any thing to irritate them against him, and all with a design to promote their conversion and salvation.

Thus Jesus assured his apostles, that the only reason why he tanght the people by parables was their wickedness, which had rendered them incapable of receiving his doctrine any other way. Whereas, he could safely unfold it to his apostles in the plainest terms, the honesty and teachableness of their dis position fitting them for such a favour, in which respect, he told them they were peculiarly happy. And, to enhance this privilege the more, he told them, that many patriarchs and prophets of old had earnestly desired to see and hear the things which they saw and heard; but they were denied that favour, God having, till then, shewed them to his most eminent saints in shadows only, and afar in the womb of futurity.

6

In Christ's interpretation of the parable of the sower, the devil is said to come and catch away the word from the hearers by the way side; not because he has power to rob men of their knowledge or religious impressions by any immediate act, but because they expose themselves, through carelessness, to the whole force of the temptations which he lays in their way; and particularly to those which arise, whether from their commerce with men, a circumstance observed by Luke, who tells us that the seed wastrodden down, or from their own headstrong lusts, which, like so many hungry fowls, fly, to quickly eat up the word out of their mind. The perturbation occasioned by the passions of this kind of hearers, and by the temptations which they are exposed to, renders them altogether inattentive in hearing: or, if they attend, it hardens them against the impressions of the word, and effaces the remembrance of it in an instant ; insomuch, that the pernicious influence of evil passious and bad company cannot truly be represented by any lower figure than that of the word, as taken away by the devil, whose agents such persons and lusts most certainly are. The rocky ground represents those hearers, who so far receive the word into their hearts that it springs up in good resolutions, which, perhaps, are accompanied with a partial reformation of some sins, and the temporary practice of some virtues. Nevertheless, they are not thoroughly affected with the word; it does not sink deep enough to remain in their minds and, therefore, when persecution arises for the sake of the gospel, and such hearers are exposed to fines, imprisonments, corporal punishments, banishments, and death, or even to any great temptation of an ordinary kind, which requires firmness to repel it, those good resolutions which the warmth of their passions had raised so quickly in hearing do as quickly wither; because they are not rooted in just apprehensions. of the reasons that should induce men to lead such lives: just as vegetables, which, because they have not depth of soil sufficient to nonrish them, are soon burnt up by the scorching heat of the mid-day sun. The ground full of thorus, that sprang up with the seed and choked it, represents all those who receive the word into hearts full of worldly cares, which, sooner or later, destroy whatever convictions or good resolutions. are raised by the word. Worldly cares are compared to thorns; not only because of their pernicious efficacy in choking the word, but because it is with great pain and difficulty that they are eradicated. Those who received the word to effect, and are represented by seed falling on the good ground, are particularly said to have brought forth fruit with patience, in opposition both to the stony and thorny grounds, which nourished the seed which was cast into them only for a while; the former till the sun » arose, the latter till the thorns sprang up.

When Jesus had ended his interpretation of the parable of the sower, he did not direct his discourse to the people, but continued speaking to the apostles, shewing: them, by the similitude of the lighted lamp, the use they were to make of this, and

of all the instructions he should give them. As lamps are kindled to give light unto those who are in an house, so the understandings of the apostles were illuminated, that they might fill the world with the delightful light of truth.

In the next parable, that of the tares or darnel, which was sown in the field, we are taught, that through the craft of the devil, incorrigible sinners will intrude themselves into the visible church; that though good men may judge it for the interest of religion that providence should extirpate such by violent methods, God does not allow it, because they are oft-times so connected with the righteous, that if they be touched, the righteous will suffer withal; and that God has reserved the full exercise of justice upon wicked men to the last day, when he will unerringly distinguish be tween the good and the bad. According to this view of the parable, we may consider it as a vindication of the wisdom of God, both in permitting the wickedness of men professing Christianity, and in suffering it to go unpunished during this life.

