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[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, friends, I will direct your attention to the 53rd chapter of Isaiah and the first part of the 7th verse.

[0:15] He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth.

[0:26] The first part of the 7th verse, the 53rd chapter of Isaiah. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth.

[0:45] The sufferings of Christ. What a subject, friends. Does it interest you?

[0:57] What a question. In the house of God, to ask you, every one of you who have entered into this little sanctuary, have made profession.

[1:14] You make profession before men as you come into the house of God. Does the sufferings of Christ mean anything to you?

[1:31] My friends, in this little sanctuary, I have no doubt at all, the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

[1:48] What a great thing to say. I believe it. My friends, as I seek from time to time to set forth the precious truths of the gospel, I seek continually that the Lord will set truth in my heart.

[2:13] It is no advantage to me to gain the approbation of man and to lose the approbation of God.

[2:25] But I know it is to his glory to make proclamation from time to time that he dwells among a people.

[2:39] And he is here, friends. For I know there are some here loved with an everlasting love.

[2:51] Is it you? Is it you? What a mercy to be able to say. And I'm going to change the common remark, friends.

[3:04] I know. I know. Oh, how many do today say, I hope so. There's nothing wrong in it.

[3:15] But it comes short. It is right to say, I know, if the Lord's done anything for you.

[3:27] My friends, do we not believe that this God is an unchanging God, the same yesterday, today, and forever?

[3:42] Do we not believe, far above head knowledge of doctrine, that this God hates sin?

[3:53] Does he then love one who will go to hell? So, my friends, I open up this evening with this.

[4:11] If the Lord has loved you in a day gone by, in an open manifestation to your soul, that he has put away your sins, he'll never change.

[4:30] And that manifestation in an earlier day, that he loved you, gives you not a hope, but a divine right to claim, loved of God and precious in Christ.

[4:51] My friends, the children of the living God, again and again and again, cut off their own mercies.

[5:02] That is the comfort of them, in resting in things that are short. I'll bring it closer.

[5:20] Because he makes accusation of things that are present. Today's sins. Today's sins. The word of God declares, Who is he that condemneth?

[5:36] Tis Christ that died. Here then, the very onset of the discourse, friends, my desire is, if the Lord will, to sweetly confirm again his precious work of grace in your soul and mine.

[5:57] And I am quite sure that if the Lord does indeed give us a little confirmation tonight, he'll make Jesus precious.

[6:10] And his sufferings won't be just something that we look at at a distance. It will be something that will be in our hearts that causes us to grieve over our sins.

[6:32] He was oppressed. And he was afflicted. And so we start at the very onset again, my friends.

[6:46] I dare not ever generalize in religion. He was oppressed. And he was afflicted for a people foreknown, seen of God the Father in his eternal mind, ere he had created Adam.

[7:10] This character foreknown by a triune Jehovah as to be part of a people loved in time, loved in eternity to come, in an unchanging love.

[7:30] This character foreknown by God the Father to be utterly ruined in the fall as yet to come, but certain for found under the eternal purpose of God that his people, created in Adam in a natural perfection, should fall under the temptation of Satan.

[8:05] Not the will of God, my friends. We need to be extremely careful here. We dare not lay accusation before God as to sin coming into the world.

[8:22] But we must come again and again to that great word, sovereignty. The purposes of God belong to his own sovereign will.

[8:36] We dare not argue about them, nor endeavor to find out reasons for them.

[8:49] Sufficient to say, he saw a people as yet uncreated in Adam, but to be loved in Christ throughout time and eternity.

[9:04] A people who, with all mankind, should fall into sin in themselves. This character, again I start, friends, must be you, or else you'll go to hell.

[9:27] We don't hear enough of it, do we? There aren't enough warnings about, my friends. The devil is quite satisfied to send strict Baptists to hell on presumption.

[9:41] Unless it be the grace of God in your heart, the denomination won't take you to heaven. The devil would tell you so, though.

[9:55] A good strict Baptist, a good profession, got a good knowledge of the doctrines in your head, meeting continually with the best people, reading the best book, praying, I don't say in heart, friends, praying in head.

[10:22] The devil is quite satisfied to leave one short. God isn't. So he will have the way set out again and again by his servants.

[10:38] It is called by grace. It is that undeserved favor, unmerited favor, the choice of God himself.

[10:52] This people shall be my people. I will be their God. God. He chooses his people. He chose them in eternity past.

[11:04] He quickens them in time. We want to find you because there is evidence of it. Nothing casual. I know the man in the pulpit can tell you again and again you're a sinner.

