ISA. LIII. 2.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 237
2. A holy indignation. Passions usually serve and accompany one another. If there be a holy desire, there will be a holy anger. And this is at two things : —
[1.] At anything tliat would rival the affection. P " "
[2.] At what would hinder the enjoyment of the ol)ject.
[1.] At anything tliat would rival Christ in the affection. There is a scorn that anything should come in competition with him, that we should have so much as a thought that anything were worthy but Christ: Phil. iii. 8, ' I count all things but loss and dung, that I may win Christ.' Any outward excellency in comparison of him is but aKvjSaXa, dog's meat. It thinketh the worst name good enough for anything that shall come in competition with him. And in such a case gold is not gold, but dog's meat — honour is not honour — pleasure is not pleasure — but all is dung and dog's meat. You know in a natural way things have their due respect from us, till they be com- pared with what we dearly love and prize ; then no term is bad enough for them. So here, the soul doth even abhor the thought that Christ and other things should be spoken of the same day, which other- wise might have fairer respects and valuations from the soul. It is worth your observation to see how the saints do abominate the thought that anything should be supposed to satisfy them without or besides Christ : Ps. iv. 6, ' There be many that say, Who will show us any good ? Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us.' 0 Lord, do not think we are of that strain. It is the many, the men of the multitude, that think so ; they speak as if they would not own such an unworthy thought, nor entertain any resolution to prostitute their desires to any sensual good. God shall not turn them away so. If they should have all things else, it is irksome to them to think they should be contented. Te ipsum, Domine, da, quod peto, Domine, da te ipsum; as Austin crieth out: 'Thyself, Lord — thyself, Lord.' They are angry with themselves if any pleasing thought should arise any other way, any vain conceit, that they should be happy apart from God and Christ. It is an excellent saying of one, Taxlet gaudere sine te, deledat contristari p)ro te — They had rather mourn for God than delight without him. AH their comforts are irksome to them if they have not Christ with them. Try, then, is there such a zealous indig- nation against false thoughts in your comforts ? In what case do you think yourselves ? ' Happy is the people that is in such a case.' If that be a thought that is pleasing to your minds, it is a good sign.
[2] Indignation against what hindereth the enjoyment of the object. A man is angry with what cometh between him and his desires. If your desires be to Christ, you will be angry with your perverse hearts, that keep you from him. When a man desireth to sin, he is angry with God because he cometh in with his law, and steppeth between us and our desires : Ptom. viii. 7, ' The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law, neither indeed can be.' So when the desires are set and bent upon Christ, a man is angry with himself that he is so clogged and weighed down with the flesh that he cannot enjoy such full communion with him as he desires : 2 Cor. V. 4, ' For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being bur- dened.' And David crieth out, Ps. cxx 5, ' Woe is me that I sojouiii
238 A TRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [IsA. LIII. 2.
in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar ! ' r] irapoiKia, my pil- grimage, is prolonged. Tliey are angry with their own base hearts, that still there is such a strangeness between them and Christ.
3. It will cause a holy waiting. Those that desired the coming of the ]\Iessiah, Avaited for him ; as Simeon : Luke ii. 25, ' Waiting for the consolation of Israel.' Earnest expectation is the formal and most proper effect of the desire of anything. Look, as it is said of Sisera's mother, Judges v. 28, ' She looked out at a window and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming?' She would fain meet with it as far as she could with her eyes. And so it is said, Eom. viii. 19, ' The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.' !47re«;Se;^eTat, the creature lifts up the head — would fain see the general restoration of all things in the world; so the soul lifteth up the heart, it would fain see Christ coming to it in this or that ordinance, — with a great deal of longing they expect when he will draw their hearts to himself : Ps. cxxx. 6, ' My soul waiteth for thee more than they that watch for the morn- ing ; yea, more than they that watch for the morning.'