The parable of the seed which sprang up imperceptibly, is intended to teach us, that as the husbandman does not, by any efficacy of his own, cause the seed sown to grow, but leaves it to be nourished by the soil and sun; so Jesus and his apostles, having taught men the doctrines of true religion, were not, by any miraculous force, to constrain their wills; far less were they, by the terrors of fire and sword, to interpose visibly for the furthering thereof; but would suffer it to spread, by the secret influences of the Spirit, till, at length, it should obtain its full effect. Moreover, as the husbandman cannot, by the most diligent observation, perceive the corn in his field extending its dimensions as it grows, so the ministers of Christ cannot see the operation of the gospel upon the minds of men. The effects, however, of its operation, when these are produced, they can discern just as the husbandman can discern when his corn is fully grown and fit for reaping. In the mean time, the design of the parable is not to lead the ministers of Christ to imagine that religion will flourish without due pains taken about it: it was formed to teach the Jews, in particular, that neither the Messiah nor his servants would subdue men by the force of arms, as they supposed he would have done; and also to prevent the apostles from being dispirited when they did not see immediate success following their labours.

Under the similitude of a grain of mustard-seed, our Lord shewed his hearers, that, notwithstanding the gospel appeared, at first, contemptible, by reason of the ignominy arising from the crucifixion of its author, the difficulty of its precepts, the weakness of the persons by whom it was preached, and the small number and mean condition of those who received it; yet, having in itself the strength of truth, it would grow exceedingly, and extend itself into all countries; and, by that means, afford spiritual sustenance to persons of all nations, who should be admitted into it, not in the quality of slaves, as the Jews imagined, but as free-born subjects of the Messiah's kingdom, enjoying therein equal privileges with the Jews.

The meaning of the parable of the leaven is commonly thought to be the same with that of the preceding. Yet there seems to be this difference between the two; the parable of the grain of mustard-seed represents the smallness of the gospel in its beginnings, together with its subsequent greatness whereas, the parable of the leaven, which, being hid in a quantity of meal, fermented the whole, expresses, in a very lively manner, both the nature and strength of the operation of truth upon the mind. For, though the doctrines of the gospel, when first proposed, seemed to be lost in that enormous mass of passions and worldly thoughts, with which men's minds were filled; yet did they then most eminently exert their influence, converting men's thoughts, and desires, and cares, into a conformity to truth. The precise difference,

therefore, between this and the preceding parable is, that the former represents the extensive propagation of the gospel from the smallest beginnings; but this, the nature of the influence of its doctrines upon the minds of particular persons.

The multitude having now been long together, it is probable that the evening drew on Jesus, therefore, dismissed them, and returned home with his disciples, who, when they were come into the house, begged him to explain the parable of the tares. In this parable, he shewed them, was represented how saints and sinners dwell together in this world, but will be awfully and eternally separated in that which is to come. Then, being freed from all the humbling circumstances which attend mortality, cleansed also from sin, and the pollutions of sin, wherewith they are now disfigured, the righteous shall shine like the sun in the firmament for brightness and beauty, and shall find no diminution of their splendour by age. But while they are thus enjoying the perfection of blessedness, the wicked shall be banished from their delightful abodes, and condemned to spend a long eternity in unutterable anguish and woe.

In the two next parables, that of the treasure hid in the field, and that of a merchant seeking goodly pearls, the transcendent excellency of the gospel is very clearly pointed out. But, in the former instance, it is discovered, as it were, by accident; and, in the latter, after the most diligent research. The parable of the net cast into the sea, which inclosed many fish of every kind, intimates that, by the preaching of the gospel, a visible church should be gathered on earth, consisting both of good and bad men, mingled in such a manner, that it would be difficult to make a proper distinction between them; but that, at the end of the world, the bad shall be separated from the good, and cast into hell, which the parable represents under the image of casting them into a furnace of fire; because that was the most terrible punishment known in the Eastern countries,

