There is another 5. Some fell upon stony places, | mysteries of nature. where they had not much earth; mystery, however, like unto this the power of divine grace to expand, increase, and strengthen itself as it grows. Though we cannot understand how either of these great and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6. And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and, because they had no root, they withered There are three cases here mentioned in which the seed is lost, but in each it is in a manner suited to the nature of the ground in which it fell. By "the way-side" is to be understood the beaten path, over which travellers are continually walking, and where no plough has softened and prepared the ground. What is rendered" stony places," should be "rocky ground;" it denotes places where there was a very thin coating of soil, scarcely covering a large extent of rock beneath. In such a situation there could not be a sufficient depth of soil; the rock would prevent the seed from taking deep root, so that the plant, putting forth its vegetative power chiefly in the stalk, would soon reach the surface, showing a greater luxuriance in that portion of it which was above ground. But the sun would soon scorch and wither it, as it could not be supplied with sufficient moisture and nourishment from the root to enable it to counteract the effects of his heat. 8. But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, some thirty-fold. 9. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. The seed which fell on good ground is here said to bring forth fruit in different degrees of plenty. One grain of corn will often produce six or seven stalks with ten corns on each, and in very fruitful soils one grain will frequently produce as many as ten such stalks. The power of seed to multiply itself is one of the most amazing wonders are effected, we can account for the fact in both cases, we can trace back both to the wisdom and omnipotence of God. The ninth verse contains a proverbial solemn in its structure, and which was often saying, which is extremely emphatic and employed by Christ at the conclusion of some important subject, in order to arrest kind are deeply interested in what he had and fix attention. It implies that all man said, and should give careful heed to it. Our Saviour's reason for speaking in Parables. 10. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? So. As Christ was now about to enter upon the statement of higher subjects connected with his kingdom than what he had previously treated of, he adopts, for wise and strong reasons, a new plan of teaching which surprised his disciples. They came, therefore, and asked him the reason of his doing There is in the nature of man a spirit of curiosity, in reference to the plans and proceedings of God. We are very desirous to scrutinize into his plans, and find out why it is that he acts so and so. certain extent, this is allowable and right, Indeed, much of our knowledge, both in natural science, and in religious matters, arises from gratifying this curiosity. Without it, we should only have a partial view his doings, we see evidences of his power, of the things of God. As in contemplating so in contemplating the reasons of his doings, we see evidences of his wisdom and of his love. To s In addition to the peculiar reason which Christ gives, a little after, for speaking to the Jews in parables, we may mention a few general ones. This method of conveying knowledge was sufficiently available for attentive hearers, who would be disposed to search with humble sincerity after the truth. The obscurity which was adopted as the means of withholding a knowledge of di vine mysteries from those whose indolence 14. And in them is fulfilled the and incredulity called for such a judgment, prophecy of Esaias, which saith, would exercise faith, kindle desire, and stimulate to prayer for the teaching of the Spirit, in those who were willing to receive instruction. As the disciples of Jewish By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: teachers might inquire of them the meaning of their parables, so might the disciples of 15. For this people's heart is Jesus. There were, further, many things waxed gross, and their ears are dull which would be offensive to the unbelieving of hearing, and their eyes they Jews, who not only cared not for truth, but violently resisted it, whenever it opposed have closed; lest at any time they their own prejudices, or pointed to their own should see with their eyes, and guilt and condemnation, which it was there- hear with their ears, and should fore necessary to conceal under the garb of a parable. We do not sufficiently reflect understand with their heart, and upon this important point, that Christ came should be converted, and I should into the world to work out a fixed plan of heal them. operation within a fixed time. -a plan which lay before his view in full perspective. To In order to understand these verses cordo this in such a manner as not to inter-rectly, we must carefully attend to the fere with the free agency and responsibility meaning of the word "mysteries" in the of man, to take care that everything should 11th verse. The key to the right interoccur in its own time, that nothing should pretation of the passage lies in the distincbe done too soon or too late in consequence tion which there is between the elements of the violence or opposition of the Jews; and the mysteries of the gospel. By the all this required much dexterity, and much former, we understand the first and leading wisdom of management, and judiciousness truths, by a belief in which a man is at first of proceeding, which nothing less than a admitted into the kingdom of God; by the divine mind could command. In the depart- latter, we understand the more advanced and ment of his work which involved the com- sublime doctrines which are afterwards premunication of instruction, he was therefore sented to his mind, in attaining to which obliged frequently to adopt the parabolic the believer grows in knowledge, and the style, in order not to irritate the Scribes knowledge of which is reserved as the priand Pharisees or people, so as to lead them vilege and reward of those who have atto endeavour to apprehend him before his tended with humility and faith to the time was come. teachings of Christ. The justness of this distinction is clearly shown from the lan 11. He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is dom of Heaven, but to them it is not given. guage of Christ to Nicodemus, in John iii. 12," If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things?" which is equivalent to saying," If I have told you of the elements of the gospel, and ye believe 12. For whosoever hath, to him not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of shall be given, and he shall have the Saviour, in the verses before us, is this the mysteries?" The meaning, then, of more abundance; but whosoever that since the Scribes and Pharisees hath not, from him shall be taken and others had rejected the elements, they should therefore, as a punishment for away even that he hath. their infidel obstinacy, not have any knowledge of the mysteries given to them. This distinction between the elements 13. