Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter · Verse 26,27
vers. 26.
But whosoeuer heareth these my words, and doth them not, shall be likened vntounto a foolish man, which hath builded his house vponupon the sande:
27. And the raine fell, and the floods came, and the windes blew, and beate vponupon that house, and it fell, and the fall thereof was great.
In these verses our Sauiour Christ layeth downe foure other points contrarie to the former, belonging to an euill hearer. The I. is the fault and bad practise of an euill hearer: to heare Christs words and not to doe the same: II. the propertie of this vice: it is a point of extreame follie: III. the practise of this folly: in building vponupon the sands: IV. the fruit and issue of this building: fearefull ruine and destruction. Of these in order.
I. Point. The practise of a bad hearer from which Christ wouldThe practise of a badde hearer. terrifie all men in this place is, To heare and not to doe. This is no small fault. The ground that receiueth seede and raine both in measure and season, and yet bringeth forth either bad fruite, or none at all, is by all men condemned for bad ground; the Apostle saith, it i… neere vntounto cursing, whose ende is to be burned, Hebr. 6. 8. The waters that come and issue from vnderunder the threshold of the Sanctuarie, Ezek. 41. 1. whereby is meant the word of God, when they come into any ground they are of this nature, if they make it not fruitefull they turne it into barrennes, vers. 11. A subiect that knowes his Princes will, and doth it not, is indeed no better then a rebell: how much more then is he that heares the word and Doctrine of saluation by Christ, and yet makes no conscience to doe the same, to be iudged for bad and barren ground, yea for a rebell against God himselfe. 1. Sam. 15. 25. Samuel telleth Saul that rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft, and transgression is wickednesse and Idolatrie: And the reason is plaine, for theyHow all hearers are bound to obedience. that submit themselues to heare Gods word, are sundrie wayes bound to performe obedience: first, by the law of creation, as they are Gods creatures: Secondly, by the law of redemption, as they are Christs seruants bought by his precious blood: Thirdly, in regard of their Adoption, as they are, and at least hold themselues to be his children in Christ: and fourthly, in regard of his mercifull prouidence whereof we hauehave daily experience: in regard of all these we ought by way of thankfulnes, to shew our selues obedient vntounto his word. And therefore he that heares the word of God and will not doe the same, sinneth grieuously against God, which in it kind God hateth as the sinne of witchcraft. Now this sinne of disobedience is a common sinne: We are all hearers, but where almost is the man that answerably is a doer? Men content themselues with the bare action of hearing, like vntounto the Papists who thinke God is well serued with the worke done: but the principall thing we omit, which is the treasuring vp of Gods word in our hearts, that vponupon iust occasion we might practise the same: yea, which yet is more lamentable, men are so farre from yeilding conscionable obedience to the word, that the endeuour thereunto is commonly iudged superfluous nisenesse and curious precisenesse: but this sinne of hearing and not doing will bring many fearefull iudgements vponupon vsus, vnles by true repentance it be cut off.
II. Point. The propertie of this bad practise. It is a point of greatThe follie of professors. follie: he that heareth and doth not, shall be likened vntounto a foolish man. This the author of all wisdome Christ himselfe auoucheth: and the holy Ghost by S. Iames doth notably describe this part of follie: They Iam. 1. 22, 23.that be hearers and not doers, deceiue themselues, beeing like vntounto a man that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse: either to spie out some spot, or discerne his owne countenance; but when he hath considered himselfe, he goeth his way, and forgetteth immediately what manner of one he was.
Againe, this follie will further appeare in this: if a man should shew forth great parts of wisdome in sundrie things pertaining to his bodie, and yet faile in the maine point of all, eueryevery man would count his wisdome but follie: Now such are all they that heare the word of God and doe it not: they shew some parts of wisdome in comming to heare, and in seeking to vnderstand: and yet if they come not to practise, they faile in the maine point of their saluation▪ which indeed ought to be sought for in the first place.
I. By this we may see how to correct and reforme our foolishOur commō error in iudging men to be wise. conceite we hauehave of men in the world. We thinke of those that hauehave worldly wisdome to be able to goe beyond others in the greater affaires of this life, that they are the onelyonly men, deseruing best place of gouernment both in Church and common wealth: But we must know, that these men, though they hauehave neuer so good heads for the things of this life, yet if they faile in the knowledge of this dutie to God, or in the practise thereof, are here by our Sauiour Christ noted with the brand of follie. The rich man in the Gospel had notable forecast for the augmenting of his wealth: when his substance increased, he could pull downe his barnes and make them greater, but yet because he failed in the maine point of his saluation, he is noted for a rich foole, Luk. 12. 20. And therefore in all sorts and estates of men, he is the wisest, who hath grace to know and answerably to obey the will of God.
