proverb," seem to imply that in our LORD's usual discourse there had been proverbs which they did not understand?

All of which instances are examples in various degrees of persons "who hear the word of the kingdom and understand it not ;" and which I would adduce as showing that the want of comprehension was indeed a fault in the moral understanding of the hearer; on which supposition alone is grounded the argument of the Truth not being fully manifested by our LORD.

There is another circumstance that will bear upon this subject, that which must be observed on many occasions, and perhaps it would lead us to a better comprehension of other points, if it was observed in more, viz., our LORD's custom of answering, not the words of the inquirer, but the thoughts in his mind, which had prevented his discerning the truth, or of directing His answer to the sentiments which the circumstance suggested to others. This must necessarily have rendered His expressions difficult of comprehension to some, while at the same time they were beneficial to all, according to the need of each. Like the rains from Heaven, or the seasons in His natural providence, which are not as each wishes, or prays for, but as is best for each and for all. This may be perceived in the observations made at the feast in Levi's house, where the company was composed of such different kinds of persons; and expressions so pregnant and full of meaning to one, must have been dark sayings to another.

4. The teaching by Parables.

I cannot but conceive that there must have been this intention of veiling the truth in the Parables. It has been said indeed that they render moral truths more plain and easy, as well as more engaging; and that this was their purpose. But is this the case? They are easy to us, as all such things seem to be when explained; but were they so at the time? Was not the crucifixion foretold nine times to the Apostles, and yet it was said distinctly that they did not understand it, although it does not appear to us, who know the circumstances, so difficult? Do not the places where the word parable occurs, often imply that this was its meaning or effect?

Twice in the Psalms it occurs with "dark sayings," (Psalm xlix. 4.) "I will incline mine ear to a parable, I will open my dark saying upon the harp," and (Ps. lxxviii. 2. quoted expressly to this purpose by St. Matt. ch. xiii. verse 35,) "I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter dark sayings of old."—And in the prophet Ezekiel in the same sense, "They say of me, Doth he not speak parables ?" And does not our LORD's answer to his Disciples, when they asked Him why He taught the people in Parables, prove this? "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 not given." The whole of which passage at length seems to me to explain this view of the subject. And seems, with regard to the Disciples, the same as is said of Moses in Numbers (c. xii.)" If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known to him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches."

The passage just now referred to in the Gospels is the following, "And He said to His disciples privately', But blessed are the eyes which see the things which ye see, for I say unto you that many prophets and kings have desired to see the things

1 St. Matt. xviii. 10. Chrysostom says, "It is worthy of admiration, how the Disciples, though desirous to learn, yet know the right point of time when to ask. And this Matthew had signified by saying, and having come to Him.' And that this that I say is not a mere assumption, Mark hath more clearly set forth, by saying that they came to Him' privately.'" And speaking on the same subject, he says, "Let us also thus act, when we see one hearing carelessly and cannot persuade him by all our exhortations to attend, let us desist, for if we continue, his carelessness is increased. But when we perceive one in earnest to learn, let us draw him on, and pour in much." Origen remarks this coming privately, and typically expounds" in the house," as the secret wisdom of GOD: he also observes, "That it is not said merely to the Disciples that He expounded these things, but to the Disciples,' who came to Him.'" (Comment. on St. Matt.) He likewise draws the same typical allusions, as expressive of this mode of teaching, from our LORD's withdrawing to the mountain, and descending to the plain; in the former, to those who could ascend with Him, He explained the mysteries of the kingdom. (Contra Celsum.)

which ye see, and have not seen them." Those glorious promises therefore of the Old Testament were now already thrown upon the world, but only seen by certain persons who had “ eyes to see." So that those glowing prophetical descriptions of CHRIST'S kingdom may not imply any great change in the external appearance of the world, as is sometimes supposed, but only those high and heavenly privileges which some may value and receive. And the blessings of CHRIST's kingdom as contained in the Beatitudes would indicate the same, as confined to persons of a certain description and character.

I think we cannot but be struck at the little direct information that our Blessed Saviour gives to the Pharisee and such inquirers; the moving and striking discourses, as they appear to us, are all more or less private, such as the prophecies and parables respecting the end of the world and the like, (Matt. xxiv. xxv.) and the discourses towards the end of St. John's Gospel. It is in the retired Galilee that the Gospel seems to open with blessings, couched in the half secret, though simple, forms of the Beatitudes; and it is in the crowded Temple at Jerusalem that our LORD's public ministry ends with the opposites throughout to those Beatitudes, the woes pronounced on the Jews at Jerusalem'.

