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I. THE SENSUALIST'S ADDRESS TO HIS SOUL.

1. Converse with the soul is proper and necessary.

2. Converse with the soul should be adapted to its nature as immortal, and should regard its eternal felicity.

3. Converse with the soul should have a tendency to excite its instant and ardent attention to everlasting happiness. But the rich sensualist in the text converses in a way altogether different.

1. He discovers erroneous ideas of true enjoyment, and represents the uncertain things of this world as capable of conferring happiness on an immortal mind, endeavouring to satisfy that which is spiritual with that which is material, and that which is undying with that which is perishable.

2. He over. rates worldly substance by giving it a durable and satisfying quality.

3. He degrades his soul, and endeavours to persuade it to compromise its eternal interests, and to seek that in gluttony, drunkenness, and the allurements of pleasure, which can be found in God only.

II. THE VOICE OF GOD TO THE SENSUALIST.

1. God takes notice of the conduct of sinners in regard to their souls.

2. The Almighty interrupts his schemes, and annihilates his ideas of enjoyment. "But God said unto him." I will darken thy perspective, and suspend thy enjoyments — thy building, founded in delusion, shall suddenly vanish — thy soul shall depart, and thy goods be the portion of another. And, when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do?

3. The rich man is charged with folly.

4. He is summoned to surrender his soul.

(R. Cope, LL. D.)

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KJV: And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

WEB: He spoke a parable to them, saying, "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly.