This chapter continues and concludes Christ's
sermon on the mount, which is purely practical, directing us to
order our conversation aright, both toward God and man; for the
design of the Christian religion is to make men good, every way
good. We have, I. Some rules concerning censure and reproof,
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. 6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Our Saviour is here directing us how to conduct ourselves in reference to the faults of others; and his expressions seem intended as a reproof to the scribes and Pharisees, who were very rigid and severe, very magisterial and supercilious, in condemning all about them, as those commonly are, that are proud and conceited in justifying themselves. We have here,
I. A caution against judging
1. The prohibition; Judge not. We
must judge ourselves, and judge our own acts, but we must not judge
our brother, not magisterially assume such an authority over
others, as we allow not them over us: since our rule is, to be
subject to one another. Be not many masters,
2. The reason to enforce this prohibition.
That ye be not judged. This intimates, (1.) That if we
presume to judge others, we may expect to be ourselves judged. He
who usurps the bench, shall be called to the bar; he shall be
judged of men; commonly none are more censured, than those who are
most censorious; every one will have a stone to throw at them; he
who, like Ishmael, has his hand, his tongue, against every
man, shall, like him, have every man's hand and tongue
against him (
The judging of those that judge others is
according to the law of retaliation; With what judgment ye
judge, ye shall be judged,
II. Some cautions about reproving. Because we must not judge others, which is a great sin, it does not therefore follow that we must not reprove others, which is a great duty, and may be a means of saving a soul from death; however, it will be a means of saving our souls from sharing in their guilt. Now observe here,
1. It is not every one who is fit to
reprove. Those who are themselves guilty of the same faults of
which they accuse others, or of worse, bring shame upon themselves,
and are not likely to do good to those whom they reprove,
(1.) A just reproof to the censorious, who
quarrel with their brother for small faults, while they allow
themselves in great ones; who are quick-sighted to spy a
mote in his eye, but are not sensible of a beam in their
own; nay, and will be very officious to pull out the mote
out of his eye, when they are as unfit to do it as if they were
themselves quite blind. Note, [1.] There are degrees in sin: some
sins are comparatively but as motes, others as beams;
some as a gnat, others as a camel: not that there is
any sin little, for there is no little God to sin against; if it be
a mote (or splinter, for so it might better be read),
it is in the eye; if a gnat, it is in the throat; both
painful and perilous, and we cannot be easy or well till they are
got out. [2.] Our own sins ought to appear greater to us than the
same sins in others: that which charity teaches us to call but a
splinter in our brother's eye, true repentance and godly
sorrow will teach us to call a beam in our own; for the sins
of others must be extenuated, but our own aggravated. [3.] There
are many that have beams in their own eyes, and yet do not
consider it. They are under the guilt and dominion of very great
sins, and yet are not aware of it, but justify themselves, as if
they needed no repentance nor reformation; it is as strange that a
man can be in such a sinful, miserable condition, and not be aware
of it, as that a man should have a beam in him eye, and not
consider it; but the god of this world so artfully blinds their
minds, that notwithstanding, with great assurance, they say, We
see. [4.] It is common for those who are most sinful
themselves, and least sensible of it, to be most forward and free
in judging and censuring others: the Pharisees, who were most
haughty in justifying themselves, were most scornful in condemning
others. They were severe upon Christ's disciples for eating with
unwashen hands, which was scarcely a mote, while they
encouraged men in a contempt of their parents, which was a
beam. Pride and uncharitableness are commonly beams
in the eyes of those that pretend to be critical and nice in their
censures of others. Nay, many are guilty of that secret, which they
have the face to punish in others when it is discovered. Cogita
tecum, fortasse vitium de quo quereris, si te diligenter
excusseris, in sinu invenies; inique publico irasceris crimini
tuo—Reflect that perhaps the fault of which you complain, might,
on a strict examination, be discovered in yourself; and that it
would be unjust publicly to express indignation against your own
crime. Seneca, de Beneficiis. But, [5.] Men's being so
severe upon the faults of others, while they are indulgent of their
own, is a mark of hypocrisy. Thou hypocrite,
(2.) Here is a good rule for reprovers,
2. It is not every one that is fit to be
reproved; Give not that which is holy unto the dogs,
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Our Saviour, in the foregoing chapter, had spoken of prayer as a commanded duty, by which God is honoured, and which, if done aright, shall be rewarded; here he speaks of it as the appointed means of obtaining what we need, especially grace to obey the precepts he had given, some of which are so displeasing to flesh and blood.
