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THE SUFFERINGS, SUCCESS, AND JOY OF MESSIAH.

REV. W. MARSH, A.M.*

ST. JAMES' CHAPEL, CLAPHAM, MAY 11, 1834.

"He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied."-ISAIAH, liii. 11.

BLEST as we are with the New Testament Scriptures, we need not ask the question, of whom speaketh the prophet thus? To our present peace, and to our everlasting happiness, we may know that this chapter testifies of Jesus our Redeemer. It plainly refers to his incarnation, preaching, and ministry; to his rejection, sufferings, and death; to his atonement, mediation, and resurrection; and it predicts the effects of his Gospel, and the extension of his kingdom throughout the world.

We must not wonder that this chapter has been peculiarly honoured in the conversion of the heathen to the faith of Jesus, in the conversion of Jews to the faith of Jesus, in the conversion of infidels to the faith of Jesus: nor must we wonder that this chapter has been the delight of the Church of God in every age, to the believing Church of God under the Old Testament dispensation, and to the believing Church of God under the New. I might also venture to say, with reference to the private meditation of our adorable Lord, with reference to the view that he would take of his own sufferings, and of the glory which should follow-one would almost venture to say, that this chapter would delight Messiah himself; he would thus be encouraged by the views the spirit of prophecy had given respecting his work, and the final success thereof: whence he could say, though his ministry among the Jews would not be very efficacious, and though Israel be not gathered to him, "Yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord." Indeed, in the verse preceding my text, it is asserted, “He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands." Thus, while his sufferings were not concealed from his view, neither were his triumphs; and, "for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame," till he "sat down at the right hand of the throne of God:" and he will finally triumph over our miserable world: "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied."

Now, my brethren, I shall call your attention from these words to three simple, yet grand points. We have only to consider his Sufferings, his Success, and his Joy; and if the Holy Spirit of God leads our minds into scriptural views of the sufferings, the success, and the joy of our Redeemer, we shall not only have peace in our minds, but we shall have a powerful motive to lead us to use all the means we can to make known his sufferings, his success, and his joy, to the rest of mankind.

* Of Birmingham. On behalf of the Church Missionary Society.

Let me then call your attention to HIS SUFferings.

"He shall see of the travail of his soul." No language could be adopted, no figure employed, which could more strikingly set forth the sufferings of Messiah, intimating that they would be fearful, and that the bitterest part of his agonies would be those that he should finally endure in his soul. Had not our Lord some reference to this when he said, "Now is my soul troubled?" The sufferings inflicted on the body of Christ when he died, were so great that they could scarcely be exceeded. He was mocked, scourged, wounded, and subjected to death, even the death of the cross. Thus, if we look only at what was visible, he was indeed, a man of sorrows. But what should we think when we recollect that all his bodily sufferings were as nothing, when compared with the travail of his soul. It is of the travail of his soul that believers are said to be the fruit, because in them consisted the very essence of his sufferings.

These sufferings it is impossible for us accurately to describe: these sufferings could only be known to Him who endured them: yet some notion may be formed from the intimations of Scripture. But the chief was the loss of the divine countenance. Hence, when our blessed Lord hung upon the accursed tree, he exclaimed, "My God, my God, why hast thou for forsaken me?" He did not refer to reproach and persecution, for this might have been the case without any desertion. An Apostle could say of himself and of his brethren, "We are persecuted, but not forsaken:" they still enjoyed the spiritual presence of God in the midst of all their afflictions. But Messiah was both persecuted and forsaken: and in this desertion consisted much of the travail of his soul. In the work he was to perform, he was to yield himself up body and soul; and he failed not in either part of the condition. As he willingly offered his body to the pains of laceration and crucifixion, so he willingly offered his soul to those of desertion: "He shall make his soul an offering for sin."

