called by the name of a stone, to note thy being built upon that Foundation-stone, that Rock of ages, whom the Father hath laid in Zion."

2. A declaration of our Lord concerning his church: which he compares to a house, palace, or city. Wherein observe,

(1.) The foundation of this building: “On this rock,' representing Him whom thou hast confessed."

(2.) The architect: "I will build."

(3.) The edifice: "My church." Not any particular church, exclusive to others; but the whole church catholic. This text assigns no diploma or privilege to the church of Jerusalem, Antioch, Constantinople, Carthage, or ancient Rome, or any other particular church, otherwise than as parts and parcels of the whole church; or as there may have been found in them such as by lively faith and sound doctrine were built upon Christ, the only true and living Rock, the sure and precious Foundation of his church. As to the timing of the verb, "I will build; that no way excludes the ancient fathers before our Lord's incarnation, who "all died in faith," and without whom we are not made perfect; (Heb. xi. 13, 40;) but notes the continuation of this divine work in building up the church, till the top-stone be laid, in the end of the world, with acclamations of grace. It presignifies the enlargement of the church among the Gentiles by the ministerial edification of the apostles; according to that famous prophecy in Zachary of the latter times, when" they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord; (Zech. vi. 12, 15;) consonant to the tenor of the whole New Testament.

3. The perennity or perpetuity of the church: our Lord adds a promise as strong as the foundation itself; for "the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it; "—that his church shall be monumentum ære perennius, more durable than heaven and earth; for they "shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (2 Peter iii. 10.) The foundations of the earthly mountains may be set on fire: (Deut. xxxii. 22;) Etna, Vesuvius, and Hecla may vomit out their burning bowels; the channels of the sea may appear, and the inmost caverns of the world be discovered; (2 Sam. xxii. 16;) nay, "the foundations of heaven may be moved and shake," and its pillars tremble, when God is wroth: (verse 8 :) but the church of God shall persist and endure against all assaults, against all oppositions imaginable. For it is His church, against whom all created power is but weakness, their machinations and contrivements a thousand times more frail than the most delicate and tender web of a spider. (Isai. lix. 5.) The waves that foam against this rock, dash themselves in pieces; and (as the prophet elegantly) they are "cut off as the foam upon the water; (Hosea x. 7;) as bubbles (puffed up with swelling pride and animosity against the church) suddenly subside, and shrink into the bosom of their primitive water. "The gates of hell shall never prevail against it." The glorious building of the church, assaulted it may be and shall be; but prevailed upon, or demolished, never. Like Mount Zion, she shall never be moved: nay, she "cannot be moved; (Psalm cxxv. 1 ;) for " the Highest himself hath established her :" (Psalm lxxxvii. 5 :) there is her inward stability :

and as to the repelling of all external force and fury, "as the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever." (Psalm cxxv. 2.) The church shall never be extirpated out of the world. The rain may descend, the floods rush, and the winds roar, and beat upon this house; but it stands inviolable against all weathers and storms: for it is founded upon the Rock. (Matt. vii. 25.) Enemies may fret awhile, fume and boil in the brine of their own anger, and, like bodies molested with sharp and corrosive humours, become self-tormenters; at last are emacerated, wasted, and dissolved. It is wisdom itself [that], having "hewn out her seven pillars, hath built this house," (Prov. ix. 1,) truly deserving the honourable rame of St. Sophia, (more than that magnificent structure at Constantirople,) the temple of "sacred wisdom."

The farther explication of the words may be referred to the handling of this position, or main point, deducible out of the bowels of this text :

OBSERVATION.

That the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of the living God, is the only Foundation of his church, and the Preserver of its duration in some measure visibly throughout all ages.

Wherein three things are to be discussed, in such a method as a textual sermon may admit :—

I. We are to treat of the church of Christ; what it is, and whereof it consists.

II. Of the foundation of the church; that it is Christ, and Christ only.

III. Of the duration and continuance of the church upon this glorious and strong foundation, in some state of visibility through all ages; though sometimes it may appear more conspicuous, and sometimes less. As the sun may be sometimes eclipsed, and that totally, to some places in the terrestrial globe; though in itself never extinguished, nor its radiant beams wholly withdrawn from all parts of the hemisphere at the precise time of the complete interposure of the moon's body: sometimes he may be mantled in a sable cloud, and that for many days together: sometimes he may have driven his chariot to visit our antipodes : sometimes his visible diameter is larger, and sometimes lesser : sometimes he warms our zenith, and sometimes comforts the antarctic pole. Neither is the queen of the night a less fit resemblance, being much more variable in her phases and appearances. Such hath been the fate of the church of God now direfully eclipsed by bloody persecutions, then shining out the more illustriously; now clouded with thick veils of error and heresy, then vigorously conquering by the bright rays of truth; now dim and dusky by the thick fogs and mists of superstitious ceremonies, then more beautiful and orient in her naked simplicity and apostolical lustre, being "clothed with the sun and a crown of twelve stars upon her head." (Rev. xii. 1.)

