Lectures Upon John 4, Part 15 · Lecture 61
The sixtie one Lecture. August 7. 1610. IOHN IIII. XXXVI.
IT followeth, that we proceed now vntounto the second argument, that our Sauiour vseth, to moue his Disciples to zeale in their ministry, which is set downe in this verse; and that is taken from the reward and comfort they shall be sure to receiue, if they be faithfull and painefull in their ministry. For our Sauiour, continuing the comparison which he had begun in the former verse, giueth here three notable encouragements, from the example of the haruest-man:
1. The haruest man thinketh not much of his toyle and labour, because he knoweth he is sure to receiue wages; yea better wages, and better cheare for haruest-worke, than for any other worke in husbandry. All men are wont to be liberally minded toward their haruest folke: and it is noted for a signe of a cruell and vnmercifull man, at that time, when God bestoweth his blessings on him, with a liberall hand, to be hard and miserable toward them, by whose seruice and labour hee receiueth them. They that tread their winepresses, suffer thirst, saith Ioh, speaking of the cruell oppressour, Iob. 24. 11. And Iames 5. 4. Behold, the hire of the labourers which hauehave reaped your fields (which is of you kept backe by fraud) cryeth, and the cryes of them which reaped, are entred into the eares of the Lord of hosts. And if men be wont to respect their haruest-folke so much, then surely (saith our Sauiour here) my Father will not suffer you, that are his haruest-folke, to want. He that reapeth, receiueth wages; he that gaineth a soule to God, shall be sure to be well rewarded.
2. The haruest-man is encouraged to do his worke much more chearefully, when the corne that he reapeth is good (without weeds, heauie in the sheafe, and good for the yeeld) though it be not his own corne, though he receiue no more wages for reaping it, than he should doe, if it were bad; yet doth he his worke farre more chearefully, in a plentifull haruest, when the corne is good, and will yeeld good encrease and profit vntounto the owner. Yea, in such a case, when the corne is such, as the reaper may fill his hand, and the gleaner his lap, they that passe by will reioyce, and will be ready to encourage the reapers, and say, The blessing of the Lord be vponupon you, wee blesse you in the Name of the Lord, Psal. 129. 7, 8. Now (saith our Sauiour) the fruit that you shall gather, which are the Lords reapers, is another manner of graine and fruit than they worke for; farre more excellent in nature, more durable, such as yeeldeth farre greater profit and comfort to the owner of it. Whosoeuer reapeth the Lords corne, gaineth soules to God, shall not only be sure to receiue good wages, but gathereth fruit vntounto eternall life. The fruit of his labours, the grace that by his Ministry is wrought in the hearts of men, shall neuer perish, but endure vntounto euerlasting life And therefore (saith he) it is a shame for you, if you take not paines, if you doe not your worke dililigently and carefully.
3. The haruest-man is encouraged to do his worke, to toile and labour in it chearefully, because he knowes that when haruest is done, they shall hauehave mirth and ioy, he and all his fellow seruants shall be merry together; not onelyonly those that hauehave reaped with him, but euen those that did sowe the corne, which they hauehave now reaped, shall reioyce as well as they, when by the plentifull haruest they shall discerne, that their paines and labours they tooke was not lost, but hath prospered so well. And this custome of making merry, and reioycing after haruest, we shall finde it hath beene very ancient, Esay 9. 3. They hauehave reioyced before thee, according to the ioy in haruest. Yea, the Lord hath commanded and enioyned his people a publike and solemne reioycing, and ordained, that the feast of Tabernacles should at this time be kept to that end, Deut. 16. 1…, 14. Thou shalt obserue the feast of the Tabernacles seuen dayes, when thou hast gathered in thy corne, and thy wine, and thou shalt reioyce in this feast, thou, thy sonne, thy daughter, thy seruant. And verse 15. Thou shalt in any case bee glad. Now (saith our Sauiour here to his Disciples) no haruest-man can hauehave so great encouragement to his labour in this respect, as you may hauehave; for when your worke is done, you shall hauehave great and vnspeakcable ioy: yea, this shall encrease your ioy; you and the Prophets, that hauehave laboured before you in this worke of the Lord, and sowed what you shall reape, shall meet and make merry together.
