This is he, of whom the prophet Isaiah spake, perhaps in allusion to Aaron’s rod, _He shall come up before him like a tender plant_, _and as a root out of a dry ground_; to all human appearance, a very unlikely person to be the Messiah, the Saviour of men. But another chapter holds forth his qualifications, _And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse_, _and a branch shall grow out of his root_. So says the Lord by another Prophet, _Behold my servant_, _the Branch_. And the Lord again, by Ezekiel, says, _I will take off the top of his branch a young twig_, _and I will set it_, _and under his branches shall dwell all fowl of every wing_. And perhaps, in allusion to this, the dear Saviour compares himself to a grain of mustard seed, small when sown, but large when grown, so that the birds of the air lodge in the branches thereof. This was to shew the reality of his human nature, his amazing condescension, his deep abasement, and the meanness of his descent. As man, humbled himself to the form of a servant, and as the saviour of the body, of which he is the head, the Father called him to the great work of redemption, and said, _Thou art my servant_, _O Israel_, _in whom I will be glorified_. He gave him to the church, to deliver it from the ruins of the fall, and, as a Branch, he was cut off from the land of the living. Hence the prediction, _Messiah shall be cut off_, _but not for himself_. He was indeed cut off from the synagogue of the Jews, from the carnal worldling, and from the proud Pharisee. He was cut off from his own relatives, from his own dear disciples for a time, from every earthly comfort and convenience, and cut off from the land of the living, by a most violent, painful, and shameful death; _for the transgression of my people was he stricken_. He was cast into the deep waters. He had been baptized in water at Jordan—now he must be baptized in blood, and sweet, and tears. Hence his deep afflictions are called waters; and he sighed and said, _Save me O God_, _the waters are come in unto my soul_. _I sink in deep mire_. _I am come into deep waters_, _where the floods overflow me_. _Deliver me out of the deep waters_, _and out of the mire_. _Let me be delivered from them that hate me_. Hence we see our dear Lord sinking with the blood of our guilt, bearing our sins, sustaining our curse, and enduring the hell that we had merited— He sunk beneath our heavy woes, To raise us to his throne.