R. J. 276 Richardson, W. 131, 410 94 "The British Pulpit 602 "The Study and the Pulpit," 103, 125, 197,434 Thodey, Samuel, 71, 91, 102, 142, 197, 231, 273, 294, 319, 353, 376, 410, 511, 541, 548, 343 Roberts, W. 224, 344, 615 Thomas, Dr. David Robertson, F. W. Robinson, Ralph 113, 320, 321 Rogers, J. G. R., T. E. SERMONS for Boys and Girls. 56 Seward, W. . 289, 616 Sherman, Jas. 550, 608 Tyng, Dr. H. Shittler, R. 349 Tyug, Dr. S. H. Shrewsbury, J. W. Shrimpton, S. 73 VENN, Slye, J. Smith, Dr. Geo., 181, 412, 554, 563, 566, 568, 577, 585, 680, 684. Smith, T. Smith, Dr. J. P. Vaughan, Dr. R. 174 27, 637 Walton, W. C. 384 Warren, Dr. S. 101 Wardrop, J. 379 Watson, Richard 5, 211, 267, 411, 600, 685 Wesleyan Methodist Magazine 301 612 614, 664 Tucker, Alfred, 116, 184, 257, 259, 262, 272, 275, 288, 295, 316, 318, 324, 327, 331, 333, 336, 340, 363, 365, 366, 406, 417, 420, 438, 440, 445, 446, 448, 460, 513, 517, 519, 542, 11 117, line 4 from the top: for "And makes a heaven, a heaven," read And makes 184, line 16 from the bottom: read "Luke xi. 13, with Matt. vii. 11." HOMILETIC COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH COMFORT FOR THE SUFFERING. It is generally agreed that these last twenty-six chapters relate to the restoration of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon. They are the Gospel of the Old Testament. This is their value to us. Put into the briefest words, the ideas contained in the first five verses of this chapter are-That a glorious change awaits the exiles, consisting of a new and generous manifestation of Jehovah's presence, for which His people are exhorted to prepare. The prophet is commanded to speak words of comfort to those captives from Jerusalem-to assure them that her warfare, her time of slavery, is about to end; that her sins are pardoned, abundantly expiated by her sufferings; that her God is coming to deliver her from the oppressor; and that she must prepare the way for His coming, as heralds ride before a conquering king. The comforting announcement which the prophet was to make to Jerusalem was-1. That her affliction had become full, and had therefore come to an end. 2. Her iniquity is atoned for and the justice of God is satisfied. 3. The third clause repeats the substance of the previous ones with greater emphasis and in a fuller tone. The double punishment which she had endured is not to be taken in a judicial sense, in which case God would appear over-rigid, and therefore unjust. The compassion of God regarded what His justice had been obliged to inflict upon Jerusalem as superabundant. But this is only the negative side. of the consolation. What positive salvation is to be expected? "Hark, the voice of one crying!" The summons proceeds in a commanding tone: "Let every valley be exalted," &c. Spiritually interpreted, the command points to the encouragement of those that are cast down, the humiliation of the self-righteous and self-secure, the changing of dishonesty into simplicity, and of haughtiness into submission. Israel is to take care that God shall find them in such an inward and outward state as shall enable Him to fulfil His purpose. "And the glory of Jehovah," &c. When the way is prepared for the coming One, the glory of the God of salvation will be unveiled; and this revelation is made for the sake of Israel, but not secretly or exclusively, for "all flesh" will come to see the salvation of God. "For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it," is the confirmation of the foregoing prophecy. Suffering endured through a long period, comfort promised, the elements. of that comfort and the preparation 1 for receiving it-these are the chief thoughts and main topics of the pas sage. I. We all have to suffer, and to suffer for our own sins and for the sins of one another, in one way or another, and in a greater or less degree. It is part of the mystery of the world that some lives, even in the morning of their days, are overhung with dark clouds of sorrow. how many is life a continual struggle with feeble health; in others, mental cares, cares of business, anxieties; in others, pangs suffered over sins committed and things left undone. With II. The Old and New Testaments say that there is Divine comfort for the sorrowful sufferers. This teaching casts a new light upon human grief. It puts to shame all ancient and modern philosophy. The Divine Physician uses suffering as a medicine (Ps. cxix. 67, 71). 1. We feel ourselves drawn into the true path of life. 2. Then the comfort of another message begins to be felt-that our iniquity is pardoned. 3. Then His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. III. God is coming over the desert of our lives to reveal His glory to us (ver. 5). IV. But, for coming into the possession of this privilege, we must prepare the way of the Lord (ver. 4; Matt. iii. 2). The conditions of comfort are here laid down. Christian comfort comes by raising up the whole soul of a man; by bringing down every proud thought; by straightening every crooked course; by chastening and refining all that is rugged in character or conduct. It is thus we prepare ourselves for the incoming of God.Charles Short: Sermons, pp. 255-269. THE LORD'S PEOPLE COMFORTED. xl. 1. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. I. God has a people in the world. In one sense, all whom the Lord designs to create anew by His Holy Spirit, and who, though at present afar off, will at length be brought nigh unto Him, are His people (Acts xviii. 