We propose to consider this prophecy, I. As already accomplished —
The Church, though low in its origin, is become
exceeding great —
[The Lord Jesus Christ, the Founder of it, was brought into the world when the family of David was reduced to a very low and abject state. He is fitly called " A rod out of the stem of Jesse b," that " grew up as a tender plant, as a root out of a dry ground0." During the whole time of his sojourn- ing on earth, he existed in a state of the deepest humiliation : and his Church which he established, consisted only of himself and a few poor fishermen. However, this twig, being planted in the height of Israel, grew, and " brought forth boughs, and bare fruit, and speedily became a goodly cedar." Great and vehement were the storms which menaced its existence ; but it withstood them all ; and in a little time it spread its branches throughout all the Roman empire. Then " birds of every wing (that is, Jews and Gentiles) came to dwell under its shadow," and to be nourished by its fruits. At this hour its growth is visible from year to year : and in due season it will fill the whole earth, and be the one centre of union, and source of happiness, to all mankind.]
And thus far God is greatly glorified in it —
["Every tree of the field must know" whose work this is, and to whom all the glory of it belongs. Who can survey the Church in its infancy, and not wonder that it was not rooted up as soon as ever it was planted? Every arm was lifted up against it : all the powers of the world combined for its destruction ; and not one friend or ally was found for it on the face of the whole earth. The great empires of the world, the Assyrian, Chaldean, Persian, Grecian, Roman, all suc- cessively fell to ruin, notwithstanding the efforts made for their preservation : but the Church, without any sword but the word of God, or any shield that was visible to human eyes, stood, and stands to this day, deriding all the efforts of men or devils to subvert it. Who then, we would ask, Who is it that has thus " brought down the high tree, and exalted the low ? Who is it that has thus dried up the green tree, and made the dry tree to flourish?" Is not all this the work of God? Verily, the burning bush has been a just and lively exhibition of the Church in every age : God was in it, and therefore it was not consumed. In like manner we may speak of every individual branch or twig that grows upon this tree ; Who is it that has preserved even the meanest of the saints, in the
b Isai. xi. 1. c Isai. liii. 2.