The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 456

• Ver. 16.-0hrist the Corner-stone. "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a tried Stone, a precious Comer-stone, a sure Foundation." This stone we all know to be Christ, concerning whom all the prophets did testify. It is historically true that the Stone was laid in Zion, and what we have to treat of is the house. Here is the Foundation. Firm, as the eternal Rock, with its roots in God's own everlasting nature. . '1'1:ie Foundation is not created ; it is laid. God se~ds forth his Son to be the Saviour of.men. This foundation is la.id deep in toil and tears, in humility and indignity. It is laid in the agony and bloody s1veat, the cross and Passion. Yet there it is. None ca,n move it. Nor can any soul of man find other foundation. This Foundation is designated in thrne ways. I. IT IS A TRIED STONE. We are reminded of tried things. The Word of the Lord is a.tried Word. Already prophets speak of the Christ as tb.e tried Stone. The vision they have of him is not of a great Teacher simply, but of II Divine Redeemer, upon whose mighty work all generations of men may rest for redemption and lii'e. The centuries have rolled a.way, and now history endorses prophecy. Generations of departed saints have testified that Christ is a Friend that loveth at all times-a Hock that no wat!lrB Qf sorrow, not even the waterfloods of death, can move. ,II. IT IS A PRECIOUS CoRJIEJ,t·BTONE. Yes; here the weight of the building has to come, the Corner-stone. Precious; for there is this description everywhere given of the Christ: "Beside me there is n9 Saviour." He is the Pearl of great price. He is the Church's one Foundation. Precious in himself, as holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. Precious, because of the living temple of re::leemed souls which he supports. Precious in the Fathe1's eyes, in the eyes of angels, and of all the great multitude of the redeemed. III. A BURE FOUNDATION, That is what we all want in religion-certainty." We can- not do with a mere philosophic" quest." ,ve want "rest." ,ve do not want a.n ornate religion; we want rather to be able to say, "I know ia whom I ha.ve believed." When the mind is palsied with doubt, when the heart is quaking with fear, then we experieace the deepest misery possible to man; for the sky above us is soon lost to view if the rock beneath us is not firm and true. Heaven goes when faith goes. God himself declares, "Behold, I lay in Zion, , • a sure Foundation."-W. M. S, Ver, 28.-The use of tribulatwn. "Bread-com is bruised,n Tribulation must 460 '!'RE BOO}{ OF 'rlIE PltOl'llE'r tSAIAtt. [ctt. n.v1tt. 1-l!O.