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SERMON I.

JESUS CHRIST the Corner-Stone.

I PETER, ii. 6.

Behold! I lay in Sion a chief Corner-Stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him: Shall not be confounded.

To the attentive reader the holy Scriptures continually offer new fubjects of admiration and gratitude. Among other circumftances which will excite his wonder and thankfulness, he will notice the accommodating condescension of God to the dulnefs of human understanding, in fetting before men under fo copious a variety of appropriate and familiar figures the nature and plan of Redemption through Chrift. The fower fowing his feed; the good shepherd giving his life for the sheep; the vine nourishing its branches; the king making a marriage for his fon; the householder fuperintending his vineyard; the fa

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ther receiving the repentant prodigal; the mafter fettling accounts with his fervants; the wheat-field overfpread with tares; the net caft into the fea, and gathering fishes of every kind: these are among the images, by which the of fice of the Son of God, and his dealings with man, are represented and rendered clear to our apprehenfions. In the paffage now before us the apofle alludes to our Saviour under the defcription of a maffy corner-ftone placed in the foundation of a building, that it may unite and bind together the principal walls, and may thus enfure the firmnefs and the durability of the ftructure. Chrift is difplayed to us as the chief corner-stone, of chosen ftrength, of ineftimable value, fixed by the hand of God himself, and capable of fuftaining for ever and ever the fabric of the univerfal church. Under this image Chrift was originally pourtrayed by David and Ifaiah. The Stone which the builders refufed, the fame This is is become the head-flone of the corner. the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes (a). Therefore thus faith the Lord God; Bebold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, à tried ftone, a precious corner-ftone, a fure foundation; he that believeth on him shall not make hafte (b); fhall not be hurried into difmay, fhall not be confounded. To thefe words of Ifaiah

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(a) Palm cxvi. 22, 23. (b) Ifaiah, xxviii. 16.

St.

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St. Peter refers. To them St. Paul alfo refers in his epiftles to the Romans, and to the Ephefians (c). In several paffages in the New Teftament the expreffions of David are likewife recited and applied to Chrift (d). I propofe, therefore, in the first place, to point out fome of the particulars with respect to which we are to regard Jesus Christ as the great corner-stone. And I fhall endeavour afterwards to illuftrate the animating declaration of St. Peter; that he who believeth on Chrift fhall not be confounded: and the tremendous warning which it involves, that they who refufe to believe on Chrift fhall be confounded for ever.

I. 1. Jefus Chrift is the corner-ftone of religious doctrine. He is the fole foundation, the author and finisher (e) of our faith. He came from the Father: he is one with the Father: and he knoweth the will of the Father. He was in the beginning with God, and was God: and he knew the incomprehenfible nature and the unchangeable attributes of the Godhead. He knew the perfect holiness neceffary to obtain acceptance from a God of holinefs. He knew the inherent heinousness of fin; the extreme guilt of every deviation

(c) Romans, ix. 33. x. 11. Ephefians, ii. 20. xxi. 42. Acts, iv. 11. (e) 1 Cor. iii. 10, 11. B 2

(d) Matt.

Heb. xii. 2.

from

from the divine law, of every inftance of rebellion against God. He knew how great must be the facrifice, for he offered himfelf to be made that facrifice, by which the pardon of fin, and the restoration of the divine favour, should be procured. He knew by what price, for that price he undertook to pay, the continual grace of the Holy Spirit, by which alone the finner could be enabled to repent, to believe, to become holy, and to persevere in holinefs, must be purchased. He was the Son of the God of truth: he was Truth himself; and he came into the world to bear witness to the truth. By his perfonal ministry, and by the miniftry of his apostles, he revealed to the fallen children of men the things which belonged to their peace. By his Spirit he inftructed and empowered the facred writers of the New Testament to spread to the most distant regions, to deliver down to the latest generations, the words of eternal life. Well therefore may St. Paul affirm that all Scripture is profitable for doctrine (ƒ). Well St. John pronounce; Whofoever abideth not in the doctrine of Chrift, hath not God: he that abideth in the doctrine of Chrift, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine; receive (f) 2 Tim. iii. 16.

may

the

him not into your houfe, neither bid him God Speed: for he that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his evil deeds (g). Take then your faith from the mouth of your Saviour, and of his infpired apostles and evangelifts. Look to your bible. Fix your foot on that rock. Apply to yourself the admonitions of St. Paul: Be ftedfaft in the unity of the faith. Be not toffed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine: but speaking the truth in love, grow up unto Him in all things who is the head, even Chrift. Be not carried about with divers and frange doctrines: for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace. Remember them which have spoken unto you word of God: whofe faith follow, confidering the end of their converfation, Jefus Chrift, the fame yesterday, and to-day, and for ever (b). Recollect the prophetic warning of the fame apoftle. The time will come not endure found doctrine (i). That time has long fince arrived. The prophecy has already been fulfilled, and is at this day fulfilling, with refpect to multitudes. Numbers at this day, while they profefs themselves Chriftians, erect themselves in oppofition to the effential doctrines of the Gofpel. Sometimes they exclaim against its myfteries: and prefuming (b) Ephef. iv. 13-15. Heb. xiii.

(g) 2 John, 9-11.
(i) 2 Tim. iv. 3.

7,9.

when they will

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