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yet not being able to deny that it was more than human, with most astonishing absurdity they ascribed it to the devil himself.

23. And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?

24. And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

25. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

26. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.

27. No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

Who is it that must first bind the strong man in us all? When you come to grapple with this enemy, and strive in earnest to cast him out of possession, you will soon find that you cannot do it of yourselves. The Scripture never fulfils God's design in you till you know this, know who will bind the evil spirit, and cast him out, and have grace given you to resolve that he shall.

28. Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:

"All sins," upon repentance for Christ's sake.

29. But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation : 30. Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

The miracles of Jesus were the strongest proofs of his being sent of God, which could be given. And they who resist this proof, and what is more, ascribe his miracles to Satan, are past conviction. Either they will not, or by the just judgment of God, shall not repent. Some are apt to fear in their despairing moods, that they have committed this sin against the Holy Ghost. Let them consider what it is, namely, ascribing Christ's miracles, wrought by the

power of the Spirit, to the devil, and they will perceive at once that they have not.

31. There came then his brethren and his mother, and; standing without, sent unto him, calling him.

32. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.

33. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren ?

34. And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

What! we poor worms of the earth! sinful dust and ashes !—yes, if it is not our own fault. And he tells us how we may become so dear to him.

35. For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

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Think not to claim kindred with Christ in any other way than that which is here mentioned, namely, by doing the will of God. If Christ does not bring us to this prayer, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," we do not belong to him. Observe the order and manner of our salvation. We are first dead in trespasses and sins: the knowledge of this brings us to God, in repentance for the mercy of forgiveness by Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ purifies the heart, turns our wills against sin, and inclines us to do the will of God. And if our faith has not this effect, it is a dead faith; we are yet in our sins. You have it now put to your choice, whether you will be Christ's brethren, or the bond-slaves of Satan. Let him not put out your eyes: look, turn, come to Christ, and be saved.

SECTION XI.

Chap. iv. ver. 1—9.

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER.

1. And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.

A happy gathering! And yet you will see presently, in the parable of the sower, that all hearers are not doers. Whether there be many or few who gather themselves to Christ, to hear him speaking now, in his word, be you of the number; and whatever you read or hear, do it in sincerity, to the end that you may profit by it: you will if you pray for a blessing.

2. And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

He taught them by similitudes, which convey instruction with the greater force; because by a discovery of their hidden meaning we have in part the pleasure of teaching ourselves.

3. Hearken;

Think yourselves present at the scene; imagine that you see the divine teacher sit down in the ship, and the multitude standing before him in awful silence to receive his instructions. Do you besides listen with eager attention. That which Jesus taught them, is, by the good providence of God, before us; and he says now, this moment, to every one of us, with a voice of authority, which should pierce our souls,-Hearken!

3. Behold, there went out a sower to sow :

4. And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

5. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

6. But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

7. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

8. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, some sixty, and some an hundred.

The beauty and simplicity of the parable before us are suited to arrest our attention, and to employ our thoughts. When we can contemplate the employments of the husbandmen, and keep out of our minds the depravity of those who pursue them, we find a sweet pleasure and satisfaction. And we do well to remember that the design of our Lord, in this parable, and in all his teaching, was to extract the poison of sin and depravity out of the hearts of all who hear of his miracles, and who learn his doctrine. -Edit.

9. And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

What are we

The words of Christ; the sweetest of all words, and what it concerns every man, above all things in the world, to hear and understand, and to lay to heart. when we do not hear Christ? What will become of us if we do not receive his instructions with the undisputing simplicity of little children, and without a murmuring or opposing thought; knowing it to be the will of God for our salvation?

SECTION XII.

Chap. iv. ver. 10-20.

THE INTERPRETATION OF THE PARABLE.

10. And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.

We cannot be too inquisitive in the things of Christ; and it is a sure sign of a dead state when we are not.

11. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God:

He afterwards explained all to them, as he knew they would profit by it. His explanation is before us, and to us likewise it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; both what we could not know without its being revealed, and what we are required to know upon the peril of our own souls, now it is revealed. Let us resolve to know what the kingdom of God is, what are its blessings, and what we must do to belong to it, and then all will be plain and easy.

11. But unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

To men whose hearts are in the world, and not with Christ, he can never speak plain enough. Parables are parables to them. All is hidden from them. What they do know is useless, because they do not understand with the heart. And besides, God leaves them to themselves, and says they shall not see. This is a sad condition: the Lord deliver us from it!

12. That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted,

This is the case of great numbers, who see the truth, and value themselves upon knowing it, but without any

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