I. As to the first: What the church of Christ is.-We find it here compared to a house, to a stately palace or prince's mansion, or castle of defence, built upon an impregnable rock. Nay, it is "the house of the living God," (1 Tim. iii. 15,) typed by that ancient sumptuous temple

of Solomon. (1 Kings vi. 1; Isai. ii. 2; Micah iv. 1.) Sometimes it is resembled to a city, to the city of David, founded and built upon the renowned mountain of Zion; (Psalm xlvi. 4; xlviii. 1; lxxxvii. 3; Rev. xxi. 2;) which shadows forth both its duration and visibility. But the metaphor, as a veil or a glass, being laid aside; as, under the notion of a quick rock, we contemplate the only-begotten Son of the living God; so, by the regular and well-polished materials of the super-imposed building, we are to understand the "lively stones" mentioned in Peter, which, coming to him by faith, are "built up into a spiritual house." (1 Peter ii. 5.) Such as compose the structure of the church, are the adopted children of God: the learned of the Reformed churches have a little varied in expressions, but agree in the substance:-that the church of God is a company of holy persons, chosen of God from eternity in Christ unto eternal life. The church consists of men, not of angels; and therefore must be visible. They are holy ones, not hypocrites or profane persons, who may sometimes thrust into the communion of the external visible church. They are such who in God's due time are called out of the world, by the ministry of the word, and the inward efficacious grace of his Spirit. Let us sum up these particulars in that declaration which the church of England hath exhibited to us :

"The true church is an universal congregation or fellowship of God's faithful and elect people, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone. And it hath always three notes or marks, whereby it is known: pure and sound doctrine; the sacraments ministered according to Christ's holy institution ; and the right use of ecclesiastical discipline."

د,

Upon the particular branches of this description I must not enlarge; only acquaint you at present, that I shall here treat of some peculiar points referring to that true real church of Christ whereof our Lord speaks in this text: such as, being founded upon him by faith, cemented to him by love, "worships him in spirit and in truth: (2 Thess. ii. 13; Acts xxvi. 18; John iv. 24 :) against which all the powers of darkness shall never prevail; but [which] shall continue successively throughout all ages here upon earth; sometimes shining more clearly, otherwhiles more obscurely; yet always in some measure visible and discernible by the marks of true doctrine, worship, and discipline: and at length shall be wholly translated to eternal communion with Christ their most glorious Head in the highest heavens.

II. As to the foundation of this church.-We assert that Jesus Christ is the Rock, the solid and only foundation, whereupon it is built: which may be demonstrated, (I.) NEGATIVELY, or EXCLUSIVELY, as to all others. (II.) POSITIVELY, as to Christ himself.

(I.) EXCLUSIVELY: No other is or can be admitted for the rock or foundation of the church.—Επι ταυτῇ τῇ πέτρα, "On this single individual rock will I build my church." No other can communicate in this high and supereminent honour.

OBJECTION. But some may say, "Does not the pronoun in the text relate most properly to the next antecedent, Peter; and not to Christ? Is it not more genuine?"

Homilies of the Church of England," in the second part of the Sermon for Whit-Sunday.

ANSWER 1. This grammaticism will not conclude. For,

1. It is commonly otherwise in many other places of scripture; as Gen. x. 12; John viii. 44; Heb. xii. 17; Acts xix. 5; (?) and particularly, Matt. xxvi. 26. If, in that enunciation, "This is my body," "this" should be referred to “bread," the immediate antecedent; then (as the learned observe) * there is an end of their doctrine of transubstantiation,-if they will press such a grammatical nicety upon that, as upon this, text. But,

2. Though the name of Peter be found nearest in words, yet it is also observed that the person of Christ in most proper sense and relation stands nighest to the rock upon whom Peter was built; and who had received that denomination from his confession of the true and living Rock, the Son of God, "the Christ." (Matt. xvi. 20.)

ANSWER II. But, laying aside that grammatical contest, let us show that Peter was not, could not be, the rock whereon the church is built.