I. Here is a precept in three words to the
same purport, Ask, Seek, Knock (
II. Here is a promised annexed: our labour in prayer, if indeed we do labour in it, shall not be in vain: where God finds a praying heart, he will be found a prayer-hearing God; he shall give thee an answer of peace. The precept is threefold, ask, seek, knock; there is precept upon precept; but the promise is sixfold, line upon line, for our encouragement; because a firm belief of the promise would make us cheerful and constant in our obedience. Now here,
1. The promise is made, and made so as
exactly to answer the precept,
2. It is repeated,
3. It is illustrated, by a similitude taken
from earthly parents, and their innate readiness to give their
children what they ask. Christ appeals to his hearers, What man
is there of you, though never so morose and ill-humoured,
whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
(1.) To direct our prayers and
expectations. [1.] We must come to God, as children to a Father
in heaven, with reverence and confidence. How naturally does a
child in want or distress run to the father with its complaints;
My head, my head; thus should the new nature send us to God
for supports and supplies. [2.] We must come to him for good
things, for those he gives to them that ask him; which
teaches us to refer ourselves to him; we know not what is good for
ourselves (
(2.) To encourage our prayers and
expectations. We may hope that we shall not be denied and
disappointed: we shall not have a stone for bread, to
break our teeth (though we have a hard crust to employ our teeth),
nor a serpent for a fish, to sting us; we have reason
indeed to fear it, because we deserve it, but God will be better to
us than the desert of our sins. The world often gives stones for
bread, and serpents for fish, but God never does; nay,
we shall be heard and answered, for children are by their parents.
[1.] God has put into the hearts of parents a compassionate
inclination to succour and supply their children, according to
their need. Even those that have had little conscience of duty, yet
have done it, as it were by instinct. No law was ever thought
necessary to oblige parents to maintain their legitimate children,
nor, in Solomon's time, their illegitimate ones. [2.] He has
assumed the relation of a Father to us, and owns us for his
children; that from the readiness we find in ourselves to relieve
our children, we may be encouraged to apply ourselves to him for
relief. What love and tenderness fathers have are from him; not
from nature but from the God of nature; and therefore they must
needs be infinitely greater in himself. He compares his concern for
his people to that of a father for his children (
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Our Lord Jesus here presses upon us that righteousness towards men which is an essential branch of true religion, and that religion towards God which is an essential branch of universal righteousness.
I. We must make righteousness our rule, and
be ruled by it,
1. The rule of justice laid down; Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do you even so to them. Christ came to teach us, not only what we are to know and believe, but what we are to do; what we are to do, not only toward God, but toward men; not only towards our fellow-disciples, those of our party and persuasion, but towards men in general, all with whom we have to do. The golden rule of equity is, to do to others as we would they should do to us. Alexander Severus, a heathen emperor, was a great admirer of this rule, had it written upon the walls of his closet, often quoted it in giving judgment, honoured Christ, and favoured Christians for the sake of it. Quod tibi, hoc alteri—do to others as you would they should do to you. Take it negatively (Quod tibi fieri non vis, ne alteri feceris), or positively, it comes all to the same. We must not do to others the evil they have done us, nor the evil which they would do to us, if it were in their power; nor may we do that which we think, if it were done to us, we could bear contentedly, but what we desire should be done to us. This is grounded upon that great commandment, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. As we must bear the same affection to our neighbour that we would have borne to ourselves, so we must do the same good offices. The meaning of this rule lies in three things. (1.) We must do that to our neighbour which we ourselves acknowledge to be fit and reasonable: the appeal is made to our own judgment, and the discovery of our judgment is referred to that which is our own will and expectation, when it is our own case. (2.) We must put other people upon the level with ourselves, and reckon we are as much obliged to them, as they to us. We are as much bound to the duty of justice as they, and they as much entitled to the benefit of it as we. (3.) We must, in our dealings with men, suppose ourselves in the same particular case and circumstances with those we have to do with, and deal accordingly. If I were making such a one's bargain, labouring under such a one's infirmity and affliction, how should I desire and expect to be treated? And this is a just supposition, because we know not how soon their case may really be ours: at least we may fear, lest God by his judgments should do to us as we have done to others, if we have not done as we would be done by.
