772, Chap. 26. AnExpolitionupon tbeTook of JOB. Verf. g,` live. Manmuff dyebefore he can (in that fence) fee the face of God, and then he (hall (as the Apoflle fpeakes, i Cor. t 3. I2.) feeface tofife, and know to he is knonne. So that though we are muchfhortof the happineffe of the next- life, while we fee as through a glaffe darkly, and God holdeth back the face ofhis throne,yer it is mercy to us while we are in this life that he doth fo,becaufe we are nor able to abide the fight ofhim face to face, or to behold the fane of his throne. As Chrift had many things to fay to his Dilciples, which they were not then able to beare; fo Chritt bath purchafed fach mercies & príviledges for his peo- ple,às they are not able to beare while they are on this fide the grave, Everyflare bath enjoyments fuitable and proper ro ir. Pur. ther as God hideth his glory from man, becanfe he is nor able to beare it all;fo he hideth much of that from him which he is able to beate, both to make him hunger and thirds the more after it, and to draw him into the greater reverence and efcrnation ofit. We ufually edeem that more which is veyled and under acloud, then that which is very cleaveand openly revealed ; and accord- ing to our prefent fate and frame,that is moll reverenced by us, which is moll concealed from us. When a cloud bath dwelt a while upon the Sun we delire the more to fee the face ofit, and are the more affe ed with the fight of it, God will not bold back the'face ofhis throne from us in glory, nor will hi ever fpread a cloudupon it, & yet we (hall have frefh delires after ir, and high valuations of it evrlaflingly; But while we dwel in this corrupt and corruptible flefh,weare apt to neglect that which is alwayes with us, efp,eially ifit be alwayes alike with us. Arad therefore as the wife and gracious God; will not let us fee his thronehere at Ml in the full glory of it, b:caufe we cannot bear it, fo he will not let us fee that gloryof it continually,which we are able tobeare,left we fhould groweither cärel ffe bf it,or un- thankfull for ir. It is even bed for us, that we have but a darke and imperfect fight ofGod in this world, both in reference to what he is,and to what he doth: or firfl, in reference to himfelfe in his nature and excellencies.Secondly, in reference to his wayes or workes in their fpecial reafons and ends. As our darknes can - not at all comprehend the light ofGod, foGod is pleated to co- ver much ofhis own light with da-knes that we fhould not com. +rahend it.Howmany glòrious,truthsare thete,the face ofwhich he
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