And the reason why that word which signifies the countenance or face, signifies also anger and wrath, sorrow and heaviness, is, because both anger and sorrow break forth in the face. If a man be very angry, you shall see his anger scribbled in the uneven character of his countenance: If a man be very heavy and sorrowful, you shall see the lines of sorrow drawn in his face. Therefore it is said of Hannah (1 Sam. 1.18.) when she received a refreshing and reviving answer from the Lord in prayer (the poor soul sate ⟨p. 347⟩drooping and mourning, as much as praying, but as soon as she had a hint of audience and acceptance, it is said) She went away and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad; the sadness of her heart appeared no more in her countenance, there was fair weather in her face, and Sun-shine in her fore-head, the rain and showers of her tears were blown over and dried up. As in some sinners, The show of their countenance doth testify against them (Isa. 3.9.) that is, they are so grossly wicked, that you may see sin in their faces; whereas others can keep sin close enough in their hearts, they can keep the disease in, and shut themselves up, when they are sick of the plague of their hearts (1 King. 8.) nothing but holiness is discernible in the face of their conversation, when nothing but rottenness and corruption lies at the bottom of their spirits. But as the corruption of many a mans heart breaks forth in botches upon the face of his actions, and the rottenness of his spirit blisters upon his tongue in unsavoury speeches: so those passions and affections of the heart, joy and sorrow, anger and heaviness appear in the face, and we may read the distempers of the heart in the disguisedness of a look.1 The face is the Index of the heart, that tells you, how things go within. Therefore Job saith, If I leave off my face, meaning as we translate, If I leave off heaviness, which is so evident in my face, or which is as easy to be seen as my face. If I resolve to appear cheerful and merry, and will not let clouds darken my countenance any longer, yet, &c. The face is put generally for the appearance or out-side of any thing; as we say, the face of the earth, the face of the heavens, the face of the Church or Common-wealth. So that, To leave off heaviness, or the face, is to leave off all show of heaviness.
And the reason why that word which signifies the countenance or face, signifies also anger and wrath, sorrow and heavinesse, is, because both anger and sorrow break forth in the face. If a man be very angry, you shall see his anger scribled in the uneven character of his countenance: If a man be very heavy and sorrowfull, you shall see the lines of sorrow drawn in his face. Therefore it is said of Hannah (1 Sam. 1.18.) when she received a refreshing and reviving answer from the Lord in praier (the poor soul sate ⟨p. 347⟩drooping and mourning, as much as praying, but as soon as she had a hint of audience and acceptance, it is said) She went away and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad; the sadnesse of her heart appeared no more in her countenance, there was fair weather in her face, and Sunne-shine in her fore-head, the rain and showres of her tears were blown over and dried up. As in some sinners, The shew of their countenance doth testifie against them (Isa. 3.9.) that is, they are so grossely wicked, that you may see sinne in their faces; whereas others can keep sinne close enough in their hearts, they can keep the disease in, and shut themselves up, when they are sick of the plague of their hearts (1 King. 8.) nothing but holinesse is discernable in the face of their conversation, when nothing but rottennesse and corruption lies at the bottome of their spirits. But as the corruption of many a mans heart breaks forth in botches upon the face of his actions, and the rottennesse of his spirit blisters upon his tongue in unsavoury speeches: so those passions and affections of the heart, joy and sorrow, anger and heavinesse appear in the face, and we may read the distempers of the heart in the disguisednesse of a look.1 The face is the Index of the heart, that tels you, how things goe within. Therefore Job saith, If I leave off my face, meaning as we translate, If I leave off heavinesse, which is so evident in my face, or which is as easie to be seen as my face. If I resolve to appear chearfull and merry, and will not let clouds darken my countenance any longer, yet, &c. The face is put generally for the appearance or out-side of any thing; as we say, the face of the earth, the face of the heavens, the face of the Church or Common-wealth. So that, To leave off heavinesse, or the face, is to leave off all shew of heavinesse.
- 1Cordis index vultus, totusque homo est in facie. Nomen faciei in Scriptura s•gnificat exteriorem h•bitum, sicut facies terrae, coeli reip. Bold. Latina vox facies significat non solum os, ocutos genas, sed formam omnem, modum & facturam totius corporis, à faciendo dicta•. Aul. Gel.
