The Parable of the Sower admits of frequent illustration if we understand the seed to refer, in a general sense, to the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, whether it is preached to men outside the Kingdom or to those within it. The birds are continually carrying off the seed from thoughtless and hardened hearers; opposition and persecution and temptation still scorch up the seed in others; and worldliness and love of money still choke that which was beginning to grow well in many hearts. And we can see all these characters, in those who were first called to be members of the Church of Christ. The Jews, generally, in all places visited by S. Paul, from whom he was forced to turn away in despair of producing any effect (Acts xiii. 46), were like the wayside on which the seed fell only to be devoured. Such also was Felix, who "trembled" as he heard S. Paul reasoning "of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come," but went away and "left Paul bound" (Acts xxiv. 25-27); and Agrippa "almost persuaded to be a Christian" (Acts xxvi. 28). Of hearers in whom the seed is scorched up by the fire of temptation or persecution, we may see instances in Ananias and Sapphira, who fell under the temptation to appear zealous whilst being really worldly (Acts v. 3); or in John Mark, who was disheartened at the seeming difficulties before him, and turned back from Pamphylia (Acts xiii. 13), leaving S. Paul and S. Barnabas to go on without him. Of those in whom the seed is choked by the weeds of worldliness and love of money, there were many examples. Simon Magus, who after renouncing his sorcery and being baptised, thought that the power of the Holy Ghost might "be purchased with money" (Acts viii. 19, 20); Demas who "loved this present world" so much that he forsook S. Paul in the hour of danger (2 Tim. iv. 10); and the many of whom S. Paul spoke with tears, "whose God is their belly, whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things" (Phil. iii. 19). And, lastly, of those in whom the seed bears fruit an hundredfold, it seems almost invidious to select examples. But such were the martyr Stephen, who prayed for his murderers (Acts vii. 60); Tabitha, "full of good works and almsdeeds" (Acts ix. 36); Cornelius, upon whom the Holy Ghost fell even before he was baptized (Acts x. 46); S. Luke, "the beloved physician" (Col. iv. 14), "whose praise is in the Gospel" (2 Cor. viii. 18).