He hears

makes no change in his heart or life, that he is the same man after hearing it as he was before. the word, and then he has done with it. nothing more of it, till he hears it again.

There is

Our Lord had many such hearers. Of the great multitudes who flocked to hear him from all parts of the country, numbers were hearers only, mere professors at the best, crying, "Lord! Lord!" but not doing the will of God, nor truly embracing the word.

There are many such hearers always. Every congregation has them. There is great danger of being hearers only, great danger of mistaking hearing for doing, and of being satisfied with being pleased without seeking to be profited. All hearers should look well to it that they be not hearers only. Such are like the foolish man, builders on the sand, builders without a foundation. Their building will not stand. Hearing and professing will never save.

II. The doer of the word is very different. His very hearing is a different kind of hearing; for he hears, not merely to be pleased, but in order that he may learn the way of salvation and the will of God. And what he hears he humbly receives, believes it, feels it, and strives to follow and to practise it. He has not done with the word when it ceases to sound in his ears. It is both food and light to him. He remembers it, and treasures it up in his mind as his light and guide. And, just as we take food at meal times, and are afterwards nourished and strengthened by what we have taken, so is his soul fed continually by the word of God.

But there is a peculiar force in the figures here used, -the rock and the foundation. Christ is the rock of

our salvation. The believer's hope is built on him alone. "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." The doer of the word means, therefore, not merely a man who is sincere and in earnest in a general way, but one who truly believes on Jesus, builds every hope on him alone, and strives to show forth in his life the fruits of his faith. In other words, the doer of the word is a true and sincere Christian, taught by the word and Spirit of God.

The mere hearer and the doer may make the same profession, and bear in the eyes of men much the same character, as long as the day of trial does not come. As the two houses both stood firm while fine weather lasted, and one looked as safe as the other, so these two men may, to those who do not look very deep, or do not know them well, seem for a time much alike. But when the storm comes, how is it then? Ah, then the difference appears. The hearer only has no comfort laid up against the day of trouble. When affliction visits him, he knows not whither to flee for relief. When persecution arises, he is little likely to stand firm, for he has no foundation. If errors in doctrine spring up, and he becomes exposed to false teaching, he is liable to be swept away by the torrent, because he has no firm hold on the truth; it has not reached his heart, he is not rooted and built up in Christ. The doer of the word, on the contrary, knows where to seek help and comfort in all trouble and difficulty. To him, "to live is Christ." Christ is his life. He is joined to Christ by a living faith. He can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth him. He does not expect to be without trial. The very word which he has heard bids him look for it. But he meets it, and bears it, in

his Saviour's strength. Thus he faces persecution, thus he meets false doctrine. His house is built upon a rock it has a foundation; it will stand the storm. Christ is his rock.

But is this all? Does the parable point to no storms, no troubles, but such as these?

There is a fiercer storm coming, a greater trial. "Every man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." What day is here meant? The great day, the day of the Lord, the last day, the day of trial and of judgment. In that passage the apostle is writing especially of ministers; but his words may well be applied to all. For that day will try not only the work of the minister, but the life and character and state of all. A different figure is used in the two passages. In the parable it is a storm, here it is a fire; but the meaning is much the same. Every man's house, his spiritual building, will be severely tried, tried to the uttermost, as by storm or fire. None will stand then, but those who are built upon Christ. No preparation for eternity will prove of any avail, except a true and living faith in Jesus, shown forth in the fruits of holiness. Religious knowledge, religious profession, a religious name, what will they do for the soul in that day? Nothing. Christ will then be all. They who are in him will be safe, but none else. All besides must see every hope fail them, every refuge swept away, and their house 'brought to desolation" indeed.

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How does your house, your spiritual building, stand? Has it a foundation? Is it on the rock? Look well to this matter.

If you feel any doubt, begin again from the very bottom. Take the house all down and build it afresh, rather than run the risk of its being swept away. It will be too late to make it safe when the storm comes. Now, in this calm and quiet season,-now while yet you may, look well to your foundation. Make sure of being in Christ by faith. Do not deceive yourself. Do not say to your soul, "Peace, peace, when there is no peace." Let nothing satisfy you but a true and deep foundation in Christ, the Rock of Ages. Thus be you found among the wise, among those who are doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving their own selves.

III.

THE TWO DEBTORS.

"And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil, thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace." LUKE Vii. 36-50.

E know nothing of this Pharisee beyond his name, nor do we know why he invited Jesus to his house.

The woman some have thought to have been Mary Magdalene. But there seems no sufficient reason for thinking so. Mary is first mentioned in the following