Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v4

3'p4 Chap. 13. 4n Expofition upon the Book of JOB. Vert. 24. reafon enough, why thou, whoart ofparer eyes then to behold anyun- clean thing,fhouldff hide thy facefromme infucha tcleannefs,&were fuch anone,1 might fee reafon enoughwhy thou fhou'dfl count me as ran enemy,or never own me a afriend. But forafmuchar that not only appeareth not, but indeed is not, I now farther defire to.underfland what is the ca tife why thou Weft thyfacefromme,andwhy thou hold- efi me as thineenemy. Verfe 24. dt%herefore hidefi thou thyface, and holdefl m; for thine enemy ? The words are not fo much a queftion, as an expoftúlation, which is a very vehement opening of the heart tolet out thegrief that lieth there : Yet fob keeps within the boundsof duty and holy modefty : he didnot invade theprerogative ofGod whileit he thus asked an account of him. We mutt here take in a double fuppohtion, that we may clear fob. First, That heknewGod had ,4 a reafon why he hidhis face from him. Secondly, Wqmutt fup- pofe, that in cafe the Lord fhould Rill hide thecaufe from him why he didhide his face from him, yet sob was refolved to fit down and honour God even in that darknefs about his own condition : for without thefe fuppofitions, to pur gaettions,much more to put expoftulations uponGod, is unbecoming the flareof the creature,rruchmore ofa Believer.We mutt fay God ;lath jutt caufe for whatfoever hedoth, and he dothnot wrong , if he refute to thew us thecaufe, thoughwe requeft him to thew it us. Wherefore hidefi thou thyface? 1-lere are two things to be opened. Firft, What is meant by theface of God. Secondly, What hiding his face Both mean. This phrafe [ Theface of God] mutt be underttood by that common figure, an Anthropopathy; God is often fpoken of in Scripture after the manner ofmen ; fometimes inward pallions, fometimes (as here) outward partsare afcribed tohim.. The faceof God is put Firi, For the effential glory of God.' g uare Div; ni_ (Exo4.33.i 3.) WhenMofes defired to fee the gloryofGod, the totem roam Lord telleth him,verf.2o. Thou canfi notfee my face, for there is no fsbducis? Targ an canfee my faceand live. Thou canff notfee myface,that is, my e%ntial glory, thoumaieft fee mydeclarativeor mymanifeila- tiveglory,thegloryof my attributes,as they are expreffed in that procla-

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