Bridges on Proverbs 25:2-3
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 25:2-3
 
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2.  It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour 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. {is...: Heb. there is no searching}
 
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,”† or whether “clothed in his garment of light, and dwelling in unapproachable light”† — 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 shews 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!”† We study his dispensations of Providence, feeling that we had need pray over them once and again, ere we venture to interpret them — “Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters; and thy footsteps are not known!”† We adore also that glorious concealment of his great work of forgiveness, of which Dr. Owen most truly remarks — that ‘were it not somewhat beyond what men could imagine, no flesh could be saved.’† But so far is it removed from our sight, that no human ken can take the unbounded extent of this vast work. It is forgetfulness of this unsearchable forgiveness, proportioning its limits to our own understanding, that precludes a glowing confidence, and restrains many a sincere penitent from a full apprehension, and habitual enjoyment of the peace of the Gospel. In another department of the widely extended field, we ponder his great purposes of grace; and our hearts only find vent in reverential adoration — “Oh! the depth!” (Romans 11:33) — ‘rather standing on the shore, and silently admiring it, than entering into it.’† To wade 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 (John 13:7), acting and living upon incomprehensible objects; coming to his revelation without any mind or will of their own. Thus in the boundless and bottomless works of his grace — the voice speaks from the inner sanctuary — “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10.) And is not this shade of mystery our highest joy, as the dwelling-place of our adorable God and Savior? Are not the clouds of his concealment the effulgence of his glory (Habakkuk 3:4), as the most simple, yet the most incomprehensible Being, whom the mightiest intellect can never “by searching find out to perfection?” (Job 11:7.) ‘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.’†
Thus it is the glory of God to conceal a thing — to do many things, of which the full development of their great end is far beyond our sight. The highest glory of earth is at an infinite remove — God conceals. For who could bear his full irradiation?† But the honor of kings is to search out a matter.† They must not affect to be like God. By themselves they know nothing beyond their people. Yet as all depends upon them, they must avail themselves of all stores of wisdom, to search out the mysteries of true policy, in order to govern by them, the mysteries of iniquity, in order to redress, and the intricacies of individual cases, in order to give suitable judgment. Hence the divine command, that they should write out a copy of the law, for their daily study and direction. (Deuteronomy 17:18, 19.) 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. (1 Kings 3:16-28.)
And yet the Sovereign must often frame his counsels 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”?† Is not “prayer for kings and for those in authority,” a far more fruitful and “acceptable exercise”? (1 Timothy 2:1-3.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
1 Kings 8:12. Psalm 18:11; 97:2.
 
 
1 Kings 8:12
12 ¶ Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
 
Psalm 18:11
11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
 
Psalm 97:2
2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. {habitation: or, establishment}
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 104:2. 1 Timothy 6:16.
 
 
Psalm 104:2
2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
 
1 Timothy 6:16
16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
 
 
Footnote:
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.
 
 
Job 26:14
14 Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 77:19; 36:6.
 
 
Psalm 77:19
19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.
 
Psalm 36:6
6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast. {the...: Heb. the mountains of God}
 
 
Footnote:
On Psalm 130.
 
 
On Psalm 130.
1 ¶ {A Song of degrees.} Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. 2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. 3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? 4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 5 ¶ I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. {I say...: or, which watch unto} 7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
 
 
Romans 11:33
33 ¶ O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
 
 
Footnote:
Leighton on 1 Peter 2:8.
 
 
1 Peter 2:8
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed
 
 
John 13:7
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
 
 
Psalm 46:10
10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
 
 
Habakkuk 3:4
4 And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power. {horns...: or, bright beams out of his side}
 
 
Job 11:7
7 ¶ Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
 
 
Footnote:
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 fullness 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.” The doctrine of the atoning cross is “delivered first of all” (en prwtoiV, 1 Corinthians 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. Deuteronomy 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?
 
 
Proverbs 8:5
5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
 
Proverbs 11:84
(?) invalid reference (?). Perhaps Proverbs 9:4 was intended(?):
 
Proverbs 9:4
4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
 
1 Corinthians 15:3
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
 
Deuteronomy 29:29
29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Exodus 33:20. Daniel 10:5-8, 17. Revelation 1:12-17.
 
 
Exodus 33:20
20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
 
Daniel 10:5-8, 17
5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: {a...: Heb. one man} 6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. 7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. {comeliness: or, vigour} 17 For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. {the...: or, this servant of my lord}
 
Revelation 1:12-17
12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Ezra 4:15, 19; 5:17; 6:1. Compare Job 29:16.
 
 
Ezra 4:15, 19
15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed. {moved: Chaldee, made} {within...: Chaldee, in the midst thereof} 19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. {I commanded: Chaldee, by me a decree is set} {made insurrection: Chaldee, lifted up itself}
 
Ezra 5:17
17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
 
Ezra 6:1
1 ¶ Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. {rolls: Chaldee, books} {laid up: Chaldee, made to descend}
 
Compare
Job 29:16
16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Deuteronomy 17:18, 19
18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
 
 
1 Kings 3:16-28
16 ¶ Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him. 17 And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. 18 And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. 19 And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it. 20 And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. 21 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear. 22 And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king. 23 Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living. 24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. 25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. 26 Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. {yearned: Heb. were hot} 27 Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof. 28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment. {in him: Heb. in the midst of him}
 
 
Footnote:
2 Peter 2:10, 12. Jude 8, 10.
 
 
2 Peter 2:10, 12
10 ¶ But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. {government: or, dominion} 12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
 
Jude 8, 10
8 ¶ Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
 
 
1 Timothy 2:1-3
1 ¶ I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; {exhort: or, desire} 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. {authority: or, eminent place} 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;