1. You have no cause to distrust God ; though he doth not find means, he can create them. The root of Jesse, though there be no branches, it can bear a sprig. God, that could make the world out of nothing, can preserve the church by nothing ; you do not know his in- visible way of working. Believe beyond what you can see. Luther was wont to comfort himself, when all supplies failed, with this, that God
246 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION' UPON [ISA. LIII. 2.
wns alive: Dan. ii. 34, 'A stone cut out without hands, smote the image U])on his feet, that were of iron and chxy, and hrake them to pieces/ 'In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.' It is a spiritual proverb, Gen. xxii. 14 : in the greatest extremities the Lord will appear, and provide for those that commit themselves to him.
2. You have much ground of confidence: Ps. cii. 13,14, ' Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion ; for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come: for thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.' Now you are in a condition fit for deliverance : Deut. xxxii. 3G, ' For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up or left.' God puts his peoj)le into such a condition in which deliverance will be most welcome, and then he bestoweth it upon them. Wait upon him now you are in a condition for God to help. When Caligula was angry with Philo, saith he, ' Now God will help, for the emperor is angry.'
1 come now to the last point.
Doct. 3. That mean beginnings may grow up to great matters and glorious successes. This is admirably set forth by the prophet Ezekiel, chap. xvii. 22-24, ' Thus saith the Lord God, I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it ; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain, and eminent : in the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it ; and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar ; and under it shall dwell all fowls of every wing ; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, have ex- alted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish : I the Lord have spoken, and have done it.' As it was with Christ, so it is many times with his followers; as in many instances. Jacob from himself and his staff was multiplied into two bands. Gen. xxxii. 10, meaning his company of children and cattle, so divided to meet Esau. David was taken from feeding of sheep to feed Israel : Ps. Ixxviii. 70, 71, * He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds ; from following the ewes great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inherit- ance.' Saul, when seeking his father's asses, found a kingdom, Christ's kingdom sprang from a small beginning. This might also be shown from the great spreading of Satan's kingdom, many times from little matters: it is well known that 'a little leav(;n leaveneth the whole lump.' Arius, a ])rivate priest in Alexandria, drew the whole world after him; as Montaruis and other heretics might be said to do. We should not therefore lay too much on success. So Rev. xii. 3, * The dragon drew the third ])art of the stars of iieaven, and cast them to the earth.' The reasons of this in short are these: —
1. God's sovereignty over us, as we are his creatures; he that hath made us, can do what he will with his own.
2. Because he will keep the world in a continual vicissitude and change, some up, some down.
Use 1. To teach us to look to beginnings: Ps. cxxix. 1, 2, 'Many a time liave they afHicted me from my youth, may Israel now say :
ISA. LIII. 3.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 247
many a time have they afflicted me from my youth ; yet they have not prevailed against me;' Cant. ii. 15, 'Take us the foxes, the little ibxcs, that spoil the vines.' This is adtled for ahundant caution, to teach the church to prevent errors and heresies in the beginnings of them, before they spread, and grow strong and incurable ; to crush things in the beginnings.
2. To support the hearts of Christians when they first put forth into the world : Eccles. iv. 14, * For out of prison he cometh to reign.' One seed multiplieth into many. Broad rivers come from a small fountain : Job viii. 7, ' Though thy beginning was but small, yet thy latter end shall greatly increase.' Men rise like hop-stalks out of the dunghill, by the pole of Providence.
3. To keep men from despairing of public mercies. When the child of deliverance hath put forth the hand, it will come to the birth : Zech. iv. 10, ' Who hath despised the day of small things ? ' Christ was but a branch at first.