A Sermon

BY THE REV. DONALD MACFARLANE, RAASAY.

“Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”—ISAIAH xxviii. 16.

IN this passage of Scripture we see a glorious light breaking forth in the midst of darkness. The promise of the Messiah renewed to the Church of God is that light. As all the rays of natural light emanate from the sun as their source, so all Gospel promises proceed from Christ, the Son of righteousness; and they all point to Him as the only hope of sinners. “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God.”—(2 Cor. i. 20.)

The state of the true religion was very low when this promise was given, as may be gathered from the context, and the first chapter of this prophecy. The people in general were bad, but their rulers were worse. They were scoffers at the Word of the Lord. “Wherefore hear ye the Word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.”—(v. 14.) And notwithstanding the divine threatenings denounced against them, they were making themselves secure: “Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves.”—(v. 15.) But the Lord assures them that their refuges shall be no protection to them when He deals with them in judgment: “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.” (vs. 17, 18.)

It was in these circumstances the promise was given. In the words of the text there are three things to which we would call your attention, viz. :—

I.—The foundation spoken of.

II.—The laying of the foundation, and

III.—The superstructure, or that which is built on the foundation.

I.—The foundation. A foundation, as is well known, is the basis on which something is built. Christ is said to be a foundation because the church of believers is built on Him. And it is evident from Scripture that it is Christ that is meant by the stone

spoken of in the text. He is often spoken of in the Word of God under this figure. The apostle Paul says of the rock which was smitten by Moses in the wilderness, out of which the people received water, “And that rock was Christ,” that is, a representation of Him. The Psalmist says, “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock.”—(Ps. xl. 2.); and there is no doubt but it is Christ that is signified by the rock there. Again, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer: my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.”—(Ps. xviii. 2.) The apostle Peter, quoting our text, applies it to Christ. “Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.”—(1 Peter ii 6.) Christ speaks of Himself as the rock upon which His Church is built. “And upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”—(Matt. xvi. 18.) Some say that Peter is the rock, but Peter himself says, as we have seen, that Christ is the rock, and we believe him. Paul again says, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”—(1 Cor. iii. 11.)

From these Scripture references—and many more might be added—it is evident that the Lord Jesus Christ is the person meant by the stone laid in Zion for a foundation. The Church of believers has but one foundation, and that foundation is Jesus Christ, as Paul asserts. He who is the foundation is God. No creature, man or angel, can be the ground of a sinner’s hope for eternity: “Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.”—(Jer. xvii. 5.) “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.”—(v. 7.) Christ as to His divine person is God, equal with the Father in nature, power, and glory. He is the brightness of the Father’s glory, and the express image of His person, upholding all things created by Him, by the word of His power. When in His state of humiliation on earth He was the Son of man, who was at the same time, with regard to His Godhead, in heaven. This could only be true of Him who was God as well as man. A mere creature cannot be in heaven and on earth at the same time. He claimed to be God equal with the Father, “I and the Father are one,” and He proved that claim by the miracles which He performed. He healed all manner of sickness, raised the dead to life, and did many other wonderful works, which none but God could do. So that He said to the Jews who denied His divinity, “If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not, but if I do, though ye believe me not, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is me, and I in him.”—(John x. 37, 38.) It was necessary that He who was to be the Saviour of sinners, and the foundation of His church should be God, and of Christ it is true, “From everlasting to everlasting thou art God.”—(Ps. xc. 2.)

None can be the rock on which the Church is built but He of whom this is true.

It was also necessary that He who was to be the foundation should be man as well as God. Without this He could not be the foundation of our hope. Christ is God-man. The Word that was from all eternity with God, and was God, was made flesh. He assumed human nature. It was in that nature He was the “tried stone.” “He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham.” He took on the nature of man, a true body and a reasonable soul. As the Father prepared that nature for His eternally begotten Son, the Son took it into union with His divine person. This was necessary that He might finish the work the Father gave Him to do. His divine person supported His human nature when suffering, and the dignity of His person added infinite efficacy and merit to His obedience unto death. But there is more than this to be said of Him who is the rock of our salvation. As God-man, Christ holds a threefold office as prophet, priest, and king. Now, although He is prophet and king when He is working out everlasting redemption for His people, we think that it is chiefly in His priesthood He is the foundation laid in Zion. For it was in that office He magnified the law, and made it honourable, and laid the foundation of our salvation. But more on this subject when we come to speak of His sufferings.

