^ The Chaldee paraphrast, and some of [the] Jewish doctors, expound this place of the Messiah, Isa. ilii. 1, and liii. 11, &c.
VEllY CLEARLY AND LARGELY OPENED. 337
living in a low, despicable condition, exposed to scorn and contempt, and to much affliction, through the whole course of his life, and more especially yet in regard of what he was also in his personal appearance, through the base and scornful usages that he sustained at the hands of his malicious and mischievous adversaries, when they had gotten him into their power ; besides his watchings, draggings to and fro from place to place, buffetings, ' scourgings, carrying his cross, and other base usages, could not but much alter the state of his body, and impair, yea, deface all the sightliness of it. And yet all this he suffered, to make good the 'compact and agreement that he had made with his Father about the redemption of his elect. But,
(5.) The fifth scripture is that 53d of Isaiah. This scripture, among many others, gives us very clear intimations of a federal trans- action between God the Father and Jesus Christ, in order to the re- covery and everlasting happiness of poor sinners. The glorious gospel seems to be epitomized in this chapter. The subject-matter of it is the grievous sufferings and dolorous death of Christ, and the happy and glorious issue thereof. Of all the prophets, this prophet Isaiah was the most evangelical prophet, and of all the prophecies of this prophet, that which you have in this chapter is the most 'evangelical prophecy. 1 In this chapter you have a most plain, lively, and full description and representation of the humiliation, death, and passion of Jesus Christ ; which indeed is so exact, and so consonant to what hath fallen out since, that Isaiah seems here rather to pen a history than a prophecy.^ The matter contained in this chapter is so convic- tive, from that clear light that goes along with it, that several of the Jews, in reading of this chapter, have been converted, as not being able to stand any longer out against the shining light and evidence of it. Out of this chapter, which is more worth than all the gold of Opliir, yea, than ten thousand worlds, observe with me these eight things :
[1.] First, Observe that God and Christ are siveetly agreed, and in- finitely pleased in tlie conversion of the elect: ver. 10, 'He shall see his seed,' that is, he shall see them called, converted, changed, and sanctified : ' he shall see his seed,' that is, an innumerable company shall be converted to him by his word and Spirit, in all countries and nations, through the mighty workings of the Spirit, and the incorrupt- ible seed of the word, Ps. ex. 3 ; 1 Pet. i. 23 ; infinite numbers of poor souls should be brought in to Jesus Christ, which he should see to his full content and infinite satisfaction. Rev. vii. 9 ; Heb. ii. 10, 13. ' He shall see his seed,' that is, he shall see them increase and multiply ; he shall see believers brought in to him from all corners and quarters, and he shall see them greatly increase and grow by the preaching of the everlasting gospel, especially after his ascension into heaven, and a more glorious pouring forth of the Holy Ghost upon his apostles and others. Acts ii. 37, 41, iv. 1-4, and viii. No accountants on earth can count or reckon up Christ's spiritual seed and issue. But,
■• Jerome calls him Isaiah the evangelist.
- In this chapter you have the compact and agreement between God tlie Fatlier and Jesus Christ plainly asserted and proved.
338 THE COVENANT OF liEDEMPTlON
[2.] Secondly, Observe with me, that in the persons redeemed by Jesus Christ there ivas neither weight nor wm^th, neither portion nor proportion, neither inward nor outivard excellencies or beauties, for which the punishment due to them should be trans/erred upon dear Jesus, Ezek. xvi. 1-10 ; for if you look upon them in their sins, in their guilt, you shall find them despisers and rejecters of Christ : ver. 4, ' Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows ; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and aflSicted/ Christ took upon him not our nature alone, but the infirmities also of it, and be- came liable to such sorrows, and afflictions, and pains, and griefs, as man's sinful nature is exposed and subject unto. They are called om-s because they were procured to him by our sins, and sustained by him for the discharge of our sins ; unto the guilt whereof, out of love to us undertaken by him, they were deservedly due, Kom. viii. 3 ; Heb. iv. 15. Christ, for our sakes, hath taken all our spiritual maladies, that is, all our sins, upon him, to make satisfaction for them ; and as our surety, to pay the debt that we had run into. Christ, in the quality of a pledge for his elect, hath given full satisfaction for all their sins, bearing all the punishments due for them, in torments and extreme griefs, both of body and soul.i The reason why they so much dis- esteemed of Christ was, because they made no other account, but that all those afflictions that befell him were by God inflicted upon him for his own evil deserts. They accounted him to be one out of grace and favour with God, yea, to be one pursued by him with all those evils, for his sins. When the Jews saw what grievous things Christ suf- fered, they wickedly and impiously judged that he was thus handled by God, in way of vengeance for his sins. By all which, you may see, that in the persons redeemed by Christ, there was nothing of worth or honour to be found, for which the punishment, due to them, should be transferred upon our Lord Jesus Christ. But,
[3.] Thirdly, Observe with me, that no sin, nor meritorious cause of punishment, is found in Jesus Christ, our blessed Redeemer, for which he shoidd be sti'icken, smitten, and afflicted by God:- ver. 5, 9, ' He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.' Sin had cast God and us at infinite distance. Now Christ is punished that our sins may be pardoned ; he is chas- tised that God and we may be reconciled. Guilt stuck close upon us, but Christ, by the price of his blood, hath discharged that guilt, pacified divine wrath, and made God and us friends. 2 God the Father laid upon dear Jesus all the punishinents that were due to the elect, for whom he was a pledge ; and by this means they come to be acquitted, and to obtain peace with God. ' Christ was holy, harm- less, and undefiled.' No man could convince him of sin ; yea, the devil himself could find nothing amiss in him, either as to word or deed. Christ was without original blemish or actual blot. 3 All
' You know they traduced him as a notorious deceiver, a drunkard, a friend of iiubli- cans and sinners, and one that wrought by the devil.