Lectures Upon John 4, Part 15 · Lecture 60
THE SIXTIETH LECTVRE, ON IVLY, XXXI. MDCX.
IOH. IIII. XXXV—XXXVIII.
Say not yee there are yet foure moneths, and then commeth haruest? Behold, I say vntounto you, Lift vp your eyes, and looke on the fields; for they are white already to haruest.
And he that reapeth receiueth wages, and gathereth fruit vntounto life eternall: that both he that soweth, and he that reapeth may reioyce together.
And herein is that saying true: One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reape that, whereon yee bestowed no labour; other men laboured, and yee are entred into their labours.
OVr Sauiour, hauing in the former verses giuen a most plaine demonstration of that ardent desire that was in him, to winne soules vntounto God, doth in these verses labour to stirre vp and kindle the like affection in his Disciples. And this he doth by three very effectuall arguments: First, from the present necessity of their care and diligence, because the haruest was now euen ripe, and ready for the sickle, verse 35. Secondly, from the great reward and comfort they should be sure to receiue for doing of this worke, verse 36. Thirdly, from the easinesse and facility of the labour God required of them, verse 37, 38. The first of these three arguments, taken from this present necessity, our Sauiour setteth downe, verse 35. by a comparison taken from the care that men hauehave of their haruest; they thinke of it, and talke of it, and prouide for it, euen foure moneths before it come. They so cast and dispose of their businesse, that they may hauehave nothing to hinder them in haruest; much more will they hauehave care of it, when their corne groweth ripe, and ready for the sickle: then they will neglect all other businesse, and breake their sweetest sleepe, and labour early and late, and forget their meales, to saue and gather their corne. And the reason of this care and diligence of men in their haruest workes, is the present necessity; when the corne is once ripe, it will beare no delay, because if it be not reaped and inned, it is in danger to be lost and spoiled.
Now, saith our Sauiour, the Lords corne is already white vntounto haruest, it is ripe and ready for the sickle; if it be not now reaped and gathered, it will be lost and spoiled: and that you may easily perceiue, if you will but lift vp your eyes, and looke vponupon the regions. Behold, how God hath prepared the hearts of men to receiue the Gospell. See in what multitudes, and with what great desire they flocke vntounto it, and that not onelyonly in Iudea, but euen here among the Samaritans.
Now the Doctrine, that our Sauiour intendeth to teach vsus here, is this, That the Ministry of the Word is a matter of great necessity, for the Doct. ….saluation of men. For our Sauiour here compareth the people of God vntounto corne that is ripe, and the Apostles (in respect of their Ministry and preaching) vntounto reapers; and vseth this reason to stirre them vp to zeale and diligence in teaching, because as the corne that is ripe, must needes perish, if it hauehave none to reape and gather it; so must Gods people needes perish, if they hauehave none to teach and instruct them. It is not onelyonly good, and profitable, and fit that Gods people should hauehave Preachers; but it is a matter of necessity also Many proofes might be brought for this Doctrine, but I will at this time insist onelyonly in this argument of comparison, which our Sauiour vseth in this place. We shall finde therefore, that there is scarce any one truth in all religion, which the Holy Ghost hath taught vsus so plainely, by so many familiar comparisons and similitudes, as he hath done this truth of the necessity of the Ministry of the Word. And the cause why the Holy Ghost teacheth vsus this by similitudes, is, because we can farre more easily vnderstand earthly than heauenly things. The necessity of hauing Preachers few can conceiue: the Lord hath therefore taught it vsus by such comparisons, as eueryevery man can vnderstand and iudge of. Fiue of these comparisons I will propound vntounto you:
1. Sometimes Gods people are called the Lords pleasant Garden, and f…full Orchard, Cant. 4. 12, 13. and the Preachers are called Planters and Waterers of it, 1. Cor. 3. 6. And if you hauehave a plot for a Garden or Orchard in the best soile vnderunder heauen, it is not possible it should yeeld you any pleasant fruit, if it hauehave had none to plant and water it.
2. Sometimes the people of God are called the Lords building, 1. Cor. 3. 9. his house and temple, 2. Cor. 6. 16. and the Preachers are called the Lords Masons and Carpenters, that must both lay the foundation, and set vp the whole building, 1. Cor. 3. 10. I hauehave laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.
3. Sometimes Gods people are called the sonnes and daughters of God, 2. Cor. 6. 18. and then Preachers are called both the spirituall fathers, by whom they are begotten vntounto God, 1. Cor. 4. 15. and the nurses, by whom they are fed with milke, while they are babes in Christ, I hauehave fed you with milke, 1. Cor. 3. 2. and the Lords stewards, that must prouide stronger meate for them, when they are growne to ripe yeares, and at whose hands they must receiue their portion of meate in due season, Luke 12. 42.
4. Sometimes Gods people are called Pilgrims, that trauaile in a strange, and vnknowne, and dangerous way, 1. Pet. 2. 11. and then Preachers are called their guides, Heb. 13. 7. and the light of the world, Matth. 5. 14.
