meaning is, he shall beget to himself a great many children by the immortal seed of the word and the power of his Spirit, which are called his seed ; and it is said he shall see them, he shall live to see how the word is pro[)agated throughout all ages. I conceive in this expression the prophet alludeth to the desire of the Hebrew fathers, who were for living so long as they might see a numerous issue come from their loins. And therefore it is spoken of as a very desirable blessing : Ps. cxxviii. 6, ' Thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.' Or, if you will, this expression may refer to Lsaac, who, though God commanded to be oftered, yet he promised that ' his seed should be multiplied as the stars of heaven and the sand on the sea-shore ; ' and all this upon his death. That which seemed to cut off other men's hopes should increase Christ's. As he saith himself, John xii. 24, ' Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone ; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.' So Christ by his death, like the root in the ground, perisheth, that he may bring forth fruit. But it is added : —
He shall prolong his days ; that is, he shall live for ever. Some refer it to his seed, — he shall prolong the days of his seed : so the Seventy. But probably it is to be referred to Christ, though the com- fort also belongeth to the faithful ; their days shall be prolonged in the life of Christ, and they shall be eternal in his eternity.
The 2^leasure of the Lord shall )>rosper in his hands ; that is, the •will of the Lord. The will of the Lord for your redemption, justifica- tion, sanctification, the conversion of the world, the collection of a church, whatever you may call the will of God. Any design of his shall prosper in the hand of Christ ; anything in the grand design of reconciliation ; that is, by his strength, or by his ministry and dispen- sation: both these are called a hand in scripture ; as it is said, Num. xxxvi. 13, God i)ublished the law by the hand of Moses ; ' These are the commandmentsand judgments w^iich the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel.' So * prosper in his hand ; ' that is, by his ministry and dispensation.
Thus 1 have gone through the phrases. I have been the larger, be- cause I shall a little stay upon this text. I do not find a verse in the scriptures that doth yield more consolation and comfort to Christians than this doth. Here is the Father's ordination, the Sons voluntary susception, God's covenant with Christ ; Christ is a sacrifice for sin. Here is the promulgation of the gospel, the life of Christ, and the l)leasuie of the Lord. Oh, what a heap of sweetness is here, if we had the skill to draw out the comfort of it !
I begin with tlie first: ' Yet it i)leased the Lord to bruise him ; he hath put him to grief.' The point is, that all the sufferings of Jesus Christ were laid on him by the ordination and appointment of God the Father.
It was the Lord bruised him, and put him to grief ; that is, it was by tlie Lord's appointment and decree. This appears by scripture, which asserts —
1. The choice of Chri.st's person, and the designation and deputa- tion of him to the office of Mediator. As Isa. xlii. 1, ' Behold my ser- vant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth ; 1 have
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put my Spirit upon him.' God would show election in Christ first : the cause of his appearing in our salvation was God's choice : John vi. 27, ' Him hath God the Father sealed ; ' that is, expressly appointed, marked out for such a design. So it is set forth, Eom. iii. 25, ' Whom God hath set forth to he a propitiation for our sins.' So 1 Peter i. 20, ' Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.' The plot of the g;ospel was long since drawn in heaven, and lay hid in God's breast, till he was pleased to copy out his eternal thoughts, and give the world a draught of them.
2. The bestowing the person of Christ upon us, so that he was made ours, as it were ; which is expressed in scripture by God's sending his Son : John iii. 16, ' God so loved the world that he gave his only- begotten Son.' He disposed of his person, to be handled so as might make most for your good. And, therefore, in other places he is said to send his Son : 1 John iv. 10, 'He sent his Son to be the propitia- tion for our sins,' God despatched him on that great errand. And in this sense is the apostle's phrase, Rom. viii. 32, He ' spared not his own Son.' He would not dismiss him from serving his design, though it rendered him liable to wrath and sufferings. Gave, sent, would not spare ; all these words imply the execution of the decree according to the design of God.