April - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland

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Sermon. 489covenant head. The covenant was made with Adam not onlyfor himself but for his posterity. The foundation on whichthat house rested was man's obedience but when man sinned thatfoundation gave way and the building fell and all the occupantsdied-" As in Adam all die."Now God purposed to build another house, the one spokenof here which is the whole election of grace. But what wasto be the foundation of this great magnificent building" the houseof God." Every stone to be laid on this foundation was soheavy, "a people laden with iniquity," that it "would breakthe axle of the universe" as Mr. Lachlan Mackenzie said. ButGod the Father laid help on One who was mighty-His ownEternal Son. " Behold," He says, " I lay in Zion for a foundationa stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation."(Isa. xxviii. 16). On this Rock He is to build His Church andthe gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Unless we buildfor eternity on this the only foundation our house will fall andgreat shall be the fall thereof.(4) In building a house a site must be chosen. Now thefoundation of the first house, Adam, was laid on the site ofGod's law and the foundation of the second, "the house of theliving God," was laid on the very same site but the foundationwas different. The first foundation was man's obedience, thesecond is the obedience of a Divine Person-God in our nature.He was made under the law, obeyed all its precepts, exalted itand made it honourable. There can be no salvation for a guiltysinner apart from the claims of law and justice being satisfied.(5) A foundation laid and no building erected on it wouldbe meaningless, but God laid this foundation in Zion for thevery purpose of building His house on it. But whence were thestones to be got~ We notice in the case of Zerubbabel inbuilding the second temple that he took all the stones from theruins of the first. He did not take all the stones in thatruin but selected those whom he thought fit. Now when Godpm'posed to build His house He chose the stones from the ruinedrace of Adam. He did not choose all men but "Out of His
~-490 Free Presbyterian Ma,gazine.mere good pleasure from all eternity He elected some untoeverlasting life." They were buried in the ruined heap likeothers, under the wrath of God, " dead in trespasses and sins,"but the Holy Spirit in a day of His power awakened them to asense of their lost condition, and enabled them to accept ofChrist as theil' only foundation fol' eternity. He made them"lively stones built up a spiritual house" (1. Peter ii. 5). Howevel'base and unsightly they may appear in their own eyes andin the eyes of the world yet they are fair and beautiful inthe sight of the Builder. He will carve and polish them andmake them fit for the temple above where there will be " neitherhammer nol' axe nor any tool of iron heard" (1. Kings vi. 7).All the stones on the foundation have not the same prominence.There are pinnings in the inner wall and larger stones in theouter but each occupies the place assigned to it by the Builder.Such is the case with the house of God, each stone large orsmall has its place and function according to God's purpose."For the body is not one member but many.". (6) We may notice that' many attempts have been made andare still being made by enemies to destroy both the foundationand the building, but "the gates of hell shall not prevail againstit." The nations, kings and mlers may take counsel togetheragainst the Lord and His Anointed, but He that sits in heavenshall laugh at them and will go on building His Church asif they Wel'e not ther'e. He laid the foundation of the houseand He shall also finish it. "He shall bring forth the headstoMthereof with shouting-s, crying: Grace, grace unto it." All theliving stones that day will acknowledge that their whole salvationiTom beginning to end was of His free and sovereign grace; andthey will ascribe to Him the glory.n. The place assigned to the Church-she is "the pillar andground of the truth." What are we to understand by her being"the pillar, etc. 1" ,\Vhile the salvation of sinners and th~prosperity of the cause of Christ in the world depend entirelyon Him'and not on the streng-th or efforts of any man, yetGod saw pl'opel' to use weak instruments to uphold and defend
Page 2 and 3: ..THEjf'tee lBte~b!'tetian :maga~tn
Page 4 and 5: One of John Knox's Stamp. 483govern
Page 8 and 9: Sermon. 4872. The word" Church" is
Page 12 and 13: --'\\Sermon. 491His truth and cause
Page 14: Sermon. 4!}3whether they will hear
Page 17: 496 F1'ee P1'esbyterian Magazine.We
Page 20 and 21: \l'he latl' .i\l1'1'. A1Igu,' JI~{/
Page 22 and 23: Nadu1' an Duine 'na Staid Cheithi1'
Page 24 and 25: N adlM' an D'uine 'nn Staid Cheithi
Page 26 and 27: N ad~t1' an Duine 'na Staid Cheithi
Page 28 and 29: Diterary Notices. 51)7of the Islami
Page 30 and 31: Notes and Comments. 509and cast in
Page 32 and 33: Ch~wch Notes. 511out of the country
Page 34 and 35: A ckno'H'ledgment of Donations. 513
Page 36 and 37: The Maga.zine. 515MacKenzie, Rose C

April - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland

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