Search

(9) Jesus said, "Now the sower went out, took a handful (of seeds), and scattered them. Some fell on the road; the birds came and gathered them up. Others fell on the rock, did not take root in the soil, and did not produce ears. And others fell on thorns; they choked the seed(s) and worms ate them. And others fell on the good soil and produced good fruit: it bore sixty per measure and a hundred and twenty per measure."

(15) it was with me as with a young Tree, which is planted in the Ground, and at first is young and tender, and flourishing to the Eye, especially if it comes on lustily in its growing : But it does not bear Fruit presently; and though it blossoms, they fall off; also many a cold Wind, Frost and Snow, puff upon it, before it comes to any Growth and bearing of Fruit.

(67) But if one among them lifts up itself too high in its Growth, and so withers, because it has not Sap enough, how can the Earth help it? Does it not afford its Sap to that as well as to the other?

(5) The tender plant, and withers all its shades;

It lies uprooted from its genial bed,

A lovely ruin now defac’d and dead.

(5) And those cares He indicated in the parable of the fourfold seed, when He said that "the seed of the word which fell unto the thorns" and hedges was choked by them, and could not bring forth fruit. It is therefore necessary to learn how to make use of every occurrence, so as by a good life, according to knowledge, to be trained for the state of eternal life. For it said, "I saw the wicked exalted and towering as the cedars of Lebanon; and I passed," says the Scripture, "and, lo, he was not; and I sought him, and his place was not found. Keep innocence, and look on uprightness: for there is a remnant to the man of peace." Such will he be who believes unfeignedly with his whole heart, and is tranquil in his whole soul. "For the different people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from the Lord." "They bless with their mouth, but they curse in their heart." "They loved Him with their mouth, and lied to Him with their tongue; but their heart was not right with Him, and they were not faithful to His covenant."

(26) And all the ravines were deep ⌈⌈and narrow⌉⌉, (being formed) of hard rock, and trees were not planted upon them.

(44) [“Here is meant or understood, out of or from a very wicked Seed, out of which there often grows a Thistle; though yet there were a Remedy, if the Will was but once broken; but it is a rare and precious Thing; however indeed on a good Tree it is often so, that some Branches also wither.”] Note.

(16) So also it went with this Spirit: The first Fire was but a Seed, and not a constant lasting Light: Since that Time many a cold Wind blew upon it; but the Will never extinguished. This Tree was also often tempted to try whether it would bear Fruit, and show itself with Blossoms; but the Blossoms were struck off till this very Time, wherein it stands in its first Fruit, in the Growth or Vegetation.

(90) In the mean while, the Heat from without always dries the sweet Water in the Stalk, and the Stalk always is smaller at the Top; the higher it grows, the smaller it is, growing on so long, till it can escape or run no further.

(24) Behold, I give you a fit Similitude in a Sower; a Sower tills his Ground the best he can, and sows good Wheat, but now there is other Seed among the Wheat, and though that was indeed wholly pure, yet the Earth puts forth Weeds among the Wheat, even Thorns and Thistles. And now what shall the Sower do? Shall he therefore reject the whole Crop, or burn it, for the Thistles and Darnels Sake? No, but he threshes it, and fans it, he separates the Weeds and Dross from it, and uses the good Seed for his Food, and gives the Chaff to his Cattle or Beasts, and with the Straw he makes Compost for his Ground, and so makes good Use of his whole Crop.

(40) Jesus said, "A grapevine has been planted outside of the Father, but being unsound, it will be pulled up by its roots and destroyed."