406 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [IsA. LIII. 11.
persecuted me, they will persecute you also,' John xv.20. He stooped to more than ever we were or sliall be put to. But, in particular, we should be as willinj^ to suffer for his sake as he for ours. He left the bosom of his Father to suffer for you, and will not 3'ou leave the bosom of your dearest relations to suffer for Christ ? There is a great dis- pro])ortion between the persons, and his sufferings and ours. Christ suffered as an evil-doer, and we suffer for well-doing; otherwise, it is the cross of Barabbas, not of Christ. His name was rent and torn with reproaches ; and though he never did anything worthy of blame, yet he bore the taunts of the world, as well as the curse of God that was due for our sins, and suffered not only in his person, but in his name and reputation, and foul crimes were unjustly laid to his charge. It is an honour to suffer for Christ, and for his interest, and can be no disgraceful thing. He was the innocent Son of God, completely just and righteous — not only as God, but as man, being wholly freed of that original contagion wdierewith others that come of Adam are defiled, Luke i. 35 ; fully conform to the law of God, both in heart and practice. Mat. iii. 1.5 ; and by just deserving lovely in the eyes of God and men, for he did all things well. But we, how innocent soever of those things which the world chargeth upon us, yet we are faulty before God, and cannot altogether justify ourselves before men. And so far as God's hand is in our troubles, we must keep silence. There- fore, in the sense of our sinfulness in other things, we should the sooner submit : Micah vii. 9, ' I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him.' Again, he hath taken the sting out of our sufferings, and borne all the wrath due for our sins. Our crosses are not a satisfaction to his vindictive justice ; he is but trying our sincerity, not pursuing his vengeance upon us. And we have our comforts allowed us ; his were suspended. In short, since he endured the anger and wrath of God for us, shall not we endure the anger and ■wrath of men for his sake ? So that, upon the whole matter, our murmuring and impatience under the cross show that we have not a due sense of Christ's sufferings, but too slight a value of them.
The next thing offered in this scripture is the certainty of success. He shall see ; that is, enjoy, receive the fruits of it. The prophet speaketh of some that travail in vain ; as if they went but with the wind: Isa. xxvi. 18, 'We have been with child, we hove been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind.' And of others we read, that when the child came near to the birth, there was not strength to bring forth, Isa. xxxvii. 3. But the fruits of this travail should be a ])lontiful harvest of souls, or a numerous issue of believers begotten unto (xod.
Doct. That Christ will infallibly, and without miscarrying, obtain the end of his death.
What was the end of his death ?
1. The salvation of all such as belong to the election of grace. Christ died not at uncertainties, nor laid down his life at a venture, that some might be saved if they would ; but his intention is fixed. He laid down his life ' for his sheep,' John x. 17 ; ' for his church,' Eph. V. 2G ; ' for his people,' Mat. i. 21. These expressions are exclusive ; these, and not all.
ISA. LIII. 11.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 407
2. He effects and procures the conditions by which this salvation is brought about : —
[1.] In effectual calling.
[•2.] By final perseverance.
[l.J Effectual calling. Christ died not only to procure privileges for us, but to purchase faith and repentance : Acts v. 31, 'Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins ;' Heb. xii. 2, ' Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God ;' and Heb. xiii._21, ' Working in you what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ ;' Phil. i. 29, ' For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe- on him, but also to suffer for his sake,' vwep Xptarov, that is, upon Clirist's account. He merited faith and holiness for us.
[2.] Final perseverance. He is both the author and finisher of our faith : John x. 29, ' My Father, who gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand ;' Heb. x. 14, ' For by one offering he perfected for ever them that are sanctified,' i.e., set apart for God. He hath made them fully and perfectly happy.