2, Chap. 33. An Expo rtiän`upon the Báók"of J o'B. Verf.2-( the face ofChrifi. Therewe may fee how holy, how jufi, how ood,'and mercifull God is ; all this gloryof God appeareth to us in the face of Chrifi, who is the higheft manifeflation ofGod. Here in the Test by the face of God, we are to underhand any demonfiration of Gods favourable pretence ; in which fence of the word, Aaronwas toblefle the children of Ifrael ( a5. ) The Lordmake face to thine upon thee, and begraciows unto thee. The Lord lift asp the 'light ofhis countenanceupon thee, andgive thee peace. That is, the Lord manifehhimfelf to thee in wayesof grace and peace in favour and in mercy. Davidprayed inthe fame file (Pfal. 67. r.) God bemercifull to us, and bless ss,etnd caufehis face to thineuponUs ; that is, give us tokens and Sledgesof his favour. Secondly , How fee we theface of God ? Doth not God tell Mofes,. No man canfee my face and live. How then can the face of Godbefeene I anfiver ; The face of God ( which was touched before)as taken forthe ef'ence ofGod, or for his effentiall glory, cannot be feene; That's too tranfcendent a glory for man to behold. What we fee of God is but force ray orbeaming out of light and glory from himfelfe, we cannot fee himfelfe. The effentiall or perfonall glory of God, is that face which cannot be feene, but the declarative glory of God is a face of God which may be clearely feene by faith in the light of his word and worker. And to fee the face of God, is nothing elfe but for aman to know in himfelfe (as the Apofiles word is in fomewhat a parallel cafe, lieb: 50.34.) that God is gracious to him, that is, to have an affurance of his favour, or a refle& a&of faith about it. The holy Spirit fhewethus what God is, and what the things of God are (a Cor: 2. 12. ) we have received not thefptrit of theworld, but the Spiritwhich ss of God, that we may know the things that are freelygiven to ies ofGod ; that is, that we maybe enlightned with the knowledge of the grace; goodnefs, and favourof God to us difcovered in the Gofpel. TheSpirit i1seweth us this bleffed face of God, andwe fee it by the ahingsof ourfaith; all our vifions ofGod in this life are vifions of faith ; upon whole wings all our intelle&uall powers foare aloft And are carriedup to God. Faith is not only a workeof thewill in content and application , but a worke of the:underhanding by affent and knowletge. Thus we fee
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=