1. We have hitherto been speaking of Christ as the stone laid in Zion for a foundation. We shall now come to consider what is said of the stone. It is “a tried stone.” The word, “tried,” must refer to the sufferings of Christ. If the stone signifies Christ, as most assuredly it does, the trial of it cannot have any other meaning than His sufferings. Christ was tried by suffering. Suffering is a trial. God’s people are tried by suffering, wicked men are tried by suffering, but Christ was tried that He might be the foundation of our hope for eternity. “He suffered, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.” He suffered in His human nature. It was for the end that He might suffer He became man. As God He could not suffer. But He took that difficulty away, as Paul observes, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”—(Phil. ii. 6-8.) Christ suffered in His soul and body. He took the place of His people under the broken law, and as they sinned in soul and body, and thereby incurred the curse of the law, He had to suffer in His whole human nature. He was made a curse for His people that they might be delivered from the curse of the law. During His state of humiliation He was “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” He was the “tried stone.” By whom was Christ

tried? He was tried by men, He was tried by devils, and He was tried by His own Father. Sin made His people liable to suffering from these three parties, and Christ, as their surety and substitute, must suffer from them. Yea, He is willing to suffer all that the law required as a satisfaction for the sins of those given Him in the everlasting covenant. “He loved his church and gave himself for it.”

(1) He was tried by men. David prayed that He should not fall into the hands of man. But the New Testament David fell into the hands of sinful men, and that when they were at their worst. They could not be worse on this side of hell. There is such a thing as restraining grace, which keeps wicked men from going all the length they would go in wickedness, and which they would go, were it not for that restraint by which they are bound, as with a chain in God’s overruling providence. Satan is said to be bound, and wicked men, who are his willing servants, are bound by this restraint. And we thank God for it. But God withdrew that restraint from the generation who crucified the Lord of glory. He left them to themselves. And what evil will not sinful men do if left to themselves? This is clearly seen in the cruel treatment which Jesus received when He was delivered into the hands of sinful men. That generation left to themselves were more like wild beasts than reasonable beings. They are in Scripture compared to bulls, dogs, unicorns, &c. Men of all ranks, ages, and professions were combined against the Lord and His anointed. Kings, judges, priests, soldiers, and others, rose up in fury against Him. The Church that professed to be the Church of God thirsted for His blood. They rejected His claim as the Messiah; they mocked His prerogatives as king, prophet, and priest of His Church. They scourged Him; they spat upon His face; they struck Him with their hands; they cried, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him.” They nailed Him to the cursed tree. They crucified the Lord of glory! They showed no pity for the “man of sorrows.” They had no mercy for Him who is plenteous in mercy to miserable sinners. In their wild treatment of the Son of God they were more like incarnate devils than men. Surely “the carnal mind is enmity against God.” Surely in man by nature “no good dwelleth.” Those who say that some good dwelleth in him would do well to think of how fallen nature showed itself in the sufferings of Christ, and sinful nature is still the same.

(2) He was tried by devils. It is hard to say whether Christ suffered more from men than from these evil spirits. There are some things that men can do that devils cannot, and there is some things devils can do that men cannot. But one thing is sure, both were of one mind against the Lord. Both were actuated by the same spirit of enmity against Him, and both exerted all their power to inflict suffering on Him. But they differed in the methods used. Men used physical force. They crucified Him

by wicked hands, devils used temptation. The former wounded His body, the latter harassed His soul with temptations. To be tempted is a great trial, inasmuch as it causes mental suffering. Christ was tempted of the devil; and although He did not yield to the temptation, yet He suffered by it. The old serpent attacked the Saviour in the wilderness by three awful temptations. It is remarkable that as men denied His being the Son of God, the devil made an attack upon His Sonship too. “If thou be the Son of God.” It is a bad sign when men and Satan agree in their views and use the same arguments. But in all his attacks Christ met him by the sword of the Spirit, and made him retreat for a season. It was but for a season. For it would appear that in the last sufferings of Christ the prince of darkness, with all his hellish host, attacked Him again so as to intimidate His human nature in view of the awful cup of wrath which the Father gave Him to drink. But in this he was defeated also, for Christ said, “The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” He did drink it. Who but the Blessed One Himself knows what He suffered from evil spirits?

