92 The NEW asid COMPLETE LIFE of our BLESSED tons hear the word of God with fo little attention, that, they fcarcely know what they hear ; and, for want of an habit of ferious thinking, their ideas are loofe and fcattered, and an univerlal diffipation of mind drives out all folid refl'efiion. Such perlons as thefe, are at all times proper objeas for the great enemy of mankind to work upon ; he well knows how to take advantage of the vacancy ofthought, which expofes fuck minds to his malicious at- tempts ; and, where he finds the mind empty, he takes care to enter there, and fills it with fuch furniture, as loon erafes the flight impreflions it may have received by hearing the word of God. and fome none at all ; by which he ele- gantly difplayed the fuccefs of his :own do&rine, amongft the feveral kinds of hearers to which it would be preached. A lower, laid he, went forth to low ; and when he famed, force feedsfell by the way fide, and the fowls came and de- voured them u/s force fell upon fionÿ places, where they had not much earth ; and forthwith they fprung ufz, becaufe they had no deepnefs of earth : and when the fun was up, they were fcorched ; and be- caufe they had no root, they withered away. And fore fell among thorns, and the thorns J3irung aft and choked them : but other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, force an hundred fold, forme fixtyfold, föme thirtyfold. This parable was peculiarly proper to be confidered by the multitudes who attended on the Son of God, when finch vats numbers heard his difcourfes, and fo few prac&ifed his precepts, or profited by the heavenly doarines which he taught. Not only the multitude, but the difciples heard him with a mixture of pleafure and furprile ; and, not underftanding his mean- ing, they were impatient to hear it ex- plained ; and were very urgent to know, why he chofe that method of inflruftion. The Tait of thefe queftions our Lord anfwered in the manner before related ; and then, with condefcending kindnefs, proceeded to give them the explanation of the parable of the Power: When any one, Paid he, heareth the ward of the king- dom, and underftandeth it not, then cornea the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was fown in his heart. This is he which received the feed by the way fide. The perlons who are here reprefented as hearing the word of God without under- ítánding, are thofe carelefs hearers, whole minds are diverted from attending to thole things which concern their everlafling peace, by the gay, trifling amufements, and alluring objeas of fenfe. Such per- t The fecond kind of hearers, defcribed in the parable of the Power, are thole who receive the word with a greater degree of attention, and in whom it produces an out- ward reformation of conduit and behavi- our; but, not being impreffed on the mind by the operation of the Divine Spirit, it does not effèft a real change of heart. Such perlons, while things. .go on fmooth, and they meet with-fuccefs' and encourage- ment in the world, may make a profef- fion, and appear to others, and think themfelves religious ; :but, like feed fown on hard, ftony ground, which, though it fprings up, and looks green for a while; yet, when the fun fhines hot and bright; loon withers for want of root; they cannot fland in the day of adverfrty and trouble`: for when tribulation, or J/efecutios; arth becaufe ofthe word, by and by they are 'of- fended. The third kind of hearers, are thole who feem to receive the word of God with great earneftnefs and attention ; but how- ever they may be delighted with it in the houle of 'God; they do not carry a favour of it into the world. In force, the toil, trouble, care, and vexation, arifing from their circumflances in the world, fo fill the mind, engage the attention, over- whelm the fpirit, and 'opprefs the heart, that,
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