Be persuaded to prepare for it, that, instead of dreading, you may welcome its arrival.] We turn with pleasure from this awful subject to contemplate the latter part of the text, wherein we have II. A promise to the righteous Whatever distant reference there may be in these words to the deliverance of the Christians from Jerusalem, when, according to our Lord's instructions, they took advantage of the retreat of the Roman army, to flee out of it to Pella, we must certainly look for the accomplishment of the promise principally in the spiritual blessings conveyed by the Messiah. The Christian character is briefly delineated in contrast with God's enemies [The fear of God is often represented as comprising the whole of religion: and indeed, wherever that obtains, pride will be humbled, wickedness banished, and every holy affection cultivated to the utmost. Let those who have reason to think themselves under its genuine influence, listen with gratitude to the promise, which God himself addresses to them.] To those who answer to this character, shall Christ be a source of the richest blessings [Christ is "the sun" of the spiritual world, and the one fountain of light and life to all that believe in him. He is also the sun of righteousness, not only as being pure and spotless in himself, but as being the author of all righteousness, whether of that which is imputed to us for justification, or that which is imparted to us by sanctification. And how delightful was the sight of him to those who beheld him rising on this benighted world, to those, into whose hearts he shined with his refreshing beams! On them he shone, not with burning rays, that dry up and wither the earth and all its fruits, but with genial warmth, "healing" the desolations of winter, and causing every herb to spring forth into life and vigour. How did the first Christians " go forth" out of a dead and carnal state, and "grow up" with astonishing rapidity and strength "as the calves of the stall!" Thus also, in this day, does the light of his countenance convey healing to our souls. A sight of him removes both the guilt we have contracted, and the pollutions, whereby we have been defiled; thus "healing" at once the deadly wounds of sin, and restoring health and beauty to those who have been debased by more than leprous deformity. Who would not wish to bask in his beams, and to experience the full effects of his renovating power?] IMPROVEMENT 1. How different even in this life are the states of God's friends, and of his enemies! [The proud are called happy:"k but are they so? the heart-searching God declares that they have no solid peace. Nor is it possible that they can look forward to the day of judgment without much disquietude of mind. Their joys, such as they are, are "like the crackling of thorns under a pot," of short duration, and succeeded by smoke and darkness, by spleen and melancholy. But, is this the state of God's people? Let the text declare, and let the experience of all the saints attest. The more they enjoy of the light of this sun of righteousness, the more they anticipate the blessedness of heaven.] 2. How different will be the states of God's friends and enemies in the eternal world! [The day of judgment is called "The day of wrath," and, The day of the perdition of ungodly men." Alas! alas! whither shall the objects of God's vengeance flee? How shall they "dwell with everlasting burnings?" Who can conceive the anguish with which they will "weep and wail and gnash their teeth?" View, on the contrary, the godly healed of every malady, grown to the full measure of the stature of Christ, and enjoying continually the meridian glories of the sun of righteousness-Who can conceive the happiness of such a state? But though 66 we know not yet what we shall be," so far as respects the degrees of our happiness or misery, we know that the distance between the righteous and the wicked will be immeasurably great. Would to God that, in the contemplation of it, we might fear the Lord, and walk in his fear to the latest period of our lives!] * Ch. iii. 15. 1 Rom. ii. 5. 2 Pet. iii. 7. CLXVI. CHRIST THE LIGHT AND SALVATION OF THE GENTILES. Isai. xlix. 6. And he said, 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 mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. THAT the Gentiles were to be received into the church of God, was a truth which the Jews were backward to admit II. The excellence of the dispensation committed to him The dispensation of the law to the Jews was glorious [There was much of the gospel communicated in and with the law The ceremonial rights were altogether "shadows of the good things" which were afterwards to be more fully revealed The moral law itself, while it condemned the Jews, was intended to promote their salvation And many, in different ages, were guided to heaven by the light which was then afforded them The Mosaic law therefore was a rich blessing to that nation— And the salvation of a remnant from among them clearly manifested the efficacy of the great sacrifice-] But the dispensation of the gospel to the whole world is incomparably more glorious It brings far greater good to men [We must not disparage the salvation of one single soul— Much less should we undervalue the mercy shewn to so many of the Jews But still, the Jews were a small body when compared with the Gentile world And it was but a little remnant, eyen of them, that obtained mercy But the publication of the gospel to the Gentiles has been the means of saving unnumbered myriads There are persons in every quarter of the globe who experience the efficacy of the Redeemer's blood Yea, every day and hour are multitudes ascending from the darkest corners of the earth to swell the chorus in heaven How much more glorious then is the dispensation which diffuses its blessings so extensively, than that which confined them to such a narrow sphere!