434 c H R I s T THE c 0 R N E R- s T 0 N E. Book II. VI. This may caution all Preachers of the Gofpcl, to take heed how, and what they build. Upon this Folmdation if they build Wood, Hay, or Stubble, they will fuffer Lofs. Ltt them be very careful they preach nothing for poctrine but what Cbrifi hath given in Commiffion, and receive none, lay none into the Building but hvmg Stones, fuch as are well hewed and fguared, and fitted by the Spirit and Word for !he fpiritual Building: For God's Temple muf1: be built with Gold, Silver, and prec10us Stones. VII. Let all fuch that are not built upon this fure Foundation, be exhorted with all fpeed to get an lnteref1: in ~his Rock: For otherwife your Buildin<> will be on the Sand, and you will fall into the lowef1: Hell at ]aft. 0 . VIII. It demonfiratcs the happy State ofthole that are built upon this fure Founda– tion, the Prophets and Apoitles, Jefus Chrifl himfelf being tht chief Corner-S:o11e, in whom all the Building, &c. Col. ii. 9· Eph. ii. 21, 22. And let all thofe that !peak the Truth grow up in Love unto him in all Things, who is the Head. Labor, to be well fixed, cemented and united to this Foundation,that you may be eftablifhed in the Faith. IX. And lafily, This may comfort the Godly in the worfi of Times; for as it is a Foundation of God's laying, and of fo excellent a Nature in itfdf, you may be fure it is not in the Power of Men nor Devils to raze or defiroy it; be fure you fhall be faved, whoever you are, that build in a right Manner on the Rock of Ages, the Lord J efus Chrilt. c H R I s T THE c 0 R N E R - s T 0 N E. I lay in Zion a chief Corner-Stone, elefl and precious, I Pet. ii. 6. 'Ihe Stone which the Builders refufed, the fame is become tbe Head of the Corner, Pjal. cxviii. 22. CHRIST by a Metaphor (called Anthropopatheia) is not only called a Stone, but alfo (by a very emphatical Phrafe) a Corner-Stone, A•~" ~xe•r~"~"'• Matt. xxi. 42. Afls iv. I 1. 1 Pet. ii. 6. And whereas Builders place their f1:rongef1: and moft durable Stone in the Corner-Foundation, it denotes the Firmnefs, Strength, and Duration of Chrift the Foundation, or fpiritual Stone, upon which the whole Church is built. lt is f.1id, !fa. iii. '7· '!'he Lord will fmite the Corner of the Head (fo the Hebrew) of the Daughter of Zion. The exterior Angle of an Edifice has a Profpetl: to each Side, and is put for Principality, or the chief Ruler, Judges xx. 2. I Sam. xiv. 38. !fa. xix. 13. Hence it is attributed to Chrifi, Pfal. cxviii. 22. ex– pounded, Eph. ii. 15, r6, 17, 20. he having the chief Over-fight of, as well as he is the principal Foundation to his Church. METAPHOR. I. A Corner-Stone fufiains, and upholds the Building; if the Corner of the Houfe fall, the whole StruCture is in danger. '!'here came a Wind from the Wildemefs, and fmote the four Corners of the Houfe, and it fell upon the )'Ottng Men, and they are dead, Job i. ' 9· Some Stones may drop our of the middle of the Building, and yet it may fiand ; but if the Corner or Foundation gives way, down it falls. JI. Corner-Stones are the Medi– um, by which the Walls of the Houfe are united in one Building. Pull out the Corner-Stones and PARALLEL. I. CHRIS'l' may be compared to a CornerStone in refpetl: to Suftentation ; he is the Suftainer and Upholder of the Church, the great Pillar that bears up his EleCt. The Church's Safety, Peace, Grace, Comfort and Salvation is upheld by him : Eliakim was a Type of Chrift in this. He jha/1 be faftened as a Nail in aJure Place. And he jha/1 be for a glorious 'Throne to his Father's Houfe, and they jhall hang upon him all the Glory of his Father's Houfe, the Offspring and the Jf!ue, all Veffels of fi:w/1 !f!!,umtity, from Vef/Cls of Cups, to Vejfels of }1agons, !fa. xxu. 2I, 22, 23, 24Ail Believers from fmall to great, are borne up· by, and hang upon Jeii.ls Chrift. · 11. Jefus Chrifi that entire and glorious Cor– ner-Stone, unites Jews and Gentiles together; He harh made both one. He made them but one entire Houfe and fpiritual Building; he cements
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