blessed are ye ; 1 16. But as for you my Disciples, 16 Bat blessed are fee: and your ears, by what you see, and are desirous to for they hear. understand what you hear : Therefore has God thought fit to reveal to you the whole Truth, and to make known to you the Mysteries of his Kingdom. 17. And how great a Blessing indeed 17 For verily 1 this is, ye may judge from hence; that say unto you, that the Patriarchs and Prophets and holy many prophets, and Men of old, were desirous to see and righteous inen have desired to see those hear those things which ye now see things which ye see, and hear, but were not permitted. To and have not seen them God vouchsafed to foreshow these them : and to hear things only in Shadows and afar off, those things which which to you he now reveals clearly and ye hear, and have plainly. not heard them. 18. You therefore may hear the 18 Hear ye full Sense and Explication of the therefore the parable Parable. of the fower. 19. Then He told them, how by the When any one Sower was to be understood the Preacher heareth the word of of the Gospel; and by the Seed, the the kingdom, and Doĉtrine of true Religion. That by understandeth it not, then cometh the That sown in the common Road, were and meant those who heard this Doctrine, catcheth away that but regarded it not, neither remembred which was fowed it at all. in his heart: this is feed by the way fide. 20, & 21. That by That fown in 20 But he that remallow Earth upon a Rock, were meant ceived the seed into those who heard indeed the preaching fame is he that hear the of the Gospel, and gladly received it eth the word, and not root in himself, of 19 wicked one, un fome an of the word, by and Temptation and Persecution fell away. by he is offended. 22 He also that 22. That by that fown among Weeds received feed among and Thorns, were meant those who also the thorns, is he that heard and received the Doctrine of Chriheareth the word : and the care of this frianity; but through the Cares and Coworld, and the de- vetousness and vain Pleasures of the ceitfulness of riches World, made no Improvements in Relichoke the word, and gion and Virtue. he becometh 23. And lastly, That by that fown fruitful. in good Ground, were meant those who 23 But he that re- heard the Doctrine of true Religion and ceived feed into the understood, and practised it; and became that heareth the in their several degrees truly and sincereword, and under- ly Religious. standeth it: which 24. g But to return to the History. also beareth fruit, Jesus spake also another Parable to the and bringeth forth, People, and faid: A certain Husbandhundred man fowed good Seed in his Ground: Thus fold, some fixty,fome Christ fendeth forth good Men into thirty. 24 g Another pa the World, to constitute his Church, rable put he forth, and to grow up together in one Body in unto them, saying, Holiness and Righteousness. The kingdom of 25. But while his Servant Nept, an heaven is likened un- Enemy came, and sowed Tares among to a man which fow- the Wheat, and went away. Thus wliile ed good feed in his the Servants of Christ are less watchfield; 25 But ful than they ought, the Devil sends a while men flept, his ene- mong them falle Apostles and falle my came and fowed Teachers, and wicked Men; who for among the some time lie hid under the veil of Hywheat, and went his pocrisie, insinuating themselves into way. weak Men by specious faise Doctrines. 26 But when the 26. But when the Corn grew up, and blade was sprung up; bore fruit, then the Tares also discoverand brought forthed themselves. Thus in process of time, fruit, then appeared the tares also, when 'Trials and Perfecutions come on, G 27. tares unto 27 & 28. Then some of the Hus 27 So the servants bandman's Servants came to him and of the housholder told him, that Tares were grown up a came, and said unto mong his IV heat, and asked him if they thou fow good feed him, Sir, didît not should go and weed them out : Thus in thy field ? from good and well meaning Persons, when whence then hath it they see Hypocrites and evil Men in tares? the Church, wish that they could all be 28 He saith unto cast out, and that the Church might them, An enemy confift only of fincere Members. hath done this. The servant said 29 & 30. But the Husbandınan him, Wilt thou then answered, No; Left while ye are weed that we go and gaing out the Tares, je pluck up also the ther them up? TV heat with them ; But let them alone 29 But he said, till Harvest, and then I will order rily Nay: left while ye Reapers to pick out the Tares first and gather up the tares, burn them, and then gather the Wheat ye root up also the into Barn: Thus God has not wheat with them. ту made Provision to have all sorts of evil 30 Let both grow Men cast out of the Church, left weak harvest: and in the together until the and good Men should suffer with them; time of harvest I neither doth he always in this world will say to the reapsend publick Judgments upon the Wick- ers, Gather ye toed, lest the Innocent be involved in gether first the tares, the Calamity together: But at the end and bind them in bundles burn of the World, he will by his Angels separate the good and sincere Men from the wheat into my them : but gather the Wicked and the Hypocrites; and barn. then he will exactly reward the one and punish the other. 