nd all that we have to bear. So that all
this--and whatever jars against us--cannot injure us if we have been
placed on this foundation.

For if we remain resting on him, and leave ourselves upon Him, we
must then remain where He is; just as natural stones must be left on
their foundation stone.

Besides, the prophet calls Him a corner stone. The Holy Spirit has a
way of His own of saying much in few words. Christ is a corner stone
because he has brought Gentiles and Jews together who were at dead
enmity one with another, and thus the Christian Church has been
gathered of both classes, whereof the Apostle Paul writes largely.
The Jews gloried in the law of God, and that they were God's people,
and so despised the heathen. But now Christ has come, has taken away
their boasting from the Jews, and called us who were Gentiles; and
thus he has made us both one, by one faith, and He has so dealt with
us that we both must confess that we have nothing of ourselves, but
are all sinners, and only must expect righteousness and heaven from
Him, and that we Gentiles may as justly claim that Christ has come to
help us, as the Jews; wherefore He is the corner stone that joins
both together in one, so that it becomes one building and one house.

This, now, is the conclusion to which the prophet comes: Whoever
believes on Him shall not be put to shame. When the Holy Spirit says,
that they shall not be ashamed who believe on Christ, he gives us to
understand what he has in view,--to wit, that he has already
published and confirmed the sentence, that the whole world must be
confounded and put to shame. Yet he would draw forth some out of the
multitude, so that no one may escape the shame but he who believes on
Christ. So Christ explains Himself in the last of Mark: "Whoever
believes and is baptised shall be saved; but he who believes not
shall be damned;" in which words, moreover, He accords with the
prophets. So that Peter said well in the first chapter, that the
prophets sought out the time, and diligently inquired after the
salvation and concerning the future grace that was previously
promised. So now Christ is to be preached, that He it is who has
rescued us from this shame into which we were all plunged.

Now let any one come forward who chooses, and exalt free-will, and
defend human ability. Though you should commingle together all human
works and doctrines, and whatever springs from man, you have enough
in this single passage