and not inhabited." He inhabits them no longer, but dwells in the "fat pastures" of righteousness, refreshed by "the waters of comfort."

Let the most obdurate sinner then turn to God, and he may be assured of His mercy. In this the Deity delights, and what He delights in He will perpetually exercise. Penitence will always win and holiness retain it. The "heart of stone," shall become a "heart of flesh." Sin will lose its power and righteousness encrease in strength, until it become "like a giant refreshed with wine." The transgressor will turn from indifference to devotion, from obduracy to submission, from vice to godliness. He will thenceforward pray "both with the heart and understanding." He will be righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works." Let him confide in this assurance. God has promised and He never promises in vain. Let the " sinner forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts," and his eternal safety is secure ; for "when the wicked man turneth turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive."

"

SERMON Xİ.

THE SEED AMONG THORNS.

ST. LUKE, CHAP. viii. VER. 7.

"And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it."

THIS is the third stage of the parable. Here are characterized another class of Christians, to whom the Word has proved unfruitful. It is offered "to all sorts and conditions of men." None are excluded, though many reject the offer altogether, while others only partially embrace it. The several stages of the parable are beautifully varied, until the climax is reached and the lesson of practical Christianity completed.

The different regions of the earth present an almost endless change to the eye of the traveller.

The landscape is enriched with every imaginable variety of tint and of bloom; with flowers of every conceivable form and colour; with plants of all qualities; some noxious, some harmless, some delightful, some repulsive. Thistles and briars spring up in one place; a rich verdure overspreads another. Bright rivulets meander through smiling valleys; luxuriant forests mantle over rugged hills. A large portion of the country is intersected with highways, leading from district to district, with paths opening a communication between more immediate neighbourhoods. Rocks occupy a considerable space, and stony places often extend themselves far and wide. Thorns and brambles cover a vast extent of surface, and wherever these abound nothing can come to perfection. They spread with amazing rapidity and with tyrannous power; and, unless effectually rooted up, obstruct the rising harvest.

Thorns are extremely prolific. They will thrive, too, in a soil however stony and however neglected. They require not the fostering care of the husbandman, but very frequently exist through his neglect. If allowed to spring up without check, they will quickly overspread the earth and leave no room for any roots but their own. The land will thus become finally desolate. Their worthless fruit is all that will be gathered, instead of that which the ground, with proper culture, would supply. Such fruit yields little or no nourishment, but propagates

suffering, disease and death. When valueless things are permitted to occupy ground fitted for more profitable productions, the criminal indolence of the husbandman is at once conspicuous. He is a sluggard, and receives the sluggard's portion. He pays no attention to his tillage, and the consequence is that he reaps no harvest. Poverty and destitution follow, and he thus suffers the bitter penalty of his improvidence.

All classes of Christian worshippers receive "the milk of the Word." It falls upon them, like the gentle dew from heaven, to nourish and refresh them in their weary pilgrimage. It will both nourish and refresh, if the heart be prepared to imbibe it, otherwise it will fall unavailingly. It is a blessing received wherever it does fall, and a blessing despised wherever it is allowed to become unprofitable.

Need I tell you that every blessing despised, is converted into a bane; since it brings punishment on the despiser, and thus the original boon is transformed into a penalty. It is, then, a dangerous thing to receive a divine gift, unless we appreciate it justly, and in order to do this, we must apply our earnest endeavours to render it as profitable as the Almighty Giver designed it should become. Our blessed Lord implies this, in the parable before us.

If the seed of the sower fall by the way-side, the fowls of the air must be driven from it, and care taken that it be not trodden under foot. We have no choice but to take the necessary

precautions to secure its increase, if we would obtain a produce. It must therefore be cautiously collected from the highway, where it would else be waste, and cast into the furrow whence it will bring forth, in due season, in measures according to the industry employed to ensure so desirable a result. If it fall upon a rock, earth must be scattered above and around it; water must be provided to nourish it, and it must be fostered to its maturity by means proportioned to the difficulties which obstruct its growth. If it fall among thorns, these must be plucked up with gentle caution, and room thus made for the germinating plant to yield its encrease. But if nothing of all this be done, the harvest will be "as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up: wherewith the mower filleth not his hand, nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom; neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you, we bless you in the name of the Lord."

It will be obvious to the most superficial observation, that there are numerous classes of worshippers in the Christian church, exercising various degrees of ardour. It were to be wished that the classes were fewer and the ardour generally more intense. There is, however, too much negligence among all. Nor are they, who claim to be the least negligent, always the most active in the performance of their spiritual duties. But it is clear that negligence, under