Charles Simeon Commentary - Deuteronomy 29:29 - 29:29

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Charles Simeon Commentary - Deuteronomy 29:29 - 29:29


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DISCOURSE: 223

SECRET THINGS BELONG TO GOD

Deu_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.

NEVER were mercies granted to any people, so rich as those which were vouchsafed to Israel: nor were there ever judgments so signally, through successive ages, inflicted on any other nation, as on them. And all this was in accordance with prophecy, even with the prophecies which Moses himself delivered to them previous to their entrance into Canaan. All was foreseen by God ; and was foretold also, with sufficient clearness, if they would but learn to act in obedience to the divine warnings. To inquire into the reasons of God’s dealings with them, and especially to sit in judgment upon God as though he dealt hardly with them, would be to no purpose. The reasons of his determinations were hid in his own bosom: and his determinations themselves were made known to them for their benefit: and God expected that they should make a suitable improvement of all the information which he had given them. This seems to be the general import of our text ; from whence I shall take occasion to shew,

I.       The proper limit for our inquiries into the things of God—

God has been pleased to reveal much to us respecting his nature, his dispensations, his purposes: but there is infinitely more which he has not seen fit to communicate; and which, if communicated, we should be no more able to comprehend, than a child could comprehend the deepest discoveries of philosophy. Even what we do know, we know only in part: in fact, our knowledge of every thing is so superficial, that it scarcely deserves to be called knowledge: and, therefore, in relation to every thing the utmost possible diffidence becomes us. For, after all, what know we,

1.       Of God’s nature?

[We are informed that “He is a Spirit;” that he is, from all eternity, a self-existent Being: that “the heaven of heavens cannot contain him.” But what idea have we of a Spirit? What notion can we form of eternity and omnipresence? The greatest philosopher in the universe has not a whit more adequate conceptions of these thing, than a little infant. Nor do we, in reality, know any thing more of the moral perfections of the Deity, than we do of those which we call natural. We speak of his holiness, and justice, and mercy, and truth: but out knowledge of these things is altogether negative: we merely know that he is not unholy, or unjust, or unmerciful, or untrue ; and that is all.

And what shall I say to his subsistence in Three Persons, each possessing all the attributes of Deity, whilst yet there is but One God ? We know that the Father is spoken of as the Fountain from whence all proceeds; that the Son also is spoken of as executing all which the Father had ordained for the redemption of the world ; and that the Holy Ghost also is spoken of as applying to the sons of men all that the Son has purchased, or the Father ordained. But of these things we know nothing beyond what God has told us in his word: and if we attempt to descant upon them, “we only darken counsel by words without knowledge.” In the contemplation of such mysteries, it becomes us to bear in mind the pointed interrogations of Zophar; “Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection ? it is high as heaven; what canst thou do ? deeper than hell ; what canst thou know [Note: Job_11:7-8.]?”]

2.       Of his dispensations?

[We know that God ordereth every thing both in heaven and earth; and that without him “not a sparrow falls to the ground,” nor “an hair from the head of one of his servants.” But will any one inform us how God overrules the minds of voluntary agents, so as infallibly to accomplish his own will and yet not participate in the evils which they commit ? Our blessed Lord was put to death “by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God:” and yet, throughout the whole of that scene, the agents followed altogether the dictates of their own hearts, and “with wicked hands crucified and slew him.” And will any one inform us how this was done ? And if we know so little of God’s Providence, who shall declare to us the wonders of his Grace ? Will any one tell us why the world was left four thousand years before the Saviour was sent to redeem it? or why Abraham was chosen in preference to all other persons upon earth, that the Saviour should descend from him, and that it should be in the line of Isaac and Jacob, rather than through the line of Ishmael and Esau? Will any one tell us how the Spirit of God acts upon the souls of some, to quicken, sanctify, and save them; whilst others never experience these operations; or experience his influence only in such a degree as ultimately to aggravate their eternal condemnation ? Let any one only tell us how mind operates upon matter in any one motion of his own body: and if he cannot tell this, how shall he presume to judge of God, “whose ways are in the great deep, and his paths past finding out?”]

3.       Of his purposes?

[We are assured that “God doeth every thing according to the counsel of his own will; and that none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” But who has searched the records of heaven, so as to tell us what shall come to pass, either in reference to nations, or to any solitary individual? Our blessed Lord repeatedly checked all presumptuous inquiries into these things. When his disciples asked him, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ? he answered, It is not for you to know the times and the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power [Note: Act_1:6-7.].” And when Peter inquired of him respecting John, “Lord, what shall this man do ? our Lord replied, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?”

In truth, we know nothing of God; nothing of what he is, or does, or will do, any further than he has been pleased to reveal himself to us: and all our inquiries respecting him should issue in that profound adoring exclamation, “O the depth [Note: Rom_11:33.]!” Instead of complaining that our knowledge is so circumscribed, we should be thankful that it extends so far: for if there be little communicated to gratify a foolish curiosity, there is every thing made known to us that can conduce to our present and eternal welfare.]