[11:21] He can tell you that God sends sinners to hell found out of Christ but will make no difference really to you. You'll remain as hard as the seat you sit on unless the Spirit of God seer it in your heart.

[11:42] Thou art the man and this is what he does. It is that certainty which I hope the Lord will enable me continually to preach.

[11:56] What the Lord does is done forever. What he does is effectual.

[12:07] He convinces of sin tis seared in the heart. It has an effect. It makes the man pray. You've heard me say it before friends.

[12:21] I shall continue to say it. Some men say their prayers. Other men pray. A vast difference.

[12:32] One is in the flesh. The one who prays prays in the Spirit. This character prays in the Spirit because the work is the work of God.

[12:49] The chosen vessel of mercy. A brand plucked from the burning. One who is hidden in Christ.

[13:01] Blessed character. This one prays God help me. Don't need long prayers friends.

[13:14] Don't need a long string of sentences. God help me. It breaks through. It finds access in the courts of heaven.

[13:28] It enters into the ear of the God of Sabaoth. It goes through a blessed mediator, the eternal Son of God, a precious Jesus.

[13:43] It is the indicting of the eternal spirit in the sinner's heart. The triune Jehovah hath occasioned the petition.

[13:55] There will be an answer. He never did begin a work and not complete it. There never was a living prayer, but that there was an answer to it.

[14:10] you come this way. I know it's deep, friends, but real religion is. How many times do we split that language up?

[14:23] Real religion is more the notion something must be known and felt. How many times do we say to ourselves why this means that real religion is a deep religion?

[14:34] It is beyond the ability of man to understand it or to enter into it. It is the work of God. Here's the meaning of it, friends. Real things.

[14:47] God convinces of sin. He brings the sinner into a place of intensity of need. God help me.

[15:00] The Lord God hath eternally ordained help shall be given. He answers prayer. He brings that one into a knowledge of Jesus.

[15:17] Come this way in your measure. You don't need my friends to be able to write a great long book about what the Lord has done.

[15:30] Has he ever given you peace? coming to such a time of need as that God help me.

[15:42] Have you felt an acceptance? acceptance the acceptance is through the merits the righteousness and the precious blood of Jesus.

[15:57] Oh what a blessed foundation this is. My friends if you can take hold let's put it simply to you you who tremble oft times at the word of God you who ask yourselves questions often where do us stand in the sight of a holy God you who from time to time fear the onslaught of Satan when he makes accusation and tells you you're lost you poor sinner do you love Jesus it's all here is it in your heart at times to speak to him have you never said you who can't tell great things but you who know deep in your heart you can't live without your God have there been occasions when you've told him

[17:09] Lord thou knowest I love thee you're a right character the Lord's brought you to this place and you don't deny day you have been those times of real exercise Lord have mercy upon me forgive me of my sins you have come this way haven't you this God is your God how my friends this God who hath made this wondrous way of salvation for a dear people a blessed people he knows they're ruined in themselves knew if he left them to themselves they'd run willingly down the high road to hell for the flesh likes the broad road not the narrow one this wonder working

[18:17] God has made a definite way that way of salvation which neither man nor devil can thwart he sent his own dear son into this lower world to suffer bleed and die I'm going to read to your friends the first verse of this chapter in Isaiah who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed is it you we got to take hold friends I say again we must be able to take hold of these blessed truths and to say I do know something of them the Lord has revealed them to me for you don't know when you're going to die it might be tonight dreadful thought out of time into eternity no foundation hell must be your portion there won't be any praying souls in hell friends there won't be any in hell who have known the love of

[19:46] God in their hearts there'll be none in hell who been able to take hold of this word who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed none of those who can say I believe it Christ died for sinners he's given me to know tis the only way he's opened up a little to my understanding tis only the precious blood of Jesus Christ that can put away my sins here's the character as Isaiah writes about this wondrous work of salvation it was a preface to that which was most certainly to come it was settled in eternity that the dear son of

[20:47] God co-equal co-eternal with the father and the spirit should lay aside his glory for a time come into this lower world to be born of a woman under the law made flesh and blood without sin to put away your sins sinner your sins we've got to answer the adversary tonight he ever is a liar and I don't doubt for one moment but what there are some in this little chapel tonight loved of God and precious in Christ who know what it is to have the adversary in your heart saying you've lost the way it's all a myth you've got no God you won't be able to stand in that solemn day of judgment my friends