In speaking of a Parable as a veil, I would be cautious against mentioning anything as the end proposed in the operations of GOD: which, of course, to confine to one end and purpose, we may perceive would be quite impossible, as in the works of Nature; I would only say that the parable did serve this purpose among others. Might it not be that the most spiritual and heavenly precepts were thus left to the rude and rough world, so that the veil of the figure might still be over them, though disclosing its import to any attentive and thoughtful person; performing thus by themselves, through the wonderful wisdom of GOD, that which He has commanded us to observe, in not "giving that which is holy to the dogs," and not "casting pearls before swine?"

This view of a parable, as a veil of the truth, seems generally

1 And this, it is to be observed, was after He had said, that the things which belonged unto their peace were now hid from their eyes.

confirmed by the Fathers. A Parable is explained by Theophylact (see Schleusner) as "a dark saying." Cyril (in the Catechesis vi.) says, "Is it only the GoD of the Old Testament who hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not? Hath not JESUS Himself said, 'therefore I speak unto them in Parables, that seeing, they might not perceive?' Was it from hating them that He wished them not to see? Or was it not that they were unworthy to do so, since they had closed their eyes?" And again, the same writer says, "To those who could not hear He spoke in parables, and privately expounded them to His disciples. The brightness of glory was for these; and blindness for unbelievers."

Clement of Alexandria says (Stromata, b. vi. p. 676.) "Neither prophecy nor our Saviour Himself promulgated the divine mysteries in such a manner that they might easily be apprehended by all persons, but discoursed in parables. Certainly the Apostles say concerning the LORD, 'that He spake all things in parables, and without a parable spake He not unto them."" "And even in the Law and Prophets," he adds, "it was He that spake to them in parables."

And Chrysostom in like manner : "Had he not wished them to hear and to be saved, He would have been silent, and not have spoken in parables. But by this means He moveth them, by speaking things overshadowed and darkened." (Homil. on St. Matt. xiii.)

5. The manner of our Lord's Miracles,—their concealment, &c.

The miracles of our blessed LORD were the other mode of His teaching mankind and disclosing His Divinity; and will not all that has been said forcibly apply to them also? Would it not appear (if I may so express myself with reverence) that He walked about, infinitely desirous to communicate good, without any limit or measure of His own goodness or power, but yet bound, as it were, in some very wonderful manner, by the unfitness of mankind to receive Him? For as He is revealed to us as more than willing to forgive, but as it were unable to do so unless we repent; in like manner is He also as desirous

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to manifest Himself to us, but as it were unable to do so, unless we are fitly disposed for it. Is it not very observable that the miracles recorded were to the very utmost of the faith of the person seeking relief, but as it were unable to go beyond? By a word, and at a distance, if so asked, as in the case of the Centurion : by laying on His hand, if the request went to this, as in Jairus's daughter by a more speedy cure of another intervening by touching the hem of His garment, if such the belief'; and He is spoken of as unable to work miracles (except a few) because they believed not-a very memorable expression, which incidentally occurs as marking the sole bounds of His power and will.

I think it may be considered without doubt as a general rule, that the benefits conferred in the Gospel are in a sort of measured proportion, according to the faith of the recipient or person engaged. This is shown by the words of St. Mark, "JESUS said to them that word of His, If thou canst believe,” (rò, ei dúvaoaι TIOTEÑOAL,) and there are many like sayings. There may be some instances which appear to be exceptions to this, and in the manifold and incomprehensible ways of God's wisdom, there may of course be these exceptions, and some mode of accounting for them, but this would not affect the general rule. But in the second place, I doubt whether any of these exceptions can be made out to be so. Take, for instance, the case of the healing of Malchus; we are perfectly in the dark respecting this individual and the state of his mind, excepting so far as the service he was engaged in proves he could not have had the highest degree of faith and knowledge. The case of the ten lepers might appear an exception, but cannot be proved to be so; it was said to the one, in some especial sense probably, "Thy faith hath saved thee." It would seem from this that he had in his case some benefit conferred which the others had not; and though the nine had not the gratitude to return thanks, they might have had, under the pressure of disease, the faith to trust for help, which would only make it an ordinary case in human nature, of good thoughts departing

1 Thus also the leper's prayer is, "If thou wilt," the answer, as given by three Evangelists, "I will."