Chap. 34. An Expofrtien :span the Bed( of J o B. Vert. 29. wonder if God turne his face from finners ? To turneour backe upon God is the wora of a finfull condition , and to find God turning hisbacke upon us, or hiding his face from us, is theworts of a miferable condition. What can comfort us, when the God of all confolation will not look upon us, unleffe in difpleafure ? What pleasure (but the pleafure of fin for a feafon, which ends, without repentance, in endlefle torment, what pleafure, I fay ) can that ioule take in whomGod takethnopleafure,or with whom he is not pleated ? It is very fadwith the foule , when we bole the fight of our owne graces (fometimesa gracious heart cannot fee any worke of grace , nor perceive any workings of grace in him, but thinks he bath no faith in God, no love toGod, no for- row for fin, this is fad) but it is much more fad tobole the fight of the face of God , to have the favour of God withdrawne f;om us. This made yonah complaine ( Chap: z. 4. ) 1am cat eu of thefight ofthine eyes ; he lookt upon himfelfe as an out- cafi, and then yenab thought himfelfeas cafi into the belly ofhell (v.2.) When God hides his face from us,or willnot vouchfafe us a fight of his pleated face, we areas in the belly ofhell, as fends bemoaned himfelfe. What is theglory and happineffe of heaven.? Is it not the fight ofthe face of God ? is it not the cleare vifion and manifeflation of God ? Glory is that eftate whereinGod will never once hidehis face , nor look offfrom his glorified Saints, no not one moment to all eternity. Now the happineflewhich we havehere, the heavenwhich we have upon earth confifis in this alto ; when we live neere God by believing, and behold his face by faith ; when God lifts up the light of his countenance upon us, we are (as it were) lifted up fromearth to heaven. As vrfon in heaven will make us happyfor ever,fohidingson earth make us mi- ferable for the time. And that which is the very hell of a godly man upon earth, the wore hell, hecan or (hall have, is this, when God hidethhis face from him; Therefore take heed youdoe not put the Lord uponwithdrawing from you through your default , - This favour, the fhine or light of Gods face is continued or de- nied to us, ufually upon thefe termes , is we behave our felves well orill towards hgjn J: 0 757
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