A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
Ver. 16. A little while, and ye shall not see me] This "little" seemed a long while to them, so that they began to doubt (though it were but the third day after his death) whether or not it were he that should redeem Israel,Luke 24:21. (Dubito, a duo et ito, Becman. Sic Διστασις .) God's help seems long, because we are short. A short walk is a long journey to feeble knees. It is but for a moment in his anger that God hides his face from his, though it should be during life; he hath an eternity of time to reveal his kindness in. And to say that God hath cast you off, because he hath hid his face from you, Isaiah 54:7,8, is (saith Mr T. Goodwin) a fallacy fetched out of the devil's topics. When the sun is eclipsed, foolish people think it will never recover light, but wise men know it will; and at such a time, though the earth lack the light of the sun, yet not the influence thereof; so neither are the saints at any time without the power, heat, and vigorous influence of God's grace, when the light and comfort of it is confined.