These two points which we have noticed in the text, as distinguishing the character of the Saviour, are united by the prophet ; who represents the Father as addressing his Son in these memorable terms: " It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel ; I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou may est be my salvation unto the ends of the earth**."]
That these views are not merely of a speculative nature, will be evident, whilst we notice, II. The blessed effects of them upon a dying hour —
That the aged saint was in a measure affected, as Jacob was at the sight of his beloved Joseph6, we may very well concede : but still there was a difference between the two cases, corresponding with the differ- ence between the objects seen : the one was affected as a parent, at the sight of a long-lamented son ; the other, as a believer, at the sight of him on whom all his hopes, and the hopes of a ruined world, were built. The fact is, that a sight of Christ in his true character has now, and at all times, the very same effect. The mere circumstance of beholding his bodily presence, or of taking him up into one's arms, would never reconcile one to the thoughts of death : but the beholding of him as the Author and Procurer of sal- vation, (as we may do by faith,) will universally,
1 . Divest death of its terrors — [That which makes death terrible, is sin. We know in our minds that sin is hateful unto God, and that he has denounced his heavy judgments against it: and consequently whilst that continues unrepented of, we cannot but feel a secret dread of God's tribunal, and of the sentence that shall be passed upon us. But, if we have " by faith seen him, who is invisible," if we have embraced in our hearts the Lord Jesus, and relied upon him as the appointed Saviour of the world, what have we to fear ? " Our iniquity is forgiven, and our sin is covered :" by " believing in Jesus, we are justified from all things ;" even " sins of a crimson dye are made white as snow." The sting of death therefore is drawn ; and we may adopt the language of the Apostle, " The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law : but thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christf!"
* Isai. xlix. 6. e Gen. xlvi. 30. f 1 Cor. xv. 56, 57.