ISA. LIII. 7.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 341
souls owe thee aught, put it on my account — I will repay it. There was not only an ordination of God the Father, but a voluntary sus- ception and undertaking of God the Son ; he cheerfully and willingly submitted to have sin translated upon him, and to be liable by engagement ; put that on my account, and I will repay it.
2. That he might set off the worth of his love to us. Willingness and freeness commendeth a kindness, extorted courtesies lose their value. Therefore it is said, * He loved us, and gave himself for us.' We see among men it would be ill taken to do a thing grudgingly. Decius 1 rode cheerfully into the gulf for the good of his country ; nay, in some men it is a kind of corruption to be over-forward with their favours : Prov. xvii. 18, ' A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend ; ' that is, before his friend desires and seeks for it. Many men, rather than lose the praise of their kindness, undo themselves, their stock being soon spent. It is folly to be over-lavish and easy in such kindnesses. Therefore much more now would Christ commend his love to us: this ocean and overflowing of comforts being in Christ, it was the com- mendation of his love ; he strikes hands and becometh surety before he is asked ; it is the enhancement of Christ's love, and therefore he willingly submitted to it.
But you will object, How did Christ do it willingly? did not he pray that the cup might pass from him ? and did he not fear and stagger at it ? Heb. V. 7, ' Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared.'
I answer — 1. Briefly, Christ's prayers are rather for our example and comfort, and that he might leave us a pattern where to go, and to whom to apply ourselves in all our straits, than to declare his willingness to decline this hot service : he would be tempted in all things like us, except sin, Heb. iv. 1.5, that he might be ' touched with the feeling of every infirmity.' He would be touched with such a conflict as came nearest to a sin of infirmity, but without sin. Jesus did it that we might know ourselves in the like case, when we struggle with the sense of guilt and the apprehension of divine wrath.
2. To show himself truly man. Christ prayed against the cup, ' Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass.' He doth not contend with instruments, but beseech God. Christ's prayers against the cup were as the prayers of a private man ; and so Christ would show all the passions of our nature ; for if he had not prayed that the cup might pass, he must have put off all natural affections, because Christ, as a private person, looked upon it as a mere suffering, it being the nature and duty of man to decline all those things that are grievous and painful to him ; and Ciirist having the same love, and hatred, and fear that we have, as a private persou, he would manifest it at this time.
3. As a common and public person, namely, as our Mediator and surety, so he was extremely willing and desirous to do this great office of love for us. For so it followeth, he sweetly submitted to his Father's will : ' Father, not my will, but thine be done.' Not my will
' Qu. ' Ciirtius' ? — E.D.
342 A rUACTICAL EXrOSITION UPON [ISA. LIII. 7.
as a private person, but thy will, which is more to a public person, let that be clone ; it was not in reterence to the work, but how he should go through with it.
2Uly, For his fears : these were not a shrinking from the work, but only a natural consternation and retirement of the spirits upon so ghastly an apprehension as he tiien had of his Father's wrath against him for our sins. When the cold hands of death were put into his bosom to j)luck out his heart, no wonder if there were a .struggling; it is natural to be moved with things that are nigh. These fears were a part of the tire in which this sacrifice was to be burnt and offered to God. No wonder, therefore, if the Spirit of the Godhead did freely give up the manhood to be scorched with these fears : Mark xiv. 38, * The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.' The willing spirit giveth u]) the flesh to this weakness.
3dly, For his tears : they were such an eruption and overflow of his love ; a pari of that deluge by which he would drown the world of sin and wickedness.
Divers inferences may be drawn from hence.
Use 1. Is consolation, and that more generally. Here is comfort for believers, for your faith to feed upon. You may be sure that God accepted Christ for you, for he willingly offered himself to be a sacri- fice for you. He went as a lamb to the slaughter, and this lamb taketh away the sins of the world. You have it twice proclaimed from heaven that God was well pleased with Christ — at his bai)tism and at his transfiguration: Mat. iii. 17; and Mat. xvii. 5, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' God is j)leased in Christ with you. Your willing sacrifices are acceptable to the Lord ; God had no respect to Cain and his offering, because it was offered with a grudging mind. The Lord loveth a cheerful giver. Christ gave himself cheerfully and willingly for you ; therefore the Lord loveth him, and loveth you for his sake. Among the heathens, a sacrifice that came unwillingly to the altar was thought ominous, as when the beast did show much reluctance, or did roar, or bleat much. 0 Christians ! your sacrifice came willingly ; he was not haled to the altar with rigour, but he went as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before her shearers is dumb. Go and urge it to God ; willing sacrifices are pleasing to him ; Jesus Christ did not offer himself with a grudging mind.