We may infer as a further improvement of natural things, to those which are spiri ual, That the light of God's face, or countenance, that is, the light of his favour, shines ever towards his faithful servants, though it be not always seen, Clouds coming between may shadow them from that blessed Light (Psal. 97.2.) Clouds and darkness are round about him, that is, his dispensations a•e da•k and cloudy; yet, as then, Righteousness and Judgement are the habitation of his Throne, that is, as then he doth right to all sorts of men, so, then also Mercies and Loving-kindness stand ⟨p. 598⟩round about his Throne, or, as the Apostle expresseth it (Heb. 4.16.) his Throne is then, A Throne of Grace, that is, he hath Grace or Favour in his heart, to bestow upon all his People, who come to him, not with a presuming, but a believing boldness. Our sins and transgressions are called, a Cloud, a thick Cloud (Isa. 44.22.) I have blotted out as a thick Cloud thy transgressions, and as a Cloud thy sins. Sins are Clouds, and those Clouds often hinder us from seeing the bright light of the face of God shining upon us; and as our sins usually hinder us from seeing that bright light which is in the face of God, so God sometimes, to try the graces, the faith, the patience of his people, or to see what they will do, how they will behave themselves in a dark and deserted state (God I say, sometimes for these and such like ends) with-draws himself, and will not suffer them to see the bright light of his pleased face. As the light of the things of this world, so of that other and better world, is often hid, or the comfort of them is concealed from us. Light is sown for the Righteous; it doth not always spring up and appear to the righteous. Luther chiefly insists upon this mystical interpretation or application of the text, giving it out by way of similitude; As (saith he) the light of the Sun is many times covered with a Cloud, and sometimes hindered by Eclipses, so the light of comfort, or peace and joy in this world, is hidden from the eyes of the people of God; yet by and by he sends a comfortable and powerful gale, to blow away or disperse those Clouds, and then the light of his countenance & favour shines freely upon them again.
We may infer as a further improvement of natural things, to those which are spiri ual, That the light of God's face, or countenance, that is, the light of his favour, shines ever towards his faithful servants, though it be not alwayes seen, Clouds coming between may shadow them from that blessed Light (Psal. 97.2.) Clouds and darkness are round about him, that is, his dispensations a•e da•k and cloudy; yet, as then, Righteousness and Judgement are the habitation of his Throne, that is, as then he doth right to all sorts of men, so, then also Mercies and Loving-kindnesse stand ⟨p. 598⟩round about his Throne, or, as the Apostle expresseth it (Heb. 4.16.) his Throne is then, A Throne of Grace, that is, he hath Grace or Favour in his heart, to bestow upon all his People, who come to him, not with a presuming, but a believing boldness. Our sins and transgressions are called, a Cloud, a thick Cloud (Isa. 44.22.) I have blotted out as a thick Cloud thy transgressions, and as a Cloud thy sins. Sins are Clouds, and those Clouds often hinder us from seeing the bright light of the face of God shining upon us; and as our sins usually hinder us from seeing that bright light which is in the face of God, so God sometimes, to try the graces, the faith, the patience of his people, or to see what they will do, how they will behave themselves in a dark and deserted state (God I say, sometimes for these and such like ends) with-draws himself, and will not suffer them to see the bright light of his pleased face. As the light of the things of this world, so of that other and better world, is often hid, or the comfort of them is concealed from us. Light is sown for the Righteous; it doth not always spring up and appear to the righteous. Luther chiefly insists upon this mystical interpretation or application of the text, giving it out by way of similitude; As (saith he) the light of the Sun is many times covered with a Cloud, and sometimes hindred by Eclipses, so the light of comfort, or peace and joy in this world, is hidden from the eyes of the people of God; yet by and by he sends a comfortable and powerful gale, to blow away or disperse those Clouds, and then the light of his countenance & favour shines freely upon them again.