(3) He was tried by His own Father. O, has not the Father’s beloved Son suffered enough from men and devils? He suffered much, but it is not enough. It is not enough for the glory of the Father, it is not enough for the love of the Son, it is not enough for the justice of the law, it is not enough for the bruising of the head of the serpent, and it is not enough for the redemption of His people. He must suffer more, He is willing to suffer more. As yet He only suffered from creatures, He must suffer from God. Creatures cannot inflict the punishment of sin but in a small measure: it requires the arm of Almighty God to inflict that punishment. So it pleased the Father to bruise His Son, and to put Him to grief. “He spared not his own Son.” In the Garden of Gethsemane He bears visible marks of suffering. From the agony of His holy soul there oozes forth through the pores of His holy body a bloody sweat. There is no creature touching Him, He is suffering from the immediate hand of the Father. He is drinking the awful cup! Again, the hiding of the Father’s face from Him on the cross, causing His bitter cry, “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?” is another indication of how He was tried by His Father. It was after He had suffered from His Father He cried, “It is finished.” He glorified the Father on earth, He finished the work which He had given Him to do. By His death He made full atonement for the sins of His people, and is the foundation laid in Zion. In His priesthood Christ is the foundation.

1. Christ as the “tried stone” is “a sure foundation.” “The foundation of God standeth sure.” It is “sure” on many accounts. (1) It is sure because nothing could satisfy the justice of the law of God but the obedience of Christ. The blood of bulls and of goats could not do it. But Christ did it by the one

sacrifice of Himself. “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”—(Ps. viii. 5-10.) (2) It is sure in opposition to all other foundations. “Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” The house that was built on the sand fell because the foundation was not sure. All who build their hope for eternity on their own righteousness, in whole or in part, shall perish, for that foundation is not sure.

(3) It is sure because it is an everlasting foundation. The sandy foundation lasted for a short time, but when the trial came it gave way. But this foundation stood all the trial that was put upon it by men, evil spirits, and the wrath of God. It shall never give way.

(4) It is sure because it is able to bear the weight of all heavy laden sinners trusting in Christ for salvation. Though you are as heavy laden with guilt as Manasseh was, come to Christ. He is able to save you, and to keep you from sinking into that place of woe where you deserve to be. This foundation can bear the weight of the chief of sinners. It has been found by the experience of believers to be a sure foundation. They found no sure resting place till they came to Christ. All other foundations they tried failed. They now could trust millions of souls, though they had them, to this foundation. They can then recommend it to others. It is “a sure foundation.”

1. Christ is also spoken of in the text as the “corner stone.” A corner stone is necessary in a building as well as a foundation stone. Christ is both in the spiritual building. As the foundation stone He supports the Church; as the corner stone He unites all believers, so that, although they are many, they are one church built on Him. He unites Jews and Gentiles. All believers are united to Christ, and united to one another. So the Apostle Paul says, “And (ye) are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.”—(Eph. ii. 20, 21.) It is in Christ they “are fitly framed together.” But the corner stone is useful for another purpose. It beautifies the building as well as unites it. Christ beautifies the Church. The world saw no beauty in Christ, nor does it see any in His church. But all the spiritual beauty that is to be found among men in this world is in the people of God, and they derive all their beauty from Christ. They have a beautiful garment, the white robe of Christ’s righteousness, they have the beauty of holiness in so far as they bear the image of Christ. As they are in themselves, it is true that they have many defects and imperfections, but in Christ they are complete. You are not to judge of them as they are in themselves, but as they are related to Christ. If you look at the stones in a building, apart from the corner stone, you may observe much roughness about them. But if you view the building as a whole

from the corner stone, you will see that there is beauty. Christ says of His church, “Thou art fair.” He sees more beauty in them than either the world or themselves can see. They are now imperfect, but they shall yet be made like unto Him who is “fairer than the sons of men.”

II.—The laying of the foundation: Who lays it? The text says, “Behold, I lay,” saith the Lord. The work of laying the foundation stone is not entrusted to any one. God reserved that honour to Himself. There are foundations laid by men for poor sinners, but these are not to be trusted in. None can stand but that which is laid by God. “Salvation is of the Lord.” He is the author of our salvation.

