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mouth.' The Gospels renew the same picture (John viii. 6-11). It is the same with the divine perfection in Balaam's message: 'He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath He seen perverseness in Israel.' The person named is the Messenger whom the Lord was about to send (John x. 36). He is the Perfect One, alone pure and sinless; the Lord's servant, whose gentleness and patience have been described before, and who is to set judgment in the earth. On this view the repeated question, Who is blind as He has a deep significance. Where sin has abounded grace still more abounds. The marvel of Israel's blind idolatry and unbelief is to be surpassed by a greater marvel of love and grace in Israel's Redeemer, who sees as though He saw not, and hears as though He heard not, when He visits His people in great mercy to pity and to save. "Ver. 20. The blindness of this Servant of the Lord is now explained, with allusion to the promise (xxxv. 5): Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped.' It is the free choice of patient love. He can open the ears of the deaf, but refuses to hear the sounds of strife and violence. Every sense is awake for mercy. He gives voice, hearing, sight, to the dumb, the deaf, and the blind, but deaf and dumb Himself in refusing to judge when He comes to save. Thus men are blessed, God is glorified, and the excellence of God's righteous law of perfect love is for ever revealed." -Commentary, pp. 218, 219.

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Cheyne :-" Vers. 18-20. We are confronted here with an at first sight perplexing discrepancy, viz., that whereas in vers. 1-7 the Servant' is introduced as an indefatigable worker in Jehovah's cause, and as especially appointed to open blind eyes,' in ver. 19 we find My Servant' and 'My Messenger' described as spiritually blind' and 'deaf.' This, however, is one of those apparent inconsistencies in which Eastern poets and teachers delight, and which are intended to set us on the search for a higher and reconciling idea. The higher idea in the case before us is that the place of the incompetent messenger shall be taken by One both able and willing to supply his deficiencies and to correct his faults.' Israel the people being as yet inadaquate to his sublime destiny-Jehovah's own 'elect,' shall come to transform and elevate the 'unprofitable servant.'

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"Ver. 18. Hear, ye deaf .] Jehovah is the speaker. He has before Him a company of spiritually deaf and blind. Surely

(we may suppose Him to make this reflection) they are not all stone-deaf; some may be able by exerting the power yet graciously continued to them to hear God speaking in history and in prophecy (comp. ver. 23) !-Thus it would almost seem as if Jehovah Himself had assumed the function of opening blind eyes,' previously ascribed to the Servant. But there is no real discrepancy. The operations of Jehovah and of His Servant are all one; Jehovah must nominally interpose here in order that the incompetence of His peopleServant may be exposed, and the necessity for another Servant, springing out of but far worthier than Israel, be made clear.

"Ver. 19. Who is blind but my Servant?] The blind and deaf Servant means the people of Israel, regarded as a whole, in its present state of spiritual insensibility. Jehovah is sometimes described anthropomorphically as

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saying,' or, more fully, as saying to His heart, i.e. to Himself (Gen. viii. 21). It is such a 'saying' that we have here. Jehovah sadly reflects, Who among earth's inhabitants is so blind and deaf as Israel, my servant?' Strange fact! The servant, who needs a sharp eye to catch the least gesture of his master (Ps. cxxiii. 2)-the messenger, who requires an open ear to receive his commissions, is deaf! To interpret Who is blind, &c.' of Jesus Christ, as if the guilt and shame of the people [were] here enforced by direct contrast with the true Israel, the Prince who has power with God,' and as if the true, no less than the phenomenal Israel, could be called blind and deaf with reference to His slowness to take offence (Prof. Birks), is to go directly counter to Biblical usage (see vi. 10; Jer. v. 21; Ezek. xii. 2 ; Zech. vii. 11). In fact, the only passages quoted in sup. port of this far-fetched view are Ps. xxxviii. 13, where the sin-conscious Psalmist resigns his defence to God; and John viii. 6-11, where the Saviour (if this interpolated narrator may be followed), under exceptional circumstances, refuses an answer to His persecutors."-Commentary, vol. i. pp. 259, 260.

verse.

(B) Compare other translations of this Cheyne: "Who is blind but my servant? and deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as the surrendered one? and blind as the servant of Jehovah ?" Arnold: "Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I would send? Who is blind as God's liegeman, and blind as the LORD'S servant?"-See also the translations by Alexander and Delitzsch.

