Expositions Upon Matthew 1-10, Treatise · Chapter 7 · Section 5
Means.
1 Clear up all ſcruples till the conſcience hath nothing to ſay againſt thee; ſo David, 1 Kings 2.5. he had ſome ſcruple on his conſcience for not putting Joab to death, who had murthered two or three perſons; he could not well do it, being Joab was General of Davids Army, hence he gives Salomon command concerning him.
2 Buckle on all thy Chriſtian armour, Eph. 6.10. eſpecially uprightneſs of heart, and ſo ſhalt not thou be afraid of evil tydings, Pſal. 112.4, 6, 7.
3 Be clear in the aſſurance of remiſſion of ſins, Pſal. 32.6.
4 Go to God to hide thee, Pſal. 27.5.32.7. He hath chambers to hide in, Eſai 26.20. Come, my people, enter into thy chambers.
5 Build upon the rock, even on Chriſt, reſolving in Gods ſtrength that no ſtorms and tempeſts ſhall ſeparate betwixt Chriſt and thee, neither ſin, nor ſuffering, Rom. 8.33. to the end of the Chapter.
6 Get looſeneſs of affection to earthly enjoyments; ſo thoſe worthies, Heb. 10.34. that took joyfully the ſpoiling of their goods in a ſtorm of perſecution.
7 Get patience; hereby Job's heart was quieted when ſtorms took away his children, ſtock, and ſervants, Job 1.21.
8 Store up the witneſs of a good conſcience againſt ſuch a time. See Paul, Acts 16.25, 27.23.24.
3 Obſ. That man that means to ſtand amidſt the ſtorms and tempeſts of inward and outward temptations muſt be ſure to lay a good foundation.
Sooner or later God will diſcover the hypocriſie of unſound men, 1 Tim. 5.24, 25. They that are otherwiſe cannot be hid.
Q. But what foundation muſt we lay?
A. There's a threefold foundation, 1 The foundation of ſatisfaction, Eſai 28.16. 1 Cor. 3.12. Acts 4.12. Secondly the foundation of revelation, or publication, or manifeſtation, ſo the doctrine of the Apoſtles is called a foundation, Eph. 2.20. Rev. 1.14. Heb. 6.1. 1 Cor. 3.10.
3 The foundation of evidence, 1 Cor. 2.12. 1 Tim. 6.19.
Uſe. 1 Comfort for thee againſt Storms, when thou haſt laid a good Foundation and built upon a Rock. Storms and Temptations do not make thoſe that are good to become bad, but onelyonly tries what every one is. Fire doth not make Gold leave the purity, but onelyonly tries it. When David built upon a Rock ſee how comfortable, Pſalm 23.4. 27.1. 46.1, 2, 3. 61.2. ſo will it be with thee. What if a Nation be ready to go together by the ears? What if Invaſions come? What if thy Family be afflicted with infectious Diſeaſes? What if the Pilots of the Common-wealth be at their wits end? What if Exilement for Religion, what if ſudden fears come? yet to thoſe that build upon a Rock it ſhall be well with them, Iſai 3.10. What if Devils rage? they cannot pluck ſuch out of Chriſts arms, John 10.28, 29, 30.
2 Trial whether thou builds upon the Rock, 1 Some time or other God will try thee with Storms, 2 Tim. 3.12. but in what kinde thou knoweſt not. 2 In ſuch times of trouble the conſcience is apt to be awakened; ſo Joſephs brethren when in Egypt, Gen. 42.21. 3 How wofull will thy condition then be to be without Chriſt? Iſai 10.3. Hoſ. 9.5, 6, 7. Being without Chriſt and being without hope are put together, Epheſ. 2.12.
Properties, or if you will, Trials of a man that builds upon a Rock.
1 The Gates of Hell or Death, or Courts of men which were kept in the Gates, cannot prevail againſt ſuch a man habitually to make a falſe confeſſion of Chriſts truth, Matth. 16.18. Upon this Rock I will build my Church, and the Gates of Hell ſhall not prevail againſt it.
2 He that builds on a Rock cannot be undermined nor blown up; ſo a Chriſtian that builds on Chriſt will not be blown up with preferments and proffers that ſhall be made to him in ſecret, Act. 8.20. Thy money periſh with thee, ſaid Peter to Magus.
3 A Rock is a ſure foundation to build upon, ſo is Chriſt, Eſa. 28.16. 1 Pet. 2.6. For trials of a Chriſtians eſtate to Godward, ſee at large in my Catechiſm.
4 When no weight or preſſure of the fabrick will make the foundation to give way. Let Chriſtians have never ſo many preſſures lying upon them, yet doth the Rock Chriſt uphold them, Eph. 3.16. Phil. 4.13. Where the foundation is a Rock the building in every part is held up.
V. 26. And every one that heareth theſe ſayings of mine, and doth them not, ſhall be likened unto a fooliſh man which built his houſe upon the ſand.
Here are the ſecond ſort of hearers, ſuch which hear and do not; which is the formaliſt, who builds upon the ſandy foundation of an outward profeſſion.
An outward powerleſs profeſſion is like unto ſand;
1 As ſand is moveable, ſo ſuch a profeſſion, 2 Tim. 1.15 4.16.
2 As ſand is ſcattered with the wind, ſo ſuch a profeſſion, both by the wind of Hereticks, Eph. 4.14. Carried about with every wind of doctrine, and the wind of perſecution, Matth. 13.21.
In general alſo is meant all confidence in creatures, whether Princes, Honour, Riches, which are not props to uphold the ſoul in trouble, Pſal. 146.3. Pſal. 62.8.
Obſ. There are ſome hearers that hear the Word unprofitably, they hear but they do not.