Many have then given their hearts to him, and become Christians. Many more might have done so, if they had not grieved away the Spirit of God. X. We see the danger of rejecting Christ. Ver. 38-42. All past ages, all the wicked and the good, the foolish and the wise, will rise up in the day of judgment and condemn us, if we do not believe the gospel. No people, heretofore, have seen so much light as we do in this age. And no people can be so awfully condemned as those who, in a land of light, of sabbaths, and sabbath schools, reject Christ and go to hell. Among the flame. It shall burn brighter and brighter, till it "glows with the pure spirits above." VIII. Men are greatly prone to ascribe all religion to the devil. Ver. 24. Any thing that is unusual, any thing that confounds them, anything that troubles their consciences, they ascribe to fanaticism, overheated zeal, and Satan. It has always been so. It is sometimes an easy way to stifle their own convictions, and to bring religion into contempt. Somehow or other, like the Pharisees, infidels must account for revivals of religion, for striking instances of conversion, and for the great and undeniable effects which the gospel produces. How easy to say that it is de-hundred and twenty thousand children of lusion, and that it is the work of the devil! How easy to show at once the terrible opposition of their own hearts to God, and to boast themselves, in their own wisdom, in having found a cause so simple for all the effects which religion produces in the world! How much pains, also, men will take to secure their own perdition, rather than to admit it to be possible that Christianity should be true! IX. We see the danger of blasphemy -the danger of trifling with the influences of the Holy Spirit. Ver. 31, 32. Even if we do not commit the unpardonable sin, yet we see that all trifling with the Holy Ghost is a sin very near to God, and attended with infinite danger. He that laughs away the thoughts of death and eternity; he that seeks the society of the gay and trifling, or of the sensual and profane, for the express purpose of driving away these thoughts; and he that struggles directly against his convictions, and is resolved that he will not submit to God, may be, for aught he knows, making his damnation sure. Why should God ever return, when he has once rejected the gospel? Who would be to blame if the sinner is then lost? Assuredly not God. None but himself. Children sometimes do this. Then is the time, the very time, when they should begin to love God and Jesus Christ. Then the Spirit also strives. Nineveh, Jonah iv. 11, there was not one single Sunday school. There was no one to tell them of God and the Saviour. They have died and gone to judgment. Children now living, will die also, and go to meet them in the day of judgment. How will they condemn the children of this age, if they do not love the Lord Jesus Christ! XI. Sinners, when awakened, if they grieve away the Spirit of God, become worse than before. Ver. 43-45. They are never as they were. Their hearts are hard, their consciences are seared, they hate religious men, and they plunge deeper and deeper into sin. Seven devils often dwell where one did; and God gives the man over to blindness of mind and hardness of heart. This shows, also, the great guilt and danger of grieving the Holy Ghost. XII. We see the love of Christ for his followers. Ver. 46-50. Much as he loved his mother, yet he loved his disciples more. He still loves them. He will always love them. His heart is full of affection for them. And though they be poor and despised, and unknown to the rich and mighty, yet to Jesus they are still dearer than mother, and sisters, and brothers. CHAPTER XIII. 1, 2. The sea-side. This was the sea of Tiberias. The multitude stood on the 2 And great multitudes were | unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, 1and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 And he spake many things. I Luke v. 3. shore near to him, so that he could be easily heard. He went into a ship-that is, a boat-and sat down to address them. Few spectacles could be more interesting than a vast crowd, on the banks of a smooth and tranquil sea-an emblem of his instructions--and the Son of God addressing them on the great interests of eternity. 3-9. In parables. The word parable is derived from a Greek word signifying to compare together, and denotes a similitnde taken from a natural object, to illustrate a spiritual or moral subject. It is a narrative of some fictitious or real event, in order to illustrate more clearly some truth that the speaker wished to communicate. In early ages the parable was much used. Heathen writers, as Esop, often employed it. In the time of Christ it was common. The prophets had used it, and Christ employed it often in teaching his disciples. It is not necessary to suppose that the narratives were strictly true. The main thing the inculcation of spiritual truthwas gained equally, whether the case in the parable was true, or supposed. Nor was there any dishonesty in this. It was well understood. No person was deceived. The speaker was not understood to affirm the thing literally narrated, but only to fix the attention more firmly on the moral truth that he presented. The design of speaking in parables was the following: 1. To convey truth to the mind in a more interesting manner; adding to the truth conveyed the beauty of a lovely image or narrative. 2. To teach spiritual truth so as to arrest the attention of ignorant people, making an appeal to them through the senses. 