but they were all of a mind in making some excuse: the first said to him, I have bought a piece of ground, which I must needs go and see: therefore pray excuse me.

set a guard upon yourselves, that ye be not stupified by surfeiting and drunkenness, or by the disquietudes of this life, and so that day come upon you with a surprize.

the Lord is coming: be not in any manner of sollicitude, but in all your occasions lay your requests before God by prayer and supplication accompany'd by thanksgiving.

for Damas, out of love to this world has abandon'd me, and is gone to Thessalonica: Crescens, to Galatia: and Titus, to Dalmatia.

And the lusts

so that for the future he does not pass the rest of this life in gratifying his sensual passions, but in conformity to the divine precepts.

Love not the world, nor let worldly things engage your affections. he that is worldly affected is a stranger to divine love.

Unfruitful

the ax is already laid to the root of the trees: every tree then which does not produce good fruit, will be hewn down, and cast into the fire.

every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he takes away: as for the branch that bears fruit, he prunes it clean, to make it more fruitful.

for the earth which drinks up the frequent show'rs that fall upon it, and produces plants fit for the use of him that cultivates it, is stiled heavenly land:

for if you are possess'd of these virtues and improve therein, they will prevent the knowledge you have of our Lord Jesus Christ from being useless to others, and unprofitable to yourselves.

they are a disgrace to your love-feasts, they indulge themselves at your festivals without reserve: clouds without water, transported with every wind: trees whose fruit soon withers and is useless, twice dead and rooted up:

General references

another part fell among thorns: and the thorns grew up and choked it.

some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choaked it, so that it yielded no fruit.