23. Faith compared to sight in four particulars

Faith compared to sight in four particulars

[1.] We see God in his creatures, for ’the heavens declare the glory of God.’ They are a book in folio (g). There God is laid open in his creatures. That is a goodly sight. But what is this to the knowledge of him in his will to us, what he means to us? The creatures discover not what he means to us.

[2.] Besides therefore the sight of God in the creatures, there is a sight of God in his will, in his word and promises. There we see what he is. His grace is revealed in Christ, and what his good will to us is, and his will from us, what he will do to us, and what he will have from us again. There we see him as a spouse sees her husband in a loving letter which concerns herself. We see him as the heir sees a deed made to him with an inheritance. He sees with application. It is not a bare sight, but a sight with feeling and discovery of a favour. So the sight in the word and sacraments, it is a higher sight.

[3.] There was a sight of Christ when he was in the flesh. When he was covered with the veil of our flesh upon earth, it was a sweet sight. Abraham desired to see it, John 8:56, and Simeon, when he saw it, was willing to be dissolved and to depart, Luke 2:29. He had enough. But that outward sight is nothing without another inward sight of faith.

[4.] There is a sight therefore of faith, and other sights are to no purpose if they be without this, a sight of God shining in Christ. And this is perfected in heaven, in the sight of glory, when we see him as he is. Now there is a comfort in all these sights, to see him in his word and works. It was a glorious thing to see him in his bodily presence; and by faith to see God in Christ, to see his face in Christ. Oh it is a sweet and lovely sight to see God shining in Christ! Oh but what is all this to the sight of him after in glory! Now this beholding meant here especially, is the beholding of faith, in the ordinances, in the word and sacraments. ’We all behold,’ as in the glass of the word and sacraments, by the eye of faith. Faith is expressed by beholding, by knowledge; for indeed faith is nothing but knowledge with application. Therefore faith includes knowledge. What is faith, but to know God and Christ, and the promises as mine? Christ in the sacrament as mine, as verily as the outward things are mine: Knowledge with application is faith. Therefore, when I say faith, I include knowledge, ’We behold.’ The knowledge of the mind is compared to the eye of the body. Knowledge and faith is compared to seeing and beholding, for many reasons.

First, Because sight is the most glorious and noble sense. It is the highest in situation, and the quickest in apprehension, for in a moment, presently sight apprehends its object in the highest heavens. So it is with faith. It is the most noble sight of all, and it is quick as sight is; for faith is that eagle in the cloud. It breaks through all, and sees in a moment Christ in heaven: it looks backward, and sees Christ upon the cross; it looks forward, and seeth Christ to come in glory. Faith is so quick a grace, that it presents things past, things above, things to come, and all in a moment, so quick is this eagle-eye of faith.

Second, Again, it is the largest sense; for we can see almost the whole hemisphere at one view. That a little thing in the eye should apprehend so much in a moment, as it is quick in apprehension, so it is large in comprehension.

Third, Again, it is the most sure sense—sight more than hearing; therefore that divine act of knowledge is compared to seeing; believing is compared to beholding. When faith looks upon God in the glass of the word and promises, it is as certain as the object is certain. Now, how certain is the object? The mercy and love of God in Christ, who is truth itself, is most certain.

Fourth, Then it is that sense that works most upon the soul, sight; for what the body seeth, the soul is affected and moved with. The affections of desire and love rise out of sight. It works upon the affections most. Therefore the knowledge that stirs up the affections, and works upon the heart, is compared to sight. It affects us marvellously, for, answerable to our faith, we love, and joy, and delight. It alters the frame of the whole man. Therefore it is expressed here by beholding. Divine, spiritual knowledge, it works upon the heart. So we see why this beholding spirituall[y] of the understanding and soul, is compared to outward sight. It is called beholding, because it is a most noble spiritual act of the soul; and it is most certain and sure. ’Faith is the evidence of things not seen,’ Hebrews 11:1; and it works upon the heart and soul.

Use. Therefore, we should labour to clear this eye of the soul, that we may behold the glory of God in the glass of the gospel.

Quest. How shall we have the eye of our souls fit to behold the glory of God?

Ans. 1. We must fix the eye of the soul; fix our meditation upon the glory of God and the excellency of Christ. A moving, rolling eye seeth nothing. Therefore we must set some time apart, to fix our meditations upon these excellent things in the gospel.

Ans. 2. Then again, we must labour to have the hindrances removed, both within and without.

(1.) Sight within is hindered by some inward suffusion. We must labour that the soul be cleansed and purged from all carnal passions and desires and base humours, that we may clearly behold this spiritual object. Unless the soul be spiritual, it can never behold spiritual things. The bodily eye cannot apprehend rational things, nor the rational eye behold not spiritual things. Therefore there must be a spiritual eye. The soul must be purged and sanctified by the Spirit. There must be some proportion between the soul and spiritual things, before the soul can behold them. Therefore, as the soul must be fixed upon this meditation, so the Spirit of God must sanctify and purge the soul.