3. There is but one rock, but one foundation. There is no men- tion in the Scripture of two rocks of the church. In what others invent to this purpose we are not concerned. And the rock and the foundation are the same ; for the rock is that whereon the church is built, that is the foundation. But that the Lord Christ is this smgle rock and foundation of the church, we shall prove immediately. Wherefore, neither Peter himself, nor his pretended successors, can be this rock. As for any other rock, it belongs not unto our religion ; they that have framed it may use it as they please. For they that make such things are like unto the things they make; so is every one that trusteth in them : Ps. cxv. 8. " But their rock is not as our rock, themselves being judges;" unless they will absolutely equal the pope unto Jesus Christ.
4. Immediately after this declaration of our Saviour's purpose to build his church on the rock, he reveals unto his disciples the way and manner how he would lay its foundation, viz., in his death and sufferings: verse 21. And thereon this supposed rock, being a little left unto his own stabiHty, showed himself to be but a " reed shaken with the wind." For he is so far from putting himself under the
VOL. I. 3
34 THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
weight of the building, that he attempts an obstruction of its foun- dation. He began to rebuke Christ himself for mentioning his suf- ferings, wherein alone the foundation of the Gospel Church was to be laid; (verse 22;) and hereon he received the severest rebuke that ever the Lord Jesus gave unto any of his disciples : verse 23. And so it is known that afterward — through surprisal and temptation — he did what lay in him to recall that confession which here he made, and whereon the church was to be built. For, that no flesh might glory in itself, he that was singular in this confession of Christ, was so also in the denial of him. And if he in his own person manifested how unmeet he was to be the foundation of the church, they must be strangely infatuated who can suppose his pretended successors so to be. But some men will rather have the church to be utterly with- out any foundation, than that it should not be the pope.
The vanity of this pretence being removed, the substance of the great mystery contained in the attestation given by our Saviour unto the confession of Peter, and the promise thereunto annexed, may be comprised in the ensuing assertions : — ■
1. The person of Christ, the Son of the living God, as vested with his offices, whereunto he was called and anointed, is the foundation of the church, the rock whereon it is built.
2. The power and policy of hell will be always engaged in oppo- sition unto the relation of the church unto this foundation, or the building of it on this rock.
3. The church that is built on this rock shall never be disjoined from it, or prevailed against by the opposition of the gates of hell.
The two former of these I shall speak briefly unto, my principal desim being; the demonstration of a truth that ariseth from the con- sideration of them all.
The foundation of the church is twofold : (1.) Real; (2.) Doctrinal. And in both ways, Christ alone is the foundation. The real founda- tion of the church he is, by virtue of the mystical union of it unto him, with all the benefits whereof, from thence and thereby, it is made pai- taker. For thence alone hath it spiritual life, grace, mercy, perfec- tion, and glory: Eph. iv. 15, 16; Col. ii. 19. And he is the doctrinal foundation of it, in that the faith or doctrine concerning him and his offices is that divine truth which in a peculiar manner animates and constitutes the Church of the New Testament: Eph. ii. 19-22. With- out the faith and confession hereof, no one person belongs unto that church. I know not what is now believed, but I judge it will not yet be denied, that the external formal cause of the Church of the New Testament, is the confession of the faith concerning the person, offices, and grace of Christ, with what is of us required thereon. In what sense we assert these things will be afterwards fully cleared.
OPPOSITION TO THE CHURCH AS BUILT ON CHRIST. 35
That the Lord Christ is thus the foundation of the church, is tes- tified unto, Isa. xxviii. 16: " 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." It is among the bold inroads that in this late age have been made on the vitals of rehgion, that some, in compliance "svith the Jcavs, have attempted the application of this promise unto Hezekiah. The violence they have offered herein to the mind of the Holy Ghost, might be evidenced from every word of the context. But the in- terpretation and application of the last words of this promise by the apostles, leaves no pretence unto this insinuation. " He that believes on liim shall not be ashamed " or " confounded," Rom. ix. 33, x. 11 ; 1 Pet. ii. 6; that is, he shall be eternally saved — which it is the highest blasphemy to apply unto any other but Jesus Christ alone. He, therefore, is alone that foundation which God hath laid in and of the church. See Ps. cxviii. 22; Matt. xxi. 42; Mark xii. 10; Luke XX. 17; Acts iv. 11; 1 Pet. ii. 4; Eph. ii. 20-22; Zech. iii. 9. But this fundamental truth — of Christ being the only foundation of the church — is so expressly determined by the apostle Paul, as not to need any farther confirmation, 1 Cor. iii. 11: " For other founda- tion can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."