Page:The rock of wisdom.djvu/104

 pleased to raise him; that he, to whom he had already given the name of Peter (signifying a rock) John 1: 42. should be a rock indeed, of innumerable strength, for the support of the building of the church, in which building he should be next to Christ himself, the chief foundation stone in quality, of chief pastor, ruler and governor, and should have accordingly all fullness of ecclesiastical power, signified by the keys of the kingdom of heaven upon this rock. The word of Christ to Peter spoken in the vulgar language of the Jews, which our Lord made use of, were the same as if he said in English, thou art a rock and upon this rock I will build my church. So that by the plain course of the words, Peter is here declared to be the rock upon which the church was to be built; that is, he was to continue in Christ, for Christ himself being both the principal foundation and founder of the same, where, also, note, that Christ by building his house, that is, his church, upon a rock, has hereby secured it against all storms and floods, like the wise builder, Math. 7: 24, 25; the gates of hell, that is, the power of darkness and all his agents, and what Satan can do either by himself or his agents, for as the church is here likened to a house, or it. fortress built on a rock, so the adverse power, are likened to a contrary house or fortress, the gates of which, the whole strength, and all the efforts it can make can never be able to prevail over the city or church of Christ. By the promise, we are fully assured that neither idolatry. heresy, nor any pernicious error whatsoever, shall, at any time prevail over the church of Christ, for it is a place where God delights to dwell, to bless his people, for where there are two or three gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them. This is understood of such assemblies only as are gathered in the name and authority of Christ, and in the unity of the church of Christ; these are without fornication or adultery; in case of fornication, that is, of adultery, the wife may be put away, but even then the husband cannot marry another as long his the wife is living, according to scripture, for it is said, "what, therefore, God hath joined together, let no man put asunder." By continuing in this state do those persons conceive that they are acceptable ones to take the sacrament? I say not. No man can be a servant of God