Profitable Hearers of the Word

 Profitable Hearers of the Word

Matthew 13:23.1 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

This parable of the sower and the seed is one of the most notable of Christ's parables that we have account of; and it being so, 'twill not be improper in this place a little to inquire into the reasons why Christ so commonly taught in this way. 

The following reasons may be given:

In the first place, 'tis an engaging way of instructing. It engages the attention of the hearers, when any doctrine is taught in an allegory and by way of story. It is a most familiar way, as a parent would instruct a child. Christ condescended to the weakness and childishness of the people, and instructed by easy and familiar comparisons and similitudes.

And then it is a very instructive way. The reason of the thing many times will presently be seen by an apt comparison, that otherwise is difficultly explained.

And another reason why we are so often instructed in Scriptures in an allegorical way, in Christ's parables and elsewhere, is that we might have some exercise for our understandings to find out the truth contained in them. Our understandings were given us to be used, and above all to be exercised, in divine things. Therefore God teaches us in such a way that we shall have some exercise of meditation and study. God gives us the gold, but he gives it to us in a mine that we might dig for it and get in a way of our own industry.

And then, when the truth is found out, it makes a greater impression, is much more pleasing. If truth was revealed in such a way that we could understand it as well without study or diligence as with, and fools could understand as much as wise men, truth would be despised.

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If gold were thrown plentifully before every man's face, and everyone could have it without any labor or industry, it would not be prized as now it is. But God gives it to us in mines; we must dig for it, if we get it, and that makes it precious. So God gives us divine truth as it were in mines—in allegories and parables and types—where we must dig for it to come at it.

'Tis for the same reasons that abundance of the Scripture is obscure and difficult to be understood. 

The prophecies were delivered in dark similitudes. It was not Jesus Christ in the flesh that first brought in this way of teaching. God always used it, and especially under the old testament, where all things are in types and shadows; and these types were not only for the Jews' sakes, but also for the church to the end of the world. 

This is not only God's method in Scripture, but his method in nature also. The works of God are hard to be understood, that they might be "sought out of all them that have pleasure in them" (Psalms 111:2).

For the same reason, the prophets were often appointed to do such and such things for a sign.

This reason also may be given that Christ spoke so much in parable: that many of that people were not capable of receiving gospel truths plainly declared. It would be like putting new wine into old bottles. For the same reason also, the gospel was preached to the Jews under a veil; they were not able to look upon Moses' face except there was a veil put over it.

But the principle reason seems to be that which Christ himself gives to his disciples when they asked him, beginning with the tenth verse, "And the disciples came, [and said] to him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand." 

It was that those that had honest hearts and had pleasure in the truth and sought it out might understand it, but that others might not understand it. Those that had a love to divine truth would be likely to know, but others would be ignorant. 

Therefore we may observe that Christ seldom speaks to his own disciples in parables, and seldom speaks to the multitude without a parable. This may serve something to enlighten us with respect to the reason of Christ's using so many parables.

the operation of an invisible agent

There are some who make this an argument in their own favor, when speaking of what they have experienced, they say: "I am sure I did not make it myself: it was a fruit of no contrivance or endeavor of mine; it came when I thought nothing of it; if I might have the world for it, I can't make it again when I please." 

And hence they determine, that what they have experienced, must be from the mighty influence of the Spirit of God, and is of a saving nature; but very ignorantly, and without grounds. 

What they have been the subjects of, may indeed, not be from themselves directly, but may be from the operation of an invisible agent, some spirit besides their own: but it does not thence follow, that it was from the Spirit of God. 

There are other spirits who have influence on the minds of men, besides the Holy Ghost. We are directed not to believe every spirit, but to try the spirits, whether they be of God [I John 4:1]. There are many false spirits, exceeding busy with men, who often transform themselves into angels of light, and do in many wonderful ways, with great subtlety and power, mimic the operations of the Spirit of God. 

And there are many of Satan's operations, which are very distinguishable from the voluntary exercises of men's own minds. They are so, in those dreadful and horrid suggestions, and blasphemous injections with which he follows many persons; and in vain and fruitless frights and terrors, which he is the author of. And the power of Satan may be as immediate, and as evident in false comforts and joys, as in terrors and horrid suggestions; and oftentimes is so in fact. 

'Tis not in men's power to put themselves into such raptures, as the Anabaptists in Germany, and many other raving enthusiasts like them, have been the subjects of.

