Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 13:39

39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels.

The Design that Christ had in this Parable, was to shew them, that though he laid a good Foundation of a Church in the World, calling some home to himself, and making t[illegible: 1 letter]em partakers of his effectual Grace, laying the Foundation of his Gospel Church, in such as took his Yoke upon them, yet in process of time, whiles those that should succeed him in his Ministry slept, (not bei[illegible: 1 letter]g so diligent and watchful as they ought to be) the Devil (who is full of Envy and Malice to mens Souls, and is continually going about, seeking whom he might devour) would sow Erroneous opinions, and find a party even in the Bosome of his Church, who would hearken to him, and through their Lusts comply with his Temptations, both to Errors in Doctrine, and Errors in Practice; and it was his Will, that there should be in the Visible Church, a mixture of good and bad, such bad ones especially, as Men could not purge out without a danger of putting out such as were true and sincere, but there would be a time▪ in the End of the World, when he would come with his Fan, and throughly purge his Floor, a[illegible: 1 letter]d take to Heaven all true and sincere Souls, but turn all Hypocrites into Hell. This appears by our Saviour's Exposition, to have been our Saviours plain meaning in this Parable. Hence he tells us, That by the Sower here, he meant himself the Son of Man. By the Field, he meant the World. By the good Seed, he meant the Children of the Kingdom. Such as had a true Change wrought in their Hearts, were truly Regenerated, and Converted. By the Tares he meant the Children of the Wicked one, that is, of the Devil. Such as did the Works of the Devil, Iohn 8.44. That the Enemy that sowed these Tares, was the Devil, who by his Sugge[illegible: 1 letter]tions, presenting objects, &c. makes himself the Father of all wicked Men. Our Saviour here saith nothing to that part of the Parable, where the Tares are said to be sown (W[illegible: 1 letter]ile Men slept) That was plain and intelligible [illegible: 1 letter] nough. The Devil hath a Power to Seduce, Persuade and Allure, none to force. If particular Persons kept their Watch, as they might, the Devil could not by his Temptation force them. If Magistrates and Ministers kept their Watches according to Gods Prescripti[illegible: 2 letters], there could not be so much open Wickedness in the World, as there is. Neither doth our Saviour give us any particular Explication of that part of the Parable, which is v. 28, 29. where the Servants say to their Master, Wilt thou then that we go, and gather them up. And he said unto them, Nay, lest while you gather up the Tares, you root up also-the W[illegible: 1 letter]eat with them. Our Saviour by this teacheth us▪ that every passage in a parable, is not to be [illegible: 1 letter]itted by something in the Explication; It was not the Point that he designed in this Parable to instruct them in, how far Church-O[illegible: 1 letter]ficers might or ought to act in purging the Church. But only that in the Visible Church, they must expect a Mixture, till the Day of Judgment, 2. That in that Day he would make a perfect Separation. So as [illegible: 1 letter]hose that would from this pa[illegible: 1 letter]sage in the Parable conclude. That all Erroneous, and loose Persons, o[illegible: 1 letter]ght to be Tolerated in the Church, till the Day of Judg[illegible: 1 letter]ent, forget the Common Rule in Divinity, that Parabolical Divinit[illegible: 1 letter] is not Argumentative. We can argue from nothing in a Parable, but from the main Scope and Tendency of it. However it is bold Arguing from a pas[illegible: 1 letter]age in a Parable, Expounded by our Saviour himself, when he hath omitted the Exp[illegible: 1 letter]ication of that passage, Nor can any thing be concluded▪ b[illegible: 1 letter]t that such must not be Rooted out, as have such a Resemblance of W[illegible: 1 letter]eat from the outwar[illegible: 1 letter] appearance, that they cannot be Rooted out, without a[illegible: 1 letter] Hazard of a mistake, and a Rooting up of the Wheat with them, but our Saviour reserves the point of t[illegible: 1 letter]e Ministerial Duty in purging the Curch, to another more proper ti[illegible: 1 letter]e, he here saith nothing of that, but of his own De[illegible: 1 letter]ign to purge it at the Harvest. Which he interprets, the End of the World, that is, the Da[illegible: 1 letter] of Iudgment. By the Reapers, he tells us that he meaneth the Angels.

Marginal references: Joel 3.13. Rev. 14.15.