(2.) They are his own, his interest is concerned in them: John xvii. 6, ' I have manifested thy name unto the men thou gavest me out of the world : thine they were, and thou gavest them me.' He hath not only undertaken a charge concerning them, but received them as a reward at the hands of God : John xiii. 1, ' Having loved his own.' Propriety endeareth a thing. They are his, and therefore his heart is made glad when they thrive and do well — when his work doth prosper in their hands. He is the owner of the saints ; and as a man is dis- satisfied when his bargain turneth to no good account, so is Christ when you do not grow in grace and make a daily progress in your heavenly journey.
Use 1. Let us consider our obligations to Christ. It was wonderful love that the Son of God should lay aside his glory and willingly come down from heaven, and undertake the business of our salvation. He needed us not ; God was alone from all eternity, and yet happy from all eternity, when there was nothing besides his divine majesty. If he had any happiness by making the world, he might have made it sooner ; he wanted not us, we are of no worth to him. What can we,
412 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [IsA. LIII. 11,
that are lc!«s than the dust of the balance, contribute to the perfection of our Redeemer ? yet that he shoukl take pleasure in our welfare, and count himself satisfied, so we may be saved ! Oh, the greatness of this love ! How shall we answer it but by loving Christ again, by imitating him ? Let us be satisfied in Christ ; let it be enough to allay our cares, and fears, and worldly distractions, that we have an interest in him. 8ay with the psalmist : Ps. Ixxiii. 25, ' Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee.' Let this draw us from outward comforts and worldly satisfac- tions : if Christ did so much for you, that are not worth the having, oh, how should your souls be satisfied in him ! The merchant sold all for the pearl ; but what doth Christ get by us creatures, of us sinners? We can give a reason of our love to Christ, because of his excellency and our obligations to him : Cant. vi. 9, 10, ' My dove, my undefiled, is but one ; she is the choice one of her that bare her : the daughters saw her, and blessed her ; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they blessed her. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?' But ' Lord, what is man that thou regardest him? and the son of man that thou rnakest account of him?' Let all worldly content- ments be as nothing to you, so you may win Christ, Phil. iii. 8. And when you have him, you should say. It is enough. He that hath God for his portion may say with the psalmist, Ps. xvi. 5, 6, * The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen to me in j)leasant places ; I have a goodly heritage.'
Use 2. It is a ground of comfort in the work of faith. We may plead with you not only from your own interest, but from Christ's con- tentment : he hath chidden many for not coming, but never any for coming to him. Nay, in point of gratitude, thou iiast long grieved the JSi)irit of God with thy stubbornness and impenitency, taking liberty in fleshly delights, and running after vanity and folly. Oh, come now, and make glad the heait of thy Redeemer! When Isaac longed for savoury meat, a profane Esau would take his bow and an-ows and go and kill. Go and try how thou canst mourn over an unbelieving- heart, what thou canst do in compliance with Ciirist's desire. So, in point of hojjc, wlien he seeth you begging pardon, you speak to his very heart ; he will join issue with you, and sue out the fruit of his labour. He rcjoiceth in our justification and salvation. It will be accomplished by his desire and contentment.
Use 3. It giveth ample encouragement to faith to come to Christ. It maketh his heart joyful when you come ; the Lord Christ counteth it worth all his i)ains. Peo])le question Christ's willingness ; would any be against their own joy and satisfaction ? You have high thoughts of an interest in Cln-ist, and Christ hath high thoughts of our interest in him; and therefore the saints plead it reciprocally: Ps. xlii. 5, 'Why art Ihou disquieted, O my soul? Hope thou in God, for 1 shall yet praise him for the lielj)of his countenance.' They speak to their own hearts. Again, Ps. cxix., 'I am thine; save me.' It is your gain, and yet Christ counts it his joy. Why should we stand back, when Christ crieth earnestly to us? Mat. xi. 28, 'Come
ISA. LIII. 11.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 413