And thus hauehave I shewed you the meaning and purpose of our Sauiour in these words. The principall Doctrine that the Holy Ghost intendeth to teach vsus in them, is this,
That the faithfull Minister, that laboureth to win soules to God, shall be sure to be well rewarded; how ill soeuer the vnthankfull world reward Doct. 2.him, God will certainely reward him
For the proofe of the Doctrine, obserue it in these two points: First, that euen in this life, while they are doing their worke, the Lord hath care to prouide well and liberally for them, that they may want nothing while they are doing his worke, as the husbandman doth for his haruest-men. Secondly, that when they hauehave done their worke, the Lord vseth to giuegive them better wages, a greater reward than other of his seruants, as the husbandman also doth to his haruest-men. The first of these two points, if we iudge of it by sense and reason, we shall hardly be able to conceiue how it can be true; for no kinde of men hath euer seemed to be more neglected of God in this life, than the faithfull Minister. For the Prophets, we know what Stephen saith, Which of the Prophets, hauehave not your fathers persecuted? And Iames 5. 10. Take my brethren the Prophets, who hauehave spoken in the Name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. And for the Apostles, hearken what Paul saith, 1. Cor. 4. 9. I thinke (saith he) God hath set forth vsus, as men appointed vntounto death; we are made a gazing stocke to the world, to Angels, and men, And verse 11. We suffer hunger and thirst, and are buffeted, and hauehave no certaine dwelling place.
But if we will looke into it with a spirituall eye, we shall finde this to be true, that euen in this life God hath speciall care to prouide for faithfull Ministers aboue all other men. This may euidently appeare to vsus in three points:
1. None of Gods seruants hauehave such promises for sufficiency, and a competent measure of the blessings of this life, as the faithfull Minister hath. Moses hath a strange speech to this purpose, Deut. 10. 8, 9. At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Leui, to beare the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord, to minister vntounto him, and to blesse in his Name vntounto this day. Wherefore Leui hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the Lord is his inheritance, according as the Lord thy God promised him. He giueth two reasons why Leui should hauehave no inheritance: first, because God hath separated, and put him apart for his seruice: and secondly, because the Lord is his inheritance, as he promised him. As if he should say, Because I hauehave separated him to my speciall seruice, I will take the care of prouiding for him specially: and that my care of him may the better appeare, he shall hauehave no other inheritance, but me. And when Christ sent forth his Apostles to preach, Matth. 10. 10. he biddeth them carry no victuals, nor change of apparrell, nor other prouision with them; and giueth this for the reason, Because the workeman was worthy of his meate. Yea, the Lord hath shewed the like care euen of the wife and children, that the faithfull Minister hath left behinde him. See an experiment of this, in 2. King. 4. 1—7. One of the sons of the Prophets dyed in debt, and left his wife and children in great distresse, but God miraculously prouided both for the payment of his debts, and for his wife and children also to liue vponupon.
2. None hauehave such promises of protection and deliuerance from trouble, as the faithfull Minister, Psal. 122. 16. I will cloath her Priests with saluation. Ier. 1. 18. Behold, I hauehave made thee a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and wals of brasse against the whole land, verse 19. For they shall fight against thee, but shall not preuaile against thee: for I am with thee, to deliuer thee, saith the Lord, Reuel. 2. 1. Christ holdeth the starres; yea, all of them, in his right hand. If any man shall aske, How falleth it out then, that in all ages they hauehave beene so much in trouble, and that their enemies hauehave so preuailed against them, and that oftentimes euen vntounto the death? I answer, the reason was, not that the Lord became carelesse of their peace, and liberty, and safety; but, first, either because their testimony was finished, and that worke which God in his wisedome had determined to worke by them: As it is said of Gods two witnesses, Reuel. 11. 7. When they hauehave finished their testimony, the beast that commeth out of the bottomelesse pit, shall make warre against them, and shall ouercome them, and kill them. Or else, secondly, because the Lord seeth he shall receiue more honour by their suffering, and constant confession of his truth, than by their peace, as the Apostle saith of his owne troubles, the things which hapned vntounto me, hauehave fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospell, Phil. 1. 12.
3. None of Gods seruants hauehave so many, and so cleare promises, that God will take their part against their enemies, and reuenge their wrongs, as the faithfull Minister hath. When Dauid had said, Psal. 105. 14. He suffered no man to doe them wrong, but reproued Kings for their sake: he expresseth, ver. 15. who they were, that God had this speciall care of aboue the rest. Touch not mine annointed, and doe my Prophets no harme. Hitherto belongeth that benediction and propheticall prayer, that Moses made for Leui, Deut. 33. 11. Smite through the loynes of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not againe. Therefore we shall finde, that of all the sins, whereby a people hauehave prouoked him, God hath beene least able to endure this, 2 Chron. 36. 16. Iudah was guilty of many sinnes, before their captiuity, but marke which of all their sins did the most prouoke God against the land; They mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and mis-used his Prophets, vntill the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, and till there was no remedy.
And this may suffice, to shew what care God hath of his reapers, his faithfull Ministers in this life, while they are doing his worke. Now for the second point, that when their worke is done, and the day of payment shall come, the Lord will hauehave greater respect vntounto them, than to other of his seruants, is also very euident in the holy Scriptures: First, when the day of reckoning and payment shall come, they shall be the first that shall receiue their wages. Reu. 11. 18. The time of the dead is come, that they should be iudged, and that thou shouldest giuegive reward vntounto thy seruants the Prophets, and to thy Saints, and to them that feare thy Name. Secondly, as they shall be first in the reward, so shall they receiue the greatest reward. Matth. 5. 12. Great is your reward in heauen: for so persecuted they the Prophets. Dan. 12. 3. They that be wise, shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament, and they that turne many to righteousnesse, as the starres for euer and euer.
