Wicked Men compared to Tares.
Mat. 13.38. The Tares are the Children of the Wicked One.
TAres, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith Varineus, quia amet triticum, illud ut umbra corpus sequitur, imitatus, & simul arescit, ac si esset de tritici genere: i. e. Because it loveth the Wheat, and imitates it, as the Shadow imitateth the Body, and groweth up with it, as if it were of the same kind with the Wheat. It should not (saith one) be translated Tares, but evil Seed. It is that which we call the deaf Ears, that grow up with the good Corn, and cannot be dis∣cerned till the Harvest,* and then it proves naught; for Tares and Fitches are soon discerned and pluck'd up. The Enemy sowed Tares, v. 15. i. e. corrupted.
Ungodly Men are compared to Tares. Tares (saith a noted Writer) is a Sort of Grain that groweth in the Eastern Country; therefore those that are called Tares amongst us (I suppose) are not the Tares our Saviour alludes to.
| Metaphor. | Parallel |
| TAres are a low and base Sort of Grain, of little worth or esteem in comparison of Wheat, and some other Grain. | SO the Children of the Wicked One are a base and contemptible Sort of People, in comparison of the Children of God. |
| II. If Tares are sown amongst Wheat, it is done by the Hand of an Enemy, out of spite and malice, to the Injury and Loss of the Owner of the Field. | II. So the spiritual or metaphorical Tares, viz. the Children of Belial, that grow in the Field of this World, were first sowed by the Devil; he is that Ene∣my who did it, i. e. He infused by his Spirit, through the Corruptness of Mor∣tals, that evil Seed into their Hearts, from whence these Tares spring, out of spite and Malice to God himself, whose is the Field, and also out of spite and malice to Mankind. |
| III. Tares growing among Wheat, do hurt and prejudice the Wheat, hindering its growth and flou∣rishing. | III. So the Ungodly, or Children of the Wicked One, dwelling with or a∣mong the Saints, hurt and greatly pre∣judice them, hindering their Growth in Grace and Godliness. Saith David,*Wo is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar! It is a hard Matter to keep our Garments clean, and no way to defile them, living in the midst of a wicked and ungodly Generation. Who can touch Pitch, and not be defiled therewith? The Israelites dwelling among the wicked Natives of the Land of Canaan,* 'tis said, learned their Works, and served their Gods. |
| IV. Tares (as Wilson observes) are so like Wheat whilst they are in the Blade, as hardly the one can be discerned from the other. | IV. So Hypocrites seem so like true and sincere Christians, that for a while the one can hardly be known from the other. |
| V. The Man who had Tares sown amongst the Wheat in his Field whilst Men slept, would not suffer his Servants to pluck them up, lest some of the Wheat should be pluck'd up with them, but let them grow together until Harvest, and then commands the Reapers to se∣parate the one from the other, and the Wheat to gather into his Barn, but the Tares to cast into the Fire; from whence it appears, that those Tares were good for nothing but Fuel for the Fire, &c. | V. So the Almighty (tho there be many Hypocrites, Hereticks, and Repro∣bates in the World) would not have Ma∣gistrates or others to pluck them up (for their Errors or Heresy only) that is, de∣stroy them, or take them away by corpo∣ral Punishment and Death, lest they pull up and destroy some of his precious Saints with them, instead of those Children of the Evil One, but would have them live or grow together in the Field of the World until the Harvest, that is, the End of the World. The Field is the World;*the good Seed an the Children of the Kingdom; but the Tares, the Children of the Wicked One. The Enemy that sowed them is the Devil, the Harvest is the End of the World, and the Reapers are the Angels. As therefore the Tares are gathered, and burnt in the Fire; so shall it be in the End of the World: The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels, to gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend, and them that do Iniquity: And shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire; there shall be weeping, and gnashing of Teeth. |
Inferences.
THis may put every Christian upon the Search and Examination of their Hearts, lest instead of good Wheat, they should at last prove evil Tares.
2. It also reproves those Magistrates, who in a blind Zeal persecute Men for Re∣ligion, and Conscience sake, pretending they do it to destroy the Tares, viz. Here∣ticks, &c. whereas they know not but that those they persecute may be good and faithful Christians. Besides, 'tis a Work that belongs not to them; God would have both, tho one Sort may be very vile and impudent Hereticks, Schismaticks, &c. to live together to the end of the World.
