ISA. LIII. 3.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 255
endear him to us ? And this was done for our sakes. Let it melt our hearts, and draw them out in love to God again.
I proceed now to the second point.
Doct. 2. That carnal men do not look upon Jesus Christ as worthy of any esteem from them. Christ was mean and miserable, and there- fore the world esteemed him not, but despised him rather, and looked upon him as an abject, unfit for their converse and society.
I shall give you a few reasons for it.
1 . Because they look altogether upon the dark part (as I may speak) of Jesus Christ ; they do not consider the light and the more glorious part. In sins they look altogether upon the light pait, and not upon the dark — the pleasures of sin, and not the cross and shame that attends them. Now, taking into their thoughts Christ's worst, and sin's best part, no wonder if they miscarry in their judgments. They look upon the world's pomp, but not the world's vanity ; upon the pleas- ures of sin, but not upon the shame and horror that accompany them. Therefore it is said, Prov. v. 3, 4, ' The lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil ; but her end is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword.' Men think to swallow the honey, but do not think of the wormwood. Things are to be esteemed as they prove in the end. Heathens had some light into this truth, that no man is happy till the end, till they try how things prove with them. Things are better known in their departure than in their coming ; the sting is in the tail, and therefore you shall see it is said, Deut. xxxii. 29, ' Oh, tiiat they were wise, that they would understand this, that they would consider their latter end.' That is wisdom, not to look upon things as they are at present, but what they will prove at the latter end— how we shall find them upon trial. But with Christ they deal otherwise ; they look upon Chris- tianity as a hard, laborious thing. Many sad fears they have ; a great deal of duty to be performed ; much care, much toil, and much grief attends it ; with many other inconveniences. But they do not look upon the sweet of all this : Kom. vi. 22, ' But now being made free from sin, and become the servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.' There is a good end. Carnal men thing it a hard saying to part with pleasures, profits, honour, esteem, to part with all for Christ, and to expect nothing in this world but grief, and sorrow, and care. This is sad. Christ is not esteemed, because they look upon him with such an unequal, unfaithful eye. We are will- ing to stumble at his meanness, but will not reflect upon his excellency.
2. Because carnal men want that which should set off Christ to them as an object fit to be esteemed ; and that is two things —the Spirit's discovery, and faith's eye ; the one to reveal the object, the other to apprehend it.
[1.] They want the Spirit's discovery. A man cannot see the sun without its own light ; no more can you see Jesus Christ in his beauty without the Spirit of Christ. Keports and education may do much, but it is the Spirit that sets forth Jesus Christ as a worthy object. What is the reason that many that know Christ and profess him, yet cannot esteem him ? The Spirit hath not convinced them of the worth that is in him. A man may be convinced of the truth of a
256 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [ISA. LIII. 3.
thing, but not practically convinced of the worth of it. And ' flesh and blood doth not reveal that to us,' as Christ said to Peter. The reason uhy Christ is valued by his own people is because he hath discovered much of himself to them.
[2.J They want the eye of faith, and that is the discovering part of the soul, that showeth much of Christ to it. Till we have faith we judge by sense and carnal reason, and then no wonder if we turn away from him. ' Faith is the evidence of things not seen,' Heb. xi. 1. It carrieth the soul within the veil, and showeth unto us better things, and maketh them present in the heart through hope and the promises. Faith and the [Spirit discover a world of satisfaction, sweetness, glory, excellency, and beauty in Christ. There are large discoveries of God's love and purposes, and what he will do for his people.
3. There are perverse inclinations in the heart that carry the soul another way. ]\Ien look upon everything as it cometh dyed in the colour of their own affections. Here is the great depravation of nature since the fall, that those things which should follow guide and sit at the stern ; vile affections besot the judgment : Rom. i. 2G, with 28, ' God gave them up to vile affections ;' and presently afterwards, ' He gave them over to a reprobate mind.' Men are so injudicious, because they consult with their affections. Now they cannot make a right judgment. It is true, things should be desired and loved as the judg- ment projjounds them to be good and true ; but now, in the disorder of nature, it is otherwise. We let our desires get the start of us, and therefore men do not esteem Christ, because he is so opposite to the chief object of their desires. A worthy thought of Christ would exas- perate our base affections that are carried to other things. Hear what the apostle saith : Rom. viii. 5, ' They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh.' They mind only those things, they only savour and relish them.