2. A reason given to enforce this rule;
This is the law and the prophets. It is the summary of that
second great commandment, which is one of the two, on which hang
all the law and the prophets,
II. We must make religion our business, and
be intent upon it; we must be strict and circumspect in our
conversation, which is here represented to us as entering in at a
strait gate, and walking on in a narrow way,
1. The account that is given of the bad way of sin, and the good way of holiness. There are but two ways, right and wrong, good and evil; the way to heaven, and the way to hell; in the one of which we are all of us walking: no middle place hereafter, no middle way now: the distinction of the children of men into saints and sinners, godly and ungodly, will swallow up all to eternity.
Here is, (1.) An account given us of the way of sin and sinners; both what is the best, and what is the worst of it.
[1.] That which allures multitudes into it, and keeps them in it; the gate is wide, and the way broad, and there are many travellers in that way. First, "You will have abundance of liberty in that way; the gate is wide, and stands wide open to tempt those that go right on their way. You may go in at this gate with all your lusts about you; it gives no check to your appetites, to your passions: you may walk in the way of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; that gives room enough." It is a broad way, for there is nothing to hedge in those that walk in it, but they wander endlessly; a broad way, for there are many paths in it; there is choice of sinful ways, contrary to each other, but all paths in this broad way. Secondly, "You will have abundance of company in that way: many there be that go in at this gate, and walk in this way." If we follow the multitude, it will be to do evil: if we go with the crowd, it will be the wrong way. It is natural for us to incline to go down the stream, and do as the most do; but it is too great a compliment, to be willing to be damned for company, and to go to hell with them, because they will not go to heaven with us: if many perish, we should be the more cautious.
[2.] That which should affright us all from it is, that it leads to destruction. Death, eternal death, is at the end of it (and the way of sin tends to it),—everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. Whether it be the high way of open profaneness, or the back way of close hypocrisy, if it be a way of sin, it will be our ruin, if we repent not.
(2.) Here is an account given us of the way of holiness.
[1.] What there is in it that frightens many from it; let us know the worst of it, that we may sit down and count the cost. Christ deals faithfully with us, and tells us,
First, That the gate is
strait. Conversion and regeneration are the gate, by
which we enter into this way, in which we begin a life of faith and
serious godliness; out of a state of sin into a state of grace we
must pass, by the new birth,
Secondly, That the way is narrow. We are not in heaven as soon as we have got through the strait gate, nor in Canaan as soon as we have got through the Red Sea; no, we must go through a wilderness, must travel a narrow way, hedged in by the divine law, which is exceedingly broad, and that makes the way narrow; self must be denied, the body kept under, corruptions mortified, that are as a right eye and a right hand; daily temptations must be resisted; duties must be done that are against our inclination. We must endure hardness, must wrestle and be in an agony, must watch in all things, and walk with care and circumspection. We must go through much tribulation. It is hodos tethlimmene—an afflicted way, a way hedged about with thorns; blessed be God, it is not hedged up. The bodies we carry about with us, and the corruptions remaining in us, make the way of our duty difficult; but, as the understanding and will grow more and more sound, it will open and enlarge, and grow more and more pleasant.