II. This must excite vsus to a carefull endeauour after true obedienceA motiue to obedience. to God in all his commandements. We all desire to be freed from the reproach of folly among men, and we take it for a great disgrace to be counted fooles: well, if we would auoid this ignominie indeede, let vsus be willing to heare, and carefull to obey the word of Christ, both in thought, word, and deede: otherwise, let men iudge as they list, God will account vsus fooles.
III. Point. The practise of this follie, which consists in this; that he builds his house vponupon the sands: whereby is signified another thing concerning the soule; namely, to build our saluation vponupon insufficient foundation: and that doth eueryevery hearer of Gods word that makes not conscience of obedience: for profession is as it were the erecting or rearing of an house: and the not performing obedience withall, is theWho build on the sands. I. Papists. Concil. Trid. sess 6. cap. 7. 10. 16. setting of this house vponupon the sands. There be three sorts of men that thus build vponupon the sands. I. The Papist that will be iustified and saued by Christ: but yet withall he must hauehave works of grace to concurre for the increase of his iustification, and for the accomplishment of his saluation. Now this is to build vponupon the sands, when we ioyne workes with Christ in the matter of saluation: for though Christ be a sure rocke in himselfe, yet if we will fortifie him by our works, we fall from this rocke into perdition, and our foundation is no better then sand. Gal. 5. 2. Behold I Paul say vntounto you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing: and, v. 4▪ Ye are fallen from Christ whosoeuer will be iustified by the law: in which …laces the Apostle labours to ouerthrow the opinion of the Galatians learned of the false Apostles, which was, to ioyne works with Christ in the matter of iustification: Rom. 9. 32. Christ became vntounto the Iewes a rocke of offence, when as they would be saued by the works of the law.
A second sort that build vponupon the sands, are the common Protestants:2 Common Protestants. by whome I meane such as beare the name of Christians, and yet rest themselues contented and satisfied with their ciuill liues; thinking, that because they abstaine from outward euill and grosse sinnes, and doe no man wrong, therefore God will hold them excused: whereupon they professe religion more for obedience to the lawes of men, then for conscience to God. But this will not serue the turne, these men though they professe Christ outwardly, yet in deede they denie him▪ for by their course (though it may be they thinke not so) they will needes become Sauiours, and so Christs vntounto themselues: which thing they doe, when as they stay themselues on their owne ciuill life. The Scribes and Pharisies for outward actions were very godly, and many of them liued vnblameably: but yet Christ saith to his Disciples, Math. 5. 20. Except your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisies, ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen. 1. Cor. 4. 4. I know nothing by my selfe (saith Paul) and yet I am not thereby iustified: this was a notable thing, for a man to walke so vprightly in his calling, that his conscience could not accuse him of any offence against God or man, and yet this is nothing in the matter of Iustification, because eueryevery man therein must answer to God.
The third sort of those that build vponupon the sand, is the Protestant3 The more forward Protestant. that is more forward in religion then the former: I meane such as doe heare the word and receiue it with ioy, bringing forth some good fruit thereof. It had beene hard, I must confesse, to hauehave called such men foolish builders, vnles Iesus Christ had reuealed them to be such: and yet that these doe build on the sand, it is plaine in the parable of the seede that fell on stonie ground, Luke 8. 13. whereby are resembled such men as heare Gods word, and receiue it with ioy, and bring forth some fruit, but yet in the time of temptation doe fal away: for though they professed Christ, yet they were not founded on him, they wanted sound humilitie and true faith, which want in the time of peace they could not espie.
Uses. I. Seeing that men which heare and receiue the word of God with ioy, may build on a fandie foundation, we must pray to God for this one blessing, that he would write his word in our hearts by the finger of his spirit, as he writ the law on the tables of stone in Mount Sina: for our hearts are deceitfull, and will counterfeit grace till the time of triall come: now God hath promised this blessing to his Church in the new Testament, and therefore we must pray for it, that hauing his law written in our hearts, we may be the doers of it.
II. This must mooue vsus to looke vntounto the deceitfulnes of our hearts: for faire shewes will not serue the turne in time of triall; and our hearts be deceitfull aboue all things: for when a man shall receiue the word with ioy, and bring forth some fruit thereof, how should he not thinke himselfe to be in a good case? and yet in time of triall this will disappoint him and deceiue him. Wherefore we must looke that in our profession we carie a true heart vntounto God, and to our selues: and for this cause must see that we be throughly humbled in our selues for our sinnes, that we may make God and his feare to be our chiefe treasure; for which cause we must remember that we are not our owne, but Gods; and so must not hauehave the disposing of our selues, but subiect our selues wholly to his will in all things: and if thus we make him our treasure, we shall be sure to make him our rocke also.
