1 A misprint, I presume, for Leo ; the allusion being, I doubt not, to a paragraph in Leo the Great's fourth sermon on the Lord's Passion, with the title Latronum in Cruce Si^nijicatio, the substance of which is very much as in the text. — Ed.
478 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [ISA. LIII. 12.
side. But these are all bat flashes of wit. The reasons of the point are : —
1. That these might be sensible evidences of those sins of ours that Christ bore in his body, and had taken upon himself. This rea- son is in the text, ' He was numbered among transgressors, for he bare the sins of many.' God would give believers this evidence and testimony that he was a transgressor ; that you may know all the load of the blasphemies and rebellions laid upon Christ, God gave a taste of it in these imputations — a devil, a blasphemer. God made special use of their malice to direct our thoughts to the guilt transacted on Christ.
2. Because Christ was to make satisfaction by suffering all that we were to suffer. We are cursed, therefore Christ was made a curse, (Jal. iii. 13. We were to endure the wrath of God, therefore he bore our griefs, Isa. liii. 4. We are to blame, and deserve shame, therefore he would undergo that, and suffer in his credit and honour. Our re- proach is taken away, because Christ would take it upon himself: he was ' the reproach of men,' Ps. xxii. 6. We were sinners, and there- fore Christ is called a murderer, a thief, a blasphemer, one that had a devil. Tiiis was a circumstance that commended the greatness of the satisfaction. What greater satisfaction could we expect or desire than that Christ, who is holiness itself, should not only suffer, but suffer under ignominies — that innocency itself should suffer as a malefactor ? This made the sufferings of Christ exceeding great and valuable. Christ would lay aside all his glory, pleasure, and honour, and sacrifice everything for the good of the creature. You have the life of God, and the honour of God, and all. There is nothing that God prizeth so much as his honour, and Christ would suffer that God's honour might not be obscured by these imputations, but repaired.
Use 1. Is information. It informeth us of the great love of Christ ; he not only poured out his soul to death, but to an accursed death. Suppose it had been merely for the cause of salvation, would it then have yielded more comfort ? No ; but he suffered as a malefactor, a thief, worse than a murderer. An ingenious man valueth his good name above all enjoyments. It stood Christ in much stead to have his innocency cleared, that the world might know that he did not die for his own sins, but the just for the unjust. And yet, though it is true there were evident demonstrations of his innocency out of Pilate's mouth, yet Christ would suffer as a malefactor, so as to suffer every- thing you were to suffer ; he would make his sufferings every way valualjle. Oh, what a mercy is here !
2. It informeth us that glory and innocency itself may be be- clouded. Christ was under aspersions. Do not believe every report of the godly. Wicked men would fain paint them out in ill colours ; but we must drink of the same cup with Christ. What foul things were charged upon the primitive Christians, that they were obscene and turbulent in their practices ! Always suspect those aspersions that are cast upon religious eminency.
3. It informeth us how unlike Christ the men of the world are. Christ is innocent, but counted a transgressor ; they are transgressors, yet would fain be accounted innocent. ' Honour me before the
ISA. LIII. 12.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 479
people,' saith Saul, 1 Sam. xv. 30. They are more careful of tlieir credit than their conscience ; they woukl not be accounted sinners, and yet do not fear to be so. They are all for man's judgment, though that is nothing to a gracious heart. Christ was innocent, however he might suffer under misrepresentations. You are most like him when you look to your conscience, and trust God for your credit.
Use 2. Is consolation to you. Here is comfort, for the main : Christ was counted a sinner for your sakes ; that must needs be a great satisfaction, seeing Christ has suffered his own glory to be ob- scured and eclipsed. You are a great sinner, but urge the sufficiency of his satisfaction. You have deserved great blame ; consider God hath laid it upon Christ. Satan accuseth of foul miscarriages, and you must certainly cry out Guilty. He cannot commence a greater accusation against you than his instruments did against Jesus Christ. They accuse him of sedition, theft, heresy, blasphemy — crimes that run liighest against God and men. Oh, what abundant consolation is there, that Christ hath borne the blame, and hath made a great satisfaction! As high accusations were commenced against Christ as can be against you.
2. Here is comfort in this. When you are under undiscerned ^ re- proaches, comfort yourselves thus : This was the lot of Christ. I do not mean merely under the same reproaches, but sufferings not de- served, for Christ's sake. God knew his Son in the midst of the two thieves, and the martyrs in the common goal, and Daniel in the lions' den, and the lily among thorns. The thieves were crucified with him, yet they justly ; but if you do not suffer as an evil-doer, take comfort though you be crucified between thieves, yoked with ill companions ; Christ was numbered among transgressors. It was an old trick to bring an odium upon the truth, to put it upon ill company. Though you be bound up in ill bundles, yet God will know his jewels.