Soon after this, Christ went to Nazareth; and, during his stay in that place, preached in the synagogue, especially on the sabbath-day, and performed some miracles. But though his sermons contained great treasures of spiritual knowledge, and were delivered with the most captivating eloquence, the Nazarenes were not disposed, by them, to believe on him. They were wonderfully struck, indeed, with what they heard and saw, knowing that he was meanly descended, and had not the advantage of a liberal education. But these circumstances, which heightened their wonder, so much prevented the effect which his doctrines and miracles ought to have had upon them, fancying that, when Messiah came, no man should know from whence he was, they could not acknowledge as Messiah one of their own townsmen, whose father, and mother, and brethren, and sisters, they were so well acquainted with. Besides, the meanness of these his relations, and of their occupations, scandalized them. Wherefore, when they talked among themselves, after hearing him preach, at the same time that they gave his knowledge,- eloquence, and miracles, their due praise, they could not forbear expressing their contempt of him, on account of the meanness of his family. It is said, that he wrought but few mighty works there, on account of their unbelief. Probably, their unbelief hindered them from bringing their sick to him, not to mention that it rendered his miracles altogether improper; because, had he performed ever so many, their prejudices would certainly have prevented any good effect they might otherwise have had.

We have already seen the abundant pains which our Lord had taken to furnish the minds of his apostles with every useful instruction. They had twice heard the sermon which was first delivered on the mount; had received the most explicit directions respecting their conduct in carrying on their ministry; and had beside, by the parables which we have just been endeavouring to explain, been taught a variety of particulars.

concerning the kingdom of God. As this knowledge was given them partly for the sake of others, they were now sent out by pairs to preach the gospel in the surrounding country. They were not sent forth singly, lest they should faint under the difficulties of the way: nor in large numbers, that the word of truth might be more extensively disseminated. Thus we may discover, as in the whole conduct of Jesus, so, in par ticular, in his transactions with the apostles, the wisdom and perfection of a God, united with all the amiable meekness of the most lowly and humble of the sons of

FROM THE SENDING OUT OF THE APOSTLES BY PAIRS, TO THE TRANSFIGURATION.

Herod's opinion of Christ---death of John the Baptist---his disciples come to Christ--Christ feeds the five thousand---walks on the sea--stills the storm--miracles in Gennezareth---Christ's discourse at Capernaum--his conversation with the Pharisees concerning traditions---he heals the daughter of the Canaanitish woman---cures great multitudes---four thousand fed---Christ discourses concerning the signs of the times-leaven of the Pharisees-Peter's confession--exhortation to carry the cross--transfiguration---subsequent discourses with his disciples.

THE twelve apostles preaching in the towns of Galilee, and confirming their doctrine by many mighty miracles, raised the attention and expectation of all men more than ever. For the inhabitants of Galilee could not but regard Jesus now with uncommon admiration, as he was evidently superior to all prophets in this respect; that, besides working miracles himself, he could impart the power to whomsoever he pleased; a thing never heard of in the world before. It seems, this last-mentioned circumstance aggrandized our Lord so much, that his fame reached the court of Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee, and occasioned many speculations. Among other opinions which were entertained, that of Herod was the most remarkable, who supposed that he was John the Baptist, who was risen from the dead. We have already mentioned, in a former chapter, the imprisonment of that holy man, in consequence of his freedom in reproving the vices of Herod.

At first, Herod was restrained from offering violence to the Baptist, by the secret respect he had for him on account of his piety; and though, afterwards, he was so wrought upon by the repeated solicitations of Herodias, that he overcame the scruples of his conscience, he was kept from doing him harm, fearing it might have occasioned a tumult. Herodias, therefore, finding she could not prevail against the Baptist in the way of direct solicitation, watched for an opportunity to destroy him by craft. At length, one offered itself. Herod, on his birth-day, made a sumptuous entertainment for the great lords, generals, judges, and other principal persons of his kingdom. Wherefore, as it was the custom in those countries for princes to bestow favours at their feasts, sometimes of their own accord, sometimes in consequence of petitions that were then presented, Herodias thought the birth-day a fit opportunity to get the Baptist destroyed. With this view, she proposed to Salome, her daughter by Philip, who was now of age, and had followed her fortunes, to dance before the conpany at the birth-day; pretending, no doubt, that it would turn out greatly to her