— Surely it would have been " a light thing to save the Jews" in comparison of such a multitude We may well therefore apply to this subject those words of the Apostleo-] It brings also far greater glory to the Saviour himself [Had none but Jews been saved by him, he might have appeared partial in his regards Or it might be thought that his sacrifice was but of a limited value But the extension of mercy to the Gentiles displays “the exceeding riches of his grace" And shews that his death is a sufficient "propitiation for the sins of the whole world". • 2 Cor. iii. 9-1]. To him the characters, there specified, most eminently belong He is "the Restorer of Israel," having reconciled many myriads" of them to serve God He is also the "Light of the Gentiles". [Another prophet describes him as "the sun of righteousness'i. In the New Testament also he is repeatedly called “the Light of the world" Others have enlightened the world by revealing the will of God But He alone reveals it by his Spirit to the souls of men— He only, who opened Lydia's heart, can have access to ours He only, who opened the understanding of his disciples, can illumine our benighted minds" And this he does for them that lie in darkness and the shadow of death While his once favoured people the Jews are blinded, he takes the veil from our hearts, and guides us into all truthThus does he abundantly fulfil to us his gracious promise"] He is moreover 66 the salvation of men even to the ends of the world" [Many of the judges and kings of Israel were Saviours in a temporal view But Jesus imparts to his followers a far more glorious sal vation By his own blood he has "obtained an eternal redemption" for them And by his meritorious obedience he renders them completely righteous— He is not merely a Saviour to them, but "salvation" itself— As he procured, so he imparts, maintains, and perfects the salvation of those who trust in him There are none so remote but he extends to them the benefits of his death "He came to save the lost," in whatever quarter of the globe they be For this very end was he sent into the world by his heavenly Father And, as being expressly appointed to this office, he is called God's salvation In fulfilling these characters he displays i Mal. iv. 2. m Luke xxiv. 45. VOL. II. k John i, 4, 9. I Acts xvi. 14. Ii II. The excellence of the dispensation committed to him The dispensation of the law to the Jews was glorious [There was much of the gospel communicated in and with the law The ceremonial rights were altogether "shadows of the good things" which were afterwards to be more fully revealed The moral law itself, while it condemned the Jews, was intended to promote their salvation And many, in different ages, were guided to heaven by the light which was then afforded them The Mosaic law therefore was a rich blessing to that nation— And the salvation of a remnant from among them clearly manifested the efficacy of the great sacrifice~] But the dispensation of the gospel to the whole world is incomparably more glorious It brings far greater good to men [We must not disparage the salvation of one single soul— Much less should we undervalue the mercy shewn to so many of the Jews But still, the Jews were a small body when compared with the Gentile world And it was but a little remnant, even of them, that obtained mercy But the publication of the gospel to the Gentiles has been the means of saving unnumbered myriads There are persons in every quarter of the globe who experience the efficacy of the Redeemer's blood Yea, every day and hour are multitudes ascending from the darkest corners of the earth to swell the chorus in heaven How much more glorious then is the dispensation which diffuses its blessings so extensively, than that which confined them to such a narrow sphere!— Surely it would have been "a light thing to save the Jews" in comparison of such a multitude We may well therefore apply to this subject those words of the Apostle-] It brings also far greater glory to the Saviour himself [Had none but Jews been saved by him, he might have appeared partial in his regards Or it might be thought that his sacrifice was but of a limited value But the extension of mercy to the Gentiles displays exceeding riches of his grace" "the And shews that his death is a sufficient "propitiation for the sins of the whole world"— ⚫ 2 Cor. iii. 9-]]. |