Thus far our Lord himself applied the passage: but the prophet adds III. The ends for which he executes this commission Our Lord in every part of his work connected two great ends 1. The benefit of man [Though "once we were planted a noble vine, we are become the degenerate plants of a strange vine; and instead of producing good fruit, we bring forth nothing but grapes of Sodom, and clusters of Gomorrah"-But Christ desires to rectify our fallen nature, and to make us "trees of righteousness, "that" instead of the thorn may grow up the fir-tree, and instead of the brier, the myrtle-tree," that so we may be as trees "planted and watered by the hand of God"-This was the end of his mission; and it is invariably the effect of his ministration-Let us only view the converts on the day of Pentecost, and in them we shall behold a just specimen of the effects produced by the preached gospel: and, to whomsoever the word of Christ comes with power, the same blessings are given; they are transplanted from the wilderness into the garden of the Lord, and they have their fruit unto holiness, and their end everlasting life"] 2. The glory of God [This could not but be the great end which Jesus ever had in view: he had sinned if there had been any consideration in his mind superior or even comparable to this-And how well was his commission calculated to promote it! view him as undertaking our cause, and coming from heaven to redeem us: can we fail of admiring the love and condescension of that God who sent him?-Hear the tidings he proclaims; a full, a free, an everlasting salvation to perishing sinners: are we not filled with wonder at such stupendous mercy?-See the myriads whose broken hearts he has healed; see them rejoicing on earth, or shouting their hallelujahs in heaven: are we not ready to clap our hands for joy, and to break forth into acclamations and hosannahs?—There is not any part of Christ's work, whether as performed by him, or enjoyed by us, but what calls upon us to glorify God with our whole hearts: and to all eternity will the praises of God resound from myriads of the redeemed, who, with united voices, will exclaim, "Blessing and honour, and glory and power be unto him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever"] This subject may be IMPROVED i Jer. ii. 21. Deut. xxxii. 32. Isai. lv. 13. 1 Rev. v. 13. 1. For conviction [All profess to hope for salvation through Christ, even though they be insensible of their lost and helpless state-But, if it be to the meek, the mourners, and the broken-hearted that Christ came, what can they have to do with him, whose hearts are whole, and who are unhumbled before him?" They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick: nor did he come to call the righteous, (those who fancy themselves righteous) but sinners to repentance"-Let none then expect to participate his salvation unless they feel their need of it, and consent to receive it as his free unmerited gift-] 2. For consolation [They who are sensible that they have sold heaven and their own souls "for a thing of nought," are ready to say, "Can such a lawful captive ever be delivered?""We answer, You may instantly cast off your bonds and assert your liberty, if you will but accept the proffered mercy-Only believe in Christ, and the forfeited inheritance of heaven shall be yours-Arise then, and sing, thou that sittest in the dust; put off thy sackcloth, and gird thee with gladness-Be not afraid, as though the tidings were too good to be true: the jubilee is come, and the trumpet now sounds by the command of God himself: you have not to pay any thing for your deliverance; but to receive it freely: you have nothing to fear from your enemies; for "the day of God's vengeance is come," and he will bruise all your enemies under your feet-Let but these tidings sink into your hearts; and God will glorify himself in your eternal happiness-] m Isai. xlix. 24, 25. CLXXIX. THE EXTENT OF CHRIST'S COMPASSION. Ps. cxlvi. 7, 8. The Lord looseth the prisoners: the Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous. AS David was a very eminent type of Christ, so was he inspired to prophesy of Christ; and, if we look no further than to the passages quoted out of the Psalms in the New Testament, we shall find, that he wrote as fully and as minutely respecting the Messiah, as any other prophet whatever, not excepting even Isaiah himself. He described his person as God and man. He declared the whole of his work, his first covenant engagements with the Father, his incarnation, together with his active obedience, and his unparalleled sufferings unto death. He foretold his resurrection, and ascension; his session at the right hand of God," and his final appearance to judge the world. He proclaimed also his offices, as a prophet,k priest,' and king. We do not indeed find the Psalm that is before us expressly cited in the New Testament: but the whole of it so accords with what is elsewhere spoken respecting him," and the very words of the text are so descriptive of what Christ himself declared to be the great end of his mission, that we can feel no hesitation in interpreting it as relating to Christ. In this beautiful description then of our Lord's compassion to man, we may observe I. Its boundless extent The calamities with which the human race are afflicted are very numerous; nor is there any trouble which the Lord will not either remove or sanctify, if we call upon him. But as the remedying of our spiritual maladies was the principal end of his coming, we shall direct our attention more immediately to them. In the words before us then we may notice his regards are 1. To the blind and willing slaves of sin [The world at large are in bondage to their lusts, and to that wicked one who leads them captive at his will; and they shut up under a sentence of condemnation for their numberless violations of the law of God. Yet, so blind are they to their real state, that they cannot see, and will not believe it. Their cunning adversary has undertaken to be their guide, a Ps. viii. 4. with Heb. ii. 6. and Ps. cx. 1. with Luke xx. 42. or Ps. xlv. 6. with Heb. i. 8. Ps. viii. 5. with Heb. ii. 7. b Ps. xl. 6, 7. with Heb. x. 6, 7. d Ps. lxix. 9. with John ii. 17. Psalms xxii. and lxix. with all the accounts in the gospels. Ps. xvi. 10. with Acts ii. 27. Ps. cx. 1. with Acts ii. 35. g Ps. lxviii. 