Behold! The Stone

Behold! A Stone Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Isaiah 28: 16 Observe 1. The sermon of Isaiah reproves the drunkard; they have filled the table with vomit. 2. The sermon of Isaiah reprimands the dullard; they have learned nothing. 3. The sermon of Isaiah reminds the deluded; they have made a compact with death. 4. The sermon of Isaiah reveals the standard by which all are judged in Christ.\ “He calls it therefore a trying stone, or a trier, on account of the effect produced; because by this stone the whole building must be squared and adjusted, otherwise it must unavoidably totter and fall.” 5. The sermon of Isaiah reveals the foundation upon which all must be built. Doctrine. Christ alone is the cornerstone of our faith. I. On Him alone is all the church built, of the latter day to the present day (Eph. 2:19ff). II. On Him alone do all hypocrites stumble and fall (Rm. 9:33). III. On Him alone are all other hopes tried; in Christ alone is salvation (Acts 4: 10ff)/ IV. On Him alone are we built; viz. upon Him is our foundation, progress, and end. Uses I. For our circumspection, are you drunk with life? Is your compact with death and hell voided in Christ? Will the table of life be bur full of the vomit of your vanities? Vanity Fair….a fair wherein should be sold of all sorts of vanity, and that it should last all the year long. Therefore at this fair are all such merchandise sold: as houses, lands, trades, places, honours, preferments, titles, countries, kingdoms; lusts, pleasures, and delights of all sorts – as whores, bawds, wives, husbands, children, masters, servants, lives, blood, bodies, souls, silver, gold, pearls, precious stones, and what not. And moreover, at this fair there is at all times to be deceivers, cheats, games, plays, fools, apes, knaves, and rogues and that of every kind. Here are to be seen, too – and that for nothing – thefts, murders, adulteries, false-swearers, and that of a blood red colour. And as in other fairs of less moment, there are the several rows and streets, under their proper names, where such and such wares are vended; so here likewise you have the proper places, rows, streets (viz., countries and kingdoms), where the wares of this fair are soonest to be found: here is the Britain row; the French row; the Italian row; the Spanish row; the German row – where several sorts of vanities are to be sold. But as in other fairs, some one commodity is as the chief of all the fair, so the ware of Rome and her merchandise is greatly promoted in this fair: only our English nation, with some others, have taken a dislike thereat. II. For our reprove, is Christ and offense to your presumed faith? Is His word to you but line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little there a little? Hypocrites are as vile as Judas; he did all they did but not of faith. The hypocrite and God’s word are as this, the word of God becomes to them precept on precept, and they receive no more instruction from it than if a person were to bawl out to them in an unknown tongue. “It is the height of madness to bring upon themselves, by idle affectation, that blindness and stupidity which the Lord threatens against obstinate and rebellious men. Paul therefore explains and renders more intelligible this statement made by the Prophet, for he shews that they who abuse the doctrine of salvation do not deserve to make progress in it in any way whatever.” We have become like Eli; our houses unchecked and in disarray, till we fall over backward, break our necks, and perish in dull advance. “Of what avail will it be to us, if God’s word does not enlighten our understanding and regulate our hearts?” III. For our reflection consider how you are called precious in Him. Precious meaning, pertaining to being of considerable value or worth—‘valuable, precious. Christ should be your cherished love; as Abigail surely loved David. IV. For our remembrance make sure Christ alone is precious to you. it is a highly valuable stone, on which the whole weight of the building exclusively rests. It is a stone, but a stone which fills the whole corner; it is a corner-stone, but the whole house is founded on it. As "another foundation cannot be laid," so on it alone must the whole Church, and every part of it, rest and be built (1 Cor. 3: 11). So then valuable is our faith, our doctrine that is, which is to be cherished and adored. These truths should excite your soul, they should engender grand affections in your heart, as if you were examining a precious diamond of exuberant worth.