Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
Ver. 12. Wood, hay, stubble] Rhetorical strains, philosophical fancies, that tend not to edification. There are those who together with the gold, silver, and ivory of sound and savoury truths, have, as Solomon's ships had, store of apes and peacocks, conceits and crotchets. Now if he that debases the king's coin, deserve punishment; what do they that, instead of the tried silver of divine truths, stamp the name and character of God upon Nehushtan, their own base brazen stuff?