Come we to the second observation.
II. The actings of God's providence, in carrying on the interest of Christ, are and shall he exxeedingly unsuited to the reasonings and expectations of the most of men.
He hath a glorious work here to be accomplished. Of whom should he nov/make use? Surely the "high tree," the "green tree" will be employed. If one be to be anointed in the family of Jesse, will it not be goodly Eliab? if the king will honour any, who should it be but I, says Haman ? But all on the contrary, the low, dry tree is taken ; — David from the flock, and Mordecai from the gate. The thoughts of God are not as our thoughts, neither doth he look on outward appearances.
To give some instances in his most signal actings in this kind.
The Jews knew that God had a great work to do in giving of a Messiah, the Saviour of the Avorld. They are raised up to expecta- tion of it; upon every considerable appearance, they cry. Is this he? And what withal did they expect? — Outward glory, beauty, deliver- ance, carnal power and dominion. God at length comes to do his work, and bringeth forth a poor man, that had not where to lay his head, followed by a few fishermen and simple women, — that had "nei- ther form nor comeliness that he should be desired;" persecuted, de- spised, crucified from the beginning to the end ; — quite another thing than what they looked for.^ Thus lays he the foundation of the gos- pel in the person of his Son, by frustrating the expectations of the most of men : " The stone which the builders refused," &c. Again, seeing salvation is of the Jews, the rod of Christ's strength being
' Numb. xxii. 6; 1 Kings xviii. 25.
2 Luke iii. 15; John i. 19, 20; Acts i. 6; Matt. xx. 21, 22, xiii. 55, viii. 19; John iv. 28, 29; Isa. liii. 2, 3; Phil. ii. 7, 8, &c.
828 THE ADVANTAGE OF
to be sent out of Zion, and that living waters were to flow fortli from Jerusalem, — the gospel being from thence to be published through the world, — whom should the Lord choose to do it? Surely the gTeat, the wise, the learned of that nation ; the high priests, learned scribes, devout Pharisees, that might have won their message some repute and credit in the world/ But, contraiy to all the wisdom of the flesh, he takes a few ignorant, weak, unlearned fishermen, despised upon all accounts, and commits this great work unto them; and accord- ingly out they go, friendless, helpless, harbourless, unto their great employment. The like instruments, for the most part, did he employ to make an entrance upon the great work of casting down false Avor- ship and idolatry. Moreover, in that gTeat work for the Lord Christ which is to be accomplished in the ruin and destruction of Babel, when it must be done with might, power, and strength, with annies and blood, will not now the Lord use the "high and green tree?" Many kings and potentates having in profession embraced the doc- trine of the gospel, nobles and great ones having given up their names in ai:)pearance imto Chiist, — who but they shall now be used in this work of the Lord ? But yet plainly the Lord tells them the con- trary, Rev. xviii. 9 ; — all these persons bewail the judgments of God that are executed on Babel, which shall be done by low, dry trees.
To give one instance in the mighty works which God hath lately wrought in these nations : — A work of reformation and carrying on the interest of Christ is here undertaken. What, upon this, are the thoughts of the most of men ? whither were their eyes turned ? Tall trees, green trees are pitched on. This and that great lord, popidar with the multitude, Eliabs in their eyes, they must do it ; — the Scots shall certainly effect it ; — the king shall be taken from his evil counsel, he shall be active in it. A church government shall be set up, and no man suffered to live in the nation that will not submit unto it. Some, like tlie sons of Zebedee, shall sit on the right and left hand of Christ, in the kingdom they were settmg up for him ; — these and those, sound good men, .shall be next the king : then all will be great and glorious indeed. What now, I pray ? Do all things indeed suit and answer these exi:)ectations and reasonings of men ? doth God accomplish the thoughts of their hearts ? Alas ! the high trees rested on proved, for the most part, broken reeds, that ran into our hands, and let out our blood in abundance to no pur]-)ose; — the top bough, hoped for, fallen as an abominal)lo branch ;—tlio Scots shaken and broken with miparalleled destruction, in the maintenance of the interest and cause which at first they prosperously opposed ; — the iron yoke, pre- tended to be that of Chiist (though it be fleshly, carnal, and cruel,
' John iv. 22; Ts. ex. 2; Ezok. xlvii. 1; Zccli. xiv. S; Acts iv. 13: 1 Cor. i. 20, 2G-2S.