And besides, it is to be considered, that persons may have those impressions on their minds, which may not be of their own producing, nor from an evil spirit, but from the Spirit of God, and yet not be from any saving, but a common influence of the Spirit of God: and the subjects of such impressions, may be of the number of those we read of, Hebrews 6:4–5. "That are once enlightened, and taste of the heavenly gift, and are made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and taste the good Word of God, and the power of the world to come"; and yet may be wholly unacquainted with those "better things that accompany salvation," spoken of, v. 9.

And where neither a good nor evil spirit have any immediate hand, persons, especially such as are of a weak and vapory habit of body, and the brain weak, and easily susceptive of impressions, may have strange apprehensions and imaginations, and strong affections attending them, unaccountably arising, which are not voluntarily produced by themselves. 

We see that such persons are liable to such impressions, about temporal things; and there is equal reason, why they should about spiritual things. As a person who is asleep, has dreams, that he is not the voluntary author of; so may such persons, in like manner, be the subjects of involuntary impressions, when they are awake.

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The cup of his indignation

 If the damned were the objects of divine benevolence, and designed by God for the enjoyment of his eternal love, doubtless it would be required of all God's children to love 'em, and to pity 'em, and pray for 'em, and seek their good; as here in this world 'tis required of 'em to love their enemies, to be kind to the evil and unjust, and pity and pray for the wickedest and vilest of men, though their own persecutors, because they are the subjects of God's mercy in many respects, and are capable subjects of infinite, divine mercy and love.

If Christ, the head of all the church, pities the damned and seeks their good, doubtless his members ought to do so too. If the saints in heaven ought to pity the damned, as well as the saints on earth the wicked that dwell here, doubtless their pity ought to be in some proportion to the greatness of the calamity of the objects of it and the greatness of the number of those they see in misery. But if they had pity and sympathizing grief in such measure as this for so many ages, what an alloy would it be to their happiness.

God is represented as whetting his glittering sword, and bending his bow, and making ready his arrows on the string against wicked men, and lifting his hand to heaven and swearing that he'll render vengeance to his enemies and reward them that hate him, and make his arrows drunk with their blood, and that his sword shall devour their flesh (Deuteronomy 32:40–42 and Psalms 7:11–13). Certainly this is the language and conduct of an enemy, and not of a friend and of a compassionate, chastening Father.

The degree of misery and torment that shall be inflicted is an evidence that God is not acting the part of benevolence and compassion, and only chastening from a kind and gracious principle and design. 'Tis evident that 'tis God's manner, when he thus afflicts men for their good and chastens them with compassion, he is wont to stay his rough wind in the day of his east wind, to correct in measure, not to stir up all his wrath, to consider the frame of those that are corrected, to remember their weakness and consider how little they can bear; he turns away his anger, and don't stir up all his wrath (Psalms 78:37–39, Isaiah 27:8, Jeremiah 30:11 and Jeremiah 46:28). And 'tis his manner in the midst even of the severest afflictions to order some mitigating circumstances and to mix some mercy.

But the misery of the damned is represented as unmixed. The wine of the wrath of God "is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation," that they may be "tormented with fire and brimstone in the

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presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment shall ascend up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night" (Revelation 14:10–11). They are tormented in a flame that burns within them as well as round about them, and they shall be denied so much as a drop of water to cool their tongues. And God's wrath shall be inflicted in such a manner as [will] show his wrath and make his strength known, as on vessels of wrath fitted for no other use but to be destroyed, and shall be punished with everlasting destruction, answerable to that glory of Christ's power which he shall appear in at the day of judgment, when he shall come in the glory of his Father, with power and great glory, in flaming fire, to take vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel. Can any imagine that, in all this, God is only correcting from love, and that the subjects of these inflictions are some of those happy ones whom God corrects in order to teach 'em out of his law, whom he makes sore and bindeth up (Job 5:17–18, Psalms 94:12)?

There is nothing in Scripture that looks as if the damned were under the use of means to bring 'em to repentance. 'Tis apparent God's manner is, when he afflicts men to bring to repentance with affliction, to join instructions, admonitions and arguments to persuade. But if we judge by Scripture representation of the state of the damned, they are left destitute of all these things. There are no prophets or ministers or good men to admonish them, reason and expostulate with them, or set 'em good examples. There is perfect separation made between all the righteous and the wicked, with a great gulf, so that there can be no passing from one to the other. They are left wholly to the company of devils and others like 'em. When the rich man in hell cries to his father Abraham, begging a drop of water, he denies his request and adds no exhortation to repentance.

