Vse 1. This may serve to convince all those of death and of sinne, that have either no knowledge of Christ at all, or doe not endeavour according to that knowledge which they have, to come unto him, and partake of his grace.
2. To refute the Papists and such like, that draw men away from Christ to the holy Angels, to the Pope, and to themselves.
3. To exhort us, alwayes to set Christ before us, as our marke and scope, Philippians 3.8. &c.
Doctrine 13. We must come unto Christ as unto a living stone:
This is gathered from Verse 4. Now Christ is called a stone for that firme power, whereby he doth sustaine and beare up the edifice of the whole Church, Zachariah 4.7. And he is called, a living stone, because that power whereby he doth beare up the Church is quickning, and communicates spirituall and eternall life to the whole edifice, John 5.26.
Reason 1. Because by sinne we were bereft of all life both the principle and foundation of life, nor can it be restored unto us any other way but in Christ.
2. Because unlesse we come unto Christ under this relation, we do not imbrace him as he was ordained by God, and is proposed unto us; and consequently we do not hold the true Christ, but a feined and imaginary one.
3. Because our faith cannot rest satisfied but in him that hath this strong power to quicken, for faith seekes life from a firme and undeceiving principle.
Use 1. This may serve to refute that blasphemy of the Papists, who will have the Pope, a dead stone, to be that rock or stone, whereupon the Church is built. For Peter, under the pretence of whose name the Pope challengeth this to himselfe never exhorted the faithfull to come to him as unto a living stone, but unto Christ only. And therefore Peter himselfe in these words explaines unto us, what was the minde of Christ, Matthew 16.18. when he said: Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, that is, upon this living stone whom Peter at that time confessed to be the Son of the living God, that is, the living stone. Now Peter and the Apostles together with the Prophets may be called the foundation of the Church by a Metonymy of the adjunct for the subject; because they laid and preached Christ as the true foundation, Ephesians 2.20,21. but the Popes can in no other respect challenge this unto themselves, but as they are stones of offence and ruine.
2. To instruct us, wholly to depend upon Christ, and to put all our confidence in him.