here equivalent to "doing" them (Matt. vii. 24). +II. A distinguishing mark of a fool.+ He is a _prater._ He is one who is willing to talk, but not to act; willing to give out words, but not to receive instruction; and therefore he is one who can give out nothing by speech that is worth giving. Unless the earth receives good seed into its bosom, it cannot give out "seed to the sower and bread to the eater." Unless a man receives into his heart the good seed of the kingdom, he can never bring forth moral fruit (Matt. xiii. 23), and he can never do more than _prate_ about spiritual truths. There are many words but no meat. There is only one Being in the universe who can be a giver without first being a receiver, and that is God. Outside of Him, all must receive of His fulness if they would be anything more than mere _talkers_ on eternal realities. All such men are fools. "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" (1 Cor. i. 20). +III. The end of such a mere talker.+ He shall fall. 1. _In the estimation of those who he pretends to instruct._ No men are so prone to assume the office of instruction as men who are ignorant, but such men cannot long hold a place in the estimation of others. 2. _He shall fall into deeper folly._ Those who refuse to receive that Divine commandment which will make them truly wise, must sink lower and lower into sinful folly. The longer he refuses the offered wisdom, and refuses to put his neck under the yoke of God's commandments, the heavier will grow the chains of sinful habit, and the more firmly will they be riveted. 3. _He shall fall into righteous retribution._ This will be proportionate to the opportunities he has had of receiving wisdom. "And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell" (Matt. xi. 23). _OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS._ A fool is in nothing sooner and better recognised than in his conversation.--_Geier._ It is striking how often Solomon dwells upon sins of the tongue; no member is so hard to control; none more surely indicates the man.--_Fausset._