Wisdom is abundantly represented in the book of Proverbs as counseling, warning, calling, inviting and expostulating with such as are under means for the obtaining wisdom, and that [God] is waiting upon in the use of means, that they may turn at his reproof. But as to such as are obstinate under these means of grace and calls of wisdom till the time of their punishment comes, 'tis represented their fear shall come as desolation and destruction as an whirlwind; that distress and anguish shall come upon them, and that then it will be in vain for 'em to seek wisdom; that if they seek her early they shall not find her, and if they call upon her she will not hear, but instead of this will laugh at their calamity and mock when their fear cometh. Which certainly don't consist with wisdom, or the God of wisdom, still striving with them and using means in

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a benevolent and compassionate manner to bring 'em to seek and embrace wisdom; still offering wisdom, with all her unspeakable, infinite benefits, if they will hearken to her voice and comply with her, and not only so, but actually using the most powerful and effectual means to bring them to this happiness, even such as shall surely be successful, though they have obstinately refused all others, and when wisdom called they heretofore refused, and when she stretched forth her hand they did not regard; and so still most effectually doing the part of a friend to deliver 'em from their distress and anguish instead of laughing at their calamity (Proverbs 1:24–33). This declaration of wisdom, if ever it be fulfilled at all, will surely be fulfilled most completely and perfectly at the time appointed for obstinate sinners to receive their most perfect and complete punishment.

If all mankind, even such as live and die in their wickedness, are and ever will be the objects of Christ's good will and mercy, and those whose eternal happiness he desires and seeks, then surely he would pray for all. But Christ declares that there are some that he prays not for. John 17:9, "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine," compared with John 17:14, "the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world"; John 17:25, "the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me"; and John 17:20, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word." By all which it appears that Christ prayed for all that should ever be true believers. But he prayed [not] for those who should not be brought by the word of the apostles, and such means of grace as are used in this world, to believe in him, and should continue notwithstanding not to know God. And [those] in enmity against true holiness, or Christianity, were such as Christ prayed not for.

No contention

There they shall live in a world of light and happiness with God and Jesus Christ.

That world is not like this, where men sometimes are sick and in pain: there they have no sickness or pain or sorrow.

Here in this world, good men have enemies oftentimes that hurt 'em and afflict 'em, but there they shall be set on high, out of the reach of all their enemies, [where] nothing can hurt 'em.

Here they have a great deal of trouble and sorrow of mind, but there they shall have no more sorrow, but all tears shall be wiped away from their eyes.

Here they often labor and are weary; but there they shall be at rest, and then all sin shall be taken away and their souls shall be perfectly clean and bright, without any spot.

Here oftentimes the devil tempts 'em and tries to draw 'em on to sin, and is a great trouble; but no devil shall ever be suffered to come there.

This8 world is an evil world, because there is so much quarreling and contention, but there is no contention [in heaven] and all shall live together in perfect love and peace.

Here the saints know but little of God, but there they shall know ten thousand times as much as now. They shall see God's glory and beauty very clearly, which will fill 'em with joy.

The Apostle says, "now we see through a glass, darkly"; and, "but then we shall see face to face" [1 Corinthians 13:12].

Then they shall see Christ in his glory, and be along with him, and he will show them his great love to 'em.

They shall all live as one great family, all his own dear children. [They] shall be made like Christ and shall shine forth as the sun, and then their hearts will be full of love and full of joy, as the sun is full of light.

And they shall never die; there is no death in heaven.

And they shall never grow old, but shall [be] always young, and shall

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never need any meat or drink or sleep; and in this happy and joyful state, they shall remain forever and ever. There shall be no end to it.

