and in sowing, part of the grain fell in the high-way, and the fowls light and peck'd them up:

when any one heareth the doctrine of the gospel, and considers it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away what was sown in his heart: he is the person meant by the high-way, where some of the seed was sown: but the stony ground,

He propos'd another parable to them, which was this; the gospel-state is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man took to sow in his field.

where other seed fell, denotes the man that heareth the word, and at first receives it with pleasure:

he that is meant by the thorny ground, where other seed fell, is one that heareth the word: which by cares of this life, and the deceitful love of riches, is soon stifled, and becomes unfruitful:

he answered them, he that soweth the good seed, is the son of man:

the field is the world: the good seed are the children of the kingdom: but the tares are the children of the wicked one: