is wanted, in either case, to produce a crop. The preacher must "take heed unto the doctrine" doubtless; he is ordered so to do, but the hearer "must take heed no less how he hears," for that order is no less binding upon him. And then, when both parties conspire, good comes of it; but if either party be wanting, there is damage to all. It may seem a very simple sermon to hear, that shall nevertheless be a very hard sermon to live up to,-and many a hearer who may be crying out for deeper doctrine, deeper things of God as the only things for him, might have nevertheless not got beyond, in his actual life and application of God's Word, such elements as these, "Let your love be without dissimulation." "Abhor that which is

evil," "cleave to that which is good." "Mind not high things." "Be not wise in your own conceits." "Be subject one to another in the fear of God." "Render to all their dues." "Put away lying," and "speak every man truth with his neighbour." "Lay aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings." These and the like texts would most likely turn into very simple sermons for people to listen to, and the preacher who handled them might expose himself to the remark, from many of his hearers, that he gave but milk when they wanted meat,-that he tarried in the outer court of the Gentiles, when they were for entering at once into the Tabernacle. But for all that, if these same persons would honestly ascertain, by questioning their own hearts, whether they were so perfect in all these duties and dispositions,simple as the announcement of them might seem to them,— as to be above all such teaching, I doubt whether the result of their self-examination would be quite satisfactory to them. Nay, I feel convinced that the reason why they would think themselves above it, if so they did, would be

just because they had not taken heed how they had heard, -and whether they had heard with the single purpose of applying the substance to their lives, and amending and correcting them according to it; and had, in fact, so corrected them. For had they this done, they would have perceived that there was no sermon, however unpretending, they might not profit by, because a doctrine which is very readily understood, is very painfully followed; and that is the purpose the sermon was meant for.

Therefore it was that the famous Richard Baxter, on reviewing his life, and the past state of his mind, when it was now drawing to a close, declares, "In my youth I was quickly past my fundamentals, and was running up into a multitude of controversies, and greatly delighted with deep writings, (though I must needs say my preaching was still on the necessary points,) but the older I grew, the smaller stress I laid upon these controversies and curiosities, (though still my understanding abhorreth confusion,) as finding far greater uncertainties in them than I at first discerned, and finding less usefulness comparatively, even where there is the greatest certainty. And now it is the fundamental doctrines of the Catechism, which I highest value, and daily think of, and find most useful to myself and others. The Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, do find me now the most acceptable and plentiful matter for all my meditations: they are to me as my daily bread and drink and as I can speak and write of them over and over again, so I had rather read or hear of them, than of any of the niceties which once so much pleased me." This was because as he grew older he became more practical in his knowledge of the truth,—took more heed to how he heard and read, and considered that what he did hear and read that was good was intended for him to walk

by, not to dispute about, and in that view, the simple truths were the most material.

The

Our Lord however, in the text, does not content Himself with simply telling us that we are to take heed how we hear— He adds an encouragement to those who do so, and a caution to those who do not: "For whosoever hath,” says He, "to him shall be given"-i. e. whosoever shall thus take heed how he hears, and try to live according to it, that man shall become a still more and more profitable hearer his understanding of godliness shall improve as his practice of it becomes more faithful, and he shall go on unto the perfect man, till God shall consider him ripe for Himself, and take him to put up amongst His jewels. Whilst on the other hand, whosoever shall hear without taking heed how he does so, that man shall wane in his Christian character as regularly as the other waxed. word spoken shall day by day challenge his heart and conscience less and less; for he, to be sure, is the critical Christian, not the humble and practical one; and though his head may be the fuller of texts for what he hears, and his tongue fuller of disputations, yet his feelings are not touched, his knowledge of himself is not enlarged, the message delivered has no interest for him of itself, for he is not thinking about what it is meant for; and he dies with an understanding dark, without knowing it. Or if he be not the critical but the careless hearer, and, by reason of his carelessness merely, takes no heed to how he hears-still the case is the same; for the word spoken to such an one makes no lodgement in his heart-it runs off him as the water from the fowls. And as God expostulated with His own chosen race, saying, 'My people will not consider," and, wearied at length with their refusal to consider, withdrew Himself from them altogether, and laid them under a curse of blindness, and so

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of unbelief-thus will He do with him; the things which belong unto his peace, and which he heard without heeding, shall be taken from his eyes, and he will go down to his grave, only to be awakened to consideration at last, by the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, when it is all too late.

God grant then that we, for our parts, may not be hearers of the Word only, but doers of it too—that our lives may answer to our profession-that we may receive the truth with simplicity and sincerity and singleness of heart, and, by God's grace, set it forth in our conversation and temper and daily doings, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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SERMON XXXV.

THE PRODIGAL SON.

ST. LUKE, Xv. 18, 19.

"I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants."

I mean to bring before you in this sermon the parable of the Prodigal Son—a parable which furnishes, in a manner the most touching, much food for a Christian's thoughtthe father and either of the brethren having many lessons to read to us. It is scarcely needful that I should refer to the particulars of the parable itself, which must be known to you all. The father divides his portion with his two sons. The younger goes away and wastes his share in loose living. Extreme want overtakes him. He remembers his father's house, and determines to return to it; no longer indeed as a son -that was more than he could expect-but as a servant. His father sees him " a great way off”. -runs to meet himfalls on his neck-kisses him-makes a feast for him. clothes him-adorns him—and rejoices above measure in having him once more with him safe and sound. Not