So

the way side, or in the public paths, which were trodden hard, not entering the ground, the sparrows and other birds picked it up, and carried it away. there are minds on which the word of God makes no impression, for want of due attention to understand it; but the temptations of Satan divert them from all serious regard, either to its truth or its importauce. In the second instance, the seed fell upon a stony (or rocky) soil, with a thin layer of earth, in which it immediately vegetated; but no sooner did the sun attain the zenith of his power, than it withered, having no depth of root. These, we are told, represent persons who receive the word joyfully at first, but when trouble or persecution arises, they stumble at this "rock of offence," and utterly fall away. -In the third case, the seed fell among thorus, or thistles, which generally grow round the boundary of a field; and these thorns, represent the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, whereby the word is choked, and therefore produces no fruit. Lastly, there is a fourth sort of hearers, represented by the good and fruitful soil, who not only hear, but understand; who not only understand, but practise it; these bring forth abundantly, some even an hundred fold; for there is a vast difference in the improvement and fruitfulness even of sincere and good Christians.

Previous, however, to this explanation, our Lord's disciples enquired of their Master privately, in the ship, why it was that he instructed the people by parables; and his answer merits our particular attention:

"To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to them it is not given." Hereby we are taught, that all spiritual knowledge is the gift of God; the hearing ear and the un

derstanding heart; a doctrine on which we shall have farther occasion to remark hereafter. In the mean time we may consider the passage here quoted from Isaiah (chap. vi. 8, 9), and its fulfilment. The prophet had predicted the gross stupidity of the great body of this people, and the evangelist records the fact. Their hearts were fattened with luxuries, which rendered them deaf to the divine eloquence of our Saviour, and blind to the miraculous evidence of his mission; notwithstanding curiosity, or a worse motive, led them to attend upon his ministry.

The late ingenious Editor of Calmet has remarked, that this is not a new nor a singular case. "God, by giving plenty and abundance, affords the means of people's abusing his goodness, and getting both over fat with food, and intoxicated with drink; and thus, by his very bene. ficence, he may be said to make their heart fat, and their eyes heavy." (Fragments, No. CXC.)

Happy, however, were those whose hearts had been circumcised, and their eyes enlightened into the mysteries of the gospel: for they saw what" many prophets and righteous men had desired to see," but were not so highly favoured. They saw Messiah in human flesh, witnessed the benevolence of his miracles, and heard "the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth." Privileges in which we also, by means of the Scriptures, happily partake.

"How happy are our ears,
That hear this joyful sound,
Which kings and prophets waited for,
And sought, but never found!

How blessed are our eyes,
That see this heavenly light!
Prophets and kings desired it long,
But died without the sight!""

Ver. 25. Tares-Greek, Zizania. "It appears from the parable itself (says Campbell), 1. That this weed was not only hurtful to the corn, but otherwise of no value, and therefore to be severed and burnt. 2. That it resembles corn, especially wheat, since it was only when the wheat was putting forth the ear, that these weeds were discovered. Now, neither of these characters will suit the tare, which is excellent food for cattle,.... and distinguished from corn the moment it comes above ground." Dr. C. therefore concludes it must mean the durnel (Latin,

(Watts.)

Lolium), which Shakspeare mentions as an idle weed,' which grows among our corn." (See Johnson's Dict.) The Talmud calls it zonim; the Turks, zi wan; the Arabs, ziiwan; and the Spaniards, isanium. Its seeds, if mingled with corn, produce inebriety, vertigo, and lethargy. In some parts of Syria, travellers mention that it is drawn up by the hand, in time of harvest, and tied in bundles, to be burnt. See Taylor's Expos. Index, and Harris's Nat, Hist. of the Bible, in Tares.

And the mustard seed,]

unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them :

35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will

[with their explanation.

utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man.

38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (C)

Ver. 32. The least of all seeds-not absolutely, but one of the smallest, and therefore used proverbially, chap. xvii. 20. And, according to Sir Thos. Brown, the smallest of such as are apt to grow to a ligneous (or woody) substance, of which Mr. C. Taylor refers to a specimen in the collection of Sir Jos. Banks. The Talmud speaks of a mustard tree, one of whose branches covered a potter's hovel; and a certain Rabbi boasts of possessing one which he could climb up, like a big tree: but for these we cannot vouch. See Taylor's Expos. Index, and Harris's Nat. Hist. A traveller in Chili says, "I have travelled many leagues through groves (of mustard seed) which were taller than horse and man; and the birds build their nests in them." Pinkerton's Voy., pt. lvi. p. 38.

