3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

whilst he fixes the gaze of the astonished
and admiring multitude on his own elabo-
rate and ricketty palace; ready at every
breeze to fall and grind them to powder
beneath its ruins. It pleases a wise and
honest Master-builder to be questioned by
his employer and by the passers-by also, con-
cerning the foundation on which his building
stands more especially when he perceives
that the questioners are attracted by the stu-
pendous nature and true magnificence of the
work he has in hand. It is an indirect
testimony to the boldness of the under-
taking, and perfect harmony of the design
and plan on which he has hitherto been
working. In the integrity of his heart he
therefore is enabled to say to these in-
quirers, Sirs, the foundation is a rock, and
that rock is Christ. Yea, if ye will not
believe my word, go down into the vaults
below, where the dead in Christ sleep, and
see, and judge for yourselves.

TEXT.

3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

for the effect of the prayer of faith upon the hearts of those in whose lives your own are wrapped up. What greater reward than a brother gained? What worldly prosperity equal to the result of earnest, persevering, faithful, affectionate prayer in the behalf of beloved children? Now, where this assurance has been well established, we shall the more continually be looking to the foundation on which our hope of success is built: having no confidence in ourselves, a fuller, a more perfect and well-grounded faith in another, is the more needed. Thus to look to our foundation, is not the laying of it again; our own misgivings, yea, our very assurance, will call for minute and close inspection. Misgivings of a true character spring rather from a view of the weight, the greatness, the splendour of the work, than from a consciousness of our own insufficiency and unworthiness; neither can assurance rest securely but on the Word of GOD only. When we look to ourselves we grope in the dark: when we build on any other foundation than that laid on Christ we are building castles in the air. 'Tis for the work, not the foundation, that we tremble; and the foundation is kept continually open to inspection, because, when anything appears "But he that faulty in the building, the search must received seed begin from the first stone we have laid on into the good it, and ceaseth not until we find where the ground is he error first began; then what loads of rubthat heareth the bish must be carted away, what quantities word, and un- of hay and straw must be burned, bederstandeth it; fore we can take a clear and satisfactory which also bear-view of this great mystery-the Lord eth fruit, and our Righteousness; GOD manifest in the bringeth forth, flesh!!! Other foundation can no man some an hun- lay. Howsoever beautiful, howsoever dred fold, some commodious, howsoever magnificent the sixty, some thir-building may appear in the eyes of men, ty."-Matt.xiii. woe, woe, woe, to the faithless builder who hideth the foundation from the view;

23.

TEXT.

3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

whilst he fixes the gaze of the astonished
and admiring multitude on his own elabo-
rate and ricketty palace; ready at every
breeze to fall and grind them to powder
beneath its ruins. It pleases a wise and
honest Master-builder to be questioned by
his employer and by the passers-by also, con-
cerning the foundation on which his building
stands: more especially when he perceives
that the questioners are attracted by the stu-
pendous nature and true magnificence of the
work he has in hand. It is an indirect
testimony to the boldness of the under-
taking, and perfect harmony of the design
and plan on which he has hitherto been
working. In the integrity of his heart he
therefore is enabled to say to these in-
quirers, Sirs, the foundation is a rock, and
that rock is Christ. Yea, if ye will not
believe my word, go down into the vaults
below, where the dead in Christ sleep, and
see, and judge for yourselves.

TEXT.

4. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

TEXT.

xv. 6.

"Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds,

"In the house Though one have found pleasure or of the righteous even profit in sinful courses, have there is much trea- not been moments of painful reflection, sure: but in the when from the height of our prosperity revenues of the or from the maddening vortex of our sinful wicked is trou- pleasures, we were given a foretaste of the ble. Prov. sting of death? and do not these unheeded moments now weigh upon the soul like mountains? Under such convictions have we been made to cry, "Is there no balm in Gilead?" and do not the wicked witticisms of the sons of Belial now grate upon the spirit, when we remember how they were used to stifle conscience, and to make the heart harder than the nether millstone, having the mark of the devil burnt into the seat of our affections like the charac- and destitute of ters on the bricks of Nineveh? save only the truth, supthat the writing cannot be misinterpreted posing that gain nor mistaken as to its Author. Say, O is godliness : my soul, whence arise these questionings? from such withcome they from bitter experience, or from draw thyself." idle fancies; but above all, canst thou say,-1 Tim. vi. 5. they come from the conviction of sin by GOD the Holy Ghost? If so, wilt thou not own Him the comforter, showing thee other ways of peace than what the world would provide; though with His two-edged "Whose fan is sword He cut thee to the quick? Yes, in his hand, & sweet are the wounds of the friend, but the he will through-kisses of the enemy are deceitful. Now ly purge his I can perceive that I had a lie in my floor, & gather right-hand; now I am made to tremble his wheat into on seeing how near it was to hatchingbut time, ere I summoned resolution to cast he will burn up away the cockatrice-egg I had so long the chaff with nestled in my bosom. Oh, fool! thou couldest fear the ridicule of the world more than the wrath to come. Oh, thoughtless folly! Oh, wonderful infatuation, that could have kept the Lord of life so long waiting at the door, so continually knocking at thine heart for admission there! But how to express the patience of Him who would take no refusal. Angels know not, and man wants language to give utterance to the feelings

the

garner;

unquenchable fire. Matt. iii. 12.

4. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

of the heart, where Jesus reigns trium-
phant over all.

To sit contented under the weight of
sin, saying we feel not the burden, is to
hear with a careless ear of what passed
in the hour of His agony, when the Son of
man was bearing the weight of our sins,
pressing even unto death upon His soul;
there is, moreover, a hardening process in
this careless hearing of such awful things,
which insensibly leads to boasting of what
we should be most ashamed-indifference to
the cross and passion of "The man of sor-
rows;" whose only cause of grief springeth
from what He feels for us; nor can this in-
difference lead to aught but proud Infidelity.
Yes, the proud, unfeeling, reasoning Infidel
may have his hour of ease, and like the
herd of deer, may butt at and drive away
the hunted and the stricken brother; never-
theless, like them, shall be the unbelieving
multitude when the lion cometh, and there
is none to deliver. Even now, this pride
of place, the boaster's glory, may be
is the world; brought low: for his infatuation is nothing
the good seed more than the indolent determination of
are the children another Sardanapalus, or the sensual beast-
of the kingdom; iality of an admired Antony. It hath
but the tares not even the poor glory of the hero-wor-
are the children shipper dying for the god of his idolatry.
of the wicked To believe, or rather to persuade one-
one; The enemy self that there is no way of escape, is the
that sowed them token of a mean and dastardly spirit, and
is the devil; not that of virtue (valour). "I dare do
the harvest is all that may become a man,—who dares do
the end of the more is none," is a very beautiful saying.
world; and the But the daring in a follower of Jesus,—is
reapers are the to confess Him man's master, before a gain-
angels.
saying world;-To deny Him, our shame.
"As therefore The humble follower of the Lamb is ever
the tares are ga- the first to acknowledge, that in thus
thered & burn-confessing Christ, he perceives himself,
ed in the fire; indeed, to be more than man.

"The

field

so shall it be in

the end of this

We might naturally conclude, that decaying strength, hollow friendships, frequent world."-Matt. warning, unmistakeable tokens of God's xiii. 38-40. displeasure: all these might suffice to show

TEXT.