II. Come we now to the strength of his faith ; that is seen in two things — (1.) His clear vision ; (2.) His deep affection.
1. His clear vision and sight of Christ : ' He saw my day.' The eagle eye of faith will see afar off and through many impediments, and draw comfort not only from what is present, visible, and sensible, but from what is distant and future, and but obscurely revealed. The sight of faith may be illustrated by bodily sight.
Three things argue the strength of bodily sight —
[1.] When the things are afar off that we see ; for a weak eye cannot see afar off.
[2.] When there are clouds between, though the things be clear ; to pierce through these clouds argueth the sight is strong.
[3.] When there is but a little light to see by. To see a thing at a distance, either in the morning or evening twilight, argueth a strong sight. All these concur here.
[1,] The things to be seen were at a great distance, not to be accomplished in their time, nor a long time after. Thousands of years and many successions of ages intervened ere the Messiah was exhibited to the world, and came in the flesh to erect his gospel kingdom ; yet they went to the grave in assurance of this promise, that in due time the redemption of sinful man should be accomplished. Well, then, we see the nature of faith, that it can look upon things absent and future as sure and near ; and without it man looketh no farther than present probabilities : 2 Peter i. 9, ' But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off,' TV(j)X6'i koX ^ivunrd^wv. A purblind man cannot see things at a distance from him ; but faith surmounts all successions of ages, and can fly over many thousands of years in a moment to the object expected ; as the apostle John : Kev. xx. 12, ' I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God.' He saw it in the
SERMON UPON JOHN VIII. 26. 171
light of prophecy ; but tlie light of faith and prophecy differ little. They agree in the general ground, viz., divine revelation; they differ only as the general revelation is the ground of faith ; a particular revelation is the ground of prophecy. They agree in the manner of perception, by divine illumination ; the Spirit enlighteneth believers, and the Spirit enlightened the prophets, for they were moved by the Holy Ghost. But only believers by that general way of illumination which is common to all the saints ; the special illumination is peculiar to prophets. They agree in the object, things absent and future and at great distance ; here there is no difference. They agree in the cer- tainty of apprehension; only by prophecy they may define particular events ; by the other, the accomplishment of general promises. They agree as to the affections of the heart, but they differ in the degree ; the one hath more esctatic motions, the other is a more temperate confidence. So that you see by this comparison a strong faith can see things at a distance, and we are affected with them in some manner as if they were present.
[2.] When clouds come between faith and the object to be seen. When the promise was given to Abraham, he was childless, and so re- mained a long time. In the course of nature his own body and Sarah's womb were dead ; and after he had a son, God commands him to slay him and offer him in sacrifice ; a command not only against his natural affection, but hope. And then afterwards his seed was few in number for a long time, and when they did multiply they were oppressed, which was revealed to Abraham. Now, to strive against all these difficulties was ' to believe in hope against hope,' Kom. iv, 18. But this I must reserve to the next time. However it is said of Abraham, ' He saw my day ; ' he rested in the truth and power of God, and by it resolved all difficulties. To see through such natural impossibilities argueth a strong sight of faith.
[3.] For their light to go by, it was but a little; the revelation was but obscure; the patriarchs had only that promise, Gen. iii. 15, 'And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed ; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel' Abraham's was a little clearer ; all that he had was but this, ' In thy seed all nations shall be blessed.' Yet this was but a small glimmer- ing light in comparison of what we enjoy, far short in clearness and plainness of the many precious gospel promises which are made to us. The daylight is not only broken out, but it draweth nigh to high noon. Though they saw not Christ so nearly and clearly revealed as we do, yet they could do more mighty things with their faith than we can do with ours, and did more excel both in comfort and holiness.
You will say. What is this clear vision of Christ to us ? How shall we judge of the strength or weakness of our faith by this ?