Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse and explication 18
Vers. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.
IN the third similitude he compareth the Church unto an edifice or stately building, and sheweth that those Ephesians were a part of it. Which similitude doth hold forth a further degree of nearnesse to, and communion with God and His Church, than the former; in so far as the stones of an edifice are most strictly joyned together, both with the foundation and amongst themselves: and herein he doth, doubtlesse, allude to Solomons Temple, which did prefigure the Church of the truly Regenerate.
And, first, that he may with greater clearnesse set forth this their happy condition, he doth describe this spiritual, stately, and, in several things, admirable edifice from four things. First, in this verse, from its foundation, or that which doth support the weight of the building, which he calleth the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles; whereby is not meaned, that the Prophets and Apostles in their own persons are the foundation of the Church; for, they are built, as lively stones, with the rest of the Elect, upon the foundation, Philip. 3. 8, 9. And therefore we must hereby understand the foundation, which was laid by them as wise master-builders under God, 1 Cor. 3. 9. 10. to wit, the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, or rather Jesus Christ the sum and scope of their Doctrine, Rom. 10. 4. 1 Cor. 2. 2. as the Apostle expoundeth himself, 1 Cor. 3. 11. and is clear from Isa. 28. 16. to which place he doth here allude, and which is also more plainly set forth in the close of this same verse, where the Apostle proveth, that they were built upon that foundation; because Christ is that corner-stone, spoken of, Isa. 28. 16. and Psal. 118. 22. So that the foundation and corner-stone must be both one in this place, seing he inferreth the one from the other, only with this difference, that Christ is not only the lowest corner-stone, which lyeth under the whole building, and is a part of the foundation, to which corner-stone He is compared, Isa. 28. 16. but He is also the highest, to which He is compared, Psal. 118. 22. Yea, and such a corner-stone as reacheth all alongs the angle from the foundation to the top of the building, binding the two walls of the Church together, which are the two Nations of Jews and Gentiles: for, the word in the Originall signifieth the extream corner-stone, that is, both the highest and the lowest, and consequently compriseth all which ly between those two extreams: neither doth the word imply, that there are any other subordinate, or secundary foundations, or corner-stones, seing the word is better rendered extream corner than chief. Doct. 1. Those excellent priviledges bestowed upon Believers, consisting in, and flowing from union and communion with Christ and His Church, are of such a spirituall, sublime and divine nature; and we are so carnall, dull and slow of understanding, that there are no proper significant words, whereby to expresse them so as we may understand them: for, therefore is it, that the Spirit of God doth speak of them to us in our own language, and taketh similitudes from things earthly to set them forth, that so we may, at least, understand somewhat of them, as here he maketh use of a similitude taken from a stately building for that end; And are built upon the foundation. 2. So excellent and full are those priviledges, and so compleat is that happinesse, which is enjoyed by Believers, that not any one similitude, taken from earthly things, can fully, or in any measure satisfyingly set them forth: for, therefore is it, that the Spirit of God doth multiply similitudes to this purpose, that what is wanting in one, may be supplied by another; as here, having set forth the happy state of Believers from the similitude, first of a city, next of a family, ver. 19. he doth in this verse add a third similitude, taken from an edifice; And are built upon the foundation, saith he. 3. So steadable is Jesus Christ unto Believers, and of such universal use, in order to their being built up in one temple unto God, that there is not any one piece of a building, by which His steadable usefulnesse can be sufficiently represented. He is not only the foundation-stone, who, being the first stone which was laid in the building, (Rev. 13. 8.) doth support this whole spirituall edifice, Matth. 16. 18. who was brought so low by His sufferings, and dayly in the preaching of the Gospel, that the meanest Believer may be rolled upon Him, Matth. 11. 28. and upon whom the weights of all Believers great and small do hing, Isa. 22. 24. but He is also the corner-stone, who reacheth from the foundation to the top of this spirituall edifice, and joyneth Jew and Gentile, the two walls of the Church, together in one, (see ver. 15.) yea, and all particular Believers are united in Him, Joh. 17. -22, 23. who breaketh the violent blasts of all those storms, which would otherwise overthrow the edifice, Isa. 25. 