Reddit. The scope and end of the ministry is for the church's be- nefit and advantage. They must not lord it over God's heritage, as if the church were for them, and not they for the church ; nor serve themselves of it, but be the church's servants for Jesus sake, 2 Cor. iv. 6. The power they have received being for edification, and not for destruction, 2 Cor. x. 8. Christ hath given them to the church* es ; their gifts, their time, their strength, and all their ministerial talents, are not their own, but the church's stock and treasure.
13. Prop. The workmen that labour in the fields are accountable for their work to him that emploj'^ed them.
Reddit. Church-officers are also accountable to God for all the souls committed to them. They are stewards of the mysteries of God, 1 Cor. iv. 1. and stewards are accountable. " We watch for '' your souls, (saith the apostle) as they that must give an account," Heb. xiii. 7. If these servants be unfaithful in their work and trust, the blood of souls shall be required at their hands, Ezek. iii. 17, 18. which nve fulmina, non verba, (saith Erasmus) thunderbolts rather than words. The guilt of blood is the greatest guilt ; and of all blood, the blood of souls.
• 1 i. Prop. Those that spend their time and strength all their days, in manuring and plowing in the fields, do maintain themselves and their families by their labours ; their hands are sufficient for themselves and theirs.
Reddit. " Even so hath God ordained, that they which preach the *' gospel, should live by the gospel," 1 Cor. ix. 14. " The work-*
" man is worthy of his meat," Mat. x. 10. It is a sad thing, if those who break the bread of hfe to souls, should be suffered to want bread themselves. God would not have the mouth of an ox muzzled that treads out the corn, but have liberty to eat as well as v/ork. Yet if any pretended to the ministry be like the heifer, that loves to tread out the corn, i. e. cares to do no work, but such as brings in present pay ; he therein sufficiently discovers his beast-like disposition. Mi- nisters must be faithful in their Master's work, and if men do not, God will reward them. For " he is not unrighteous to forget their " work, and labour of love," Heb. vi. 10.
15. Prop. It is a great trouble to husbandmen in a busy time, to be put off from their labours by stormy weather, which drives them out of the fields, and makes them let all lie, till it clear up again ; yet mean while, they are not idle, but employ themselves in home- work.
Reddit. Even so in God's husbandry, it is an unspeakable affliction to God's workmen to be rendered useless and unserviceable to the churches, by those storms of trouble, which drive them from their public ministerial work. With what a heavy heart did Paul go off from his work at Ephesus, Acts xx. It spends a minister to preach, but more to be silent. It is a loud speaking judgment, when God shall say to them as to Ezekiel, " Son of man, I will make thy " tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, and thou shalt be dumb," Ezek. iii. 26. Such silencing providences, speak thundering lan- guage to gracious hearts ; yet, even then, the keepers of the vine- yard have a private vineyard of their own to look after, they have much home-work, when no out- work.
16. Prop. There is a vast diffisrence betwixt those fields which have been well husbanded and dressed by a skilful and diligent hus- bandman ; and those that have been long out of husbandry. How fragrant is the one ? How dry and barren the other ? When you pass by a field well dressed and fenced, every thing prosperous, and m exquisite order, you may know, without farther enquiry, that a good husbandman lives there.
Reddit. Thus stands the case betwixt those places which God hath blessed with a faithful, painful ministry, and such as have none, or worse than none : for as the husbandman's cost and pains appear in the verdant and fragrant hue of his fields ; so a minister's pains and diligence are ordinarily seen in the heavenly lives, and flourishing graces of the people. The churches of Corinth and Thessalonica, where Paul and other holy instruments spent much of their time and pains, became famous and flourishing churches, 2 Cor. ix. 2. A special blessing comes along with a godly minister, to the place where special providence assigns him. Such places, like Gideon's fleece, have the dew of heaven lying on them, whilst others round about dre dry and barren.
17. Prop, The husbandman is not discouraged, though the seed
lie long under the clods ; he knov>^s it will spring up at the last, and reward him, or those that come after him, for their pains and pa^- tience in waiting for it.
Reddit Ministers should not be presently discouraged in their work, because they see but little or no appearance of all the seed they have sown among the people. The " servant of the Lord must be " patient towards all, waiting if at any time God will give them re- " pentance," 2 Tim. ii. 24, 25. And if it never spring up in his time, it may after his death ; and if so, he shall not fail of his re- ward, John iv. 36, 37. "" And he that reapeth, receiveth wages, " and gathereth fruit unto life eternal, that both he that soweth, and " he that reapeth, may rejoice together ; and herein is that saying " true, one soweth, and another reapeth." Though ministers die, yet their words live ; yea, their words take hold of men when they are in the dust, Zech. i. 6.
18. Prop, Husbandmen find low grounds and vallies, most fertile ; hills, how lofty soever they overtop the lower grounds, yet answer not the ]iusbandman''s pains as the vallies do : these are best watered and secured from the scorching heat of the sun.
Reddit. Experience shews us, that the humblest saints are most fruitful under the gospel ; " These are they that receive with meek- *' ness the engraffed word," James i. 21. whose influences abide in them, as the rain doth in the low vallies. Happy is that minister, whose lot falls in such a pleasant valley. " Blessed are they that sow ^' beside all such waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox '* and the ass," Isa. xxxii. 20. among these vallies run the pleasant springs and purling brooks, which fertilize the neighbouring ground. Heavenly ordinances there, leave fruitful influences.
19. Prop. The first crop is usually the best, and the longer the husbandman tills his ground, the less it produces ; after a few years its vigour and strength is spent.