and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." 5 The apostles were represented as persons "who had turned the world upside down." 6

Thus the leaven pervades the whole lump. And if the whole is not leavened, the fault is in itself. Meal that is corrupt or adulterated, will not be made wholesome by leaven; but the leaven is there notwithstanding. The Scribes and Pharisees and Sadducees among the Jews too generally "rejected the counsel of God against themselves," and the effect produced upon their minds was not a salutary change, but worse corruption. Enmity and malice were added to their former hypocrisy and pride. "The last state was worse than the first."

Nevertheless," of this be sure," said our Lord, "the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." But they put it from them, and counted themselves unworthy of eternal life." And so the leaven of christian truth which is spread throughout a land, must be received into "an honest and good heart," that it may profit. That which is hidden in the Scriptures, and distributed by the ministry of the church, must be introduced into the individual heart, change its unsalutary qualities for the graces of the Spirit, and so work its perfect work, till the whole is leavened. Then the purpose of the Author of this salvation is answered: who was now dropping the words of eternal life into the ears of a few despised followers, 6 Ib. xvii 6.

5

Acts v. 15; vi. 7.

7 The words of the parable admit of this interpretation, and are so understood by many.

as silently and unobservedly as a woman who takes leaven and hides it in three measures of meal.

34. All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

35. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet,' saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

LECTURE LXII.

PARABLE OF THE TARES.

MATT. xiii. 36-43.

36. Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

37. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man ;

38. The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked

one;

39. The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity;

42. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him

hear.

the

The special object of this parable is to show, that in the world, and even in that part of the wide field of the world where the Gospel is planted and flourishing, God permits to grow up together unto the harvest, the righteous and the unrighteous;-those who follow the works of Satan,-children wicked one,—and the children of the kingdom, those who are living for his everlasting kingdom, and for whom it is designed. This is exactly what we see: the good and the bad mixed together in the same congregation, in the same family, in the same service, in the same business; living together, conversing together, working together, trading together. And it is easy to perceive how this answers God's general purposes respecting mankind.

1. It suits his purpose as regards the righteous. It furnishes the trial of their faith; it proves their sincerity in his sight, and in the sight of angels, and in the sight of men; it shows whether there be such a heart in them, that they will stedfastly keep his commandments, instead of following a multitude to do evil. We may lament indeed that tares have grown up where good seed was sown; that the corn is liable to be overrun by them; that the righteous should be endangered by bad example and hurtful persuasion. But this is not a perfect world, either in nature or in grace: it is sadly defaced by the consequences of sin. An enemy hath done this: has corrupted man; has brought sin into the world which had been created " very good." Therefore

we are obliged to "strive to enter in at the strait gate;" therefore must we labour, that we may obtain and it is one part of our labour and our difficulty, to resist the secret contagion of worldly men, and the open profaneness of the wicked. Such is the general ordinance; first toil, then victory. Our Lord himself showed what must be the lot of his followers: he did not enter upon his ministry, till he had first encountered and overcome the enemy. He "himself suffered being tempted." Shall the disciple be greater than his Master, the servant than his Lord? patience."

No-the trial of our faith "worketh "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation." "To him that overcometh, I will give to sit with me on my throne."

2. Further, that the tares are suffered to grow up with the wheat until the harvest, answers the purpose of God's will with respect to the unrighteous. It is a continued reproof of their corrupt ways; a continued call to repentance and conversion. In every situation, in every walk of life, there are faithful disciples of "the Lord who bought them," witnesses in the world for God and his righteousness these silently warn the bad by their example, and are ready to assist them by their counsel, and show them better ways.

Can, then, such a change be effected? It can, and we often witness it. In this respect, there is a difference between the tares in nature, and the corrupt. men with whom they are compared in the parable.1

1

"It is not possible for man to distinguish between tares and wheat, but what he may be mistaken. The tares, if continued, may become good corn; therefore have patience with them."-M. Henry.

In nature, nothing can change a weed into valuable corn. As was observed of the different sorts of ground, in a former parable :-there are some soils which cannot be made fruitful. With the souls of men divine power is daily performing such miracles; is converting the tares into wheat, the followers of Satan into the followers of God. And the apostles often urge it on their disciples as an additional reason for a blameless and holy life, that others may be led to seek the same grace which had converted them. St. Peter writes, "Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles; that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." And again, 2 "Ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that if any obey not the word, they may also be won by the conversation of their wives; when they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear."

Thus a glorious object is set before all, who have taken upon them their Saviour's yoke, that they "adorn his doctrine" by their temper, their charity, their uncorruptness, their consistent practice. They may, perhaps, "convert a sinner from the error of his way, and save a soul from death." There is no weed so rank in itself, or so noxious to the crop, but it may become, through grace, both beautiful and useful, fitted for the " garner of the heavenly hus

bandman."

Indeed all that is now most promising among the wheat, had once the nature of tares: the good seed, the children of the kingdom, were children of 21 Pet. ii. 12; ii. 1.

3 James vi. 2.