that he might be a proper foundation, was taken from among men. Accordingly, in the language of the apostle, quoting from the Old-testament sciptures, "Moses truly said unto the fathers, a prophet "shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, of your brethren, like unto me," Acts iii. 22. (3.) Observe, that, as the foundations of public buildings, by certain engravings, tranfmit the name -the author-the date-and other remarkable circumstances, to pofterity; -fo, of our Lord, as the foundation of his church, the Father is represented as saying, "Behold the stone that I have " laid; upon one stone shall be seven eyes.-Be" hold I will engrave the graving thereof, faith the "Lord of hosts," Zech. iii. 9.

Of these engravings, several particulars are condefcended upon :-such 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 likewise 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,-fo our Lord is represented as having "a name writ" ten that no man knew but he himself," Rev. xix. 12.

(4.) Observe, that the foundations, especially, of public buildings are laid with some kind of folemnity, and accompanied with particular expreffions of joy:-fo, from eternity, God the Father and God the Son, are represented 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

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 stage on which the wonders of redemption, in the building of mercy, were to be displayed, they celebrated the folemnity, under view, with peculiar demonstrations of gladness. "Where wast thou (faid the Lord to

"

Job) when the morning stars sang together, and "all the fons of God shouted for joy?" Job xxxviii. 7.

When the laying of this foundation was brought to maturer light, by the incarnation of the Son of God, these angelic songsters repeated their celebration of this folemnity with new anthems of praise. -"And fuddenly (fays the evangelift) there was "with the angel," who announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds at Bethlehem, " a multi" tude of the heavenly host, praising God, and "saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth "peace, good-will towards men," Luke ii. 13, 14.

Nay, so much is the foundation of the church of God an occafion of joy, that the acceffion of every finner to it, at conversion, is celebrated with new and feraphic fongs of triumph.-" Joy (fays our "Lord himself) shall 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 ransomed 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 size, fuitableness and value, might be raised; but Jesus Christ was the only perfon in heaven or on earth, who could bear the the weight of this sacred superstructure. Before he appeared, none could be found who was equat to the mighty undertaking; and after he appeared; none could ever pretend to rival it with him. Асcordingly, the apostle assures us, that "other foun "dation can no man lay, than that is laid, which " is Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. iii. 11.

Again, while literal foundation stones are brought out, and wrought up by the hand of the artist, without whose interposition they behoved to have lien in the bowels of the earth; the ministry of creatures was not fought or employed in raising up Jefus Christ, the mystical foundation; for, this "stone was cut out of the mountain without " hands," Dan. ii. 45.

Farther, the stones whereof other foundations confist, 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 communicate life to all the members of his church: "To whom coming (fays the apostle, speaking of " Christ) as unto a living stone; -ye also, as live "ly stones, are built up a spiritual house," I Pet. ii. 4, 5.

Moreover, the same stone, in a literal sense, if it be the foundation, can occupy no other place, at the fame time, and in the same building; whereas, the wonderful person we now speak of, -the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, is, at once, the corner, as well as foundation of this spiritual house. Accordingly, he is called "the head stone " of the corner," by David, Pfal. cxviii. 22.-"a

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precious corner-stone," by Ifaiah, xxviii. 16. and " the chief corner-stone," by the apostle, Eph. i. 20,

:

This view greatly raises the virtue and value of

Jefus Christ, with respect to his church. As the corner-the precious corner-the head of the corner -the chief corner stone, he fo binds the several members of his church together,-that they can no more be disjoined, than the walls, on either side of the angle, in which the corner is laid. "Ho

ly Father, (fays he) keep, through thine own name, those whom thou hast given me, that they " 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 such like views:

(1.) Any outward beauty for which the saved ones are remarkable, ariseth from his most honourable righteousness, imputed to them, and improven by them. " I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,

(says the prophet) my foul shall be joyful in my "God, for he hath clothed me with the garments " of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe " of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh him"self with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth " herself with her jewels," If. lxi. 10.

(2.) Any inward beauty by which they are distinguished from others, is effected by his holy Spirit given unto them. "The Spirit of truth, " (faid our Lord to his disciples) whom the world "cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither "knoweth him; ye know, for he dwelleth with

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you, and shall 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 spirit within you, (says "the Promifer) and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and " do them," Ezek. xxxvi. 27.

By the first of these, God-Redeemer himself accounts them beautiful, saying, "Thou art all "fair my love, there is no spot in thee," Song iv. 7. By the second, pardoned finners have a humble confciousness of a gracious difference between what they are, and what they were :- "God, who is rich " in mercy, (say they) for his great love where" with he loved us, even when we were dead in "sins, 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 (says our "Lord to his followers) so shine 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 Christ be built upon himself, the office and work of gofpel ministers 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 trust, the Father and the Son are represented as their joint constituents. "We are "ambassadors for Christ, (fays the apostle) as " though God did beseech you by us: we pray you " in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God," 2 Cor. v. 20. And faithful ministers are, therefore, represented as "labourers together with God," * Cor. iii. 9.