Ver. 33. Three measures of meal—the usual quantity, probably, which was leavened at one time. Our translators, in the margin, represent the Greek "measure" here named, as somewhat less than a peck and a half.

Ver. 39. The devil (diabolos).—“ A plain answer to the great question concerning the origin of evil. God made man (as he did angels) intelligent creatures, and consequently free either to choose good or evil: but he implanted no evil in the human soul; an enemy (with man's concurrence) hath done this.' J. Wesley.

Ver. 40. All things that offend - Marg. "Scan

dals,"

The parables of]

44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

[the hidden treasure.

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

49 So shall it be at the end of the world the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

50 And shall cast them into the

their indulgent Master would have retained. More frequently this has been effected by religious zealots, who knew

not

"what spirit they were of." Even some of our Lord's apostles, before they became inspired from above, would have called down fire from heaven to destroy those who assorted not with them; so, many, pretending to be their successors, kindled fires upon earth, to burn those whom they considered heretics. In other cases, where their zeal was more guarded, they pursued them with pains and penalties to the grave. He only who can search the heart, is qualified to punish errors of the mind: and he will do it only when his justice shall demand it. We owe no indulgence to error; but we owe personal toleration, or rather liberty of conscience, to every human being.

Before we proceed, however, we must notice two short parables, which intervene between this parable of the tares and our Lord's explication of it. 1. "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustardseed," which, though one of the smallest seeds then known, being sowed in the earth, produced a tree, on which the birds of the air found a lodgment. This was evidently designed to intimate, that though Christ's kingdom was at that time very inconsiderable, it should eventually spread, till it became like the tree in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, so large "that the fowls of the heaven should dwell in the boughs thereof." (Dan. iv. 12.) A prediction which, in great measure, we have happily seen fulfilled.

2. The other parable here alluded to, is designed to show the manner in which the spirit of Christianity operates secretly and unobserved, spreading from one individual to another, and from family to family, till a whole village, town, or country is imbued with it; or, speaking figuratively, leavened thereby.

All these things Jesus spake in parables to the multitudes, and thus was fulfilled the expression of the Psalmist Asaph (Ps.

Ixxviii. 2.) "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world," that is, never before revealed. But though these things were clothed in parables to the promiscuous multitude, our Lord privately explained them to the meanest and poorest of his disciples, to whom grace was also given to understand the mysteries of his heavenly kingdom. It is well known, that the Greek philosophers had a secret and a popular doctrine, the former of which was taught only to their private disciples, from whom they often received large premiums; but the instructions of Jesus were all gra tuitous, and his disciples were mostly from the lower classes: and though he spake in figures to the multitude, and explained those figures to his disciples, yet his doctrine was but one, and none who desired instruction were refused. Whereas there is reason to believe that many of the Philo sophers, while they taught idolatry to the world, taught atheism to their private pupils!

In the above abstract of the parable of the tares, we omitted to notice the concluding paragraph, which briefly places before our eyes the solemn consequences of the day of judgment; when the Son of man shall send forth his angels to gather out of his kingdom all scandals and offences, all hypocrites and unbelievers, and cast them in bundles into the furnace of perdition: "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father!" The Lord hath, no doubt, wise and valuable ends, in permitting, during the present state, that mixture of the righteous and the wicked which is necessary to the fulfilment of his great designs; but that accomplished, their co-existence will be tolerated no longer. The one shall be consigned to their long-threatened punishment; and the other exalted to glory. "They that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars, for ever and ever." (Dan. xii. 3.)

The scribe] furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

fore

52 Then said he unto them, Thereevery scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto à man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were

[well instructed.

astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

55 Is not this the carpenter's son ? Is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief. (D)

(D) Ver. 44-58. The parables of the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price, and the fisher's net; with our Lord's return to Nazareth.--By this variety of parables and metaphors, our Lord places the gospel of his kingdom in various and important points of view. Here it is a treasure hidden, and to be digged for: a treasure of such value that if a man were to part with his all for it, he would still be an infinite gainer. "Christian truth (says the late Mr. Ward, missionary in India-Christian truth) euriches the possessor, by implauting those preserving, dignified, and immortal principles, which are at once the marks of the person's high calling, of his holy nature, and of the glorious destiny which awaits him among the sons and heirs of God. But he who has found this treasure, is not only himself enriched; he enriches his children, his friends, his neighbours, the present age, and perhaps posterity. Yea, farther, the riches of Christ are said to be unsearchable; always in a state of expenditure, but for ever inexhaustible.

"We are ready to pity those who suffer losses for Christ, and we feel aright; but let us never suppose that any one loses by his attachment to the Saviour. Such persons not only enjoy heaven in common with their fellow Christians, but every item of loss and suffering will meet with its own special remuneration in heaven. God is not unfaithful, to forget the labours or sufferings of his people." (Ward's Reflections on the Word of God, p. 67.)

