that he might be a proper foundation, was taken from among men. Accordingly, in the language of the apostle, quoting from the Old- teftament fciptures, "Mofes truly faid unto the fathers, a prophet fhall the Lord your God raise up unto you, of "your brethren, like unto me," Acts iii. 22. (3.) Obferve, that, as the foundations of public buildings, by certain engravings, tranfmit the name -the author-the date-and other remarkable circumftances, to pofterity ;-fo, of our Lord, as the foundation of his church, the Father is reprefented as faying, "Behold the ftone that I have "laid; upon one ftone fhall be feven eyes.-Be"hold I will engrave the graving thereof, faith the "Lord of hofts," Zech. ii. 9. Of thefe engravings, feveral particulars are condefcended upon :-fuch as Immanuel's own name, For," on his thigh, a name is written, KING OF "KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS," Rev. xix. 16. His peoples names are likewife engraved on this foundation, according to his own words, "Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of "my hands," If. xlix. 16. And, as, in the foundation of ancient buildings, certain characters may be found which after ages cannot decipher,-so our Lord is represented as having "a name writ 66 ten that no man knew but he himself," Rev. xix. 12. (4.) Obferve, that the foundations, efpecially, of public buildings are laid with fome kind of folemnity, and accompanied with particular expreffions of joy :-fo, from eternity, God the Father and God the Son, are reprefented as delighting in the foundation of the church;-" Then (fays Im"manuel, referring to the morning of eternity) I was by" the Father, as one brought up with "him; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always 66 ways before him-rejoicing in the habitable part of the earth, and my delights were with the "fons of men," Prov. viii. 30, 31. As foon as angels knew of the ancient decree, by God's beginning to erect the ftage on which the wonders of redemption, in the building of mercy, were to be difplayed, they celebrated the folemnity, under view, with peculiar demonftrations of gladness. "Where waft thou (faid the Lord to "Job) when the morning stars fang together, and "all the fons of God fhouted for joy?" Job xxxviii. 7. When the laying of this foundation was brought to maturer light, by the incarnation of the Son of God, thefe angelic fongfters repeated their celebra tion of this folemnity with new anthems of praife. "And fuddenly (fays the evangelist) there was "with the angel," who announced the birth of Chrift to the shepherds at Bethlehem, "a multi tude of the heavenly hoft, praising God, and "faying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth "peace, good-will towards men," Luke ii. 13, 14. Nay, fo much is the foundation of the church of God an occafion of joy, that the acceffion of every finner to it, at converfion, is celebrated with new and feraphic fongs of triumph.-" Joy (fays our "Lord himself) fhall be in heaven over one finner "that repenteth :"-and again, "there is joy, in "the prefence of the angels of God, over" every fuch believing penitent, Luke xv. 7, 10. (5.) Obferve, that there are certain things wherein the foundation of the ranfomed church excels all the material imagry by which it is pointed out. In the fame bed from whence foundation ftones are dug, others, of equal fize, fuitablenefs and value, might be raised; but Jefus Chrift was the only perfon in heaven or on earth, who could bear the the weight of this facred fuperftructure. Before he appeared, none could be found who was equal to the mighty undertaking; and after he appeared; none could ever pretend to rival it with him. cordingly, the apoftle affures us, that "other foun"dation can no man lay, than that is laid, which "is Jefus Chrift," 1 Cor. iii. 11. Ac Again, while literal foundation stones are brought out, and wrought up by the hand of the artist, without whose interpofition they behoved to have lien in the bowels of the earth;the miniftry of creatures was not fought or employed in raising up Jefus Chrift, the myftical foundation; for, this "ftone was cut out of the mountain without "hands," Dan. ii. 45. Farther, the ftones whereof other foundations confift, are inanimate matter. As they have no life in themselves, they can communicate none to the constituent parts of the buildings which stand upon them. But our Lord, in the quality of a foundation, both hath life in himself, and can com municate life to all the members of his church: "To whom coming (fays the apoftle, fpeaking of "Chrift) as unto a living ftone ;-ye alfo, as liveἐσ ly ftones, are built up a spiritual house," 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. Moreover, the fame ftone, in a literal fenfe, if it be the foundation, can occupy no other place, at the same time, and in the fame building; whereas, the wonderful perfon we now speak of,-the ftone cut out of the mountain without hands, is, at once, the corner, as well as foundation of this fpiritual houfe. Accordingly, he is called "the head ftone "of the corner," by David, Pfal. cxviii. 22.—“ a "precious corner-ftone," by Ifaiah, xxviii. 16. and the chief corner-ftone," by the apoftle, Eph. ü. 20. This view greatly raises the virtue and value of Jefus Chrift, with refpect to his church. As the corner-the precious corner-the head of the corner -the chief corner ftone, he fo binds the feveral members of his church together, that they can no more be disjoined, than the walls, on either fide of the angle, in which the corner is laid. "Ho: ly Father, (fays he) keep, through thine own name, thofe whom thou haft given me, that they 66 may be one, as we are," John xvii. 11. And, fince the Father heareth him always, this prayer affures us, that the union, amongst the members of Christ, can no more be diffolved,-than the union tween the Father and the Son. Nor does he only bind,-but, as the corner, alfo beautifies the ecclefiaftic fabric, in the following and fuch like views: (1.) Any outward beauty for which the faved ones are remarkable, arifeth from his moft honourable righteousness, imputed to them, and improven by them. "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, "(fays the prophet) my foul fhall be joyful in my "God, for he hath clothed me with the garments "of falvation, he hath covered me with the robe "of righteoufnefs, as a bridegroom decketh him. "felf with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth "herself with her jewels," If. lxi. 10. (2.) Any inward beauty by which they are diftinguished from others, is effected by his holy Spirit given unto them. "The Spirit of truth, 66 (faid our Lord to his difciples) whom the world ፡፡ cannot receive, because it feeth him not, neither "knoweth him; ye know, for he dwelleth with you, and fhall be in you," John xiv. 17. And, (3) Any fcriptural conformity, in their lives, to the law of God which hath place, flows from the womb of the promise, which is yea and amen in in him. "I will put my fpirit within you, (fays "the Promifer) and caufe you to walk in my "ftatutes, and ye fhall keep my judgments and' "do them," Ezek. xxxvi. 27. By the first of thefe, God-Redeemer himfelf accounts them beautiful, faying, "Thou art all "fair my love, there is no fpot in thee," Song iv. 7. By the fecond, pardoned finners have a humble confcioufnefs of a gracious difference between what they are, and what they were:-"God, who is rich "in mercy, (fay they) for his great love where"with he loved us, even when we were dead in "fins, hath quickened us together with Christ,” Eph. ii. 4, 5. And by the third, the truth of religion in them, appears to the conviction and edification of others:-"Let your light (fays our "Lord to his followers) fo fhine before men, that "they may fee your good works, and glorify your "Father which is in heaven," Matth. v. 16. III. We come now to the improvement of the fubject. And, If the church of Chrift be built upon himself, the office and work of gofpel minifters will naturally appear. As to their office, according to my text, they are under-builders: They derive their warrand from the Father, who laid the foundation; and from the Son, who builds the temple. Thus, in the difcharge of that truft, the Father and the Son are represented as their joint conftituents. "We are "ambaffadors for Chrift, (fays the apoftle) as "though God did beseech you by us: we pray you "in Chrift's fead, be ye reconciled to God," 2 Cor. v. 20. And faithful minifters are, therefore, reprefented as " labourers together with God," 1 Cor. iii. 9. |