comfort, the guide of their path, and the support of their souls. They hear it, not out of vain curiosity, not from mere custom, not as an unpleasant task, to which they must occasionally attend; but they hear it with sincere affection and humble reverence, with holy joy and increasing delight, as "the law of liberty" and the charter of their privileges. That which they do not perfectly understand, they humbly examine; and that which points out their deficiences, fills them with humilty. When their Lord and Saviour speaks to them by his word, they listen to his voice, and treasure up in their hearts his sacred lessons,

They also watch against the incursions of their spiritual enemies who would rob them of the word of God, and they keep his word and "ponder it in their hearts;" and knowing its infinite value, they are not cast down and "offended" by the persecutions and tribulations which they may be called to endure for the word's sake. And when they are tempted by worldly cares and pleasures to neglect the things which belong unto their peace, they can say with David, "The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver." And again they may say, "Thy word

James i. 25.

1

have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin

against thee."! Knowing the tendency of earthly things to choke the word and render it unfruitful, they pray for grace to enable them to resist their injurious power and fascinating influence they say with the Psalmist, “Order my steps in thy word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.”m These bring forth fruit with patience. They endure, they continue stedfast. Though they may not, at first, appear so forward as the stony-ground hearers, yet they are found fruitful when the former are blighted and wither away. Their heart is sound, it is honest, sincere, and open; and keeping what they receive, they bring forth fruit with patience, with "patient continuance in well doing" Their works are not splendid perhaps, but they are profitable. Their fruits become more mature as they grow in grace. While the seed, with respect to some, is not received at all; and in others, is of short duration; and in some, is choked, and brought to no perfection, by reason of worldly cares and evil lusts; they bring forth more fruit in their age, with diligence and patience: till at last, they are gathered into the heavenly garner, " in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season." n

1 Psal. cxix. 72, 11.

Psal, cxix. 133.

Job v. 26.

U

We may remark respecting the last description of hearers, that although they are all fruitful, they are not equally fruitful, some bring forth thirty-fold, some sixty, and some an hundred. There are varieties of talents and endowments, of seasons and opportunities; and God will accept us according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not." In the same field, though all of it be fruitful, yet every part of it may not be alike productive. But fruitfulness is the great distinguishing mark of all those who rightly receive the word of God; they bring forth fruit with patience, "the fruit of the Spirit," "some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some an hundred."

Let us then, my brethren, consider well what our Lord declares to us by this instructive parable. "Take heed therefore," he says, "how ye hear." Let us hear with diligent attention, because the word of God which we hear, is the word of salvation. Our enemy, the wicked one, will try to divert our minds from the word, lest we should believe and be saved. knows its value, while he tempts men to neglect it.

He

Let it not suffice us to endure only for

• 2 Cor. viii. 12.

awhile, and in time of temptation fall away: but let us pray for grace that we may believe with the heart,. and may endure unto the end, "to the salvation of our souls." We must also carefully watch against worldly cares and the lusts of other things, lest they springing up, like hurtful weeds, should choke the good seed and render it unfruitful. May our hearts be softened and prepared by the kind influences of heaven, that, like the good ground, we may receive the seed into an honest and good heart, and "bear much fruit; " that having heard the word we may understand it, and keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience, some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some an hundred, to the glory of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

SERMON XVI.

CHRISTIAN FREEDOM.

JOHN VIII. 36.

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

THE enjoyment of Freedom is usually accounted one of the greatest blessings in civil life. It is undoubtedly an advantage of the highest importance, to have our persons and property at our own disposal, and not to be oppressed by tyranny, or disturbed by lawless violence. This freedom, or liberty, is, in many cases, more valuable than life itself. And indeed great numbers of mankind have, in