LVIII.

St. MARK Chap. I. Ver. 16, to 20.

58.

16. As Fefus walked by the fea of Galilee, he saw Simon, and Andrew his brother, cafting a net into the fea (for they were fishers)

17. And Fefus faid unto them, Come ye, &c.

19. And when he had gone a little further thence, he faw James the Son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who alfo were in the ship mending their nets.

20. And ftraitway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the fhip with the hired ferpants, and went after him.

LIX.

The Parable of the Sower, and its
Explanation.

OUR Lord in Parables his Law reveals

To docil minds, which juftly he conceals
From those with Pride and Stubborness poffeft
And feal'd for Death; in this among the reft
A Sower went his fertile Glebe to fow,
And precious Seed with Care did round him
throw :

Some fell upon th' uncultivated Way,
To rav'nous hov'ring Fowls a speedy Prey:
Some fell on fhallow Earth, and ftony Ground,
But wither'd foon, no Depth of Root it found;
Others with churlish Thorns was choak'd and loft,
Nor pay'd the lab'ring Hind his Pains and Cost:
Some, tho' alas too little, profper'd well,
For on prepar'd and grateful Ground it fell.
The Seeds, the Word, the Fowls, the watchful
Fiend

With his black rav'nous Train, who strait descend
And all devour: What falls on Stones, are those
Who leave the Gospel if the World oppose:
Riches and Cares the Thorns that choak the Field:
Thofe on good Ground, who hear, and Fruit with
Patience yield.

LXI.

St. MARK Chap. IV. Ver. 3, to 8.

59.

3. Behold, there went out a fower to Jow: 4. And it came to pass as he fowed, fome fell by the way-fide, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

5. And fome fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth, &c.

7. And fome fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choaked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8. And other fell on good ground and did yield fruit that Sprang up and increased.

1 4

LX.

LX.

Parables of the hidden Candle, the Hufbandman, and the Mustard-feed.

TO what's the heav'nly Kingdom like, or where Can ought be found we may therewith compare?

---"Tis like a painful Husbandman, which goes
And choiceft Seed in well-laid Furrows fows;
Nor does the Crop deceive his careful Plough,
But fprings with fecret Growth, he knows not how.
Yet when the Harveft's ripe, he fends and shears,
And lays it up for barren fruitful Years.

'Tis like a Grain of Mustard-feed; when sown How fmall? But when 'tis burgeon'd, and 'tis grown,

It foon of all its fellow-Trees takes place,
And ftands the Giant of the fhrubby Race.
Under a Bed if you a Lamp reftrain,
It blazes to it self, and wafts in vain.

Your Light before the wond'ring World muft fhine,

So clear and wide that all may own you mine;
Around the House project a borrow'd Day,
And chase the gloomy Night, and fullen shades

away.

LX.

St. MARK Chap. IV. Ver. 21, to 33.

21. Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be fet on a candlestick? &c. 26. The kingdom of God is, as if a man should saft feed into the ground,

27. And should fleep, and rife night and day, and the feed fhould Spring and grow up, he knoweth not how, &c.

31. The kingdom of God is like a grain of muftard-feed, which when it is fown in the earth, is lefs than all the feeds that be in the earth.

32. But when it is fown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, &c.