Now in two things Christ showeth this : —
[1.] As if he acted altogether by the Father's power: John v. 19,. ' The Son can do nothing of himself.' So ver. 30, ' I can of mine own self do nothing ; ' that is, the Father and he were distinct per- sons in themselves, but not separate in nature, power, and operation. The Son acts by the Father, and the Father in the Son. The Son doth nothing of himself, that is, separate from the Father. Or under- stand it of the manhood of Christ, that is guided by God the Father in its operations, it doth not act at pleasure. Christ would will or act nothing separate from the will and power of the Godhead. This is spoken to remove such a gross speculation, as if the union between God and Christ were no other than that between a natural father and son.
318 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [ISA. LIII. 6.
[2.] As if he acted by the Father's appointment : for he would do nothing, neither hxy down his life, nor take it up, unless God the Father said ^hneu to it; as where Christ speaketh of some power he had in himself, yet it was a power limited by the Father : John x. 18, ' No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This com- mandment have I received from my Father.' Christ would lay down his life for his people, and take it up again, and all because of the Father's commandment. Tlie words are spoken to exclude any ex- ternal power or violence that could be offered to Christ ; none could impose ujion him, but at the Father's commandment he would lay it down, and take it up again. Christ would leave a testimony of his love and obedience : John xiv. 31 , ' But that the world may know that 1 love the Father, as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.' No outward force can impose upon him, but the Lord can impose. Jehovah ' laid on him the iniquities of us all.'
The reasons of the point.
1. Because none else had any power to lay it on Christ but God alone. That God could, it is clear by virtue of that interest he had in him. A loving son can deny the father nothing. Now, it being the ordination and the will of God, Christ would not gainsay it ; and as long as the Father's commandment lasted, he would obey ; and there- fore, when the burden of our sins lay sore upon him, to whom doth he address himself but to the Father ? He laid it on, and he alone could take it off: Mat. xxvi. 39, ' He fell on his face and prayed, 0 my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me ; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.' Though it were a deadly cup, yet Christ would not have it any Vv^ay to pass from him, unless it were the Father's will. He had such an interest in him, that he would stoop to that : no other could have gained Christ to such a service but the Father.
2. Because if God should not lay iniquity upon Christ, it would be to no purpose ; for to him it belongeth, because against him was the ofi'ence committed. Ps. li. 4, see what David saith there with eyes brim- ful of tears, ' Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.' He had sinned against Bathsheba and against Uriah, yet ' against thee only have I sinned.' His sin was not known to many, for the plot was closely carried : 2 Ham. xii. 12, ' Thou didst it secretly,' as the prophet Nathan told him. But how should he do to get it expiated by him against whom the offence was chiefly committed, and who knew it well enough ? Bs. xli. 4, ' Lord, be merciful unto me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.' Against whomsoever else the offence be, the chiefest aggravation is that it is against God, and therefore he must have all the ordering how the iniquity must be forgiven: Isa. xliii. 2.5, ' I, even 1, am he that blotteth out thy trans- gressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.' God would have you to look to him as one that only hath to do about the guilt of liis people's sin : ' I, even I, am he.'
Use. Is to inform us what abundant matter here is for your faith to work upon. Jehovah laid the iniquities of us all on him. God, whom you most fear, God the Father, he is first in tlie design, and he layetli
ISA. LIII. 6.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 319
the command upon the bowels of Christ. Do but lay it abroad in some particular considerations before you pass over this circumstance : the Lord. Certainly all the triumph of faith cometh from it.
1. The Lord, to whom belongeth forgiveness. It is not the business of others to lay it upon Christ, it is not their right, it is not what they say, but what the Father saith ; you must look to that. You see when Christ prayeth for pardon he addresseth himself to his Father, as if it were not in his own single power : Luke xxiii. 34, ' Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' The Son prayeth, there is hope : ' Father, forgive them.' If it passeth with God the Father, the matter is ended. So 1 John ii. 1, Christ is said to be 'an advocate with the Father.' And so you shall see frequent places, as John xiv. 16, ' I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter.' Forgiveness and mercy and comfort, they all proceed from the Father. It is true, we read Mat. ix. 6, that ' the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins,' but it is by commission from the Father, and as having the mind of the Father in it ; as it is said, John v. 22, ' For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son.' So the immediate dispensation of all censures is given to the Sou by the Father, whose will passeth for a law. God the Father, in all the work of salvation is to be considered as a superior wronged. And what an encouragement is it to a poor soul, in the matter of its faith, to under- stand that God has laid its iniquities on Christ! Oh, then, as you would magnify the sufficiency of the Son's merit, so magnify the largeness of the Father's mercy. Look upon Christ as able to save you, and look upon God as willing to give Christ to you. Christ hath fully satisfied for iniquities ; the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all. Tell me then, where should the soul stick ? Usually it sticketh here : they doubt whether Christ be for them or no. No pardon is granted but it first passeth the Father. Whyr* because the Father is first in the de- sign. God sent the Son. If men would reason thus out of the scrip- tures, how might they shame their hearts in the sense of their unbelief ! Oh, wait then for the Spirit to fix this truth upon you. Though a man should frame never so many deductions without the Spirit, it would not do. Therefore, I cease to wonder why men do not believe, though they can object nothing against the free grace of God.