5. Lastly, Gods people are called sometimes the Lords husbandry, and corne field, 1. Cor. 3. 9. and then Preachers are called both his labourers, that by stocking, and dunging, and plowing the ground, prepare it, wee are labourers together with God, 1. Cor. 3. 9. and his seeds-men, that sowe it, the sower soweth the Word, Mar. 4. 14. and his reapers and haruest-men, that get downe his corne, and bring it into his barne, as you may see, the haruest truely is great, but the labourers are few, pray yee therfore the Lord of the haruest that he would send forth labourers into his haruest, Luk. 10. 2. and in this Text most plainly.
The Reason why preaching is of such absolute necessity (as we hauehave heard) Reason.to the saluation of men, is that which the Apostle giueth, 1. Cor. 1. …1. It pleased God, by the foolishnesse of preaching, to saue such as beleeue: not any excellency that is in vsus, or in our preaching; for doubtlesse, the holy Scriptures, the written Word of God, which you hauehave in your hands, is of farre greater worth and excellency, than any Sermon we can make vntounto you. Neither is it any inability in the Lord, to saue whom he pleaseth without preaching; but the only reason is, that it hath pleased God, to ordaine and appoint this to be the meane, whereby he will begin, and perfect the worke of grace in his Elect.
The first Vse of this Doctrine, is to conuince the iudgement of men in this point: For there is scarce any one truth of God, that findeth more strong oppositions Use 1.and reasonings against it, in the nature of man. Yea, the more excellent parts of nature men hauehave, the greater enemies they are wont to be vntounto this truth. But howsoeuer he that is a meere naturall man, or an Atheist, that beleeueth not the Scriptures, may still doubt of, or oppose this truth: let no Christian any longer withstand it, or make any question of it (now he hath heard it so clearely and euidently confirmed to him out of Gods Word) lest he be found euen a fighter against God, as Gamaliel speaketh, Act. 5. 39. But let him learne to captiuate his reason to the obedience of God, 2▪ Cor. 10. 5. and pray against his infidelity, as Marke 9. 24. euen cry with teares vntounto God, to helpe his vnbeliefe.
The second Vse of the Doctrine, is to reprooue them that thinke and say, so much preaching is needlesse, we hauehave too much preaching; that 2.count the calling of the Ministry the most vnnecessary calling in the Common-wealth; that thinke of all callings and conditions of men, Preachers may best be spared: and therefore spoyle this function, and disgrace it by all meanes. Of those men it may be said, as Psal. 73. 9. they set their mouth against heauen. For, how can a man more directly contradict the Word and Spirit of God, than by saying or thinking thus? But know this (beloued) for a certaintie, that as in the Church there is no calling of that necessity as a good Ministrie (the Lords Orchard, the Lords Building, the Lords Family, the Lords Husbandrie cannot possibly be without it) so euen in the Common-wealth, there is no calling but one so necessarie, no calling but one (the Magistracie I meane) whereby the Common-wealth receiueth so great benefit, as by the Ministrie, Thou leddest thy people like a flocke, by the hand of Moses and Aaron, Psal. 77. 20. Yea the best policie that any state can vse, to cause the Common-wealth to prosper and flourish, is to plant in eueryevery part of it, in eueryevery Congregation, an able and a faithfull Ministrie. That is the reason, why the Prophets of God are wont to be called the Chariots and Horse-men of Israel, 2. King. 2. 12. the chiefe strength and munition that Israel had. So when the Leuites that fled from the ten Tribes receiued entertainement vnderunder the gouernement of Rhehoboam, and exercised their ministrie there, it is said expresly, 2. Chron. 11. 17. that they strengthened the Kingdome of Iuda, and made Rhehoboam the sonne of Salomon mightie. And when Iehosaphat had sent Preachers to all the Cities of Iuda, to teach the people, 2. Chron. 17. 9. it is immediately added, Verse 10. that the feare of the Lord fell vponupon all the Kingdomes of the lands, that were round about Iuda, and they fought not against Iehosaphat. And there be two reasons for this, that no wit of man is able to gaine-say: First, the sinnes of the land are the bane of the Common-wealth, the onelyonly things that bring ruine vponupon a state, for the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof, Pro. 28. 2. And there is no such meane to restraine men from sinne, as the Ministry of the Word. No law of man can doe it, because it cannot work vponupon the conscience; the ministry of the Word will do it, when it is backed and countenanced by the authority of the Magistrate. Secondly, the strength and prosperity of a kingdome consists in this, when superiours rule well, and inferiours obey well, and equals liue iustly and louingly together. Now the Ministry of the Word, where it is backed and countenanced by the Magistrate, will cause men to do this, and to do it euen out of conscience to God, which is the strongest band of all other, yee shall feare eueryevery man his mother (she is named first because children are most apt to neglect their duty to her) and his father, and (as a meane thereof) keeping my Sabbaths, Leuit. 19. 3. And therefore (to conclude) Magistrates and great men can no way better shew themselues to be indeed fathers of their Countrey, and good commonwealths-men, than first, by placing able Ministers in all places where they hauehave to doe, as Iehosaphat did: 2. Chron. 17. 9. and secondly, by countenancing and giuing incouragement to good Ministers, by all good meanes, as Hezekiah did, 2. Chron. 30. 22.
