SERMON LVII.

CHRIST'S SILENCE UNDER SUFFERING.

"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."-ISA. liii. 7.

'WHEN the Jewish priests used to lead the tender fleecy lamb to be slain in the temple, it did not struggle, it did not complain. So when the shearer is clipping the snowy fleece from the sheep, it does not struggle, it does not complain. Even so when God gave his own Son up to the death for us all, he did not struggle, he did not complain. When that gentle Lamb of God was led to the slaughter, he murmured not. When the four soldiers parted his raiment among them, and for his vesture cast lots-when these cruel shearers robbed the Sheep of his snowy fleece, he was dumb, he opened not his mouth.

When he was oppressed and afflicted by man, he answered not a word. He was oppressed and afflicted by God-he murmund not. It pleased the Lord to bruise him. He put him to grief. He was stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Yet he spoke not. He did not turn round and say: Righteous Father, this is unjust. Why should I suffer for sins I did not do? Lord, thou knowest that I am without spot and blameless-thou knowest that I knew no sin, neither was guile found in my mouth. He was oppressed and afflicted both by God and by man, yet he opened not his mouth. "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth."

Doctrine.-Christ was silent under his sufferings. 1st, The fact that Christ was really silent under his sufferings; 2d, Why he was silent; and, 3d, How this is showed forth in the Lord's supper.

I. The fact that Christ was silent under his sufferings. 1. He was silent before man. He was oppressed and afflicted by the wicked hands of men; and yet he did not justify himself before man. (1.) This is true when he was taken prisoner. Jesus was in the garden of Geth

semane, and it was night, when a multitude came upon him with lanterns and torches, and swords and staves. Did Jesus flee away? No. Did he make resistance? No. His disciples said: "Shall we smite with the sword?" and Peter actually used the sword; but Jesus forbade them. He could have called down twelve legions of angels. He could have taken away their breath, that they should die. But no; He said, "This is your hour and the power of darkness.' "The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it."" He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.'

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(2.) This is true in his trial before Caiaphas. They had bound Jesus in the garden, and led him away to the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest. Chief priests, and elders, and scribes, there sat in mock trial upon the Lamb of God. Many false tongues bare false witness against him. Did he answer them? No. He answered not a word. And the high priest stood up in the midst and said: "Answerest thou nothing?" but he held his peace, and answered nothing. He was led like a lamb-led to the slaughter, "and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth."

(3.) True in his trial before Pilate. 1st, From Caiaphas they led him away to the Roman governor, Pilate "And there the chief priests stood and accused him of many things; but he answered nothing. And Pilate asked him, Answerest thou nothing? But Jesus yet answered nothing, so that Pilate marvelled greatly." Ah! the blind Roman did not know that he was the Lamb of God, bearing the sins of many. 2d, Again, Pilate sent him to Herod. Herod questioned him the Jews vehemently accused him-Herod's men of war made a mock of him; yet it is written: "He answered him nothing"-he was still the silent Lamb. 3d, Again, when Herod sent him back to Pilate, then Pilate sat down on the tribunal of justice-he declared, "I have found no fault in him." "He washed his hands, and said, I am innocent of the blood of this just person." And yet he passed sentence on him that he should be crucified. Did Jesus cry, Unjust? Did he cry, I stand at Cæsar's judgmentseat-I appeal unto Cæsar? No. "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth."

Again, upon the cross he was oppressed and afflicted of man. The passers by wagged the head at him, and said:

"Come down from the cross." The priests, too, mocked him, as an outcast from God. The very thieves cast the same in his teeth, for three dark hours. Did he complain? No. He felt it to be true that he was an outcast from his God. He answered not a word. "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.'

2. But Christ was silent before God under his sufferings. (1.) You remember him in the garden-you remember how he was bruised there, when "his sweat was as great drops of blood falling down to the ground." There God set down the cup of his wrath before him, to show him what he was going to drink. He might have said: This is no cup of mine; let them drink it that filled it by their sins. But no; he only cries that it may pass from him: "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." Prayer is the cry of one who feels no right to demand.. If he had seen it to be unjust to give him such a cup, he would have said: Righteous Father, this is not for me to drink. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? But no; he acknowledges it to be just, if the Father wills it. The second time he prays, he says: "If this cup may not pass from me, except I drink it, thy will be done." He acquiesces in the justice of God in giving him such a cup to drink. He is the Lamb of God. "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth."

