Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 8 · Part 31 · Subpart 8 – Subpart 9
Wicked Men compared to Tares.
Mat. 13.38. The Tares are the Children of the Wicked One.
TAres, foreign, quaſi foreign, 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 diſcerned till the Harveſt,Liegh's Crit. Sacr. 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 Enemy who did it, i. e. He infuſed by his Spirit, through the Corruptneſs of Mortals, 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 flouriſhing. | III. So the Ungodly, or Children of the Wicked One, dwelling with or among the Saints, hurt and greatly prejudice them, hindering their Growth in Grace and Godlineſs. Saith David, Pſal. 120.6 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, Pſal. 10 6.35, 36. '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 ſeparate 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 Reprobates in the World) would not have Magiſtrates or others to pluck them up (for their Errors or Hereſy only) that is, deſtroy them, or take them away by corporal 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; Mat. 13.38, 39, 40, 41. 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 Religion, and Conſcience ſake, pretending they do it to deſtroy the Tares, viz. Hereticks, &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.
Wicked Men compared to Chaff.
Pſal. 1.4. The Ʋngodly are not ſo, but are like the Chaff which the Wind driveth away.
Mat. 3.12. But he will burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire.
Wicked Men are compared to Chaff.
| Simile. | Parallel. |
| CHaff, before it is ſeparated from the Wheat, cleaves cloſe to it; and the Wheat muſt be trod or threſhed, before the one can be ſeparated from the other. | SO ſome wicked Men, I mean Hypocrites, ſeem to cleave cloſe to the Saints, and to be in perfect Union or Oneneſs with them: And the Godly muſt be trod upon, or threſhed with the Flail of Perſecution, before they, as ſacred Wheat, can be ſeparated from the Chaff, viz. counterfeit Chriſtians. |
| II. Chaff is of little worth or value to the Wheat:Jer. 23.28. What is the Chaff to the Wheat? 'Tis a low, mean, and contemptible thing; one Buſhel of Wheat is worth many Buſhels of Chaff. | II. So wicked Men and Hypocrites are of little worth and value in the ſight of God; he eſteems one true Chriſtian worth thouſands, and ten thouſands of Hypocrites: I give Egypt for thy Ranſom, Iſa. 43.3. Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wert precious in my ſight, thou haſt been honourable, &c. |
| III. Chaff is light and airy; 'tis no ponderous Thing, and therefore the Wind carries it away with a Blaſt. | III. So the Wicked, whatever ſhew they make of Religion and Piety, they are light as Chaff; they are not weighty, nor ponderous; their Lightneſs and Levity is diſcovered by their Words and Behavior; and when the Blaſt and Tempeſt of Perſecution comes, it drives them away from the ſeeming Zeal and Religion they pretend to; and at laſt, the Wind of God's Wrath will drive them into the loweſt Hell, there to be burned with unquenchable Fire. |
Inferences.
THis ſhews what a great difference there is between the Godly and the Ungodly; alſo what the woful Condition of Hypocrites is, and what will be in the End.