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the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with pa

tience.

It is worthy of our obfervation to remark, that though our bleffed Saviour thus interpreted and explained the pleasing allegory, we do not find that he drew any inference or conclufions from it, but, as in the reft of his parables, leaves his hearers to the fuggeftions of their own minds, and those reflections which would naturally occur to them from the confideration of it. His difciples, we may reasonably imagine, fully perceived the fcope and intent of it, made the proper ufe of every part, and applied the whole to those moral purposes, which it was defigned by the divine Orator to promote. But these things, my brethren, were doubtlefs written for our learning alfo; our Saviour in this, as in almost every other discourse, addreffes himself not to his difciples only, but to all mankind: it will become us, therefore, to meditate on the words of our bleffed Redeemer, and ferioufly to enquire whether this fimple narrative, plain and unadorned as it is, doth not contain fome falutary truths, and useful inftructions, which may be of fervice to us in our future conduct: and to this end it may not be amifs, in the following difcourse, to take a view of the four kinds of hearers, as defcribed to us in the parable; to affign the several causes of their different conduct, and to mark what leffons of moral duty may arife to us from the confideration of them.

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And first, then, Thofe, fays our Saviour, by way fide, are they that hear: then cometh the

devil, and taketh the word out of their hearts. In all nations, and at all times, there hath ever been a fet of men, who are totally void of religious principles, who never concern themselves about any thing but the common affairs of life in which they are immediately employed, who have no motive to raise their attention but curiofity: these are properly compared to the way-fide, the common path for travellers, without any depth of earth to receive the feed, which must confequently be trodden down by every paffenger, and lie open to all the birds of the air who devour it. Such were thofe, who, on our Saviour's first appearance on earth, were merely cafual and accidental hearers of his word, who were attracted by the novelty of his doctrines, and the extraordinary circumstances attending on his miracles; but at the fame time had no attachment to his caufe, or zeal for his fervice; and of courfe were eafily drawn afide, by any temptation, to forfake and defert him. Too many fuch hearers of Chrift's word there are amongst us, even unto this day; men, who, immerfed, in their purfuits of bufinefs or pleasure, never think of religious concerns, but when they chance to be totally dif engaged from every other; never enter into a church, but when they are, as it were, infenbly drawn thither by the novelty of a popular preacher, the preffing inftance of a particular friend, or fome accidental circumstance, utterly independent on true piety and devotion. By thefe men the doctrines of Christianity are received with the greatest coldness and indifference,

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ference, or perhaps make a light and momentary impreffion on the mind, which is quickly effaced by the very next object that prefents itself. Into fuch hearts, Satan always finds an eafy entrance, and with little difficulty taketh away that word which they are not folicitous to withhold from him.

The fecond fort of hearers mentioned in the parable, are they, which receive the word with joy, but having no root, in time of temptation or perfecution fall away. By these, our Saviour undoubtedly meant to point out those amongst his difciples and followers, who were caught by the novelty of his tenets, dazzled by the fplendor of his miracles, or perhaps allured by his promises of eternal happiness: thefe received his word with joy, liftened with rapture to his eloquence, were astonished at his intrepidity, and looked up with admiration to his exalted character: his manners were fo engag ing, his conversation so affable, his conduct fo difinterested, his behaviour fo mild and gentle, that it attracted univerfal attention, and commanded univerfal applaufe. Even those, therefore, who had but little real concern for the interefts of religion, felt the truth of his doctrines; and though they had at the fame time but little inclination to comply with them, they revered that preceptor whom they would not obey, and admired at least thofe virtues, which they wanted strength and refolution to practife. These men, as the apostle informs us, endured for a while, but when tribulation and perfecution arofe, because of the word, they were quickly offended; they had a great

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love for Christ and his doctrines, but a much greater for themselves; and tho' they thought with him, did not therefore think themfelves obliged to fuffer for him, but in time of temptation or perfecution fell away. Amongst these followers of our Saviour, was, most probably, the young man recorded in the gofpel, who, we are told, afked of Chrift, what he fhould do that he might have eternal life; and Jefus faid unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and fell that thou haft, and give to the poor, and thou Shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that faying, he went away forrowful, for he had great poffeffions. He was one of those, who, as the parable fays, received the word with joy, but have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. Of fuch as these we have but too many even unto this day.

Nothing is more eafy than the mere profeffion of Christianity; whilft the external compliance with its precepts, and the verbal affent to its doctrines, is attended with no pain or trouble; as long as it coincides with our world, ly views and interefts, without any interruption of our eafe, or any restraint upon our pleafures, fo long perhaps we may continue Chriftians; but if it clashes with our feveral views and intereits, if it enjoins duties which we are loth to practise, and commands us to abstain from our fenfual gratifications; if it fubjects us to the ridicule of the fcoffer, the contempt of the proud, and the oppreffion of the powerful, then our zeal abates, and our faith decays, and the frail fabric of our religion begins to fhow

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the weakness of its foundation. But, above all, when tribulation and perfecution arife, fuch men are quickly offended: they may talk, perhaps, like Peter, of going with Chrift to prifon and to death; but when, like him, they begin to think themselves in danger of accompanying him thither, then, they know not the man.

But Thirdly, And fome fell among thorns, and the thorns Sprang up with it, and choaked it. And that which fell among thorns, and they which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choaked with cares, and riches, and pleafures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. In this fhort fentence are comprehended all the oppofitions that were ever made, and all the obftructions that were ever raifed against the progrefs of religion and virtue. Chrift forefaw and foretold the power and fuccefs of thofe enemies which he had to contend with, and takes every opportunity of warning us against them. It is not the arguers, the reafoners, the difputers of this world, but the cares, the riches, and the pleasures of it, which shake the foundations of Chriftianity. The cares and riches of this world, like those thorns and briars to which they are compared, are for the moft part infeparable; they naturally bring forth and multiply each other: like them they blend and twine together, not only to ftop our progrefs in the paths of truth and happiness, but with their fharp points goad and torment us; their rofes, if they have any, are not to be smelt without danger, or plucked without pain. The beautiful plants which fpring up around them,

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