TWENTY FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (5TH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY) THE GOSPEL MATT.13:24-30. FRIDAY MEDITATION: A PLAINE PATH-WAY TO HEAVEN THOMAS HILL 1634

GOSPEL Matt. 13:24-30 

At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seed in his field. But while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat and went his way. And when the blade was sprung up, and had brought forth fruit, then appeared also the cockle. And the servants of the good man of the house coming said to him. 'Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? Whence then hath it cockle?' And he said to them: 'An enemy hath done this.' And the servants said to him: 'Wilt thou that we go and gather it up?' And he said: 'No, lest perhaps gathering up the cockle, you root up the wheat also together with it. Suffer both to grow until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers: 'Gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles to burn, but the wheat gather ye into my barn.' "

FRIDAY MEDITATION

The children of this world are they, that love the world with all their heart, that employ them selves diligently in the service, and affairs of the world, whose cares, and cogitations are altogether of the world.

The children of the Kingdom, to wit of heaven, whom Christ here calleth the good seed love heavenly things chief of all, and diligently attend unto those works, where by that most happy Kingdom is obtained, whose cares and cogitations are altogether hove they may find out ways, and means to serve, and please God. 

A Type, and figure of both these have in the Scripture, even almost from the beginning of the world , ſo neceſſary did God know that the nature, and difference of them both was to be known, and conſidered by all ſubſequent generations. 

The type of the children of this world were the children of Cain, of whom the Scripture saith , they first invented instruments of music to delight them; and armor wherewith to hurt, and Kill one another; and the art of gain, and lucre, to lay up, and make them selves rich; and in the end of the chapter, of Seth the blessed son of Adam it is said thus. To whom was born a son called Enos, he began first to invocate, and call upon, the name of God.

Behold the difference between the children this world, and the children of God: The children of the world seek how to live merrily, and jovially, as they term it, how to live richly, and powerfully: but the children of God, how to call upon God, praise him, glorify him, serve him; And these later are of that good seed, of Seth, which the son of man soweth in the world, But how to doe this Christ sendeth us to the children of this world, telling vs, (not without some reproach unto us, that it should be so) that the children of the world are more prudent, and industrious in their kind, and generation, then the children of God: let us therefore fore take them for a pattern, and what art, care, and industry we see them use in their affairs of the world: let us do the like in the affairs of the Kingdom of heaven. 

No better pattern no better books, if we observe it well. And as they glory in that they are good children of the world and profit there in: so let vs glory that we are children of the Kingdom of heaven, and profit there in. Chriſt though he had many higher Titles, yet very frequently calleth him self the son of man, as he doeth here , as if he did glory there in above all his other Titles: let us glory (if we be so in deed) that we be the children of God ; and as worldly men glory in their nobility of birth, the children or Kinsmen of such a duke, Earl, Lord, Knight or the like: So let us glory that we are the children of God, that we have the holy Angels for our patrons in heaven, the Saints for our friends: the children of God here on earth for our brethren, and fellow servants: and if any be our foes for the profession of the holy Catholic faith, let us glory in that also , for our reward shall be and copious in the Kingdom of heaven.