To the former query, I answer; First, the face of God is the essential being or perfect Majesty of God, of which himself saith to Moses. (Exod. 33.23.) My face shall not be seen. Secondly, the good will and favour of God is his face (Ps. 80.3.) Cause thy face to shine, (that is, be good to us) and we shall be saved. Thirdly, the face of God in Scripture is put for any manifestations of God to man. God manifesteth himself in wrath to some men, (Psal. 34.16.) The face of the Lord is against them that do evil; 1That is, he is angry and greatly displeased with them. He manifesteth himself in love to others, and all such are said either (as in the Text) to see his face, or (as other Texts express it) to have his face shining upon them. God is a spirit, he hath no face properly; but as the face of a man is that, by which he is known (if a man hide his face we know not who he is, though we see all the other parts of his body, he is a concealed man) so that whatsoever it is, by which God is clearly known, that in Scripture language is called his face. And hence Thirdly, the worship and holy ordinances of God, are called the face of God (Gen. 4.14.) because they are great manifestations of God, or because God is manifested in his Ordinances, in his word and worship, who and what he is, After a sick man, through the help of God, is recovered; he goes into the congregation to give thanks; and then he may be said to see the face of God, because there be exhibits the signs of his presence, & doth as it were show his face. There as in a glass we behold the face of God, that is, the discoveries of his holiness, of his love & goodness; The face of God is seen in his works, as the Apostle teacheth us, (Rom. 1.20.) The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead: much more in his word and Ordinances, and above all in Jesus Christ is God seen and manifested. Jesus Christ is the face of God, the brightness of his glory, the express image of his person, (Heb. 1.3.) The light of the knowledge of the glory of God shineth to us in the face of Christ. Thus the face of God is beheld in ⟨p. 432⟩the face of Christ. There we may see how holy, how just, how good, and merciful God is;
To the former query, I answer; First, the face of God is the essentiall being or perfect Majesty of God, of which himself saith to Moses. (Exod. 33.23.) My face shall not be seen. Secondly, the good will and favour of God is his face (Ps. 80.3.) Cause thy face to shine, (that is, be good to us) and we shall be saved. Thirdly, the face of God in Scripture is put for any manifestations of God to man. God manifesteth himself in wrath to some men, (Psal. 34.16.) The face of the Lord is against them that doe evill; 1That is, he is angry and greatly displeased with them. He manifesteth himself in love to others, and all such are said either (as in the Text) to see his face, or (as other Texts express it) to have his face shining upon them. God is a spirit, he hath no face properly; but as the face of a man is that, by which he is knowne (if a man hide his face we know not who he is, though we see all the other parts of his body, he is a concealed man) so that whatsoever it is, by which God is clearly knowne, that in Scripture language is called his face. And hence Thirdly, the worship and holy ordinances of God, are called the face of God (Gen. 4.14.) because they are great manifestations of God, or because God is manifested in his Ordinances, in his word and worship, who and what he is, After a sick man, through the help of God, is recovered; he goes into the congregation to give thanks; and then he may be said to see the face of God, because there be exhibits the signs of his presence, & doth as it were shew his face. There as in a glass we behold the face of God, that is, the discoveries of his holiness, of his love & goodness; The face of God is seen in his works, as the Apostle teac•eth us, (Rom. 1.20.) The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternall power and godhead: much more in his word and Ordinances, and above all in Jesus Christ is God seen and manifested. Jesus Christ is the face of God, the brightnesse of his glory, the expresse image of his person, (Heb. 1.3.) The light of the knowledge of the glory of God shineth to us in the face of Christ. Thus the face of God is beheld in ⟨p. 432⟩
- 1Facies dei iram, quandoque favorem notat. Drus:
