He can discover himself so to us, as that his presence shall be better to us then life, better to us then ten thousand of these lower worlds, or as the heaven of this lower world, yea as the only felicity of that heaven which is above. What is heaven, but this presence of God. Thou wilt show me the path of life; In thy presence is fullness of Joy (Psal. 16.11.) Thus God can make himself known with a delightful presence, yet he can make himself known, and often doth, even to his own, with a dreadful and an amazing presence. God in whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning, can vary the demonstrations of himself to us, as much as light varieth from darkness, or life from the shadow of death. God hath a light side, and a dark side as to manifestation, though in himself he is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. Sometimes his presence is sweetness and joy, even joy unspeakable and glorious; at other times, his presence is bitterness and sorrow, even sorrow unspeakably grievous. There is nothing ⟨p. 453⟩so dreadful to wicked men at any time as the presence of God. As it hath been their wretched care to hide their sins from God as much as they could, so they would count it their happiness to have their persons hid for ever from the presence of God. That which is both the sin and trouble of the wicked at all times, is the trouble, if not the sin of some godly men at sometimes, namely, the presence of God, not in it self, but with respect to the manner of his manifesting himself to them, and dealing with them. As will appear further in the next clause of this verse. I am troubled at his presence, When I consider I am afraid.
He can discover himselfe so to us, as that his presence shall be better to us then life, better to us then ten thousand of these lower worlds, or as the heaven of this lower world, yea as the onely felicity of that heaven which is above. What is heaven, but this presence of God. Thou wilt shew me the path of life; In thy presence is fullnes of Joy (Psal. 16.11.) Thus God can make himselfe knowne with a delightfull presence, yet he can make himselfe knowne, and often doth, even to his owne, with a dreadfull and an amazing presence. God in whom there is no variablenes, nor shadow of turning, can vary the demonstrations of himselfe to us, as much as light varieth from darknesse, or life from the shadow of death. God hath a light side, and a darke side as to manifestation, though in himselfe he is light, and in him there is no darknes at all. Sometimes his presence is sweetnes and joy, even joy unspeakeable and glorious; at other times, his presence is bitternes and sorrow, even sorrow unspeakeably grievous. There is nothing ⟨p. 453⟩so dreadfull to wicked men at any time as the presence of God. As it hath been their wretched care to hide their sins from God as much as they could, so they would count it their happines to have their persons hid for ever from the presence of God. That which is both the sin and trouble of the wicked at all times, is the trouble, if not the sin of some godly men at sometimes, namely, the presence of God, not in it selfe, but with respect to the manner of his manifesting himselfe to them, and dealing with them. As will appeare further in the next clause of this verse. I am troubled at his presence, When I consider I am afraid.