Every one coming after ME, and hearing My words and doing them, I will suggest to you whom he is like. He is like a prudent man, building a house, who dug and deepened and laid a foundation on the rock-who built his house on the rock; and a flood happening, the rain descended and the streams came, and the winds blew, and the stream burst and rushed against that house, and was not able to shake it because of its being well built, and it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock.

But he who heard and did not, is like unto a man who built a house on the ground, without a foundation; against which burst the stream and straightway it fell in; and it came to pass that the crash of that house was great.

And every one hearing these My words and not doing them shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand; and the rain descended, and the streams came, and the winds blew and dashed against that house, and it fell; and the fall thereof was great. Matt. vii. 24-27; Luke vi. 47-49; combined account.

EXPOSITION.

This parable shews strikingly the difference between heavers ONLY and DOERS of the Word of God. The apostle James, i. 21-25, gives the same thought in a different figure. Wherefore putting away all filthiness and excess of wickedness receive with meekness the engrafted word,

which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass; for he beholdeth himself and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But he that looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in his doing.

How lively must the figure of Jesus Christ have been to a people familiar with fierce Eastern tempests, suddenly and completely sweeping every unsteadfast thing before it. Empty profession and mere external service will meet with terrible and entire ruin. The right use of the word teaches us to secure a deep, a lasting foundation and house. Let every man take heed how he buildeth. Paul says, 1 Cor. iii. 10-15, According to the favour of God. which was given to me, as a wise master-builder, I laid the foundation, whereas another is building thereon. But let each one be taking heed how he builds thereon: for other foundation no one is able to lay than that which hath been laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if any one is building upon the foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, each one's work will be made manifest, for the day will set it forth, because in fire it is to be revealed; and each one's work, of what sort it is, the fire itself will test. If any one's work abides which he built thereon, a reward he shall receive: if any one's work shall be burned up, he shall suffer loss; he, however, shall be saved, but in this way, as through fire. Peter writes, 1 Pet. ii. 5, Unto whom coming, as unto a living stone, by men, indeed, having been rejected, but with God. chosen-had in honour; yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, for a holy priesthood,

to offer up spiritual sacrifices, well approved unto God through Jesus Christ. Inasmuch as it is contained in Scripture, Behold I lay in Zion an outmost corner-stone, chosen, had in honour; and he that believeth on him in nowise may be put to shame. Isa. xxviii. 16. In Psalm cxviii. 22, we read: The stone which the builders refused is become the head of the corner. This is Jehovah's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which Jehovah hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Behold the sure foundation-stone
Which God in Zion lays,

To build our heavenly hopes upon,
And His eternal praise.

Chosen of God, to sinners dear,

And saints adore the Name;
They trust their whole salvation here,
Nor shall they suffer shame.

The foolish builders, Scribe and priest,
Reject it with disdain ;

Yet on this Rock the Church shall rest,

And envy rage in vain.

What though the gates of hell withstood,
Yet must this building rise;

'Tis Thy own work, Almighty God,

And wondrous in our eyes.

Prudence is the nature of the kingdom of which Jesus is the foundation.

VI. Children in Market Place.

To what, then, shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? They are like to children-those in a marketplace sitting, and calling unto one another, saying, We played the flute for you, and ye did not dance; we sang a lament, and ye did not beat the breast and weep. For John the Baptist has come-neither eating bread nor drinking wine: and ye are saying, He hath a demon. The Son of Man has come, eating and drinking; and ye are saying, Behold a man gluttonous and a wine drinker, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners. And yet Wisdom was justified by her works by all her children. Matt, xi. 16-19; Luke vii. 31-35.

EXPOSITION.

"As cross, capricious children, invited by their playmates to join in their amusements, will play with them neither at funerals nor weddings (juvenile imitations of the mournful and the joyous scenes of life), so that generation rejected both John and his Master, the one because he was too unsocial,-more like a demoniac, they said, than a rational;-the other, because He was too much the reverse for them,-social and consorting with the lowest classes of society."

But the wisdom of God, which has done all that was suitable to draw her children to herself, by using diverse methods, yet of kindred spirit, in the ministry of John and Jesus, is in this manner free from the unjust complaints of the Jewish people, called the children of the kingdom, Matt. viii. 12, and the children of the prophets and of the covenant, Acts iii. 25.

However men may object to any features of God's character or government, it will be found that only caprice objects, and not true wisdom. Doth not wisdom cry and understanding put forth her voice? Wisdom hath built her house; she hath hewn out her seven pillars. Prov.

viii. 9. Jesus is the wisdom and the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. The Eternal Wisdom is justified in every work by all the children of wisdom, and every mouth will confess to Him at the last day,

Ere God had built the mountains,

Or raised the fruitful hills;
Before he filled the fountains
That feed the running rills;
In me from everlasting,

The wonderful I AM,
Found pleasures never wasting,
And Wisdom is my Name.

When, like a tent to dwell in,
He spread the skies abroad,
And swathed about the swelling
Of ocean's mighty flood,

He wrought by weight and measure;
And I was with Him then:
Myself the Father's pleasure,
And mine, the sons of men.

Thus Wisdom's words discover
Thy glory and Thy grace.
Thou everlasting lover

Of our unworthy race!
Thy gracious eye surveyed us
Ere stars were seen above;
In wisdom Thou hast made us,
And died for us in love.

And could'st Thou be delighted
With creatures such as we,
Who, when we saw Thee, slighted
And nailed Thee to a tree?
Unfathomable wonder!

And mystery divine!

The voice that speaks in thunder

Says, "Sinner I am thine."

Wisdom is the nature of the kingdom.