13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they fesing, fee not: and hearing, they hear not, neither do they understand. crease of Virtue; as you do: Such Perfons indeed fhall have* more Inftruction and greater Affiftances, continually afforded them. But they who make no ufe of that Inftruction which is given them, and improve not thofe Advantages which they already have; as a great part of these common Hearers do not: Such Perfons, as they are not capable, fo neither fhall they be accounted worthy of more Inftruction or greater Advantages. 13. Therefore I fpeak to them in Parables; that becaufe by feeing the greatest Miracles they have not been convinced, and by hearing the plaineft Do&trines they would not be made to understand; all those may yet continue Ignorant, who will not take pains to confider and search out the Truth. 14. And thus in these People is most exactly fulfilled that Prophecy of Efaias; (Ifai. 6. 9.) Ye hear indeed, but understand not; and ye fee indeed, but per ceive not : 15. For the heart of this People is fat, and their Ears heavy, and their Eyes fout; So that they fee not with their Eyes, nor hear with their Fars, nor understand with their Heart, to be converted and healed. 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 Mysteries of his Kingdom. 17. And what a great Bleffing indeed this is, ye may judge from hence; that the Patriarchs and Pro phets and holy Men of old, were defirous to fee and 15 For this peoples heart is waxed gross, and their Ears and their eyes they have closed; left at any time they should fee with their eyes, are dull of hearing, and hear with their ears, and fhould underftand with their hearts, and should be converted, and L fhould heal them. 16 But bleffed are your eyes, for they fee: and your ears, for they hear. 20 But he that received the feed in to ftony places, the fame is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it: 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while for when tri bulation or perfecution arifeth because of the word, by and by he is offended. hear those things, which ye now see and hear, but were not not permitted. To them God vouchfafed to foreshew 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 Religi on. That by that fown in the common Road,were meant those who heard this Doctrine, but regarded it not, neither remembred it at all. 20, & 21. That by that fown in Shallow Earth upon a Rock, were meant those 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 Temptation and Perfecution fell away. L 4 22. That 22. That by that fown among Weeds and Thorns, were meant those who also heard and received the Doctrine of Christianity, 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 underflood, and practifed it; and became in their feveral degrees truly and fincerely Religious. an hundred fold, fome fixty, fome thirty. 24 Another parable put he forth unto them, faying, The kingdom of hea ven is likened unto a man which fowed 24. But to return to the Hiftory. Jefus fpake also another Parable to the People, and faid: A certain Husbandman fowed good Seed in his Ground: Thus Chrift good feed in his field: fendeth forth good Men into the World, to constitute his Church, and to grow up together in one Body in Holinefs and Righteouf nefs. 25. But while his Servants lept, an Enemy came, and Lowed Tares the Wheat, among 25 But while men flept,his enemy came and fowed tares a mong the wheat, and went his way. 26 But and went away. Thus while the Servants of Christ are less watchful than they ought, the Devil fends among them falfe Apoftles and false Teachers, and wicked Men, who for fome time lie hid under the veil of Hypocrifie, infinuating themselves into weak Men by fpecious falfe Doctrines. 26. But when the Corn grew up, and bare fruit, then the Tares alfo difcovered themfelves. Thus in process of time, when Trials and Perfecutions come on, and good Men distinguish themselves by the fruits of Patience and Virtue; then the Hypocrites also discover themfelves, by their indirect Practifes, or open deferting the Truth. 27, & 28. Then fome of the Husbandman's Servants came to him and told him, that Tares were grown up d mong his Wheat, and asked him if they should go and weed them out: Thus good and well meaning Perfons, when they |