sert this positively, but it necessarily arises out of his argument: For he says, "The good seed sowed in the world of mankind, is the breath of God, which he breathed into the man, the first Adam, who represented the whole human race." This expression not only contradicts his former position, but it involves a doctrine contradictory to the very ground-work of Christianity. This good seed, our Lord tells his disciples, ver. 37, is sown by the Son of Man, that is, by himself; and therefore is the seed of the gospel kingdom. If then it was the soul of man, breathed into him by his Maker at the creation, the gospel seed must have been sown in man before he fell; that is, he was placed under the new covenant before he had fallen from the old one; which is a supposition contrary to the whole system of our religion, and such a one, as it is doubted whether any man will undertake to defend. But our author goes on to his next. particular, and says, "As the good seed represents the spirit which God breathed into man, so the tares represent that wicked, rebellious spirit, which the devil, in the form of a serpent, infused into the same man." So then, forsooth, God has created a good soul for man, and Satan has created a bad one, according to this exposition. The writer, however, soon after appears to forget this idea, and speaks of the wheat and the tares representing two sorts of people, which will not be separated till the harvest, the end of the world. And then he gravely argues thus: "One reason, perhaps, why both must grow together till harvest, is because God has not seen fit to give power and wisdom enough to any of his creatures, human or angelic, to separate them."

After struggling through several other absurdities, he comes about again upon his former stand, and draws to a conclusion by changing the parable into sheep and goats. Here, dismissing the lifeless human body, as unworthy of further attention, he separates the good soul from the evil soul, and places the one on the right hand, and the other on the left. He then introduces "the King saying to them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom;" and "to them on his left hand, Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire." But by this time the profound author seems to have again altered his mind, and insinuates, that those on the left hand were real devils; that they had become like Satan himself, who was just before represented as their creator. He speaks in this manner respecting them: "But, says an enquirer, does it appear that those fallen angels are under any obligation to those duties, which those on the left hand neglected to perform? Certainly why not, as well as the holy angels?" "But if they (the fallen angels) were never commanded to minister to the wants of human nature, yet they are justly condemned for causing them so much misery; for all the miseries incident to human nature proceed from them." After a few more observations, but little relating to the subject, the writer concludes thus: "Therefore we conceive, that there is operating, in every individual of human nature, the spirit which God breathed into them; so likewise we conceive, that there is operating in every human being, that evil spirit, which is of the devil. Therefore, as we before observed, the separation must be made between the good and the evil spirits, that inhabit every human body." We thus see that various things

are taught us in this exposition; the most important of which are, that "the field is the world of mankind;" that the good seed represents the good dispositions, and the tares represent the evil dispositions implanted in man; that at the harvest these dispositions shall be separated; the evil ones shall go away into everlasting punishment, and the good ones unto life eternal; and, strange to teil! "the world of mankind," the field, which our author says represented "every individual of the human race;" these, after all his exertions to save them, are still left behind, neither saved nor lost; just as the farmer, when he gathers his crop, suffers his field to remain, and does not bring it into his barn.

This singular performance contains so many absurdities and contradictions, that it could hardly be supposed any one should be puzzled or deluded by it. It has, however, had some effect. And as it may hereafter tend to perplex some of the unwary part of your readers, I would take the liberty to suggest to them what appears to have been, in the first ages of the Church, the most common and approved exposition of this parable. The parable itself is in these words, Matt. xiii. 24-30. The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade sprang up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 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. Our Lord's explanation of the parable is as follows:ver. 37, 43. He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are 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, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

To this explanation let us strictly adhere.

1. The Son of man here mentioned, that soweth the good seed, is our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the mediator of the new covenant, the Son of the Father, who presides over the Christian Church, which is called his kingdom. Sowing the seed, therefore, could not be the breathing into man the breath of life at the creation; for that was an act of the old covenant, performed before the fall; whereas the kingdom of Christ was not set up in this world till after the old covenant was broken.

2. The field, called, ver. 37, the world, and ver. 41, his kingdom, means the kingdom of Christ in this world, the kingdom of grace or

church militant here on earth. This is agreeable to the tenor of many other parables and to the general analogy of scripture. In this same chapter, ver. 47, our Lord says, The kingdom of Heaven, or his visible church, is like a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind; which when it was full, they drew to shore, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world; the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. This net is the Church of Christ in this world, the same as the field in the other parable; the good and bad that are gathered in it, are good and bad professors in the Church, which shall be separated at the end of the world.. In chap. 22d, this kingdom is likened unto a marriage feast, to which people were called. But those who came were not all clothed in the wedding garment; and when the King came in to see the guests, or came to judgment at the last day, he that was found wanting, i. e. the hypocritical professor, was cast out. In chap. 25, this kingdom is compared to virgins taking lamps and going to meet the bridegroom, i. e. undertaking the profession of the gospel. Part are represented as possessing the christian graces, and part without them. The former are received to mercy, and the latter forever shut out. The parable of the talents in the same chapter elucidates the same idea; as also the parable of the fig-tree planted in the vineyard, Luke xiii. 6. To this construction it has been objected, that true believers are never in scripture called the world. That may perhaps be the case; but, it is not believers, as such, that we are here speaking of. It is the church in general, which contains some unbelievers, or hypocrites, and is fitly compared to a field which properly ought to have nothing in it but wheat, but is unfortunately interspersed with some

tares.

