vengeance to him every hour. Suffering must needs be grievous when infinite justice passes sentence, and infinite power does execution" (South). An "unparalleled great- ness" of suffering is, then, here indicated. II. THE VICARIOUS NATURE OF THE BUFFF.RING. He bore our sicknesses; "the first of twelve distinct assertions in this one chapter of the vicarious character of the sufferings of the Servant." They are " because of our rebellions" and of "our iniquities." The punishment which is the means of" our peace" and welfare fell upon him ; we have been healed through bis stripes. The iniquity of all has been made tc light upon him, "As the avenger of blood pursues the murderer, so punishment by an inner necessity overtakes the sinner (Ps. xl. 12; Numb. xxxii. 23; cf. Deut. xxvii. 15). And inasmuch as the Servant, by Jehovah's will, has made himself the Substitute of the Jewish nation, it follows that the punishment of the !alter must fall upon him." After all that has been written for ages upon this difficult subject of vicarious suffering or punishment, there remain difficulties not to be surmounted by our reason. How can punishment be transferred? How can the suffering due to the sinner be imposed upon an innocent person? How can any honest mind admit such a confusion of relation, even were it offered, as a means of escape from penalty? The answe-rs to these questions are given in poetic metaphors, and analogies which do not reach to the heart of the matter, and forensic quibbles which are not lovely in connection with spiritual matters. For all that, there is something the heart of all men fixes upon as lovely, Divine, adorable, in the idea of a man laying down his life for his brethren, a patriot for his country. Much of this deep feeling enters into the old legends, often of a woman-an Alkestis, a Makaria, an Hesione; often of a man-a son of Mesa, King of Moab, a Menoikeus, a Curtius. If we begin to criticize, we lose the sense and spirit of these sweet stories. So with the great tradition of the Servant of J ehovab, and with the still greater tradition by which our lives and hearts have been formed. III. APPLICATION. Every Christian thinks of Christ when he reads these beautiful words. Who but he can inspire us with the willingness to "crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts"? "Nature, indeed, cannot, will not, prompt it; but Christianity, which rises many strains above nature, must and will. The best sacrifice to a crucified Saviour is a. crucified Inst, a bleeding heart, and a dying corrnption. Let the ambitious man lay his pride in the dust, the covetous man deposit his treasures in the banks of charity and liberality, and let the voluptuous epicure renounce his cups and bis whores, -and this will be a present to Heaven better than a whole hecatomb; nor could the fruit of bis body fall so grateful a sacrific" upon God's altar e.s the sin of his soul" (South),--J. Vera. 7-12.-Patience and the Divine ptlll'pose. In the pictnre of the Servant of Jehovah we have an exemplification of the force of quiet endurance which prevails over violence, even to victory. I. AN EXAMPLE OF SUBMISSION TO WRONG. The slave-driver (Exod. iii. 7; Job iii. 18), or the exactor of a tax or a. debt (Deut. xv. 2, 3; 2 Kings xxiii. 35), is the image of oppression in its urgency and its contumely. And the silence of the suffering One eloquently speaks of his resignation (Ps. xxxviii. 14; xxxix, 9). The gentle uncom- plainiug lamb may well set him forth "with power at his disposal, yet e.s meek as if he had no power ; with consciousness of impending fate, yet calm as if ignorant of it" (cf. Jer. xi. 19; 1 Pet. ii. 23). The idea of the Lamb of God in the New Testament rests in part upon this passage. " The two or three who can win it may be called victors in life's conflict; to them belongs the regnum et diadema tutum." His was the lot represented by our great poet as tempting in its extreme anguish to thoughts of suicide. But from another source the Servant obtains bis quietus. He was not sup- ported by the thought that the meaning of his sufferings was understood and laid to heart by his contemporaries. They did not see that for the rebellion of the people he wa~ stricken. And aven after death insult pursued bis memory (cf. Jer. xxvi. 23). 'l'hey buried his body, not a.midst the remains of his departed friends, but with the wicked and the criminal, the proud deniers of God, or with the rich and haughty Gentiles. This was the last mark of an ignominy (eh. xiv. 19), and it was all undeserved. How mighty the contrast of appearances and results I 'l'he despised of men is in reality the eternally honoured of God. 302 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [cH, Lill. 1-12.
II. THE DIVINE PURPOSE AND DECREE. There was no cruel accident or misunder- stimding in all this; it was the result of Divine deliberate will-the pleasure ot Jehovah. The Servant was to lay down his life as a guilt offering. He was to fulfil and crown t.he idea of all sacrifice in his own Person. Restitution was to be made for injured rights of property. Israel had become de-consecrated. Iler life boo been furfeited, and satisfection must be rendered. And this is provided in the self-dedication oft.he Servant. And the result will be that he will become the Head of a spiritual pos- tnity (cf. Ps. xxii. 30). His piety will be rewarded by length of days. Both these are tigures of highest blessing among the Hebrews (Gen. xii. 2; Deut. vi. 2; Ps. xci. 16; cxxvii. 5; cxxviii. 6; Prov. iii. 2; xvii. 6). He will be promoted to a scene of hiah spiritual employment (eh. Iii. 13), the "pleasure of Jehovah" 1,rospering under bis conduct. His former spiritual agony and toil of spirit, his travail (Ps. xc. 10; Job iii. 10; Jer. xx. 18; Eccles. ii. 11-20; iv. 4-6 for the word), will be abundantly compensated by the joy of contemplation of the progressing work of salvation, as the hnsbandman is satisfied with the sight of the harvest, for which he has "sown in tears." On the foundation of his sacrifice and his teaching many will be redeemed from sin and become a righteous and a holy people. And so, without bloodshed and the din of battle, he will become a glorious Conqueror, and the spiritual kingdom of the Eternal will be among the world-subduing powers. .A.II this because he humbled him- self, because he was devoted, because he loved. III. LESSONS. How mighty the power of patience I The hero of God is not clothed in purple, nor fed on sweets ; "daily his own heart he eats." His hope sets not with the setting of suns ; his faith is earlier in its rising than the stars. Amidst all his seeming weakness he cannot be crushed ; and the blows of his adversaries miss the.ir aim. The spiritual element is immortal, indefeasible, :finally victorious.
" They say, through patience, chalk Becomes a ruby stone; Ah, yes ! but by the true heart's blood The chalk is crimson grown."