it will not slay; no pride, however stubborn, which it will not humble. The more it is examined, the more it prevails : it needs only to be " seen and consi- dered;" and it will soon remove every objection, and commend itself with irresistible evidence to the soul. Let us then consider, and reflect upon this glorious subject : let us meditate on it, till our hearts are in- flamed with love towards our adorable Redeemer : and let our mouths be never opened more, but in thanksgivings to God and to the Lamb.
men's neglect of the gospel.
Isai. liii. 1 . — Who hath believed our report ? and to whom is the
arm of the Lord revealed ?
WHEREVER we turn our eyes, we find much occasion for sorrow and lamentation. The miseries which sin has brought into the world, and which are daily multiplied by the follies and wickedness of man, have rendered this state a vale of tears, not only to those who most feel their weight, but to those, who, exempt from their pressure, are yet disposed to sym- pathize with their afflicted brethren. But there is one subject in particular, that affords matter for the deepest regret to every benevolent mind ; it is, the unconcern, which men in general manifest for their eternal interests. This caused "rivers of tears to flow down the eyes" of David, and " great horror to take hold upon him." It was on account of this, that Jesus, unmindful of the acclamations of surrounding multitudes, stopped to weep over the murderous Jeru- salem. The Prophet Isaiah, laboured much to coun- teract this awful infatuation : but, except to a very few, who " were as signs and wonders" in the land, his efforts were unavailing ; and he was constrained to take up this lamentation over them, " Who hath believed our report ? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"
For the fuller understanding of these words we shall inquire, What is the report here referred to ? and what reception it meets with in the toorld?
96G.J men's neglect of the gospel. 339
I. What is the report here referred to ?
When our Lord expounded the Scriptures to the two disciples in their way to Eramaus, he shewed them, that, according to the prophecies, " Christ ought to have suffered, and by sufferings to enter into his glory a. Indeed, that was the general testi- mony of all the prophets b; and more especially is it opened to us in the chapter now under our consi- deration.
A more wonderful report never reached the cars of man. God was manifest in the flesh. The Son of God, " Jehovah's Fellow c," not only assumed our nature, but, in our nature, died ; " he became obe- dient unto death, even the accursed death of the cross." To this he submitted for our sake, and in our stead ; to expiate our guilt, and, by the sacrifice of himself, to reconcile us unto God. Well might the Apostle say, " Great is the mystery of godliness ; " for indeed it almost exceeds the bounds of credibility.
But, strange as this report may seem, there never was any other so well authenticated, or established by such a variety of evidence. A series of prophecies respecting it, respecting not only the general outlines, but even the minutest, and most contingent circum- stances of it, has been given to the Church during the space of four thousand years. Every one of these has been fulfilled ; and that too by the very persons who laboured to the utmost to destroy the credit of the report itself. The typical representations of it also were so numerous that no human foresight could have contrived them, nor could any human power have caused a combination of such various, and, to all appearance, contradictory circumstances in one event. Without noticing therefore the miracles wrought in confirmation of it, we may well affirm that " it is a faithful saying, and worthy of all accep- tation."