gf the PERSON Of CHRIST. 5 this purpofe the are not concerned. And the rock and the foundation are the fame; for the rock is that whereon the church is built, that is the foundation. $ut that the LordChrift is this fingle rock and fOundation of the church, we fhall prove immediately. Wherefore neither Peter himfelf, not his pretendeefucceffors can be this rock. As for any other rock, it belongs not unto our religion: They that have framed it, may ufeit as theypleafe. For they that snake fuch things, are like unto the things they make. So is every one that trufleth in them, Pfal. exv. 8. But their rock is not like our rock, rhemfelves being judges, unlefs they will abfolutely equal the pope unto Jefus Chrift. 4. Immediately after this declaration of our Saviour's purpofeto build his church on the rock, he reveals unto his difciples the way and manner how he would lay its foundation, namely, in his death and fufferings, V. 21. And thereon this fuppofed rock, being a little left unto his own flabilit , chewed himfelf to be but a reedfhaken with the wind: For he is fo far from putting himfelf under the weight of the building, that he attempts an obftru&ion of its foundation. He began to rebuke Chrifl himfelf for mentioning his fufferings, wherein alone the foundation of the gofpel-church was to be laid, ver. 22. and hereon he received the fevereft rebuke that ever the Lord Jefus gave unto any of his difciples, ver, 23. And fo it is known that afterwards, through furprizal and tem- ptation, he did what lay in him to recall that confeon which here he made, and whereon the church was to be built. For thatno flefh might glory in it felf, he that was fngular in this confelhion of Chrift, was fo alfo in the denial of him. And if he in his own perfon manifefted how unmeet he wasto be the foundation of the church, they mutt be ftrange- ly infatuated who can fuppofe his pretended fucceffors fo to be: But fame men will rather have the church to be utterly without any foundation, thanthat it Ihould not be the pope. The vanity of this pretence being removed, the fubfance of the great myflery, contained in the atteftation given by our Saviour unto the con- feffionof Peter, and the promife thereunto annexed, may be comprized in the enfuing affertiona. s. The perfon of Chr f, the Son of the living God, as vetted with his offices, whereunto hewas called and anointed, is the foundation of the church, the rock whereon it is built. 2. The power and policy of hell will be always engaged in oppofiti- on unto the relation of the church, unto this foundation, or the building of it on this rock. 3. The church that is built on this rock, {hall never bedis-joynted from it, or prevailed againtt by the oppofition of the gates of hell. The two former ofthefe I fhallfpeak briefly unto, my principal defgn be- inga demonftration of truth that arifeth fromthe confiderationof them a II. The foundation of the church is twofold. (i.) Real. (2.) Do- ctrinal. And in both ways Chrift alone is the foundation. The real foundation of the church he is, by virtue of the myftical union of it unto him, with all the benefits whereof from thence, and thereby it is made partaker. For thence alone hathi it fpiritual life, grace, mercy, perfe&ion and glory, Ephef. iv. 15, id. Col. ü. i 9. And he is the dollrinal foundation of it, in that the faith or dottrine concerning himand his offices, is that divine truth which, in a peculiar manner, ani- mates and confitutes the church of the New Teftament, Ephef. ii. 19, 20, 21, 22. Without the faith and confeflion hereof, no one perfon belongs unto that church. I know not what is now believed, but I judge it will not C yet
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