1

enjoy as much of it as we can. Do you find within yourself that the word is come to you with power in this respect, to awaken you out of the dead sleep you are lying in by nature, to put you upon considering the state of your soul, the exceeding great value of it, and how you must be prepared for eternity? If you are come thus far on your way, you will be full of thought and inquiry what you must do to be saved; and think yourselves happy if you can meet with a sure guide to show you the way you desire to be in, and bring you to the end you have in view. Why, here in this book is the very thing you want, Jesus preached, and set before you for the life of your souls. Do you then read and study it to the end you may profit by it, with prayer to have it opened to you, and with a sincere resolution to walk in the light of it? Do you receive it, as indeed it is, the word and will of God for your salvation, given you in great mercy to guide you to heaven? Have you found Christ in it? Has it brought you to him for the help you want, so that you are seeking carefully after his blessings, and can have no ease in your minds if you had all the world without them? You are hearing of his miracles from time to time, and all to the end you may know who he is, and that he is as able and willing to work your cure, as in the case of any of those whom you read of, The great difficulty is to know your sin and danger in it, and that you are sick of a deadly distemper, which none but he can cure. When you do, the word which reveals him to you as the Son of God, mighty to save, will be precious in your eyes, and a cordial at your hearts, and you will gladly follow his directions. If he says, "repent," you will repent. If he says, come to me for pardon and life, you will come to him; you will see the necessity of believing and trusting in the all-sufficient sacrifice

and healing virtue of his, blood, in opposition to any will, work, or merit of your own, and pray daily to the Lord to increase your faith. If he says, "why call ye me Lord, and do not the things which I say?" you will be careful to prove yourself an heir of the mercy you have received, by fashioning your hearts and lives according to his rule, and committing your souls to him in well-doing. Let not Christ call to you this day in vain, to hear and be saved. Let not Satan take the word out of your hearts in the turn of a thought, it may be while I am speaking it. Think it not enough that you have nothing to say against it, and, perhaps, are pleased for a time with the hearing of it. Let not the cares of the world choke it; make not your business in the world a pretence for neglecting your souls. Let the good word enter deep into your hearts, lay you low in your own eyes, bring you to faith in Christ, and by him to a state of pure obedience. This is hearing and understanding to life everlasting. God be merciful to us, and make us all such hearers!

PRAYER.

Blessed Lord, who teachest man knowledge, and guidest the humble soul into all truth; instruct us, we beseech thee, in this mystery of thy kingdom, that, receiving thy word into the ground of an honest and good heart, and bringing forth fruit with patience, is the truest wisdom. Help us to disover in the natural deceitfulness of our hearts all the hindrances of our salvation, all the wretched causes of our unprofitableness under the word, and deliver us from the dreadful judgment of seeing and hearing without understanding. For thy mercy's sake, speak now to every careless, hardened, and worldly heart among us. Let what we have heard this day teach us to discern the true state of

our souls by the marks here set before us, and grant we may know, before it be too late, to what kind of unprofitable hearers we belong. Lord, help and awaken us, that we may so hear as to believe, and so believe as to be fruitful unto thee in all holy obedience, and find mercy for Christ's sake. Amen.

SECTION XXVIII.

ST. MATTHEW, xiii. 24.

THE kingdom of heaven- The state of the Gospel, or God's kingdom of grace in this world under Christ; for there are no tares, or weeds, in his kingdom of glory. And it is so called, for this among other reasons, because his kingdom of grace and kingdom of glory are one and the same kingdom, in its beginning and perfection; and if we are not in, and of it, when we die, we cannot be admitted into it afterwards.

Ver. 24. Is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field.-Christ has no other; the tares, as you will hear, are of the devil's sowing.

Ver. 25. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares. He is thine enemy, because he is Christ's. Take notice that he does not sleep, though thou dost. Know thy danger, and beware of giving him this advantage against thee.

the

Ver. 29. But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. This is not man's work; he has not discernment for it, and, we know by experience, oftener roots up the good than the bad. Look well to your own work under Christ, which is to root the tares out of yourselves.

Ver. 30. Let both grow together until the harvest, &c. —→→ We lie down in our graves either tares or wheat. How dreadful is it to think of that time when the separation will be made once for all!

Ver.31. The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed. Hast thou no room in thy soul for this little seed? Oh! take it in without delay, and commit the growth of it to Christ, that it may spread and flourish, as it certainly will, under his care.

Ver. 33. The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven.Let Christ set his leaven to work in thy heart, and it will convert thee wholly into its own nature. These two parables may be considered either with respect to the Gospel in general, its beginning, progress, and perfection, or to the state of particular persons. The former will have its accomplishment in God's time; the latter is every man's great concern; and happy are they, who find these similitudes verified in themselves, and the kingdom of heaven growing up, and working in their own souls.

Ver. 36. His disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. Say as they did, and pray continually that he would declare and speak it to thy heart.

Ver. 37. He that sowed the good seed, is the Son of man.-Thou dost not sow it thyself. Only do not hinder him; and he will both sow, and water, and watch over the growth of it. Ask thyself, Is it sown? Is it increasing? Is this thy desire and earnest will?

Ver. 38. The field is the world.—And all in it are either the good seed, or useless weeds.

The good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one.-Now is thy time for choosing whether of the two thou wilt be.

Ver. 39. The enemy that sowed them, is the devil.— He cannot do it without thy own consent.

Ver. 43. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. - All is here told us; heaven and hell are now opened to us; it will be just as thou readest; and according as thou hearest, so will it be done unto thee,

LECTURE.

My brethren, in this portion of Scripture you have life and death, heaven and hell, set before you, together with the means of obtaining the one, and escaping the other. You cannot help coming to this conclusion, that, if you would be the children of your heavenly Father, and heirs of his kingdom, you must receive the seed of his word into your hearts, and look well to the growth of it; and, if you do not, or suffer the enemy to choke it with his tares, that you must have your portion with him. What that is, you are here assured, not by man, whose decision in the point you might be apt to dispute, but from the mouth of Christ himself, whose authority should strike both conviction and terror into your souls"they that do iniquity shall be cast into the furnace of fire, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The blessed angels, who are appointed to minister to us, and now watch over us with tender care and concern for our everlasting welfare, we are told, will then be sent to gather all the wicked out of God's kingdom, and separate them for ever to their own place. It will be a sad office for any of us; but they who are devoted to the will of God, and happy in serving the ends of his glory, will be no longer concerned for us, but as