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing, see not; and hearing, they hear not; neither do they understand. and the mysteries must appear to any person who will carefully reflect upon this portion of scripture. Hitherto Jesus given," there may be an allusion to the practice of sending presents to the rich. The poor are never thought of as persons to whom such complimentary marks of kindness and attention are sent. The moral instruction contained in the passage is this, that they who carefully improve the opportunities which a merciful God has given them, shall receive more light and knowledge, as a mark of God's favourable dispo. sition towards them. God delights to heap benefits on those who have made a good use of previous benefits, on the same principle as that on which the one talent was taken from the man who had neglected to use it, and given to the man who had ten talents. Grace is prolific: it increases, like money at compound interest, when it is rightly improved by diligent endeavours to serve and to please God. The expression "whosoever hath not," may be a periphrasis for "the poor," such as occurs in 1 Cor. xi. 22. had delivered his instructions in plain lan- | despised. In the former part of the 12th guage to his disciples, and to the people, verse "whosoever hath, to him shall be without distinction: nothing, for instance, can be plainer than his Sermon on the Mount. But now, he is entering upon the higher truths of his gospel, which are only to be communicated to those who have made progress. It is not in reference to the mysteries of the kingdom, that it is said in the 13th verse, that " they seeing, see not; and hearing, they hear not; neither do they understand." This verse describes the previous habit and practice of the people in obstinately closing their eyes against the Saviour's statements of the fundamental principles of the gospel. Nor is it in reference to the elements, that it is said in the 17th verse, that " many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which the apostles saw, and to hear the things which they heard;" for the persons referred to could not have been prophets and righteous men, if they had not seen and heard the elements of the gospel. This verse, then, refers, not to the truths which procure admission into the kingdom of God, but to the higher and deeper mysteries which are shut up within the kingdom, and which were not revealed until the days of Christ. A parable, therefore, is like the pillar of cloud, which presented a dark side to the Egyptians, and a bright one to the Israelites; or like the ark in the Jewish tabernacle, which contained the golden pot of manna: those who will not enter into the Holiest of all, into which they have access through faith in Jesus, shall not have the benefit of these richer blessings of the everlasting covenant. The same provision which preserves these blessings from those who will not seek them, reserves them for those who seek them in the right way. And the exclusion of obstinate unbelievers from the enjoyment of the richer mercies of the gospel, is a judgment from God. There is, in fact, no remedy for wilful unbelief. It must be left to bear its own legitimate con sequences. The 12th verse contains a strong figure of speech called Paronomasia "Whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath." He that, through his own obstinate rejection of instruction, has no knowledge of divine things, shall lose the opportunity and capacity of acquiring that knowledge, which he has thus recklessly The 14th and 15th verses contain a quotation from the 9th and 10th verses of the 6th chapter of Isaiah. The lamentable description of hardness and insensibility which they present, referred, in the first instance, to the people in the prophet's own time, but has been exhibited in another and darker illustration in the conduct and character of those who lived in the days of Christ. Human nature is radically the same in every age, but the outward manifestations of inward depravity and ignorance may vary according to circumstances. It is a sad description which is given in the 15th verse, "This people's heart is waxed gross." This was the effect of sensuality and prejudice. Man is always the cause of his own wretchedness and misery, and it is his own fault if he becomes the object of judgments. Obstinate self-blindness is always the primary cause of his ruin, although in some desperate cases judicial blindness may be the proximate cause. And of all the judgments which can be visited upon a people, this is the most awful in its consequences, though to men in general it is the least perceptible in its nature. It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for those who will not receive the messen gers of Christ, nor hear their words. We see in the 15th verse what is the progress which leads to conversion. The that inward humility of heart which submits to the teaching of the Saviour, and upon the enlightening influences of the Holy Spirit. Men may believe and be saved, whose privileges are scanty and few; whereas many who have the highest advantages, may continue in unbelief and perish. sinner sees the statements of redeeming love | for after all, the progress of a man in divine which are laid before him, or hears them knowledge depends, not so much upon exwith his outward ears; then the heart un-ternal privileges and distinctions, as upon derstands them and makes them the property of the soul by faith; for that faith which cometh by hearing the word of God has its residence in the heart; and in believing the truth, the sinner is converted to God, and then the great process of moral healing, by which he is gradually made holy, commences, and he grows in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, realizing in his experience the character and destiny of the just, whose "path is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day." 16. But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. 