Sermon

Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the Most High: shall abide
under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say unto the Lord, Thou art my
hope and my stronghold: my God, in him will I trust. For he shall deliver
thee from the snare of the hunter: and from the noisome pestilence. He
shall defend thee under his wings: and thou shalt be safe under his feathers.
His faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler: thou shalt not be
afraid for any terror by night. Nor for the arrow that flieth by day: for the
pestilence that walketh in darkness: nor for the sickness that destroyeth in
the noonday. A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy
right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee. For he shall give his Angels
charge over thee: to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee in their
hands: that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt go upon the
lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy
feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I
will set him up, because he hath known my Name. He shall call upon me,
and I will hear him: yea, I am with him in trouble. I will deliver him, and
bring him to honour: with long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my
salvation. Psalm 91.

S. Luke 8. 4
WHEN much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell by the way-side, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.  And some fell upon a rock, and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.  And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold.  And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.  And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?  And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.  Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God.  Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe, and be saved.  They on the rock are they which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.  And that which fell among thorns are they which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares, and riches, and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.  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.

KNOW ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

1 Corinthians ix. 24.