when he ſeerh that he cannot own his Profeſſion without danzer of his Eſtate, Life, Liberty, Places, and Prefermerts. He is by and by cffended; made to ſtumble and tall; ke 2! tram ail his former Profeſſion of the Goſpel. .
22 Healfo that received ſeed among the thrrrs,
7 * tho R KN 4s WHO
is he tha* heareth the word, * and the care ©! its *t:
world, ind the deceitfulneſs of riches choks. the * LY
word, and he becometh untruittyl.
Lil Mark adds, chap. 4. 19. And the Luſts of other things enterirg in, (Tn
choak rhe Word, Luke 1aith , chap. 8. 14. And that which fel among Thyyns, are they , which when they have heard go forth , ar are ch1..ked with Cares, and Riches, and Pleaſures of this Life, ard bring no Fruit to perfeftion. Under theſe Terms , Tye Cares if th World, the Deceitfulneſs of Riches, and the Pleaſures of this Life, 0t the Zuſts of other things ; our Saviour comprehendeth all tl: which St. Fohn calls The LuS of the Eye , the Lu of the Fleſh, and the Pride of Life. The immoderare Deſires of our Hearcs atcer lawfu! things, or their Deſires after things prohibiced, and unlas- tul: Thefe he compareth to Thorns, as Thorns in a Ground cloak che Seed, ſhadowing the-Blade when it comes up, and keeping of the warmth of the Sun, and drawing the fatneſs of the Ground trom ir; ſo theſe divert Men's Thoughts , and draw Men's at fetions off from the Word of God; fſoas ic bringeth forth no Fruic; cr if there be ſome little appearance of Fruit, ic dwindls away, and comcth to no perfe&tion. None of theſe were Pro- tane Gcdleſs Perſons, who make no Conſcience of neglefting t9 hear the Word Preached. They are all Hearers. O how ſtrait 13 the Way? How natrow is the Gate thar leadeth ro Everlaſting Lite? How few there be thar find ir ?
23 But he that received ſeed into the good grovnd, 15S he that heareth the word . and underſtandeth !, which alſo beareth fruit, and bringeth forth ſome an
hundred-fold, ſome ſixty. ſome thirty.
Mark ſaith, chap. 4.20, much the ſame. Lube ſaith, chat. 8. 15: But that on the g1vd Ground, are they, which in an hoe$t and gud Heart, having heard the Word, keep it , and bring forth Fruit wit Patience. To make a good Chriſtian, all rheſe rhings muſt col- cur. 1. An Hearing of the Word : 2. An Underſtanding 9 5” lieving it: 3. A Keeping of it : 4. A Bringing forth of Fruit: 5. A Bringing forth Fruit with Patience. He thar receiverh the Sec into good Ground, is he, (faith Lube) Who in an hone#t and zu Heart, having heard the Word, keep it. The good Ground 11 Parable, is the good and hone Heart ; that is, an Heart renewed and ſan&ified by the Spirit of Gcd. [ He heareth the Word : | He (faith the Apoſtle ) who is born of God, heareth us : Faich comet? © Hearing, { And underſtandeth it,) Mark ſaith , Receiveth it chat is, not in the meer Notion, bur by Faith, and a Mind willing ©? learn, and be inſtruſted. Luke adds, and heepeth it ; retatt 7 Savour and Impreſſion of ir upon his Soul. {| Which alſo bearet Fruit ; ) The Fruit of Holineſs, 1n his Life, in an Obedience £9 che Will of God; for all Seed bringeth forth Fruir according © Þ kind. Luke adds, with Patience; by which is ro be underſto0 ; Certainty, Conftancy, and Perſeverance, and that norwirhſtandins all Tryals and Oppoficions he meers with from che World, Fleſh, and che Devil, { Some an hundred-fold , ſome J:3'), "0 thirty ;] not all alike. A Soul may be an honeſt and gocd a0” and that (as we ſee here) in Chriſt's Opinion and Judgmen,
bat dureth {x
> i
Chap. X11ck:
6 Tus, 13,
ki LLi:
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or Aſp! Plalmist OPS, Al
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{ IAjp ak
JeeIC ſince Mouch in Wim he
Myſteries & Px ſp:
36 F Into the 1} 1ng, the held The 27, Ing to ui 0:7 Our $.7, they follo,
ie geher ty Ind It Mm21y dreadty] ©,
Cup
F 4 pA 3* " tude
XIII.
ho" ir doth not bring forch Fruit in the ſame proportion wich others
> Another parable put he torrh unto them, ſay- ins, The kingdom 01 heaven 15 likened unto 4 man which fowed good ſeed in his held :
2 Bur while men flepr, his enemy came and Cod rares among the wheat, and went his way.
" 26 Bur when the blade was ſprung up , and brought forth iruit, rhen appearcd rhe tares alſo.
27 Sorthe ſervants of the houtholder came, and id unro him, Sir, didft not thou ſow good feed in thy field ? trom whence then hath ir tares?
2s He faid unto them, An enemy hath done his. The ſervants Jaid unto him, Vilt thou then that wego and gather them up? _
20 Bur he faid , Nay : left while ye gather up the rares, Ye root up alſo the wheat with them.
20 Let both grow together until the harveſt : and inthe time of harvelt I will fay to the reapers, Gather ye together frit the tares, and bind them in bundles
- ro burn them: bur * gather the wheat into my barn.
21 Another parable put he forth unto them, ſay- :2 , * The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain
tf: 42:d-ſeed,, which a man took and fowed in
©. hich indeed is the leaſt of all ſteds : but
«i it 15 grown, it is the greateſt among herbs, and _ -qaeth a tree : 16 thar the birds of rhe air come iid [doe ia the branches thereof.
22 * Another parable ſpake he unto them, The kinzdyum of heaven is like unto leaven, which a womin took and hid in || three meaſures of meal, till the whole was Ieavened.
Here are three P..bls by the Evangeli$} pur rogerher before
#5 ke cometh to the Explication, which cur Saviour giverh of the
firſt; al! of them concerning tae Grfpel-Church , and rhe Diſpen- {xtimn of the Goſpel : In che one he inftrudts us whar we are to expe as to the mixture of Perſons in ir, while ic 1s in chis World; inthe orher ewo, concerning the Increaſe and Propagation of ic. The firſt himſelt expoundeth, ver. 37, 38, 39, 49,41, 42, 43, This Par.zble 1s only found in Matthew, the other wo are t,und, ſhorcly boch of chem in Lube, one 1n Marks neicher of chem are Expounded, I will therefore without any Explication of theſe Y-ries ar preſent , go on to the Verſes foilowing them ; all which will lead me to our Saviours's own Incerprecation of the firſt et clicle Purables z atrer which I will alſo coniider thoſe two Par:bles that follow here, bur are neicher Expounded here, nor in te ocher Evangolijts.
* A!l rh2ſe things ſpake Jeſus unto the multi- in parables, and without a parable ſpake he not unro then. L_