17. 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. It was, indeed, a blessed privilege to live in the days of Christ, to see the works which he performed, and to hear the instructions which he delivered. We should not suppose, however, that the truths by which a sinner is justified in the sight of God were unknown before Jesus appeared. There was a message of pardoning mercy delivered immediately after the fall; and, at any age of the world, a man is justified by believing and acting on whatever amount of testimony and revelation God gives him. The prophets here referred to were accepted by a prospective faith in the sufferings of the Redeemer, to whom their predictions pointed; the "righteous men," who are here spoken of, were righteous only by faith in whatever record of mercy God may have published in their day. But both of those classes of persons desired to see the works of Christ, and to live in his day; yet this desire could have been produced only by a previous faith. Yet how many who saw and heard the Saviour remained ignorant and unfruitful under the many advantages they enjoyed: The Explanation of the Parable of the 18. Hear ye, therefore, the parable of the sower. What a blessing to have Christ to explain, as well as Christ to preach! His object is usefulness and practical improvement, of his people's understanding by giving a and therefore he makes up for the deficiency full and clear exposition. This parable is an introduction to a series, and therefore an explanation of it is a kind of key or guide it a title or superscription; he calls it "the to the understanding of others. Jesus gives parable of the sower;" he gives it a name from the leading symbolic person in the parable. It is a parable taken from the most common and universal transactions of life. There is a double advantage in this. Spiritual subjects are thus familiarized by impressive illustrations which are borrowed from plain and ordinary occurrences; and on the other hand, natural objects and common actions are sanctified and spiritualized by association with things divine, and made as it were the tabernacles in which Christ has deposited much religious instruction. Here Jesus kindly proposes to unfold this useful parable, and thus shows how necessary it is to revert to what we have heard, in frequent and diligent contemplation, and to meditate especially upon his own instructions. Unless we understand what we hear, we can not expect to derive any benefit from it. Let us, therefore, hear the parable of the sower explained by its divine author. 19. When any one 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 received seed by the way-side. The Gospel is here called the word of the kingdom, because it proclaims the establishment of the kingdom of Christ. And this is a prophetical parable, illustrating the effects which should attend the preaching of the Gospel in every age. There are three cases in which the word of God does not produce fruit, each of which is traced to a distinct cause; -the first, to Satan's power; the second, to the natural enmity of the heart; the third, to the influence of temporal things. This verse refers to the first of these. Satan is compared to a bird catching up the seed which falls by the way-side. We may notice here, that Satan can do no harm unless where he sees an opportunity favourable to his evil designs. When he catcheth away the seed which was sown in a man's heart, it is because the man does not understand it. Understanding the Gospel makes it a man's own property, and causes it to take root in his heart. Oh for more intelligent hearers of the truth! 20. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same 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 tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. This is the explanation of the 5th verse, where it is said, “ 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." In this case the seed is said to spring up forthwith, as it did not require long to reach the surface. Thus there is such a thing as precocious piety. All real and genuine reformations require time. In this case there is no deepness of soil, no solid views of divine truth, no serious sense of natural alienation from God, no earnest reflections upon the sinful depravity of the human heart, no clear ap prehensions of the spiritual glory of Christ, and no fellowship with him through the Spi rit. If these were in the soul, they would constitute a richness and deepness of soil which no scorching sun could ever reach. The seed however springs up, and dureth for a while, but it is only under the induence of natural feelings. A man of good understanding and fine taste may be arrested by the sublimity of the truths of the Gospel, or a man of warm and ardent feelings may be attracted by the astonishing facts of divine love which it reveals; but it is necessary to receive the truth in such a way as to be armed by it against persecution and tribulation. All is well with such persons as long as they live in ease, but worldly losses, trials, and persecutions, soon put the strength of their religion to the test. Persecution was represented in the 6th verse by the sun. That which warms and cherishes the seed which is sown in good ground, dries up and burns that which is in stony ground. Thus persecution, which strengthens and improves the graces of the real Christian, is the means of detecting the mere nominal professor. There are two reasons in this case for the seed failing ;the first internal, which consists in the man having no root in himself; the second exsecution arising on account of the word. ternal, which consists in tribulation or per The case described here is better than the former, but it shows that it is possible to be of the glory of God. Our goodness and better than others, and yet to come short holiness are not to be estimated by comparison with those of others, but to be judged of by themselves. 22. He also that received seed 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. This contains the explanation of the 7th verse, which speaks of some seed falling among thorns, and the thorns coming up and choking them. The thorns represent the cares, and attractions, and pleasures of this present world, as it is now constituted. These are so congenial in their nature with the carnal heart of man, that they easily |