THE LAW MAGNIFIED BY THE REDEEMER. is well pleased, &c.

xlii. 21. The Lord God may be said to make the law honourable by everything by which He shows His own great respect to it. In every government, the sovereign is

the fountain of honour: in the Divine government, God is the fountain of all honour. Whatever shows God's respect to it, magnifies the law. The law is

magnified when either the precepts or penalty of it are fulfilled, when the commands or threatenings of it are satisfied. The work of redemption magnifies God's law :

I. By the perfect obedience that Christ gave to the commandments of it. What is meant by His obedience to it? In ourselves, holiness and obedience to the law are but one and the same thing; but it is not so, it was not so always, as to Christ. Before He came to the world He was perfectly holy; but that holiness could not be called obedience. It was when Christ took on Him our nature that He fulfilled our law. It was our duty that He performed, and our righteousness that He fulfilled, as well as our sins that He bore.

How much this obedience magnified God's law as to the commands of it, will appear when we consider the following properties of it :-1. It was perfect obedience. "He continued in all things written in the book of the law to do them." 2. It was the obedience of the most glorious person that could be subject to the law. 3. It was obedience performed by express Divine appointment. 4. It was obedience performed in a low condition; which served to show, that obedience to the law in any rank or station is honourable. 5. It was an obedience of universal influence as to the example of it.

IL By the perfect satisfaction He gave to the threatenings of it. He bore the penalty of it, by His sufferings and death. Three things show the importance of keeping up the authority of the law :-the Author of the law, the matter and end of it, and the kingdom that is commanded by it. Notice the properties of Christ's suffering the penalty of the law. 1. It was a real execution of the law. The law was given by Moses, but fulfilled only by Christ. 2. It is a total execution of the law. No other punishment of creatures shall be called such. It is of Him only that it can be said that "he made an end of sin," of the punishment of it. 3. It was an execution of it upon the most honourable

person that could suffer. All the other persons that ever suffered for sin on earth or hell, principalities and powers of darkness, were but mean, low, vulgar, in comparison of this King of kings and Lord of lords. 4. It was also an execution of it upon the nearest relation of the Judge. The relation between God and Christ is expressed in the analogy between a father and a son. But the relation between a father and a son is nothing to that between God and Christ. serves to show the righteousness of the law. If a judge executed the law only upon his enemies, he might be called partial; but if he executed the law upon those he cannot be said to have any hatred to, that shows him to be actuated by the purest justice and righteousness (H. E. I. 374–383).

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III The work of Redemption magnifies the law, as it is a work of infinite love. Everything that hath the nature of a motive to strengthen obedience magnifies the law. Favours, as well threatenings, are motives to excite to obey God's law; and this is the greatest favour, and is one of the chief motives to stir up to obedience and restrain from evil. Threatenings are not the only motives to stir up to obedience. Gifts from the lawgiver are also motives to obey the law.

What can be more fit to magnify a law of love than a work of infinite love? If we considered this, we would see nothing a greater motive to establish the law. The law of God commands us to love God, and the work of redemption is the greatest motive to love Him. The law of God commands us to glorify Him: the work of redemption shows us the brightest manifestation of His glory.

IV. The work of redemption magnifies the law by the reward of obedience. The law is honoured, not only when obedience is performed, but when obedience is rewarded. Every person thinks himself honoured when he is obeyed, but doubly honoured when obedience to him is rewarded. The honour that was done to Christ is done to the law; and not only all the

honour that was done to Jesus Christ, but all the gifts that His people get by being united to Him for the sake of His merits, that is, for the sake of His obedience to the law. This, indeed, may make us admire the wisdom of God, that the honour that is done to the criminal is done to the law; for the sinner that believes in Christ is made righteous through His righteousness, and the law is always honoured by the blessedness of the righteous.

V. The application of the work of Redemption through the Spirit magnifies the law. The law is magnified by everything that puts disgrace upon sin. That which puts disgrace upon sin puts honour upon obedience. We are justified by faith in Christ's right eousness; and by the Spirit we are enabled to render obedience.