3. To convey some offensive truth, some pointed personal rebuke, in such a way as to bring it home to the conscience. Of this kind was the parable which Nathan delivered to David, 2 Sam. xii. 1-7, and many of our Saviour's parables addressed to the Jews. 4. To conceal from one part of his audience truths which he intended others should under 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, 2 Mark iv. 2. Luke viii, 5-8. stand. Thus Christ often, by this means, delivered truths to his disciples in the presence of the Jews, which he well knew the Jews would not understand; truths pertaining to them particularly, and which he was under no obligations to explain to the Jews. See Matt. xiii. 13-16. Mark iv. 33. Our Saviour's parables are distinguished above all others for clearness, purity, chasteness, intelligibility, importance of instruction, and simplicity. They are taken mostly from the affairs of common life, and intelligible, therefore, to all men. They contain much of himself, his doctrine, life, design in coming, and claims; and are therefore, of importance to all men; and they are given in a style of native simplicity intelligible to the child, yet instructive to men of every rank and age. In his parables, as in all his instructions, Jesus excelled all men in the purity, importance, and sublimity of his doctrine. 3. A sower went forth to sow. The image here is taken from an employment known to all men, and therefore intelligible to all. Nor can there be a more striking illustration of preaching the gospel than placing the seed in the ground to spring up hereafter, and bear fruit. Sower. One who sows or scatters seed. A farmer. It is not improbable that one was near the Saviour when he spoke this parable. 4. Some seeds fell by the way-side. That is, the hard path or headland, which the plough had not touched, and where there was no opportunity for it to sink into the earth. 5. Stony places. Where there was little earth, but where it was hard and rocky; so that the roots could not strike down into the earth for sufficient moisture to support the plant. When the sun became hot, they of course withered away. They sprang up the sooner because there was little earth to cover them. where they had not much earth: 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 away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundred fold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 1 Psa. cxix. 59. Forthwith. Immediately. Not that they sprouted and grew any quicker or faster than the others, but they were not so long in reaching the surface. Having little root, they soon withered away. 7. Among thorns. That is, in a part of the field where the thorns and shrubs had been imperfectly cleared away, and not destroyed. They grew with the grain, crowded it, shaded it, exhausted the earth, and thus choked it. 8. Into good ground. The fertile and rich soil. In sowing, by far the largest proportion of seed will fall into the good soil; but Christ did not intend to teach that these proportions would be exactly the same among those who heard the gospel. Parables are designed to teach some general truth; and the circumstances should not be pressed too much in explaining them. An hundred fold, &c. That is, a hundred, sixty, or thirty grains, for each one that was sowed; an increase by no means uncommon. Some grains of wheat will produce twelve or fifteen hundred grains. The usual proportion on a field sown, however, is not more than twenty, fifty, or sixty bushels for one. 9. Who hath ears, &c. This is a proverbial expression, implying that it was every man's duty to pay attention to what was spoken. Matt. xi. 15. 10-17. Christ, in these verses, gives a reason why he used this manner of instruction. See also Mark iv. 10-12; Luke viii. 9, 10. The word mystery, in the Bible, properly means a thing that is concealed, or that has been concealed. It does not mean that the thing was incomprehensible, or even difficult to be understood. The thing might be plain enough if revealed, but it means simply that it had not been made known. Thus the mysteries of the kingdom do not mean any doctrines incomprehensible in themselves considered, but simply doctrines about the preaching of the gospel, and the establishment of the new kingdom of the Messiah which had not been understood, and which were as yet concealed from the great body of the Jews. See Rom. xi. 25; xvi. 25. Eph. iii. 3, 4, 9. Of this nature was the truth that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles, that the jewish polity was to cease, that the Messiah was to die, &c. To the disciples it was given to know these truths. It was important for them, as they were to carry the gospel around the globe. To the others it was not then given. They were too gross, too earthly; they had too grovelling conceptions of the Messiah's kingdom to understand these truths, even if presented. They were not to preach it, and hence our Saviour was at particular pains to instruct his apostles. The Pharisees, and Jews generally, were not prepared for it, and would not have believed it, and therefore he purposely employed a kind of teaching that they did not understand. 12. Whosoever hath, &c. 11. The mysteries of the kingdom. | proverbial mode of speaking. This is a ye more abundance: but whosoever By hearing ye shall hear, and hath not, from him shall be taken shall not understand; and seeing away even that he hath. shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 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 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, 1 which saith, 1 Isa. vi. 9. that a man who improves what light, grace, and opportunities he has, shall have them increased. From him that improves them not, it is proper that they should be taken away. The Jews had many opportunities of learning the truth, and some light still lingered among them. But they were gross and sensual, and misimproved them, and it was a just judgment that they should be deprived of them. Superior knowledge was given to the disciples of Christ; they improved it, however slowly, and the promise was that it should be greatly increased. 