[The wonderful minuteness of prophecy, surveyed as it must be in the accomplishment of the predictions, affords the strongest ground for our faith and hope. St. Peter laid great stress upon it in his addresses to the Jewish people, and urged the consideration of it as an encouragement to them to expect from Christ all the blessings of grace and glory k. To you then would we make our appeal : in whom were these things ever verified, if not in Christ? or what room is there for doubt respecting his Messiahship, when he has fulfilled every thing which the Messiah was either to do or suffer? I may add too, what doubt can exist respecting the accomplishment of all the promises to those who truly believe in him ? Let us view him thus as " the Foundation which God has laid in Zion;" and let us expect from him whatever his grace has promised, and our necessities require.]
2. For the regulation of our conduct —
[We have seen the Saviour's example both in life and death : and in conformity to that we should desire both to live and die. Let us not be anxious to depart from life, till we have
completed the work which God has given us to do On
the other hand, let us not be afraid of death, but regard it as a departure to our Father's house. The words of David seem to have been referred to by our Lord on this occasion, and they are admirably suited to the case of a dying believer1: and to one who can use them in faith, death is nothing more than falling asleep in the bosom of our Lordm ]
k Acts iii. 18, 19. > Ps. xxxi. 5. m Acts vii. 59, 00.