1. When did God begin to lay the foundation? In eternity. The foundation of the Church was laid before that of the world was laid. The world shall come to an end, the Church is to last for ever. The foundation of the Church was laid in the eternal purpose of God. Christ, who is the foundation, says, “I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of the earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.”—(Prov. viii. 23-31.) God’s eternal purpose is the original source of the salvation of sinners, and that purpose was according to His own will. (Eph. iii. 11.) In that eternal purpose everything pertaining to the salvation of His people was arranged, and Christ, who was to work out their redemption, was set apart by the Father. The foundation was laid firmly and deeply in the secret counsel of God.

2. He laid it also in the revelation He first gave of His purpose. No creature knew God’s purpose of salvation till He made it known. And it was made known in the time of need. Man sinned, destroyed himself. But before the way of salvation is revealed, he is brought to trial, charged with his guilt, condemned. What is he to do? Is there a way of escape? It was then God said for the first time in this world, “In me is thy help.” “A word in season, how good it is.” And how was He to help? He laid help upon One that is mighty. He revealed Christ as the seed of the woman who was to bruise the head of the serpent, and who, in working out redemption for His people, was to be bruised Himself. He was revealed as the “tried stone”—the foundation.

God laid the foundation before our first parents in the first promise given of the Saviour of sinners. This was good news to those who were on the eve of sinking into everlasting perdition under a load of guilt. It is good news to you, sinner. And He who revealed the foundation to them was able by His grace to build them on it.

1. He laid the foundation in the institution of the bloody sacrifices of the Old Testament. These sacrifices were a type of Christ. They had no efficacy to take away sin, but as they represented Him. And all who were saved under that economy rested on Christ alone as the foundation of their hope. God set Christ before them in these types and shadows as the foundation, in order that the Church then might be built on Him.

2. God laid the foundation in the death of Christ. He gave His Son to suffer, to die. “When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”—(Gal. iv. 4, 5.) Creatures could do nothing in causing the death of Christ, but as they were permitted by God. So Jesus said to Pilate, “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.”—(John xix. 11.) So far as creatures were concerned in His death, it was the most wicked act ever perpetrated in this world, but so far as it was the work of God, it was the greatest manifestation of His love ever made known to men or angels. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.” He gave Him unto death.

3. The foundation is laid ministerially in the preaching of the Gospel. It is in this sense Paul says, “I have laid the foundation.”—(1 Cor. iii. 10.) “We preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.”—(2 Cor. 4, 5.) In setting forth the way of salvation to perishing sinners he would know nothing save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified; and as for the ground of his own hope, he says, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross (sufferings) of our Lord Jesus Christ.”—(Gal. vi. 14.) This was also the preaching of the other apostles, and it is the preaching of all the true ministers of Christ. There is a kind of preaching of Christ in our day, which is not the preaching of Him as the foundation. His example is to some extent set before sinners, but His atonement is ignored. It is not the preaching of Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. The sure foundation is not set before sinners, and why? The preachers themselves are not built on Christ.

4. Where is the foundation laid? He who laid it tells. It is laid in Zion. “Behold I lay in Zion,” &c. Zion means the visible Church. Christ’s name is made known in Zion, and is confined to that place. It has often been said that salvation is impossible outside the visible Church, and that, if rightly understood, is true. For as no stone can be built on a literal foundation

till it is brought to the foundation—where the foundation is—so no sinner can be built on Christ till he is brought within the visible Church, where Christ is. The apostle Paul is plain on this: “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?” And in order that sinners throughout the world may be brought to Christ, the command is given, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.” “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”—(Rom. x. 14-17.)

III.—The superstructure, or that which is built on the foundation. The foundation was laid that a building might be erected upon it. Christ died that His people might live. In every building there is a builder. Who builds the Church? He who laid the foundation—God. So we read, “When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in his glory.”—(Ps. cii. 16.) When He built the world He appeared in the glory of His power. When He builds the church He appears in the glory of His grace. Then, if God is the builder, we need not fear that the church shall not be built, and when built, it will be to the praise of His glorious grace.