31 & 32. Again, another Parable 31 S Another pasprake Jesus to the People, and faid; rable put he forth unA Husbandman sowed in his Field a to them, saying, The grain of Muftárd-feed; which when kingdom of heaven is it was fown, was one of the least of tard-feed, which a like to a grain of muSeeds ; but when it grow up, it became man took and lowed a spreading Tree, big enough for the in his field. Birds to build their Nefts in its Boughs: 32 Which indeed Thus the Gospel of Christ at its first ap- is the least of all seeds : pearing, seems mean and contemptible, but when it is grown, received only by a few, and those mcan it is the greatest aPerfons: But in time it shall spread o mong herbs, and bever all the Earth; And That Doctrine cometh to 33 Another cometh a tree : fo which the Jews now despise and reject, that the birds of the shall be embraced and flourish air come and lodge all the Nations of the Gentiles. among in the branches thereof. 33. Also he spake another Parable pa to the same import, saying; A Woman rable spake he unto took a little Leaven, and covered it up them, The kingdom in three Bushels of Meal; and when of heaven is like un- it had lain there a while, the whole had to leaven, which a received the tincture of the Leaven throughwoman took and hid out: Thus the Religion of Christ, in three measures of meal , till the whole which now begins to be taught amongit was leavened. Men, shall by the Power and Evidence of Truth, spread it self in time through all the Nations of the World. 34 All these things 34. I All these Parables did Jesus spake Jesus unto the speak to the People, telling them the multitude in para- bare Similitude only, without adding bles, and without a the Explication. parable spake he not unto them: 35 That it might 35. So that hereby he literally fulbe fulfilled which filled that Saying of the Prophet, Pfalm was spoken by the lxxviii, 2. I will open my mouth in Paprophet, saying, I rables ; I will utter dark Sayings of old. will open my mouth in parables,' I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. 36 Then Jesus 36. But when the Multitude were sent the multitude dismissed he entred into a House with away, and went into his Disciples; and there they desired the house: and his him to explain to them what was disciples came him, saying, De meant by the Parable of the Tares clare unto us the pa springing up among the Wheat. rable of the tares of the field. 37 He answered 37. And then he told them, how by and said unto them, the Husband-man was meant Christ, He that soweth the good feed, is the Son or any other Preacher of the Gorel unof man : der him. unto 90 A PARAPHRASE ON Chap. XIII. 38. That by the Field, was to be un 38 The field is derstood the World; by the good Seed the world: the good fown in the Ground, good Christians, of the kingdom : feed are the children or true and sincere Members of the but the tares are the Church of Chris; and by Tares spring- children of the wicking up among the Wheat, wicked Men ed one : and Hypocrites crept into the Church. 39 The enemy 39. That by the Enemy who sowed that sowed them, is the Tares, was meant the Devil; by the devil. The harthe Harvest, the Day of Judgment; and vest is the end of the world: and the reaby the Reapers, the Angels of God. pers are the angels. 40. Lastly, That as in the time of 40 As therefore Harvest the Tares were pickt out from the tares are gatheramong the TV heat, and cast into the Fire ed and burnt in the and burnt : fire: so fhall it be in 41 & 42. So at the Day of Judge the end of this world. ment, Christ should send out his Ân 41. The son of man shall send forth gels; and they should seperate all wicked Men and Hypocrites, and false Teach- fhall gather out of his angels, and they ers, and impenitent Sinners, from among his kingdom all good and sincere Men; and pould cast things that offend, , them into Hell, the place of the execution and them which do of God's final Vengeance, where they iniquity: jhould be tormented for ever with fruit 42 And shall cast them into a furnace less Repentance and never-ceasing Woe. of fire: there shall be wailing and gnash43. And then, added he, fhall the ing of teeth. righteous be crowned with immortal 43 Then shall the Glory ; and shall enjoy unspeakable righteous shine forth Happiness in the presence of God. as the sun, in the Whoever is capable and defirous to be kingdom of of their Father. Who hath instructed, let him observe what I say. ears to hear, let him hear. 44. 5 Again, the 44. Jesus added moreover another kingdom of heaven Parable, and said ; As a Man that find- is like unto treasure eth a great Treasure in the Field, goeth hid in a field : the with much joy, and selleth all that he which when a man hath, and buyeth that Field: So true Re- hath found, he hideth, ligion and Piety is such a Treasure, for and for joy thereof , the attainment of which a Man ought that he hath, and goeth and felleth all to be willing to part with all things in buyeth that field. the World, 45 Again, |