Ebenezer Erskine

“ He is a high Plant, he is a tall Plant. You see the heavens above you, which are very high, but these are but creeping things in comparison of this glorious Plant, who is, “The high and lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity, "You can never see his height: your eye will look high and your thought will reach higher, but neither your eye, nor thought, will reach unto him. He is taller than any of the cedars in God’s Lebanon, Eye hath not seen, nor hath ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, to think of the height and glory of this Plant of renown. ”

“ He is not a barren Plant, he would not be renowned if he were barren. He brings forth all manner of fruit every month yea, I may add, every day, every moment. You read in Rev xxii of the tree of life, that brings forth twelve manner of fruits every month; that is to say, he brings forth all fruit that is necessary for a poor soul. Whatever thy soul stands in need of, is to be found in him. see then and gather, see if you can gather some of it. There is the fruit of his incarnation There is the fruit of his death. There is the fruit of his intercession, and sitting or, the right hand of God. ”

“ Christ gets many metaphorical names and descriptions in Scriptures He is called a Rose a Son a Door the Tree of Life, and he is content to be called any thing to make himself known to us, and here he is called a Palnt, and a renowned Plant but more of this afterwards. ”

“ What but love made him lay down his life for his peopie?——He is renowned for his liberality. He has a full hand and free heart, as we use to say. He gives without money; and he invites all to come and share of his fulness.——He is renowned for his constancy. He is Jesus, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. The best of men will fail us, when we trust thee, they will run like splinters into our hands, when we lean upon them: but sirs you will find Christ ay the same, “To-day, yesterday, for ever. ”

“ God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever beiieveth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. In the fulness of time, he sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, lo redeem, them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” God promised to send him, and accordingly he has actually fulfilled his promise.— Again, 2ly, We may notice the blessing promised, and that is, a Plant of renown. ”

“ You see it is no other than the great God, that raised up this Plant. find The great Jehovah glorying in his skill and wisdom, in raising up this Plant for the use of the church, Psal, txxxix. 19. Says the Lord “There, I have laid help upon one that is mighty, have exalted one chosen out of the pepple; “I have raised up David, my servant; with the holy oil have I anointed him.” You see he just glories in it, that he had raised up this glorious Plant of renown. I will tell you a few things with reference to the raising up of this blessed Plant
4. ”

“ He hath a Name above every name that can be named, whether in this world, or in that which is to come”—— He is renowned for his Wisdom, for, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in him. He is renowned for his Power, for, he is not only The wisdom of God, but the power of God: He is The Man of God’s right hand, even the son of man, when he hath made strong for him, self. ”

“ Well the Lord tells them, a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call his name Immanuel. But, might the church say, what is that to us? What encouragement doth it afford in this distress! Why, the Messiah is to come of the tribe of Judah, and the family of David, and therefore that tribe and family must be preserved, in order to the accomplishment of the promise; whatever distance of time suppose hundreds or thousands of years, man intervene before the actual coming of the Mesiah ”

“ Zech. vi. 13.——The Father and the Son agreed upon it, that in the fulness of time the: Son should come into die world. But then, again,
5. He was raised up in the first promise to Adam and Eve. Till this Plant was discovered to them, they were like to run distracted. And indeed, sirs, if Christless sinners saw where they were, and the wrath of God that is hanging over their heads, they would be ready to run distracted, till a revelation of Christ was made to them. All the promises prophecies, types, and doctrines, of the Old Testament, were the gradual springings of this Plant, until,
3. ”