Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v10

chap. 33. An Expofrtion upon the Bool;, of J o s. Verf. 26. 431 favourable unto him, he beholds his face with abundance of joy. Here are yet two things to be. opened, or two Queries may be made and anfwered for the clearing ofthere words. Firfl, What is meant by the face of Cried ; Secondly, what is meant byfeeing h2oface. To the former query, I anfwer ; Firfl, the face of God is the elTenciall being or perfe&Majefiy ofGod, of which himfelf faith CO Mofes (Exod. 33. 23, ) My face(hall not befeen. Secondly, the goodwill and favour of God is his face (Pf. So. 3.) Caufe thy face to Thine, ( that is, be good tous) andwe(hallbePaved. Thirdly, the face of God inScripture is pus for anymanifeflations of God to man. God manifefleth hirìmfeif in wrath to fome men, (Pfal. 34 16.) The fBice ofthe Lord is aging them that doe evil!; Facíes der That is, he is angry andgreatly difpleafedwith them. He mani- to m' vorem ot notar.` faar feAeth himfelf in love to others, and all fuch are faid either ( as Drufs in the Text) to feehisface, or (asother Texts exprefs it) to have his face shining upon them. God is a fpirit, he hàth no face properly; but as the face of aman is that, by which he is knowne (if a manbide hisface we know not who he is, though we fee all the other parts ofhis body,, he is aconcealed man) lo that what- foever it is,bywhichCod is clearly knowne,that in Scripture lan- guage is called his face.; And hence Thirdly, the.worfhip andho- lyordinances ofGod, are called the face of God (Gen.. 4. 14. ) becaufe theyaregreat manifeflations ofGod, ..or becaufe God is tfianifelled in his Ordinances,in hisword and worship, who and what he is. After a tickman,through the helpof God, is recove- red ; he goes into the congregation togive thanks; and then he may be laid to fee the face of God,becaufe there he exhibits the figns of hisprefence,& Both as is were thew his face.There as in a glafs webehold the face.ofGod,that is,che difcoveries ofhisholi- nefs,ofhis love &goodnefs;The faceof God is feen in his works, as the Apof}le teacheth us, ( Rem. 1. ao.) The invifible things of him from thecreation ofthe world are clearly feen, being underflood by the things that are made, evenhis eternall power andgodhead: much more in his word and Ordinances, and Above all in Jefus Chrifl is God feen and manifefled. Jefus Chrifl is the face of God, the brightneffe ofhisglory, the expreffè imageofhisperfon, ( H4.1. 3.) The light ofthe knowledge of theglory of God fhi- . eth.to n; rn *face Chrrfi Thus the face of God is beheldin the

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