The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 19

and in the hour of death; we want something deeper. The root of the plant is not seen; it is hidden in the earth. So is the true life of the Christian. It is rooted in Christ, hidden with Christ in God. Such a roan doth not fa.II a.way in time of tempta.- tion; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. He does not need novelty a.nd excite- ment. The old story of the love of Christ is ever new to him. Nothing can separate him from the love of Christ, neither tribulation nor distress; for he dwelleth in Christ, and Obrist in him. 4. The thorns. In this case the soil is good; the seed sinks deep; all promises well. But there were thorn-roots left in the ground. The thorn-bushes had been burnt or cut off, but the roots remained. And so the thorns sprang up with the wheat and absorbed its noulishment, a.n<l grew above it, taking a.way its light a.nd heat. It did not wither, it still grew; there were stalk a.ad leaves and ear; but the ear was empty; there was no fruit. The Lord is thinking of men, not superficial a.nd thoughtless like those described last, but men of character, men of depth and thought and power, men of earnestness and stability. But, alas I there are thorn-roots. Such ·a man might have been a great saint; he becomes only a. great merc:hant, or a great writer, or a great statesman. He never caste aside his profession of religion. He is upright, moral, attentive to the outward ordinances of worship. But he brings no fruit, to perfection; and that because of the thorn-roots. He had not by cliligent self- .examination and anxious prayer weeded out the ten<lencies to worldliness which lie in. every heart. They grew up, and acquired daily more height and strength. The soil was good, the thorns grew thick and strong and high. He met with great successes; he prospered in hie undertakings; his engagements became more and more numerous. His cares increased. The cares of this world little by little filled his heart, leaving him 1110 time, he supposed, for thought and self-examination and prayer. He grows rich; ,bis riches become a snare; they draw him further from Christ. The love of money, -the root of all evil, becomes a tyrant passion; it rules his heart. Or, it may be, the pleasures of this life allure him wilh their deceitful glitter; and he fritters away in frivoloUB gaieties the talents that might have raised him high in the service of Christ. All the time he keeps up the respectabilities of a religious profession; his life is decent and fair to look upon. There are leaves, but no fruit. The thorns have choked the wheat. The cares and pleasures of life have filled the heart that shoulcl have been. given to Christ. He has no time, no thought, no real love, for the things that belong to his peace. He beareth no fruit. The fruit of holy thoughts, holy words, and holy deeds; the blessed fruit of the Spirit-love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, good- ness,· faith, meekness, temperance ;-he bath none of these things. He might have been .a saint of God; but, ,alas I he bath gained the w_orld, he hath lost his soul. 5. TM ,good grOt/111,d, The honest and true heart is the good ground. Such a heart offers no ,hindrance to the growth of the Divine seed, to the gracious inworking of the Holy -Spirit of God. 1'he soil is deep; there are no thorn-roots; or rather they have been ,extirpated by diligent care. The heart is thoughtful and serious; evil passion3 and ,covetous desires have been subdued by the grace of God. Such men bring forth fruit with patience. They go on from strength to strength in patient continuance of well- doing. They differ from one another in their natural gifts, in their opportunities; also in the degree of their devotion, their self-denial. But all bring forth the fruit of holy living, "some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." "One star differeth from another star in glory;" but all are bright, shining with the reflected glory of the Sun of Righteousness. 6. General reflections. (1) The honest and good heart is good only because God bath made it so. "There is none righteous, no, uot one." The living seed of the Word hath a power which earthly seed bath not. Not only bath it life in itself, but it fertilizes the soil on whioh it falls; it gives richness and depth to the ground that once was barren. "By the grace of God I am what I am." It is his -grace that makes the heart good and lionest. That grace is offered to all. He" giveth ,to all men liberally, and upbraideth not." The Sower sowed the precious seed all the field over. The seed has the same life-giving power wherever it falls. The hard heart, the shallow hrart, the heart filled full wilh cares or given up to pleasures, need not .always remain what now they are. The holy seed, if received and cherished, will give -richness and depth and freedom .. The distinctions figured in the parable are not fixed and immutable. Thank God, tho wicked man may turn from his wickedness which lie bath committed; he may do that which is lawful and right; he mav save his soul  20 THE GOSrEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTBEW. [011. XIIL 1-GS.