Their conscience is affected by it. Their affections are in favor of it. They acknowledge that it is all right, and good, and worthy of all reception. They even abstain from many things which the Gospel condemns, and adopt many habits which the Gospel requires. But here unhappily they stop short. Something appears to chain them fast, and they never get beyond a certain point in their religion. And the grand secret of their condi- tion is the world. " The cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things/' prevent the word having its full effect on their souls. With everything apparently that is promising and favor- able in their spiritual state, they stand still. They never come up to the full standard of New Testament Chris- tianity. They bring no fruit to perfection.
There are few faithful ministers of Christ who could not point to cases like these. Of all cases they are the most melancholy. To go so far and yet go no further — to see so much and yet not see all — to approve so much and yet not give Christ the heart, this is indeed most deplorable ! And there is but one verdict that can be given about such people. Without a decided change they will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Christ will have all our hearts. " If any man will be a friend of the world} he is the enemy of God." (James iv. 4.)
We are taught, in the last place, that there are some hearers of the Gospel, whose hearts are like the good ground in afield.
These are they who really receive Christ's truth into the bottom of their hearts, believe it implicitly, and obey it thoroughly. In these the fruits of that truth will be