Ch.I 3: 7'aresPuffered. :'St. Matthew. Parables expounded. Ch. r 3, the good ground, is he that heareth 3o. Let bothgrow together until the word,and underfiandeth it,which the harveft, and in the time of har. alto beareth fruit, and bringeth forth veft I will fay to the reapers, Gather fome an hundred fold, fome fixty, ye together first the tares, and bind fome thirty. them in bundles to burn them: but 23. Note, au. What is it that makes the gather thewheat into mybarn. roundcalledGood, before the receivingofthe 30. Note, r. God's delay to execute his Judgment on the Wicked, is no ligo of their fafety s Their Mifery will furely come at laß. 2. We mue not mifinterpret God's patience with the ungodly. 31. Another parable put he forth unto them, Paying, Thekingdom of heaven is like to a grain of muflard- feed, which a man took and fowed in his field. 32. Which indeed is the leaft of all feeds : but when it is . grown, it isthe greatelt among herbs, and hecometh a tree.: fo that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. t. As a grain ofMußard.feed is one of the fmalleft fort of Seeds, and yet becoaaeth a Plant like a Tree, &c. So theKingdom of the Meffiah beginneth in a few poor Men, but (hall become a Kingdom that dull fourilh in the World, fo that worldly Men thall obtrude into it for worldly Ends, and delire the pro- . tedfionof ChrißianGovernours. Noie, That the Muftard plant was much then appeared the tares alto. greater in Judea, than it is with us. 26. Note, Herefiec and Church corruptions appear not at fire , but when dine and tempta- tion ripen them. 27. So the fervants of the houf- holder came and Paid unto him, Sir, didit thou not fow good feed in thy field ? from whence then hath rt tares 37. Nate, Seeing God and his Word are good, it puzzlèth Men to think, how the Church andWorld come tobe fo bad. 28. He faidunto them, An enemy bath done this. The fervants laid unto him. Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up ? 29. But he Paid, Nay, Ieft while ye gather up the tares, ye root up alto the wheat with them. 2s, 29. N. t. Satan is the lower of Herdic and vice (whoever be his Minifters.) 2. Mi. nißers and others are more inclined to vin dij}¿ve feveriry oft than Chrift is. 3. God trbeareth the Hypocrites and Wicked ( not ` through indifference, but) left the godly fuf far by their deftrut`.}ion. 4. Chrift oft denieth the revengeful and fueredefires of his fervants. 'ord? .Anfw. a. Therewas a certain degree of faithwhich wasa Rate ofSalvation before Chrift was perfonally known or preached as incar- nate: Thefe perfons that had this, were good ground, ready to hear the Gofpel when it was preached : Thofe that truly repented according to 7chn's Preaching. were prepared to receive Chrift. z. And thofe that fai hfully obey that Light of Truth already revealed to them , defiring more, are better prepared for more, than other men. 24. Another parable put he forth unto them, Paying, The kingdomof heaven is likened unto a man which fowed good feed in his field: 25. But while men Ilept, his enemy came and fowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 24, 25. Another fimilitude he tired) to thew low the Church will becorrupted with Here- tics and vices. 26. But when the blade was fprung up, and brought forth fruit, 33. Another parable fpake he.un- to them, The kingdomofheaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three meafures of meal, till the whole was leavened. 33. As a little leaven do:h leaven a great quantity ofMeal : fo theGofpel (hall convert a few at firf, where it comes , and afterward by the help of thofe few, whole Towns and Countries !hall turn Chriftians, and own the Truth. 34. All thefe things fpake¿Jefus unto the multitude in parables, and without a parable fpake he not unto them : 3 5. That it might be fulfil- led which was fpoken by the pro- phet, faying, I will open my mouth in parables, Iwill utter things which have been kept fecret from the foun- dation of the world. 34. 35. Thus Jefas taught them only by Si- militudes, as it is written, dre. I will utter great and excellent Myfteries, which former Ages have not known, and that by the way of familiar Similitudes. 36. Then
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