1. Observe the means by which the Church is built on the foundation. In this work the Lord uses means.

(1) He employs men in the work of building. Every builder has labourers, God has His. Who are these? Paul answers, “For we are labourers together with God; ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.”—(1 Cor. iii. 9.) All the labourers are first built on Christ, and then they are sent forth to build the Church, as instruments in God’s hand. Paul was building before his conversion, but not on Christ as the foundation. He was building himself and others upon the sand, upon man’s own righteousness; and not till he was built on Christ was he employed as a labourer together with God. There were many labourers in the Jewish Church, but they rejected the true foundation and corner stone. (Ps. cxviii. 22.) But in every age God has true labourers, prophets, apostles, and others in the early ages, and now He has ministers of the Gospel and others, and He shall have them till the end of time. All believers are expected, and are under obligations of grace, to do what they can, according to their several abilities and callings, to do their share in this glorious work. The prayers of God’s people are powerful means of carrying on this work. So it is written, “When the Lord shall build up Zion. . . He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.”—(Ps. cii. 17.) There are various other ways in which private Christians may be useful in advancing the Lord’s work in the world. There is work for each, work for all.

(2) There are other means used as well as labourers. What are these means? Those appointed by God, and none other. The means appointed by Him for the building of His Church are

complete. They are not to be added to, nor taken from by men’s inventions. They are the Word, the Sacraments, and prayer. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are God’s Word; there are two Sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These, along with prayer, are the means of grace which God has given for the building up of His Church in these last days. All other means besides these are but men’s inventions, and they are never owned of the Lord in building His Church. “To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”—(Is. viii. 20.)

(3) The Holy Spirit, the third person of the glorious Trinity, to whom is entrusted the work of applying the redemption purchased by Christ, works by these means. The means, though divinely appointed, are in themselves ineffectual, but as they are used in the hands of the Spirit. We have the means, but we need the Spirit. As the Son, the second person, undertook in the everlasting covenant, to work out the redemption needed, the Holy Spirit, the third person, undertook to apply it to the heirs of salvation, and He will do this work.

1. There is, lastly, the material built on the foundation to be considered. What is it? It is the Church. “And upon this Rock I will build my church.” The Church here means the Church of believers, as is evident from our text. “He that believeth shall not make haste,” as also from 1 Peter, ii. 5: “Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house.” Believers are the stones built on Christ.

(1) Observe first, the state in which the stones built on this foundation are found. What are these by nature, and where are they? They are not in Christ. They are not living stones. They are in a state of nature, “dead in trespasses and sins.”—(Eph. ii. 1.) They are the children of wrath, even as others (verse 3.) A great change must then take place before they are built on Christ. As the stones used in a building must be dug out of the quarry in which they originally are, and of which they form a part, before they are put in the building, so sinners must be taken out of the state in which they are by nature before they are in Christ. “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”—(John iii. 3.) As no stone ever came out of the quarry till it was taken out of it, so no sinner will ever come out of a state of nature till he is brought out of it by the Spirit of God. All who are built on Christ as the foundation are found in a state of nature, which is a state of sin and misery, but they are not left there.

(2) Consider the change of state and nature which all built on Christ undergo. They are taken out of their natural state by the Holy Spirit. How does the Spirit work? He works by His Word. He quickens and awakens sinners by the terrors of the law. “And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.”—(Eph. ii. 1.) They did not quicken themselves, but

the Spirit quickened them. And when He begins His effectual work He uses the law first. “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” When the law comes the sinner is not only awakened, but is also convinced of his sins. He now believes God’s testimony concerning him as a sinner. He sets to his seal that God is true. He is sure that he is a child of wrath, that he deserved God’s wrath, and he fears that wrath shall be his portion for ever. He is moved with fear, he cannot be any longer at ease in Zion. He has discovered for the first time that he has a lost soul. He asks in his inmost soul, “What must I do to be saved?” He knows that, if saved, something must be done to satisfy the law for his sins. God is just as well as merciful. And as he is as yet ignorant of the way of salvation, he begins to compound with the law. He tries his utmost to lay a foundation for the salvation of his precious soul. He forsakes every known sin, he endeavours to perform every known religious duty. He tries to keep the Sabbath day holy, he prays, reads God’s Word, attends on the means of grace, and seeks to be conscientious in everything. Such a person would seem to be broken off from the rock of which he formed a part, but he is not yet in Christ. Many a stone that was broken by the hammer that was never put in the building. Many a sinner that was to some extent awakened that was never savingly united to Christ. There is more required. He must be broken off from the law as a covenant of works before he is in Christ, and this takes place in the case of all who are built on the sure foundation. “I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.”—(Gal. ii. 19.) “By the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified.” Before a sinner is dead to the law, willingly dead to it, he is enlightened in the knowledge of Christ, in the knowledge of His person, His death, and finished work. So it is written, “Ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ.”—(Rom. vii. 4.) The law is necessary as a means to convince of sin and misery, and to show the impossibility of salvation by it; but before sinners are brought to believe in Christ, the Word of the Gospel is necessary. It is the incorruptible seed by which the redeemed are regenerated, and it is such that believe in Christ. The unrenewed heart will never unite with Him, as clay and iron in the image could not be united. Christ, therefore, said, “Ye must be born again.” As many as received Him were born of God. The Spirit, in all His graces, dwells in the new heart, and the first act of faith is to receive Christ, the second, which immediately follows, is to rest on Him alone as the foundation laid in Zion.