IMPROVEMENTS:

1. Every one who despises the law despises Christ. 2. God, having magnified His law so wondrously, will have us always stand in awe of it. 3. We should take encouragement to ourselves, if we truly repent of our sins, if we truly see our need of Christ, to hope for mercy, because justice is so gloriously satisfied. 4. We should be adoring the wonderful, immense wisdom of God in the work of redemption, the manifold wisdom of God, the many attributes manifested in it. -John Maclaurin: "Select Works," pp. 242-271.

Among all the obscurities about the prophetical writings, the simple fact that there is a mysterious prophetic personage is plain and obvious. He is introduced in the beginning of this chapter in a very solemn and impressive manner. Who this is, it may sometimes be found difficult to determine. Jesus is the key to the interpretation. That this chapter belongs to Christ, would seem to admit of very easy proof: just by the Bible interpreting itselt (Matt. xii. 17-21; Mark i. 11, and ix. 7). This passage is spoken of Christ.

I. A preliminary observation or two. 1. With respect to the "law." It is a word used in Scripture in two ways. (1) As a universal thing-the moral law. (2) As a limited thingthe ceremonial institutions, given to a particular part of mankind, and for a particular time. 2. To " 2. To magnify the law and make it honourable" cannot mean that Messiah was to produce any change in it-that what He did was to perfect the law itself; as if the law had any defect about it. The moral law, necessarily resulting from the Divine perfections and government, is incapable of improvement. Christ did not do anything in the way of enlarging the ceremonial law. 3. We cannot suppose that this means, that there was to be any change effected in the conceptions of God about the law-that the work of Christ was intended to affect the Divine mind in relation to it. 4. It must signify the manner in which created minds were to be affected by it. Something was to be done, by which there should be a certain impression with respect to law, produced upon the minds of the intelligent universe-that should, so to speak, give body and substance and visibility to God's own conceptions about His law.

II. The necessity for this. If sin had never entered into the universe, God's law would always have been a sublime and grand thing in the estimation of that universe. And if when sin was permitted to enter the universe, the penalties and sanctities of the law had been carried out fully and literally, then law would always have been magnified; it would then have been always a great and glorious thing. But if there is to be the fact, that there are sinners and violators of law, those that on just principle are exposed to the penalty, and yet they are to escape, and to be treated as if they were actually righteous, &c., then law so far seems to go for nothing,-there is danger of a certain effect being produced upon the minds of God's creatures, injurious to His character, and government, and law. And, therefore, there

was a necessity in the nature of things, that this escape from penalty and punishment should not only be agreeable to the principles of law, but that there should be a manifestation of that: that something shall be done, the moral effect of which upon the minds of God's rational creatures shall be equivalent to the impression which would have been produced by the literal carrying out of the principles of law itself. The work of Christ does this, and this prophetic declaration is realised.

III. The manner and way in which this thing, thus necessary, was &me.

1. Christ's teaching always maintained the authority of the law (Matt. v. 17).

2. His personal character magnified and honoured it. He was "made under law," and obeyed it, and never wished to be free from it (Heb. vii. 26).

3. But these are but preparatory to that one great act which was the consummation of His work-His propitiatory sacrifice; in which, in a certain sense, He stood forth, as it were, bearing the penalty of the moral law, and in another sense manifesting the substance and casting a light and glory upon the ceremonial. (Heb. ii. 14-17.) There was a substitution in two senses: (1) of person—(2) of suffering-producing an impression upon all moral nature of God's regard to His own authority, and His determination always to act in harmony with law.

4. His people are redeemed unto obedience (Titus ii. 14; Rom. viii. 3.) Hence, saints love the law-respect it-rejoice in it.

The substitutionary work of Christ expounds those many representations of Scripture, harmonising with the text. The private and personal affections of our nature are not enough as an analogy to the work of God. The case of the king of Babylon and Daniel will illustrate the whole of this subject (Daniel vi. See also, H. E. I. 376, 383, 391).-Thomas Binney: The Pulpit, vol. 40, pp. 234-240.

THE HONOUR WHICH THE GRACE OF THE GOSPEL REFLECTS UPON THE HOLINESS AND AUTHORITY OF THE LAW.

