Thomas Charles, 1838

"Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the tares and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn." Matthew 13:30

We are taught by the parable of the tares and wheat, that there will always be a mixture in this world, of good and bad men, which no care or diligence can prevent. In every place, in every society there will be a mixture. Whatever discouragements may be given to evil, and whatever care and diligence may be taken to purge and keep out the wicked—the enemy, still more vigilant, will find an opportunity to sow his tares. And though we would often think and act otherwise—yet the Lord, for the wisest reasons, permits the tares and the wheat to grow together until the harvest. The tares and the wheat are sown in the same soil; the same rain and the same sun cause both to grow and to ripen.

It is the nature of grace to grow. Therefore it is compared to seed, to trees, to a child—things which have but small beginnings; but which, if healthy and properly taken care of, will infallibly grow.

The tares also grow. The wicked are also in a progressive state, and are continually ripening, yes, ripening for destruction. They may enjoy the same means of grace, and be partakers of the same outward privileges, with the righteous—and yet they are ripening only for destruction.

The same soil, the same sun, and the same rain, may nourish an unfruitful prickly thorn, as the most fruitful tree.

We are also taught how vigilant, how zealous, how industrious, the enemy is, to do harm. For it is not said, that he sowed the tares while men played or were careless, as if there had been any negligence laid to their charge—but "while they slept", without which they could not live. Sleep they must, nature requires it; but then it was that the enemy did the mischief. Watch him as narrowly as you will—yet still he will do his work in spite of all care and diligence. If you will but step aside, to do what must be done—to eat, to drink, or to sleep, he is ready to take his opportunity of sowing his tares.

And the ground, which will not answer the gardener's hope without toil, labor, and cost—will produce the bad seed of its own accord, and yield but too plentiful a crop.

This is an exact picture of the human heart. What toil, what labor, what care and diligence will it cost to produce anything good in it! And when it is sown there by the heavenly gardener, what watchfulness is required to prevent its being injured! Our eye must be continually upon it, and the most diligent care must be exercised.

But the tares will grow without any care—the soil exactly suits them. May this teach us to be more watchful, to prevent, if possible, the enemy from sowing his evil seed. If that is not possible, let us endeavor to distinguish between the wheat and the tares, that we may not be mistaken, and think that we have a good crop of wheat—when more than half of it is only tares, which are unprofitable, and will in the end be burned.

The tares and the wheat, it appears, are to grow together. They are not to grow in a different field, but in the same field, and intermix together. Where there is a stalk of wheat, there you may find at least one tare, or it may be, many tares. This is doubtlessly permitted, and ordered for the wisest purposes.

We are apt to complain that the world is so sinful and so wicked, thinking, that were it otherwise, we would live more holily, and be rid of many temptations, which now give corrupt nature an advantage over us. Were there none but godly people in the world, and the field free from all tares—O what a happy thing would it be! We are apt to think, how much benefit would we then derive to our souls!

But the Lord's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are our ways his ways. "Let both grow together," is his appointment. And no doubt, this is one of the "all things," which work together for good to those who love God. Let us then patiently bear the evil, and diligently seek from it some profit and spiritual improvement.
 

1. This is one great means of increasing grace in those who love God.

Living among those who are enemies to true godliness—keeps patience, forbearance, and self-denial in constant exercise. Were all humble, loving, and forbearing—then how could patience and meekness be exercised, and thereby gain strength? We would be apt to deceive ourselves; and while we enjoyed our own wills and ways, we would be ready to think, that there is no such thing as sin within us.

But an evil world, the tares continually among us, show us what spirit we are naturally of, bring us in one way or another perpetually to the test, and prove to us what desire there is still lurking within us, of having things in our way. The obstinate stubbornness of the people of Israel was one great means, in the course of providence, of promoting meekness in Moses, of making him more watchful over his own heart, and thereby, of gaining greater victory over himself.
 

