Expositions Upon Matthew 1-10, Treatise · Chapter 9 · Section 8
Grounds of thus praying.
1 Gods command: every command of God is to be obeyed, therefore pray. God commanding perſons thus to pray, doth not mean to ſend them away empty handed when they do pray.
2 The miſchief that comes where ſuch planters and waterers are abſent, all runs to ruine moſtly in the want of ſuch. Some places famous for religion, when ſuch lights have been removed what darkneſs hath been?
3 The multitudes of buſineſs that God hath for labourers to do. Paul would have gone to the leſſer Aſia and Bythinia, but the ſpirit ſuffered him not, but when a man of Macedonia prayed, Come over and help us, they obtained Paul, Act. 16.6, 7, 9. When there is plenty of work and ſcarcity of labourers, you muſt beſides paying be fain to pray, ſo it is in this caſe.
4 Prayer is a mean to get ſuch teachers, its a mean to obtain every bleſſing from God, Matth. 7.7. therefore this bleſſing alſo.
5 It's a ſingular bleſſing unto a people to have their eyes behold their teachers, and not to have them removed into a corner, Eſa. 30.19, 20. The contrary is a curſe, Amos 8.11, 12. To go from ſea to ſea to ſeek the word of the Lord, becauſe of the famine of the word.
God onelyonly gives ſuch teachers, Jer. 3.15. I will give you paſtors after my own heart, which ſhall feed you with knowledge and underſtanding. For this end Chriſt aſcended into heaven, Eph. 4.10, 11, 12, 13. In the 68 Pſalm 18. Its ſaid, Chriſt received gifts; in this place its ſaid, he gave gifts; the meaning is, Chriſt hath received gifts from his Father, and given them to men.
The benefits of faithfull Teachers, as, 1 Converſion. How ſhall they believe without a Preacher? Rom. 10.14. Acts 2.37, 38. Acts 26.18.
2 Edification, to wit, building up ſouls converted. Paul perfected what was lacking in the Theſſalonians faith, 1 Theſſ. 3.10.
3 Direction in difficult Caſes, together with ſatisfaction in ſcruples, ſo that the ſouls of perſons are kept in peace, John 9.3.
4 To kindle affections when ſouls are dead; how were the affections of the Brethren at Epheſus, Acts 20.36. and Tyre, Acts 21.5. kindled? and the three thouſand pricked? Acts 2.37. The hearts of the Diſciples going to Emmaus were on fire whiles Chriſt ſpoke to them? Luke 24.32.
5 Relations kept in the way of duty; fathers, children, husbands, wives, princes, ſubjects, maſters, ſervants.
6 Soul watchfulneſs, Heb. 13.17. They watch for your ſouls. Iſai 62.6, 7.
7 They wraſtle with the Lord in prayer, and give him no reſt till they obtain mercy for a people, Iſai 62.6, 7.
8 They gather Gods harveſt into barns, that is, ſouls into Churches here, and into glory hereafter.
That he would ſend forth Labourers into his Harveſt] Seven grounds hereof.
1 The need there is of ſuch Labourers: as a Field will be overgrown with Weeds if the Husbandman ſend not Labourers into it, ſo will the hearts of men where there are not ſuch Labourers to weed. And as when Corn is ripe it will be apt to ſhatter if there be not Labourers to inn it, ſo people of good affections are apt to decline where there are not Labourers to perfect young comers on. The need of ſuch is ſeen, in that yearly there are ſo many thouſands born Children of Wrath. And in that the hearts of good men are liable to ſo many decays and coolings.
2 The great bleſſing there is by ſuch Miniſtry and labour; and needs muſt it bring a bleſſing, becauſe it roots out that which will be the ruine of any place, I mean ſin, Prov. 28.2. Yea nothing doth more bleſs a place than ſuch Labourers, 2 Chron. 11.17. The godly Prieſts and Levites that came to Rehoboam ſtrengthened the Kingdom of Judah.
3 Becauſe the Harveſt is Gods; it's called his Harveſt, therefore it belongs to him to ſend forth Labourers into it. Now they that are of Gods ſending are endued with gifts and grace.
4 Becauſe they cannot preach unleſs he ſend them, Rom. 10.14. How ſhall they preach except they be ſent? The leaſt degree of ſending is to have ability to divide the word.
This ſending is, 1 Inward, when a man having the love of ſouls ſtamped upon his heart is made willing to offer up himſelf to this work. Iſai 6.6, 7, 8.
2 Outward, becauſe too many out of pride and ſelf-conceitedneſs are ready to put themſelves forward this way: hence God hath appointed that perſons that are to go out be firſt approved by men thereunto appointed. Elſe Jer. 23.21. I have not ſent theſe Prophets yet they ran.
5 As the primitive work of ſending is Gods, ſo there is ſomething in ſending which is ours, to wit, that we ſhew our ſelves willing to be ſent. When God had ſent one of the Seraphims to Iſaiah with a coal in his hand to touch his mouth, meaning a burning zeal to Gods glory, and when the Lord asks the queſtion whom ſhall I ſend, and who ſhall go for us? the Prophet then anſwers, v. 8. Here I am ſend me, Iſai 6.6, 7. Men to whom God hath given Abilities ſhould be forward to put forth themſelves. Out of love to ſouls they may deſire the Office of a Biſhop, 1 Tim. 3.1. yea they muſt out of a ready minde take the overſight of the flock of God, 1 Peter 5.2. Not by conſtraint but willingly, not for filthy lucre but of a ready minde.
6 All the ſucceſs that is in any mans Miniſtry, how fully ſoever ſent, or how willing of himſelf for to go, is from God. So that the force of the Reaſon is, he hath the power of ſucceeding and making Miniſtry effectual, therefore he hath the power of ſending. We preach to perſons to turn from darkneſs, Acts 26.18. but God turns them. Iſaiah preached a long time, Iſai 53.1. yet becauſe the arm of the Lord, or the power of the Lord, was not revealed to ſouls, there were ſo few converted, that he cries out, Who hath believed our reports? yea he and the children God had given him were as ſigns and wonders. If God go along Peter ſhall at one Sermon convert three thouſand. All our Preaching is but as the rigging of the Sails, which avails not unleſs the Winde blow. When he opens none can ſhut, when he ſhuts none can open. Rev. 3.7, 8. yet muſt we in a patient manner make trial what ſucceſs God will give us in our Miniſtry, imitating Peter, Luke 5.5. who had toiled all night and taken nothing, yet would at Chriſts word further let down the net. And truly perſons ſent by God uſually have their labours bleſſed to the converting and building up of ſome ſouls. Jer. 23.21, 22.
7 It is the Lord that maintains them in their work, Acts 18.9, 10. Be not affraid, but ſpeak and hold not thy peace, for I am with thee. He holds the ſeven ſtars in his right hand, Revel. 1.16, 20. now the right hand is the hand of ſtrength and power, Jer. 1.18, 19. ſaith God to Jeremy, I have made thee an Iron Pillar and a Brazen Wall, they ſhall fight againſt thee, but not prevail. Seeing God maintains perſons herein, it's fit he have the ſending of them.