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I. THE CHURCH IS THE HOUSE OF GOD (Isaiah 2:2, 3; Hebrews 3:6; 1 Peter 2:5).

1. He is the Founder of the house.

2. The Purchaser.

3. The sole Proprietor.

4. Here He hath His abode.Hence, it must be a very glorious structure. The plan of it was laid by infinite wisdom from all eternity (Proverbs 9:1).

(1)  The foundation of the house is glorious.

(2)  The form.

(3)  The door (John 10:9).

(4)  The pillars (Proverbs 9:1). These are the perfections of the Divine nature as they are manifested in Christ.

(5)  The ordinances.

II. CHRIST IS CONSTITUTED THE GREAT MANAGER OF HIS FATHER'S HOUSE.

1. In the council of peace, from eternity, He was chosen to be the Builder of the house (Zechariah 6:12, 13).

2. He is the everlasting Father of the family (Isaiah 9:6).

3. The great Oracle and Counsellor (Isaiah 9:6).

4. The great Priest (Hebrews 10:21).

5. The great Lord-Treasurer, yea, the treasury (Colossians 1:19; John 1:16).

6. The great Lord-Steward or Dispenser.

7. The Lawgiver.

III. CHRIST IS FIXED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE HOUSE OF GOD, as a nail in a sure place.

1. There is an irreversible decree passed in heaven that He should be the sole Manager and Governor of the house (Psalm 2:6, 7).

2. He is fixed in the administration of the house with the solemnity of a covenant transaction (Psalm 89:3).

3. With the solemnity of an oath taken by the great Jehovah.

4. In His oath He pledges the most dazzling perfection of His nature. He will as soon cease to be a holy God, as suffer His Son's authority in His house to be overturned.

5. He is fixed in the management by a solemn call and investiture.

6. By an actual possession of the throne (Philippians 2:9-11).

7. By a complete victory over all His and His Church's enemies, so that none of them are capable to give Him the least disturbance.

IV. THE WHOLE HOUSE, WITH ALL ITS APPURTENANCES, HANGS OR DEPENDS UPON THIS BLESSED NAIL THAT IS FASTENED IN A SURE PLACE.

1. All the glory of the house hangs upon our Lord Jesus Christ.

(1) God's presence in a Church makes her glorious. It is owing to Christ that the tabernacle of God is with men.

(2) The revelation of the mind and will of God in the Scriptures of truth, is the glory of the Church. Christ is the Alpha and Omega of the whole Scriptures.

(3) A faithful ministry is the glory of a Church. (See Ephesians 4:11-13.)(4) The ordinances of the Gospel, dispensed in purity by faithful ministers of Christ, are the glory of a Church. Well, all hang upon the great Manager, such as word and sacrament, prayer and praise.

(5) The judicatories of a Church, higher and lower, constituted in His name, and moulded according to His appointment for the government and for the exercise of the keys of discipline, are the glory of a Church. All this glory hangs upon the nail fastened in a sure place, for He it is that gives the keys of the kingdom of heaven unto His office bearers, and promises that "what they bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and what they loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven"; and where they assemble in courts for discipline, He "will be in the midst of them."(6) The covenants of a Church are her glory; God's covenant of grace and promise, and their covenants of duty and gratitude. The covenant, and an the blessings and promises of it, hang upon this blessed nail; they are all in Him, and "in Him yea and amen." Our covenants for duty, obedience, and gratitude, hang upon this blessed nail. When men engage to duty in a legal way, they do only make to themselves ropes of sand. All our funds of grace lie in Him.

(7) The multitude of real converts is the glory of a Church. Of His own will He begets us by the word of grace.

(8) The purity, holiness, and faithfulness of Church members are the glory of a Church. This glory hangs upon this blessed nail; for it is by virtue of their union with Him, that they derive sanctifying influence from Him.

2. The offspring and issue of the house are also said to hang upon Christ. By the offspring and issue I understand all true believers.

(1) Their very being, as they are new creatures, hangs upon Him (Ephesians 2:10).

(2) Hence, their life hangs upon Christ. The second Adam is a quickening Spirit.

(3) Have the offspring and issue of the house anything of the light of saving knowledge of God? This hangs upon Christ; for He is the true Sun of Righteousness.

(4) The offspring and issue of the house of God enjoy a glorious liberty. This hangs upon Christ; for "if the Son makes us free, then are we free indeed."(5) They have all the best robe put upon them, when they return from the far country to their Father. Christ is the "end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth."(6) Have they anything of the beauty of holiness! Christ is made unto them sanctification.

(7) Have they strength for work or warfare! They are "strong in the Lord."(8) Am they heirs of God and of glory! They are "joint-heirs with Jesus Christ."

8. The vessels of the house hang upon this nail fastened in a sure place, from vessels of cups to vessels of flagons.

(1) By the vessels of the house we are to understand believers (2 Timothy 2:20, 21; Acts 9:15).

(2) These vessels are of different sizes. In God's family there are saints of different stature.

V. REASONS OF THE DOCTRINE. Why is Christ constituted sole Manager of His Father's house? why doth He hang the offspring and issue, and all the vessels, upon Him, as upon a nail fastened in a sure place?

1. He only had ability for bearing such a weight.

2. Christ voluntarily undertook it.

3. Hereby a new revenue of glory is brought in to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

4. Hereby all men are brought to honour the Son, as they honour the Father.

5. This was for the safety and comfort of the saints and children of God.

VI. THE APPLICATION OF THE DOCTRINE.

(E. Erskine.)

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KJV: And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.

WEB: They will hang on him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, every small vessel, from the cups even to all the pitchers.