the Jewish law, to which our Lord evidently alludes, certainly did not extend to the damnation of the soul, though the body was destroyed; therefore, I think, that though there was no such forgiveness to be extended to this crime, as to absolve the man from the punishment of temporal death, yet, on repentance, mercy might be extended to the soul; and every sin may be repented of under the Gospel dispensation."-Comm. in loc.

Still dissatisfied with all the evidence which his thousand miracles had afforded them, that he was indeed "a man come from God," a number of the Scribes and Pharisees come to Jesus, saying, "Master, we would see a sign from thee." He refuses to perform any new miracle for the gratification of their idle curiosity, but delivers a prophecy concerning his own resurrection, whose accomplishment was to be yet another proof that he was the promised Messiah: "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas; for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Jesus frequently foretold his resurrection from the dead on the third day, both openly among the Jews and privately to his Apostles and disciples. The present is an illustration of his mentioning such matters to the people "in parables ;" another is to be found in John ii. 18, 19: "Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." Figurative as these expressions are, the chief priests and Pharisees, at least, perfectly understood their meaning; for, after the crucifixion and interment of the Master, when they entreat of Pilate that the sepulchre shall be guarded, the reason they assign is, "Sir [or Lord], we remember that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again," Matt. xxvii. 63. To his immediate followers he spoke without "a parable:" "And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of Man shall be betrayed into the hands of men; and they shall kill him, and the third day he shall rise again," Matt. xvii. 22, 23. Instances of the repe

tition of this prophecy may be found in Matt. xvi. 4, 21, xx. 19; Mark viii. 31, ix. 31, x. 34; Luke ix. 22, xviii. 33. The fulfilment of this so often repeated prediction, was indeed "a sign from heaven," declaring by what authority Jesus "did those things." By that fulfilment he was demonstrated to have been a messenger from God, for he had exhibited such an acquaintance with futurity as pertains to the Deity only, and those to whom the Deity may impart it. The fact of the resurrection itself, was the voice of Omnipotence sounding through the tomb, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him;" it was a divine attestation to the purpose of the Lord's mission, which was, to "bring life and immortality to light."

Verse 42: The Queen of the South shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here." The original history of this interesting occurrence, is to be found in the 10th chapter of the 1st Book of Kings. This Queen of the South is there styled the Queen of Sheba; which Mr. Bruce, the celebrated traveller, supposes to be a part of Africa. Her object in visiting Solomon, was not merely to receive secular knowledge, but also religious instruction. This is mentioned in the chapter of 1st Kings already referred to: "And when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of Jehovah, she came to prove him with hard questions." This was the praiseworthy conduct of an enlightened Pagan; but the Jews, who had been educated in the knowledge of the true God, refused the instructions of one who was "greater than Solomon,"-greater in knowledge, in power, in dignity, in being the Son of God, "a ray from the Father's glory, and an express image of his perfections."

CHAPTER XIII.

This chapter contains seven of those instructive allegories in which the Master so much excelled, and to the employment of which he was so much attached. These are the Parables of the " Sower," of the "Tares and Wheat," of the "Grain of Mustard Seed," of the "Lea

ven," of the "Hidden Treasure," of the "Pearl Merchant," and of the " Drag-Net." Two of these, the "Sower" and the "Tares and Wheat," have been explained by Jesus himself, and we will not attempt it after him; the exposition of the others is easy, for they carry with them their own interpretation. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like to a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; which, indeed, is the least of all seeds, but, when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof," verses 31, 32. The natural history of this passage requires a remark. When it is said, that mustard-seed is "the least of all seeds," we are not to take the expression in its utmost latitude of meaning, for there are seeds of less dimensions still. But mustard is the least of all those seeds from which are produced plants whose stems and branches tend to assume a ligneous or woody structure. It is not only one of the plants which are produced from such small seeds, but becometh "a tree," or partakes of the close woody texture. We are not to judge of this assertion from what we witness of the growth of mustard-seed in this country. We live in a high northern latitude, in a cold and moist climate; but in countries belonging to the torrid zone, or in places neighbouring the equator, all vegetation approaches to a gigantic stature. Herodotus relates, that in the fields about Babylon, he had seen wheat and barley possessing a blade full four fingers broad. This is no apparent reason for doubting this assertion; and, allowing the mustard plant to differ in magnitude from that grain in our own land, in the same proportion as the wheat of Babylon differs in the breadth of its blade from the wheat of Britain, it is conceivable that a grain of seed should produce such a "tree," or woody herb, as might admit of the birds nestling among its branches. This parable is prophetic of the progress of the Gospel. At that time, it was a despised and persecuted religion, possessing only a few adherents, the majority of whom were Jesus and his friends. It has since extended its sway over all the kingdoms of the civilised world. It was at first but a small plant, whose shade covered only a few Galilean fishermen; it has now spread

its root from Jerusalem nearly to the North Pole; it has stretched its boughs over the Atlantic, till they cover the whole of the New World, and 175,000,000 of human beings now repose beneath its shadow.

The parable of the "Leaven" is of a similar character and similar interpretation:-" The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened," verse 33. As the property of leaven is to assimilate to its own nature the meal or flour with which it is mingled, so the Gospel shall eventually leaven the whole world; all mankind shall profess themselves its adherents, believe its doctrines, and regulate their lives by its precepts. This prediction is not yet fulfilled; but it shall eventually be accomplished; for "all the kingdoms of the earth must become the kingdoms of our God and of his Anointed."

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field, the which when a man hath found he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field," verse 44.

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls, who when he hath found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it," verses 45, 46.

Both of these parables have the same object in view, to show that the soul's salvation is the chief good, the "hidden treasure," the "pearl of great price," for the attainment of which all other good things should be freely relinquished. If that man is wise, who, to obtain a golden treasure or a precious stone, will sell all his possessions for the purchase, what fools are those who, to purchase eternal joys, refuse to part with the pleasures, the prosperity, the ambition, the sins of this world? are all these, ten thousand times told, that they weigh for an instant in the balance against the felicities of heaven? "What doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Yet, how many pursue gratification, or profit, or honour, by such means as they are sure must ultimately lead to suffering and to sorrowing!

What are

The parable of the "Drag-Net" which "was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind, which when it was

full they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away," is also explained by Jesus himself. His interpretation is, "So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth," verses 47-50. Such an investigation, such a division, such a punishment of the ungodly, must assuredly arrive; it becomes all to keep watch, that in the solemn day they be found among the number of the just. If there be one doctrine taught by the Saviour with more frequency, fervour, and force than another, it is the doctrine of a coming judgment, where all mankind must appear, and after which, every individual of the human race shall partake of joy or sorrow, or both commingled, in proportion to the virtue or viciousness of his life on earth.

In this chapter, Jesus declares why it was that he spoke to the people "in parables." His disciples had made the inquiry, and he thus answered them-"Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables, because they seeing see not, and hearing hear not, neither do they understand," verses 11-13. To the Apostles "it was given," or permitted, "to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven," the peculiar doctrines of the Gospel dispensation. It was not "given" to the Jews in general to possess such knowledge; but that was their own fault; they did not listen with eagerness for the "glad tidings." Whoever hath knowledge of the Gospel, to him shall be given additional knowledge. This is just and natural; the mere possession of the previous wisdom has fitted his mind for the reception of greater wisdom. "But from him that hath not," who possesses little religious knowledge, and who leaves that little unemployed or unimproved, "shall be taken away even what he hath." This would only be an adequate punishment for his indolence and neglect, that he should be deprived of a blessing whose value he had not appre