[21:47] Christ Jesus the dear son of God came into this lower world according to eternal appointment and he came to be buffeted by man and devil in a body of flesh and blood no sin he came to know your pathway sinner he came to have an experience of your temptations never to fall himself but to be your great high priest in heaven to be able to compassionate your case continually to be able to understand your poor groaning petitions as the devil tosses you about this dear redeemer came into this lower world fully knowing the cost in the outcome death an ignominious death he came into this lower world to walk in the pathway of prayer where you must essentially walk while you pass through this wilderness prayer the Lord

[23:12] Jesus set forth in that garden of Gethsemane no man will ever have the experience of the wrestling prayer for the God man the manhood of Christ wrestling with the powers of darkness the manhood of Christ wrestling with his God God the father in order to finish the work he had begun your Jesus sweat as it were great drops of blood for the joy that was set before him he endured the cross despising the shame and is now set down at the right hand of the throne of God your Jesus the prophet under the indictings of the spirit records surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows the dear son of

[24:26] God the depth of his sorrows no human tongue will ever be able to set forth in fall so that you my friends should never be brought into that dreadful sorrow eternal darkness eternal hell he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed what a record this precious man was oppressed and afflicted yet he opened not his mouth why because he loves you sinner this precious man

[25:40] Jesus lovely Jesus came into this lower world with you in his heart you who have been called by grace oh my friends may the Lord in infinite mercy tread upon the neck of that great adversary who tells thee so many times thou hast not got that precious grace Snoop was thy way unto him unless he love thee and all those whom he loves he puts the precious grace of the

[26:43] Lord Jesus Christ in their hearts you'll have trouble while you pass through this world the Lord having brought you within this company loved with an everlasting love this people declared as a blessed people who know the glorious sound of the gospel you'll have trouble friends but it will be union with Christ don't hear it often do we it's in the word of God your life is hid with Christ in God there'll be union with his sufferings as well as with his joys the outcome of life must be eternal felicity everlasting peace but in the time state will be sorrow he was oppressed and he was afflicted not for his own sin for he had none your sin my sin was laid upon his dear back this precious man the God man was taken by wicked hands and scourge taken before

[28:30] Pilate who disputed his guiltiness he knew he wasn't guilty Pilate would have released him he gave him into the hands of wicked men to scourge him the dear Redeemer bore those dreadful wheels upon his dear back knotted whips he was brought in again before Pilate a bloody man Pilate said behold the man he was weary lack of sleep the malt treatment that had been meted out to him by the soldiers they dressed him in purple they sneered at him they bowed before him they mocked him they brought him back to Pilate

[29:41] Pilate feared the masses Pilate gave judgment to be crucified dear son of God was taken to that cursed tree at Calvary the agonies of his body the dreadful agonies of his mind the whole was prepared for the cross the cross would be put in there as Jesus had been nailed upon the cross the whole of his holy frame shaken in such a dreadful way as they put the cross in the hole prepared for it the sorrows the agonies the untold sufferings of his mind it was done for you he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth as he hung upon that cursed tree at Calvary your sins were laid upon his dear back do you ever consider it sinner

[31:18] Christ died for a people his own dear people a chosen people settled in eternity past by a triune Jehovah the wicked shall be turned into hell they are those who are found out of Christ the sins of the whole church of God were carried away into the wilderness through the sufferings of Christ never to be seen again to consign them to eternal condemnation he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet yet he opened not his mouth why did he not open his mouth because he loved you sinner because the work of redemption must be completed there could be no argument this was a settled matter redemption through blood satisfaction to be given to a holy

[32:39] God by the death of his own dear son who had no sin but bore away the sin of a people redeemed according to eternal purpose could he have answered his answer must have been innocent for he had no sin but he was determined to put away your sin forever now poor sinner hast thou not a glorious high priest in the courts of heaven today for this dear man oppressed afflicted who opened not his mouth in time now dwells in highest bliss stands between your soul and a holy

[33:45] God there ever must be mercy sinner hast our case tonight trouble in time to do with this life hast thou not a glorious high priest able to demand the blessing restoration if need be support succor mercy poor sinner if this Jesus is thy Jesus thou will never be forgotten for he loves thee with an everlasting love hast thou cares in time hast thou sorrows that make thee in thy flesh rebel were thy sorrows are thy sorrows ever comparable to the sufferings of thy dear redeemer a man now he dwells in that place of glory having satisfied all the demands of thy god he waits to be gracious you've got a case tonight something you've been carrying for a long time is the one here with a deep anxiety one with a fear