18. with Eph. iv. 8. i Ps. cii. 26, 27. with Heb. i. 12. Ps. cx. 4. with Heb. vii. 17. Compare Isai. xlii. 6, 7. Ps. lxxviii. 2. with Matt. xiii. 35. and xxxv. 5. with John ix. 32. and Matt. xi. 3-5. Isa. lxi. 1-3. with Luke iv. 18. 21. N. B. The foregoing passages are cited only for the satisfaction of the reader, and not with a view to their being incorporated with the discourse. P Gal. iii. 23. but has led them into the heart of the enemies country, and, if mercy do not interpose, into the very jaws of destruction. But the Lord Jesus is not an unconcerned spectator of their misery: he is ready to weep over them as over the murderous Jerusalem: and even while they reject him, he "would gladly gather them, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings. He would give them an eye-salve, whereby they should be enabled to see clearly:" he would cause their chains to fall off, and would say to them, Go forth, and shew yourselves: yea, so desirous is he to exercise mercy towards them, that nothing but a determined rejection of his grace can involye them in final ruin.-] 2. To penitents "bowed down" under a sense of sin [Whatever be the afflictions under which we groan, we 'may carry them all to him, with an assured expectation of sympathy and succour, since he is at all times "a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress." But if sin be our burthen, if a sense of guilt lie heavy on our conscience, if our indwelling corruption be to us as a putrid carcase from which we cannot get loose," and which causes us to loathe and abhor ourselves, we need not fear but that our Lord will soon come to our help: "He will never break a bruised reed or quench the smoking flax, but will bring forth judgment unto victory." The sighs and groans of a contrite soul will surely enter into his ears, and call forth his almighty aid. He may indeed for wise purposes suffer the pressure to be heavy and of long continuance, insomuch that the weeping penitent may be ready to say, "The Lord will not hear, neither will the Almighty regard me:" but at the fittest season he will interpose, to revive the drooping spirit, and to "make the bones which he hath broken to rejoice:" "he will take the beggar from the dunghill to set him among the princes."] 66 3. To the righteous" who are delivered from the power of sin [They are justly deemed "righteous," who, in the habit of their minds, and the general tenor of their lives, are devoted to God. Allowed sin, of whatever kind it were, would exclude us from this number, and mark us as children of the devil: but if we be really clothed with the Redeemer's righteousness, and "walking not after the flesh, but after the Spirit," we need not fear to take to ourselves this honourable appellation.a And ¶ Alluding to 2 Kin. vi. 18–21. s Isai. xlix. 9. with Acts v. 18-20. u This is the idea alluded to Rom. vii. 24. * Ps. xxxviii. 2, 4, 6, 8, 21, 22. and cxlii. 6, 7. *Rev. iii. 18. t Isai. xxv. 5. a Rom. viii. 1. if this character bé ours, the Lord loves us, not merely as he does sinners in general, with a love of complacency: "he joys over us with joy, he rests in his love, he joys over us with singing." There is not any blessing which our souls can want, but his love will bestow it. We say not, That he will forbear to chasten us, (for that would be a mark of hatred rather than of love) but, That he will deal with us in all things as a wise and tender parent, administering to us such things, in such a measure, at such a time, and in such a manner, as his unerring wisdom knows to be best for us.] But we cannot rightly appreciate the Saviour's love, unless we notice particularly II. Its unremitted exercise Long before David existed in the world, our Lord had shewn forth all his love to his people in the wilderness; nor did he ever leave that ungrateful nation without abundant tokens of his regard. In the days of his sojourning on earth his whole life was spent in doing good to the most indigent and most unworthy. Nor has he yet suspended the exercise of his grace; he still manifests his regard to his people, and effects his purposes towards them 1. By his providence [Wonderful are the ways whereby he accomplishes his ́own eternal counsels. The histories of Joseph and his family, and of Esther and the captive Jews, give us an insight into the things which are yet daily passing in the world. Many events appear to us casual and trifling: but the truth is, that not one is casual, not one is trifling: every the minutest circumstance is ordered by the Lord, and forms a link in the chain of his unerring providence. Not a hair of our head falls but by his appointment; and it remains with us to mark his dispensations with care, and improve them with diligence. Let any whose eyes have been opened, or whose souls have been liberated from spiritual bondage, look back and see the way by which they have been brought to the enjoyment of these mercies; and they shall find such a mysterious concatenation of causes and effects as will furnish them with matter of astonishment to all eternity.] 2. By his grace [It is not said in the text that the Lord had done or should do those particular things ascribed to him: but he is b Zeph. iii. 17. © Heb. xii. 6-8. |