Brightman - BS2823 B85 1644

262 At etatio i of the Apocalyple. CAP.21. are laid under the wall touphold it ; the wall, I fay, and not the City: For they are foundations of minitlery, not of falvation , there is but one foundation onelyof this, Iefus Chrift alone : Nomain con lay any other foundation befdes that which is laid, Which is 7efus Chrift, z Cor. 3. i I. The Apottles may be called minifteriall foundations, yet not principali ones,but inftrurnentall,aswhich they are not the Authors, but onely the firftftones. For a fiandation is not laid by it felf; but by theMafter- builder. There are they whomChrift laid firfl of all other in the bottome of the wall, in which refpeet they are called founda. tions. So Efra is called , the foundation of the comming up out of Ba- bylon ; becaufe he was the chief of all that company of the Iewes that came up together with him the fecond time , Efra 7. 9. But how is it that there are twelve foundations ofone wall, whereofthere ufeth to be but one ? the reafon of that is, becaufe no one ftone is put under through. the whole length and breadthofthe wall,but there are twelve put equal- ly one by another in length and breadth, the fame order being alwaies renewed, till the full greatnefhethereof bee accomplifhed. No one Apo- file hath the room ofa foundation in this place, but they lie all in the bottom in equallplace and function. That unlucky and ungodly vaunt- ingand afpiring (hall be far enough banifhied from this City, thouart Peter, and upon this Tack, that is upon this Peter, alone Will I buildmy Church; For fodo they corrupt this Holy Text with their curledGlare, who never raw this wall, andwho have no defence and munition from hence for their foules. This mad kinde of building the wall upon fome one foundation,fuch as this is, hath difturbed the Church of the Gen- tiles fearefully, and it is this franticke and Hierarchical! Pride, that (hall make it at laft quite deftitute ofany wall at all. In inWhich Were the namesefthe twelve Apofles ofthe Lambe. Yet fo as that-net onely thofe twelve are underftood by there names, who con- verfed together with Chrift upon earth, but all the faithful! Paftors,who Shall difcharge the likeoffice in the Church. So they were called be- fore, Chap.i8.z0. The reafon thereof is, becaufe there is a mo neer communion between the faithful!, in regard whereof the proper names of fome may be applied to others, efpecially unto thofe men, who be fides the common band have another copartner Ship allo in their functi- on. But ifthe Apoffles be the foundations, this City is not that which is eternall in the heavens. For Chrift ,/ball deliver up the Kingdom to hie Father at that time,and Godfhall be all in all,: Cor. i 5.24.Neither thall the Saints have any miniftery toteach, a Cor.i 3.8. . Therefore this is thewall ofthe Church, asThe is wayfaring onearth, not as She (hall xaigning in that everlaiiing court of heaven. Verf. a 5.

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