Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 7:25

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and did beat on that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.

Our Saviour maketh frequent use of that Ancient way of instructing People by Similitudes and Parables, which by their easie incurring into the Senses, give advantage to the Memory, he here chuseth a Similitude to conclude his excellent Sermon upon the Mount. The Builder intended, who our Saviour dignifieth with the name of a Wise Man; is, He that does not only hear Christ's Sayings, but doth them; under the Notion of hearing is comprehended, understanding and believing them, by doing them, he understandeth a sincere Desire and Indeavour to do them, with a Practice so far as Humane frailty will permit. The House intended, seems to be an Hope for eternal Life and Salvation, by the Rock is meant Christ, 1 Cor. 10.4. Eph. 2.20. 1 Pet. 2.4. Every wise Christian, before he buildeth up to himself an Hope of eternal Life and Salvation through Christ, must find that he is one who doth not only read, and hear the word of God, but so hears as to understand and believe them, that with an Operative Faith, working upon his Soul to the Obedience of the Will of God, or at least a sincere Inde[illegible: 1 letter]vour to it. And he who doth so, tho his Hope may be sometimes assaulted with Fears, Doubts, Temptations, (which are like the Assaults of an House builed on a Rock, by Winds, Floods, and Storms) yet it shall not fail, because it is truly founded on Christ, according to the Revelation of his Will, Prov. 10.28. 1 Ioh. 3.3.