The importance of divine truth is then placed in another point of light, in being compared to a goodly pearl that must be drawn up from the bottom of the sea; and when found, is of so "great price," that it costs a merchant's all to purchase it; but all is little, for that which is infinite in value and duration. “Whatever stands in opposition to Christ (says Mr. Henry), or in competition with him, for our love and service, we must cheerfully quit it, though never so dear to us. A man may buy gold too dear, but not this pearl of great price."

A third simile, or parable, represents "the kingdom of heaven" in a different point of view. This comprehends all the professors of the gospel, and plainly tells us that all are not pearls nor jewels. The kingdom of heaven is like a fisher's net cast into the sea, and which embraces every kind of fish, good or bad, that comes within its limits. But when the net is drawn to shore, a discrimination takes place: the good are gathered into vessels, and the bad are cast away; a term especially applied to hypocrites and apostates. This is a very awful admonition to us all for even St. Paul says, I keep my body under, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (1 Cor. ix. 27.) And this term, as it respects mankind, does not intend a mere rejection, but a terrible punishment :

....

;

Angels shall come forth, and shall sever the wicked from the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire :" of fire un

Ver. 52. Things new and old.-As the Orientals never change their fashions, they are remarkable for hoarding large stocks of raiment, as well as pro

visions.

Ver. 54. His own country-that is, Nazareth. Ver. 56. Whence hath this man-Camp. "Whence hath HE."

The death of]

CHAP. XIV.

AT that time Herod the tetrarch

heard of the fame of Jesus,

2 And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.

4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

6 But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

[John the Baptist.

7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.

9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.

10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

12 And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

13 When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.

When Jesus had thus represented to his disciples the great importance of his salvation, in these various interesting points of view, he inquired if they understood them; and being informed they did, he remarked, that a scribe well instructed, is like a householder who has treasures, both new and old, and brings them forth to his household, as occasion may require. These treasures may include both provisions and raiment. So these scribes of the New Testament were to bring forth old truths, and mysteries of ancient date; but dressed up, as it were, by a variety of images and illustrations, calculated to render them both interesting and intelligible, as our Lord

and

himself had here given them an example. Towards evening, when Jesus had finished these discourses, he crossed the lake, returned to Nazareth, where his presence excited a temporary astonishment, but no permanent good effect. "Is not this the carpenter's son, and are not his mother and her family with us?....Whence then hath this man all these things?" Hence, instead of enquiring into his doctrine, or the evidences of his mission, they were offended (or scandalized) at the meanness of his origin, and paid little or no attention to either his miracles or preaching; and here Jesus himself bare witness, that a prophet is not wholly without honour, save in his own country, and his own family.

CHAP. XIV. Ver.1. Herod the Tetrarch-(son of Herod the Great) was so called as being heir only to a fourth part of his father's dominions, namely, Galilee; wherein, however, he exercised kingly power.

Ver. 2. He is risen.-Josephus represents Herod as a Sadducee, which sect denied the resurrection, &c. (See Doddr.) But "Conscience makes cowards of us all;" and infidels who deny a future state, will yet tremble at the sight of a supposed spectre. Ibid. Do shew forth themselves in him-Marg. "Are wrought by him."

Ver.6. Before them--Gr. "In the midst of them." Ver. 7. Promised with an oath-Doddr. and Camp. "Sware unto her." So Mark vi. 23.

Ver. 8. Before instructed.-Camp. "Instigated." The facts appear to have been, that when the daughter of Herodias danced, her mother was not in the ball-room, but in an antichamber; when, therefore, Herod made his foolish vow, the girl ran to her mother, who told her what to ask, and she followed her

directions.- -Give me here-Mark," By and by;" Doddr." Presently," which seems more exact.

Ver. 10. He sent and beheaded, &c.—This is no uncommon thing in Turkey and the East to this day. Some time since the Grand Signior having received the heads of some of his officers who had been decapitated by his orders, commanded that they should be exposed in large silver dishes (chargers) at the entrance of his porte. See Orient. Lit. No. 1195.

Ibid. She brought it to her mother.-Jerome relates that Herodias treated the Baptist's head with great disdain, and pierced it with a needle. So when the head of Cicero was brought to Fulvia (wife of Mark Anthony) she is said to have pierced it with

a silver bodkin.

Ver. 13. Apart-Camp. " Privately;" so ver. 24.

On foot-Camp. "By land," he says that the Greek word means on foot, when opposed to horseback; and by land, when contrasted with by sea,