22 THE CORN-FIELD. 



furnished with broad leaves, a stout stem, and 

 growing as high as wheat, among which it is 

 generally to be found. Instances have been 

 known when the seeds of this plant, which pos- 

 sess peculiarly noxious properties, have acci- 

 dentally been mixed with wheat, and both being 

 nearly of the same size, it is almost impossible 

 to separate one from the other by the ordinary 

 process of sifting ; consequently, whenever this 

 has happened the result has been very serious. 

 Persons who have partaken of bread made from 

 this pernicious mixture, have suffered effects si- 

 milar to those produced by other active poisons. 

 I have been more especially induced to mention 

 this baneful plant, because it is supposed to be the 

 Tare of Scripture, with the account of which in the 

 parable its character closely agrees. It is evident 

 that the plant there alluded to is possessed of 

 noxious qualities, or it would not have been said 

 that it was sown by an enemy; and it is also very 

 likely that it closely resembled wheat, or there 

 would have been no difficulty in discriminating 

 between the two ; were the two plants very dis- 

 similar, it might have been rooted up while the 

 corn was young, in the same way that cherlock, 

 and some other weeds, are frequently eradicated 

 from our fields during spring, and early summer. 

 It is very probable, then, that our Saviour, who, 

 in order that he might be better understood by his 

 hearers, was accustomed to illustrate his meaning 

 by referring to objects with which they were 

 familiar, had this plant in view when he com- 

 pared the end of the world to the harvest, the 

 children of the kingdom being represented by 

 the good seed, the children of the wicked One by 



