Truth Held Forth and Maintained, Part 1 · Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX. Concerning the Lords Harveſt, and of the Labour in his Vineyard.
EVen now, as in dayes paſt, the Lords Harveſt is Great, but the Labourers are few, becauſe many have received of the Lord to work in the Vineyard, but are not faithful to that of him which they have received; for which cauſe their part of labour in the Vineyard remains not done, and they remain clothed with the works of their own Labour, which is not of the Spirit of God, therefore do they labour in Vain; for it is the diligent hand (through the gift of God) which enriches the Soul of him, that is a faithfull Labourer in the Lords Vineyard, when the negligent and floathful ones are ſent empty away; for all have in meaſure received the ſeed of the Harveſt; but through unfaithfulneſs the harveſt of Truth and Righteouſneſs is not perſe…ed in them, becauſe through their unfaithfulneſs to the gift of God, the Seed taketh not root, for the ground proves barren, which is the cauſe of the ſeeds not taking root, to bring forth fruit acceptable to God; for as the feed, in meaſure, hath been ſown in all forts of ground, it only takes root to bring forth good fruit in the honeſt heart, which is faithfull to God in the work of the Vineyard; for many are called to labour in the Vineyard, that through unfaithfulneſs to their call, are never choſen among the faithful Labourers in the work of the Lords Vineyard, therefore pray to the Lord of the Harveſt, that he would ſend forth more faithfull Labourers, or the Harveſt is great, & many unfaithfull Labourers there be, which hinder others from receiving the Truth, for they have ſown divers ſtrange ſeeds in the Lords Vineyard, where the many Paſtors have trodden the Lords portion under foot, and have made his pleaſant Portion a deſolate Wilderneſs, which being deſolate, it mourneth unto the Lord, for which cauſe the Lord hath ſent his Servants, as in dayes paſt, to warn the learned wiſe rebellious Ones from the evil or their way, that People may find eaſe from under theſe heavy burdens, with which their Teachers have yoked them, and encouraged them to beat one, deſtroy the other, perſwading them it was good ſervice for God in ſo doing, in which ſtate many have itching ears, that will not endure to hear found Doctrine, but heap up Teachers, which turn them from the Truth into Fables, through which the Vinyard is encumbered with a multitude of fruitleſs Trees, Bryars, Thornes and Thiſtles, among which the Lyon waits for his prey, and the Subtil Foxes have their hiding places, where the Wolf alſo ſeeketh to devour, which things are left for Preachers to conſider, and not to teach People, to daſh one againſt the other, but to love one another, and to pray for their Enemies, and do no other thing to another, then they themſelves are willing to be done unto, until which time the Juſt Judgment of God is their Reward, for all their evil wayes towards him and his People, for whom the Lord is making way, through his righteous Judgments, which take pleace upon all them that obey not his Word, to keep his commands, they like potſherds, ſhall even daſh one againſt the other, until all be conſumed, which is not fitly framed and tempered according to the Lords own mind, but the Lord is making way for the growth of his own Seed, which ſhall bring forth abundant of increaſe, to the praiſe of God, and honour of his Name; for the harveſt is Great, and the Labourers are few, but the Lord will daily add more and more, that by the ſtrength of his own Power, he will make his Vineyard fit, according to his own defire, where every one ſhall remaine in peace under his own Vine, unto which many are gathered, and unto them will be the gathering.