EXCELLENCY OF GOd's WORD. Ps. xix. 7 — 9. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple: the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, eiiUghtenijig the eyes: the fear of the Lord is clean, enduriiig for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
GOD has not left himself without witness even amongst the most unenlightened heathens. His works testify of him: the heavens and the earth declare his eternal power and godhead. They speak silently in- deed,^ but intelligibly, to every child of man; so that idolaters of every name are absolutely without
excuse.
* ver. 3. The words printed in Italics are not in the original.
excuse''. Wherever the light and genial influence of the sun extend, there is God proclaimed as an infi- nitely wise and gracious Being. But we have a richer source of instruction opened to us : we have a revelation, which, whilst it proclaims the existence and attributes of Jehovah, makes known to us his will, and points out the path in which we may ap- proach him with a certainty of acceptance : and so extensively was that published by our Lord and his Apostles, that it might be said even in that age, *' Their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the worlds" It is of this written word that David speaks in the psalm before us : in which are set forth,
I. Its parts and properties —
The various terms here used to designate the word of God, may be considered as directing our attention to all the different parts of that word; each of which has, annexed to it, an appropriate epithet of commendation — •
['^ The law of the Lord" is in the marginal translation called, " The doctrine of the Lord ;" and it may be understood as including under one general term all that is afterwards more particularly specified : and it is so " perfect," that nothing can be taken from it. or added to it, but at the peril of our souls'*
"The testimony of the Lord" is " the Gospel of the
grace of God%" even " the witness which God has testified of his Son^" It is " the record that God has given of his Son, namely, that in him is eternal life ; and that he who hath the Son, hath life; and he who hath not the Son of God, hath not life^." Now this is " sure," so sure, that it may be relied upon with the most implicit confidence : " it is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners''." — " The statutes of the Lord" are those ordi- nances which God appointed under the ceremonial law to shadow forth all the glorious mvsteries of the Gospel, and which were *' right" for the time then present, though since the introduction of the clearer light of the Gospel they are abrogated as burthen- some and u:niecessary. Not but that there are some still in force, such as the Sabbath, and the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. And these may well be called *' right :" for who
can
'' Rom. i. 19, 20. *= Compare ver. 4. with Rom. x. 18.
•^ Rev. xxii. IS, ig. " Acls xx. 2-4. ^ 1 John v. 9.
s ib. ver. 11, 12. ^ 1 Tim. i. 15.
339.] EXCELLENCY OF god's WORD. 39
can doubt the propriety of a certain portion of our time being dedicated to tlie especial service of Him to whom we owe our very existence ? or who can question the suitableness of those easy and instructive rites, whereby we are dedicated to the Lord Jesiis Christ at first, and afterwards commemorate from time to time the wonders of his dying love ? — " The commaiidment of the Lord" is the moral law, in which we are taught, in what way we are to serve and please lur God. And this is " pure," and " holy' :" it is given to regulate, not our words and actions only, but the inmost thoughts and desires of our hearts. It is indeed " exceeding broad *"," extendmg to every motive and prin- cipJe of the mind, yea, to every inclination, affection, appetite of the soul, and requiring the whole to be in a state of constant and entire conformity to the will of God. — " The fear of the Lord" we consider as anotlier name for the holy Scriptures, only putting, as is frequently done, the eff'ect for the caused The word of God, as inculcating and exciting the fear of the Lord, is " clean ;" its one object is, to cleanse and purify the souls of men. Hence our Lord says, " Now ye are clean through the word that I have spoken unto you ""." Moreover, the word, in this view of it, " endureth for ever," since its operation is uni- form to the end of the world ; and the purifying efl'ects produced by it, will continue through all eternity. — " The judgments of the Lord" are his warnings and threatenings ; which though questioned by men as false, or condemned by them as unjust, are yet " true and righteous altogether." We are very incom- petent judges of the demerit of sin, or of the conduct which God, as the moral Governor of the universe, has thought proper to pursue: but we are assured, that, when he shall inflict on the impenitent the judgments he has denounced against them, all his intelligent creatures will exclaim, " True and righteous are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty!" "just and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints!"]