2. Because the Lord Christ did so much to purchase them and gain us for his seed.
[1.] He died for them. Christ, like Rachel, dieth, that_ he may bring forth. Perit ditm parit — he perisheth that he may bring forth. You are Benonis, the children of his sorrows : 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,' not else. Isaac had not a promise of increase and a numerous issue till he was ready to be offered. When in this chapter the prophet had spoken of the suffer- ings of Christ, he comes to say, Isa. liv. 1, ' Sing, 0 barren, thou that didst not bear ; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou
390 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [ISA. LIII. 10.
that didst not travail with child : for more are the children of the desolate than the children of tlie married wife, saith the Lord.' Christ liveth to make you fruitful : Heb. ii. 10, ' To brinj^ many sons to p;Iory, the captain of their salvation was made perfect through sufferings.' God would not have his birth exempt from the fate and lot of all bearings ; even Christ did bring forth in sorrows.
[2.] Because he sendeth forth power and efficacy to beget them.
(1.) He provideth the word, and blesseth it with power and efficacy ; as you may see, 1 Peter i. 23, ' Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God that liveth and abideth for ever ;' and in the 2r)th verse you see what word, to wit, ' The word which by the gospel is preached unto you,' the word preached in Christ's name, this word begets us. Therefore ministers are said to be instruments in the hand of Christ, as he is pleased to bless their endeavours. It is said in Ps. ex. 3, ' From the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth.' The meaning is, that believers should be born to Christ like dewdrops in the morning of the first dawning of heavenly light: 1 Cor. iv. 15, ' For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.' Others were but schoolmasters ; he was their father in Christ. God provideth nurses and subordinate parents, to whom he conveyeth his own honour. It is by Christ's blessing upon their care and ministry.
(2.) By his Spirit. It is Christ's S{)irit that bringeth you to be new creatures. He worketh so as he may glorify Christ. The effi- ciency of the Spirit is the seed of Christ. Therefore it is said of one that is born of God, 1 John iii. 9, that ' his seed remaineth in him.' The power of the Spirit is a seed by which we are made new creatures, Titus iii. 6, ' The renewing of the Holy Ghost is shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour.' The true virtue is from the Spirit shed on us through Christ Jesus. All that are new creatures are begotten by his word, actuated and quickened by his Spirit, and therefore they are called his seed.
3. The next reason is, because all that is done to believers is to form the image of Christ upon them: Gal. iv. 19, 'My little children, of whom 1 travail in birth again till Christ be formed in you.' The work of conversion is but the stamping and drawing out the linea- ments of Christ upon the soul. So it is said, Piom. viii. 29, avfifiop- </>ou9 T^9 eiKovo^, ' Whom he did foreknow, he also predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son.' God intended us to be his seed, because the new creature is most like him. The acts of Chris- tianity are expressed by our being '])lanted into the likeness of his death and resurrection,' Rom. vi. 5. The acts that pass forth into the soul for the subduing of sin, for quickening of grace; it is a planting and forming Christ's image and likeness : and the whole carriage that pa8.seth from us, it is through the Spirit, it is but a discovery of Christ's life. Therefore, the seed, likeness, form, and features are an argument of parentage : children are but the parents multiplied, and new set forth to the world.
To apply it.
Use 1. Is a word to the careless world. Look to it whose seed you are.
ISA. LIII. 10.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 391
There are divers seeds in the world.
1. There are some that are only the offspring of God in a large sense, have no other claim but by the first Adam. Ignorant men look upon themselves under no other notion than that of God's creatures. Oh ! consider your happiness lieth in your relation unto God through Christ. You shall see tlie main encouragement to prayer, or any address to him, is when you can come and call him Father. God is sweet to you when you can call upon him as sons and daughters. But, alas ! what a sad thing is it when men have no other title to God but their creation! Isa. xxvii. 11, 'He that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will show them no favour.' Ignorant people say, God that made them shall save them. No ; such an interest and claim to God will not avail you ; he that made them will not- save them ; God will reckon his seed in Isaac, that is,Jn Christ. There is no privilege in claiming by Ishmael.