ISA. LIII. 11.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 425
(1st.) It is considerate ; it looketh to the grounds and to the nature of things. False apprehensions of Christ, they are hasty and surrepti- tious. Men have knowledge of the gospel, but they are loth to ponder and weigh the business of it in their thoughts. We may talk after one another like parrots, and yet never take it into our serious thoughts and considerations ; as the apostle saith of some that taught the law, 1 Tim. i. 7, ' Neither understanding what they say, nor whereof they affirm.' Men talk of things by rote, after others, and out of books and sermons ; reason of matters of which they have no spiritual un- derstanding : many prophesied in the name of Christ that knew him not. Nicodemus, though a teacher, was igtnorant of the doctrine of regeneration. As Aristotle observed of young men, that they attain to the height of mathematics, and there ponder the reason of every- thing ; but when it cometh to morals and matters that should do them good, ra /xev ov ircarevova-iv ol veol aXka Xeyovcri, they rather recite it by rote, than believe it. Men talk of the mysteries of Christ, that are only revealed to the saints, but they do not seriously consider with what disadvantages the doctrine of Christ is represented to carnal reason, and, on the other side, what may be the benefits of it. Con- trary desires and carnal inclinations will not sufi'er us to pause on those things. When we begin to think on the gospel, there are jealousies, discontents, reluctations, and distractions : such things as exasperate the affections, the soul cannot easily get leave to pause upon. Felix had some apprehensions of the doctrines of temperance and judgment to come, but he could not easily bring his heart to think of them : Acts xxiv. 25, * When I have a more convenient season, I will call for thee.' A man may hear the sound of music, but he is not affected with the melody till he hearkeneth to it. We suffer ourselves to be cumbered with other cares, carried aside with other desires, and there- fore cannot stay upon these things that are most necessary, and so are not taken with them. It is the commendation of Mary, Luke ii. 19, ' But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.' Truths work with us usually when we take them into our serious thoughts. All false knowledge of Christ lies in trivial and slight apprehensions. Christ often calleth upon his disciples to let things sink into their hearts ; then it is best.
('2dly.) It is convincing ; that is, it is such a knowledge as maketh us to subscribe to the truth and good of things, humbling us for former misapprehensions and misconceits, causing us to smite upon the thigh, as being thoroughly sensible of the vanity of them ; and maketh the heart thoroughly to determine concerning them. Many men have some knowledge concerning the gospel, but they are not fully convinced of the truth of the gospel ; it is mingled with much doubting, unbelief, error, and ignorance ; they think it a vain fable, and a false or a fruit- less doctrine, invented perhaps for a good end, to make men live an honest and orderly life : or at least, there is some fear that it may not prove true. They are not brought thoroughly to subscribe to the truth and worth of it : Heb. xi. 1, ' Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen ;' not a knowledge, but an evidence, an evidencing knowledge, when the heart is made to jdeld to such discoveries, and the word is received and lodged in the heart with
426 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [ISA. LIII. 11.
much assurance, as the apostle speaketh, 1 Thes. i. 5. They were convinced that it was the only good and true way. Others have only some conjectural persuasions, or some opinionative thoughts ; they apprehend the gospel with a loose heart : John xvi. 9, ' The Spirit con- vinceth of sin, righteousness, and judgment,' iXey^ec. The Spirit dealeth by way of conviction, so as to overcome all gainsaying and contradiction of the spirit, of sin without excuses, and grace without suspicions and jealousies, of judgments without crafty pretences and evasions ; conviction draweth the mind to a full consent. As Paul, when he was convinced, consented to the law that it was good, Rom. vii. 16 ; 60 they consent and yield to the goodness of the word : it is a true word, and the best word in the world ; all former vain thoughts are gone, and the force of vain, carnal reasonings are broken, and the soul is brought to a full consent.
(3dly.) It is a wise, a prudent, and a directive light. You shall see unbelief is opposed to folly, as well as to ignorance : Luke xxiv. 25, 0 ye fools, and slow of heart to believe ! ' Many have faith, but they liave not wisdom. Faith is a spiritual wisdom ; it is a grace that hath judgment in it ; not only apprehension, but judgment. There is a foolish knowledge that puffeth up, loose apprehensions of the doctrine of the gospel that feed pride : 1 Cor. viii. 1, * Knowledge puffeth up.' Knowledge goeth the wron^ way when it gets up into the tongue and the head only. But this is a knowledge in which there is wisdom, which teacheth us to make the best choice for ourselves. Wisdom implieth something more than bare knowledge and empty speculations; it is a directive light, not only an idea or model of truth in our brains, which the apostle calleth yttop^wo-tz^ tt}? jvcoae(o<;, a form of knowledge, a platform of knowledge gathered into some compendiums or method for their own or others' good, able to branch out things, and talk well of them, a map and perfect system of all the enjoyments of the saints ; for alas ! such things may be easily learned from others' experience ; but such a knowledge as is able to guide us in all the actings of our spirits, such a knowledge as aimeth at a right frame of affections. We shall easily discern knowledge by the ends and use of it. It is not merely that we may conceive distinctly of the Godhead, to better our art and skill, and to be able to discourse of Christ, but that we may glorify him, that we may honour him in our lives, — that is the end and the aim. Some desire to know God, as a painter desireth to know a man that he may take his image and likeness, and so draw his picture, and set it out in paint u})on a table. Others know Christ as a child doth his father, that he may become the lively image and resemblance of liim, that men may read their heavenly Father in their conversations : Mat. v. 16, 'Let-your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.' Not that we may i)aint out God and Christ in words, but that we may become a lively representation of him in our lives. Faith is wise, it doth not aim only at abstracted conceits of God, but to know him so as we may live by it.