Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

204 ST. MATTHEW.
The church is God's field, which he cultivates by
his grace and his ministers, wherein he sows no other
than good grain, where none become such but by
charity and other Christian virtues, which are the
plant and seed of God. What favour, what mercy
is it, to be the wheat of God, sown in his field by
his own hand? Grant, Lord, that I may therein
continue, grow up, and be still fruitful, even till the
time of harvest.
" 25. But while men slept, his enemy came and
sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way."
In the church on earth, the wicked are mingled
with the righteous : no place but heaven is altogether
pure and free from mixture. All societies have their
tares ; the good grain is not offended or scandalized
at them, but suffers them with patience. Wo to
those negligent and drowsy pastors, who let the
souls under their care be corrupted by error or sin.
Whoever sows these tares in the church, is the enemy
of God; and he may, in some manner, be said to
sow them, who does not hinder the sowing of them.
Wake the pastors, O my God, and open their eyes,
that they may perceive the tares which choke thy
seed.
" 26. But when the blade was sprung up, and
brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also."
When the righteous begin to improve and make
a progress in virtue, they then begin to experience
the malice of the wicked. Afflictions do not make
men wicked, but they show what they are. God
does not usually permit his elect to be exposed to
the vexation of the wicked, until they are strong
enough to undergo the trial of suffering. The