Page:God Manifest.djvu/451

 Our Lord Himself has drawn a striking picture of those who are in a state of Acknowledgment, but not in a corresponding state of Obedience, and He has declared their lot hereafter:— "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever Cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: he is like a man, who built a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man, that without a foundation built a house upon the earth; against which the stream beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great." Such a man's house—that is, his mind—is truly without a solid foundation. Let but the vehement stream of passion or of worldliness run against his religious principles—let but the floods of temptation. assail him,—and at once he falls. And "great" truly, is the fall of a ruined soul.

Still more strikingly is the future lot of such hollow professors of religion portrayed in the following words of the Saviour: "When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut-to the door, and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door, saying Lord, Lord, open to us; and he shall answer and say unto you, 'I know you not, whence ye are;' then shall ye begin to say, 'We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.' But he shall say, 'I tell you, I know ye not whence ye are: depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.'" How plainly