C A N 0 N S o F P A R A B L E S. Book I. check 2nd convince the:11. }lfatt. xxi._3_3, 40, 41, 4~· See Luke vii. 43· 2 Sam. xii. 6, ?· 1 l(wgs xx. 39, 40, 41, 4l. lvlntt. XHL 11. Mr~rk IV. 11, 12. Ill. In Parables, if they be taken intirely, there are three Things, the Root, the Bark, and the Sap or Fruir. The Root is the Scope to which it tends. The Bark is the Jenjible ~imiliwde, and the Sap or fruit is the MJ:flical Senfc, (<fc. IV. In the riglrt Explication and Application of Parables the Scope of them is prin– cipally to be he,ded, viz. the Drift. of rile Spirit, which may be gathered from fore– going and fuhlequent Things, with which it has any ConneCtion. See Matt. xx. 1 6. xix. 30. and xiii. 3r. V. In Parables there is no Necdlity of being coo lifting and anxious about every fingle Word, nor ought we to expeEl:~ too curious Adaptation or Accommodation of ir, in every Parr, to rhe fpirirual Thing inculcated by it: Bur only eo mind the ap– plicatory Parr : As the Edge of a Sword is only defigned eo cur. VI. Parabolical'l'heology is not argumentative: Thar is, any Expofition or Accom– modation of them beyond their native Scope, or wherein the Interpretation difagrees with rhe Analogy of Faith, or where it is fuperftitiouGy wrefted; this is like the JVringing of the Nofe, till it brings Blood, Prov. xxx. 33· VII. It helps very much in the Underftanding of Parables, if Men know the na· tural Properties of fuch Things, Arts or Myfteries, as are propufed in the Similitudes. As what 'l'reafure is, what a Jewel or Pearl is, what Mu.fta~d, 'l'ares, &c. are. VIII. Whereas it is frequently fa id, That th'e Kingdom of Heaven is like this or that 'l'hing, we are not to underltand that it is fo in all its Parrs, or in every RefpeEI:, but only in fuch Things as art declared in the Similitude. So Chrifl is compared to a 'l'hief only in this refpeEI:, becaufe he comes in a Time when unlooked for, O! when un– expeCted, Luke xii. 39· TX. All Parables do not conclude in tht fame, but in a different Manner. Some from Likenefs (iijimili) as the feven Parables, Matt. xiii. Some from Things unlike, as that of rhe wrJu.ft Judge, him that ddired three Loaves, and the unju.ft Ste<vard, &c. Metaphors
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