As the face of a man standing by the waters is visible not only to himself, but to others, by the shadow or image of it in the waters so the heart of a man is in some measure discernible, not only to himself, but to others also, who observe his disposition and carriage. As a man may see his own face if he look into the water, which is nature’s looking-glass, or into any other looking glass so a man may discern his own heart, if he look into those glasses whereby it discovers itself if he examine his thoughts and inclinations, together with the general course of his actions. As the image of a man’s face in the water answers to his natural face who looks into it or, as in water one man’s face is like another’s, the difference of men’s faces being not there visible: so one man resembles another, either in the temper of his mind or body, in which many men are alike one to another or in the corruption of his nature, in which all are alike. Matthew Poole's Commentary The sense is either,ġ. Grey thinks the verse should be rendered, “As the water showeth the face to the face, so doth the heart the man to the man.” In which sense Castalio seems to have understood it, paraphrasing it thus: “As a man may know what kind of a face he hath if he will look into the water, so he may know what kind of a man he is if he will examine his conscience.” Another interpretation, adopted by some, is, “A man may see himself, while he looks upon other men, as well as know other men, by considering himself, and that as certainly as he can see his own face in the water, or in any other mirror ” there being little or no difference between one man and another by nature, but the difference being made by the grace of God. As in water face answereth to face - As the image of a man’s face in the water answers to his natural face who looks into it or, as in water one man’s face is like another’s, the difference of men’s faces being not there visible so one man resembles another not only in the regard of the corruption of nature, which is alike in all men, but also with respect to the tempers and dispositions of their minds, wherein likewise they frequently agree.

Face reflection in water