Awful state

 Ans. 3. Concerning the tendency of this way of confining baptism to professors of godliness and their children, to promote irreligion and profaneness; I would observe, first, that Christ is best able to judge of the tendency of his own institutions. Secondly, I am bold to say, that the

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supposing this principle and practice to have such a tendency, is a great mistake, contrary to Scripture and plain reason and experience. Indeed such a tendency it would have, to shut men out from having any part in the Lord (in the sense of the two tribes and half, Joshua 22:25) or to fence them out by such a partition wall as formerly was between Jews and gentiles; and so to shut them out as to tell 'em, if they were never much so disposed to serve God, he was not ready to accept 'em; according to that notion the Jews seem to have had of the uncircumcised gentiles. But only to forbear giving men honors they have no title to, and not to compliment them with the name and badge of God's people and children, while they pretend to nothing but what is consistent with their being his enemies, this has no such tendency: but rather the contrary has very much this tendency. For is it not found by constant experience through all ages, that blind corrupt mankind, in matters of religion, are strongly disposed to rest in a name, instead of the thing; in the shadow, instead of the substance; and to make themselves easy with the former, in the neglect of the latter? This overvaluing of common grace, and moral sincerity, as it is called; this building so much upon them, making them the conditions of enjoying the seals of God's covenant, and the appointed privileges, and honorable and sacred badges of God's children; this, I can't but think, naturally tends to sooth and flatter the pride of vain man, while it tends to aggrandize those things in men's eyes, which they, of themselves, are strongly disposed to magnify and trust in, without such encouragements, to prompt 'em to it, yea, against all discouragements and dissuasives that can possibly be used with them.

This way of proceeding greatly tends to establish the negligence of parents, and to confirm the stupidity and security of wicked children. If baptism were denied to all children, whose parents did not profess godliness, and in a judgment of rational charity appear real saints, it would tend to excite pious heads of families to more thorough care and pains in the religious education of their children, and to more fervent prayer for them, that they might be converted in youth, before they enter into a married state; and so if they have children, the entail of the covenant be secured. And it would tend to awaken young people themselves, as yet unconverted, especially when about to settle in the world. Their having no right to Christian privileges for their children, in case they should become parents, would tend to lead 'em at such a time seriously to reflect on their own awful state; which, if they don't get out of it, must lay a foundation for so much calamity and reproach

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to their families. And if after their becoming parents, they still remain unconverted, the melancholy thought of their children's going about without so much as the external mark of Christians, would have a continual tendency to put 'em in mind of, and affect 'em with their own sin and folly in neglecting to turn to God, by which they bring such visible calamity and disgrace on themselves and families; they would have this additional motive continually to stir 'em up to seek grace for themselves and their children: whereas, the contrary practice has a natural tendency to quiet the minds of persons, both in their own and their children's unregeneracy. Yea, may it not be suspected, that the way of baptizing the children of such as never make any proper profession of godliness, is an expedient originally invented for that very end, to give ease to ancestors with respect to their posterity, in times of general declension and degeneracy?

This way of proceeding greatly tends to establish the stupidity and irreligion of children, as well as negligence of parents. 'Tis certain, that unconverted parents do never truly give up their children to God; since they don't truly give up themselves to him. And if neither of the parents appear truly pious, in the judgment of rational charity, there is not in this case any ground to expect that the children will be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, or that they will have anything worthy the name of a Christian education, how solemnly soever the parents may promise it. 

The hill of Zion

In order to men's being true Christians, it is necessary that they prosecute the business of religion, and the service of God with great earnestness and diligence, as the work which they devote themselves to, and make the main business of their lives. 

All Christ's peculiar people, not only do good works, but are zealous of good works (Titus 2:14). No man can do the service of two masters at once. They that are God's true servants, do give up themselves to his service, and make it as it were their whole work, therein employing their whole hearts, and the chief of their strength; Philippians 3:13, "This one thing I do." 

Christians in their effectual calling, are not called to idleness, but to labor in God's vineyard, and spend their day in doing a great and laborious service. All true Christians comply with this call (as is implied in its being an effectual call), and do the work of Christians; which is everywhere in the New Testament compared to those exercises, wherein men are wont to exert their strength, with the greatest earnestness, as running, wrestling, fighting. 

All true Christians are good and faithful soldiers of Jesus Christ, and fight the good fight of faith: for none but those who do so, do ever lay hold on eternal life. Those who fight as those that beat the air, never win the crown of victory. They that run in a race, run all; but one wins the prize; and they that are slack and negligent in their course, do not so run, as that they may obtain. The kingdom of heaven is not to be taken but by violence. 

Without earnestness there is no getting along, in that narrow way that leads to life; and so no arriving at that state of glorious life and happiness which it leads to. 

Without earnest labor, there is no ascending the steep and high hill of Zion; and so no arriving at the heavenly city on the top of it. 

