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Q. Therefore every parable requires an interpretation?

A. Yes; it teaches us nothing till it is interpreted. A parable without its interpretation, is like a body without a soul; or like the outward sign in a sacrament, without the inward and spiritual grace.

Q. What is meant by the seed?

A. The word of God.

Q. What is the sower?

A. The preacher, who preacheth the word of God.

Q. What is the ground, into which the seed is sown?

A. The heart of man.

Q. And how do the hearts of men differ from one another?

A. As the different sorts of ground which we see in the field.

Q. What is meant by the highway side? A. The heart, which is open and unguarded against all temptations.

Q. What is meant by the fowls of the air?

A. Evil spirits, which steal away the word as soon as the people have heard it. Q. What is the stony ground?

A. The impatient heart of shallow-minded

people,

people, who do not understand the word of God, and so can endure no trouble.

Q. What is meant by the scorching heat of the sun?

A. Trials and persecutions for the truth's sake.

Q. What is meant by thorns?

A. The cares and pleasures of worldlyminded people.

Q. What happens when they prevail?
A. The word of God is choaked by them.
Q. Are pleasures thorns?

A. Yes; because they prick the heart at last, as much as any cares and troubles; and at all times hinder it from attending to the word of God.

Q. What is meant by the good ground?
A. The honest and good heart.

Q. What is the fruit which the seed bringeth forth?

A. Good works.

Q. What is the harvest?

A. The end of the world.

Q. What is done then?

A. The fruitful sheaves, good Christians, are laid up in the storehouse of God.

Q. What are the wicked?

A. Tares which are bound up for the fire.

Q. Who

Q. Who will be the reapers?

A. The angels of God.

THE TEXTS.

Mark iv. 13. And he said unto him, know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

Luke viii. 11. The seed is the word of God. ver. 12. Then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. ver. 13. They on the rock, are they which when they hear receive the word with joy, but in time of temptation fall away.

Matt. xiii. 22. The cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choak the word. ver. 23. The good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it, which also beareth fruit.

Matt. xiii. 38. The good seed are the children of the kingdom: but the tares are the children of the wicked one. ver. 39. The harvest is the end of the world. As the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of the world.

Heb. xi. 19. Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead; from

whence also he received him in a figure (Gr.)

in a parable.

Ezek. xx. 47. Behold I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree-Ah, Lord God, they say of me, doth he not speak parables?

END OF PART I.