ISA. LIII. 12.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 461
2. It teacheth us to glorify the Fatlier in our thoughts, expressions, and affections, for the honour that he hath put upon Jesus Christ. The person that is most in our eye usually intercepts all the love and praise of the creature. Though you can never enough honour and magnify the person of Jesus Christ, yet do not exclude the person of the Father. The persons in the Trinity mutually glorify one another, and why should not we ? In every glorious manifestation of the power of Christ, send up a thankful thought, some acknowledgment of love and praise to the Father. As Paul : Rom. vii. 24, 25, ' Who shall deliver me from the hody of this death ? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.' It is accomplished by the power God hath put upon Jesus Christ. Look upon what terms the scriptures do pitch all comfort and expectation upon the person of Christ : 2 Cor. i. 20, ' For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him amen, unto the glory of God by us.' There is the end why all is in Christ. So Phil. ii. 11 : 'And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' Mark, the person of Christ can never be enough in our thoughts, nor mentioned in our mouths, for he is the Lord ; but it is to the glory of the Father. As often as you remember the work of your redemption, remember the work of the Father, and then you will find your hearts raised in thankfulness and love to him. Christ himself, when he saw poor souls receive the gospel, though he saith there the power of dispensing was committed to him, Mat. xi. 25, compared with 27, yet he saith, ' Father, I thank thee that thou hast revealed it to them.' See if your hearts be raised and ravished within you with this eternal and free love of God to the glory of the Father.
3. It is a great ground of trust and confidence, when you go to God in prayer to turn your captivity, for power against your spiritual adversaries, as sin, Satan, fears of death, and hell ; or earthly ones, as unjust and tyrannous encroachments without. Urge it to God, did not he divide Christ a portion with the great ? You desire but to exalt the king of his own making, a king upon his holy hill. Was it not thine own grant and donation ? When we come and urge God's own acts upon him, and he urgeth it to God, you shall see he will own them. The apostle alludeth to that of the Psalms, in Heb. ii. 8, ' Thou didst set him over the work of thine hands ; thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet.' And why not my sins and mine enemies ? But alas ! ' We see not yet all things put under him ;' it is not yet made good to our sense and experience. Lusts are stirring and Satan busy. Lord, didst thou not say, that all things should be put under him ? Go to God, and do but press him with his own ap- pointment.
I now come to the third particular, and that is the reality of this conquest. It was not only promised by God the Father, but God the Son was possessed of it : ' He shall divide the spoil with the strong.'
Doct. That the Lord Jesus was a glorious conqueror.
Dividing of the spoil is the effect of a sure and a great conquest. You may perceive that in all respects it maketh a victory glorious. You know the eminency of it lieth in these four things : —
1. Either in the power of tlie adversaries. There is no triumph in
462 A TRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [IsA. LIII. 12.
prevailing over weak things : 1 Sam. xxvi. 20, ' For the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.' What honour could Saul get to seek a flea, or hunt a partridge in the mountains, — to chase hares or harts ?
2. By the unlikelihood of the means. A thousand men were slain by the jaw-bone of an ass by the hands of Sampson ; and a numerous host discomfited by Gideon's pitchers and three hundred lamps. Such things as these make the success memorable.
3. The manner or nature of the victory. Total defeats are most noted. A slight hurt, or some petty bru.sh is nothing, as Amalek's falling upon the weak rear, and putting the hindermost stragglers to shame ; what is that ? The conquest is not complete till there be a dissipation and dissolution of the whole force that is against us.
4. A conquest is glorious in the effects or result of it. If it be of great importance and consequence to the good of a people, when fears are removed, and privileges are granted and enlarged, spoilers taken, a kingdom subdued, — these things make for the glory of the victory. And, therefore, let us see if such things be not found in the conquest of Christ. There are strong adversaries and weak means, glorious achievements and great effects and fruits of this conquest, for the benefit of the faithful ; and therefore he was a glorious conqueror.