Nay, secondly, this is it which the Lord looks at: See Jerem. ⟨p. 190⟩15. 3. Are not thine eyes upon the truth: q. d. Why? it is not your words which God doth so much regard, nor is it your looks, nor your tears, nor your cries; that which the Lord sets his eye on, is the truth of the heart, in and under all these; uprightness there; Excellent is that place in 1 Chr. 29. 17. I know also my God (said David) that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness: As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. In that place you find David contributing toward the building of the Temple, and stirring up others to that work; and David for his part gave like a King thereto, even three thousand talents of gold, of gold of Ophir (ver. 4.) And seven thousand talents of refined silver: and the chief of the Fathers, and the Princes gave also five thousand talents of gold, and ten thousand d•ammes, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron, besides precious stones, v. 6, 7, 8. Now what a goodly gift was all this, but David presently subjoins, I know my God that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness, q. d. O Lord all this is nothing, thou wilt not accept of it, thou wilt not look upon it, if uprightness be wanting, O that is it which thou regardest, the heart, the heart thou triest, and if uprightness be found there, that is it which thou regardest: You read of the Jews, that they made many prayers but God would not hear them, brought many oblations but they were vain, (i.) is of no account, Isaiah 1. 11, 12. and 15. They remember the solemn feasts, but prevailed not with God, he did shut his eyes: nay, they were at their solemn fasts too; but God took no knowledge, Isaiah 58. 3. He gives the reason in both places, in Isaiah 1. 15. your hands are full of blood, ver. 16. wash ye, &c. and Isaiah 58. 4. Behold ye fast for strife and debate, to smite with the fist of wickedness, ver. 6. Is not this the fast which I have chosen, to loose the bands of wickedness. q. d. away ye hypocrites, do you commit and allow cruelties, and villainies, and oppressions, and whoredoms, and then bring multitudes of sacrifices and oblations, and cryings, and think that I am taken with these;
Nay, secondly, this is it which the Lord looks at: See Jerem. ⟨p. 190⟩15. 3. Are not thine eyes upon the truth: q. d. Why? it is not your words which God doth so much regard, nor is it your looks, nor your tears, nor your cries; that which the Lord sets his eye on, is the truth of the heart, in and under all these; uprightnesse there; Excellent is that place in 1 Chr. 29. 17. I know also my God (said David) that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightnesse: As for me, in the uprightnesse of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. In that place you finde David contributing toward the building of the Temple, and stirring up others to that work; and David for his part gave like a King thereto, even three thousand talents of gold, of gold of Ophir (ver. 4.) And seven thousand talents of refined silver: and the chief of the Fathers, and the Princes gave also five thousand talents of gold, and ten thousand d•ammes, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron, besides precious stones, v. 6, 7, 8. Now what a goodly gift was all this, but David presently subjoynes, I know my God that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightnesse, q. d. O Lord all this is nothing, thou wilt not accept of it, thou wilt not look upon it, if uprightness be wanting, O that is it which thou regardest, the heart, the heart thou triest, and if uprightnesse be found there, that is it which thou regardest: You read of the Jews, that they made many prayers but God would not hear them, brought many oblations but they were vaine, (i.) is of no account, Esay 1. 11, 12. and 15. They remember the solemne feasts, but prevailed not with God, he did shut his eyes: nay, they were at their solemn fasts too; but God took no knowledge, Esay 58. 3. He gives the reason in both places, in Esay 1. 15. your hands are full of blood, ver. 16. wash ye, &c. and Esay 58. 4. Behold ye fast for strife and debate, to smite with the fist of wickedness, ver. 6. Is not this the fast which I have chosen, to loose the bands of wickednesse. q. d. away ye hypocrites, do you commit and allow cruelties, and villanies, and oppressions, and whoredomes, and then bring multitudes of sacrifices and oblations, and cryings, and think that I am taken with these;
- 1This is it the Lord looks at.