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(2.) You remember him on the cross. There God hid his face from him. For three hours did the sun refuse to shine upon that cross-darkness brooded over the land. But deeper was the darkness brooding over the Redeemer's soul. God's face refused to shine upon his Son. Yet did he say it was unjust? No. He said: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." He said: "To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise." the ninth hour he cried: "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani"words not of murmuring, but of agony. Again he said: "I thirst." And again he cried: "It is finished. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." These are all the words that Jesus spake upon the cross. He did not cry: Why am I here I am the Lord of glory? Why should I hang between earth and heaven? Righteous Father, I never sinned-I was always holy, harmless, undefiled; why should I suffer thus? But no; he was silent under his suf

ferings, both from God and man.

"He was led as a lamb

to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth."

II. Inquire the reasons why Christ was silent under his sufferings.

1. Because he knew his sufferings were all infinitely just. When a person is undergoing a trial-when he is accused, borne witness against, and condemned—if he be really guilty of the crimes laid to his charge, he is dumb, and says: I deserve it all. If he has any sense of justice left in his bosom, he will be convinced and consciencestricken-he will answer not a word; he feels that his condemnation is just and righteous, and therefore he is dumb. Just so it was with Christ. Christ had an infinite sense of justice, therefore, both in his accusations by men and bruisings under the wrath of God, he answered not a word. He was a silent Lamb. Ques. How was it just that Christ should suffer, when he had not committed the things laid to his charge? Ans. True, he was holy. He was the Son of God-infinitely holy. When he became man, still he was a "holy thing;" through life he was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners; and in his death he was a Lamb without spot and blameless. But still he was a substitute in the room of sinners. "He who knew no sin was made sin for us." He that was the Son of the Blessed became a curse for us. The reproaches of them that reproached us fell upon him. He stood in the place of blasphemers, and gluttons, and wine-bibbers, and deceivers, and thieves, and murderers, and outcasts from God; therefore it was quite just that the sufferings due to these sinners should fall upon him; and so when he was accused and condemned, be opened not his mouth: "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." Have you joined yourself to Christ? Then there is strong consolation for you. If it was just that Christ should suffer, then it is not just that you should suffer. He was silent and opened not his mouth, when wrath was poured out upon him. But, ah! he will cry aloud if wrath should be poured upon you. You have been condemned already, and buffeted, and spit upon already. You have been bruised under the wrath of God already. You will never suffer any more. "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God

that justifieth-who shall condemn? It is Christ that died."

2. Because he would keep his part of the covenant. Before the world was, he entered into covenant with his Father, that he would stand as a substitute for sinners; and therefore when he did come to suffer, his very righteousness sustained him, and he set his face like a flint. When a feeble man undertakes some hard piece of service, very often he is loud and boastful before he begins; but when he comes up to the point, his courage dies, and he goes away back from his word. Not so the Son of God. He had sworn that he would bear the curse that was hanging over sinners. He had struck hands with the eternal Father, he would be their Jonah, to lie down under their sea of wrath : "Take me up," he said, "and cast me into that sea of wrath." And so, when the waves and billows went over him, he did not cry nor murmur. He set his face stedfastly. He had sworn once by his holiness, and he would not turn from it. He would not alter the thing that had gone out of his lips. "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth."

Speak to awakened. Trust in Christ as a Saviour. He is worthy of all your confidence. If I had told you that the Son of God had undertaken to suffer in the room of sinners, surely that ought to give you peace; for if he undertakes it, he will perform it. But we are sent to tell you that he has finished what he undertook. He is a faithful and

covenant-keeping Saviour. Come and look upon that silent Lamb. See him led from the garden to Caiaphas, from Caiaphas to Pilate, from Pilate to Herod, from Herod to Pilate again-from Pilate to Calvary. See him carrying that heavy cross upon his shoulders-see him carrying the wrath of God upon his head; and yet he murmurs not. He does not say: Father, these sins are not mine. No; he keeps truth for ever. "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." And how do you requite all this? You say: I dare not believe it. Ah! does he deserve this at your hand, that you should call him liar? He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar.

3. Because of his love. It was love to perishing sinners that made the Son of God enter into covenant with his Father to bear wrath in their stead. It was the same love in his bosom that made him keep the covenant which he