I. It is necessary to have clear views of the characteristics and operations of the two dispensatious.

1. The Law of God is simply the revealed will of the Creator. First proclaimed when the first intelligent creature was formed, and it requires from all moral beings unqualified and instant submission. This Law made known to man at his creation, revealed anew at Sinai, renewed and confirmed by Christ. No intelligent creature exempt from it. Disobedience involves condemnation and ruin, arrays God against transgressors. Thus it was with angels who sinned, with Adam, and is with man now. The holiness, faithfulness, authority of this law can never be annulled. It is the law of God, not of Moses.

2. The Gospel is a free offer of actual and finished salvation to man, who is under condemnation of law. It is a remedy for existing, actual evil; restores the transgressor of the Law, not by annulling, but by fulfilling the Law for him; announces a Saviour who has assumed the sinner's place, and rendered for him the satisfaction and obedience required by Law.

The same Divine Being who gave the Law also gave the Gospel. No inconsistency or change in Him.

II. Consider the direct assertion of the text that the righteousness of Christ magnifies the Law and makes it honourable. Gospel teaching does not set aside the Law or subvert moral obligations. In preaching justification through grace, we establish, confirm, and honour the Law. For we announce a salvation provided by God, in which He is well pleased; which satisfies every legal demand; makes the sinner secure; and infinitely glorifies the Divine character.

1. The Gospel honours and magnifies the Law by the voluntary obedience of Jesus. The Law is honoured by the obedience of angels, would have been honoured by man's obedience;

but the submission and obedience of Christ magnifies it even more highly.

2. By the voluntary sufferings of Jesus. If all the transgressors of the Law had been punished, the Law would have been honoured. It was more honoured when God Himself consented to bear its penalties. Christ's sufferings the same in nature as those which unpardoned sinners endure. endure. Those sufferings were a perfect satisfaction to the violated Law (H. E. I. 377-383).

3. By requiring every sinner, as a condition of pardon, to acknowledge his guilt in breaking the Law, and his desert of condemnation under its sentence.

4. In the new obedience rendered by those whose hearts have been renewed.

These the truths which the apostles preached, for which the Reformers died, without which the Gospel cannot triumph over error and sin.-Stephen H. Tyng, D.D.: The Law and the Gospel, pp. 374–390.

SIN A SPOILER.

xlii. 22. But this is a people robbed and spoiled.

When the unsuspecting traveller is waylaid, overcome by superior force and plundered; when a house is broken into and all its valuables carried off; when a country is overrun by hostile armies, devastated and pillaged, we cry out against such outrages, and pity the poor victims. Shall we be moved by wrongs like these, and yet be indifferent to the far more fearful robbery and spoliation which we have suffered through sin Shall we continue to harbour and encourage the spoiler, who is snatching from us our most valuable possessions, nay, is even making a prey of ourselves? It is sad to contemplate the havoc which sin has made upon our nature. But it is necessary to have a right estimate of the extent to which we have suffered. Deep convictions of the reality, nature, and consequences of sin are essential to a proper appreciation of the blessings of the gospel.

We are not left in doubt as to the cause of Israel's degradation. The question is put and answered in verse 24. There is the explanation of the misery and ruin in which the people were involved. It would have been a small matter had the invaders only spoiled them of their possessions, but they themselves became a prey. condition to which they were reduced is a good example and representation of the consequences of sin. Let us

The

contemplate the ravages of this spoiler in the light of the words before It is a

us:

I. Sin robs us of peace. truth which we cannot evade, that as soon as a man commits a sinful act he has introduced into his life an element of unrest and misery. He has broken down the walls which protected him on every side, and now the forces of evil assail him unopposed. In this respect every sin bears a resemblance to the first sin. The guilty pair in Eden sought concealment among the trees, but it was an unavailing refuge. God brought them forth for conviction and sentence. There is no peace to the wicked. He has leagued against himself penal forces which cannot be resisted. What is here said of Israel is true of him, "they are snared in holes." In the false refuges to which the guilt-stricken soul betakes itself, it is "snared and taken." Sin most surely finds out the sinner. He becomes a prey to the wicked deeds which he has committed. We have heard of man-traps and spring-guns being fixed with wires in such a manner that when a wire was trod upon, a gun wheeled round, and shot or wounded the intruder. Such are the dangers which beset the sinner as he pursues his lawless course. How can there be any peace or security in such a case? The moment we sin, God delivers us over to

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