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tins building, and to tliinlc, How shall the house be preserved if these should be removed ? — they looked unto me like the mariners in Paul's ship, without whose abode therein they could not be saved, — when, lo! suddenly some have been manifested to be pargeted posts, and the very best to be held up by the house, and not to hold it up. On this account the men of the world think it no gTeat matter to demolish the spiritvial church of Christ to the gi-ound : — they encourage one another to the work, never thinking of the foundation that Hes hidden, against which they dash themselves all to pieces. I say, then, Christ, as the foundation of this house, is hidden to the men of the world, — they see it not, they believe it not. There is nothing more remote from their apprehension than that Christ should be at the bottom of them and their ways, whom they so much despise.
(Sdly.) The foundation is that which bears up the v/hole weight of the building. What part of the house soever is not dkectly poised upon it hath no strength at all. Take a goodly stone, hew it, square it, make it every way fit for your fabric, so that it may seem to be the best of all your materials; yet if you do not lay it upon the founda- tion, answerable to that which may give it a solid basis, and bear up the weight and poise thereof, it will be useless, cumbersome, and. quickly fall to the ground.
Let a man be hewed and squared by the word and ordinances into outward conformity never so exactly, that he seems one of the most beautiful saints in the world; yet if he be not laid rightly by faith upon the foundation, to derive from thence strength, supportment, and vigour, he will quickly fall to the ground. What, then, will be- come of their building who heap up all sorts of iTibbish to make a house for the Lord?
2dlj/. Christ is the ark of this house. The ark in the tabernacle, and afterward in the temple, was the most holy thing in the most holy place. There was nothing in it but the two tables of stone written with the finger of God ; — before it was Aaron's rod that budded, with a pot full of manna; — over it was the propitiatory, or mercy-seat, being a plate of gold as long and as broad as the ark, covering it, being shadowed with the cheixibims of glory. Now all this glorious fabric did signify, that unless the law with its condemning power were hid in the ark, and covered with the mercy-seat, no person could stand before the Lord. Besides, the law was the old covenant of works, and being renewed unto them chiefly to be subservient to the gospel, and partly, with its appurtenances and carnal administration, to be the tenure of the Israelites' holding the land of Canaan, and this being in the ark, it was said to contain the covenant, and is frequently called " The ark of the covenant." Jesus Christ is the ark of this spiritual house. When the temj)le was opened in heaven, there was seen in
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the temple the ark of God's testament, Rev. xi. 19, — Jesus Christ, made cons2:)iciious to all, who lay mucli hid under the old testament, Rom, iii. 25. God is said to set forth Christ to be iXaffTrifiov, " a pro- pitiation," or mercy-seat; for hy that very term is the mercy-seat expressed, Heb. ix. 5. He is, then, the ark and the mercy-seat cover- ing it. He, then, doth these two things: —
(1st.) In behalf of this house, and every stone thereof, he hides the law Avitli its condemning power, that nothing from thence shall be laid to their charge. If a man have a suit to be tried in any court, and a powerful friend engage himself that the only evidence which is against him shall not be produced, will it not give him encouragement to proceed ? In that great and tremendous trial which is to be above, there is but one principal evidence against us, which gives life to all others ; which if it be removed all the rest must fail :— this is the laAV. Christ, as the ark and mercy-seat, hides this law; — it shall not (I speak in respect to this house) be produced at the day of trial. Will not this be a great encouragement to them to appear at the throne of God ? Christ hides the law, as being " the end " of it, Rom. x. 4, " that the righteousness thereof might be fulfilled in us," Rom. viii. 4. He hath so far answered all that the law required, that none from thence can "lay any thing to the charge of God's elect," Rom. viii. 33, 34. Let not poor sinners fear, it will not be with them as with Uzzah : — he touched the ark and died; touch this ark, and live for ever. And, —
{2dly.) He is the ark of this house, as containing in himself the new covenant; it is made with him originally, established in him irreversibly, — made out through him in all the gi-ace of it faith- fully.