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Ver. 6.-There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, the light of thy countenance is sealed upon us.

This verse is with us divided: the former part of it being joined to the former verse, and the latter part to the latter verse. The Hebrew, according to the translation of Hieronimus, is thus, "There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us." But I think the verse should be rendered and punctuated thus, "There be many that say, Who will show unto us any good sign upon us? Lord, the light of thy countenance.'

David, however, turns his words unto God, in a way of complaint, (but with admirable reverence and modesty,) lamenting on account of the unbelieving, and those that will not be persuaded: such as were the stiffnecked Jews more especially, because they could not believe those who rightly advised them, unless, as Christ says, they should see signs and wonders. Thus the apostle saith, 1 Cor. i. 22,"For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom." Hence it comes to pass, that they are always offended at the Word of the cross and the doctrine of faith. And this is what David here says: that when he had advised them to cast away all their own righteousness, and to hope in God, and expect all good from him, he offended those who would not believe him, and who would not be prevailed upon to hope, unless they saw some good sign, by which they may be assured concerning the future good which they were commanded to hope for. "Who (say they) will show us any good sign upon us." Who will assure us that these good things will come unto us? By what sign is it manifest that we shall receive those things? As if they had said, All things appear quite the contrary: and the worst signs of things seem to be upon us on all sides. Men of this kind are every where numerous, who tempt the Lord with this unbelief, like the children of Israel in the wilderness.

And from this same source you may trace a whole

sea of superstitions and of the most foolish desires even among Christians, if the wind does not blow just so as to please them, if their crops seem to be in danger, even if their leg pains them, or if they are visited, or fear they shall be visited, with any temporal inconvenience or loss. For in all these cases, how anxious are we to know, by means of some good sign, that these things will not come upon us, or, that we shall be delivered from them if they should come. We run here and there to magicians, to diviners, yea, to devils also: and the devices and ways are innumerable, by which we endeavour to avoid this one thing,-hoping in God: or at least, that we might not be compelled to hope in him without some good and certain sign.-The miser hopes in God, but it is only whilst his purse keeps filling, and his barn continues to be stored with corn: the strong man hopes in him also, but it is only as long as his strength is sound: the powerful and ambitious man hopes in him, but it is only as long as the authority of his name and his power prevail: because, by these good signs, they seem to themselves to be sure that they have God propitious unto them: but if any one of these things should fail, their hope fails with it, unless some other or greater sign show itself forth to their support.

And so it is also in spiritual things, in the remission of sins, and the peace of the conscience: wherein, not a few prepare to themselves a security, not by faith, nor by hope, but by a confidence in their own works, or by what others think of them. And indeed, in every temptation, these seek to themselves a good sign as a something whereon to rest their hope; without which, they will not hope at all; and therefore, they do not hope in God, because they do not hope purely; for, "hope that seen, is not hope," Rom. viii. 24.

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The Psalmist might have spoken of all these, mentioning them by their names; such as tempters of God, unbelieving, sons of distrust, infidels, and stiff-necked rebels. But, not mentioning their names, he sets forth their work only, and that in the most simple and modest

words, "There be many, (saith he,) that say, Who will show us any good;" leaving the judgment on their work unto God, and to those with whom it ought to be left because, with a godly affection, he rather pities them, and grieves for their state, than bitterly accuses them.

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Hence, David condemns the error of such; and shows that there is not that good sign upon us to be looked for which they seek after; and that God is not propitious unto those on whom he abundantly bestows such things. Nay, because such things are the worst and most fallacious signs, he brings forward a much better and more sure sign: namely this, "The light of thy countenance, O Lord." As if he had said, To know no sign, but to rest in God by faith and hope only, is the best sign. For whosoever trusteth in him shall not be confounded as it is said Daniel iii. (Three Children, chap. i. 17, Apocrypha.) They are fully satisfied concerning all good things, who, without any sign whatever, firmly believe in God: without which faith, no works, no signs, no miracles, can make a man certain.