The Reason of all this, is, Because God receiueth more honour by their Reason.worke and seruice, than by the labours of any other of his seruants. Luke 1. 15. He shall be great in the sight of the Lord: the reason is giuen, verse 16. Many of the children of Israel shall he turne vntounto the Lord their God.
The Vse of this Doctrine, is, to encourage and comfort the Ministers of Christ, against all the grieuances and discomforts they receiue from the Vse.world: First, the discomforts and indignities that we endure, are nothing to that which the Prophets and Apostles did endure; and we hauehave many outward comforts which they wanted. Secondly, if our conscience can witnesse with vsus, that we are faithfull in our calling, and carefull to employ that talent we hauehave receiued to our Masters profit, we may be sure that the Lord esteemeth well of vsus, and we are deare vntounto him. And what man, that is in high fauour with the Prince, will be disquieted, if a childe or a mad man, that he meeteth with in the street, refuse to doe him reuerence, or mocke him? If we be faithfull, we shall not need to be couetous, or to disquiet our selues with care for the things of this life, nor to feare the malice or subtilty of our enemies. Let vsus doe the Lords worke faithfully, and cast our care vponupon him for those matters.
2. Remember that the reward thou shalt receiue, when the day of reckoning shall come, will aboundantly recompense all the toile, and care, and disgraces thou hast endured. This reason the Apostle vseth, 1. Pet. …. 24. when he had said, Feed the flocke, care for it, doe it willingly with a ready minde; he giueth this for the reason, verse 4. And when the chiefe Shepheard shall ap peare, you shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory. It is very profitable for eueryevery Christian, to meditate oft of this day of reckoning, when eueryevery man shall receiue his wages, according to his worke. And this is one notable difference, betweene a godly man and a wicked; that whereas it is a hell to a wicked man to thinke of his end, and of the life to come, Amos 6. …. They put farre from them the euill day; the godly man hath no comfort nor encouragement like vntounto that. Psal. 27. 13. I should hauehave fainted, except I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing.
To exhort all men that they would shew themselues the children of their heauenly Father, in esteeming of good Ministers, as the Lord esteemeth of 2.them. We are fallen into an age, wherein the very calling of a Minister, is growne into a generall contempt with most men. If a man hauehave not somewhat else beside his Ministry to grace him (friends, or wealth, or titles) eueryevery one, euen the youngest and basest, will despise him I know well, a great cause of this is the iust iudgement of God vponupon the insufficiencie, idlenesse, couetousnesse, and lasciuiouinesse of many Ministers; for so saith the Lord, Mal. 2. 9. I hauehave made you to be despised and vile before all the people, because yee kept not my waies, but hauehave beene partiall in the law. But these are not the Ministers I would hauehave you esteeme of: for God esteemeth not of such; but such as are able Ministers in any good measure, and faithfull; them I exhort you to louelove and esteeme of Learne not of Papists or Atheists how to esteeme a good Minister, but learne of thy heauenly Father how to esteeme of him. I say, not onelyonly take heed thou persecute them not, wrong them not, disgrace them not, deride them not, grieue and discourage them not, (He that derideth and disgraceth Ministers, is a persecutor of Ministers; when Ismael mocked Isaac, the Holy Ghost saith, Hee persecuted him, Gal 4. 29. and he that grieueth and discourageth a Minister, hindereth Gods work in his Ministry, therefore the Apostle saith, it is vnprofitable for the people when the Minister cannot doe his worke with ioy, but with griefe, Heb. …3. 17.) But I say more, see thou louelove eueryevery good Minister, and esteeme of him, encourage him by all good meanes, if thou wilt shew thy selfe the childe of thy heauenly Father: so hauehave good men beene wont to doe, Hezechia spake comfortably to all the Leuites, and taught the good knowledge of God. 2. Chron. 30. …2. yea hee commanded the people to giuegive the portion to the Priests and the Leuites, that they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord, 2. Chron. 3…. 4. and of Iosiah, it is said, that he encouraged the Priests to the seruice of the house of the Lord, 2. Chron. 35. 2. Let no man count himselfe religious that doth not louelove and reuerence eueryevery good Minister, Matth …0 11. Enquire who is worthy (that is, who feareth God, loueth the Word) and there be bold to tarrie and receiue entertai…ement; As if he should say, EueryEvery one that is worthy, wil be ready to shew kindnesse vntounto you. If yee hauehave iudged me to bee faithfull to the Lord (saith Lydia, Acts 16. 15.) come into mine house and abide there, and she constrained vsus.