ple committed to his charge, it is at SERM. the same time incumbent on the people Iv. to give all their faculties of attention and application to the doctrine he inculcates, agreeably to that instructive call with which our Saviour closes this similitude, Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Now that we may improve the instruction which the parable conveys, it may be useful to examine the various characters and dispositions of our Hearers, as we find them represented by these various qualities of soil; and according to their several cases to apply. some arguments of exhortation; in order to engage a more profitable attention in those, who have hitherto attended to little or no good purpose, and to encourage a perseverance of regard in those, who have cordially understood the word, and brought forth fruit with patience. 1. By the ground on the way side. we may understand that numerous class of Hearers in the present day, who regularly resort to the service of the Church, and listen for the time. to the word of God whether read or interpreted: SERM. terpreted: but not having set their hearts IV. upon religious exercises, they regard it only as an habitual round of duty, to be performed in certain order and at certain hours. Hence while they yield their ears, they do not also give their minds and their memories; and therefore they are said to understand it not. As long as they attend with regularity and decorum, they are willing to behieve that by such a conduct they are fulfilling all righteousness: but as soon as they have left the house of public worship, they revert to their secular occupations and amusements as to their principal and indeed their sole concern: and all further thought of God and religion is laid aside, till the recurrence of another Sabbath calls them to their weekly round of nominal attention. No wonder then that the word has so little impression upon them, and that in their hurry after things which have more engaged their thoughts, the Tempter should steal into their hearts, and catch away the good seed that was sown therein. This indifference to the first and truest interest of man ought to be guarded against as the extravagance of folly. We are all disposed to pity and con demn demn that man, who trifles in his tem- SERM. Now the more they submit to delusion SERM. is the first vocation of man, the one thing IV. needful in his pilgrimage of life; that it is incumbent upon all men, whatever their advances have in their own opinion already been, that they work out their salvation with fear and trembling; that nothing but a diligent application to this first concern on earth will secure their establishment in heaven; and that the practice or neglect of this in time. will determine the success or failure of their souls to all eternity. To incite a more serious attention to the state of their souls, let them look to the conduct of the Apostles; who duly appreciating the heavenly word neither grudged any labours, nor shrunk from any dangers, whether in obeying it themselves, or in preaching it to an idolatrous and irreligious world. Let them look to the behaviour of him, in whom they profess to believe; who was patient and unwearied in fulfilling all righteousness, whose meat was to do the will of him that sent him and to finish his work d And now that he has accomplished that important work for which he came into the world, in d John iv. 34. turning turning us from darkness unto light and SERM. from the power of Satan unto God, he IV. is gone into heaven to prepare a place for those, and those only, who take his precept for a rule and his example for a guide. II. By the stony ground we may understand another class of men, who eagerly receive the word at first, but faulter in their zeal, as soon as they encounter any difficulties in reducing it to practice. The character indeed applies more closely to the primitive age of the Church, when men were much exposed to persecutions and tribulations on account of the word. But it may also be proved amid those trials, which may befal us even in a more peaceful and settled state. For though in the present hour men may boldly avow their faith without any hazard of those calamities, by which the primitive Christians were tried, yet they must not hope to pass through the world without any conflicts in their way. Though they are not put upon any fiery trial, yet they must not expect that the pilgrimage of life will be continually calm |