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This desertion seems to have consisted in the temporary deprivation of the rich consolations which the gracious presence of the Father had given him through the whole of his previous course. When he spake of the disciples as deserting him, he said, "Yet am I not alone, because the Father is with me." But now this was no longer the case. The love of the Father could not be withdrawn from him; yea, he loved him as he never loved since he made man yea, he loved him because he saw man as he had never seen him since the fall of Adam; he saw a man in whom there was no sin; who was holy in his very nature, as well as harmless in his blessed life. I speak with reverence, but I speak with truth, when I say, that God delighted in the man, Christ Jesus. The eye of God had never seen such a man from the time of Adam. But we are told that God loved him especially on this account, that he laid down his life: God loved him because he laid down his life. Oh what a proof is that of God's love to us, that he is represented as loving Christ because Christ laid down his life for us! Our blessed Lord was actually to bear our iniquity, he was to feel the desert of sin. This indeed, may well be termed the soul of his sufferings, We know that the greater the enjoyment of a blessing, the more acutely is the loss of it felt. Now the children of God who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, groan under the loss of it, when, from any cause-omission of duty, or leaning to unbelief-from whatever cause, when they groan under it, how deeply do they feel this above all afflictions! What then must have been the feelings of that human nature which had enjoyed the divine presence without measure, and knew infinitely better than we how to value and esteem it!

The children of God may also be assured, when they lost the light of the divine countenance-as it is said, for trial and correction-so it is in love. Christ endured God's deserved wrath against sin; the sword of Jehovah was sheathed in his bosom; the foretaste of which occasioned him in amazement to exclaim, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death:" therefore "his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground." This was the fire of heaven in which our great Sacrifice was consumed. It was not the fire of temporal death and bodily suffering, which caused the agonies of our blessed Lord; he could have smiled in the midst of all; yea, he could turn in infinite compassion (and a beautiful instance it was of the compassion of Jesus) -he could turn and say to the daughters of Jerusalem, "Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and your children." But when he was to be made a curse, when he was to endure the agony of separation from all sense of the divine love, then he was filled with terror and amazement.

Let me remark, before I proceed, that the natural man may taste the bitterness of sin, and may taste in some degree its desert: but if he could not take a proper view of this part of our subject, Christ's thoughts respecting sin and the desert of sin, and that most tremendous part of the punishment of sin, the loss of the enjoyment of the divine countenance-he will be but little affected by it: yet he might learn from what took place on Calvary to flee from sin; and God grant that any who have hitherto thought lightly of it, and have never considered the sufferings of Christ, may be led there to see the desert of it laid upon the Saviour. Of what value, then, is the soul of man, if Jesus thus suffered ! What must be the value of the soul if it required such suffering to make atonement! How tremendous must be the pain of eternal separation from the presence of God!

Such were the sufferings of the blessed Lord. Our Church particularly calls our attention to it at one particular season of the year, and from time to time to the celebration of the event of his sufferings. Let us pray that the Spirit of God may take of these things of Christ and show them unto us, that our minds may more and more delight to dwell on the sufferings of Jesus. What peace have we but what we derive from those sufferings? This is the Gospel, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. Let our hearts be revived again this morning, after confession of our sins, after petitions for mercy, by the recollection of the sufferings of Jesus, and that those sufferings were to take away our sins.

But my text, like all Scripture, speaks of something more than this; as St. Peter expresses it, "The Spirit of Christ testified before-hand, the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." Let us, then, enter upon that part of our subject, and consider HIS SUCCESS.

This is positively promised in the words of my text: "He shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied." The fruits of his travail were to be an innumerable progeny of believers, a seed that should serve God. Christ was not to labour in vain, he was not to lay down his life at a venture. The success of his death is secured to him in the "everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure." All that therefore is necessary to the success of our Lord's cause, is put into his own hands-into his own hands as man; into his own hands as Mediator; and therefore he cannot fail of his purpose. I say into his own hands as Mediator, for "the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hands." Hence, in the figurative language of Holy Writ, we find

that the Lamb had seven eyes, and seven horns; seven eyes, betokening the plentitude of wisdom, and seven horns, the plentitude of power; and I may say, in his heart is the plentitude of love. Hence, we read, "He is exalted a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Israel, and remission of sins." Hence, we have this last week been celebrating the delightful event, that he ascended on high; that he led captivity captive; that he received gifts for men, even the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Hence, we every Sabbath hear it, believe, and live-hear it, believe, and love-hear it, believe, and serve, this blessed Lord. He has all power in heaven and earth: he is the Author and Finisher of our faith, and the travail of his soul must have its reward. Yes, it is an awful consideration for those who are found rejecting this Saviour, that, as far as they can, they do renounce him, and thus rob him of his honour, and make his labour in vain. "All day long have I stretched forth my hands to a disobedient and gain-saying people." Nevertheless, many have still joined him from among these by his personal ministry, for he was seen of five hundred brethren at once, and after the day of Pentecost, by thousands and by myriads ; and from that time to this, some from among them, and a glorious harvest from among the Gentiles; and the period will arrive when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord, and he shall reign for ever and ever. In the mean time, as we have been reading this morning, "the fields are white already unto the harvest." "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few."

