so long expected, and ardently desired, is going to be established amongst you. Is not the horrid impudence of this blasphemy of yours really astonishing! But, great as your crime is, it may yet be forgiven; because fuller and more manifest evidences of the truth of my mission, may hereafter convince you of your wickedness, and excite you to believe; and the Lime is coming when the Son of man shall be raised from the dead, and the gift of miracles by the power of the Holy Ghost will be bestowed on almost every believer. The nature of the Messiah's kingdom will be more fully explained, and such proofs given, as if attended to, will be abundantly sufficient to remove your prejudices and overcome your obstinacy and prevailing unbelief. But if you then shut your eyes, and speak evil against the Holy Ghost, contrary to the conviction of your minds, maliciously aseribing the miracles wrought by his power, and his extraordinary gifts, to proceed from the prince of darkness, you have wilfully shut your eyes against the light; you have dared to insult the eternal God to his face; you have resisted, wilfully resisted, the last means which he will use to convince you: & you never will be forgiven, but shall surely fall under the fierce. ness of his wrath, bothin this world & that which is to come. I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: But the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."

Wherefore

men.

This awful and alarming denunciation against the blasphemy of the HoGhost, was probably laid down by our Saviour at this time, to apprise the Pharisees of their danger, to awaken them to a sense of their obstinate and envious opposition of the truth, and make them afraid of the consequence if they presisted in such detestable calumnies, when their own hearts told them, that they had no foundation on reason, but what flowed from malice and resentment: but the most powerful arguments, or the most awful threatenings, had no effect on this obstinate and perverse race of mortals, who sarcastically answered, " Master we would see a sign from thee." What astonishing stupidity! Had he not, the moment before, cast out a devil, and restored the faculties of sight and speech to the blind and dumb! Had not he cleansed lepers, raised the dead, and rebuked the tempestuous winds, and raging waves of the sea! Were not these signs sufficient to have convinced the most obstinate and bigotted mortal! What therefore could these stubborn doctors of the law require! Well might the great Saviour of the world call them " a wicked and adulterous generation;" for certainly they could justly pretend to no part of the faith and piety of their great father Abraham; he believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: but they, by their malicious obstinacy, and determined unbelief, added sin to sin and plunged themselves into the depth of iniquity and wiekedness. Persons of such perverse dispositions, and incorrigible tempers, merited no indulgence; and, therefore, our great Redeemer told them, that no sign should be given, but that of the prophet Jonab, who, by laying three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, was a type of the Son of God, who should continue three days and three nights in the chambers of the grave.

Our Lord then proceeded to observe, that the obstinacy, perverseness, and wickedness of that generation, was greater than that of the most barbarous, ignorant, and idolatrous nations, who would rise in judgment with them and condemn them. The people of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jenah; and the queen of the south took a long journey to behold the wisdom of Solomon: but the obstinate wicked, and unbelieving Jews. would not repent, at the preaching, and repeated warnings of the Son of God, nor learn wisdom from the Eternal Fountain of Wisdom itself.

Our Lord then concluded his discourse with a parable, which shewed the great danger of wilfully opposing & resisting the truth, as such practices

tend to make men habitually and desperately wicked, and, in every respect, more obdurate and abandoned than defore.

During this dispute with the rulers of Israel, Jesus was informed, that his mother and his kinsman waited without, desiring an interview with him; upon which, with a look of the tenderest affection, he stretched out his hand towards his disciples, and said, "Behold my mother and my brethren! for whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother," Matt. xii. 49, 50. These remarkable words ought to be received with the warmest gratitude, and the most exalted joy, by every christian; since from this divine declaration, it may be learnt, that a faith in CHRIST, which works by love, and produces a conformity to the precepts of the gospel, gives the believer a claim to the high title of a Son of the Most High, and a near relation to his dear Redeemer: by this divine principle, the believer lays hold on the blessings and privileges, which belong to his spiritual birth, he claims a kindred to the skies, he becomes acquainted with his union with the Divine Nature, and can stand before the throne of the Eternal God, and call him his Father.

CHAPTER XVI.

Jesus delivers several Parables from a Ship, to the Multitudes that were standing on Shore: He receives a second Visit from his relations : At Evening he retires to Capernaum, and delivers more Parables to his Disciples: Afterwards he returns to Nazareth, his own City, and sends his Apostles to preach about that Country: He then repairs to the Desart of Bethsada and provides a miraculous Repast far the whole Multitude.

