doubt ; for our blessed Lord himself said to the Jews, " Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day ; he saw it and was gladg." What can be the meaning of this? can it mean only that he foresaw that this progeny could continue so many hun- dred years ? In truth, he had no reason to rejoice, if that were all ; for the terrible destruction that was speedily to terminate their political existence, had far more in it to make him weep, than the prolongation of it to that period had to make him rejoice. There can be no doubt but that by " the day of Christ" is meant, the whole scheme of Christianity as pro- mulged by the great Founder of it, together with its establish- ment throughout the world by the ministry of his apostles. In this he might well rejoice, because he himself was to be saved by what Christ should do and suffer ; and myriads even to the remotest corners of the earth should be made partakers of the same salvation. That his faith thus terminated on the Lord Jesus, seems intimated even in the very words of our text : for when the promise was given him, it is not said merely that he believed the Lord, but that " he believed in the Lord." We do not indeed mean to lay any great stress on this ; because we are aware that to believe, and to believe in, may be con- sidered as synonymous expressions : but, as agreeing with the universal testimony of Christ and his apostles, it ought not to be overlooked. The faith of our father Abraham is constantly said to be the same with oursh: but if his had not respect to Christ, it is essentially different from ours : if it related only to the power of God, it agreed as much with the faith of those who crucified the Lord Jesus, as of those who trusted in him for salvation ; and therefore we are sure that, like the faith of all his believing children, his faith terminated upon Christ.]
It is this view alone of Abram's faith that can ac- count for,
II. The benefit he obtained —
Every exercise of faith on God's word insures the accomplishment of that word to the believing soul : " God cannot deny himself." But as the faith of Abram respected in this instance the whole of God's promises relating to the work of redemption, it brought not merely one single benefit, but all the blessings of redemption into his soul : " it was counted to him for righteousness." This expression is the founda- tion of much and important reasoning in the New
« John viii. 56. " Rom. iv. 12, 16.