Thirdly, The gate being so strait
and the way so narrow, it is not strange that there are but
few that find it, and choose it. Many pass it by, through
carelessness; they will not be at the pains to find it; they are
well as they are, and see no need to change their way. Others look
upon it, but shun it; they like not to be so limited and
restrained. Those that are going to heaven are but few, compared to
those that are going to hell; a remnant, a little flock, like the
grape-gleanings of the vintage; as the eight that were saved in the
ark,
[2.] Let us see what there is in this way,
which, notwithstanding this, should invite us all to it; it
leads to life, to present comfort in the favour of God,
which is the life of the soul; to eternal bliss, the hope of which,
at the end of our way, should reconcile us to all the difficulties
and inconveniences of the road. Life and godliness are put together
(
2. The great concern and duty of every one
of us, in consideration of all this; Enter ye in at the strait
gate. The matter is fairly stated; life and death, good and
evil, are set before us; both the ways, and both the ends: now let
the matter be taken entire, and considered impartially, and then
choose you this day which you will walk in; nay, the matter
determines itself, and will not admit of a debate. No man, in his
wits, would choose to go to the gallows, because it is a smooth,
pleasant way to it, nor refuse the offer of a palace and a throne,
because it is a rough, dirty way to it; yet such absurdities as
these are men guilty of, in the concerns of their souls. Delay not,
therefore; deliberate not any longer, but enter ye in at the
strait gate; knock at it by sincere and constant prayers
and endeavors, and it shall be opened; nay, a wide door
shall be opened, and an effectual one. It is true, we can neither
go in, nor go on, without the assistance of divine grace; but it is
as true, that grace is freely offered, and shall not be wanting to
those that seek it, and submit to it. Conversion is hard work, but
it is needful, and, blessed be God, it is not impossible if we
strive,
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
We have here a caution against false
prophets, to take heed that we be not deceived and imposed upon
by them. Prophets are properly such as foretel things to
come; there are some mentioned in the Old Testament, who pretended
to that without warrant, and the event disproved their pretensions,
as Zedekiah,
They are false teachers and false
prophets, 1. Who produce false commissions, who pretend to have
immediate warrant and direction from God to set up for
prophets, and to be divinely inspired, when they are not so.
Though their doctrine may be true, we are to beware of them
as false prophets. False apostles are those who say they
are apostles, and are not (
I. A good reason for this caution,
Beware of them, for they are wolves in sheep's
clothing,
1. We have need to be very cautious,
because their pretences are very fair and plausible, and such as
will deceive us, if we be not upon our guard. They come in
sheep's clothing, in the habit of prophets, which was
plain and coarse, and unwrought; they wear a rough garment to
deceive,
2. Because under these pretensions their
designs are very malicious and mischievous; inwardly they are
ravening wolves. Every hypocrite is a goat in
sheep's clothing; not only not a sheep, but the worst enemy the
sheep has, that comes not but to tear and devour, to scatter the
sheep (
II. Here is a good rule to go by in this
caution; we must prove all things (
1. The illustration of this comparison, of the fruit's being the discovery of the tree. You cannot always distinguish them by their bark and leaves, nor by the spreading of their boughs, but by their fruits ye shall know them. The fruit is according to the tree. Men may, in their professions, put a force upon their nature, and contradict their inward principles, but the stream and bent of their practices will agree with them. Christ insists upon this, the agreeableness between the fruit and the tree, which is such as that, (1.) If you know what the tree is, you may know what fruit to expect. Never look to gather grapes from thorns, nor figs from thistles; it is not in their nature to produce such fruits. An apple may be stuck, or a bunch of grapes may hang, upon a thorn; so may a good truth, a good word or action, be found in a bad man, but you may be sure it never grew there. Note, [1.] Corrupt, vicious, unsanctified hearts are like thorns and thistles, which came in with sin, are worthless, vexing, and for the fire at last. [2.] Good works are good fruit, like grapes and figs, pleasing to God and profitable to men. [3.] This good fruit is never to be expected from bad men, and more than a clean thing out of an unclean: they want an influencing acceptable principle. Out of an evil treasure will be brought forth evil things. (2.) On the other hand, if you know what the fruit is, you may, by that, perceive what the tree is. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; and a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit, nay, it cannot but bring forth evil fruit. But then that must be reckoned the fruit of the tree which it brings forth naturally and which is its genuine product—which it brings forth plentifully and constantly and which is its usual product. Men are known, not by particular acts, but by the course and tenour of their conversation, and by the more frequent acts, especially those that appear to be free, and most their own, and least under the influence of external motives and inducements.
