
3 Job 26:14. ‘Lo! these are the outlines (marginal or boundary lines) of his ways; and the mere whisper (opposed to the crashing “thunder” of the next clause) we can hear of him.’ Dr. Good.
4 Ps. 77:19. Comp. 36:6.
5 Rom. 11:33.
6 Leighton on 1 Pet. 2:8.
7 John 13:7.
8 Hab. 3:4.
9 Job 11:7–9, Ps. 145:2.
10 Bp. Hall, 8:5; 11:84. This glorious concealment is however no precedent for the Tractarian principle of Reserve, which at once eclipses the freeness and fulness of the Gospel, and paralyzes the energy of Christian life and hope. Blessed be God! “The things that belong to our peace are brought to light by the Gospel.” (2 Tim. 1:10.) The doctrine of the atoning cross is “delivered first of all, (εν πρωτοις, 1 Cor. 15:3)—the primary truth in the forefront of the Gospel. With self-abasing humility we acknowledge, that “Secret things belong to the Lord our God.” But guilty indeed is the presumption of casting a cloud of concealment on “the things that are revealed, and which belong to us, and to our children for ever”—not only as the foundation of our hope, but as the principle of our obedience. Deut. 29:29. Yet do not some of us need to be drawn further from the “secret things,” and nearer to the “things that are revealed?”
1 Ex. 33:20, Dan. 10:5–8, 17, Rev. 1:12–17.
2 Ezra 4:15, 19; 5:17; 6:1. Comp. Job 29:16.
3 Deut. 17:18, 19.
4 1 Kings 3:16–28.
5 2 Pet. 2:10, 12, Jude 8, 10.
6 1 Tim. 2:1–3.
Proverbs 25:2-3
by Charles Bridges
by Charles Bridges
2. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter. 3. The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable (there is no searching, Marg.)
The great King of heaven and the puny kings of earth are here finely contrasted. The glory of each is opposite—of God to conceal; of kings to search out. Whether “he dwelleth in his pavilion of thick darkness,”1 or whether “clothed in his garment of light, and dwelling in unapproachable light”2—it is the glory of God to conceal a thing. What glory indeed could belong to a God, whose name, and ways, and works were open to the view, and within the comprehension of worms of the earth? What he has brought to light only shows how much is concealed. We look at his works—“Lo! these are parts of his ways; but how little a portion is heard of him!”3 We study the dispensations of his Providence—“Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters; and thy footsteps are not known!”4 We ponder the great purposes of his grace; and our hearts only find vent in reverential adoration—crying—“Oh! the depth!”5—‘rather standing on the shore, and silently admiring it, than entering into it.’6 To be wading in those depths is the sure way to be overwhelmed in them.
Thus does he educate his children in mystery, that he may exercise them in the life of faith,7 coming to his revelation without any mind or will of their own. And is not this shade of mystery our highest joy, as the dwelling-place of our adorable God and Saviour? Are not the clouds of his concealment the effulgence of his glory,8 as the most simple—yet the most incomprehensible Being, whom the mightiest intellect can never “by searching find out to perfection?”9 ‘As there is,’ says Bishop Hall, ‘a foolish wisdom, so there is a wise ignorance. I would fain know all that I need, and all that I may. I leave God’s secrets to himself. It is happy for me, that God makes me of his court, though not of his council. O Lord! let me be blessed with the knowledge of what thou hast revealed. Let me content myself to adore thy Divine wisdom in what thou hast not revealed.’10
The highest glory of earth is at an infinite remove—God conceals. For who could bear his full irradiation?1 But the honor of kings is to search out a matter.2 They must not affect to be like God. By themselves they know nothing beyond their people. Yet as all depends upon them, they must, by searching out, avail themselves of all stores of wisdom. Hence the Divine command, that they should write out a copy of the law, for their daily study and direction.3 This wise king had himself attained singular discernment in searching out a matter, even without external evidence, and with all the perplexity of conflicting testimony.4 The lawgiver must however often frame his councils with much caution and reserve. Many of his purposes are far beyond the comprehension of the great mass of his people, so that to their minds the heart of kings is unsearchable, and they might as soon think of measuring the heaven for height, or fathoming the earth for depth. Ought not this to teach forbearance in pronouncing judgment? Are not the “presumptuous and self-willed, who are not afraid of speaking evil of dignities,” convicted of the guilt of “speaking evil of the things that they understand not?”5 Is not “prayer for kings and for those in authority,” a far more fruitful and “acceptable” exercise?6
Bridges, C. (1865). An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (pp. 393–394). New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.
––––––––––––––––––––––
1 1 Kings 8:12, Ps. 18:11; 97:2.
2 Ps. 104:2, 1 Tim. 6:16.
3 Job 26:14. ‘Lo! these are the outlines (marginal or boundary lines) of his ways; and the mere whisper (opposed to the crashing “thunder” of the next clause) we can hear of him.’ Dr. Good.
4 Ps. 77:19. Comp. 36:6.
5 Rom. 11:33.
6 Leighton on 1 Pet. 2:8.
7 John 13:7.
8 Hab. 3:4.
9 Job 11:7–9, Ps. 145:2.
10 Bp. Hall, 8:5; 11:84. This glorious concealment is however no precedent for the Tractarian principle of Reserve, which at once eclipses the freeness and fulness of the Gospel, and paralyzes the energy of Christian life and hope. Blessed be God! “The things that belong to our peace are brought to light by the Gospel.” (2 Tim. 1:10.) The doctrine of the atoning cross is “delivered first of all, (εν πρωτοις, 1 Cor. 15:3)—the primary truth in the forefront of the Gospel. With self-abasing humility we acknowledge, that “Secret things belong to the Lord our God.” But guilty indeed is the presumption of casting a cloud of concealment on “the things that are revealed, and which belong to us, and to our children for ever”—not only as the foundation of our hope, but as the principle of our obedience. Deut. 29:29. Yet do not some of us need to be drawn further from the “secret things,” and nearer to the “things that are revealed?”
1 Ex. 33:20, Dan. 10:5–8, 17, Rev. 1:12–17.
2 Ezra 4:15, 19; 5:17; 6:1. Comp. Job 29:16.
3 Deut. 17:18, 19.
4 1 Kings 3:16–28.
5 2 Pet. 2:10, 12, Jude 8, 10.
6 1 Tim. 2:1–3.
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