Wesley Corpus

because the cares of this world, and the desire of riches, were not rooted out of the heart of those that heard the Gospel, but permitted to grow up with the good seed of the word, that this seed brought forth no fruit to perfection. Indeed this part of the parable seems to have an immediate reference to the case in question, and particularly adverts to those who halt be tween two opinions ; he that received the seed in stony places is the same that heareth the word, and " with joy received it ;" and yet if the cares of the world and desire of riches (those spiritual thorns and briars) are suffered to re main, they will choak the good seed, as our blessed Lord informs us they do. There are other descriptions of persons whom the text describes as halting between two opi nions ; these are men who will renounce their vices, with the exception of one darling sin ; now this is a plain instance of double-mindedness and insincerity. While we acknowledge the evil of sin in general, and yet retain that one sin which easily besets us, the heart is not wholly with God, it is hypocritical in his sight ; and a more dangerous state than any other ;