Let us look for a moment at the past, and see the partial fulfilment of my text. Our Lord, while preaching to the Jews, could say, "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." And what multitudes of different nations, and kindreds, and tongues, and people, have heard the word of the Lord Jesus, have believed and been saved! Look at the impure Romans, the licentious Corinthians, the sensual Ephesians, the ignorant Philippians, the idolatrous Thessalonians, who were converted in the Apostolic age. If there are, who think it impossible to convert Mohammedans, or Hindoos, let them see the effect of the Gospel of Christ in the former ages. Look at the spirits of the just made perfect; look at the souls under the altar; look at the mansions of Paradise, peopled from our world -poor sinners deserving to be separated for ever from the love and the favour of God, brought to believe in this wonderful Redeemer, brought to conquer every enemy through him; brought to triumph even over the last enemy; knowing that Christ hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel." I say, look at the present people of God in Paradise, as a proof of the success of our Lord's ministry: look at the great preparatory work of our own age in particular. I say in particular, for certainly, from the Apostolical age, there has been nothing like it. Our Reformation was a wonderful event, and was preparatory to this, but only preparatory; for that was limited, but the present exertions are unlimited: they are unlimited, I trust, in your prayers, and unlimited in your expectations, and shall be unlimited (in a certain sense) in the final success. Look at the actual success of the various missionary institutions, the revolution in the opinions of men, the expectation of a great change pervading the nations of the earth, whole villages crying for the Gospel even before the Gospel is come among them, and whole islands turning to the Lord. Look at the institution for which I have this morning to plead ; and in it you will find converts, not by hundreds, but even by thousands: con

verts from among the degraded Africans; converts from among the no less degraded, but more reasonable, Hindoos; and converts from other tribes and different parts of the earth. It is a society which began with small means (I stand on interesting ground in this part of our country, because, if I mistake not, some of the first consultations took place not far from this spot with reference to the Church Missionary Society) a society which began with small means, and which waited patiently for success; but has been crowned with singular honour, in the spirit and conduct of her missionaries, in the zeal she has excited in the nation, in the many thousands of children she is educating in the Christian faith, and in the whole labour of love in which she is engaged; in which, I pray God, you have taken a part.

Anticipate future success. Look at the prospect of the return of Israel. Oh, what a gem will they be in our Redeemer's crown! In the figurative language of the prophet, it is said, "Thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God." Look also at the nations of the earth, bowing the knee to Jesus; not only the bowing visibly the knee, but bowing inwardly with the heart, and in enlightened submission.

See, then, what success has taken place, and what success prophecy declares will take place, in the cause of our blessed Lord. Yes, Rome may gnaw her tongue for pain, because she can no longer keep the Scripture to herself; and Mahommed may writhe from agony, because his moon must wane more and more, till it be gone; and infidelity may turn pale as ashes at the prospect of its coming dissolution and certain punishment: for though all these enemies of the Gospel may unite to deceive the nations, yet let the disciples of Jesus triumph, for he must be crowned with success: "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied."

I proceed to call your attention to that which is still more delightful—HIS Joy: "He shall be satisfied."

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The recovery of lost sinners is a work in which our adorable Lord delights. This was the work the Father sent him to do; and he more than once on earth expressed his satisfaction in accomplishing it. On one occasion, when his disciples pressed him to take food which they had been to procure, he said, “ I have meat to eat that ye know not of." During their absence he had been calling a poor Samaritan woman to partake of his salvation. My meat is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to finish the work." And is it not he himself who, in the parable of the Lost Sheep, is represented as finding one which had strayed, as laying it on his shoulders, rejoicing, and calling his neighbours and friends together to rejoice with him? We are assured that there is joy in the presence of God, when sinners are brought to Jesus: and there should be joy in the hearts of men when they see sinners brought to repentance. The Son of God delighted in the anticipation of this work of love, and on that account, we consider that the written wisdom referred to in Proverbs, viii., may fairly be applied to the Eternal Wisdom. It is Jesus the Wisdom of God, without a doubt, who is represented as "rejoicing in the habitable parts of the earth," and whose " delights were with the sons of men." Salvation was the great end he had in view. How often have you heard those words from this pulpit (and you never hear them too often)—“ This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners." Brethren, if it be a pleasant thing to set about a grand object which we propose