The setting up, then, of this kingdom of Christ, who is "the highest branch of the high cedar," and planting it in the church, the " moun- tain of Israel," with the prosperity thereof, and safety of him that shall dwell therein, is the subject of verses 22, 23. This being that to the consideration whereof God here calls his people at such a season, I shall name one or two observations from this connection of the words.
' Ps. xlv. 6; IIos. iii. 5; Tsa. ix. 7, xvi. 5, xxii. 22; Jer. xxiii. 5; Amos ix. 11; Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 24, xxxvii. 24, 25.
' 1 Cor. X. 1 1; Acts xv. 10; Gal. iii. 4.
318 THE ADVANTAGE OF
Obsei'vation 1. In the midst of all the tumults and ernhroUments of the nations, that which the Lord takes peculiarly as his own de- sign, into his own management, is the carrying on of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus.
You are about your work, saitli the Lord, — I also am about iniue; you have your branches and cedars, — I also have one to plant, that shall flourish. Dan. ii. 44, " In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed," &c. Were not those kings and kingdoms also of his setting up, that it is said, In their days he shall set up one of his o%vn ? Yea, doubt- less ; " He chaiigeth the times and the seasons ; he removeth kings, and setteth up kings," chap. ii. 21. He " ruleth in the kingdom of men, and givetli it to whomsoever he will," chap. iv. 25. There is not a persecuting Pharaoh, but he raises him up for his own pur- pose, Exod. ix. 16. But yet, in respect of the kingdom of his Son, he speaks of them as if he had nothing to do with them: In their days I will do my o\\ai work, — advance the kingdom of the Lord Clu-ist.
There are gi'eat and mighty works in hand in this nation; tjTants are punished, — the jaws of oppressors are broken, — bloody, revengeful i:)ersecutors disappointed, — and, we hope, governors set up that may bo "just, nding in the fear of God, that they may be as the light of the morning," etc., 2 Sam. xxiii. 3, 4. The hand of the Lord hath been wonderfully exalted in all these things ; but yet, should we rest in them, — should they not be brought into an immediate subser- viency to the kingdom of the Lord Jesus, — the Lord will quickly distinguish between them and his o^wn peculiar design, and say, In the days of these changes I will do so and so; — SY>eQk of them as if ho hatl nothing to do with them. The canying on of the interest of Christ is his peculiar aim ; he, of his goodness, make it ours also !
Observation 2. Among all the designs that are on foot in the world, there is none that hath either stability, fixedness, or final success, hut only the design of God concerning the kingdom of Christ.
Other branches may be set, but the branch of the Lord only prospers.^ The likeliest appearances of other undertakings are but as the glorious ri.sing of the sun in the morning, — quickly clouded. The interest of Christ is like Joseph, Gen. xlix. 23, 24. Ofttimes tlie arcliers shoot at it, and grieve it ; but in the close the bow thereof abides in streng-th ; and therefore this is the issue of all these dispensations, that tlie king- doms and nations are at length to be possessed by the Lord Chi-ist," his sheaf standing up, and all others bowuig thereunto.
' ITan;. ii. fi,7; Iloh. xii. 26, 27; Tsa. viii. 9, 10, i.x. 7, xlvi. 10,liii. 10; Ts. xxxiii. 11; Prov. xix. 21, xxi. 30; Job xxiii. 13. » Isa. Ix. 12, 13; Rev. xi. 15. ,
THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST. SI 9
And unto the consideration of these things, in the midst of all the tumults in the world, doth God effectually recall his people, and "wdthal tells them how he will carry it on, in the words of my text, " And all the trees," &c.
In the words three things are to be observed, — First, The work that God ascribes to himself. And that he sets down under a twofold similitude : of pulling down the " high tree," and setting up the " low tree;" and of drying up the "green tree," and making the "dry tree" to floiuish; and both these similitudes are coincident, serving only in this redoubling for the clearer illustration of that which they shadow out. Secondly, There is the issue that God will carry this out unto in respect of others: " All the trees of the field shall know." Thirdly, A particular assurance that the Lord gives for the accom- jjlishment of all this, f-om the engagement of his name: "I the Lord," &c.
First, For the first, the expression of the work of the Lord may be taken two ways: 1. Strictly and properly ; 2. Largely, and by the way of analogy and proportion.
1. In the first way you may consider, —
(L) The tree that is to be cast down and withered, and that is the " high tree," and the " green tree," — a tree that in their eyes had both beauty and vigour, high and green; this was the Judaical king- dom, admired and delighted in by the Jews. This, says God, I will reject; as also he will many a tall Eliab, that even some Samuels may think to be his anointed.