16. But as for you my Difciples, bleffed are ye; because ye are convinced by what you fee, and are defirous to understand what you hear: Therefore has God thought fit to reveal to you the whole Truth, and to make known. to you the Myfteries of his Kingdom.

17. And how great a Bleffing indeed this is, ye may judge from hence; that the Patriarchs and Prophets and holy Men of old, were defirous to fee and hear thofe things which ye now fee and hear, but were not permitted. To them God vouchfafed to foreshow these things only in Shadows and afar off, which to you he now reveals clearly and plainly.

18. You therefore may hear the full Senfe and Explication of the Parable.

16 But bleffed are your eyes, for they fee: and your ears, for they hear.

20, 21. That by That fown in fhallow Earth upon a Rock, were meant thofe who heard indeed the preaching of the Gospel, and gladly received it alfo, and made Refolutions to obey it; but for want of Conftancy and Firmnefs in thofe Refolutions, in time of

19. Then He told them, how by the Sower was to be understood the Preacher of the Gofpel; and by the Seed, the Doctrine of true Religion. That by That fown in the common Road, were meant thofe who heard this Doctrine, but regarded it not, neither remembred which was fowed

19 When any one
heareth the word of
the kingdom, and
understandeth it not,

then cometh the
wicked one,
catcheth

and
away that

it at all.

in his heart: this is
he which received
feed by the way fide.

20 But he that re-
Iceived the feed into
fame is he that hear-
ftony places, the
eth the word, and
anon with joy re-
ceiveth it:

21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while; for when tribulation or perfecution arifeth because

of

of the word, by and by he is offended.

22 He also that

received feed among the thorns, is he that heareth the word: and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

23 But he that regood ground, is he

ceived feed into the

that heareth the word, and underftandeth it which alfo beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, fome an

hundred

fold, fome fixty, fome thirty.

Temptation and Perfecution fell away.

22. That by that fown among Weeds and Thorns, were meant those who also heard and received the Doctrine of Chriflianity; but through the Cares and Covetousness and vain Pleafures of the World, made no Improvements in Religion and Virtue.

23. And lastly, That by that fown in good Ground, were meant those who heard the Doctrine of true Religion and understood, and practifed it; and became in their feveral degrees truly and fincerely Religious.

24. But to return to the Hiftory. Jefus fpake alfo another Parable to the People, and faid: A certain Husbandman fowed good Seed in his Ground: Thus Chrift fendeth forth good Men into the World, to conftitute his Church, and to grow up together in one Body in Holinefs and Righteoufnefs.

25. But while his Servant flept, an Enemy came, and fowed Tares among the Wheat, and went away. Thus while the Servants of Chrift are lefs watchful than they ought, the Devil fends among them falfe Apoftles and falfe Teachers, and wicked Men; who for fome time lie hid under the veil of Hypocrifie, infinuating themfelves into weak Men by fpecious falfe Doctrines.

26. But when the Corn grew up, and bore fruit, then the Tares alfo difcovered themselves. Thus in procefs of time, when Trials and Perfecutions come on, and good Men diftinguith themfelves by the fruits of Patience and Virtue; then the Hypocrites alfo difcover themfelves, by their indirect Practifes, or open deferting the Truth.

VOL. I.

G

27.

27 & 28. Then fome of the Husbandman's Servants came to him and told him, that Tares were grown up among his IV beat, and asked him if they fhould go and weed them out: good and well meaning Perfons, when they fee Hypocrites and evil Men in the Church, with that they could all be caft out, and that the Church might confift only of fincere Members.

Thus

29 & 30. But the Husbandman anfwered, No; Left while ye are weeding out the Tares, ye pluck up alfo the Wheat with them; But let them alone till Harvest, and then I will order my Reapers to pick out the Tares first and burn them, and then gather the Wheat into my Barn: Thus God has not made Provifion to have all forts of evil Men caft out of the Church, left weak and good Men fhould fuffer with them; neither doth he always in this World fend publick Judgments upon the Wicked, left the Innocent be involved in the Calamity together: But at the end of the World, he will by his Angels feparate the good and fincere Men from the Wicked and the Hypocrites; and then he will exactly reward the one,and punish the other.

31 32. Again, another Parable fpake Jefus to the People, and faid; A Husbandman fowed in his Field a grain of Mustard-feed; which when it was fown, was one of the leaft of Seeds; but when it grew up, it became a fpreading Tree, big enough for the Birds to build their Nefts in its Boughs: Thus the Gospel of Chrift at its firft appearing, feems mean and contemptible, received only by a few, and thofe mean Perfons: But in time it fhall spread over all the Earth; And That Doctrine

وع

came, and faid unto
him, Sir, didst not
thou fow good feed
in thy field? from
whence then hath it

tares?

them,

28 He faith unto An enemy hath done this. The fervant faid unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he faid, Nay: left while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the

wheat with them.

cometh a tree: fo that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

33.

33 Another parable fpake he unto them, The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of

Alfo he fpake another Parable to the fame import, faying; A Woman took a little Leaven, and covered it up in three Bushels of Meal; and when it had lain there a while, the whole had received the tincture of the Leaven throughout: Thus the Religion of Chrift, meal, till the whole which now begins to be taught amongst

was leavened.

Men, fhall by the Power and Evidence of Truth, fpread it felf in time through all the Nations of the World.

which the Jews now defpife and reject, fhall be embraced and flourish among all the Nations of the Gentiles.

90

43. And then, added he, fhall the righteous be crowned with immortal Glory; and fhall enjoy unfpeakable Happinefs in the prefence of God. Whoever is capable and defirous to be inftructed, let him obferve what I fay.

44. Jefus added moreover another Parable, and faid; As a Man that findeth a great Treasure in the Field, goeth with much joy, and felleth all that he bath, and buyeth that Field: So true Religion and Piety is fuch a Treafure, for the attainment of which a Man ought to be willing to part with all things in the World.