Sermons on Isaiah 11:1-10, Sermon
THE RIGHTEOUS BRANCH, Growing out of the Root of Jeſſe, and healing the Nations.
ISAI. Chap. 11. from verſ. 1. to 10.
And there ſhall come forth a Rod out of the Stemme of Jeſſe, and a Branch ſhall grow out of his Roots.
IT is uſual and worthy of the holy Prophets, in ſpeaking of temporal mercies and deliveries of the people of God from their enemies, to inſert ſomething, by way of Propheſie, like a bright colour, to give luſtre to temporal benefits, by ſpeaking ſomething anent our ſpiritual and eternal redemption by the promiſed Meſſias: Thus the ſame Prophet, having propheſied of the temporal deliverance of the Jews, from the combination of the Kings of Aſſyria and Iſrael, ſubjoyns an Evangelical Propheſie concerning the coming of the Meſſias, Iſa. 7.14. The Prophet Jeremiah having ſpoken, (Chap. 23.) of the return of the Jews from the captivity of Babylon, ſubjoyns, (verſ. 6) a Propheſie of the kingdom and benefits of the Meſſias; as alſo, the like is done, Jer. 33.15.
In like manner, the Prophet here having foretold their deliverance from Sennacherib, King of Aſſyria, ſubjoyns a gracious and comfortable Propheſie of the Meſſias his birth, government, and the deliverance and redemption both of Jews and Gentiles from their ſpiritual enemies, by their happy converſion to the faith of the promiſed Meſſias.
In this Chapter, from the beginning to verſ. 10. we have theſe particulars; 1. The low beginning and original of the Meſſias, ſet forth in borrowed expreſſions. 2. His ſingular endowments and qualifications for executing the office of Mediator, and for governing his Church, verſ. 2. 3. The manner of his government, verſ. 3, 4, 5. 4. The effects of his government, verſ. 6, 7, 8, 9. 5. The cauſe of theſe effects, in the end of verſ. 9. For the earth ſhall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the ſea.
Verſ. 1. By rod, or twigg, we underſtand the Lord Jeſus Chriſt as a ſmall twigg, ſprouting up from Jeſſe the father of David: He is ſo called, in reſpect of his outward, low and humble condition in the world; as it is alſo ſaid, Iſai. 53.2. He ſhall grow up as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comlineſs, &c. Which is not to be underſtood, in relation to the outward form or feature of his body, which, without all queſtion, was moſt comely, having its conſtitution and complexion framed in a ſingular manner by the Holy Ghoſt; but it is ſpoken in reſpect of his outward condition and eſtate in the world; becauſe he was born in a poor Cortage, without all outward Pomp and State, Luk. 2.7. This propheſie of Chriſts deſcending from the loyns of David and Jeſſe, was accordingly fulfilled, Act. 13.23.
By Branch, is meant our bleſſed Lord, who is ſo called, Jer. 23.5. Zechar. 3.8. and 6.12. In which places the 70. Interpreters render it foreign, Oriens; and in this Text they render it foreign, Flos; becauſe he was in dignity the firſt-born and flower of all the creatures. To theſe places of holy Scripture, wherein our bleſſed Lord is called the Branch, many learned Interpreters do think, that place, Matth. 2.23. he ſhall be called a Nazaren, doth relate; he was called a Nazaren, that is, the Branch, from the City Nazareth, where he had his education, it being a City compaſſed about with buſhy trees; as even at this day, the Jews call a Chriſtian, Natzar.
It is ſaid, out of his roots; becauſe at the time of Chriſts birth, tbe family of David, the ſon of Jeſſe, was like a root hid under the ground in time of Winter; becauſe after the captivity of Babylon, none of the Tribe of Judah had the government; but at that time the Maccabees, of the Tribe of Levi, were the ſupreme Rulers: at the birth of our Lord, Herod the Great, the ſon of Antipater, ſlew all of the Sanedrim, who were for the moſt part of the royal Tribe of Judah: then was fulfilled that Propheſie of the Patriarch Jacob, concerning the departure of the Scepter from Judah, and of a Law-giver from between his feet, when Shiloh was born into the world, Gen. 49.10. At our Lords birth, the family of David, in reſpect of any outward ſplendor, was like a root hid under the ground in Wintertime: but the Lord who quickens the dead, made this root to ſprout, and bring forth this Plant of Renown, even the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Obſerv. 1. It is the duty of the people of God to raiſe up their thoughts, from any temporal deliverance promiſed or received, unto the meditation, and conſideration of that ſpiritual and eternal redemption, wrought be Jeſus Chriſt: This is clear from the coherence of this Chapter with the preceeding; 1. Becauſe all our temporal mercies and deliverances, are nothing in compariſon of that precious, full and eternal redemption, purchaſed by Jeſus Chriſt: if we conſider the price of our Redemption, even the precious blood of the Lamb of God, of infinite worth and value above all things corruptible, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. we are redeemed and delivered from all our enemies, Luk. 1.74. and it is an eternal redemption, that in the effects of it endureth for ever, Heb. 9.12. 2. Temporal deliverances are common to the wicked, as well as to the godly; in which reſpect, Chriſt is called the Saviour of all men, 1 Tim. 4.10. 3. Wicked men may receive a great temporal deliverance, who are yet reſerved for wrath to come, 2 Pet. 2.4. Jud. v. 13. Curſed Cham was delivered from the deluge, and many damned Sodomites were delivered by Abraham from captivity, at the reſcue of Lot from his enemies.
