t is as much as trusting in Him;
thus is Scripture truly explained. The builders lay the foundation
stone where it may stand sure and firm, that it may bear up the whole
building. So Christ, the living stone, bears up the whole building;
and it is called the building, in order that we, bound one to
another, may set our confidence and security on Him.

V. 4. _Which indeed is rejected of men, but before God is elect and
precious._ Here he brings forward a passage of the prophet David, in
Ps. cxvii.: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the
corner stone, and it is wonderful in our eyes." Which passage Christ
also refers to in Mat. xxi. So Peter, in Acts iv., where he says:
"This is the stone which ye builders rejected." Ye are builders, he
says: for they taught the people, went about with great speeches,
laid down many laws, but made mere work-saints and hypocrites. Then
Christ comes and tells them, ye are hypocrites and broods of vipers;
pronounces upon them many terrible judgments; judges them as sinners,
and not as great saints, so that they could not endure it; they even
reject Him--say to Him, "You are a heretic; do you caution that a man
should not do good works? Ay! you must die." Therefore Peter says,
here, this is the corner stone which indeed was rejected of men,
whereon ye must be built by faith. This is now wonderful in our eyes,
as the prophet says; it seems strange to us, and where the Spirit
does not teach it, it is utterly incomprehensible. Therefore he says,
in God's eyes the stone is elect, and an extremely precious stone; it
is of great importance also that it takes away death, satisfies for
sin, and rescues from hell, besides that it freely bestows heaven.

V. 5. _And be ye also as living stones, built up into a spiritual
house._ How can we build ourselves up? By the Gospel and that which
is preached. The builders are the preachers; the Christians who hear
the Gospel are they who are built, and the stones which are to be
fitted on this corner stone; so that we are to repose our confidence
on Him, and let our hearts stand and rest upon Him. I must therefore
take heed to myself that I have the form which this stone has, for if
I am laid upon Him by faith, then I must also bear such marks and
fashioning as He had, and every one else with me. It is the fruit of
faith and a mark of love, that we all be fitted one to another, and
all thus become one building. To the same end, also, St. Paul