2. The application of this to the false prophets.
(1.) By way of terror and threatening
(
(2.) By way of trial; By their fruits ye shall know them.
[1.] By the fruits of their persons,
their words and actions, and the course of their conversation. If
you would know whether they be right or not, observe how they live;
their works will testify for them or against them. The scribes and
Pharisees sat in Moses's chair, and taught the law, but they were
proud, and covetous, and false, and oppressive, and therefore
Christ warned him disciples to beware of them and of their
leaven,
[2.] By the fruits of their
doctrine; their fruits as prophets: not that this is the only way,
but it is one way, of trying doctrines, whether they be of
God or not. What do they tend to do? What affections and
practices will they lead those into, that embrace them? If the
doctrine be of God, it will tend to promote serious piety,
humility, charity, holiness, and love, with other Christian graces;
but if, on the contrary, the doctrines these prophets preach have a
manifest tendency to make people proud, worldly, and contentious,
to make them loose and careless in their conversations, unjust or
uncharitable, factious or disturbers of the public peace; if it
indulge carnal liberty, and take people off from governing
themselves and their families by the strict rules of the narrow
way, we may conclude, that this persuasion comes not of him
that calleth us,
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
We have here the conclusion of this long
and excellent sermon, the scope of which is to show the
indispensable necessity of obedience to the commands of Christ;
this is designed to clench the nail, that it might fix in a sure
place: he speaks this to his disciples, that sat at his feet
whenever he preached, and followed him wherever he went. Had he
sought his own praise among men, he would have said, that was
enough; but the religion he came to establish is in power, not in
word only (
I. He shows, by a plain remonstrance, that
an outward profession of religion, however remarkable, will not
bring us to heaven, unless there be a correspondent conversation,
1. Christ's law laid down,
(1.) That it will not suffice to say,
Lord, Lord; in word and tongue to own Christ for our Master,
and to make addresses to him, and professions of him accordingly:
in prayer to God, in discourse with men, we must call Christ,
Lord, Lord; we say well, for so he is
(
(2.) That it is necessary to our happiness
that we do the will of Christ, which is indeed the will
of his Father in heaven. The will of God, as
Christ's Father, is his will in the gospel, for there he is
made known, as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: and in
him our Father. Now this is his will, that we believe in Christ,
that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love
one another. This is his will, even our sanctification. If we
comply not with the will of God, we mock Christ in calling him
Lord, as those did who put on him a gorgeous robe, and said,
Hail, King of the Jews. Saying and doing are two things,
often parted in conversation of men: he that said, I go,
sir, stirred never a step (
2. The hypocrite's plea against the
strictness of this law, offering other things in lieu of obedience,
3. The rejection of this plea as frivolous.
The same that is the Law-Maker (
II. He shows, by a parable, that hearing
these sayings of Christ will not make us happy, if we do not make
conscience of doing them; but that if we hear them and do them, we
are blessed in our deed,
1. The hearers of Christ's word are here divided into two sorts; some that hear, and do what they hear; others that hear and do not. Christ preached now to a mixed multitude, and he thus separates them, one from the other, as he will at the great day, when all nations shall be gathered before him. Christ is still speaking from heaven by his word and Spirits, speaks by ministers, by providences, and of those that hear him there are two sorts.
