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which Things of a fpiritual, of a religi ous or moral Nature, are represented by Images or Examples, drawn from Things fenfible, and from the Occurrences of this Life. !

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It is well known, and hath been often obferved by the Learned, that this was a Way of Teaching much in Use among the Ancients, especially among the Eaftern Nations, particularly the Jews, the Syri ans, and Arabians; fo that our Saviour, in ufing Parables, accommodated himself to the Tafte of the People among whom he immediately lived and converfed. But it feems not to have been only or principally for this Reason that he used this Way of Teaching, but because he regarded it as a pleafant and profitable Way of Inftruction, which conveys important Truths and Admonitions in a very agreeable Manner, and by clothing Things with familiar Ima ges leadeth Perfons into a more intimate Knowledge and Acquaintance with them: To which it may be added, that it is the best Way of infinuating Things which perhaps would not have been fo well received, if more directly propofed.

It is the Obfervation of an eminent Philofopher, that the Ancients, who did not affect the Praise of Eloquence, but wanted to make Things plain and clear, abounded

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in Parables; and he declares his Judgment, that they are very useful as Helps to our Weakness, the more eafily to bring the Hearer or Learner to a clear Perception of the Subject. Seneca, Ep. 59. This Obfervation is certainly very juft, if applied to the Parables of our Saviour. They are not drawn, like many of the Apologies or Fables of the Ancients, from Things which never happen, but from Things poffible, and which frequently occur in Human Life. There is nothing in them wild and extravagant, no abfurd and monstrous Fictions, fuch as are to be found in the Jewish Talmuds; but they are, for the most Part, eafy and familiar, obvious to common Apprehenfions, and which yet contain the most lively Inftructions, the most beautiful Illustrations.

Our Saviour feemeth, in fome Cases, to have chosen to make Ufe of Parables, as the propereft Way of fpeaking to the People concerning Things they were not yet prepared for the full Discovery of, and which yet would exhibit an apt Illustration of them, when the proper Season came for fuch a Difcovery. Of this Kind are the Parables in Chap. xiii. of St. Matthew's Gofpel. We are told that when the Dif ciples came unto him, and afked him, Why he spoke to the People in Parables: He

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anfwered and faid unto them, Because it is given to you to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not given. Ver. 10, II. The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, which our Saviour fpeaks of, are the Things relating to the admirable Nature, the Constitution and Defign of the Gofpel Difpenfation, or that Kingdom of God, which our Lord Jefus, the true Meffiah, was to erect among Men, and the Reception or Success it would meet with in the World. Our Lord knew that the Jews were not yet in a Difpofition for receiving and understanding these Things. To them might be applied, as he obferves, what was faid of their Anceftors in the Days of the Prophet Ifaiah, That their Heart was waxed grofs, and their Ears were dull of hearing, and their Eyes they had clofed. He therefore spoke to them of thefe Things in Parables, or by Similitudes, as they were able to bear it, as St. Mark expreffeth it, Chap. iv. 33, without at that Time explaining or applying those Parables, because they were not yet fitted for having thefe Things opened to them in a more direct and explicit Way. And, if they had been really defirous to learn, the delivering these Things in Parables would have ferved to quicken their Attention, and put them upon a more di

ligent Search into the Meaning of them. And, in that Cafe, if they had applied to him to explain them, he would no Doubt have done it for them, as he did for his Difciples: For we are told, Mark iv. 10, that, when he was alone, they that were about him, with the Twelve, afked of him the Parable. Not only the Twelve, but they that were about him, i. e. fuch of the People as were difpofed to learn, came to him, and afked of him the Meaning of the Parable. And it is certain, that our Saviour did not utter thefe, or any of his Parables, with a Defign that they should continue always obfcure, and be concealed from common View. He had no fecret Doctrines which were only to be communicated to a few, and to be hidden from the Bulk of Mankind. This is what he himself fignifieth, when, immediately after, having delivered one of his Parables, he faith, Luke viii. 16, 17, No Man, when be bath lighted a Candle, covereth it with a Veffel, or putteth it under a Bed; but fetteth it on a Candlestick, that they which enter in may fee the Light. For nothing is fecret that shall not be made manifeft; neither any Thing hid, that shall not be known, and come abroad. And, accordingly, thofe very Parables, the Defign of which was not clearly understood by the VOL. IV. Jews,

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Jews, to whom they were first delivered, are now fufficiently clear to us, and are of excellent Ufe: And therefore it anfwereth a very valuable End, that our Saviour delivered thefe Parables, and that the Evangelifts have recorded them.

In every Parable there are two Things to be confidered, the Body of the Parable and the Application or Use of it. In the Body of the Parable it is not neceffary that every Circumftance fhould have a particular diftin&t Meaning affigned to it. It is fufficient that the Main of it answereth the Intention; and fome Circumftances are generally added, by Way of Ornament, to fill up the Parable, and render it more complete. As to the Application, or Ufe to be made of the Parable, this is not always exprefly declared, but is sometimes left to the Hearer. In many of Chrift's Parables, the Intention or Design is so manifeft, from the whole Contexture of the Parable, that it was not needful for him to apply it: And yet, for the most Part, he plainly directeth to the Ufe that is to be made of it, either by his Manner of introducing the Parable, or by what he addeth in the Conclufion of it.

Having premised thefe Things in general, in Relation to our Saviour's Parables, I fhall now proceed to a more diftinct Confidera

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