Obſer. 2. Our bleſſed Lord humbled himſelf to a low condition here on earth; he was as a rod or ſmall twigg, out of the family of Jeſſe, one of the ſmalleſt in the Tribe of Judah. Conſider well his Humiliation, 1. It was voluntar and free, Philip. 2.7, 8. he emptied himſelf; as he laid aſide his upper garment to waſh the feet of his Diſciples, ſo he laid aſide outward ſtate and glory, that he might ſuffer for us, and waſh us in his precious blood. 2. It was a gracious and bountiful Humiliation and Exinanition on our behalf, that by the merit thereof, he might enrich us with his unſearchable and durable riches, even with the graces of the holy Spirit, obtained to us by the merit of his death, 2 Cor. 8, 9. Though he was rich, yet for your ſakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be made rich, and thereby alſo to exalt us unto glory, and ſet us in heavenly places together with himſelf, Heb. 2.10. For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many ſons unto glory, to make the Captain of their ſalvation perfect through ſufferings. The merit of his Humiliation was as a Ladder fixed on the earth, for us to aſcend thereby unto glory. 3. He came in a low condition, for the comfort of many of the godly, who are born and live in a poor and low condition here on earth; their low and deſpicable condition in the world, ſhall not be any prejudice to the ſalvation of their ſouls, for Chriſt ſhall be all to them, and all in them, Coloſ. 3.11. Lazarus a poor man, and Oneſimus a ſervant, are accepted of God in him. 4. He became low, and ſubjected himſelf to infirmities, that thereby we might have confidence of pity and help to us in the day of our infirmities, Heb. 4.15, 16. He knoweth from experience, what it is to have an heart overwhelmed with grief, or aſtoniſhed with fear; for his ſoul was in an agony, Luk. 22.44 and he was ſore amazed through fear, and very heavy in heart through grief, Mark 14.33.
5. He came in a low condition, to teach us to be content in our loweſt eſtate; in thy low Cottage be content, and look to the Heir of heaven, born in a poor out-houſe: though thou have courſe fair, be content, and look to him, who in his ordinar entertainment, had but a few barley Loaves and ſome ſmall Fiſhes: at the evening of the day, though thou get a hard bed, look up to him and be content, for he had not whereon to lay his head, Mat. 8.20.
Ʋſe 1. Be not offended at Chriſts low eſtate, Bleſſed is the man, ſaith our Lord, that is not offended in me: remember, 1. he was brought low for our cauſe, he was bruiſed for our iniquities; our lifting up of our ſelves in the pride and rebellion of our hearts againſt God, brought him low to ſuffer and ſatisfie the Divine Juſtice in our nature for us. Should a Debter be aſhamed of, or deſpiſe his Cautioner, brought low only by his ſuretyſhip for his debts, and not for any of his own perſon? 2. That thou may not be offended at his outward low condition, look by the piercing eye of Faith, into the inſide of Jeſus Chriſt, in him the God-head dwels bodily, Col. 2.9. His Humane Nature was like the vail, that hid what was within the moſt holy place; but draw aſide the vail, and by Faith behold in him, the moſt holy One, that Mercy-ſeat and Propitiatory, in whom and by whom we get a gracious anſwer of peace from the Father, Joh. 16.23. Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, whatſoever ye ſhall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. He is our propitiation, 1 Joh. 2.2. By Faith, look through the vail of the Humane Nature, and behold in him the pot of heavenly Manna, which deſcended, not only from the clouds, as that Manna in the wilderneſſe, but from the third heaven, to give life unto the world: By Faith, behold in him the rod of Aaron the high Prieſt, ever bloſſoming; for he is our great high Prieſt, living for ever in the moſt holy place, Heb. 7.24. and by the ſpecial aſſiſtance of the holy Ghoſt, according to his promiſe, Mat. 28.20. he maketh the preaching of the Goſpel by his Miniſters, not only to bloſſom in a fair outward profeſſion, but alſo to be fruitful in the converſation of his people. 3. Conſider, although our bleſſed Lord was born, and lived in a low condition, yet ſome glimpſes of the glory of his Divine Nature, did now and then at his own pleaſure, break through the vail of his Humane Nature: although he was low in the place of his birth, yet at the ſame time he was attended by an heavenly hoſt of Angels, and was worſhipped both by the wiſe men that came from the eaſt, and by the ſhepherds: after he was tempted as a man in the wilderneſs, yet the Angels miniſtered unto him as the Son of God: after his ſleeping as a man in the ſhip, he rebuked the Sea and the Winds as the Son of God: yea, in his loweſt condition upon the Croſs, he by the power of his God-head, did ſhake the earth and raiſe the dead.
Ʋſe 2. Meditate oft-times for thy comfort, upon his lowing and humbling himſelf in his birth, life and death, look upon it as the greateſt token of his love: Jacobs ſervice in ſo low a condition, was a great token of his love to Rachel; but the Prince of Glory, even Jacobs Lord, was in the form of a ſervant, near-by thirty four years, to eſpouſe us who were by nature enemies to God. Look upon his low condition and humiliation, as a ſpecial mean to engage thy heart and affection to himſelf, who took upon him thy nature, to make thee partaker of the Divine Nature, by a conformity to God in holineſs in this life, and in glory and happineſs for ever in the other life. Look upon his humiliation, as thy pattern in thy behaviour to thy inferiours; he condeſcended to us in our low eſtate, therefore be not high-minded, neither in a ſupercilious arrogancy ſtand upon your punctilio's; but let the like mind be in you which was in Chriſt Jeſus, who humbled himſelf to do us good: So ſhould we, after his example, condeſcend to do good one to another, Phil. 2.3, 4, 5.