The third Vse of this Doctrine, is for exhortation; that eueryevery one of vsus 3.would submit our selues in practice to this ordinance of God, and be perswaded, it is a matter of great necessity, to liue vnderunder a good ministrie, to heare, and to heare often. Three reasons there be, which if we could weigh them well, would mooue vsus to it. First, that the Holy Ghost maketh it a marke whereby hee may be knowne, whom God hath elected vntounto life, to be willing and desirous to heare, my sheepe heare my voice, Iohn 10. 27. and the contrary, a marke of a reprobate, yee therefore heare not Gods Word, because yee are not of God, Ioh. 8. 47. a greater sinne than the sinne of Sodome, Matth. 10. 14, 15. Secondly, because eueryevery man hath cause to suspect that the good things that seeme to be in him, be but the fruits of the flesh, and not of the spirit, if he came not by them by this meanes. For a meere naturall man may hauehave many good things in him, as remnants of Gods Image, and doe many good things, the Gentiles which hauehave not the law doe by nature the things contained in the law, Rom. 2. 14. but the onelyonly meanes of regeneration, is the Word preached, being borne againe, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the Word of God, 1. Pet. 1. 23. and this is the word which by the Gospell is preached vntounto you, ver. 25. Therefore is it so expresly noted of those Churches and persons, whose conuersion the Holy Ghost giueth testimony vntounto, that they were conuerted by preaching. Obserue this in all the Churches and persons, that the Apostles wrote their Epistles vntounto. The Romanes were in the number of those that were conuerted by Peters Ministry, Acts 2. 10. the Corinthians were begotten anew by Pauls Ministry, 1. Cor. 4. 15. the Galatians receiued the spirit by the hearing of faith (the doctrine of faith) preached, Gal. 3. 2. the Ephesians trusted in Christ after that they had heard the word of truth and not before, Ephes. 1. 13. the good things that were in the Philippians they had receiued by hearing of Paul, Phil. 4. 9. the Colossians brought forth no fruit vntounto God, till the Gospell came to them, and they had heard it preached by Epaphras, Col. 1. 6, 7. the Thessalonians were won to God by Pauls Ministry, 1. Thess. 2. 13. Timothy was begotten to God by Pauls Ministry, 1. Tim. 1. 2. and so was Titus, Tit. 1. 4. and so was Philemon, Phil. 1. 9. the Christian Hebrewes were required to follow the faith of them that had spoken to them the Word of God, Heb. 13. 7. and they to whom the Apostle Iames did write, were begotten by God through the Word of truth, Iames 1. 18. and so were they to whom the Apostle Peter wrote, 1. Pet. 1. 23. and those to whom Iohn wrote, had that grace which he desires should abide in them, by hearing, 1. Ioh. 2. 24. the good things that were in the Elect Lady and her children were wrought in them by Iohns Ministry, 2. Iohn 8. and Gaius was one of his children also, 3. Ioh. 4. and the faith full vntounto whom Iude writes had been hearers of the Apostles, Iude 17. Thirdly, whatsoeuer a mans state and condition be, he hath neede to heare: First, such as are both ignorant and void of sense and care of their saluation; for this is the meanes to open their eyes, and bring them out of the power of Sathan, Act. 26. 18. Secondly, such as hauehave already good affections and desires; for they are in danger to perish, not withstanding their good desires, if they be not instructed; as appeareth by the comparison our Sauiour vseth here, Ioh. 4. 35. which I opened vntounto you euen now. Thirdly, such as hauehave attained to a good measure of knowledge: for knowledge without faith auaileth not; and this is the onelyonly meanes to make vsus beleeue that we know, Rom 10. 14. Fourthly, such as hauehave both knowledge, and good affections, and true faith, and sanctification, because these graces are imperfect in the best, and will dye if they grow not, and be not nourished; and this is the meanes of growth and perseuerance, it is ordained for the perfecting of the Saints, and the edifying of the body of Christ, Ephes. 4. 12.
The fourth Vse, is to stirre vp the Minister to diligence in his calling, to which he is tyed by a double bond; first, in respect of the commandement 4.of God, necessity is laid vponupon mee, yea woe is vntounto mee if I preach not the Gospell, 1. Cor. 9. 16. secondly, in respect of the necessity of the people, he is set as a watchman ouer Gods people, &c. Ezek. 33. 6. To this end it is profitable for him to doe as Christ heere willeth his Disciples, viz. lift vp his eyes, and behold the regions, that is, consider the estate and condition of his people, and seeke to take particular knowledge of the estate of eueryevery one of his people (as Paul did who taught them at Ephesus from house to house, Acts 20. 20. and warned eueryevery one of them, verse 31.) And this will make him diligent, and carefull to teach them, if he hauehave any bowels in him. This wrought compassion towards the people in our Sauiour, Matth 9. 36. When he saw the multitudes, that they were as sheepe scattered abroad, hauing no shepheard, he was mooued with compassion towards them.