THE public debate in which Jesus was engaged with the Pharisees, and the miracles which was the occasion of it, brought together such a vast concourse of people. that, for the greater facility of instructiug them, our great Redeemer repaired to the sea side. The crowd pressed so close about him, that he was incommoded in his office of speaking, and for the greater conveniency, he entered a ship, and put off to some small distance from the shore, while the attentive multitudes remained on dry land: being thus conveniently accommodated for public speaking, our divine Instructor proceeded to lay down several precepts of the utmost importance, which he thought proper to introduce in the parabolical style. This was a mode of instruction very common in the oriental nations, and it was the general method of the old prophets, John the Baptist and our blessed Savjour, to inculcate divine and moral truths, in the beautiful method of illusion and fable; and some times so to contrive the discourse, that it had an immediate reference to those objects, which at that very time presented themselves to the view of the audience. This method of instructing was. on several accounts, particularly adapted to the designs of divine conduct, and the circumstances of the Jewish nation, at the time of the Messiah's appearance. Similitudes of this kind, are the most easy and simple methods of teaching; they are best accomodated to the apprehensions of the ignorant and unlearned, and are very easy to be understood, remembered, and applied at the same time, they are the finest veil for mysteries, and the best medium for concealing from the proud and obstinate, those truths which their perverseness and infidelity render them unworthy of having more clearly revealed.

These observations seem to be alluded to by our great Redeemer himself, when his disciples asked, why he taught the people in parables? ** Because," said he, it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to them it is not given: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away, even that he hath. Therefore speak I unto them in parables; because in seeing they see not: and in hearing they hear not, neither do they understand," Matt. xiii. 11, &c. The beloved disciples, whom our Redeemer, by his divine power had made of an humble, teachable disposition, whose minds, by an heavenly influence, were become docile, apt to learn, and open to instruction, were thus addressed by the divine Instructor; and he gives them to understand, that it would be no advantage to them, nor to any that sincerely desired to be instructed, and attended on him in humility of heart, that the truths he delivered were clothed in parables; for such persons would carefully consider his words, and resort to him for their explanation: and the truths themselves, clothed in this beautiful veil, would be more attractive to the humble inquiring mind; and, when carefully considered, appear plain, simple, and easy to be understood.

But the proud, self-conceited Scribes and Pharisees, were so blinded by their prejudices, that they would not give themselves time to consider, but would heartily despise such methods of teaching, and condemn, as low and contemptible, the plain allusions in which the divine truths were represented. Our great Redeemer did not alter his manner of teaching, for their sakes, but dressed the great truth of the gospel in such metaphorical robes as they did heartily despise, and which would for ever cenceal them from persons of their temper and conduct. Nor need it be wondered at, the blessed JESUS further observed: that he took this method with this sort of men; for it had been prophesied of him, that he should " open his mouth in parables, and utter things which had been kept secret from the foundation of the world." And concerning the pride, obstinacy, perverseness, and infidelity of the rulers of the Jews, Isaiah had long ago prophesied to them, that, "by hearing ye shall hear, and not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: for this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them."

There is some little variation between the words, as quoted by our Savjour, and those found in the prophecy of Isaiah, but the meaning is the same in each, and the sense manifestly is, that the Jewish nation should hear the doctrines of the gospel, but not understand them: and see the miracles wrought in confirmation of the truth of those doctrines but not perceive them to be wrought by the power of God: not because the eviden. ces produced by our great Redeemer, were insufficient to convince a judicious and impartial inquirer after truth; but because the corruption and depravity of the hearts of the proud Pharasees, would not suffer them to examine & weigh these evidences; for the sins of that people had hardened their hearts, their pride and vanity had shut their ears, and their hypocrisy and bigotted adherence to tradition, and forced interpretations of the law, had closed their eyes; so that the bright rays of divine truth could not shine upon their dark minds, nor the powerful voice of heavenly wisdom, awaken their attention, or command their assent.

Such were the reasons assigned by our great Redeemer, for his teaching the people in parables; and then he proceeded to remind his disciples of the great privileges they enjoyed, in having the opportunity of learning, from his heavenly lips, those things which the prophets of old so earnestly desired to know and understand: "But blessed," said he," are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear: for verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."

dis

The first parable which the blessed Jesus delivered to the multitude, was that of the sower, who cast his seed into different kinds of soil, the product of which was answerable to the nature of the ground; some yielding a large increase and some none at all; by which he he elegantly played the success of his own doctrine, amongst the several kinds of hearers to which it would be preached. "A sower," said he," went forth to sow; and when he sowed. some seed fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth; and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth; and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up and choked them; but others fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold."

This parable was peculiarly proper to be considered by the multitudes who attended the Son of God, when such vast numbers heard his discourses, and so few practised his precepts, or profited by the heavenly doctrines which he taught. Not only the multitude, but the disciples heard him with a mixture of pleasure and surprise; and, not understanding his meaning, they were impatient to hear it explained; and were very urgent to know, why he chose that method of instruction.

