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to the tiller of the earth. In nature there are soils which cannot be materially amended, the clay, the sand, the rock, will seldom repay the husbandman: but there are no hearts which cannot be amended. Man has to do with the soil, and his power is limited; but God has to do with the heart, and his power has no limit; and produces such a change in the lightest, the hardest, the most unreclaimed and uncultivated ground that it may "bring forth fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." Who so light and unstable as the apostle Peter? now saying, "Though I should die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee;" and a very short time after affirming with an oath, "I know not the man." Who so slow to conviction as the apostle Thomas? declaring, when "the other disciples said unto him, We have seen the Lord;-Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." Who more prejudiced than Saul, "a blasphemer and persecutor, and injurious, breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord ?" 2 Yet what a change in these soils, under the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit? How bold did Peter become! Thomas, how faithful! Paul, how zealous! How eager to convince his countrymen that there was no salvation except through that name which he had so long blasphemed? Thus proving that, what is impossible with man, is possible with God: who, where He 9 Matt. xxvii. 35, 72. John xx. 25. Acts xx. 1, 2.

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sees fit, can make what was useless profitable, and what was barren fruitful. So that he who now

goeth on his way weeping, but bearing forth good seed, may happily "come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him."

LECTURE X.

PARABLE OF THE TARES.

MATT. xiii. 24-30; 36-42.

24. "Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25. "But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26. "But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27. "So the servants of the housholder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28. "He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29. "But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30. "Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my barn.

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 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 of the 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? No-the trial of our faith "worketh patience." "Blessed is the man "To him that over

that endureth temptation." cometh, I will give to sit with me on my throne."

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2. Further, that the tares are suffered to grow 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.

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Can, then, such a change be effected? 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.' 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,

"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.

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