kept prepared for Satan, as a house that is swept and garnished, to receive a guest on his return. His covetous disposition remained unchanged, his dishonest practices were not altogether abandoned: and therefore he was ready to yield to the grand temptation, when "Satan entered into him," and led him to final destruction, both of body and soul.

We must never forget the power of Satan, which this parable represents so fearfully. But the truth must be equally remembered, that the Son of God was manifested to destroy this power, and enables all who "resist the devil," to overcome him and prevail. Nay, He preserves safe from such assaults, all who remain stedfast in His faith, and cast themselves on His protection. It is only when the house is empty, that Satan finds admittance. Let Christ "dwell in the heart by faith," and there will be no room for wicked spirits. He will "keep far our foes: give peace at home: Where He is nigh, no ill

LECTURE VIII.

PARABLE OF THE SOWER: DANGER OF NEGLECTING

OPPORTUNITIES.

MATT. xiii. 1—17.

(Mark iv. 1-12. Luke viii. 4—15.)

1. "The same day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

2. "And great multitudes were gathered together unto Him, so that He went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3. "And He spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow.

4. "And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5. "Some fell upon stony places where they had not much earth and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth :

6. "And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7. "And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them :

8. "But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9. "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10. "And the disciples came, and said unto Him, Why speakest Thou unto them in parables?

11. "He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12. "For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath!"

D

If land which has been long cultivated, makes no return to the husbandman, he abandons it, and employs his pains elsewhere. On the land which hath, which brings good produce, he bestows more abundant labour; from the land which hath not, which bears no fruit, he takes away the labour which he had used on it before. St. Paul supplies this illustration to explain the dealings of God with men.' He exhorts his countrymen to use diligence in "working out their salvation," and to "go on unto perfection," from this very argument, saying, that, "the earth which drinketh in the rain which falleth oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God; but that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is, to be burned."

And this latter case, of barrenness, of neglected opportunities, of means of grace refused, had been the case of the Jewish nation throughout their history. Spiritual advantages had belonged to them which belonged to no other people; and now they were withdrawn, having been altogether neglected and abused, on the same principle as in the parable of the talents the talent is taken from the unprofitable servant, and given to the diligent servant who had made the most of what was entrusted to him. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" when to him who hath shall be given, and he shall have more abun

'Heb. vi. 7, 8.

dance: but whosoever hath not,-has nothing to show in return for the privileges which he has enjoyed, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13. "Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14. "And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15. "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed: lest at anytime they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16. "But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.

17. "For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.” ̧

A difference is here noted between the disciples and the rest of their countrymen. Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. Ye perceive the things, which to others I speak in parables. Ye understand the fulfilment of all that "Moses in the law, and the prophets," did write of: righteous men, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, and inquired, and searched diligently" into those things which ye see, and did not see them.2

66

21 Pet. i. 10, 11.

There was this difference between the disciples and the great body of their countrymen. Had there been any difference in their conduct?

Philip and Nathanael were among those whose eyes saw, and whose ears heard, the mysteries of the kingdom of God. How had they acted? "Philip first found Nathanael, and said to him, We have found Him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write; Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? And he said unto him, Come and see." He consented, and went, and saw, and soon found reason to acknowledge, "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel."

4

Contrast this with the behaviour of the chief Priests and Pharisees, when Nicodemus, 66 'one of themselves," pleaded in behalf of Jesus, that in the name of justice He should be heard before He was condemned. "They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look; for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet." Thus were their ears dull of hearing, and their eyes they closed. As was also manifested in the history of the man blind from his birth, whose sight was restored. The Pharisees inquired carefully into this miracle. The man persisted in declaring that Jesus had removed his blindness, and because he had shown this power, must be "a prophet." "Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art His disciple; but John vii. 52. 5 John ix. 1-40.

3 John i. 43, 46.