But he had told his disciples immediately before, that they did not resemble kings and potentates of this world. It was plain therefore that his kingdom was not a temporal one. On another occasion he had promised them honour; but it was in the regeneration, when he should sit on his glorious throne. And what was the time of this event? The final judgment; when all nations should be gathered before him. And even during the paschal supper he explained how he would manifest himself to those who loved him his Father and he would come, and make their abode with them by the Spirit. Teachable and attentive minds might therefore have understood him as speaking of that honour and power which he was to bestow on the apostles in his future spiritual kingdom.

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And when he asserted that "he should not d drink thenceforth of the fruit of the vine, until that day when he should drink it new with his apostles in his Father's kingdom," or, in other words, "until the kingdom of God came;" they might have recollected that he had often foretold his resurrection on the third day, and had assured them at the very time that, after he was risen, he would go before them into Galilee. And therefore whatever ideas they first conceived, they saw this prediction fulfilled when they ate and drank with him "after he had been declared the Son of God with power by his resurrection from the dead," and had entered upon

his metliatorial kingdom. And it should be well observed with respect to both these instances, that, shortly after," the Spirit of truth guided the apostles into all truth," and not only "brought to their 1 remembrance all our Lord's words," but enabled them to understand their true meaning.

Our Lord's reasons for using parables have been given at large. They covertly expressed truths which it was not wise to deliver directly and publicly; or which could be more forcibly delivered under that form. And in private our Lord was open and explicit, as his nature led him to be; "and" explained every thing to his disciples."

To this mode of instruction, and to the strong figures which often occur in the scripture, the observation of moral writers is applicable; that nothing is advanced which is designed to mislead, and which differs from the intention of the speaker. They are subject to known laws of interpretation, according to which they are true; and we should always recollect that the easterns delighted in the parabolical and figurative style.

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Puffendorf has observed that it is quite unexceptionable to address those ambiguously or obscurely whom we wish to instruct, or whose proficiency we mean to discover. And he has illustrated his asser"Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat?" Which he spake, as the evangelist observes, to try what degree of faith

tion by our Lord's words to Philip,

i 1 Cor. xv. 20-24. Acts i. 3. Mark iv. 34.

* John xvi. 13. "De jure nat. 1. iv. c. 1. § 13. 4to.

lib. xiv. 26. • John vi. 6, 7.

his former miracles had produced in Philip: "for he himself knew what he would do."

When our Lord walked on the sea of Galilee, and seemed willing to pass the ship in which the disciples were tossed by the waves, he designed to evidence his power by shewing himself distinctly to all. When he said, "It is I, be not afraid ;" still Peter answered, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." Our Lord also convinced them that he could have passed to the other side of the lake without their assistance: a circumstance which must have added to the exceeding great wonder and astonishment which this miracle was designed to impress on their insensible minds. And Grotius remarks that it might have been his actual intention to cross the lake in this manner, unless he had been earnestly desired to enter the ship.

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There is a circumstance in our Lord's conduct somewhat similar to this, when the two disciples, to whom he joined himself on the way to Emmaus, came near to the village, and Jesus" made as though he would have gone further." He might do this partly to try their benevolence and hospitality, and to promote the exercise of these virtues and, as Grotius says, he might have previously determined to proceed, if he had not been detained by strong persuasion. It may be added, that this mark of respect was due from them to one whose discourse shewed him to be an extraordinary person; and had

P Mark vi. 48.

Luke xxiv. 28.

Gen. xix. 2, 3.

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so much truth and energy in it, that their hearts " burned within them while they heard it. The action of passing onwards derived its quality simply from the intention of the agent, which was here a good and upright * one.

When the feast of tabernacles approached, Jesus's relations said to him, Go into Judea. He answered, 26 I go not up y yet to this feast, because my time is not yet fulfilled." "I am not yet to die at Jerusalem; and therefore I shall not go thither in company with you, and with multitudes whom the fame of my miracles may draw together. I shall absent myself during the beginning of the feast, that I may not too much attract the notice of my enemies or of my friends." And though our Lord exercised his prophetical office during the feast, both by teaching in the temple and by working a signal miracle; yet; from circumstances unknown to us, there might be much wisdom in his going up to it later than his brethren, and " not openly, but as it were in secret." My present reason for mentioning this transaction is on account of the various reading, "I go NOT up to this feast":" which seems to set our Lord's words and conduct at variance. It is observable, however, that Porphyry does not found on this passage a charge of falsehood, but of a inconstancy and

w Luke xxiv. 32. * Puffendorf says, Circa exemplum Lucæ xxiv. 28. res plana est. Nam talem gestum præ se ferre cujusvis in arbitrio est: & nihil frequentius in vita communi quam discessum simulare, ut constet, gratine simus futuri hospites. Nam, ni enixe rogemur, serio nobis est propositum abire. 4to. iv. 1. 12. y John vii. 8. βαίνω. • Inconstantiæ ac mutationis accusat. 103. See the whole passage in Wetstein.

Hieron. adv. Pelag. ii.

change of purpose: and Whitby, who suggests this observation, thinks that we should retain the reading in our version, which is supported by the greatest weight of authority. It is reasonable to suppose that our Lord's uniform intention was to attend the feast privately, and at a certain time; which removes the charge of levity and mutability: and even if we read, "I go NOT up to this feast," the sense may be, I go not up now; which invalidates the accusation of falsehood.

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When the Jews insidiously asked Jesus by what * authority he acted, and who gave him that authority, they were pursuing their intention of destroying him. But he, being determined to fulfil the law by suffering on the day of the paschal solemnity, baffled their immediate design with admirable wisdom, by asking them a question relative to the baptism of John, which they durst not answer. Upon which Jesus said to them, "Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things." He had repeatedly assured them of his divine commission; that he & spake as his Father taught him; that he proceeded forth and came from God; that the Father had sanctified him, and sent him into the world. But for weighty reasons he suppressed a like declaration at that time. And an occasional concealment of the truth, justified by prudence, is very different from a transgression of it.

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bxx ava Baive. See his note in loc. and examen Millii. The original eastern verb might have been used in the participial form ; non ascendens sum: which is very different from the future, non ascendam. 4 See Lardner's Test. iii. 172. Mark xi. 28. Lib. x. 36. * See Puffendorf de

John viii. 28.

hib. v. 42.

fib. v. 18.

officio hominis et civis 8ro. 1, 10. 4. Palet-recte tacendo dissimulare