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stand all the truths of God's Holy Word which pertain to our salvation; that he would cleanse what is impure in us, and give us a will and a power to do that which is good and acceptable in the sight of God. Let us all seek to be spiritually minded; and let us disengage our affections from the ensnaring vanities and transitory pleasures of this uncertain life. We are assured by the Apostle, that "there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made them free from the law of sin and death." Bear this ever in mind, my brethren, that if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die, die eternally:-but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live; you shall live in peace and happiness on earth under the gracious care and protection of the Lord your God; and, at length, you shall live for ever in those regions above, where purity, peace, and joy abound for evermore.

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When much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: a sower went out to sow his seed.

It might naturally be expected that a teacher of such eminence as our Lord, who "spake as never man spake," would soon be admired and followed by great multitudes of his countrymen. And thus indeed it happened, for the Evangelist here informs that much people were gathered together, and came to him out of every city;

insomuch (as St. Matthew observes, in relating the same event); that he went into a ship, and sat, and the whole multitude stood on the shore." How interesting was the scene, when the Son of God, in this silent retreat, uttered the words of heavenly wisdom, and instructed. the multitudes, and pointed out the way to eternal life! Perhaps we long for their privileges, and wish that we also could have stood on the shore among his attentive audience. Let us, however, reflect that we may still hear him speak to us by his word, and let us give diligent heed to his divine instructions, while he explains to us the parable of the Sower.

A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundred fold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Christ spake as one that had authority; he did not amuse his hearers with things of a

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curious and frivolous nature, but laid before them the most weighty and solemn truths ;matters which involved their present and everlasting welfare. And he also spake as one who was well acquainted with the wiles and devices of the human heart; "he knew what was in man," and could clearly discern the various characters among mankind, as the parable before us clearly shows. And the lessons which he gave to his own countrymen are applicable to men in every age, and the figures and illustrations which he employed to convey them to the mind, are extremely appropriate, and are intelligible by persons of the weakest capacity, wherever there is a teachable disposition. He cried, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. The ears must be open to instruction, and not closed by sinful prejudices; the heart must be open to conviction, and not hardened by pride and unbelief. Our Lord was probably aware that in his numerous audience, there were some captious hearers, who disliked his forcible and pointed discourses, who were eager to catch something out of his mouth, as a matter of accusation against him. For when his disciples asked him, saying, what might this parable be? he said,-Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in

a John ii. 25.

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parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Many of the Scribes and Pharisees were unwilling to be instructed by Christ, being prejudiced against him on account of his humble parentage and obscure origin in the city of Nazareth; and in the pride of their hearts they often opposed his benevolent designs, and endeavoured to hinder the usefulness of his ministry. These persons were given up to judicial blindness, so that "seeing, they did not" properly "see," and "hearing, they did not" immediately "understand" the parables of our Lord. But his humble and teachable disciples had access to him in private, and "unto them it was given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven;" for he explained to them more fully in private what he had preached in public.

If, then, we would "learn of Christ," we must be "meek and lowly;" we must go to him in private, and must lay up his words in our hearts and meditate upon them. "Having ears to hear, let us diligently hear him," and lay hold of "the gracious words which proceed out of his mouth," that we may become "wise unto salvation," and "know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven." b

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