Without a constant laboriousness, there is no stemming the swift stream in which we swim, so as ever to come to that fountain of water of life, that is at the head of it. 

There is need that we should watch and pray always, in order to our escaping those dreadful things, that are coming on the ungodly, and our being counted worthy to stand before the Son of Man. 

There is need of our putting on the whole armor of God, and doing all to stand, in order to our avoiding a total overthrow, and being utterly destroyed by the fiery darts of the devil. 

There is need that we should forget the things that are behind, and be reaching forth to the things that are before, and pressing towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord, in order to our obtaining that prize. 

Slothfulness in the service of God, in his professed servants, is as damning, as open rebellion: for the slothful servant, is a wicked servant, and shall be cast into outer darkness, among God's open enemies (Matthew 25:26, 28). They that are slothful, are not followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:11–12, "And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope, unto the end: that ye be not slothful; but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises." And all they who follow that cloud of witnesses that are gone before to heaven, do lay aside every weight, and the sin that easily besets them, and do run with patience the race that is set before them (Hebrews 12:1). 

That true faith, by which persons rely on the righteousness of Christ, and the work that he hath done for them, and do truly feed and live upon him, is evermore accompanied with such a spirit of earnestness in the Christian work and course. 

Avoid contention

But whatever any may judge of the secrets of my heart, with regard to the principles that I have

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been influenced by, in what I have now said; it is enough for you to whom I have spoke it, that I have demonstrated that what I have delivered is the mind of God; and also (if there be any truth in his Word) that what I have recommended is not only for the temporal interest of your minister, but also for your own both temporal and spiritual interest.

Another article of advice that I would give you, is, to beware that you don't weaken your minister's hands, and wound yourselves by contention. You are but a small people, and you'll be a very foolish people indeed if you are divided against yourselves. Contention among a people hinders all manner of comfort and prosperity either of soul or body; it makes 'em a torment to themselves and one another; it puts 'em every way under disadvantages, and weakens the whole body like a consumption.

There are two sorts of contention I would warn you against,

First. Avoid contention among yourselves about your own temporal affairs. This will exceedingly tend to render a minister's labors ineffectual; and it is what greatly damps the spirit and discourages the heart of a minister, to see his people divided into parties, and envying one another, and entertaining mutual prejudices, jealousies and grudges, and so backbiting and reproaching one another, and carrying on secret plots and designs one against another.

Second. Avoid quarreling with your minister in matters of church discipline. This is a common thing, but a most unchristian thing, and tends greatly to weaken the hands of a minister in the whole of his work, and render all to no purpose. The exercise of the discipline of God's house is the most difficult part of that great work that a minister has to do; and it becomes a Christian people to their utmost to strengthen their minister's hands in this difficult business, and say as the people said to Ezra the priest, with respect to the affair of purging the church of Israel from the scandal of those that had married strange wives, Ezra 10:4, "Arise; for this matter belongeth to thee; we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it."

To conclude, if you would have your minister successful among you, and a blessing to you, and if you would be a happy people, then love one another and love your minister. There are some professors, in some of our towns, that are anti-ministerial men; they seem to have a disposition to dislike men of that order; they are apt to be prejudiced against them, and to be suspicious of them, and talk against them; and it seems to be as it were natural to 'em to be unfriendly and unkind towards their own ministers, and to make difficulty for them. But I don't believe there is a

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true Christian on earth that is of this character; on the contrary the feet of them that bring good tidings, and publish the gospel of salvation are beautiful in the eyes of all the true children of Zion; and everyone that receives Christ, and whose heart is governed by a supreme love to him, has a disposition to receive, love and honor his messengers. 

It was the distinguishing mark by which God manifested the person he had chosen to be the wife of Isaac, that type of Christ, that it was the damsel that should give kind and friendly entertainment to Abraham's servant or steward that was sent to espouse her and bring her home to Isaac; and therein was a type of the gospel ministry, Genesis 24:14, etc. See to it that you thus entertain the steward of the house of God that comes on this blessed errand to you.

If you and your minister thus live in peace, it will be the way for you to be a happy society, to flourish and prosper with all manner of prosperity, to have Christ dwelling among you; and for things to be brought to so blessed an event at last, as that he that is the great Shepherd of the Sheep, that purchased the souls of men with his blood, and your pastor that has the care of your souls committed to him, and yourselves and children, all should rejoice together in another world, agreeable to John 4:36, "And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together."