metaphor is just ; that all who are truly converted give up themselves to Christ, and are thereby made partakers of all that he possesses.
Contemplate now what a ground of joy this is,
1. To the believer —
[Consider from what a state he is taken : how mean by
nature! how vile by practice f! — Consider to what a
state he is raised : to what exalted honour ! to what immense
wealth ! to what unspeakable felicity ! Has not such
an one good reason to rejoice ?]
2. To the heavenly Bridegroom —
[We know that, strictly speaking, he is not capable of having his happiness increased by any thing that we can do : he is altogether independent, and self-sufficient. Neverthe- less, the Scriptures speak of him as still affected with joy and sorrow, just as he was in the days of his flesh. In conformity then with them, let us think, what must be his feelings, when he sees the blessed ends of his incarnation and death accom- plished ! To convert and save sinners was the end of
all that he did and suffered for us ; and when he beholds them converted to himself, " he sees of the travail of his soul, and is satisfied8." To illustrate this idea, he gives us a variety of parables11; yea, he condescends to use by the prophet the very similitude in the text, in order to express the satisfaction of his soul in such events1 ]
3. To the Bridegroom's friend —
[As the friends both of the bride and bridegroom are often accessary to their union, and rejoice when they see the wishes of all the parties accomplished, so the friends of Christ, his ministers especially, exert themselves to bring sinners unto him. It is for this they labour, for this they pray ; yea, for this they live, and for this they are content to die. Their one object is, that sinners may be born to God, and be united to Christ in the bonds of an everlasting covenant. In the pursuit of this, their labours, their anxieties, their sufferings are great
Can they then do otherwise than rejoice, when they
see that they have not " laboured in vain or run in vain?" If they " travail, as it were, in birth, whilst they stand in doubt," must they not rejoice, when their doubts are all dispelled ?
f Ezekiel through the whole 16th chapter strongly describes this: but the foregoing caution must not be forgotten in following his train of ideas.
g Isai. liii. 11. h Luke xv. 5, 6, 9, 10, 23, 24.
1 Isui. Ixii. 5.