GRESS...........{ 2. _The Leaven_; the progress of the
{ kingdom under the idea of _a
{ contagious outspread_.

{ 1. _The Hid Treasure_; the preciousness
{ of the kingdom under the
{ idea of _discovering what was hid_.
III. PRECIOUSNESS.......{ 2. _The Goodly Pearl_; the preciousness
{ of the kingdom under the
{ idea of closing _with what is
{ offered_.

{ _The Draw-net_; the separation between
IV. SEPARATION.........{ good and evil in the
{ great day.

It is not a valid objection to this division that in several cases, if
not in all, the subjects reciprocally overlap each other; it is, in the
circumstances, natural and necessary that they should. Thus, in regard
to the first pair, the work of the adversary appears in the sower, and
the contact of believers with unbelievers appears in the tares; but I
think these are in either case incidental and subordinate, while the
leading idea of the first is the reception given to the gospel by
different classes of men, and the leading idea of the second is the wile
of the devil in his effort to destroy the work of Christ.

We must, however, beware of giving too much and too minute attention to
the sequences and mutual relations of the parables. Most of them, in
point of fact, are found in the narrative as isolated lessons, each
complete in itself and independent of others. Even in this group,
although the connections are interesting and obvious, they are not
essential. The meaning of each specimen may be substantially discerned
without reference to its place in the series. By studying each apart you
may learn the lesson well; but by studying all together you may learn
the lesson better.

On the face of the narrative it appears that the first four were
addressed to a multitude congregated on the margin of the lake, and the
last three more privately to a smaller circle of disciples in a
neighbouring house; but there seems no ground for supposing that the two
portions were separated from each other by any considerable interval of
time or space.

I freely concede that there is some ground for the distinction between
the more outward and obvious aspects of the king