My heart says of you, Seek his face! It is indeed true that we are far from God so long as we abide in this world, because faith is far removed from sight; but it is equally true, that we now see God as in a mirror, and darkly (1 Cor. 13:12), until he shall openly show himself to us at the last day. Under this word face, are represented to us those helps by which God raises us to his presence, descending from his inconceivable glory to us, and furnishing us on earth with vision of his heavenly glory. But as it is according to his own sovereign pleasure that God vouchsafes us to look upon him, (as he does in Word and sacraments,) it becomes us steadily to fix our eyes on this view, that it may not be with us as with the Papists, who, by means of the wildest inventions, wickedly transform God into whatever shapes please their fancy, or their brains have conceived.
Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. Whatever benevolence, love, zeal, attention, or service, might be found among men, they are far inferior to the paternal mercy with which God encircles his people. The highest degree of love among men, it is true, is to be found in parents who love their children as their own bowels. But God advances us higher, declaring, by the prophet Isaiah, that although a mother may forget the child of her womb, he would always be mindful of us (Isa. 49:15). In this degree does David place him, so that he who is the source of all goodness far surpasses all mortals, who are naturally malevolent and niggardly. It is, however, an imperfect mode of speech, like that in Isaiah 63:16, Doubtless, you are our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not.
The sum of the whole is this: However inclined by nature earthly parents are to help their children, nay, though they should endeavour to cherish them with the greatest ardour of affection, yet should affection be wholly extinguished in the earth, God would fulfil the duty of both father and mother to his people. From which it follows, that we basely undervalue the grace of God, if our faith rise not above all the affections of nature; for sooner shall the laws of nature be overturned a hundred times, than God shall fail his people.
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