Whom having not seen, ye love
That is, Jesus Christ, whom they had never seen with their bodily
eyes, being Jews, who dwelt not in Judea, when Christ was upon
earth, but were scattered about in several parts of the Gentile
world; and yet Christ being made known to them, through the
preaching of the Gospel, they received and embraced him, and
their affections were strongly set upon him: they loved him
because of his excellencies and perfections, because of the
loveliness of his person, and because he first loved them; they
loved him because of the fulness of grace that was in him,
because of what he had done for them, and was unto them, and
because of the offices he sustained on their account, and the
relations he stood in to them; they loved him above all creatures
and things, and all of him, and that belong unto him, his people,
truths, ordinances, ways, and worship; they loved him with all
their hearts, and in the sincerity of their souls, though they
had never seen his face in the flesh; whereas sight often begets
and increases love: their love was not carnal, but spiritual; it
was a fruit of the Spirit of God in their souls; was accompanied
with faith in Christ, and proceeded upon the report the Gospel
made of him:
in whom, though now ye see him not, yet
believing;
the Arabic version adds, "in him": that is, in Christ, who was
then received up into heaven, and must be retained there until
the time of the restitution of all things; and therefore not now
to be beheld with corporeal sight: and yet these regenerate ones,
and lovers of Christ, believed in him; see ( John 20:29 ) not with a
notional, historical, and temporary faith, believing not merely
what he said, or did, or does, or will do; but looking on him,
and to him, for life and salvation; going out of themselves to
him, embracing of him, leaning upon him as their Saviour and
Redeemer; venturing their souls upon him, committing their all
unto him, expecting all from him, both grace and glory: and so
rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;
with a joy in believing on him, which is better experienced than
expressed; a joy that not only strangers intermeddle not with,
know nothing of, which entirely passes their understanding, but
is such as saints themselves cannot speak out, or give a full and
distinct account of; they want words to express it, and convey
proper ideas of it to others: and it is a joy that is glorious;
there is a rejoicing that is evil and scandalous; but this is
honourable, and of which none need be ashamed; it is solid and
substantial, and the matter of it always abiding, when the joy of
the hypocrite is but for a moment; it is a joy on account of the
glory of God, which the believer lives in the hope and faith of;
and it is a beginning, a presage and pledge of it; it is a glory
begun here; it is the firstfruits, and a part also of it; and by
it saints may know a little what heaven itself will be.