Chap. 34. An Expofition upon .the Book, of Jo B. Verf. 9 '741 ration; who had corrupted all their wayes, but gave them long warning, even an hundred and twenty years. And howoften did God give warning before he withdrew (Aid his face from the people of Ifrael, his fpecial people ? He Pent hisProphets ri- fing early, and fending them, faying, Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate, (Jer. 44.4.) And in another place, 0ferufä km, be inflrotted, left my foul depart (or be disjoynted) from thee ; Om 6. 8.) as if he had Paid, I am loth todepart, yea I will not depart, if thou wilt but now at length hearken to myvoice, and receive inftration. Secondly, As God is long beforehe begins ro hide his face from a Nation, fohe doth it not all at once, but gradually, or by feveral fleps : we read (Ezek, 9. 3.) how thegloryof the God of Ifrael was goneupfrom the Cherubwhereupon he was, to the di-tepid° of the hoafe: Then (chap. io.I8.).Thegloryof the Lorddeparted from offthe thre(hold of the houfe, and flood over the Cherubim e And then (chap. la. 23.) Theglory of the Lord went up from the midfl of the City;andfloodupon theMountain, which is on the Eafl fide of the City. When the Lordwas departing from them,he did it by degrees hewithdrew and hid himfelf by little and little , as in the Eclipfe of the Sun,. whether partial or total, we obferve the light gradually ihut inand hiddenfrom us. Thirdly, As God is longbefore he hidethhis face, and long in hiding it from a Nation, fo (which makes it dreadful) his face being once hid,continueth long hid fromNations.He doth not re-- tnrn prefently to them,as he often doth to particular perfons.,The Eclipfes of Divine favour abide longuponNations and Churches. We commonly fay, Great bodies move (lowly ; AndGod is ufu- ally flow inhis motions both from and towards great bodies ; as he doth not quickly remove from them, fohe doth not quickly return to them. He flayeth long before he hideth his face, and he makes them flay longbefore he caufeth his face to Thine upon them again.When for the fin ofIfrael God gave up both them and the Ark into the hands of the Philillines (thóugh the Philiflines vexed with the hand of Godupon them, fent it back {holly af- ter,yet)it was long before it was fully fetledamong them,(I Sam. 7.2.) and it came topafs while the Árk;abode in.Kirjath-?earim, , that the time was long, for it was twentyyears, and all thehoufr of /five! lamented after theLord, The . Ark (which was a figne. of God's..
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