productions of the earth are brought to maturity, are designed by the immortal gods for the use of man."-Cic. de nat. deor. 1. 1. c. 2. "The gods not only provide for mankind universally, but for particular men. IBID. c. 65. "The Greek philosophers describe God as a providence watching over everything subject to its dominion, and above all, over the heavenly bodies; and next to them, over those things on earth which concern men."-IBID. Quæst. acad. c. 7. Contrast the following "You'll plainly see How the vast mass of matter, Nature, free Does work by her own private strength and move Without the trouble of the powers above. For how, good gods! can those that live in peace Rule this vast all? their lab'ring thoughts divide 37. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39. He that findeth his life shall loose it: and he that looseth his life for my sake shall find it. "LYCINUS. Imagine, then, virtue a city, the inhabitants whereof (to speak the language of your master) are by one way or other got together, are all and every the most blissful people in the world, wise in a super-eminent degree, brave, just, temperate; in short, only not quite gods: where no trace is to be seen of those vices and iniquities which so frequently appear among us, flagrant injuries, and violent usurpations, rapine, usury, and fraud; nothing of the sort ever enters the minds of these people; but they live together in peace and harmony, as one family, actuated by the spirit of love. "HERMOTIMUS. Should not all men, who mean well to themselves, burn with a desire to become denizens of such a city, and let no hardships upon the road, no time, how long soever the journey thither may last, deter them, if they were sure, on their arrival, to be enrolled in the registries of it. "LYCINUS. So I think, by Jupiter! One should grudge no pains for its sake, Hermotimus; what could be of more important concern to us? Everything else comes into no consideration with it. And if our old country should endeavour to detain us with both hands, if our parents or children should entreat us ever so pathetically, embrace us ever so forcibly, and with cries and sobs refuse to part from us, we might persuade them to follow our example, and undertake the same journey with us; but if they would not, or could not, we should tear ourselves from them; and without demurring a moment, set out on a pilgrimage to this glorious city, or rather let our clothes be torn off our backs, or throw them away ourselves, if they proved impediments to our earlier arrival."-LUCIAN. Hermot. c. 22. MATTHEW XI. 7. And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? "You will be as ductile as water that is spilt on a table, which may be drawn any way by the slightest touch of the finger's tip, and no reed will be more easily shaken to and fro by every blast or faint breath of wind."--LUCIAN. Hermot. c. 67. 8. But what went went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. Lucian speaks of those who have become rich, buying "garments of soft material," (Fugit c. 20), and again of "effeminate men in soft clothing," (de Saltat. c. 2). 14. This is Elias, which was for to come. "Another Tiphys shall new seas explore, Another Argo land the chiefs upon the Iberian shore, And great Achilles urge the Trojan fate."-VIRG. Eclog. IV. v. 34. "A second Achilles is now born in Latium."-En. 1. vI. v. 89. 17. And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. Musicians generally preceded funeral processions; playing mournful airs: the flutes and trumpets used on these occasions were larger than ordinary. "The laws of the twelve tables permit the praises of the honourable dead to be commemorated in a panegyric, and accompanied by songs to the music of flutes." Cic. de leg. 1. II. c. 24. "In the times of your forefathers the piper was much employed. The piper used to sound his notes in the temples, and at the games; at the sorrowful funerals too, the piper used to sound.”—Ov. Fast. 1. vi. v. 657. "And now their equal toil two altars raised Of equal height: one to th' Immortals blazed, When the grave pipe proclaimed the fun'ral knell, 29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me. STAT. Theb. 1. vi. v. 118. "Philosophy will subdue the Greeks under her bit and yoke.” LUCIAN. Fugit. c.6. MATTHEW XII. 7. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. "In religious ceremonies follow the institutes of your ancestors; but believe it to be the truest and most glorious sacrifice, as well as divinest worship, if you make yourself as good and wise as possible."—ISOCR. orat. 2. 25. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. "A city in sedition cannot be happy, nor can a house in which the masters are quarrelling."-CIC. de fin. 1. 1. c. 18. "What house is there so established, or what state so firmly settled that may not utterly be overthrown by hatred and dissension ?"-IBID. de amic. c. 7. 36. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Misery is the sure end of unbridled mouths and lawless folly; but the life of quiet and wisdom remains unshaken."-EURIP. Bacch. v. 385. "There is for light and winged words a punishment most dreadful." PLAT. de leg. 1. v. c. 8. "Licentious tongues and insolence of fools "Galba used to say that nobody was obliged to render an account of his leisure hours."