(1.) Some that hear his sayings and do
them: blessed be God that there are any such, though
comparatively few. To hear Christ is not barely to give him the
hearing, but to obey him. Note, It highly concerns us all to do
what we hear of the saying of Christ. It is a mercy that we
hear his sayings: Blessed are those ears,
(2.) There are others who hear
Christ's sayings and do them not; their religion rests in
bare hearing, and goes no further; like children that have the
rickets, their heads swell with empty notions, and indigested
opinions, but their joints are weak, and they heavy and listless;
they neither can stir, nor care to stir, in any good duty; they
hear God's words, as if they desired to know his
ways, like a people that did righteousness, but they will
not do them,
2. These two sorts of hearers are here represented in their true characters, and the state of their case, under the comparison of two builders; one was wise, and built upon a rock, and his building stood in a storm; the other foolish, and built upon the sand, and his building fell.
Now, (1.) The general scope of this parable
teaches us that the only way to make sure work for our souls and
eternity is, to hear and do the sayings of the Lord Jesus,
these sayings of his in this sermon upon the mount, which is
wholly practical; some of them seem hard sayings to flesh and
blood, but they must be done; and thus we lay up in store a good
foundation for the time to come (
(2.) The particular parts of it teach us divers good lessons.
[1.] That we have every one of us a house to build, and that house is our hope for heaven. It ought to be our chief and constant care, to make our calling and election sure, and so we make our salvation sure; to secure a title to heaven's happiness, and then to get the comfortable evidence of it; to make it sure, and sure to ourselves, that when we fail, we shall be received into everlasting habitations. Many never mind this: it is the furthest thing from their thoughts; they are building for this world, as if they were to be here always, but take no care to build for another world. All who take upon them a profession of religion, profess to enquire, what they shall do to be saved; how they may get to heaven at last, and may have a well-grounded hope of it in the mean time.
[2.] That there is a rock provided
for us to build this house upon, and that rock is Christ. He
is laid for a foundation, and other foundation can no man
lay,
[3.] That there is a remnant, who by
hearing and doing the sayings of Christ, build their hopes
upon this Rock; and it is their wisdom. Christ is our only
Way to the Father, and the obedience of faith is our only
way to Christ: for to them that obey him, and to
them only, he becomes the Author of eternal
salvation. Those build upon Christ, who having sincerely
consented to him, as their Prince and Saviour, make it their
constant care to conform to all the rules of his holy religion, and
therein depend entirely upon him for assistance from God, and
acceptance with him, and count every thing but loss and
dung that they may win Christ, and be found in him. Building
upon a rock requires care and pains: they that would make
their calling and election sure, must give diligence.
They are wise builders who begin to build so as they may be
able to finish (
[4.] That there are many who profess that
they hope to go to heaven, but despise this Rock, and build
their hopes upon the sand; which is done without much pains,
but it is their folly. Every thing besides Christ is sand. Some
build their hopes upon their worldly prosperity, as if they were a
sure token of God's favour,
[5.] That there is a storm coming, that
will try what our hopes are bottomed on; will try every man's
work (
[6.] That those hopes which are built upon
Christ the Rock will stand, and will stand the builder in stead
when the storm comes; they will be his preservation, both from
desertion, and from prevailing disquiet. His profession will not
wither; his comforts will not fail; they will be his strength and
song, as an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast. When he
comes to the last encounter, those hopes will take off the terror
of death and the grave; will carry him cheerfully through that dark
valley; will be approved by the Judge; will stand the test of the
great day; and will be crowned with endless glory,
[7.] That those hopes which foolish
builders ground upon any thing but Christ, will certainly fail them
on a stormy day; will yield them no true comfort and satisfaction
in trouble, in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment; will
be no fence against temptations to apostacy, in a time of
persecution. When God takes away the soul, where is the hope of
the hypocrite?
III. In the