2. It is putting a cheat upon ourselves if we think that a bare profession of religion will save us, that hearing the sayings of Christ will bring us to heaven, without doing them. This he illustrates by a similitude (Luk_6:47-49), which shows,
(1.) That those only make sure work for their souls and eternity, and take the course that will stand them in stead in a trying time, who do not only come to Christ as his scholars, and hear his sayings but do them, who think, and speak, and act, in every thing according to the established rules of his holy religion. They are like a house built on a rock. These are they that take pains in religion, as they do, - that dig deep, that found their hope upon Christ, who is the Rock of ages (and other foundation can no man lay); these are they who provide for hereafter, who get ready for the worst, who lay up in store a good foundation for the
time to come, for the eternity to come, 1Ti_6:19.
They who do thus do well for themselves; for, [1.] They shall keep their integrity, in times of temptation and persecution; when others fall from their own stedfastness, as the seed on the stony ground, they shall stand fast in the Lord. [2.] They shall keep their comfort, and peace, and hope, and joy, in the midst of the greatest distresses. The storms and streams of affliction shall not shock them, for their feet are set upon a rock, a rock higher than they. [3.] Their everlasting welfare is secured. In death and judgment they are safe. Obedient believers are kept by the power of Christ, through faith, unto salvation, and shall never perish.
(2.) That those who rest in a bare hearing of the sayings of Christ, and do not live up to them, are but preparing for a fatal disappointment: He that heareth and doeth not (that knows his duty, but lives in the neglect of it), he is like a man that built a house without a foundation. He pleases himself with hopes that he has no ground for, and his hopes will fail him when he most needs the comfort of them, and when he expects the crowning of them; when the stream beats vehemently upon his house, it is gone, the sand it is built upon is washed away, and immediately it falls, Such is the hope of the hypocrite, though he has gained, when God takes away his soul; it is as the spider's web, and the giving up of the ghost.
MH
“There are some who are bent on taking away the Word of God. Well, if they discard it, “Give it to me.” There are some who want to put it up
on the self, as a thing that has seen its best days. They suppose the old sword is rusty and worn out, but we can say, ‘There is none like that; give it
to me!’”—Volume 54, Sermon #3122
“To this day, when Substitution is preached, and the blood of Atonement, and salvation by simple faith in Jesus, and not by ‘sacraments’ and
priests and good works, men foam at the mouth with rage, for they still hate the Christ, the only Savior of the sons of men!”—Volume 54, Ser
mon #3123
“I marvel at the condescension of Jesus Christ, that His people’s names are always on His lips. When we consider that notwithstanding all His
exceeding Grace and affection towards them, they transgress and rebel, it appears amazing that He should mention their names, or that He
should regard their persons!”—Volume 55, Sermon #3133
(1.) That those only make sure work for their souls and eternity, and take the course that will stand them in stead in a trying time, who do not only come to Christ as his scholars, and hear his sayings but do them, who think, and speak, and act, in every thing according to the established rules of his holy religion. They are like a house built on a rock. These are they that take pains in religion, as they do, - that dig deep, that found their hope upon Christ, who is the Rock of ages (and other foundation can no man lay); these are they who provide for hereafter, who get ready for the worst, who lay up in store a good foundation for the
time to come, for the eternity to come, 1Ti_6:19.
They who do thus do well for themselves; for, [1.] They shall keep their integrity, in times of temptation and persecution; when others fall from their own stedfastness, as the seed on the stony ground, they shall stand fast in the Lord. [2.] They shall keep their comfort, and peace, and hope, and joy, in the midst of the greatest distresses. The storms and streams of affliction shall not shock them, for their feet are set upon a rock, a rock higher than they. [3.] Their everlasting welfare is secured. In death and judgment they are safe. Obedient believers are kept by the power of Christ, through faith, unto salvation, and shall never perish.
(2.) That those who rest in a bare hearing of the sayings of Christ, and do not live up to them, are but preparing for a fatal disappointment: He that heareth and doeth not (that knows his duty, but lives in the neglect of it), he is like a man that built a house without a foundation. He pleases himself with hopes that he has no ground for, and his hopes will fail him when he most needs the comfort of them, and when he expects the crowning of them; when the stream beats vehemently upon his house, it is gone, the sand it is built upon is washed away, and immediately it falls, Such is the hope of the hypocrite, though he has gained, when God takes away his soul; it is as the spider's web, and the giving up of the ghost.
MH
“There are some who are bent on taking away the Word of God. Well, if they discard it, “Give it to me.” There are some who want to put it up
on the self, as a thing that has seen its best days. They suppose the old sword is rusty and worn out, but we can say, ‘There is none like that; give it
to me!’”—Volume 54, Sermon #3122
“To this day, when Substitution is preached, and the blood of Atonement, and salvation by simple faith in Jesus, and not by ‘sacraments’ and
priests and good works, men foam at the mouth with rage, for they still hate the Christ, the only Savior of the sons of men!”—Volume 54, Ser
mon #3123
“I marvel at the condescension of Jesus Christ, that His people’s names are always on His lips. When we consider that notwithstanding all His
exceeding Grace and affection towards them, they transgress and rebel, it appears amazing that He should mention their names, or that He
should regard their persons!”—Volume 55, Sermon #3133
