But His speaking to them only in parables, and yet not leaving off speaking to them entirely, shews that to those who are placed near to what is good, though they may have no good in themselves, still good is shewn disguised.
But when a man approaches it with reverence and a right heart, he wins for himself an abundant revelation of mysteries; when on the contrary his thoughts are not sound, he will be neither made worthy of those things which are easy to many men, nor even of hearing them.
There follows, “And He said unto them, Know ye not this parable, how then shall ye know all parables?”
Reproduced in full. Translation: Oxford 1841 (Newman), public domain (Public domain).
Also cites: Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.