32 THE CHRISTIAN NATURALIST. 



and in what manner its Divine Author pleases ? Hitherto 

 neither earth nor hell have been sufficient to stop the 

 growth of these immortal principles of truth and 

 holiness which have been watered with the blood of 

 Christ, his Apostles, and a noble army of martyrs. 

 Assuredly their successors ought to thank God and 

 take courage. However adverse the circumstances 

 may he in which they are placed as men, or as minis- 

 ters, they have to bear in mind that it is God's 

 prerogative alone ** to multiply the seed sown, and to 

 increase the fruits of righteousness." 



To the Christian Naturalist, many circumstances 

 serve to point out the analogy between the spiritual and 

 temporal Seed-time, considered with reference to the 

 hoped-for result. When the so«rer goes out to sow 

 his seed, as he is described doing in the parable of oar 

 Lord, it is observable that only the fourth part of 

 what he sows, falls upon good ground. The other three 

 parts fall by the way-side, upon stony ground, or in 

 the midst of thorns. It may not be the case literally 

 that any agriculturist is foolish enough to sow his seed 

 upon such places, where he knows that no fruit can 

 possibly arise. Our Lord, therefore, only describes him 

 as doing this, because it is evident that for the far 