13. Because they seeing, see not. Mark, ch. iv. 12, and Luke, ch. viii. 10, say, "That seeing, they may not see," &c. But there is no difference. Matthew simply states the fact, that though they saw the natural meaning of the storythough they literally understood the parable-yet they did not understand its spiritual signification. Mark and Luke do not state the fact, but affirm that he spoke with this intention, implying that such was the result. Nor was there any dishonesty in this, or any unfair disguise. He had truths to state which he wished his disciples particularly to understand. They were of great importance to their ministry. Had he clearly and fully stated them to the Jews, they would have taken life long before they did. He therefore chose to state the doctrines so that if their hearts had been right, and if they had not been malignant and blind, they might have understood them. His doctrines he stated in the best possible way; and it was not his fault if people did not understand him. By little and little, in this way, he prepared many even of the Jews to receive the truth when it was proposed by the only possible way of ever ning access to their minds. It was, 27. Ezek. xii. 2. John xii. 40. Acts xxviii. 26, moreover, entirely proper and right to impart instruction to his disciples, which he did not intend for others. 14. And in them is fulfilled, &c. This place is quoted substantially from Isa. vi. 9, 10. It was literally fulfilled in the time of Isaiah. In the time of Christ the people had the same character. Like them, they closed their eyes upon the truth, and rejected the divine teaching. The words of Isaiah were therefore as well fitted to express the character of the people in the time of Christ, as in that of the prophet. In this sense they were fulfilled, or filled up, or a case occurred that corresponded to their meaning. See Note on Matt. i. 22. It is not by any means intended that Isaiah, when he spoke these words, had any reference to the time of Christ. The meaning in both places is, that the people were so gross, sensual, and prejudiced, that they would not see the truth, or understand any thing that was contrary to their grovelling opinions and sensual desires; a case by no means uncommo in the world. See the passage more fully explained in my Notes on Isa. vi. Waxed gross. Literally, has become fat. It is commonly applied to the body, but is also used to denote one who is stupid and foolish in mind. Here it means that the people were so sensual and corrupt, that they did not see or understand the pure spiritual principles of the gospel. ¶ Lest they should see, &c. Lest they should see their lost condition as sinners, and turn and live. The reason given here why they did not hear and understand the gospel, is, that their heart was wrong. They would not attend to the things that make for their peace. I should heal them. Should pardon, sanctify, and save them. Sin is often represented as a disease, and the pardon and recovery of the soul from sin as healing. 16. Blessed are your eyes, &c. That is, you are happy that you are permitted to see truth which they will not see. You are permitted to understand the spiritual meaning of the parables, and in some degree the plan of salvation. 17. Many prophets and righteous men, &c. They wished to see the time of the Messiah. They looked to it as a time when the hopes of the world would be fulfilled, and the just be happy. See John viii. 56. "Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad." So Isaiah and the prophets look forward to the coming of the Messiah as the consummation of their wishes, and the end of the prophecies. Rev. xix. 10. The object always dearest to the hearts of all righteous men is, to witness the coming and advancement of the kingdom of Christ. See also Heb. xi. 13. 1Pet. i. 10-12. 18-23. See also Mark iv. 13-20. Luke viii. 11-15. Hear ye, therefore, the parable of the sower. That is, hear the explanation, or spiritual meaning of the narrative given before. Mark adds, ch. iv. 13, "Know ye not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables?" By which it seems that he regarded this as one of the simplest and plainest of them, and gave an explanation of it that they might understand the general principles of interpreting them. 19. When any one heareth, &c. The 18 ¶ Hear 3 ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked 5 one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 3 Mark iv. 14-20. Luke viii. 11-15.4 Ch. Iv. 23. 5 1 John ii. 13, 14; iii. 12. Isa. lviii. 2. Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32. John v. 35. Gal. iv. 15. seed represents the word of God communicated in any manner to the minds of men, by the scriptures, by preaching, by acts of Providence, or by the direct influence of the Holy Spirit. Then cometh the wicked one. That is, Satan, Mark iv. 15, or the devil, Luke viii. 12; -the one eminently wicked, the accuser, the tempter. He is represented by the fowls that came and picked up the seed by the way-side. The gospel is preached to men hardened in sin. It makes no impression. It lies like seed in the hard path; it is easily taken away, and never suffered to take root. 20. In stony places. Jesus explains this as denoting those who hear the gospel; who are caught with it as something new or pleasing; who profess themselves greatly delighted with it, and who are full of zeal for it. Yet they have no root in themselves. They are not true Christians. Their hearts are not changed. They have not seen their guilt and danger, and the true excellency of Christ. They are not really attached to the gospel; and when they are tried, and persecution comes, they fall-as the rootless grain withers before the scorching rays of the noon-day sun. ¶ Anon. Quickly, or readily. They do not look at it coolly, and as matter of principle. Is offended. That is, stumbles and falls. Persecution and trial are placed in his path, and he falls as he would over a stumbling block. He has not strength of principle enough—not confidence in God to carry him through |