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 those things which ye now see 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.

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

it at all.

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

17 For verily I fay unto you, that many prophets, and righteous inen have defired to fee those things which ye see, and have not feen them and to hear thofe things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

18 Hear ye therefore the parable

of the fower.

19 When any one heareth the word of

the kingdom, and underftandeth it not,

then cometh the

wicked one, and catcheth away that which was fowed

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

20 But he that re ceived the feed into fame is he that hearftony places, the

20, 21. That by That fown in fhallow Earth upon a Rock, were meant those who heard indeed the preaching of the Gospel, and gladly received it eth the word, and alfo, and made Refolutions to obey it anon with joy rebut for want of Conftancy and Firm-ceiveth it: nefs in thofe Refolutions, in time of

;

21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while; for when tribulation or persecution 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 received feed into the good ground, is he

that heareth the word, and underftandeth it which alfo beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, fome an hundredfold, fome fixty, fome thirty. 24 Another parable put he forth, unto them, faying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which fowed good feed in his field; 25 But men flept, his enemy came and fowed tares among the wheat, and went his

way.

while

26 But when the

blade was fprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares alfo.

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 Chrifianity; 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 Holiness 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 themfelves. Thus in procefs of time, when Trials and Perfecutions come on, and good Men diftinguish 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.

Thus

27 & 28. Then fome of the Husbandman's Servants came to him and told him, that Tares were grown up among his IV heat, 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.

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 Barn: Thus God has not into my 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 separate 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 Christ 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

27

of the

So the fervants houfholder

came, and faid unto him, Sir, didst not

thou fow good feed

in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28 He faith unto

them, 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.
30 Let both grow
harveft: and in the
together until the
time of harvest I
will fay to the reap-
ers, Gather ye to-
gether firft the tares,
and bind them in
them: but gather
the wheat into my
barn.

bundles to burn

cometh a tree so that the birds of the air come and lodge

:

in the branches thereof.

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

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

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

was leavened.

38. That by the Field, was to be understood the World; by the good Seed fown in the Ground, good Chriftians, or true and fincere Members of the Church of Chrift; and by Tares fpringing up among the Wheat, wicked Men and Hypocrites crept into the Church.

39. That by the Enemy who fowed the Tares, was meant the Devil; by the Harvest, the Day of Judgment; and by the Reapers, the Angels of God.

40. Laftly, That as in the time of Harveft the Tares were pickt out from among the heat, and caft into the Fire and burnt:

41 & 42. So at the Day of Judg. ment, Chrift fhould send out his Angels; and they should feparate all wicked Men and Hypocrites, and falfe Teachers, and impenitent Sinners, from among good and fincere Men; and should cast them into Hell, the place of the execution of God's final Vengeance, where they fhould be tormented for ever with fruitlefs Repentance and never-ceafing Woe.

43. And then, added he, fhall the righteous be crowned with immortal Glory; and fhall enjoy unfpeakable Happiness 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 Treasure, for the attainment of which a Man ought to be willing to part with all things in

the World.

38 The field is

the world: the good of the kingdom: but the tares are the children of the wicked one :

feed are the children

39 The enemy that fowed them, is the devil. The harveft is the end of the

world: and the reapers are the angels.

40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the

fire: fo fhall it be in

the end of this world.

4I The fon of man fhall fend forth

his angels, and they fhall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity:

42 And fhall caft them into a furnace of fire: there fhall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then fhall the righteous fhine forth as the fun, in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath

ears to hear, let him hear.

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 felleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

45 Again,