III. We must not content our selues only to know Christ to be our Sauiour, and to imbrace religion in profession: but we must labour further to feele in our selues the power of Christs death to mortifie sinn in vsus, and the vertue of his resurrection, to raise and build vsus vp againe in newnes of life, learning to know Christ vntounto our selues by experience in our selues: for knowledge in the braine will not saue the soule: but he that is truly founded on Christ, feeles the benefits of his death and resurrection in some measure in himselfe.
IV. Point. The effect and fruit of bad hearing; that is, fearefull ruine The fruit of bad hearing.and destruction, resembled by the issue of building on the sands: v. 27. The raine fell, the floods came, &c. Where two things are to be noted; I. the cause of this fearefull ruine, the falling of the raine, and beating of the floods and windes: II. the qualitie of this ruine; it is great and fearefull, The house fell, and the fall thereof was great.
For the first: Floods, and winde, and raine, doe here betoken triallsEueryEvery professor must be tried. and temptations, which are here said to befal the professors of the name of Christ. Whence we learne, that eueryevery one that doth heare the word of God, and professe true religion, must looke for a day of temptation and triall. It is Gods will that whosoeuer taketh vpō him the profession of his name, should be tried what he is. Thus he permitted Adam presently after his creation to be tempted and tried, the smart whereof we all feele vntounto this day: and God gaue Abraham a commandement of triall to kill his onelyonly sonne, Gen. 22. 1, 2. Soe he left Hezekias to himselfe to trie him, and to know all that was in his heart, 2. Chr. 32. 31. And Iohn Baptist saith of Christ, that he hath his fanne in his hand, to sift and trie the good corne from chaffe, Matth. 3. 12. and Luk. 22. 31. the deuill sought to winnow the disciples as wheate. And S. Peter makes it a thing requisite, that the faith of Gods seruants should be tried by afflictions, as gold is tried in the fire, 1. Pet. 1. 7.
Vse. We now hauehave by Gods merciemercy true religion among vsus, andOur dutie in regard of trialls. are freed from the bondage of the Turke, Iewe, and Papist: we must therefore stand fast in our profession, and not suffer our selues to be depriued of true religion: for times will come when we must be tried: and therefore in this happie time of peace and truth, which is to vsus the day of grace and merciemercy, we must labour seriously to hauehave our hearts indued with some good measure of lasting grace, as of faith, hope, and louelove, which as good gold may abide the triall of afflictions; otherwise we shall not stand: for all painted shewes of grace in time of triall will vanish away like drosse and stubble before the fire.
The second point in this effect, is the qualitie of this ruine and fall, it is great and fearefull; It fell, and the fall thereof was great. The thing resembled hereby is most fearefull, to wit, that such professors of religion as in the daies of peace did not ioyne practise with their profession, shall fall away in the time of triall, and come to most fearefull perdition: this is the principall point that Christ here aimes at, whereby he intends to terrifie men from dissembled profession. And the consideration of it must worke effectually in our hearts, for we by Gods merciemercy and blessing hauehave had the light of the Gospel for many yeares together in such measure as neuer was in this land before: and yet, though all of vsus be hearers, where is our obedience? alas, some among vsus grow to be flat and peremptorie Atheists, denying God and Christ Iesus; others and the most, vnderunder the name of religion, root their hearts in the world, some in profits, and some in pleasures, and none of these almost regard religion: others professe religion, and yet liue in grosse sinnes, as swearing, drunkennesse, vncleannesse, &c. making no conscience of grosse impietie in their liues: so that if we looke into the generall state of our people, we shall see that religion is professed, but not obeied: nay, obedience is counted precisenesse, and so reproached: but we must know that in the ende this prophaning of religion will soone turne all Gods blessings temporall and spirituall, into fearefull curses both of bodie and soule. If euer any thing bring ruine vponupon vsus, it will be the contempt of Gods word professed: and therefore let vsus in the feare of God endeauour our selues not onelyonly to know and heare the word of God, but to turne vntounto God from all sinne, and especially in regard of this sinne of disobedience to the word of God.
Lastly, Christ notes the qualitie of this fall to be exceeding great, toDaunger of hypocrisie. shew vntounto vsus the great daunger of hypocrisie: for there is great difference betweene these three sorts of men: a sinner that makes no profession of religion, an hypocrite that makes a great shew of pietie in profession, and a true beleeuer whose life and conuersation is answerable to his profession. For a true professor may fall into sinne very fearefully, as Peter and Dauid did, and yet recouer againe. Also he that is a most notorious sinner, as Manasses was, may be conuerted and repent. But when a professor that is an hypocrite in religion is tried, he falls quite from Christ, and makes apostacie from his profession; and in this regard his fall is called great. And therefore seeing professors may thus fearefully fall away; let vsus in the feare of God labour in some truth of heart to yeild obedience to that we heare.