A35535:3013
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and the thirty fourth chapters of the book of Job being the substance of forty-nine lectures / delivered at Magnus near the Bridge, London, by Joseph Caryl ...An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and the thirty fourth chapters of the booke of Job being the substance of forty-nine lectures / delivered at Magnus neare the Bridge, London, by Joseph Caryl ...
London: printed by M. Simmons, 1661
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The face of God as taken for his essential being, cannot at all be seen, nor can we at all behold him; There shall no man (saith ⟨p. 729⟩the Lord, Exod. 33.20.) see my face, and live; But, as the face of God is taken for any manifestation of his being, whether in wrath or in love, in judgement or in mercy, so it may be seen: Now when God hideth his face, that is, his favour, and will not give out any pleasing manifestations of himself, who can behold him? that is, who can behold him with comfort? who can stand before an angry God? or abide his presence? As the gracious presence of God is the sweetest, so the wrathful presence of God is the most bitter thing in the world. When he hideth his face, who can behold him?
The face of God as taken for his essential being, cannot at all be seen, nor can we at all behold him; There shall no man (saith ⟨p. 729⟩the Lord, Exod. 33.20.) see my face, and live; But, as the face of God is taken for any manifestation of his being, whether in wrath or in love, in judgement or in mercy, so it may be seen: Now when God hideth his face, that is, his favour, and will not give out any pleasing manifestations of himselfe, who can behold him? that is, who can behold him with comfort? who can stand before an angry God? or abide his presence? As the gracious presence of God is the sweetest, so the wrathfull presence of God is the most bitter thing in the world. When he hideth his face, who can behold him?
Some expound thus; if God will not show his face, if he is not pleased to reveal himself, no man can know, or see any thing of him; that's a truth. We can know no more of God, then himself will reveal of himself to us; 'tis in his light (Psal: 36.9.) that is, in the light which he causeth to shine from himself, that we see light, or what and who himself is, who is light, and in whom there is no darkness at all. If God will hide his power, or his wisdom, or his truth, or his mercy from us, who can see any thing of them? though all these perfections be always more glorious in him then the beams of the Sun, yet unless God show them us, we cannot perceive them. We see the light of God in Gods light; if God hath a mind to conceal himself, or draweth (as it were) a curtain between the creature and himself, who can behold him? we cannot by any study, or skill, or art, or endeavour of ours come to any sight or knowledge of God, further then himself makes himself known. This exposition is both true and useful; yet I conceive, when Elihu saith, Who then can behold him? his meaning rather points at these two things.