2. His great love to man, showed in his wonderful silence, even then when he might justly have spoken in his own defence, but would not seem to interrupt the design of God. It is witnessed in many ])laces that Jesus held his peace when they asked him questions about his innocence, as I shall show you by and by out of several places. I conceive it hinteth that great silence that Christ manifested upon all his accusations.
But some may object, and say, How can this be, since Christ did sometimes open his mouth ? Did not he say to the soldiers, ' Are you come out against me as against a thief and a robber ? ' And he said to
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Pilate, ' Thou hast no power unless it be j^^ivon from above.' And he prayed for them, Luke xxiii. 34, and rebuked him that smote with the t^word, and forbade Peter to use it. How, then, doth this suit with these words, ' He opened not his mouth' ?
I answer— He never spoke to hinder our redemption, neither railingly nor revilingly ; for so Peter explaineth it, 1 Peter ii. 23, ' Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again ; when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.' He used no threatening, no reviling — no, many times not a modest reply, when a man would think he might very well have made it. Thus you see the meaning of the phrase, ' He opened not his mouth.' Secondly, Now for the particular resemblance ; as — 1. That he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter. The scripture often useth this similitude ; for, indeed, it was not a casual similitude, but a standing type of Christ; as the lamb in the daily sacrifice, Exod. xxix. 38, which was oifered to God daily, morning and evening, for pardon — we being only accepted through his mediation; and the Paschal lamb in the Lord s Supper importeth Christ's being offered to God, for Christ is called a lamb in scripture, I conceive, for three reasons. [1.] As it is an emblem of innocence, meekness, and patience, as the lamb was to be without spot and blemish. Therefore, St Peter saith, 1 Peter i. 18, * We are redeemed by the blood of Christ, as of a lamb without spot and blemish.' A pure, harmless, undefiled lamb.
[2.] As it may import weakness and slenderness of appearance in the world. Christ is nothing in show, though mighty in power : Rev. vi. 15, 16, ' And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, hid themselves in dens, and rucks, and mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,' that is, even from Christ. Christ in his weakest appearance was but as a lamb, j'et such a lamb as at the last day will make the wolves to shake.
[3.] It noteth the meekness and sweetness of Christ, willingly yield- ing to be a sacrifice for us. Christ, when he cometh to judgment, is expressed in Hosea and other places to be as a lion ; but when to save, then as a lamb. When he cometh to destroy men, he cometh as a lion ; but when he cometh to destroy sins, he cometh as a lamb. Thus here, and John i. 29, ' Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.' This was the Lamb the prophet Isaiah foretold, and the sacrifices prefigured that Lamb, ' the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,' Ilev. xiii. 8. Well, then, you see the force of the expression here, — that Clirist went as sweetly and readily to the work of our redemption as an innocent lamb to the slaughter or shambles.
2. The next similitude is, ' As a sheep before her shearers is dumb.' Of all creatures the sheep is the most silent. liogs whine and bout, but sheep are dumb before the shearer. Christ did not open his mouth, unless to pray, instruct, and reprove, as before mentioned. Many points might be observed, but I will sum up all in this one.
Dod. That Jesus Christ underwent cruel and bitter sufferings for us with a great deal of willing patience.
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For this I take to be the intent of this verse, to show how ready Christ was to accomplish the office of the mediatorship : Rev. i. 5, he ' loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.' For in all his conflicts with malicious accusations and opprobrious speeches, he would do no violence, nor express anything that might be an occa- sion to divert him from his purpose ; but, as a lamb is brought to the slaughter, so he opened not his mouth. I shall prove the point: —
1. By some scriptures that assert it, and show the willingness of Christ: Phil. ii. 8, 'He humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross.' With a great deal of willing patience he complied with the sorest and most bruising act of the mediatorship. He was ' obedient to death, even the death of the cross.' So it is said, Eph. v, 25, ' Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it.'. And in other places: Heb. x. 7, with its parallel, Ps. xl. 7, ' In the volume of thy book it is written of me, Lo, I come to do thy will, 0 God.' Christ doth, as it were, exult in the command, and rejoice over the work of redemption : ' Lo, I come to do thy will !'