The gospel seed which the apostle sowed in those rich, luxurious,
clever, learned, Romans, was like the seed which fell on thorny
ground; and the cares and pleasures of this life, and the
deceitfulness or riches, sprang up, and choked the word, and it
remained unfruitful. But the gospel seed which was sown among our
poor, wild, simple, ignorant forefathers, was the seed which fell on
an honest and good heart, and took root, and brought forth fruit,
some thirty, some fifty, and some one hundred fold. Epiphany came
late to us--not for three hundred years after our Lord's birth:
but, when it came, the light which it brought remained with us, and
lights us even now from our cradle to our grave: and so again was
fulfilled the Scripture, which says, that God chooses the weak
things of this world to confound the strong; the foolish to confound
the wise; yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought the
things which are, that no flesh should glory in his presence.
That no flesh should glory in his presence. For mind, my friends,
our business is not to be high-minded but to fear. And we English
are too apt to be high-minded now. We pride ourselves on our
English character, English cleverness, English courage, English
wealth. My friends, be not high-minded but fear.
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