The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 503

distrustfulness, doubt of their Lord, 3. Its privacy. He charged the multitude that they should not make him known. He was content that his holy deeds of Divine love should remain unknown; he was willing to work on in obscurity, He did not seek the praise of men; he sought only to save souls. So his servants should be willing to woJk either in private or in public, either in remote corners or before the eyes of men, wherever it may please God to set them, But everywhere alike, in the little village or in the great city, they must seek only his glory; not human praise, earthly roputation. II. THE FULFILMENT OF PROPBEOY. 1. The servant of Jehovah. Isaiah had prophesied of the Messiah, and now the same God who had inspired the prophet \lllll bringing to pass the prophecy. The Lord Christ came to fulfil the Law and the prophets; the details of his blessed life were so ordered as to bring about that great end, to fulfil all that had been written of him. The prophecy came from God; the fulfilment also was regulated by his overruling providence. Isaiah, the evangelical prophet, had faithfully portrayed the character of the Christ. He was to be the Servant of Jehovah. "I came," he said, "not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me;" "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." He was the -Servant of whom Isaiah prophesied; he was the Beloved, the Elect of God, for it pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things unto himself. A.t his baptism the voice from heaven proclaimed that in him the Father was well pleased; then he was anointed with the Holy Spirit, and consecrated for his Divine mission. He would proclaim judgment to the Gentiles, when he would send his apostles into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature, Such was the prophet's description of the Servant of Jehovah, and such was Jesus the Christ. 2. Bis quietness. "He shall not strive." It was even now fulfilled; he had withdrawn from strife. He loved not strife. His disciples must learn of him; they must avoid, as far as lieth in them, angry disputes and the heated atmosphere of controversy, "He shall not cry." His preaching was not noisy or violent; it was calm, quiet, dignified, He delighted not in uproar and excitement, but in quiet communion with God. His disciples differ from one another; they present different aspects of the Christian character; "the Holy Spirit divideth to every man severally as he will;" but we may say that a holy calmness is generally one of the characteristic marks of the most advanced followers of Christ. 3. His gentleness. (1) 11 A. bruised reed shall he not break." There were mar.y bruised reeds then among those who sought his help; there are many such among his disciples now-weak, trembling Christians with little strength, bowed down w;th sorrow, bruised by many a trial, by many temptations, and, it may be, by many weak concessions to the tempter. He will not break them ; they are fearful, trembling, full of anxious doubts. He is gentle exceedingly; such should his servants be. (2) "Smoking flax shall he not quench." He will not despise the least spark of spiritual life. The flax. may burn dimly, very dimly; but if it burn at all, there is hope. If there is any tenderness of conscience, any sense of sin, any yearning after God, however feeble and intermittent, there is the possibility of conversioo, of sanctification, even of saintliness. He will not quench the smoking flax; nay, he will fan it into a bright, clear flame. He will not by harshnesH or sternness check the faintest aspirations after holiness; he will deepen, strengthen, guide them by the influence of his Holy Spirit. For it was to save our souls that he came down from heaven and gave himself to die; therefore every human soul is precious exceedingly in the sight of the Lord. He will not lightly lose that which he prized so highly; he will cherish the slightest flickering of the flame of life in the weak, dying souL Then quench not the Spirit ; quench it not in thyself by sin or by despondency; quench it not in others by harshness or contempt. Listen to the softest whisper of the blessed Spirit of God. Listen like Samuel; it will fill thy whole being with its pervading influence. But if, like Saul, thou persist in disobedience, the end at last must be like the end of Saul-" the Spirit of the Lord departed from \laul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him." 4. His success at last. This quiet- gentleness will result in victory. He will persevere, winning souls, one by one, by the soft holy influence of his constraining love. 11 He shnll not fail, nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth" (Isa. xlii. 4); 11 He shall bring forth judgment unto truth ; " he shall at length be recognized as King and Judge. llis judicial decision between right and wrong, his rule of holiness, shall at last prevail. It will be the  500 TilE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [ou. m.1-50,