But that on the good ground, are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. –Luke 8:15
Disciple, tread warily on this good ground: speak cautiously about it, lest thy soul be lifted up, and thou shouldst say, I made myself to differ; my nature is better to receive the seed, and my heart more honest and good to retain it than others. Know thyself by nature upon a level with way-side, stony ground, and thorny hearers. See what is predicted of those who "having heard the word, keep it." Let us examine if we are of the happy number: if so, let us fall down in humility and cry, What hath God wrought! Let us give all the glory to the God of all grace!
"That on good ground." It is made good by the labor of the husbandman; tilled, cultivated, and made fit to receive the seed, by the grace of the Spirit, "in an honest and good heart." No man has such a heart naturally: the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; see the accursed weeds it brings forth: "Out of the heart proceedeth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries," &c. Mark 7:21. Such a heart as this can neither receive nor retain the seed of the kingdom, so as to bring forth fruit unto perfection. "A new heart," saith the Lord, "will I give you." Ezek. 36:26. Precious promise! This is that good and honest heart. Hath the Lord given it thee? If so,
You will "hear the word and keep it." It takes root downward. Thou hast and dost retain an abiding sense of thy own vileness, poverty, and wretchedness; thou wilt be rooted and grounded in the love of Christ, knowing that in him thou art rich, righteous, and happy. As the word made thee thus wise and happy, thou wilt keep it, ponder it in thine heart, meditate upon it day and night: it will be dear and precious to thy soul. This is an evidence of a good and honest heart; it delights in the good news of the word of grace, the faithful promises of a covenant God in Christ Jesus.
Such "bring forth fruit with patience." Because they keep the word in their hearts, they go on patient in well-doing, and patient in suffering the will of God. Says David, "Thy word have I hid in my heart." To what end? "That I might not sin against thee." Psalm 119:11. Says Paul, "The word of the truth of the Gospel bringeth forth fruit in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth." Col. 1:5, 6. That soul in whose heart the word of grace takes the deepest root, brings forth most fruit to God O soul, wouldst thou be more holy and more happy l Keep the word of God: study it: that directs thee to Christ, in whom all thy happiness centres, and from whom all thy holiness springs.
*