true-hearted affection, they would cast away their pride and love of tyranny, imbibe the benevolent spirit of our Lord, and be ready to enter into filial and paternal bonds, as occasion offers. Whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.'

As the beloved master thus discoursed, drawing the hearts of his disciples of all ages still closer to him, it became near dinner time, and one of the Pharisees asked him to dine at his house. He went and placed himself at table. The Pharisee wondered that he had not ceremonially washed his hands and arms, before dinner, lest he should have contracted any ceremonial uncleanness, as by touching any unclean person, or unclean thing. Jesus taught him that true purity is of the heart and mind; that it consists in kindness, justice, piety, humility, and charitable consideration for all other men; in demanding more strictness of ourselves than of others, contrary to the practice of the Jewish interpreters of the law, who demanded more of others than they would consent to practice themselves.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE DAY OF PARABLES.

We have seen that Jesus taught the people, sometimes in houses, sometimes in the synagogues, sometimes in the temple, and sometimes in the open fields or roads, as he went on his way, or seated himself on some rising ground, while they pressed around him to hear his instructions. It was a pleasant thing to sit, or stand, or walk, in the free air, with all the beauties of nature about them, the Jordan, perhaps, that loved and holy river, flowing at their feet, or olive and fig trees lending them their welcome shade, or mountains rising up into the blue sky at a distance, in sublime majesty, adorned with the far-famed cedars of Lebanon, it was a pleasant thing thus to listen to words of heavenly wisdom, in tones of divine love.

On this day of parables he went out of the city, its hot, dry, and dusty streets, and sat by the sea-side to teach; that is, on the shore of the sea of Galilee, by its bright, sweet, cool,

transparent waters, through which the smallest objects can be seen at a great depth, when it lies, on a calm day, like an infant asleep. A great multitude gathered round him, so great that he could not conveniently teach them as he sat on the shore; he, therefore, went into a fishing vessel that was lying there, and sat in it, and taught the people who stood on the shore. At that time there were many vessels on the beautiful lake; now, we are told by travelers, not one is to be found, not so much as a small boat for the purpose of catching the excellent fish with which the lake abounds: so poor, so idle, so ignorant, are the people who now dwell where the Savior of the world lived, taught, and did such deeds as were never before seen. The lake is about eighteen miles long, and five or six broad: the river Jordan runs through the middle of it, creating a current which is felt even to the shore, while the course of the river may be distinguished by the smoothness of the water, as it flows. As Jesus sat there, upon the still and waveless sea, scarcely feeling the gentle current created by the Jordan, and which only served to keep his vessel more firmly in its place, he delivered the parables

of the sower, the tares among the wheat, the grain of mustard seed, the springing up and growing of corn, the leaven hid in meal, the treasure hid in the field, the pearl of great price, and the fish taken in a net. All these parables our Lord explained to his disciples, because they desired it: they wished to learn, and therefore it was easy and a pleasure to teach them.

After he had finished this teaching, he went again to his own city, Nazareth. When the sabbath day came he entered the synagogue and taught the people. They were more asastonished than pleased at this: they did not wish to be taught by one whom they had known in humble circumstances, and who had not had a regular education: they did not believe that he was inspired by God, but said, 'Whence hath this man these things, and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, and how are such mighty works wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses, and of Judas and Simon; and are not his sisters here with us?' They were offended with him for that which had called forth other persons' love

and veneration.

It must have been in great sorrow that he said, 'A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own kindred, and in his own house.' He could not do many miracles there, because they did not believe in him; for he required faith as the necessary condition of his wonderful works.