The last of these questions, our Lord answered in the manner before related; and then, with condescending kindness, proceeded to give them the explanation of the parable sower: "When any one," said he, "heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which receiveth the seed by the way side." The persons who are here represented as hearing the word of God without understanding, are those careless hearers, whose minds are diverted from attending to those things which concern their everlasting peace, by the gay, trifling amusements and alluring objects of sense. Such persons hear the word of God with so little attention, that they scarcely know what they hear; and, for want of an habit of serious thinking, their ideas are loose and scattered, and an universal dissipation of mind drives out all solid reflection. Such person's as these, are at all times proper objects for the great enemy of mankind to work upon; he well knows how to take advantage of the vacancy of thought, which exposes such minds to his malicious attempts; and, when he finds the mind empty, he takes care to enter there, and fill it with such furniture, as soon erases the slight impressions it may have received by hearing the word of God.

The second kind of hearers, described in the parable of the sower, are those who receive the word with a great degree of attention, and in whom it produces an outward reformation of conduct and behaviour; but, not being impressed on the mind by the operation of the Divine Spirit, it does not effect a real change of heart. Such persons, while things go on smooth, and they meet with success and encouragement in the world, may make a profession, and appear to others, and think themselve religious, but, like seed sown on hard, stony ground, which, though it springs up, and looks green for a while, yet, when the sun shines hot and bright, soon withers for want of root; they cannot stand in the day of adversity and trouble: "for when tribulation, or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by they are offended.

The third kind of hearers, are those who seem to receive the word of God with great earnestness and attention; but however they may be delighted with it in the house of God, they do not carry a savor of it into the world. In some, the toil, trouble care, and vexation arising from their circumstances in the world, so fill the mind, engage the attention, over whelm the spirit, and oppress the heart, that, like a plant incumbered and surrounded with rank, poisonous weeds, the word of God, which they have heard, cannot grow; the noble truths of the gospel cannot have their proper influence on the mind, but gradually sink and decline, till at last they are disbelieved, or totally forgotten. Others, who meet with their desired success in their worldly affairs, are so assiduous in the pursuit, and so entirely devoted to the acqusition of wealth, that every thing to them seems little and low which does not produce some temporal advantage: as riches increase, they set their hearts upon them, and a worldly spirit "chokes the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

In opposition to those unprofitable hearers of the word, a fourth sort are represented in this parable, whose hearts, by the Holy Spirit, are prepared for the reception of divine truth; for, as the best of ground, except it be ploughed, harrowed and cleansed by the husbandman, will not receive the seed, nor produce a plentiful harvest; so the heart of man, except it be changed by divine power, will not receive the word of God, nor produce such fruit as the gospel requires: but, when the heavenly seed falls on those hearts which have been wrought upon and prepared by the Divine Spirit, the word is received with gladness, gladness, it takes deep root in the mind, it operates on all the powers and faculties of the soul, it terminates in obedience to the precepts of the gospel, and brings forth fruit to the honour and interest of CHRIST, in proportion to the capacities and circumstances of the different subjects on which it falls, "in some an hundred fold, in some sixty, and in some thirty."

Our great Redeemer, having finished his explanation of the parable of the sower, he turned to his disciples, and explained to them, by the similitude of a lighted candle, the use they were to make of the knowledge which they would acquire by conversing with him, and receiving his divine instructions. " Is a candle," said he, "brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not to be set on a candlestick? For there is nothing hid which shall not be manifested, neither was any thing kept secret, but it should come abroad." By which the divine Instructor gave them to understand, that, though now these heavenly truths where veiled in shades and figures, and taught to mankind in parables, the time would come, that they would be more clearly revealed, and as a lighted candle, exalted on high, illuminate the whole apartment where it is placed, so shall the brightness of divine truth, by their preaching, be spread abroad, and enlighten the dark nations of the earth: therefore, as the disciples of CHRIST were intended to convey the precepts of heavenly instruction to the dark, unenlightened nations of the world, oar Lord reminded them, that it was a matter of the highest importance, that they should be rightly and fully taught those truths they were to bear to the remotest nations; and, therefore, it behoved them to hear him with the utmost care and attention. "Take heed," said he, "what ye hear; with what measure ye. mete, it shall be measured to you; and unto you that hear shall more be given.

After our Lord had been thus discoursing to his disciples, he turned to the multitude on the shore, and, addressing them in the most pleasing and powerful manner, he delivered to them the parable of the enemy's sow. ing tares amongst the wheat. "The kingdom of heaven," says he, "is Jikened to a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares amongst the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the husbandman came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, an enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then, that we go and gather them up?