3. The good seed are the children of the kingdom. They are the worthy professors in the Church visible on earth. See the parables just mentioned; also John xv. 1, &c. and Mat. xv. 13. The faithful are called children of God in various passages of scripture, Ps. xxxii. 6. Rom. iii. 16. Eph. i. 5. and v. 1. And in this parable they are called the children of the kingdom, the good seed.

4. The tares are the children of the wicked one. They are the unworthy professors who have been introduced into Christ's visible church while men slept, while the Church officers were not on their guard; or in such a way that the church authorities, not knowing men's hearts, could not guard against them. There are some in the Church of Christ, whom his heavenly Father hath not planted or sown in it. See Mat. xv. 13, and all the aforenamed parables. And they shall be rooted up or cast out at the harvest. The devil did not create them; nor is he their natural father; but yet, they do his works, and therefore they are called his children. I. Kings xxi. 13. Acts xiii. 10. Eph. ii. 2, and v. 6. And particularly John iii. 44. The candid reader, who feels interested in knowing the true import of this parable, is desired to turn to all the passages referred to, and he will find ample authority for calling obstinate sinners, whether in the Church or out of it, the children of the wicked one.

5. The enemy that sowed them is the devil. Sowing, in this parable,

MM

4

does not mean creation; for the work of creation was completed before the gospel kingdom commenced. The word children, therefore, does not refer to the natural character of the persons spoken of, but only to their moral character. So that when our Lord says, Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father will ye do, he does not mean that Satan created or begat them, as some cavillers have suggested, but only that their moral conduct was according to his dictates. Where the gospel speaks of some men's being children of God and of the light, and where it speaks of others being children of Satan and of darkness, it means, not that God created the former, and Satan the latter, but rather, that the former have conformed to the gospel, and become adopted sons in Christ, while the latter have not. Therefore the phrases children of the kingdom, and children of the wicked one, in this parable, allude only to men's moral character under the gospel, and consequently the enemy's sowing tares in the field, means his introducing his own servants and followers into the visible Church, in order to mar its appearance and injure its reputation.

6. The harvest is the end of the world. It is the day of judgment. God hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, Acts xvii. 31. The general judgment will take place at a particular time. St. Paul says, 1 Cor. xv. 51, We shall all be changed, ; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; (for the trumpet shall sound;) and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. Our Lord himself says, John v. 27, 28, 29. The Father hath given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the son of man. Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, Rom. xiv. 10. In that hour, at that moment, We must then all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body,according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2. Cor. v. .10. And this will be after death. It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment, Heb. ix. 27. If any one has doubts.upon this point, let him consult several of the parables above mentioned; likewise, Mat. x. 15, 11. xxii. 25. and xii. 36. Mark xiii. 24, &c. Rom. ii. 16, and iii. 6, 1 Cor. v. 5. 1 Thess. i. 7, iii. 9, and v. 2.2 Tim. iv. 1. 2 Pet. iii. 7, 10, 12. .. 1 John iv. 17. Jude vi. 2. Testament, and he will find that the harvest, the general judgment, Indeed let him consult the whole New will be at the end of the world.

7. Lastly, The reapers are the angels. It has been pretended that these reapers are the ministers of the gospel. But this opinion contradicts, not only the express words, but also the whole scope, of the 'parable. Christ's ministers are the servants, ver. 27, who desired .permission to gather up the tares while growing, but were refused. They know so little of men's hearts, that if they were permitted to cast out all whom they suspect to be unworthy, they would some!times use this power indiscreetly. r would sometimes root up wheat also with them. But though the While gathering up tares, they servants are not allowed fully to use their discretion in this respect, yet the reapers, at harvest, are to make a complete separation. As,

therefore, the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, &c. Which last words do not mean the things. which do iniquity, but the men who do iniquity, as we are clearly taught, both by common sense, and by referring to the words in the original language. The meaning of the Greek words, I think, would be more plainly expressed thus: they shall gather out of his kingdom all offensive things, and all workers of iniquity, (which is the true sense of the passage, as we have it translated;) and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. They shall be translated from the kingdom of grace or visible Church in this world, to the kingdom of glory in heaven. He that hath eare to hear, let him hear.

Exposition of the Articles of the Church.

ARTICLE XII.

Of Good Works.

Then

B.

ALBEIT that Good Works, which are the fruits of Faith, and follow after Justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God's Judgment; yet are they pleasing and accepta-, ble to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and, lively Faith; inasmuch, that by them, a lively faith may be as, evidently known, as a tree discerned by the fruit.

BY good works, whichare the fruit of faith, and follow after justification, are meant those actions which proceed from the principle of a true faith in Christ, and are performed after we are placed in a state of Justification, by being admitted to partake of the privileges and promises of the gospel. That good works are pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, is evident from the earnest exhortations, in almost every page of the New Testament, to the practice of the moral and social duties, and from the frequent and positive declarations of scripture, that they are indispensably necessary to salvation. It is also expressly said, that "we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works," and that "Christ gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar peo ple, zealous of good works."—"This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God may be careful to maintain good works."

But though it appears from the whole tenor of the New Testament, and from these texts in particular, that good works are pleas ing in the sight of God, yet they are not so meritorious as to put away our sins, nor so perfect as to endure the severity of God's judg ment." "If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand!" The corruption of human nature causes even the best of our actions to be in some respect defective, and consequently they will not bear the scrutiny of infinite justice much less will they