that the blood of all the prophets which has been shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah,

he is like a man who in building an house digged deep, and laid the foundation upon a rock; and when a flood came, the torrent beat violently against that house, but could not shake it, for it was founded upon a rock.

But he that heareth and observeth not, is like a man that built an house upon the ground without any foundation, which the flood beat violently upon, and immediately it fell down, and the ruin of that house was great.

least having laid a foundation and not being able to finish,