SECT. II.-THE EXPLICATION OF THE PARABLE.

11. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

The power of the devil over the hearts of the children of the world is greater than it is imagined, and is not sufficiently dreaded. The number, diversity, and incumbrance of the affairs of the world; the continual motion and hurry in which worldly men are; that chain of employments which to appearance are neither good nor bad, and of new designs. which succeed one another; and that circle of pleasures, amusements, and vanities,-these are the things wherein that art and policy consists which the devil uses, in order to render the word, good thoughts, and good desires fruitless, and to take away God's seed out of their hearts and minds.

13. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

Temptation makes it evidently appear whether we are really the servants of God. When the root of charity is wanting, the word of God can do but little in the heart, and that little is not lasting. Good inclinations and piety frequently continue, on no other account but only because nothing opposes them, and because the darling passion of the heart is not contradicted; but all disappears when once. we are threatened with the loss of that which we love more than God, without being sensible of it. Let us take great care not to defer, till the time of temptation and trial, the necessary work of subduing and rooting out of our hearts whatever may hinder the truths of salvation from entering in and fixing there. They grow hard by evil habits: we must labour to weaken and conquer these, if we desire the seed should take root in those, and remain secure in times of storm and tempest.

14. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

Riches and pleasures are the thorns of life: they choke

There are

all good desires whatever which are in the heart. three sorts of persons in whom Christian truths become unfruitful, through engagements which succeed either a good education, or a regular way of life, or retirement :-(1.) A young person of quality, who goes forth from under the care of a father, a mother, a prudent tutor, or a Christian preceptor, and enters into the world, into offices of state, into designs of establishing himself, etc., which makes him forget all. (2.) A man who quits a private life, to give himself up entirely to trade, to business, and to the desire of riches. (3.) One who passes from the holy repose of retirement to a soft, idle, and effeminate life, and seeks nothing but his own Let every man examine and judge himself.

ease.

15. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

To receive the seed of the word, to keep it in the heart, and to bring forth fruit, are three different gifts of God, which we must beg of him; but the chief gift of all is the good and perfect heart. The good heart which is fit to love, receive, retain, and practise the law and word of God, is that which has not these three bad qualities above mentioned, and in which charity is stronger than concupiscence. There are three kinds of patience which are necessary for the elect, in order to bring forth fruit worthy of heaven: the patience or perseverence of prayer, necessary to keep and preserve the seed in expectation of God's proper time and season; the patience of Christian perseverance, in bringing forth fruit to the end without being tired; and the patience of resistance and suffering in trials and persecutions, either internal from evil habits, or external from the hands of men. What, then, must we always pray, always labour, and always contend? This is the portion of the elect, the fruit of the divine word in their heart, and the continual exercise of their patience.

VOL. II.-3

SECT. III.-THE CANDLE UPON A CANDLESTICK.-WHOEVER HATH, SHALL HAVE MORE.-CHRIST'S MOTHER AND BRE

THREN.

16. No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.

It is a matter not merely of counsel, but of duty and obligation, that we should not possess graces, light, and talents to no purpose. It is still a greater piece of infidelity to hold. the truth in captivity to unrighteousness, and to the love of temporal conveniences. It is not sufficient to salvation for a man to believe in his heart the truth of the gospel, he must make profession of it, and not be ashamed to give testimony thereto. Neither is it sufficient for him even to have been justified by faith and charity, but he must perform the works of them, and edify the church and those who desire to enter into it.

17. For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

Well and good men may disguise their irregular intentions. to themselves and others: they will one day appear manifest to the eyes of the whole universe. We hide ourselves from men for the short moment of this life; we thereby avoid little troubles and inconveniences, and enjoy some small conveniences and advantages from the favour of the great, which passes away like a shadow: but when this shadow is vanished, then the light of the great day, which will make every thing manifest-truth, which will judge every thing, and justice, which will punish every thing and forever-shall make unrighteousness evidently known, and overwhelm the cowardly and hypocritical.

18. Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

Whoever improves the grace he has received, receives. abundantly more. What person is there, who, either opening the gospel, or receiving from the mouth of pastors and preachers the seed and light of God's word, seriously re

flects and considers how he ought to read or hear it; what use he is obliged to make of it; what account will be demanded of every truth; what reward God has decreed to the faithful use of it; and what punishment both to the abuse and to the making no use at all thereof? A man has properly nothing at all, when he has neither the knowledge of the Scriptures nor the gifts which should be instrumental thereto, in such a manner as is profitable to salvation. Very often, even in this life, all is taken away as a punishment of infidelity, ingratitude, and the abuse of God's gifts; and the light is turned into darkness.

19. Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. 20. And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.

He who has an ardent love for Christ cannot be long absent from him. Whatever private conversations the blessed Virgin might have with her Son, this earnest desire to hear from his mouth the word of God, and to see him exercise the public functions of his ministry, was very commendable. To go to hear those whom God fills with his Holy Spirit, that they may preach his truths worthily, is a respect and honour which we owe to his mission, his word, his goodness, and his designs. If ever curiosity were holy and allowable, it was this of desiring to hear the word made man, speak to men with all the knowledge and power of God. Had we but a lively faith, we should find the same advantage in his word.

21. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

An ecclesiastical person, a Christian, ought to forget everybody, and even his relations, when the service of God is in question. Faith and charity are the things which unite us closely to him, by causing us to adhere to his word and truth. Christ does not despise his mother, but only shows us upon what account she is to be esteemed; namely, on the account of her constant attention to divine truth, of her faithfulness in making all the use of it which was required of her, and of that union of grace and love which she had with his sacred humanity, not so much because she had given it him, as be

cause the Son of God had made it his own by causing it to subsist in his divine person. Let us learn of her to love Christ in such a way as is worthy of him, and never to apply ourselves to holy things but after a holy manner.

SECT. IV.-THE TEMPEST APPEASED.

22. Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. 23. But as they sailed, he fell asleep and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.

The present life is but, as it were, a passage from one shore to another from time to eternity. The world is the lake over which we must pass, the storm of wind is temptation, and the water with which the bark is filled is that corruption which slides insensibly into the heart by the senses. Christ is asleep in respect of us when he suffers us to be tempted, when negligence causes our faith and vigilance to slumber, and the fervency of prayer begins to abate. If we do not see what the dangers of this life are, because they are not always sensible, let us but open the eyes of our faith, and we shall behold them with horror. Christ seems not to watch over us in the time of temptation, and as if he permitted all to the devil; but he sees and governs all things with a sovereign knowledge and wisdom.

24. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, Master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

Let us but awake Christ by prayer when the storm arises, and the calm will be immediately restored to our heart. Let us make prayer familiar to us; for without his grace we are in danger of perishing every moment. When we have Jesus Christ at the bottom of our heart, we have reason to hope that temptations will be no more than trials, and that they will only serve to awaken our faith, to render us more watchful in prayer, and to make the almighty power of his grace manifest in us. The illustrious manner in which it shows itself in this miracle, is an emblem of that which grace performs in gaining the victory over temptations. It is to prayer that God joins these wonderful effects.