6 LADeclaration of the Glorious My s T i R y yet bedenied, that the external formal caufe of the church of the New Te- flament, is the confeffion of the faith concerning the perfon, offices and grace of Chrift, with what is of us required thereon. In what fenfe we affert thefe things will be afterwards fully cleared. That the Lord Chrift is thus the foundation of the church, is teftified unto, Ifa. xxviii.16. Thus faith the Lord God, Behold I lay in Zion for afoun- dation a none, a tried floue, a precious cornerflop, afure foundation : he that helievetb, !!hall not make hafte. It is among the bold inroads, that in this late age have been made on the vitals of religion, that fouie in compliance with the Jews, have attempted the application of this promife unto Hezekiah. The violence they have offered herein to the mind of the Holy Ghoft, might be evidenced from every word of the context ; but the interpretation and application of the loft words of this promife by the ápoftles, leaves no pretence un- to this infìnuation: He that believer on him, !hall not be afliamed or con- founded, Rom. ix. 33. chap. x. r r. I Pert. ü. 6. that is, he !hallbe eternal- ly Paved; which it is the higheft blafphemy to app! unto any other but Jefus Chrift alone. He therefore is alone that foundation which God hath laid in and of the church; fee Pfal. cxviii. 22. Mart, xxi. 42. Mark xii. to. Luke xx. 17. Ails iv. In I Pet. ii. 4. Ephef. ìi. 20, 21, 22. Zach. iii. g. But this fundamental truth of Chrift beingthe only foundati- ,on ofthe church, is fo exprefly determined by the apoftle St. Paul, as not to need any farther confirmation, I Cor. iii. II.. For other foundation crin,7Fo man lay, but that is laid, which is Jefus Chrift. SPRIVREINHEMEN CHAP. H. Oppofition made unto the Church as built on the PERSON Of CHRIST. HERE are in the words of our Saviour unto Peter, concern- ing the foundation of the church, a promife of its prefervati- on, and a predi&ion of the oppofition that íhould be made thereunto. And accordingly all things are come to pafs, and are carrying on towards a complete accomplifhment. For (that we may begin with the oppofition foretold) the power andpolicy of hell ever were, and everwill be engaged in oppofition unto the church built on this foundation; that is,the faithof it concerning his perfon, office, and grace, whereby it is built onhim. This, as to what is pafl, concerneth the matter offaft ; whereof thereforeI mull givea brief account ; and then we !hall examinewhat evidences we have of the fame endeavour at prefent. The gates ofhell, as all agree, are the power and policy of it ; or theaft- ings offatan both as a lion, and as aferpent, by rage and by fubtilty. But whereas in thefe things he ails not vifibly in his own perfon, but by his agents, he bath always had two forts of them employed in his fervice. By the one he executes his rage, and by the other his craft ; he animates the one as a lion, the other as a ferpent : in the one he ails as the dragon, in the. otheras the leaflthat had two horns like the lamb, butfpeaks like the dragon.
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