2. This state of things promotes faith, which alone can daily give victory over the world.

If we live a sober, righteous and godly life in this present evil world—then faith will be continually exercised and tried, and tried by all the force which worldly customs, practices, and long habits can bring against it. The fewness of real Christians leaves us often to walk, as it were, almost singly in the narrow way. The number also and prosperity of the wicked, may cause us at times to search and examine the grounds of our faith—and shaking it to its very foundation, may make it more steadfast, and render us immoveable in the midst of all storms which are raised by an evil world.

We are forced continually to the most vigorous exercise of faith, and thereby it is more strengthened and confirmed. Without being strong in faith, it is impossible to "endure as seeing him who is invisible," to esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of the world, and to choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

The world, lying in wickedness, calls forth faith, in one way or other, into perpetual exercise. While we live differently from the world, not swayed by its customs, not led by its maxims, not influenced by its favors, not awed by its frowns—we must "live by faith". "This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the son of God." It is a perpetual warfare between the world of lost sinners on one side, and faith on the other—and victory must every day be gained, or we are enslaved.

The world gives faith no rest; and faith puts forth its strength, which is Christ, continually to oppose it. The world, with its glory, pomp, wealth, and care, on the one hand—and persecution and suffering, on the other—is an enemy that cannot be easily vanquished—nothing but the continual exercise of vigorous faith can make any stand against it.

The Psalmist felt the power of this enemy, "My feet," said he, "were almost gone, my steps had well near slipped"—and why? " For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." But when he saw them thus easy, secure, and prosperous, to what did this lead him? "I thought," said he, "to understand this; but it was too hard for me, until I went into the sanctuary of God." He betook himself to the ordinances of God; and thereby his faith was called forth into exercise, and gained strength, and he was helped over a great stumbling-block to a clearer insight into the secret mysteries of God's providence, and to a more steadfast belief of his promises.

3. The intermixture of tares and wheat, of the wicked and the godly, is, by the blessing of God, one great means of mortifying our love to this present evil world, and of engaging our affections to the world above.

How strong is the love of present things in our hearts! Though we see nothing but sin in the world—yet how unwilling we are to leave it! If, when full of sin, as it is, we are in general too fond of it—then what would be the case, were it exactly according to our wishes, and were everything around us just what we would desire? What can be more suited to mortify this love, and to engage us to the pursuit of higher things—than the very sight of the evil world itself, and a little feeling of the prickly thorns with which it abounds? The sinfulness of the world, and a continual abode among the enemies of God and of godliness, has the desirable effect upon the gracious soul, of weaning it from such a scene of sin and misery.

When the Christian reflects on the evil that is daily done under the sun, and when by peculiar circumstances it is brought home to him—he sets his desires after God, and after the new world, wherein dwells righteousness. His soul grows sick of this dungeon and sink of iniquity where he is confined, and he loathes himself for having set any value on the things of earth.

Thus we see how the intermixture of good and bad in this world, tends to our spiritual improvement. Corruptions are hereby weakened—and grace improved and strengthened. We have the wicked daily around us, as thorns in our eyes and scourges in our sides; and the best of men are full of daily infirmities, which call forth patience, forbearance, and forgiveness. The present state of things should not be left unnoticed, but made to minister to our edification and improvement.

Let us not be impatient and complain of our particular situations—but be our situation what it may, let us look up to that God, who can cause all things to work for our good—who can make even the sins of others to turn out to the spiritual and eternal good account of his servants!

O what wisdom does God display in all his proceedings! With what submission therefore should we acquiesce in his disposal of us! And what grounds have we in all things to depend on him, and to wait, with full assurance, for a blessing in everything. He can make the world's poison to be nourishing food; and what proves fatal to others—he can make beneficial to his people.

Well then, since this is the will of God—that the tares and wheat should grow together until harvest, let us never expect it to be otherwise—but let us look for something to exercise grace in everything, in every situation, and in every individual. God will have it so. What cause then for contentedness, and also for continual thanksgiving! Let us become more dead daily to the world, have our affections more steadily fixed on things above, and more diligently seek a better country!