him in the way everlasting. The apostles and the company about Jesus had chosen this good path : and of them, and of all who "through their word" are following the same road, it may be truly said, "Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear." 1 "God who made the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in their hearts, to give the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

LECTURE XXII.

SEED SOWN BY THE WAY SIDE.

MARK iv. 13—15.

13. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

14. The sower soweth the word.

15. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

It commonly happens wherever seed is sown, that all is not covered with earth: some never vegetates: it falls by the way side, and the fowls of the air come and devour it up.

But the Lord here warns us, that what happens in the field, happens also in the church: that what

1 Matt. xiii. 16.

22 Cor. iv. 6.

H

happens to the grain of wheat when cast upon the ground, happens also to the word of God, which is often taken away from the heart as quickly as the seed is devoured which falls by the way side. Nothing takes root or grows from one any more than from the other. The fault is not in the seed. It is the same seed, whether it falls by the way side, or on stony ground, or among thorns, or on good ground. Neither is the fault in the sower, who casts the same seed on all the fault is in the soil; in the hearts of those that hear. The same word is a 66 savour of death unto death in some," and a "savour of life unto life" in others.1

Our Lord here explains how the seed is lost which falls by the way side. These are they by the way side, where the word is sown: but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

It is not unusual where one is sowing seed, to observe at a distance a flock of birds, waiting their opportunity that before the grains are covered beneath the earth, they may dart down and carry them away.

This is an example of the arts of Satan. He is the enemy of that immortal soul implanted in man, which Jesus had come to save. That soul which he first ruined, he will not permit, as far as in him lies, to be delivered from ruin. He knows that its everlasting state depends upon the word. Therefore it depends upon the manner in which that word is received; which does not profit, unless it be "mixed

'2 Cor. ii. 16.

with faith" in those that hear: which has no healing power when merely dropped upon the ear, but must be marked, and learnt, and inwardly digested, that it may take root downward and bear fruit upward," and grow to the full measure of the christian man.

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Here therefore Satan plies his arts and lays his snares. The word of life is spoken: spoken in the hearing of one who is now living as Satan would have him continue to live; in the practice of some sin which makes a separation between him and God; -living in some way or other for this world, and not for that which is to come;-bearing indeed the christian name, but neither knowing Christ as Saviour, nor obeying him as Lord. If such a man attends to the word sown within his hearing, if it enters into his heart and lodges there, that man will be taken out of the power of Satan, and belong to Him who came to vanquish Satan: he will no longer remain a captive at the will of the devil, but will be delivered from that bondage into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. Now therefore is the time when "the enemy" will do his worst, that he may not lose his slave, or be deprived of his victim. Now is the time when he must prevent the word from going farther than the outward ear, and becoming "the engrafted word, which is able to save the soul." 3

1. His first attempt will be, to divert attention : to contrive that the hearer shall not be a listener. It is very possible to hear without listening. We may be, for instance, within sound of a peal of bells;

2 Heb. iv. 2.

3 James i. 21.

but they do not change the current of our thoughts or interrupt our conversation. But if on a sudden a bell should begin to toll, which we believe to be the passing bell or the funeral bell of some dear friend; it would put a stop to the conversation, it would arrest the course of our thoughts, and with a pensive serious attention we should listen to the bell. And such is the difference between hearing the word of God, and hearkening to it: hearkening to it like the faithful disciple of whom we are told, that the Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul."

4

This attention the enemy will desire to hinder. He will suggest to the mind subjects which have no concern with the time or place: something which is to be done or has been done: something which passes before the eyes;-and those words on which depend the issues of life and death fall unnoticed on the ear, and leave no impression on the heart. It was thus that the words of the prophet Ezekiel were frustrated. The Lord complained concerning the Israelites, "They come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them. And lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, and do them not." 5

2. Suppose, however, that "the wicked one" cannot succeed in diverting attention from the word Acts xvi. 14. 5 Ezek. xxxiii. 31.

altogether. He must next endeavour to hinder its effect. If the seed must drop into the ground, the next purpose is, to prevent its taking root. For this he has several arts; and we ought not to be "ignorant of his devices." He does to a bad end what a parent might do with a good design, who desired to divert a son from some object or rash enterprise on which his mind was bent. The parent sets in the worst light the object which he is pursuing; points out the dangers; the consequences. Satan uses these means to deter the sinner from listening to the word which calls him to "repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ." That word says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upou you, and learn of me; and ye shall find rest unto your souls." The man hears this; perhaps for the moment he feels the need of rest; the need of something on which he can securely lean; something which will survive when this world is passed and gone. His mind inclines towards the gracious invitation; and he is half disposed to say, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." "Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest."

Then it is that Satan exerts himself to retain dominion. He frightens the man with consequences, and represents those consequences deceitfully. He pretends that to take up the yoke of Christ, and learn of him, is to give up all the pleasures and gratifications of the present world. He reminds him of the jeers and scoffs, and reproachful names which are often cast upon men who walk in the fear of God. He whispers