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catchetli away tliat which was sown in his heart. This is he which re- ceived seed by the way side.
20 But he 'that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it ;
21 Yet liath he not root in himself, bnt dureth for a while; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth be- cause of the word, by and by he is offended.
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word ; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he beeometh uufruitful.
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he tliat heareth the word, and understaiideth it ; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
The chapter which these verses hegin is remarkable for the number of j^arables which it contains. Seven striking illustrations of spiritual truth are here drawn by the great Head of the Church from the book of nature. By so doing He shows us that religious teaching may draw helps from everything in creation. Those that would " find out ac- ceptable words," should not forget this. (Eccles. xii. 10.)
The parable of the sower, which begins this chapter, is one of those parables which admit of a very wide appli- cation. It is being continually verified under our own eyes. Wherever the word of God is preached or expounded, and people are assembled to hear it, the sayings of our Lord in this parable are found to be true. It describes what goes on, as a general rule, in all congregations.
Let us learn, in the first place, from this parable, that tlie loorh of the 'preaclier resembles that of the soiver.
Like the sower, the preacher must sow good seed, if he wants to see fruit. He must sow the pure word of God, and not the traditions of the church, or the doc- trines of men. Without this his labor will be in vain. He may go to and fro, and seem to say much, and to work much in his weekly round of ministerial duty. But there will be no harvest of souls for heaven, no living results, and no conversions.