(2.) Jesus Christ stands in a twofold relation unto this house: — [1.] In respect of its fabric and building; [2.] In respect of its state and condition.
[1.] In the first regard, Christ relates to this house in a fourfold respect; — as, Isf. Its foundation; 2dl>/. Its ark; odly. Its altar; 4it1dy. Its candlestick.
I shall pass through these, God assisting, in order, and begin with what was first laid down, — his relation to this house, as, —
Ist. ^he foundation oVii. This was in part declared before. He is the stone which the builders rejected, but made of the Lord the head of the corner, Ps. cxviii. 22. He is the lowest in the bottom, to bear up the weight of the building ; and the highest in the corner, to couple the whole together. " Other foundation can no man lay but that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. iii. 11. He is the rock ou which he builds his church, Matt. xvi. 18.
Now there are three things required to a foundation, all which are eminently seen in the Lord Christ, in reference to this house.
(Is^.) That it be first laid in the building. It were a course exceeding preposterous, first to build a house, and then to lay the foundation. Jesus Christ is the first that is laid in this holy fabric, and that in a fourfold respect.
[1st] He is the first in respect of God's eternal purpose. The Lord purposed that " he should have the pre-eminence " in this as well as in all other things. Col. i. 18. He is in that respect " the first-born among many brethren," Rom. viii. 29, the residue of this house being predestinated to be made conformable unto him. " He is before all things: by him all things" — that is, all spiritual things, all the things of this house — " consist : he is the head of the body, the church." This I mean, God purposed that Christ should be the bottom and fomidation of this whole building, — that it should be all laid on him. I do not mean that God first intended Christ for a foundation, and then his elect for building (the order of intention and execution is, as to first and last, uiverted by all agents) ; but this I
292 THE BRANCH OF THE LORD
say, God purposing to build liis elect into a lioly tem^ile, purposed that Jesus Christ should be the foundation.
[2dly.^ In respect of outward manifestation. God first manifests and declares him, before he laid one stone in this building. Gen. iii. 15, The seed, saith he, of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head: — in that was laid the first stone of this building. Then was the " Lamb slain," octto zccraQoXT^g xosfMnv, Rev. xiii. 8, presently " after the foundation of the world:" and thence is grace in him said to be given to the elect, -rph y^pivm aiuvluv, Tit. i. 2, " many ages ago."
[Sf/^y.] Because, in order of nature, Christ must be first laid in the heart of every individual stone before they are laid up in this build- ing. If Christ be not in men, they are db6-/.i/j.oi, 2 Cor. xiii. 7, — alto- gether useless for this building. Try them never so often, they must at last be rejected and laid aside.
[4^/i??/.] In respect of every particular assembly and little sanctuary of mount Zion. If he be not first laid in the midst of such assem- blies, they will prove to be pinnacles of Babel, not towers of Zion. This, therefore, was the way of the saints of old, first to give up them- selves to the Lord Christ, and then to one another, by the will of God, 2 Cor. viii. 5.
In these respects Christ the foundation is first laid in this spiritual Iniilding, — which is the first property of a fomidation.
{2dli/.) A foundation must be hidden and out of sight uuto all those that outwardly look upon the house. They cannot perceive it, though every part of the house doth rest upon it. And this hath occasioned many mistakes m the world. An unwise man coming to a great house, seeing the antics and pictures [figures?] stand crouching under the windows and sides of the house, may haply think that they bear up the weight of the house, when indeed they are for the most part pargeted posts. They bear not the house, — the house bears them. By their l)owing, and outward appearance, the man thinks the burden is on them, and supposes that it would be an easy thing, at any time, by taking them away, to demolish the house itself But when he sets himself to work, he finds these things of no value ; there is a founda- tion in the liottom, which bear's up the whole, that he thought not of : — against that he may waste himself, until he be broken in pieces. Men looking upon the church, do find that it is a fair fabric indeed, but cannot imagine how it should stand. A few supporters it seemeth to have in the world, like crouching antics under the windows, that make some show of under-propping it : — here you have a magistrate, there an army, or so. Think the men of the world, " Can we but re- move these props, the whole would quickly topple to the ground." Yea, so foolish have I been myself, and so void of understanding be- fore the Lord, as to take a view of some goodly appearing props of