27 The Foundation Of God Standeth Sure
A foundation is the basis of an edifice. Hence, when you build, you must have a foundation; and if you intend your building to stand, it must be a sure, a safe, and a sound foundation,— immovable. Then will your building be strong. The man’s house built upon a rock stood secure against storm and tempest; but the man who built his house upon the sand, when the floods came, and the winds blew, the house fell; and great was the fall thereof. How many in our day build upon an unsound foundation, that will not stand the blast of poverty, the power of temptation, or the floods of error. But where is the Christian’s foundation? It is in God, and the foundation of God is in Jehovah’s purpose and eternal counsel, made sure in the Lord Jesus Christ before the world was. Why is it in Christ? First, because God the Father laid it there; and secondly, he built his church thereon. He laid it in his covenant of grace: “Behold, I make a covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” It is in Christ: “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, elect, precious; and he that believeth in him shall not be confounded.” Christ is the Stone, the Bock of Ages. His people are built upon him. The apostles and prophets were not the foundation. They preached Christ, and Christ was their only sure foundation. It is laid in the heart of his people; and, in order to lay a foundation, there must be some digging work to remove the rubbish. So the imaginary goodness of man must be dug up and removed; and then a sure foundation will be laid. Thus his people are built on Christ, a habitation of God, through the Spirit, and will remain so when the world is in a blaze and through all eternity, because they are well founded, well built. “He brought me up out of a horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a Bock, and established my goings.”
What do you know of this? Are you upon the Rock? O that you may fall upon God in Christ, and wait for his salvation, that, when death comes, you may say, “Now, Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.” It is a sealed foundation, and no man can break this seal, and tell the extent of it, or even the size of the building, but Christ. “The Lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed, and he alone can open the seal.” Man may be deceived in the knowledge of God’s people; but Christ cannot be deceived. “The Lord knoweth them that are his.”—Manchester.
William Gadsby (1773-1844) was a Strict and Particular Baptist preacher, writer and philanthropist. For thirty-nine years served as pastor for the church meeting at Black Lane, Manchester.
William Gadsby Sermons (Complete)
William Gadsby Hymns
William Gadsby, Perfect Law Of Liberty (Complete)
William Gadsby's Catechism (Complete)
William Gadsby's Dialogues
William Gadsby's Fragments (Complete)
William Gadsby's Letters (Complete)
