The doctrine that naturally arises from this first clause of the verse, is in short this, “That Christ is a Plant of Renown, of God’s raising up, for the benefit and advantage of his people, or for their comfort and relief in all their distresses; he is a Renowned Plant of God’s raising up.” Now, in discoursing this doctrine, if time and strength would allow, I might, _First_, Premise a few things concerning this blessed Plant. _Secondly_, I might enquire, why he is called a Plant of Renown? _Thirdly_, Speak a little to the raising up of this Plant. _Fourthly_, For whom he is raised up. _Fifthly_, For what end. And then, _Lastly_, Apply. As to the first of these, namely, _First_, To premise a few things concerning this blessed Plant. _First_, I would have you to know what is here attributed and ascribed to Christ: It is not to be understood absolutely of him as God, but officially as he is Mediator and Redeemer. Considering him absolutely as God, this cannot be properly said of him, that he was raised up: for he is God co-equal and co-essential with the Father; But viewing him as Mediator, he is a Plant, as it were of God’s training. You will see from the context, all that is said of Christ has a respect to him as a Mediator, that he was to be God’s Servant to do his work: In that consideration he is here called a Plant, and a _Plant of Renown_. Hence, Zacharias, when speaking of him, has a phrase much to the same purpose; “He hath raised up a Horn of Salvation for us in the house of his servant David.” Again, _Secondly_, Another thing I would have you to remark, is, That this Plant is but small and little in the eyes of a blind world. He was little looked upon when he sprung up in his Incarnation; and when he was here in a state of humiliation, men looked upon him “as a Root sprung up out of a dry ground; they saw no comeliness in him why he should be desired.” And to this day, though he be in a state of exaltation at the right hand of God, yet he is little thought of, and looked upon, by the generality of mankind, and the hearers of the gospel; _He is despised and rejected of men_. But then, _Thirdly_, Another thing I would have you to remark, is, That however contemptible this Plant of Renown is in the eyes of a blind world, yet he is the tallest Plant in all God’s Lebanon, there is not the like of him in it, “He is fairer than the children of men;” and, “He is as the apple-tree among the trees of the wood,” If ever you saw him, you will be ready to say so too, and with David, “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon the earth that I desire besides thee.” Again,