This idea points out to us,

II.      The proper use to be made of all the knowledge we obtain—

Every thing that God has revealed is intended to have a practical effect: and every thing contained in Holy Writ has a direct tendency to convey some spiritual benefit to our souls. Let us briefly trace this in what is revealed concerning,

1.       God and his perfections—

[All that is spoken in Scripture upon this sublime subject, tends to fill us with holy fear, and love, and confidence; and to bring us to God, as his obedient subjects and servants — — —]

2.       Christ and his offices—

[There is no way to the Father but through the Son. When, therefore, we read of him as the Prophet, Priest, and King of his Church, we are of necessity taught to look to him for the illumination of our minds, the pardon of our sins, the subjugation of all our spiritual enemies. We are taught to “live altogether by faith in him, who has loved us, and given himself for us” — — —]

3.       The Holy Spirit, and his operations—

[If we can come to God only through the Son, so neither have we any access to him but by the Spirit [Note: Eph_2:18.]. Hence, in desiring his gracious influences, we should seek to have the whole work of grace wrought within us, and to be “transformed into the divine image,” and be “made meet for our eternal inheritance” — — —]

4.       The Gospel, with all its promises and precepts—

[Nothing of this is to he contemplated as a mere matter of speculation ; but the whole Gospel is to be embraced as a remedy, as a remedy suited to our wants and sufficient for our necessities. Every promise of it is to be embraced as a ground of hope ; and every precept in it is to be obeyed as an evidence of our faith and love — — —]

5.       The realities of the eternal world—

[No one ever came from heaven or from hell to inform us what those states were, or what was the full import of those terms under which those states are displayed. Nor is it of importance to us to know more of them in this world. We already know enough to call forth into activity our hopes and our fears: and our wisdom, is so to improve our knowledge of them, as to “flee from the wrath to come,” and to “lay hold on eternal life” — — —

In a word, “whatsoever is revealed belongs to us and to our children for ever, that in all succeeding ages we should do all the words of God’s Law,” and approve ourselves to him as a faithful and obedient people.]

Hence, then, we may see—

1.       What answer we should make to the proud objector—

[Persons will sit in judgment upon God and his revealed will, as if they were capable of determining, by their own wisdom, what was fitting for him to reveal or do ; and they will decide with confidence on all which they either see or hear, precisely as if they were competent to weigh in a balance all the mysteries of divine wisdom. With what impious boldness will many revile the mystery of a Trinity of Persons in the Godhead; the incarnation of Christ, and his atoning sacrifice ; and the influences of the Holy Spirit. But to all such proud objectors I will say, with St. Paul, “Nay but, O man! who art thou that repliest against God [Note: Rom_9:20.]?” Thou mistakest utterly the province of reason, if thou thinkest that she is to sit in judgment upon such mysteries as these. She is to judge whether the book which we call the Bible, be of divine inspiration: but when that is once admitted, then she must give way to faith, whose office it is to embrace all that God has revealed, and to make use of it for the ends and purposes for which he has revealed it. And if thou wilt presume to “reprove God, thou shah surely answer for it [Note: Job_40:2.]:” for “he giveth not account to man of any of his matters [Note: Job_33:13.].”]

2.       What direction we should give to the humble inquirer—

[There may be many things brought to your ears which are above your comprehension, and which you may find it difficult to receive. But there is a standard to which every sentiment may be referred, and a touchstone by which every doctrine may be tried. Our blessed Lord said to those who doubted the propriety of his instructions, “Search the Scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me [Note: Joh_5:39.].” And the Prophet Isaiah told his hearers to bring every thing to this test: “To the Law, and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no truth in them [Note: Isa_8:20.].” All that is needful for you to know, is contained in God’s word. Whatever agrees with that, is true: whatever is contrary to it, is false: and whatever cannot be determined by it, may well be left among those “secret things which belong to God alone.”]

3.       What encouragement we are to afford to the true believer—

[“The secret of the Lord,” we are told, “is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant [Note: Psa_25:14.].” Yes, this is indeed a most encouraging truth. Not that we are to suppose that God will give any new revelation to his people: we have no reason whatever to expect that: but he will shine upon his revealed truth, so that they shall have a perception of it which others have not. I need not tell you how much clearer any thing is discerned when the sun shines upon it: or how much more accurately it is seen when the eye is fixed more intently on it: or how things most minute or distant are rendered distinctly visible by glasses suited to our organs of sight. Now, in all these ways will God discover his secrets to the believing soul. He will, by his Spirit, cast a flood of light upon the word; and make the soul most eager to apprehend his truth; and by the medium of faith bring that truth directly upon the tablet of the mind; and thus fulfil that promise, “All thy people shall be taught of God [Note: Joh_6:45.].” Yes, “the meek he will guide in judgment; the meek he will teach his way [Note: Psa_25:9.].”]