4. and use to beat most violently upon the corners of buildings, Job 1. 19. who also is the choice of the stones of the building, (as corner-stones use to be, Jer. 51. 26.) as being of more durable substance, even the great and mighty God, Isa. 9. 6. and is in His humane nature adorned and polished with a variety and fulnesse of created graces above His fellows, Psal. 45. 7. as corner-stones are more curiously ingraven and wrought than the rest of the building, Psal. 144. 12. in whose stability and strength, the strength of the whole spirituall edifice (Matth. 16. 18.) and of every lively stone thereof doth consist, Joh. 10. 28. as the strength of an artificiall building consisteth in the goodnesse of the foundation and corners, Matth. 7. 24, 25. for, the Apostle, speaking of this spirituall edifice, giveth unto Christ the place both of foundation and corner, while he saith, Ye are built upon the foundation of the Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief (or extream) corner-stone. 4. That any man be a part of this spirituall edifice, and do partake of all those glorious priviledges which flow from union and communion with God and His Church, and are enjoyed by all the lively stones of this building, he must be built upon Christ the foundation, taking band upon Him by the cement of lively faith: for, the Apostle, shewing that those Ephesians were a part of this spirituall building, saith they were built on Christ; And are built upon the foundation. 5. There is no closing with, & taking band upon Christ aright as a foundationstone, or rock for salvation, except He be conceived and accepted of, as He is revealed and offered in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament; for, He is called the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, to wit, whom they set forth and placed as a foundation in the Church by their Doctrine and Writings. 6. Though God Himself be the principall author and builder of this spirituall edifice, Isa. 28. 16. 1 Corinth. 3. 6. Yet, He imployeth His called Ministers and Servants, as instruments under Him, for carrying on this work, among whom He did make speciall use of the Prophets and Apostles for laying the foundation, in so far, as they first did reveal and preach Jesus Christ, and commit to writing such truths concerning Him, as are necessary for salvation, Joh. 20. 31. while other ordinary Ministers are imployed in the preaching of Jesus Christ, as He is revealed in Scripture, to build up the Elect upon the foundation, which was laid by them, 2 Tim. 2. 2. for, he calleth Christ the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, that is, whom they placed in the Church by their Doctrine and Writings, by which He maketh them to differ from ordinary Ministers; And are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles. 7. There is a sweet harmony and full agreement between the Doctrine and Writings of the Prophets and Apostles: as in all other things; so especially, in holding forth Jesus Christ for a foundation and rock of salvation unto Believers; the latter having taught and written nothing, but what was partly prefigured in types, and partly foretold in prophesies by the former, Acts 26. 22, 23. for, Paul affirmeth, that the same foundation, Christ, was laid by both, while he saith, Built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles. 8. How little ground the Papists have from this, or any other Scripture, blasphemously to teach, that the Pope is the foundation of the universal Church visible, in whose voice and sentence the faith of all Believers ought to be determined and built, appeareth not only from the meaning of the words asserted in the exposition, but also from this, that all the Apostles are spoken of, as having equal influence upon this foundation, so that Peter, whose successor the Pope doth plead himself to be, had no privilege in this above the rest; for, he saith, Ye are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles. 9. Though men are easily moved to combine together in ill, Psal. 83. 3. as being naturally inclined to it, Gen. 6. 5. yet, such is the antipathy of every man by nature unto that which is truely good, Rom. 3. 12. and unto all other men in that which is good; that nothing lesse was required for uniting all the Elect among themselves, so, as to make them joyntly endeavour the bringing about of Gods glory in their own salvation, than that Jesus Christ should interpose as an arbiter with power, causing the parties at variance to be at peace and become a center, wherein all those scattered lines might meet, and a corner, wherein the severall walls and stones of the building are conjoyned: for, saith Paul, it was necessary, in order to this union, that Jesus Christ himself should be the extream corner-stone.