Among the persons who rely on Christ as their only hope, there is a great diversity hoth of sentiment and action. This is intimated by the different images under which their conduct is represented in the text.
There are some whose actions may be compared to " wood, and hay, and stubble" —
[There were in the apostolic age two sets of teachers, who occasioned much strife and dissension in the different churches ; namely, those who contended for the observance of the Mosaic ritual, and those who introduced into religion the
dogmas of philosophy Persons of similar dispositions
and sentiments have infested the Church in every age. Some are distracting the minds of those around them with subtle questions and unedifying disputes about doctrines ; others are magnifying the external forms of Church-government, as if they were of equal importance with the most fundamental articles of our faith; and others are bringing forward some fond conceits, which, from a desire of popularity and distinc- tion, they propagate with all their might How justly
the superstructure which these men raise, may be compared to " wood, and hay, and stubble," appears from the natural tendency, and universal effect, of their exertions : for, instead of edifying the Church in faith and love, their doctrines uni- formly lead to error — to contention — to bondage. Hence it is that St. Paul studiously dissuaded all ministers from engaging in such unprofitable disputes, and all Christians from being led astray by them^ ]
But those actions which we ought to be performing, may rather be compared to "gold, and silver, and precious stones" —
[As the Apostles themselves were, so have many in all successive ages been, intent on cultivating, both in themselves and others, all the graces of the Spirit. It has been their am- bition, whilst they have founded all their hopes on Christ, to shew, by the holiness of their lives, that the Gospel is indeed " a doctrine according to godliness" Now such a super- structure does indeed resemble the materials here mentioned ; for it is valuable in itself — suitable to the foundation — orna- mental to the edifice — and worthy of the Divine Inhabitant. Such is the superstructure which we all should raise : and it is the orderly accumulation of such materials as these, which assimilates the Church to that temple wherein God visibly
a He bids us beware of the subtilties of philosophy, on the one hand, Col. ii. 8. 1 Tim. iv. 7. and vi. 20. 2 Tim. ii. 16, 23. and of the bigotry of superstition on tiic other, 1 Tim. i. 3, 4. Tit. iii. 9.