(3) As in other buildings, there are stones of different sizes in the Lord’s house—small stones and large stones; all are needful to make up the building, and each has its proper place in it. Some are more public to the eye, others are hid in the wall. Ministers are public persons in the Church, set up as watchmen

on the walls of time; others are more private; both occupy the place assigned to them by the Great Builder. The one cannot say to the other, I have no need of thee; and the mark of the greatest is this, “I am less than the least.” O what a wonder to be the least stone, to have a place at all in the Church of Christ!

(4) What is remarkable about this house is, that unlike other buildings, a great part of the work of polishing the stones is carried on after they are placed in it. Believers are perfect as to their justification, but their sanctification is only begun. It is a progressive work. When they believed in Christ, they knew but very little of the fountain of corruption that dwells in them. When Christ made Himself known to them as their Saviour, and the Beloved of their souls, the carnal mind seemed to be dead, but they found out afterwards that it was not dead. So some have experienced more soul trials after their conversion than when they were awakened to a sense of their lost condition. “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” is their cry till they are made perfect in holiness. But He that hath begun a good work in them will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

(5) The work of building was begun in the garden of Eden, when sin entered the world now near six thousand years ago, and it is not yet finished. Many stones have been put in it since, “and yet their is room” for more. The good work shall go on progressing till the top stone is put on it. “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it.”—(Zech. iv. 9.) “He shall bring forth the headstone with shoutings, crying Grace, grace unto it” (verse 7). Then that world, which was used as a scaffolding, shall be taken down, but the Church built on Christ shall stand immovable for ever.

1. In conclusion, a word to the careless sinner. You have been born in a Gospel land—within the visible Church—where Christ’s name is made known. You live in sin, in forgetfulness of God, and of the needs of your never dying soul. You are on your way to eternity, where you must be miserable for ever in hell, if you die without Christ. We beseech you in the name of Christ to pause, and to think of the eternal concerns of your precious soul ere it be too late. You are invited to Christ. Seek Him while He may be found, call on His name while He is near. Rest not till you find a saving interest in Him, till you are found in Him, and on Him as the foundation laid in Zion. If you perish eternally, we shall be free of your blood.

2. To the self-righteous. You are building on a sandy foundation, which may give some support to a false hope, till you come to the floods of death. Then the foundation shall give way under your feet, and you shall sink into that place of everlasting despair prepared for the devil and his angels. You also are invited to

Christ—the sure foundation; and if you perish, we shall be free of your blood.

1. To the Lord’s people. What a glorious foundation the Father provided for you! His own beloved Son in whom His soul delights. He spared not Him, but delivered Him up for you all. Think of the love of the Father in giving His own Son; think of the love of the Son in laying down His life for you; think of the love of the Spirit, who opened your eyes to see your need of Christ, who led you to Him, who enabled you to receive Him in the free offer of the Gospel. Let your meditation on God be sweet; be swallowed up in contemplation of Him. You are often tossed with the tempest of temptation, you are burdened with a body of sin and death, you are afflicted with the manifold afflictions of this life, you are perplexed with doubts and fears, but the foundation of God stands sure under your feet; you shall never sink, you shall never perish. Christ says, “Because I live, ye shall live also.” He died once, He lives for evermore. Be humble, be thankful. Live not to yourselves, but unto Him who died and rose again. Labour for the coming of His kingdom. Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory, both now and for ever.—Amen.