[35:30] Jesus lives here again that precious word I repeated near enough every time I preach I hope the very essence of my ministry is Jesus for that beautiful language in the 20th of John spoken to Mary sets the seal to thy hope sinner for he said unto Mary touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my father but go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my father and your father and to my God and your God one people one God one poor wretched held deserving sinner in his flesh but completing

[36:37] Christ through precious sovereign grace and redeemed through precious blood in union with the Lamb from condemnation free the saints from everlasting were and shall forever be you've got a case poor sinner a case that is a real trouble to you something that bows you down to the earth something in your body some affliction that's laying you low tell Jesus about it he won't turn you away this precious man calls his people brethren he speaks of your God his God his father your father it is an indissoluble union through the ties of everlasting love and precious atoning blood call him master as

[37:50] Mary did you who weep in heart as Mary did weeping because you need your Jesus he won't turn you away came into this lower world to walk in your pathway he knows your sorrows he understands your fears he knew he knew them in Gethsemane's garden the poet says backwards and forwards thrice he ran as though to seek some help from man he is a man still the same man he knows your case he knows your fears he knows your helplessness but he is your God able to do far more abundantly than you are able to ask or even think this precious man who was oppressed was afflicted and opened not his mouth because he had an eternal purpose of redemption for you now my friends whatever your case

[39:15] Peter speaking again under the inspiration of the spirit of God says casting all your care upon him for he careth for you he's bought you with a price he won't ever leave you nor forsake you the word still remains the same word given to the children of Israel as they came out of Egyptian bondage and wandered in the wilderness forty years the battle is not yours but God's you're now in the wilderness world and you're hastening on to a heavenly canyon and Jesus has gone before you he waits to be gracious he shod his children in that wilderness that natural wilderness he shod them he clothed them he fed them he fought their battles for them he do more for you he was taking them to a natural canyon he's taking you to a heavenly one and I believe in all sincerity

[40:37] Jesus waits against that day when he shall have you home with him in glory another jewel in his crown bought with his own heart's blood we've forgotten the devil haven't we no we haven't friends we've just refrain from speaking about him for Jesus is far more precious the enemy is not far away I know you may well be saying to one or two of you now what about it what's the trouble for so easy to say Jesus cares so easy to say Jesus waits to be gracious but I've got trouble and I don't know what to do about it it's easy to tell me to call upon

[41:39] Jesus but I've tried to call I don't get anywhere feelingly and the enemy's telling you you don't deserve it anyway oh my friends I know what it is to have a spirit of rebellion isn't it good to know the Lord knows that too that you've got a rebellious spirit and that at times through the weakness of the flesh you listen to the enemy when he tells you you're in trouble and suggests you don't deserve the trouble or subtly tells you you want to have the trouble if this God is your God my friends he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he had no sin you have utterly ruined in the fall and by practice how that sin would come to the fore even now if you had nothing to take you to the

[43:04] Lord to pray about isn't it true if you hadn't a God who keeps you because he loves you kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed at the last time something that has been accomplished and settled and hence he keeps you but if it were not so if he left you to yourself where would you be journey so my friends your trial whatever it is a difficulty something in your life or affliction in your body trouble in the family Jesus knows the way you take Jesus has permitted this way to be the way you take it's to keep you near himself it's to keep your soul alive he won't give you up he won't let sin have dominion over you he's going to have you with him in glory while the trial lasts then poor sinner the exhortation from your God is cast thy burden upon the Lord he shall sustain thee he will never suffer the righteous to be moved away from their hope in him the devil would say ah you will be moved you won't my friends commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him you can't do it you've got so much trouble tell him you can't do it tell him you can't manage alone tell him your hope is in him you would commit your way unto him but oh you've got no ability in yourself you'll make a way the psalmist said

[45:15] I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh upon me can't you say that too dare you dispute him yet the Lord thinketh upon me now tell him what the psalmist said thou art my help and my deliverer make no tallying oh my God my friend you need but one more word he will hear you his name is in it the word is for Jesus sake my friends there never was a poor helpless undone sinner who pleaded for Jesus sake but was supported with those arms of everlasting love and mercy he'll make a way for you ah it is better my friends to be cast down and in the arms of Jesus than running with the giddy multitude of a dying world and no troubles but hell your portion the Lord Jesus is full of compassion he's walked your pathway out in oh so much greater depth he knows the way that you take and when he has tried you you'll come forth as gold he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth the final word to close with it is the confirmation friends he shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many for he shall bear their iniquities

[47:29]  Lord have his blessing his name shall have the praise Amen