10). But these are not the persons referred to in our text, for they cannot at present be known or addressed as God's people; neither at present are they capable of being comforted, according to the direction here given. The " people" to whom the text refers are those who have fled to Christ for refuge from the wrath to come, and who are earnestly desiring to walk in newness of life. II. It is the will of God that His people should enjoy the comforts of religion. The very nature of the religion He has given is to inspire comfort, as it is the very nature of the sun to diffuse light and heat. If His people are sorrowful or dejected, it is not because of their religion, but because they have too little religion, or because they do not know how to use the religion which they have. But it is desirable that they should be comforted-1. For their own sakes. While they lack peace and joy they can never be as diligent as they ought to be in the duties of religion (H. E. I. 306308). 2. For the honour of religion. The despondency and gloom of professors affords a handle to those who speak evil of the Christian life, and misrepresent it as a life of melancholy (H. E. I. 756-762). For these reasons God's people should lay aside all unreasonable fears, and preachers of the Gospel should consider it an essential part of their office to minister to the people of God that consolation which belongs to them, and which they are capable of receiving. "Comfort ye," &c. III. Let us examine a few of the most common causes of that want of comfort of which God's people frequently complain. 1. Their misunderstanding the nature and extent of that pardon of sin which the Gospel provides. Reclaimed from a worldly course, the recollection of their former sins is very painful to them. It often overspreads their minds like a thick cloud, and fills them with darkness and alarm. They are not indeed without a hope that they shall obtain forgiveness at last for Christ's sake; but still they ask themselves, "What if God should not pardon me at last?" (H. E. I. 1268). But God But God does not offer to pardon you at some distant day. He offers, in the Gospel, to forgive you now; nay, He tells you, that if you have in your heart come to Christ and believed in Him, your sins are already forgiven (Rom. viii. 1; Luke vii. 47; Col. ii. 13; 1 John ii. 12; Isa. xliv. 22). The pardon vouchsafed is a present pardon (H. E. I. 2332-2339). When the prodigal returned to his father's house a penitent, were not his offences fully and instantly forgiven and his self-reproaches stopped? Was he told, amid all the pleasures of the feast provided for him, that he must not enjoy himself too much, because perhaps his father might some years afterwards remember his past misconduct and visit it upon him? An apprehension of this kind would doubtless have much diminished his comfort; but would it not have been groundless and unreasonable? Equally groundless and unreasonable are your apprehensions, if you have indeed come to Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Put them away and rejoice in a present salvation (2 Cor. iv. 19; John v. 24). 2. Their seeking comfort where it is not to be found. It is one of their privileges that they are renewed in the spirit of their minds, but this renewal is not, and cannot be, at present perfect. But they forget this, and when they look within themselves they find so many imperfections that they are greatly distressed. If you are never to partake of the peace and consolations of Christianity so long as you fall short of the spiritual standard of obedience, you must go mourning all your days: for the more spiritually minded you grow, the more spiritual will that standard become in your estimation, and consequently the more unholy you will appear in your own eyes. You can never find comfort by poring into your own heart. Peace and joy come by believing. Christ is the only source of consolation to the soul. If you wanted light, would you expect to find it by looking downwards on the ground, or upwards to the sun? Would the Israelite, when bitten by the serpents, have found relief by meditating on his wounds and lamenting the violence and deadly nature of his disease? No; it was by looking on the serpent of brass that he found a cure, and had his heart filled with hope and joy. Look unto Jesus, rejoice in the sufficiency of His grace to redeem you from all evil (Jude 24; H. E. I. 4470-4474). 3. Their mistaking the proofs and marks of a really religious state. They say, "If we were the Lord's people, we should feel it in our hearts." But who has told you that warm and rapturous feelings are sure proofs of a truly religious state? (1.) As a matter of fact, they are really reasons for suspicion when they are experienced at the outset of a religious life (Matt. xiii. 5). There is a religion that is like a bundle of thorns on fire; for a little time there is noise and light and some measure of heat, but presently the flame subsides, the fire goes out, and all is dark and chill. (2.) Even when feelings are real, it is not pos sible for them to be long wound up to one high pitch (H. E. I. 2073, 2074). (3.) The Bible never bids you judge of your religious state by your own feelings. You are there told that you are to walk, not by sight, but by faith; and if by faith, not by feelings. The promises are not made to feeling, but to faith. St. Paul did not say to the jailer who asked what he must do to be saved, "Feel that you have Christ in your heart, and you shall be saved;" but, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ," &c. Are you humbly believing in Jesus Christ as your only Saviour! Are you living in dependence on the Divine promises, and in a faithful use of the means of grace? Are you doing the duties of your station in depen |