For, 1. Peter was but a man.-Now no mere man can sustain the wrath of an infinite God, or redeem the church by his blood. The apostle determines Him to be God, who “hath purchased the church by his own blood:" (Acts xx. 28:) and the author [of the epistle] to the Hebrews declares, that the same person who "had by himself purged our sins, is set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Heb. i. 3;) the same to whom the Father speaks, "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever;' (verse 8;) that High Priest who is "entered within the veil;" (Heb. vi. 19;) that "Son of God who is passed into the heavens:" (Heb. iv. 14:) “Such an' one "became us, who is made higher than the heavens; (Heb. vii. 26;) "Christ, the Head of the church, who is also the Saviour of his body, and gave himself for it; " (Eph. v. 23, 25;) "who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood." (Rev. i. 5.)

מוּסָד מוּסָד

2. Peter was a frail mortal man.-But God had his church, and that built upon this Rock, before ever Peter was born, and continued [it] after his death and funeral. God the Father had "laid this foundation,' 7017 fundamentum fundatum, "this strong foundation," long before Isaiah's time; (Isai. xxviii. 16;) which the Chaldee paraphrase glosses thus: ANT DE 1PD "The King, the powerful King, the strong and terrible." And Rabbi Solomon expressly: "The King Messiah; that he may be in Zion a stone of munition and strength; as Petrus Galatinus + recites out of him and others of the rabbins. The prophets of old, as well as the apostles, built upon this foundation. (Eph. ii. 20.) Besides, when Peter came upon the stage, he goes off again and when Peter dies, must the church perish? The foundation being gone, the building must needs tumble. Neither does our Lord any where speak of or promise to any successors so great a privilege, to step into his room, to lie in the foundation, and to be the supposed Atlas of his church: and were it so, then Peter personal must be dismissed.

3. Peter was a sinful man.—And that by his own confession : "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord: " (Luke v. 8:) and this was acknowledged after that our Lord had called him by the name of • GLASSI Gram. Sacr. lib. iii. tract. i. can. 10. † GALATINUS, lib. iii. cap. 21.

Peter. Nay, more than so: Peter erred in faith about the death and resurrection of Christ; and our Lord rebuked him sharply, as being under a temptation of Satan. (Matt. xvi. 22, 23.) Nay, he thrice denied our Lord. (Matt. xxvi. 75.) But because some would apply the promise in the text to a performance after the resurrection, the holy scripture (as if on purpose to obviate these futilous objections) sets it down, that even then he did not oploлode, not "walk uprightly" in the gospel; (Gal. ii. 14;) and Paul "withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed." (Verse 11.) Shall we then think that the church was founded upon a sinful man? since "such a high priest becomes" the church, "who is holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners; (Heb. vii. 26 ;) "a Lamb without blemish and without spot." (1 Peter i. 19.)

4. Peter determines the point himself, and expounds the prophecy in Isaiah of Christ.—And he himself doctrinally lays down Christ for the true and only Foundation in the Zion of the church; disallowed indeed by Pharisees and the proud builders of Babel, but approved of God, (1 Peter ii. 4-7,) and solemnly preached by Peter at Jerusalem, (Acts ii. 22, 14,) and unanimously attested by all the apostles, and recognised for the only true Foundation of the church. (Acts iv. 11, 12.) Will any, then, that so admire and adore Peter for their own ends, yet dare to gainsay him to the face, and force him into the foundation so flatly against himself?

5. Peter, as mere Peter, could never victoriously grapple with the assaults of Satan.—He had been finally and fatally foiled, had not Christ prayed, had not this Rock sustained him. The church must have a foundation against which all the gates of hell can never prevail, and which infuses virtue and invincible consistency into the building itself; as if a quick and living rock should inspire and breathe, into the stones of a palace fixed upon it, some of those mineral eradiations wherewith itself is endued, to preserve it from mouldering and turning into dust. The church must have a vital and quickening foundation; that it may not only stand against impetuous winds, but be a growing temple, (Eph. ii. 21,) and "increase with the increase of God." (Col. ii. 19.) The church hath such potent, subtle, and furious enemies, that she needs strength from the "mighty God of Jacob, the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel;" (Gen. xlix. 24;) one that is stronger than that infernal strong man armed; (Luke xi. 21, 22;) a “Lion of the tribe of Judah," (Rev. v. 5,) that can tear that lion of hell in pieces.

;

Since, then, Peter was but a mere man, a frail mortal man, a sinful man, weak and impotent to resist the powers of darkness, and one that absolutely rejects any such honour from himself or any other, as abhorring such derogation from the glory of his and our most blessed Saviour let us infer that "this rock" in the text can in no wise be meant of Peter, or any other of the apostles. And that this was the sense of the ancient church, I might abundantly prove: let it suffice to recite but two or three testimonies.

CHRYSOSTOM, on this text, "Upon this rock," expounds it, TouTEOTI, Τη πίστει της ὁμολογίας· "On the faith of confession; that is,

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⚫ CHRYSOSTOMUS, tom. iv. p. 344. edit. Eton.