-SUET. Galb. c. 9. 50. For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. "Every creature is attached most strongly to its own interest. This is father, and brother, and family, and country, and god."-EPICT. 1. II. c. 22. MATTHEW XIII. 3. And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow. "We must consider whether it is not true that the word and doctrine have not the same good effect upon all, but it is requisite that the soul of the hearer should have been previously cultivated, as is the ground for the seed which it is intended to nourish.” ARISTOT. Eth. 1. x. 9. 11. He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. "I will tell thee clearly all that it can profit thee to know; not wrapt in riddles, but in plain language, as friend should speak to friend."-ÆSCH. Prom. vinct. v. 610. "As those that are without perceive and understand by certain fire signals and proclamations, and trumpetings the commands of their kings and generals, but these speak by word of mouth to their own trusty and familiar friends, so God talks directly with a few only, and to the generality of his people communicates by signs." PLUT. de gen. Socr. c. 23. 13. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. "Wrapt in varied falsehood's veil, Full oft the legendary tale Can win to faith the mortal mind, To leave her stamp behind."-PIND. Olymp. I. v. 44. "They saw indeed, but saw in vain hearing, they heard not." : 15. This peoples' heart is waxed gross. ESCH. Prom. Vinct. v. 447. "You will know yourself, how ignorant and fat you are." ARISTOPH. Nub. v. 842. "They went about everywhere fleecing the fat-heads, as they called the ignorant multitude."-LUCIAN. Alex. c. 5. 31. The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field: 32. 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. "Words are to be scattered, like seed, which, however small, having found a proper soil unfolds its power, and from a small grain, expands itself marvellously all around."-SENEC. epist. 38. 33. Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. "To what purpose is your learning unless this leaven and this wild fig tree which has once taken life within shall burst through your liver and shoot forth ?" PERS. Sat. I. v. 24. 45. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls. 46. Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. "Wisdom alone is the right coin for which we ought to barter all other things." PLAT. Phædo, c. XIII. 57. And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, a prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. "Protogenes was held in little estimation by his own fellow countrymen, a thing that generally is the case."-PLIN. Hist. nat. 1. xxxv. c. 36. MATTHEW XIV. 1. Herod the Tetrarch. The title Tetrarch signified a ruler of a fourth part of a tribe, under a king to whom the whole was subject: it was subsequently applied to any governor of a tribe or nation, subject to a king or emperor. "I say nothing of foreign nations, and kings, and tetrarchs." "Kings and Tetrarchs proud, a purple train, Cic. pro. Milon. c. 28. 6. When Herod's birthday was kept. LUCIAN. Phars. 1. vII. v. 226. "On Herod's day, When every room is decked in meet array, And dread the sabbaths of the circumcised!"-PERS. Sat. v. v. 180. 9. And the king was sorry. The Romans took special care to avoid all ill omens, quarrels, and bloodshed on their festal days: this may have been cause of Herod's sorrow. "Let Rome celebrate the birthday of the orator, Restitutus. A truce to litigation." MART. 1. x. epigr. 87. MATTHEW XV. 2. Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. Telemachus and Pisistratus arriving at the court of Menelaus "The fair attendants washed them and anointed them with unguents." HOм. Odyss. 1. iv. v. 49. "Water for the hands! bring in the table; we sup; we are washed; now we pour out the libations."-ARISTOPH. Vesp. v. 1216. "Let some one fetch water quickly to be poured on our hands! Why? Are we about to banquet, or what ?"-IBID. Aves, v. 463. "Those who will take food from a clean table must needs wash."-LUCIL. 1.XXVI. v.47. 11. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. "Each one is destroyed by his own vices; and all things that do injury are within ourselves."-MENAND. apud Stob. XXXVIII. 14. They be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. "Listen to the advice of one who himself requires more teaching, even though this may seem as if a blind man should undertake to shew the way."-HOR. 1. 1. Epist. 17. MATTHEW XVI. 2. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky: but can ye not discern the signs of the times? "Next mark the features of the god of day: A hollow blackness on his centre lie Or north and south his lengthened beams extend : These signs a stormy wind or rain portend."-ARAT. Diosem. v. 87. Bright glittering stars adorn night's spangled air, And ruddy evening skies foretel the morning fair." Luc. Phars. 1. IV. v. 125. "When the clouds are red at sunset, they give promise of a fine day on the morrow."-PLIN. Hist. nat. 1. xvIII. c. 35. 18. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. |