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And, faith is most rightly called the light of God's countenance,' because it is the illumination of our mind inspired from on high, and a certain ray of the divinity conveyed into our heart; by which, every one is saved and directed, who is saved. As it is described Psalm xxxii. 8, "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. And Psalm xliv. 3, "For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance." And again, Psalm lxxxix. 15, They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. And hence it is that David exults, Psalm xxvii. 1, "The Lord is my light and my salvation."

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This was prefigured in the "pillar of fire," and in the "cloud," by which the children of Israel were ruled and led through the desert. For, just in the same way, it is by faith alone that we are led through ways that we know not, and in paths wherein there is no help

of man to be found; that is, through sufferings and tribulations. And as, in the former case, the pillar of fire was with them, and went before their face: so here, faith has God present. So that the illumination of the heart proceeds, as it were, from the countenance of the present God: and hence, it is most rightly and properly called, the light of the countenance of God: (that is, an acknowledgment of, and confidence in, a present God.) For he that does not know, and does not feel, that God is present with him, does not yet believe, and has not yet the light of God's countenance.

It matters not, therefore, whether the light of the countenance of God be understood actively, as that by which, being present with us, he illuminates us, by lighting up faith in us: or passively, as signifying the light of the faith itself, by which we believe with confidence, and feel his countenance and presence. For, in the Holy Scriptures, face, or countenance, signifies presence; as is well known. And therefore, an illuminating God, and an illuminated heart, are one and the same thing as are also, God seen by us, and God present. This is the meaning of the name Israel, by which Jacob was called when he had seen the Lord face to face. For by his face he saw the face of God: that is, God was made present with him by faith, being, as it were, brought before his face: and he, on the other hand, beheld God present with him, and ready to help him, and, as it were, brought before his face. And hence it is also that Israel is said to be "led" of God: that is, he was one that was ruled of God alone, or led by him in a right way. And this is done by means of faith: and therefore, Israel is the same as faithful, or believer: except that, Israel sets forth the power and measure of faith with wonderful propriety. Therefore, "Blessed is the man (as David saith, Psalm xciv. 12,) whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law." For by Jeremiah xviii. 17, he threatens the Jews' that he will show them the back and not the face:" that is, that he will leave them in unbelief and ignorance of God.

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We see, therefore, what a good sign upon us is: or, we see who will show us good: namely, faith. Faith, I say, because it is the light which shows us the presence and the countenance itself of God: that is, it shows us all good, even God himself, while it brings him before our face, and works in us a confidence in him. Thus no man can of himself teach another these things.

And now it will be easy to make the other interpretations harmonize with this.

The common reading is very near to this sense,"O Lord, the light of thy countenance is sealed upon us." The characters of whom we first spoke seek after a God that will show them some good: desiring rather to see those things visibly before them, than to believe that they shall have them. But, the believing characters of whom I spoke last, do not desire that this sign should be shown them, but glory, that the light of the countenance of God (that is, the knowledge of, and confidence in, a present God, as I before said,) is sealed and impressed upon them; as we may plainly understand from the words of the verse.

And with respect to the rendering of Hieronimus, "There be many that say, Who will show us any good : Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us:" this is the same sense, only given in the form of a petition. For God does lift up the light of his countenance upon us, when he lifts us up by that light. For faith is a light above all our faculties and powers. And hence, this lifting up, is nothing else than pouring out upon us that light of faith, which is in itself most high, whereby we are lifted up. And hence also it may be said to be 'fixed' or "sealed:" because it is enclosed and incomprehensible to us, and yet comprehending us and leading us captive into an obedience unto it.

Hence it is certain, that this verse cannot be understood concerning natural reason as being the great director; according to the opinion of many, who say, 'that the first principles of morals spring from themselves; for all such things are speculative and false. Faith is the first principle of all good works and this is so

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