• Ezck. XX. 45. ' xvii. 2. 6 2 Chron. xxxvi. 17.
* 2 Kings xiv, 1 — 3. ' Jer. xxxvii. 1 Kings xxiv. 17. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 10.
THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST, &C. 421
advantage of that people ; for he had long before chosen and established another, consisting of * seventy elders of the people,' Numb. xi. 24. to whom he add^d prophets and judges extraordinarily raised up in several generations, ac- cording to his promise, Deut. xviii. 18. which when the people rejected, he said, they rejected him, or his institu- tion, 1 Sam. viii. 7. but that it might be a type of the spi- ritual dominion of their Messiah,'' and so was a part of their pedagogy and bondage, as were the residue of their types every one of them ; yea, the most glorious enjoyments what- soever, which were granted them, which did yet represent something that was afterward to be brought in, was part oi that servile estate wherein God kept that people, that without us they should not be made perfect. But now this carnal people beholding the outward beauty, lustre, and glory of the type, they began to rest in it, to the neglect of the spi- ritual kingdom of Christ represented thereby.' And thus did they with the rest of their types, until the Lord destroyed all their outward pomp and glory; Isa. i. 11, 12. Jer. vii. 4. 14, 15. So in particular dealt he with their kingly govern- ment, when once they begin to account their bondage their glory, and to embrace the shadow instead of the sub- stance. And this did he to recall them to a serious con- sideration of the tendency of all typical institutions, and the design he was carrying on concerning the kingdom of Christ.
Hence ver. 22. of this chapter he calls them from their thoughtfulness about the destructions, desolations, and con- tentions that were amongst them in reference to their civil rule, to the consideration of that design, which he was se- cretly and silently carrying on under all these dispensations. ' I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it, 1 will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon a 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 fowl of every wing : in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they
•' Psal. xlv. 6. Hos. iii. 5. Isa. ix. 7. xvi. 5. xxii. 22. Jer. xxiii. 5. Amos ix. 11. Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 24. xxxvii. 24, 25.
» 1 Cor. X. 11. Acts XV. 10. Gal. iii. 4.
422 THE ADVANTAGE OF
dwell.' As if the Lord should say, There is a great noise in the world about setting up, and plucking down of kings, in this their carnal rule, and many of you see nothing else, you will look no farther ; but I also have my work in hand, my design is not bounded within these limits and outward appearances, I am setting up a king that shall have another manner of dominion and rule, than these worms of the earth. He shall stand, as Micah v. 4.
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 * mountain of Israel,' with the prosperity hereof, and safety of him that shall dwell therein, is the subject of ver. 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 connexion of the words.
Observation 1. In the midst of all the tumults and em- broilments of the nations, that which the Lord takes pecu- liarly as his own design, into his own management, is the carrying on of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus.
You are about your work, saith the Lord, I also am about mine ; 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 king- dom that 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 own? Yea doubtless, ' He changeth the times and the seasons, he setteth up kings and removeth kings ;' Dan. ii. 21. ' He ruleth in the king- dom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will ;' chap, iv. 25. There is not a persecuting Pharaoh, but 'he raises him up for his own purpose ;' 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 own work, advance the kingdom of the Lord Christ.
There are great and mighty works in hand in this nation, tyrants are punished, the jaws of oppressors are broken, bloody revengeful persecutors disappointed, and, we hope, governors set up that may be 'just, ruling in the fear of the Lord, that they may be as the light of the morning,' &c.