Expositions Upon Matthew 1-10, Treatise · Chapter 9 · Section 6
Grounds hereof.
1 The preciouſneſs of the ſoul, more worth then a world, becauſe a world cannot redeem it: A mans ſoul is himſelf, Luke 9.26. What ſhould it profit a man to gain the whole world and loſe himſelf? If thou loſeſt thy ſoul thou loſeſt thy ſelf. We have 2 hands, eys, ears, if we loſe one we have another, but we have but one ſoul, loſe thy ſoul thou loſeth thy ſelf. Our bowels yern to ſee a boat or ſhip full of paſſengers on ſinking, how much more to ſee a ſoul ſinking into the pit of hell? We weep and ſympathize with them who are in bodily affliction, Job. 30.25. Did not I weep for him who was in affliction? And ſhall we not ſympathize with ſoulmiſeries? inſtances of yerning affections to the ſouls of men. Samuel for Saul, 1 Sam. 16.1. Jeremy for the King, Queen, &c. Jer. 13.17. Paul ſpoke of ſundry Profeſſors weeping, Phil. 3.18. Of whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping; Chriſt wept over Jeruſalem for their omiſſion of a day of grace, Luke 19.41.
2 Conſider what a loſs the loſs of one ſoul is. It's a remedileſs loſs; therefore ſuch a love of ſoul, we ſhould have upon us, that if any pains or ſtudy would ſave a ſoul, if any coſt or travel would do it, if denying a mans credit, profit, eaſe or pleaſure, if ſtooping and laying our hands under the feet of ſouls would do it, if prayers, and tears, and ſweating our ſelves to death would do it, if ſacrificing our lives to ſtinking priſons, howling wilderneſſes, and burning flames would do it, we ſhould not think any thing too much to the ſaving of one ſoul.
3 It's the higheſt degree of alms. We all yern towards periſhing bodies, let us alſo to periſhing ſouls; yea it's ſuch an alms as every one can give, as Peter and John ſaid, Silver and gold have I none, but ſuch as I have give I thee.
Becauſe they fainted] As the bodies of men faint when nouriſhment is withdrawn, ſo alſo do ſouls.
And were ſcattered abroad as ſheep having no Shepherd] As ſheep expoſe themſelves to the prey of Wolves and wilde beaſts, and cannot bring themſelves home unleſs the Shepherd gather them home, Pſal. 119.176. I have gone aſtray like a ſheep, ſeek thy ſervant, ſo it is with men by nature. God muſt ſeek them and bring them back, yea he muſt keep them in with his Shepherds crook and defend them. Now this poor multitude had not ſuch Shepherds, but ſuch as onelyonly ſought themſelves and not the good of the ſheep.
V. 37. Then ſaith he unto his Diſciples, The harveſt truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few.
V. 38. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harveſt, that he would ſend forth labourers into his harveſt.
The harveſt truly is plenteous] By harveſt he means multitudes of people who were ready to receive the Goſpel, Joh. 4.35. The fields are white ready to harveſt. They were ready to receive the doctrine of ſalvation, and ſo to be brought into the barne of the Church. Chriſt hereby inflames the minds of the Diſciples to go out to preach. Herein are two arguments.
1 The good ſucceſs former Prophets and teachers had that their doctrine took root and grew up to a harveſt.
2 From the eaſineſs of the work; it was in a great meaſure made ready to their hand, being come to a harveſt. As Corn periſhes if it have none to gather it, ſo people of good affections if they have none to build them up.
The labourers are few] Obſ. 1 The office of a preacher is to be a labourer, 1 Theſſ. 5.12, 13. Know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord, 1 Tim. 5.1. Hence a miniſter is called foreign under-rowers of foreign under and foreign a rower, becauſe under Chriſt the chief Pilot, they row the ſhip of the Church towards heaven. Now rowing is a very painful work. Vide Beza. They do not onelyonly labour in the word, but in prayer alſo, Col. 4.12. Hence have they a due right to their maintenance. Pharaoh reſerved the Prieſts living, Jezebel maintained four hundred falſe Prophets, Micha maintained a Levite: the Levites had not near the ſervice we have, yet was his maintenance greater then any of the Tribes. They are Souldiers, therefore to be maintained of them for whom they fight, 1 Cor. 9.7. To ſay preachers muſt have but for bare neceſſity, is to no purpoſe, for how can they then be hoſpitable?
Are few] Here's the cauſe of the ſending out the Apoſtles, of which cap. 10.1. for onelyonly John the Baptiſt and Chriſt laboured, the Scribes and Phariſees being given to their pleaſures and profits.