every one of us, that all may hear their final sentence from him.

Ver, 3. Behold, a sower went forth to sow. Behold! the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven! And he is always carrying on his work, and now ready to sow the seed of eternal life in your hearts. Are you ready? Are you now all here with the same intent? The contents of this chapter are easy to be understood, and, withal very important. You will hear of a seed-time and harvest, of the several hindrances of a work of grace, of true and false professors, and of the different judgment that will be passed upon each, according to the neglect or improvement of their advantages under the Gospel. Oh! how earnestly should we pray, that we may be found in a true work, seeing it must, of all necessity, be done, and we can do nothing of ourselves. Do thou, Lord, open our hearts, that what we are going to hear may sink down into them, and in the power of thy grace be a saving word to us.

Ver. 10. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou to them in parables? - A parable is a similitude, contrived for the sake of some farther use than the words at first hearing seem to import. As this method of instruction is more awakening, and sinks deeper than any other when the drift of it is understood, the great Master of divine wisdom frequently makes use of it. The disciples thought he should have spoken plainer. He tells them in effect, that nothing is plain to those who will not understand; and that, if we are ignorant of divine things, we must look for the cause of it no where but in our own dark hearts.

Ver. 11. He answered and said unto them, Because it is given to you, &c.—They were desirous to know, and fitted to receive divine mysteries.

-But to them it is not given. For the reason here

after mentioned, viz. because they refused what was offered them; just as any thing else is not given, when it is not taken. Will you let Christ take back his precious gift of saving knowledge, with the grace which would accompany it? Are you the man or woman, of whom he says, to you it is not given?

Ver. 12. For whosoever hath.-Values, and holds fast what he hears.

-To him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance. Here is no exception, as if this was the privilege of some, and not of others. Saving knowledge is knowledge in abundance, and if a poor man has it not, it is his own fault. This chapter, this one evening's reading, has a blessing for all that will receive it.

Ver. 12. But whosoever hath not.-Valueth not, and consequently possesseth not.

From him shall be taken away even that he hath. Heareth, but doth not receive and improve. Would you think it an unspeakable loss, if this book was to be taken away from you, and you were never to hear a word more out of it? Ah! you have it not, if you have it only in your hands, and ask not for the grace which must open it to your hearts.

Ver. 13. Therefore speak I to them in purables, because they seeing, see not, &c.—To hide from them what they would not see, if it had been delivered ever so plainly. And we learn from hence, that it is just with God to leave wilful blindness to itself.

Ver. 14, 15. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, &c.—When you hear these words, and think what a dreadful condition this is for any one to be in, can you help saying, Lord, is it I? Am I dull of hearing when Christ speaks? Do I close my eyes against his light, and harden my heart against his Gospel?

Ver. 15. Lest they should be converted, and I should

heal them. Let this put you upon examining into your state, what endeavours you use, what prayers you ever put up for conversion and healing from the Lord, and what experience you have of it.

Ver. 16. But blessed are your eyes, for they see.-Effectually, and savingly. No seeing or hearing, short of this, is blessed.

Ver. 17. For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see, &c. Not so much Christ in his own person, as in the full manifestation and rich mercies of his Gospel. What reason have we to thank God for the light of it! And what shall we say for our ignorance or unfruitfulness under the advantages we enjoy?

Ver. 18. Hear ye, therefore, the parable of the sower.— He does not speak this in vain. You may hear, and consider, and apply it to yourselves, if you please. Do not harden your hearts both against parables and explanation.

Ver. 19. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not.-Spiritually; that is, does not consider and lay it to heart, as the word, or law of Christ, to be received by all who belong to his kingdom.

-Then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.-Observe the ground where Christ sows his seed, and where only it can grow; and also, what a busy enemy we have about us to hinder the growth of it. The devil has his eye upon our hearts, as well as God. If our own is there too, he cannot hurt us.

Ver. 20, 21. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it, &c. You see there be some sensible delight in the word, and joy in hearing it, where there is no true work of grace; and many, no doubt,

may

speak peace to themselves on this account, who have no abiding root, and can stand no trial. Indeed, it is hard to know what our root is till we are tried.

Ver. 22. And the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.-If the word is choked, it signifies nothing what does it. I observe this, because it is so common with you to make your worldly business, or the care of providing for your families, a pretence for neglecting your souls.

Ver. 23. But he that receiveth seed into the good ground, is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it. Not barely as to its outward meaning, for that you may do without effect; but he who has the grace given him to know how great a good it is to him, and how suitable to his wants, relishes the inward sweetness of it, takes it into his heart, and resolves to be guided by it.

-Which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth some an hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty. All must be in a fruit-bearing state of obedience from a root of faith; and all who are will be so accounted of. But why some bring forth less than others, whether because they have less ability given them, or improve less what they have, must be left to the great Judge.

LECTURE.

CHRIST, in the portion of Scripture you have now heard, has been sowing the seed of eternal life among you, at this very time and place, and is ready to give a blessing to it; and, according as you do, or do not receive it into your hearts, you will be alive unto God through Jesus Christ, or faithless dead worldlings, happy or miserable for ever. Well, therefore, might our Lord

say, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear;" and I beseech you in his name to hear the awakening call from his mouth. Begin from this day to examine what foundation you are upon for life. Consider whether you have heard, understand, and value the word, are careful to use it aright, and keep a watchful eye upon the hindrances of it here brought to your knowledge. For it can only become the word of life to every single soul, by taking root in it, and growing up to perfection, and no excuses will be allowed for your neglect and unfruitfulness under it. "What you have not," that is, hear and do not use to the end for which it is given, "will be taken from "you;" and your condition will be just the same, as if there was no word of life, no Gospel, no Christ to save you. If you are the way-side hearer, where the devil immediately catches away the word, as birds do seed which is scattered in the highway: if you are the stony ground hearer, and, perhaps, receive the word with some kind of delight, but do not suffer it to take root; or if the cares of this world choke it, the design of it is lost, God is lost, Christ is lost, the soul is lost; and whether it is in any one of the ways here mentioned, or all of them put together, it matters not how, it is lost for

ever.

This, you see, is evidently the meaning of the parable, as explained by our Lord himself. Let me desire you to bring yourselves to be tried by it; let me ask you some questions concerning it. And do thou, O Lord, open all our hearts, that what we have heard may sink down into them, and, in the power of thy grace, be a saving word to us! Are you convinced of the necessity of caring for the soul? The first effect or fruit of the word is to put us upon this care. Before the coming of it, we have quite other things in our heads, are all for the world, and concerned for nothing but how to get, and keep, and